Re: [amsat-bb] This is not P3D information

[k6yk@xxxxxxxx]

On Wed, 11 Oct 2000 23:49:50 +0000 Dan Schultz <n8fgv@AMSAT.Org> writes:
>
(A lot of snipping)

> conversation goes: "But sweetheart, we can't buy this house, they 
> don't  allow antennas here...." 

I'd never buy a house where I can't put up antennas.  If you're  a
serious ham
you need antennas.


> Why shouldn't a lowly  college  student be able to operate from his
dorm 
>room, if we can make it  possible for him to do so?

Why do "WE" have to make it possible?   When I was a college student I
made 
it possible for  me to do what I had to do to get on the air. Nobody did
it for
me, and as you say below, you'd figure out a way to do it if it was
important to you.
>> 
> 
> >So let's drop this whine of "I can't operate this mode because... " 
> bit  and figure out a way to do it if it really is important.
> 
  AMEN !


>> also the cost. Not only do you have to buy the "IF rig" but all the
> transverters as well. Microwaves are much more costly.
> 
> Today they are, because they have not been accepted by the 
> mainstream of  users. 

Today it's Microwave,  when I started in ham radio there was no
commercial
made gear for  432 MHz. There were a few 6 and 2 meter rigs available,
but
above 2 meters it was  "roll your own".  I recall mentioning once at the
radio 
club about 40 years ago, "I'd like to try 6 or 2 meters".  The response
was
generally, "Why? There's nothing on there that you can't work on HF".

I can understand the resistance to change from something you already have
to 
a new microwave or digital system to work ....  what?  The same stations
you
can work on mode A, mode B, mode J ?   Or just to see if it will work or
not.

At this point I can't equate paying say, $1500 for microwave equipment
with 
paying the same for an FT-847.  I bit the bullet and got an FT-847, and
mainly got
that particular rig because it is a pretty decent H.F. rig, it has 6
meters  as well
as 2 meters and 432.  I can get a lot of use out of it.  I don't know
about the 
microwave/digital gear.  This FT-847 can be your  AM radio, FM radio, 
SWL
receiver, scanner,  H.F. rig,  FM rig, terrestrial VHF/UHF, satellite
VHF/UHF rig.
If necessary I could unload all the other radios I have except the 220
MHz 
ones and still not lose any capability on any band.    It's a lot of
money but 
consider this: compare how much you make today with $1500.00.    
Compare what you made or would have been making in 1956  (maybe $500
a month) and had to get yourself  one of the rigs of the day (H.F. only,
AM and CW only)  
about  $350-$500 for a receiver and about the same for a transmitter. 
This is not a joke, I'm looking at  ads  in  QST of  January, 1956.

Enough of this.  Something to think about.

73,
John, K6YK

________________________________________________________________
YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET!
Juno now offers FREE Internet Access!
Try it today - there's no risk!  For your FREE software, visit:
http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.
----
Via the amsat-bb mailing list at AMSAT.ORG courtesy of AMSAT-NA.
To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe amsat-bb" to Majordomo@amsat.org