"....Because it's been awhile....."

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

 Famous words from Frank, KB3AHE/SK....

 And very applicable in my case as it's been some number of months (years?) since I was active here - or anywhere, for that matter. This time, as before, it's due to another move as well as other issues.

 The new location is out in the midwest, not far from the melodious sounds of the Voice Modulated Carrier. Though my license does not reflect it, I am now a Zero in the state of Minnesota.

 Cross-country moves can't be much fun on a good day. Add to that several tons of heavy metal as well as 6 vehicles and it's a lot to handle, much less recover from. So...

 Have been back on the air very sporadically since late January with aerials up for 40 & 80m. Only the 'peanut whistle' Heathkit Injuns are currently available on 40, though recently I've managed to get the 30K-5 lashed up for 80m. It's just not quite dialed in - yet.

 Despite the pissweak signal, I've managed to work back east to K1KW, N3TBW, and WD8BIL. The first night I was on 40m, I heard a voice from the past. None other than Dave, KA1UAG - the U-AG! He's active again from NH. The last time I spoke with him was probably the late 90s/early 2000s, in person at the Milton, VT hamfest. So this was quite a treat! AMers active last century in the northeast will remember Dave.

 Still have a lot to do to get the new place into shape. House is considerably smaller but we gained outbuildings and acreage. Location is kinda down in a bowl, but MN doesn't really have much 'high' ground, so it should all even out.

 That's the update for now, more or less. Will continue to improve the 'temporary' station which is located on the closed in front porch of the house. Plan is to refurb one of the outbuldings for a larger station/shop area. We'll see.

 In the meantime, before static season kicks into high gear, I hope to catch some of you on the air. 

[W1RKW]

What a beautiful spot!

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

Thanks Bob - like everywhere else we've lived, it's a work in progress.

At least managed to get the barn roof replaced late last summer before the numerous leaks could do even more damage. The lower field got overgrown before I could get to it, so it's at the top of the list this spring.

[Opcom]

A Barn Cat or two might help keep vermin under control. It is a beautiful place. I'm glad you have it and will be happy there.

[Les Locklear]

UFFDA!

[K4RT]

Hi Todd,

Congratulations on the nice place! Lots of antenna possibilities there.

As an Iowa native I held a zero call sign for many years starting with KA0ENQ as a Novice followed by KD0RT, then moved east.

Good luck and hope to run into you on low band AM one of these days.

73,
Brad K4RT

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

Good to hear from you, Brad - it's been awhile! Seems the last time I saw you was Frostfest back in 2017?(photo attached) Heard you on the air a few times since, will look forward to catching up with you on 40 or 80 soon. Have been able to work back east easily on 40 so far. Hoping to give 75-80 a try this weekend.

And Les - wow, always good to hear from you. Did receive an email or two from you over recent years but the chaos of life kept me from responding. Always meant to, you know how that goes. Hope you are well and keeping the non-A ninnies in line. No uffdas yet but plenty of Ya Okay and By Gollys.

A Barn Cat or two might help keep vermin under control. It is a beautiful place. I'm glad you have it and will be happy there.

We have three house cats already, Pat - all shelter adoptions. The two boys (Dash & Cosmo) are in the 20+ lb class, while Li'l Lulu is well under 10. So far the cats have caught 3 mice and the dog has caught 1. And I managed to catch a shrew (of all things) in the laundry room. Nasty disposition for such a little creature.

Have taught all three cats to sit, and one (Lulu) to fetch. They also like to claim the highest places, like atop my transmitters.

[WD8BIL]

Hi Todd!

Just a note; give a listen on 7295 around noon time and see ifn it'll be feasible to join the Noontime Forum. Gerry KC8ZUL is net control most days. Steve K0SF has checked in from time to time.

Buddly

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

Listening now, Bud. The band is somewhat crappy overall, though I am hearing MI, WI, even IN pretty well. Gerry is barely readable. I have a project receiver on the bench right now, so the Injuns are offline. I tend to shy away from groups when running the peanut whistle station. Don't wanna end up being in that group of 'The ones who are weakest talk the longest'.

[K4RT]

Good to hear from you, Brad - it's been awhile! Seems the last time I saw you was Frostfest back in 2017?(photo attached) Heard you on the air a few times since, will look forward to catching up with you on 40 or 80 soon. Have been able to work back east easily on 40 so far. Hoping to give 75-80 a try this weekend.

Thanks, Todd. I remember seeing you and your daughter at Frostfest. Nice photo! Unfortunately, Frostfest hasn't been held since COVID.

I have worked into Minnesota on AM on 40m, and on 75m when the band is quiet, so I'm sure we'll run into each other on AM.

73,
Brad K4RT

[W1DAN]

Todd:

Great to have you back! Your new QTH looks dandy. Hope to hear you on 10M AM...

Dan

[WD8BIL]

Ya, Todd, the bands have been crappy this week due to solar activity. Hoping this wave of mag storms blows through quickly. The What's For Dinner Net has been a bust too for me mostly due to the time change. The band just ain't there for my western bookend location.

I'll be listening for ya and congratulations on a great looking new QTH! Have fun and blessings to your family.

Buddly

[KD6VXI]

I closed a month ago on our new house here on the island.

Towers get moved tomorrow along with all the aluminum.

Hopefully the 3cx3000 will help me be heard from WP2.


Beautiful qth.   Yes, I'm jealous!

--Shane
WP2ASS / ex KD6VXI

[Tom W2ILA]

The new place looks great Todd.   Looking forward to catching up on-the-radio.

Tom
W2ILA

[W4EWH]

 This is a sort of homage to the previous poster, modified to fit my new situation

Famous words from Frank, KB3AHE/SK....

 And very applicable in my case as it's been some number of years since I was active here - or anywhere, for that matter. This time, as before, it's due to another move as well as other issues.  Let's catch up: since I wanted to prove to myself that I could become an "old law" Extra, I passed the 20 WPM code test two months before the FCC removed the code requirement. WA1WEN became AA1ES, then W1AC, which is now W4EWH ("B" and "H" are my initials, and the "E" stands for "Extraordinary").

 The new location is in North Carolina, where I accumulated my in-your-dreams S-line, but in the mountains North of Ashevile where I'm mostly limited to stations I used to have to turn on the 30S-1 to reach.

New England to North Carolina moves  can't be much fun even on a good day. Add to that several tons of heavy metal as well as 3 vehicles and it's a lot to handle, more to recover from.
 Have been back on the air very sporadically since the start of the decade, with dipoles up for 40 & 80m. Only the Ranger has been in use, with occasional QSO's om the AM nets down here.

Then, it got serious ...

In June of 2023, I woke up at the side of my bed, with a guy standing over me, saying "code stroke" into a Baofeng UV-5R. He and his friends gave me a ride to Mission hospital in Asheville, where they told me I'd suffered a stroke. I'm now confined to a wheelchair, typing one-handed, and wondering who'll buy a left-handed Vibroplex I can no longer use.

Right now, I'm spending all my time supervising the gang of caregivers who keep me and my wife fed and clothed, dreaming of the day I can get my beam ota and trying to keeo up with other members of the radio club I'm in. I spend some time helping give exams for the W5YI VEC in the town-next-to-the-town-next to-me, while boring the aides with Engineering jokes, aand trying to figure out how to connect my Brother 3-in-one printer to a Dell 537 running KUBUNTU that was made just after the Civil war.

Bill, W4EWH