...if it's my ISP or something else, but both connecting to the e-ham server AND the wait after connection is established is really long this morning.  Not complaining--this is Saturday and I have time--but just a quick heads up!  Thanks!

Added----SORRY!  I think I jumped the gun--it looks like it cleared up now, about 30 minutes later.  73!

If you're careful, have the patience (and the eyesight or a magnifying glass) it's possible to use a flat blade jewelers screwdriver to push those locking tabs on the pins in.  Yes, it takes longer, but if you're in a hurry and don't have the extraction tool, it will work.

An aside, if I may offer it--When I saw the words 'overloaded buttons', the first thing I thought of was the shirt buttons of some of our fellow hams!     Take care and 73!

As does mine.  I believe that you've hit on it with your statement--

One other thing,  I have never come across a feeder cable (meter to breaker box) that has both a neutral AND a ground cable in it.  They are both the same.  Also, I've never seen a breaker box that has both the ground bus and the neutral bus NOT connected directly to the metal of the box.  In any event, it's a moot point, since this is a ham radio site, not an electricians wiring site! 

The current (and continuing) slump in the economy may just have something to do with the dwindling attendances of dealers and flea market sellers too.  People just don't have the scratch to play with anymore, especially people who have had their incomes cut or simply reduced.  That is also something the dealers/sellers think of when planning.  Also there is the increasing popularity of internet sales for this sort of thing.

It's just a couple of other factors to consider.

Just a thought--you may get a better answer by posting in the RFI / EMI forum.  73!

Just a suggestion, but look into the programming software and cable if you still can't get it to work.  I don't have one, but I understand that the software makes it very easy to set everything up properly--including naming the various frequencies by both frequency and whatever tag you may want to use to ID it.

You just posted it yourself--the regs don't specify at the beginning, they specify at the end or every ten minutes.  As I just said, sometimes a person may not ID with his call if he just jumps into a conversation or if he answers someone else on the frequency, especially if that person is known to someone else that is on the frequency.  We should ID, but the regs don't demand it--and sometimes it simply doesn't happen.

You know, Jim, sometimes people are just plain thick.

How about during an ongoing round table--someone may just jump in without IDing.  Shouldn't happen, but can.

How about if someone just called out 'listening' and someone else just came back to them without IDing.

Like you say, we should ID, but sometimes it just doesn't happen.

All too often, outlets installed are connected simply by pushing wires into spring clip type connectors in the back of the outlet itself.  Although that type connection may be trouble free, just let the outlet get heated by a bad plug or connection, and that spring clip may lose its resiliency.

I do my own wiring (worked for an electrician in my earlier years) and when I replace outlets and switches I always strip the wire and use the screw connectors on the outlet/switch.  It's simply a better connection method, and one that can eliminate the type trouble you're experiencing--if those spring connection are the cause.

The cookie sheet won't present as adequate ground plane at all.  Your antenna system will work better if you use the cookie sheet as the mounting point and connect at least four radials to it--more would be better.  Radials about 55 inches long each would give you a better ground plane for your antenna to work against.

Just bond it to the closest ground rod.  You've already taken adequate grounding measures of using three rods, now keep the bonding runs as short as possible to minimize resistance.  I believe you'll find that the theory of having one central ground rod that everything is connected to is just that--a theory.  As long as all ground rods are bonded together and bonding runs are kept as short as possible, your grounding system will work as you intend.

True enough, but I was referring to the arguing rather than the money.  I live paycheck to paycheck for the most part too.

They're required to, that doesn't mean they must. 


And that is the proof.  If they wanted to, they could have had it fixed the same day--or the next.

From their standpoint, the electrical service is working, so next time someone is by the area with the proper equipment, the issue will be taken care of.  If it weren't for the possibility of damage caused by failure of that defective equipment (and because of FCC regs too) most of those companies wouldn't bother getting there for months.

With these satellite companies, that is way far easier said than done.  They're of the opinion (even though it's wrong) that the subscriber has to accept their equipment AND its faults--or that subscriber can go elsewhere for their TV service.  Since it costs far more to fight them than it's worth.....