New car: 2019 Golf R

The 2017 GTI was a great car but at 35k it was beginning to rattle a bit, which I will partially attribute to the deathtrap potholes on I-70 in Indiana. I couldn't identify a reasonable aftermarket suspension option so I traded it in while its value was still reasonable and drove off in a new 2019 Golf R automatic. No sunroof but it doesn't bother me. I have 700 miles on it four days later. Updated to 2500 miles at the end of a month.

First impressions:

a) Positive:

• Very drive-able so yes it was a good buy
• Corners excellently
• I've only owned manuals before but the automatic is quite nice especially in S mode. 
•  The stock wheels are fine as far as I'm concerned. 
• The audio system is also reasonable

b) Neutral:

• Tiptronic and paddle shifters. Well...ok but the pulse doesn't quicken. Automatic in S mode is preferable.
• Car-Net- laughable. Bill me for generating data for VW?
• I'm not an engineer but wouldn't a 600 mile oil change be a good idea for a high performance engine?
• The silvered exhausts have two much bling for my liking but they'll blacken over time, I hope

c) Niggling negatives:

• The start-stop things is really stupid and I need to find out how to inactivate it permanently
• No spare wheel, jack and lug wrench- the foam solution isn't reassuring at all. This really bothers me!! I think I'll be going to the ECS tuning site. 
• An annoying rattle in the back seat has started- I haven't been able to locate it yet. It's hard when you're driving.
• Only one USB port and as far as I can tell there's no 3.5 mm port.
• The slot marked SD in the small sunglass compartment above my left knee doesn't have an SD drive in it- ah it's a storage slot. Silly.
• The VW rear window wiper has always been inadequate and this one is no exception. The rear wiper fluid sprayer doesn't do a very good job either. 
• A spring spontaneously fell out of the driver side overhead door handle. Pretty bad for a premium model. 
• An annoying rattle has started- I think it's the foldable rear seat.
• The dealer installed a license plate frame that covered the name of the state so I had to get a new one and then the holes were drilled too high so it's on a little crooked. 
• The 10k service interval is OK but I think a 600 mile oil change would be a good idea.

d) Nerdy humor. A colleague asked why I hadn't considered a Golf Python instead.

Amateur Radio Exploration

Took a class and got licensed. Within short order I've acquired

1. Yaesu FT-60R
2. Yaesu FT-70DR
3. ICOM D51A
4. SharkRF Openspot2
5. DV Dongle
6. Tac bag to hold these things, cables, and power supplies

I've also set up Echolink on my 3.4 GHz iMac and it works fine as does the Dongle with DV Tool. An earlier experiment with a 1.4 GHz Macbook was unsuccessful so I read the DV Dongle manual and found the section where it recommended a computer with a 2 GHz chip at minimum.

I also embarrassed myself by asking for help with connecting the FT-70DR to a D-STAR repeater.

 

A Champaign Evening

Puligny-Montrachet, leftover pizza from Biaggi's,  Birelli Lagrene, an introduction to Daisy a rescue dog. Sunshine and weather in the 60s. A long ride on an R1200RS. Life could be a lot worse despite a rejected manuscript (the reviewer was wrong of course).