[TenTec] SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

[John Occhipinti]

Due to the complaints from the TEN-TEC Eagle operators, whom I can count on both hands and coupled with the fact that only a total of 9 TEN-TEC Eagle radios checked into both the 40 meter and 20 meter SSB nets this past Sunday, I have decided in the best interest of Amateur Radio to drop the TEN-TEC Eagle Group from any of my future postings about the TEN-TEC SSB nets.

Also, the TEC-TEC Eagle Group will no longer receive anymore postings about the TEN-TEC Certificate Program, which was started by Jim Wharton NO4A, Vice President, TEN-TEC, Inc.

Now for the future of the TEN-TEC nets: My many years as net control for EAST CARS, the Maritime Net, the Christian Fellowship Net, the Yaesu FT-2000 net and now the TEN-TEC 40 meter and 20 meter SSB nets, I have gleaned a plethora of experience in handling pile-ups, QRM, jamming and a myriad of other unexpected surprises during the nets.

I have learned to rely on various relay stations to pick up any weak stations and the cooperation on the TEN-TEC nets has been superb. This is what has made the TEN-TEC nets the envy of other groups on the Amateur Radio bands. The bottom line is that all those who check into the nets each Sunday are the ones that are directly responsible for the outstanding success of the TEN-TEC nets.

When I took the initiative and resurrected the TEN-TEC nets in April 2012, after several years of no TEN-TEC nets, I just wanted to gather a group of like-minded and level-headed
Amateur Radio Operators to discuss topics related to our hobby.

Little did I realize how the nets would grow and from April 2012 to January 2013 (9 months)the TEN-TEC nets kept growing in popularity. Then in January of this year I was approached by Jim Wharton NO4A, Vice President TEN-TEC, Inc. and said that he would like to start a certificate program for the faithful TEN-TEC supporters who regularly check into the nets on Sunday.

Jim and I worked together and the new TEN-TEC Certificate Program was inplemented on January 20th of this year. With new enthusiasm the checkin totals started to increase each week and along with this came the typical "Monday morning quarterbacks" who claimed that they could "throw more touchdowns than John". Personal emails followed with very derogatory remarks about me, my ethnic background, my profession and my family. 
What was posted on the various TEN-TEC Groups were mild compared to the personal egregious emails that I have received.

When I started the TEN-TEC nets back up in April 2012, I had planned to stay on as net control for 1 full year and then turn the net over to someone else. Next month will be 1 full year for me as net control of the 40 meter and 20 meter TEN-TEC nets.

In spite of the negativity that has been rampant, I have continued to receive support from many of our TEN-TEC family and I have decided to stay on a little longer as net control of both TEN-TEC nets. For all of those who have already received your first TEN-TEC
Certificate and for the many hundredths more who will be getting them, I will continue posting on the other 4 TEN-TEC Groups.

I want to thank Jay K0MU, for allowing me to use the Eagle Group for the past year.

John, K3UR

http://www.qrz.com/db/k3ur
John D. Occhipinti, K3UR
Net Control, TEN-TEC SSB Nets
http://k3ur.com
The Voice of Atlanta