Update on ham radio at OTR & GD Nunnally

Setting up a ham station on 40 meters was some what a success at OTR this year. I had several contacts including Allen Padgett in LaFayette, GA. The Sun has 11 year cycles as far at solar flares go and we are in the 11 year low. This means the HF bands pretty much suck! GPS has it great with reception with low interference. I’m planning to set up a ham station at this year’s TAG Fall Cave In which I decided to attend. I haven’t attended the last few years because it was boring to me. I don’t go caving anymore as I have mobility issues. Taking care of David Nunnally’s Estate has been a real eye opener and a learning experience. I was able to sell some of his furniture items at the Longest Yard Sale this past August. Some funds to go towards paying off his medical bills. Here it is September and it’s still HOT down here in the South. Reaching in the 90’s during the days! So, I don’t know when that cross country trip on a motorcycle will ever happen? It turned out really hot in July and I’m glad I didn’t ride out for Longmire Days. I think the Buffalo Chamber of Commerce screw up with the copper Indian coins I sent for the auction and gave them to someone else? I have been working on my “special event” for the Going Caching 2019 event this year in Rome, GA. I’m hoping to give out some of the “Blackbeard Coins of Copper” to some geocachers that observant to their surroundings?

Sad news is that my long time friend David Nunnally passed away this past March 2019. I met David thru the caving community almost 40 years ago. I stuck with him thru the good, the bad and the ugly things in his life. He was well like by members of the Meetup group 'Celebrate Atlanta'. He had been a member of several other groups in the greater Atlanta area over the last number of years...SOA, the Atlanta Ski Club, 35 & Up, Atlanta Outdoor Club to name a few. He was a really active guy. I finally upgraded to the Extra License with ham radio this past year. I've been a bit more active on the HF bands. Planning to attend the 70th OTR convention this year and setting some kind of HF station at my camp site. The other sad news is that my brother in law David Ball passed away recently. We had a celebration of life event for him down at Orange Beach, AL on June 22, 2019. Great turn out of his family and friends. After visiting that area, I know I never want to vacation there in the Summer! Just way too humid and hot! Glad I had a car with good A/C! Stayed at an Airbnb for the first time. It was far more reasonable than the places around Orange Beach. After my trip up to Spyder Jam in MO riding my Spyder RTS pulling the Ooogly Trailer, I decided that the cross country trip in July was OFF! NO way was I going to ride across the country to Buffalo, WY in the heat of July. I can drive there in about two days in the Subie. It would take me 5-6 days on the motorcycle. The purposed was to ride was to ride in "The Ferg's" motorcycle charity ride on my Spyder and not in my car....again. I'll do the bucket list thing of riding across country when the weather is more reasonable? I also had lots of discomfort and pain riding up there. Took two days with a motel stay on the way back. With the new seat I had no problems with my butt feeling like it was on fire. What a relief!