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N5VLZ > ALL 20.01.90 04:30l 369 Lines 9828 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 43684_NS2B
Read: GUEST
Subj: PCL NET SCRIBE JAN 19 2026
Path: IZ3LSV<I3XTY<I0OJJ<IR0AAB<VE3CGR<WW4BSA<N3HYM<KA3VSP<N3IP<NS2B
Sent: 260120/0322Z 43684@NS2B.#WNY.NY.USA.NOAM BPQ6.0.25
PCL NET SCRIBE JAN 19 2026
N5VLZ, Daryl, Arkansas (Net Control/Scribe)
IK5NJM, Alex, Italy (Short Time)
NS2B, Bob, New York (Sysop)
KX4AC, Carl, Arizona
VE7TCP, Jim, Canada
N3MEL, Glenn, Pennsylvania
**
N5VLZ:
GE All, and welcome to the Jan 19 2026 PCL
Net. No early checkins.
Net order is Daryl, Bob (NY), Carl, Jim,
and whoever else shows up.
We're preparing for a potential snow and
ice storm from Friday evening into early
Sunday...with most of it Friday night and
Saturday. I hope we get more snow than ice,
although the grocery store runs for bread,
milk, beer, and toilet paper, are underway
(hi hi). If the Euro verifies, we'll get
more snow than ice, and it tends to be more
reliable than the other models. It hit the
Christmas Day 2012 snowstorm dead on. The
CMC model shows more ice, so I'm hoping
it's wrong. The GFS is less aggressive now,
but it wasn't that way, earlier. Several
years ago, back to back ice storms had parts
of northern Arkansas in the dark for nearly
2 months!!
I was getting ready to checkin to the 20
meter QCWA HF Net yesterday afternoon,
when I got a phone call from the Arkansas
Skywarn Coordinator, who was wanting a
winter weather briefing. All of the models
have agreed on a similar solution 6 days
out, which is very unusual. I look for a
Winter Storm Watch to be out by Thursday
morning, if not before. We will be below
freezing all of the upcoming weekend, so
not much melting will take place.
When I got done with the phone call,
someone else had switched the frequency
on remotehams.com, so I said "nuts to
that"...but I felt the weather data was
far more important. I would rather have
snow than ice, but it's too early for
specifics. The hypecasters are all over
social media with the worst case scenario.
I likely will be up all night Friday with
"The Weather Watch Net". As long as I can
keep power, I'll be in good shape.
My SharkRF OpenSpot 4 Pro decided to
derail during the Trains Net Friday
night, but I had the BlueDV program at
the ready, so I was able to get back on
track with the net...pun intended...not
sure what the problem was. Found a new US
Chat Room on NXDN, server 10020, thanks
to Lee, N9NJS. Also, a new version of RMS
Express for Winlink 2000 is out, as well
as version 48 stable for the SharkRF M1KE.
GE Bob, how was your week?? >>>
**
NS2B:
GE All.
We have winter happening. Forecast says 3-6"
of snow for us. I shan't complain. Buffalo
is getting 12-18" and Watertown looking at
2 to 3 feet!
This week was a week radio codeplug updating.
Changed the way I get to the QuadNet Array.
DMR+ had let me down last week so now I have
D-Star, TGIF, and M17 all ready to go!
The DLL I changed for node stability hasn't
let me down yet. But I hesitate to say it's
fixed; 'cuz as soon as I do she'll go down!!
That's all for me, BTU Daryl >>>
**
N5VLZ:
Bob, Watertown will be such when all the snow
melts fast (hi hi).
FB on connections to the QuadNet Array, and
you know you just jinxed things (hi hi).
GE Carl, how was your week?? >>>
**
KX4AC:
GE All. Had a bit of a busy week, at least for
being retired hihi.
I have a laptop that came with something called
"POP OS" pre-installed, but a couple of recent
updates bricked it ... so I spent some time
installing standard Debian, which works just
fine on it. So, still spending some time on
and off getting the new install setup the way
I like it. I also spent some time looking at
the Meshtastic info that Charley sent and also
I got a GMRS license (WSLD861) so I guess now
I need a GMRS radio. I will find out if there
is really as much activity as the guy at HRO
seemed to indicate.
Finally, got the home Internet upgraded; just
about double the speed, though I wish I could
get something like Google fiber with symettric
up/down speeds. It's not available in my area
though, so I am sticking with DSL for the time
being.
That's about it for me. Back to net >>>
**
N5VLZ:
Carl, I'm always afraid a Windows Update will
brick my setup. Microsoft has had to rollback
some updates in the past...I think they test
it on a blank system, but those updates tend
to fry ham radio software.
I probably won't check into a GMRS license, as
I can't afford it or a rig.
FB on the internet upgrade...but one gets
spoiled after being on dial-up in the early
years.
GE Jim, welcome to the net. When you get done,
type 3 greater than signs, and we'll know you
are done. How was your week?? >>>
**
VE7TCP:
Thanks Daryl, I've been missing from this net
for quite some time (and I'm on raw telnet right
now so I have no backspace, :( )
I was just thinking about Windows updates breaking
things and I sort of accidentally found a solution
to this. I started using an old laptop from work
they were disposing of for my ham laptop a number
of years ago. It has Windws 7 on it. One updside
of no updates = no breakage! hi hi
I just have to make sure to stay off the Internet
with it...
I'm finally running into an issue with that,
though. I bought an SDR and the software for it
requires Windows 10 minimum, so it may be time to
finally do something about that machine.
I'm mostly a Linux user, but there are quite a few
Ham software packages that only work in Windows,
so that's why I had that laptop set aside for radio
stuff.
This "no backspace" business is frustrating - will
need to remember to try to use something else next
time. btu >>>
**
N5VLZ:
Jim, first glad to have you back. Second, that's a
novel idea of no breakage...but there is a downside.
I either use the DEL/BKSP key or CTRL-H if I need to.
I'm using the iptelnet client with Outpost for the
net. Not sure if that would help you or now. You are
right, quite a bit of ham radio software is Windows
only.
GE Glenn, how was your week?? >>>
**
N3MEL:
Hello everyone, it has been a while since I have
checked in, mostly because I have been sick since
new years eve. Have not had a sinus infection this
bad in a long time but final getting back to normal.
Currently taking PKTNET multi mode check-ins this
week up to 55 check-ins in 24 hours -- not a bad
start.
Speaking of internet, my comcast modem crapped out
yesterday afternoon, and I had to pick up a new one
today. Packet station finally getting back to normal.
Oh, meant to thank Bob for his check-in today!
We are expecting very cold temps here tonight through
Wednesday, then snow again this weekend UGH.
We received 5" this past weekend, so I am already
tired of winter hi hi.
That's it from here to btn >>>
**
N5VLZ:
Glenn, first there is a lot of flu and RSV down here
right now...hope you get to feeling better.
FB on the PKTNET checkins. On Xfinity, I have a plan
where if the local connect drops, it switches to remote
cell towers for data. I pay a little more a a month, but
it's worth it.
As for the winter, if the groundhog says 6 more weeks
of winter in 2 weeks, he better put on a bulletproof
vest (hi hi).
That's it for round 1...back to the top for final
comments.
Bob, thanks for the use of the BBS, anything else?? >>>
**
NS2B:
You're welcome Glenn, I always look forward to your
net.
This feels like an old time winter. Meaning we'll be
shoveling snow in April!
Nothing else! Everyone have a good week - stay warm!
73 >>>
**
N5VLZ:
Bob, if nothing else, it keeps the bugs away. Thanks for
being here.
Carl, anything else?? >>>
**
KX4AC:
Good luck to everyone expecting snow. When I was little,
we always looked forward to a big snowfall ... hoping
for a snow day off from school :-)
As you get older, you don't look forward to it as much.
Shoveling and driving in it is not so much fun.
It does remind me of a January I spent working in Syracuse.
It never stopped snowing the whole time I was there.
Anyway, not much snow in Phoenix. We rarely even get to
freezing.
So, good luck all and don't overexert with the snow shovels.
73 >>>
**
N5VLZ:
Carl, it's still true the way the kids and adults feel about
the snow!! I have seen freeze warnings in that area at times,
but it's rare. Thanks for being here.
Jim, anything else?? >>>
**
VE7TCP:
I was going to say, good luck with the coming weather... I
still look forward to snow, but that's because we so rarely
get a "nice" amount of snow here - winter is mostly above
freezing, so most of the precip comes as rain.
It's gray and wet and depressing most winters, but as I
like to remind people who've moved here from somewhere else,
and complain about the rain, "you don't have to shovel rain." :)
I was also sick with a flu (as were my kids) - two different
strains, starting with my daughter Dec 24 and rotating through
all of us. I finally got back to work a week ago :(
Anyhow, I should go send a PKTNET check-in - 73 all >>>
**
N5VLZ:
Thanks for being here, Jim...and you are right...you do not have
to shovel rain. :)
Glen, anything else?? >>>
**
N3MEL:
Couple of things, Carl we used to go to school during and snow
event less then 4 or 5" -- now they call school with 4 or 5 flakes
OMG.
Jim, I am using QTtermTCP as my terminal program. It does telnet
place RF including VARA works great.
That's it from here 73 >>>
**
N5VLZ:
Glenn, it's the same here on closing schools. But one year, they
waited until the snow started, then they shut things down. By then,
the roads were slicker than lard on a doorknob.
FB on the terminal program. Thanks for being here.
That will do it for tonight's PCL Net. I have to prepare for another
net, so I'll post the scribe Tuesday. Stay safe, healthy, weather
aware, on the warm side of the door, and radio-active.
73 and GN DE N5VLZ >>>
**
Daryl Stout, N5VLZ, Little Rock, Arkansas
Please see my QRZ bio for more information.
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