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Post by Mark O on Feb 20, 2013 8:10:28 GMT 9
Some of y'all have probably seen this already, but if not; "Eat like that guy you know!"Too funny! And please, no comments about eating processed cheese, or the fact that it's a CB radio on channel 33, or the fact that you will probably never talk to "all" the Koreas. (There are no hams in North Korea.) Just have a good laugh! I did! If it was made by a real "hams" it wouldn't have been funny. (They'd have talked about how much power their amp puts out, how tall their frickin' antenna mast is, the fact that it cost them eight mortgage payments, and that only "real" hams know morse code.) Trust me. I have met so many hams with absolutely NO sense of humor. P.S. Got Slovakia, Aruba Is., Bonaire Is. Turks & Caicos Is., and Columbia over the past few days! (There's a guy from Brazil on 15 meters as I type this, but he's pretty hard to hear. That's okay, I have Brazil already, and there is a big pileup trying to get him anyway.)
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Post by Mark O on Feb 27, 2013 12:05:06 GMT 9
I've been trying to come up with a different QSL card to send out for my ham radio contacts (QSOs) and got a bit crazy today with Microsoft Publisher. I came up with the idea of doing an F-106 tail, but kept getting stumped. I also tried a C-130, but couldn't find a decent drawing, so I went with an F-4. Using my call sign as a play on the "tail number" works better on an F-4 anyway!!
What do you think?
Edit: Two new countries over the past few days. Estonia, and The Falkland Islands! Whoo Hoo!!
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MOW
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Post by MOW on Feb 27, 2013 13:12:08 GMT 9
Looks very nice, Mark.
But an F-4?
Jim Too
8Dyou should have expected that Mark
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Post by Jim on Feb 27, 2013 13:18:36 GMT 9
Mark, why not say Generic tail and we wouldn't have squealed on you.... Looks great
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Post by Mark O on Feb 27, 2013 14:10:44 GMT 9
Really Jim Too? From an old Phantom Phixer? I expected it from the other guys, but... I will seriously try to get a decent F-106 version. Which just now gave me an idea our sarcastic MOW may be able to help me with. Do you have a decent size version of the tail you use for for the "new posts" logo on the forum home page? One with the rudder on the right would work best. The cards I create are 4" x 6" if that helps. BTW, here is one of the other versions I created today with all my badges, and patches on it. This is the nice thing about being able to create, and print cards at will. I only print two at a time, and if I don't like it -- I create another version. Many folks settle on one version, and get someone else to print 500 or so at a time. Ugh. Now you're stuck with 'em. A hearty, "well done" to anyone who can -- in one post -- correctly name all of the patches along the bottom border of the card. ALL of them. If you know them, but chose not to name them just reply with a "Yes."
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Post by MOW on Feb 27, 2013 14:20:48 GMT 9
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Post by Mark O on Feb 27, 2013 14:30:15 GMT 9
Either one will work as I will save them as .jpg files. Just easier to use with Publisher. THANK YOU!!!
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Post by MOW on Feb 27, 2013 14:31:30 GMT 9
Either one will work as I will save them as .jpg files. Just easier to use with Publisher. THANK YOU!!! Publisher? Ouch! You're making a graphic right?
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Post by Mark O on Feb 27, 2013 14:45:04 GMT 9
Hell, I was using WORD!! Publisher is the best program I have right now for something like this. Besides, all I am doing is adding .jpg graphics here and there, and some text. What do you suggest?
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Post by MOW on Feb 27, 2013 14:47:01 GMT 9
Hell, I was using WORD!! Publisher is the best program I have right now for something like this. Besides, all I am doing is adding graphics here, and there. What do you suggest? I use Photoshop for most everything in addition to Illustrator when I need vector graphics. But yea I wasn't thinking... not everyone has Photoshop.
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Post by Mark O on Feb 27, 2013 15:01:18 GMT 9
I remember when I first started here on f-106deltadart.com (which wasn't even called that then!) I used a program called Paint Shop Pro. Version 3-point-something for Windows 3.1, or some other such archaic version! I was also very proficient with "Freelance Graphics", Wordperfect 5., point, something for DOS, and a host of other programs we all thought that were very cool then! Those were the days! I suspect my son the hacker could get me a version of Photoshop if I really needed it, but I'm hanging okay with what I have.
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Post by Mark O on Feb 27, 2013 15:32:28 GMT 9
Here's on I did I did using MS Paint when I first got my license. I like this one, but don't have the printer for it really. I used to have one of those photo printers, but the paper, and ink were crazy expensive. BTW, I found this photo on the internet. I believe it was taken by one of those plane spotters at Mildenhall as it was returning from the desert on the way back to Dyess. I made that trip several times, but no, I was not on this particular flight. I was over in the desert when it was taken however, and had flown this aircraft over there several times. Oh yea. The black wheel on the aft main? I was there at Moody AFB, GA in 2009 when our crew chiefs put that on. We were TDY at Ft. Benning for the jump school bubbas, and we got a bad tear in the tire we had. Since Moody was the closest C-130 base we flew there for a new tire from the rescue guys, then flew back to Ft. Benning. All they had were black wheels! (Not sure where my photos are of those right now though...) Maybe I'll give it a try and print this one anyway...
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Jim Scanlon (deceased)
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Post by Jim Scanlon (deceased) on Feb 27, 2013 23:42:41 GMT 9
Mark said: <font color="#e65219">Really Jim Too? From an old Phantom Phixer? I expected it from the other guys, but...</font>
<img alt=" doh" src="http://storage.proboards.com/301739/i/cJiw232n4zbXyVAQ2TOs.gif">
Mark, I worked on a number of jet fighters.
My least favorite was the F-89, two engine vacuum cleaner.
My next least favorite was the F-4, again two engines.
Of the two, the F-4 is the ugliest thing I can think of.
As I have said before; The F-4 is as good looking as a bar of homemade soap.
Two engines on low slung fighters mean they are hard to work on, and you spend a lot of time on your back, on the ramp, fixing them.
Besides, this is a SIX Lovers Forum, not Phantom II.
Jim Too
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Post by Jim on Feb 28, 2013 3:04:17 GMT 9
Really Jim Too? From an old Phantom Phixer? I expected it from the other guys, but... I will seriously try to get a decent F-106 version. Which just now gave me an idea our sarcastic MOW may be able to help me with. Do you have a decent size version of the tail you use for for the "new posts" logo on the forum home page? One with the rudder on the right would work best. The cards I create are 4" x 6" if that helps. BTW, here is one of the other versions I created today with all my badges, and patches on it. This is the nice thing about being able to create, and print cards at will. I only print two at a time, and if I don't like it -- I create another version. Many folks settle on one version, and get someone else to print 500 or so at a time. Ugh. Now you're stuck with 'em. A hearty, "well done" to anyone who can -- in one post -- correctly name all of the patches along the bottom border of the card. ALL of them. If you know them, but chose not to name them just reply with a "Yes." I like this, but don't like the wings- they don't go along with your title of "Flight Engineer" and your a/c had 4 props!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The OLD Sarge
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Post by Mark O on Feb 28, 2013 3:49:23 GMT 9
Yea, I tried it with the old, and technically unoffical now "FE" wings, but thought I would make this version official since I put my other badges on it. I use the FE wings on another version of my QSL card as a standalone badge. Less confusion. Jim Too -- I do believe I've actually heard people mention how ugly the Phantom was! Honestly though, if I send that card out I really wonder how many folks will actually recognize it. Fortunately with ham radio specific web sites such as www.qrz.com it is pretty easy to get someones background if they choose to post it. That's how most people get addresses to send the cards, and I can be selective on who I send it to. And for the record, I've always like the look of the F-4. Don't know why; I just do!
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Post by Jim on Feb 28, 2013 5:49:16 GMT 9
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Post by Mark O on Mar 3, 2013 13:38:09 GMT 9
Been glued to the ham radio since last night, including most of today. There is an international DX contest going on. It started a midnight Zulu on the 2nd (6:00 p.m. my time last night), and ends at 2359Z tomorrow which is 5:59 p.m. my time. For my little homebrew antenna I'm not doing too terribly bad, but could do much better if I had some more height, and my other antennas up. I've only made 39 QSOs so far * which include 26 countries, or "DX Entities" as the ham radio organizing bodies like to call them. Entities are often, but not always, countries. Each entity contains some definable political or geographical distinctiveness. For example, although Hawaii, and Alaska are not separate countries from the United States, they are separate DX entities due their distance from the rest of the US. Even an uninhabited island can be an entity. Clipperton Island -- a French possession SE of Mexico -- for example. There are several hams there right now in fact. I have yet to make a QSO with them, but did manage to talk to their ship -- a "maritime mobile" station -- while they were enroute earlier this week. Since last night I've talked to: Costa Rica, Aruba, Brazil (5), Columbia (3), Nicaragua, Barbados, U.S. Virgin Islands (3), Ecuador, Curacao, Hawaii (3), Anguilla, Bahamas, Turks & Caicos Islands, Bonaire, Mexico (2), Portugal, France, Spain, Ireland, Chile, Bermuda, Puerto Rico, Azores, Sweden, Finland, Russia, and Alaska (2). (And one guy in Ohio that was celebrating Ohio's statehood anniversary, but wasn't in the contest!) BTW, I've actually made contacts with 46 countries at least once including those above, but never got so many "new" countries in one day! Well, the bands I can actually make contest contacts on (20 and 15 meters) are pretty much dead, and I'm beat. Gotta be something on TCM, or Encore Westerns if we can get the grandson to bed! (Yep, West Side Story is on!) *Last night I heard one guy say he made 302 contacts in the first hour of the contest! Of course people are calling him. I am calling other stations, and have to compete with several others calling at the same time . Yes, these contests are MAJOR events in the ham world!
If any one is interested, here is a list of the 340 current DX Entities. www.425dxn.org/dxcc/2012%20DXCC%20Current.pdf
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Post by Mark O on Mar 4, 2013 9:51:33 GMT 9
Whew! I made it through my first DX contest! Finally over.
My grand total was 59 contacts, and 39 countries/entities. (Pitiful, just pitiful.) Brazil and Columbia tied with the most contacts at five different hams each. (Not unusual at all. Ham radio is very popular there.)
Today I talked to...
Finland, Columbia (2), Belize (2), Japan, Bahamas, Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Croatia, French Guiana, Dominican Republic, British Virgin Islands, Antigua & Barbuda, Peru, St. Vincent & The Grenadines, Aruba, Argentina, and Chile.
Japan was cool, as my brother lives there, but he doesn't have the power to talk to many hams in the US east of the West Coast. I tried like heck to get Italy, Germany, and England -- tried several times -- but it just didn't work. I am a bit surprised I didn't get anyone from Canada. Didn't even hear any competing, but I heard plenty playing like I was.
Interstingly I have now talked to more countries than states! 53 countries, and only 45 states as of today. I need ME, OK, TX, UT, and WV. I've actually heard folks from all of those states, but for some reason have never made a contact. That's the way it works in ham radio sometimes!
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Post by pat perry on Mar 4, 2013 10:40:56 GMT 9
Whew! I made it through my first DX contest! Finally over. My grand total was 59 contacts, and 39 countries/entities. (Pitiful, just pitiful.) Brazil and Columbia tied with the most contacts at five different hams each. (Not unusual at all. Ham radio is very popular there.) Today I talked to... Finland, Columbia (2), Belize (2), Japan, Bahamas, Czech Repuplic, Luxembourg, Croatia, French Guiana, Dominican Republic, British Virgin Islands, Antigua & Barbuda, Peru, St. Vincent & The Grenadines, Aruba, Argentina, and Chile. Japan was cool, as my brother lives there, but he doesn't have the power to talk to many hams in the US east of the West Coast. I tried like heck to get Italy, Germany, and England -- tried several times -- but it just didn't work. I am a bit surprised I didn't get anyone from Canada. Didn't even hear any competing, but I heard plenty playing like I was. Interstingly I have now talked to more countries than states! 53 countries, and only 45 states as of today. I need ME, OK, TX, UT, and WV. I've actually heard folks from all of those states, but for some reason have never made a contact. That's the way it works in ham radio sometimes! Mark, That's amazing. Can you imagine how much your phone bill would be if you called all the folks on an AT&T land line! It still amazes me how these Ham RF signals can get through all the RF signals that are out there today. What is the frequency band of Ham signals? What are your conversations like? Are they just to ID yourselves or do you carry on a dialogue? Pat P.
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