Welcome to the AF6D web site!

I sincerely hope that you will find my web site fun to visit, informative, and helpful. As time permits additional content will be added that relates directly to my hobbies of amateur radio, public safety scanning, forest fire monitoring and logistics, and more. I operate two excellent web sites dedicated to scanning: Scannerbuff, which provides free nationwide email alerts of breaking events that may be monitored on your scanner, or in some cases, over one of our streaming audio links, and, Public Safety Feeds, which is a compilation of streaming audio links and user forums for discussion.

As some of you have become aware, Rachael, my almost year old daughter, is a brain cancer survivor. She is fighting back and not giving up. She is truly my hero and she gives meaning to perserverence! It has been extremely tough on our family spiritually, emotionally and financially. But we aren't giving up as a family either. In fact, we have started a non-profit organization to help other families. The National Children's Cancer Foundation, Inc. has applied for IRS 501(c)(3) status and registration as a charity. Children's cancers are the most under funded and least researched of cancers! Note: On March 20, 2008 we were informed that the State of California has approved our status as a non-profit corporation.

April 16, 2010

I spent the afternoon at CHOC with DeAnn and we have a treatment plan. Rachael will be admitted into Oncology Intensive Care on Wednesday. A battery of tests and procedures will be done including the placement of a new central line (Broviac.) Rachael will undergo a 4 day round of chemotherapy followed by stem cell recovery. This will allow Rachael to be infused with her own white blood cells down the road. Her stay will be a minimum of three weeks and then possibly three weeks at home with me. And then we do it again and again. My bags are getting packed and its time to rock and roll. Rachael will not be able to attend school and we hope that homework packages will allow her to graduate 2 nd grade. Some of you are aware that some steps were taken this week to ensure a certain level of treatment and please know in your hearts that all that I have done I do for Rachael and for no other reason. H1N1 restrictions have been lifted and I encourage, invite and welcome visitors for Rachael. Please call ahead at 909-939-2126. Please also visit Rachael’s CARE page at http://princessrachael.com. We ask for your prayers and the divine intervention of our Lord and savior. Her odds are not zero but at 20-40% survival rate over 5 years you can imagine that DeAnn and I are committed to acting in concert to do all that we can to save our precious daughter.

April 15, 2010

Sadly, the oral chemo stopped working and Rachael will be admitted to CHOC next week to begin aggressive chemotherapy. We ask for prayers for Rachael as she undergoes what will be very intense medicine. She is strong and says that she isn't scared.

January 28, 2010

Rachael continues her treatment with oral chemotherapy and is doing well. The tumor has decreasd 22% but this is not a cure. The chemotherapy only keeps the tumor in check until something new comes along. We're avoiding radiation therapy -- she just isn't strong enough to handle it. We appreciate your prayers, emails and other best wishes.

November 25, 2009

We have received news that Rachael's cancer has returned. She and I spent a couple days in the hospital for tests and a minor surgery. She will begin a new cancer trial on December 7, 2009.

September 20, 2009

Rachael remains in remission and her labs last week were clean. The doctors still fear that an elevated marker may suggest a return of the cancer. We remain prayerful. Rachael's recent bout with seizures caused her to roll lights and siren down the boulevard and then an Air Wolf helicopter ride to CHOC 100 miles away. It has been a long road...

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

We have finally returned from Orlando, FL where Make-A-Wish sent Rachael and our entire family.

Vist Rachael's photo gallery of here trip here.

For those unfamiliar with the "Alps of Southern California," Big Bear Lake is a ski resort located at 7000 feet above the Inland Empire of Southern California. Big Bear Lake hosts three world-class ski resorts of interest to thousands each year: Bear Mountain, Snow Summit, and Snow Valley. All three are within two hours drive of Los Angeles or San Diego. Big Bear Lake is unique to Southern California in that it offers the four seasons of the year, crystal blue skies 330 days of the year,a fresh water lake that measures 8 miles long and more than 1 mile wide, and a community rich in history dating back to the gold rush days. In fact, Big Bear, or Bear Valley, was originally named by Benjamin Wilson, the first mayor of the City of Los Angeles. Mt. Wilson, which towers over Los Angeles and is home to hundreds of amateur radio, public safety, and commercial repeaters, as well as TV transmitters and more, was named after Benjamin Wilson.

Summer time in Big Bear yields to slightly warmer temperatures that usually don't go much above 85 degrees and a slight breeze that drives many of the boats on the lake from June to October. The lake is patrolled by the Lake Patrol, who are peace officers and tasked with enforcement of all laws on the water. The San Bernardino County Sheriff and California Highway Patrol provide law enforcement for the surrounding areas.

Big Bear Lake is also home to one of the world-class solar observatory's, due in part to 330 days of sunshine each year.