Hello Daryl!

19 Mar 22 05:42, you wrote to me:

 DS>   With my heart condition, I don't have any RF gear. I operate
 DS> "internet radio", but at least my license isn't just a sheet of paper.
 DS> Last night, in using the ThumbDV from Northwest Digital Radio with the
 DS> BlueDV program from PA7LIM, I was having a terrible time receiving
 DS> signals (it was all garbled and R2D2 on D-Star)...but they said my
 DS> signal was OK. I have a spare ThumbDV, so I might swap that out. But,
 DS> beforehand, the computer couldn't find the comport for it...so, I had
 DS> to reboot...and was late starting early checkins for the Trains Net.
 DS> With all the issues last night, I was "running the yellow boards".

I maintain 2 of the local DSTAR repeater/gateways here locally. The problem
right now is the microwave links at the repeater site are no longer responding
and the road is likely impassable (7500 feet elevation at the site). I do have a
dongle that I inherited from my elmer (N6QOG/SK), among other things. I will
have to get it connected one of these days and see what's up.

 DS>   Yet, with degenerative disk disease in my back and spine, it's very
 DS> hard to be at the computer for long periods of time. Nature, a
 DS> nightmare, and insomnia, woke me around 3:15am...so, I decided to
 DS> just update the weather data on the BBS, and answer QWK Mail, before
 DS> "the buttcrack of dawn". I have to conduct a ham radio license exam
 DS> session later this morning...a father and his son are going for their
 DS> Technician license.

I am still having some issues getting a full night's sleep, but it's getting
better.

 RQ>> I cancelled my pain management appointment for today as the pain
 RQ>> is mostly gone and I couldn't really pay the $75 co-pay and the
 RQ>> 80 mile round trip with gas over $5.00 a gallon here in the San
 RQ>> Joaquin Valley. I found it for $4.999 today using a gas card. The
 RQ>> credit price was $5.09 and some places $5.60 per gallon. In
 RQ>> So-Cal, I've seen pictures with gas over $7.00. A few weeks ago,
 RQ>> there was a couple stations advertising $3.659.

 DS>   Midgrade gas here (Little Rock, Arkansas) is $4.60 a gallon...over
 DS> $3.25 more than it was 3 years ago. Yet, the greedy politicians in
 DS> Washington, DC and elsewhere "don't have to worry about that". They
 DS> have no clue on what it's like for their constituents. The concept of
 DS> "term limits" will NEVER see the light of day in Congress.

I haven't been out since my last physical therapy session on Wednesday, so I
don't know what it is today. I will find out tomorrow as I go twice a week. I
also have a doctor's appointment tomorrow morning, too. Maybe I can get back to
work this coming week...

We have one driver who is 68 and still hauling the big iron (D-10, etc.) on a
9-axle steerable (the trailer has 6 axles with 8 tires each 6X8=48 plus 10 on
the truck) He keeps talking about retiring, but it's in his blood. Mine, too.
But driving commercially since 1986 takes its toll.

 DS>   I turn 62 next week...but I'm too old to cut the mustard, yet I can
 DS> still stir the mayonnaise, and lick the jar. So, pass the BLT, onion
 DS> rings, and Dr. Pepper...and no one gets hurt (hi hi).

I felt bad the two times recently when my dad mowed my lawn. Hi turned 80 in
January. It needs it again, but I'm not asking him. I tried to discourage him
the last two times he did. I should be mowing his lawn... My yard is about half
the size of his as my parents live on a 1/4 acre corner lot. Mine is 8000 sq ft.
I could probably mow it now, but have to make sure I am cleared with regards to
the State disability claim. I still have days where the pain is bad. I would
also likely have to take a lot of breaks.

 DS>   I see my cardiologist on Monday...I'm sure he's going to chew me out
 DS> for my weight.

Good luck with that. My weight has gone up at least 25 pounds as I was not able
to do anything and my physical therapist said not to ride the stationary bike we
have. I can now, but the motivation just isn't there.

One last thing: I have been trying to send you netmail with a question regarding
the Radio Weather Net but cannot connect. Can you poll my system to retrieve the
message? The information is current in the nodelist for 1:214/22 (or 1:214/0).
Of course, you could also poll my Micronet address as long as you present all
AKA's. It is the same as below without the point.

73 de W6RAY Ray Quinn
Visalia, CA DM06ii

--- GoldED+/W64-MSVC 1.1.5-b20180707
 * Origin: Ham Radio operators do it with frequency! (618:300/18.23)