I installed a 12 volt power supply for powering my FTM-400XDR last winter, but I didn’t include proper fuses or use large enough wire, so I’m starting over, using a couple (excellent) Littlefuse Maxi fuse holders I bought over at Mouser.

First, I ran 10g bonded wire from the battery, using corrugated wire loom:

The run to the new fuse holders:

If you look carefully, you can see the little bracket I built to hold the fuse holders.

Here’s a view with the covers off, no fuses fitted yet:

And another view with the covers on:

The lead from the fuse box to the firewall isn’t visible, but it’s there, and here’s the loomed wire disappearing into the firewall:

This isn’t where it will pass through the firewall, but for now it’ll keep it out of the weather until I can finish the install.

Just my OCD brain trying to do it as well as I’m able.

Stay tuned for more.

 

 

 

Four years ago in a fit of prepareadness fear I bought an All American Model 921 pressure canner, and used it on and off to put up cheap grocery store meat from the “reduced for quick sale” bin.  I spend a goodly portion of a recent Saturday evening canning two bags of Sam’s Club sweet onions.

I can’t recall what I paid for the canner. It wasn’t cheap, but I purchased it with a windfall from work, and I’m glad I did-I’ve used it for canning a lot of meat during the past few years. I’ve canned LOTS of tomato based items and acidic hot pepper relishes in my big Cinsaware pot using the water bath method, but it’s not generally accepted as safe to water bath meat.

The canner is pretty handsome:

It’s sitting next to my Zenith Transoceanic, which I’ll be ordering capacitors for next week (after payday).

The onions came out vey well:

They’re really tasty. I used beef broth to fill the jars, left around an inch of room from the top, and loaded them in the canner. I put up 14) 1.5 pint jars, and 5) 1 pint jars. I opened one to use in some beef sausage cabbage soup, and it was excellent. Next time I might cook the onions down in a pan first before putting them in jars, and I’m definitely going to make some onion soup as well-my buddy’s wife over at eatgrueldog.com has a recipe that’s to die for. While you’re stealing his recipe, check out his site-he’s a good guy.

My trips to the gym are paying off. I’m getting stronger, I have more stamina, and my fasting blood sugar levels have been much improved- from 210-220 down to 130-135, and I can live with that. It remains to be seen whether my doctor can.

I’m getting kitted up for some wild camping (its a British term for camping in the woods out of a backpack-we’d call it backpacking). I’ve had most of the stuff for years, but I’ve added a couple mess kits that are more suited to carrying into the woods, and a military sleep system. I’ll describe all in a later post.

That’s all for now. Get up and get out folks. It’ll do you good.

I’ve written before that I’m walking regularly, and I’ve decided to add a regular routine of lifting to my gym visits. It comes from this guy’s YouTube channel-it’s pretty light for now, but I’m pretty glad that it is: I started Sunday morning, this is Monday night and I’m pretty sore.

Lots of upheaval at work-I’ve lost 3 employees to other buildings and gained a building, so I’m polishing the chair with my hind end less, but that’s a good thing.

Next Sabbath I’ll be camping on Muddy mountain and conducting a potable amateur radio operation demonstration. I’m a little amazed how little portable operators there are around here, especially for a town the size of Casper. Hope to see you there.

 

I’ve been going to the gym three times a week, and this week I’m going six times a week, taking Friday night through Saturday night for Sabbath rest.

I was walking  a mile every time I went to the gym, and increased it to two miles (average time of 36ish minutes to complete) and this week I started with the weights. Light amounts for right now, I’m doing a couple sets a day on a couple different machines, and I’ll add weight and routines as I go along.

Yesterday was the Sabbath, and I noticed that I was craving a trip to the gym: that’s unusual. Before my heart attack I went to the gym, but could often make an excuse to not go in. I hope this last forever.

The eclipse was great, and I’m glad I made the effort to go to Pine Mountain to see it. I THOUGHT I’d be the only one there, but it turned out that everyone else figured out it would be a great place as well. I was on the highest spot on the mountain that wasn’t private land, and had maybe twenty-five  neighbors around. I was struck by how nice everyone was-there was absolutely none of the territorialism that you occasionally see in a campground. I counted 250 people on the flats below the mountain-there was even a guy on a four wheeler selling burritos. I wouldn’t call it a carnival, but it was close. Lots of friendly people who cleaned up after themselves.

I had ample time to ride the Rokon, and really had a great time exploring some of the rougher roads off the mountain. I put around thirty miles on it during the weekend, which is plenty for this guy. I also took some video that I’ll post up after I get them on vimeo or vidme.

 

I’ve been back to work (light duty- no pushing, pulling, or overhead lifting over 15 pounds) for two weeks, and my cardiologist will release me with no restrictions on 21 August, 2017.

It’s been traumatic having a heart attack and heart surgery, but overall it was very good for me. for the first time in twenty years, I can breathe when I’m exercising, and it actually feels (mostly) good. I liken it to getting a new engine in an old car-it runs like hell, but the shocks, brakes, and suspension are still shot. I’m walking a mile and a half in 30 minutes-not fast enough to break any records, but far better than the past couple decades. It’s amazing to see the ground I’d lost and attributed to age (I’m 54).

Today I drove the Nissan out to my secret eclipse viewing site. Looks like the spot I’d originally picked out on the map is a bit difficult, but the place I drove to ought to work very well. I plan to erect an end fed half wave antenna and try to make some contacts during totality. I don’t want to have a lot of company, but if you’ll listen on 20m calling, you might catch me. I hope so, anyway. I’ll also be loading up the Rokon (I’ll be released to use it) and exploring with it as well.

More detail to follow.

 

 

My visit to the heart surgeon went very well yesterday-he was very please with the healing of my chest incision (I’d had an infection, and have been packing the wound with gauze twice a day), and he cleared me to drive.

Feeling full of piss & vinegar, I finished up the Power Pole wiring in the truck:

This is the fuse holder for the positive cable, attached to the fender (inside the engine compartment).

 

Here’s the negative fuse holder, with its dust/water cover. My Yaesu radios use a fuse in the positive and negative line, so I’ve incorporated both into the wiring. I’ve mounted both fuse holders in separate places, since the right side engine compartment is getting crowded. Just below the fuse holder you can see the heater fan housing.

 

Inside the truck, right side-this is a Blue Sea Systems fuse block, mounted to the firewall, fed with #10 wire, and loomed. I’ve since completed the taping of the split loom, so the red wires aren’t visible. I still have to install the ground wires to the negative bus (if you look closely, you can just make out the spot they’re currently connected to at the top of the photo. I’ll fix that this weekend, while camping.

And this is the Power Pole feed point-I removed the cigarette lighter outlet and installed one of these in its place. It works very well, and the old receptacle never worked anyway.

Now, I can plug all my ham gear into the truck-

 

And actually USE it in the truck. In the above photo, you can see my FT-857D, FT-400XDE, and LDE AT-200 Pro II units in the Tac-Comm enclosure I purchased from Tac-Comm. Pictured is the TC-2, a larger, longer version for mid sized radios. As you can see, it holds all of my HF/2m/70cm gear quite well.

A closer view:

And a rear view:

I’ll be doing a video on the box and install as soon as I can round up some time.

Happy wandering.

 

 

 

 

 

Today (and a goodly portion of yesterday) I helped a buddy install wiring in his boat in preparation of his Lake Powell trip, for maritime service and CB radios. We ran 10g wires (and Power Pole connectors) from the battery, installed both radios in a large ammo can and installed the antenna for the maritime radio. We also checked the SWR of both CB and maritime radios ( CB is perfect over channel 10, maritime radio is just perfect).

Today we installed wiring for extra lighting, made a couple trips to the hardware store, and installed some of the lighting. Tomorrow we’ll finish up the lighting and Thursday We’ll check/fix the trailer lighting.

Tonight, I’m pretty tired. Off to bed early.

 

 

Sunday, 21 May 2017, I had a heart attack. It was mild, but it “got me in the door” of the hospital.

My surgery was the following Friday, and I returned home the following Wednesday afternoon.

I’m incredibly weak, and on narcotics for the pain ( incisions). It’s difficult to get out of bed, and I have a low appetite. I’m eating, I just don’t care to. Coughing is the worst part-it has to be done, but it’s very painful.

If you have chest pain, call 911. It may save your life.