• BBS Things

    From Daryl Stout@VERT/TBOLT to VK3JED on Tuesday, May 17, 2016 13:13:00
    Hi, Tony...

    Once you get the hang of it, I did find a couple of "gotchas" for new players V>but after the second or third FTN, one gets it down pat. :)

    I've got the FTN and QWK Networking set up (I had to use the mouse to
    make ECHOCFG work), and while echomail and QWK Networking is tossing OK,
    it puts outgoing packets into one directory, where I have IREX send it
    out via BinkP. I just want to be sure the packets are going to the right connects.

    However, time to work on the BBS has not been on my side of late.
    First, I'm doing all the driving, shopping, etc. for my elderly Mom (who
    will be 90 this fall...and I don't mind doing such)...but second,
    weather has not been kind around here. There were Tornado Warnings in my
    area a week ago Monday night, and it has been a stormy weather pattern
    here. With lightning dancing around here like an ungrounded Faraday
    cage, the BBS has been down more than up, but I don't want a lightning
    strike zapping what I have...especially considering I'm a two time
    lightning strike survivor. However, I carry no electrical charge, and
    can be handled safely. <G>

    Hope to hear you on the VoIP Hurricane Net in a couple of weeks when
    it starts up again.

    Daryl, WX1DER

    ---
    þ OLX 1.53 þ 35 million laws are trying to enforce The 10 Commandments
    þ Synchronet þ The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, AR - wx1der.dyndns.org
  • From Daryl Stout@VERT/TBOLT to KTULU on Tuesday, May 17, 2016 13:13:00
    Jim,

    Goose and Schmeg?

    Better than Laurel and Hardy or Abbott and Costello...although that
    might liven up the message base. <G>

    Now, if the weather pattern here would settle down. We had Tornado
    Warnings in my area a week ago Monday night, and have thunderstorm
    potential in the forecast through Friday. So, that means the BBS is down
    more often than not to avoid lightning damage.

    Daryl

    ---
    þ OLX 1.53 þ When two egotists meet, it's an I for an I.
    þ Synchronet þ The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, AR - wx1der.dyndns.org
  • From Daryl Stout@VERT/TBOLT to VK3JED on Tuesday, May 17, 2016 11:54:00
    Tony,

    Synchronet was easy, by comparison. :)

    One feature that Synchronet has that no other BBS package has (that
    I'm aware of), is the ability to set up non-fossil doors like a regular
    door, and run them under telnet. The ham radio doors by the late Dave
    Perry, and the DreamNet doors by Andy Stewart, are 2 examples. Plus,
    with using the Doorway program, I can combine that with the Today In
    History program to display various files...and I also use it with the
    "You Might Be A Redneck" program (Jeff Foxworthy would be proud <G>).

    Daryl

    ---
    þ OLX 1.53 þ Tried keeping a stiff upper lip, but my face muscles hurt
    þ Synchronet þ The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, AR - wx1der.dyndns.org
  • From Ktulu@VERT/ROI to Daryl Stout on Tuesday, May 17, 2016 23:53:25
    Re: BBS Things
    By: Daryl Stout to KTULU on Tue May 17 2016 01:13 pm

    Jim,

    Hi Daryl!!!

    Goose and Schmeg?

    Better than Laurel and Hardy or Abbott and Costello...although that
    might liven up the message base. <G>

    There was a SysOp in here named Goose. I thought it was some SysOps that I used to talk with, "back in the day" Turns out he's from Germany. Which means it's not who I thought it was.


    Now, if the weather pattern here would settle down. We had Tornado Warnings in my area a week ago Monday night, and have thunderstorm potential in the forecast through Friday. So, that means the BBS is down more often than not to avoid lightning damage.

    Just stay safe. This is the time of the year where Mother nature likes to show how mad she can get!!! Don't risk burning out your equipment from a lightning strike!

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Realm of Insanity - telnet://roi.synchro.net - Racine, WI
  • From Tiny@VERT/PHARCYDE to Daryl Stout on Wednesday, May 18, 2016 06:07:40
    Daryl Stout wrote in a message to VK3JED:

    considering I'm a two time lightning strike survivor. However, I
    carry no electrical charge, and can be handled safely. <G>

    You're almost a super hero man. If only you could power your computers with the touch of a finger. ;)

    Shawn
    ... Only dull people are brilliant at breakfast.
    ---
    * Origin: Tiny's Trailer (723:1/2.1)
    þ Synchronet þ thePharcyde_ telnet://bbs.pharcyde.org (Wisconsin)
  • From Daryl Stout@VERT/TBOLT to KTULU on Wednesday, May 18, 2016 12:13:00
    Hi Daryl!!!

    Hi, Jim.

    There was a SysOp in here named Goose. I thought it was some SysOps that I us K>to talk with, "back in the day" Turns out he's from Germany. Which means it's K>not who I thought it was.

    It's like you walk up to someone who looks so much like someone you
    know. Yet, when you ask them "Do I know you??", and they reply "No",
    you're embarrassed. :P

    Just stay safe. This is the time of the year where Mother nature likes to sho K>how mad she can get!!! Don't risk burning out your equipment from a lightning K>strike!

    Being a 2 time indirect lightning strike survivor myself, I don't take
    any chances. Note that I carry no electrical charge, and can be handled
    safely. <G>

    I heard of one ham radio operator who had spared no expense for
    lightning protection. You name it, he bought it, and installed
    it...price was no object. Unfortunately, it was all for naught.

    He took a direct or very close hit. His ham radio tower, antenna,
    mast, and coaxial cable, were all VAPORIZED!! The UPS devices were
    destroyed, as were the appliances they were supposed to protect.

    Each lightning bolt:

    1) Can be 5 miles long
    2) Can strike as much as 20 miles from the parent thunderstorm
    3) Has 300,000 volts and 30,000 amps of electricity
    4) Is 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit (5 times hotter than the surface of the
    sun)

    In short, it's no contest.

    Several years ago, lightning hit the tree next to the apartment
    building where I live, but not the building itself (the latter would've
    likely set the building ablaze). I had damage to the alarm system
    (which has long been repaired)...but everything else that I could
    unplug, was. I obviously couldn't unplug the refrigerator/freezer,
    stove, garbage disposal, or dishwasher, but those are part of the
    apartment, and not my concern to replace if they get zapped...even
    though I have renters insurance.

    However, from my building, and adjacent buildings, people were taking electronic items by the bucketful out to the dumpster. You name
    it...home entertainment centers, computers, monitors, VCR's, DVD's,
    microwave ovens, etc. The surge was so massive that it spread out a good
    bit from its initial strike.

    I saw a video once of lightning hitting the radio antenna of a car,
    and the radio literally caught fire!!

    Even though I'm not on the Gulf or Atlantic Coast, I've rather nervous
    about the upcoming hurricane season, with a weakening El Nino. On the
    other side of the coin, I've heard of freezing temperatures and snow
    from Minnesota, east through Wisconsin, and to Ohio and New York State.
    I've heard some reports of a cooler than normal summer (which I won't
    complain about), but I'll believe it when I see it.

    On another note, I've got the BBS back up, and finishing some minor
    tweaking. The 2 issues now are getting the autopost with SMBUTIL going,
    and to be sure that SBBSECHO is sending the packets to the proper
    outbound hub. I reset the user base, since a lot of people hadn't logged
    on in a long time, but I am quick to do upgrades...as long as the BBS
    isn't down for thunderstorm potential.

    Daryl

    ---
    þ OLX 1.53 þ WARNING!! I'm naked under these clothes!!
    þ Synchronet þ The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, AR - wx1der.dyndns.org
  • From Daryl Stout@VERT/TBOLT to TINY on Wednesday, May 18, 2016 12:17:00
    Shawn,

    considering I'm a two time lightning strike survivor. However, I
    carry no electrical charge, and can be handled safely. <G>

    You're almost a super hero man. If only you could power your computers wit
    the touch of a finger. ;)

    Well, at least I'm not like the former Yellowstone Park ranger, who
    was struck 7 times. They dubbed him "the human lightning rod". He
    eventually committed suicide, from what I understand.

    I saw another story where a guy was struck 2 times in this life, then
    after his death, his tombstone was struck 3 times. :P

    On the power issue, I'm on levelized billing, so that helps...but,
    it'd be nice to do that, and stay online during thunderstorms. However,
    what'd be even better is if we could use the gas emitted by our
    digestive tract to run our vehicles. If that was the case, I'd be
    stocking up on Bush's Baked Beans...never mind the secret formula from
    Duke. <G>

    Daryl

    ---
    þ OLX 1.53 þ Fart: An audio test of your body's waste disposal system.
    þ Synchronet þ The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, AR - wx1der.dyndns.org
  • From Immortal@VERT/IDOMAIN to Daryl Stout on Wednesday, May 18, 2016 14:40:39
    Re: Easy BBS Setup
    By: Daryl Stout to VK3JED on Tue May 17 2016 11:54:00

    One feature that Synchronet has that no other BBS package has (that
    I'm aware of), is the ability to set up non-fossil doors like a regular door, and run them under telnet. The ham radio doors by the late Dave

    WINServer can run non-fossil doors as well. Still hard to justify the price tag for it though. The only reason I have it is I upgaded from Wildcat 4 back in the day. And yet here I am running a free software with more features
    and support instead.

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Immortal's Domain -- immortalsdomain.com
  • From Mro@VERT/BBSESINF to Tiny on Wednesday, May 18, 2016 17:55:11
    Re: BBS Things
    By: Tiny to Daryl Stout on Wed May 18 2016 06:07 am

    Daryl Stout wrote in a message to VK3JED:

    considering I'm a two time lightning strike survivor. However, I
    carry no electrical charge, and can be handled safely. <G>

    You're almost a super hero man. If only you could power your computers with the touch of a finger. ;)


    daryl has everything wrong with him known to man and he's still kicking.
    ---
    þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
  • From Vk3jed@VERT/FREEWAY to Daryl Stout on Thursday, May 19, 2016 12:48:00
    Daryl Stout wrote to VK3JED <=-

    Hi, Tony...

    Once you get the hang of it, I did find a couple of "gotchas" for new
    layers
    but after the second or third FTN, one gets it down pat. :)

    I've got the FTN and QWK Networking set up (I had to use the mouse to make ECHOCFG work), and while echomail and QWK Networking is tossing
    OK, it puts outgoing packets into one directory, where I have IREX send
    it out via BinkP. I just want to be sure the packets are going to the right connects.

    Sounds like things are working. I can't comment on the IRex stuff, because I use BinkD here.

    However, time to work on the BBS has not been on my side of late.
    First, I'm doing all the driving, shopping, etc. for my elderly Mom
    (who will be 90 this fall...and I don't mind doing such)...but second, weather has not been kind around here. There were Tornado Warnings in
    my area a week ago Monday night, and it has been a stormy weather
    pattern here. With lightning dancing around here like an ungrounded Faraday cage, the BBS has been down more than up, but I don't want a lightning strike zapping what I have...especially considering I'm a two time lightning strike survivor. However, I carry no electrical charge,
    and can be handled safely. <G>

    Whew, things are busy there, though not exactly quiet here. Fire training, sports training and various other activities take up much of my time. :)

    Hope to hear you on the VoIP Hurricane Net in a couple of weeks when
    it starts up again.

    Well, I will be a rarity now, being in an almost perpetual double booked state on Sunday mornings here.


    ... Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free.
    --- MultiMail/Win32 v0.49
    þ Synchronet þ Freeway BBS in Bendigo, Australia.
  • From Vk3jed@VERT/FREEWAY to Daryl Stout on Thursday, May 19, 2016 12:51:00
    Daryl Stout wrote to VK3JED <=-

    Tony,

    Synchronet was easy, by comparison. :)

    One feature that Synchronet has that no other BBS package has (that
    I'm aware of), is the ability to set up non-fossil doors like a regular door, and run them under telnet. The ham radio doors by the late Dave Perry, and the DreamNet doors by Andy Stewart, are 2 examples. Plus,
    with using the Doorway program, I can combine that with the Today In History program to display various files...and I also use it with the

    I haven't played with doors yet, and I'm on a Raspberry Pi, so I have a few more hoops to jump through to get doors working. But even if I did run under Windows, it's all 64 bit here, so same deal.


    ... I'm not insensitive, I'm male. See the difference?
    --- MultiMail/Win32 v0.49
    þ Synchronet þ Freeway BBS in Bendigo, Australia.
  • From Vk3jed@VERT/FREEWAY to Daryl Stout on Thursday, May 19, 2016 13:49:00
    Daryl Stout wrote to KTULU <=-

    Each lightning bolt:

    1) Can be 5 miles long
    2) Can strike as much as 20 miles from the parent thunderstorm
    3) Has 300,000 volts and 30,000 amps of electricity
    4) Is 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit (5 times hotter than the surface of the sun)

    In short, it's no contest.

    Your best hope is to find a way to encourage the bolt to strike something not sensitive (i.e. a lightning rod), and have your gear protected from the induced voltage spikes of the nearby bolt. If you get a direct strike, you're screwed.


    ... Features should be discovered, not documented.
    --- MultiMail/Win32 v0.49
    þ Synchronet þ Freeway BBS in Bendigo, Australia.
  • From Ktulu@VERT/ROI to Daryl Stout on Wednesday, May 18, 2016 22:59:12
    Re: BBS Things
    By: Daryl Stout to KTULU on Wed May 18 2016 12:13 pm

    Hi, Jim.
    Hi again Daryl, Thanks for the reply!

    It's like you walk up to someone who looks so much like someone you
    know. Yet, when you ask them "Do I know you??", and they reply "No", you're embarrassed. :P

    Yeah I've done it numerous times. Either that or someone has their back to you and they look like someone you know from the back, so you approach them and turns out not to be who you thought it was. AWKWARD!!!

    Being a 2 time indirect lightning strike survivor myself, I don't take
    any chances. Note that I carry no electrical charge, and can be handled safely. <G>

    And rightfully so. You gotta protect what you have.

    I heard of one ham radio operator who had spared no expense for
    lightning protection. You name it, he bought it, and installed
    it...price was no object. Unfortunately, it was all for naught.

    He took a direct or very close hit. His ham radio tower, antenna,
    mast, and coaxial cable, were all VAPORIZED!! The UPS devices were destroyed, as were the appliances they were supposed to protect.

    Wow!!!!! Not a good thing at all. I've never heard of lightning doing that kind of damage such as vaporizing equipment. I'm not doubting it, I've just never heard of it happening. Definately sounds like a home owner's insurance claim.


    I saw a video once of lightning hitting the radio antenna of a car,
    and the radio literally caught fire!!

    Yeah I've heard of window air conditioners catching fire due to a lightning strike. But that's absolutely crazy! What are the chances of hitting a little car antenna.

    Even though I'm not on the Gulf or Atlantic Coast, I've rather nervous about the upcoming hurricane season, with a weakening El Nino. On the other side of the coin, I've heard of freezing temperatures and snow
    from Minnesota, east through Wisconsin, and to Ohio and New York State.

    Yeah this 2016 sure is a weird one as far as weather is concerned. It seems to almost be getting worse as the years go by, it's like we have to wait for soo long for the consistant warmer weather. When I was younger I never remember it being like this. You would get to middle of May and it would be 60's or 70's.

    I've heard some reports of a cooler than normal summer (which I won't complain about), but I'll believe it when I see it.

    I've read just the opposite many times this year already. Time will tell.

    On another note, I've got the BBS back up, and finishing some minor tweaking. The 2 issues now are getting the autopost with SMBUTIL going, and to be sure that SBBSECHO is sending the packets to the proper
    outbound hub. I reset the user base, since a lot of people hadn't logged on in a long time, but I am quick to do upgrades...as long as the BBS isn't down for thunderstorm potential.

    That's great! I just got mine set back up 2 months ago too. While it's not 100% it's getting there. Then again family, and work seems to always get in the way.

    In January, I lost my father to stage IV lung cancer, Which created a whole other mess with the acquisition of the duplex he lived in. I have 1/2 of it rented out and trying to get the other half rented asap. Not enough hours in a day.

    -Ktulu
    SysOp @ Realm of Insanity (telnet://realmofinsanity.net)

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Realm of Insanity - telnet://roi.synchro.net - Racine, WI
  • From Daryl Stout@VERT/TBOLT to VK3JED on Thursday, May 19, 2016 09:12:00
    Tony,

    Sounds like things are working. I can't comment on the IRex stuff, because I V>use BinkD here.

    I use IREX for the BinkP transfers.

    Whew, things are busy there, though not exactly quiet here. Fire training, V>sports training and various other activities take up much of my time. :)

    Some areas of North America can't buy a drop of rain (i.e. Canada, California), and others (the Arklatex) can't get a dry day. No telling
    how many times the Red River has flooded in the last few years.

    Well, I will be a rarity now, being in an almost perpetual double booked stat V>on Sunday mornings here.

    Well, while work is a nasty four letter word, without it, that's no
    money for BBS or ham radio toys.

    Daryl

    ---
    þ OLX 1.53 þ Cmdr: "Mount Your Horses" - Men: "We're not that lonely!"
    þ Synchronet þ The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, AR - wx1der.dyndns.org
  • From Daryl Stout@VERT/TBOLT to VK3JED on Thursday, May 19, 2016 09:25:00
    Tony,

    I haven't played with doors yet, and I'm on a Raspberry Pi, so I have a few V>more hoops to jump through to get doors working. But even if I did run under V>Windows, it's all 64 bit here, so same deal.

    That's why I made SURE I had a 32-bit system.

    As for the Raspberry Pi, I comment on D-Star and D-Rats that "I don't
    know much about a Raspberry Pi...but a pineapple upside down cheesecake
    sounds real good". :)

    To which, a ham asked me how many contacts I made with it...and I
    replied "Two dozen...from the plate to the mouth". ;)

    Daryl, WX1DER

    ---
    þ OLX 1.53 þ We are born naked, wet, and hungry. Then, it gets worse.
    þ Synchronet þ The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, AR - wx1der.dyndns.org
  • From Daryl Stout@VERT/TBOLT to MRO on Thursday, May 19, 2016 09:34:00
    considering I'm a two time lightning strike survivor. However, I
    carry no electrical charge, and can be handled safely. <G>

    You're almost a super hero man. If only you could power your computers with the touch of a finger. ;)

    daryl has everything wrong with him known to man and he's still kicking.

    Yep, with over 50 medical conditions to boot. The medical staff has
    fun with me. However, I prefer female physicians, etc. -- while nudity
    means nothing to them, they are a bit "gentler" in some things. :P

    Daryl

    ---
    þ OLX 1.53 þ Venison for dinner? Oh deer!
    þ Synchronet þ The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, AR - wx1der.dyndns.org
  • From ALLEN PRUNTY@VERT/LIVEWIRE to TINY on Friday, May 20, 2016 10:16:00
    Daryl Stout wrote in a message to VK3JED:

    considering I'm a two time lightning strike survivor. However, I
    carry no electrical charge, and can be handled safely. <G>

    You're almost a super hero man. If only you could power your computers with
    the touch of a finger. ;)

    My thoughts are if he was hit by lightning twice... there is a reason
    why he is still walking among us. We are honored to have him in our
    presence.

    Allen

    ---
    þ Derby City LiveWire - Louisville, KY - livewirebbs.ddns.net
  • From Mro@VERT/BBSESINF to ALLEN PRUNTY on Friday, May 20, 2016 22:06:08
    Re: BBS Things
    By: ALLEN PRUNTY to TINY on Fri May 20 2016 10:16 am

    considering I'm a two time lightning strike survivor. However, I carry no electrical charge, and can be handled safely. <G>

    You're almost a super hero man. If only you could power your
    computers with the touch of a finger. ;)


    they were indirect strikes.
    ---
    þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
  • From Daryl Stout@VERT/TBOLT to ALLEN PRUNTY on Monday, May 23, 2016 23:46:00
    Allen,

    considering I'm a two time lightning strike survivor. However, I AP>-> DS> carry no electrical charge, and can be handled safely. <G>

    You're almost a super hero man. If only you could power your computers AP>-> the touch of a finger. ;)

    My thoughts are if he was hit by lightning twice... there is a reason
    why he is still walking among us. We are honored to have him in our AP>presence.

    Thanks. I do have to note that one of my previous ham radio QSL cards
    had lightning bolts on it, and when I gave other ham radio operators
    the card, while shaking their hand, and telling them I was a 2
    time lightning strike survivor, you should have seen how fast they
    pulled their hand away!! :D

    Daryl

    ---
    þ OLX 1.53 þ Toe: A device for finding furniture in the dark.
    þ Synchronet þ The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, AR - wx1der.dyndns.org