NO payment method is perfect!

Any payment method can be manipulated to your disadvantage if your counter party tries hard enough!

You have to:

1  Know your counter party.  A phone call helps.
2  Know your payment medium.   What are its characteristics?  What is it supposed to look?
3  Take your time.  Don't rush.
4  Get "expert" advice if you don't know.
5  Stop if you don't know what you're doing.
6  Think!


ETERNAL VIGILANCE OR ETERNAL REGRET!

N9LCD     

1. Get the user's manual and service manual.  Study each manual until you understand how the rig works.

2.  Study the rig until you can find each component or test point called out in the manuals.

3. Don't tinker or mess with the RF section / front end unless ABSOLUTELY necessary.  Changing capacitors or relocating components and wiring can knock the rig out of alinement or cause feedback.

4. Don't mess with the IF cans unless ABSOLUTELY necessary.   You can knock the IF amps out of alinement.  Many of the Hammarlund rigs need a sweep generator to properly set-up the IF amps.

5. If you have to realine the rig, DON'T OVER-ALINE.  You can cuase instability and feed bank in the RF and IF amps.

6.  If you're tired or fatigued, QUIT and rest!  You'll avoid mistakes.

N9LCD

Gene:

Good idea if the deal comes close to the value of an available bullion bar.

But even gold bullion bars have been counterfeited.  One of the banks in LaLa land got burned for millions a couple of years ago.  Some crooked jewelry manufacturer put up gold bars as collateral. The bars weren't 99.99% gold like they were stamped; they were about 50% gold.

Jerry

N9LCD

    

ANYTHING can be counterfeited if somebody wants to try hard enough.

One good things about a postal money order is that your post office can verify the validity of a money order even if the window clerk doesn't have enough funds to cash it!

SOLUTION:  Why not ask for payment in unrolled coins.  I haven't heard of anybody counterfeiting quarters lately.  Besides a $500 bag of quarters is good for doing arm curls! 

N9LCD

I don't know about needing a constitution, but you need BYLAWS.

And you HAVE TO adhere to those BYLAWS.

If the club doesn't, the directors and officers may be held PERSONALLY LIABLE for their "misconduct" or alleged damages either by club members or by aggrieved third parties.

That's why I won't serve as a director or officer of any club or other non-profit group.

N9LCD

Me thinks somebody is "jealous".

Any guesses who?

N9LCD

I've read a lot of complaints about the "Rat Shack's" and other retailers' returns policies.

Well, here's a new one about their CASH sales policy:

I walked into a Micro-Center, picked-up a USB mouse and headed to the check-out.  The mouse was $4.99 plus a 9.5% sales tax.  So, I got 6 bucks in my hand, ready to pay:

CLERK:  Your last name.

ME:  WHAT?  I'M PAYING CASH!

CLERK:  I know.

ME:  Well, then why do you need my name?

CLERK:  Well, we want it!

ME:  NO!

He finally backed-off.  I guess a sale is more important than personal information -- IF YOU'RE IRATE ENOUGH.

The nerve of asking CASH customers for personal information.  Don't they make enough on the c@#& they sell?  What are they doing?  Branching out into personal data collection and sales?

N9LCD

    

I've finally had enough of dial-up internet access.  I'm thinking of going to a wireless ISP like clear; you avoid the hassles of installation and early termination fees.

QUESTIONS:

Does anybody have experience with a wireless ISP like Clear?

Can you use a wireless ISP with any computer?  How can you tell if your computer can handle a wireless ISP?

Are wireless ISP's secure?  How do you secure (or encrypt) data sent and received?  I do a lot of business online.

Thanks!

N9LCD

My wife says, if she had a dollar for every time I gave up radio, she'd be richer than the Sultan of Brunei.

What I usually do is take a few months off, RELAX. REGROUP, REFOCUS and RETURN.

Have something else to do besides "radio" all the time.  I got running and pumping iron on the side.  Believe me, a good 5-mile run. like 42 minutes, or benching my weight REALLY HELPS!

It is -- when you start calling "CQ DX, GERMANY".

The pile-up was intimidating for a first time op!

N9LCD

 

I've used both a "digital" panadapter (a/k/a bandscope) and a traditional CRT-based padadapter (really a spectrum analyzer).  In my opinion, the CRT beats a digital display by miles.

Now, while I'm waiting to get back on the air, I'm doing VHF/UHF monitoring using a Systron-Donner 751B as my 21.4MHz panadapter.  Yeah, it helps.  But then you have to be able to distinguish between a "signal" and "grass" or noise.

Keeping the squelch wide open and the bandwidth a little wider than normal for reception while tuning and LISTENING HARD also works.  Got some good ones that way that didn't show up on the scope.

N9LCD

Where and how do I sign up?

I've been licensed 20 years and I've only worked HF twice as a "guest op" at HV3SJ.  Kind of expensive!! to go to Rome to work DX.

N9LCD

 

The members of the club probably wouldn't be held liable, but the officers and the board would especially if they don't follow ALL legal requirements in setting up and operating the club, or if it can be shown that negligent in running some "club" activity.

That's why I quit serving as an officer of clubs and groups about 10 years ago.

N9LCD

DO NOT, REPEAT, DO NOT form a club unless you do everything the "right way".

Each state has requirements for setting up a nonprofit organization.  If you don't follow the legal requirements, the "officers" can be held PERSONALLY LIABLE for the organization's debts.

Contact the nearest "junior" or "community" college and see if someone who teaches business law can give you basic guidance and direction.

N9LCD

Postal money orders are a pain in the posterior for any large amount, say over a couple of hundred dollars.

First, I have to go to the bank and cash a check to get the cash.  (Sorry, my ATM card is only good for $300 per day.)  Then, drive to the post office and WAIT -- especially if it's passport season.

As for the Post Office cashing money orders, yeah, they'll do it -- ONLY IF THE WINDOW CLERK HAS ENOUGH CASH!  That's a problem at the local P.O. because almost everybody uses debit or credit cards.

On the plus side, if the P.O. can't cash a money order, at least they'll confirm its validity.

Oh yeah, and you CAN'T use your smart phone to deposit a postal money order. 

Look at it this way:  No payment method is perfect.  IF YOU'RE PAID IN CASH, WATCH OUT FOR COUNTERFEITS!

N9LCD