PCL NET SCRIBE DEC 9 2024

N5VLZ, Daryl, Arkansas (Net Control/Scribe)
NS2B, Bob, New York (Sysop)
KX4AC, Carl, Florida
KF5TVG, Bob, Oklahoma
VA7RBP, Rick, Canada

**

N5VLZ:

With back pain and vision issues tonight,
I'll defer my comments to the scribe, but
will note that our final PCL Net for 2024
is next Monday, Dec. 16, then we'll be OFF
Dec. 23 and 30, returning Jan. 6. We wish
everyone a safe and happy holiday.

I myself have no holiday plans, except to
stay home alone, and shut off all my
communications (computer, internet, and
cellphone) after I finish running the
Arklatex D-Star Net on Dec. 24, and to
stay offline until late on Dec. 27, when
I do the Trains Net; unless kept offline
by thunderstorms. Santa has blacklisted
me for asking him to "define naughty". I
just got burned out on all the holidays
(Christmas and otherwise) years ago, due
to the commercialism, and I've become a
Scrooge this time of year. I don't play
Christmas music, go to parties, put up
any lights or decorations, attend any
church cantatas, get cards or gifts, etc.
The only thing I do will print and mail
a Christmas letter to one of the family,
who doesn't have a computer or email, and
email the other two family members...all
the rest are dead and gone; and so, I'm
the last of my line.

Santa also decreed as punishment, the
banishment from traveling outside of
central Arkansas. It's just as well...
health, finances, travel, logistical,
and home security issues when I'm gone
are way too much to overcome; and I do
not want to go back to the psychiatric
ward. I may just stay home and cry and
sleep for 2 days, since (as noted), I'm
shutting all things off. A nice vacation
would've done me so much good (especially
to meet fellow ham radio friends)...but,
there are way too many red flags to even
continue with any such plans ever again.

With Skywarn Recognition Day this past
Saturday, I took the day off from ham
radio. I just don't have the energy to
do much at the computer, never mind the
issues with my vision and my back, making
it hard to be at the computer for a long
time. Even if I take pain medication,
they make me groggy. Plus, my A1C is now
6.4, so I'm becoming type 2 diabetic (as
if I needed another health issue). I'm
working on finishing off what food I have,
and if I'm lucky, I won't need any more
groceries until next year...although I'll
order from DoorDash every so often, for a
change of pace.

My cousin in Erie, PA, and her husband
have been snowed in with 2-6 feet of lake
effect snow. It's starting to melt, so bad
flooding is the concern now.

GE Bob (NY), how was your week?? >>>

NS2B:

GE All!

A good week - finally got a Christmas tree - it's
about half decorated - I'll keep working on it.

On the ham radio front - from the pages of: "If it
ain't broke, don't fix it"

I use a MikroTik device to connect to AMPRnet. It
does all the VPN work and also provides a Wifi signal.
I was thinkin' this morning "what if I don't want that
Wifi, how do I turn it off? Oh, just click here..."

Poof, entire config gone!

Spent the next hour rebuilding the AMPRnet config from
scratch. Fortunately I had reasonably good notes from
when I installed it. So everything is back to normal.

But for a minute there, I was in a panic!

Other than that, not much else happening around here.
Our snow has melted and it's raining now.

BTU Daryl >>>

N5VLZ:

GE Rick, you'll be after Bob (OK).

Bob (NY), I did that on my BBS bulletins directory years
ago. I thought I was in a temporary directory, did DEL *.*
(are you sure?) Y -- over 500 ASCII, ANSI, and RIP bulletin
files...GONE...and I had no backups.

So we've all been there, done that.

I talked to my cousin and her husband in Erie, PA...got from
2-6 feet of lake effect snow. It's slowly melting, but big
flooding is the issue now.

GE Carl, how was your week?? >>>

KX4AC:

GE all. It has been a hectic couple of weeks at work recently,
and it is starting to get more hectic at home. I am trying to
clean up, downsize, and get ready to move in January. I think
health insurance is all taken care of for next year, but a few
more 401k-type things to organize.

It is a little warmer this week, but still chilly. It is
definitely too cold in the morning for a nice walk, so I am
staying inside for now.

I need to get Christmas cards out! I keep forgetting. I need to
start that tonight or they are not going to make it.

Still playing HAMWORD.

That's about it for now. Back to net >>>

N5VLZ:

Carl, I just have 1 letter to mai to Nashville, TN, and the other
2 are emailed. GL on getting everything set for the move...we've
had hard freezes overnight, but it'll be almost like fall or spring
for a bit. FB on Hamword...I never did get around to that.

GE Bob (OK), how was your week?? >>>

KF5TVG:

Hi All!

Back in Sept I mentioned I was trying to relearn some software tools
to "build" a software defined radio (SDR) device using a HackRF One
I bought many years ago.

An interesting tool is the gnu radio companion which lets you design
a radio (or any rf device) using standardized software modules that
are attached to each other, using drag-and-drop with a mouse on your
computer screen. For the most part, it is very straight forward, but
when you get into more complex tasks, such as video transmission
using one of the standard protocols (NTSC or ATSC) it gets way more complicated.

Anyhow, this week I've been reviewing a series of videos by Michale
Ossman, the creator of the HackRF One, which he developed a decade
ago for those just getting started with SDR. See greatscottgadgets.com/sdr
if you are interested in following along.

That's all for me. BTU Daryl>>>

N5VLZ:

Bob, that sounds way above my pay grade. But, there's always something
to learn and do in this hobby.

GE Rick, how was your week?? >>>

VA7RBP:

Good evening Daryl and all on the NET

Another week gone in a flash. I did the usual daily PACTOR exchanges on
40M and 20M, tried some Robust Packet, and I finally got HF APRS working
using PINPOINT and VARA. Also played around a bit with SSTV on 14.230,
called a couple of 2M FM NETS, and checked into an 80M OLIVIA 16/1K NET
in the evenings.

That's about it, so BTU Daryl >>>

N5VLZ:

Rick, you have been busy with all the modes. I saw a report of some more sunspots, so not sure how that'll affect things.

That's it for round 1...back to the top for final comments.
Bob (NY), thanks for the use of the BBS...anything else?? >>>

** No one had any comments on the 73 round, except to wish everyone a
good week **


Daryl Stout, N5VLZ, Little Rock, Arkansas
Please see my QRZ bio for more information.




-----------------------------------------
ARGEN-X BBS - IPV6 TELNET LU9DCE.DYNU.COM -----------------------------------------


--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: ARGEN-X BBS (4:902/6)

PCL NET SCRIBE DEC 9 2024

N5VLZ, Daryl, Arkansas (Net Control/Scribe)
NS2B, Bob, New York (Sysop)
KX4AC, Carl, Florida
KF5TVG, Bob, Oklahoma
VA7RBP, Rick, Canada

**

N5VLZ:

With back pain and vision issues tonight,
I'll defer my comments to the scribe, but
will note that our final PCL Net for 2024
is next Monday, Dec. 16, then we'll be OFF
Dec. 23 and 30, returning Jan. 6. We wish
everyone a safe and happy holiday.

I myself have no holiday plans, except to
stay home alone, and shut off all my
communications (computer, internet, and
cellphone) after I finish running the
Arklatex D-Star Net on Dec. 24, and to
stay offline until late on Dec. 27, when
I do the Trains Net; unless kept offline
by thunderstorms. Santa has blacklisted
me for asking him to "define naughty". I
just got burned out on all the holidays
(Christmas and otherwise) years ago, due
to the commercialism, and I've become a
Scrooge this time of year. I don't play
Christmas music, go to parties, put up
any lights or decorations, attend any
church cantatas, get cards or gifts, etc.
The only thing I do will print and mail
a Christmas letter to one of the family,
who doesn't have a computer or email, and
email the other two family members...all
the rest are dead and gone; and so, I'm
the last of my line.

Santa also decreed as punishment, the
banishment from traveling outside of
central Arkansas. It's just as well...
health, finances, travel, logistical,
and home security issues when I'm gone
are way too much to overcome; and I do
not want to go back to the psychiatric
ward. I may just stay home and cry and
sleep for 2 days, since (as noted), I'm
shutting all things off. A nice vacation
would've done me so much good (especially
to meet fellow ham radio friends)...but,
there are way too many red flags to even
continue with any such plans ever again.

With Skywarn Recognition Day this past
Saturday, I took the day off from ham
radio. I just don't have the energy to
do much at the computer, never mind the
issues with my vision and my back, making
it hard to be at the computer for a long
time. Even if I take pain medication,
they make me groggy. Plus, my A1C is now
6.4, so I'm becoming type 2 diabetic (as
if I needed another health issue). I'm
working on finishing off what food I have,
and if I'm lucky, I won't need any more
groceries until next year...although I'll
order from DoorDash every so often, for a
change of pace.

My cousin in Erie, PA, and her husband
have been snowed in with 2-6 feet of lake
effect snow. It's starting to melt, so bad
flooding is the concern now.

GE Bob (NY), how was your week?? >>>

NS2B:

GE All!

A good week - finally got a Christmas tree - it's
about half decorated - I'll keep working on it.

On the ham radio front - from the pages of: "If it
ain't broke, don't fix it"

I use a MikroTik device to connect to AMPRnet. It
does all the VPN work and also provides a Wifi signal.
I was thinkin' this morning "what if I don't want that
Wifi, how do I turn it off? Oh, just click here..."

Poof, entire config gone!

Spent the next hour rebuilding the AMPRnet config from
scratch. Fortunately I had reasonably good notes from
when I installed it. So everything is back to normal.

But for a minute there, I was in a panic!

Other than that, not much else happening around here.
Our snow has melted and it's raining now.

BTU Daryl >>>

N5VLZ:

GE Rick, you'll be after Bob (OK).

Bob (NY), I did that on my BBS bulletins directory years
ago. I thought I was in a temporary directory, did DEL *.*
(are you sure?) Y -- over 500 ASCII, ANSI, and RIP bulletin
files...GONE...and I had no backups.

So we've all been there, done that.

I talked to my cousin and her husband in Erie, PA...got from
2-6 feet of lake effect snow. It's slowly melting, but big
flooding is the issue now.

GE Carl, how was your week?? >>>

KX4AC:

GE all. It has been a hectic couple of weeks at work recently,
and it is starting to get more hectic at home. I am trying to
clean up, downsize, and get ready to move in January. I think
health insurance is all taken care of for next year, but a few
more 401k-type things to organize.

It is a little warmer this week, but still chilly. It is
definitely too cold in the morning for a nice walk, so I am
staying inside for now.

I need to get Christmas cards out! I keep forgetting. I need to
start that tonight or they are not going to make it.

Still playing HAMWORD.

That's about it for now. Back to net >>>

N5VLZ:

Carl, I just have 1 letter to mai to Nashville, TN, and the other
2 are emailed. GL on getting everything set for the move...we've
had hard freezes overnight, but it'll be almost like fall or spring
for a bit. FB on Hamword...I never did get around to that.

GE Bob (OK), how was your week?? >>>

KF5TVG:

Hi All!

Back in Sept I mentioned I was trying to relearn some software tools
to "build" a software defined radio (SDR) device using a HackRF One
I bought many years ago.

An interesting tool is the gnu radio companion which lets you design
a radio (or any rf device) using standardized software modules that
are attached to each other, using drag-and-drop with a mouse on your
computer screen. For the most part, it is very straight forward, but
when you get into more complex tasks, such as video transmission
using one of the standard protocols (NTSC or ATSC) it gets way more complicated.

Anyhow, this week I've been reviewing a series of videos by Michale
Ossman, the creator of the HackRF One, which he developed a decade
ago for those just getting started with SDR. See greatscottgadgets.com/sdr
if you are interested in following along.

That's all for me. BTU Daryl>>>

N5VLZ:

Bob, that sounds way above my pay grade. But, there's always something
to learn and do in this hobby.

GE Rick, how was your week?? >>>

VA7RBP:

Good evening Daryl and all on the NET

Another week gone in a flash. I did the usual daily PACTOR exchanges on
40M and 20M, tried some Robust Packet, and I finally got HF APRS working
using PINPOINT and VARA. Also played around a bit with SSTV on 14.230,
called a couple of 2M FM NETS, and checked into an 80M OLIVIA 16/1K NET
in the evenings.

That's about it, so BTU Daryl >>>

N5VLZ:

Rick, you have been busy with all the modes. I saw a report of some more sunspots, so not sure how that'll affect things.

That's it for round 1...back to the top for final comments.
Bob (NY), thanks for the use of the BBS...anything else?? >>>

** No one had any comments on the 73 round, except to wish everyone a
good week **


Daryl Stout, N5VLZ, Little Rock, Arkansas
Please see my QRZ bio for more information.



-----------------------------------------
ARGEN-X BBS - IPV6 TELNET LU9DCE.DYNU.COM -----------------------------------------

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: ARGEN-X BBS (4:902/6)