Neat visit from the neighbours, this afternoon. Two dogs. Our own ball of fur was over the top happy; I guess he doesn’t figure that the ordinary visitors (humans) are there for him.
Read the rest of this entry »posted in ham radio, history | Comments Off on Counting words | 282 words
Please note that my local general store will be closed tomorrow. That is exceptional; other than the usual Christmas closure, they’re there, always. Tomorrow, however, is an exception. The baby girl in the family is getting married! My congratulations to the couple, their families, all the cousins; may this be for a long time and a good time.
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Another school year begins. Proof that I’m, by times, a slow learner? I went into a stationery store at the same moment that frantic parents were filling their shopping carts with all matter of student related paperwares. Nothing like standing in line while the clerk processes a pile of pens, scribblers, etc. under the gaze of a child, the mother AND the father. Every time, I swear that I’ll know better; every time, I don’t. If ever there was a need for an express checkout, this is it.
Read the rest of this entry »posted in economy, ham radio | Comments Off on Wrong moment to shop near stationery | 283 words
Outside, the kids are preparing for a campfire. Thankfully, on the same spot as last year, because I don’t want to have a crater field. Funny how we don’t seem to do stuff like this except during the season of high visits. Similarly, our largest pot (much bigger than I remembered) was brought our from the back of the cupboards, and a certain number of live crustaceans did their colour shift before serving as supper. Not my supper: son #2 and I had the run of the BBQ, and steaks are just as good as anything else.
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My next move: read some basic antenna theory. Today, I received a small package containing some ferrite coils. As well, a larger package containing a kit, to construct and experiment with mag loop antennas. I will have to find some hardware to actually get busy, but that’s just a matter of choices from Amazon. This should begin as soon as the summer rush ends.
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I missed the parade. Given the three hours travel time, the need to park, the requirement that I leave home before breakfast (who runs a parade in the morning?) it was a foregone conclusion. Hate to have the organizers think that I wasn’t aware of the nature of the beast.
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Watched a particular video for the second time, and actually learned something I needed to know: I’ve been trying to “get my head around” the mechanical structure of a loop antenna. When one YouTube mentor showed the inside of the matching box, I suddenly realized that I could build one of those, once the proper parts were available. And so I’ve placed my order.
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Advice, given to one’s children, isn’t always followed. Imagine my surprise when son #1, returned my unsolicited text, within the hours; he had gone to the suggested store, bought his new set of pots and pans, along with a microwave AND made it to work on time. Now that’s focused! Along the way, I learned why the beloved blowout sales we had attended, year after year, in a hockey rink were no more. The company sold their retail wing to “Canny Tire”. Where tires are just an afterthought.
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Another afternoon spent reading the prose from hams with antennas. No, not the usual long piece of wire, up in the air. I want to know about the options available (in a commercial context). Gear. And boy, did I get a cross-section of sentiments.
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Odd night, yesterday. The dog was unable to relax, and his anxiety went over the top. Near as I can figure, there must have been something outside that served as more than a simple distraction. It took both of his people to calm the spirit enough that those humans could finally get to sleep. We saw nothing untoward, but then again a coyote doesn’t always put on a concert.
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