eHam.net News for Wednesday 22 March 2017
 

eHam.net News

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2017 FAR Scholarship Information:

Posted: 22 Mar 2017 04:39 AM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/38864


2017 FAR Scholarship Information:


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Noticing Ham Radio Antennas Years Ago:

Posted: 21 Mar 2017 05:12 PM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/38860


A recent drive on Lorain Road in Fairview Park managed to spark a feeling
of nostalgia in me (not terribly difficult to do). Traveling westbound on
Lorain Road from Cleveland I happened to recall a very large amateur radio
antenna, now long-gone, had once proudly presided over the northwest corner
of Lorain Road and one of its intersecting side streets, near Fairview
Park's eastern limit. On my recent drive I didn't recall the exact side
street. Clearly recalled from a significant amount of time ago was the
fact the amateur radio call sign of the antenna's owner was prominently
displayed on its support structure. Using the same sort of research
techniques I've employed in writing previous Westlake / Bay Village
Observer submissions, I found just where the antenna once stood and that
the amateur radio operator who owned it was once a very well known ham and
long serving Fairview Park Fire Chief, of which I had no idea. Establishing
relevance to this publication, having grown up in the city, I came to
notice several impressive amateur radio antenna installations in the
western part of Bay Village as I ventured on numerous bicycle rides through
the area as a youngster. And yes, I likely was much more aware of antenna
installations, amateur radio and otherwise, than most kids my age. With
worldwide communication now inexpensive to cost-free and easily available
to those with Internet access, one might tend to think the amateur radio
option listed above is now obsolete and unnecessary. To the contrary, it's
arguable that amateur radio is as relevant and useful as ever.


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Two-Way Radio Users Worried California's Cellphone Ban Is Too Broad:

Posted: 21 Mar 2017 05:12 PM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/38859


SACRAMENTO (CBS13) -- Back in January, it became illegal to hold your cell
phone while driving. But now some drivers say the law unfairly targets
radio users as well and they want that to change. "I'm driving down the
road and talking on this radio," said Norm Lucas, holding his high
frequency radio microphone. "Doing that simple act while driving is a $20
ticket." For Lucas, ham radio is more than a hobby. It's been his lifestyle
since he was 12. "It's enjoyable," Lucas said. "Somebody could come back to
you from 40 miles away or 4,000 miles away." But Lucas says his favorite
pastime is now in danger. He's referring to a law written by Assemblyman
Bill Quirk in an effort to cut down on distracted driving. It's the same
law that makes it illegal to use your cellphone behind the wheel. AB 1785
defines an "electronic wireless communications device" as "\&a broadband
personal communication device, a specialized mobile radio device, a
handheld device or laptop computer with mobile data access, a pager, or a
two-way messaging device." Lucas told CBS13 several police agencies as well
as CHP have told him that the law includes the two-way radios he uses every
day. So he and a friend created a petition on Change.org calling the
definition of a wireless device "ambiguous" and urging Quirk to clarify the
law's intent.


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'Useless' Amateur Radio? No Such Thing:

Posted: 21 Mar 2017 05:11 PM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/38858


I'm skipping the "Why we prep" section this week. There were so many
responses to last week's column on amateur radio that I needed all
available column space to reply. For example, when I warned that a
federally licensed amateur radio operator was fairly easily identified, a
poster decided to help prove my point: "Pat's either using a pseudonym for
his writing, or he is unlicensed. One of the two. (I checked the FCC
database. \&)." Another commenter took me to task about my contention that
crooks could use the FCC license database to plan robberies: "I have never
once heard of someone getting their equipment stolen because they were
talking on the radio about a vacation. It never ever happens. Do you really
think some random thief will spend thousands of dollars on equipment and
countless hours learning to use it well, just to try and rip off people who
live hundreds of miles away?" Couple of things here. I can listen to
two-meter conversations using SDR (Software Defined Radio) on my computer
within a roughly 50-mile radius of where I live for about $25. I've heard
lots of my neighbors talking to each other about their vacation plans and
the brand-new radio gear they just got. I'm not the only person out there
who has expressed a concern about theft. Matt Thomas, managing editor of
AmateurRadio.com, would seem to disagree with you as well: "Most of us have
a pretty big collection of expensive radio toys. We also have the FCC call
sign database pointing every criminal to the exact street address where
they can find our expensive toys."


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Ham Talk Live #57 NCJ and N9RV Array:

Posted: 21 Mar 2017 05:13 PM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/38857


This week on the next episode of Ham Talk
Live!, Pat Barkey, N9RV is our guest. Pat is
the editor of the National Contest Journal
(NCJ), and has a unique antenna array for
contesting in Montana. Tune in by going to
hamtalklive.com Thursday night at 9 PM
Eastern time.