If you were willing to learn Morse code, you would have access to a small portion of the 40 meter band with an entry-level (technician) ticket
Since February 23, 2007, Morse code is not required. Technicians have CW privileges on 80, 40, 15 and 10 meters, and phone (SSB only) privileges on 10 meters.
But it's pretty hard to find anything directly in Christian theology that suggests Christians are supposed to try to impose these standards on non-Christians.
Don't get out much, do you?
Check out every attempt to create state lotteries, every place where alcohol sales/consumption questions come up, etc., etc...
Anytime there is any suggestion of changing laws to permit something that Christians find "sinful," they will be out in full force attempting to defeat it. In other words, doing their damnedest to impose their standards on everyone.
They just don't, usually, blow themselves (and others) up over the issue.
It's not a new trend, either... seems I heard something about some Crusades that happened a while back.
Somewhat disappointingly, this was modded informative.
Not a ham, are ya?
There's no need for very much power to make the trip of 220 miles or so in a direct line. I've done it with 25 watts.
Second... distract the crew? Heh... it's not like they hear a voice and have to stop to listen and see if it's for them. Except when they're actively using the amateur radio station on board, you can be sure it's not making a sound, even when it's in repeater mode, that they'd hear on board the station.
The kids did do the right thing by scheduling the contact, so they could be sure someone would be listening.
Most of us just have to take our chances when we notice that there will be a time the station is in range (which is anytime it's above the horizon from any given location)... and most of the time, we don't get to actually talk to the astronauts.
I was lucky... I talked to the crew on the old Russian Mir station back in 1995.
Are you even aware of the multitude of amateur radio digital modes that are in use these days? No. Care to enlighten me?
BPSK, from 31 Hz to 125 Hz wide. Yes, 31 Hz. You can squeeze 6 to 8 "conversations" in to the same bandwidth required for one voice conversation, using exactly the same radio and antenna system.
RTTY. Olivia. MFSK. Just to name a few.
Someday your ass might be saved in an emergency by a ham who is capable of getting a signal through when the communications infrastructure goes down. Any emergency that would take down our entire communications infrastructure would also seem likely to disable BPL. Problem solved.
Also, in that sort of global catastrophe, what are the odds of finding an actual Ham, and what are the odds of there being somebody on the other end to respond? Sounds like a first-aid course might be a better investment....
More often than not, emergencies that take out communications are local in nature. Tornadoes and other wind storms, earthquakes or wild fires.
Hams step up and help with communications links in a lot of cases we don't hear about in the mainstream media.
Granted, we would use "local" frequencies such as VHF or UHF for these local links, so BPL noise wouldn't be as much of an issue, and as you note, the power's off over a wide area, anyway.
However, to me, Hams always came across as a bunch of condescending nutters clutching on to a technological relic, with a side of cold-war paranoia. I'd love to be proven wrong, but statements like "who will save your ass when..." certainly don't help their case.
I see this, as well, and I'm a ham. The simple reality is that amateur radio can help, and even be a lifesaver, but mostly, even in widespread disasters like Katrina, provides health and welfare links rather than critical infrastructure. The "whackers" would have you believe otherwise.
When a tornado roars through, and all the power's out and cell (and POTS) phones don't work, of course a ham can hook up a 30 year old radio to a car batter that they find in a tree, use part of a fence for antenna and make a call for help to authorities outside the immediate area. Can't say I've heard of that happening, though... it's really a stretch.
Tucows will be subject to the Federal court's jurisdiction, because they maintain business offices in the US (Starkville, MS, according to their website). So if Tucows is ordered to suspend/place on hold the domain registration, they'll be forced to comply.
Sometimes I wonder how FedEx and UPS manage to get millions of packages per day correctly to their destination, yet airlines can't handle a few suitcases with their destination clearly tagged.
It seems more likely that the airline baggage handlers just plain don't care, and the airlines don't have to pay, so they don't care that the handlers don't care.
Sprint/Nextel isn't an ILEC (mostly, and not at all if the spinoff of the local phone business is complete - I didn't check), nor even a CLEC.
In other words, Sprint doesn't have cable facilities already in place passing by subdivisions with thousands of potential subscribers. Verizon, AT&T and (for this week) Bellsouth do. Those are the guys you should be asking for fiber.
I expect wireless connectivity to take off in a big way over the next 2 or 3 years, and Sprint's taking this step to try to be at the forefront. Remember, business users were the reason they wanted Nextel.
Should this actually be implemented, what would stop the government from later declaring that you could not make a purchase if you had outstanding parking tickets, speeding tickets, tax bills, murder warrants, etc, etc.
In other words, unless you comply with whatever requirements are put in place, you can't buy food.
Now that's a pretty big club to hold over people, and probably not all that far-fetched, even if it does seem tin-foil hat-like today.
Y'know what's really so bad about all this? It's exactly what the terrorists want. They've got the masses so scared that they'll go along with anything under the guise of "protection from terrorists."
And no, government is no better than the idiots scrabbling around in caves hiding out. Both use fear to get what they want.
then Qwest, Verizon, AT&T... each RBOC wants its tolls. So the content provider has to send a check every month to *every* ISP? Wow. That's gonna hurt.
I suspect this is a response to declining wireline revenues. I don't know very many people who don't already have a cell phone and/or use VOIP. In fact, I know several who've turned off their landline phones, since they have no use for them.
Hence the new reliance on delay systems. It gives the broadcaster a chance to review what's going to air before it does, and if something inappropriate comes along, they can (and should) hit the dump button.
I'm not suggesting that people are too prudish, and I'm not arguing that "anything goes" should be the policy, either.
I agree with the idea that if a show is advertised as for all ages, that's what it should be. But I also understand that things sometimes happen in live events that the broadcaster cannot predict.
If I were king, the solution would have been to propose fining CBS affiliates - all of them - unless they proved that they had installed delay systems and trained operators to use them, within 30 days of the order. So as to help prevent a similar situation in the future.
In other words, people make mistakes, and offering a chance to fix the problem is better policy than simply punishing for the sake of punishment.
First... Stern's going to Sirius... that'd be the correct spelling.
Second, the Commission is limited in who it can fine for what reasons. Since Stern is not a licensee, is not deliberately or inadvertantly interfering with other communications and isn't operating radio transmitting equipment without a license, the FCC can't fine him. They can only fine the "person" responsible for the broadcast - the station owner, who *is* a licensee, and as a condition of licensing, agreed to follow FCC rules.
Remember, Infinity chose to employ Stern and broadcast his program. Clear Channel chose to carry his show. Other groups/stations chose to carry his show.
Similarly, Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake are not Commission licensees, were not operating any type of transmitting equipment and weren't interfering with anything. So neither could be fined by the FCC.
The licensee is the one with the burden of preventing indecent material from reaching the air, not the performers.
Now, I don't personally agree with fining them. My own view is that there are two buttons on a radio or television -- one changes the channel, the other one turns it off. Use them, monitor what your children listen to/watch and don't expect the government to babysit for you.
And you need unbleeped versions... umm... why was that again?
Oh, that'd be because the people who write these lyrics can't be bothered with coming up with lyrics *without* the seven words you can't say on television.
Slashdot Mirror
If you were willing to learn Morse code, you would have access to a small portion of the 40 meter band with an entry-level (technician) ticket
Since February 23, 2007, Morse code is not required. Technicians have CW privileges on 80, 40, 15 and 10 meters, and phone (SSB only) privileges on 10 meters.
73 de KN4DS
But it's pretty hard to find anything directly in Christian theology that suggests Christians are supposed to try to impose these standards on non-Christians.
Don't get out much, do you?
Check out every attempt to create state lotteries, every place where alcohol sales/consumption questions come up, etc., etc...
Anytime there is any suggestion of changing laws to permit something that Christians find "sinful," they will be out in full force attempting to defeat it. In other words, doing their damnedest to impose their standards on everyone.
They just don't, usually, blow themselves (and others) up over the issue.
It's not a new trend, either... seems I heard something about some Crusades that happened a while back.
Somewhat disappointingly, this was modded informative.
Not a ham, are ya?
There's no need for very much power to make the trip of 220 miles or so in a direct line. I've done it with 25 watts.
Second... distract the crew? Heh... it's not like they hear a voice and have to stop to listen and see if it's for them. Except when they're actively using the amateur radio station on board, you can be sure it's not making a sound, even when it's in repeater mode, that they'd hear on board the station.
The kids did do the right thing by scheduling the contact, so they could be sure someone would be listening.
Most of us just have to take our chances when we notice that there will be a time the station is in range (which is anytime it's above the horizon from any given location)... and most of the time, we don't get to actually talk to the astronauts.
I was lucky... I talked to the crew on the old Russian Mir station back in 1995.
BPSK, from 31 Hz to 125 Hz wide. Yes, 31 Hz. You can squeeze 6 to 8 "conversations" in to the same bandwidth required for one voice conversation, using exactly the same radio and antenna system.
RTTY. Olivia. MFSK. Just to name a few.
Someday your ass might be saved in an emergency by a ham who is capable of getting a signal through when the communications infrastructure goes down. Any emergency that would take down our entire communications infrastructure would also seem likely to disable BPL. Problem solved.Also, in that sort of global catastrophe, what are the odds of finding an actual Ham, and what are the odds of there being somebody on the other end to respond? Sounds like a first-aid course might be a better investment....
More often than not, emergencies that take out communications are local in nature. Tornadoes and other wind storms, earthquakes or wild fires.
Hams step up and help with communications links in a lot of cases we don't hear about in the mainstream media.
Granted, we would use "local" frequencies such as VHF or UHF for these local links, so BPL noise wouldn't be as much of an issue, and as you note, the power's off over a wide area, anyway.
However, to me, Hams always came across as a bunch of condescending nutters clutching on to a technological relic, with a side of cold-war paranoia. I'd love to be proven wrong, but statements like "who will save your ass when..." certainly don't help their case.I see this, as well, and I'm a ham. The simple reality is that amateur radio can help, and even be a lifesaver, but mostly, even in widespread disasters like Katrina, provides health and welfare links rather than critical infrastructure. The "whackers" would have you believe otherwise.
When a tornado roars through, and all the power's out and cell (and POTS) phones don't work, of course a ham can hook up a 30 year old radio to a car batter that they find in a tree, use part of a fence for antenna and make a call for help to authorities outside the immediate area. Can't say I've heard of that happening, though... it's really a stretch.
73 de KN4DS
Papyrus
I'm not sure where the description of Michael Copps as the Federal Communications Commission Chair came from, but it's, well, inaccurate.
Kevin Martin is the chairman at the FCC.
The remainder of the commission consists of:
Michael J. Copps
Commissioner
Jonathan S. Adelstein
Commissioner
Deborah Taylor Tate
Commissioner
Robert M. McDowell
Commissioner
Tucows will be subject to the Federal court's jurisdiction, because they maintain business offices in the US (Starkville, MS, according to their website). So if Tucows is ordered to suspend/place on hold the domain registration, they'll be forced to comply.
Sometimes I wonder how FedEx and UPS manage to get millions of packages per day correctly to their destination, yet airlines can't handle a few suitcases with their destination clearly tagged.
It seems more likely that the airline baggage handlers just plain don't care, and the airlines don't have to pay, so they don't care that the handlers don't care.
Sprint/Nextel isn't an ILEC (mostly, and not at all if the spinoff of the local phone business is complete - I didn't check), nor even a CLEC.
In other words, Sprint doesn't have cable facilities already in place passing by subdivisions with thousands of potential subscribers. Verizon, AT&T and (for this week) Bellsouth do. Those are the guys you should be asking for fiber.
I expect wireless connectivity to take off in a big way over the next 2 or 3 years, and Sprint's taking this step to try to be at the forefront. Remember, business users were the reason they wanted Nextel.
Should this actually be implemented, what would stop the government from later declaring that you could not make a purchase if you had outstanding parking tickets, speeding tickets, tax bills, murder warrants, etc, etc.
In other words, unless you comply with whatever requirements are put in place, you can't buy food.
Now that's a pretty big club to hold over people, and probably not all that far-fetched, even if it does seem tin-foil hat-like today.
Y'know what's really so bad about all this? It's exactly what the terrorists want. They've got the masses so scared that they'll go along with anything under the guise of "protection from terrorists."
And no, government is no better than the idiots scrabbling around in caves hiding out. Both use fear to get what they want.
then Qwest, Verizon, AT&T... each RBOC wants its tolls. So the content provider has to send a check every month to *every* ISP? Wow. That's gonna hurt.
:)
I suspect this is a response to declining wireline revenues. I don't know very many people who don't already have a cell phone and/or use VOIP. In fact, I know several who've turned off their landline phones, since they have no use for them.
Should we blame them?
I thought you could!
I'd suggest that the Linux community can't match Bill's bank account, either.
Actually, NBC instituted a delay on live events after Dale Earnhardt, Jr, said the S word live.
Fox and ABC have implemented delay as well.
Hence the new reliance on delay systems. It gives the broadcaster a chance to review what's going to air before it does, and if something inappropriate comes along, they can (and should) hit the dump button.
I'm not suggesting that people are too prudish, and I'm not arguing that "anything goes" should be the policy, either.
I agree with the idea that if a show is advertised as for all ages, that's what it should be. But I also understand that things sometimes happen in live events that the broadcaster cannot predict.
If I were king, the solution would have been to propose fining CBS affiliates - all of them - unless they proved that they had installed delay systems and trained operators to use them, within 30 days of the order. So as to help prevent a similar situation in the future.
In other words, people make mistakes, and offering a chance to fix the problem is better policy than simply punishing for the sake of punishment.
First... Stern's going to Sirius... that'd be the correct spelling.
Second, the Commission is limited in who it can fine for what reasons. Since Stern is not a licensee, is not deliberately or inadvertantly interfering with other communications and isn't operating radio transmitting equipment without a license, the FCC can't fine him. They can only fine the "person" responsible for the broadcast - the station owner, who *is* a licensee, and as a condition of licensing, agreed to follow FCC rules.
Remember, Infinity chose to employ Stern and broadcast his program. Clear Channel chose to carry his show. Other groups/stations chose to carry his show.
Similarly, Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake are not Commission licensees, were not operating any type of transmitting equipment and weren't interfering with anything. So neither could be fined by the FCC.
The licensee is the one with the burden of preventing indecent material from reaching the air, not the performers.
Now, I don't personally agree with fining them. My own view is that there are two buttons on a radio or television -- one changes the channel, the other one turns it off. Use them, monitor what your children listen to/watch and don't expect the government to babysit for you.
for a moment, while I feed my computer.
Someone forgot to tell WMGT-DT in Macon, GA... they didn't switch.
Of course, WMGT stands for "We *Might* Get That"
And they usually don't.
If you were watching ABC, you missed all of it. The original miniseries aired in a 3 hour block on NBC.
Then you're not interested, anyway.
Stick with lynx
1.5 kilowatts. Let's not contribute to the FUD.
Actually, when the lights go out, so does the interference from BPL.
$2.40 for marketing and promotion?
Now we know where Clear Channel's getting it's money.
It'll be interesting to see if the industry caves on this one. But you have to believe WallyWorld will end up getting what they want.
And you need unbleeped versions... umm... why was that again?
Oh, that'd be because the people who write these lyrics can't be bothered with coming up with lyrics *without* the seven words you can't say on television.
Gotcha... that's some great "music" there.