Not a busy week, but got a few things done……………………………………………..

As usual, first the chronology:

8/13/17 – Sunday – Up early and over to pick up Gary for church. Home and a bite to eat, then to my room. Finished up the clock project. Took some pictures of my vertical for Gary to see. Then over to Gary’s for the afternoon get together. Home and a bite to eat for dinner. Then to my room to finish the signup for the new blog service and to do this weeks blog. To bed and to sleep.

8/14/17 – Monday – Kathy was up and out early to go baby sit the grand children. I took the Chrysler over to the garage to see why the check engine light was on. Seems the thermostat was stuck open. He reset it and all is good now. Made an appointment to take it in Thursday to have them change the thermostat and do an oil change for me. Came home and met up with Kathy and the grand children. Took them to Dairy Queen for lunch then home and swimming. Last day before they start school tomorrow. Julie came to pick them up. Had dinner then to bed for some computer work, watch some Star Trek and to sleep.

8/15/17 – Tuesday – Up early. Kathy had a dermatology appointment. I did some computer work, paid bills and moved some money around. Kathy came home and we had some lunch. Then put the tent up and cleaned it and some tarps we used when camping. Got a call from our good friend Peggy today. Nice chatting with her. Then to my room for more computer work and study for my HAM Extra Class exam. Had dinner and back to my room for the evening net with the guys. Some more studying and to bed.

8/16/17 – Wednesday – Spent most of the day studying for my Extra class HAM license test. Broke long enough for lunch then out about 4:30 to pick up Gary for dinner at the church. Took the Chrysler to Daugherty’s Garage to have the thermostat changed to get rid of the check engine light. Also had them do an oil and filter change. Home, to bed, some more studying, a little Big Bang and to sleep.

8/17/17 – Thursday – Up and out early for a doctor’s appointment. Got a prescription I had to drop off at the drug store. Then over to Gary’s to give him his insulin test kit he left in the truck last night. Then home and picked up Kathy. Went to the Longhorn Steakhouse for lunch. Then back to CVS pharmacy to pick up medication and to get my flu shot. Then down to Kroger for some food shopping. Went to Daugherty’s to pick up the Chrysler. Kathy took the truck home and started unloading. I came home and finished helping her then took the truck over to the Morton building and put it away. To my room for some HAM radio. To bed, some Big Bang and to sleep.

8/18/17 – Friday – Thought about mowing today but Kathy and I both decided Monday would be a better day. Spent all day in my room studying for my Extra class HAM license. I’m getting to old for this shit. Stopped for Lunch and Dinner. To bed and sleep.

8/19/17 – Saturday – Didn’t feel good today. Not really bad, just needed a down day. So, I screwed off most of the day. Did play a little radio and made a contact to Belgium. Kathy went to a Bats game this evening. So, I stayed home and went to bed early.

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Now the particulars:

I have been spending a lot of time studying for my Extra Class HAM license this week.  I’ll be doing a lot of studying for several weeks.  To explain, there used to be 5 classes of HAM license.  They were Novice, Technician, General, Advanced and Extra.  first two required a 5 word per minute code test.  the next two required you pass a 13 word per minute code test and the last, Extra, required 18 words per minute code.  At the time I was able to copy 13 words per minute but could never get to 18 words per minute.  Since then, they have eliminated the Novice and Advanced and now they just have three license classes with no code tests.  My Advanced class was grandfathered.  Anyway, all you need today is to pass a more complex written exam.  Each upgrade in license class gives you more frequency spectrum to operate in.  I was never of the frame of mind to go for my Extra class because the addition spectrum wasn’t all that much.  However, my friend Gary has talked me into going for it.  He makes some valid points.  First is when you are on the air in the Extra class portion of the band you know the person on the other end of the radio has done a significant amount more work to obtain the license they have.  It also gives you more credibility when you comment on things of a technical nature.  So, there will be a hamfest down here on September 8th and I have the opportunity to take the test.  All I have to lose is $10 and the time I study.  So, I figure I’ll give it a shot.

I think we finally have all the camping things put away for the year.  I still have a tub of stuff downstairs here in the kitchenette but that will go up over the garage this week.

Had my annual medicare wellness exam this week.  All my blood work came back good and the doctor didn’t see anything he was concerned about.  So all is good on that front.

I’ve been more disillusioned with the church we are going to.  A lot of political crap and people that want to control things but not be responsible for them.  Just some of the old bullshit that made me stop going to church in New York.  So, I think I’m going to start looking around for an alternative.  I found place in Shepardsville, KY called Rushing Wind Church.  It’s a biker’s church and they hold their service on Saturday evening at 6PM.  I was thinking of going down this week but didn’t feel good.  So perhaps next week I’ll take a ride down and see what it’s all about.  It physically looks like a very small place and their website only lists a minister and assistant.  So I don’t think there will be all these people paid to act important.  Seems like it should be a more down to earth place to go.  Anyway, perhaps I’ll have more to tell you about that next week.

The ongoing saga of the Chrysler.  I got the thermostat replaced in the radiator and all is good on that front.  But when they changed the oil they noticed the oil pan was pretty deteriorated.  So, I have that scheduled to go in to have that work done on Tuesday this coming week.  I was thinking about doing it myself but only for a couple seconds.  It’s worth it to me to pay them the $60 in labor to put it on a lift and take care of it for me rather then me crawling on the floor under the car.  Then I should be able to put the radios back in it and get back on the air while mobile.

Plan to be mowing the lawn tomorrow during the eclipse.  It’s suppose to get very dark here but not a total eclipse.  The line of totality is a little south west of us.  Anyway, I’ve been telling everyone that we will be mowing the lawn with welding helmets on to protect us from the eclipse.  It is so scary the number of people

e that have told me how good that idea is and they hadn’t thought of it.  Oh well, people’s gullibility has never ceased to amaze me.

OK, that’s it for this week.  Still have two special blogs to post.  One for my digital clock project and another for my Rolling Thunder trip.  Perhaps after I take the test I’ll have time for those.

Everyone have a great week and I’ll blog at you again next week.