A Reaching Stick in Space

Was reading a news article about a couple of "hams" going up on a russion spacecraft today to the ISS and figured I'd watch the "blast-off" since I've never really tuned into a Russion launch before.  They look pretty smashed together in the capsule, but I even noticed they have "reaching sticks" (for you Simpson's fans) to press the buttons during different phases of lift off.

Interesting.  They also seem to take their time before pushing to buttons to make sure they are hitting the correct one...

D Star Commands

I always seem to forget the D-Star X-Reflector Commands, so here's a quick list for me (or your to access) when you forget too!

You can get more information from http://www.ircddb.net

XReflector Commands
Spaces are the same are required under normal protocols.  Remember the control code goes in the last position when issuing commands.


Link =   "aaabbbcO"
    where aaa = "REF" - for reflector
    where bbb = "030" - for reflector number
    where c = "C" for the 2 meter port on the reflector
Unlink = "       X"
Info =   "       Z"
Echo = Not Implemented





The D-Plus System Commands remain the same

Link =   "aaabbbcL"
    where aaa = "REF" - for reflector
    where bbb = "030" - for reflector number
    where c = "C" for the 2 meter port on the reflector
Unlink = "       U"
Info =   "       I"
Echo =   "       E"

Told You...

Ah, Government...you got to love them....embarassingly wrong again!  Check out these two notices from the NWS...

See...it's happening already...

It's not that hard to get it right....it happens every time with the National Weather Service in our area....first 6-9", then 3-6"....just wait, tomorrow it'll get revised a few more times and we'll get a dusting of snow.  Not really worth all the doom and gloom and panic!!!!  We have a rule in our house, if you don't know the answer, then don't say anything!  (From playing trivia at bars, we always walk out as champs!)

Big Storm

So the National Weather Service out of Cleveland, OH does the forcast for the Toledo, OH area.  They are typically pretty bad at forecasting what's about to come our way.  Detroit's radar system can't see over the ridge to their south, and the only other closest radar is out of Fort Wayne, Indiana.  There really is no good Doppler radar in Northwest Ohio.  Plus with Lake Erie acting as some type of Star Wars Death Star shield, the weather does some really weird things around.

Well again they were predicting 6-9" snowfall for a storm coming in tomorrow night.  So I hit various sites like "Weather Underground", "Accuweather", etc.  and found this....no wonder the weather man is so wrong - his computer's broke!