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I’ve been concerned as of late in the way we run the initial check-in run for the net. With an average of 30+ users checking in every week (and potentially a lot more once we go live with the new Echolink bridge), a new, cleaner way of checking into the net is needed. Letting everyone pile on top of each other is fine for your local group net, but we’ve got a lot of people checking in using two different internet-based VoIP systems with different levels of latency (anywhere from half of a second to 2 seconds). A new system is needed.

I was chatting with Justin VE3UDP today, tossing out an internet-based “eCheckin” idea when he suggested perhaps doing the check-ins by zone. It’s a simple, clean method that will allow everyone an equal chance to check into the net. Great idea, Justin!!

So…. here is the new check-in procedure for this wednesday’s (and future) Hamsexy nets:

We will be accepting initial check-ins by zone. Please don’t check in until we ask for checkins from your area.

Here are the zones:

CANADA WEST (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Yukon, Northwest Territories)
CANADA CENTRAL (Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Nunavut)
CANADA EAST (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI, Newfoundland)
USA PACIFIC COAST (Washington, Oregon, California)
USA WEST (Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico)
USA CENTRAL (The Dakotas, Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, Olkahoma, Texas)
USA MIDWEST (Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio)
USA BIBLE BELT (Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama)
USA EAST COAST NORTHERN (New York, Maine, Rhode Isand, Massatwoshits, Vermont, New Hampshire, New Jersey)
USA EAST COAST CENTRAL (Pennsylvania, The Virginias, Delaware, Maryland, DC)
USA EAST COAST SOUTH (The Carolinas, Georgia, Florida)
USA FREAK STATES (Hawaii, Alaska)
REST OF THE WORLD (rest of the world)

That’s just off of the top of my head. If I missed your state, please let me know.

Please refer to this list when I ask for checkins by zone this wednesday….. and remember to go phonetically with your callsign…

See you on the net!!

Jerry WB4VQP, subject of some controversy as his relativley un-hamsexy POV was nailed with a citation for “resembling a law enforcement vehicle:” by his local police. We’ve gotten the good news that his case has been dismissed – much to the relief of North Carolina’s ham radio community. Jerry issued the following statement on his website: “A VERY HEART FELT THANKS TO EACH AND EVERY THAT EXPRESSED OPINIONS AND RESPONDED TO THIS CASE. T ONCE AGAIN PROVES WHEN ONE HAM GETS IN TROUBLE ALL THE REST WILL SUPPORT HIM.

The case against Jerry was puzzling, because even though he chooses to drive around in an ex-North Carolina State Trooper 95 Caprice, there are no emergency lights, insignia or other identifying marks on his car. One will only find about five antennae mounted on his trunk of various lengths and configurations. As pretty much any ham that operates mobile has at least one antenna on their car, this case seems to set a somewhat disturbing trend – antennae are grounds for “impersonation”.

To be totally honest, WB4VQP’s car is probably the unhamsexiest vehicle that has ever graced this site. The antenna placement and choice is very reasonable, and doesn’t warrant anything more than a second glance. There are no 800 Mhz NMOs on the roof, no police-style VHF quarter wave in the middle of the trunk… hell, there aren’t even any lights or visible radio gear to be seen on the thing. In fact, every one of the car photos that people submitted to Jerry to support him pin the needle on the “Geeky Heatscore” meter … (“TRY2RUN”… come on, man… that’s so whacktacular is makes me blush….) Jerry’s car, in contrast, doesn’t even register. Other than the fact it’s an ex police car, it just looks like a stock civilan Caprice with a few antennae.

Jerry – we’re glad you got off on these ridiculous charges… just do us a favour and don’t go out and celebrate with a few dash strobes…. okay?

Hey all –

To celebrate the installation of the Echolink/IRLP bridge, tonight at 8pm eastern (7 central, 5 pacific, midnight zulu) we will be hosting an informal on-air getogether on the Hamsexy Inter-service reflector (IRLP 9008/Echolink *VAN-IRLP*). It’s not a formal net, just a little ragchew session, testing it out under load, and just getting everyone used to the new system.

If it’s successful, then we might make it a regular thing (along with the Wednesday night net)

See you all tonight!!

Last Wednesday saw our longest net yet, tipping the scales at a few seconds shy of an hour. We had a total of 30 check-ins, and saw a few new faces among our established crop of regulars.

Here’s who I was able to scribble down (please let me know of any corrections, as you know this is NEVER 100% accurate)

VE3HBD Bryan from Toronto, Ontario (Net Control)
VE3NSV Terry from Cambridge, Ontario (mobile)
VE1MGA Mark from Oldham, Nova Scotia
VE4UO Shaun from Winnipeg, Manitoba
VE7CBT Don from somewhere on Vancouver Island
VE1DTY Terry from Halifax, Nova Scotia
K8TEK Deputy Tim from Ottawa, Ohio
KB3HQX Kevin from somewhere out there
K9JAC John from Hubertis, Wisconsin
W9ORN Barb from Hubertis, Wisconsin (speaking into the Johnson)
N3TOY Jamie from Vegas
KD7LVX Steven from Vegas
N0VSJ Colin from Vegas
KD7SGM Tom from Vegas
VA3AGF Adrian from Toronto, Ontario
VE7LTD Dave from Vancouver, British Columbia
N3JFW Seth from Rockville, Maryland
K4ZYC Charlie from Melbourne, Florida
K7OOL Joe from Vegas
VA1TX Robert from Timerlea, Nova Scotia
VE1PTR Pierre from Bedford, Nova Scotia
VE1MCR Charlie from Halifax. Nova Scotia
VA3LT Tom from Niagara Falls, Ontario
KD7LVX Steve from Vegas
KD7ZAL Dennis from Vegas
N3TOY James from Vegas
VE3MBA Mike from Whitby, Ontario
VE3SY Paul from St. Petersburg, Florida
vVA3THG Mark from Baden, Ontairo
KG9GP Roger from New Berlin, Wisconsin

Once again our epic battle of check-ins between the guys of the Las Vegas superstation and the clutch of hams in Halifax continues unabated. Once again, the Vegas crew wins out with a total of eight check-ins.

If there are any groups of hams that check into tht net on a regular basis from the same area, take a group photo of ourselves and send it in to us…. we’ll feature it on the site and all poke fun at your hamsexyness (not really, we’ll be kind). Vegas guys, I expect a photo next week.

Also, a quick programming note: Thanks to the hard work of the team headed by Dave VE7LTD (the inventor of IRLP), we now have a permanent IRLP/ECHOLINK bridge!! That’s right, if you want to access the net but don’t have access to IRLP, you can now use ECHOLINK to participate!! The ECHOLINK conference room *VAN-IRLP* is now permanently connected to IRLP node 9008 (The Hamsexy Reflector).

This also means a change of location for the net. The net will NO LONGER be held on IRLP node 9007…. for future nets, please use IRLP node 9008.

Remember, although Echolink is far from anything resemling real ham radio, it is PERMANENTLY connected to the node. Because it may be connected to a real over-the-air repeater at any time, be sure to conduct yourselves on *VAN-IRLP* as if you were on the air.

So for next week’s net, be sure to join us either on IRLP node 9008 or on Echolink at *VAN-IRLP* – see you all there!!

Right now, one of the biggest pieces of regulation change, probably ever in the history of American Ham Radio, is before the FCC.

QRZ.com has graciously hosted a PDF version of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking here. View for a look.

Of course, this has doen nothing but shake the hamsexy hornet’s nest, and the old farts, malcontents, troublemakers and stalwarts have all making their opinions known. Usually an amusing read, QRZ’s thread on the topic is proving quite interesting. While some are for the elimination of code, a great many others are against it.

There’s one factor that is common in most of the pro-code posts on that (and most) threads on QRZ… SNOBBERY. As you are aware, us here on Hamsexy have taken it upon ourselves to point out and highlight useless snobs in our beloved hobby. As with most hobbies, ham radio has it’s share of snobs. Unfortunatley, Ham radio has more than most – which is why we exist.

But – my little piece of wisdom is this: The problems of Ham Radio don’t even BEGIN with keeping or losing code, but a lot of the same people are involved.

(The thread on the Hamsexy Forums can be found here: http://forums.hamsexy.com/viewtopic.php?t=2694)

Another week, another installment of the Hamsexy Net.

If you’re a ham from anywhere in the world, join us at 0100 zulu (9pm Eastern, 6pm Pacific, midnight in London, 9am in Taipei) for the HAMSEXY NET. We’re live on IRLP Node 9007 (the “Hamsexy Reflector”)

The live stream is uncertain at this point, as Terry VE3NSV is out of town on business. I’m going to work on a backup plan, but in the meantime if anyone can provide a good stream that can handle upwards of 20 people, please e-mail me at [email protected] and we’ll see if we can get it streamed.

As well, the IRLP/Echolink linkup is still being worked on. As of writing this I haven’t heard if it’ll be up or not, so if it is, I’ll make sure people know.

As always, we accept checkings via our Net Check-in Thread on the Hamsexy Forums.

Also, feel free to join us on the Hamsexy Net pre-game show, happening between 6pm and 0pm on reflector 9007.

Peter W2IRT sent us some photos of this weather whacker monstrosity he found recently.

We here at Hamsexy HQ always like to see people, whackers or not, keep their 10 GHz nice and fresh in TUPPERWARE brand containers.

And, we also think that he wants people to KEEP BACK 60 FEET not out of safety concerns, but out of shame.

Click on the thumbnail to get the blah blah blah…