Subj : Re: Ham Radio Courtesy
To : Vk3jed
From : Daryl Stout
Date : Wed Apr 19 2017 08:48 pm
Tony,
V@> Yeah, you get them everywhere. Seem to have more issues over there,
V@> but we do have our share down here.
Always bad apples everywhere (sigh!).
V@> Sure, I've done the checkin race (often win it), usually for pragmatic
V@> reasons, as my time is often limited, not because I want to be at the
V@> top of the list or anything trivial like that. On some nets, waiting
V@> until the end is the best way to save time, if you're able to listen in
V@> while doing something else. :)
On the Illinois D-Star Net one night, Net Control, Milt Forsberg, K9QZI,
said "I need to do these one at a time" (the DPlusReport wasn't working
right), so I figured "I can work on the BBS until the flood of checkins
eases off". I got to meet Milt at the Huntsville Hamfest last year...but,
that'll be the only chance I have to go to that one.
The funny part is that he said "Ham Radio isn't our hobby...it's
eating!!". He noted that, literally every day during the week, they do
a "lunch net" on an area repeater, and decide where they're going to
graze...and everyone meets there for lunch!! One central Arkansas area
ham radio club does that on Saturdays, unless they're preoccupied with
providing communications for a public service event.
V@> These days, I usually don't even make those that far, too many other
V@> things to do, but nets I have followed for years, I will check in, just
V@> to let them know I'm still alive and kicking. :) The VoIP WX Net has
V@> become a good example. When it was established, its timeslot was one I
V@> was always free. Life's changed, now I'm permanently double booked,
V@> sometimes more, so it's unusual circumstances when I can check in, and
V@> often I'm only around long enough to say "hi".
Ah yes, "The Church Of The Big Red Truck". :) I had a station apologize
to me in the Arklatex D-Star Group on Facebook, for not checking into their
weekly net...and he noted it was because of his job schedule (he's an over
the road truck driver). He said when I'm doing checkins, he's in bed,
asleep. I told him that "You HAVE to take care of your health...because,
if you don't have that, you have nothing".
DS> Never mind the truth hurts...just like a urinary catheter (I know
DS> that well from this past week). In that regard, "it's better to be
DS> pissed off than pissed on". One of the area hams was doing a net
DS> several years ago, and holding his infant son with one arm, and the mic
DS> with the other. Well, his harmonic didn't like the fact that his OM
DS> wasn't devoting all his attention to him...and promptly proceeded to
DS> urinate all down Daddy's arm!! To which, he had to call his XYL for
DS> assistance. Laughingly, he said that "I'll bet no other net control
DS> operator has had that experience". :P
V@> LOL, now that's an attention grabber! :D
I wonder if he'd be open to a T-shirt in that regard?? (hi hi).
That ham is Shane, WX0X (we call him "The Weather Ox"), and he's one
of our Arkansas Skywarn Net Control operators. He's also in the Air
Force, and weather is his niche. He was on the air that night when
the nearly EF-5 tornado (it was 190 mph EF-4 as it was), blasted much
of Vilonia...the same area hit by an EF-2 tornado just 3 years before.
He warned on the air "I do NOT want my spotters or chasers anywhere
near this one...it is a monster". There may be archived recordings of
that net somewhere...Debby Gray, WX9VOR, has said she has listened to
Shane during Skywarn severe weather operations.
Daryl, WX1DER
... Warning: Dates in calendar are closer than they appear.
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