TZUTC: -0500   
   MSGID: 88.fidonet-amateurr@1:2320/33 28969be1   
   REPLY: 172.fidonet_amateurr@1:3634/27 2895cd3a   
   PID: Synchronet 3.19b-Win32 master/a2a9dc027 Jan  2 2022 MSC 1928   
   TID: SBBSecho 3.14-Win32 master/a2a9dc027 Jan  2 2022 MSC 1928   
   BBSID: TBOLT   
   CHRS: ASCII 1   
    GK> Long time no see on the BBS de N4DLT   
      
     I barely have time for my own BBS. I was diagnosed with congestive   
   heart failure just over a year ago, and after that 3rd Covid-19   
   booster last November, I've had very little energy. I'm seriously   
   considering skipping any other boosters (although I've had the two   
   initial shots, and three boosters). However, I haven't undergone the   
   Redneck Covid-19 test.   
      
     This is where you take your favorite bottle of wine (you might want    
   it chilled). Pour some into a glass, then bring it up to your nose,    
   and take a sniff. If you can smell the flavor, take a sip. If you can    
   taste it, you're negative for Covid-19 -- repeat the test as many times    
   as necessary (hi hi).   
      
     Combine that with degenerative disk disease in my back and spine   
   (which I've had for the last 6 years), making it difficult to sit at    
   the computer for either BBS or website work, or for running my ham    
   radio traffic nets (except for Wednesday and Thursday, I run at least    
   1 net every other day in the week). It got so bad that I had to cut    
   the pre-net checkin time to only 30 minutes instead of an hour.    
      
     If I take Tylenol caplets (the strongest pain medication I have) for    
   the pain, I get very groggy, and can pass out during the net...so,    
   basically I have to suffer. Getting old is not for sissies, and if    
   you call me a sissy, I'll hit you with my purse (hi hi).   
      
     Two of the nets that I run for the QCWA (Quarter Century Wireless    
   Association)...their Sunflower Net on Saturday morning, and their    
   Digital Net on Sunday afternoon, offer "an extended checkin window"   
   via email and Facebook...from 30 minutes before the net starts, to   
   25 hours after that point. This way, I'm not rushed to prepare the   
   log, and it lets the stragglers get on the log, but if they checkin   
   after the net officially closed, I note such on the log. I know that   
   many nets do NOT offer things like pre-net or post-net checkins...if   
   you are not there when the net is in operation, you don't get logged;   
   whether you like it or not.   
      
     There are too many nets, and too little time. I maintain an Excel   
   Spreadsheet of selected D-Star, D-Rats, and Echolink Nets, plus PDF   
   files related to amateur radio, at http://www.wx4qz.net/elk.htm   
      
     There are over 200 nets in a month...basically, too many nets, and   
   too little time. In one time slot, there are 6 nets meeting at the   
   same time!! But, I've noted many hams that are what I call "Hi, Bye,   
   and QSY"...it's "Net Control, please checkin [callsign], [name],   
   [location], short time, no traffic"...and not a minute later, they   
   are doing the exact same thing on another net. A fellow net control   
   operator wondered "do they have a life outside of ham radio??". There   
   is no prize, bonus, award, reward, certificate, etc., for seeing how   
   many nets you can make in a day...never mind how many BBS's you can   
   logon to in a day. To me, health takes priority over hobbies.   
      
     In short, I barely have the effort some days to update the ham    
   radio and weather data on the BBS, let alone do QWK Mail, or play    
   the doors.   
      
   Daryl, WX4QZ   
      
   ... I CQ. Therefore, I HAM. -- DE WX4QZ   
   === MultiMail/Win v0.52   
   --- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32   
    * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (1:2320/33)   
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