Staples closing 140 stores this year

Staples will close 140 of its underperforming North America stores this year as it faces stiff competition from mass retailers such as Wal-Mart and Amazon. Staples warned its sales could fall in the current quarter during a Wednesday sales call.
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Good by ol' friend.
 I shopped at Staples in Madison and Greensburg, In. for printer ink, CDs, DVDs, paper, and tons of other computer supplies I used in my home based business. I hate to see them go ....... Jack

SpaceX - a Private company

Space Exploration Technologies Corporation, or SpaceX, is a space transport services company headquartered in Hawthorne, California. It was founded in 2002 by former PayPal entrepreneur and Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk. SpaceX was founded with the goal of reducing space transportation costs and enabling the colonization of Mars. It has developed the Falcon 1 and Falcon 9 launch vehicles, both of which were designed from conception to eventually become reusable. SpaceX also developed the Dragon spacecraft, which are flown into orbit by the Falcon 9 launch vehicle, initially transporting cargo and later planned to carry humans to the International Space Station and other destinations.
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from wikipedia.org

Versailles Legion marching at Pumpkin Show 2014

Yaesu 817 and I'm having a terrible time

All, OK, OK,  I confess,
I am new to ham and purchased a yaesu 817nd and I'm having a terrible time using it and getting set up. (I wanted a portable Ham radio to be used for emergencies and camping) Any one know of a good web site or video series to help me set this baby up and to get it going?  I have computer interface and simple don't know all the input categories and guidelines to use specifically. Yep, I keep reading books and learning, but after weeks into it, some guidance would be great besides my trial and error methods. I feel like I am trying to learn a musical instrument from scratch with no sense of rhythm.  Any guidance would be appreciated.  Surely someone can relate.  Maybe I am being impatient and it takes years to make one single contact?
Thanks all in advance,
Kf5zbo......

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The radio will work right out of the box with the default settings and mic. I would say you may need a better antenna. Only call very strong stations and don't waste your time calling CQ. Use the highest band that is open if you have the antennas for different bands. If not make a good antenna for 20 meters and use it. Try checking into a net like Mid-Cars on 7258 but only if the net control is very strong. As I said I think you need a better antenna, but if you can not improve that buy an antenna tuner like the Z-817. One other note: use an external 12 volt battery or power supply. The internal battery will default to 2.5 watts, with external power you can run the full 5 watts. You will do much better using CW rather than SSB. I use JT9 and work the world with 5 watts. Don't give up. ...... WB9OTX
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Thank you for your response.

Currently I have a z817 and it says everything is tuned. I don't really understand what a 'net is... See how new I am?  I have the unit plugged in the wall so I would think it would be putting out a full 5 volts but not certain.  The way I understand it is, you can always have a better antenna. :) 

I would like to learn CW, but one step at a time I suppose...
Thanks for your response, 

Kf5zbo...

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You know you can't make this stuff up !

This is a perfect example why the FCC should have never removed the code requirement for obtaining a Ham radio license. .......................... WB9OTX

Bobby Plump - Milan High School 1954

Click to enlarge 

Bobby Gene Plump (born September 9, 1936) was a member of the Milan High School basketball team that won the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) State Tournament in 1954. Plump was selected Indiana's coveted "Mr. Basketball" in 1954, the award bestowed upon Indiana's most outstanding senior basketball player as voted on by the press. Plump was also named one of the most noteworthy Hoosiers of the 20th century by Indianapolis Monthly Magazine. He was also one of the 50 greatest sports figures from Indiana in the 20th century, according to Sports Illustrated.
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus - 9/21/1897

Virginia O'Hanlon

The New York Sun, a prominent New York City newspaper, published an editorial by Francis Pharcellus Church stating, "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus", that has become a part of popular Christmas lore in the United States.
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

QRP = Very low power for Ham Radio

Yaesu FT-817 and  LDG Tuner

Every day for the past month or so I have been using a very small low power radio (Yaesu FT-817)  to contact other Hams all over the world. The output (RF watts) comes in 5, 2.5, 1, and; 500 milawatts. My antennas are very good and this is a must for QRP operating. You will not need the LDG tuner if your antennas are resinate  I have made several CW (Morris code) contacts, but the most fun I've had is using an operating mode called JT9. JT9 is a digital mode and is relatively new. It's creator is K1JT and not only has he made JT9 but also JT65 and others. I used JT65B to work all continents on the 144 Mhz.(2 meter) band via the moon (EME). The radio must be interfaced with a computer to use these digital modes and I use the products from West Mountain,

West Mountain, plug and Play

 but there are many other companies producing sound card computer interfaces. The computer can be about anything, old or new. The software is free from K1JT's web page. The radio that I use is a Yaesu FT-817 but you can use about any radio that the power can be turned down on. I'm sure this mode of operation is not for everyone, but if you are tired of using SSB or CW try JT65 or JT9. You can talk to the world with just a very few watts..... Jack WB9OTX

Learn Morris Code

Yes I know, you don't need CW to get a Ham ticket anymore. But wouldn't it be nice to know what the IDer says on the repeater or you could build and use a CW QRP transmitter in just a few hours. The FCC has set aside lots of spectrum  just for CW, is it going to waste ? . So all you Belt Clippers out there take a few lessons to get to at least 5 words per minute.
http://lcwo.net/

Do you carry a knife

If you carry a knife you need to click this link
kniferights.org

F-16 Fighting Falcon

The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force. Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,500 aircraft have been built since production was approved in 1976. Its features include a frameless bubble canopy, side-mounted control stick, and relaxed static stability/fly-by-wire flight control.
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Photo: Andy Dunaway, United States Air Force

50s - 60s Juke Box

You have to be an ol' coot like me to still love the music we grew up to. Here is one of the best sites I have found for that old time rock n' roll.
http://www.1959bhsmustangs.com/VideoJukebox.htm

Theodore Roosevelt became President 9/13/1901

Theodore Roosevelt became President of the United States at age 42, the youngest person ever to do so, eight days after William McKinley was fatally wounded in Buffalo, New York.

The Rock

Alcatraz Island, commonly referred to as "The Rock", is a maximum security federal prison located in the San Francisco Bay. Alcatraz Island is also credited as the first US military Fort on the west coast, the first lighthouse on the west coast, a bird sanctuary, and botanical garden.

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Remembering 9 11

http://www.911memorial.org/

Weather Satellites & Images I have received

Hurricane Esther was the first tropical cyclone to be discovered by satellite imagery. The fifth tropical cyclone, fifth named storm, and fifth hurricane of 1961 Atlantic hurricane season, Esther developed from an area of disturbed weather hundreds of miles west-southwest of the southernmost Cape Verde Islands on September 10. Moving northwestward, the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Esther on September 11, before reaching hurricane intensity on the following day
Read more about Hurricane Esther

Katrrina received by WB9OTX

A few years ago I gathered the equipment, most home brew but some commercial to receive weather satellites. I built a experimental folded loop dipole antenna with a lower reflector made from discarded FM radio antennas. Peamp and low loss feedline were used. With much experimentation and time perfect images were received. This was one of the many highlights of my Ham Rado carrier.
See just a few of the images that I received HERE

Read about Satellite_imagery

New Coffee Shop on the Versailles Square

G.H. Coffee Company
Today I had the pleasure of stopping for a nice peaceful cup of coffee under an umbrella on the West side of the Versailles, Indiana town square. This shop just opened a few days ago and it looks like a keeper for the almost deserted town square. A few small businesses are filtering back, I hope it continues. Here are a few photos I took while there. Click the images to enlarge.  See their Web Page HERE

National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association

Fall Shoot September 13-21, 2014

Mission Statement
The National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association exists to promote, support, nurture, and preserve NMLRA’s and our nation’s rich historical heritage in the sport of muzzleloading through recreational, educational, historical, and cultural venues such as match competition, hunting, gun making and safety, historical re-enactments, exhibits, museums, libraries, and other related programs
See Their Web Page

Stratton - Karsteter Funeral Home established 9/5/2002

Local business Stratton - Karsteter Funeral Home was established Sept 5th 2002 in Versailles, Indiana.

I have been proud to be their web master from the day they opened the door.

They have had over one half million visitors to the web page and this number increases daily.

See the page at: www.skfuneralhome.com 

Stratton-Karsteter Funeral Home is a local, independent funeral  home. Our staff is committed to the needs of the Versailles area  by providing the finest funeral services and facilities with a  comfortable homelike atmosphere. Mike, Eric, and Bill

New Gas Station Opening Soon In Versailles

See all the photos