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Random things from the voices in my head

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Field Day 2026

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The future vintage radios

In the “Things that make you go hmmm…” category: After my recent acquisition of the Hallicrafters HT-32, a thought popped into my head: What does the boat anchor/vintage radio of the future look like. Go to any hamfest or talk to any long time amateur radio operator in a club, and it won’t be hard to find 40+ year old radios still in working condition (some better than others). Even if they’re…

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Hallicrafters HT-32 Mark I

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CML-47205 Antenna Loading Coil

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Check Lam Mah, 1939-2026

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Back Yard Field Day Guidance Changes

W4BXC has done ARRL Field Day in the back yard for a few years now. While I was trying to figure out what class we’d be operating at a while back, I came across this in the ARRL Field Day FAQ. The 2023 (and earlier) Field Day Packet the question/answer says: Q: We don’t have an area club, but we do have a small group of area hams (generally two or three of us get together for operating events).…

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Field Day 2025

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Underground antennas

While researching the W8NYY call sign written in the 1937 ARRL Handbook I picked up, I came across a NOARS (Northern Ohio Amateur Radio Society) newsletter from March 2019 with a column by W8GWD answering a question about underground antennas. In it, he references an article from a March 1948 QST (a typo in the newsletter gives it as May 1948) by Paul Cornell/W8EFW who wrote about his…

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1937 ARRL Handbook

A 1937 ARRL Handbook with a distinctive orange cover is now part of the collection. It’s in relatively decent shape for its age, although the cover has become unglued from the spine, so I’ll need to glue it back on at some point. The call sign W8NYY is written on the front cover, and on the inside front page is the former owner’s name and call sign, Lloyd H. Miller W8NYY. A quick Google search…

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March 2025 garden update

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Snowpocalypse 2025

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Dexcom Stelo teardown

A couple months ago, I decided to try out the Dexcom Stelo blood glucose biosensor to get near-realtime feedback about my blood glucose levels (more about that in a future blog post, probably). These are small plastic devices about 23 mm x 27 mm that are supposed to last about 15 days. After they’re spent, you take it off and replace it with a fresh sensor. Dexcom Stelo blood glucose…

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Advent of Code 2024

Advent of Code is a fun set of Christmas themed programming puzzles that has been going on from December 1 through December 25 for the past 10 years now. Advent of Code is an Advent calendar of small programming puzzles for a variety of skill levels that can be solved in any programming language you like. Advent of Code/About For 9 of those years, I’ve been following the puzzles and thinking “I…

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Rescued slide rule case

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On the air for SKYWARN Recognition Day 2024

I had the 7-10 AM shift with Tom AJ4UQ at the NWS Charleston office for SKYWARN Recognition Day 2024. Tom was already there when I arrived, and mentioned the previous shift was having SWR issues with the HF radio and antenna. Stations were really quiet and they weren’t able to make any HF contacts. The HF antenna is a ground mounted Butternut vertical. After the sun came up a little more, we…

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November garden update

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SKYWARN Recognition Day 2024

It’s been a while since I’ve had the time to participate in SKYWARN™ Recognition Day. This year I’ll be on the air once again helping out with activating the National Weather Service Charleston office (WX4CHS) Saturday morning (December 6). This year marks the 25th year of SKYWARN™ Recognition Day. Should be a fun time.