Battered but Alive!

Survived the cutters again, antennas survived 2+ feet of snow and ice-and the band is as dead as a hammer-go figure. Not going to apologise for the non-radio other guy rant but it was one of those things that had to be said, now a general wants to punish a trooper that get or get other troopers pregnant while deployed. The brown shoe four striper, Lex, http://www.neptunuslex.com/2009/12/20/harsher-measures-to-follow/ , has the facts and a personal observation. This he and she business is always got to be a factor but women have earned their place at the pointy end of the stick and it is command responsability to come up with a solution that works-I don't know what but I know they belong there-the ones that shot at me on the Song Vam Co Dong sure did!

OK now I feel better, back to really bad explanations aboutthe Grey Line.

Wan't gonna post but

I Ripped this from http://www.thedonovan.com/ it is important go there


15 DECEMBER 2009MILBLOGS GO SILENT FOR FELLOW BLOGGERMilblogs Go Silent
On Wednesday 16 December 2009, many milblogs -- including This Ain't Hell, From My Position, Blackfive, Miss Ladybug, Boston Maggie, Grim's Hall, Bouhammer, and those participating in the Wednesday Hero program -- are going silent for the day. Some are choosing to go silent for a longer period of time.
The reason for this is two-fold. First, milblogs are facing an increasingly hostile environment from within the military. While senior leadership has embraced blogging and social media, many field grade officers and senior NCOs do not embrace the concept. From general apathy in not wanting to deal with the issue to outright hostility to it, many commands are not only failing to support such activities, but are aggressively acting against active duty milbloggers, milspouses, and others. The number of such incidents appears to be growing, with milbloggers receiving reprimands, verbal and written, not only for their activities but those of spouses and supporters.The catalyst has been the treatment of milblogger C.J. Grisham of A Soldier's Perspective (http://www.soldiersperspective.us/). C.J. has earned accolades and respect, from the White House on down for his honest, and sometimes blunt, discussion of issues -- particularly PTSD. In the last few months, C.J. has seen an issue with a local school taken to his command who failed to back him, and has even seen his effort to deal with PTSD, and lead his men in same by example, used against him as a part of this. Ultimately, C.J. has had to sell his blog to help raise funds for his defense in this matter.An excellent story on the situation with C.J. can be found at Military Times by clicking here.While there have been new developments, the core problem remains, and C.J. is having to raise funds to cover legal expenses to protect both his good name and his career.One need only look at the number of blogs by active duty military in combat zones and compare it to just a few years ago to see the chilling effect that is taking place.Milblogs have been a vital link in getting accurate news and information about the military, and military operations, to the public. They have provided vital context and analysis on issues critical to operations and to the informed electorate critical to the Republic.On Wednesday 16 December, readers will have the chance to imagine a world without milblogs, and to do something about it. Those participating are urging their readers to contact their elected representatives in Congress, and to let their opinions be known to them and to other leaders in Washington.Some milblogs will remain silent for several days; some just for the day. All have agreed to keep the post about the silence and C.J. at the top of their blogs until Friday 18 December.
The issues go beyond C.J., and deserve careful consideration and discussion. We hope that you will cover this event, and explore the issues that lie at the heart of the matter. Contact the milbloggers in your area or that you know, and hear the story that lies within. Participating blogs: A Soldier's Perspective You Served Bouhammer The American Legion Laughing Wolf Hugh Hewitt This Ain't Hell Castle Argghhh Boston Maggie Blackfive Miss Ladybug Hooah Wife Kiss My Gumbo Some Soldiers Mom Assoluta Tranquillita Knee Deep in the Hooah Soldiers' Angel New York Drunken Wisdom Grim's Hall From my position CDR Salamander Confederate Yankee Chromed Curses Homefront Six Pvt Murphey's Law Delta Bravo Sierra The Sniper Another Voice Support your Local Gunfighter Knottie' s Niche Great Reader JihadGene America's North Shore Journal Righty in a Lefty State Thunder Run Gazing at the Flag Neptunus Lex Soldiers Angels Germany Bring the heat, bring the stupid Little Drops..... Into the pool of life. The Gun Line Thirdwavedave In Iraq Now (at 56) Milblogging.com Army Houesehold6 Susan Katz Keating The Mudville Gazette Covering the story: Instapundit Michelle Malkin National Review's The Corner Ace of Spades Jawa Report Winds of Change Cao's Blog Free Republic Dr. Melissa Clouthier Villainous Company The Washington IndependentYou can donate to CJ's Legal Fund by logging into PayPal, go to the send money page, and put in his email: dj_chcknhawk (AT) yahoo (DOT) com; or, you can send donations directly to:Grisham Legal Fundc/o Redstone Federal Credit Union220 Wynn DriveHuntsville, AL 35893Please write "Grisham Legal Fund" in the memo line if you use this option.Milblogs have been a vital link in getting accurate news and information about the military, and military operations, to you. Today, many milblogs are gone and others are under attack from within and without. Today, you have the chance to imagine a world without milblogs, and to do something about it. Make your voice heard by writing your congressional representatives and others, and by making donations as you see fit.The battle for freedom of speech and the marketplace of ideas is fought on many fronts and in many ways. Without your help, the battle

QRT Damn it

For a while as the Dr.s have their way with me 73 Rob

DRECK

Thats what the band has been when I've had time to do the radio thing. Now if you think ham radio is odd try this onehttp://hittingmetalwithahammer.wordpress.com/. We Connect he flings.

OK Now I got a radio, where to go?

Let me confess a bias, I was a Sailor (Brown Water, deck ape and Gunner's Mate) and a Merchie Wiper/Ordinary Seaman and did a little recreational blue water sailing back in the day and have certain romantic notions of maritime radio. With this 14.300Mhz (http://14300.net/ )and the Intercon, Maritime, Pacific and USCG nets hold quite an attraction. Most of the time its like most nets with check ins and signal reports but it gets interesting at times following single handers, world cruisers and the occasional traffic of vessels in difficulty. The other advantage is that it is international in nature and openings are often evident at this "Watering Hole." However, its not a place to start a QSO but can tell you what may be open. 73 Rob

The End Fed Tuner

Tuners are pricey, The cheapest in the catalogs is in the 70 dollar range. I'm no antenna guru but the endfed tuner promoted by Steve, http://www.aa5tb.com/ , is easy to make and cheap, mine all came from a junkbox and the toroid could be done as an airwound coil if one were not available, the T 50-2 was robust enough for my MFJ 9420 and 33 feet of a $5.00 2oo foot spool was rigged as a horizonal, sloper and an inverted V and has worked from the Ukrane to Japan to South America. Another advantage is the need for only a .05WL counterpoise-a real plus in a second floor shack.

OK What is this blogging thing?

This is an Old Farts first attempt at blogging, it is about low rent amateur (Ham) radio with a cut an try, non-digital focus. I add QRP to my call when I CQ but I'm really a Piss Weaker with a low tech MFJ radio and an end fed half-wave antenna with a AA5TB type tuner home-brewed out of a broken SWR meter and variable cap out of an old table radio (the MFJs are durn near robust as tube gear-no SWR meter-just tune for the loudest noise on receive and have at it. Output is about 8 W). I was a terminal no-code tech for years (KB8TEJ) and never got the minimalist cw qrp bug, quit for a few years then upgraded when the code requirement was removed-but still use cw as a pileup breaker on six meters.



The QTH is not the best, a river valley with mountains on all sides so high angle radiation is a must so the cheap antenna is a virtue made of necessity. As a tech six was the working band and the QTH was a farm on a ridge and wire antennas (longwires and half squares fed by CATV coax were the norm and I got across the pond and into South America with 10W.

I currently use twenty meters and ride along with the 14.300 nets and the YLNET while looking for DX openings. I don't chase paper but QSL when received.

I hope to be able to share some of the low rent tricks I have learned and to learn some from others. 73 de Rob

TEST

This is only a test