It’s snow season at work, and I’ve been busy doing this:

I whine. None of the drifts were as bad as the front of the main building. Its peak was over my head, and four feet tall in other places. Snivel.

Thursday and Friday were very cold, -25 and -16 respectively. Friday seemed much colder, probably because I wasn’t using HotHands in my gloves and shoes, but I’m guessing the humidity had something to do with it as well. Nevertheless, I ordered a pair of Air Force flying mittens from Sportsman’s Guide yesterday morning, and I’m hoping they work better that the gloves I have. Might have to lay in a supply of oily rags to wrap around my ankles- to keep the ants from crawling up and biting my candy a**.

I spent Thursday afternoon driving a fellow ham around: he’s without wheels, so we piled in the Nissan and ran some errands.

Last weekend was cold, but I managed to install the Yaesu FTM-400XD I purchased (used) on 23 December 2017. The radio fit nicely on a steel panel behind the glove box. I ran the microphone and control head cables temporarily to a spot between the seats, but I’ve ordered a panel mount RJ 12 female X female socket and a 6 pin RJ 12 cable (shortest I could find was 7′). The parts ought to be delivered next week, and I’ll clean up the install shortly thereafter. I’m still looking for an elegant solution to mounting the control head.

I purchased this radio to be able to monitor C4FM and to have a better option for 2M/70cm in the truck. I’ll still use the FT-857D In both trucks and in the shack, but the FTM-400 will stay in the Nissan.

I’m still working on a long wire antenna for the house. I’m still very tempted to buy and install a Comet CHV-5X in the attic, Last Man Standing style.