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kb9ens.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
Tom - KB9ENS
@kb9ens.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
48 followers 16 following 370 posts
Hey viewer of my bio. I simply cannot be bothered to set up multiple masto accounts. No guarantees this will stick to any topic in particular. My Bookwyrm (fedi […]

[bridged from https://mastodon.radio/@kb9ens on the fediverse by https://fed.brid.gy/ ]
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kb9ens.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
4 General upgrades and 3 new Technicians. Not bad for an after Thanksgiving session. #HamRadio.
A plastic sign that says amateur radio test last Saturday of month from 10:00 through 12:00
November 29, 2025 at 7:57 PM
kb9ens.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
Today’s #sota was San Guillermo Mountain in Ventura County California. Nice views fun #hamradio times etc.

but… who you may ask is San Guillermo!? Glad you asked… He was a Frenchman who was told by the pope to go on pilgrimage to Jerusalem… when he came back […]

[Original post on mastodon.radio]
View of my radio shack on top of San Guillermo Mountain. Stool, bag, coat, antenna mast and some low scrub. A view roughly westerly from San Guillermo overlooking some pretty fun and extreme looking terrain. Later I drove through it on Lockwood Valley Rd.
November 12, 2025 at 6:17 AM
kb9ens.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
Today’s #sota activation of Frazier Mountain brought to you by my 1980s vintage Kenwood. This radio requires an external cure to do iambic keying, but for some reason, it wasn’t working this morning probably the cold. I had to revert to my straight key which […]

[Original post on mastodon.radio]
A bearded man and glasses wearing a black hat for the third space launch squadron and headphones sits next to a Kenwood TS 440 on a small table in the background a off-center fed dipole is visible A 3-D rendering of the Earth showing a number of great circle lines extending from Southern California some reaching Europe at the top the text reads KB9ENS at W6/CC003 Frasier Mountain 25QSOS in one hour zero minutes November 9, 2025 at 8:54 AM
November 9, 2025 at 7:40 PM
kb9ens.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
Bit of a celebration about here…
A firework explodes in the background with palm trees in the foreground
November 2, 2025 at 4:26 AM
kb9ens.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
#ReadBannedBooks and schedule your next blood donation! #redcross
A bearded man in glasses is donating blood while wearing a T-shirt that says read band books under a rainbow reminiscent of the reading rainbow emblem
October 11, 2025 at 7:14 PM
kb9ens.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
Having fun dabbling in the CA QSO party today and stopped for a break… “hey is that a dust storm?” #watchduty check… “ah… no that’s a fire.” Given that I’m on the other side of a soda lake and well within the borders of a previous fire this year which consumed […]

[Original post on mastodon.radio]
Smoke rises from a brown brassy valley on the other side of a white patch A map showing the northern section of the Carrizo plain. A fire is indicated titled Alma fire 40 acres.
October 4, 2025 at 10:16 PM
kb9ens.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
After operating for more than an hour, I was getting cold and had plenty of contacts so I took off my headphones to discover that my kiddo had left me a note.
On a rock is visible, a small ham radio and inside a 1980s vintage set of headphones a small note is taped Why did the bicycle fall over? Because it was two tired!
October 4, 2025 at 3:01 AM
kb9ens.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
Had Friday off so on my way to participate in the California QSO party #cqp this weekend I spent the night on Cerro Noroeste and got up this morning for a fun and easy #sota activation. My results from last year’s participation in the QSO party resulted in me […]

[Original post on mastodon.radio]
A map depicting much of North America and the north Pacific Ocean all the way to the coast of China and Russia, several great circle arcs emanate from the Los Angeles area, terminating in a variety of colored circles, indicating where I had contacts one reaches all the way to Japan the text at the top reads KB9ENS at W6/SC – 001 Cerro Noroeste 12 QSOs in 27 minutes 30 seconds October 3, 2025 at 9:32 AM In a wooded background and bright sun, a bearded man is wearing a bunny hat with a park on the air emblem on it and the letters CQP and 2024 A bicycle leans against a tree in the shade in a wooded environment populated mostly by pine tree trees
October 4, 2025 at 2:55 AM
kb9ens.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
@sundogplanets #sunset 100% exists
View of the sunset from the Caliente Ridgeline Another view of sunset from the Caliente Ridgeline Road
October 4, 2025 at 1:52 AM
kb9ens.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
And that… is a wrap! 4 new hams.. one of which went directly to General and one General upgrade. We also had one fail the tech.
A test session form with which elements were taken, and what licenses were earned. It indicates three techs earned and two generals earned and one none.
September 27, 2025 at 6:58 PM
kb9ens.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
Remember to get your FRN before showing up or you’ll be sitting outside with me registering one with me hi hi.
The hands of a prospective ham trying to use the FCCs shit website to get an FRN on his phone.
September 27, 2025 at 5:21 PM
kb9ens.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
Betty - N6VZF runs a tight ship.
Live view of the VE table… assorted papers etc.
September 27, 2025 at 5:06 PM
kb9ens.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
Here in the South Bay of Los Angeles I am on rotation with the crew that conducts tests at the W6TRW swap meet every month. That doesn’t mean I get to VE every month but about once a quarter it seems.
A sign with red on white text that reads amateur radio test last Saturday of month from 10:00 thru 12:00
September 27, 2025 at 4:39 PM
kb9ens.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
VE time again. Let’s go make some Hams!
A yellow ARRL lanyard holds a number of items and badges. A SOTA pin, a silver orange pen, and several badges. The top one reads EXTRA CLASS ACCREDITED VOLUNTEER EXAMINER, Thomas R Essenpreis KB9ENS May administer Amateur Radio license examinations in accordance with current FCC rules governing the volunteer examiner program, and the VE’ S class of license. The American radio relay league Inc. volunteer examiner coordinator ARRL/VEC accredited through 4/17/2030. The next badge down you can tell is from the greater Los Angeles amateur radio group VEC and the one below that is just a name and call sign badge
September 27, 2025 at 4:05 PM
kb9ens.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
@ai6yr How do you do Mrs Phone?
A drawing of The Army of Oz raising his hat.
September 26, 2025 at 12:40 AM
kb9ens.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
With the recent opening of the Angeles Crest Highway all the way (has been closed since winter 22/23 due to road damage) I jumped at the opportunity this Labor Day (today) to reactivate Mount Baden Powell (W6/CT-004). 9 miles (14.5 km) round trip with 2800’ […]

[Original post on mastodon.radio]
On a map depicting several great circle arcs extending from Southern California primarily to several locations in western USA (as well as one arcing over to Southern France) there is text that reads: KB9ENS at W6/CT-004 20 QSOs in 59m 50s Mount Baden-Powell Sep 1,2025 at 10:07 AM A bearded man in a green hat wearing sunglasses and a hydration pack with a radio mounted to it stands holding a sign that says Mt. Baden-Powell 9,407 FT in front of a 50 star United States flag attached to a metal pole festooned with numerous stickers. The view of the final ascent to Baden-Powell in the foreground and to the right showing the trail to the summit with a few pines to the left is a mountain scape in the distance. A breathtaking view…
September 2, 2025 at 1:18 AM
kb9ens.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
This fucking guy’s forest service has an open public comment period about logging the Los Padres national forest. I threw a Lorax quote at it. Chime in… https://www.independent.com/2025/08/29/public-invited-to-comment-on-paving-los-padres-national-forest/?amp=1
The Lorax character stands on a yellow stump in a grassy field under two small trees with the text above saying “UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not. -The Lorax
September 1, 2025 at 3:57 AM
kb9ens.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
#monsterdon
A man sticks his head out of a toilet seat.
August 18, 2025 at 2:13 AM
kb9ens.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
@moira
Jack Nicholson reads from “pain” magazine.
August 18, 2025 at 1:37 AM
kb9ens.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
#monsterdon
4 Satsumas and the word … Remember...
August 11, 2025 at 2:25 AM
kb9ens.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
With Mothra’s arrival. Bingo! #monsterdon
A complete bingo card for Godzilla, Mothra, and King Ghidorah:
August 11, 2025 at 2:02 AM
kb9ens.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
#monsterdon
A giant says “anybody want a peanut?"
August 11, 2025 at 2:00 AM
kb9ens.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
Spreading my positivity today. My “B+” that is. Always feels good when I can get my wife to join me for a blood donation session. As of this donation I’ve donated 6 gallons with the Red Cross. #donateblood #redcross #b+
A man in a green shirt holds a bag of mini Oreos and a sign that says Give Blood get cookies everybody wi s A man in a green shirt donates blood
August 8, 2025 at 5:18 PM
kb9ens.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
Had the pleasure of attending the SoCal SOTAfest last weekend and learned about “wengoat.streamlit.app” where it’ll project when you will earn the SOTA goat award based on your current trend. Currently at 892/1000. My 10 year anniversary (Nov 26) will be very […]

[Original post on mastodon.radio]
A trend graph showing my SOTA points. Text says: You have been activating for 453 weeks with an average of 1.97 points per week. At your current rate you'll reach 1000 points by 21 August 2026. Keep climbing! 🥾 At your selected rate you'll reach 1000 points by 21 October 2026, or 439 days away. Keep climbing! 🥾
August 7, 2025 at 10:00 PM
kb9ens.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
Passing by Carson City on vacay this week and stopped into the Capitol building. Fun hands on #morsecode display talking about how Nevada transmitted their constitution East by telegraph to help get Lincoln re-elected. [just a nit but the Morse displayed is […]

[Original post on mastodon.radio]
A display on Morse code with an alphabet and a cheap straight key under glass A museum display of a bound Nevada constitutional debates next to a Morse key and a telegraphic receiver.
July 19, 2025 at 6:05 PM