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Logsheet for 2010 PSKFest
Contest Results for 2010 PSKFest
1/26/2010
PSKFest 2010
Ok the final sign I am back on the air is my first contest which was the PSKFst 2010, the first major PSK event of the year! I tell you it wasn't a disappointment because I cracked down and really got going. Although admittedly I did tank a few breaks. One of the aspects of good contesting is endurance because you see the same callsigns after awhile and it can get frustraing. However I posted decent qso count which was pretty exciting.Truthfully I just don't want to come in dead last in my catergory . Anyway it way a great way to start the new year on the air!!!
1/21/2010
Few vistiors
I always wanted to write but waited for a time when other writing was at a lull. There are indeed a few thingsI have in the works but one of the things I added quite awhile ago called "Feedjit" whhich tracks the locations of IP addresses, not the actually IPs. It also tracks what websites people come from.I have the link to the blog on a few signature lines for forums I post on. It also trackswho came on here directly by entering the url
Here's a sampling of the visitors that came on this site directly within the last week
Charlestown, IN
Indianapolis,IN
Bear, DE
Ridgewood,NJ
Orlando,FL
Columbus,OH
Ripley,MS
Remington,VA
Here's a sampling of the visitors that came on this site directly within the last week
Charlestown, IN
Indianapolis,IN
Bear, DE
Ridgewood,NJ
Orlando,FL
Columbus,OH
Ripley,MS
Remington,VA
1/16/2010
KC2GIK's Ham Shack
Well after years of looking at shacks, it was time I built my own, with the help with my mom. Real simple the top shelf is my BC996T. Bottom shelf BC15, a Radio Shack Weather Radio and Yaesu FT-897 which is hooked up to the Toshiba Satallite Laptop on the right.
1/01/2010
Finds comments upsetting,undeserved
This appeared in the January 1st edition of The Community Life .
It concerns me deeply that a citizen of our town can be as vicious as Mr. O'Brien was when writing about the ethics investigation of Mrs. Howley. He accusing her of downright stealing from the borough which is untrue and un fair because Howley did in fact pay for the items in question, so the borough didn't give her "something for nothing".
She did the honorable thing by inquiring on how she could pay the back taxes, which to me seems to amount to pennies on the dollar. Is this what politics in Woodcliff Lake has come to?
Howley said she may have saved $5 or $8 over the course of five years by using the Borough's discount card. Let's be clear taxes on these items go to the State of New Jersey , not the Borough of Woodcliff Lake. I don't see the tax collectors knocking on Mrs. Howley's door over something so minor. She openly admitted she used a lack of judgment, something we all do from time-to-time and came clean about it. Mrs. Howley paid more than the back taxes O' Brien sees only this says the ethics laws are black and white, but any lawyer would argue all laws are up for interpretation.
Mrs. Howley did in fact breach ethics laws, but instead of making excuses she admitted her mistake and did everything in her power to fix them. She did this only after an extensive review of her actions. Not because she was avoiding the issue, but she wanted to make sure all of the facts were on the table before she commented. With all the talk about government responding hastily and without all the facts, I would think Mr. O'Brien would at least acknowledge Mrs. Howley's thoroughness on this issue. O' Brien asks "Where are the financial checks and balances?" I ask where is the call for the CFO's resignation? It was his responsibility to review the purchases, point out Mrs Howley's errors and gave her a chance to correct them.
I have known Mrs. Howley all my life. She has been an asset to Woodcliff Lake numerous volunteering ventures to her kindness to citizens. She has done so much for this community for so long I fine it very difficult to believe she is capable of doing this on purpose.
Justin Mattes
Woodcliff Lake,NJ
Community Life Online Letters for 12/31/09
It concerns me deeply that a citizen of our town can be as vicious as Mr. O'Brien was when writing about the ethics investigation of Mrs. Howley. He accusing her of downright stealing from the borough which is untrue and un fair because Howley did in fact pay for the items in question, so the borough didn't give her "something for nothing".
She did the honorable thing by inquiring on how she could pay the back taxes, which to me seems to amount to pennies on the dollar. Is this what politics in Woodcliff Lake has come to?
Howley said she may have saved $5 or $8 over the course of five years by using the Borough's discount card. Let's be clear taxes on these items go to the State of New Jersey , not the Borough of Woodcliff Lake. I don't see the tax collectors knocking on Mrs. Howley's door over something so minor. She openly admitted she used a lack of judgment, something we all do from time-to-time and came clean about it. Mrs. Howley paid more than the back taxes O' Brien sees only this says the ethics laws are black and white, but any lawyer would argue all laws are up for interpretation.
Mrs. Howley did in fact breach ethics laws, but instead of making excuses she admitted her mistake and did everything in her power to fix them. She did this only after an extensive review of her actions. Not because she was avoiding the issue, but she wanted to make sure all of the facts were on the table before she commented. With all the talk about government responding hastily and without all the facts, I would think Mr. O'Brien would at least acknowledge Mrs. Howley's thoroughness on this issue. O' Brien asks "Where are the financial checks and balances?" I ask where is the call for the CFO's resignation? It was his responsibility to review the purchases, point out Mrs Howley's errors and gave her a chance to correct them.
I have known Mrs. Howley all my life. She has been an asset to Woodcliff Lake numerous volunteering ventures to her kindness to citizens. She has done so much for this community for so long I fine it very difficult to believe she is capable of doing this on purpose.
Justin Mattes
Woodcliff Lake,NJ
Community Life Online Letters for 12/31/09
12/25/2009
Christmas Letter
I composed the following e-mail to my friends. Kind of a makeshift Christmas card. I got some pretty nice responses already. Definitely a Merry Christmas!!
This time of year I usually receive a lot of e-cards from friends, even people I don't know too well maybe from a list or somewhere else where we swapped e-mails. Then today I received a Christmas Card from a friend, actually a fellow license plate collector, from North Carolina but included was a letter outlining how he, his wife and two kids were doing, I enjoyed it better than the card because we never really chat viae-mail or on IM so I enjoy reading it. The letter inspired this e-mail about my family and myself. While I always promise to be short, I always wind up writing more, that's my great Aunt Millie's (grandma's sister) Influence.
Anyway the most exciting event was my younger (always have to sneak that in) brother Chris and his wife Natalie welcomed their first son, Zander Bruce Mattes into the world on July 13th. I actually was there when he was born because my folks and I decided to drive down to Philly when Natalie went into labor. He really is cuter than the picture and is already getting big. We have seen them a handful of times since and they will be coming up here this weekend after celebrating Christmas with Natalie's family. Like every other baby that's come into our family my cousins fight over who gets to hold him. Although that's where the "Uncle Jay Card" comes in, I get to hold him whenever. I only get overruled by Natalie Chris or my Mom, kind of neat. Zander is getting bigger and cuter every time see him.
This time of year I usually receive a lot of e-cards from friends, even people I don't know too well maybe from a list or somewhere else where we swapped e-mails. Then today I received a Christmas Card from a friend, actually a fellow license plate collector, from North Carolina but included was a letter outlining how he, his wife and two kids were doing, I enjoyed it better than the card because we never really chat viae-mail or on IM so I enjoy reading it. The letter inspired this e-mail about my family and myself. While I always promise to be short, I always wind up writing more, that's my great Aunt Millie's (grandma's sister) Influence.
Anyway the most exciting event was my younger (always have to sneak that in) brother Chris and his wife Natalie welcomed their first son, Zander Bruce Mattes into the world on July 13th. I actually was there when he was born because my folks and I decided to drive down to Philly when Natalie went into labor. He really is cuter than the picture and is already getting big. We have seen them a handful of times since and they will be coming up here this weekend after celebrating Christmas with Natalie's family. Like every other baby that's come into our family my cousins fight over who gets to hold him. Although that's where the "Uncle Jay Card" comes in, I get to hold him whenever. I only get overruled by Natalie Chris or my Mom, kind of neat. Zander is getting bigger and cuter every time see him.
My other brother Petey, ok Pete so he doesn't kill me, moved down to Philly in May.He's still working for ITT but as a sales engineer, a job he enjoys. Pete actually moved the Manionk,PA (I KNOW I spelled that wrong) to a pretty cool apartment complex. I spent a week down there this past September while my folks went down to Delaware with friends Yes we didn't kill each other. I also got to attend two of his friend's weddings. Both guys I have known since they were in kindergarten. My "cousin" was the best man in one of the weddings. I also attended my friend Dustin's wedding back in April. I don;t think my bank account, or my dancing shoes, have recovered.
Mom and Dad are both doing fine, as always. Their bringing up retirement a lot and have been actively looking at homes in a warmer climate, meaning NC. Although I serious doubt a big move is in our future,. They are planning a BIG summer vacation next year for the Outer Banks. They added a bathroom onto their bedroom, dad's do-ing the inside so of course it's unfinished. We also went down to South Carolina to visit my Aunt Katy, Dad's sister, my Aunt Ilse, flew in from CA. It was funny and I got to shoot pictures of the Sullivan's Island Light House.
As for me, I saved the best for last, everything is status quo. For those who remind me I need to take better care of myself, I am still doing swimming at the Y in Ridgewood once a week. I continue to do what I do best....WRITE. I'm keeping up with my blog aka "Mattes's Madness" , a handful of newsletters (especially my ham radio club newsletter where I have been offered a monthly column) and still manage a "Letter to the Editor" when I see an issue I feel strongly about writer who needs to be taken down a peg. I also continue to travel to license plate conventions. This year it was Erie PA where I won an award for my license plate display Route 66 by wheelchair. I also hosted my second license plate meet with my friend Marco in Washington Township this past November . A lot of work but it's worth it! I STILL am the world's busiest unemployed man
Alright I will; rap this up with my warmest wishes for this holiday season and a toast to 2010!!! Please give my love to your families and keep in touch.
As always
Justin "Jay"Mattes KC2GIK
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