[Hallicrafters] All Subscribers: Please Read

Sun Jun 5 18:39:47 EDT 2011

Roger,

How right you are! Even those of us "who think" we are prepared for the 
unexpected frequently find out quite quickly that we knew a lot less then we 
thought that we did! Or that we prepared for all the wrong things!

Although I was already aware of my mortality and had taken steps to be 
prepared for almost anything that came my way, (or so I thought!) I got a 
reality check that I never even suspected was coming my way.

I am refering to the sudden massive nine blood clot stroke that left me in a 
coma on my living room floor on December 27, 2009.

The doctors told my daughter that my chance of regaining consciousness, was 
slim to none. I showed no brain activity. Recovery? There was a tiny chance 
that I might remain alive, but recover, not possible in my condition.

Obviously the doctors were wrong! I did live, I did recover and I went back 
home to live alone in my small castle.

However, I am not the person that I was before all of this happened. As 
everyone keeps reminding me, "You are getting older Duane ..." Well, getting 
older is much better then the alternative of becoming actively 
biodegradable! However, that stroke took a lot of zip out of my engine! I 
got a lot of it back, but not all. I am not going to kid myself either, as I 
know that it is not all going to come back. However, considering that I am 
not even supposed to be alive, I think I have done pretty good, all things 
considered!

I congratulate you Roger for having the faith in yourself, and perhaps a 
higher power, to confront your problems and overcome them. It is absolutely 
awesome that you were able to pass your flight exam! That does not happen 
often, as you well know. I am personally very proud of you for what you have 
done my friend.

You are quite correct. Too many of us assume that W8??? is going to keep on 
being NCS or that W9!!! is going to always be there for technical 
assistance. Then one day the frequency is silent. Although many others are 
capable of taking over the duties of being the NCS, very very few will be 
willing to give of their own time. It is far easier to get a financial 
donation then it is to get a volunteer!

Who can blame people for not volunteering though? It is a thankless job, for 
the most part. If somebody is volunteering for an ego trip, praise from 
his/her comtemporaries or recognition in general, think again! About all you 
will hear are complaints, dissatisfaction about the way you do, or do not, 
do things and general negative comments. So if you are going to volunteer 
for an ego trip or to make friends by demonstrating your talents, forget it! 
Go fishing, take your hostility out on a golf ball or buy some firecrackers 
and blow up Ant apartments! (LOL!)

I wish you 'all' the best Roger. Keep on keeping on OM. With rare 
exceptions, hero's are frequently forgotten, but a true friend is forever 
remembered! If you can name five true friends, you are a most fortunate and 
blessed person!

Thank you for taking the time to share your experiences and thoughts Roger. 
I know that I appreciated reading them.

Duane, W8DBF

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Roger (K8RI)" <hallicraftersgroup at rogerhalstead.com>
To: <hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Sunday, June 05, 2011 4:18 AM
Subject: Re: [Hallicrafters] All Subscribers: Please Read

> On 6/4/2011 5:09 PM, Duane Fischer, W8DBF wrote:Hi Duane,
>
> I'd like to thank you and Jim for all the time and effort you have put
> into the Hallicrafters group be it nets, reflectors, or the web site.  I
> take care of a number of web sites so I know it can run the gauntlet
> from being boring to demanding and do so in short order.
>
> All these jobs should have a backup.  Accidents happen, sudden changes
> in health happen and nature seldom gives us much warning.
>
> I took early retirement 14 years ago (I had the points for full
> retirement) I was just young enough for them to call it "early".
>
> When I went to work that day retirement was the farthest thing from my
> thoughts, but  one of the "old times" was carried out that morning. That
> started me thinking about how many people I had known who had worked
> until they dropped, or dropped within a few months of retiring.  I had
> about 33 years in and I decided it was time to go play. I had turned in
> my request for retirement by noon.
>
> Most of those people I mentioned had been relatively healthy and in
> *almost* all cases they departed unexpectedly and some younger ones
> checked out on the way to or from work.
>
> Even when not tied into something where a lot of people depend on us
> it's rare not to have at least a few, be they family, friends, or
> coworkers and few prepare for that *unexpected* event.
>
> When young we pretty much think we are immortal, but age has a way of
> reminding us of our mortality be it from health or accident and few
> properly prepare for some one to take on their work.
>
> Nature threw me a completely unexpected curve over 4 years ago.  About
> 6-months of PT to learn to walk again and I even managed to get my
> flight medical back.  I still have a slight limp, but consider myself
> lucky.  The point I make is we never know what's coming our way and
> nature has a very large arsenal to throw, particularly out there on the
> highway.
>
> Good luck on getting some one to back up all of these positions.
>
> 73
>
> Roger (K8RI)
>
>
>> Hi All,
>>
>> I was contacted by landline this morning by our very talented Web Master,
>> W5JT, Jim Thayer. Jim believes that it would be a wise move to train one,
>> possibly two or three, of you to act in his place, should the need arise, 
>> to
>> manage the Hallicrafters web site.
>>
>> Jim wrote the beautiful HHI web site, for the most part. He knows it 
>> better
>> than anyone else. He is a gifted man with a multitude of talents, which
>> include being an excellent teacher. He can help interested parties
>> everything they will need to know about the hands on attention the HHI 
>> web
>> site will need.
>>
>> As many of you already know, the HHI web site is darn near smart enough 
>> to
>> take care of itself, and the Web Master too! Which is to say, that it 
>> knows
>> enough to run and perform its daily operations without the need of human
>> intervention or assistance. At least 'for the most part'! Naturally
>> somethings do require the assistance of we humans! That is where 'you' 
>> come
>> in OM!
>>
>> Frankly, all of us who have created, designed, maintained, contributed to
>> and so forth, are not getting any younger! Some of us have health issues,
>> others have family concerns that limit their free time greatly, some have
>> other concerns that limit their volunteer time in ways it did not five or
>> ten years ago. So Jim is right on the mark, as usual, by suggesting to me
>> that all of the Hallicrafters devotees volunteer to help in areas that 
>> they
>> either are already familiar with or willing to learn about. In short,
>> Hallicrafters needs YOUR help!
>>
>>    (HHI - Halligan's Hallicrafters International), the official and legal
>> club name, is there for all of you to enjoy, benefit from, contribute 
>> your
>> wisdom and/or historical items or photos or articles to and for all who 
>> love
>> Hallicrafters, or vintage radio for that matter, to help in whatever ways
>> that your talents and time permit. Right now the web site needs your 
>> helping
>> hands and willing hearts!
>>
>> Now I realize that many of you simply take the work of the silent 
>> minority
>> as a matter of course. The sun rises every morning and the Hallicrafters 
>> web
>> site is welcoming visitors with a cup of coffee in one hand and a throw 
>> away
>> razor in the other. But everything requires a food source in one form or
>> another to keep its transistors switching 'on' and 'off', the hard drive
>> turning at a precise and consistent revolution per minute etc. So please
>> help our Web Master keep the spam, viruses and creepy crawling web things
>> out of the web sites code and keep that "WELCOME" light lit for visitors 
>> to
>> our fantastic vintage web site repository of information for all things
>> Hallicrafters.
>>
>> While I am on the subject: We could also use volunteers to assume and 
>> assist
>> with NCS duties for the Saturday 40 meter Net and the Sunday 20 meter 
>> Net.
>> And "if" we revive it, the Wednesday evening 20 or 40 meter Global Glow 
>> Net.
>> As most of you will recall, W8DBF came as close to being SK as one can 
>> get
>> and not be SK on December 27, 2009! I was not supposed to live. Recovery 
>> was
>> not even a topic of discussion. Through what I personally believe was a
>> miracle I did live and I did recover. Am I grateful? Beyond words! So 
>> let's
>> get some of you trained and ready to be NCS, when it is needed. Such as 
>> some
>> of you doing the Saturday 40 meter Net every other Saturday. Doing the
>> Sunday 20 meter Net several times a month. Taking over doing all the 
>> W9WZE
>> Special Events. Handling QSL card filling out and mailing. Perhaps
>> co-managing the various 'mailman.qth.net' lists that I administrate.
>>
>> Please help us, so that we can continue to help you enjoy your love 
>> affair
>> with Hallicrafters and those other wonders that still go glow in the dark
>> without first having an infusion of Radium!
>>
>> Contact our Web Master, W5JT, Jim, at: webmaster at w9wze.net
>>
>> Contact me at: netcontrol at w9wze.net
>>
>> Thank all of you so very much for your support, participation and
>> cooperation over the past fourteen years. Without you, the Hallicrafters
>> glow would be very faint, maybe just a feeble flicker. Fortunately, you 
>> have
>> kept her torch lit, the fingers of "VICTORY" held proudly high and made 
>> Bill
>> Halligan smile from his Ham Shack somewhere up yonder on a comfy cloud!
>>
>> My personal heartfelt thanks to every one of you for helping me over the
>> years and sending me the hundreds of well wishes that helped me summon up
>> the will to rise again from the massive stroke that felled me. The
>> brotherhood/sisterhood of Ham Radio operators is the absolute best group 
>> of
>> human beings on the face of this third rock from the sun! I am proud to 
>> be a
>> part of this fraternity and equally proud to be able to contribute a 
>> little
>> back to a group that has so willingly given me so very much. Not just
>> brotherly love, but some good RST reports too!
>>
>> Duane Fischer, W8DBF
>>
>> Will you be the newest Web Master or Halli NCS?
>>
>> Duane Fischer, W8DBF - WPE8CXO
>> E-Mail: dfischer at usol.com
>> Hallicrafters web site: www.w9wze.net
>> HHRP web site: hhrp.w9wze.net
>>
>> ______________________________________________________________
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>>
>> List Administrator: Duane Fischer, W8DBF
>> ** For Assistance: dfischer at usol.com **
>>
>>
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>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>>
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
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>
> List Administrator: Duane Fischer, W8DBF
> ** For Assistance: dfischer at usol.com **
>
>
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