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Domain: arrl.org

Stories and comments across the archive that link to arrl.org.

Comments · 765

  1. Re:Rockets by Detritus · · Score: 2 · on FCC: Legal Low-Power FM Broadcasting Coming Soon

    You need an amateur radio license. See http://www.arrl.org. You can transmit video on the UHF (432 MHz) and higher frequency bands.

  2. Re:I hope this doesn't spawn lots of anti-FCC post by SlashGeek · · Score: 3 · on Is A Public Wireless Internet Possible?
    IANAHAM,yet, but yes, HAMs are permitted to send data over the air. It's called "packet radio", and can be used in certian parts of almost every HAM band (50Mhz bands and up I think). There are even satelites for HAMs that allow reflection and even relay of both packet and voice messages. Check out ARRL if you want to know more. The ARRL is the official organization for the amateur community.

    As I said, I Am Not A HAM, so I am not sure I am right on all of the details, but the ARRL site should tell you everything you want to know. Might be a good read for everyone interested in wireless internet.

    Also, this whitepaper outlines some of the ARRL's plans to allocate data channels within their own bands. Perhaps there are some good ideas in there on how to deploy a wireless internet over a larger scale?

  3. Re:I hope this doesn't spawn lots of anti-FCC post by SlashGeek · · Score: 3 · on Is A Public Wireless Internet Possible?
    IANAHAM,yet, but yes, HAMs are permitted to send data over the air. It's called "packet radio", and can be used in certian parts of almost every HAM band (50Mhz bands and up I think). There are even satelites for HAMs that allow reflection and even relay of both packet and voice messages. Check out ARRL if you want to know more. The ARRL is the official organization for the amateur community.

    As I said, I Am Not A HAM, so I am not sure I am right on all of the details, but the ARRL site should tell you everything you want to know. Might be a good read for everyone interested in wireless internet.

    Also, this whitepaper outlines some of the ARRL's plans to allocate data channels within their own bands. Perhaps there are some good ideas in there on how to deploy a wireless internet over a larger scale?

  4. Re:I hope this doesn't spawn lots of anti-FCC post by SlashGeek · · Score: 3 · on Is A Public Wireless Internet Possible?
    IANAHAM,yet, but yes, HAMs are permitted to send data over the air. It's called "packet radio", and can be used in certian parts of almost every HAM band (50Mhz bands and up I think). There are even satelites for HAMs that allow reflection and even relay of both packet and voice messages. Check out ARRL if you want to know more. The ARRL is the official organization for the amateur community.

    As I said, I Am Not A HAM, so I am not sure I am right on all of the details, but the ARRL site should tell you everything you want to know. Might be a good read for everyone interested in wireless internet.

    Also, this whitepaper outlines some of the ARRL's plans to allocate data channels within their own bands. Perhaps there are some good ideas in there on how to deploy a wireless internet over a larger scale?

  5. More info... by danb35 · · Score: 1 · on FCC Relaxes Entrance To Ham Radio

    For more information in a somewhat more accessible format, you might want to check out this article on the ARRL's website.

  6. Information in HTML by def · · Score: 3 · on FCC Relaxes Entrance To Ham Radio

    The ARRL posted a press release here describing the change that is in HTML format so you don't have to read that PDF file. Personally, I think this is a very Good Thing. The avaerage age of Amaterur radio is rising rapidly, and one major barrier to entry was the morse tests. With so many other things to interest young geeks now, that has seriously reduced the number of young people getting involved. I hope this helps alot!

  7. Re:This is no place for Zealous Ham Freaks by ryanhos · · Score: 1 · on FCC Relaxes Entrance To Ham Radio

    Now wait a sec...Radios and computers go hand in hand. Did you know what you might not have been able to post that flame if it weren't for amateur radio operators? Who do you think invented the first packet communication protocol? Yep, a couple of guys in a garage with a radio and a computer. Amateur radio is the perfect hobby for a geek wishing to leave his/her computer for a while. It can be as "do it yourself" as you wish. (Or you can just buy your rig.) Did you know that amateurs also help the Red Cross in times of emergencies? How do you think then communicate from ground zero of a hurricane after it hits and takes out all of the phone lines? Yep, volunteer amateur radio operators. And did you know that they some also train for such an event? (Field Day) I suggest you read to learn more.

    Proud to be KB9UTQ

  8. It's a conspiracy! by ryanhos · · Score: 1 · on FCC Relaxes Entrance To Ham Radio

    It's all a conspiracy I tell you! Everyone is involved. The Friendly Candy Company and the American Radio Relay League. They cooked this up just so those paper pushers at the FCC could have something to do, and so the ARRL could sell more study guides! Although I would recommend that everyone get the Handbook for Radio Amateurs, a.k.a. The Bible of All Applied Electronics. KB9UTQ

  9. It's a conspiracy! by ryanhos · · Score: 1 · on FCC Relaxes Entrance To Ham Radio

    It's all a conspiracy I tell you! Everyone is involved. The Friendly Candy Company and the American Radio Relay League. They cooked this up just so those paper pushers at the FCC could have something to do, and so the ARRL could sell more study guides! Although I would recommend that everyone get the Handbook for Radio Amateurs, a.k.a. The Bible of All Applied Electronics. KB9UTQ

  10. It's a conspiracy! by ryanhos · · Score: 1 · on FCC Relaxes Entrance To Ham Radio

    It's all a conspiracy I tell you! Everyone is involved. The Friendly Candy Company and the American Radio Relay League. They cooked this up just so those paper pushers at the FCC could have something to do, and so the ARRL could sell more study guides! Although I would recommend that everyone get the Handbook for Radio Amateurs, a.k.a. The Bible of All Applied Electronics. KB9UTQ

  11. Re:Clueless about ham radio by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2 · on FCC Relaxes Entrance To Ham Radio
    See the ARRL's website.

    Phil Karn, KA9Q

  12. Embedded computing, amateur radio, etc. by Tekmage · · Score: 2 · on Outdoor Computer Cases?

    The two primary resources I'd recommend looking into are:

    - Embedded Computing
    - ARRL
    - RAC

    ...those are just some starting points. Embedded computing applications have the hardware designed for rugged environments, and amateur radio is a handy technical resource for do-it-yourself electronics. Remote relay stations are the norm, not to mention other extremes.

    Search engines are your friends, particularly Google.

    de VE3SLG

  13. Building a perfect office antenna by dattaway · · Score: 2 · on Ask Slashdot: What Music do you Code By?

    Try to make a bigger antenna, add a few meters of wire to your current antenna.

    I found this to be a good solution as I work inside a building with masses of iron, gigantic copper reels, and other enemies of radio wave propagation.

    Most of the time an additional length of antenna works well. Also, where it is placed makes a large difference. The wavelength of the FM band effectively makes dead spots every half a wavelength where it cancels out at the antenna.

    The FM band is also highly reflective, so placing your antenna a certain distance from a length of grounded wire can effectively amplify your signal strength. For an industrial strength solution in an industrial building, your best bet may be to sneak one of those rooftop yagi antennas from RadioScrap, hide and aim it around non conductive mass, like the wall of a cubicle.

    If you wish to make your own stealth antennas on a cubicle wall disguised as artwork from pushpins and wire, there are many good books here . If someone can find a good web based yagi design calculator, please let me know!

  14. webcam in space? AMSAT P3D could do that by ikluft · · Score: 1 · on Solar Eclipse, As Seen From Mir
    Take a look at the Phase 3D amateur radio satellite, which AMSAT is preparing for launch. The on-board experiment from Hams at AMSAT Japan is a camera and Ham Radio video transmitter. It wouldn't be that tough for Hams around the world to arrange to auto-post snapshots on a web site when P3D is in the sky above them.

    Though P3D may be new to many Slashdot readers, Amateur Radio ("Ham Radio") operators around the world have been working on it for years. AMSAT reports that the satellite just passed the vibration and spin tests and the next step is to get it to the launch site, where it will fly as a secondary payload on a rocket with a commercial satellite to launch. It's something like the 33rd Amateur Radio satellite (not counting the Ham Radio stations on Mir and the Space Shuttles.) The launch date has not been announced yet - should be late thie year or early next year.

    Once P3D is up, all you need is a Ham Radio license and you can transmit to talk to people on it. Even the entry level licenses with no Morse Code requirements will do. For info on getting a US Amateur Radio license, check out the American Radio Relay League or an Amateur Radio club in your area.

  15. FCC RF Exposure Rules and Amateur Radio by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0 · on Study on RF and Genetic Damage
    Although I'm not all that active an amateur radio operator, I do know that RF exposure has been examined in the context of amateur radio.

    There are a number of new regulations which amateurs are supposed to follow when setting up their antenna systems to help limit RF exposure to themselves and others. I can also vaguely remember an article in QST (the journal of the American Radio Relay League) some years back that discussed the RF exposure problems with 2M (144 Mhz) handheld transceivers.

    If you go to the ARRL web page ARRL homepage and do a search on RF Exposure, you'll find some interesting links. There is also some information at the FCCs homepage if you search on the same subject.