LVB Trackers. August 2009 build

Saturday is really a 1/2 day cause we goto to Crooked River Grill at 9:30 in the morning with our friends Barb and Dick for breakfast. And most Saturdays we get home around 11:30 - 12:00. But you know I must like it cause the only things I don't miss on Saturdays is the Dayton Hamvention and AirVenture. I've passed up FLYING to the Breezeshooters hamfest in Butler PA, numerous chances to FLY to Columbus to fly Young Eagles, the Mansfield and Cleveland Hamfests. I just don't do anything on Saturday or Sunday morning that interferes with breakfast. And I usta hate going out for breakfast. Now I may help Gay, WB8VNO with a public service event but usually Barb and my wife Sue are involved with that too and most times Gay can arrange for us to be done around 9:30 or 10 and still get to do breakfast. Course we end up getting up earlier than on a normal work day... AND THAT SUCKS! But what are you gonna do!

Well it looks like for the moment the only time I'm gonna get to build trackers is on the weekends. I'm just to tired to mess with just about anything after work. I don't know what it is. I had no problems being tired at AirVenture. Walked around the grounds 2-3 hours a day then drove trams for 6 hours. Could it be the job? 40 years at at&t? The last 10 years just running jumpers on the frame? Do I need therapy? Zoloft? Win the lottery?

So today I started around 12:30. Started testing the first tracker. The 4th is in test now. And built 11 button assemblies. Remember last May I had to stop building button assemblies cause I ran out of time needing to start building boards. I'd really like to finish doing that this weekend. Looks like there are enough parts for at least 17 more. But I need to remember the goal is to ship at least 15 on Monday along with a build up board and blank pcb's. We'll see how it goes.

The ball game is on the radio creating an excellent atmosphere for production. INDIANS WON!!!!

4:45pm

The tenth tracker is currently on test. 23 button assemblies are built. Ran out of switches or could have done 4-5 more. It's always something. Next we will prepare a few lcd displays. 21 lcd displays are in stock. Will strongly consider processing all of them tommorrow, Sunday. Then all we need for the next run is 25 or so pcb's built up. Got to keep focused on shipping on Monday.

Discovered some kind of simplex network on 145.74. Something about a Saturday Night Echolink Net that starts at 2100, I assume local time. I had the doxies out front and heard it while scanning the band with my IC-92. I don't think the hobby is as dead as those who just don't listen or get on. Listened to the net where there were checkins from all over including Alaska. The bad thing is I have no idea which amateur station is transmitting locally on 145.74. The vocal users are id'ing thier stations but I don't know who the local transmtter is licensed to. Not that I really care but if I wanted to ask the operator a few questions I wouldn't know who to call. Oh well!

My back is tightening up a bit. Perhaps we should call it a night! GETTING OLDER SUCKS!

10:45pm