What do you do for entertainment these days? Many people find
themselves consumes on their phone or computer. These things have
taken the place of contact socializing. I can think of what it might
have been before phones and computers; don't get me wrong, I do enjoy computers and phones. Thinking back on these times, people might have
sat on the porch just hanging out. I'm thankful that people still know
the basics of socializing. Now that we have social distancing, it
makes you wonder where we're headed to in the coming years.
I have only 3 hobbies left...the BBS, amateur radio, and square dancing.
I'll do the BBS first. I've got it set up where I can use Team Viewer to
work over the LAN to do system work without being at the host console...as
the BBS computer is in my late parents room, and my laptop is in my bedroom. With the BBS lately, I logon to do my QWK Mail, and update the ham radio and weather data. I don't play as many of the doors as I used to.
Second, is amateur radio. I operate "internet radio", with no RF gear, as
I can't put antennas up where I'm at. We get a lot of lightning here during storms (had a very close strike at 3am this morning), and I don't have the knowledge to work with electronics, antennas, etc. or the strength to get up on ladders. I'm on the air nearly every night of the week with a traffic net. Four special nets I do during the week are:
1) Quarter Century Wireless Association (QCWA) Digital Net. To be a member
of the QCWA, one has to have been licensed anytime in 1995 or earlier (as
of 2020), and is currently licensed...although QCWA Membership is not
required to checkin. I'm a Life Member of the organization, and a member
of Chapter 85 in the Arklatex (Shreveport) area. This meets on Sunday at
5pm Eastern Time.
2) Hotspot, Pi, SBC, and Zoom Net. Dealing with "hotspots", the Raspberry Pi
(a tiny computer, about the size of a pack of cigarettes, running Linux),
SBC (single board computers, which is what a Raspberry Pi or rPi is), and ZoomSpots. These are used in several ham radio digital applications. This
net meets on Monday at 10pm Eastern Time.
3) Trains Net. Anything and everything related to trains and railroading
is discussed. There's a railroad trivia question, and after the first
checkin, one gets a commemorative certificate in PDF format, upon email request. This net meets on Friday at 8pm Eastern Time.
4) Food Net. H.A.M. stands for "Have Another Meal", and you don't call us
"late for dinner". <G> So, we discuss things like cuisines, recipes, meals,
and anything related to cooking. It meets on the 3rd Saturday at 9pm
Eastern Time.
All four of those nets meet on the QuadNet Array, which offer communication via the digital modes of D-Star, DMR, WIRES-X, and Fusion. All one needs to become an amateur radio operator is pass a 35 question exam on rules, regulations, frequencies, propagation, RF safety, and basic electronic
theory. No Morse Code exam is required. For more information on that, go to
https://www.theweatherwonder.com/hamradio.htm
Lastly, is square dancing. I got into that 6 years before I got my ham
radio license. I'm currently Editor of "The Modern Square", the monthly publication of the Arkansas State Square Dance Federation, plus their Circulation Chairman, and Webmaster (
https://www.arkansassquaredance.com).
Only a few clubs in the state have resumed dancing, because of COVID-19;
so most of my work is "behind the scenes, off the dance floor".
Computer takes a lot my time where I should be reading my Bible and spending more quality time with my wife. As far as the wife, she's
into TV where as I am in computers. That leads me to believe that I should do the basics and socialize like the earlier years, yet she
won't turn off the tube and I won't turn off the computer. Perhaps if
I did, she would too.
I confess I haven't been reading my Bible as often as I should, as I end
up spending a lot of time on the computer with the hobbies...but try not
to spend more than an hour or two a day with each of the 3 noted above. Otherwise, I risk burnout. Plus, if I don't rest well overnight (that's
usually the case), I need a nap during the day.
I've never been "a party animal", and just content to stay at home.
Daryl
... New Restaurant On The Moon: Great Food, but No Atmosphere.
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