There is a serious problem when you let people give themselves raises from the public coffers and the City of Denver has been so kind to demonstrate it for us.

After spirited debate Monday, Denver’s City Council voted 10-3 to tentatively approve a 6.6 percent raise for the next sitting council and every other elected official — an increase to be delayed for half of their four-year terms.

The city is facing a $100 million budget shortfall for the 2012 budget and has a structural budget problem that, if not addressed, could balloon into a $500 million deficit by 2030.

In an economy where most people are struggling to make ends meet, are doing everything they can to save money and cut their personal deficit the city council voted to give themselves a raise from the public coffers increasing the already large deficit.  You do not save money or cut down on debt by spending more.

Many companies have not given their employees raises over the past couple years and even more took a reduction in equal to what they were making.  While the rest of America is tightening it’s belts, these individuals are choosing to spend more money that isn’t their and rack up more debt that they are neither responsible or accountable for.  I hope come election time the 10 that voted yes will have opponents and be voted out of office.  Hopefully their replacements will immediately work to revert the wages back.  Obviously many in the government still don’t seem to understand the concept of spending within your means.

Saturday ended up considerably busier than expected.  Initially I had just planned to help with the ARES exercise, but it ended up they were making a trip up to the Kamiak radio site.  I went along to help since I hadn’t seen the radio site.

That’s the tower with the KABARA Repeater Antennas, as well as the packet system we were up there to work on.  Next to it is that tower is KWSU.

Inside the radio shack was some impressive equipment for the KABARA system, more specifically a pair of duplexers for the 6-meter repeater.

After a quick tour we then got down to why were were there.  Someone was going to have to climb the tower for recon for an upcoming antenna installation.

He wanted proof that he climbed the tower.  I have other pictures while he was at the top, none however provide proof that it was actually him climbing.

It appears the recon was successful, the hardline we were planning on using is currently at the location where we are planning on installing the antenna.  We just need to coordinate with some of the other antennas owners when we go to actually install it.

The antenna is going to be hooked into this.

Which is the packet node on top of Kamiak, the recon was because the owner is planning on adding a 70cm link if I remember correctly.  It was pointed out to me though how wind can be a royal bitch up on the tower.

The wind was light that day, the antenna is either caught in the tower, or permanently deformed from wind and ice loading.  That particular antenna however was no longer in use.

After that we headed back down the hill with one quick stop right after we got out of the trees so I could do this today.

After that K7LL helped me test an mobile amp I have.  It works, but nowhere near as effective as it should be.  It is now sitting on my workbench awaiting disassembly.  An upshot a coworker and fellow ham drove by and I paid him a visit.  I must say his ham shack is by no means a shack, and is actually quite nice.  He actually had a spare 2m/70cm base and it’s now sitting on my desk.  He also has a spare HF rig but it needs some repair work.  Electrolytic capacitors don’t last for ever.

From there I went and picked up a sign for the lodge.  The sign was vandalized and I picked it up to take it home to attempt to clean it.  Attempt one removed some of the paint but next on the list is acetone.  From there I headed over the Moscow to W7UQ to kill some time before going over to a friends house for dinner and helping him with some homework.

While sitting at W7UQ one of the members showed up and I then preceded to spend the next 2 hours discussing antenna design, radiation patterns, and methods to solve some issues they are having with their current project.  Including moving from just telemetry based information to adding command and control.  I gave him my contact information so they can come to me with questions and help with the project.

Lastly I had dinner over with some friends.  I finally headed out from their place at 0130 after helping him with a programming assignment.  Overall it was a busy, educational, and productive day.

Here’s a prime example of why.

A Denver 911 operator was mistaken when he told a motorist to return to the area where he and his companions had been threatened in a road-rage incident — moments before a fatal shooting, the head of the city’s emergency phone system acknowledged Monday.

The men who called 911 didn’t want to return to the area of the road rage incident but eventually gave in to the “authority” of the dispatcher.  The dispatcher has no authority.  Get this through you head.  Despite what everyone is saying, even with some other recent incidents, just because a dispatcher says do X doesn’t mean you have to.  You are free to make the decision yourself and if you feel it to be bad advice you do not need to follow it.

Secondly, the police are under no obligation to protect you.  The police officers are not going to be dinged for not being there when this man was shot.  The dispatcher, despite his facilitation, will not be charged with murder.  You are responsible for your own defense and most assuredly if for some crazy reason you feel like heading back into a hot AO, carry your damn gun.  Because, most likely, you’re going to need it if people were already threatening you.  And if you’re heading to someplace where you think you’re going to need a gun, you’re breaking the first rule of survival, avoidance.  You carry for the unexpected, when trouble finds you, don’t go looking for trouble.