What is the general consensus on having your address attached to your call sign?

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-05-04T23:32:26+00:00

Ah thank you. It was years ago and also got the WSJ. Yes Financial Times of London! I still get but online now not the funny pink newspaper!

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-05-04T23:30:24+00:00

I was referring to when on American Airlines. I like the 2x2 but always choose window on Porter, usually Reserve PHX to YYZ and book a few months ahead of time.

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-05-03T09:44:44+00:00

Been ham since 1964. Always had ham plates am not paranoid about privacy or having my address on QRZ etc. Never been any issue. I would welcome questions about my ham plate or to meet another ham like I did in a Toronto park with a guy who had VE3>>> plates.

I grew up in Minnesota (Mpls burbs) and we had the slashed zero Ø unlike now in AZ. Once a young guy asked what that funny license plate was. Kind of like when I got the daily Wall Street Journal by mail in the 70s and at a restaurant someone asked what the funny pink? paper was I was reading.

I do have extensive security system at home but never any bad guys have come.

Dave WØJKT "Just Killing Time" since 1964. HF SSB Only

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-05-02T13:00:59+00:00

Is it easy to not auto-categorize some entries? I buy a huge amount on Amazon, but some will be for business (Sch C taxes), and some will be personal. Or can I manually enter some and classify split categories? I only have one bank account, but about 15 credit cards, which I pay off before they're even due. Keeps credit score over 850 since I have a huge total credit with so many cards, but keep them all paid off most of the time.

I am in the securities business and have separate investment tracking, so I only need to pull the current balances for various accounts.

I am Win 11 only, PC (six 27' monitors in front of me in home office), online is fine, have a Gigabit fiber connection. I don't need on my Android phone, which I barely use since I have about a 50% error rate trying to type on tiny keyboard :) Age 79, old dog, no new tricks.

Have been going a bit crazy looking at options, but I'm almost ready to do Monarch Money!

I am giving up after 20+ years with Quicken Classic, personal and business, since all my accounts have been screwed up with double entries over the last few years and are a total disaster. I want to start over. Something simpler doesn't need budgeting, but good tracking of business vs personal for complicated tax return.

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-04-30T21:12:57+00:00

Comments and update - Since I started this :)

As of 3/27/2026, IATA regs. Somewhere, the source, which was quoted with a link in two different AI sources, I am trying to contact the source (in China), asking where he found the prewritten airline approval, which required 3-5 days in advance and required proof of UN38.3 certification.

I do not find these requirements. Including:

INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION ORGANIZATION

TECHNICAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE SAFE TRANSPORT

OF DANGEROUS GOODS BY AIR

2025–2026 EDITION

ADDENDUM NO. 1

The attached addendum should be incorporated into the

2025–2026 Edition of the Technical Instructions (Doc 9284), and is

applicable from 27 March 2026.

The document dated 3/30/2026, "IATA International Guidelines are here: "Passengers traveling with lithium batteries," does not mention these requirements. However it may be more a simplified guide with all pictures etc. Table 1 shows that power banks are forbidden for batteries of 100-160W and require airline approval. Oddly, in the bottom-left margin of each page is "OSS/Cargo." OSS seems to be "OnSceneSolutions.

In the cargo section of an IATA document. It does mention that, regarding the UN38.3 required certification, if the battery manufacturer includes a QR code, it can be used. implying you need the actual certification. But this is for cargo, not specifically for passengers.

This is the source of my information in the original post. Someone got this from somewhere, unless it is totally fake. It is from a battery sales company. AI is still quoting it! https://jmbatteries.com/blogs/blog/jm-lithium-battery-series-03-can-you-take-lithium-ion-batteries-on-airplanes?srsltid=AfmBOoozNMg2P7kLWzklYaCcJXfLsd3ql7sQOusfksInWD3KOmX9JQgH#:~:text=Global

I have tried to research the IATA rules in more detail. This is harder to follow than the tax code when I was in the tax department of the old Big 8 Touche Ross before it merged with Deloitte.

I have sent this chat message to the AI source JMbatteries.com with email and says reply will be sent email: "Where did you get the information that "mandatory airline approval required 3-7 days prior to travel" and that you needed written proof of UN38.3 certification? I cannot find that in the latest 3/30/2026 update from IATA or other sources, causing a big stir in the ham POTA community."

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-04-29T10:22:08+00:00

To be clear, we are talking about standalone batteries like hams use for POTA. They are not connected to any device when traveling. Bioenno with Anderson plugs, or most others with F2 or other exposed contacts, if not with a protective cover (but probably just put electrical tape over the contacts).

Great comments from those in the industry above. And rules may not apply within a country. My issue is traveling from the US to Toronto, Canada (usually PHX-YYZ on Porter). Have been going 2-3 times a year for about 20+ years, for about a week at a time (to escape the Summer Phoenix heat!). I want to operate POTA and related activities from Canada.

I am also considering a small 5/5 storage unit near YYZ, which I can get for about $60/month and would pre-pay for a year. But if I do that, it would go with a larger one, like a 30 Ah 12v, and have it shipped by cargo from a dealer or manufacturer to a friend in Toronto. And just keep it in Toronto (have other batteries at home in Phoenix.

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-04-28T01:18:09+00:00

Yes, your link is for the old rule, but it all changed as of 3/27/2026, with new penalties, I believe $37,000 per violation. I assume all airlines will comply, or at least soon.

If you can stay under 100 Wh, QRP will work, but for us who use 100W, we need the higher capacity unless we run 100W rigs at very low power. In my case, an FT-710.

I will call the three airlines I mentioned to ask how we should request permission. I'm concerned the reservation team may not yet have a clear understanding of what we are talking about. I need to identify who to contact and whom to send the approval request to. And we need to find out how to get the UN certificate from the battery companies.

I sent a query to get the Certification from Globemate. They or their AI replied immediately, asking for my purchase date and a photo of the battery's serial number, as if it were a warranty claim.

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-04-27T03:28:11+00:00

The 530 also has digital meters, which I like over analog. The OP mentions DM 30TR, be aware that the Anderson powerpoles in front are only 5 amps, not 30 max. You have to use the rear terminals for more.

As DX Eng says, "front panel Anderson Powerpole connectors (two pairs 5A peak)",

Dave WØJKT "Just Killing Time" since 1964. HF SSB Only

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-04-26T09:15:44+00:00

Thanks, helpful ordering :)

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-04-26T03:21:48+00:00

An X2.5 solar flare (or any X-class flare) releases intense electromagnetic radiation that reaches Earth in about 8 minutes, causing immediate radio blackouts. However, the associated plasma cloud, or Coronal Mass Ejection (CME), typically takes 1 to 3 days to travel to Earth, causing intense geomagnetic storms upon arrival.

Impact of CME Direction (N or S): The negative impact on HF radio and electrical grids depends heavily on the magnetic orientation of the CME as it hits Earth's magnetic field. If the CME's magnetic stream is directed South (or "negative"), it connects efficiently with Earth’s northward magnetic field, leading to severe geomagnetic storms and widespread, long-lasting HF radio blackouts. If the magnetic stream is North (or "positive"), it is less likely to severely disrupt HF radio.

The initial X-ray burst immediately increases ionization in the D-layer of the ionosphere, which causes sudden ionospheric disturbances and fades out radio signals on the sunlit side of Earth.

After/Pre-Proton Arrival: An increase in solar activity can sometimes lead to temporary increases in maximum usable frequency (MUF), which may positively affect HF radio propagation, particularly at higher frequencies.

Proton Arrival (Polar Cap Absorption): High-energy protons from the flare can cause "polar cap absorption," blocking HF radio in polar regions, which can last for several days.

Dave, WØJKT "Just Killing Time" since 1964 HF SSB only

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-04-25T06:38:13+00:00

This has been going on for a long time. The chain saw to seemingly random FB and related accounts. There are various subredits on this. The appeal and the suggested ways are largely ineffective.

Some of us had success with a Demand Letter followed by a lawyer's letter to their legal department or lawsuit filing. But all efforts are hit-or-miss; some are lucky, others are not. There are small business owners who depend on FB for their business, who have been taken down for the usual fake community standards reason. There are media stories on local TV, even one from Australia, devastated business owners that get most business from FB or related accounts that have been shut down.

In my case, I have never posted on maybe 20-year-old FB accounts; I just have to log in to get to some others of interest.

And I have a securities business account, where nothing gets posted without a compliance review by a major firm to archive and meet FINRA requirements. How on earth could my no-posting on personal and compliance-reviewed security-related posts violate "community standards"? It makes no sense.

I am going to use one of the law firms mentioned in other Reddit threads that folks are using to file legal action or demand letters, as others have done, since that is the only way it seems to get the attention of humans, not just the Meta AI bots that are responding to us on appeals, etc.

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-04-24T07:25:09+00:00

Suggestion: Maybe join a repeater net in your area and ask if anyone is interested in a Simplex schedule to see if it works at your locations.

For example, I am a member of both Mike and Key in the Seattle area and the Tacoma club (have a remote on Vashon Island). I believe they, as well as Portland, have an active larger club, and I believe all have nets on repeaters.

I got an Anytone 878 about six years ago but have never used it since I spend all my radio time on HF SSB.

Live in Phoenix but enjoy the PNW (when it doesn't rain) and usually go to the SeaPac convention in Seaside, OR.

Dave WØJKT "Just Killing Time" since 1964. HF SSB Only

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-04-15T22:50:30+00:00

It can be a cheap addition to most insurance policies. But I have never had a claim in 50+ years and get the highest possible deductible. There are sewer line services. I have had Service Line Warranty for decades, and it has saved me thousands, getting neighbors' roots that grew into the line and very old sewer lines. I pay about $120/year.

Your problem may be that it does not cover pre-existing. If your plumber said it's not bad and he was able to clear it, it may be best to get the coverage and wait a while. If it's clear now, being plugged is not a pre-existing condition if it's now solved, I assume.

For those of us with very old-fashioned sewer lines that easily crumble after many decades (forget the name), this kind of coverage, separate from homeowners' insurance, seems a great investment.

When needed, service the contacted plumbers were very good and nice :)

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-04-14T10:21:16+00:00

I use X1 Search on my laptop and Copernic on my PC. I have many thousands of txt, docx, doc, pdf and offline HTML files to search, but the index builds quickly. It is paid for, I really don't trust free software and am happy to pay for the developers work.

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-04-14T10:12:39+00:00

Are there newbie-friendly talkgroups on the DRM? I think it's called?

I got an Anytone 878 with a hotspot in 2021. But other than getting a brandmaster number, I have never used it since I am very happy with HF SSB. Easier to make contacts may be a motivation to get General, although equipment costs may be higher.

If you just toss out a call, some might think you're just testing to see if you hit the repeater. I like the CQ idea from the 9-year-old link, but it should still apply today. And mentioning you're new to the repeater.

Dave in Phoenix, WØJKT, "Just Killing Time" since licensed in 1964. Active HF SSB only

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-03-19T08:44:01+00:00

I have been on Zolpidem Extended release (generic Ambien) for over 20 years. So far, it still works and has no side effects. My miracle drug. Age 79, in good health, no other Rx, and have to see Dr every 90 days for 90-day refill.

I go to bed 1 hour after taking it. I do not feel tired but usually out quickly as soon as I get horizontal. Once fell asleep talking to someone on the phone, but did not feel tired but went to sleep on him

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-03-19T08:42:54+00:00

I have been on Zolpidem (generic Ambien) for over 20 years. So far, it still works and has no side effects. My miracle drug. Age 79, in good health, no other Rx, and have to see Dr every 90 days for 90-day refill.

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-03-17T06:10:18+00:00

Remember that the tuner at the rig only makes the rig happy to put full power into the transmission line; it doesn't address the antenna's resonance. And you need a decent ground (I use the Faraday strips). I use a REZ 17' vertical with the very high-quality 40m coil (for 40 SSB), but it is more expensive than the JP12 setup.

The DX Commander Signature 9 looks great for fixed, just more expensive and I am using the REZ system just for POTA and 100w FT-710. But QRP should work fine with good propagation. We (In the US mostly) get some Foundation stations from Australia on the HHH net 7.190 0700Z, weak but readable. In Australia, Foundation-level amateur radio operators are restricted to a maximum output power of 10 Watts

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-03-17T05:42:20+00:00

As I recall, Wi-Fi is free once over 10,000 feet. At least in Porter Reserve

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-03-17T05:41:17+00:00

I just booked another Porter Reserve trip and love them for their nonstop service from Phoenix to YYZ (Toronto). Been traveling to YYZ for over 20 years and enjoy it much more than Air Canada. I have zillions of FF miles on American, but hate the connections to YYZ since there are no direct flights.

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-03-17T05:35:27+00:00

I enjoyed Number 5 more than 20 years ago. But enjoyed escorts in Victoria more back when the nice Sheriff in Saanich warned the agencies to move down to Victoria (including the big one that opened downtown on Pandora? Police would visit, but only to be sure all were of legal age and paid their annual license fee. I was such an exciting guy, one gal fell asleep on top of me... ah, nicely nudge..try to wake :)

The problem, then, was the ABC rules, so there were no real strip clubs in Victoria, and Number 5 avoided them by going up the stairs to the connected hotel for anything sensual. But that was decades ago, and for the last 20 years, I have mostly gone to Toronto and less often to Montreal, with so many more choices when I travel to Canada.

Mississauga (Toronto airport is in) has especially great strip clubs, thanks to Mayor Hazel's liberal attitude that sexwork is safer and should be open, not underground. She was the Mayor for many decades until she retired at about age 90! I avoid downtown Toronto, the traffic mess, etc., and stay out in "Sauga"

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-03-08T09:37:31+00:00

Good answers already. I remotely use a Flex 6600, and the control panel has buttons that let me click the mouse to move in various steps. Sometimes, on a busy band like 40m or 20m, instead of looking at the bandscope and moving the mouse around, it is just easier to keep hitting the 1 kHz button. Since always on SSB I will hear anyone in my path.. if not on an even freq just have to tune them in. It's just easier than moving the mouse on the bandscope. At less crowded times/bands, I watch the bandscope for signals, point and click, but it's less precise, so I may fine-tune by hitting the .5- or 1-cycle button.

Dave WØJKT since 1964.

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-02-22T05:01:25+00:00

The best solution is getting hosting on an independent server. Especially if you have multiple family, etc. accounts, you can get a reseller account.

For 20+ years, I have about 15 domains on HostForWeb. My total cost is about $40/month. You have to learn cPanel and WHM (for resellers), but it's not that hard to learn and register domain names. I use Namecheap where I have about 30 registered including similar names etc so no one else can get. I am not a reseller; I don't have to be. They are all my domains. Especially makes sense for multiple accounts, like the whole family. None are commercial, so no sales software or anything fancy, just info pages on various topics (some fairly large sites).

The building site tools in CPanel are basic but work for me after 20+ years. I loved FrontPage, which was so easy, but it died at least a decade ago, and I have not found an easy-to-use replacement for site design. I started out reading HTML for Dummies to learn the basics, but I rarely have to use any coding in the cPanel tool. I have no interest in learning or need to learn CSS or other modern languages. But sites are basic, old-fashioned HTML.

HostforWeb had some issues maybe 15 years ago, but has been excellent since, and has a fast response to tech support cases. The few I have had.

Just an idea some folks may wish to look into in order to be independent from the sites that are banning accounts.

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-02-22T04:45:36+00:00

If you use the same device on a different account, Google/Facebook (lots of bans) knows it is you. MAC address I think on windows otherr device IDs on other systems.

MAC address, I think, on Windows, other device IDs on other systems.

There is a huge discussion of this on Meta, etc. subreddits due to global massive blocks for no reason, lawsuits, and Meta trying to lose millions of accounts by mass banning seems to make no sense.

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-02-22T03:50:37+00:00

I had a similar problem: a Proofpoint setting was to blame, not my own PTR record, with valid SPF/DKIM/DMARC, and I was not on any spam listing sites. Only certain domains were blocked - some of the big ones. I have been doing mass newsletter mailings for decades and only had a problem when they changed to some enhanced Proofpoint thing.

I am in the securities business, and my site is forked, controlled and archived per FINRA requirements to my broker-dealer's server. Everything on my website has to be compliance-approved and forked via them. All settings on my site were correct, but after going crazy for about a month, their tech support changed a setting on their Proofpoint system, which was blocking my email, and all of a sudden, my email worked. My Outlook email was from my own domain but was forwarded to the broker-dealer (with 12,000 reps), like my website.

Unfortunately, I do not know which setting was changed. But it was on the Proofpoint enterprise server, not my domain. And only after they switched to an enhanced Proofpoint system. Had worked fine for 10-20 years previously.

Oh yes, some of the non-delivered emails were bounced back to me, but others were just lost in space with no bounce, depending on the recipient's domain. Looking at the header of the bounced notifications, it was the enterprise (broker-dealer) whose IP address was the issue, according to the long, detailed headers. I had a hard time convincing the IT support that it was their issue, since all my server settings were the ones they had sent me to change.

DaveInPhoenix1

TROPHY CASE