NETNEWS

by WB6IXN

5/01/2013 10m Phone Net – W6ZE/AF6C checked in W6ATB, W6JTT, KJ6OML, WB6IXN, W6HHC, and KE6YHX.  ATB, kicked back and listening, got a new K3 Transceiver and is having fun putting it together as Greg prepares for Field Day!  JTT, switching from the vertical to the horizontal ant. to transmit, plans to be out Sat. and Sun. for FD.   OML & AF6C, at Braille Institute today, got all Talking Books repaired and charged but two!...OML, AF6C, and  DLA all volunteer repairing Talking Books at the Institute, a FB service by OCARC members!  AF6C visited HHC, helped a lady wid her 7 yr old Apple computer, got the garage door repaired, and plans to eat all 4 meals at FD this year.  Contact AF6C to learn about Club radios he has for purchase or to be loaned out!  IXN continues outlining “The Particle at the End of the Universe” by Sean Caroll.  HHC says everybody likes the K3, but more bucks must be spent to buy the ancillary parts!...And Ken said that Fri eve din-din, Sat. morning Bfast, Sat. evening din-din, and Sun. morning Bfast will all be CATERED at Field Day!...Price: $20.00.  YHX has had plenty of soldering experience…He was soldering a connector to a power cord.

5/01/2013 2m Phone Net – W6ZE/WB6IXN checked in W6JTT, KJ6OML, N5YRJ(Steve), AF6CF, N6XCR(Jim), and KG6OXD.  YHX, not in school at present, must study the binomial theorem before his next math class, and JTT finds grounding on a granite bedrock layer difficult! YRJ, in Mission Viejo, uses older gear and a homemade J-pole ant.  El Presidente AF6CF checked in wid 5/9 sigs, and IXN missed Paul and Nicholas at the last OCA meeting.   Jim, XCR, from San Dimas, checked in wid 5/9 sigs, and Vern, OXD, using 50W, checked in on a vertical ant.  OML’s busy XYL, June, will upgrade in the near future.

5/8/2013 10m Phone Net – W6ZE/AF6C checked in KE6YHX, W6HHC, W6JTT, WB6IXN, W6ATB, KJ6OML, and K6DNR.  YHX continues to write a program in C++ and machine language for the 840 Controller, and AF6C helped a YL change from an old MAC computer to a new EMAC!  AF6C, wid a S4 noise level,  also ordered the new Field Day Banner for the Club today.  And JTT, also wid a high noise level, and using the 80m dipole tonite, copied NC intermittently…Sam ‘flew in and flew out’!  ATB checked in wid his first QSO on the new K-3 rig wid vy clear audio and 5/9 sigs!  Then, Greg got the call to din-din!  Thanks to physicist Sean Caroll, IXN continues to marvel at what we know about energy & matter below, at, and beyond the speed of light through study of THE STANDARD MODEL in particle/wavicle physics…His excellent book is titled, “The Particle at the End of the Universe”.  HHC got a call from AE & UZE back in the Chicago area…They got back safely, are settled in, and are back on the air!...And HHC said not to forget the Club Bfast come Saturday.  AF6C didn’t go to Braille Institute today, but OML did, repairing two old style, very dirty, Talking Book machines!  DNR ‘flew in and flew out’.

5/8/2013 2m Phone Net – W6ZE/WB6IXN checked in KE6YHX, W6JTT, KJ6OML, AF6C, and KG6OXD/m.  YHX tells IXN about program routines in C++.  JTT has the XYL and harmonic on vacation for 10 more days as Sam works on a sound card interface and software.  OML got 5 old Talking Book machines repaired today, one wid the “guts” out and the case washed and upside down drying!...Both Gene and June are preparing for Field Day!  Bob, AF6C, ordered the new Club Field Day Banner which will be used for this and future Field Days!...Tnx, Bob!  OXD/m, Vern, checked in mobile wid gud sigs and a ’lil QRN on his sigs.

5/15/2013 10m Phone Net – W6ZE/AF6C checked in KE6YHX, W6ATB, W6HHC, WB6IXN, and KJ6OML.  YHX, wid strong sigs, works with math problems in programming, and ATB asks AF6C to drop off the EICOM rig at the QTH, along wid the manule for the 837.  AF6C didn’t have a power cord for the 837.  HHC said ‘professor Jeff’, W6UX, hads taken the month off, so last University on the Air will be postponed until the Club meeting just before Field Day!   IXN reads a blurp on chnges in astronomical constants, and HHC reminds OPs to check the Club Newsletter for good, up-to-date info. on Field Day!  AF6C, DLA, and OML left a shelf full of serviced Talking Books ready to go!...Good work, OPs.!  IXN checked into Net wid the antenna tuner tuned to 7.086 MHz…Oh well…It’s only the 2^nd time that has happened!

5/15/2013 2m Phone Net – W6ZE/WB6IXN checked in WB9YCJ, W6JTT, W6ATB/m, KE6YHX, AF6C, KJ6QZO, KJ6OML, N6NBV.  YCJ checked in from Angel Stadium with the Angels losing 8-1!  Ken was using the HT, 5 Watts out, and a rubber ducky ant. wid 5/9 sigs at NC!  JTT, unable to hear YCJ, has his check sent in for Field Day, and YHX is busy setting parameters for file data.  ATB/m checked in wid FB sigs near Katella & Cambridge.  And AF6C said that the new Talking Books, wid newer batteries, are a lot better than the old units…Bob said that he, DLA, and OML serviced 32 Units today!  KJ6QZO temporarily set back license update to complete more important things at present, and IXN can’t remember giving Steve, NBV, a chance for comments…FOR WHICH I SINCERELY APOLOGIZE, Steve! (old age!)

5/22/2013 10m Phone Net – W6ZE/W6HHC checked in KE6YHX, W6ATB, WB6IXN, and KJ6OML.  AF6C had to pick up his sister at the airport, flying in from the Boston area.  HHC and OPs discussed LED lights in the QTH…They can be a source of RF noise!  And Ken announced a planning day meeting for Field Day come Friday…FD plans will be finalized at next Club meeting just before Field Day!  Also Ken received the DATVExpress transmitter board from a project team member.  If all works out well, Ken’s group may be able to sell a DATV package at a cheaper price!  YHX has LED lighting in the QTH, and, Corey continues his programming adventures with controller circuits.  ATB has 98% LEDs in the shop and they do produce some noise.  Greg said 6m is now active, and ATB mentioned that some AC-DC converters can be noisy!   IXN likes ‘wavicle’ better than ‘particle’ to express vibrating energy packets in particle physics.  Wid AF6C’s sister coming to town, OML and DLA serviced 7 or 8 machines at Braille Institute, leaving one for next week!  And Gene has 7 LED solar lights along a sidewalk at the QTH.

5/22/2013 2m Phone Net – W6ZE/WB6IXN checked in KE6YHX, W6JTT, KJ6OML, and W6ATB.  IXN reported a temp. of 68 deg. Outside the QTH, and YHX, busy calibrating meters, reported 70 deg. at the QTH. JTT beat both Corey and me wid a temp. of 75 deg.!, and Sam picked up a MFJ antenna analyzer to adjust his VHF antennas and bring down the SWR.  OML, DLA, and AF6C need test equipment for the new Talking Book Machines at Braille Institute, and ATB uses a vertical ant. wid no wire groundplane at the QTH…So does IXN, but Bob’s ant. uses a top hat.

5/29/2013 10m Phone Net – No 10M Net session this evening.

5/29/2013 2m Phone Net – W6ZE/WB6IXN checked in W6ATB, KJ6OML, and W6JTT.   IXN had an outside temp. of 72 deg. tonite, and reported the upgrade to the EQ off the coast of Santa Barbara to 4.8.  ATB checked in wid weak audio which improved after Greg checked out the mike gain and ALC.  OML woke up wid a headache, so Gene skipped the Braille Institute session today.  JTT found joints in wires inside an electrical conduit at the mountain QTH…One of the ‘joints’ burned a hole thru the conduit!  And Sam hopes to get more antenna work completed next week.