My new look.

I was playing around with some of the new layouts and templates that blogger now has available and right now this is close to my own website I can get it. I don't like it when my pages don't all match. So in the coming weeks my blogger page my guestbook page in my own website with all its pages I hope to match as close as possible; to the point where you see very little difference. That's if you really care about how all these pages with a look. I know I do, so I thought it would only be proper to announce major changes throughout to you.

Sick Humming Bird.

For little more than a week now this loner radio; (not my radio) a Yaesu FT8500 with the Yaesu DTMF Microphone MH-39 has been producing a 60 cycle like hum noise when I transmit. I have been aware of this; since the start. For the few of you that insist on being radio doctors, and this list is short. I do ask of you to please stop trying to fix it. I know what the problem is. It is for sure the microphone shown below.

The problem is that it appears the microphone cable is not shielded enough to prevent any noise generated around my house or neighborhood; from getting into the microphone. Typically known as a grounding issue. I know this because it a few months ago I had singular problem with a Yaesu FT8900 microphone. To resolve that issue I traded microphones with somebody else; then the problem on this end was gone instantly. In fact my microphone turned out to work fine at his place.

Sense what I believe to be 1996 I have been running all of my radio equipment on the following power source. Astron power supplies. As of now this is the one I am using. An Astron RS-35M power supply, and in the last three years; from time to time transformer or some other component gets noisy. Pictured below.

To be fair; These so-called radio doctors who have been making comments are not typically found on my hang out frequency. I have had a lot more of you; on my hang out frequency tell me that the interference in question was not making me inaudible; all the time.

As soon as I am told by one or more persons that this noise is very very bad and cannot be heard without severe difficulty; I will stop turn off the radio. I am getting some up and coming help; in which hopefully the problem shell be resolved. I also hope to address some equipment grounding issues throughout the shack as well.

I will soon get my own radios back from their places of repaired, and therefore will announce to the ham world; when the radio gods have decided to bless me. Meanwhile pray for me to have good radio vibes. Oh yeah I googled these images; they are not mine.



This is the microphone in question.



This is the radio that the microphone is connected to. Note I do not have, nor do I want to use the microphone pictured with this radio. (FS-10)



Astron RS-35M power supply.

School Update # who knows what!

Okay people here goes the school story for you; one more time. Yesterday I went out to the school to make sure that a few more Is were doted and Ts were crossed. That means all is swell and ready to go for this coming September quarter. I am a little antsy but still thrilled as well as willing to go for one more time around the campus for a few more months.

Nothing much more to add as far as school details as of now; other than the fact I truly hope my new chair is approved and arrives before the last week of September when school starts. It's really going to be cool buzz around the campus in my Quickie Ferrari.

Surprising Phone call!

An Icom IC-821H Transceiver for VHF/UHF all mode operations.

Before I get a phone call today, I'll give you some history. I believe it was sometime in late 2006 I bought the radio that you see, so I can have VHF/UHF all mode operations. But about six months into owning it, I started having problems with it not transmitting properly. This led to someone offering to work on for me. Some progress was made; over some period of time but as of a few weeks ago it still was not behaving properly. That being learned I made a decision by July 14th. to send it home to ICOM.

Which leads me to the phone call today; that turned out to be very good news. I was told that my radio had been received and definitely is repairable, but I asked if we could postpone it for a short period time, so I could gather all of the funds in question before proceeding and they agreed. I hope to have more good news soon.

More than just a light weight wheelchair.

This is very cool , my hats off to whoever came up with the idea to add that technology to a chair. Light weight wheelchair technology sure has come a long way since the 70s, by the looks of this video.

TV swapping.

For a few months now the family and I have been changing around who gets what TV around. I think what started all this is, one of the older TV's picture progressively got worse. So after buying a newer to us; LCD flatscreen TV for my moms room I do believe that was the reason for all the changing around. It was probably a week or two and my mom couldn't stand watching the new TV; she just didn't like it. I think she said it was too big and bright for our room. This is a Sony 27 inch LCD. She made a decision to give it to dad and she would use his; TV he had in the living room. And at some point my older sister got involved which led to my dads bedroom TV changing and the kitchen getting a newer TV, a 13 inch from my sister.

Hold on the saga continues ha ha. My sister came back eventually sometime later and we did some more TV changing around. By the way this saga has not directly affected me yet but I'll get to that because that is why I am doing this blog entry. With my sisters last involvement in this TV venture momma lost her little 13 inch kitchen TV. And I think it was two weeks ago a decision was made that involves my niece and another TV. That's where I come in to this little saga. For five years now I have had the Toshiba 20'' MV20P2 TV; a 20 inch. Pictured below. This is been a fabulous TV and believe it or not it only cost my mother $100 back then. I think there is no way these days you can buy a TV for that; that will last years.





This past Monday night my niece and her husband are over there unused RCA 27 inch, pictured below. The picture on this TV is phenomenal; not to mention for years now I've never had a TV that had two working speakers. I rather like that feature. Having poor vision I've never been able to read the cable box display on any of the TVs I've used in 12 years, and live in or not on this RCA I can read them sitting in my bed a few feet away. For five years I've had a Toshiba and now I am still not used to having seven more inches of screen to see. Now I have to lean back further in my chair to watch TV ha ha. I guess I'm going to have to get used to watching TV in bed.

Quickie Ford VS Quickie Ferrari

A few months after I arrived in the Portland metro area, I had to have a wheelchair to get around. I definitely needed it when I started college in the fall of 2002 because of the large campus and for a large amount books I need to carry around. So I ended up getting the Quickie II Breezy. The first picture seen below. I jokingly; for years now called this my Quickie Ford for two reasons. First because it weighs about 40 pounds without me and my gear on it or in it.

Throughout junior high and high school I played wheelchair sports and had many opportunities to use quickie chairs. Even today I can't see myself using any other brand.

As we all know it sucks getting old not to mention having to push a 40 pound chair around for eight to ten hours a day; isn't the least little bit pleasant. For six years now I injured my back a number of times, to the point that the first chair tins to aggravate me more now than it did even seven or eight years ago.

So I think it was about two months ago I had a conversation with my primary doctor about an upgrade of my wheels. The steps after that and a couple of phone calls as well as a little bit of waiting. Yesterday this process began. The fitting need for a chair, so after a couple of hours of talking and measuring along with a test drive, I will soon have what I will be calling my quickie Ferrari. This is the latest technology Quickie has out today. See the second picture below.



Quickie II Breezy
Click on the picture to see larger view

After 12 years of use I am sick of pushing around 35 to 40 pounds of weight, and mag wheels that are heavy. Now it's time for some better back support. oh yeah I did forget to tell you over the years the first chair above that I've done a whole lot of modifications just to make it work a little better for me.



Quickie Q7
Click on the picture to see larger view

For the most part this is my new chair; that I should get in about two months. I was even allowed to pick at a new seat cushion as well as the paint color that's known as Root Beer Brown. I chose this color because dark colors I believe it won't show scratches or any other damage as much, nor much dirt. Black is just a little too plain. The flashy colors like yellow, green, orange, and even pink just aren't me. There will be a few minor differences on mind than there is on this one. One better back support. Two different back wheels and front forks and casters. In addition to frame adjustments and measurements.

After just a few minutes of a test drive I was thrilled and even asked if I could take it home; to break in for a week. ha ha!!! This thing amazingly moves around so smoothly and turned on a dime, meaning I can do 360s in very tight spaces. My arms and shoulders had no idea they were moving a chair.

I consider myself somewhat of a patient guy but after 12 years I just can't wait; I'll just have to I guess. I'll keep you up to speed as to when my quickie Ferrari arrives.

Radio Trouble VS Antenna Trouble.

Well darn it the saga continues and it gets worse. What I thought might just be a radio problem wound up being that and more. Not only did I harm my radio; the one I just bought three weeks ago. I have discovered the following; with more help from two more people earlier today. This afternoon the two guys checked out my antennas and their connections.

All is well on the VHF/UHF font, meaning all connections are good at both ends. As far as my 706 goes; it's in capable hands on its way to be fixed. There is bad news to report though, on the HF side of things. after taking my Solarcon Antron 99 antenna down; that's made entirely of fiberglass. It had water at the base of the antenna; which then made its way down the coax. Once the intent was down the guys pointed out the fact that not only was the coax full of water but that they could see water running down the entire length of the antenna. So no HF for now.

I don't how old the antenna actually was; probably first used in the mid 80s. But at least I got five years out of it. I'm not too terribly worried about my antennas at this point, considering that I have bigger troubles to concern myself with right now. Meaning I have two radios to repair. I guess when it rains it pours; I have never had the best radio luck in the world and why not include antennas these days.

Radio Trouble # 3.

Earlier today yet another ham; spent a few hours with me to help double check a few things regarding my VHF/UHF radio and antenna. This now makes the third guy; who has come by to help out. There is good news and bad news in this adventure. The first thing we tried was to check the antenna. We pulled my antenna off then connecting his mag mount antenna to my radio; with the same bad results.

After some more checking of my antenna; which turned out to be okay. We disconnected my radio and then connected his radio to my antenna, and proof all of my VHF/UHF problems went away. I will be using a Yaesu FT 8500; VHF/UHF mobile while my ICOM IC- 706mkIIg will soon be repaired.

At this point the only work that has been done was within the shack and all those who have helped as well as those who have heard of the situation are in agreement with me that things on the outside need to be checked as well. in the coming days I will make plans to do so and I hope things aren't severe but I'm not holding my breath ha ha!

Radio Trouble # 2.

Well at this point what I can say is that one problem was resolved yet another was discovered. while fixing my VHF/UHF coaxial cable; that may have affected my ICOM IC- 706mkIIg. We found out that my HF coaxial cable needed work as well. Yet again the tools we had were not working properly and that meant job number two was incomplete. This coaxial problem that was connected to the radio that I just bought; a few weeks ago did indeed affect to the radio. The radio no longer transmits properly, and I have plans in the next few days to have a look at.

Radio Trouble.

Today I realize what my trouble was; with the new radio I just bought recently. With some help from a couple of ham friends the problem was discovered to be a bad soldering job on a coax cable connector. After a while is determined that I did not have the right tools to do the job properly hand that in the future I must do my own soldering.

The saga continues tomorrow. One of the guys that came over today will be here tomorrow; for his second attempt in fixing the bad connection. Is unclear at this time whether are not I damaged the radio; I'll just have to wait and see.