Night Before Christmas Poem

 

 https://youtu.be/g4Y1IpCGHss

I seen me a mermaid once

 

Merry Christmas

If you remember this your old

 

Peal Harber Today

 Click image to enlarge

Pearl-harbor day -Dec. 7th

Pearl Harbor is a U.S. naval base near Honolulu, Hawaii, that was the scene of a devastating surprise attack by Japanese forces on December 7, 1941. Just before 8 a.m. on that Sunday morning, hundreds of Japanese fighter planes descended on the base, where they managed to destroy or damage nearly 20 American naval vessels, including eight battleships, and over 300 airplanes. More than 2,400 Americans died in the attack, including civilians, and another 1,000 people were wounded. The day after the assault, President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war on Japan.
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December 5, 1945 Flight 19

 

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It began as nothing more than a routine training flight. At 2:10 p.m. on December 5, 1945, five TBM Avenger torpedo bombers took off from a Naval Air Station in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The planes—collectively known as “Flight 19”—were scheduled to tackle a three-hour exercise known as “Navigation Problem Number One.” Their triangular flight plan called for them to head east from the Florida coast and conduct bombing runs at a place called Hens and Chickens Shoals. They would then turn north and proceed over Grand Bahama Island before changing course a third time and flying southwest back to base. Save for one plane that only carried two men, each of the Avengers was crewed by three Navy men or Marines, most of whom had logged around 300 hours in the air. The flight’s leader was Lieutenant Charles C. Taylor, an experienced pilot and veteran of several combat missions in World War II’s Pacific Theater.

It never happened to me before

I called CQ four times and sent my call two times. A station that was about 579 returned my call.just as I put my fingers on the paddle another

LID called the station that called me. I was silent, I just wanted to hear what was going to take place. The station that called me answered the LID and a normal QSO took place. These to guys were older and had been on the air for some time, not kids. I felt like this was one of the most LIDISH acts I had ever heard. Although no blood or broken bones were the result, it was an act of very poor operating to say the least. I have been on the air some fifty years  and I have seen things change for the worst, Not only in Ham Radio but in life its self. Some do not know any better but most seem to just not care. Its just "all about me".

Jack WB9OTX

The grey line

The "grey line" is a band around the Earth that separates daylight from darkness.

Click for real time view

1947 "Behind your radio dial"

3 deer in yard

These deer come to my back yard almost each night to eat bird food and salt.

You Got It

Becairful what you wish for
because you may get it

Elvis returns

Elvis again returned this Halloween.

Trump Rally 10/17/2020

Photos by: Tiffany Foster

Morse-Iambic-Double-Paddle

https://www.amazon.com/Morse-Iambic-Double-Paddle-Black/dp/B088C4ZGVH

Everyonce in a while you try a product that you find is a real winner. The standard for a CW paddle is the Bencher BY 1 or 2. This little paddle I find is a great replacement at a bargan on price and performance. It is very smooth to the touch and with the heavy weighted base it won't move around even with a heavy touch. It is very easy to ajust and stays adjusted. The price you will find ranges from 50 to 75 dollars so shop around. I think you will like it, I sure do. Jack WB9OTX

Short Wave Listening = SWLing.com

SWLing.com

Short Wave Listening is much easier now with the moderon receivers. When I started some some 55 or 60 years ago the dial was a guess at best. Now with digital readout you just dial the frequency and if you have propagation you hear the station. ...... Jack

Air Force Birthday

The official Air Force Birthday is recognized as September 18, 1947, which is the date of the passage of the National Security Act of 1947. That legislation created what would later become to known as the United States Department of Defense. ... The 73rd Air Force Day will be celebrated on Friday, September 18, 2020.

History of Labor Day

 https://www.dol.gov/general/laborday/history

My Favorite QSL Card

 ZE3JJ from Rhodesia 1980 on 10 meters

Click Image to enlarge 

A blast from the past "Ma Curry"

This is a short history lesson written by Jo Westmeyer  and myself.

Click the link and you will be taken to a repost from my Blog, written a few years ago.
If you lived in Versailles, Indiana you will like this post............. Jack

  https://wb9otx.blogspot.com/2013/05/ma-curry-versailles-icon.html

If your out for a drive

 Just West of Versailles on the late Paul Morris farm are two great formations. Pictured below is the Morris (lost bridge) Bridge. While viewing the beautiful masonry work of the bridge please view the work of Paul Hinge, a stone solar calendar.  Click photo for full view.

Photo by Jack Demaree

 

WB9OTX site hacked

Some JERK hacked my web page and deleted a few files. I had to look for a long time but I finally found the back-up of the index page. This was done for no purpose as there was no information stored there that would do anyone any good. Always keep a back up of important things as sooner or later you will need it. This hack only cost me about one hour to build it back. ............ Jack

Myth & ol' wives tale

After seeing a commercial on TV I told two friends that waiting one half hour before swimming was a myth. The comment from them was "are you nuts" I replayed that is a good example of an ol' wives tale. So I looked it up and found the below quote. at: HERE

An examination of the Royal Lifesaving Association’s Australian reports on drowning  over the past few years gives no mention of lives being lost after eating. And neither the American Academy of Pediatrics, the United States’ Consumer Product Safety Commission, nor the American Red Cross offer any guidelines or warning related to swimming after eating.

And I said, "See I told you so"

latest YouTube videos

See my latest YouTube videos

https://www.youtube.com/user/wbotx/videos?view_as=public

Trail Cam

This doe has been eating my bird feed for several weeks now. I put shell corn out but she likes the bird feed better.

Stop Thief

I could not figure where my bird feed was going.. It was too high up for coons and birds do not eat at night, But my Trail Cam caught the thief red handed.

Photo by: Jack Demaree

Here Kitty Kitty

I find that you get a photo to remember every 100 shots or so.

Photo by: Jack Demaree

Echoes From Antarctica

     It wasn’t the first time I had been awakened in the middle of the night by noises from the next room. I could hear my husband’s voice and the squirrelly SSB sounds along with the soft reddish glow emitted from the tubes of his Drake R4B Amateur Radio. After tuning across the band he heard the word, Lawrenceburg, and this was the beginning of a two-year friendship with Pat Cornelius.  Pat was at the South Pole.
     Jack Demaree’s fasinatation in electronics started when he was just a boy.  He was absorbed and bedazzled as a child and the interest and excitement never left him.
     I married into this whirlwind, noisy and expensive, but I must say, I was quite fascinated also, as I lay awake many nights listening to him open up the airwaves at late hours to make it possible for a young man to communicate with his mom and dad from a cold and barren land.
     Pat was living at South Pole station, Antarctica and there was no communication in 1980,
                                                                                                           
except for Amateur Radio and the phone patch. It was an answered prayer for Pat, I’m sure and a realized dream for Jack.
    Although Antarctica is on the same planet as the rest of us, this continent at the bottom of the globe isn’t a part of the world the public knows. It is the highest, windiest, driest and most desolate place on earth.
The whole continent is buried under one mile of snow and ice, but it rarely snows. Instead, windstorms blow off the surface of the ice, which creates the impression of snowstorms.
     What is typical today for this desolate area was typical in 1980 and 1981, regarding temperatures, and general weather conditions, however, as far as communications for all the scientists living there at the time, there just wasn’t any. This leads me into my story, as told to me by my husband.
     He had been interested in Antarctica for a long time and read nearly everything he could find on the subject. Then in 1980 he was dialing his receiver across the twenty-meter band and he heard the word Lawrenceburg. This is a town about twenty-five miles from where we live. To his surprise, the call sign the fellow was using was KC4AAA. This told him he was located at the South Pole. When he signed off with the station he was in conversation with, he called him. He answered and told him his name was Pat Cornelius and he was training to be an astronaut. He said his hometown was Lawrenceburg, Indiana. This was the start of a friendship not only with Pat, but his family as well.
     They set up a schedule later on, after both realized that Jack could make it possible for Pat to talk to his parents at home by means of the phone patch. Twice a week they would meet on the radio starting at midnight. (This was three in the afternoon where Pat was at). Jack had to leave
for work at four A.M. Sometimes other stations on the Antarctic continent would call and want
him to run patches for them after Pat and Jack were finished. How could he refuse? He didn’t get a lot of sleep back then, but he was a lot younger.

     I believe it was the winter of 1981 at the Pole, which is June or July here, since the seasons are opposite in the two hemispheres. On one of their schedules Pat told Jack they were going to have an airdrop. This hadn’t been attempted before because of the great distance and weather conditions the planes would encounter during their trip from New Zealand. The planes would be C-130’s with no skis. Their plans would be to drop and make their way right back. The planes would need to refuel mid air before returning to Christ Church, New Zealand, so you can see this was quite an undertaking. Families of the men (and one woman) were contacted and told they could send one package. Most wanted requests that ranged from ice cream to Kiwi fruit. Yes, I said ice cream. Pat told Jack he could send a package also, so he sent some information about Ham Radio and a photo.
     The day came for the drop and all the crew were lighting flairs (its dark for about three months) to mark the drop zone. Jack was monitoring on the radio and could hear the planes call the Pole, but neither could get through to the other. He contacted the Pole and told them he could hear both of them. The planes were on a frequency that he was not permitted on but they were also listening on the Ham frequency so they could hear him.  He transmitted in the Ham band and the planes transmitted on the military frequency. This is called operating split. It worked quite well. He relayed the location and arrival times to the Pole.  I must say he was feeling pretty important being so privileged to be a part of this relay and what he considered a monstrous adventure. There were a few things that took place when the planes made the drop,

but he was sworn to secrecy. Let’s just say they were quite low to the ice when they kicked the freight out of the planes.  (nuff said). Unfortunately, the cargo was full of bacteria and viruses,
 which in the excessively cold environment at the Pole is non-existent; therefore, after being brought into the dome and heated, was spread to all the crew and many became ill with colds and such. Needless to say no one had considered this and there have been no more airdrops.                                   
    I cannot end without mentioning the most emotional experience of the story. It was about three in the afternoon after he had returned home from work when the phone rang. The young lady on the other end of the phone said it was imperative that she contact her brother, as soon as possible. He asked her who her brother was and how he could be of help. She began to cry and after a moment she said “I need to get a message to my brother at the Pole to tell him mom has died.” She gave him the details and he felt his heart sink as he attempted to muster up enough strength to plan a contact with Pat. That night at 11:00 P.M., he began calling on their scheduled frequency. It wasn’t long until he heard “WB9OTX this is KC4AAA go ahead.” It was Pat and he gave him the name and the message. He secretly wanted Pat to relay the information but he said he would call on the intercom and then Jack could speak to the man one on one. He conveyed to the gentleman exactly what his sister had said and knowing there would be no way for him to come home as nothing comes or goes from the Pole in the wintertime, all he could offer to his sister was encouragement.  He called her back the next day and she was very grateful. He asked her how she got his phone number and she replied. “The National Science Foundation gave it to me.” To this day we don’t know how or why our phone number was available to her but it just proves-- Big Brother is always listening.
     After Pat’s tour at the Pole he went to Germany pursuing a career in hot air balloons. He

never made it as an astronaut. Him and Jack lost contact, but he will never forget his association with him and all the other interesting people he met during those two years.

     Jack is still a Ham after fifty years.  He holds an advanced license and has worked all states, zones and most countries. He handles messages on 75 meters through an Indiana Traffic Net and belongs to a local Repeater club. After many years have passed and numerous awards for public service, his passion remains the same for Amateur Radio.

By Betty Demaree

June 14, 2020 is Flag Day

https://youtu.be/XfzJ8UBr-c0

D Day footage

June 6th 2020 is D Day. See some of the footage:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/videos/category/history/archival-footage-of-d-day/

Back on the ITN

Apr. 17th 2020
I was able to squeeze in a couple of hours dismantling the twisted and bent antennas from the fallen tower. I was able to untangle the 75 meter wire and spice the broken pieces back together. This was a temporary fix as the broken pieces still need to be soldered. This temporary fix now allows me after eight weeks to check into the Indiana Traffic Net (ITN) again. All of my friends welcomed me back. I still have much work and many hours, work, and money to get back to what I had. I think I will be unable to achieve this. I will just do what I can and make do in the future.
Jack  WB9OTX

Versailles Tornado Confirmed

Click to enlarge 

Storm Damage

Apr. 8, 2020
A savior thunderstorm warning and a tornado watch had been posted about 45 minutes before all hell broke loose. There was reports of damage in Jackson county to the West, this report came over the police scanner. The first sign was a roar of the wind then debris of things hit the picture window in the living room. I had never heard this intense thumping before on the window. I hurried my wife Betty into the wheel chair and rolled her into our small bathroom, covered her with a blanket. I could hear crash, boom, thump coming from the roof  and walls. I have to tell you I was frightened like never before in a wind storm. The lights went out and in a few minutes the noise of the wind quit as fast as it had began. There was very little lightning with this storm, just a few cloud to cloud rumbling. Oil and battery lamps were lit. Betty was wheeled out of her safe bathroom location to the darkened living room. I took a flashlight and shined out the door to the car port. There was sticks leaves and all kinds of junk there.I ventured into the back yard and seen the radio tower with all of the giant antennas crushed to the ground. I could see that the trees were broken and large limbs were all about in the yard. I turned off the power to the breaker box to the radios and computers in the radio room. Our  power was off for about 2 days, but REMC was much faster than Duke restoring the electric. My internet is still out and I don't expect it to be restored for a few days. The coax from the power pole across the road is broken. We are now waiting on the insurance adjuster to arrive. All in all we are safe and the things that are damaged and broken can be fixed in time. We were lucky.
Jack

 

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Statton - Karsteter Funeralhome

For the last few days I have been working with the Statton - Karsteter Funeralhome in Versailles with a make over of their Web Page. If you have a few minutes please look the page over.
The Web address is:
https://www.skfuneralhome.com/
Also there are some local photos that you may find interesting.
Jack WB9OTX

My wife

 

We are almost two weeks into self-isolation and it’s very upsetting for me to witness my wife standing at the dining room window staring aimlessly into space with tears running down her cheeks. It breaks my heart to see her like this. I’ve thought very hard of how I can cheer her up. I’ve even considered letting her in. But rules are rules.

‘The Great American Takeout. Day"

3/31/2020
Help support your local restaurant
Search Google for the phone number
then call your order in
Go pick it up or ask if they deliver
Enjoy

Covid-19 & Safe Grocery Shopping

COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus)

* The virus is not a living organism, but a protein molecule (RNA) covered by a protective layer of lipid (fat), which, when absorbed by the cells of the ocular, nasal or buccal mucosa, changes their genetic code. (mutation) and convert them into aggressor and multiplier cells.
* Since the virus is not a living organism but a protein molecule, it is not killed, but decays on its own. The disintegration time depends on the temperature, humidity and type of material where it lies.
* The virus is very fragile; the only thing that protects it is a thin outer layer of fat. That is why any soap or detergent is the best remedy, because the foam CUTS the FAT (that is why you have to rub so much: for 20 seconds or more, to make a lot of foam). By dissolving the fat layer, the protein molecule disperses and breaks down on its own.
* HEAT melts fat; this is why it is so good to use water above 25 degrees Celsius for washing hands, clothes and everything. In addition, hot water makes more foam and that makes it even more useful.
* Alcohol or any mixture with alcohol over 65% DISSOLVES ANY FAT, especially the external lipid layer of the virus.
* Any mix with 1 part bleach and 5 parts water directly dissolves the protein, breaks it down from the inside.
* Oxygenated water helps long after soap, alcohol and chlorine, because peroxide dissolves the virus protein, but you have to use it pure and it hurts your skin.
* NO BACTERICIDE SERVES. The virus is not a living organism like bacteria; they cannot kill what is not alive with anthobiotics, but quickly disintegrate its structure with everything said.
* NEVER shake used or unused clothing, sheets or cloth. While it is glued to a porous surface, it is very inert and disintegrates only between 3 hours (fabric and porous), 4 hours (copper, because it is naturally antiseptic; and wood, be
cause it removes all the moisture and does not let it peel off and disintegrates). ), 24 hours (cardboard), 42 hours (metal) and 72 hours (plastic). But if you shake it or use a feather duster, the virus molecules float in the air for up to 3 hours, and can lodge in your nose.
* The virus molecules remain very stable in external cold, or artificial as air conditioners in houses and cars. They also need moisture to stay stable, and especially darkness. Therefore, dehumidified, dry, warm and bright environments will degrade it faster.
* UV LIGHT on any object that may contain it breaks down the virus protein. For example, to disinfect and reuse a mask is perfect. Be careful, it also breaks down collagen (which is protein) in the skin, eventually causing wrinkles and skin cancer.
* The virus CANNOT go through healthy skin.
* Vinegar is NOT useful because it does not break down the protective layer of fat.
* NO SPIRITS, NOR VODKA, serve. The strongest vodka is 40% alcohol, and you need 65%.
* LISTERINE IF IT SERVES! It is 65% alcohol.
* The more confined the space, the more concentration of the virus there can be. The more open or naturally ventilated, the less.
* This is super said, but you have to wash your hands before and after touching mucosa, food, locks, knobs, switches, remote control, cell phone, watches, computers, desks, TV, etc. And when using the bathroom.
* You have to HUMIDIFY HANDS DRY from so much washing them, because the molecules can hide in the micro cracks. The thicker the moisturizer, the better. * Also keep your NAILS SHORT so that the virus does not hide there.

Almost made it

The giant 80 meter 1/4 wave vertical that was installed Oct. 20th, 2019 is now cranked down and the 20 of the 40 radials will be rolled up soon before grass mowing season. It is 64 foot tall and would be a perfect lightning target. I wanted to contact 100 countries with it but I got stalled at 95, So close ! It will go back up next fall when the thunder storms are over. Believe me it was a very fun chase.

Here are just a few of the countries I contacted:

CT3MD 2020-03-02 80m FT8 IM13tb Madeira Island
VK9NK 2020-03-02 80m FT8 Norfolk Island
ZD7BG 2020-02-16 80m FT8 St Helena Island
Z35T 2020-01-29 80m FT8 KN11cr North Macedonia Rep
C5GCJ 2020-01-26 80m FT8 The Gambia
4O4A 2020-01-14 80m FT8 JN92nc Montenegro
A45XR 2019-11-26 80m FT8 LL93do Oman
3D2AG 2019-11-21 80m FT8 RH91fv Fiji
ZA/IK2RLM 2019-11-21 80m FT8 JN91vh Albania
J79WTA 2019-11-20 80m FT8 FK95gk Dominica
PJ5/SP6EQZ 2019-11-20 80m FT8 Saba, St Eustatius
FO5QB 2019-11-18 80m FT8 BH52ek French Polynesia
JA4DHN 2019-11-12 80m FT8 PM64tm Japan
VK2DX 2019-10-29 80m FT8 QF56OE44 Australia
VP8EME 2019-10-26 80m FT8 GD18bh Falkland Islands

Paul Harvey's classic "The Farmer"

While looking for information on the previous post I remembered the Paul Harvey classic The Farmer. Here it is for you to see too.

Walter Winchell 1945

About Coronavirus Disease

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/index.html

Its been a long time

After months I have decided to start posting again. I have been away from this blog for over 6 months now. If you know or don't know my dear wife Betty suffered a stroke and I am her care taker 90% of the time. I do have a lady that comes 2 times a day to help out. I am home inside and can only be away for only about one hour. I am thankful that I can take advantage of my Ham Radio hobby to pass some of the time. I have been using some of my low power (QRP) radios with 5 watts or less. I have also been trying to contact 100 countries on the 80 meter band. As of today I have 95 worked. My 80 meter antenna is 64 foot vertical straight up and will have to come down when the thunder storms come soon as it will be a big lightning rod. Most of my low power work is done with CW (code like di dau dau) slow speed. I find with my old age my code speed is at a receive speed of about 13 words per minute. This is pretty slow, try talking to someone that slow. Fast would be 35 WPM. I do talk on the radio each morning with friends mostly in Indiana on the Indiana Traffic Net on 3.910 MHZ.
This was just a blerb that I decided to post today. If I think of any news or what I think may be of interest I will try to post it. ..... So check back from time to time. Thanks for reading.
73,
Jack WB9OTX