Mattes's Musings by KC2GIK

Ok if you didn' t read last year's post regarding the Amateur Radio Field day go back and take a peek ! Even though this wasn't my first Field Day, it certainly was the best because not only did I use my own radio, I got to actually stay up during the entire event instead of going home when the bands just starting to heat up. Over the past year I became real close friends with the 10-70's VP, Isaac,NJ3C, he's gotten me to the meetings this year ands has really helped me setup my base station right, though I'm STILL not finished! Anyway Isaac,NJ3C, knew this year he was going to try to get me to stay overnight, it's not like we sleep that much anyway!! So anyway I had my radio and arranged for a laptop, "borrowed" a table that was in the lodge and patiently waited as Paul,KC2CJW, built my station. Paul and Issac had an unspoken deal, Isaac would get me up there, and Paul would set me up. Well after a handful of tying different laptops to see if they...

On a news website, one that is truly independent, two stories caught my eye. One was about Bush's "domestic spying program" and another was about how there need to be a crack down on illegal immigration. Both deserve all the attention possible as they do affect everyone in the country. I often remarked how ironic it was that the government is tryi ng to make it harder for us to keep an eye on them (i.e. more and more encrypted radio systems) while making it easier for them to spy on us (i.e. the Patriot Act). I am also up in arms on how some groups often go after these major corporations for breaking laws and then give individuals a pass when they enter the country illegally. By now you are asking yourself how am I goingf to connect these two totally different issues t ogether? The answer is simple, only put people living here less than five years under surviellance. I don't mean be secretive about it, I want the government to be very open and direct about this polic...

The phone rang at about 9:00am and I hear my dad say one minute and walk up stairs. I automatically assumed it was for my mom, then the foot steps grew louder. "Justin, phone call", he said partly annoyed because he had to walk up stairs. Who could be calling me on a Sunday m morming? Jeff was in Connecticut, Sean never calls unexpectedly. It was Larry on the other end of the phone. Larry is another fire and scanner buff who takes me to some of the wet downs and parades, he was in Mahwah for work and wanted to know if I wanted to go to the Newark Fire Munster. I moaned yes and as soon as I put the phone down I hopped, more like stumbled, into the tub and raced to get ready! He pulled up, we packed the walker up and left. We got there and the trucks were just starting to pull into the lot, kind of like an antique car show, but strictly fire apparatus. It was definitely OK by me!1 The lead truck was the Newark FD antique Mac truck. The license plate read Q/Q WTC343, a dedica...