"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