Melba Mac w7lw may no Longer be Melba Mac

Heard last night, on an unknown frequency as I was listening through smeter, and frequently changing receivers.

Melba Mac and wife are moving back to Boise, ID. They are going to rent, not buy.

Now, I just heard the last few minutes of his transmission, and he was not loud, and sounded ‘tinny’, unlike his former transmissions on 3.840 and 3.765. In fact, I did not even recognize his voice, but did ‘tune in’ to his ‘content’. So I’m probably missing info.

Seems like there are some health issues now, and they want to live ‘closer in’ to civilization. (My assumption from what I did hear.) I do not know if this move is just for the coming winter, or a permanent move. I do not know if he’s going to sell his Melba digs. So if anyone has further info on this item, please post...

It was absolutely great hearing him again (no matter how poor the audio)! And getting caught up on his life, his wife, his grandsons (he has them for the next 4 days), and his dogs!

Melba Mac w7lw, was always one of my favorite HAMS, since the first day (night?) of his arrival on 3.840. And he still is. He is an interesting person, has and does lead an interesting life. (Perhaps one I even envy: family, basic good health, financial stability, one long-term spouse, morality that he’s not afraid of discussing and living.)

My complaint about Melba Mac? Perhaps he’s too rigid. He tends to judge others too harshly, eliminating them from his life (radio that is), painting all with the same brush. He doesn’t seem to tolerate differences, ie play well with ALL the other kids, and obviously, takes his toys and goes to play elsewhere. Even his web site is gone, gone, gone. When he could be part of the ‘solution’, be a stabilizing factor, on ANY frequency. Not only our loss, but his (some of these nuts could help expand Mac’s personal ‘growth’.) And my guess is Melba Mac would be welcome on any frequency...

I am curious though, if Melba Mac now regrets his decisions to follow artie’s w6obb insistent suggestions to move ‘into the wilderness’. He spent all that time, energy and money on property, a pre-fab, digging wells, putting in drives, and trying to put up a loop. For what? And why – to emulate arties life style? Jeeze, if he’d have just waited, perhaps he could have purchased the Pahrump Compound at a bottom-line price...

(Hey Mac! We’re all still here! We like ya! And we didn’t go running off to Manila to remarry! Well, most of us didn’t!).

World’s Biggest Jammer w6wbj May be in a Jam

Hot off the wire! In an FCC Enforcement letter dated 9.20.06, copy to be found at the ARRL enforcement page, Bill Crowell is notified of intended action.

Bill Crowell w6wbj is, informed that because of complaints against his station, (n6ayj), alleging deliberate interference, the renewal of his license will be reviewed in a hearing to be held before an Administrative Law Judge in Washington, DC.

So perhaps old Billie was NOT out getting buff on his bicycle, as he’s claimed, but spending all his extra time preparing legal briefs and arguments? We’ve all seen how good he is at doing that, legendary even.

Wonder if he will actually have to go to Washington, DC, or if it will all be done via phone or video conferencing. Sure hope he’s going to seek permission to audio/video record that hearing so that we can all share. Though, as with any hearing, a personal appearance makes more of an impression.

On the other hand, knowing how SLOW the feds are to get anything done, we may all be over 80 before such a hearing takes place, or before there is a decision resulting from that hearing. Not to mention appeals, which I’m sure Billie is preparing as I write this Grudge Report. Anyone looking for Billie to lose his license anytime soon, is probably day dreaming...

However, March 12, 2007 looms closer every day though (the date n6ayj’s license expires), hearing or no hearing. And if his license isn’t renewed, will Bill Crowell walk away from shortwave radio as he claims he will do? (To the cheering from many a HAM, no doubt.)

I have heard Billie state on air, that all he has to do is go back to n6ayj, that it’s the vanity call w6wbj that is in question. This enforcement letter doesn’t ‘read’ that way to me; but then I’m not a lawyer.

This may be an interesting ‘game’ to watch. It was good when it was Crowell vs Hollingsworth. Surely it will be even better when it is Crowell vs the Feds.

HamFanz Site is Being Downsized!

There are several reasons for this. The main one being I am starting on a new book-length project (yes!), and doing booklet content for two other sites. I just don’t have the time to maintain www.HamFanz.com the way it’s set up.

Other reasons are:
• No one is making donations and I just don’t have the funds to carry it myself.
• Participation and interest are down (that’s a whole Grudge Report in itself!)

I am (perhaps temporarily) removing the sections that are my largest time ‘eaters’. They are all items that are fairly easily to reinstate, if/when my ‘other’ projects allow me the time or get completed earlier than anticipated.

Knowing for two months that this was coming, in a final push of time expenditure, (I spent hours and hours and hours sorting, naming, etc) I posted all HamFanz Pics in a new Yahoo Photo Site Format http://new.photos.yahoo.com/hamfanz/albums/ You may go add comments (I may delete!) or tags to your pictures. Knock yourselves out!

HamFanz Yahoo Group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HamFanz/ remains as is, as does the HamFanz Grudge Report!