Hex Beams
SEPTEMBER 30, 2022
09/30/22 05:25 PM
A lot of my time these days is being spent in the ham radio world. I would like to upgrade the antenna situation, but don't really have a good setup for anything that I could do myself and keep it both safe and affordable.
I'm taking a hard look at a more expensive proposition, but just can't get myself to pull the trigger on that one. This is one of those situations where I want to use things I can manage such as a push-up pole and a light duty rotor.
I found a hex beam that only weighs ten pounds but hex beams in general have a ten foot turning radius which nets out to a twenty foot diameter when it's up in the air.
I'm going to have to give this situation a lot of thought!
Final Ian Report
SEPTEMBER 29, 2022
09/29/22 07:30 AM
Well, where Ian goes from here is, once again, anyone's guess. This will be my final report on tropical storm Ian. It's crossing the Florida peninsula and looks like it will be headed up the east coast of the USA.
Best to everyone up that way.
155 mph
SEPTEMBER 28, 2022
09/28/22 07:10 AM
My how things can change in a short period of time. Ian is now only 2 mph away from a category 5 hurricane and is still in the gulf. The bottom of a category 5 is 157 mph and Ian is currently at 155.
It looks like our friends up on the pan handle may be spared the brutality of a direct hit. They currently have a forecast of 1-3 foot storm surge. I haven't seen a wind forecast, but I suspect they will be looking at the outer bands on the clean side of things if the forecast holds true.
More on Ian
SEPTEMBER 27, 2022
09/27/22 07:30 AM
Still looks like Ian may yet work its way over toward Jacksonville, Florida according to the latest forecast.
It's my understanding that the two major spaghetti models (Europe and USA) are in conflict with one another. I believe the European model has it headed toward Jacksonville, Florida and the USA model has it moving due north. I heard that a few days ago and it may be old information that has changed since then.
If it's still true, I'm guessing the NOAA website, from which my image is pulled, is leaning on the European model. Shouldn't be long before we know which is right, if they are still in conflict with each other.
Windspeeds are currently at 125 mph, which is a solid category 3, and nearing the top end of that category's range (129 mph.) I'm guessing it won't have a problem reaching a category 4 and may do so soon, if not by the next forecast.
Still Tracking Ian
SEPTEMBER 26, 2022
09/26/22 08:20 AM
Still tracking Ian.
Looks like Ian may yet work its way over toward Jacksonville, FL according to the latest forecast.
Just proves they really have no idea what Ian is going to do. And quite honestly, there's nothing wrong with that. Ian's movement results from numerous forces playing against one another and constantly changing.
I wouldn't want to be the one responsible for the forecast. At best, it's a guessing game. All we can know with any level of confidence is what it has done and where it's at currently.
And so we keep tracking it.
I'm still very curious about what categories will be realized during its travel along its path and when and where those changes will occur.
Footnotes
More on Ian
09/26/22 12:30 PM
Not much to do except track until Ian shows some intentions. Tomorrow should provide
some critical direction and it looks like Wednesday will tell the tale.
Interesting!
09/26/22 04:10 PM
Looks like they're moving toward the option that includes Jacksonville, Florida.
We'll see...
Tracking Ian
SEPTEMBER 25, 2022
09/25/22 07:20 AM
Still tracking Ian.
There's no easy way to pray for Ian's movement. One way or the other, someone is going to be affected. Having been through Michael with the ultimate fear of losing one's place of residence, I know what folks are feeling down there.
The anticipation is gut wrenching. And so is the wait to see what really happens beyond what the forecast tells us is going to happen.
I remember the changes that took place with Michael back in October of 2018. I vividly remember watching the ocean sensors, located where we lived, from the view on my phone at the hotel in Tallahassee.
I remember the last reading of seven feet above mean high tide before the power must have shut off. Apparently, that was the last accurate reading from those sensors for the water continued to climb an additional two feet according to the evidence at our home.
We lost power at the hotel too. As I've mentioned before, we were without electricity for ten days at the house.
We had to climb straight up a sixteen-foot ladder to get into the house. We were blessed to have our handy man come out and immediately go to work on replacing the stairs to our home that Michael's surge had ripped away.
Within two weeks, we were perilously climbing up twenty-five feet of new stairs, where rails had not yet been added, to the top level and living quarters of our home. Only a few days before had our electricity been restored and we were celebrating the return of those creature comforts that had been lost without it.
Next on the priority list was restocking the refrigerator and it would be quite a while before things got back toward normal. I took a kayak ride around Live Oak Island where we lived, and the carnage that so many suffered was difficult to process.
Footnotes
Still Tracking Ian
09/25/22 11:40 AM
Wow! If this forecast continues to hold true, it's going to slam directly into the
location where we used to live. That's hard to imagine since we've already experienced
some pretty dreadful impacts from previous storms and hurricanes that didn't land
right on top of us.
And, if the category four projection continues to prove true, or even gets elevated
to a category five as happened after-the-fact with hurricane Michael, we're in for
some chilling reports coming out of that area.
God help 'em all!
AccuWeather?
09/25/22 03:40 PM
This is a bit perplexing! The above forecast was presented by AccuWeather about
six hours ago and the forecast below was presented by the same about an hour ago.
I haven't seen such a dramatic change represented by anyone else. I'm also not
seeing anyone suggesting a track over toward Jacksonville or the dramatic changes
for hurricane categories. Seems odd to me. I guess we'll see...
Noaa Forecast
09/25/22 04:10 PM
Well, the latest NOAA forecast does show subtle signs of a slight eastward shift, but nothing
like that which is being suggested by AccuWeather. I wonder if that AccuWeather
report was issued by a rogue reporter LOL!
Ian
SEPTEMBER 24, 2022
09/24/22 07:10 AM
The black star indicates the point where we used to live. We were right on the gulf, in a flood zone, and highly prone to any kind of storm surge.
As I mentioned before, we had to flee the house several times in the four years we lived there. Booking hotels at the last minute up in Tallahassee was always a bit stressful and never any fun. Not when so much was riding on the outcome.
We now live up in the northeast quadrant of Alabama and may get some rain and light winds from this storm. But that sure beats the heck out of storm surge.
Will continue to track the storm, especially as it is predicted to become a category three hurricane with winds possible near 130 mph.
Footnotes
Good News / Bad News
09/24/22 09:45 AM
The good news is that it looks like our friends, down on the Florida coast where
we used to live, are going to get the 'clean' side of the storm if the forecast
proves to be true. And, assuming an accurate forecast, the folks along the west
coast of the Florida peninsula are in for a rough ride on the dirty side of the
storm. It appears especially true for the Tampa/St. Pete/Clearwater area.
Shifting Westward?
09/24/22 01:00 PM
We've got another position report / map due out, but the weather
forecasters are showing and reporting a shift to the west. I can see it in the
8 AM report from this morning, pictured directly above.
More Westward Shift?
09/24/22 05:45 PM
I've posted the latest position report / map that was due out earlier, and it
appears to reflect further shifting to the west. In fact, it seems that the
place where we used to live is now in the center of the projected path.
Hurricane Forecast
SEPTEMBER 23, 2022
09/23/22 09:20 AM
Well, things are unfolding on the weather front as we sort of feared they would. The image of the forecast says it all.
Of course, and as we have learned all too often, a lot can happen when it comes to the predicted path of a potential hurricane. We've seen it over and over again.
It's nothing more than a hurry up and wait game, and when you're in the path it doesn't feel like a game at all. That risk, as they see it down there, is the price of paradise. I heard that all too often, and even came to believe it.
But now, having moved away from the high risk of storm surge and flooding, I no longer think of the price of paradise. I see it more as a matter that we just didn't know what we didn't know. We came for the romance and enjoyed it as long as we could.
But it was time to leave, and leave we did.
Footnote
What a Difference 6 Hours Makes
09/23/22 11:15 AM
The prior forecast was for 2 AM and this one is for 8 AM. The two standouts are
the higher windspeed probabilities and the sense of commitment to the storm riding
up the west coast of the Florida peninsula, instead of cutting across toward
Jacksonville as occurred with a previous storm.
Can You Guess?
SEPTEMBER 22, 2022
09/22/22 10:40 AM
Have you ever seen one of those puzzles where you try to find the differences between two pictures? They usually tell you how many differences there are and you try to find all of them.
Well, if you scroll down two days to September 20th, you'll see a very similar picture to the one posted here. Of course, the two pictures are not framed exactly the same, but there's also one very big difference between the two pictures.
See it?
Hint: I usually forget to take a 'before picture' when I'm working on a project, and I did exactly that on this project. However, I just happened to have a 'before picture' that was used for the post on September 20th. And careful study will reveal the difference in the pictures and the type of project or 'honey do' I had.
See it?
Right!
I painted the red front door, both inside and out. It's now white.
You get extra points if you noticed the front door rug is missing in the 'after' picture. And you get even more points if you noticed anything else I might have missed.
Hurricanes
SEPTEMBER 21, 2022
09/21/22 09:30 AM
I used to watch the hurricane map like a hawk. That's because we lived right on the Gulf of Mexico south of Tallahassee in the city of Crawfordville. As Hurricanes approached, we had to flee our home several times in the four years we lived there.
I don't stay glued to those hurricane maps anymore, but my better half did bring to my attention the fact that we've got a disturbance brewing just above South America and one of the spaghetti models is forecasting it to cross over the area where we used to live. Apparently, the gulf is at a point where it could convert a storm into a severe hurricane.
I didn't know much about things like the dirty side of the storm until we moved down to the area. In fact, it never came up in all the years I remember seeing hurricanes down in Hialeah, Florida as a kid.
Back then, we dealt with Hurricane Cleo in 1964 and Hurricane Betsy in 1965. If I remember correctly, both reached a category 4 in their lifetime and I vividly remember walking out onto the street in front of our house, and into the stillness of the eye, on one of them.
Nothing could have prepared me for the damage and stress that came with Hurricane Michael in October of 2018, only three months after I retired from IBM. And, the part of Michael that produced real devastation in Port St. Joe and Mexico Beach missed us to our west, but hit our friends Troy and Connie pretty hard.
We had to flee that one and had evidence of a nine-foot surge when we returned. We lost stairs up to the house on the third level and everything on the first level was completely obliterated including our elevator and storage room where things like fishing equipment was stored. We were also without electricity for a total of ten days.
We moved to Spanish Fort, Alabama, but decided that wasn't far enough away from the worries of Hurricanes. As a result, we decided after less than a year to head on up to our present location in the northern part of Alabama with the hopes of leaving the hurricanes behind.
Still, I'll never be able to see the reports from those storms as I did some decades ago. I now understand that real lives are being affected. I understand it because I know exactly what it looks and feels like, even if we were spared the ultimate devastation experienced only a few miles away.
New Chair
SEPTEMBER 20, 2022
09/20/22 08:45 AM
Our new chair, that matches the sofa, was delivered today from Rooms to Go. Patty has done a masterful job of coordinating everything in the house and, in this case, in the living room.
She also saved us over $100 by having the chair delivered to our front porch, and having us bring it in, unwrap it, put on the legs, and throw the trash away. You just can't beat that kind of deal.
I'm also looking forward to giving our two delivery guys a good review. They were both gentlemen and that's a rare treat these days from those who provide a service for the rest of us.
Footnote
Ham Radio
09/20/22 09:00 AM
Sad to report that the bands just aren't being agreeable for my purposes,
which means I'm playing a hurry up and wait game to work some new countries.
I'll continue to look at options for installing a hex beam, but right now it
doesn't look very promising based on the physical limitations around here.
Bots
SEPTEMBER 19, 2022
09/19/22 07:30 AM
Well, the more I build in PHP, the more I learn about why things are the way they are. I'm talking about those crazy messages to which I have to respond to prove I'm not a 'bot' or anything like that.
I chose to do sort of the opposite. If someone doesn't leave their name, then I don't send an email to my account. If someone does, then I send the email notification.
A bot can't leave it's name so I shouldn't get emails unless someone really created a message and left their name to confirm who sent it. Of course if someone leaves a message but doesn't leave their name, then I won't be notified.
That's the downside of what I'm having to do to avoid the 'bot' problem.
Footnote
More on Bots
09/19/22 07:55 AM
Well, it just hit me that a comment is required and if comment is blank, then
the visit has to be from a bot (or someone who only visited but didn't leave
a comment or a name.) Either way, that works better.
So, I'm checking to see if a comment was left (since it is a required field.)
If none was left, then send no email because it must have been a bot. If a
comment was entered, then it's not a bot and I send an email to my account.
To Upgrade or...
SEPTEMBER 18, 2022
09/18/22 08:20 AM
To upgrade or not to upgrade. That is the question!
I've been thinking about a couple of antenna upgrades for my ham radio station for quite a while now, and have not been able to settle on a decision. There are just too many variables in the equation.
If I didn't have a working station, it would be a far easier decision. But, to invest time, effort, and money, without a real idea as to what I'm up against and what will result, has made the decision all the more difficult.
I say a couple of antenna upgrades because I have a 2 meter j-pole and a 20 meter dipole. Both are simple antennas and both are omni-directional. It's the omni-directional part upon which I would like to make my improvements. I'm just not sure, as my son would say, that the juice is worth the squeeze.
Footnote
Expectations
09/18/22 09:15 AM
I want to add to the above post that I have no doubt an antenna upgrade would improve
things. The real question still is: What are my expectations for the improvements?
Over the years I have learned that bad bands are very simply bad bands and its next to
impossible to create a band opening with antennas. Even if you can get somewhere, can
the station you've reached out to get back to you (likely trying to use your antenna
as a crutch for the contact?)
Fitness Stats
SEPTEMBER 17, 2022
09/17/22 08:40 PM
In the fitness world, it's really all about running to me. It's what I've done for the longest time and the exercise with which I'm most comfortable.
Everything else feels like an add-on and therefore continues to be just that. An add-on.
My weight training is producing good results, but I just don't have the same zeal for it that I do for running. Still, I'm only doing two miles a day and running on a treadmill.
It's a far cry from the outdoor running that I most enjoy, but there's just no way I'm going to run on these extreme hills around here. They look brutal!
To date, I've run 400 miles for the year. At two miles per day, that's 200 days run and 60 days off from running.
Had I run every day I would be at 520 for the year. As it is, I've averaged between 6 and 7 days off per month. That's 24 or 25 days run each month. I'll take that!
I don't thrive on running stats, but it's always interesting to stop and look at my fitness log and see where I'm at. According to my log, I started my weight training on March 14 (Pi Day!) and as of yesterday am currently at 93 workouts for the year. That's based on a three day rotation with the first two days working different muscle groups and the third day being a rest day.
What's more interesting and informative is the increase in weight that has resulted from so many of my weight related exercises. I'm never going to look like the Incredible Hulk, but a toned body and increased weights would probably tend to suggest I'm on the right track.
New Features
SEPTEMBER 16, 2022
09/15/22 07:15 PM
I've added two new features over in the upper portion of the left hand menu. One is for adding a comment and the other is for reviewing comments. If you want to add a comment, feel free to view them first. It's up to you.
I know I said that I don't really expect a community of readers. But it's still fun to build new features that would be put to more good use if I had a community.
I've always felt sort of odd that I have never included anything to allow responses from those (imaginary) readers. But without a readership, only now have I decided to try my hand at building a comment feature.
I could take what I've done and multiply it such that comments might be added for each post. But, without a real community of readers it's just not worth it to build (and maintain!) the necessary infrastructure.
And so, I'll see if there are any real readers out there (beyond my faithful and loving wife who always reads and has a word of encouragement for me.) No expectations but I thought it would be fun to see if I could build something simple - and especially without having to add any database/SQL features. I've been there before and am not real interested in going back again anytime soon.
One Year Older
SEPTEMBER 15, 2022
09/14/22 09:30 AM
Today I turn 68. Grateful & Blessed are two important words that come to mind.
It's funny how perspectives on age change as we get older. I still remember when I thought that a person in their 30's was old. Looking back, I can only chuckle at that.
When I look at the pictures of the old ham radio operators I've contacted, I now realize that there are young people trapped inside those old bodies. I see it that way because I know that as my body ages my mind still feels young.
Well, sort of...
Um, has anyone seen my keys, phone, and wallet?
What's really nice is that I have no regrets. I don't wish to be young again for life back then had its own set of problems that I would not care to revisit. And life today comes with blessings I could have only imagined back when I was younger.
Without a doubt, the greatest blessing in my life is (and has been) my soulmate, my Patty! She truly makes life worth living and brings joy, vitality, and youthfulness to every day!
Thank you, Patty!
And thank you, Lord!
Weight Training
SEPTEMBER 14, 2022
09/14/22 08:55 AM
Today is a down day on the weight training front. According to my log, I have had 90 upper body (weight training) workouts, including many that were done at our old location in Spanish Fort, AL.
I can definitely see the difference and the results, but have no idea how weight training for muscles is affecting my weight. I know I'm struggling with my weight going up just a bit, but I also know I've been a bit lazy in terms of my calorie and carb consumption.
Well, true to the French style of weight maintenance that I've talked about here on the blog and that my wife taught me, it's time to shift from the consumption side of things to the diet side. That means I'll be focused on weight loss for a while and all that it involves.
Having a predefined range and working to stay in that range is still a good way to manage things and works well for me. I'm staying with my plan!
More Ham Radio
SEPTEMBER 13, 2022
09/13/22 09:05 AM
Yesterday, I wrote about the sleepless mornings and nights of the ham radio world. Well, today defied all of that!
I put in an early round before coffee and chores and made a few DX contacts. Thinking the excitement was over, I then went and got some things done.
When I returned, thinking the DX fun was over for the day, I made some of my best contacts. Now I've got a start toward Master of Oceania and Master of Asia. I had a weak shot at starting up Master of Africa, but that should come with time.
Either way, and with only 100 watts max and a dipole (wire) antenna, I'm pretty excited about the results and enjoying the great band conditions!
Sleepless In Ohatchee
SEPTEMBER 12, 2022
09/12/22 10:15 AM
Unfortunately, the best times for good Ham Radio DX (working countries far away!) are early in the morning and/or late at night. And, that's not always true so you can plan ahead for one of those time slots only to be disappointed by poor band conditions.
I'm always surprised when I don't get up early or stay up late and still manage to make some cool contacts during more normal hours. But, it's quite rare to work good DX during the middle of the day. And it's not unusual, early in the morning, to be working some good DX only to see those good conditions fade into nothing.
At that point, it's all about the 48 contiguous states or some subgroup of that. That's when it's usually time to get up and do something else. Maybe in a few years when the sunspot cycle has changed, we can bring back the good old days where, as they used to say, you can work the other side of the world using a ladder for an antenna. LOL!!!
911
SEPTEMBER 11, 2022
09/11/22 08:20 AM
I cannot imagine the horror of 911. From a distance, the horror was real but I cannot imagine what it must have been like to be there.
My wife was at home with a sick son, and I was in Louisiana teaching a PeopleSoft class for the Department of Defense. I remember being asked to return to my hotel on Tuesday and Wednesday and then being released to drive my rental car home to Douglasville, Georgia on Thursday. Obviously, there were no flights to catch.
I often think of things like 911, North Korea, Chernobyl, and anything associated with a long-term and painful result like those have produced. I pray for those who continue to be affected by things like that.
Particularly for things like North Korea, I remain hopeful that something can be done (or happen) that would free up those being tortured. What a horrible thing with which to have to live.
And for those suffering the consequences of things that can't be undone, I can only hope and pray that some type of intervention comes into play and reduces the long-term pain. God help them all!
Gadsden Hamfest
SEPTEMBER 10, 2022
09/10/22 02:10 PM
This morning I changed things up a bit and went over to Gadsen Alabama to attend the Gadsden Hamfest. It's been a long time since I've been to a hamfest, but it seemed all to familiar.
I went most of all to see Bob (KE4QCY), one of the guys I often talk to on 2 meters. Beyond that, I thought it might be fun to scope out the situation and see who shows up on a misty day.
For a smaller hamfest, it was pretty well attended. I got to see Bob and his wife, who were tailgating and pedaling their goods. I also met Glen, one of the other guys I have talked to on 2 meters.
I scoped out the tailgaters and the inside tables a few times and then it was time to go. Good to get out and see Bob, his wife, Glen, and the crowd.
US Open Tennis
SEPTEMBER 09, 2022
09/08/22 09:20 AM
Moment of truth!
The shift in culture continues. The changes are a difficult thing from which to escape. And, I just can't go with the crowd on far too much of it.
Political correctness has run amock.
There I said it.
Far be it from me to try and influence culture. The changes are coming like a Tsunami and there's not much way to do anything about it, other than trying to build your own culture and trying to live in it.
Remember when it used to be about how you play the game? When did it become all about winning and only about winning?
I still believe it's more about how you play the game than whether or not you win. If it takes coaching players to stare down their opponent and pump their fist (ensuring the opponent sees it) then I don't want any part of it. Take me back to the good old days when it was about talent, skills, and execution; not psychological warfare.
And, let's not fool ourselves into thinking this has not become a racial thing. It has and I've seen the strong evidence of it. The culture is changing!
I don't care what color the players are. I care about how well they play and not how poorly their opponent plays. I want to see both players at their best.
Now, the fans get so focused on the idea of seeing 'their' player win that they've begun to root against the opponent. They even cheer when the opponent makes a mistake. This is not sportsmanship. It's the crowd cheering for the lions at the colosseum.
An angry and uneducated crowd is now in control. Too many of its members hunger for attention. It dominates things. It affects the outcome of events. It changes culture. It believes it must win, no matter the cost.
How did we get here?
Doe-Dee
SEPTEMBER 08, 2022
09/07/22 07:00 PM
Patty bought a salt-lick today and I carried it down and set it on a stone at the bottom of our back yard, next to the woods. Much to my surprise, a doe found it on the first day!
Patty called me on the phone while outside on the back porch to tell me about the amazing sight. I walked over to my office back door and couldn't believe what I was seeing.
Patty named her Doe-Dee and she stayed around for quite a while, all the time seeming to really enjoy the salt-lick. What a blessing to be able to see such beautiful sights from our back porch, and what a cool idea Patty had to make it all possible.
Happy Birthday, Sis!
SEPTEMBER 07, 2022
09/06/22 10:30 AM
Today, September 7th, is my sister's birthday. So, Happy Birthday to her!
She's about 4 years younger than me. Any further attention to, and details about, age might get me in trouble. I've been known to get in trouble like that before.
So, we'll just leave it at that!
Hope she has a great birthday. Looking forward to seeing her and her crowd at our belated Thanksgiving celebration over in the Big A (Atlanta, GA).
New Web Feature
SEPTEMBER 06, 2022
09/05/22 05:30 PM
In the left-hand menu, I added a new feature in the repeater section to display a map of the repeaters I can reach. It corresponds to the Repeaters by Channel page and displays the locations of those repeaters.
I'm still amazed at the distances I can reach with this mountainous terrain that we have up here in the northern part of the state. Even in some points south, such as Cheaha Mountain at just over 4,000 feet, we find prominent repeaters that are well known throughout the south for their coverage, due to their antenna elevations.
I'm up to 19 repeaters, including one in Summerville, Georgia that was very active with the recent flooding that occurred up that way and that made the news. The reports I was hearing from that area were absolutely amazing. And so have been the video reports that I've seen in the news. Incredible!
Footnote
John Frederick Banzhaf
09/06/22 07:45 AM
Today would have been my cousin's 67th birthday. We lost him just over a year ago
as he was approaching his 66th birthday.
Long ago, I used to call him up to wish him a happy birthday and then would call
my sister the next day to do the same. I still call my sister each year, and that
call is a reminder that my cousin is no longer with us.
Johnny is survived by a son, (Forrest) who was named after my Father, as was I.
His son now lives with, and is cared for by, a niece (Liz) and her other half
(Josh) up in Atlanta. I look forward to seeing them and my sister and the rest
of her crowd at our Thanksgiving celebration this year.
Happy Labor Day
SEPTEMBER 05, 2022
09/04/22 05:40
I don't honestly lay claim to any celebration of (or on) Labor Day. For me, it's just another opportunity to watch some good tennis before the season comes to an end.
Footnotes
More Tennis Stuff
09/5/22 07:30 AM
Speaking of tennis, I watched, and greatly enjoyed, the Medvedev/Kyrgios match.
Was delighted to see Kyrgios take it in 4 sets, but hated to see Medvedev fall
from his number one rank as a result. I'll have to check to see who picks up the
number one spot now.
As I mentioned yesterday, I'm really looking forward to the Gauff(12)/Garcia(17)
match. Obviously Gauff has the better rank behind her, but Garcia has been playing
some seriously good tennis lately and her take no prisoners attitude just
might allow her to come out victorious. I would love to see that but am not going
to hold my breath for it.
Today, on Labor Day, we wrap up the round of 16 and prepare to start the round of
eight (quarter finals) tomorrow. This is when it usually starts to get good, but
this year the good started early!
Weather Net
09/5/22 07:50 AM
Yesterday, I was monitoring the 147.225 machine (which I thought was in Huntsville)
and they were having a weather net with amazing reports of rain anywhere from 6 or 7
inches up to 12 and even 14 inches. There were also accounts of river flooding.
What I didn't know was that the 147.225 machine I was hearing was coming from
Summerville, Georgia in Chatooga County up near the northwestern corner of
Georgia and just across the line and barely south of Mentone, where Patty and I
stayed during one of the festivals up that way. I have since reprogrammed the
correct repeater information here on my website.
Now, we're under a flood watch. And, I see more rain up that way on the current
weather map so I wouldn't be surprised if they activate a net again today,
especially since it's a holiday and the ham operators should more likely be
available to host the net. If they do, I'll definitely check in and give them
a good report for repeater coverage.
Round of 16
SEPTEMBER 04, 2022
09/04/22 07:15 AM
Today starts the round of sixteen. The big names on the men's side are Medvedev (1), Nadal (2), Alcaraz (3), and Ruud (5). Other names to watch for (in my opinion anyway) are Norrie (7), Sinner (11), and Kyrgios (23).
I put Krygios(23) (pictured on the right) in there although he plays Medvedev(1) (pictured on the left) in the round of sixteen. I mention him because of his power-house serve. With it, he could wind up taking the whole thing if he's consistent. We'll see...
Based on their rankings, I'm guessing Carreno Busta (12) and Berrettini (13) will also make it to the round of eight.
On the women's side, #2, #3, and #4 are all gone. And, I wouldn't be surprised to see Swiatek(1) playing Jabeur(5) in the finals. I put Jabeur in there because she has been showing up near the end of a lot of the previous tournaments.
Other names to watch for on the women's side in the round of sixteen include Garcia(17) and Gauff(12). There are some other ranked women's players in this round but none that are really strong standouts in my mind. I make no claims toward prognostication, but I guess we'll see how I did soon enough.
Footnote
More US Open Stuff
09/4/22 05:20 PM
It looks like Gauff(12) and Garcia(17) each advanced as I anticipated, but I had
no idea they would meet each other immediately thereafter. I look forward to that
match-up on Tuesday as they enter the round of eight. Tomorrow we wrap up matches
for the round of sixteen in both the men's and women's matches.
Labor Day Weekend
SEPTEMBER 03, 2022
09/02/22 07:25 AM
In an email, my daughter asked me what we had going on this weekend. I replied that for us retired old-timers, every day is a weekend.
Well, as I type it's Friday and I had no idea that it's Labor Day weekend until it just dawned on me. Now I know why my daughter asked the question. So, it's going to be a long weekend and I have no idea if that will affect the schedule for our yard guys. I guess we'll see.
Meanwhile, tennis continues to draw most of my attention. I watched the Williams sisters lose in doubles last night and I guess Serena will continue her quest this evening for a US Open women's singles title. I didn't stay up for Nadal but he also won and continues his quest for glory.
I noticed he lost his first set again. That seems to be his M.O. these days. I guess he starts slow and then has to push hard from behind. Well, it seems to work for him so who am I to say anything. I guess it's all about getting the job done.
Footnotes
More US Open Stuff
09/3/22 09:00 AM
Well, today we finish up round three on the men's and women's draws and that prepares
us to enter the round of sixteen on both sides tomorrow. I'm saddened that I missed the
Kyrgios and Wolf match but the result (a win for Australian tennis player, Nick Kyrgios)
is what I expected.
I'm hopeful that we'll see some good matches today leading up to the round of sixteen.
More Fitness Stuff
09/3/22 04:20 PM
Got a run in today and it's amazing how much better it felt not being executed
on the back end of weight training. I did weight rotation #2 yesterday and followed
up with my cardio (run) and it was grueling! Today, with no weights preceding the
cardio, it was a very good run.
I don't remember a run being so tough as it was yesterday, so there must have been
another factor in there somewhere. I just have no idea what it might have been.
Ceviche
SEPTEMBER 02, 2022
09/01/22 05:40 PM
Well, it may be Friday the 2nd as I publish, but it's Thursday evening right after supper as I write and my sweet wife made ceviche and homemade Mexican chips for me!
The picture above is her dish along with one of her homemade chips. I feasted on two bowls full and tons of chips for dinner. It was amazing!
The thing is, she doesn't even eat ceviche or anything with fish or shrimp, so that really underlines the love that went into this meal just for me. And, I feel truly loved (and spoiled) with her amazing abilities in the kitchen and all of the love that I know went into this effort.
As I have said many times before, I am truly blessed!
Lost Keys
SEPTEMBER 01, 2022
09/01/22 07:00 AM
Yesterday, I noticed my keys were missing. I tore the house apart looking for them and could not find them anywhere. I usually keep them with my wallet and phone on my desk, but only the wallet and phone were in the usual location.
In fact, I could not even think of a place to look, that had not been scouted and searched already. I even had to borrow my wife's keys to get us out to lunch, to the grocery store, and back.
So, here's the crazy part. I finally decided to go searching through some moving boxes that are in our storage room and still have stuff in them. Mainly, it's stuff that we won't need, but I was desperate and opened them up.
Well, to my surprise I found the keys nestled in one of the boxes among all of the other junk that will probably remain there for a long time. I go through some of the boxes from time to time looking for something I need and think I haven't yet unpacked.
Perhaps I set them in the box or dropped them while searching for something else. I have no way of explaining how those keys got there, but you can bet I breathed a big sign of relief when I found them!
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