Online Radio and TV

This was about my 4th wordpress powered site and sprang up because I found a great interest in talking about radio, electronics, online streaming and other, similar themes on my primary site which is now Computer tips and tech info. So, to make things simpler I thought I would split off those topics here.

I got my amateur radio license last year (*2007), my call sign is KI4TQN and I’m an Amateur Extra. I have some receiving equipment, but as of yet, no transmitter. I tested into the Amateur General license the last weekend before the code requirement was dropped, so I did get a chance to prove myself with Morse Code. Two weeks later I visited the next testing session to try for Extra and made it. I hope sometime to get some practical experience on a radio, but right now I’m too busy with other projects.

I do computer repair in Asheville, NC. That literally translates to me doing most everything from building computers from time to time, keeping them running, replacing hardware, rebuilding, networking, sometimes more advanced networking areas, troubleshooting peculiar problems, some website design and webhosting, and the list goes on. Wireless network setups are also something I do and another convergence with my interest in radio. I can’t really describe everything I do in a given month in one short paragraph.

I also teach piano lessons in Asheville, NC. I currently have about 20 students of varying levels from absolute beginner to advanced intermediate. My students range in age from around 5 years old up to retirement age. I’ve played piano off and on since 4th grade. In the years I wasn’t playing piano I was playing clarinet and bass clarinet. By the way, I teach at the Asheville Music School, which is a good resource in town for private music lessons in Asheville.

I also attend Pleasant Grove Union Church, where I lead singing and (sometimes) play the piano. I’ve led singing there since around 1991 or so with a brief interruption when we were out of the area. We have a small singing group that sings mostly southern gospel style selections. Depending on the makeup of the group over the years I’ve sung the lead (soprano an octave lower), Tenor or Bass. (I’ve even picked up the Alto part on occasion, again an octave lower.) These days I’ve been singing Tenor mostly.

Hobbies… well, it seems that most of my hobbies have a way of turning into business somehow. The computer work and piano both fit that category. I also deal with audio and recording topics over at the Asheville Music Lessons site because that is yet another of my interests (and it seems to best match that site.) My degree at UNCA was the Bachelor of Science in Music with Recording Arts. I spent a fair amount of time in the recording studio there and that’s still an interest.

I also am afflicted with the genealogy bug. For those that know, this is a non-fatal obsession that occasionally goes into remission but when it flares up, it has the victim constantly researching family history. My North Carolina Genealogy and South Carolina Genealogy sites are a testament to that addiction. At one point in time when we lived nearer to the state archives I did genealogy research for hire, but I don’t currently.

Among other things, I am fascinated by languages, the last several years I’ve spent studying spanish on my own. I picked up some copies of a familiar book in spanish and used that to build vocabulary. I’ve used this site as a destination for some posts related to languages, but no dedicated site (yet?) I also have been diagnosed with Meniere’s disease in December of 2007. It’s suspected that allergies are my main trigger and I’m currently undergoing immunotherapy (allergy shots) in an attempt to turn the corner there.