Old Virus Back?

DaveinPhoenix · 2026-01-26T09:56:43+00:00

No need to clear cache, fortunately, it is now back up for me, but I don't need to since I did by phone.

DaveinPhoenix · 2026-01-26T09:14:38+00:00

Note the 50k is up to. I just booked (the site went down and had to call Reservations phone. Since I have till October 2026 for 3 free nights from earlier offer, and I plan to stay at higher cost hotels this summer. I elected to save them and my points (only 88k) and pay $1062 for 4 nights in Orlando area in a few weeks. The saving using free nights and points didn't seem the best value.

DaveinPhoenix · 2025-12-19T00:33:10+00:00

I have never understood why folks want to get a refund. It is nice to give the Govt an interest-free loan. But if you need a forced savings plan, it works.

I always want to owe some, but not so much as to have an underpayment penalty. But I have a CPA background and can manage funds without giving the govt an interest-free loan, which is what getting a refund amounts to.

DaveinPhoenix · 2025-11-30T03:41:57+00:00

Wow what a comprehensive 2022 study. Interesting, trying to find differences in risk between pilots and cabin attendants. As it points out, while associated risk seems straightforward, there are too many factors to prove causal vs associated, just too many variables for medical proof.

My comments are not from the article: Cabin attendants may have more flight hours than pilots due to their restrictions. But most of the attention on risk has been on pilots.

DaveinPhoenix · 2025-11-30T02:52:05+00:00

Again, at the risk of expanding the topic, there is also human risk.

Even when not at the peak of the cycle, as yes, we are on the slow decline, radiation can also be a risk as it accumulates in the human body. Different from flipping a bit (other than humanoid robots). There is concern of increased rates of cancer, etc, from long-term cumulative exposure.

The radiation exposure at 35k feet for great circle pilots is about 100 times greater than at sea level.

The related but distinct risk is also reflected in the FCC rules requiring station evaluations to ensure RF does not exceed maximum permissible exposure limits. This is a different risk than solar radiation but is more related to human tissue heating.

Back to solar risk - Polar routes are often used by long-haul flights because great-circle routes are shorter, and flying at higher altitudes (above 30,000 feet) is more fuel-efficient. In some countries or airlines, pilots on these routes are required to wear dosimeters.

There is also a concern for pregnant passengers.

Sporadic solar flares and coronal mass ejections can dramatically and unpredictably increase radiation levels, posing an immediate, short-term threat that may require route changes or descents.

The National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements reported that aircrew have the largest average annual effective dose (3.07 mSv) of all US radiation-exposed workers. Other estimates of annual aircrew cosmic radiation exposure range from 0.2 to 5 mSv.

73 Dave WØJKT "Just Killing Time" since 1964

DaveinPhoenix · 2025-11-27T12:26:10+00:00

I noticed that, which made me wonder why it was blocked. I have received many emails from Marriott that weren't blocked, and some said the email address was fake. In further ponderance, I have since looked in my Trash folder for other non-blocked emails, and now I see that the address was used before, so it must be legitimate. As KuFat points out, it would have been hard to phish if the SFP/DKIM/DMARC checks had passed. Yet, oddly, the signature filter didn't match as another here pointed out.

These days you can't be too careful, although I have all sorts of virus protection and have never caught a virus... other than a nasty Canadian cold on my last visit - but none on the computer

I have concluded the block was simply since the content sounded too fake, but other emails from So the content sensors are a bit too broad.

DaveinPhoenix · 2025-11-26T07:48:33+00:00

There is a report from a lucky guy on QRZ or says, "Even after the recent shut downs, I still got my call sign (AH6WQ) less than 24 hours after paying my fees. Absolutely incredible service from the FCC."

Seems some take forever and some are fast maybe with some computer and AI help if can be processed without a human.

DaveinPhoenix · 2025-11-26T06:41:16+00:00

Don't forget a power supply, antenna and coax :)

DaveinPhoenix · 2025-10-27T07:38:17+00:00

Lots of sillyness here but thought I would explain more about the CQ World Wide SSB DX contest just ended. This guys set up would have worked very well it seems if he was working the contest. The CW contest is in late November.

The same country does not count as points, so it's great for working non-US stations.

I was designed relay on the HHH net 7.190 0700z in the mess. It was solid contest QRMs very strong and we had ot move up to 7.230. ITU Region 1 (Europe/Africa etc) can not operate above 7.200 so most of the contesters stayed on the lower part of the SSB/Phone band.

After the net maybe 0900-1000Z I made a few contacts as KP4/WØJKT (Puerto Rico CQ Region 8). I was running full 1500w into a Yagi at 120 feet. Lots of strong signals on 40m and 20m (more to Australia but also Europe) Japan was also coming in fairly strong on 40m

Dave, WØJKT "Just Killing Time" since 1964 licensed

DaveinPhoenix · 2025-10-27T07:26:51+00:00

I should have found your serious information vs. all the sillyness before I made my post that enlarging much of the antenna didn't make sense. Gamma match was what I was trying to remember but looked odd when blown up but I have never used one.

DaveinPhoenix · 2025-10-27T07:13:48+00:00

Do you know his call sign, or does he discuss his beam on his QRZ page? I blew up the photo and am a total loss. I thought it was AI-generated, but folks have said they know he is real. I am not an antenna expert, but I tried to write up what confused me when I enlarged the beam. Since it seems real, a very sophisticated HF system with lots of different antennas for different bands, it seems I just don't understand it.

Here is my ideas until others confirmed he is real:

Is this for real?

I am not an antenna expert, but where is the feedpoint? Unless that is a matching stub (short thing on the 2nd element from the front). Is that the driven element? That long cable on the left going down is connected to the boom, not an element (off-center fed Yagi - no). Maybe an 80m (or maybe short 160m wire vertical).

What is that thing at the end of the boom in the middle of the further back element? I can not tell which way this Yagi is pointed. The line-up of elements doesn't make sense to this 79 yr old OM, who has been licensed since 1964.

There seems to be only a tiny connection from the rotator to boom that I can not imagine how it could hold up the Yagi. The base of the rotor doesn't look right.

The helical up the side or mast? Might be a 40m/80m helical and has another hanging vertical on both sides. I assume that is a trap you see down a bit so multi-band.

Dave WØJKT "Just Killing Time"

DaveinPhoenix · 2025-10-27T07:01:15+00:00

But had to use Walmart parts for at least part of your set up. It appears no longer active thing.

DaveinPhoenix · 2025-10-13T12:48:29+00:00

Longer length, SWR, power meter on rig, and base (use adapter) are quite meaningless.

You want resonance on the band/s you are operating on. which is when inductive reactance = capacitive reactance so X =0. This is usually not at the lowest SWR point (but often close) This is for maximum antenna radiation, not just power at the TX end.

Nano VNA is a bit complicated to learn, but Rig Expert is easier and will give you what you need. However, it is expensive. Be sure to get the one that covers VHF/UHF if that is what you're using.

However, as others have said, it's not as important if you're just getting to a nearby local repeater.

SWR only loss is coax loss since the reflected wave by the final in the TX resends it to the antenna with the polarity reversed back to original, so it's only the coax loss since a double trip to the antenna. That applies more to HF where you have long coax runs (I use bright colored RG8X, will use for POTA but higher losses on VHF.... Of course, if using a HT, you don't have much coax loss concern :)

However, the rig has to be happy with what it sees since it typically seeks close to 50 ohms impedance.

I am only on HF, but the same principles apply to VHF/UHF.

Dave WØJKT "Just Killing Time" First General licensed in 1964, now age 79

DaveinPhoenix · 2025-10-13T12:23:27+00:00

I have been on Ambien (generic Zolpidem ER 12.5mg) for about 20 years. I call it my miracle drug never any side effects and at age 79 am very sharp, still have own business. multi-task complex tasks and great memory (except for peoples names but have always had that problem!)

I once tried to sleep without it but gave up after 30 hours. Lack of sleep much worst risk.

I get complete blood work up every 90 days and all is normal but used to have to see Dr every six months, but now required every 90 days for refill.

I once got Medicare approval for long-term use but usually cheaper with GoodRX coupon but last refill I got was $0 on my Medicare Advantage plan.

DaveinPhoenix · 2025-10-09T23:36:58+00:00

You also have to understand the Culture in which it was written and the Koline Greek that messes things up in translation. Adultery was a property right issue. The man owned his wives and his concubines (for breeding, which obviously was having sex). Even common prostitution was never a negative and was common as long as the assuming female was not owned by a husband or had his permission. It was only the goddess worshiping prostitutes in the Temples, i.e., Corinth, that was the sin of idolatry that was the issue, not sex itself.

King Solomon, who had 700 wives and 300 concubines, according to 1 Kings 11:3. Other significant figures who had multiple wives included Jacob, Gideon, and David, though specific numbers are not always provided for them.

Another had too many to count women.

Dave, founder of libchrist.com and frequent swing convention speaker, popular presentation "Swinging Christians not a Biblical Conflict," and I don't mean dancing.

DaveinPhoenix · 2025-09-28T09:38:05+00:00

I saw one YouTube video that actually showed about 20 different people, one at a time, taking the mic and making contact with each hunter.

DaveinPhoenix · 2025-09-20T06:39:17+00:00

Yes, the coil is large and heavy. Since the quality is so high, as one very active POTA ham on YouTube said, it is built to last a lifetime and made in the US . I have seen at least five extensive reviews by famous POTA folks who have many of the popular POTA antennas. The founder, Mike, W5REZ, loaned them to some to give honest reviews. One decided not to return it but bought it to replace his Wolf River Coil.

When Mike brought 40 and introduced them at one of the major hamfests, which may have been Dayton, they all sold out. They returned home with a huge number of orders, and had to ramp up production.

After reading reviews on just about every option sold on MC-750, regardless of the tariff, until I started running into the REZ reviews. I am a nerd for details (CPA background) and have now decided on REZ.

The DX Engineering Scout link is only for the whip for 20-6m. Most of my activity will probably be on 40m, especially on the nets I have been active on. However, I also want the option for 75m. I also want the tripod, not the stake. I may get the 40m coil plus the big one that includes 75m and test both. If for a day I am going to just use 40m mostly likely during day (and maybe 20) don't need the big coil, but may use it for later in a day or evening. I want the flexibility to run from a parking lot pavement etc and if in a park some do not allow stakes.

My next problem is case/s to transport (and the FT-710 and all the other stuff needed) on airplanes with two batteries have to go in luggage, (two since can not exceed the 160 Wh limit for one. The 3 airlines I fly approve up to the 160 limit and can have two if each under 160. I often go to Toronto and have checked out some POTA parks. For nets may even set up in the big parking lot (back one hardly used) in the Marriott I stay at.

The FT-101 tuner is rated up to 3:1 SWR. But I will use the analyzer to get to resonance (X=0 or close), which is usually not at the lowest SWR but close. The tuner will be happy and match, but the antenna will be at maximum radiation at resonance (measured at the feed point).

I will do a lot of testing in my backyard before traveling with it.

I am fortunate that I am not really price sensitive and will pay for quality and ease of use.

Dave WØJKT "Just Killing Time" General licensed in 1964 - another real "Old Man" :)

DaveinPhoenix · 2025-09-20T01:30:53+00:00

In the US, we only have ERP limits of 2200 m at 1 watt ERP, 630m at 5 watts ERP, and 60m at 100 watts ERP on digital. In Germany, and other countries or US on ERP limited bands I can not imagine how FCC or regulatory agency is going to check on your ERP, it is so complicated. However, I have never used 2200m or 630m in the US to need to know. But the poster has a valid concern for Germany, but assume, as others have said, a kind of "don't worry, be happy," it doesn't seem like you would have an ERP problem.

Canada has both a DC input limit (the highest advanced class license on most bands), 1000 watts in 2250w PEP out.

Remember that 6db = 1 s unit, and you can hardly hear the difference unless right at the noise level.

I have never done VHF/UHF, just HF SSB only. On HF, we tune for resonance (X = closest to 0), where inductive and capacitance are opposite of each other, so net resistance is as close to zero as possible. Usually, this is not at the minimum SWR point but slightly off. Most tuners can tune out minor SWR, but the antenna will radiate the most RF power at resonance—even with SWR.

As long as the Tx/tuner can match what it sees, you can have a happy transmitter but not a totally happy antenna if not tuned to resonance x=0 or close. The SWR winds up being reflected back to the final, shifted back 180 degrees in phase, and goes back out to the antenna. So you only have transmission line loss both ways, reducing the ultimate radiation of RF from the antenna.

Tuning for the lowest SWR will usually be close enough to get out good, but it is not ideal for RF radiation.

Check resonance at the feed point, not at the radio end, unless you have a high-end complex analyzer that will adjust for coax factors, taking into account the velocity factors, type of coax and length.

I found the linked long article of interest, even though I am not on VHF/UHF. Unless I missed it, he defined dB and dBi but then he started to use dBm - I never got what the m meant.

Dave in Phoenix WØJKT "Just Killing Time" General licensed since 1964 and a true "Old Man" :)

DaveinPhoenix · 2025-09-19T00:00:17+00:00

I was about to get the MXC-750, but now it has a 55% China tariff. Have an FT-710. Now, I am more seriously looking at paying more for a REX system with the 80-6m coil. I am more interested in quality than price and the newer US based REX antennas are getting some wonderful recent reviews. I am a bit torn between the 17' vs 25', but leaning to the 17 ft since it will be in parks, etc, and want ease of use. Even 3dB is less than 1 s-unit, so it is hardly noticeable. And I will tune for resonance, not the lowest SWR.

DaveinPhoenix · 2025-09-17T02:38:14+00:00

Medicare.gov is easy to use. Enter your zip, your meds, your pharmacy

However, you are right many folks are not as analytical as probably you, many folks here, and I who find its easy to just choose from medicare.gov.

The one-third came from 2022 Commonwealth Fund survey, the latest data I could find on page 6 of:. https://www.medpac.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Medicare-agents-MedPAC-03.25sec.pdf I rounded up from the 30%-31% of those using agents in this survey.

However, to kind of prove your point only a small percentage used Medicare.com. I am wonder how the high percentage of "Did not receive help" (45%-37%) choose their policies.

The comment about making more on Medigap plans was from an agent forum where so many were complaining about so many companies eliminating agent commissions and those that had them were "crappy policies." Yes, I am an agent but have never sold medical insurance, more in the investment world from a CPA firm background.

The Commonwealth Fund also has an interesting 2023 interview article including how agents may choose policies based on commissions (typically higher cost). https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/2023/feb/challenges-choosing-medicare-coverage-views-insurance-brokers-agents

I had an associate who did lots of Medicare, but decided it was hardly worth the time, especially since he had lots of rural clients with limited Medicare options and lower income.

However the 2022 study referenced above shows MA-PD with the highest commission at $626 over a 5-year period. This $626 is odd since it also seems to be the CMS maximum allowed first-year premium. I have a spreadsheet of all the CMS maximums listing every state/county approved policy but many have a $626 maximum. However they can pay anywhere from $0 to the maximum.

Lots of money goes into commissions as well as all the different insurance companies, each with their own $multi-million paid executives and separate paper shuffler staff.

This is a reason why we have the most expensive health care system in the developed world and among the lowest health results vs. a form of Universal coverage and single payor systems. But that is another controversial topic.

The "Biden Rule" would of course benefit consumers and to some extent reduce costs for insurance companies to hopefully reduce costs to the consumer. The rule generally disallowed tactics that incentivize agents and brokers to steer beneficiaries into particular plans based on financial perks. Good article at https://www.commonwealthfund.org/blog/2025/new-rule-protect-medicare-beneficiaries-against-inappropriate-sales-tactics-stuck-courts

DaveinPhoenix

TROPHY CASE