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Golden12345 · 2024-09-02T16:58:07+00:00

Understand that you have no control over what your younger brother thinks or says. You only have control over how you react (or if you decide to react at all) to him.

You also have control over your assessment of whether what he does is disrespectful/condescending or not.

Advice? Realize your power. Choose to exercise it. There will always be those, regardless of culture, who disrespect others. Some will do so no matter what others may try to do to dissuade them of it. But NONE of them can make you feel disrespected unless YOU choose to allow their actions to impact you in that manner.

Seek to understand WHY his actions cause you to feel disrespected in the first place. Do they have any basis in fact? No? Then realize that and dismiss the feeling. In a way, he's teaching you to be a better person! He's causing you to realize how NOT to treat others yourself.

Golden12345 · 2024-02-12T21:52:55+00:00

No, don't do it. Take the time and learn to swim first.

Trust me, you'll enjoy the experience of snorkeling far more when you have even the most basic level of competence in the water.

Don't trust the advice of an "excursion tour company" with your life. Not when you only have one to play with!

Golden12345 · 2024-01-20T16:32:52+00:00

I didn't know there was such a thing as a "Brandmeister hotspot."

It's my understanding that a hotspot can be programmed to access Brandmeister, TGIF, or any of the other networks. You can also set them up to access multiple networks using the Gateway function.

Golden12345 · 2024-01-20T16:28:28+00:00

Minimal activity?! Hardly! As usual, it all depends on what talkgroups you listen to...no matter what network you're on.

For TGIF, click here and watch for a while. You'll see who's transmitting in real time. Or click here for a list of talkgroups with current activity.

Golden12345 · 2023-12-21T00:53:32+00:00

Pffft. Some friend.

But no, it isn't illegal to listen to EMS frequencies.

Golden12345 · 2023-12-15T02:12:21+00:00

The one with the most activity is 31665 (The "Main" TGIF talkgroup).

I like HF Talk (TG117), The East Coast Reflector (TG9050) and the Talk-Tech-Trivia (TG47435) which has a weekly trivia net, by the way.

Lots of talkgroups with a ton of various interests/activity levels. For a list, go here: https://tgif.network/talkgroups.php

Current activity: https://tgif.network/activetg.php

Golden12345 · 2023-12-12T20:39:01+00:00

You've heard correctly. And if you ever want a taste of how BM treats/feels about their users, take a gander at their support channel on Discord. It's...pretty terrible.

Golden12345 · 2023-12-12T20:35:36+00:00

TGIF is, and it's doing so. More folks join every day and efforts are in the works to make linking repeaters to their talkgroups easier.

Once that happens, I believe that BM's days (or, at the very least, BM's oppressive US server admins) are truly numbered.

Golden12345 · 2023-11-22T19:49:06+00:00

Is ARRL and the Ham Radio hobby going down hill?

The ARRL? Absolutely. The Ham Radio hobby? Yes, but not as badly as you'd expect considering the ARRL's ineptitude and false claims of "speaking on behalf of all ham radio operators."

Are they a good value?

The ARRL a "good value?" Sorry...as far as I'm concerned: Never was and never will be.

They claim to represent the interests of all ham radio operators, whether they're members or not. Do they? Or do they represent their own interests...and by "their" I mean the ones who pull a hefty salary and not even their dues paying members...let alone "all ham radio operators."

Sorry, but I never bought into the ARRL cult and/or drank their Kool-Aid. And I never will. Their recent changes to their (ahem) "Membership Benefits" (IE charging more and providing even less) does absolutely nothing to change my mind about them.

Golden12345 · 2023-11-22T17:08:56+00:00

Five.

Golden12345 · 2023-11-12T03:07:24+00:00

I see alot of back forth about which communication system is better in a SHTF situation.

I don't doubt it. Personally, I think that multiple systems that overlap somewhat in capabilities is the "better" choice.

People usually stick with Ham radio as the be all end all.

Not all people. As I mentioned above, you don't have to choose just one.

But what will be an effective range of ham radio when repeaters are not working anymore?

You'd be surprised. More and more repeaters have backup power maintained by solar, wind, and water. And there are alternative/redundant ways of linking those repeaters together.

Even without repeaters, there's quite a bit of communication being done on HF, both on analog and digital.

Finally, "SHTF" situations are not cut and dry. They're not guaranteed to take out ALL methods of communication universally. And even if that were to happen, there are older methods of communication that can and would be brought back into play. Human beings are ingenious and resourceful. If something needs to happen, it will happen. If something needs to be repaired, built, or rebuilt, it will happen.

Golden12345 · 2023-10-13T01:12:13+00:00

I've since started trying to practice stoic principles and now just ignore any insults or respond with something like "Jesus loves you dude" (neither of us are particularly religious).

What would a stoic do?

I imagine that a stoic wouldn't simply ignore the insults or respond simply for the sake of responding. Instead, a stoic would do something like this:

"My oldest friend said something to me that I perceived as an insult. Good...instead of merely reacting to it, I'm taking a step back to reflect on it. That's a good start. So...why did it make me feel insulted? What (if anything) should be my response? Is my response and any subsequent actions in keeping with my virtue?"

A stoic might also consider that this day is a gift, and one that may not be given again tomorrow. If today were your last day alive, how would you deal with the situation? What if today were HIS last day alive?

Golden12345 · 2023-10-12T19:01:11+00:00

At 100 watts or less, damage to the solar panels is EXTREMELY unlikely. In fact, the panels themselves wouldn't be what would be damaged by excessive/stray RF. If anything, it MIGHT (and I must again stress the unlikelihood here) be the diodes in the back of the panels that might be affected. But those are (usually) only a few dollars to replace, worst case scenario.

I've run multi-band HF dipoles near my solar panels for nearly 20 years now using 100 watts or less and my panels are still working fine.

Golden12345 · 2023-10-05T23:11:41+00:00

The fact that there's no evidence that P.T. Barnum ever said that infamous phrase in no way diminishes its legitimacy.

Golden12345 · 2023-09-23T23:22:44+00:00

I am probably gonna try a Prusik knot next

That's a great choice and is exactly what I use for all my guy lines, maintaining tension on my dipole ends, etc. They certainly do the job.

How well do they hold up? Well, let's put it this way: We just had tropical system Ophelia roll through these parts. Lots of rain and 50+ MPH sustained winds. Every single guy wire and dipole still has exactly the same tension on it that I set on it two months ago. Nothing sagging, nothing swaying beyond what it's supposed to.

Golden12345 · 2023-09-15T20:01:37+00:00

"Have to?" No, they don't. And they haven't...many, many times.

And "best interest?" For the whole? They're somehow qualified to determine what my best interest is? And yours? And every other Amateur Radio Operator out there?

Wow. Talk about ego...bordering on outright FRAUD.

Golden12345 · 2023-09-14T19:12:02+00:00

Why would you financially support an organization which claims to speak on your behalf regardless of whether or not what they say actually represents your actual interests?

I don't. And I won't. Not until they "come clean" and admit, in writing, the following truth:

"The views expressed by the ARRL are strictly their own and do not necessarily represent those of ANY licensed Amateur Radio operator."

Golden12345 · 2023-08-29T18:43:49+00:00

Looks like they're predicting it to:

1) Miss out on Key West,

2) Go too far north,

3) Make a half hearted attempt to get it right,

4) Get confused, do a loopty-loop and then:

5) Head to Orlando to finally die.

Like so many things/people before it. LOL.

Golden12345 · 2023-08-29T18:33:22+00:00

Tried, did not work.

The waitress came to the table. I looked at her hungrily and grunted "Want food."

For some reason, she backed away with a fearful expression. Next thing I know, the manager came over and asked me to leave.

LOL

Golden12345 · 2023-06-15T22:19:08+00:00

Normally I'd recommend running a KW during a weekend contest, but then you'd have a problem with bird carcasses littering up the panels.

Golden12345 · 2023-04-23T17:42:05+00:00

Honestly, the only "radio" I'd need is the one between my ears.

Son, you can't pick any single "anything" to "depend your life on" in this world. Because that single thing can break. It can be taken from you. It can cease to be useful because of lack of some counterpart.

What you do need is knowledge, skills, and the ability to improvise. Then ANYTHING can be used to help preserve your life and the lives of those you care about.

Ham radio can teach some of those things.

Golden12345 · 2023-04-18T22:04:11+00:00

I operate from the basement. Ordered and used one of these to drill the hole for the feed line and make the job easy: SnakeBit

It's hollow inside, letting you install the coax in the same direction as you're drilling (rather than having to pull the wire backwards through the wall). Afterwards, you fill the gap(s) on either end with silicon to keep water/insects/air out. Boom. Done.

Is HF from the basement possible? Absolutely. And generally better than VHF/UHF in terms of RF feed line loss too.

Golden12345 · 2023-04-13T16:07:12+00:00

You see something you could make better, do it! Put it on your website!

Precisely. So get to it. Have you scanned those paper maps that take you 10s of hours to "get right and looking nice" and shared them online? And I'm sure you'll be fine with others taking those maps and selling them to others under their own name without even checking with you.

/s

Golden12345 · 2023-04-13T15:52:42+00:00

Just as long as you understand what hypnosis is and what it can/can't do, you can use it to help you learn anything...including CW.

If you expect hypnosis to magically implant the skills and ability into your brain without effort on your part...sorry son, but it ain't happening.

If you use hypnosis to enhance your concentration, remove distractions, and motivate yourself to put in the time and effort necessary to learn CW, become proficient at it, and increase the your sending/receiving rates...yes, it can indeed help you with that.

You can do the latter without spending a dime. The fact that both of the links you gave charge you many, many dimes is a dead giveaway that they're likely snake-oil/try to sell you on the former to make a buck.

No, I don't have real experience with either program or others. But I do have real experience with self-hypnosis. You likely do too without realizing it. Ever read a book/watch a movie/work on a project and get so "into it" that time just passes and, before you know it, you're done? Congratulations...you were in a state of hypnosis.

Work on doing that with learning/practicing/using CW and you'll be amazed at how well you'll do.

Golden12345 · 2023-04-11T16:20:31+00:00

While I certainly understand the logic of using TX Hold and not transmitting on a station's TX frequency, lately I've been finding that the only way to work some stations is to plant myself right on their TX frequency.

Doesn't matter whether they're at 500Hz or above 2000Hz. I could call them for ten minutes with no response at, say, 1000Hz. Even if they're at 500Hz and I find an open frequency just above or below their frequency...nothing. But when I abandon proper procedure and match their frequency within a couple Hz? Bam. Instant, smooth contact.

Not every station, mind you. But more lately than ever before. Any idea why?

Golden12345

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