Listen Now

Spin the Random Topic Wheel (Segment 1)

• Cloning, Forking and Submitting Pull Requests

This Weekend in Hedonism (Segment 2)

• Cheryl’s Recipe Corner!

• Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

• Description

• It’s fall, and therefore soup season!  And, what is better than a soup that is a “dump and forget”?  I’m a huge fan of slow cooker soups because of that.  And I LOVE Tortilla Soup!  If you want it creamy, add some heavy cream or sour cream into the soup as it cooks.  Want beans?  Add some black beans!  This soup is VERY versatile!

• Ingredients

• 1 pound shredded, cooked chicken

• 1 (15 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed

• 1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce

• 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 cups water

• 1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth

• 1 teaspoon cumin

• 1 teaspoon chili powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn

• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

• 7 corn tortillas

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, or as needed

• Directions

• Gather all ingredients. Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, green chiles, onion, and garlic into a slow cooker. Pour in water and chicken broth; season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro. Cover and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours or on High for 3 to 4 hours. When the soup is almost finished, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with oil. Cut tortillas into strips, then spread on a baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven until crisp, 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle tortilla strips over soup before serving.

• Cheryl’s Mixed Drink Corner

• Description

• In Missouri, we joke that if you don’t like the weather… wait 5 minutes and it WILL change.  We are in the beginning of November, but a few days ago it was in the upper 80’s… and over the next 10 days it’s going to be anywhere from mid-60s to upper 70s.  BUT, it’s getting colder out, so warm drinks are always a plus as the temps (slowly) cool down.  AND… mixing Red Wine and Chocolate (I know, it sounds completely crazy!) is really good.

• Ingredients

• 2 1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips

• 1/4 c. cocoa powder

• 1/2 c. granulated sugar

• Pinch kosher salt

• 6 c. whole milk

• 1 (750-ml.) bottle red wine

• Toasted marshmallows, for serving

• Chocolate shavings, for serving

• Directions

• Step 1: Combine chocolate chips, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, milk and wine in slow cooker. Cook on high for one hour, whisking every 20 minutes. Step 2: Ladle cocoa into mugs and top with toasted marshmallows and chocolate shavings.

• Russ’s Drink Corner

• Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series BiB KSBW

• Description

• Honoring tradition and authenticity, our Origin Series Wheated Bottled-in-Bond 6-year expression presents the best locally-sourced Kentucky corn and wheat grains. This expression features 20% wheat in the mash bill, creating a modern expression of beautifully balanced bourbon.

• Details

• Mashbill: 68% Corn, 20% Wheat, 12% Malted Barley

• Region: Bardstown, Kentucky

• Proof: 100

• Color: Medium amber

• Nose: Cream, caramel, citrus,

• Taste: Cocoa, cream, muted peach, lemon, salty toffee

• Finish: Lingering notes of vanilla, honey, sugared peach and wood tannins

• Price: $70 (750ml)

• Rating: 87

• Bill’s Whatever Corner

• Lux Row Four Grain Double Single Barrel

• My Bottle Details: 57.5% ABV. Rye Barrel: 8113874, filled: 8-9-18, and Wheated Barrel: 8118724, filled: 8-14-18. Around $70-90.

• Nose: Big Red Gum, toffee, dried grains, and oak.

• Mouth: Spicy with a ton of cinnamon candy notes. Lurking beyond the prominent cinnamon is floral, vanilla, and oak.

• Finish: Long and warm with notes of cinnamon, caramel, floral vanilla, and oak.

• Notes from The Bourbonguy.com https://lhs.fyi/HB

Segment 3 (Announcements & Feedback)

• N/A

Segment 4 (New Subscribers, New Supporters & Live Participants)

• Facebook

• The Ohio LinuxFest

• Twitter

• @PeterParker15401

• Instagram

• galpaivaalex

• Mastodon

• @markbeech

• Discord

• M0TVT

• KB3ORR

• KD0UUU-Tim

• Live Chat

• Steve, KJ5T

In the past, I have like others had issues with RFI. When RFI's ugly head pops up I find myself wondering what I have tried in the past. If you are like me you have a hard time remembering if you had tried something and if so what happened. I decided it was time to roll out the black book. I will use this book to record what I have done, the results, and the steps I want to take. Recently I felt I had my RFI  issue resolved but on Monday while taking part in the Medium speed CW  contest I had N1MM macros freezing. The encouraging thing is this issue happened in the past and was terrible, now it hardly happens and gives me the impression I am slowly solving it. I have a few more ideas to try and the black book will help map a path forward in the journey.

For the ARRL  Sweepstakes contest the exchange is the following... let's take my exchange for example:

112A VE9KK 89 NB

To break it down 112 is the serial number so the station I contacted is the 112 contact for me. 

The letter A  (called precedence) signifies low power (more than 5w and not more than 100w)  in a single op. Other letters are Q for QRP, U for single op unlimited power, M for multiop and S for school. 

Then you send your call VE9KK

89  (called Check or CK) is the year I was licenced 

NB (called Section or SEC)  is the province. 

Now think of all that info coming at you in some cases 32 to 34wpm. In this contest, it is very advisable to slow down to the station you are contacting speed. If not you will use up lots of time with repeats. 
Now once you send all this you may be asked to resend any one or combination of your exchange as it may have been missed. For example, you may hear PREC, CK? I would then resend A and then 89. 

Now the contest software from records most of the time fill in the stations CK, and SEC  BUT sometimes it's wrong and it has to be changed on the fly.
My effort was part-time as I could not spend any time on Saturday evening it was only late morning and part of the afternoon I was able to take part.
This is a great exercise for your CW skills!

In this episode, we join Martin Butler M1MRB, Dan Romanchik KB6NU, Caryn Eve Murray KD2GUT, Edmund Spicer M0MNG, and Ed Durrant DD5LP to discuss the latest Amateur / Ham Radio news. Colin Butler (M6BOY) rounds up the news in brief and the episode's feature is Weekend Projects

We would like to thank our monthly and annual subscription donors for keeping the podcast advert free. To donate, please visit - http://www.icqpodcast.com/donate

• Dream Rig Contest Underway
• PRSENTER OPINON : Hurricane Helene has changed my outlook on emergency communications
• Tunisian Ham Camp for Youngsters Gets Yasme Grant
• AI Presenter Experiment Pulled From Polish Radio Station After One-Week
• Boeing-Built Satellite Explodes in Orbit
• Hams in Brazil Honor Pioneer of Wireless Telephony
• RSGB President honoured with RAYNET-UK award
• ARRL Members Raise $47,000 for STEM Education in Online Auction
• HAMSCI Receives Grant

Ham College episode 118 is now available for download.

Ham College 118
Technician Exam Questions Part 5. T1E – Control operator: eligibility, designating, privileges, duties, location, required Control point, Control types: automatic, remote.

Download
YouTube

The final issue of the year. The November-December Communicator, digital periodical of Surrey Amateur Radio Communications is now available for viewing or download. Some great projects and articles in this issue including a terrific Ham IV rotator upgrade, suggestions for affordable test instruments, and complete introduction to 3D printing, with special emphasis on amateur radio applications. Our regular columnists will also provide you with some interesting experiences.

Now read in over 165 countries, we bring you 125+ pages of Amateur Radio content from the Southwest corner of Canada and elsewhere. With less fluff and ads than other Amateur Radio publications, you will find Amateur Radio related articles, projects, profiles, news, tips and how-to's for all levels of the hobby.

Download the Nov-Dec 2024 Communicator 
or read it on-line like a magazine

Previous Communicator issues:

Search for past Communicator issues

and a full searchable index is HERE.  

As always, thank you to our contributors, and your feedback is always welcome. 

The deadline for the next edition is December 15th.

If you have news or events from your club or photos, stories, projects or other items of interest from BC or elsewhere, please contact us at [email protected]

73,

John VE7TI
'The Communicator' Editor