Re:Building them like they used to
on
Goodbye, Galileo
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· Score: 2, Informative
They are not killing it just for the fun. Galileo hardly functions anymore. The last fly-by didn't generate any usable science data because it decided to sleep for a while just before the fly-by. Radiation has cooked everything inside, the tape drive is not working reliably for years now and I wouldn't be suprised it is actually toast by this time. They are doing the suicide plunge just to make sure they don't contaminate any life as you said, but not to protect the life might exist, because they want to keep it clean for the future when we can actually check if there is life or not and not to get into endless discussions (if we find something) about the origin of the life there.
I didn't know you needed a reason to need a HAM license. If you are interested in this hobby, you go and get the license. Any trained monkey can pass the exams. Will to work and pass, now that's a different issue.
Morse code is translated to speech or writing as dats and dits. When there are a sequence of dits, it goes like this:di di di dit and when there are a sequences of dats, it goes like this: da da da dat. You are free to be a redundant troll but at least do it the right way. Da di dat?
Well, it's worth noting that CW is the one mode you're allowed to transmit anywhere in the RF spectrum.
You are allowed to transmit in any mode in any section of the spectrum you are licensed to use. Band plans are just gentleman agreements. They are not enforceable. Never mind the plans of different countries differ, different regions have huge differences in their band plans.
- Why was morse code originally required for amatuer radio operators?
To have qualified operators in wartime/when the nukes start to fly.
- How often is morse code used today?
Commercial/military applications? None. Hobby applications: varies depending on who are you talking to.
- What advantages does morse code have, vs other forms of radio communication?
It is easier to use a good filter and still be able to understand what's being sent. It is easiest way of generating a signal that can be transmitted (just turn the transmitter on and off).
I have a "decent" (WWII navy training stuff) key but I don't have the surface to nail it down. My desk is extremely cluttered with my PC and radio stuff so I tend to hold the key in one hand and use it with my finger. When I was trying to use CW in a "proper" ham's location, I had to correct myself many times because I couldn't hold the key the way I'm used to. If you hold the phone in your and and put the input key on the where the tip of your finger is, you can achieve at least 12wpm, which is fast enough isn't it?
We use NATO spelling (alpha, bravo, charlie etc.) over the phone a lot and it really confuses secretary chicks.:)
It is a nice thing to know that you don't really have to know morse to read morse.
I can't follow what's going on once the speed is well past 12wpm, this is a wonderful tool if someone is transmitting CW very fast in the middle of the phone section of 20m.
The code requirement was dropped from international convention a few years, so now the US is free to remove it from the FCC regs.
Correction: It was dropped a number of weeks ago. Although you can say a few years is a multiple of 52 weeks which counts as a number of weeks, I think you are just not the person who should comment on it.
I find it funny that/. finds Q codes as shouting. Actually teaching Q codes to these SMS-junkie youth is a pretty good idea. You can even put more info in those 160 or so characters!:-)
Now, try that trick without a decent DSP and a couple of heterodynes whistling around and if there is lots of interference and if there is a contest going on and...
Morse code is just a code, it is nothing important. When it is necessary (all the above) use it, if not, don't.:)
The important thing is it should not be the limit for HF.
Btw, on VHF try WSJIT, it is just brilliant for weak signal work. Who gives a s**t about morse. This is the cutting edge of communication!:)
On the other hand after getting my UK license I met a number of gentleman which are really heroes in my eyes. G4LHI from Huntingdon is running morse lessons in 144.7625 every monday and tuesday evenings and he is a FISTS member. He is a very nice guy and always answers a CQ on VHF when he is around.
Because of the M3 licenses th e old farts are on the attack again. The basic response is not to let yourself down. Ignoring them is the best way of dealing with them.
Amateur radio is fun, no one should let these people ruin it.
Don't worry, you can still learn if you want to. It is fun to have CW on 6m.
After passing my test in Turkey I tried to do the American ones and found them extremely easy. I have to admit that I only had 4 hours of studying before getting my first license, TA2MGW. The tests are easy, it is harder to have the courage to talk to people over the mike. Some people can do it so easily, some can't. On my way here I tried to have a chat with a new amateur and he was so pathetic. Poor guy really didn't know what to say and I would be happy if he could at least managed to say "hi!" instead of "ermmmm, thanks for the contact, byeee".:) It was an M3 callsign. They are very ambitious young (and old) people and they are the future of the amateur radio in UK.
It's pretty lame, in my opinion. Like making drivers pass a test using stick-shift before letting them drive on the interstate highways, regardless of whether their car is manual or automatic transmission.
Are you Americans take a new test everytime you change the model of your car? What will happen if you get involved in an accident and have to make your getaway with a manual transmission equipped car?:-)
but it at least shows "you" have enough dedication to go through the trouble to actually learn something that didn't just come from a cram session for your test.
Sorry mate. I have already shown that I am dedicated to the hobby by giving shedloads of money to some strangers in radio rallies and some strange-looking-shops. I don't need a test to test that.:)
Well, morse code exam was a tool for having enough people to be able to communicate after the big nice exchange with the ruskies. Before that it was the easiest way of having experienced radio operators when the enemy tanks started rolling around (into Poland, mostly).
Now there are no Ruskies, no german tanks rolling around, no ships to save since no longer international rescue stations uses morse (everyone has a satellite phone apparently).
IMHO, it will live, as a hobbyist's tool. Once I turn the DSP on and reduce the filter frequency to 25kHz I can hear any weak signal through the interference. I have a Yaesu FT-847 and you can put nice mechanical filters in it and have even tighter filters. Since default morse code signal fits into a 3 kHz deviation it is an efficient way of communication.
It is just like steam locomotives. The diesels have taken them out of the lines but they still run.
Da da di di dit, di di dit da dat. M1FCJ/P signing off.
Re:Building them like they used to
on
Goodbye, Galileo
·
· Score: 2, Informative
NASA has not made a good argument for cheaper = better. The Hubble Space Telescope was flawed when it went up and spent the first three years of its lifespan doing very little compared to its design.
Surely you are not claiming that Hubble was cheap? It was the most expensive piece of mass sent to space. More than 3 billion was spent just to build the thing, not to mention three shuttle missions and millions spent in the operations.
The science it produced is worth the price but it wasn't cheap.
underrated small probe vs. overrated expensive toy
on
Goodbye, Galileo
·
· Score: 4, Interesting
I find it strange that such a man made equipment was both underrated and overrated at the same time.
It promised a lot, then with the failure of the high-gain antenna, it delivered a lot less than expected.
Both Voyagers sent us a lot less data but the data was publicised much more energetically.
Since the probe has been plauged by malfunctions for some time I agree it is time to let it go. Bye bye...
"Job: ACoJ" is suprisingly good compared to his latest stuff. It is surely a comedy and it is about religion. If you don't like people having fun with religion, don't read it. It you don't care about the crap called religion, it surely is a good read.
He was the first Grand master chosen by SFFA. That is good enough to make him "the" grand master.
I have to say I always wondered why Alfred Bester got his grand master award so late. After Stars My Destination (Tiger Tiger to Americans) and Demolished Man, he surely should be awarded one of these awards as soon as possible.
It is one the worst books I have tried to read. From chapter one, it stinks. I really can't believe Heinlein wrote that thing. I still think his mind was taken over by a loonie during that period.
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They are not killing it just for the fun. Galileo hardly functions anymore. The last fly-by didn't generate any usable science data because it decided to sleep for a while just before the fly-by. Radiation has cooked everything inside, the tape drive is not working reliably for years now and I wouldn't be suprised it is actually toast by this time. They are doing the suicide plunge just to make sure they don't contaminate any life as you said, but not to protect the life might exist, because they want to keep it clean for the future when we can actually check if there is life or not and not to get into endless discussions (if we find something) about the origin of the life there.
Come on, pico is good enough for the masses...
No one will understand it. Morse is no longer necessary for naval emergency communications.
I didn't know you needed a reason to need a HAM license. If you are interested in this hobby, you go and get the license. Any trained monkey can pass the exams. Will to work and pass, now that's a different issue.
Morse code is translated to speech or writing as dats and dits. When there are a sequence of dits, it goes like this:di di di dit and when there are a sequences of dats, it goes like this: da da da dat. You are free to be a redundant troll but at least do it the right way. Da di dat?
You are allowed to transmit in any mode in any section of the spectrum you are licensed to use. Band plans are just gentleman agreements. They are not enforceable. Never mind the plans of different countries differ, different regions have huge differences in their band plans.
The same way the steam trains are still used extensively? Go to Patagonia and you'll always hear them puffing and huffing.
- Why was morse code originally required for amatuer radio operators?
To have qualified operators in wartime/when the nukes start to fly.
- How often is morse code used today?
Commercial/military applications? None. Hobby applications: varies depending on who are you talking to.
- What advantages does morse code have, vs other forms of radio communication?
It is easier to use a good filter and still be able to understand what's being sent. It is easiest way of generating a signal that can be transmitted (just turn the transmitter on and off).
That's it.
We use NATO spelling (alpha, bravo, charlie etc.) over the phone a lot and it really confuses secretary chicks. :)
I can't follow what's going on once the speed is well past 12wpm, this is a wonderful tool if someone is transmitting CW very fast in the middle of the phone section of 20m.
Correction: It was dropped a number of weeks ago. Although you can say a few years is a multiple of 52 weeks which counts as a number of weeks, I think you are just not the person who should comment on it.
(Translation here)
I find it funny that /. finds Q codes as shouting. Actually teaching Q codes to these SMS-junkie youth is a pretty good idea. You can even put more info in those 160 or so characters! :-)
Morse code is just a code, it is nothing important. When it is necessary (all the above) use it, if not, don't. :)
The important thing is it should not be the limit for HF.
Btw, on VHF try WSJIT, it is just brilliant for weak signal work. Who gives a s**t about morse. This is the cutting edge of communication! :)
On the other hand after getting my UK license I met a number of gentleman which are really heroes in my eyes. G4LHI from Huntingdon is running morse lessons in 144.7625 every monday and tuesday evenings and he is a FISTS member. He is a very nice guy and always answers a CQ on VHF when he is around.
Because of the M3 licenses th e old farts are on the attack again. The basic response is not to let yourself down. Ignoring them is the best way of dealing with them.
Amateur radio is fun, no one should let these people ruin it.
After passing my test in Turkey I tried to do the American ones and found them extremely easy. I have to admit that I only had 4 hours of studying before getting my first license, TA2MGW. The tests are easy, it is harder to have the courage to talk to people over the mike. Some people can do it so easily, some can't. On my way here I tried to have a chat with a new amateur and he was so pathetic. Poor guy really didn't know what to say and I would be happy if he could at least managed to say "hi!" instead of "ermmmm, thanks for the contact, byeee". :) It was an M3 callsign. They are very ambitious young (and old) people and they are the future of the amateur radio in UK.
Are you Americans take a new test everytime you change the model of your car? What will happen if you get involved in an accident and have to make your getaway with a manual transmission equipped car? :-)
Sorry mate. I have already shown that I am dedicated to the hobby by giving shedloads of money to some strangers in radio rallies and some strange-looking-shops. I don't need a test to test that. :)
da da di di dit di di di da dat! M1FCJ/P
The world is no longer so disconnected that one would really ever NEED to send a carrier-wave message.
Wait until the nukes start flying around. There is no CCCP anymore but there still a lot of nukes...
Now there are no Ruskies, no german tanks rolling around, no ships to save since no longer international rescue stations uses morse (everyone has a satellite phone apparently).
IMHO, it will live, as a hobbyist's tool. Once I turn the DSP on and reduce the filter frequency to 25kHz I can hear any weak signal through the interference. I have a Yaesu FT-847 and you can put nice mechanical filters in it and have even tighter filters. Since default morse code signal fits into a 3 kHz deviation it is an efficient way of communication.
It is just like steam locomotives. The diesels have taken them out of the lines but they still run.
Da da di di dit, di di dit da dat. M1FCJ/P signing off.
Surely you are not claiming that Hubble was cheap? It was the most expensive piece of mass sent to space. More than 3 billion was spent just to build the thing, not to mention three shuttle missions and millions spent in the operations.
The science it produced is worth the price but it wasn't cheap.
It promised a lot, then with the failure of the high-gain antenna, it delivered a lot less than expected.
Both Voyagers sent us a lot less data but the data was publicised much more energetically.
Since the probe has been plauged by malfunctions for some time I agree it is time to let it go. Bye bye...
"Job: ACoJ" is suprisingly good compared to his latest stuff. It is surely a comedy and it is about religion. If you don't like people having fun with religion, don't read it. It you don't care about the crap called religion, it surely is a good read.
Fahrenheit 451 was written by Ray Bradbury.
Salmon of Doubt was written by Douglas Adams.
Outnumbering the Dead was written by Fred Pohl.
Tramp Royale was written by Heinlein (at last)!.
What point are you trying to prove? You know how to read or are you just trying to confuse people?
By the way, I can't agree more about TimeQueke. It was a piece of crap even by Vonnegut standards.
I have to say I always wondered why Alfred Bester got his grand master award so late. After Stars My Destination (Tiger Tiger to Americans) and Demolished Man, he surely should be awarded one of these awards as soon as possible.
It is one the worst books I have tried to read. From chapter one, it stinks. I really can't believe Heinlein wrote that thing. I still think his mind was taken over by a loonie during that period.