SECURE CB RADIO POST-Y2K COMMUNICATIONS

The following material is not to be taken as an inclusive treatment of CB radio communication post-y2k. That has already been well-covered previously. Rather this post describes a modification of certain off-the-shelf units that can provide a heightened privacy aspect to what would be otherwise as public a radio service as has ever come along: the 40 channels between 26.965 and 27.405 MHz.

Background. For many decades, Citizens Band, or CB, has been the 'VW Bug' of radio services -- common, cheap, ubiquitous, and frustrating (if you're used to driving standard sedans.) Long ago the 40 channels were taken over by raucous, uncouth, obscene, irresponsible, illegal- power- use violators of good radio comm practice. The shambles left in their wake has made CB all but useless unless you're driving an 18-wheeler rig across the freeways of America -- almost the one remaining functional use of CB left. (Just to mention in passing: after being exposed to the flaming, obscene posters rampant on this and most other Internet forums in the past few years, CB seems a little tamer than in the past -- but only relatively so.)

What can happen post-y2k?>/B> If it's bad enough, telephone service can disappear, maybe permanently. What can take its place? There are those who haven't thought thru the scenario completely enough, who think their ShortWave receiver will do the trick. The fallacy of that has been covered in another thread on this forum. HF (high frequency band) amateur/ham radio has been described likewise in good detail on this forum. It is the most effective alternative we will have. However it is not within reach of many, because of cost, but mostly because it requires technical expertise beyond the time/effort constraints of what most of us are facing in the next 6 months before D-Day.

Why would one want a secure CB option? For one timeframe only: during the first month or two after 1/1/Oh!Oh!, if real bad things happen (like predators stalking for your food and other supplies) you will be thinking military defense of your homestead -- after that period has passed the predator danger should have disappeared, and you won't want privacy -- you'll want to talk to the rest of the survivors scattered throughout the land. That's when you'll want to use your HF ham radio rig. (Of course, if you live in a city, and are planning to stay thru Y2K, this whole post is OFF TOPIC. Relax. Enjoy your Independence Day vacation coming up.)

Back to the early post-y2k scenario. You will want to be able to talk to your trusted y2k-co-planning neighbor, or close family members in the near vicinity, say within a mile or maybe two of your homestead. You may need to discuss defense strategies, reports of marauders, their positions, their likely next moves. That's NOT the time you want anybody eavesdropping your comms, a possibility which should be considered if you're talking on one of the legal CB frequencies -- CB units are still a dime a dozen.

You might well ask at this juncture, 'Well why not buy one of those newer special Business Band, or Family Radio Band sets? Not too many people have them at hand -- wouldn't that give you a certain privacy?" Answer: yes, better than conventional CB -- but for the extra money not secure enough. (For one thing they fall within the lower band limits of scanner frequencies, whereas CB comm is excluded from all [almost all?] scanner bands.)

Well, what about buying 'Scramblers' to use to encode your voice? -- then you could use a regular CB channel. Well, svl years ago I bought a couple scrambler kits. Never put them together -- when I found out they're relatively easy to DEscramble.

OK, what about that new 'Spread Spectrum' technology, available in some commercial Handie-Talkies? Good option -- but quite expensive.

I've given all this quite a bit of thought recently, and here's what I've come up with, and what I'm equipping my neighbors with, gratis!

The 'Poor Man's' Secret Agent 007 CB rig. Here's the protocol:

1) Buy two (one for you, and one for your brother-in-law down the streeet) Radio Shack TRC-235 (Cat. No. 21-1620) 2 Watt 3-Channel CB Walkie-Talkies. They come with a channel 14 crystal set already installed, leaving 2 other channels free for your own option. They're 'on sale' at $39.99. [TIP: When The Shack puts an item on sale that means pretty soon it will become a discontinued item. Buy these babies now -- no one one wants them 'cause they're crystal-controlled instead of PLL /synthesized frequency-controlled. But that's JUST why you want that technology as you'll see below.]

2) Buy two sets of 10 each Radio Shack 'Hi-Capacity' ni-cad cells, AA size, 850 mAh, Cat. No. 23-149, at 2/$6.99. Don't buy the Shack's 'standard' ni-cads -- they're low power. And don't buy other brands of ni-cads; one of the things that Shack does well is putting a good price on good batteries.

3) Buy a Radio Shack Ni-Cad charger, Cat. No. 23-249, at $6.99. This is only a temporary expedient -- to charge your batteries pre-y2k, so you can complete your rig's setup and test it out. Remember the only reason you're going thru this whole rigamarole if is if you DON'T have AC power post-y2k. If that scenario unfolds you'll need a solar panel-driven 12volt DC charger. (Oh? You're not planning on solar panels to power this and your other y2k gear? Rotsa Ruck, pardner!)

4) Where do you get inexpensive surplus solar chargers? Lots of info in my past articles in the archives of y2k.entrewave.net -- do a search using 'Schenker' for author -- also refurbs from Damark and Earthland catalogs. You haven't got the time for a search, but do have the money? -- have Radio Shack order you their 1.8watt, 12v panel, Cat. No. RSU 11931532, at $32.99.

5) Buy a volt/ohm/ammeter and learn how to use it -- you'll need it to check out your batteries, etc. (Haven't got time to get into it to this level? That's OK --- just keep spending your time flaming the Pollys on this forum -- they LOVE it when you walk away from your preps and devote ATTENTION to them. The only loser in that duet? ---- YOU.)

6) Now you may want to hook up a good external antenna system to your Walkie-Talkie. But not necessarily .... We live on the highest ridge in the county and I'm able to get a mile range with just the collapsible one on the unit. If you only need 1/2 mile or less you should do fine with nothing extra. If you need the extra range you need to buy the right size and type of 'vertical whip,' along with good quality coax cable and connector adaptors. Your best bet for that is to find a knowledgeable Shack dealer. I know you think that's an oxymoron. However here in the South CB is still alive and kicking (along with good classic Country Western music, professional truckers, and redneck Country Boys --- it's a little bit anachronistic -- but hey, I no longer smirk when I hear my Rebel neighbors [and newly acquired relatives] say, "The South will arise AGAIN!!!") ........ Think about it --- how much value will city slicker expertise in The Information Highway do you -- if y2k is a HUMONGOUS bump in the road? Which is another way of saying here in Cullman, AL, there is a Shack dealer who's never missed a technical question I've thrown at him. Search one out in your vicinity. Or else befriend a ham operator. (But a caveat on that one --- more later, below.)

7) Now comes the custom adaptation for secure comm work. Call up JAN Crystals, 800-526-9825, Mon-Th 8-5, Frid 9-3 (orders only), EST. Order a pair of crystals (one for the 'Transmit' circuit, and one for the 'Receive' circuit) for each CB unit you have. They'll ask you for the specs, or for what rig they'll be used in. Tell them they're for a Radio Shack TRC 220R Walkie-Talkie, an earlier model than your TRC 235; their files don't include info on the latter, but it uses the same tuned circuit. The holder type you want is the HC25. They'll cost you $10 for each crystal, $20 a pair, plus $2.50 shipping. You'll also give them the frequency you want the crystals "cut" for. The next info is crucial:

Do not order crystals for one of the standard 40 channels. Instead choose a frequency outside those channels. I'd recommend asking for a Transmit crystal cut to 27.415 MHz, and a Receive crystal cut to 26.960 MHz. (This Receive crystal must be cut 0.455 MHz below your Transmit frequency.)

##############################

ATTENTION, FOLKS! You will soon be witness to a flaming interchange sure to follow this post. It will go something like the following:

Righteously Indignant Polly (and/or maybe a ham radio operator of many years standing): "Hey, wait a minute, Doc --- did you say buy an ILLEGAL!!! crystal set????"

Doc: "Yep."

RIP (&/or ham op'r): "Do you realize you're recommending your readers BREAK THE LAW?!!"

Doc: "Nope."

RIP: "Do you realize if your readers attempt to broadcast on an illegal frequency the FCC can 'bust' them, fine them, get them into big trouble?"

Doc: "Yep."

RIP: "I'm absolutely flabbergasted --- what POSSIBLE justification can you offer for your advice inciting a criminal act, just begging for the FCC to move in and prosecute??!!! (Actually, it doesn't surprise me --- all you Doomers Are Absolutely On The Edge Anyway!)"

Doc: "Well, first of all I didn't say my readers should BROADCAST on those frequencies -- before y2k, the readers should use their channel 14 crystal to do all their checking with. They should NOT use their offband crystals. Not until/unless after y2k we lose the electric grid, and along with it telephone service -- and incidentally heat, food delivery, medical care, and a few other minor comforts. If that happens what does legality have to do with survivability?"

RIP: "You're a criminal!"

Doc: "You're cognitively dissonant. And oh, if y2k is a Great Big Baddie ..... may you R.I.P."

#####################################

Good luck with your 'secure' CB. Remember it does NOT replace a good HF ham radio station.

----- Bill, KG4DHJ

P.S. Can any of you comm experts add any more info/advice/critique? B.

-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), June 28, 1999

Close, Sesame!

Bill

-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), June 28, 1999.

Dr. Bill,

Thank you! Printing it out now...hey, don't worry about the bold stuff. Don't hide out in that cave too long...you're needed out here!

-- Jill D. (jdance@mindspring.com), June 28, 1999.

One thing is for sure, the cb radio has been misused and taken over by everybody and his brother who wants to be famous in whatever little corner of the world they live in. But the flip side is that cb's are very handy to have on the road. On a recent road trip to Colorado from Florida I had my little Cobra hand held set and time and time again it came in handy to find out what delays were about, which lanes to be in, and when to exit to use an alternate route. They are the perfect road companion. I'd recomend to anyone who wants to stay in contact to have one.

-- (ed@Interstate40.com), June 28, 1999.

No flames but compared to what you can do with a scanning 2 meter NBFM transceiver or a synthesized HF multimode rig (if you clip the right wire), that's a lot of work for little return.

I have an ICOM 2 meter VXO SSB/CW transceiver and a 100 watt amplifier for it.

-cory

-- ah6gi/3 (kiyoinc@ibm.XOUT.net), June 28, 1999.

Thanks for the info Doc. We purchased a shortwave when it was on sale at the shack a few months ago. We didn't know the first thing about shortwave,but my husband has been learning & enjoying it. Our daughter is stationed in Germany & if we don't have communication,at least we can hear what is happening around the world. The information you have provided for local communication will help us immensely. We didn't have the slightest idea where to begin & it was next on our list. I have lurked at this sight since last August & have missed maybe 15 evenings in all that time. People have come & gone & I have seen lots of change. I have never considered myself a doomer. I am just self reliant & care enough about the ones I love to prepare for them, just in case. I don't want to see my family suffer if I can prevent it by making wise preparations now. I wouldn't dream of not preparing based on what I have learned over the past year. If we don't use it, we can always donate it to charity. I just don't see what the big deal is. Keeping a well stocked pantry was commonplace years ago,but with progress,we are a generation of having things at a moments notice. It may turn out to be a 2 or 3.but I have fluctuated between 7 & 10 along & that hasn't changed. We have prepared for a 10, God help us all if it is!

-- Raven (Raven@deepwoods.com), June 28, 1999.

Bill, This is NOT as secure as it sounds. Everybody using a scanner, a AM receiver with SW and anyone ( and there are many) with one of the *export* CB radios will be able to listen to it.

Unless you spent the money for good spread spectrum or digital scrambled equipment you are exposed to the rif raf.( who probably also will use some kind of communication ) Now here is what I am doing. I bought 10 spread spectrum data tranceivers that are used in the 950 Mhz band. I got them at the Rochester,NY Hamfest for $30 each. This units shoud hit the used equipment market everywhere in the US soon as they get phased out by utility and other services. They are easy modifyed for regular voice use as they have a mike input in addition to the data input. The output power is 5-8 watts. Tests have shown a reliable 5-10 mile range in our suburb using the Radio Shack discone antenna .They are made by California Microwave and others. I realize this will not work for the average person that does not have the technical knowledge to use and modify them.

I also look into using 900 Mhz spread spectrum phones with paging function. The paging function lets you use the comunication between the base and the phone without a dialtone. With external antenna on the base the usable distance should be at least 1/2 mile ( use Radio Shack discone antenna)This could be used localy where the other radios will be used between multiple families here in town all this again with using small omnidirectional antennas. A 5/8 wavelength antenna antenna for 950 Mhz is very small and can be hidden everywhere.Some phones need a voltage on the input where the phone line is connected. Two 9V bateries in series should do the trick this will also erlau to use a second phone on the line for house internal use ( no ring though)

-- Rickjohn (rickjohn1@yahoo.com), June 28, 1999.

Another Ham here (a lowly Tech but I do have the CSCEs from General, Advanced, and Extra, and when I get my Morse up to snuff I'll jump a few tickets REAL quick), but I do agree with the concept that if TSHTF it's not going to mean jack if you're broadcasting illegally off a five-watt (if you're lucky) retuned CB. The FCC wil have its own problems to deal with and busting local-level low power (<5 watt) miscreants using illegal transceivers to coordiante relief efforts will be REALLY low on the importance scale.

In fact, if enough people did it, and it was a major help, the FCC would probably declare that frequency area around 26.5-27.5 MHz an local citizens' emergency freq and you'd suddenly have authority to transmit anyway. They shuffle band access around to suit emergency situations all the time and Y2K would certainly fit the description if it all went postal.

By the way, there are LOTS of good antenna designs out there that can be tuned, and if you know the freq to transmit (gee, did he say 26.960 MHz/27.415 MHz?) you can find or calculate a decent design. I use a 4-element Yagi made from PVC pipe and aluminum tubing and I hit repeaters 30 miles away with two watts on 147-isn MHz. Cost me $20 in materials, another $20 for a length of RG/8 to run down the mast, and about two hours to assemble.

Very important though, if you go with an additional antenna to increase your range, get the best quality coax you can (to minimize losses form your already low-power handie-talkie-turned-pirate- station) and for God's sake follow the rules of what not to do when putting up an antenna. (You know, avoid powerlines, ground it properly, get a disconnect switch to ground it when you're not using it, that sort of stuff.)

But, if TS doesn't HTF, you'd darn well better not transmit on those "special" freqs you have crystals for unless you've got the FCC's blessings. They can be really mean about that sort of thing. (If you're lucky they only take everything remotely resembling a transmitter. If you're not, they take your stuff and then you.)

If anyone has a decent antenna design or links to 'em, might be nice to post them. :-)

OddOne

-- OddOne (mocklamer@geocities.com), June 28, 1999.

Not a bad idea there Dr. Bill!! Now lets add to the list of units that can be utilized using this concept. Can the FRS units be retuned? How about "commercial" units? What makes, models? How about hands free operation? Bone conductive mikes, throat mikes, VOX?

2 meter handie talkies are great but they can be eavesdropped on just like anything else. Unless you have access to some serious crypto gear most RF can be intercepted and listened too.

-- Freelancer (mercenary2000@yahoo.com), June 29, 1999.

It IS secure.

Hams dont listen to CB. They dont listen to funny freqs either.

Only the local funny freq "freeband" crowd will be listening. In our town of 120,000 there may be up to 120 of them, only about 20 are regular "talkers". Dont mess with them and they'll leave you alone.

Forget the cheap stuff. Buy a cherokee AH-100 handheld and check out the mod pages at QRZ.com

Or buy a galaxy dx-88 or a uniden 2510 or similar rig and modify it.

bills two way radio

BTW, if you do get the crystals, the regular CB channel crystals can put your crystal CB onto a funny freq just by SWITCHING the transmit and receive crystal positions (swap the rocks to the WRONG holder and voil! Instant funny freqs)

-- Quasimodo (hunchback@belltowr.com), June 29, 1999.

As I have spent almost 35 years in communication, Ham, Navy, and various Civil Defence Nets including Navy Mars I'd like to again stress that being able to LISTEN is your first priority. You old pros here have that covered but the new folks might need a little help.

I know it's boring and not exciting but your first news will come from your a.m. broadcast band. Next your t.v. (LCD 3" screen tv's are real frugal power users.)

The next source of info would come from a scanner, get one that runs on 12v if possible. Program in the freqs for your police, electric company, gas and telephone crews. Also the news choppers and the roving reporters. You can buy a directory at Rat Shack or find the freqs on the net. Fema and other fed freqs are also included.

A good sw receiver like the Sangean 909 is very important. International news, all hf ham freqs and c.b freqs are available and the better portables have all mode receive. Specify to your radio dealer you want upper and lower ssb capability. As you tune tru the c.b band you will cover all off channel signals just fine. That's because you are tuning by frequency not by channel.

The Feds spend a million bucks on receive eqpt for every buck on transmitters. And hams have a saying that you should spend 90% of your time listening and 10% transmitting. LIDS do the opposite.

Hope this helps, Bruce

-- Bruce (bwblanchard@ems.att.com), June 29, 1999.

OR you could go to one of the LEGAL Class A CB freqs, up in the 440- errr 460+ range (JUST outside the Ham range) and do it legally. It's called GMRS and the lic's aren't all that expensive.

Chuck

Who has a Galaxy or 2 on his shopping list SPECIFICALLY for the FM side of the freq's (YUP, Illegal as H33L and well......)

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), June 29, 1999.

COMMENTS/RECAP On Previous Responses:

CORY:

"......compared to what you can do with a scanning 2 meter NBFM transceiver or a synthesized HF multimode rig (if you clip the right wire), that's a lot of work for little return. I have an ICOM 2 meter VXO SSB/CW transceiver and a 100 watt amplifier for it."

Your setup IS much more efficient/powerful/convenient --- but you are a ham. The audience I have in mind for this thread is mostly the non-tech newbie to y2k preps, who doesn't know a SSB from an SOB.

RICKJOHN:

"This is NOT as secure as it sounds. Everybody using a scanner, a AM receiver with SW and anyone ( and there are many) with one of the *export* CB radios will be able to listen to it."

You're right -- it's a compromise; I'm counting on your average post-y2k predator, WHO NEVER PREPARED, will not know anything about the equipment you mention.

"Unless you spent the money for good spread spectrum or digital scrambled equipment...."

Yes, the $$$$ thing, as I mentioned initially, is why I did not recommend it.

" I bought 10 spread spectrum data tranceivers that are used in the 950 Mhz band. I got them at the Rochester,NY Hamfest for $30 each...... They are easy modifyed for regular voice use as they have a mike input in addition to the data input. The output power is 5-8 watts. Tests have shown a reliable 5-10 mile range in our suburb using the Radio Shack discone antenna .They are made by California Microwave and others. ....... I realize this will not work for the average person that does not have the technical knowledge to use and modify them. "

This is GREAT info, even with that proviso in your last sentence. In order for it to work for the non-techie audience here, they would have to find hams/techies like you to do the mods on the equipment for them. The logistics are a problem, but some may want to contact you and work a $$$ deal with you for some rigs.

But speaking of logistics, I see a more fundamental problem in implementing this project for most y2k preppers --- what you mention below:

"This ... units shoud hit the used equipment market everywhere in the US soon as they get phased out by utility and other services." We've got less than 6 months to get ready --- will the 'utility and other services' accommodate our schedule?

But your next paragraph describes what appears to be a REAL winner:

"I also look into using 900 Mhz spread spectrum phones with paging function. The paging function lets you use the comunication between the base and the phone without a dialtone. With external antenna on the base the usable distance should be at least 1/2 mile ( use Radio Shack discone antenna)This could be used localy where the other radios will be used between multiple families here in town all this again with using small omnidirectional antennas. A 5/8 wavelength antenna antenna for 950 Mhz is very small and can be hidden everywhere."

I had originally considered this option myself -- but didn't know how to energize the system without being hooked to Telco -- wondered if it was simply a matter of putting a DC voltage to the right input -- but not savvy enuf about telco technology. You've laid out an answer:

"Some phones need a voltage on the input where the phone line is connected. Two 9V bateries in series should do the trick this will also erlau [allow] to use a second phone on the line for house internal use ( no ring though)"

ATTENTION, FOLKS: What's being said here is that Rickjohn's described a system that is about as secure as one could get, with equipment purchasable locally, relatively inexpensive, and relatively easy to implement. This setup appears a lot more effective than my 'secure CB' design. Can you, Rickjohn, or some other techie who has the time, put a system or two together, to prove it out, and then post a DoItYourSelf article along the lines I did with the opening post here? (e.g., sources, model numbers & catalog numbers [of phone sets and antennas,] prices, & specific hookup instructions [like how to specifically hook up the 18vDC power pack -- 2 nine volt 'transistor' batteries in series -- to the modular phone plug])

Another question: could some techie person look into doing the same thing as above but instead with cordless phones possessing the 'scrambler' feature?

The 'profit' you would reap for publishing the project's results would be staggering: you could save some lives, post-y2k.

QUASIMOTO:

"Only the local funny freq "freeband" crowd will be listening. In our town of 120,000 there may be up to 120 of them, only about 20 are regular "talkers". Dont mess with them and they'll leave you alone."

Yeah, that's what I would be counting on to make the concept practical post-y2k.

"BTW, if you do get the crystals, the regular CB channel crystals can put your crystal CB onto a funny freq just by SWITCHING the transmit and receive crystal positions (swap the rocks to the WRONG holder and voil! Instant funny freqs)"

That was my first thought when looking into the mod --- but then I was reminded that the Receive crystal always has to be 0.455MHz below the Transmit crystal. So if you swapped crystals on two identically-equipped walkie-talkies they could each transmit on the same frequency, but NEITHER of them could receive the other's signal. That's when I called up JAN & ordered the custom 'rocks.'

BRUCE:

"......your first news will come from your a.m. broadcast band. Next your t.v. ..... The next source of info would come from a scanner ..... your police, electric company, gas and telephone crews. Also the news choppers and the roving reporters. ..... Fema and other fed freqs are also ..... " ALSO ---

"A good sw receiver like the Sangean 909 is very important. International news, all hf ham freqs and c.b freqs are available and the better portables have all mode receive."

The above description fits very well with the classical role of radio communications in local, regional, national, and international events lo these many decades. By contrast, what this thread focussed on from the beginning is another set of affairs altogether. As a matter of fact the scenario envisioned in the early part of my initial post HAS NOT EVER HAPPENED. (And in truth a true Polly is dead certain it NEVER will happen.) I probably should have stated it more explicitly:

If y2k is bad enough, the electric power grid may go down. If y2k is even badder, it may STAY down for a while. (I won't even mention what might happen if y2k is STILL badder than that.) It's conceivable for some of us that if the entire grid goes down, the various traditional communication services you describe ---won't hang around for long doing public service. Rather they'll be at home trying to figure out how to take care of their cold, hungry, thirsty family. It is such a 'fantasy' that provides the context to re-state from my opening post:

"Back to the early post-y2k scenario. You will want to be able to talk to your trusted y2k-co-planning neighbor, or close family members in the near vicinity, say within a mile or maybe two of your homestead. You may need to discuss defense strategies, reports of marauders, their positions, their likely next moves. That's NOT the time you want anybody eavesdropping your comms,......"

In other words, we are addressing the need for TWO-way comm between neighbors and family -- not to find out what FEMA and the like can do for our plight. We kicked around this difference in comm needs in some detail on a thread about a month ago: I think it went something like 'Shortwave Radios Revisited,' and will be found in this forum's archives under 'Telecommunications.'

My bottomline: if scanners and SW rigs are still pumping out good info, that will make a difference in our welfare --- then we will be a LOT better off than the scenarios some of us envision. Hope you're right, Bruce.

CHUCK (IE CHEEZE):

Hello there, Chuck!

Yep, if you've got the time, $$$, expertise to assemble that kind of gear -- it will probably do you fine -- as long as you've outfitted your friends/family/neighbors with rigs that can talk to yours.

EVERYBODY:

Tnx for participating in this roundtable. May it help save some lives.

Bill

-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), June 29, 1999.

Bill,

I will modifie a couple sets and see what is needed.

It will take a while ( a couple weeks maybe). I let you guy's know how it works.

-- Rickjohn (rickjohn1@yahoo.com), June 29, 1999.

An alternative is to purchase Marine band radios...which aren't used much inland (or off Kaua'i, for that matter) rather than the more popular CB radios. As I remember, some have built-in scrambling for secure base to boat communications.

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), June 29, 1999.

Hi Bill, I thought you might have some new folks just seeing this

-- Bruce (bwblanchard@ems.att.com), June 29, 1999.

hi, bill. i thought you might be interested to know that i used the NVIS horizontal loop during my state RACES y2k drill on june 12. it was marvelous. there were thunderstorms all over, making it hard for people to hear anything on the 40m and 80m bands which they were using. but my antenna cut the noise in half, and it got out all over the state like it's supposed to. from what i heard, it was a successful drill. there will be about 3 more. you can never have enough drills.

-- jocelyne slough, wz9m (jonslough@tln.net), June 30, 1999.

JOCELYNE:

The discussion here of NVIS antennas is a little O.T. for this thread, but I'm anxious to set up my NVIS, too. There's a lot of hams with hi-priced glamorous antennas who may well have trouble getting out (and getting in, noise-free) for regional communications post-y2k. (Of course those fancy beams will still be good for Contest Days -- I suppose Bill Clinton and Bill Gates will make sure y2k never gets THAT bad that they will have to cancel out the contests.)

'73, Bill

-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), July 01, 1999.

You blow. You blow like a gay pornstar. Excuse me, it's 2003. Why the heck are you worried about Y2K? Stick your head back up your anal passage where it belongs.

-- Ben Dover (noneofyourbeezwax@goscrewadonkey.org), February 18, 2003.

It seems that some terribly misinformed person actually believes they can survive the multiple calamities that Y2K will surely bring by deceiving themselves into thinking it's 2003!!!

Doc, better check this guy out--he needs major help!

-- Stu Pidasso (iblowtoo@jckmeof.com), November 24, 2003.

bend over my knee bitch you freaking didnt even look at the last date of post before you posted ASSHOLE It was 1999 the last post before you Such a cock smoker

-- BLOW ME ALL NIGHT LONG BLOW HARD BENDOVER (BENDDOVER BLOWSDONKEYS@AOL.com), August 12, 2004.