Re: [AMRadio] New Book: The World of Ham Radio, 1901-1950
During the first fifty years of the twentieth century, ham radio went from being an experiment to virtually an art form. Because of the few government restrictions and the low monetary investment required, the concept of ham radio appealed to various people. More than just a simple hobby, however, ham radio required its operators to understand radio theory, be able to trace a schematic and know how to build a transmitter and receiver with whatever material they might have available. A great pity that's no longer true to-day. Thanks to commercial interests and the instant gratification gimme attitude of modern society, mainstream ham radio has declined into a consumer activity, that appeals largely to retirees with disposable income. Ham operators no longer have to really understand any radio theory to pass the token examinations with published question-answer pools. Many of to-day's newcomers with Extra Class tickets can't even figure out how to construct a simple dipole, let alone trace a schematic. (Just check out some of the questions asked in the Q-A forum on QRZ.com or on e-ham.) Building something from scratch using available material is out of the question for the vast majority of to-day's crowd. One of the few exceptions to the above, but by far the most prominent, lies within the AM community, where genuine amateur radio lives on as both a technically oriented hobby and an art form. Don k4kyv __ AMRadio mailing list List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word unsubscribe in the message body.
Re: [AMRadio] New Book: The World of Ham Radio, 1901-1950
On 22nd August, Don wrote... ...One of the few exceptions to the above, but by far the most prominent, lies within the AM community, where genuine amateur radio lives on as both a technically oriented hobby and an art form. ** Well put, Don --- congratulations on crystallizing into print the very thoughts that I'm sure so many others harbour, too... I have often been of the opinion that AM'ers are unique in that, on the one hand, they are perhaps the epitome of appliance operatoring (albeit with appliances that are a half-century-plus in age!), and yet on the other hand, are fearless when it comes to delving into the very bowels of this same hardware in order to effect any all repairs and improvements as may be necessary... I could probably count on the fingers of one hand all of the AM'ers that I know have met who have never built at least an RF amplifier, or a transmatch, for daily useage in their stations. I s'pose it's all in keeping with the harsh reality that whenever a prized vintage rig breaks down, there is just nobody around to fix it anymore (unlike Icom America, there simply is no Boaanchors America --- and even if there was, can't you just imagine the shipping expenses?!). If necessity is, indeed, the mother of invention, then it serves also as inspiration to boldly go where few dare go to-day --- and isn't that really a good thing? I think so. I'm glad others agree... ~73~ Eddy VE3CUI - VE3XZ __ AMRadio mailing list List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word unsubscribe in the message body.
[AMRadio] Perahaps its too easy .....Was New Book: The World of Ham Radio, 1901-1950
Indeed. http://www.lakeerieba.com/caveman.htm --- D. Chester [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: A great pity that's no longer true to-day. Thanks to commercial interests and the instant gratification gimme attitude of modern society, mainstream ham radio has declined into a consumer activity, that appeals largely to retirees with disposable income. Ham operators no longer have to really understand any radio theory to pass the token examinations with published question-answer pools. Many of to-day's newcomers with Extra Class tickets can't even figure out how to construct a simple dipole, let alone trace a schematic. (Just check out some of the questions asked in the Q-A forum on QRZ.com or on e-ham.) Building something from scratch using available material is out of the question for the vast majority of to-day's crowd. Darn small world - even smaller when it comes to things Corvair. Fussy? Opinionated? Impossible to please? Perfect. Join Yahoo!'s user panel and lay it on us. http://surveylink.yahoo.com/gmrs/yahoo_panel_invite.asp?a=7 __ AMRadio mailing list List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word unsubscribe in the message body.
Re: [AMRadio] Perahaps its too easy .....Was New Book: The World of Ham Radio...
A great pity that's no longer true to-day. Thanks to commercial interests and the instant gratification gimme attitude of modern society, mainstream ham radio has declined into a consumer activity, that appeals largely to retirees with disposable income. In the past year or so I noted an editorial in QST all about the emotional glories of buying a brand-new rig, and in nearly every issue of WorldRadio there is some similar orgasmic article on a store-boughten raydeeoh, or comments on how the only realm of ham experimentation is antennas, or the like. I've ... 1. Bought new gear, 2. Bought used gear that needed fixing or restoration, 3. Built kits, and 4. Built complete rigs from scratch. For me, the personal satisfaction increases as you go through that list... Steve WD8DAS ** Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL at http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour __ AMRadio mailing list List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word unsubscribe in the message body.
Re: [AMRadio] New Book: The World of Ham Radio, 1901-1950
I have often been of the opinion that AM'ers are unique in that, on the one hand, they are perhaps the epitome of appliance operatoring (albeit with appliances that are a half-century-plus in age!), I know what you mean, but I do encounter a lot of broadcast or surplus conversions, and homebrewed transmitters, among the AM stations. So that's a good sign... Steve WD8DAS ** Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL at http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour __ AMRadio mailing list List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word unsubscribe in the message body.
[AMRadio] Popular Electronics Info?
I'm trying to track down one or two articles from Popular Electronics. If you have a collection of these magazines that include the years 1963, 64, 67, and 68, please e-mail me off list. Mike Duke, K5XU American Council of Blind Radio Amateurs __ AMRadio mailing list List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word unsubscribe in the message body.
