I’ve spent the last few hours trying to get an older laptop “up to date”. The usual stuff: patches to the OS, signature files for the antivirus package, newer versions of mission critical software. And it was a painful process.
posted in ham radio | Comments Off on Wishing things were faster | 260 words
Some days are just chock-full of tiny details; like a can of mixed nuts. I like those days.
For example, today I learned that the US government is formally dropping charges that were pending against an old bearded fellow. No, not Santa Claus… Osama. Seems that the attorney general has realized that he won’t be brought to trial, due to circumstances beyond control. Is this what happens when a reality check takes place?
posted in ham radio | Comments Off on Small details in a larger tableau | 258 words
Thought I’d get the weather forecast, the old-fashioned way, this evening. By listening to the radio. Marine radio. You see, going back to about the time of Marconi, governments have maintained a network of facilities to get “the word” out to those at sea, where such things really matter.
posted in ham radio | Comments Off on Utilitity radio | 328 words
A tip of my (virtual) hat to the current Parliament. They stayed up through another night and day, debating in that odd “dialogue of the men without ears” that is used in the constitutional monarchy. That is, each side repeats its mantra, and the other pays no attention. Finally, at supper time today, a vote was held.
posted in ham radio, politics | Comments Off on The continuing saga of MP vs MP | 263 words
With a quick burst of code, I had proof that my new station actually worked. That I had something more than a fancy receiver.
posted in ham radio | Comments Off on Learning the ropes | 251 words
A special thanks to the community of hams who share helpful information via the net. For the last couple of nights, I’ve been trying to get my new station to come together into a Gestalt, and I finally found the needed tidbit in a forum. What the manual doesn’t tell you, someone eventually will.
posted in ham radio | Comments Off on The new station, unveiled | 267 words
My relief at never having studied economics is intense. The minister of finance just confirmed that the deficit will be less than $54 billion for the fiscal year (hope it ends soon). Not bad, given that there wasn’t going to be a deficit, not so long ago. I jest, of course.
posted in ham radio | Comments Off on Lose the autotune | 271 words
This evening, I welcomed back the prodigal. Not son, or daughter; a laptop. One of the small flock of compusheep that keep our family safely IMed and FBed and all the other things that are as necessary as fresh water.
posted in ham radio | Comments Off on Preparing the computer control of the radio | 264 words
In my experience, rope and wire are sold in two sizes: not thick enough and too thick. I should have been better prepared for this fact of life; after all, I had read the tale of the little blonde and her ursine neighbours. In that story, though, there was a middle ground.
posted in ham radio | Comments Off on Wire and rope, rarely the right gauge | 276 words
Hard call here. What’s more fun? Actually buying something you don’t need, or dreaming about the purchase? Forget the financial burden, this has to do with the feel good part of things.
posted in ham radio | Comments Off on The thrill of the hunt | 287 words
