By the way, I see KJ4TRI listed under Virginia with 0 sessions.

http://www.arrl.org/ve-session-counts

Just choose your state, then search for your call in the list.

QST had an interesting discussion of this topic in their January, 2011 issue.  Rig-to-rig isolation came up in a review of an MFJ Transmitter Antenna Crossover switch.  Rigs tend not to be spec'ed with a maximum allowable input voltage on the antenna input, so the numbers aren't terribly precise.  Two data points:

 - The writer surveyed some hams (don't know how many) and was told that most rigs should be fine with an input of 20dBm (1/10W, or about 2.2V across 50 ohms).

 - The ARRL lab protocol says not to exceed a level of 10dBm (10mW, or about 0.7V across 50 ohms).  According to the article, this level has never been observed to damage a piece of receiving equipment.

 - Some air-coupled signals were measured at W1AW.  The highest such signal observed was at 20dBm, between a Yagi hooked to a 1.2kW transmitter and a receiver hooked to a 160-meter dipole.

In short, it seems pretty unlikely that you're going to damage your monitor rig's front end.

As for what to do if you're overloading a rig that has no antenna attached, why not hook that rig up to a dummy load with a coax, and then turn the RF gain way down?  If the rig has a switchable attenuator, use that, too.

If you want to get a better idea of what's going on in the circuit you're debugging, there's a good article in the December, 2005 QST's Hands-On Radio column, which takes you through the Astron RS-35 power supply block by block.  It's not exactly the same as your supply (there are no voltage/current adjustment knobs on the front panel, for one thing), but I bet it's substantially the same.  The article explains crowbar circuits, pass transistors, and other things of interest to anyone trying to get a linear, series-regulated power supply working.

The article is free to any ARRL member, and can be downloaded from their web site.

Going to local clubs is a great idea.  If that doesn't work out, you can always find hams in your immediate area by going to http://vanityhq.com/ . Click on "N4MC's Ham Locator" on the left side of the screen, and you'll be taken to a page that lets you find hams by zip code.  Maybe some of the folks near you won't be willing or able to help, but you only have to find one person.

The ARRL web site now lists you as a VE in Texas.

You don't need the CSCE: the original of your current General license will suffice.  Some VE groups will ask that you bring both the original and a copy of your license.  (We occasionally get candidates who forget to bring their original license, so we verify their license grant by going to the FCC web site.  But not every VE session will have internet access.)

See the link in an earlier message for a complete list of what to bring.

Linear Technology's LTSpice IV is free, and there's no limit on the number of components or circuit nodes simulated.  You can find it here:

http://www.linear.com/designtools/software/

There's even an LTSpice Yahoo group if you need help.

If I recall correctly, it took two or three weeks.

If you have a Garmin nuvi GPS, you can buy a special points-of-interest software package that will show you repeater locations, frequencies, offsets, etc:

http://www.arrl.org/shop/TravelPlus-Mobile-GPS-downloadable

What does TelePost say?  Did you send them an e-mail or call them?

You're absolutely right.  You should show the FCC how wrongheaded their policies are by refusing to take the Extra.  That'll teach 'em.

You don't have to retake the Advanced exam.  In fact, there is no Advanced exam.

They're anti-backlash gears.  The idea is to eliminate the mechanical hysteresis that you sometimes get between conventional gears.  If you've ever tuned an old radio in one direction, then tuned it in the other direction and noticed a slight delay before the gears remeshed, that's what these gears are meant to address.

Sorry, I can't follow your advice.  According the the ARRL VE Manual:

VEs may not refuse service to anyone who is seeking an amateur license or upgrade, with the following exceptions:

• The applicant does not provide adequate identification document(s) to the VE Team;

• The applicant is disruptive during the examination;

• The applicant requires special assistance from the VE Team, such as accommodations for the handicapped that the team is not prepared to make available at that time. In such cases, the VE Team must suggest a convenient alternative date/time/location at which they will provide the requested assistance or accommodation (as required under FCC Rule 97.509). The VE Team should indicate in its public announcements that special testing assistance or needs must be arranged in advance.

• Service can be limited to a person when the VE Team has limited time available to it (such as where the test site must be vacated by a particular time). A VE Team might not be able or prepared to offer retests (where the VE Team has only come prepared to offer one test design per examination element).

We are VEs, not law enforcement officials.  It's the FCC's job to screen candidates, including the examination of any terms set by a felon's release.  Include a note with the test packet that you send to your VEC, if you want, but that's about the limit of what you can legally do.