On Sat, 09 Sep 2006 17:49:20 GMT, "Brian Reay"
wrote:


"Steve" wrote in message
.uk...

I might suggest that construction of aerials, amplifiers etc., and the
knowledge to predict propagation modes and then utilise that knowledge to
make contacts with people far away is just as valid as knowing one end of
a resistor from the other.

That's simple. One end is the goesinto while the other is the
goesouttta unless you hook it up backwards. Then due to great
foresight from the engineers the two ends will automatically swap
functions making the device appear to be bidirectional.


Or a multitude of other reasons why people become radio amateurs given
that this is such a diverse hobby.
Some of us use it for exercise:
http://www.rogerhalstead.com/ham_files/Tower29.htm

Or the whole project http://www.rogerhalstead.com/ham_files/tower.htm

Although I've been known to use the exercise excuse so I can put up
more antennas. Unfortunatley I have to get the 144 and 440 arrays
down. I already have the mast down to about the 6-meter yagi and have
rebuilt the PST-61 rotator.

Good advice Steve. There are even people who buy s/h homebrew equipment (eg
a QRP radio) at rallies and probably take great delight in using it.

Lets see... My first home brew rig was about 90 Watts with a pair of
6L6s and a 6AG7 oscillator. Not exactly QRP. The next home brew
projct was a 6C21 HF amp (those things are big) and then a pair of
813s. on HF. Both home brew but a long way from QRP with the exception
of the time when I blew the plate out of a 6C21 and it turned into a
dummy load. I wish I still had that thing if for nothing more than a
conversation piece.

OTOH there is a fair amount of HF QRP around this area (Central
Michigan) with some of the rigs getting fairly sophisticated.

There is a lot of developmet work going on in digital here. The local
system can broadcast the latest RADAR to the laptops of those of us
out storm chasing. APRS (if set up in the car) gives your coordinates
back to the EOC. They are working on a portable TV Repeater for a
number of reasons in addition to being used for damage assesment.

There's also the networking of packet, repeaters, and the internet.

We have ham stations in both the EOC and the mobile EOC unit. There
was talk of adding HF ham stations to both locations.
Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com