Happy World Amateur Radio Day 82
An anonymous reader writes "There are over 700,000 ham radio licensees in the USA and about 2 ½ million worldwide. Today, this international community of wireless communications devotees are celebrating World Amateur Radio Day, recalling the advances Amateur Radio Service has made for modern man. Their theme for 2012 is Amateur Radio Satellites: Celebrating 50 Years in Space in remembrance of the launch of the first Amateur Radio satellites OSCAR 1 on December 12, 1961 and the launch of OSCAR 2 on June 2, 1962. Their ranks have included people like Steve Wozniak of Apple and Jack Kilby who invented the integrated circuit, Dr. Karl William Edmark who invented the heart defibrillator, Scott Durchslag, the Chief Operating Officer at Skype, and Dr. John Grunsfeld of NASA and the Hubble Space Telescope. This is the 87th anniversary of the foundation."
Been on the calendar (Score:1)
Our local club has had this on its calendar for awhile. I like it!
Ah Ham (Score:5, Funny)
I was a ham until the fateful day when I discovered the internet~
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From ham to spam, eh?
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Thanks for your cogent comments and replies. I LOVE the idea of being able to fix your own electronics (vs buying another). After building an electronic kit you have the ability to detect and fix many obvious electronic problems.
And please any AARL old timers around this thread. Would you help train a novice? Would you support a novice? Myself and others need this.
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There is no such ban. There is a rule that says "data emissions using unspecified digital codes must not be transmitted for the purpose of obscuring the meaning of any communication," but that's a matter of intent. For instance, if one encrypts a remote control signal, not to obscure it's meaning, but for the purpose of protecting it from interference, that's legal. If one takes advantage of a ham license to communicate with a high power 802.11 A
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HAM? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hold_And_Modify [wikipedia.org]
Or maybe Sliced HAM (hi-res mode): ;-)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hold_And_Modify#Hold-And-Modify_mode [wikipedia.org]
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So, does that mean you are, or are not, helping to migrate ham radio from IPv4 to Ipv6?
Amateur Radio keeps getting better! (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Amateur Radio keeps getting better! (Score:4, Insightful)
You didn't mention software-defined radio, where some of the most exciting developments are happening ;-)
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Google "rtl sdr" for info about the $20 USB dongles that can tune anything from 64Mhz to 1.6Ghz.
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FYI my Unikoo one (also RTL2832, arrived two days ago) can tune below 30MHz and just over 2GHz. The tuner chip actually goes down to 0Hz but the sensitivity seems to drop off outside the advertised range (i.e. strong signals only. I can tune into the normal AM radio band at ~1MHz but can't see any signals.)
But on that note, does anyone know where SDR newbies like myself can go to discuss these things? There are a bunch of extremely narrowband transmissions all over the place and I have no idea what they
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Explain please.
Re:Amateur Radio keeps getting better! (Score:4, Informative)
Software defined radios digitally sample incoming signals. They then process those signals via software algorithms rather than electronic circuitry. Some radios can actually sample huge regions of the radio frequency spectrum (one amateur radio receiver I am aware of can watch a 60 MHz spectrum). They can actually decode many signals at the same time. So, for example, you could be decoding and watching hundreds of CW conversations (morse code) happening across the spectrum at the same time.
All the hardware has to do is digitize the radio spectrum being sampled. All of the remaining processing can be changed by replacing software. Previously, changing the processing of the signals meant replacing or adding electronic circuits.
The algorithms are quite sophisticated. Signals can be isolated for better reception or fairly easily excluded in the case of interference. This has resulted in a tremendous improvement in radio receivers especially in recent years. Neat stuff.
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I need to get one of these. I've heard you can program your PC to become a shortwave radio and receive the "new" DRM digital standard.
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Re:Amateur Radio keeps getting better! (Score:5, Interesting)
I absolutely agree. And don't forget JT-65, which is an absolutely amazing mode for pulling extremely weak signals out of noise. It's in many ways the ultimate geeky hobby and there are so many ways to be involved. I wish I had gotten started years ago.
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I'm glad the ARS de-emphasized Morse code as a gateway to a license. Even the armed forces have abandoned it.
However, it's still fun and useful. It's amazing how horrible the signal can be and still grok the message....just modulation of static-y noise is enough.
nerf-cough-glak-curf ack-snak
(dit-dit-dit-dit dit-dit)
Hi
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http://lmgtfy.com/?q=How+can+make+an+FM+radio+transmitter%3F+ [lmgtfy.com]
New Tradition (Score:3)
Like BBSes - the range is too short (Score:2)
I quit BBSes because they only had a range of ~100 miles (the local area code). I was involved in HAM for a while but quit for the same reason. Nowadays with the internet my voice or text can reach the whole world.
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You don't even need an Extra license. A General will get you most of what you need for long-range HF use. And good thing, because for a software guy with only light electronics experience, that Extra test is hard! General, OTOH, is a couple of weeks of flipping through the book and taking the test.
--
KF7SPZ
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I got my Extra by the skin of my teeth (knowing a fair amount of E-mag physics helped me fake my way through some of it), but yeah, I wouldn't sweat the extra work (no pun intended) if all you want is the privileges. The general isn't much harder than the technician, but the extra is a LOT harder than the general, especially for the mild increase in privileges. Seriously, add it up and it's only around 500 kHz more spectrum, spread across the 80, 40, 20, and 15 meter bands. Privileges are otherwise ident
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Over here in Australia, the Advanced class has a lot more privileges than the Standard class - compare the frequencies and permitted modes for Advanced [comlaw.gov.au] versus Standard [comlaw.gov.au]. Also Advanced are allowed 400W pX for modes C3F, J3E or R3E and 120W pY otherwise, whereas the Standard class only permits 100W for modes J3E and R3E and 30W pY otherwise.
-VK5HZ
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That seems to make more sense than the US system of licensing. The extra is way too difficult relative to the general exam for the modest increase in privilege. I don't advocate making the extra simpler, but rather making the general a little more difficult. But the cat's out of the bag, I guess.
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I quit BBSes because they only had a range of ~100 miles (the local area code). I was involved in HAM for a while but quit for the same reason. Nowadays with the internet my voice or text can reach the whole world.
Well your voice or text can reach the whole world that's not blocked by their country's (or your own) firewall.
But, living in earthquake country, I became a ham so my voice can be heard even if local communications infrastructure has been destroyed. And through ARES [arrl.org], I can help others.
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I quit BBSes because they only had a range of ~100 miles (the local area code). I was involved in HAM for a while but quit for the same reason..
Huh? I have made two contacts today using amaterur radio. Both were with people well over 5,000 miles away.
Da-da-di-di-dit di-di-di-da-dah (Score:1)
700,000? (Score:2)
Is that all there are in the USA? I would have expected that to be a much larger number.
(I think I'll forego signing off with my call, cut short one more link in a few three-letter's relational databases)
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Motivational! (Score:2)
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It has been on my geek “bucket list” for many years to get my license. This story and a recent job change are just the motivation I needed to finally do it.
Now that the there's no Morse requirement, getting a tech license is trivial - any geek can do it with a couple hours glancing over a study guide. Most of the "technical" questions are common sense to anyone with a bit of electrical knowledge, so you just have to familiarize yourself with things that need to be memorized like license restrictions, power limits on various bands, etc.
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SDR for the win!
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Depends.
A nice radio (used) can be around $1000-2000+. A nice HF rig can be $5000+. And don't forget the antenna farm you need, so if your wife cares about the backyard, it can be an issue.
(If you have a PC, a fully kitted out Flex 5000 (HF+VHF/UHF, tuner, 2nd receiver) is only around $5000. B
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But you can also put together a very workable station with only a few hundred or less. My first HF rig (IC-737) I got at a flea market for $300. Strung up a simple wire antenna on the back fence and five minutes later had my first QSO with Hawaii. My first VHF/UFH mobile rig was only $200 used and spent another $75 for the antenna and mag mount.
Ham radio doesn't need to be expensive to enjoy.
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Will my wife kill me if I buy a nice ham rig?
Don't know. What did she say about that 737 simulator [slashdot.org] in the garage?
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On getting a ham license. I got a technician license after the Loma Prieta earthquake. About 15 years later I had about two weeks of relative unemployment. In about a week using only Internet study resources I upgraded to General. In another 5 study days, using an online practice Amateur Extra exam, Wikipedia and a helpful website on electronics math, I passed the Extra Exam.
On ham radio equipment. The market for equipment like a solid state transceiver made in the last 20 years is extremely high priced, ba
Restricted (Score:3)
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Anonymous because I'm at work.
If you're worried about privacy, with packet you can encrypt the data payload itself so long as the headers are not obfuscated and the transmission is properly identified.
Besides, privacy seems to be somewhat defeating of the purpose of Amateur radio. The spectrum set aside for hams is intended for educational use, and the ability to be heard is important so you can gauge the effectiveness of your rigs, vice versa for the other parties involved, learn how to make those improvem
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If you're worried about privacy, with packet you can encrypt the data payload itself so long as the headers are not obfuscated and the transmission is properly identified.
Incorrect. Any use of ciphers or codes to obscure the meaning is prohibited, with the limited exception of control signals for space stations (47CFR97.113(a)(4)) [arrl.org]. That includes the bodies of packets sent via packet radio. That's the US law, perhaps you are referring to a different country?
Current software [winlink.org] in common use compresses the bodies of email messages sent via packet and pactor systems, but software can be used to decompress the messages and is thus not considered encryption.
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Incorrect. Any use of ciphers or codes to obscure the meaning is prohibited, ...
There was a forum discussion which someone complained, "so what if I want to talk like a CBer on ham radio? As long as I'm licensed and mention my callsign every 10 min, end of transmission, bla-bla, I can talk in whatever style I want!" However, someone gave example: "That's a big ten-four good buddy and I sure do appreciate that there smokey report on the five oh niner. Well, I'll catch you on the flipper flopper!"
Bzzzzztttt. FCC Part 97 prohibits codes and ciphers used to obscure communications.
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Which
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I have little interest trying to participate in a P2P communication system where encryption is explicitly forbidden.
Some encryption is allowed, and the prohibition is against the use of codes or ciphers to obscure the meaning, not explicitely against all encryption. HSMM (ham WiFi) uses WEP (maybe WPA, I don't know) and gets away with it.
What's more important is that amateur radio isn't supposed to be used for things that would really require encryption anyway. No commercial use. You can't order a pizza, so you don't need to send anyone your credit card number, for example. The HSMM folks need to keep non-hams from usi
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Your pizza example is a bad one because they specifically allow that now (as of like, decades ago actually).
No, they do not. Stop spreading such patently absurd information. Read the rules sometime. Like this one [gpo.gov], 47CFR97.113(a)(2) and (3):
97.113 Prohibited Communications
(a) No amateur station shall transmit:
(2) Communications for hire or for material compensation, direct or indirect, paid or promised, except as otherwise provided in these rules;
(3) Communications in which the station licensee or control operator has a pecuniary interest, including communications on behalf of an employer.
This wouldn't appear to prohibit you ordering the pizza, just the use of amateur radio to reply by the pizza dealer, but then there's this, same section:
(b) An amateur station shall not engage in any form of broadcasting, nor may an amateur station transmit one-way communications except as specifically provided in these rules;
And gosh if I can find a specific exemption from this one-way communication prohibition for "pizza shop".
Now maybe the rules in YOUR country differ, but in the US of A the FCC rules apply, and the FCC rules still prohibit th
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AFAIK, there is no country that prosecutes licensed Amateur Radio Operators for communicating with Amateurs in any other country, regardless of their government. If a government permits the Amateur Radio Service as part of their telecommunications policy at all, then those Amateurs can communicate with any other Amateur anywhere, provided the other Amateur is duly licensed in his or her respectiv
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And you still haven't a Slashdot handle.
from the what's-your-handle? dept. (Score:1)
Handles are for CB.
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Handles are for Anonymous Coward.
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All the VK* people would have missed the day due to the 18th being yesterday. This article "Posted by samzenpus on 04:10 AM -- Thursday April 19 2012"
73 de w7com (Score:2)
Happy ham day.
Well... (Score:2)
I guess that explains all the interference with my WiFi and XBee units.
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Think I'll have some ham for dinner.. (Score:1)
K7DGF here.. Been licensed since 1976, ex-WA6QNW, got the Extra in 1998. Kinda been inactive, due to the Internet. BUT.. I may just get back into it to play around with Gnuradio/SDR/IRLP/EchoLink.. Had no idea there ever WAS an "amateur radio day".. Too bad its not Field Day...
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73s de KD0REQ (Score:2)
back in after 40 years.
73's de KB0GNK (Score:1)