Going to the Candy Store!

Sorry I haven't posted here, but I've been busy with work and a few other things. I did manage to get rid of a vehicle that has actually served me well in a time of need, and that was my 1990 Pontiac Bonneville. This car needed a new paint job, new brakes, and some other things...but it got me around town when I needed to go somewhere. 200,000 miles and the thing was still going.

Well, I sold the car last night to a gentleman who lived out on the west side of Temple for $1000. He brought someone with him, who said that it was actually a good deal. I gladly handed him the keys, the title, registration, and the car itself. In return he handed me 10 nice $100 bills and wished me good night. I think I'll actually miss that car a little, but it's a part of a personal history I would rather forget.

So what happens with the cash? I'm going to Austin on Saturday morning to purchase the dual-band mobile gear that my XYL said I could buy! It's likely I will spend about $600 of it, but it will be worth it...since I plan to do some storm spotting again and will need the gear on trips in the future. It's not HF (what I would prefer overall) but this will do nicely in a local/regional situation.

Most of the decisions have been made as to what radio to buy and the antenna mount (if it works like I want it to). I still need to decide what antenna to get, but I'll make that decision when the other stuff falls into place.

Now, I'm still waiting for the tax rebate check to get here so I can maybe make one more major purchase, and that is likely the RigBlaster Pro or Plus for digital mode operation. I have the radio, and I have the computer. I just need a set of speakers and the RigBlaster...and then I'll be set! If this all comes together, I could have a really cool and compact ham station in a closet when it's all said and done...and I won't need to buy much more until Mary and I move into a house sometime in 2009. Once that happens, I hope to have antennas available for 50, 144 and 440 MHz, hopefully some 222 MHz gear, and enough space to throw up some good loop antennas for HF. It's a long-range plan, but if I can pull this off it will be very satisfying for me to be able to do almost whatever I want to do in Amateur Radio from home. It's also possible that I could have a great mobile station from 3.5 to 440 Mhz, too. It will be worth the effort to save my change and up my PayPal account so I can do this, and I have a year to do it in so I can't play around.

Wish me luck on all of this!

WR1TX

Shopping For Ham Gear

I'm still shopping for ham gear for the truck, and I will be ready to order once either the IRS sends that rebate check a lot of us have been waiting for, or if and when I get my junkmobile car sold. I'm down to simply choosing between two dual-band mobiles, a magnet mount for the antenna, and the antenna itself.

For the radio I will likely go with theYaesu FT-8800R, simply because I would get the remote kit free (special promotion, same thing when I bought my Yaesu FT-857D); it was either that or the Alinco DR-635T, which is around $30-40 higher in price almost everywhere. The mag-mount will likely be a triple magnet style with a 3/8 x 24 connector, and if it will hold on the top of the cab of the truck like I want it too then I will purchase that. The antenna? Well, I'm not sure just yet but I want to get as much gain as I can without having the antenna too high above the cab, and it does need to be flexible. Once the money I need gets here, then I'll see what I can do. It does look like I will be making a trip to Austin Amateur Radio Supply soon...

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Went to my church's men's softball game tonight. The guys have been telling me that they weren't that good, but I will tell you that they played a pretty good game. They still lost, 10-8 in 6 innings, but played very well after falling behind 10-2 after two innings. I had a great time out there! They want me to play, but I do have a balky left knee that I am really afraid to mess up. I'll coach first or third base if needed, or help in the dugout. The important thing is that I had fun with a great group of guys and I'm going to continue that as much as I can.

Now if my Texas Rangers will get on a winning streak...nah...

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I heard from the Temple ARC president last night. He was very disappointed and didn't understand my reasoning for getting out of the club. He's only been around the club for 2 years; I've been around it one way or another for 17 years. I think I know a bit about what's been going on in all that time. I'll give the man this: he did try to talk me out of leaving, but I told him that I had had enough and wanted to move on. I blamed the leadership overall, but he blamed the members. That's not very smart in my opinion, and if the members that cared heard that...I don't think they'll be very happy. I'm not an idiot, and the letter I sent was very plain as to why I had left. If he didn't get it, then that's not my fault...and that's too bad.

If TARC doesn't get it going like it needs to, the club will die. And I don't want to be around to see it happen.

WR1TX

It's a Great Day!

Today has been a wonderful day. I woke up feeling great after my baptism on Sunday morning, and I spent a wonderful day with my XYL Mary. We drove to Waco to eat at Weinerschnizel (I hope I spelled that right) and when we got back to Temple we stopped at Dairy Queen for a Blizzard ice cream treat. Along the way we talked about almost everything, and even about the radio installation (yes, she still wants that). I have some options that are available, and now I think I know what I will ultimately do. This decision will depend on certain factors, but mostly if a certain type of magnet mount will work decently. If it does, the other installation questions can easily be answered.

I have received a couple of emails concerning my resignation from TARC. My decision wasn't questioned so much; but the reasons why were debated. Since these people hadn't been licensed very long, I told them about the last 10-15 years and how that related to the present. These people understood, and they wished me the best. I was given a promise that they will stay in contact and that there will be some projects that we could work on together. Knowing the individuals the way I do, I know they are telling the truth and I do expect to hear from them again soon. At least there are a few that understand my actions, and I hope that others do as well. I guess we will see...

Right now the weather is peaceful and serene. It's a far cry from the events of Friday afternoon and evening, when 5 tornado touchdowns were reported in Bell County. It was an awesome storm, and I got a first-hand look at it when I drove out to West Temple and got to see golf ball-sized hail all over me, along with what I believe was the tornado touchdown at Morgan's Point. It was scary, but I do live for that sort of thing; that event also made the XYL realize that good radio communications was needed in the truck. Maybe this event will make people improve their emergency plans or make them if there are none, and maybe make hams areawide improve their communications capabilities if they haven't already done so. Carrying an HT or just a cell phone doesn't cut it, everyone. I was in that position with both an HT and cell phone, and I knew it wasn't enough; I was just fortunate to know when to turn back when things got really bad.

The research has definitely begun to work on getting the gear for the truck that I really do need to have, and thankfully my wife understands that and appreciates it now. She's learned too; will you?

To all who read this: God bless you all, and have a wonderful day!

WR1TX