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comms plans for Darby Dog Derby

The 2020 Bitterroot dogsled race weekend is coming up. I have the two-way-radio support plan mapped out, radios programmed, testing complete, batteries all charged up … I think we are as ready as we can get.

For more details about the weekend, the participants and the races, go to The Bitterroot Mushers website.

Each year we learn more, adding refinements to patch holes as we find them. Ideally we have 8 checkpoints with a checkpoint worker and a radio operator at each. That’s a bit dreamy as the last couple years we are lucky to have one person […]

January 13th, 2020 | Category: amateur radio, community, radio | Comments are closed

**Auction** Lot of 63 Vintage Electronic Tubes – update

I just listed a collection of vacuum tubes on ebay. This is my first attempt at selling through them. It will be interesting.

Something with such a small audience so widely dispersed is just right for this venue, I think.

It is a fascinating tour of early electronics, which at the time they were settling in on calling them “electronic tubes”, “radio tubes” and “electron tubes”. I particularly love the last phrase as it conjures up a vacuum tube teeming with loose electrons.

You can watch the bidding along with me. The listing is here:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Auction-Lot-of-63-Vintage-Electronic-Tubes-13-in-boxes/264595795476?hash=item3d9b236e14:g:sGoAAOSwgedeGhPK

They sold, […]

January 11th, 2020 | Category: amateur radio, technology | Comments are closed

final day of registration for ham class is Friday

This a repeat of my previous announcement. There is one more day of online registration for Darby Adult Ed classes. We stand ONE STUDENT SHORT of having enough to make it happen.

I am bringing another amateur radio operator licensing class to Darby, Montana via the Darby Adult Education program in its Spring 2020 schedule. I have not keept track, but think I have personally assisted 40 or 50 people to earning their FCC licenses through my study groups in the Darby library.

The snide saying goes, “Those who CAN, DO. Those who cannot, TEACH”. I’m okay wearing […]

January 9th, 2020 | Category: amateur radio, community, practical, preparing, radio, teaching, technology | Comments are closed

.22 rifle practice

Far and away the most popular rifle caliber on Earth is the .22 Long Rifle (.22LR). Ammo.com has numerous listings for under 4-cents per round, and as they correctly describe, “Easily the most prolific and well known firearm cartridge in the world, the .22 Long Rifle (LR) is great for plinking and small-game hunting. The .22 LR is also considered the best choice for introducing new people to the sport of shooting, due to its lack of recoil and low noise.” I will add the intuitive: inexpensive, wonderful training tool from cost of gear through expense to operate. You […]

January 5th, 2020 | Category: about, practical, preparing | Comments are closed

Ham license class begins February 1st

I am bringing another amateur radio operator licensing class to Darby, Montana via the Darby Adult Education program in its Spring 2020 schedule. I have not keept track, but think I have personally assisted 40 or 50 people to earning their FCC licenses through my study groups in the Darby library.

The snide saying goes, “Those who CAN, DO. Those who cannot, TEACH”. I’m okay wearing that. Good instructors are as rare as good anything else. I did not choose this calling, blessing or curse. It chose me. Run with your talents.

Every person who has come to all […]

January 1st, 2020 | Category: amateur radio, community, radio, teaching | Comments are closed