So I found an old backbone ASCII map for the state of NY but better still EastNet Packet who produced the mapping I printed off in 2016 still has a web presence at least. The last update to the roster was in June of 2023 which is better than I expected. It does look like I'm still in radiolocked patch of the state and that HF might be the only answer.

|////////////\\\\\\\\\\\\\\|
| best 73 de N2QFD AR SK ..|
| DMR TalkGroup 31367 |
|\\\\\\\\\\\\//////////////|

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Raspberry Pi/32)
* Origin: Queen City BBS (21:1/154)

SOooooo...

I had my first QSO in the JS8Call mode with K4XTT this morning. It does work pretty well for a K2K and at a fraction of the power. I was using my S-Low setting on the Alinco and that's only 1W out! Not bad for 259 Miles away, although I have taken the 1:1000w award twice now with CW so...
Thanks for suggesting the mode and I hope to keep playing around with it.

73
N2QFD

... You will have many friends when you use corkscrew.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: 2o fOr beeRS bbs>>>20ForBeers.com:1337 (21:2/150)

I had my first QSO in the JS8Call mode with K4XTT this morning.

Nice! Have not been on HF in about 8 years. Moved into a HOA neighborhood and cannot put a wire antenna up or any antenna of that matter. That was and it a Major mistake I made. I am desperately wanting to dump the house and move into a place without HOA. XYL will not allow. Maybe after 40 years, divorce !

N4TDX BBS - Telnet: n4tdx.ddns.net:2323
FSXnet: 21:1/136 * Fidonet 1:135/383 * Micronet 618:250/35
Titusville, FL.


--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Windows/32)
* Origin: N4TDX BBS (21:1/136)

Hi,
I'd like to play around with this mode, but am not sure there are enough options in place for me to do this as a blind op.
Does this program allow you to communicate with the interface from an api prospective where the calls heard are written to text files like ft8 is?
There is a third party program called qlog that uses the api system with in wsjtx to be able to control it from an external source.
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Linux
* Origin: Cw Shack Bbs telnet kf4yey.com 2330 (21:2/153)

Hi,
I play on hf even though I live in an hoa.
I do have to setup and take it down before and after each operating spirt, but I can still manage to get on the air sometimes on weekends.
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Linux
* Origin: Cw Shack Bbs telnet kf4yey.com 2330 (21:2/153)

Hi,
I play on hf even though I live in an hoa.
I do have to setup and take it down before and after each operating
spirt, but I can still manage to get on the air sometimes on weekends.

I have a very expensive outback antenna, maybe I should do that. put it up when I want and remove when I am done. In a personal dig to myself, I am lazy. LOL

N4TDX BBS - Telnet: n4tdx.ddns.net:2323
FSXnet: 21:1/136 * Fidonet 1:135/383 * Micronet 618:250/35
Titusville, FL.


--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Windows/32)
* Origin: N4TDX BBS (21:1/136)

Saw this at AMSAT web site today:
Senate Bill S.3690 to eliminate the HOA issue. It seems we've been arguing about the metaphysical more than the material in DC for too long so not holding the breath, but I hear you.

N2QFD

... Blame Saint Andreas - it's all his fault.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: 2o fOr beeRS bbs>>>20ForBeers.com:1337 (21:2/150)

Boy, I don't know the answer to vision challenges with this mode. I'll be sure to pass along if I come across anything.

N2QFD

... CCITT: Can't Conceive Intelligent Thoughts Today

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: 2o fOr beeRS bbs>>>20ForBeers.com:1337 (21:2/150)

Hello Ricky,

Ricky DeLuco wrote to n2qfd <=-

I had my first QSO in the JS8Call mode with K4XTT this morning.

Nice! Have not been on HF in about 8 years. Moved into a HOA
neighborhood and cannot put a wire antenna up or any antenna of that matter. That was and it a Major mistake I made. I am desperately
wanting to dump the house and move into a place without HOA. XYL will
not allow. Maybe after 40 years, divorce !

Seems that you don't need to divorce, good things are afoot in the US regarding hams living in HOAs. Read the following ARRL link:

https://www.arrl.org/news/legislation-to-remove-private-land-use-restrictions-on-amateur-radio-introduced-in-congress

If the link does not show up properly, here is a shortened version:

https://t.ly/slfiA

You have two good Ham-related things happening in the US:

* The legislation is being put in place to stop HOA's from restricting
HAM radio operators to erect antennas. This has been sponsored by
senators from both main parties, so the blues and reds agree on this one.
I am surprised, but happily surprised in this case! :-)

* The symbol (baud) rate restrictions on digital modes are to be
lifted, with bandwidth for a single digital signal being limited
to 2.8kHz.

If you still want to remain as inconspicuous as possible, there are
awesome HOA-friendly antenna designs out there ranging from attic dipoles
to flagpoles to clothesline wires (do some research on slot antennas,
it might just blow your mind), so there is no reason at all for you
not to hop on to HF. Now is a good time for 10 meters due to us
still being in a solar maximum, so you can easily DX all over the
globe on 10 with a tiny little antenna. For some off-beat antenna
ideas, watch Walt K4OGO's Youtube channel (link below). He uses
radios with max 20w output, mostly his Xiegu G90.

Walt's channel: https://www.youtube.com/@COASTALWAVESWIRES

Get a nice stealthy antenna design, and hop on the air! Like I
said 10m is wonderful at the moment, and for local NVIS on 40m
you don't need a high antenna. Something camouflaged to look like
a clothesline will do the trick. It won't be the best, but it will
work for sure if you have a tuner.

Get on the airwaves!

73,
Jan M7HNK

... MultiMail, the new multi-platform, multi-format offline reader!
___ MultiMail/Linux v0.52

--- Mystic BBS/QWK v1.12 A47 2021/12/24 (Linux/64)
* Origin: UnderZaNet BBS (21:2/152)

I lived in the HOA from hell subdivision when I lived in Phoenix.. I was able to put up an EFW antenna and they never found out. THe wire was thin enough that you just could not see it. Managed to work Europe and Japan. Now we live in a non-HOA home and I still use an EFW.

N2UEM

-Mark

... "No comment" is a comment.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: The CP/M Den ! (21:2/165)

Re: Re: JS8CALL
By: Mark A to Ricky DeLuco on Sat Jan 24 2026 14:35:28

Now we live in a non-HOA home and I still use an EFW.

Ever have any problems with animals chewing on the wire?
--- SBBSecho 3.35-Linux
* Origin: End Of The Line BBS - endofthelinebbs.com (21:2/101)

On 28 Jan 2026, Mortar M. said the following...

Re: Re: JS8CALL
By: Mark A to Ricky DeLuco on Sat Jan 24 2026 14:35:28

Now we live in a non-HOA home and I still use an EFW.

Ever have any problems with animals chewing on the wire?

just thought i'd chime in..

i didn't have problems with animals but what i did have problems with is regular wires shearing apart. copper really isn't very strong.. a lot of places that sell wire for antennas sell stuff where the wire is braided around basically a kevlar rope and then has the plastic jacket. way way stronger.

i've gotten away with cheap wire quite a few times now but i think i'm tired of monkeying with it and am gonna pay the extra for the good stuff ;)

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/25 (Windows/32)
* Origin: cold fusion - cfbbs.net - grand rapids, mi (21:1/616)

No, but the wire was so hard to see that our landscaper accidentally cut it lol

-Mark
N2UEM

... Documentation: The worst part of programming.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: The CP/M Den ! (21:2/165)

I used the wire I got from these folks - MyAntennas.com - and with the exception of my renegade landscaper cutting it, I never had a problem

-Mark
N2UEM

... How do I set my laser printer to stun?

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: The CP/M Den ! (21:2/165)

On 29 Jan 2026, Mark A said the following...

I used the wire I got from these folks - MyAntennas.com - and with the exception of my renegade landscaper cutting it, I never had a problem

nice!

i checked them out and they look good, but dang are they expensive.. $80 for just the replacement wire assembly..

did you get a whole antenna setup from them too or just the wire?

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/25 (Windows/32)
* Origin: cold fusion - cfbbs.net - grand rapids, mi (21:1/616)

I purchased the entire antenna. I have also deployed one from these folk - https://www.earchi.org/proj_homebrew.html - not as well made as the myantenna folks but less expensive, got the job done and supported a good cause.But the Myantenna is top notch


Mark
N2UEM

... A penny saved is not very much

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: The CP/M Den ! (21:2/165)