Category: Blog

Monday 3 July 2023

  1. Write Childfund
  2. Repair Attic fan.
  3. Buy tickets for Ohio.
  4. Repair Echo Show’s
  5. Have mom take me OFF her will.
  6. Wells Fargo Advisors
  7. ID Card appt July 20th
  8. Garbage Can for Cave
  9. Recycling
  10. Good Will
  11. Hand truck
  12. Fertilize the lawn
  13. Buy a hose
  14. Repair radiator on Blue.
  15. Program remote access backup routers for mom.
  16. Drive to FL
    • Install remote access
    • Install MJ Phone
    • Repair VPN
    • Install Home Assistant
    • Bring back 55″ TV
    • Bring framed picture from Thanksgiving.
  17. Repair the brakes on Blue.
  18. Two 8GB Raspberry Pi’s are ordered from Newark Electronics.
  19. Two more 8GB Raspberry Pi’s are ordered from DigiKey
  20. Floss, banana, Meds and toes.
  21. Register with IRS as an administrator of an estate.
  22. Check Mom’s accounts
  23. Fix mom’s printer working
  24. File estate taxes.
  25. Research Lawyer for Arizona

Monday

Got groceries at Wally World, it was NOT crowded.

We spent most of the week clearing the home of anything that could house the bed bugs. We vacuumed each area as cleared it. We also got a storage bin at Public Storage to temporarily hold the contents we’d removed.

Monday 26 June 2023

  1. Write Childfund
  2. Buy tickets for Ohio.
  3. Repair Echo Show’s
  4. Have mom take me OFF her will.
  5. Express Scripts
  6. Clear weeds along back of the house.
  7. Wells Fargo Advisors
  8. ID Card appt July 20th
  9. Garbage Can for Cave
  10. Recycling
  11. Good Will
  12. Hand truck
  13. Fertilize the lawn
  14. Buy a hose
  15. Repair radiator on Blue.
  16. Program remote access backup routers for mom.
  17. Drive to FL
    • Install remote access
    • Install MJ Phone
    • Repair VPN
    • Install Home Assistant
    • Bring back 55″ TV
    • Bring framed picture from Thanksgiving.
  18. Repair the brakes on Blue.
  19. Two 8GB Raspberry Pi’s are ordered from Newark Electronics.
  20. Two more 8GB Raspberry Pi’s are ordered from DigiKey
  21. Floss, banana, Meds and toes.
  22. Register with IRS as an administrator of an estate.
  23. Check Mom’s accounts
  24. Fix mom’s printer working
  25. File estate taxes.
  26. Research Lawyer for Arizona

Monday

We got a message that we had to have court attire for Wednesday. We didn’t have dress clothes that fit anymore. We went to Goodwill and got a few items that will do. We still are not sure of the situation with the bed bugs. We changed out all our bedding and put the bedding into the cars for sanitization.

Tuesday

We got a message to be at the courthouse by early afternoon. We also got bit again last night by the bed bugs. We stripped the bed looking for any signs of them. We also tore apart and cleaned the wife’s side of the bed. (I wasn’t bitten.) We pushed 4 tubs of clothes into the attic for sanitation. We ordered bed bug traps to get our arms around how many there are. (It just feels like a couple of them and they haven’t molted into adulthood yet.

Wednesday

The lawyers called off going to court until August. We tore apart my side of the bed, emptied the dresser and vacuumed everything.

Thursday

We vacuumed the mattress and top part of the box spring today. We did see one bug, but it was very small red nymph. It had eaten because it WAS red. We put traps under the mattress and under the feet of the bed today. No new bites that we could distinguish from the existing ones.

Friday

The wife’s immune system was reeling from all the bites, even her chest was red. She took a couple Benadryl and made an appointment at 11AM at the doc-in-the-box.

I tried putting clip-on chokes onto the wires leading to the attic fans, no change in the amount of noise appearing on my HF radio.

Saturday

No new bites, I have spray if we need it. (I don’t want to use it unless it becomes necessary.

I have not been able to keep the camera in the Focus working. There’s some problem with the power. (Either the USB cables or its internal battery.)

Monday 19 June 2023

  1. Write Childfund
  2. Clear weeds along back of the house.
  3. Wells Fargo Advisors
  4. ID Card appt July 20th
  5. Garbage Can for Cave
  6. Recycling
  7. Good Will
  8. Hand truck
  9. Fertilize the lawn
  10. Buy a hose
  11. Repair radiator on Blue.
  12. Program remote access backup routers for mom.
  13. Drive to FL
    • Install remote access
    • Install MJ Phone
    • Repair VPN
    • Install Home Assistant
    • Bring back 55″ TV
    • Bring framed picture from Thanksgiving.
  14. Repair the brakes on Blue.
  15. Two 8GB Raspberry Pi’s are ordered from Newark Electronics.
  16. Two more 8GB Raspberry Pi’s are ordered from DigiKey
  17. Floss, banana, Meds and toes.
  18. Register with IRS as an administrator of an estate.
  19. Check Mom’s accounts
  20. Fix mom’s printer working
  21. File estate taxes.
  22. Research Lawyer for Arizona
  23. Tag renewal is in glove compartment.
  1. Children saved.
  2. Estate Taxes
  3. Solve Arizona Probate
  4. Children health
  5. Our Health
  6. Wisdom
  7. Our sleeping habits
  8. Help for Larry and myself.
  9. Safe trip to Blairsville
  10. Planning to Ohio
  11. Planning for mom’s estate.
  12. Court Witness

We put up a 10M Doublet antenna in the back yard for my new HF radio.

Monday 12 June 2023

  1. Write Childfund
  2. Clear weeds along back of the house.
  3. Wells Fargo Advisors
  4. ID Card appt July 20th
  5. Garbage Can for Cave
  6. Recycling
  7. Good Will
  8. Hand truck
  9. Fertilize the lawn
  10. Buy a hose
  11. Repair radiator on Blue.
  12. Program remote access backup routers for mom.
  13. Drive to FL
    • Install remote access
    • Install MJ Phone
    • Repair VPN
    • Install Home Assistant
    • Bring back 55″ TV
    • Bring framed picture from Thanksgiving.
  14. Repair the brakes on Blue.
  15. Two 8GB Raspberry Pi’s are ordered from Newark Electronics.
  16. Two more 8GB Raspberry Pi’s are ordered from DigiKey
  17. Floss, banana, Meds and toes.
  18. Register with IRS as an administrator of an estate.
  19. Check Mom’s accounts
  20. Fix mom’s printer working
  21. File estate taxes.
  22. Research Lawyer for Arizona
  23. Tag renewal is in glove compartment.
  1. Children saved.
  2. Solve Arizona Probate
  3. Children health
  4. Our Health
  5. Wisdom
  6. Our sleeping habits
  7. Help for Larry and myself.
  8. Safe trip to Blairsville
  9. Planning to Ohio
  10. Planning for mom’s estate.
  11. Court Witness
  1. Creole Seasoning
  2. Comforter
  3. turbinado sugar
  4. Elbows
  5. CPAP Pillow
  6. tomato soup
  7. sleep blanket

Monday 5 June 2023

  1. Buy a new radio.
  2. Dr Appt to pick up my CPAP.
  3. Clear off dining room table.
  4. Clear weeds along back of the house.
  5. Buy a cool mat for the dog.
  6. Clean VAN when the sun sets.
  7. Wells Fargo Advisors
  8. ID Card appt July 20th
  9. Garbage Can for Cave
  10. Recycling
  11. Good Will
  12. Hand truck
  13. Fertilize the lawn
  14. Buy a hose
  15. Repair radiator on Blue.
  16. Program remote access backup routers for mom.
  17. Drive to FL
    • Install remote access
    • Install MJ Phone
    • Repair VPN
    • Install Home Assistant
    • Bring back 55″ TV
    • Bring framed picture from Thanksgiving.
  18. Repair the brakes on Blue.
  19. Two 8GB Raspberry Pi’s are ordered from Newark Electronics.
  20. Two more 8GB Raspberry Pi’s are ordered from DigiKey
  21. Floss, banana, Meds and toes.
  22. Register with IRS as an administrator of an estate.
  23. Check Mom’s accounts
  24. Fix mom’s printer working
  25. File estate taxes.
  26. Research Lawyer for Arizona
  27. Gift for Camryn.
  28. Tag renewal is in glove compartment.

Prayers

  1. Children saved.
  2. Solve Arizona Probate
  3. Children health
  4. Our Health
  5. Wisdom
  6. Our sleeping habits
  7. Help for Larry and myself.
  8. Safe trip to Blairsville
  9. Planning to Ohio
  10. Planning for mom’s estate.
  11. Court Witness

Monday
I meet the guys on the repeater every weekday at 7:30AM for about 30 minutes.
Kathy and I spend a little time in the morning getting organized at 8-8:30
(Mostly Doctors and Meals)

Areo care called us about 9AM to confirm my 2PM apt to get my new CPAP.
Talked to my daughter for a couple hours to plan her move to Great Falls ND in July.
Took a nap before my apt at the Doc.
It’s an hour drive to the doctor’s office, arrived at 13:45
They gave me a new CPAP without having to sit through their mandatory class since I’ve had one for 10 years.
Got home about 3:30 and my daughter wanted to go to dinner with us at 5:30
She sent a message at 4:30 that she’d be at the restaurant at 5.

We got home at 7:30 and I met the guys on the GARS NET which lasts about 20 minutes.
The ARES net meets at 8:15 for about 15 minutes.
I spent some time looking for a Yeasu 7100 without much luck.  With all the digital being used I want to make sure that the HF radio I get supports those modes with as little modifications as possible.
ICOM 7100 seems to be the middle of the road.
I had to attach my new CPAP to the online RESMED portal that monitors my sleep.  (Which is just the new S/N)
Packed up the old machine and attached the new machine to my mask.

I had to modify the doctors settings of 6-16 mm H2O to 11-16 mm H2O.  If the machine starts at 6 mm H2O the mask is pretty tight against my face until the pressure gets over 10mm H2O.  The machine normally arrives at 14 mm H2O during the night.
This machine had a strong plastic smell when I went down, I don’t remember that with previous machines.
(I dug out the manuals, there’s no “Break In” procedure either.)
I used my old tank, hoses and mask so the only new component was the machine.
The insurance pays $45/Month rent for 14 months, then the machine is ours.
The Wife gets her new machine in August.

Tuesday
Entered info for yesterday in my blog.
Checked my radio for today’s NET.
Grocery Shopping
HRO trip for a 710 radio.

Wednesday
Received documents for Arizona Land.

Thursday
Going over documents looking for errors
Checked in with Paul (10:00)

My new 7″ Tablets, old 5″ ones are now a security risk and 10″ is too big.

Monday 29 May 2023

Memorial Day Parade Lineup as a HAM
  1. Dr Appt on Wednesday 9AM.
  2. Clear off dining room table.
  3. Clear weeds along back of the house.
  4. Clean VAN when the sun sets.
  5. Wells Fargo Advisors
  6. ID Card appt July 20th
  7. Garbage Can for Cave
  8. Recycling
  9. Good Will
  10. Hand truck
  11. Fertilize the lawn
  12. Buy a hose
  13. Repair radiator on Blue.
  14. Program remote access backup routers for mom.
  15. Drive to FL
    • Install remote access
    • Install MJ Phone
    • Repair VPN
    • Install Home Assistant
    • Bring back 55″ TV
    • Bring framed picture from Thanksgiving.
  16. Repair the brakes on Blue.
  17. Two 8GB Raspberry Pi’s are ordered from Newark Electronics.
  18. Two more 8GB Raspberry Pi’s are ordered from DigiKey
  19. Floss, banana, Meds and toes.
  20. Register with IRS as an administrator of an estate.
  21. Check Mom’s accounts
  22. Fix mom’s printer working
  23. File estate taxes.
  24. ID CARE Alert.
  25. Research Lawyer for Arizona
  26. Run generators.
  27. Gift for Camryn.
  28. Tag renewal is in glove compartment.
  29. Memorial Day Parade

Prayer List

  1. Safe return for Daughter.
  2. Children saved.
  3. Solve Arizona Probate
  4. Children health
  5. Our Health
  6. Wisdom
  7. Our sleeping habits
  8. Help for Larry and myself.
  9. Safe trip to Blairsville
  10. Planning to Ohio
  11. Planning for mom’s estate.
  12. Court Witness

Monday 22 May 2023

  1. Wells Fargo Advisors
  2. ID Cards
  3. Garbage Can for Cave
  4. Recycling
  5. Good Will
  6. Hand truck
  7. Fertilize the lawn
  8. Buy a hose
  9. Repair radiator on Blue.
  10. Program remote access backup routers for mom.
  11. Drive to FL
    • Install remote access
    • Install MJ Phone
    • Repair VPN
    • Install Home Assistant
    • Bring back 55″ TV
    • Bring framed picture from Thanksgiving.
  12. Repair the brakes on Blue.
  13. Two 8GB Raspberry Pi’s are ordered from Newark Electronics.
  14. Two more 8GB Raspberry Pi’s are ordered from DigiKey
    They shipped today, that makes 4
  15. Floss, banana, Meds and toes.
  16. Register with IRS as an administrator of an estate.
  17. Check Mom’s accounts
  18. Fix mom’s printer working
  19. File estate taxes.
  20. Research Lawyer for Arizona
  21. Run generators
  22. Gift for Camryn.
  23. Sign form for cabin.
  24. Received $500.00 Fron Georgia Taxes.
  25. Received $ from 2020 Federal taxes
  26. Emissions for van 22 May
    Tag renewal is in glove compartment.
  27. Memorial Day Parade

Upgraded all my home routers today, that took me about 2 hours with all twelve wireless/VPN routers. All six VPN tunnels are up and running, we watched TV over one of them on our last trip to the mountains. 🙂

Created a new “Octopus” for powering our personal devices. It runs on one 18V 36W power supply *Wall Wart. The micro-USB DC inverters can provide 3A @ 5V and can be located quite a way from the power supply.

This is what the desk looked like using the previous version of the Octopus that terminated every lead with a connector. Yes, that’s a AT&T slimline phone with our home supplied from a white Majic Jack Plus that’s next to the wireless router.

Took the VAN in for its first emissions test, the gas cap failed. Got a new one and brought the operator lunch. All set for renewing the plate in July, with my HAM call sign. 🙂

Monday 15 May 2023

  1. Wells Fargo Advisors
  2. Garbage Can for Cave
  3. Recycling
  4. Good Will
  5. Hand truck
  6. Fertilize the lawn
  7. Buy a hose
  8. Repair radiator on Blue.
  9. Program remote access backup routers for mom.
  10. Drive to FL
    • Install remote access
    • Install MJ Phone
    • Repair VPN
    • Install Home Assistant
    • Bring back 55″ TV
    • Bring framed picture from Thanksgiving.
  11. Repair the brakes on Blue.
  12. Two 8GB Raspberry Pi’s are ordered from Newark Electronics.
  13. Two more 8GB Raspberry Pi’s are ordered from DigiKey
  14. Floss, banana, Meds and toes.
  15. Register with IRS as an administrator of an estate.
  16. Check Mom’s accounts
  17. Fix mom’s printer working
  18. File estate taxes.
  19. Run generators
  20. Received $500.00 Fron Georgia Taxes.
  21. Received $ from 2020 Federal taxes
  22. Emissions for van 22 May
  23. State Park pass.
  24. Plans for truck competition.

Spent the week up in Blairsville Ga in a two-person cabin. We drive the van up and brought the kitchen sink including a portable refrigerator on our first trip.

  1. Cannot do stairs with the refrigerator, ground floor or have an elevator.
  2. We don’t need a huge inventory of fruit on our next trip.
  3. We MUST disable the camera security before we arrive home the next time.
  4. Brought a little too many clothes.
  5. Wash cloths and towels were very handy.
  6. Brought too many eggs.
  7. Vogel state park turned out to be very helpful as a rest stop.
    Need to apply for a state park pass with my military ID.
  8. Need a large tire beach wagon to move the refrigerator.
  9. Small tubs were also handy for pills and bathroom supplies.
  10. Heated throws were pretty handy.
  11. Need to bring solar generator for the Wife’s CPAP.

Monday 8 May 2023

  1. Wells Fargo Advisors
  2. Garbage Can for Cave
  3. Recycling
  4. Good Will
  5. Hand truck
  6. Fertilize the lawn
  7. Buy a hose
  8. Repair radiator on Blue.
  9. Program remote access backup routers for mom.
  10. Drive to FL
    • Install remote access
    • Install MJ Phone
    • Repair VPN
    • Install Home Assistant
    • Bring back 55″ TV
    • Bring framed picture from Thanksgiving.
  11. Repair the brakes on Blue.
  12. Two 8GB Raspberry Pi’s are ordered from Newark Electronics.
  13. Two more 8GB Raspberry Pi’s are ordered from DigiKey
  14. Floss, banana, Meds and toes.
  15. Register with IRS as an administrator of an estate.
  16. Check Mom’s accounts
  17. Fix mom’s printer working
  18. File estate taxes.
  19. Call lawyer for Arizona at 2PM
  20. Run generators
  21. Gift for Camryn.
  22. Sign form for cabin.
  23. Received $500.00 Fron Georgia Taxes.
  24. Received $ from 2020 Federal taxes
  25. Emissions for van 22 May

Every new ham needs three things.
1. A dual band Handy Talkie. To listen to their transmissions
2. A Mobile 2M radio. To use as a base station to get on the air right away.
3. A SWR meter. To check the setup on their antennas.

The second thing I’ve noticed is decoupling the RF riding down the coax from the antenna was a LOT bigger influence than anyone was suggesting. I was amazed at how well a vertical antenna can be matched by playing with the radials underneath the antenna. (Like no reflected reading on the SWR meter.) Also, the mast has an effect on the radial length for some reason. (They were roughly 1/4 wavelength on the taller mast.)

Monday 01 May 2023

  1. Deposit checks
  2. Call court house on Sunday evening.
  3. Leave Cell phone in
  4. Update bills on Estate Website
  5. Wells Fargo Advisors
  6. Garbage Can for Cave
  7. Recycling
  8. Good Will
  9. Hand truck
  10. fertilize the lawn
  11. Buy a hose
  12. Repair radiator on Blue.
  13. Program remote access backup routers for mom.
  14. Drive to FL
    • Install remote access
    • Install MJ Phone
    • Repair VPN
    • Install Home Assistant
    • Bring back 55″ TV
    • Bring framed picture from Thanksgiving.
  15. Repair the brakes on Blue.
  16. Follow-up Appt with Lung Doc.
  17. Two 8GB Raspberry Pi’s are ordered from Newark Electronics.
  18. Two more 8GB Raspberry Pi’s are ordered from DigiKey
  19. Floss, banana, Meds and toes.
  20. Register with IRS as an administrator of an estate.
  21. Check Mom’s accounts
  22. Fix mom’s printer working
  23. File estate taxes.
  24. Hire a lawyer for Arizona.
  25. Run generators

My station ground into my “Cave” required a little more effort than I had planned. The ground loop around the homestead had several breaks in it, I decided to make it one contiguous piece of wire this time. The hole above was already made through the wall by the AT&T installers who drilled through the bottom plate of the wall to install DSL years ago. I still need to seal the hole and bury the wire.

Finally got my coax with lightning protection and grounded.