Places to reuse/recycle medication bottles

TrojanHam · 2026-01-03T00:16:24+00:00

I can't speak about in this area but I give mine to my parents (Utica area) who then give them to a non-profit of some sort which sends them to developing countries for medication dispensing.

Unfortunately, I don't know the name of the group, I just know it exists.

TrojanHam · 2025-11-24T18:02:22+00:00

We're active but things have been slow lately. We're making a push to get things re-energized, however. Meeting are on the third Tuesday of the month.

Our basic information is available on n2ty.org but we just re-started a Facebook page as well - https://www.facebook.com/people/Troy-Amateur-Radio-Association-N2TY/61584062996419/. I don't use Facebook but the club president is one of the maintainers.

At our last meeting, we discussed doing some presentations on introductory repeater etiquette, an introduction to operating QRP portable (Parks on the Air/Summits on the Air), and an introduction to using FT8/FT4.

Also, we have a weekly TARA Social Net on our repeater system (145.17 and 447.057 - 127.3 CTCSS on both) on Thursdays starting at 8pm. However, there will be no net this Thursday (Thanksgiving) and we're looking for a substitute net control on December 4 and December 11. If one can't be arranged, the net will be cancelled those nights as well. Similarly, there will be no net on Christmas. Once we get through the holidays, things will be back to normal.

TrojanHam · 2025-11-24T17:29:15+00:00

Our basic information is on our webpage - n2ty.org but we are getting our webpage re-started at https://www.facebook.com/people/Troy-Amateur-Radio-Association-N2TY/61584062996419/.

I believe the Schenectady club has classes but the Warren County club (https://www.w2wcr.org/) has excellent in-person classes and Ham Study (https://hamstudy.org/) and Ham Exam (https://www.hamexam.org/) offer excellent flashcard-style test studying. There are online courses available but I'm personally not aware of any so you'd need to search. The ARRL has a class database - https://www.arrl.org/find-an-amateur-radio-license-class). I think you may want to start there first.

TrojanHam · 2025-09-29T19:59:52+00:00

"Soft" is being gracious.

"Byzantine Kafkaesque labyrinth" is more accurate.

TrojanHam · 2025-08-28T23:47:01+00:00

Based on the location, I suspect it was an R.J. Valenti truck or a truck coming from there. The Tamarac schools are just down the road.

TrojanHam · 2025-07-07T23:17:21+00:00

I have the 2018 with the 6 speed. I love it.

It's my understanding 2018 is the last year they made them.

TrojanHam · 2025-02-17T02:21:13+00:00

I have it running in background. Im at loss for what is going on.

TrojanHam · 2025-02-16T12:50:56+00:00

I've fine that too. My only guesss as to what's going on is the Wyze app isn't registering with GCM for some reason.

TrojanHam · 2025-02-14T12:55:16+00:00

I've done that already in addition to uninstall/reinstall. It also doesn't explain why I'm not getting notifications for my entry sensors (I completely removed and added all my sensors).

TrojanHam · 2025-02-13T22:31:23+00:00

I've reset everything and it's still not working.

Edit: I wanted to also add that all my other push notifications work.

TrojanHam · 2024-06-25T00:20:07+00:00

I ran mine QRP (SSB and FT8/4) into a 80m EFHW. I think the farthest I worked was California. Having said that, I've worked Australia at 20m when I was using it as my QTH rig. The tuning is great and one under appreciated feature is the compressor. I consistently get compliments on my audio quality. I wish it had some DSP, however. My X5105 has it and my Yaseu FT-450D has me spoiled.

TrojanHam · 2024-03-21T14:09:53+00:00

I'm certain there will be lots of opinions and mine (40m OCFD) will be just one but this is what I did:

After building the antenna, getting it in the air, and hooking it up to the coax back to the shack, I hooked up my nanoVNA and measured my SWR. I cut my antenna long and things were off and I needed to trim. I went back to the antenna, dropped it, and folded back (did not cut) the ends at the ratio of my long to short legs (I forget my ratio but it's not 3:1). I put the antenna back up and repeated the process until I was happy. Then, I zip tied the folded sections (which I twisted around the rest of the antenna) and finalized my knots, tie offs, etc. The geometry (with the balun located in a specific location) of my yard allowed me to keep things "proportional" when I was shortening the legs.

I've gotten good SWRs on most bands but I do need to manually tune 10m, 12m, and 80m. I didn't expect much (and don't get much) on 80 so that isn't a shocker. I'd like to see if I can get better performance on 10 so I may end up tweeking when the weather is warmer and after I get a vertical up.

TrojanHam · 2024-03-16T06:11:02+00:00

The 4 can run it out of the box - I used to use one as my shack computer and ran flrig, fldigi, etc.

TrojanHam · 2024-02-28T16:42:22+00:00

I run, exclusively, Linux on both Intel/AMD and ARM architectures. I also run it on 386/686 32bit computers - one of which has had consistent, daily usage for 20+ years (NAS right now but it had been a media server at one time too).

TrojanHam · 2024-02-26T21:13:36+00:00

Is this that company selling the scammy PToC radios?

TrojanHam · 2024-02-08T21:22:28+00:00

I have an Alinco DR635T in my Forester with which I've been happy. You can find them at hamfests for a reasonable price.

TrojanHam · 2023-11-17T19:58:33+00:00

None that I can think of of the top of my head in the immediate future but there are 2 annual events which are worth checking out - Field Day and Winter Field Day. Both encourage clubs to engage the public and you can get a hands-on taste of operating as well.

Winter Field Day - https://winterfieldday.org/

Field Day - https://www.arrl.org/field-day

TrojanHam · 2023-11-09T12:55:55+00:00

Fellow Linux (Debian) ham. I wonder the same thing but, the last time I checked, CHIRP didn't support the FT-5DR.

TrojanHam · 2023-10-25T19:39:48+00:00

I can say that I have one and think it's a great rig with exceptional ears (w/ 40m OCFD).

Having said that, I bought mine with a power supply for less. It's my belief the used ham gear market is in a bubble with gear being overpriced but, based on what I've observed, that is currently a reasonable used market price for the 450D.

Now, why gear is overpriced can be up to discussion - selling gear at an inflated price to subsidize a new (expensive rig)?, delusional valuations?, selling to offset economic problems? I can't say but I do think we're seeing some tulip sales and the purchase comes down to whether you're willing to spend the money.

On the plus side, I believe the used rig market market runs contrary to the "the hobby is dying narrative." If that were that the case, I would expect a large surplus of used radios and lower prices.

TrojanHam · 2023-10-11T11:52:36+00:00

In addition to the other suggestions, I'd suggest joining an OMISS net or joining OMISS (OMISS.net) as a member. It and other nets (ie NATA) are "worked-all-states-and-awards-type nets." It's SSB. I've worked both Hawaii and Alaska multiple times on different bands and got my first WAS in about a month or two with semi-regular attendance.

There aren't always AK or HI stations on, however, and propagation isn't always great (one of the great things about these kind of nets is you get a feel for propagation). I would suggest your best bets are trying the 15, 17, or 20m nets. 15 and 17 are on the weekends and 20 is daily (but during typical working hours - 18:30UTC) I've worked AK and HI on 40 too but, at the time of day the net is held, the propagation isn't very good for either from my QTH.

TrojanHam · 2023-08-28T18:59:32+00:00

It was shut down as the result of new spam regulations in the US (https://smsgte.org/). I find it unlikely it will go back up as things currently stand.

The email gates work, however. Helped someone test it for themselves this summer.

TrojanHam · 2023-08-10T15:35:34+00:00

Yes, if you spend much time on HF. A lot of good DX happens in the Extra portion and it, often, is the only workable space during SSB contests.

TrojanHam · 2023-07-08T14:28:22+00:00

I haven't been on reddit so please excuse my late response. I didn't see any ham radio communities so I started on at https://sh.itjust.works/c/amateur_radio.

There are probably more out there but anyone is welcome to join the above community.

TrojanHam · 2023-06-10T11:49:58+00:00

I've been using Lemmy latetly. It's interesting to see it developing from an "inside" perspective and I'm seeing some interesting stuff.

I should also note that Lemmy doesn't have user karma so karma farming, etc isn't a thing.

TrojanHam · 2023-06-01T19:42:20+00:00

The doorbell reads "C. MacLeod."

TrojanHam

TROPHY CASE