Economic and political "meltdowns" have made 2009 quite a year for most of us in the USA. By the grace of God, I have not had the misfortune this past year that many have had. Nevertheless, Murphy has paid me several visits this year that has resulted in my being off the air for the most part.
We survived the January ice storm with damage only to tree limbs. While power was out for 3 1/2 days, this was really just an inconvenience. The next big event was to be a wedding. My oldest daughter was married at the end of May. Afterwards, I figured we would have a quiet summer and adjust to the idea that our baby was now married. The quiet didn't last long.
Through a series of unanticipated events (its complicated), we embarked upon a remodeling project. For the 11 years that we have lived here we had wanted to do some fixing and updating to the house - new siding, new deck, new doors & windows, etc. Well, we got underway and for those of you who have ever embarked upon such a journey, you know that you can't just do what you started out to do. As you get into the project you find another thing that needs fixing, and another and another. Before long what started out as a quick project bogs down to a multi-year adventure. Did I mention that in order to do the work outdoors I had to take down my antennas? Hmmm.
Suffice it to say that although the outside is mostly done now, I'll have to wait a while to rebuild the deck out back (translation: I ran out of money). Until the deck is rebuilt (translation: until I save up some money), I don't know where I can put my HF antennas back up without being in the way of the new deck and since I don't like to "lick my calf twice" I'm not putting them back up until I can put them up permanently.
So I'm off the HF bands for a while but I can still work the satellites, right? Wrong - when I wasn't working on the house I was too tired to do much else. Now that the remodeling activities are taking a pause, its too cold to run around the yard with my portable satellite setup. And for those who are wondering - No, I never did get my permanent satellite ground station setup. Good thing though or it would have come down with the rest of the HF gear.
2010, here we come!
73,
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