Subj : Re: The Weekly ARRL Lett
To   : Daryl Stout
From : Sean Dennis
Date : Thu Sep 19 2019 11:21:06

-=> Daryl Stout wrote to SEAN DENNIS <=-

 DS>   I already use Fluff Busting Purity to get rid of all the ads, group
 DS> suggestions, and other garbage. I never heard of Social Fixer.

Social Fixer does it all.  It's a really great add-on.

 DS>   Agreed. Another ham said "he needs to get a life regarding social
 DS> media".

Some hams need to get their head out of their ass. ;)  Let's call a spade a
spade on this.

 DS>   I think that IC-718 was the "get your feet wet in HF rig". I used to
 DS> have one, but sold it years ago. The last time I operated HF was on the
 DS> Arkansas and Missouri Railroad Memorial Day Troop Train in 2011, when
 DS> we were doing 20 meter HF railroad mobile, with a hamstick antenna. A
 DS> link of me in a QSO (from the moving train) is on my QRZ profile.

It was and really still is.  It's a very simple radio and has a front-firing
speaker which is nice.  You can do direct frequency input from the front
panel.  I worked a LOT of DX with that radio.  I sold mine because I needed
to make rent.  I bought this 450D and while it is a nice radio, it really
has too many features for me to use and everything is buried under menu
after menu, which is annoying to me.

 DS>   Well, considering most hams are "frugal cheapskates" (hi hi), but we
 DS> do it for the reward of doing it. At times, at a test session, if I had
 DS> extra cash, I paid for an examinee to re-test, because they missed it
 DS> by 1, and only had enough money for the 1 exam. When they passed it on
 DS> the re-test, they wanted to reimburse me, but I said "you're getting
 DS> your ticket is good enough".

Did I tell you I'm now an ARRL-accredited VE?  I decided to do that once I
got my Extra ticket.  Not that it's really needed around here but just
another certificate to hang on the shack wall...

 DS>   Contesting never did appeal to me...but there's something in ham
 DS> radio for everybody.

My stepdad (whom you met), KD7SXQ, and I had a discussion about contesting
on the way home from the hospital Tuesday after he had a procedure done (I
was his driver).  He told me he just couldn't understand the appeal of
contesting.  I explained to him that for me, it's a chance to sharpen my
skills.  I have hearing loss in both ears and I continually try to "tune" my
ears to be able to hear voices through static.  I know, grand solar minimum
and all, but I still like it.  I'm also a paper chaser so contesting can go
hand in hand with that.

It's much like digital radio: to me, that holds no interest.  I do enjoy
digital modes though, such as Feld Hell, Olivia, PSK31, RTTY, and the like.

One of the reasons why I love amateur radio so much: there's something for
everyone.

73,
Sean
 
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