N5VLZ  > ALL      25.03.25 01:15z 328 Lines 9612 Bytes #88 (0) @ WW
BID : 23730_NS2B
Subj: PCL NET SCRIBE MAR 24 2025
Path: ED1ZAC<ED1ZAC<LU4ECL<VK2RZ<VE3CGR<VE6NAS<VE2PKT<K7EK<NS2B
Sent: 250325/0104Z 23730@NS2B.#WNY.NY.USA.NOAM BPQ6.0.24

PCL NET SCRIBE MAR 24 2025

N5VLZ, Daryl, Arkansas (Net Control/Scribe)
NS2B, Bob, New York (Sysop)
N3MEL, Glenn, Pennsylvania
KF5TVG, Bob, Oklahoma
KX4AC, Carl, Arizona

**

No early checkins. Net order is Daryl, Bob (NY), 
Glenn, Bob (OK),
and whoever else shows up.

**

N5VLZ:

I realized a bit ago that last week's PCL Net 
log had the wrong date. Well, I have an excuse 
now, as I turned 65 last Saturday; making me a 
legal senior citizen (hi hi). 

The birthday started off well, but like all my 
hopes over the last few years have done, the 
day exploded like a rocket just after liftoff, 
crashing to the ground in a huge fireball. It 
became an Unhappy Barf Day...and I'm just sick 
over what has happened. Being 65 may mean I'm 
over the hill, but it is more like I've fallen 
off of a cliff, for all of the negative things 
over the last few days.

I was lied to again by ADT, and nearly 20 years 
of being a loyal customer meant nothing to them. 
They tried to cut me a deal, but I told them "I 
have had enough!!". Amazingly, I didn't have to 
pay a set of termination fees, but to cover the 
cost of the new system, I'm canceling the 2 
planned train trips for ham radio events, and 
until I can get the new alarm system, I won't be 
able to leave home for anything. The psychiatrist 
had told me that a long vacation would do me good; 
but now that appears it will never occur. It feels 
like I've been quarantined here...or more like 
placed under house arrest. I am glad I didn't book 
the hotels, and will call Amtrak later tonight to 
see if I can get refunds.

I downloaded the Dream Singles app, but I should
have suspected something was wrong, when it came
up on the smartphone screen next to an app called 
"Discord". Being told that I'd have to travel to
meet someone, and since I no longer drive or have 
a car due to vision issues, and can't afford the 
Lyft rides due to the shortage of drivers, I just
deleted the app, and gave up looking for someone.
I've been a widower for 18 years, and it appears
that will never change. You never know if the
person on the other end is truthful or not.

Tornado and Dixie Alley are going gangbusters, 
with severe weather, with numerous tornadoes, 
large hail, damaging winds, and flooding rain. 
It looks like this coming weekend, March 29 and 
30, will be violent, weather wise, across the 
region. It's too early to know my status for the 
March 31 PCL Net (I hope that I will still be on 
this side of the grass, without property damage 
or injury), but the net won't be here on April 21, 
due to the Easter holiday (it's late this year). 
I dread what this years hurricane season will be 
like. Ryan Hall, KJ4WHM, will likely be LIVE on 
his YouTube channel much of the weekend.

I have been to the point of tears for much of 
today, with little appetite, and elevated pulse
and blood pressure, from the stress. Had it not 
been for my hobbies, especially with ham radio 
and square dancing work behind the scenes, I 
would cut myself off from the outside world, 
where no one would know if I was dead or alive. 
No one calls or visits me anymore, anyway, and 
all my immediate family is dead and gone. I had
thought about ordering some food from DoorDash, 
but changed my mind.

In short, I'm not a happy camper right now. I 
will likely cry myself to sleep tonight...and no 
amount of anti-depression pills will help me out. 
I nearly started crying on the phone to ADT earlier 
today, I was so upset.

That's enough belly aching for me. Bob (OK), you'll 
be after Glenn.

GE Bob (NY), how was your week?? >>>

**

NS2B: 

GE All.

Sounds like it was better than yours.

You shoulda told ADT to take a hike and kept the 
train trips.

Anyway, Spent the last week cleaning up code plugs 
in my DStar and DMR radios. It all started when 
someone pointed out to me that XRF458A doesn't 
really work too well for KC wide. You receive ok, 
but no-one can hear you. Instead, the solution is 
to use XLX458A, which works fine. 

So that set off a whole cascade of deleting I never 
used, and adding things I'd been meaning to add.

Getting ready for racing season. Our safety seminar 
is this weekend. Sorta looking forward to that. 
Meeting up with friends and comparing winter notes!

Speaking of Easter being late this year. My birthday 
is that weekend, the 19th. I'll be 72. Doesn't seem 
possible. Thought I'd be gone long ago! hihi

That's all for me Daryl. BTU >>>

**

N5VLZ:

Bob, I did tell ADT that "I have had enough", and said 
I was not interested in any of the deals. But I just 
don't have the money to travel, and now with a new 
alarm system cost, that further muddies the water. 

I self banned myself from KC-Wide awhile back after a 
fallout with the admins. 

Don't eat too many easter eggs that weekend for your 
birthday (hi hi). FB on the racing starting soon...
sounds like your weather will be better this weekend 
than it will be here.

GE Glenn, how was your week?? >>>

**

N3MEL: 

GE all, Daryl sounds like you have your hands full. I 
dropped ADT a year or so ago, and dropping Comcast and 
AT&T very soon. I am done with the outrageous monthly 
bills. 

Bob (NY) where are you on DMR? I have a TG on TGIF. We 
just finished the March PKTNET; we ended up with 113 
check-ins. I was happy with the turnout for sure. We 
are planning a packet challenge for April as we work 
to bring more US activity to packet. 

Not much else going on here other then work. BTN >>>

**

N5VLZ:

Glenn, several have told me similar horror stories about 
ADT. AT&T screwed my late Mom big time, in going to make 
her wait for a new DSL modem. She was 90 at the time, 
and with every power outage or lightning in the area, the 
DSL modem died. She had no internet, phone, or 911. When 
on the phone with them, they were giving me the runaround, 
and when I said I wanted to talk with a supervisor, they 
hung up. I called back, and cussed them out, then promptly
apologized to my Mom afterwards. She said she couldn't 
blame me, as she witnessed the whole thing. I wouldn't take 
the services if they gave it to me for free!! I've had far
better luck with Xfinity, rarely having issues with their
equipment or network.

FB on the packet deals.

GE Bob (OK), how was your week?? >>>

**

KF5TVG: 

GE Daryl and all on the net!

Daryl, sorry ADT put you in such a funk, but we're all glad 
you are so active with ham radio in general, and this net in 
particular.

Hang in there! We need you!

I've been trying to connect meshtastic nodes to MQTT via 
homeassistant the last few days. Lots of pushups, but no joy 
yet. I think I'll nuke the server and start over. Shouldn't 
be this hard, so I'm hopeful I just missed a key step along 
the way.

Weather has been nice the last few days for a welcome change. 
The redbud trees are starting to get some color, so spring is 
on its way.

That's all for now. BTU Daryl>>>

**

N5VLZ:

Bob, I'm glad I have the hobbies as a distraction. Pollen is
coming out now, and so are the bugs.

FB on the Meshtastic and MQTT.

Before I go to the final round, I want to put some humor out
there. A guy was in a restaurant, and he said to the waitress
at his table "I have a question about the menu, please". She
slapped his face, and snarled "The men I please are none of
your [darn] business!!" (hi hi).

Anyway, let's get a final round of comments. Bob (NY), 
thanks for the use of the BBS...anything else?? >>>

**

NS2B: 

Glenn, I generally lurk on 31665 (TGIF talkgroup) but 
occasionally go over to 9050 (East Coast Reflector) - what's 
your talkgroup? I can just lurk there! hihi

Nothng more Daryl, everyone have a good week - 73 >>>

**

N5VLZ:

Thanks for being here, Bob...see you next week.

Let me go ahead and pick up Carl, before I get to Glenn and 
Bob (OK). 

GE Carl, better late than never. How was your week?? >>>

**

KX4AC: 

GE All. I finally figured out that everyone changed clocks 
except us in AZ! I think I have my alarm set now, so hopefully 
I won't miss again next week.

In the meantime, I am working on an arduino CW keyer, and one 
of these days, I will put up a 20M dipole so I can at least work 
20M ... pretty sure I found a way to put it up that will be 
invisible to the HOA. Keep fingers crossed!

My electronics bench is pretty much setup and I continue to 
unpack (slowly), but still have not found the lamp shades! I 
am getting used to bare bulbs in the bedroom. I finally got 
some pictures formatted, and had postcards made, so I need to 
write a bunch of postcards tonight, so I can mail them with my 
taxes tomorrow. 

I guess that's about it for tonight. Sorry I keep missing the 
time. 73 to all. >>>

Carl, the time changes screw everyone up. AZ, HI, and the US 
territories stay on standard time year round. But, you have 
folks on both sides of the fence on that.

FB on the CW keyer, the 20m dipole (GL with that), and the 
electronics bench. FB also on the pictures on postcards.

Glenn, thanks for waiting...anything else?? >>>

**

N3MEL:

Good evening to Carl, glad you made it in. 

Bob my TG on TGIF is 450.

Nothing else from here Daryl, keep smiling my friend!

73 to all!

**

N5VLZ:

Thanks for being here, Glenn...see you next time.

Bob (OK) anything else?? >>>

**

KF5TVG: 

Nothing else. Thanks to you and Bob(NY) for all you 
do! 73 and BTU>>>

**

N5VLZ:

Thanks for being here, Bob...see you next time.

That will do it for tonight's PCL Net.

Everyone stay safe, healthy, weather aware, and 
radio-active. 73 and GN DE N5VLZ >>>

**


Daryl Stout, N5VLZ, Little Rock, Arkansas
Please see my QRZ bio for more information.




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