Glenn gets his ham radio license

Glenn finally got around to getting his amateur radio, or ham license, something he has wanted for a very long time. After studying nearly every waking moment for two weeks using HamTestOnline™, he took all three exams on December 23. His license was issued today by the Federal Communications Commission. His call sign is:

The “A” indicates a USA call sign. “W” and “K” may be more familiar to you, but “A” and “N” prefixes are also used for USA radio call signs. The zero (hams like to put a slash through it so it is not mistaken for the letter “O”) indicates that the license was issued to someone in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska or South Dakota. “NM” was just the next letter in the sequence from which the license was issued. The format of the call sign, two letters, number, two letters, indicates that the licensee is an “Amateur Extra,” the highest privileged license issued to someone who passed all three exams.

In the International Phonetic Alphabet this comes out as “Alpha Charlie Zero November Mike.”

 

The Hardee County Animal Refuge

Not far from the SKP resort in Wachula is the Hardee County Animal Refuge in Pioneer Park in Zolfo Springs, Florida. Not a zoo, all the animals are “non-releasable” for some reason or another. The animals are in “natural habitats” and the people walk over and around them on an elevated walkway. It is a very nice little facility and we spent a very enjoyable afternoon there today.

You can clearly see the walkway in this aerial photo from
Google Maps

Jill and this ostrich seemed to both enjoy their time together. An ostrich is a very large bird!

Isn’t there an expression about letting “sleeping lions lie?” This is one is a  cougar, also known as a puma or a mountain lion.

 

The swallows may return to Capistrano, but large black vultures return to Zolfa Springs each winter. A lot of them. They are rather a nuisance, but the staff puts up with them and the animals seem to ignore them. 

 

Of all the animals, the raccoons seemed the most interested in the people. This guy was putting on quite a show: the walkway was 20 feet above the ground at this point, but he didn’t seem to mind in the least.

A solid-white peacock.

Abandoned and feral cats hang out at the refuge. The staff feeds them, gets them spayed or neutered and tries to get as many adopted as they can. This guy seemed especially friendly.

Christmas comes to the SKP Resort

Above, our coach with Jill's chili pepper lights. They are ubiquitous in New Mexico, but are rare in these parts. Jill bought these in Flagstaff, Arizona in 1990. 

Avon Park Fly-in

Last week, Jill saw something on a bulletin-board at restaurant here in Wauchula announcing a “Fly-in” breakfast today. The “Fly-in” breakfast is an old aviation tradition – it’s nothing more than an excuse for airplane owners to fly somewhere Sunday morning, have breakfast with friends, trade airplane stories, and then fly home. Jill thought it might be a good excuse to get Glenn up early on a Sunday morning and take her out to breakfast.  So by 8:30 we were in the car for the 15 mile drive to the Avon Park Airport. 

It was sponsored by the local chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association and the local Civil Air Patrol squadron. 

 

Among the more interesting planes:

Flight Design CTSW, a German-built light-sport aircraft. This one was built in 2007 and has a U.S. Marines emblem on its tail – it’s owned and flown by a former Marine fighter pilot from the Vietnam War era.

Lightning, a kit-built plane, licensed as “experimental.” Built in 2008.

ERCO Ercoupe 415-D. Built in 1946 in College Park, Maryland. Glenn’s father worked for ERCO in College Park in the early 1950’s. 

Another kit-built “experimental.” This one is a Van's Aircraft RV-6, built in 1999. 

The star of the show: a brand new Paradise P-1. The parts are made in Brazil,  and shipped to the USA. Then, it is assembled in Sebring, Florida. It is certified by the FAA as a USA-made light-sport aircraft. This one is a company-owned demonstrator. 

Wauchula, Florida

Wednesday morning we left Sarasota for the short drive east to Wauchula, Florida, the "Cucumber Capital of the World," though we have seen much more citrus.

We are staying at the Florida SKP Resort. The resort is part of a national organization, Escapees RV Club, of which we are members. We are able to rent a space from an owner who is not currently using it at a most reasonable rate. Everyone here has been very friendly, much more so than at many of commercial RV parks at which we have stayed.  

The grounds are very nicely landscaped and we have watched a group of owners working to improve the park. They didn't like that the power cord to the Christmas lights at the entrance were laying on the ground and went to much effort to bury them. 

We may stay here for a little while.

On the beach

On Tuesday we went to Siesta Beach, on Siesta Key, just west of Sarasota, Florida. Siesta Beach is number 3 on 'Dr. Beaches" "America's Best Beaches" list for 2008. It is a beautiful beach, but the day we were there it was only 60° and the wind was blowing strongly..

The wind was blowing was so strong that even the birds had not been flying. Here they had just been spooked and took to the air.

Pancakes

On Monday we had breakfast at the Country Pancake House and Restaurant. Jill ordered pancakes. The menu said "Pancakes on this page can be ordered as: 4 medium or 2 oversized pancakes." She certainly didn't want any "oversized pancakes" so she ordered the mediums. Good thing!