What I'm thinking about
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Save Internet Radio!
The Copyright Royalty Board has released new rates for Internet webcasters. These royalty fees have not only increased astronomically but are retroactive to 2006. If these rates are enacted, most small internet radio stations will be forced to shut down. These rates only help to serve the large music recording industry and broadcast radio which pays royalties at a different scale. The change in rates won't help the artists. In fact it will probably hurt the recording artist as their work will no longer be played on alternate distribution channels.
You can help by contacting your representatives and lettin them know that the new royalty rates are a bad idea. Follow this link to send a free email to your congressperson. But hurry, time is of the essence.
10:16 AM
Monday, March 05, 2007
Wisconsin QSO Party
Warm up your radios and get ready to hit the airwaves, the Wisconsin QSO Party is coming up this weekend. On Sunday March 11, from 1:00 - 8:00pm Central DAYLIGHT time (1800z to 0100z March 12) stations in Wisconsin will be soliciting contacts from all over the world. I invite you to come and take part in what is one of the friendliest QSO parties in the nation. I'll be on the air mostly on 40 and 75 meters phone, but may slip up to 20 meters if the bands are open.
The Wisconsin QSO Party is sponsored by the West Allis Radio Amateur Group. Rules and forms can be found on their site.
10:59 AM
Friday, February 09, 2007
New Website celebrating Wisconsin lifestyle and culture
Check out my new site, www.backroadwisconsin. On it we highlight the best in travel, lifestyle, and culture found in the Badger State. If you are from Wisconsin or looking to vacation in the state, I recommend that you check it out.
4:33 PM
Friday, January 26, 2007
Amateur Radio Morse Code Testing to end February 23, 2007
The FCC Report and Order has been published in the Federal Register and the new rules eliminating morse code testing for all amateur radio license classes will start on February 23.
"This change eliminates an unnecessary regulatory burden that may discourage current Amateur Radio operators from advancing their skills and participating more fully in the benefits of Amateur Radio," the FCC remarked in the Morse code R&O.
More details on the Report and Order can be found on the ARRL website.
3:50 PM
Amateur Radio Morse Code Testing to end February 23, 2007
The FCC Report and Order has been published in the Federal Register and the new rules eliminating morse code testing for all amateur radio license classes will start on February 23.
"This change eliminates an unnecessary regulatory burden that may discourage current Amateur Radio operators from advancing their skills and participating more fully in the benefits of Amateur Radio," the FCC remarked in the Morse code R&O.
More details on the Report and Order can be found on the ARRL website.
3:50 PM
Thursday, December 21, 2006
FCC Eliminates Morse Code Requirement
Report and Order will eliminate Morse Code testing for all Amateurs
In a surprise move, the FCC has issued a Report and Order that eliminates the morse code testing requirement for all US amateur radio operators. When the report and order becomes effective, Technician level amateurs will automatically have the HF privileges identical to the Technician with Code amateurs. This includes a voice segment on 10 meters and code segments on 10, 15, 40 and 80 meters. Technicians upgrading to General will no longer need to take the Element 1 Morse Code exam to receive full HF voice privileges.
Many had expected the FCC to issue this change, but the sudden timing caught many off guard. The previous Report and Order restructuring the amateur radio service that became effective December 15, 2006 made no mention of morse code testing elimination. Drastic changes to the service were not expected by the amateur radio community.
At the 2003 International Wireless Telecommunication Conference, member nations had voted to eliminate the morse code testing as an international requirement for HF band access. But they left it up to the individual nations to enact the reform. Since the conference, many countries such at Great Britain and Australia had dropped their morse code requirement, but the United States waited to make any change.
Currently only a Report and Order has been issued. The change will actually become effective 30 days after the notice is printed in the Federal Register. Expect this to happen in the next 60 days. Until that date, morse code testing is still required for HF band access. The Report and Order does not change the standing of General and Extra Class amateurs. But it will give Technicians access to HF spectrum and allow advancement to the General and Extra license classes without the need of the Element 1 exam.
It should be noted that this Report and Order does not eliminate Morse Code as a mode. Morse Code is alive and vibrant on the amateur bands. It will continue to be used and will serve as a valuable communication tool when other modes don't get through. The Report and Order only eliminates Morse Code as a testing requirement. Essentially this puts Morse Code on an equal footing as our other digital modes like PSK or RTTY. Its another valuable tool in our arsenal. But now Morse code can be learned and mastered for the benefit of personal enrichment, not as an onerous gateway to spectrum.
I highly recommend you check out the links on the ARRL home page that outline the Report and Order and answer some Frequently Asked Questions of what this change means to you.
10:39 AM
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Bicycle Videos
The days are about as short as they're going to get and the bike has moved indoors for the season. This is the time of year when the bike is either strapped to the trainer or the workstand. Since we can't always stare at the wall while pedalling endlessly, I've found some videos on youtube to guide you through simple bicycle maintenance items. Thanks to Carleton Reid of Bikebiz.com magazine for posting these.
Another great bicycle maintenance site is by the Park Tool Company.
11:27 AM
Friday, October 20, 2006
Kuehl Family Reunion
I put a page together for the Kuehl Family Reunion photos. Click here to go to it.
4:57 PM
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