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Well, I suppose I should start...
So here goes.... Hi! I'm Terry Bennett (Ham Radio Callsign: VE3EGA/VA3IP) and I live in Port Perry , Ontario, Canada.
I am originally from Great Britain, and I was born in Oldham a small Town West of the Pennines in Northern England (actually famous for 'turn of the Century Cotton Mills and some 'long-forgotten' singer called 'Gracie Fields' - I have some of her Recordings!). I was raised and spent my early adulthood around Manchester (North West England), got interested in radio and electronics and started my career with PYE TELECOMMUNICATIONS. I married and moved to Leeds, Yorkshire in 1972 (I got my first Ham Licence G8HFO there!) and then we moved back to Cheshire (still with my job at Pye Telecom Manchester), (I obtained my Class 'A' Operator's Licence Call: G4EGA, (I was mentored by 'Don' G4DUY who taught me CW - Thanks for a wonderful gift Don!). For several years I lived in Winsford (miss you guys at Winsford ARC - Dave (G4CAX), Ken (Late G3JWK), my buddy Peter (G0IRA) etc!) then I changed jobs and went to work for MOTOROLA - and moved (again) to Hazel Grove (and finally settled in Cheadle Hulme - I left Motorola to persue other interests - working at Manchester Airport and later PIRELLI NETWORKS. I rejoined MOTOROLA and emmigrated to Canada (Bradford, Ontario) in 1988 - hey! I eventually settled in this beautiful Victorian-Picture-Postcard-Town, right on Lake Scugog which is about 1 hour drive North East of Toronto and enjoy spending my free-time with my songwriter-girlfriend.
I am currently working as a Civil Servant.
I enjoy writing, and have had technical articles published for 73 Magazine and Practical Electronics.
I currently work in the field of 'Broadcast Engineering/Studio Design' and also operate my own radio business (CQ Radio).
Whenever I can I like to visit my 'ol buddy - 'Uncle Loren(W4YU) in Florida. We made contact on HAM RADIO over 15 years ago and remained best of friends. Loren is married to a wonderful girl - 'Goranna' (who I hate to pieces!!) seen here with her daughter)
These lucky friends of mine scoot up to 'Vero Beach' whenever they get a chance.
Seen here is a 'Local Inhabitant of Vero Beach' Mr Crab
The Matthews sometimes even visit Vero with 'the kid!''Tanya'
I also like to visit Vero myself these days - especially when the Matthews are in Town :)
I don't get back to the UK much (family deceased or dispersed wherever?) so I always enjoy hearing from anyone from the 'Old-Cold-Country' and e-mail certainly works for me - so get typing away on your keyboards!!
Here is a little personal story......(nothing to do with Vero Beach)......
Several Years ago I was in the car with the late Lawrie Webber (Pic of Lawrie, G2CPW) and the subject turned to 'Water-Divining' and he started to tell me how his father had this 'gift' and had taught him how to use a 'Hazel' twig for finding water! I became intrigued and after a while Lawrie suggested we stop the car (we were on a Country Lane between Winsford and Crewe in Cheshire (UK) and find a Hazel tree to cut a 'witching-Rod' - a name give to water diviner's rods in the Middle-Ages!
I had no idea what Hazel looked like but soon discovered that the hedgerows were ALL pretty much Hazel in that part of the Country. Lawrie selected a suitable branch and quickly wittled a 'twig' into a 'V' shape. Now for the fun part, he chuckled, and commenced to demonstrate the art of dowsing by first holding the forked-twig in a 'slightly unnatural manner' between thumb and first finger, applying tension so that the small 'stump' at the joint of the 'V' was 'tensioned' and pointing away from him - slightly downwards.
He proceeded to walk slowly down the Country Lane and told me that he was "trying to locate underground water". After about a minute I observed that the 'twig' 'twitched' and started to bend upwards, without any noticeable action by Lorrie!
He explained that this was a normal reaction, and that this was only a 'small' stream. After about 2 or 3 minutes I saw what was to become 'my total belief that dowsing works!' The twig suddenly and without warning twisted upwards and round on itself, so violently that the bark of the tree actually peeled off in his hands!
Lawrie chuckled to himself and explained to me that 'this was a good spot for a well' - except that we were in the middle of the Country Lane!!!
I jut had to try this myself. Lawrie showed me how to hold the twig, I tensioned it as he had done - and began walking soon the jointed stub of the twig moved slightly upwards at the same spot where he had found the 'well' - my indications were not as positive as Lawrie's and he explained that this 'sensitivity' would strengthen with practice!. He then placed his hands on top of mine from behind me) and sure enough the twig reacted in the same manner as it had previously for him.
Since that time (back in the late 70's) I have developed the ability to dowse, and fondly remember my old mentor Lawrie. I now 'dowse' regularly preferring 'angled' copper rods (stranded copper is ok!) to 'Witch-Hazel' (kinda hard to find in Canada!) but I can regularly find water or buried electrical cables - mostly for fun!
Scientists claim that the rods move by minute muscle movements and are in fact controlled by the dowser - well....bullsXXt! I have seen my old friend actually struggle to keep his twig from twisting UNSUCCESSFULLY I MIGHT ADD in the presence of strong underground water. Scientist's always try to find some plausible explanation for everything based upon their existing knowledge. Dowsing goes beyond our existing scientific knowledge!
A couple of final thoughts: Firstly, by the way, dowsing is NOT SATANIC, it is a 'sensitivity' present in ALL of us. The Catholic Church have conceeded that dowsing - if done for the benefit of man is not evil! Secondly, there is some relationship to electromagnetism and lines of flux present in the ground (for example the electronic 'Flux-Gate Compass' uses this principle!). I also believe that some lines of flux that can have adverse effects on living organisms. A practical example of this is demonstrated by the placement of your bed.... head to the South guarantees a better nights sleep than head to .... East/West. The Chinese will employ the services of a 'Fung-Shui' a person who is sensitive to such things as placement furniture in a room and the way doors are facing!
As human beings, we possess many unusual gifts and we can enjoy these more by sharing them with others just as Lawrie did with me!
How many people do you know wear a copper or magnetic bracelet - coincidence??
Incidently, Lawrie, was a very active HAM on 2m and 80m in the Crewe (Cheshire) area, regularly heard chatting to his many friends (on 'S8') from Winsford ARC (and usually with his budgerigar 'chirping' in the background!).... Lawrie, we all miss you man, and if ever I could have adopted you as a 'father' I would have!
Some of you know that I have a passion for flying 'real' aircraft - Brian Harbitt, 'my dear friend (pic here soon!) and co-pilot' - I miss flying with you man - never forget you landing at MIA with no flaps :) - "NOW YOU FLY WITH THE ANGELS!" - I kept up my hours, but other things ate into my time - after a stint with helicopters - I have also become an avid armchair-flyer! (much more economical on gas!) I started off with Microsoft's FS98 and progressed to - ProPilot99 (slightly better!) and more recently, "FLY" (by Terminal Reality) which, was far too complicated to enjoy - yet had great panels & working controls! 'FLY' was very disappointing - certain flight models needed a 'patch' to make them fly more realistic - but apart from that it always seemed to take 'forever' to get thru the preliminary checks and get airborne!!! I gave up with 'FLY' in the end - just too many problems! I recently purchased FS2000 (my birthday present to me!) now I can dump all the others, because it really is terrific - for example: I just flew the 'Bell Ranger' (helicopter) from my local airport (Oshawa) and as I was flying over my Town (Port Perry - at dusk - about 10 mi North) I noticed there was moving yellow dots on the 'causeway' over Lake Scugog....strange, I thought?.... it turns out (as I got closer!) these were cars with headlights on travelling over the causeway! - WOW! I'm impressed. Further flights were equally impressive. I like the Satellite based scenery a lot! - so 'well done Microsoft!' (Please Note: I use a 266MHz PII (overclocked) with TNT2 M64 Video Accellerator and a Diamond Monster 3D II 3DFX card and 19" CPC-9881 (0.26mm dots) Monitor. And 4 Cooling Fans!
FS2000 uses 'Direct 3D' (kinda a shame!) so does not need 3DFX. FS2000 just cuts it on Frame Rates (fps 10-25) for me - so be careful! - don't necessarily believe 'box' specs!! you need generally lots of RAM (128Mb) (and preferably a 500MHz P3!!) and definately a 32MB Video-RAM card.
I like to fly helicopters (without the panel) and wind the scenery density up for max 'eye-candy' The graphics engine in FS2K is very pleasing and the flight from 'BELP' to 'Logano' in Switzerland is an amazing journey (now) with smooth video and a 19" Monitor.
Microsoft recently introduced a patch for FS2000 which fixes some minor bugs...
Also,check out Microsoft's 'Combat Flight Simulator' program and play over the Internet (Zone Play) - Believe me lots of real FUN here! - I regularly fly head to head with 'fellow combatants' (ages 15 to 69!!) in 'dog-fights' and 'Bomber Runs' with REAL radio chatter (courtesy of 'Roger Wilco' ) often lasting up to 2/3 hours or so! Think You Can Handle It? then come on in - I regularly 'Host' 'Flight Training Sessions' and I host a 'Virtual Squadron - (JG7) - (see CFS section)... we are only kids once - right?
The site is continually being updated so please refresh your browser often. Say hi by signing my Guest Book (In Main Index) and please remember to bookmark me for a future visit. Incidently, if you want to 'ADD YOUR Site' send me an e-mail with your URL! Happy Flying (and thanks for reading my 'ramblings')
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