Sean Dennis -> Ed Hulett wrote:
 SD> Hello, Ed.

 SD> Wednesday August 20 2008 at 02:03, you wrote to Mimi Gallandt:

 EH>> Yes, they are. Unfortunately, Israel is also one of the world's main
 EH>> sources of computer viruses, too.

 SD> And the Russians.

Russia and the former soviet block are indeed a hotbed of virus "hackers."

 EH>> Exactly. Amateur Radio is always there after a disaster helping
 EH>> coordinate help for those effected. HAMs are often the only link
 EH>> between the various federal, state and local emergency services.

 SD> That's one of my favorite things about ham radio!  I am also a certified
 SD> SKYWARN weather spotter (certified meaning I can run a SKYWARN net and
 SD> have had advanced training) as well as a (former) member of ARES.
 SD> Unfortunately, down here, the ham radio scene is full of old geezers
 SD> that would rather fight with each other than cooperate, so besides my
 SD> listening to my 2 meter in the truck, I haven't done much else.

We have a very active ARES/RACES community here. The "old
geezers" here have been occupied with keeping "old sparky"
the old RCT historic radio station on the air.

 SD> Then again, once I get my settlement, I'm really wanting to buy that new
 SD> Yaesu FT-950 HT rig... :)  But I'd need to be in a house, not an
 SD> apartment, to fully use that.

I have a Yaesu FT-990, an FT-840 and an Icom IC 737 for HF along with 3
Radio Shack 10meter rigs. I have an Icom IC 551D 6meter. Also 2 Icom
IC-208H dual band mobiles (one as my base and one for the car) a RS HT-212
mobile I plan on setting up for packet. Various HTs and other stuff.

Antenna wise, I have a Hustler BTV-5 5 band vertical for HF and a Comet
dualband for VHF/UHF. I plan on erecting a 40 tower with a TH-6 tri-band
beam as soon as my buddy hauls it over here for me.

 SD> But this conversation is now going way off-topic, so I'll have to move
 SD> it elsewhere. 

Just about any topic is on topic in this echo. :-)

Ed

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 "The principle of government control over    |Linux User# 416016
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