MacBook Pro battery replacement

 

I am still using hand me down MacBook Pro PCs from 2010. I've replaced the internal batteries once before and it needed a replacement again. Luckily, I found the original seller on the internet where I purchased from before and the price was still very cheap. It included the necessary tools for replacement, and I watched an IFixit video for a detailed explanation. The last battery lasted for about 5 years so I think My MacBook will be beyond end of life by then!

CQ WW RTTY & SSB contests 2023

 I forgot to post for the RTTY contest so I thought I would include it here. Both contests were fun, and conditions seemed to be similar. The number of QSO's and points were close although the SSB part I managed to contact 33 zones , ten more than the RTTY part.

 The 10m band was again the money band for Me and that's where I spent the majority of My time.

I didn't spend much time after sundown in either contest but did try 40m early morning and had some success. The 20m band as always was difficult competing with the big gun stations and 15m when open was just okay. 

 Next contest for Me is probably November sweepstakes-- till then.

 73--Tim 

13Colonies Special Event 2023

 

  This was the 15th annual 13 colonies Special Event and the 13th time I have participated. It was another fun time and unlike previous years I was able to participate all seven days although July 4th was limited time. I managed to contact 5 of the 13 colonies on the first day and added to that amount each day. Some stations seemed very easy and available but several were very difficult to either find operating or hear loud enough to have a contact. New York and New Jersey were both difficult to find and contact unlike previous years when I contacted them usually within the first day. The three bonus stations as always were hard to hear and I didn't manage a contact although the WM3PEN station I did hear but the pile up was big so no QSO for Me!

 The last day I had 12 colonies in the logbook and was hoping to find K2I which was the New Jersey station when I found Him on 20 meters and there was no  pile up  and first call I got Him! I haven't achieved a clean sweep for many years so that was very satisfying. I do wonder if I should try one of the new digital modes like FT8 since this mode was being used by more stations operating than in years past.

 Fun time with dedicated operators giving up their time to make this event successful.

73---Tim

Arrl Diamond Terrace

 

I was organizing My desk and saw the Lucite replica brick of My W1AW Diamond terrace brick. I had totally forgot about this ! A fellow Ham radio operator at My old workplace was generous to include Me in his contribution many years ago to the ARRL Diamond terrace. If I ever travel out East, it would be fun to stop at Newington to check the terrace out and find My brick.

73-Tim

Uniden Home patrol 2 scanner

I've used scanners for a long time at home, from old crystal controlled units to newer easy frequency entry analog ones. When police, fire, EMS  and other agencies migrated to trunking , both analog and  digital communications, I still monitored many frequencies but missed the easy access to other agency communications.

 When I was still working full time I had access to a Uniden bearcat trunking scanner but it was not programmed. I spent after hours time learning how to program it for both ARMER and WISCOM channels-- Minnesota and Wisconsin statewide systems. It was fun and interesting to learn programming this scanner but very time consuming and I always thought I was missing some agencies.

 After retirement I checked into a trunking capable scanner for home use but the price was always an obstacle to purchasing one. I recently decided the price was low enough to buy the Uniden Home Patrol 2 scanner. The specifications mentioned both Apco-25 phase 1 and 2 capability, EDACS, LTR, conventional analog and P25 digital channels. We do not have any Apco phase 2 systems in the area yet but maybe eventually.

The postal service delivered the package last week and I've spent some time setting it up and learning its quirks. I will post later what I've learnt and My thoughts about its capabilities.

73---Tim