Surfin': Are You in the Blog Now?

In this week’s Surfin’, take a look at the current state of the art of Amateur Radio blogging. After you read that, come back here to post your comments, if any.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites related to Amateur Radio, specifically, and radio, in general. If you have any suggestions for Surfin’, please contact WA1LOU using the e-mail link to the right.

bear sighted

I saw a bear on my way to work this morning. He was doing whatever bears do on the lawn of a MacMansion off County Road in Marion. This area borders the forest that extends along the Southington, Compounce, and South Mountain ridge where bears have been sighted before.
I live near the top of Compounce Mountain and I have seen signs of bear visits in the past, but this is the first time I have seen a real life bear in Connecticut.

government lies

I heard on the news that a study released today indicates that gas consumption is down significantly from one year ago. However, Bush's bullsitters say that this is not going to affect gas prices because demand is up. So, according to the US Ministry of Propaganda, although demand is down, demand is up.

If you believe that, I have a bridge for sale in Brooklyn that you might be interested in purchasing.

$4.16 per gallon

I paid $4.16 per gallon for gasoline this morning. There was no attendant to pump the gas, clean the windows, check the oil, check the tire air pressure, or take my money to the register.

Isn't it wonderful living in the the 8th Year of the Bush Trickle-Down Prosperity!

Surfin': You Too on YouTube and Star Wars

In this week’s Surfin’, visit a Web site that provides a tool for finding a location for your next hilltop radio operation. After you read it, come back here to post your comments, if any.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites related to Amateur Radio, specifically, and radio, in general. If you have any suggestions for Surfin’, please contact WA1LOU using the e-mail link to the right.

we have met the enemy and the enemy is us

This morning, Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, (the "father of APRS") posted these wise words on the APRSSIG:

At the ARRL Technical Challenge Forum at Dayton, the ARRL
technology leaders were lamenting that HAM radio needs something
for youth to get excited about. Something like: "Look at how
kids have taken text-messaging as the be-all-end-all excitement
of communications! We need something like that in ham radio!
Why aren't we developing things like this?"

To which I jumped up from the audience and could not contain
myself and exclaimed! "We have! We have had local/global text
messaging and text email from a handheld since 1998 in APRS! It
is exactly what kids are doing today, but we have been doing it
for 10 years! But you know what? All the old fuds in ham radio
say 'How crude.  We need a keyboard.  No one is ever going to
communicate by punching buttons on the front of an HT'!" SO
still, only 1% of ham radio is even aware of this routine global
connectivity from a handheld that we have had for 10 years.

As pogo said, "we have met the enemy and the enemy is us."
Everyone keeps waiting for the "perfect dream" solution and then
they dream of all the things they could do. But you know what?
The perfect dream solution is always in the future. The few
instances in ham radio that really excell in actual needed
practical communications are those that ALWAYS take what they
have and just do the MOST with it, NOW!

Surfin': Locating a Radio Destination

In this week’s Surfin’, visit a Web site that provides a tool for finding a location for your next hilltop radio operation. After you read it, come back here to post your comments, if any.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites related to Amateur Radio, specifically, and radio, in general. If you have any suggestions for Surfin’, please contact WA1LOU using the e-mail link to the right.

gas pump blues

I paid $3.99 per gallon for regular gasoline today!

Surfin': Destination: Dayton

In this week’s Surfin’, I pine for the Dayton Hamvention. After you read it, come back here to post your comments, if any.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites related to Amateur Radio, specifically, and radio, in general. If you have any suggestions for Surfin’, please contact WA1LOU using the e-mail link to the right.

Surfin': Google Earth's Ionosphere

This week’s Surfin’ explores the Earth's ionosphere via Google Earth. After you read it, come back here to post your comments, if any.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites related to Amateur Radio, specifically, and radio, in general. If you have any suggestions for Surfin’, please contact WA1LOU using the e-mail link to the right.

new Holy Land pictures

I just obtained a new Holy Land postcard containing four views. Three of the four are new and are now on display on my Holy Land, Batman! Web page.

By the way, I am always on the lookout for new Holy Land (of Waterbury) postcards to add to my collection, so if you are aware of any that I can obtain, please let me know.