From: "John Smith" on Sat 30 Jul 2005 08:39

N2EY:

Perhaps introduce testing for "African Message Drum" also, bet some of those
guys could pound out a little ditty and have it carry a message to! Maybe
chant a little rap with it too!

Sounds good! Message Drums were in use long before morse and
telegraphy...very TRADITIONAL. The first use of "comm nets"
with "message relays" too!

Problem is, USA ham radio is basically done by WHITE MALES so
it wouldn't go over big. Dunno about Canadian demographics
but British Columbia is largely white...

Some testing in the care maintenance of carrier pigeons might be in order to,
for the guys who wanted real DX!

Har! The United States Army Signal Corps actually had a
Carrier Pigeon Service...trainers, handlers, mobile coops,
the whole magilla. Came into being before WW 1 but was
disbanded afterwards. Sounded like a good idea at the time,
faster than a land courier, minimal handling, no electricity
needed (bird poop is safer than RF burns). That time might
have been the start of the phrase "eat the bird," though.
Anyone on WW 1 field rations might look at pigeons with a
hungry eye. "DX" wasn't so hot and "propagation" effects
weren't good using "pigeon code."

I like the Message Drum idea, though! Sounds like a plan...

bat tat