LVB Trackers - Update

Before the latest report on LVB Tracker build I'd like to talk a little about something that happened recently that interrupted build progress.




Did you know the USA IS AT WAR with AFGHANISTAN? Well the Taliban I guess. But we are fighting them in Afghanistan, the war against terrorism. The Russians fought in Afghanistan and gave up after 10 years. Almost 15,000 Russians died with almost 12,000 rendered invalids. The number of Afghans killed - among the regime, mojahedin, and noncombatants - was estimated between 1 and 1.5 million, with tens of thousands of others crippled. In a conventional war we win by killing as many of the enemy as possible. We finally beat the Japanese after dropping 2 atomic bombs on them. But now we are fighting people who don't care about dying... So where am I going???

Well the reality of the Afgan war finally hit home in the last two weeks. A local ham who I have known for about 28 years, Bob Gilbert, KA8JOY's son Gunnery Sargent Robert Gilbert II was injured on March 8th in Afghanistan and died 8 days later on his 28th birthday. This was the Gunny's 2 tour in Afghanistan along with 3 tours in Iraq. That's 5 TOURS INTO A WAR ZONE!!! FOLKS!!! And I'm sure he isn't the only one and many of our fine service men and women are serving multiple tours of duty. This is insane! I was not that close to Bob and I never think I saw his son. Mostly I've talked to Bob on the radio and met him at social events. But when I think of the loss. Sue and I went to the wake. Along with over a thousand other folks. The military both young and old. Patriotism you just don't see until someone dies. Bob lost his wife, the Gunny's mother in 1992 to cancer. Bob and his son were very close after that. One of the first things young Robert did when he got his drivers license was drive to the Marine recruiting office and collected Marine posters that he decorated his room with. Shortly after graduation from High School Robert enlisted in the Marines, he was 18. Robert and his dad when on vacations together on their motorcycles. Every week when Robert was deployed Bob would take a package to the Post Office and talk to the clerk about what he was sending. Now that Robert is gone there will be no vacations together. No sending packages. No Robert! Bob has a daughter who lives on Toledo. So Bob is now alone. This is sad and it has affected me immensely for the last several days. 38 coalition military were lost so far this Month. 38 young, the best we have are dead! 38 families have gone thru what Bob and his family and friends have gone thru! I don't have the answers. But this sure looks like all the past failed wars that we have fought since World War II. Korea, Viet Nam and now Gulf II, Afghanistan/Iraq. Robert was a DAMN GOOD MARINE. One of the youngest to make Gunnery Sargent. I will never forget him or his sacrifice for me and my country. THANK YOU GUNNERY SARGENT ROBERT GILBERT II.



Yesterday, Monday I went to an old friends house to help him with his old 1A telephone system. Ken is a friend who helped me keep the plane airworthy. I also learned from Ken how to do thing right. Not the easy way, the right way. It's always great to work with him in his world. Although Ken always finds a way to make me WORK HARD!

Today, Tuesday was a better day. I'm feeling more like getting on with things. Went to Physical Therapy this morning. In the afternoon finally got to work on the tracker boards. Attached the heat sinks on the 7805's. Did a voltage check, all OK!!! and plugged in the pics. Then after dinner nad after messing around with the computer and listening to several satellite passes and the Tuesday AMSAT net... flashed the pics. SO THE PC BOARDS ARE FINALLY DONE!!!

Tomorrow I start assembly & testing. I shure hope we can ship 20 trackers on Friday!

11:44pm