• Status of HAM radio in FidoNet

    From Meitsi@1:229/428 to All on Tue Nov 7 02:44:00 2023
    Hi all!

    Is there any activity here?


    *** THE READER V4.50 [freeware]
    --- D'Bridge 4
    * Origin: (1:229/428)
  • From Alan Ianson@1:153/757 to Meitsi on Mon Nov 6 23:34:58 2023
    Hi all!

    Is there any activity here?

    There is now.. ;)

    --- BBBS/Li6 v4.10 Toy-6
    * Origin: The Rusty MailBox - Penticton, BC Canada (1:153/757)
  • From Mike Powell@1:2320/105 to MEITSI on Tue Nov 7 09:19:00 2023
    Is there any activity here?

    It comes and goes. One of our more active HAM radio posters took his BBS
    off the networks a couple of months back, which has greatly reduced the
    number of HAM posts on most networks I carry.

    Mike


    * SLMR 2.1a * The girl of your dreams is unavailable except in print
    --- SBBSecho 3.14-Linux
    * Origin: capitolcityonline.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/HTTP (1:2320/105)
  • From Sean Dennis@1:18/200 to Meitsi on Tue Nov 7 10:50:37 2023
    Hello Meitsi,

    Tuesday November 07 2023 02:44, you wrote to All:


    Is there any activity here?


    Sometimes, sometimes not.

    73 DE KS4TD,
    Sean

    ... The cookbook says to roast it but my oven only has bake & broil.
    --- GoldED 3.0.1
    * Origin: Outpost BBS * Johnson City, TN * bbs.outpostbbs.net:10323 (1:18/200)
  • From Sean Dennis@1:18/200 to Mike Powell on Tue Nov 7 10:51:38 2023
    Hello Mike,

    Tuesday November 07 2023 09:19, you wrote to MEITSI:

    It comes and goes. One of our more active HAM radio posters took his
    BBS off the networks a couple of months back, which has greatly
    reduced the number of HAM posts on most networks I carry.

    I guess i can fire up a few of my scripts to scrape the ARRL Letter and such from the web. I've been very busy and the lack of a working HF rig has limited my "radioactivity".

    73 DE KS4TD,
    Sean

    ... Never express yourself more clearly than you are able to think.
    --- GoldED 3.0.1
    * Origin: Outpost BBS * Johnson City, TN * bbs.outpostbbs.net:10323 (1:18/200)
  • From Nigel Reed@1:124/5016 to Mike Powell on Tue Nov 7 10:52:24 2023
    On Tue, 7 Nov 2023 09:19:00 -0500
    "Mike Powell" (1:2320/105) <Mike.Powell@f105.n2320.z1.fidonet> wrote:

    Is there any activity here?

    It comes and goes. One of our more active HAM radio posters took his
    BBS off the networks a couple of months back, which has greatly
    reduced the number of HAM posts on most networks I carry.

    HAM seems to be a novelty these days. The main reason I got one was
    because I'm a member of the local CERT (Community Emergency Response
    Team) which arms you with a lot of knowledge. Some of that is that when
    all hell breaks loose, the only way to communicate over distances may
    be with a HAM radio due to cell towers being down.

    If guess if kids can't games on it, they're not interested.

    That said, the Plano radio club seems to be pretty strong. I went to
    one of their meetings after doing my General testing and it was fairly
    well attended.
    --
    End Of The Line BBS - Plano, TX
    telnet endofthelinebbs.com 23
    --- SBBSecho 3.20-Linux
    * Origin: End Of The Line BBS - endofthelinebbs.com (1:124/5016)
  • From Sean Dennis@1:18/200 to Nigel Reed on Tue Nov 7 13:26:44 2023
    Hello, Nigel!

    Replying to a message of Nigel Reed to Mike Powell:

    HAM seems to be a novelty these days. The main reason I got one was because I'm a member of the local CERT (Community Emergency Response
    Team) which arms you with a lot of knowledge. Some of that is that
    when all hell breaks loose, the only way to communicate over
    distances may be with a HAM radio due to cell towers being down.

    BBSing and ham radio do seem to have a strong correlation at times.

    73 DE KS4TD,
    Sean

    --- FleetStreet 1.27.1
    * Origin: Outpost BBS Local Console * bbs.outpostbbs.net:10323 (1:18/200)
  • From Alexander Grotewohl@1:120/616 to Mike Powell on Tue Nov 7 21:18:55 2023
    On 07 Nov 2023, Mike Powell said the following...

    Is there any activity here?

    It comes and goes. One of our more active HAM radio posters took his BBS off the networks a couple of months back, which has greatly reduced the number of HAM posts on most networks I carry.

    well i'll throw one in..

    anyone tried out FreeDV? :)

    i was hearing a station in Washington on and off on a basically dead band here in Michigan.. my station very rarely gets out/receives further west than Kansas on a good day ("compromise" would be a generous word for my antenna) so it was kind of surprising.

    there's also quite a few japanese people on there daily (or nightly for us) so sometimes i'll pipe a websdr through there just to try and pick out bits i understand :)

    definitely hoping it gets more popular.. but it's also not particularly convenient to set up (needing potentially two sound card inputs and two outputs)

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/25 (Windows/32)
    * Origin: cold fusion - cfbbs.net - grand rapids, mi (1:120/616)
  • From Mike Powell@1:2320/105 to NIGEL REED on Wed Nov 8 10:26:00 2023
    HAM seems to be a novelty these days. The main reason I got one was
    because I'm a member of the local CERT (Community Emergency Response
    Team) which arms you with a lot of knowledge. Some of that is that when
    all hell breaks loose, the only way to communicate over distances may
    be with a HAM radio due to cell towers being down.

    Back in early 1994, we had a big snow storm here where it snowed around 2'
    and then the temperatures dropped below zero for several days. The local authorities enlisted the assistance of the local HAMs because phone lines
    were failing and travel was limited.

    I am not a HAM but had a scanner back then. Along with the BBS and my
    model railroad, it gave me something to do to keep the cabin fever from
    setting in.

    If guess if kids can't games on it, they're not interested.

    Yes.

    That said, the Plano radio club seems to be pretty strong. I went to
    one of their meetings after doing my General testing and it was fairly
    well attended.

    That is good to know. There will no doubt come other times where those
    skills are very important.

    Mike


    * SLMR 2.1a * Tell me, is something eluding you, Sunshine?
    --- SBBSecho 3.14-Linux
    * Origin: capitolcityonline.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/HTTP (1:2320/105)
  • From Mike Powell@1:2320/105 to SEAN DENNIS on Wed Nov 8 10:20:00 2023
    HAM seems to be a novelty these days. The main reason I got one was because I'm a member of the local CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) which arms you with a lot of knowledge. Some of that is that
    when all hell breaks loose, the only way to communicate over
    distances may be with a HAM radio due to cell towers being down.

    BBSing and ham radio do seem to have a strong correlation at times.

    I can remember when I was in the minority (a non-HAM) of what was then a
    large number of local BBS sysops.

    Mike


    * SLMR 2.1a * "Did you open the Microwave door before the 'ding'"?
    --- SBBSecho 3.14-Linux
    * Origin: capitolcityonline.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/HTTP (1:2320/105)
  • From Ricky DeLuco@1:135/383 to Mike Powell on Wed Nov 8 10:38:00 2023

    Is there any activity here?

    It comes and goes. One of our more active HAM radio posters took his BBS off the networks a couple of months back, which has greatly reduced the number of HAM posts on most networks I carry.

    CQ,

    I pull down this echo, but don't see much activity.

    73, de K4JTT

    N4TDX BBS - Telnet: n4tdx.ddns.net:2323
    FSXnet: 21:1/136 * Fidonet 1:135/383 * Micronet 618:250/35
    Titusville, FL.


    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Windows/32)
    * Origin: N4TDX BBS (1:135/383)
  • From Ricky DeLuco@1:135/383 to Nigel Reed on Wed Nov 8 10:43:01 2023

    HAM seems to be a novelty these days.

    Agree and many HAMS are much older as the hobby fades through attrition. I personally do not do much "rag chew" or net checking and I do not belong to a club. I focus on Emergency Communications and technology. Love to tinker with things. Also, I do like to Fly my RC Airplane that is on the HAM Frequencies. I find that an advantage of having a little fun.

    de Ricky K4JTT

    N4TDX BBS - Telnet: n4tdx.ddns.net:2323
    FSXnet: 21:1/136 * Fidonet 1:135/383 * Micronet 618:250/35
    Titusville, FL.


    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Windows/32)
    * Origin: N4TDX BBS (1:135/383)
  • From Ricky DeLuco@1:135/383 to Sean Dennis on Wed Nov 8 10:43:48 2023

    BBSing and ham radio do seem to have a strong correlation at times.

    Yup !

    de Ricky, K4JTT

    N4TDX BBS - Telnet: n4tdx.ddns.net:2323
    FSXnet: 21:1/136 * Fidonet 1:135/383 * Micronet 618:250/35
    Titusville, FL.


    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Windows/32)
    * Origin: N4TDX BBS (1:135/383)
  • From Nigel Reed@1:124/5016 to Mike Powell on Wed Nov 8 13:45:32 2023
    Re: Re: Status of HAM radio i
    By: Mike Powell to NIGEL REED on Wed Nov 08 2023 10:26:00

    Back in early 1994, we had a big snow storm here where it snowed around 2' and then the temperatures dropped below zero for several days. The local authorities enlisted the assistance of the local HAMs because phone lines were failing and travel was limited.

    That couldn't have been any fun. Very rare that we get that much snow around here. We had that big ice storm the year they had the Superbowl in Arlington, pretty much shut everything down. People in the Dallas area don't know how to drive properly in rain, let alone snow and ice, plus we don't have the infrastructure to properly cope with it. Just not used to that weather.

    I do have a generator now, but that's not likely to keep the internet going since it's no longer over copper, so getting some sort of ham based text communication might be on my todo list eventually.
    --- SBBSecho 3.20-Linux
    * Origin: End Of The Line BBS - endofthelinebbs.com (1:124/5016)
  • From Mike Powell@1:2320/105 to NIGEL REED on Thu Nov 9 08:16:00 2023
    Back in early 1994, we had a big snow storm here where it snowed around 2' and then the temperatures dropped below zero for several days. The local

    That couldn't have been any fun. Very rare that we get that much snow around h
    e. We had that big ice storm the year they had the Superbowl in Arlington, pre
    y much shut everything down. People in the Dallas area don't know how to drive
    roperly in rain, let alone snow and ice, plus we don't have the infrastructure
    o properly cope with it. Just not used to that weather.

    We rarely get that much, either. Before 1994, the "big one" was in 1977 or
    78. Since then, we had one other "big one" but the temperatures did not
    drop near as far after so they were able to keep up with removal and some
    of the other sub-zero problems didn't happen.

    I do have a generator now, but that's not likely to keep the internet going si
    e it's no longer over copper, so getting some sort of ham based text communica
    on might be on my todo list eventually.

    Indeed. Often, if there is an internet problem here, it is because the provider had a power (or other) issue and not because my power is out.

    Mike

    * SLMR 2.1a * "Mmmmmmmm.....chocolate."
    --- SBBSecho 3.14-Linux
    * Origin: capitolcityonline.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/HTTP (1:2320/105)
  • From Sean Dennis@1:18/200 to Mike Powell on Thu Nov 9 09:41:14 2023
    Indeed. Often, if there is an internet problem here, it is because the provider had a power (or other) issue and not because my power is out.

    Luckily, I've never had an outage with my current ISP unless the power goes out which is also their problem as my ISP is also my local power board...

    Speaking of power, I have two really nice deep-cycle AGM batteries I hooked up in series to power my HF rig for a good while when the power is off. They're meant to power a mobility scooter so they're really good about deep current draws though I'd only run my rig at about 10W of power to conserve.

    73 DE KS4TD,
    Sean

    --- ProBoard v2.17 [Reg]
    * Origin: Outpost BBS * Johnson City, TN (1:18/200)
  • From Sean Dennis@1:18/200 to Mike Powell on Thu Nov 9 09:41:14 2023

    Indeed. Often, if there is an internet problem here, it is because the provider had a power (or other) issue and not because my power is out.

    Luckily, I've never had an outage with my current ISP unless the power goes out which is also their problem as my ISP is also my local power board...

    Speaking of power, I have two really nice deep-cycle AGM batteries I hooked up in series to power my HF rig for a good while when the power is off. They're meant to power a mobility scooter so they're really good about deep current draws though I'd only run my rig at about 10W of power to conserve.

    73 DE KS4TD,
    Sean

    --- ProBoard v2.17 [Reg]
    * Origin: Outpost BBS * Johnson City, TN (1:18/200)
  • From Ron Kinney@1:104/115 to Meitsi on Tue Nov 14 10:43:49 2023
    Re: Status of HAM radio in FidoNet
    By: Meitsi to All on Tue Nov 07 2023 02:44 am

    Hi all!

    Is there any activity here?


    *** THE READER V4.50 [freeware]

    I'm here. I try to make it a habit to check this feed daily, though sometimes I go for about a week without doing that. Too busy with POTA. :D

    -KC0ZPS

    The Dawn of Demise BBS (tdod.org)
    --- SBBSecho 3.06-Linux
    * Origin: (1:104/115)
  • From Gate Keeper@1:3634/27 to Meitsi on Tue Dec 12 09:55:29 2023
    Re: Status of HAM radio in FidoNet
    By: Meitsi to All on Tue Nov 07 2023 02:44 am

    Is there any activity here?

    Yes, a lot.

    73,
    N4DLT
    Shelby, NC USA
    --- SBBSecho 3.11-Win32
    * Origin: *The Gate BBS*Shelby, NC USA*thegateb.synchro.net* (1:3634/27)