Comments for Hear No RF Evil - See No RF Evil

Comment on Monster San Diego Ham Antenna Revealed by JamaicaJoe

JamaicaJoe — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 16:59:25 +0000

@SpaceAgeMage – Mage; methinks you watch too much FAUX News.

Are you actually saying that the public NEEDS to eavesdrop and report on who he is talking to? Well you can buy a shortwave receiver and listen in go ahead, perfectly legal in the US, in other countries you cannot own a shortwave receiver or have an antenna. (Glad we still have our rights and freedoms here)

How do we know the radiation studies mean anything? Well like the radiation studies for your modern cellphone and baby monitor we can’t be sure. But his ham radio complies with the same rules. So you have a cordless phone and a baby monitor and are afraid of being overheard? What do you have to hide even if someone could listen in ARE YOU A TERRORIST? – “The community needs to know who YOU are talking to and why”.

Your cold war thinking is “outdated, and rather quite silly. We have the internet, telephones, and YOU could even sit down and write a letter to someone and none of that requires an antenna or a radio” ,but nobody really gives a hoot!

Reply – @SpaceAgeMage<\/a> - Mage; methinks you watch too much FAUX News. \r\n\r\nAre you actually saying that the public NEEDS to eavesdrop and report on who he is talking to? Well you can buy a shortwave receiver and listen in go ahead, perfectly legal in the US, in other countries you cannot own a shortwave receiver or have an antenna. (Glad we still have our rights and freedoms here) \r\n\r\nHow do we know the radiation studies mean anything? Well like the radiation studies for your modern cellphone and baby monitor we can\'t be sure. But his ham radio complies with the same rules. So you have a cordless phone and a baby monitor and are afraid of being overheard? What do you have to hide even if someone could listen in ARE YOU A TERRORIST? - \"The community needs to know who YOU are talking to and why\". \r\n\r\nYour cold war thinking is \"outdated, and rather quite silly. We have the internet, telephones, and YOU could even sit down and write a letter to someone and none of that requires an antenna or a radio\" ,but nobody really gives a hoot!'); return false;">Quote

Comment on SMART ELECTRIC GRID AUTOMATION: WHAT ARE THE COSTS? by Paul Pauesick

Paul Pauesick — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 16:16:18 +0000

From Comment: “IT people usually have far too much control over business an operations issues and processes.” If this statement is true, it is in IT’s control only because the business has relinquished it to IT because of: from article – “they have no technical understanding at all of what they are managing! “Ted, you’ve successfully led our revenue fraud business unit. That’s great, so now we are promoting you to be our new telecommunications group manager!” Or IT manager.

On security, utilities are excellent at addressing weather or operational threats in their region. Cyber security is a global threat that is hard for the regionally minded to wrap their heads around. It is hard enough for IT to understand and act accordingly. Both the electric and IT sides of the utility house need to come to the smart grid planning table with their specific skills, open and inquisitive minds and solve the design issues.

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Comment on ‘Not so fast!’ is surprise reaction to broadband campaign by Ahmed Mosa

Ahmed Mosa — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:43:57 +0000

I must agree with Jeff here, the gov’t has no business telling companies where to invest how to invest or how to do business, even if they are proposing “free money”. Not to mention that there is no such thing as “free money”.

If the Gov’t really wants to help they should de-regulate and stop trying to apply outdated laws to new technology. It would also be a great help if they encouraged investments by lowering taxes or at least being transparent about taxes rather than trying to control the industry with money we don’t have.

Now as a taxpayer I resent this effort, why should I pay for people to have broadband. Those who need / want it can get it. Even though it might (in rural areas) require erecting an antenna.

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Comment on On the Road – From “Where We’ve Been” to “Where We’re Going” by John_D

John_D — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 13:22:45 +0000

Originally Posted By thenatorator

Coming into Ham from CB, all I get is flack from the guys around my location.

The same applies to the UK as regards CB converts. I have been licenced since 1974 so never tried CB. However in the UK there is a tendency for the ex-CBers to bring their jargon and operating habits into ham radio. Ham radio already has its own procedures with many written into Law, such as using callsigns, etc. as well as respecting the voluntary band plans. These are being repeatedly ignored in the UK. I was trained in Wireless Operating by the Military and didn’t bring Army procedure into my ham radio.

Reply – Originally Posted By thenatorator<\/a>\r\n\r\nComing into Ham from CB, all I get is flack from the guys around my location. <\/blockquote>\r\n\r\nThe same applies to the UK as regards CB converts. I have been licenced since 1974 so never tried CB. However in the UK there is a tendency for the ex-CBers to bring their jargon and operating habits into ham radio. Ham radio already has its own procedures with many written into Law, such as using callsigns, etc. as well as respecting the voluntary band plans. These are being repeatedly ignored in the UK. I was trained in Wireless Operating by the Military and didn\'t bring Army procedure into my ham radio. '); return false;">Quote

Comment on ‘Not so fast!’ is surprise reaction to broadband campaign by Steven McKinnon

Steven McKinnon — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:44:09 +0000

I understand each viewpoint in the article. My personal opinion is that broadband has been thrown on to the front pages of the major newspapers and has enough momentum in the blogs and web media outlets to get some attention. It seems to me to be a “perfect storm” for the communications industry.

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Comment on On the Road – From “Where We’ve Been” to “Where We’re Going” by G0GQK

G0GQK — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 12:27:37 +0000

The past and future of amateur radio has always been, and will continue to be in the hands of those who enjoy the hobby. However, with the increase in electrical noise produced by home entertainment, computers in stores and offices and all the rest of the equipment which produces garbage on the air, as well as PLT, which is a growing menace in Britain, and the lack of solar activity, amateur radio could lose its popularity with future generations. HOA restrictions will not help growth, problems with neighbours will kill any enthrusiasm

Making contacts over 3,000 miles could be a problem without good SFI figures and radio as a hobby could become like CB, with communication limited to the USA

G0GQK

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Comment on On the Road – From “Where We’ve Been” to “Where We’re Going” by NN4RH

NN4RH — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 12:26:24 +0000

I forced myself to slog all the way through it that.

Basically a variation on the “Ham Radio Is Dying” theme.

I guess it was worth the trouble – I learned a new word:

obstreperous

We’re more of that nowadays than we used to be, according to the author.

Reply – obstreperous<\/b>\r\n\r\nWe\'re more of that nowadays than we used to be, according to the author.'); return false;">Quote

Comment on FIFTY YEARS IN THE “SERVICE” by Gene W5DQ

Gene W5DQ — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 00:18:19 +0000

As with most things that evolve with time, technology has played a big part in reducing the need to ‘know how it works on the inside’ to ‘knowing how to operate it’, be it ham radio, cooking or other previously manual labor oriented tasks. Comparitable to the examples above, half a century ago many people did not have the instant convienence of throwing in a pre-packaged meal into a microwave and pushing the START button. They had to know some of the basics of culinary art to make a meal, although many families were starting to migrate towards eating out and simplifying the evening meal during that period. Now, with the advancements in electronic kitchen gizmos, even folks who know nothing about cooking or culinary prepare a full menu truly ‘like Grandma used to make’ and in a fraction of the time it took her to do it.

I feel I was lucky (I guess that would be the proper terminology) to have been introduced to ham radio and obtained my first license (it too was the Novice Class as mentioned above) in a time when the need to learn something about the radio art was still required to pass the test. I like to think I have my nearly 30 year career in electronic engineering to show for the seedling effort that my foray into ham radio those 34 years ago planted. I don’t attempt to lessen the accomplishments of those that followed me in getting licensed in later years but I would like to think that if someone was going to devote the time and energies to get the license, obtain and setup a station and operate it that they would want to also learn more about it technically in order to be able to get the most out of the time and monetary investment. Maybe I’m wrong but that is just the way I personally look at it. Not to say that someone has to or even would want to persue a PhD in Electical Engineering once they have taken the Technician Class test and obtained that shiny new Tech license but rather they should learn all they can about the equipment that they are using as well as the techniques and theory about the overall radio station they are operating. Not only should this make them a better operator but also help emmensely in operating within the FCC regulations that they are still bound by legally.

Now many people will say that the original blog and my response here is pure bunk and they should not have to crack a book nor turn a page once they have the license since they simply want to operate and talk to their friends on the radio. They are absolutely legally correct, no argument to that fact from me regardless of the fact I feel thay are shorting themselves much of the enjoyment and richness that the hobby has to offer those willing to put forth the meager effort to learn. But to each his or her own, that is fine. I just find it totally foreign to the way that I, a technically oriented ham radio operator, wants to participate in the hobby.

Gene W5DQ

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Comment on On the Road – From “Where We’ve Been” to “Where We’re Going” by thenatorator

thenatorator — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 19:51:48 +0000

“The uber-ego is the most troubling future trend. It could well lead to a long-term debasing of the overall quality of operators within the Service…”

The Curmudgeon has a good point, unfortunately. Coming into Ham from CB, all I get is flack from the guys around my location. Isn’t the point to encourage more people to get a license, not tear them down when they do?

/preaching to the choir
/rant over

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Comment on SMARTER THAN THE AV-ER-AGE BEAR GRID! by Alan Gartner

Alan Gartner — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:23:48 +0000

The RF part of this is the enabling technology. The two-way communicating and control enabled meters are enabling technology. Even the potential of smart appliances and wizbang internet sites only enable customer behavior. They don’t assure it. The problem has been a concept of “fairness”. If someone uses a killowatthour it is fair that he is charged the same relative rate as anyone else. We make distinctions based on classes (industrial, large commercial, residential, etc.) but we don’t make distinctions based on the overall good. Demand response hardly compensates the customer for the cost of participation, much less does not offer the customer a premium to give up the reliability he paid for in the underlying tariff. Do you think that our society is ready to pay 50 times the cost of a killowatt hour to reduce consumption at peak? What about 100 times?

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Comment on ‘Not so fast!’ is surprise reaction to broadband campaign by Jeff

Jeff — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:07:48 +0000

Well, what we small businesses need is for them (govt.) to stay out of our industry and let us “private” companies develop it. Although the article does have some valid issues, MBB access is available to those who want it.

Even in rural areas, anyone can go to a public library for free internet use. Besides, our company hasn’t gotten any offers of “free” money to develop any areas, nor do we want that. We want to work with other “private” firms to do this.

That way it will be economically successful, provide more coverage area, and be more accessible to more people, which only the free market can guarantee, not the Fed. Govt.

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Comment on The national broadbandwagon plan by mram50

mram50 — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 16:42:29 +0000

I just hope they don’t just sell off everything in the public interest to the highest bidder and then us ‘po folk’ will be left out of the loop forever more..No more TV, no internet, no radio..just whatever garbage the filthy rich pile on us at will.

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Comment on FCC Offers a “Free” Broadband Speedchecker by nyphonejacks

nyphonejacks — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 19:31:01 +0000

you can always go to pingtest.net for jitter, latency and ping test results – i believe it is the same people who run speedtest.net wonder why they did not just combine all of these tests…

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Comment on SMART ELECTRIC METERS: IS THERE ANY CONSUMER BENEFIT? by Patrick

Patrick — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 06:38:20 +0000

I expect the future to be much different from the present. Soon, I expect to hear the sound of generators chugging away in my piece of suburban paradise when the smart meter tells us that a KWH is above…umm…say 50 cents. Not exactly a “green” solution.

What next? A water well for every home?

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Comment on “THE BIGGEST DAMN STUD ON THE AIR!” by Fred Hopengarten, K1VR

Fred Hopengarten, K1VR — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 22:23:16 +0000

If contesting needs a defense, some elements would be that:
* Contesting is chiefly responsible for bringing computer logging into the hobby.
* Contesting has caused the improvement in receiver filters.
* PacketCluster was primarily invented serve contesters and DX’ers, by the Yankee Clipper Contest Club (AK1A, K1EA, K1GQ and others).
* Low band antennas were vastly improved due to contester requirements.

And so forth. Contesting, one might say, is to ham radio progress, as racing is to automotive progress. In the cost-benefit world, you lose your favorite band (phone or CW) 3-4 weekends per year, and get great advances in exchange. Seems like a good deal to me.

Fred Hopengarten, K1VR

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