"Fractenna" wrote

No. I do not consider 'radio' a hobby. I appreciate the fact that others
do.

I clearly do not understand that eavesdropping on the marine band with a
unidirectional antenna is a hobby. I invite Richard to expound its
virtues;
tell us who does it; tell us how such hobbyists meet; discuss their fun
info;
and so on.

This is a new one, relatively, to me.

BTW, I have been a ham since 1966; have won various contests; have DXCC
honor
Rolls; 8BDXCC (equivalent); #1 DXCC Honor Roll; and so on.

I have also done various public service stuff as a ham, BTW.

I've been around the pike, so to speak.

73
Chip N1IR

Not the pike that several thousand hobbyists enjoy, perhaps most of whom are
licenced amateurs!

Try http://www.wunclub.com/ and really dig around, you'll find that marine
listening is a close second only to military aircraft monitoring, maybe
commercial aircraft after that.

IF the claims about BPL were accurate, it would have such a profound effect
on so many major forms of government and commercial communications, that the
BPL lifespan might be about a week after full scale exposure. So like
yourself, I am watching with open eyes and ears for more tests to prove it's
a boon or a bane.

73,

Jack Painter
Virginia Beach Va

Not the pike that several thousand hobbyists enjoy, perhaps most of whom are
licenced amateurs!

Try http://www.wunclub.com/ and really dig around, you'll find that marine
listening is a close second only to military aircraft monitoring, maybe
commercial aircraft after that.

IF the claims about BPL were accurate, it would have such a profound effect
on so many major forms of government and commercial communications, that the
BPL lifespan might be about a week after full scale exposure. So like
yourself, I am watching with open eyes and ears for more tests to prove it's
a boon or a bane.

73,

Jack Painter
Virginia Beach Va



The licensed amateur part doesn't sound right, but your link is very helpful.

Wouldn't it make more sense to make construction info available on an
appropriate site to those who are more likely to see it? Perhaps a newsletter?
Trade pub ? Monitoring Times?

This request seems to have come out of no where, with no context. It has the
appearance of a bait, but that's a personal opinion.

73,
Chip N1IR

"Fractenna" wrote

Try http://www.wunclub.com/ and really dig around, you'll find that
marine
listening is a close second only to military aircraft monitoring, maybe
commercial aircraft after that.

Wouldn't it make more sense to make construction info available on an
appropriate site to those who are more likely to see it? Perhaps a
newsletter?
Trade pub ? Monitoring Times?

This request seems to have come out of no where, with no context. It has
the
appearance of a bait, but that's a personal opinion.

Hi Chip, yes there are websites, monitoring lists and circulars that
specialize in utility listening. The WUN is just the biggest, not the only
by any means. It has been my experience in the last 12 years of that part of
the hobby, that about 90% of the "members" are anonymous non-posters. When
the mailing addresses of list members were once public, they included almost
every government agency. Monitoring marine safety on VHF and HF by hobbyists
has definite public safety benefits very similar to licensed amateur groups
such as the Maritime Mobile Net that works 14.300 mHz. The post may have
been bait, and most of us would have chosen a little different form of
explanation of what/where/why, etc. But there are very few affordable
antennas manufactured for the bands commonly referred to as "Utility"
(non-ham bands), and this is a logical place to ask for help in that area.

73,

Jack Painter
Virginia Beach, Va

Jack wrote,

Hi Chip, yes there are websites, monitoring lists and circulars that
specialize in utility listening. The WUN is just the biggest, not the only
by any means. It has been my experience in the last 12 years of that part of
the hobby, that about 90% of the "members" are anonymous non-posters. When
the mailing addresses of list members were once public, they included almost
every government agency. Monitoring marine safety on VHF and HF by hobbyists
has definite public safety benefits very similar to licensed amateur groups
such as the Maritime Mobile Net that works 14.300 mHz. The post may have
been bait, and most of us would have chosen a little different form of
explanation of what/where/why, etc. But there are very few affordable
antennas manufactured for the bands commonly referred to as "Utility"
(non-ham bands), and this is a logical place to ask for help in that area.

73,

Jack Painter
Virginia Beach, Va



Sounds like a business opportunity.
73,
Tom Donaly, KA6RUH