TZUTC: -0600   
   MSGID: 265.fidonet_ham@1:19/33 2dc42052   
   REPLY: 1:226/44 7acfe690   
   PID: Synchronet 3.21a-Win32 master/04856e14d Nov 10 2025 MSC 1944   
   TID: SBBSecho 3.32-Win32 master/04856e14d Nov 10 2025 MSC 1944   
   BBSID: TBOLTBBS   
   CHRS: CP437 2   
   FORMAT: flowed   
   Randy,   
      
    RS> I forgot about how annoying that was. "I'm sorry, Never Getting   
    RS> Three Meals A Day, I can't copy your callsign." *eyeroll*   
      
     One local ham, KG5YZP, said his "Friends" gave him the suffix of   
   "Your Zipper Protruding". His reply: "Well played, sir" (hi hi).   
      
    DS> 2) Stations not following directions of net control.   
      
    RS> This one is probably the one that makes me want to turn the rig   
    RS> off most. And it's ALWAYS the same repeat offenders. Kills any   
    RS> momentum you have going.   
      
     I flunked handwriting in grade school, and I had trouble following   
   directions. Confession is good for the soul, so that way, I won't get   
   a lump of coal next Christmas (hi hi).   
      
    DS> 4) Stations saying "you're not a ham if you don't do CW".   
    DS> 6) Stations saying "internet radio is not ham radio".   
      
    RS> This ties into your commentary below, and I'll get to it   
    RS> (eventually).   
      
    DS> "We are communicators FIRST, and hams SECOND".   
      
    RS> I just recently saw this for the first time about a week ago. I   
    RS> instantly fell in love with it.   
      
     That was from an article years ago in QST, that highlighted "The   
   Six Meter Millennium Net", based out of New York State. The net is   
   no more, and most of the hams involved with it, have gotten out of   
   the hobby, or are silent keys. What that FCC official stuck with me   
   as well. The net operated on 6 meters RF, and on Echolink.   
      
    RS> I couldn't have put this any better myself. Amateur radio is a   
    RS> collection of hobbies that make a bigger hobby. There's   
    RS> absolutely something in it for everyone, and not everything   
    RS> amateur radio is "radio." There's nothing wrong with being a   
    RS> "purist" (whatever that might mean), but calculating the best   
    RS> way to dull someone else's shine isn't a test question I   
    RS> remember.   
      
     Exactly. Besides, if you can't get on the air, why bother to get   
   licensed in the first place??   
      
     A few years ago, I was on the air (internet radio, but I don't recall   
   which mode I was on), and there was this elderly gentleman who was so   
   distraught. He had been a ham much of his life, RF all the way. However,   
   due to health and other issues, he had to move into an assisted living   
   center, and thought he'd have to quit a hobby that he loved so much.    
      
     I got into a QSO with him, and told him that you can still get on the   
   air with certain smartphone apps, or devices, and all you need is a copy   
   of your license to the mode administrators, and a Wi-fi connection. The   
   tears of despair turned to tears of joy, and he was thanking me profusely.   
   I told him that I was basically in the same boat, so I understood the   
   dilemma he was in.    
      
     At the ham radio license exam sessions that I do, I tell the examinees   
   that "If you have the monetary and property resources to purchase and put   
   up a dream RF station, chat with these other Volunteer Examiners (VE's).   
   But, if you are on a fixed income, in an area where you can NOT have the   
   ultimate antenna farm and ham radio station, or you are where RF is NOT   
   allowed (i.e. medical/assisted living facility), or you have a medical   
   device that could be negatively impacted by RF, then *I* am the person   
   you need to talk to".    
      
     I have prepared both a PowerPoint Presentation, and a PDF file on    
   "Operating Internet Radio". I cover modes such as:   
      
   1) Echolink and Echolink Web - originally done by Jonathan Taylor, K1RFD,   
   it's a desktop app for your computer, laptop, or tablet...or an app for   
   your smartphone. Echolink Web uses your web browser to access a proxy   
   server (just as the smartphone app does). You have the following types   
   of stations:   
      
   A) Single User Nodes (noted by callsign only)   
   B) Simplex Links (noted by a -L after the callsign)   
   C) Repeater Links (noted by a -R after the callsign)   
   D) Conference Servers (noted with an asterisk on either side of the name.   
   The latter allows for a much larger group of connections.   
      
   2) CQ200 - developed by Doug Cormac, VE3EFC, originally CQ100, this works   
   via a link on your web browser for your desktop, laptop, tablet, or your   
   smartphone. It simulates operation of voice and digital (CW, PSK31, etc.)   
   on portions of 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10 meters, in a "virtual ionosphere".   
   Usage is $39 per year, and is FREE from 0000 to 2359 UTC on Sunday. First   
   time users get a 90 day free trial.   
      
   3) Blue DV - Developed by David Grootendorst, PA7LIM, with either a ThumbDV   
   from Northwest Digital Radio, or a DV Megastick 30 from Gigaparts, you can   
   access D-Star, DMR, Fusion, and NXDN, as well as send/receive APRS messages.   
      
   4) SharkRF - The OpenSpot 4 Pro, and the M1KE do basically the same thing,   
   except the M1KE allows Allstar and Echolink Connections.   
      
   5) RMS Express - a desktop application (shareware) to send a receive   
   email messages via Winlink 2000.    
      
   6) D-Rats - originally developed by Dan Smith, KK7DS, this allows real time   
   chat on "ratflectors" and sending of emails or other items to users when   
   they connect.   
      
   7) Packet - Via the Outpost program, developed by Jim Obenhofer, KN6PE, it   
   allows you to send and receive messages via packet, either via RF or telnet.   
   I have prepared a separate PDF file on how to connect to the NS2B BBS in   
   Penfield, New York, along with "The PCL Net" most Monday evenings. It offers   
   both RF and telnet access.   
      
   8) APRS -- using the APRSIS32 program for Windows, or the APRSDroid app for   
   smartphones, you can send/receive messages via APRS. While the programs are   
   free, they're no longer being developed. However, you have to request a key   
   to send/receive messages. Note that sometimes, the APRSIS32 program won't   
   receive or send traffic from certain stations. This is where the BlueDV   
   program comes in...with your callsign, followed by the SSID of "G" (my APRS   
   options are at N5VLZ-10 or N5VLZ-G). Your data will show up on aprs.fi   
      
   These are available at http://www.wx4qz.net/elk.htm -- the hyperlink off of   
   my QRZ bio. While that has a former callsign, and my main email has a former   
   callsign...I couldn't justify the time and the cost to manually change over   
   1000 HTML and other files, never mind coughing up new security and website   
   domain fees.   
      
   73,   
      
   Daryl, N5VLZ   
      
   ... RIGOR MORRIS: The cat is dead.   
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