I Can't Believe I Ate The Whole Thing....

I'll never order four dinners again. Too. Much. Made me sick, what a surprise. I did it to myself again. Scruffy was happy, though.

Lost two hours of my life watching "Starship Troopers". ARRRGH! I think Heinlein's punishment in Hell is to watch the movie continuously. The movie's so-called humor is lame, and the militarism uber alles comes direct from RAH himself.

And, Neil Patrick Harris as a Nazi Psychic Oberst (Colonel). BLEAH! Not even seeing Dina Meyer topless can make up for this movie.

Nasty grey, cold, rainy day today. Perhaps it was just as well I was sick after all. Staying home seems to have saved me from the horrors my friends reported trying to get to Seth's game tonight. Not to mention rush hour.

Struggling with Ham Radio Deluxe. It seems I have a classic driver problem on my hands with the USB interface with the IC 7200. Not enough audio modulation on transmit. HRD recognizes the radio, and receives very well; it simply transmits a near dead carrier. This has occurred on two different computers, with two different sound cards. The USB audio codec installs fine. Well, it was free... :)

I bought study guides for my General class exam, after this experience. Voice contact has no driver issues with my Heil Pro-Set headset.

Enough of the old guys should die off to give us access to all privileges from 20 meters and higher frequencies, in the next decade. A turning generational marker was when the Morse requirement was dropped in 2007. That marked the *very* end of GI influence. When the Silent cohort dies off (over the next decade), expect 17, 15, 12, and 10 meters to be thrown wide open. There are not enough active hams, and the HF sandbox will have to be shared with us 50+ year old "kids". When the early part of the Viet Nam Boom cohort dies off (1946-1955), we might get 40 meters. They were the last of the hardcore Morse guys, and also, the old lids. We need new lids. :)

Losing 220,440 and higher to commercial users will be the starting gun. The government will need the money. One need only to listen to the dead air on most 220/440 repeaters to confirm this. 2 and 6 meters look safe, and we might see an expansion on 6, when the NAB gives up the ghost on VHF DTV nightmares. Additionally, if the broadcasters have to give up spectrum to wireless, expect the smashing of ham ops above 220 to be assured.

Few new, young members of Congress are hams. But, they all want smartphones. Guess which wins.

Barry Goldwater is an SK now. So is old ham radio. The American Legion/VFW bar that was HF will have to deal with the future, and that means letting us appliance operators on. The old boys won't have, or get, a choice.