Barry OGrady wrote in
:

On Thu, 21 Sep 2006 04:29:02 -0700, "dave" cmrbison wrote:

Does anyone still "do" ham? There are cell phones, 15 mile range 2
ways, satellite phones...............

Why would anyone want to take a test to communicate? with Star Trek
convention grade people??

For that matter why would anyone learn how to avoid top posting?

I passed my "ham" test in 1979 and now that the code requirement has
been completely removed for amateur radio I have full access to all
bands, but I never get on the air.



You aren't smart enough to turn a radio on? Bummer.

SC

Exactly...............oops I top posted again.

"Barry OGrady" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 21 Sep 2006 04:29:02 -0700, "dave" cmrbison wrote:

Does anyone still "do" ham? There are cell phones, 15 mile range 2 ways,
satellite phones...............

Why would anyone want to take a test to communicate? with Star Trek
convention grade people??

For that matter why would anyone learn how to avoid top posting?

I passed my "ham" test in 1979 and now that the code requirement has been
completely removed for amateur radio I have full access to all bands, but
I never
get on the air.

"Slow Code" wrote in message
link.net...
Just thought you should know that.


Help save Ham radio and ignore Markie to save
usenet. Thanks


1- No more automatic renewals. Individuals must retest and pass all
elements required for their license class every ten years.


2- The passing score for written exams needs to be raised to 85%.


3- Code elements should be 13 wpm for General, and 20 wpm for Extra.


4- Make the no-code license one year non-renewable.


5- Cancel your ARRL membership until they decide to work to improve
things and stop them from proposing ham radio that is like CB.




Barry
=====
Home page
http://members.iinet.net.au/~barry.og

wrote in message
news On Sat, 22 Jul 2006 13:41:23 -0400, Al Klein wrote:

That's evidently why the number of hams kept decreasing until code was
eliminated, right?

Ham radio is an old hobby, with mostly older people using it. Older people
slow down as they age. Trying to tap out ANY speed code with arthritis or
carpal tunnel syndrome isn't going to work for that majority.
I re-considered renewing my license about 5 years ago. Today I know I can't
tap out 5 wpm. Forcing this outmoded relic of communication on an aging
generation is nonsense.
--
more pix @ http://members.toast.net/cbminfo/index.html

Well now you cant take a propper Morse test even if you wanted to in the UK.
Now the amateur radio licence is free to renew online. If you want to play
with digital communication using very low bandwith how about PSK31? Anyway
I thought this old troll would be best posted in uk.radio.amateur

Andy

I believe 'ham' radio is dying, because there is only so many times you can
give
radio checks and tell others what kind of equipment you have. If I tune to a
ham
repeater on my scanner, I hear the same conversations I heard 10 years ago,
one
guy telling another one what type of radio he has connected to what kinda
antenna.
Every once in a while you'll hear someone announce the monthy meeting, or
some one
telling his wife he's caught in traffic and will be late getting home (
which he could have
done on a cell phone at 1/100th the cost, and not everyone would know he
wasn't home)

Ham radio is dying because its outdated, yes you can 'call across the
counrty' to another
'ham' for mere pennies ( once you buy the expensive equipment, put up a god
awful ugly
antenna, as big as your garage, and pass all the tests to allow you to do
it ) I can do the same
thing using a cell phone with No Test, No Huge antenna, and can call ANYONE
that happens
to have a phone and as a bonus... the whole world can't listen.

As far as being a hobby and 'fun', well maybe, but I hear more people on
ham radio talking
about the time they have in doing antenna swaps and maintance, that I just
can't even
imagine that being 'fun'.

Ham radio is much like the mail service, who actually sends a friend or
family a written letter
anymore ? you may get a birthday or christmas card with a 'note', you'll
get 'bills' and junk mail,
but when is the last time you either got or sent a long letter to a friend
or family? Newer technology
has rendered 'mail' obsolete, you have telephones, e-mail, instant
messangers, and FAX if you really
have to send a piece of paper, like a copy of a document.

Perhaps if they had dropped the 'code' requirements 30 years ago, they
would have picked up a lot
of new users, but as far as I can tell, most of the new HF class users have
just upgraded from their
'tech' status with very few NEW members actually jumping on the band wagon.


"deBaser" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
news On Sat, 22 Jul 2006 13:41:23 -0400, Al Klein wrote:

That's evidently why the number of hams kept decreasing until code was
eliminated, right?

Ham radio is an old hobby, with mostly older people using it. Older people
slow down as they age. Trying to tap out ANY speed code with arthritis or
carpal tunnel syndrome isn't going to work for that majority.
I re-considered renewing my license about 5 years ago. Today I know I
can't
tap out 5 wpm. Forcing this outmoded relic of communication on an aging
generation is nonsense.
--
more pix @ http://members.toast.net/cbminfo/index.html

Well now you cant take a propper Morse test even if you wanted to in the
UK.
Now the amateur radio licence is free to renew online. If you want to
play
with digital communication using very low bandwith how about PSK31?
Anyway
I thought this old troll would be best posted in uk.radio.amateur

Andy

Back in 2001, Seattle had an earthquake (a small biggie- lots of damage) and
guess what, the cell phone system went down (up to 4 to 5 hours) and
landline phone system was trashed since everyone was calling either 911 or
their relatives, or what not.

BUT

Ham radio was alive and well, and we at the Western Washington Medical
Services group were able to maintain contact with the regions hospitals, and
blood banks, as well as other emergency services.

So, yes ham radio is maybe dying, but it is also a true and able way to
comminicate. Also note: when San Francisco had its earthquake, it was again
ham radio that got the word out to the world, since their cell phone systems
went down, and their landline system was in the same shape!
"labtech_one" wrote in message
...
I believe 'ham' radio is dying, because there is only so many times you
can
give
radio checks and tell others what kind of equipment you have. If I tune to
a
ham
repeater on my scanner, I hear the same conversations I heard 10 years
ago,
one
guy telling another one what type of radio he has connected to what kinda
antenna.
Every once in a while you'll hear someone announce the monthy meeting, or
some one
telling his wife he's caught in traffic and will be late getting home (
which he could have
done on a cell phone at 1/100th the cost, and not everyone would know he
wasn't home)

Ham radio is dying because its outdated, yes you can 'call across the
counrty' to another
'ham' for mere pennies ( once you buy the expensive equipment, put up a
god
awful ugly
antenna, as big as your garage, and pass all the tests to allow you to do
it ) I can do the same
thing using a cell phone with No Test, No Huge antenna, and can call
ANYONE
that happens
to have a phone and as a bonus... the whole world can't listen.

As far as being a hobby and 'fun', well maybe, but I hear more people on
ham radio talking
about the time they have in doing antenna swaps and maintance, that I just
can't even
imagine that being 'fun'.

Ham radio is much like the mail service, who actually sends a friend or
family a written letter
anymore ? you may get a birthday or christmas card with a 'note', you'll
get 'bills' and junk mail,
but when is the last time you either got or sent a long letter to a friend
or family? Newer technology
has rendered 'mail' obsolete, you have telephones, e-mail, instant
messangers, and FAX if you really
have to send a piece of paper, like a copy of a document.

Perhaps if they had dropped the 'code' requirements 30 years ago, they
would have picked up a lot
of new users, but as far as I can tell, most of the new HF class users
have
just upgraded from their
'tech' status with very few NEW members actually jumping on the band
wagon.


"deBaser" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
news On Sat, 22 Jul 2006 13:41:23 -0400, Al Klein
wrote:

That's evidently why the number of hams kept decreasing until code was
eliminated, right?

Ham radio is an old hobby, with mostly older people using it. Older
people
slow down as they age. Trying to tap out ANY speed code with arthritis
or
carpal tunnel syndrome isn't going to work for that majority.
I re-considered renewing my license about 5 years ago. Today I know I
can't
tap out 5 wpm. Forcing this outmoded relic of communication on an aging
generation is nonsense.
--
more pix @ http://members.toast.net/cbminfo/index.html

Well now you cant take a propper Morse test even if you wanted to in the
UK.
Now the amateur radio licence is free to renew online. If you want to
play
with digital communication using very low bandwith how about PSK31?
Anyway
I thought this old troll would be best posted in uk.radio.amateur

Andy

"DJ" wrote in message
. ..
Back in 2001, Seattle had an earthquake (a small biggie- lots of damage)
and
guess what, the cell phone system went down (up to 4 to 5 hours) and
landline phone system was trashed since everyone was calling either 911 or
their relatives, or what not.

BUT

Ok this makes me laugh, cell phones were down 4 to 5 hours .....
so WHAT ? and regular land lines were trashed since people were
USING them ( I thought thats what they were for ... to be USED )


Ham radio was alive and well, and we at the Western Washington Medical
Services group were able to maintain contact with the regions hospitals,
and
blood banks, as well as other emergency services.

And WHAT EXACTLY were the emergencies that 'HAM' radio handled for
these hospitals and blood banks ( that the red cross radio services couldn't
have handled) ?


So, yes ham radio is maybe dying, but it is also a true and able way to
comminicate. Also note: when San Francisco had its earthquake, it was
again
ham radio that got the word out to the world, since their cell phone
systems
went down, and their landline system was in the same shape!

OK again laughable ..... 'hams' got the word out 'That San Fransisco
had
an earthquake' ? What CNN, ABC, NBC, etc weren't there ? sending
out live feeds via satellite ? ( Hams probably used slow scan TV to send
out images .... again to other hams ) And where was FEMA and the local
police
and fire ( probably using there radios 'to get the word out' ) And lets
not
forget local radio & TV stations .... I'm sure they sat and waited for the
HAM radio operators to do their work for them.

And WHO exactly did you get the word out to ? Other hams, who were
miles away and couldn't do anything to help anyway ? If the power was out
MOST people tune to an AM or FM radio station on a battery powered radio.
So I'm sure that was a BIG help.

I've heard this crap about 'in case of disaster HAM radio is there', what
exactly
can a HAM do that someone with a CB, cell phone, or smoke signals can't ?
If hams want to be helpful why don't they fill sand bags during a flood ? or
take
boats out looking for people ? No .... they want to sit at home or car and
press
the 'push to talk' button ( which I think the Red Cross, Fema, and numerous
other
agencies already have covered )



"labtech_one" wrote in message
...
I believe 'ham' radio is dying, because there is only so many times you
can
give
radio checks and tell others what kind of equipment you have. If I tune
to
a
ham
repeater on my scanner, I hear the same conversations I heard 10 years
ago,
one
guy telling another one what type of radio he has connected to what
kinda
antenna.
Every once in a while you'll hear someone announce the monthy meeting,
or
some one
telling his wife he's caught in traffic and will be late getting home (
which he could have
done on a cell phone at 1/100th the cost, and not everyone would know he
wasn't home)

Ham radio is dying because its outdated, yes you can 'call across the
counrty' to another
'ham' for mere pennies ( once you buy the expensive equipment, put up a
god
awful ugly
antenna, as big as your garage, and pass all the tests to allow you to
do
it ) I can do the same
thing using a cell phone with No Test, No Huge antenna, and can call
ANYONE
that happens
to have a phone and as a bonus... the whole world can't listen.

As far as being a hobby and 'fun', well maybe, but I hear more people
on
ham radio talking
about the time they have in doing antenna swaps and maintance, that I
just
can't even
imagine that being 'fun'.

Ham radio is much like the mail service, who actually sends a friend or
family a written letter
anymore ? you may get a birthday or christmas card with a 'note',
you'll
get 'bills' and junk mail,
but when is the last time you either got or sent a long letter to a
friend
or family? Newer technology
has rendered 'mail' obsolete, you have telephones, e-mail, instant
messangers, and FAX if you really
have to send a piece of paper, like a copy of a document.

Perhaps if they had dropped the 'code' requirements 30 years ago, they
would have picked up a lot
of new users, but as far as I can tell, most of the new HF class users
have
just upgraded from their
'tech' status with very few NEW members actually jumping on the band
wagon.


"deBaser" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
news On Sat, 22 Jul 2006 13:41:23 -0400, Al Klein
wrote:

That's evidently why the number of hams kept decreasing until code
was
eliminated, right?

Ham radio is an old hobby, with mostly older people using it. Older
people
slow down as they age. Trying to tap out ANY speed code with arthritis
or
carpal tunnel syndrome isn't going to work for that majority.
I re-considered renewing my license about 5 years ago. Today I know I
can't
tap out 5 wpm. Forcing this outmoded relic of communication on an
aging
generation is nonsense.
--
more pix @ http://members.toast.net/cbminfo/index.html

Well now you cant take a propper Morse test even if you wanted to in
the
UK.
Now the amateur radio licence is free to renew online. If you want to
play
with digital communication using very low bandwith how about PSK31?
Anyway
I thought this old troll would be best posted in uk.radio.amateur

Andy

"labtech_one" wrote in message
...

I've heard this crap about 'in case of disaster HAM radio is there', what
exactly
can a HAM do that someone with a CB, cell phone, or smoke signals can't ?

A few years ago there was a hurricane that disrupted the area around
Louisiana and Mississippi called Katrina. Amateur radio did a pretty good
job of helping out the

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9228945/

http://www.computerworld.com/securit...104418,00.html

http://radio.about.com/od/amateursho.../aa090405a.htm

http://technocrat.net/d/2006/2/28/985

I'm sure you could have handled it better with your CB radio and cell phone
that had no service.

"brad" wrote in message
. ..


SNIP

I'm sure you could have handled it better with your CB radio and cell
phone
that had no service.

Quoted from one of your articles:

"On Monday, Aug. 29, a call for help involving a combination of cell
telephone calls and amateur radio led
to the rescue of 15 people stranded by floodwaters on the roof of a house in
New Orleans.
Unable to get through an overloaded 911 system, one of those stranded called
a relative in Baton Rouge.
That person called another relative, who called the local American Red
Cross."


Sounds like they had 'CELL SERVICE' to me ......

"labtech_one" wrote in message
...

Quoted from one of your articles:

SNIP

Sounds like they had 'CELL SERVICE' to me ......

Sounds like you were lucky to have it if you had any at all:
http://www.interesting-people.org/ar.../msg00008.html

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m...0/ai_n15654915 -
References the cell service being only restored to 50% after 5 days.

http://www.washingtontechnology.com/...1/27380-1.html

I'm sure you cell will do fine for you. They worked great in seattle during
the earthquake we had- as long as you did not need to communicate with
anyone.

"brad" wrote in message
. ..

I'm sure you cell will do fine for you. They worked great in seattle
during
the earthquake we had- as long as you did not need to communicate with
anyone.

yeah, I've already 'heard' about that one, they were down for 4 or 5 hours,
hardly a big deal. Usually when they are going to be out longer than that,
they bring in portable cell sites ( generator powered ), and can cover the
majority of the effected area.

Don't think it really hurt anyone to wait for the few hours to call
relatives,
and tell them they were OK.

And from what I understand, the Red Cross and some other agencies had
'hams' operating their ( the agencies ) radio equipment since they were
short
handed, and assumed that the hams already knew how to operate a radio.
( which is a really HARD job, considering, you just push a button and talk,
then release the button and listen ) Its not like the old days when HAMS
really knew how to build, work on, and actually OPERATE a radio
( which years ago was actually some what complicated ). As it is now,
90+% of hams BUY a radio, take it out of the box, and if it needs service,
they take it to the service tech.

Amature radio contributed alot, in years past, many new radio designs were
credited to ham's, when there was JUST land lines ( and they were poor ),
if they went down, hams could call to the next city, county, or state.

But like I posted earlier, its like the mail service ..... its outdated.