Also, daylight savings ends at the end of the month so don't forget that the net will move to 1:00 central time so as to stay at 1900 hours.

With that, on with the net report:

W3FYA:
Doc joined us at the beginning of the net; but, the copy was really light today. I believe he was using a TS 520. QRM was really a bearcat at times today. Thanks Doc

NK5T:
Mac, from El Paso was second up with a might nice signal from his HEATHKIT 301 & 401 combination. Mac was also alternate net control today. Thanks for stopping by and for helping out. Cul Mac.

K0TNP:
Don, from Harlingen TX. played his HT 37 and SX 101 rig today. Don is one of the best technicians on the net and always makes those old rigs play great. Thanks Don.

KI0KM:
Bob, from up Minnesota way in the Red River Valley, checked in on one of his numerous Swans, a 350. We are pretty close and don't often get to chew the fat, so always appreciate it when we can. I have a picture of his shack and he has some mighty fine looking radios. So long Bob.

K7TNJ:
Bob, from Miles City, MT, checked in with a first on the net, an Alda transceiver. It is a tribander and Bob said it was built by some engineers that parted ways with Atlas Radio. He said it was a very nice radio and worked well. It just came along at the wrong time. Always good to hear you Bob.

KE7KK:
Bill, from North Dakota, also came barreling in today from close range. He just recently acquired an SX 111, HT 37 and HT 32 bunch of gear. Now he's looking for that elusive SX 115. Good luck Bill.

KC5RR:
Gary checks in often on one of his Drake collection pieces. He is continuously bringing a clunker back and today was using a very nice sounding TR 4. Cul Gary.

KG7TR:
Gary joined in with his very rare home brew Xmtr. Great audio. Gary also writes articles for Electric Radio magazine and tries to help out us nerds with our dilemmas. Tnx Gary.

K9FOH:
Bob checked on using his S Line which sounded very good and had a good signal. Bob also has several manuals for sale so check it out. 73 Bob.

N8XIW:
Bill was using his Drake TR 4. It seems that the breakdown gremlins have been busy at his house as his KWM-2 and Galaxy 5 MK II have both bit the dust. After owning a 5 MK II for a while I can guarantee that you will get to know the bottom side of it veeeeerrry well. Great signal Bill.

WB6MWL:
Jay checked in with his nice sounding Swan 350, Moslely beam station. Those old Mosleys and Swans always seem to work great. Jay was in earthquake country a few days ago but all that got damaged was some sleep. Thanks Jay.

W6LRG
Don or Mr. Heathkit, played his KWM-2 also for us today. Sounded great, almost as good as that Heathkit that he plays a lot. Cul Don.

N9BO:
Bernard joined us from Colorado today. Unusual for someone so close to make the trip to Nebraska. Thanks for the checkin today Bernard.

WB0SNF:
That brought us to the end of the net for the day and I wasted no time getting outside to enjoy an absolutely beautiful day here.

I had been working on a four band vertical project and it seemed like the perfect time to put it up. It wasn't too fancy, 30' long so would be 1/4 wave on 40, 3/4 wave on 15, separate 1/4 wave radiator for ten and 1/2 wave on 20 with a little L network that I could switch in and out with a relay. I had taken my time building it so it would be reliable and kind of pretty looking, as antennas go, and had it totally completed laying there on the ground looking like a factory piece of work. The relay and matching network were nestled inside a heavy duty plastic container, all 16 radials were on, and the coax and relay wires were run 70' over to the wall of the ham shack. I even had four nylon guy cords tied on about 8' from the top because I have had a couple of 30' verticals snap off after a few good windstorms. And last but not least even the tubing was nice and new. Since I had been hoarding it for so long a time, couldn't remember where I got it.

I wanted to put it up as a ground plane so I had the whole thing mounted on top of a 15' piece of 1 1/2" steel pipe and, though it looked like a bit of a grunt, was a doable project. I was in for a rude awakening. On first try I got it about 3/4 up when I spun out and fell down dropping the whole thing and badly damaged the spiffy plastic box holding the relay and matching network but undaunted I patched it up with silicone and duct tape and concluded if I put a little more steam into it, it would still be no problem. One more time, more grunting, mumbling, miscellaneous unsolicited other sounds and also notice that am dragging along my twelve pound cat who seems to think the guy cord is a great toy. Dog is watching from the sidelines hoping cat hangs himself. Saw seven feet off of steel pipe. One more time and darned if I don't get the steel pipe up but the end of the vertical is still on the ground. Apparently this unknown aluminum tubing is more limber than I thought. Hold on to steel pipe, wondering what to do next. Five minutes later it is getting heavy. What to do. Suddenly I realize if I apply the physics of fly fishing I can probably get it up. Whip, whip, whip, whoops. Worked better than I hoped. Now antenna is leaned over in tree along with 300' of nylon cord. I wonder where the cat is.

Anyway, I have it half way up, sort of. Tie two guy cords off and pull on remaining two after two hours of fishing nylon out of tree. Amazingly it stands up right up and displays a huge kink in the middle of antenna. Do I let it down to straighten kink out of unknown aluminum, I don't think so. Tie guys off and wonder what kind of radiation pattern this ugly thing will produce.

Best 73 de Andy