TZUTC: -0500   
   MSGID: 541.fidonet-ls_arrl@1:2320/33 2900f7ac   
   PID: Synchronet 3.20a-Win32 master/777fb6d8b Jun 13 2023 MSC 1929   
   TID: SBBSecho 3.20-Win32 master/777fb6d8b Jun 13 2023 MSC 1929   
   BBSID: TBOLT   
   CHRS: ASCII 1   
     The following is from the December, 2004 issue of WorldRadio magazine;   
   and is entitled "You've Got Big Trouble", written by Virgil Sipes, W7YEN.   
      
   ***   
      
     Having been in Amateur Radio on and off for most of the last 50 years,   
   I've experienced my share of troubles. I've talked with other amateurs,   
   and it appears that my troubles are not unique. In fact, having trouble   
   seems to be the norm. Over the years, I've discovered that problems and   
   errors can be classified into two basic categories.   
      
   1) Troubles that are fixed with a little extra work, a little more   
   mental engagement, and maybe some verbal lubrication.   
      
   2) Troubles that might require more than the Gross National Product of   
   a small country to correct.   
      
     Some troubles are so momentous, that they belong in their own special   
   category. One of my records to date is 213 discrete solid-state devices   
   wiped out with one slip of a probe.   
      
     I've listed some of the troubles I've experienced, some troubles I've   
   known others to experience, and some troubles that I can envision, but   
   never hope to encounter.   
      
     You're in trouble -- when you key your new kilowatt transmitter, and   
   the room lights go out. You're in BIG trouble -- when you key your new   
   kilowatt transmitter, and the street lights go out.   
      
     You're in trouble -- when you've accidentally been operating out of   
   band, and get a letter from the FCC. You're in BIG trouble -- when you've   
   accidentally been operating out of band, and you get a visit from the KGB.   
      
     You're in trouble -- when you measure the voltage to your new mobile   
   transceiver, and it measures 8 volts. You're in BIG trouble -- when you   
   measure the voltage to your new mobile transceiver, and it measures   
   minus 8 volts.   
      
     You're in trouble -- when measuring your 850 volt power supply, you've   
   set your multimeter on the 100 ohm scale. You're in BIG trouble -- when   
   measuring your 850 volt power supply, you've set your multimeter on the   
   100 amp scale.   
      
     You're in trouble -- when you're changing the oil in your Field Day   
   Generator, and metal fillings come out. You're in BIG trouble -- when   
   you're changing the oil in your Field Day Generator, and nothing comes   
   out.   
      
     You're in trouble -- when your rig is set to 220 VAC, and you connect   
   it to 110 VAC. You're in BIG trouble -- when your rig is set to 110 VAC,   
   and you connect it to 220 VAC.   
      
     You're in trouble -- when you use your new kilowatt transmitter, and   
   the antenna relay is stuck in transmit. You're in BIG trouble -- when   
   you use your new kilowatt transmitter, and the antenna relay is stuck   
   in receive.   
      
     You're in trouble -- after you transmit to your favorite local repeater   
   with your new home-brew rig, the local repeater won't shut off. You're   
   in BIG trouble -- after you transmit to your favorite local repeater   
   with your new home-brew rig, all local repeaters won't shut off.   
      
     You're in trouble -- when you make a call on 6 meters, and the neighbors   
   complain about your interfering with their TV Channel 2. You're in BIG   
   trouble -- when you make a call on 6 meters, and Channel 2 complains   
   about your interfering with their TV.   
      
     You're in trouble -- when you pick up your handheld after it was   
   sitting in your open convertible all night, and water runs out. You're   
   in BIG trouble -- when you pick up your handheld after it was sitting   
   in your open convertible all night, and there's a bubble in the display.   
      
     You're in trouble -- when you tighten the clamp bolts on your aluminum   
   antenna mast, and the clamp bolts strip. You're in BIG trouble -- when   
   you tighten the clamp bolts on your alumimum antenna mast, and the clamp   
   bolts don't strip.   
      
     You're in trouble -- when you start transmitting SSB, and your RF current   
   meter isn't moving. You're in BIG trouble -- when you stop transmitting   
   SSB, and your RF current meter keeps moving.   
      
     You're in trouble -- when you operate your Morse Code Key, and the   
   contacts spark. You're in BIG trouble -- when you operate your Morse   
   Code Key, and the contacts weld.   
      
     You're in trouble -- when you discover that you've been operating   
   below the 160 meter band. You're in BIG trouble -- when you hear that   
   you've been nominated for the Broadcaster Of The Year Award.   
      
     You're in trouble -- when you rotate your beam antenna, and you hear   
   a grinding noise. You're in BIG trouble -- when you rotate your beam   
   antenna, and you hear a helicopter noise.   
      
     You're in trouble -- when you drop your new handheld in the river, and   
   it floats away. You're in BIG trouble -- when you drop your new handheld   
   in the river, and it doesn't float.   
      
     You're in trouble -- the guy-wires on your new tower are resonant.   
   You're in BIG trouble -- the guy-wires on your new tower have melted.   
      
     You're in trouble -- when your girl friend wants to get her Amateur   
   Radio license, and she wants you to help her study. You're in BIG   
   trouble -- when your girl friend wants to get her Amateur Radio license,   
   and she wants your best friend to help her study.   
      
     The W7YEN corollary to Murphy's Law: you have a 50/50 chance of   
   being right, and a 90/10 chance of being wrong.   
      
   ***   
      
   Credit for this goes to:   
      
   Lenny, K5OVC...Ken, W8OB...Don, W6ZO...John, W2AGN...Fred, K6DGW...Thom,   
   K3HRN...Jim, W7RY...Brian, W0NW...and Fred, K5QLF.   
   --- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32   
    * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (1:2320/33)   
   SEEN-BY: 1/19 123 15/0 16/0 19/10 37 90/1 105/81 106/201 116/17 18   
   SEEN-BY: 123/10 130 131 142/104 153/7715 154/10 30 40 50 700 203/0   
   SEEN-BY: 218/700 840 220/90 221/1 6 360 226/18 30 227/114 229/110   
   SEEN-BY: 229/112 113 206 307 317 426 428 470 664 700 240/5832 266/512   
   SEEN-BY: 280/5003 282/1038 291/111 301/1 317/3 320/119 219 319 2119   
   SEEN-BY: 322/0 757 335/364 341/66 342/200 396/45 423/81 460/58 633/280   
   SEEN-BY: 712/848 2320/0 33 105 304 401 3634/12 5075/35   
   PATH: 2320/33 105 154/10 221/6 1 320/219 229/426