RTFM

 Good Day Ham Fans...

Today, while reading the HamApps (JTAlert) and WSJT-X email reflector, I just can't help but want to comment on people's inability or damn right refusal to READ THE F****** Manual !!!

75+% of the posts can be resolved if one would just RTFM! How hard is this? Not very! But no! Most want to be spoon fed, led TO the H2O AND show you how to drink it. WTH is wrong with you mortals?

You are in a hobby that is chocked FULL of stuff to learn... So embrace the opportunity and LEARN. 

BUT....

If you happen to vote democrat, I kinda get it. You want the 'hand out', you want to be 'given' the answer, you 'demand' others give you what you need!!!--- Why not earn your keep so YOU can teach others? Now THAT is something to think about! Learn to FISH for yourself so others don't have to be burdened with your insatiable 'needs'. Ham Radio should be used to further one's 'knowledge' of our hobby, to actually understand how your "stuff" works! Damn! What a beautiful world that would be.

Those email reflector moderators etc must have the patience of a saint! I would just the same first tell these life blood sucking 'dolts' to simply 'Get screwed" as a first response, and then if they continued further,....well...just tell them...

READ THE PHUCKING MANUAL !!!!

73 

You 100% dedicated Elmer!

Jose 

N4BAA

STATE OF OUR HAM RADIO HOBBY

Hope everyone is in good health and doing well.

I am hopping up on my soapbox.... 

The more E-mail reflectors I read, the more I realize that there are an many hams who have "Less than zero" idea how their gear or software works. Most want the 'answers' given to them instead of going and LEARNING HOW TO DO for yourself. For the sake of Pete.. ... people... READ your manuals.... "SEEK TO UNDERSTAND" how your 'stuff' works.

If I see another post that goes something like this.....

"Hey everyone. I know this is something simple...but I just can't find it anywhere... How do I (FILL IN THE BLANK Here)... 

Jesus

Mary and

Joseph..

Really?...  

Sounds like you mo-fos need a nice dose of "brains" or " brain cells" or just "curiosity"...

It is NOT that hard...  Learn to fish for yourself so the rest of us don't feel overburdened with drinking more bourbon because you can't find your asses with both hands..  It must be embarrassing not knowing CRAP about ANYTHING.... 

 If you are 'one of those" who feels like the rest of us should hold your hand and just give you the answer... Take note... "I will continue to ELMER others"...but I am 100% done with giving the answers to the poor sons of bitches who "don't know Jack" any more... I AM officially over your sorry asses! 

Man! Do I feel better!!!

Off my soapbox and I return you to your regularly scheduled programming..

Like Paul Harvey used to say....

Good Day!

Jose 

N4BAA

NEW 6M AMP (AND FOR EME)

 Well, new amp arrived today!

I bough a pristine, like new, AL-1500, had it 100% gutted and made into a 6M MONO BAND AMP.

3KW and then some...so plenty of headroom.

Got on EME tonight and worked UR0MC via 6M MOON BOUNCE!

WOW

Amazing hobby we have!

Now will be looking for Lance, W7GJ from FO-A and FO-M this week via MOON BOUNCE!

Hope to see YOU off the moon soon!

73

Jose

N4BAA

LOTW UPLOADING (TIMING)

 Hello LoTW Users...

Yesterday, I received a confirmation from a United States Ham for a QSO 9 months ago. So, I took it upon my self to 'seek to understand' (via email) why he chose to delay his upload so long. He was nice enough to respond. He stated he is 45 years old and had been a Ham for 15 years and that his 'cadence' was to try and upload once every 6 months but fell behind. We had a great back and forth and I let him know that his current software would allow him to upload REAL TIME and would not have to remember to 'upload' ever again. He was like, "WOW" Why they hell did I not know this"?... Well, like so many, people/hams do not have an Elmer or "mentor" to guide them. 

Unless you live in a super remote area of the world or the like, I can't reconcile why anyone would NOT be more considerate and upload their logs either real time or daily at the very least. There are many looking for confirmation for a long list of awards and it just makes good sense. 

So, if you are one of those operators who does NOT upload to LoTW daily...please consider changing your standard operating procedures and just make it happen.

Thanks, 73, and God Bless!

Jose 

Your "digital" Elmer

EME QSO

 Hello Everyone,

This week I did something I have not done in my 44 years of hamming!

I have been interested in Earth Moon Earth (EME) communication since I was a kid and I tried early in the 80's to make a contact, but could not.

With the advent of technology and a improved antennas, I made an EME QSO this past week!

I have been set up to receive signals bouncing off the moon for about a month and have had really good success decoding signals via Q65-60A mode from US, VK, ZL, JA, UA, UR, G, TI etc...  but my new 6 meter amplifier is not here yet so I did not dare TX with only 100 watts! 

But one evening speaking to Lance, W7GJ in the EME chat room, he let me know that with my large 9L antenna, he should still be able to hear me. REALLY? No way! So,..... I started transmitting at my moonset, and what do you know? Lance heard me, gave me a report and my first EME was history!

This is an amazing mode! Why EME? I only need one more country (P5) to have them all, and I only need a handful of zone on 6m to have all 40.

Also, having 36+ CQ WAZ awards, and I also chase Russian Districts and 6M FFMA grids, but... in between all that ....  I need something to keep me busy... SO.... 

6M EME provides another mode to collect more zones AND countries on 6M. 

I currently have 150 DXCC countries on 6M all via sporadic Es and unless we have a really good F2 year, the 'other' zones are not possible. I need 8 more CQ zones on 6M to have all 40 and this may help.

If you haven't tried EME on 6M try it. You do not need elevation control, just point at the moon on the horizon during your moon rise or moon set and have fun. 1KW helps but obviously you can still make a QSO or two with the really big stations on the air.

Have fun and I hope to see you off the moon soon! Amp will be here in 4 weeks!

Jose

N4BAA

MR. DX and Head Mentor

When Politics Clashes with Ham Radio

 Keep them separated right? Hard to do that in today's world. Just a ball of pure freaking crap!

As a US Navy retiree who served 23 years, the LAST thing our service men and women want is for us to forget about them. That does NOT mean or refer to after they have left this world, but rather, it means do not get through your day without remembering where they are and WHAT they are being called upon to do. BEING FORGOTTEN or taken for granted is what they (me as well) fear everyday they serve. 

Ham radio for all it provides to many of us also allows us to "escape" the harsh reality that we live in country that is going in the crapper at warp speed! We have feckless leaders who set policies for our military who have never served AND allow politics to guide them rather than "doing the right thing". Why? Most likely because they have zero integrity. When I retired in 2007, I left behind men and women who "I" trained to "take the watch" and lead us... and they did!....with Honor. and still serve today. Those serving so WE can enjoy the freedoms of doing what we want cannot be thanked enough. THOSE in charge of these American Heroes do not deserve to be in command. THEY need to be eradicated and replaced with People Leaders who understand Honor, Courage, Commitment, Integrity, Respect, Teamwork! 

What does this have to do with Amateur Radio? For those old enough to remember the previous Soviet Union and what their Amateur Radio Operators have been through can quickly see / appreciate the similarities between their "days of old" and ours! 

If we as Americans (regardless of our birth nations) do not take what is happening seriously, you can kiss your free asses adios! For those reading this who refuse to view reality with an "eyes wide open" perspective through the lenses of truth..... (not my opinion...but facts).... you folks are lost sheep. With this 'sheep' mentality, the government will eventually swoop in and 'govern' your Amateur Privileges. And it won't stop there. Radio will be the least of your concerns. OPEN your eyes and look around...Don't turn OFF the news...TURN IT ON LOUD... Listen.... look at all of the news outlets and ask yourself if 'fair and consistent' coverage applies...or IF you are indeed being programmed (sheep).

Radio is an easy escape for us and God knows we love it! It offers so much to so many, no matter what your interest is, but let's not just run and hide behind our hobby or other 'outlet' to escape what is going in our world or WE are going to lose more than you may realize. 

The list of countries that have oppressed civilians because of POWER HUNGRY ass wipe government officials is LONG and distinguished. Having traveled to many of these 'armpits of the world', WE do NOT want to live in the same manner as they do...but we are headed that way. 

Ham Radio is a privilege granted to us BY our Government.... They can take it away the moment they feel threatened!

Stay Safe, God Bless, and America will ALWAYS be first in my heart!

Remember our Service men and women who are serving every day!

DO NOT FORGET THEM!

73

Jose

N4BAA

EMAIL REFLECTORS AND MORONS

 Well, I truly believe it is time to chime in email reflectors and the like......

What has happened to "hams" these days? 

Can no one actually READ "Help" files or "instructions" on how to install and operate software?

Jesus, Mary and Joseph. I am about fed up with having my email INBOX full of questions / comments from 'operators' (not true HAMs), who ask endless question after question about things that are 100% covered in the help files or instructions. So, memo to all those "Morons" and inept fools that use the excuses of, "I don't have time to read the manual", or "I'm not a technical type", or "I just don't understand this complicated program".... Well my dears, if that is the case, go back to gardening, or bathing in the sun and leave these "oh so tough" issues to real men and women who take time to INVEST IN THEMSELVES and actually LEARN. READ THE FREAKING MANUAL!!!!!

Folks, this is not hard. If you are the bleeding liberal type that that requires you be "spoon fed" data and have things "given to you" and "handed to you" without so much as an "OUNCE" of energy on your part..... JUST STOP pretending you are a ham. You are no more than a mere "Operator".. .no more....no less....

So let's regroup here......

Going forward... before you ask a dumbass question...(and yes, some questions ARE in fact DUMB as hell.....), READ the MANUAL or HELP files... Now...it MAY not give YOU the answer YOU want as FAST as YOU want it....but you ain't in no race ...you are NOT going to miss NORTH KOREA on FT8...so you have time... RELAX... and prove to yourself, you have what it takes to SEEK TO UNDERSTAND more than just POWER ON and TX.... LMAO...

ALSO.. another tip... regarding EMAIL REFLECTORs... Keep your "two bit" comments like, "loaded the program and running it now", and "Installed it with no problems here", and "works great".... to yourself... NO ONE FREAKIN CARES! NO ONE! You see, there is a misconception that email reflectors are CHAT ROOMS...they are not! Do not use them the same way. Again, most of our "ham community" has NO idea what reflectors are, how to use them, (and how NOT TO USE THEM)...

So, take it from me sports fans.... Find an ELMER, one who is a GOOD operator and KNOWS what the hell is going on. If you do NOT find a good ELMER, then you are going to be photo copy of some MORON who will turn YOU into a MORON...and the MORON cycle will continue......and more importantly, for God's sake, LEARN how to do things CORRECTLY and if you have the "courage (aka:balls)" to become a MENTOR for someone else...maybe over the next 50 years or so, we can "right the ship" and return Ham Radio to a sense of decency where 'most' know what the hell is going on, how your gear and antennas REALLY work and how to solder, and how propagation works, and KNOW CW <smiling>, etc etc etc....but it is a bunch of small steps to get there...

But first you can contribute to this goal by doing one thing first.....

READ THE FREAKING MANUAL/Help INSTRUCTIONS!!!!!

Mr. DX,

Jose

N4BAA