The Y2K net is startinggreenspun.com : LUSENET : TimeBomb 2000 (Y2000) Preparation Forum : One Thread |
I have good news for those of you who have been waiting for a Y2K-oriented HF net to start. Bill Schenker and I are beginning to set up this net. If you want to participate (or listen, if your license does not permit you to participate), here are the frequencies and times on which we are attempting to make contact. To the best of our ability, we will try this every night until further notice, beginning tonight, September 15th, at 9 p.m. Central time.I will be the net control for this net, at least at first. The directions for attempting contact are:
1. I will listen on the specified frequency for noise or another conversation in progress.
2. If I do not hear either of the above, I will call "CQ Y2K net" for two minutes.
3. If I do not hear a response within two minutes, I will move to the next frequency on the list.
4. If I do hear from anyone, I'll ask for additional check-ins from any others who want to join in.
5. When everyone who wants to check-in has done so, we will go in order of check-in to take messages or comments from anyone who wants to say anything.(Note that this is a fairly rapid sequence of frequency changes, which means that accurate time synchronization is important. Please make sure that your watch is accurately synchronized to an official time tick such as WWV or commercial radio or television station time signal, or you won't be able to keep up with the frequency changes.)
Frequency Central Time
3.925 9:00
3.905 9:02
3.865 9:047.275 9:06
7.255 9:08
7.235 9:1014.275 9:12
14.255 9:14
14.245 9:16I realize that those of you with Tech Plus licenses will not be able to join in this net. For this reason, we're also going to have a 10m phone net that starts at 10 p.m. Central time. I plan to participate in this net as well, and urge others to do so too. If anyone would like to volunteer as net control for this net, please email me; until I hear from somebody, I'll serve as net control for this as well. Here are the frequencies and times for the 10 m phone net.
Frequency Central Time
28.365 10:00
28.345 10:02
28.325 10:04Unfortunately, 10 m phone doesn't have a very long range most of the time. For this reason, once we get this phone net going, I intend to start a CW net that will allow the Tech Plus licensees to participate on 40 and 80 meters.
In the meantime, I welcome any email feedback from any of you who can hear our conversation, as that will give us some idea of how wide an area we are reaching.
I think this is one of the most important things that any of us can do to try to improve conditions next year if Y2K turns out to be even a fraction as bad as I think it will. If you don't have an HF license, please study as hard as you can to qualify for one. If you have a Tech Plus license, please study your code so you can upgrade to a General. We're going to need everyone we can get to keep communications flowing, even at a very reduced level, next year.
Thank you in advance for your participation. I hope to hear from all of you on the net.
-- Steve Heller (stheller@koyote.com), September 15, 1999
I'm a studyin', I'm a studyin'! Exams here for no-code tech in 10 days...
-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), September 15, 1999.
Because of a voluntary communications emergency declared by the FCC due to hurricane Floyd, we're going to have to change the frequencies on which we try to establish our 9 p.m. Central time net tonight. The new frequency and time list is as follows:Frequency Central Time
3.935 9:00
3.905 9:02
3.865 9:047.280 9:06
7.270 9:08
7.250 9:1014.275 9:12
14.255 9:14
14.245 9:16The 10m phone net at 10 Central time is unaffected by these changes.
-- Steve Heller (stheller@koyote.com), September 15, 1999.
RESULTS OF WED EVENING'S (9/15) ATTEMPTS TO START THE NET:The emergency blocking out of some of our frequencies because of hurricane Floyd sort of messed up our plans -- crowded a lot of contacts into fewer band openings. At one point I heard Steve, and another time he heard me, but we were stepping on other people's already established contacts. So here's the new plan:
Steve will conduct further attempts in the evening. He will publish the times and sequence here sometime in the morning. Then starting the following morning, Friday, Sept. 17, at 7AM I will give it a try. The purpose of the early morning sched is to avoid the 'evening crush' -- hopefully not too many eager beavers will be on the air then.
In addition, because I don't think we'll have to worry nearly as much about QRM, already-occupied frequencies, I will sequence thru only two frequencies per band, on each of four bands. And I will stay on each frequency for four minutes, instead of two. That will give us all more time to tweak our antenna tuners to optimum, and to make a quick check in on the QSO for each participant, if there's more than one who can get thru and join in.
These first few days, I won't concentrate on generating a fullbore net, with plenty of time for discussion for each participant. Rather it will be just to see what kinds of range each of us can generate, and whether we make contacts at all. Later on, maybe next week, after we survey the contacts pattern, we can settle on maybe one band, and a window of frequencies close together, to establish a regular, conventional, net schedule. So expect just a quick confirmation of each one's call sign, and then on to the next frequency.
Here's the sched, subject to change if the FCC blocks any of our chosen freqs because of Floyd, and sort of oddball bec of trying to squeeze our freqs in betw the emergency freqs already declared:
7AM 3.935 MHz 7:04 3.905
7:08 7.244 7:12 7.238
7:16 14.275 7:20 14.255
7:24 28.365 7:28 28.345
The whole test should take no more than about 1/2 hour. So set your alarm clocks. If you're a late waker-upper, just consider it another small sacrifice in the name of y2k preps.
Will we try it 7AM on Saturday too? I don't know -- it may be that since it's a weekend we might run into a lot of QRM even at that early hour. We'll see. I'll post it on this thread if that's the plan.
Bill, kg4dhj
-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), September 16, 1999.
Sorry for the formatting error of the table -- no way to change it now.One other point: we would appreciate a 'QSL' report from all who are participating. Please email us with the call signs of anyone of us y2k'ers whom you hear on the assigned freqs. And even if you are only monitoring (listening) rather than transmitting, please email us with your reports. This will help us determine which frequencies will be the best to finally settle on. The pattern will vary depending on where you live, your local time, and of course propagation anomalies.
BTW, the starting time of 7AM Central Daylight Time is equivalent to a UTC of 0000 hours, if I calculate correctly.
Wish us luck,
Bill, kg4dhj
-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), September 16, 1999.
Actually, 0700 Central is 1200 UTC, not 0000 UTC.
-- Steve Heller (stheller@koyote.com), September 16, 1999.
Here is the latest news on the Y2K-oriented HF net that Bill Schenker and I are beginning to set up.To the best of our ability, we will try this every night until further notice.I will be the net control for this net, at least at first. The directions for attempting contact are:
1. I will listen on the specified frequency for noise or another conversation in progress.
2. If I do not hear either of the above, I will call "CQ Y2K net" for three minutes.
3. If I do not hear a response within three minutes, I will move to the next frequency on the list.
4. When switching bands on the 20-40-80 meter net, I will allow another three minutes for retuning.
5. When and if I hear from anyone, I'll stay on that frequency, and ask for additional check-ins from any others who want to join in.
6. When everyone who wants to check-in has done so, we will go in order of check-in to take messages or comments from anyone who wants to say anything.(Note that this is a fairly rapid sequence of frequency changes, which means that accurate time synchronization is important. Please make sure that your watch is accurately synchronized to an official time tick such as WWV or commercial radio or television station time signal, or you won't be able to keep up with the frequency changes.)
Because many people have only Tech Plus licenses, they will not be able to join in the "main" net. For this reason, we're planning a 10m phone net that starts at 7:30 p.m. Central time. If anyone would like to volunteer as net control for this net, please email me; until I hear from somebody, I'll serve as net control for this as well. Here are the frequencies and times for the 10 m phone net.
Frequency Central Time
28.365 7:30
28.345 7:33
28.325 7:36Unfortunately, 10 m phone doesn't have a very long range most of the time. For this reason, once we get this phone net going, I intend to start a CW net that will allow the Tech Plus licensees to participate on 40 and 80 meters.
Here are the frequencies and times for the "main" net:
Frequency Central Time
14.275 8:00
14.255 8:03
14.245 8:063 minute retuning time
7.245 8:12
7.240 8:15
7.228 8:183 minute retuning time
3.925 8:24
3.905 8:27
3.865 8:30I welcome any email feedback from any of you who can hear our conversation, even if you can't respond, as that will give us some idea of how wide an area we are reaching.
I think this is one of the most important things that any of us can do to try to improve conditions next year if Y2K turns out to be even a fraction as bad as I think it will. If you don't have an HF license, please study as hard as you can to qualify for one. If you have a Tech Plus license, please study your code so you can upgrade to a General. We're going to need everyone we can get to keep communications flowing, even at a very reduced level, next year.
Thank you in advance for your participation. I hope to hear from all of you on the net.
-- Steve Heller (stheller@koyote.com), September 16, 1999.
EVERYBODY:After a very disappointing attempt last night we finally hit paydirt tonight. N4EW (Pete Culwell), AA2GS (Russ Conners), W5JJP (John Prince), and I had a roundtable going on 7.245MHz from about 8 to 9 PM. One of the fellows heard WA0CPP (Steve Heller) but couldn't make contact with him.
Anyway, here's a cut/paste of an email I sent to the participants after the QSO tonight, with some general reflections on what this all means, and where we can go from here. As you can see we are planning to get up at 5AM this coming morning to meet again. If any other nuts care to do the same listen in and/or call in.
#######################################################
Dear John, Pete (Can't find your email addr on QRZ.com, Pete,) and Russ:
Congratulations on us pulling off the roundtable QSO on only the second day of trying. Considering how long it usually takes for groups to get going (gradually, over months and years) that was quite a feat. I think we're all looking forward to developing a reliable post-y2k (and even pre-y2k) means of exchanging information, if Y2K turns out to be a bad 'un. Here's some thoughts off the top of my head -- don't know how valid they are -- would welcome comments, either on the Net, on the Forum, via email, or Telco.
First off, I'm going to assume the best most of us will be able to do power-wise in y2k is 100 watts. I'm also assuming that our primary mode will be SSB --- I don't expect any of us will have the surplus time to bang a CW key for a half-hour at a time info exchanges that voice will accomplish in a matter of a few minutes. To say nothing of the intelligence/information loss that occurs when we can't use inflection, pauses, and emphases in our comm loops. I'm also assuming that propagation will continue to manifest its hour to hour, day to day, week to week, and season to season vagaries, no matter where in the sunspot cycle we are in. My final assumption is that in a serious post-y2k world, we won't be wasting electrical power, time, or focus --- on a 'hobby' activity; we'll have serious things on our minds when we hit the P.T.T. button. Rather it'll be questions on medical care, water sourcing technology, energy technology, personal defense issues, gardening advice, animal husbandry advice, mechanical workshop advice, etc., etc.
I believe all of the above points to the requirement of a RELIABLE network system, something we can rely on any hour, any day. So what I'm thinking is that we may consider ourselves fortunate if we can maintain REGIONAL nets at best. (Local nets like within 10 to 20 miles, and very local like within 5 miles, we can probably cover with other, low-power means, using efficient outdoor antennas, e.g.: 2m HT, CB, FRS, and GMRS.) Regional to me means maybe within a 500-600 mile radius (maybe it'll have to be less.) I notice the only ones who made it tonight are all in the Southeast. (I hope I can be proven wrong, but that's my hunch at this point.)
If that hunch is right, I think we should focus on developing these reliable regional nets, rather than reach for that elusive skip to reach someone way out of our region. It's sure fun to talk to W7s, and W6s, W1s, and VEs, but can we rely on those contacts day in and day out? So along this line of reasoning, I'm hoping that maybe a SW Net, a NE Net, a mid-America Net, a NW Net, and maybe an eastern Canada and a western Canada Net can come to life. Then I would like to see each of those regionals stabilize enough to where they could assign a relay station (with maybe a backup station) to bridge to the next region over. They would probably be living near the outer section of their region, close by that next region. All of this the ideal, and we may never have enough personnel to pull it off, but I'd like your responses to it.
In the meantime, riding my present euphoria, I've talked you guys into meeting tommorrow morning at FIVE (!!) AM, Central Time, on 7.245MHz to see what happens. Hopefully, there won't be too many other nutcases up at that ungodly hour already working our freq. If it is occupied let's try sliding maybe 5KHz above and below till we find a clear spot to do our Net. If we make it together, when we're done QSO'ing we'll settle on our next sched together. If we don't we'll set up the next attempt via email.
I will now cut/paste (omitting phone numbers) this email to the Prep forum on our thread "The Y2K net is starting." so others can get encouragement, and hopefully venture out themselves, in their own regions.
BTW, I talked to Steve Heller after our QSO; he said he was able to hear N4EW on 14.275, but that's all.
Very 73s to ya'll,
#############################################
Hopefully this will lead to bigger and better things,
Bill, kg4dhj
-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), September 17, 1999.
Bill and Forum Friends,I've been racking my brains trying to figure out what rig to buy with my Tech plus license. I've spent money galore on preps and by the time I thought about ham gear, I'm almost plum out. So regretably I must stick with a 2 meter hand-held with solar battery charger. I made this decision with a bit of good news that I just learned from a local ham. Most repeaters would fail if the power grids were to fail (this I suspected). But, a precious few repeaters use a "Hot Battery Back-Up System and a "Solar Panel", or two, in order to maintain the charge on the back-up battery(s). A few of these type repeaters may operate for an undetermined amount of time. There is one in my vicinity of VA located on Peak's Knob, Pulaski, Va, at an elevation of 3200 feet or better. For me, this seems the way to go. I want so much to be a part of this net. I am a Registered Nurse so could help out in that way. Perhaps when TSHTF I can hook up (through the repeater) with someone that is willing to join this net I can then become a part of the "regional" net and join "the big boys."
I plan on buying a rig shortly (read...as soon as my next paycheck comes in : ) so any suggestions on which brand etc. to buy would be appreciated.
I wish to publically thank Bill for all of his help and kindness in answering my many queries. Bill, you may be an O.M. but in my eyes you are "forever young" LOL.
Debi KG4DCY
-- Debi (dhaw@rlc.net), September 17, 1999.
REPORT ON TODAY'S 5AM NET QSO, & OTHER RAMBLINGS:There was NO propagation on 7.245 so we moved down to 3.931 and had a 3-way: N4EW, AA2GS, and me. We're planning on trying again on Monday, 9/20 at 5AM on 3.937 (and sliding up from there if the freq is occupied.) Talked some about water filters in connection with rainwater collection systems.
The fact that propagation on 40m at 5AM was ZILCH points up 3 things:
1) We probably all need 100-watt rigs to get thru bad conditions, and we may have to settle on 80m for our regional nets. 80 has been the traditional band for nighttime local QSO's. 40 is also supposed to be good for regional stuff, in addition to DX, but it sure got stepped on by the atmospherics. BTW, the ARRL's regular propagation report has mentioned there's considerable geomagnetic disturbances in the past few days. May explain what happened.
2) There's talk about a lot more geomagnetic irregularities coming up around the century rollover and thereafter. Adding it all up, it may well be that all we can have for RELIABLE y2k Nets are regional QSOs on 80 meters. Making "contacts around the world on 5 watts" is a thrill from a hobby standpoint (which is what ham radio has always been except in times of short-term disasters) -- but it's not something we can rely on if there is a long-term disruption in the public telecommunication system.
3) It's this kind of viewpoint that leaves the average ham operator bored stiff when you talk to him about y2k. So be prepared for our Jeremiah role to continue.
Bill, kg4dhj
P.S. I recommend those hams who want to participate in the Y2K Net put their email addr in their QRZ.com database file. That way we can contact each other about future sched changes. B.
-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), September 17, 1999.
OK, here in NE area but not a ham. Remedying that ASAP by studying novice and tech (think I'll be ready for exam in three weeks) and getting sw to learn Morse ASAP. No rig yet, almost out of prep dollars. Would appreciate anyone with leads on incredible deals for an awesome rig(can I borrow one from someone, ho-ho-ho?). Willing to work hard and be available if TSHTF.
-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), September 17, 1999.
Sorry I can't participate. But I have a foot in other worlds.........The local hams did quite well during Floyd. There were constant connections through repeaters on the no code tech bands. Those of us in the lower peon ranges can get involved with the local nets.
The repeater thing takes some figuring out, especially the interlinked ones.
-- Forrest Covington (theforrest@mindspring.com), September 18, 1999.
BIG DOG:Talk to Art Welling (artw@lancnews.infi.net) -- he bought an entire STATION's worth of HF at an estate sale for peanuts. Also JOIN YOUR LOCAL HAM CLUB, and ACT INTERESTED (I know it's a strain) -- then ask if any older ham, about to enter a nursing home, has his HF gear for sale. Also if you locate some gear for sale, make sure to have a club friend accompany you to ck out the gear.
Rule of thumb: Only the old guys will appreciate your interest in HF gear. Almost all the young guys on the other hand will tell you "Hey, 2meter HT (handieTalkies) are the only way to go: they're cheaper, everybody's into it, AND YOU CAN TALK ALL OVER THE COUNTRY USING THE REPEATER NETWORK!" If you believe that will be true in the post-y2k world you and I are preparing for, you must have taken Alan Greenspan's talk yesterday WAY too seriously.
FORREST:
I know the repeater network, up and running now, has done, is doing, & will do a great job in emergencies like Floyd. Are you serious when you expect them to be able to handle an 'emergency' that could last MONTHS (That's me trying to be optimistic.)?
Bill, kg4dhj
-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), September 18, 1999.
REPORT ON TONIGHT'S NET OP'N (I missed last nite's.) Starting at 8PM: 14.275 -- KA1LCR, Toni, Kingston, NH, 100w
N0GIP, Dale, Minneapolis, MN, 100w
WA0CPP, Steve -- barely?
KG4DHJ, Bill, north of Birmingham, AL, 100w 7.245 -- lots of QRM
7.288 -- KA1LCR, KG4DHJ 3.925 -- nix
3.905 -- nix
3.865 -- very occupied, apparently a long-standing multi-group, Steve says he's been told that freq is ALWAYS busy. Well, results are less than ideal, but we are making headway. Good luck for tomorrow nite, same sched, unless Steve changes some of the freqs in light of above. 73, Bill, kg4dhj
-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), September 19, 1999.
Sorry for the formatting mess above --- tried my hand at html again - a disaster. Bill
-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), September 19, 1999.
REPORT ON TONITE'S NET:We started at 8PM C.T. on 14.275. Fortunately nearby QRM wasn't overwhelming us and we had a 6-way QSO. Actually it was only a 4-way, but because K0TPF, of Freeman, S.D., was situated so well, and had a 4-elem beam 75' up (also didn't hurt that he had 2KW available, altho didn't have to use it all the time) -- Fred was able to relay the outer fringe people by re-orienting his beam. There was WA0CPP, Steve Heller, 20 watts; KK7NF, Alan, Pahrump, NV; N0FK, Don, OR; NOGIP, Dale, Minn. 'burb, on mobile for a short while, and KK7IF, Dudley, Las Vegas, NV, using 20 watts, battery-powered. There was some QSB, QRN, and QRM, but not enough to require a QSY, so it was the best so far.
Topics of interest: Net protocol--what shape should/will the net take; backup comm to our air time: landlines, email, website feedback; and using alternate power for our rigs comes Y2K. (Re the latter, I mentioned that I'm researching a method of powering our rigs from PV panels using an "array-direct" method -- eliminates the need for storage batteries (but of course limits air time to when the sun is shining. I'll get the word out when I learn the nitty-gritties.)
Re the backup comm link, I strongly recommended everyone who wants to participate in the Y2K Net should get to the (www.qrz.com) database and put their email addr in there. This way we can give feedback to each other re what transpired during the QSOs (and what thoughts bubbled up after we QRT'd.) Also, if there's a change in sched, or other important announcements to get out, we can do so without supporting Ma Bell (If you've got the shekels, of course, swapping fone #s is the most effective way.)
WHERE WILL THIS Y2K NET TAKE US, OVER THE NEXT 3 MONTHS (PRIOR to y2k)?
In response to that question have been getting some answers on the air, and by email. The drift seems to be: assuming everyone's got 100 watts to spare we'll be lucky to establish, RELIABLY, even regional nets. It will depend upon QRM, QRN, and propagation. (Barring any bad geomagnetic storms the Fall season should help things out for us as we move into it.)
What will thus probably happen is we will slowly begin to group ourselves into regional nets over the next 3 months. My guess is, optimistically, a NE, mid-Atlantic, SE, upper mid-West, lower mid-West and/or SW, and West Coast South and West Coast North (or maybe NW) relatively independent nets. How would we intercommunicate? Good question. Maybe email relays? Maybe radio relays by 'big guns' like Fred's 2KW station in S.D.? Maybe posts to Steve Heller's website? Maybe posts to this, the TB2000 website, where I do most of my posting? [For those who'll read this bulletin I'm posting right now -- but on a different site, e.g., Steve's, here's the TB2000 website URL: (http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=001PTT)] Look for the thread, "The Y2K Net is starting."
WHAT SHOULD BE THE MECHANICS OF BRINGING UP THE NET EACH TIME?
The feeling seems to be: pick a likely time (Most can make it at 8PM CT; and many can make that time most evenings during the week and into the weekend -- I don't know if I can.) and freq (14.275 seems to be OK so far.)
Then if it's clear at starting time stay with it. If the freq is murky, rather than make big jumps up & down the band, just slide up or down some KHz's till we find a relatively clear spot. That makes re-tune easier, but also we'll probably be able to recognize our other participants if they're fairly close by -- or at least hear some commotion on a nearby freq -- investigate, and join in when we find our buddies. The time frame to accomplish all that I would think should be a matter of minutes, no more. That brings us to probably no later than 8:05.
Now if the nearby freqs are a total loss, I'd recommend we jump down to 40m, starting off with 7.245, and sliding down from there till we find a clear spot. If that doesn't happen by say 8:10, then jump down to 3.905, using the same sliding protocol (up or down.) If that doesn't get our Net going by say 8:15, then we should read the writing on the wall, close down the shack, go back to the family room, and spend a little overdue time with the spouse or rugrats. (Or even, get busy with some more y2k preps?)
LAST POINT:
If I can't make Net Control for any reason let the first one in run the show. If that person's got big power, and a rotatable beam so much the better.
I think it's going to be pretty obvious that we're not planning to run any of our nets in the relatively formal fashion that would be necessary if we were handling regular traffic. What we probably want is to: 1) find out who our regional friends will be, 2) build the links -- learn what our reliable geographic ranges are, 3) support each other technically (hints and kinks re alternate power, antennas, rigs), 4) exchange good prep info, and 5) offer encouragement for handling what might be coming down the pike.
So we'll be looking for each other at 8PM CT on 14.275, tomorrow, Monday, 9/20.
(And if you're real kooky, join a few of us who will meet [again!] at 5AM, tomorrow, Monday, on 3.937MHz, [and maybe slide up a bit?] On Friday it was N4EW - Pete, AA2GS - Russ, and W5JJP - John, and me.)
73s, Bill, kg4dhj
-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), September 20, 1999.
BigDog:OK, here in NE area but not a ham. Remedying that ASAP by studying novice and tech (think I'll be ready for exam in three weeks) and getting sw to learn Morse ASAP. No rig yet, almost out of prep dollars. Would appreciate anyone with leads on incredible deals for an awesome rig(can I borrow one from someone, ho-ho-ho?). Willing to work hard and be available if TSHTF.
I don't know about borrowing a rig, but the next best thing is an SGC 2020, which can work all HF bands at 20 watts output or so, and can be purchased for about $675. Details on this and the other components necessary to get ready can be found on my amateur radio Y2K station set up page.
-- Steve Heller (stheller@koyote.com), September 20, 1999.
Steve -- Thanks for advice. BTW, I have ordered a "Sun Catcher Expedition" for my laptop and electronics (paid for by biz), but will deliver, they say, 24 watts solar. This would seem a nice fit for the unit you recommended, yea or nay?I was half-serious about "borrowing" -- will take minor miracle to come up with bucks for a rig before roll-over -- but I'll keep pushing forward with exams, etc., anyway. Can't justify as biz, since, um, a "10" will leave no biz! After spending huge bucks for prep (including regular SW), we're nearing the end of our ability, don't regret a penny, natch. Sigh. Do folks ever give or near give- away away older but serviceable eqpt? If you hear of anything, let me know.
-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), September 20, 1999.
BIGDOGGIE:My Kenwood TS120S, 100 watt output cost $350 at Burghardt in S.D. You CAN find them cheaper from private parties. You need a $50-75 mike too (used.)
I doubt ANY of us are prepared as we would like to be, except for the guys who went 'homesteading' in the '80s (Read about them in CountrySide mag, the best of the y2k guides.)
Bill, kg4dhj
-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), September 20, 1999.
MONDAY, 9/20, NET ACTIVITY REPORT:It was a BIG night, thanks to the gracious volunteer effort of Fred Walz, of Freeman, SD, K0TPF. With his 2KW output and various hi-gain (and homebrewed) antennas aloft at 75' over the flats of South Dakota he was able to rope in check-ins from all over the States. A local electrical storm took me out of the running shortly after starting the Net, so I had to rely on Fred relaying the 20-odd call signs (+ names, QTH, emergency power setups, and an email addr or two) -- I was able to copy clearly only one check-in, and 3 others very poorly.
What are the lessons to be learned and where do they direct us in the immediate future?
1) There can be no national net without a Net Control station that's putting out the kind of signal k0tpf can.
2) Fred volunteered to do the job as an initial helping hand, but his responsibilities & committments lie elsewhere; he's done us a great service, and that's the end of that chapter.
3) No one else has surfaced to take his place. I'd like to replace Fred, but I have only 100 watts, and my NVIS horizontal loop is only 9 feet off the ground -- ideal for close-in work, but ineffective for going national on a reliable basis. (I plan to raise the antenna to 20 feet which will help -- but it will take the rest of the week to do it. Even then I don't believe I've got the signal to do the job.)
4) THEREFORE, here's THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL: I will list below as much of the call sign database we've collected to date (hope I haven't missed many.) With this information at hand, it's time for each one of you to REACH OUT IN YOUR AREA, AND BECOME NET CONTROL FOR THAT AREA. It may start out slowly, but it should grow (e.g., I've been on 3.931-.937 talking to AA2GS, Russ Conners, in Independence, KY, at FIVE in the morning CT for several days now -- and there's been no one else. But hopefully, the word will start spreading.)
5) OK, if that plan starts bearing fruit, HOW DO YOUR VARIOUS AREA/REGIONAL NETS CROSS-COMMUNICATE? For now the best I can think of is TWO methods:
----------a) The Net Controllers can use email to cross-communicate progress reports, summaries, lists of questions, etc., between each other. Let email serve as your relay path.
----------b) The Net Controllers can also post to the "The Y2K Net is starting" thread on the TB2000 Prep forum and/or Steve Heller's website. LET THESE WEBSITES DO WHAT THEY'RE DESIGNED TO DO -- ACT AS A MEETING PLACE FOR ALL OF US. Let's use them while we have them. (If some of you Controllers are 'web shy', relay your email reprts to me and I'll post them.)
6) The thing to emphasize here is that altho a NATIONAL net would be the ideal it ain't gonna happen. The best we can hope for is to develop effective REGIONAL (or AREA) nets. Might as well start building the bonds now, before TSHTF. Trying to develop the net AFTER y2k is called FOF (Fix on Failure) --- I'd rather call it SOS (Sh** on a Stick.)
Here's the list:
K0TPF, Fred, SD [tpf59@gwtc.net]; N9VTB, George, Chicago; NOFGK, Don, OR; KM5UO/mobile, Frank, Knoxville, TN; W2CSH, Carl, Mt. Laurel, NJ; W5JJP, John, Katy, TX; AF4KB, Fred, Tuscaloosa, AL; WA4YGG, Steve, Franklin, NC - solar equipment; KK7NF, Alan, Pahrump, NV [achedg@wizard.com]; KB4ZEC, Winston, Hampton, VA, emergency power, retired A.F, [kb4zec@webtv.net]; KJ4DX, Mitch, Cummings, GA, emergency power; KE4JGJ, Mike, Elizabeth, TN; KBOZDF, Dean T. Miller, Nevada (Ames) Iowa [dtmiller@midiowa.net]; WA0CPP, Steve Heller, Sulfur Springs, TX [stheller@koyote.com]; KG4DHJ, Bill Schenker, Hanceville, AL [wjs@linkfast.net]; KF6MPD [gregalman@prodigy.net]; K6DLC; K3KHG; W4ZMX; WD4ESP; W7CMA; KK7IF; AA2GS, Russ Conners, Independence, KY [aa2gs@isoc.net]; N4EW, Pete Culwell, Monroe, GA [culwell@mindspring.com]; W5JJP, John Prince, Houston, TX [jjprince@aol.com]; WA0PBL, Fred, Souix Falls, SD [wa0pbl@arrl.net]; N6DKW, Bob Crozier, n.e. TX [rcrozier@koyote.com]; WA8YKN, "Mike" Miller [thomil@infocom.com]; N0GIP, Dale ("Tecky"), suburb of Minneapolis [tecky@pclink.com]; KK7IF, Dudley Emer, Las Vegas, 20watts, battery [demer@accessnv.com]; KA1LCR, Toni, Kingston, NH; KD4JML, Alan Clegg [abc-y2k-projects@firehouse.net]; KH7VM, Anita Gerhard, physician, Hawaii; WZ9M, Jocelyne Slough & KB9ATR, Jon Slough [jonslough@tln.net]; N8NLL, Chuck Rienzo [rienzoo@en.com]; KG4DCY, Debi [dhaw@rlc.net]; KN4AM, Stephen McGehee, DeLand, FL (east central FL, inland from Daytona Beach) 200 Watts [scm@adjutant.com]; KB8UXY, Jenny, Webmaster - CRRN Site (This is an extremely ambitious plan -- they're organizing an integrated CB/ham net! The URL is: [http://www.freeyellow.com/members6/bradfordy2k/listmem.html] --- go ck it out -- we may all want to join CRRN.), Columbus, OH [jtaylor@ee.net]; Devron Byerly - doesn't have his ticket yet but he is EAGER!, Murrieta, California, [Devron_Byerly@GENEVACO.COM]; got an email without a call sign -- [GlennEdit@aol.com].
My apologies for anyone I've left off the list, and for any typo errors I've made. (If you want to sue, call my lawyer.)
7) Parting shot: DO YOU SEE HOW IMPORTANT HOOKING YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS TO YOUR CALL SIGN IS? Without it how are you going to schedule with those in your region? Add your email addr to your qrz.com database entry -- do it now!
73s, Bill, kg4dhj
P.S. Tonite's sched: Tues, 9/21, 8PPM CT; 14.275 primary; 7.245 secondary; 3.905 tertiary. If there's QRM slide up or down. Good luck in your region. I won't post this nitely sched any more -- it's a starter, and each region may want to tailor it to their own propagation pattern, time zone, etc. B.
-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), September 21, 1999.
TUESDAY, 9/21 NET REPORT8PM CT, 14.275. Moved down to 14.270 bec of QRM. The net ran to about 9:30 CT.
N0GIP, Dale, Minn/St.Paul helped out handily -- well-situated in the midwest he was able to work everybody (except K0TPF, Fred in S.D.) -- relayed to me many of the QSOs I couldn't hear.
Here's the check-ins, quite a few new ones: N0GIP; KK7NF - Alan, NV; KB2T/mobile - Jean (He's a he), San Diego; N7RRR - Bob, Pocatello, ID; W3QWW - Sil, Pittsburg; N7JDF - Art, Bremerton, WA; K0TPF - Fred, SD; VE3JDN/mobile - Peter, Ottowa, CN; KG4CCB - Darrel (sp?), Knoxville, TN; K3VF - Dave, PA.; WA0CPP - Steve Heller, TX.
There was encouragement for all of us to be thinking: START UP YOUR REGIONAL NETS --- use this list of calls (and those of 9/20) to contact those local to you by email (Go to www.qrz.com, look up the call, & hopefully the ham has listed his email address below his QTH. If you haven't put your email in your qrz.com listing please do so now. Otherwise people won' t be able to arrange scheds with each other.)
73s, Bill, kg4dhj
P.S. Russ Conners, AA2GS, Independence, KY, and I are still QSOing at 5AM on 3.935 or therabouts --- join us for Y2K prep talks. B.
-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), September 22, 1999.
INTERIM PROGRESS REPORT ON THE Y2K NETWell, we had a quiet night last night: only two new check-ins, and three of us 'regulars.' The new ones were: WN0R - Hank, Forest Lake, MN, and KD5BAJ - Bob, Allen, TX. Bad propagation may have had something to do with it. (Also, very bad prop on 80m cancelled out the 5AM net this morning.) So the lack of feverish check-in activity gave a chance for N0FGK - Don, Corvallis, OR, and K0TPF - Fred, Freeman, SD, and me -- to look at where we've come from, are at now, and might be heading for in the future.
I think the following was a consensus:
1) Our 14.275 nitely activity at 8PM cannot go on indefinitely, because a NATIONAL net cannot be sustained without everybody having considerably more than 100 watts output, preferably being in the same time zone, and experiencing the same propagation patterns. The only thing that has made it stick together so far is Fred's 2KW station in SD, and N0GIP ( Dale, Minneapolis) being well-situated in the mid-west. These fellows graciously relayed QSO content across the nation (& enabled me to add all the calls to the roster I'm building.)
2) Fred and Dale will try to work out a sched of alternating Net Control for a while longer, maybe another week --- to gather up as many check-ins as possible from across the land.
3) In the meantime I'll take the database of calls I'm collecting, AND SORT THEM BY DIVISION. Thus I will have a list of the W1's, W2's, etc., etc.
4) I will then publish this list on this forum (which automatically gets published on Steve Heller's website.)
5) The final step: IT WILL THEN BE UP TO EACH ONE OF YOU HAMS, WHO ARE GROUPED GEOGRAPHICALLY ON THIS LIST ---- TO CONTACT EACH OTHER VIA EMAIL TO SET UP AN INITIAL SCHEDULE --- TO START YOUR OWN REGIONAL NET. How will you get the email addresses? By going to the www.qrz.com database, typing in the call sign and then reading off that ham's email address. But what if the email addr is not to be found? ----- (All email addresses in qrz.com ARE VOLUNTARY -- IF THE HAM DOESN'T ENTER THAT INFO -- IT AIN'T THERE.)
The answer to that question is a no-brainer: THE Y2K NET WILL NEVER GET OFF THE GROUND.
So it's up to you amateur radio ops --- the ball will be in your court. You can provide a sustainable alternate communication link (beyond CBs, FRS, and GMRS), by putting in the time, focus, and effort. OR, you can join the ranks of those who say, "Y2K? -- it'll be a 3-day snowstorm. And then, thank heavens, it'll be all over -- just a bad dream."
Are you up to the challenge? God bless you if you are.
73s, Bill, KG4DHJ
P.S. Another challenge: Having a 100-watt rig won't be enough --- you need an alternate energy source, too. Now if you're planning on that being a gasoline or diesel generator you're thinking two things: 1) "The crisis will be over before I run out of fuel," and 2) "I will be considered a 'Sister Teresa' kind of person --- 'cause I'm going to sacrifice my tanks of fuel for the nation at large, while sacrificing my family's welfare in the bargain."
If on the other hand you're on the same page I am, you will put $$$ and time into assembling a system consisting of a 22-watt Solar Electric Panel, a small charge controller, and an 80 to 250 AH deep-cycle storage battery bank. Then you can be on the air several hours a week for YEARS, and still have power left over for other electronic activities, including LED task lighting.
Last challenge: You've got less than 100 days to do it, along with all the rest of your preps.
Meet you at 8PM tonite on 14.275 or thereabouts if prop isn't too bad. B.
-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), September 23, 1999.
Bill --- How much output is required to tie together a national net? Is it 2KW? And what level license do you need for that?We do have a 8.5KW Diesel and 3K gallons of diesel at moment, which wouldn't hurt ..... not enough solar for a big station (24W capability).
-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), September 23, 1999.
BIGDOGGIE:2KW output at each station would probably give a high reliability national net (but still prone to 'dead bands' like the past few days.) And all you need is a General class for that level of power. However, the alternate energy system to provide that kind of power would be horrendously expensive (according to my email traffic -- where people say they can't even afford a $100 PV panel, a $50 charge controller, and a $200 battery pack.) Besides what would you do when your diesel tank is empty?
My advice: don't even THINK about using your diesel and its genny for such a project -- save it for your survival basics. Radio comm is a luxury when compared to water, food, shelter, energy, etc.
Bill, kg4dhj
-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), September 24, 1999.
REPORT ON NET ACTIVITY LAST NITE AND TONITE:In a word, almost ZILCH! Reason? ---- probably the terrible propagation conditions we're experiencing. The bands are almost dead compared to earlier in the week. The only contact I made in two nites has been with Don, N0FGK, Corvallis, OR. I'll keep trying at 8PM CT on 14.275, but the propagation prediction is for more bad conditions into next week. Keep your fingers crossed.
GOOD News Department:
1. The ARRL website (www.arrl.org/) has a news item about our net in their Sep 24th issue of their ARRL Newsletter Online. It talks about our Y2k Net starting up and refers the inquiries to my email address. With that high profile we might get some more 'check-ins,' which I'll add to the database I'm planning on publishing shortly (our roster sorted by geographic location.)
2. Wayne Green, that curmudgeon publisher of 73 Amateur Radio Magazine has finally come around to being a Y2K 'GI.' He's written extensively on Y2K's possibilities in his editorial in the August issue. That may raise the consciousness level of the readership.
3. Wayne's editor, Joyce Sawtelle, has seen to it that quite a few Y2K-oriented articles have been published lately. She will also publish excerpts from this "Y2K Net is starting" thread.
73s, Bill, KG4DHJ
-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), September 24, 1999.
Bill -- We are prepped to live entirely without electric (or solar,. it's more old-fashioned than that). Believe it or not, the gennie and diesel were an "afterthought" on the part of my biz partner. Just for laughs, how much would a 2KW station take to cobble together? Also, how many DGI hams in a region have that kind of power?
-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), September 25, 1999.
BOWWOW, a.k.a. BigDog:ONE OF MY PET PEEVES
Your post is a good chance to vent one of my pet peeves I've commented on for a couple years:
1) People spend big bucks on a SHORT-term energy source (gas/diesel generators) which if lucky will last them into Feb or Mar 2000 (I know I'll get responses "Oh, but I've got enuf fuel to last me six months!" What they haven't taken into account is that their genny has good odds to succumb to Murphy's Law before they run out of juice.)
2) Having spent the $$$ on the fossil-fuel system they have nothing left for a basic PV system/charge controller/wet-cell/gel cell battery pack -- which system could last them for 5 to 10 years (until the battery pack goes south.) But after you lose your deep-cycle battery pack consider the following 2 points:
a) The PV panels themselves will outlast all our lives ... AND could drive a DC well pump, "array direct," i.e., without the battery pack, forEVER.
b) Another alternative is to use the PV system to re-charge myriad small nicad rechargeables, like AAA, AA, C, D, and 9-volt battery packs. These are relatively cheap, and if you stock up enuf on them (I've accumulated several hundred of them, bought at 'surplus' prices,) you'll be able to run small electronic 'conveniences' for a decade or two.
I'm considered to be fairly up on alternate energy power, and have been since the early '80s..... do I have a fossil-fuel generator? Negative. End of harangue.
NITTY GRITTIES OF A 2KW HAM STATION
Just for laughs, how much would a 2KW station take to cobble together? Also, how many DGI hams in a region have that kind of power?
To turn a 100w rig into a 2KW rig (actually you would INPUT up to 3KW, but only output 1.5KW, which is legal limit) would add another $3000 (including the necessary upgraded accessories.) Now you've fooled around enuf by now with your generator to know how much fuel it will drink to supply 3KW -- just do the arithmetic.
As to how many DGI hams in a region have that kind of power, the answer is A LOT, especially the old geezers of my generation. As to how many of these 'full legal limit power' geezers have fossil-fuel genny backup to support their habit I'd venture a guess at 5%. And my guess on how many have PV, wind, or small-head hydro to supply the needed power, my guess is 0.005%.
*************************************************
SCHENKER'S THEOREM: Y2K minus electronics = the mid-1910's; Y2K minus electronics AND electricity = the mid-1710's; Y2K minus electronics and electricity but PLUS steam power = the mid-1850's.
(Skip Goebbels of Branson, MO, sells the steam systems: the only takers besides kooks such as Steve Heller and I, are maybe 50-odd [very] wealthy purchasers of his souped-up systems since Y2K issues bubbled up in the last 2 years. If this peaks your interest -- the low end system costs $3k, and takes CONSIDERABLE expertise to run safely.)
********************************************
Thank heavens for everybody reading this post that InfoMagic's, Milne's, and my vision of the future is 'ridiculous in the extreme' -- so don't plan on it. "It can't happen here."
Bill, kg4dhj
-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), September 25, 1999.
REPORT ON TONITE'S NET ACTIVITY (SAT, 9/25, 8PM CT, 14.275):The band closed down for me right after QSO'ing with N0GIP, Dale, 'burb of Minn. Fortunately, he was able to rope in four new check-ins and emailed them to me. They are included in the roster below.
############################################################
UP-TO-DATE ROSTER OF Y2K HAMS CHECKED IN (as of 9/25) ACCORDING TO DIVISION
(Those with asterisk haven't ck'd in but I know they're interested.)
Among these hams are at least two two vets, two RNs, two medical doctors and an EMT, that I know of --- maybe there's more; also, I'll bet there are all sorts of other knowledge specialists on this list.
KA1LCR - TONI
W2CSH - CARL; KB2T/mobile - JEAN (actually, picked him up in So. Cal.); AA2GS - RUSS (actually, in KY); W2ADT - JULIAN
K3KHG -; W3QWW - SIL; K3VF - DAVE; N3YXW - NORRIS
WA4YGG - STEVE; AF4KB - FRED; KB4ZEC - WINSTON; KE4JGJ - MIKE (Thomas Miller - writes for 73 Amateur Radio mag); KJ4DX - MITCH; W4ZMX -; KG4CCB - DARRELL; KG4DHJ - BILL; N4EW - PETE; KG4DCY - DEBI*; WD4ESP -; KD4JML - ALAN*
W5JJP - JOHN; KM5UO - FRANK; KD5BAJ - BOB; WB5X - JOE
KF6MPD - GREG (?); K6DLC - ; N6DKW - BOB*
KK7NF - ALAN; W7CMA -; KK7IF -;N7RRR -; N7JDF - ART; KH7VM - ANITA* (Hawaii)
N8NLL - CHUCK*; WA8YKN - "MIKE"*
N9VTB - GEORGE; WZ9M - JOCELYNE*; KB9ATR - JON*; W9CAT - KAROL (actually in Charlotte, NC)
N0TPF - FRED; NOGIP - DALE; N0FGK - DON; KB0ZDF - DEAN; WA0CPP - STEVE (actually in TX); WN0R - HANK; WT0Q - KENT*
VE3JDN/mobile - PETER ("not worried about Y2K" -- but that could change)
####################################################
These are your neighbors, interested in Y2K radio comm. It's up to you to track them down. Go to www. qrz.com and look for their snailmail addr or email addr. If necessary, call information and ring 'em up on landlines. If you want to do something for our post-Y2K society IT'S UP TO YOU to start your local/regional nets.
After you get your nets going liason with the rest of us in different divisions/regions by emailing us, or post on this thread or to Steve Heller's website.
73s, Bill, kg4dhj
P.S. I will continue to look for check-ins at 8PM CT on 14.275 for the next week or so; if you don't hear me, hopefully N0GIP or K0TPF will take over the net control, and then email me the new call signs -- which I'll keep adding to the published roster. After that tho, I think it will be time for everyone to hunker down and get going on their local/regional nets. But please email me, or post here, with your progress. B.
-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), September 25, 1999.
REPORT ON NET ACTIVITY PAST 2 DAYS (9/26 & 27):Propagation on 20 has wreaked havoc with my contacts but thanks to others filling in as Net Control -- KK7NF, N0FGK, N0GIP, and K0TPF -- we've been able to add more names to our check-in list. In addition I've gotten some emails from hams who have probably seen the news item in the ARRL online Newsletter this past week advertising our Y2K Net.
Here's the additions this week so far, by division:
N1EEC - Henry, Killingworth, CT
KA2VTI - Frank Giambrone, northwest NJ (fsgiambrone@worldnet.att.net)
KF6IQX - Quinn "macgyver" Thomas, southern CA (Thomas.Quinn.QM@bhp.com.au )
KB9KGI - Frank Kennedy, north central IN (windyhill@hoosierlink.net)
KI0JW - Troy, Souix Falls, SD (has a PV system); W0SHS - Scott Stevenson, "mobile 300 days a year" -- 18-wheeler truckdriver (w0shs@juno.com); KC0EHH - "Skip" Dale Shultz (skipper@fone.net); KI0BK - Jim Cordill, KS -- A.E.C. district 9, zone 3, Johnson County, KS -- (ki0bk@qsl.net); WA0PLR - Scotty, Columbia Hts, MN; KB0ZDF - Dean, Ames, IA; NF0G - Bryan, Minn, MN
OBSERVATION & QUESTION: We seem to have a preponderance of Division 4 and Division 0 check-ins and emails. Anybody want to venture an explanation -- is it a propagation, or is it a Y2K 'consciousness' phenomenon? Or something else?
NOTE ON MAIN ROSTER:
N0FGK, Don, is not in 0 territory -- lives in 7 country: Corvallis, OR. Don, can you start a regional net in the Northwest?
UPCOMING POST ON A SOLAR SYSTEM FOR YOUR 100 WATT HF RIG:
I'm close to ready to post the nitty gritties (brands, model numbers, sizes, vendors, costs, specs) on a PV panel + charge controller + battery system that will give you 4 hours a week of HF transmission time. If you want to talk more you increase the number of panels/battery capacity. Watch for it.
Ck in tonite at 8PM CT on 14.275. Hopefully, the good prop this afternoon will continue into the evening hours. BTW, I'll be able to do this tomorrow nite also --- then off the air for several days -- out of town. Maybe some of the stalwarts can take over & get some more fresh check-ins for the net (& email me the results.)
73, Bill, kg4dhj
-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), September 28, 1999.
PV-POWERED HAM RIGSINTRO
If Y2K disruptions are a "3-day winter storm" or even a longer-lasting "two-weeks emergency," all our energies spent on developing this Y2K Net will have to be written off as the premium we paid for our insurance policy, designed to protect our loved ones and friends from what might have been. (Of course, thru these efforts we will have found and made new friendships and learned a few new technical wrinkles -- but isn't that what ham radio has always been down through the generations?)
If on the other hand, Y2K turns out to last months -- or worse -- we will want to 'cash in' our 'insurance policy.' In that case regional ham radio nets may be all we'll have left to keep our modern culture together: to exchange vital information (such as medical, vetinary, agricultural, water sourcing technology, alternate energy sourcing, electronic communications, and a host of other knowledge bases.) And -- although it may not be appreciated at present -- it can provide the antidote to a terrible loneliness which would surely develop if survivors, 'our neighbors,' are so far apart they cannot link easily by strolling down the road a piece for a friendly visit.
If we do our homework we can develop these regional nets over the next 3 months. What a shame then if they were to disappear after Y2K --- if there are serious, long-lasting disruptions in the power grid. So if we want to take out the Deluxe Y2K Insurance Policy --- we'll have to pay a higher premium: develop backup power for our 100-watt HF ham rigs. Some hams are planning on or already have fossil-fuel generators to supply 120vAC. But assuming they are willing to donate their generator output to a ham net -- rather than supplying their loved ones with survival necessities -- such as pumping water, providing lighting, and maybe even a modicum of heating -- at some point they will run out of their fuel reserves. That's where renewable energy sources come to the fore. A very few will have had the expertise, time, and money to install windpower, small-head hydro, or steam engine power as their source. Is there a relatively inexpensive, relatively simple alternative to those? Read on.
OVERVIEW
A 50-watt output PV panel driving an inexpensive charge controller which in turn inputs to a deep cycle 12-volt storage battery set does the job (giving you 4 hours per week of operation.) In the following description I will give sources, brands, model numbers, and prices for the three components (plus accessories like cabling, fusing, and metering.)
PV PANELS
You will need two 25-watt or one 50-watt PV panel. A good source is Electron Connection, run by Bob-O Schultze, 800-945-7587, email: econnect@snowcrest.net ..... Bob-O is not your ordinary vendor -- he has been one of the prime movers in Home Power magazine's success since its very beginning (November 1987 is the date on my yellowing copy of Issue #1.) He will not only sell you the goods but is a crucial source of HONEST, EXPERIENCE-BASED ALTERNATE ENERGY EXPERTISE. I consider him one of the premier alternate energy experts in the world. He's also an active ham. He recommends a Siemens, model # SR-50, 50-watts, $275.
CHARGE CONTROLLER
Bob-O recommends a B. Z. Products, mini-adjustable, 12-volt, 8-Amp max, charge controller. It's a variable PWM (pulse width modulation -- very important to provide your battery with long life) constant voltage, adjustable float voltage, 5-year warranty unit, at $45.
DEEP CYCLE 12 VOLT BATTERY
Here we have a subtle choice to make. The conventional wisdom offered by all the experts in the alternate energy biz is to buy a deep-cycle wet-cell lead-acid battery. On the basis of my personal experience with this technology (since 1982) I will make the following unswerving observation: unless you've got the time, energy, and focus -- you won't be able to get high enough on the learning curve to handle these babies, at least enough to prevent an early demise of your batteries, or even harm to yourself (spilt sulphuric acid, or worse, a hydrogen/oxygen explosion.) E.g., you'll have to learn how to do regular 'equalization' runs, regularly watch for other causes of 'sulfation,' vent your batteries to the outdoors, keep them from freezing in the winter and overheating in the summer, buy and install Hydrocaps as further prevention of excess loss of water/prevention of explosion, and learn how to take regular hydrometer readings of the specific gravity, watch for unequal voltage levels between cells, put up with a fairly high self-discharge rate, and pay the not inconsiderable costs in trucking (UPS or air freight won't accept wet cells for shipment.) I've got various and sundry wet cells at my disposal. But for my 100-watt HF rig I'm purchasing an alternative to them, gel cells: <2%/month self-discharge, made in USA, no need to equalize, good voltage matching between cells, transports easily by air or UPS, no adding of water, or checking specific gravity, or out-gassing of hydrogen/oxygen, freeze tolerance down to -40 F. (But keep them from overheating -- NO battery likes that!)
Deka brand 12-volt gel cells. There are various dealers around the country. Try to find one near you so you can drive down and pick them up rather than ship them -- saving you maybe $50 in change. However, if you want to ship UPS, they are so shippable, because they don't leak. I will drive down to Birmingham, AL -- Taylor Battery, 205-942-8723, ask for Eric. Taylor is a stocking dealer. Here are some more dealers, but I don't know if they are stocking or not. Northwest Energy Storage, 800-718-8816, Colburn, ID, lists them in their catalog (which BTW is a beaut -- lots of good basic info on alt. energy stuff -- and free.) Also Abraham Solar lists them in their catalog, 800-222-7242, Pagosa Springs, CO. You can also call the manufacturers, East Penn Manufacturing, in PA, 610-682-6361, and ask them to give you the name and number of a stocking dealer near you.
The model you want goes by various numbers, according to catalogs, but if you mention the specs, you'll get the right model: 12 volts, 86 Amp hours, 12.8" x 6.8" x 9.9", 64 lbs. It usually has xxG-27 mentioned in the number. Taylor Battery calls it the "Dominator" model. Northwest charges $163 plus shipping. Abraham charges $180 plus shipping.
WARNING: There is a difference between ordinary 'sealed' lead-acid, and gel cells. The latter last longer and are more reliable during their service life.
Is there a downside to gel cells? Yes. One is price -- probably 2x the cost of wet cells. The other is, on the basis of received wisdom, that they'll only last 2-3 years. But if you treat them right (use an appropriate charge controller, like the B.Z., keep them at room temp, don't run them down below a 30% D.O.D. (depth of discharge) they'll last 4, 5, or more years. That's still not the expected life of a good wet lead acid cell (depending on how much $$$ you spend, anywhere from 5 to 20 or more years.) But I'll wager in inexperienced hands the wet cells will go south within 2 to 3 years.
CABLING, FUSING, METERING:
Make sure to get cables heavy duty enough to handle the current, from PV panel to charge controller (for a 30' run use #10, U.S.E. at $0.20/foot) but especially from battery to HF rig (see below for advice.) Also install your controller right next to your battery, and your battery as close as possible to your rig (That's where gel cells come into their own -- you don't want a wet cell sitting on the floor near your rig -- what with corrosive sulfuric acid and hydrogen leaking out.) You also want to fuse your power cables with the appropriate size -- ordinary in-line 10A fuse for PV to controller, and controller to battery; 25-30A for battery to rig. (You might want to go with heavy-duty breakers instead, as I do.) Also you'll want a decent DMM (digital multimeter), that will read up to 10 amps DC. (You can also go 'expanded scale' analog.) Who to ask about all this and where to buy some of it?----- Bob O Schultze again.
CLOSING COMMENTS:
I'm sure I'm going to get somebody emailing back, "Well, I've been using wet cell lead acid for years and I've never had any trouble!" My advice: get hold of this ham, and have him move to your Y2K survival site, so he can personally supervise the on-going functioning of your alternate energy system.
I also may get an email accusing me of a profit motive for specifying the sources I do. Of course I'm making a profit --- I receive a 50% kickback on everything I write about here on the TB2000 forum. (Is this expectation wild paranoia on my part? Well, read some of the comments on my posts recommending colloidal silver as a post-y2k substitute for antibiotics if you doubt that. But actually I WILL be surprised if I get those kinds of comments from the ham fraternity --- that's one of the nice things about my brother and sister amateur radio colleagues.)
Good luck, and 73s, Bill, kg4dhj
-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), September 29, 1999.
A POSTSCRIPT:There are myriad alt. energy dealers throughout the world. Many are good. Not all of them. One in particular I've had dealings with in the past: they are real nice guys but they don't seem to get their inventory, ordering, and delivery act together. Also, there's a lot of stuff they advertize in their catalogs which they can't deliver on. Also, quite a few products which prematurely fail in service, so they take them off the market. They are not dishonest, just sort of chaotic. I recommend not dealing with them, but they have a nice catalog. Jade Mountain.
Bill, kg4dhj
-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), September 29, 1999.
POSTCRIPT #2:An extra $600, as much as you'd pay for a used HF rig (2x as much as I paid for my Kenwood TS-120S,) just for your power supply, may be hard to swallow. But consider how much more you'd pay for a good fossil-fuel generator, to say nothing of the fuel costs, and the storage tank to hold the fuel. Plus your PV system will outlast ANY conventional generator, hands down. Finally, consider that with your PV system you can power a bunch of 12-volt appliances, including power tools (The only kind of power tools I've bought in the last 5 years are cordless --- easily adaptable to PV charging.)
Bill, kg4dhj
-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), September 29, 1999.
POSTSCRIPT #3:HOW TO TELL IF YOU'RE A 'POLLY' (OPTIMIST) OR A 'DOOMER' (PESSIMISTIC) RE THE LONG-TERM Y2K OUTCOME --- You have $600 extra cash in your pocket, you've done all the y2k preps you're planning to do, you read the main post on PV power, and decide 'if things get bad' you'll just pull your car battery out of the vehicle, bring it into the shack, run your 13.8v 100 watt HF rig off that, and save $600. Your official designation is : relaxed optimist.
Bill, kg4dhj
-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), September 29, 1999.
REPORT ON TUES, 9/28, NET ACTIVITYPropagation finally improved enough to bring in quite a few new check-ins. Also brought in a lot of QRM. We moved up from 14.275 to .280 to avoid it. Fred, K0TPF, again brought in a lot of the QSOs. Dale, NOGIP, on his own brought in two more. Also mixed in are a couple hams who emailed me in response to the ARRL newsletter news item. Here's the additions to the roster, sorted by division:
KB2SLE - Earl, NY (5KW emergency power) (kb2sle.aol.com); N2GKM - Fred, Buffalo, NY
N3FWJ - David, Ridgely, WV (emergency power); N30BY - Furman, eastern PA
K4HL - John, FL; KF4KGE - Steven Grezlak, Orlando, FL
KE5ILY - Charles, Hoosier City, LA (does Y2K remediation)
W7EC - Hal, Seattle, WA (has looked at the Y2K problem in some depth); N7FQ/mobile - Mike, Provo, UT; W70EY - Carol, Milton, WA (QRP - ONE watt, solar !!)
AB8EK - 'Nick' Nichols, Columbus, OH
AA0YL - Dan, So. St. Paul, MN (nne2dan@juno.com)
6Y5CN - Mark, Jamaica (near Montego Bay); 6Y5RT - Audrey, Jamaica (no QRZ.com listing but is in QST call book)
'See you' on 14.275 (up or down maybe 0.005 to avoid QRM) at 8PM CGT tonite. I'll be out of town tomorrow till the weekend, but hopefully others will take the check-ins.
73s, Bill, kg4dhj
-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), September 29, 1999.
UP-TO-DATE ROSTER (with some corrections) OF Y2K HAMS CHECKED IN (as of 9/29/99) ACCORDING TO DIVISION. 65 hams on this list.(Those with asterisk haven't ck'd in but I know they're interested.)
Among these hams are at least two two vets, two RNs, two medical doctors and an EMT, that I know of --- maybe there's more; also, I'll bet there are all sorts of other knowledge specialists on this list.
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KA1LCR - TONI
W2CSH - CARL; KB2T/mobile - JEAN (actually, picked him up in So. Cal.); AA2GS - RUSS (actually, in KY); W2ADT - JULIAN; KB2SLE - Earl, NY (5KW emergency power) (kb2sle.aol.com); N2GKM - Fred, Buffalo, NY
K3KHG -; W3QWW - SIL; K3VF - DAVE; N3YXW - NORRIS; N3FWJ - David, Ridgely, WV (emergency power); N30BY - Furman, eastern PA
WA4YGG - STEVE; AF4KB - FRED; KB4ZEC - WINSTON; KE4JGJ - MIKE - Elizabeth, TN; KJ4DX - MITCH; W4ZMX -; KG4CCB - DARRELL; KG4DHJ - BILL; N4EW - PETE; KG4DCY - DEBI*; WD4ESP -; KD4JML - ALAN*; K4HL - John, FL; KF4KGE - Steven Grezlak, Orlando, FL
W5JJP - JOHN; KM5UO - FRANK; KD5BAJ - BOB; WB5X - JOE; KE5ILY - Charles, Hoosier City, LA (does Y2K remediation)
KF6MPD - GREG (?); K6DLC - ; N6DKW - BOB*
KK7NF - ALAN; W7CMA -; KK7IF -;N7RRR -; N7JDF - ART; KH7VM - ANITA* (Hawaii); W7EC - Hal, Seattle, WA (has looked at the Y2K problem in some depth); N7FQ/mobile - Mike, Provo, UT; W70EY - Carol, Milton, WA (QRP - ONE watt, solar !!); W7OU - Hank, Meza, AZ (working with a local emergency net)
N8NLL - CHUCK*; WA8YKN - "MIKE" (Thomas Miller - writes for 73 Amateur Radio mag)*; AB8EK - 'Nick' Nichols, Columbus, OH
N9VTB - GEORGE; WZ9M - JOCELYNE*; KB9ATR - JON*; W9CAT - KAROL (actually in Charlotte, NC); KA9BBV - Sandy, IL
N0TPF - FRED; NOGIP - DALE; N0FGK - DON; KB0ZDF - DEAN; WA0CPP - STEVE (actually in TX); WN0R - HANK; WT0Q - KENT*; AA0YL - Dan, So. St. Paul, MN (nne2dan@juno.com); K0LMD - Ron, CO
VE3JDN/mobile - PETER ("not worried about Y2K" -- but that could change)
6Y5CN - Mark, Jamaica (near Montego Bay); 6Y5RT - Audrey, Jamaica (no QRZ.com listing but is in QST call book)
####################################################
These are your neighbors, interested in Y2K radio comm. It's up to you to track them down. Go to www. qrz.com and look for their snailmail addr or email addr. If necessary, call information and ring 'em up on landlines. If you want to do something for our post-Y2K society IT'S UP TO YOU to start your local/regional nets.
After you get your nets going liason with the rest of us in different divisions/regions by emailing us, or post on this thread or to Steve Heller's website.
73s, Bill, kg4dhj
P.S. When I get back this weekend I will continue to look for check-ins at 8PM CT on 14.275 (up or down 0.005) for the next week or so; if you don't hear me, hopefully N0GIP or K0TPF will take over the net control, and then email me the new call signs -- which I'll keep adding to the published roster. After that tho, I think it will be time for everyone to hunker down and get going on their local/regional nets. But please email me, or post here, with your progress. B.
-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), September 29, 1999.
PASS THIS INFO ON TO YOUR HAM FRIENDSIf you've got friends interested in the Y2KNet, an easy way to refer them to an introduction and to this website and thread, is to send them to www.qrz.com, tell them to look up my call, and they'll find a hotlink to here.
Bill, kg4dhj
-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), September 29, 1999.
UP-TO-DATE ROSTER (with some corrections) OF Y2K HAMS CHECKED IN OR EMAILED IN (as of 10/3/99) ACCORDING TO DIVISION. About 93 hams on this list.(Those with asterisk have responded by email to the ARRL news item.)
Among these hams are at least two two vets, two RNs, two medical doctors and an EMT, that I know of --- maybe there's more; also, I'll bet there are all sorts of other knowledge specialists on this list.
If your email address is not listed by your name it's because you didn't put it in your qrz.com database, or didn't send it to me.
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K1RAB - RICHARD BROWNING, Washington, NH (K1RAB@arrl.net); W1DWJ/mobile - JOE MONTGOMERY, Dunbarton, NH (JMONTGO530@AOL.COM -- this addr bounced); KA1LCR - TONY LAMOLY, Kingston, NH (salcet@tiac.net -- this addr bounced) ; N1EEC - HENRY TETRAULT, Killingworth, CT
W2CSH - CARL HYDE, Mt. Holly, NJ; KB2T/mobile - JEAN LUTHI, La Jolla, CA (now lives in 7 land, picked him up in So. Cal.) (JEANLUTHI@compuserve.com); AA2GS - RUSS CONNERS (actually, in Independence, KY) (aa2gs@isoc.net); W2ADT - JULIAN (call not found in qrz.com); KB2SLE - EARL BULL, Latham, NY (5KW emergency power) (kb2sle.aol.com); N2GKM - FRED, Buffalo, NY (but qrz.com lists this station as Norm Krajkowski, North White Plains, NY --- can anyone confirm this?); KA2VTI-FRANK GIAMBRONE, Blairstown, NJ* (KA2VTI@arrl.net); N2NEP-JOHN CUNLIFFE, NY (n2nep@cunliffegroup.com)
K3KHG -DEAN BUSH, SR, Pasadena, MD (dwbush@erols.com); W3QWW - SIL ZOLINAS, Pittsburgh, PA; K3VF - DAVE SETZLER, Valley Forge, PA; N3YXW - NORRIS MYERS, Kennett Square, PA (NKNMM@aol.com); N3FWJ - DAVID SNELL, Ridgeley, WV (emergency power); N30BY (call not found in qrz.com) - FURMAN, eastern PA
WA4YGG - STEVE HORTON, Franklin, NC (has solar equipment) (wa4ygg@dnet.net); AF4KB - FRED BEEM, Tuscaloosa, AL (af4kb@aol.com); KB4ZEC - WINSTON BEVERLY, Hampton, VA (KB4ZEC@WEBTV.NET -- lower case?); KE4JGJ - MIKE (?)(CLAUDE SHELL), Elizabethton, TN; KJ4DX - MITCH ALEXANDER, Cummings, GA (MitchA@pssch.ps.ge.com); W4ZMX - CALVIN REDBURN, Winston Salem, NC; KG4CCB - DARRELL FRANCHUK, Powell, TN (franchuk@bellsouth.net); KG4DHJ - BILL SCHENKER, Hanceville, AL (wjs@linkfast.net); N4EW - PETE CULWELL, Monroe, GA (culwell@mindspring.com); KG4DCY - DEBI HAWRYSKO, Shipman, VA (dhaw@rlc.net)*; WD4ESP - JOHN COLSON, Charleston, SC (Johnc29412@worldnet.att.net); KD4JML - ALAN CLEGG, Cary, NC (abc@gateway.com)*; K4HL - JOHN LESTER, Pensacola, FL (k4hl@juno.com); KF4KGE - STEVEN GREZLAK, Orlando, FL (grezlak@juno.com); KF4TCR - JIM PHILLIPS, Acworth, GA (kf4tcr@flash.net) ; N4EPG - FRANK NOLAN, Tampa, FL; KF4MES - TIM CUMMINGS, Cullman, AL (kf4mes@hiwaay.net); KG4EPB-JOHN CARNETT, Parsons, TN (lorddf@mail.hcol.net); KB4ZVM - DANIEL ALLEN, Greer, SC (dlajr@ix.netcom.com)
W5JJP - JOHN PRINCE, Katy, TX (jjprince@aol.com); KM5UO - FRANK (qrz.com lists him as WILLIE LISTENBEE, New Albany, MS); KD5BAJ - BOB CONNER, Allen, TX; WB5X - JOE (qrz.com lists him as WALTER WOOTEN, Gretna, LA); KE5ILY - CHAS DICKSON, Bossier City, LA (does Y2K remediation) (ChasD@earthlink.net); KB5NMB - JEFF CLINGAN, Fulton, MS (clingan5@intop.net); WD5BWL - GORDON THIBODEAUX, Nederland, TX (actually, on a sailboat -- near the Dominican Republic) (wd5bwl@worldnet.att.net -- this addr bounced)
KF6MPD - GREG ALMAN, S.D., CA; K6DLC - DANIEL CURRY, Redwood City, CA (k6dlc@qsl.net); N6DKW - BOB CROZIER, Ladonia, TX (rcrozier@ns1.koyote.com)*; KC6WGN - GIDEON BANEZ, Las Vegas, NV (kc6wgn@juno.com); KF6VJU - KEN DORSHIMER, San Mateo, CA (kf6vju@hotmail.com); DEVRON BYERLY (not a ham yet, but studying his code hard), Murrieta, CA (Devron_Byerly@GENEVACO.COM -- lower case?)
KK7NF - ALAN HEDGES, Pahrump, NV (achedg@wizard.com); W7CMA - CARLOS ABREU, Lakeside, MT (carlos@cyberport.net); KK7IF -DUDLEY EMER, Las Vegas, NV (demer@accessnv.com); N7RRR - ROBERT LEFFERT, Pocatello, ID; N7JDF - ART GADBERRY, Bermaton (Bremerton?), WA; KH7VM - ANITA GERHARD, Hawaii, (gerhard@aloha.net)*; W7EC - "HAL" (WM. STALHUT), Puyallup, WA (has looked at the Y2K problem in some depth); N7FQ/mobile - MIKE GRIFFITHS, Payson, UT (magriff@griffiths.org); W70EY (not listed in qrz.com) - CAROL, Milton, WA (QRP - ONE watt, solar !!); W7OU - HANK HILLER, Meza, AZ (working with a local emergency net); WB7WNT - JOHN GATLIN (actually in Bakersfield, CA (QRP); KB7SLJ - GARY MILLER, Mesa, AZ (works with W7OU) (kb7slj@arrl.net)*; W7DAR - ORMAN DARBY, Bellingham, WA
N8NLL - CHUCK RIENZO, Euclid, OH (rienzoo@en.com)*; WA8YKN - "MIKE" (Thomas Miller - writes for 73 Amateur Radio mag), Ashland, OH (thomil@infocom.com )*; AB8EK - 'NICK' NICHOLS, Columbus, OH (william.nichols@epa.state.oh.us); KC8CON - JUDDIE BURGESS, Fayetteville, WV (kc8con@usa.net); KB8UXY - JENNY TAYLOR, Findlay, OH (jtaylor@ee.net)*
N9VTB - GEORGE ZARDECKI, Chicago, IL (n9vtb@megsinet.net); WZ9M - JOCELYNE SLOUGH, Goshen, IN (jonslough@tln.net)*; KB9ATR - JON (hubby of Jocelyne)*; W9CAT - KAROL TROYER (actually in Charlotte, NC) (W9CAT@aol.com); KA9BBV - 'SANDY' FRANZBLAU, Arlington Hts, IL (sanfran@worldnet.att.net); W9NVM - CARL KERSTETTER, Antigo, WI; KB9KGI - FRANK KENNEDY, Plymouth, IN (windyhill@hoosierlink.net)
K0TPF - FRED WALZ, Freeman, SD (tpf59@gwtc.com); NOGIP (not in qrz.com) - DALE AVERY, White Bear Lake, MN (tecky@pclink.com); N0FGK - DON THAXTON (actually in Corvallis, OR) (thaxton@ptgroup.com); KB0ZDF - DEAN T. MILLER, Des Moines, IA (dtmiller@midiowa.net); WA0CPP - STEVE HELLER, Sulphur Springs, TX (stheller@koyote.com); WN0R - HANK BENNETT, Forest Lake, MN; WT0Q - KENT TREMBLY, Ithaca, NE (ktrembly@netins.net)*; AA0YL - DAN SCHMIDT, So. St. Paul, MN (anne2dan@juno.com); K0LMD - RON PETERSON, Wray, CO; KC0EHH - 'SKIP' (DALE SHULTZ), Yellow Jacket, CO (skipper@fone.net)*; KI0BK - JIM CORDILL, Olathe, KS (ki0bk@qsl.net)*; W0SHS - SCOTT STEVENSON, Park City, MT (but lives in an '18-wheeler -- 300 days a year') (w0shs@juno.com)*; K0PPF - not found in qrz.com; KI0JW - TROY NUSZ, Souix Falls, SD (PV system) (rtu@sd.cybernex.net); WA0PBL - FRED LEHMANN, Souix Falls, SD (wa0pbl@arrl.net)
6Y5CN - MARK, Jamaica, W.I. (near Montego Bay); 6Y5RT - AUDLEY WILKS, Jamaica, W.I. (no QRZ.com listing but is in QST call book, and Buckmaster)
####################################################
These are your neighbors, interested in Y2K radio comm. It's up to you to track them down. Go to qrz.com and look for their snailmail addr or email addr. If necessary, call information and ring 'em up on landlines. If you want to do something for our post-Y2K society IT'S UP TO YOU to start your local/regional nets.
************************************
I think it's about time to close down the 14.275 8PM CT net --- I'm having a hard time juggling with the database as it is, & we've got plenty enough now to get a good start on our regional nets. K0TPF or N0GIP or I may monitor for a few more late entries, but I think it's time to move on. If your fellow hams have trouble finding this website, tell them to go to qrz.com, type in my call sign, read the scoop & then click on the hotlink to this forum.
************************************
And after you get your nets going liason with the rest of us in different divisions/regions by emailing us, or post on this thread..
73, Bill, kg4dhj
P.S. I'm going to try to 'broadcast' email this post to all on the above roster (if I've got their email addr), plus a few more interested parties (like the editor of 73 mag and the online ARRL newsletter.) B.
P.P.S. Please post here (or email me) if you see errors in the roster! Thanks. B.
-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), October 04, 1999.
[The following post hopefully can serve as a model for the development of other regional nets in various parts of the continent. If you have questions try to post them here -- if you have a question it means others probably have the same or similar question. You can also email me directly.]PROPOSED SOUTHEAST REGIONAL Y2K NET
ROSTER-TO-DATE:
WA4YGG - STEVE HORTON, Franklin, NC (has solar equipment) (wa4ygg@dnet.net) AF4KB - FRED BEEM, Tuscaloosa, AL (af4kb@aol.com) KB4ZEC - WINSTON BEVERLY, Hampton, VA (KB4ZEC@WEBTV.NET) KE4JGJ - MIKE (?)(CLAUDE SHELL), Elizabethton, TN KJ4DX - MITCH ALEXANDER, Cummings, GA (MitchA@pssch.ps.ge.com) W4ZMX - CALVIN REDBURN, Winston Salem, NC KG4CCB - DARRELL FRANCHUK, Powell, TN (franchuk@bellsouth.net) KG4DHJ - BILL SCHENKER, Hanceville, AL (wjs@linkfast.net) N4EW - PETE CULWELL, Monroe, GA (culwell@mindspring.com) KG4DCY - DEBI HAWRYSKO, Shipman, VA (dhaw@rlc.net)* WD4ESP - JOHN COLSON, Charleston, SC (Johnc29412@worldnet.att.net) KD4JML - ALAN CLEGG, Cary, NC (abc@gateway.com) K4HL - JOHN LESTER, Pensacola, FL (k4hl@juno.com) KF4KGE - STEVEN GREZLAK, Orlando, FL (grezlak@juno.com) KF4TCR - JIM PHILLIPS, Acworth, GA (kf4tcr@flash.net) N4EPG - FRANK NOLAN, Tampa, FL KF4MES - TIM CUMMINGS, Cullman, AL (kf4mes@hiwaay.net) KG4EPB-JOHN CARNETT, Parsons, TN (lorddf@mail.hcol.net) KB4ZVM - DANIEL ALLEN, Greer, SC (dlajr@ix.netcom.com) AA2GS - RUSS CONNERS (actually, in Independence, KY) (aa2gs@isoc.net); W9CAT - KAROL TROYER (actually in Charlotte, NC) (W9CAT@aol.com);
W5JJP - JOHN PRINCE, Katy, TX (jjprince@aol.com) KM5UO - FRANK (qrz.com lists him as WILLIE LISTENBEE, New Albany, MS) KD5BAJ - BOB CONNER, Allen, TX WB5X - JOE (qrz.com lists him as WALTER WOOTEN, Gretna, LA) KE5ILY - CHAS DICKSON, Bossier City, LA (does Y2K remediation) (ChasD@earthlink.net) KB5NMB - JEFF CLINGAN, Fulton, MS (clingan5@intop.net) WD5BWL - GORDON THIBODEAUX, Nederland, TX (actually, on a sailboat -- near the Dominican Republic) (wd5bwl@worldnet.att.net -- this addr bounced) WA0CPP - STEVE HELLER, Sulphur Springs, TX (stheller@koyote.com)
SUGGESTED ORGANIZATIONAL PROTOCOL:
1. I will email this message to all on the roster whose email address is above listed.
2. I will also post this to the TB2000 Prep Forum "The Y2k Net is starting" thread.
3. I am asking everybody on the roster their preferences for meeting times. Decisions involved are, for example: a) time of day (before work - 5, 6, or 7AM; after work - 7,8, or 9PM; late evening - 10 or 11PM?), b) # of days per week (not more than 2?), c) weekdays vs weekends?, d) 80m only, or 80m and 40m?, e) suggestions for frequencies, and frequencies to avoid?, and e) who will volunteer as Net Controller, and backup Net Controllers (I am volunteering as a backup, time permitting.)? Keep in mind that I have no experience in a net, either as member or controller -- those of you with much net experience, and ham experience in general, please come back with your recommendations.
So send an email back to me listing your 1st, 2nd, etc. preferences for the various categories. One thought is that we probably want two meetings per week, and instead of both at the same time, we could do one in the AM before work, and one in the PM after work. And maybe one on a weekday, and one on a weeknite. But that is all up to you. I'll publish the numbers and try to come up with a consensus that satisfies the maximum # of people.
4. As soon as I get a reasonable number of responses I'll get back to you with a provisional schedule and we'll start 'er out. BTW, have you noticed that the 4's and 5's together make up one third of the total responses to our nationwide check-in on 20m? That should give us a leg up on getting the ball rolling.
73, Bill, kg4dhj
-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), October 06, 1999.