I realize it has been a long time since I wrote anything here. A lot of water passed under the bridge.
Several of my projects all needed work done. Some of it was on deadline and some of it just needed to be done so that other parts of the project could proceed. So I found myself working a lot and having little energy left over for some of the other things that are important to me. One of those things is this space, where I enjoy parking some words and some of the images that I make as I wander through this life.
A few weeks ago a friend and I were sharing our weekly breakfast. We meet at the Red Hut Diner, spend some time bullshitting and some time talking about more serious things, and just enjoying fellowship. We are quite different and that is OK. I think that having people in my life who think differently than I do is not just intellectually stimulating, but it helps me steer away from confirmation bias.
While we were breaking bread and chatting, he told me he was preparing to sit the Amateur Radio Operator Technician Class license examination. I was reminded of my own intention to be licensed. I went so far as to purchase a manual a few years ago. But life got in the way and I let the intention go unattended.
“I’ll sit it with you,” I said. He looked at me, a little startled.
So, after seeing that my manual was out of date, I ordered a fresh copy (they change the question pool every few years and update the manual). I started working through the manual and then decided that I could probably pass the General Class exam as well. So I ordered that manual.
Neither of these manuals are very technical. There is a little in there, but nothing too challenging for an engineer. I emailed the examination coordinator and he gave me the details. He mentioned that one can take all three examinations, although he didn’t recommend that one take all three.
In the middle of this, I caught the flu. I was really ill for several days. It was the fever that was the worst. I continued my studies as I could, but I was really out of it for several days. A good friend brought me some supplies and I survived.
Then the project work was behind, so I was pushing to get work out again as I regained my strength.
Along the way I decided that I would try for the Extra Class license while I was at it. I learn best by immersion. So I ordered the final manual and began my studies while I took practice tests for the other two examinations.
We had a few nice days in this period of time. The sun came out and dried up some of the mud. The Girl and I walked some of our favorite spaces down by Carson River. The red-shouldered hawk in the frame came from one of those walks.
The weather turned cold and snowy again. Today it is spitting snow. The Girl and I will get out in a bit and get a little more walk in. Then I think we will go to the grocery store and retrovision the house. I need some food in the house.
In fact, I just heard her jump off the bed and shake… the ears flapping is always the give-away. My washer load is just about finished, so I can put my jacket into the dryer and start the other load. I should be finished with my laundry tonight as well.
So glad you are “Resurfacing”. Your words take us right into the heart of “what’s going on in your life, Dave?” I am excited about the Ham Op License work. In fact we were just talking about that very thing with our Dave. He was revisiting his old CB operator days and has decided HAM might be fun. Hope the jacket got dry soon, because I am sure the Girl was ready to walk. Keep writing!
I just completed purchase of a used radio and it will be shipped this week. I also had a CB rig when I was a teenager and actually bought a ham radio, but only used the receiver. I had no “Elmer” to show me the ropes, so I didn’t make any progress.
I have a couple of really heavy hoodies in my inventory. The jacket was still drying, so I put on one of them and took The Girl over to the doggie park for a circuit. The north wind was a little cool, but we had already done the long walk so we were both good. I stopped at the grocery store on the way home to reprovision the house.
Dave should look into an amateur operator’s license. The Technician level is not difficult and he should have no problem with the General class examination either. The Amateur Extra class will take a little more work, though. My practice test scores are running 80%, which is good enough. There is a lot more material and it feels like a hoop-jump to me because I think a lot of what they require for the test is not what an operator needs to demonstrate proficiency.
I’ll know a lot more on the flip side. I’ve been through hoop-jump exercises before so this one is no different than the others.