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

 

Sunday, 17 June, was slow on 2 meters.  One net wrapped-up early; only six check-ins.

I tuned up from 2 meters through the public service bands (all the bad boys must have been home, HI,HI) and into the NOAA weather radio channels.  At 2125 (local time) I started copying the NOAA weather transmission on 162.400 MHz for Springfield, Illinois.  The signal was noisy but stable.

"...weather for Springfield, Decatur and the surrounding area..."   "...at 9:00 Pm in Springfield, the temperature was 77 degrees..."   "...this is NOAA weather radio WXJ75, Springfield..."

Normally, if I receive NOAA dx, it's from the east of Chicago and, then, to the north, Wisconsin.  I've rarely monitored NOAA radio from the south and never from the west. 

The shack is on the lower level.  I was using a multi-polarized mobile antenna atop a filing cabinet.  The antenna is partially below ground level.

Can someone explain this indicent and help me understand VHF/UHF propagation patterns around Chicago.

Thanks & 73!

N9LCD

 

The US used "modulated" CW well into the 50's.  I had a manual for a very large fixed transmitter (AN/FRT-?) installation that allowed the use of unfiltered B+ to the finals when running CW.

The CW carrier was modulated by 120 HZ hum!

One of the advantages of using unfiltered B+ in a CW transmitter, especially a mobile rig,  is a smaller, lighter and more compact power amp by eliminating the filter choke and filter caps in the power supply.  IN a MCW receiver, you eliminate one tube, the BFO tank circuit and the BFO tuning control.  Again, a simpler, lighter rig!

N9LCD   

I finally got my OfficeJet J5750 working -- more or less.  Now I can print the text of emails and fax from the glass.

BUT I CAN'T SCAN.

I bought from HP a CD of software that's supposed to support ALL their multifunction units.  I installed the software.

I STILL CAN'T SCAN either from the "HP SOLUTION CENTER" icon on my desktop or through the Windows "CAMERA & SCANNER WIZARD".  I get an error message that the software can't find my J5750.

When I check "Device Manager" it shows that my printer is properly functioning.

I've heard that there may be conflicts between the latest version of Windows XP (Home Edition) -- I'm updated through May 2012 and the drivers for some of HP's multifunction printers. 

Has anybody had a similar problem?

How can I roll my HP software back to the prior, -7, version?  I can't find my original installation CD anymore.

Thanks!

N9LCD

      

Try "Vacuum Tubes, Inc." in Florida.

They carry both new in box and used, tested tubes.

They put together a set of n.i.b. Zenith-branded loctals for my TransOceanic without any extra charge!

N9LCD

I pulled a spare green-ink Sylvania 0A2WA out of stock.  The legend reads:

  "THIS TUBE CONTAINS LESS THAN 0.03 MICROCURIES OF KRYPTON 85"   
 
  The tiny "RADIOACTIVE" symbol is "green".

  Krypton85 has a half-life of 10.756 years. 

   The "average" starting current for an 0A2 is 75 mA averaged over 10 seconds.  The   
   RCA manual states that this must be followed by a steady-state operating condition
   of at least 20 minutes, or tube performance will be impaired.

N9LCD

Vince:

Yes, all other applications print properly.  I can even print pdf attachments to my email, but not the text of any email, received or sent.

I use the same printer and driver for all printing, an HP OfficeJet J5750. printer, scanner and fax.

Since my initial post, I've also noted that I can't fax documents from the "glass".

73!

N9LCD

One down and one to go!

I upgraded Firefox and Thunderbird to the latest versions, 12--.  Thanks to support received from fellow hams on eHam, I finally got Firefox working.  Now the problem is Thunderbird.

With the latest version of Thunderbird, I can receive and open emails; send emails with and without attachments; open, save and print attachments.

BUT  CAN'T PRINT THE ACTUAL TEXT OF EITHER A SENT OR RECEIVED EMAIL.

I completely removed my old version of Thunderbird and installed. the "latest" version downloaded from Mozilla's website.  I didn't change any printer settings or any settings in
Thunderbird.  Now I can't print-out any emails.

QUESTION:  Has anybody else had this problem?  What's the "fix"?

Thanks & 73!

N9LCD

Windows?  Heck, when I first studied programming, we used Fortran and punch cards!

THANKS!

I finally got FireFox 12-- up and running.  The start page changes but everything is comparable to the "old" start page.

Thanks, again!

N9LCD

 

HELP!  I'm having problems with FireFox again, as usual.

About a week ago, I clicked to open FireFox, v-11.  The program opened but the FireFox home screen with the Google search bar didn't come up.

The URL for the FireFox home page is:  start.mozilla.org/firefox?client+firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official

I get error messages: "404 NOT FOUND" and "REQUESTED URL.FIREFOX NOT FOUND"

Our bank's tech support advised me to download the latest version, V-12.  I did.  Same problem.

I tried my laptop which has an older version of FireFox and isn't generally used online.  Again, same problem.

Essentially, I get the error messages and no home page but, otherwise, the browser works fine.  I've heard that lately FireFox has been having problems and has been somewhat unstable.

What's up?  Any solutions?

Please, no recommendations for Google Chrome.  It's complete lack of privacy gives me the creeps, kind of like a pervert looking under the stall doors in the men's room.

N9LCD

 

HELP!

I can't find either portion of my current General class paper license.

Where or how can I file to get a replacement copy?

Thanks & 73!

N9LCD

HELP!

I've been through two attempts with professionals to install at least a minimal antenna installation with proper lightning protection on the house.  Both attempts were ultimately torpedoed by rapidly escalating budgets because:

1.  The house wasn't built as drawn by the architect.

2.  The best point for cable entry into the house and lightning protection is next to the gas meter.

3.  You need a 60 foot ladder at about a 75 degree angle to reach the roof

4.  There is no attic.

Those are the major complications.  There's at least six or eight minor ones.

I'd like to keep it fast, simple and CHEAP.

I've been thinking of using a mobile, multi-band VHF/UHF antenna sitting on a metal ground plane on a broad window sill.  The inside of the window frame is wood.  The outside is aluminum clad.  There is a steel lintel above the window.

QUESTION:  What could happen to my transmitted signal under those conditions?  How might the VSWR be affected?

N9LCD

    

This isn't strictly SWL'ing but it was PAINFUL!

My QTH was a lakefront high rise, up about 400 feet.  I was using a WJ/CEI 903A to monitor approach control at ORD.  True to tradition, the RF & AF gain controls were cranked all the way up -- even though I was using earphones.

AN inbound AA flight, passing about four miles north of me on final, keyed his VHF air-ground transmitter.

Oh, my poor aching ears!

N9LCD

Either one of two Zenith's -- a 50's vintage TransOceanic or a late 30's vintage console.  I was always sneaking around, trying to find-out what was out there above the BCB.  I remember by father trying to tune-in Sputnik on the Zenith console except I don't think it tuned above 20 MHz.

The first SW radio I bought was an R-390A.  After a long list of mostly "surplus" receivers, it's still a 390-A, this one Motorola-built!

N9LCD