Mid Fall Thoughts

It’s been a while since I wrote for the blog. I like having this for all of us and want to contribute when I have a few minutes. I don’t have a core topic this time, but more odds and ends.

It’s been good having Patrick stay with us these last few weeks as his apartment gets finished. We see all of you at different times, but have had all of you ‘bunk’ with us here in the compound. Mo has really enjoyed being able to chat with him as she helps with the going to work. He’s helped quite a bit with Lukas and has tried to help him learn some golf. 

We’re looking forward to getting him into his brand-new place in Seattle. I had a chance to go with him on a walk-through, it’s gorgeous!

I was planning on a California trip the last week of November, but it was postponed, pretty late, with just a couple pf working days notice. I’ll likely pick up the trip again after New Years. I don’t think Paine Field will be open yet, so darn it, another trip to Sea-Tac.

Speaking of Paine Field, as soon as Alaska announced they were taking reservations, Mom and I decided to take advantage of a discount coupon I had that would have expired at the end of the year and planned a Paine to Portland day trip. Just down in the morning, and back in the evening. We’ll look for someplace for lunch that we can get to from the little trolly things that they have.

My ham radio as I write this is still in the shop. It lost its mind one day and refused to work for me. It’s an ICOM and it just happens that the North American operations are headquartered in Kirkland. At least when they get around to fixing it, I can pick it up right away.

I’ve had QSO’s (Ham shorthand for a conversation) with several other operators in several states. I even heard an operator in South Africa, but there was a ‘pile up’ (Many attempts to contact at the same time) and I couldn’t make a contact. Fun though. California, Arizona, Hawaii, Missouri, North Dakota, and Louisiana are some of the places my little flag pole has helped me make contacts with.

I worked on the Fort Casey annual haunted house with some other radio people. That was an interesting couple of nights. Duties were varied, but my favorite was mermaid (actually Sirens, there is a very significant, and pretty dark difference) protector. The actors at nearly all of the many scenes were Whidbey Island playhouse people, and the level of effort was amazing.

I flirted with the idea of getting a shorter callsign. About 9 call signs like that were available on one day in November. I applied for the 9, and saw that about 50 other people did as well. There is a buuilt in 2.5 week pause between the application and the granting (if you get the lottery when there is competition). I reflected and decided to keep my K7CWC callsign, so I withdrew my applications. Not saying I'll never try for a top class callsign, but I'll keep what I have for some time I think.

I’m still a few months away from hanging up my work boots so to speak, and I have my eye on one more radio for the shack. I get my equipment from an Oregon store called Ham Radio Outlet. It’s good as they have free shipping, and as an Oregon outfit, no sales tax

The compound has had a change in ownership. Other than a jump in rent, we’re not sure what we’ll notice. They had an intro meeting, but there wasn’t anything significant. That was said. Lot’s of hype on how good they are, we’ll see.

Let us know what’s happening with you!

Dad