All the parts for assembling the connector, except for one — I still had to turn a plastic spacer on the lathe to hold the parts snugly together. The lathe was also used to make the ring in this photo and to shorten the other end of the connector to make sure the probe fit to the correct depth into its ‘socket’.

The spacer made on the lathe is being held in place here by the ring. Notches were made on the inner diameter of the ring to allow it to be tightened (or removed) using circlip pliers.

After the reducing coupling for copper pipe is pressed onto the connector, the adapter is complete. The probe can now be connected to the balun without danger of damaging the fragile probe tip.

The Vector Impedance Meter and balun were now tested using the 300 ohm load. The readings were correct from 1 to 24 MHz. We can now be confident in the readings when the antenna switch matrix is finally measured to verify whether its impedance is correct.

The first part found in the plumbing stock was a 3/4 to 1/2 reducer for rigid copper pipe. I was amazed — the large end was a perfect press fit over the N connector and the smaller end was a perfect sliding fit over the outside of the probe.

This gives some idea of how the special connector will fit together.

This is the shim that was removed resting against the carrier from under which it had been removed.

The white plastic drive shaft, at the left bottom of the photo, pulls out about a foot further than seen here and needs to slide easily with no backlash when rotated.

The front yard of our apartment showing the effects of 4 inches of rain.

Thanks to the hospitality of the Lutheran Church, we had some protection from the rain and/or sun.

Some of the TWR staff that observed the parade.

Before the parade officially started, bicyclists and motorcyclists drove the parade route. Out of about 100 motorcycles, only two were not Harley Davidsons. The flags are showing the direction and velocity of the wind.  The building on top of the hill is the new Navy Hospital.

The honor guard reached us about 9:45 am followed by several marching military units

Military Marching Bands

The Red Horse squadrons are the Air Forces equivalent to the Navy Sea Bees. They are the heavy-construction units.

The crew of the submarine tender, USS Frank Cable.

Float entered by the USS Frank Cable crew. The water squirting from the side of the submarine would have been appreciated even more if the weather had been hot and sunny, instead of rainy!

This baby fell asleep using his big brother’s head as his ‘pillow’. These brothers are from a well-behaved family of 3 boys and 3 girls.

The theme of the parade — Generations of Service and Sacrifice. The first village float entry was from Santa Rita. It was too big to fit into one photo.

Inside the arch for “Future Generations” is a big mirror. The Santa Rita float ended up winning first place for the sixth year running.

Barrigada village float

We often see this man and his carabao in Merizo giving rides to the Cocos Island Resort tourists. He brought his carabao about 25 miles to be in the parade.

Most of the TWR children and ladies wanted to pet the carabao.

Mangilao village float — note that the mayor is under the canopy where the ‘village princess’ normally sits.  Where’s Bekah?

Bekah, the Mangilao princess, is walking in high heels. Did she do this for 1-1/2 miles?!

Agat village float — Agat is the village where our apartment is located.  The emblems of the various armed forces at the front of the float rotate.

One of several military floats.

Hagat village float

Mount Carmel School float — we saw this one being build down the road from our apartment.

This ‘duck’ tour boat was being used for the Bank Pacific float.

Agana Heights village float

What one boy is doing while his mom watches the parade!

Department of Education float

Vietnam Veterans Float

G4S float — G4S is a security company. Their float won first place for commercial entries.

Talofofo village float

Port of Guam float

Team Tatuma float — a team effort of the villages of Tamuning, Tumon and Harmon.

Three dogs wearing sunglasses. The two dogs riding the carabao are also wearing hats with small Guam flags.

Asan village float

Guam Power Authority using their insulator washing equipment to cool down the parade watchers, while it is raining!

Guam Power Authority float — note the solar panels on the quonset hut and the wind generator at the front.

It’s campaign time on Guam. There are big campaign signs going up everywhere.

Department of Public Works won first place among the government agency floats. Their float had three trailer units.

Yigo village float

The back of the Yigo float

Yona village float

The carabao dogs are back, but without their hats.

The Liberation Day Queen and her court bring up the end of the parade.

Next to the canopy, that we were able to use, was parked this beautiful 1948 Buick. Notice the campaign sign behind it.

I talked to the owner. He had imported it from Oregon several years ago.

Walking back to the cars, we passed the Pigo Catholic cemetery. It has 20 foot tall statues of Jesus and the 12 apostles across the entrance.

First this Chamorro adult choir led the congregation in the National Anthem, then sang Guam’s Hymn (their territorial anthem)

Then the Harvest youth choir (mostly Chamorro) sang about freedom, especially their freedom in Christ.

The shortest way from the church to the memorial was the road around the airport. We decided to take a photo of the welcome sign that is seen upon leaving at the airport.  Two Lovers Point can be seen across Tumon Bay.  I was questioned about what I was doing by an airport policewoman, just after taking this photo! 

View of the South Pacific War Memorial from the entrance.

This is the building that housed the Japanese shrine (shown in our earlier blog). This building had some artifacts from the war, but there was little to no labeling of the items.

The memorial spire at the South Pacific War Memorial is supposed to represent praying hands. To the right of the memorial is the trail to the caves that were used by the Japanese as their command center in the last battle by American forces to liberate Guam.

The first of five caves in this ravine.  This opening would require crawling to enter.  We think the next four were the ones used as the command center.

The third cave entrance was tall enough that a short person could walk into it standing up.

The fourth cave has partially collapsed, possibly as a result of the explosives used by the American forces to seal up the caves. It looks like it would be possible to just squeeze into this entrance by crawling on one’s belly.

The fifth cave was very low to the ground, requiring entrance by crawling on one’s belly.

Close up view of the fifth cave. It looks like it might have a concrete roof.

This gives some perspective of the height of the bamboo forest.

The remains of a cistern that probably was used to supply water to the caves by gravity feed.

These overgrown stairs lead down to a spring, probably used to fill the cistern.

The spring is covered by lots of fallen bamboo, but if you look carefully, you might see a couple of water pipes.

The Yigo Monument as seen from the road.

Near the end of Route 15 we parked at this Dime Store to read our map. This does not fit our perception of a ‘dime store’!

The first display on entering Underwater World was this brown tree snake!   I don’t think it lives underwater!!

There are four species of shark at Underwater World.

Grey Reef Sharks in formation!

Black Whiptail Ray

One of two 300 pound Green Sea Turtles

Shovelnose Guitarfish resting on top of the underwater tunnel. Definitely not its glamorous side!

A leopard shark (or zebra shark, because juveniles are striped) does not need to continuously swim to breath, unlike other sharks.

Moon Jellyfish

Splendid (or Orangebarred) Garden Eel — It imitates the grass and can retract into the sand when in danger.

One of five Morey Eels — I recall a startling encounter with a morey eel while snorkeling near a Bonaire reef in 1967!

Clownfish or anemonefish — today’s children from around the world know them by a universal name. A family, speaking Japanese, was at this tank and the children were exclaming, “Nemo, Nemo!!”

Yellow Tang

Not sure what this foot-long fish is — one website identified it as a Blue Marine Parrotfish, but I am fairly sure this is wrong!

Lionfish — poisonous and now an invasive species to the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and East Coast of the U.S.

Pago Bay is quite picturesque — unfortunately it is difficult to get a picture to do it justice because of new apartment buildings obstructing the view.

We found beautiful and secluded Taga’chang Beach Park just south of Pago Bay and west of Yona village.