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Furry Radio
http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/04/09/fcc.cell.phone.alert/index.html
I have been through a few natural disasters here and this idea should be
as useless as boobies on a boar when the chips are down. Why?
The 2 major communications systems that collapse are #1 Cable (data/television) and #2 the cell phone network.
Last to go was the "old fashioned analog over wire" telephone system.
So sending everyone messages with a system that has caved in...ain't gonna fly.
Amazing stupidity....
=^.^=
I got a radio scanner from Radio Shack, and it's brand new, and I have no idea how to operate it. While it's nice to get crisp reception on the police and weather bands, it's unforgiving on other channels. As much as I try to tune into a weak signal, it won't let me. It keeps tuning the frequency up until I listen to something with a stronger signal.
I have an ancient analog scanner with a dial, and it lets me tune into every frequency, no matter how bad, but the feedback is bad when I have my computer on.
Is there any way I can make my brand new computerized Radio Shack scanner do what I want it to do? I don't really understand how the buttons work or anything.
...and connect it to your computer. Click on photo to get to a web article with complete instructions and plans.
I want one. ;p
I was initially licensed in 1996, when I got my ticket, I was given a couple of radio's, a 2m HT, and a 2m Mobile, which I used at home, and no matter when I turned on my radio, it always seemed like it was the same 4 or 5 guys talking on the band, all of them talking about the same things, didn’t matter which repeater I was on, it all sounded the same, and no matter then I announced that I was monitoring like I was supposed to, I got.. *beep*, well after a while I went inactive.
Fast forward seven years:
I was given a FT-50R, and I got on a large linked repeater system, and wow, I was impressed, new people talking, if I called out, that I was monitoring, someone would call me, and a QSO would happen!.. I was like wow, this is what the hobby is supposed to be, and then I moved to the Bay Area (SF) and fell inactive again.
Fast forward a year or two:
In this time I became an OTR truck driver for a year and a half, I had my HT with me, but I the couple times I turned it on, I got the same as I did the first experience, same 4 or 5 old men, talking about their sciatica. or other health malady, just in a different regional accent depending on where I was. 
Fast forward to now...
I live in Seattle now, and I'm trying to find a couple of active repeater networks, without much luck, I have two boxes I have found that cover my house strongly, I added them to my radio, and every night when I get home, I announce them I'm mentoring, and all I get is dead air, I think I may be the only one who ever seems to use these machines.
My Opinion is Simple..
Use it or Loose it.. we have so many little private repeaters in each area, that sit idle for all but maybe 2-3 hours per month, I think that to hold a repeater pair, you need to show a consistent pattern of use.
Loose the Negativity.. we also need to bury the code/no-code arguments, bury the animosity to CBers,
Find a Voice for all Hams.. Lets force the ARRL to be more open, or start another national club to replace them (I have an axe to grind with the ARRL, about their lack support for those who did not wish to learn the code, and the disconnect of their understanding of what the hobby means to us who live above 50mhz).
In Closing
Ham Radio is a big tent, and there is more then enough room, and variety for everyone, however, because of this, very few of us can even begin to grasp the scope of variety in the hobby, and I think that is part of the problem.. the hobby is so diverse, its very hard to sell it to anyone or let anyone know WHY being a ham is fun.. once we can do that, it all becomes easy.
Slashdot article, about the GPLv3 licensing, of a computer optimized version of a UHF TV antenna from the 50s!
On your marks... Get set... TINKER!
I wonder, have any of us given serious thought to starting a Internet linked Furry Repeater Network?
Now, who's around to talk to and when??
*hugs*
Swift Fox, KS3IFT
I think I finally have Echolink working. It was a major battle with my network getting those UDP packets routed correctly. Next step, manage to get Qtel installed on my primary Linux system so I don't have to run Windoze in order to have access.
But it occurs to me that Echolink might be a good way to have an actual voice "net" gathering for ![[info]](http://stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif){kind=small}
furryhams and radiofurs members. I don't know all the ins and outs yet, but if large groups like QRP-ARCI can do it, surely the dozen or two of us who would be interested could arrange it somehow. Anyone have ideas on this?
Holy Cow!
I just discovered I now qualify for membership in the Quarter Century Wireless Association X_X
I don't know what to think.... I don't feel old.... I don't want to be old.... I'm still a young foxie, arent I?
Granted, I was first licensed when I was just in High school... but wow! where has the time gone? meeep!
Here's a story I've just posted that some of you might enjoy.
Rusty thought it would be a cinch playing the quarry in an amateur radio fox hunt, since he was a fox anyway. Unfortunately, conditions and a misplaced paw put him at real risk unless his radio pals can find him in time. Mild misadventure, with geekery and a bit of romance thrown in.
Or, if you prefer
Comments and criticism welcome as usual.