Ethan J. A. SchoonoverAug 22, 2023
My son and I made a quick run to the Puget Sound seaside to take advantage of the 20 meter band this morning. Sitting here in Seattle we made a contact in the Czech Republic using less power than you'd use to light a lightbulb. #hamradio #amateurradio #ft8
Show threadEthan J. A. SchoonoverAug 22, 2023

One of the great things about doing ham radio in a park like this is the endless stream of kids that come up to ask you what you are doing.

"ARE YOU MAKING A TIKTOK?"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN NO INTERNET"

"HOW IS THIS TALKING TO JAPAN"

Invariably the parents are as interested, but it's always the kids that are uninhibited enough to ask.

#hamradio #amateurradio #ft8

Show threadCavyherdAug 23, 2023

@ethanschoonover

Is one still required to learn Morse to get a ham license?

Show threadAlexander KnochelAug 23, 2023
@cavyherd @ethanschoonover no, it was removed 16 years ago
Show threadCavyherd

@quantensalat @ethanschoonover

Oh, boo!

(I contend that knowing Morse constitutes a basic survival skill, since it is simple and entirely medium agnostic.)

(I do not, personally, know Morse. On my list of Things To Learn Someday Real Soon Now When I Have Time.)

Aug 23, 2023 at 7:28pmWeb
Show threadAlexander KnochelAug 23, 2023
@cavyherd @ethanschoonover I am glad I could get my license without a morse test, but it is now the first thing I'm up to after getting on the air. I agree, it is a basic survival skill, but more importantly, I find the beautiful simplicity of cw communication irresistible. The fact that I could build something that works the world with the random spare parts I have in my bottom drawer is just cool.
Show threadCavyherdAug 23, 2023

@quantensalat @ethanschoonover

Not unrelated: are building crystal radios still a thing? That seems like that would be a good stone-knives-&-bearskins skill to have, too.

Show threadAlexander KnochelAug 23, 2023
@cavyherd @ethanschoonover In principle, yes. It was popular for medium and longwave over here as an educational thing, but there are fewer and fewer strong local AM stations. This is why I decided to build transmitters as student projects now, sadly a much more involved task that requires more knowledge.
Show threadAlexander KnochelAug 23, 2023
@cavyherd @ethanschoonover p.s. have you seen my post on using an actual pyrite crystal as a rectifier? I'd like to try radio reception with that one day.
Show threadCavyherdAug 23, 2023

@quantensalat @ethanschoonover

‼️ ⁉️

No, I have not! This ventures into actual literal "stone knives" territory, & would be Very Cool.

Show threadAlexander KnochelAug 23, 2023

@cavyherd @ethanschoonover

Here:

https://astrodon.social/@quantensalat/109927753589919536

Alexander Knochel (@[email protected])

Attached: 1 image Things to do with a block of pyrite you bought at the museum shop #physics #electronics

Astrodon - The Astro Community
Show threadCavyherdAug 23, 2023

@quantensalat @ethanschoonover

Cool!!

Show threadPaul PalinkasAug 24, 2023
@cavyherd @quantensalat @ethanschoonover What does "basic survival skills" have to do with ham radio? There's enough gatekeeping by those who are licensed.
Show threadCavyherdAug 24, 2023

@K7PJP @quantensalat @ethanschoonover

Isn't ham radio a standard fall-back communication channel when the more elaborate/highly technical communications infrastructures (telephone, television, internet) go down? (In disaster stories, at least?)

As to gatekeeping, I can certainly see where that could be the case. I've only encountered ham in third-hand, annecdotal form, so I'm not familiar with the culture.

Show threadPaul PalinkasAug 24, 2023
@cavyherd @quantensalat @ethanschoonover Encomm tends towards digital modes and voice far more than CW nowadays.
Emcomm is one potential aspect of a wide-ranging hobby, not the sole reason for it, and not why everyone gets involved. There’s also tinkering, learning about electronics & propagation, contesting, and just the joy of communicating. Why keep people out because of a skill no longer used *anywhere else?* There's no longer a government agency or company that uses CW.
Show threadCavyherdAug 24, 2023

@K7PJP

::sigh:: My initial point was "Morse is cool, and I'm sad it's not being taught anymore."

Not engaging with this any further, because I'm not in a mood to be scolded by someone I wasn't even talking to about a topic entirely tangential to my original question.

Show threadPaul PalinkasAug 24, 2023

@cavyherd Plenty of hams are learning it, voluntarily and after they get licensed! I'd like to myself one of these days. I hope you consider getting licensed and we can make a contact someday!

https://longislandcwclub.org/morse-code-training/

Morse Code training via internet video conference classes

The Long Island CW Club promotes Morse Code trraining via internet video conference classes and has a variety of 'brick and mortar' CW related actitivies.

Long Island CW Club
Show threadCavyherdAug 24, 2023

@K7PJP

I would love to get licensed someday. But that ambition is going to have to get in line behind thirty-eleven other ambitions ::sigh::