January 2007 - arrl-odv - reflector.arrl.org

Daily DX Leadoff Article for 2 JAN
by Bob Vallio 02 Jan '07

02 Jan '07

Is Bernie McClenny on the League payroll for his QST columns? If he is an employee, perhaps this should be of concern to all of us. Bob -- W6RGG On 1/1/07, dick(a)pobox.com <dick(a)pobox.com> wrote: > > 1 JAN 2007 - 2220 CST > > I have no idea how many of you subscribe to Bernie McClenny's Daily DX > email newsletter. Below is the leadoff for tomorrow's issue. Some people > might say that Bernie is stirring the pot a bit about Wayne Mill's > resignation. We will all probably receive emails from concerned members. > > Just what we need - another round of messages from people who will, in > most > part, have needlessly dire concerns about the ARRL programs and > services he mentions below. > > - Dick, W9GIG > > ========================================================================== > > ======================== > *** The Daily DX (c) *** > ======================== > Volume 11 Number 002 > January 2, 2007 > Editor/Publisher Bernie McClenny, W3UR > ______________________________________________________________________ > > DX News > ______________________________________________________________________ > > Ah it's great to be back at the keyboard. Hope each of you had a good > holiday. I wish each of you a Happy New Year and may you work lots of > good DX in 2007! > > The beginning of a new year is an exciting time for DXers and > Contesters. N4AA, Carl Smith, will soon have the results of "The DX > Magazine's" 2006 Most Wanted list. Many contest and DX clubs change > over to new officers. Many DXpeditioners and Contest ops are working > on their plans for their next trip! Yesterday's issue was proof that > even in the bottom of the sunspot cycle Amateur Radio DXpeditioners > are still on the go. 2007 will no doubt be another exciting year for > DXers. In today's issue W1JR, Joe Reisert, has written his annual > year in review article (see next section, below). Also assisting in > the data collection were DF3CB, K4SAV, N4PJ, N9NS and W2IRT, all of > whom worked 250 or more countries during the 2006 calendar year. > Congrats to each! > > I know many of you are curious about the announcement from N7NG, Wayne > Mills, over his resignation at the ARRL. I'm kind of bias on this one > as I consider Wayne a good friend. Moving that aside for the moment > anyone who is an ARRL member or DXCC member should be very concerned > with who will step in as the Membership Services Manager! I urge all > concerned to voice their thoughts and opinions so that the new person > is pro-contesting, pro-DXing and pro-LOTW. We as DXers and contesters > need someone who has the same desires and passions to correctly > represent us and to give us the needed support for our part of the > hobby. I recommend each of you contact your: > Section Manager (http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/org/smlist.html) > Division Director (http://www.arrl.org/divisions/) > Contest Advisory Committee member > (http://www.arrl.org/contests/cac.html) > DXCC Advisory Committee member > (http://www.arrl.org/awards/dxcc/advisory.html) This is your ARRL > and you need to let them know what you want! > > Now off my soapbox and on to the DX news. > > <SNIP> > > >

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Something's up and I don't know what (fwd)
by Brian Mileshosky 02 Jan '07

02 Jan '07

All -- An email from a friend in my Division (and section) about Wayne Mills, and my response. FYI... 73, Brian, N5ZGT ARRL Vice-Director, Rocky Mountain Division ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2007 20:57:16 -0700 (MST) From: Brian Mileshosky <n5zgt(a)swcp.com> To: Earl Needham <needhame1(a)plateautel.net> Cc: ws7w(a)arrl.org, n5zgt(a)arrl.org, km5ft(a)arrl.org Subject: Re: Something's up and I don't know what Earl -- I'm not speaking for Rev WS7W, but am replying just cause I'm at the computer now. Programs such as LOTW do not rise or fall because of ARRL staff. The ARRL board determines the policies of the League, which are then carried out by the Headquarters staff. There is no talk of relieving the LOTW program amongst the Board. It is the board -- 15 directors across the country elected by the membership -- that would make such a decison, not a single staff member who is employed at HQ. 73, and thanks for your continued involvement in our wonderful hobby and service! Brian, N5ZGT ARRL Vice-Director, Rocky Mountain Division On Mon, 1 Jan 2007, Earl Needham wrote: > > Hey guys, I want to drop a quick note here -- I've seen some > BIG rumblings and grumblings on one of the DX mailing lists, to the > effect of N7NG resigning and thus causing the Logbook of the World > and the DXCC programs to be in jeopardy. I want to go on record > saying that I LIKE both programs and I sincerely hope nothing is > going on to cause them to be in danger of going away. > > One of the problems here is that we (the general ham > population) are not given enough information to form an opinion on > either side of an issue, but from the sound of it, there are some > personal problems between people in Newington and those problems are > about to start affecting us all. Let's try to keep that from happening. > > OK, that's the bad part of this email. > > Now for the GOOD part -- at least, I think it's good! > > I just sent in the paperwork to become a VE. I felt I was > treated badly by a VE team some 20 years ago, so I had decided to > never have anything to do with the VE program. Having upgraded last > June, I still felt that way. Recently, I saw several emails from > people that are so unhappy with the discontinuance of the CW testing > requirement that they are going to turn in their VE > accreditation. I'm thinking that will hurt ham radio more than > anything else ever could, so I have made the application. Let's hope > others do the same. (Aside to Brian -- WWW is part of my decision! <G>) > > Now, let's not get too hasty, but if things work out with > the VE program and myself, perhaps I can start taking some role in > the Field Organization at some point in the future. We'll have to > see what my truck driving schedule does with that one. > > Happy New Year to all! > 7 3 > Earl > > KD5XB > Clovis, New Mexico DM84jk > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cw_bugs > "Just say NO to DHL"

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[arrl-odv:15036] Daily DX Leadoff Article for 2 JAN
by dick＠pobox.com 02 Jan '07

02 Jan '07

1 JAN 2007 - 2220 CST I have no idea how many of you subscribe to Bernie McClenny's Daily DX email newsletter. Below is the leadoff for tomorrow's issue. Some people might say that Bernie is stirring the pot a bit about Wayne Mill's resignation. We will all probably receive emails from concerned members. Just what we need - another round of messages from people who will, in most part, have needlessly dire concerns about the ARRL programs and services he mentions below. - Dick, W9GIG ========================================================================== ======================== *** The Daily DX (c) *** ======================== Volume 11 Number 002 January 2, 2007 Editor/Publisher Bernie McClenny, W3UR ______________________________________________________________________ DX News ______________________________________________________________________ Ah it's great to be back at the keyboard. Hope each of you had a good holiday. I wish each of you a Happy New Year and may you work lots of good DX in 2007! The beginning of a new year is an exciting time for DXers and Contesters. N4AA, Carl Smith, will soon have the results of "The DX Magazine's" 2006 Most Wanted list. Many contest and DX clubs change over to new officers. Many DXpeditioners and Contest ops are working on their plans for their next trip! Yesterday's issue was proof that even in the bottom of the sunspot cycle Amateur Radio DXpeditioners are still on the go. 2007 will no doubt be another exciting year for DXers. In today's issue W1JR, Joe Reisert, has written his annual year in review article (see next section, below). Also assisting in the data collection were DF3CB, K4SAV, N4PJ, N9NS and W2IRT, all of whom worked 250 or more countries during the 2006 calendar year. Congrats to each! I know many of you are curious about the announcement from N7NG, Wayne Mills, over his resignation at the ARRL. I'm kind of bias on this one as I consider Wayne a good friend. Moving that aside for the moment anyone who is an ARRL member or DXCC member should be very concerned with who will step in as the Membership Services Manager! I urge all concerned to voice their thoughts and opinions so that the new person is pro-contesting, pro-DXing and pro-LOTW. We as DXers and contesters need someone who has the same desires and passions to correctly represent us and to give us the needed support for our part of the hobby. I recommend each of you contact your: Section Manager (http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/org/smlist.html) Division Director (http://www.arrl.org/divisions/) Contest Advisory Committee member (http://www.arrl.org/contests/cac.html) DXCC Advisory Committee member (http://www.arrl.org/awards/dxcc/advisory.html) This is your ARRL and you need to let them know what you want! Now off my soapbox and on to the DX news. <SNIP>

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RE: [arrl-odv:15029] On Youth in Amateur Radio
by Jim Weaver 02 Jan '07

02 Jan '07

Chris, Re your observations: I have four grandchildren in grades 5 through 8. They have no free time to speak of throughout the year. Their time is filled with extracurricular school activities, soccer, baseball, basketball, soccer, dancing, gymnastics, etc. depending on the sex of the child. I was amazed when I first moved from NW Indiana farm country via Purdue to Cincinnati years ago to see how much the lives of young people were regimented in urban and suburban life. In "our" zeal to keep them from having too much spare time (and getting into trouble) "we" have prevented them from having enough free time to explore, tinker and invent on their own. We even fill their time so full they often don't have time to make up their own minds as to what they want to be involved. It was and remains a simpler life in rural America. I don't think this is all bad. Where does ham radio fit into this pattern of life? More importantly, how can we make it fit so that it becomes something a group of kids wants to explore? Jim Weaver, K8JE, Director ARRL Great Lakes Division 5065 Bethany Rd. Mason, OH 45040 E-mail: <mailto:k8je@arrl.org> k8je(a)arrl.org; Tel.: 513-459-0142 -----Original Message----- From: w3kd(a)aol.com [mailto:w3kd@aol.com] Sent: Monday, January 01, 2007 11:08 AM To: arrl-odv Subject: [arrl-odv:15029] On Youth in Amateur Radio Some reflections on a New Years' Day (and I realize that I am outside my job description here): Before I was a ham, I was a "car guy" and still am, to some extent. My two favorite monthly publications are QST and Road and Track, in that order. In Road and Track, I like Peter Egan's column. He writes a folksy column every month, from his home in Wisconsin. He restored an E-type Jaguar, my favorite car ever, so I think very highly of him. I got back from Christmas vacation and found the attached article in my new Road & Track. I haven't any copyright authority to reprint this, so PLEASE don't send it anywhere, but I thought you would be interested in reading it; it has some strong parallels to Amateur Radio today. It is about soap box derby cars, and how there isn't enough of the three T's in kids today to build them the way they used to. The three Ts are "Time, Tools and Talent". This article really hit me. Two months ago, when I drove my son Ashton and his two friends home from a soccer game, one of the boys had an old BMW in the school parking lot. It was a real wreck, and when we got back, he realized that he had left the lights on in his car. I had jumper cables in my Tahoe, as I always do, so I knew this would be no problem at all, but I didn't say anything, because I wanted to see how the three boys, all smart prep school kids, would solve the problem, working together. They failed miserably. And I realized at that moment that I had failed as a parent, also, because all three boys, including my own, had no idea how to jump a battery, much less jump start a car! I had to explain the entire process to them, because their best plan was to call a tow truck. Since then, I have given Ashton a crash course (no pun intended) in auto mechanics. A few weeks ago, I was in Delaware at the Punkin Chunkin' competition, with the Sandy Spring Friends' School team. They had a trebouchet which launched a 5 pound pumpkin about 480 feet. The year before, the team (mostly different students) had built a very competitive one that launched the pumpkin about 690 feet. The students designed and built it. I talked to the Physics teacher most of the day, and he lamented that none of the kids knew how to use tools. They were OK at designing the device and calculating thrust, etc. using computers and formulas, but they couldn't build the darn thing because they didn't know how to use tools anymore. He had to coach them in the use of the tools. This was an extracurricular activity, but the "time" limitations were dealt with for this team by incorporating the design of the trebouchet in the applied physics class curriculum. Anyway, I am beginning to think that the problem that Amateur Radio has with growth, at least among young people, is due to the missing three Ts. Note that, in the attached article, the solution that the Soap Box Derby arrived at was to offer a car kit that can be assembled in 4 1/2 hours or less, because kids now don't have time for hobbies anymore, or a "slow, evolving craft project", and because suburban garages no longer have tools in them, or people who know how to use them. This seems their equivalent to our concern about "dumbing down" Amateur Radio. But it works for them, because it is a matter of survival, and they don't seem to have any other solutions. Perhaps there are other solutions for us, less drastic. 73, Chris W3KD _____ <http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/1615326657x4311227241x4298082137/aol?redir=ht tp%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eaol%2Ecom%2Fnewaol> Check out the new AOL. Most comprehensive set of free safety and security tools, free access to millions of high-quality videos from across the web, free AOL Mail and more.

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[arrl-odv:15034] Re: On Youth in Amateur Radio - not short :)
by Karl Bullock 01 Jan '07

01 Jan '07

Greetings all! Chris, what a timely and excellent article! I appreciate you're starting this discussion, because it speaks to exactly where Ham Radio is right now; and it's not just Ham Radio, but the nature of our society in general. Dick and Brian in their responses were both correct. Our society has placed an emphasis on better living through litigation, and the lifestyles we have adopted are too geared on making things easier. We're so much into "fun" that we don't have any, and curiosity is now punished rather than celebrated. Some of the stuff I did as a kid would result in legal problems today (and I guess a couple of them probably should have - but we won't go there!!!). I've been reading Thomas Friedman's excellent book "The World is Flat" lately, and he makes the point that our entire society is set up for us to lose in the developing global economy, so the problems we face with our own hobby just mirrors those problems we face as a society. Our [Ham Radio's] dilemma is twofold: How do we preserve, and promote, the experimental and innovative nature of our hobby until our society corrects itself, and is that "correction" actually coming? What can we do as an organization to help foster that curiosity and willingness to get our hands dirty when we've spent the last 30 years in our society getting away from just that mindset? I remember when the term "appliance operator" was coined, and the discussion in the pages of QST predicting exactly what we have become. While I agree that exponential advances in micro-miniaturization have surpassed our ability to duplicate some commercial offerings, there is still room for much innovation, particularly in the areas of digital (SDR and HSMM come immediately to mind). Still, there's no reason not to "build our own" to keep our skills sharp and our tools rust-free (I just ordered a kit from NORCAL just to have something to build this month). I monitor (and sometimes contribute to) several other email lists, and one of the threads on another list the other day, where the discussion was on new technologies, contained the statement: "...the ARRL is not a technical organization...so you must go to AMSAT, TAPR, ARBA, etc....to meet a need", and other respondents agreed. Are we "the place" for technical innovation? If not, should we be? If so, is there a perception problem we need to spend time changing? If we don't reverse the still-ongoing trend, what will Amateur Radio look like 20 years from now? What can we do to set that agenda? Here we face both a new year and a different Amateur Radio than we had 30 days ago. I don't like completely where things are, but there is much opportunity for us as a technical avocation to help not only in the change our society must embrace, but to add to the richness of our hobby at the same time. Is the League ready for this challenge, or am I just completely off my nut? 73 and Happy New Year, Karl, WA5TMC w3kd(a)aol.com wrote: > Some reflections on a New Years' Day (and I realize that I am outside > my job description here): > > Before I was a ham, I was a "car guy" and still am, to some extent. My > two favorite monthly publications are QST and Road and Track, in that > order. In Road and Track, I like Peter Egan's column. He writes a > folksy column every month, from his home in Wisconsin. He restored an > E-type Jaguar, my favorite car ever, so I think very highly of him. > > I got back from Christmas vacation and found the attached article in > my new Road & Track. I haven't any copyright authority to reprint > this, so PLEASE don't send it anywhere, but I thought you would be > interested in reading it; it has some strong parallels to Amateur > Radio today. It is about soap box derby cars, and how there isn't > enough of the three T's in kids today to build them the way they used > to. The three Ts are "Time, Tools and Talent". > > This article really hit me. Two months ago, when I drove my son Ashton > and his two friends home from a soccer game, one of the boys had an > old BMW in the school parking lot. It was a real wreck, and when we > got back, he realized that he had left the lights on in his car. I had > jumper cables in my Tahoe, as I always do, so I knew this would be no > problem at all, but I didn't say anything, because I wanted to see how > the three boys, all smart prep school kids, would solve the problem, > working together. They failed _miserably_. And I realized at that > moment that I had failed as a parent, also, because all three boys, > including my own, _had no idea how to jump a battery, much less jump > start a car!_ I had to explain the entire process to them, because > their best plan was to call a tow truck. Since then, I have given > Ashton a crash course (no pun intended) in auto mechanics. > > A few weeks ago, I was in Delaware at the Punkin Chunkin' competition, > with the Sandy Spring Friends' School team. They had a trebouchet > which launched a 5 pound pumpkin about 480 feet. The year before, the > team (mostly different students) had built a very competitive one that > launched the pumpkin about 690 feet. The students designed and built > it. I talked to the Physics teacher most of the day, and he lamented > that none of the kids knew how to use tools. They were OK at designing > the device and calculating thrust, etc. using computers and formulas, > but they couldn't build the darn thing because they didn't know how to > use tools anymore. He had to coach them in the use of the tools. This > was an extracurricular activity, but the "time" limitations were dealt > with for this team by incorporating the design of the trebouchet in > the applied physics class curriculum. > > Anyway, I am beginning to think that the problem that Amateur Radio > has with growth, at least among young people, is due to the missing > three Ts. Note that, in the attached article, the solution that > the Soap Box Derby arrived at was to offer a car kit that can be > assembled in 4 1/2 hours or less, because kids now don't have time for > hobbies anymore, or a "slow, evolving craft project", and because > suburban garages no longer have tools in them, or people who know how > to use them. This seems their equivalent to our concern about "dumbing > down" Amateur Radio. But it works for them, because it is a matter of > survival, and they don't seem to have any other solutions. > > Perhaps there are other solutions for us, less drastic. > > 73, Chris W3KD > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > *Check out the new AOL* > <http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/1615326657x4311227241x4298082137/aol?redir=ht…>. > Most comprehensive set of free safety and security tools, free access > to millions of high-quality videos from across the web, free AOL Mail > and more.

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[arrl-odv:15033] K1ZZ
by Joel Harrison 01 Jan '07

01 Jan '07

I should have already mentioned this, but some of you have addressed emails to Dave over the past couple of days. He is not ignoring you! Dave and Linda drove out to the west coast over the holidays. Linda is involved in a work assignment in California and Dave will be flying back Wednesday and will be in the office Thursday. His email access has been very limited, although he has been in daily phone contact with HQ and I have talked with him a couple of times, including a few minutes ago. So, if you're waiting for a response to an email from Dave please QRX a bit and he'll be with you. 73 Joel W5ZN

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[arrl-odv:15032] Re: On Youth in Amateur Radio
by Brian Mileshosky 01 Jan '07

01 Jan '07

Chris -- Excellent email. I can't agree more, and I base this off of my own experience as well as my longtime experience in Scouting, both as a youth and now as an adult. And now as a brand new parent. To an extent parents are largely to blame for this issue that you raise. Drawing from my involvement in Scouting, I'm surprised every week when I see parents boot their boy out of the car (with a DVD playing in the backseat or the kid riding along with his I-Pod surgically implanted in his ears) at a Scout meeting before it stops rolling and tear out of the parking lot for a few hours of whatever it is that the parents do each week. "Baby Sitters of America (BSA)" we must be, to them. They haven't the "time" to give to their growing son, not even to enjoy the vast array of adventures and activities offered to their son by BSA. They haven't the "time" to attent Courts of Honor to witness their sons being presented rank or other achievement (in exchange for the "talent" they've demonstrated). They haven't the "time" to hike the Grand Canyon or camp with their son on the Troop's annual family campout to learn of the "tools" he uses to survive and enjoy his outings. Yet when that son gets into some kind of discliplinary trouble in the Troop, guess who's the first to arrive at the meeting? And guess who's he first to blame everybody else but their own son? The parent who's MIA otherwise. I hope (then again I don't, so it doesn't hit them like a ton of bricks) they one day realize what an opportunity they wasted when their son gets older. I'm taking a big leap here, but it's not hard for me to wonder how much else (in the way of activities, perhaps school, and other means of development) the parent is missing out either because of their careers, or perhaps the parent is simply not interested like those certain parents who have sons in my Troop. Parenting is not only instilling manners and discipline (which seems to have taken a back seat because many parents find it easier to be their kids' "best friend" and cave in rather than appear "mean" and put a foot down on occasion), but also to provide involvement and encouragement for development, at least the "tools" and "talent" aspects. Raising the child to be a better, more capable person than the parent him/herself when the child grows up, everything else still important but a lesser priority. My opinion based on my own observations and philosophy, especially now that I've joined the ranks of parenthood in our present day society. Off my soap box, as I'm speaking to the choir big time I'm sure! Speaking about Ham Radio now, kids lacking the "three T's" is one impediment to getting them into our hobby, but another -- again, my opinion -- is our present Ham community itself. Many of our own are unwilling to offer the "three T's" to aspiring hams, new hams or kids. Perhaps they themselves don't possess the "three T's" to become elmers. Susan Swiderski, Georgia's section manager, offered some food for thought in one of her section columns: "Sure, it's always easier to lament that ham radio can't compete with everything that is going on in our children's lives; it is much harder to do something about it. So how do you compete? Try a little magic. The same "magic" that got you interested in ham radio is still magic; the only difference is that now it is your turn to be the magician." Part of the problem may be the kids' lack of time, talent and tools. The lion's share is our willingness as a Ham community to provide our time, talent and tools if we are truly interested in recruiting our future. Maybe easier said than done, but that's what it comes down to. 73, Brian, N5ZGT On Mon, 1 Jan 2007 w3kd(a)aol.com wrote: > Some reflections on a New Years' Day (and I realize that I am outside my job description here): > > Before I was a ham, I was a "car guy" and still am, to some extent. My two favorite monthly publications are QST and Road and Track, in that order. In Road and Track, I like Peter Egan's column. He writes a folksy column every month, from his home in Wisconsin. He restored an E-type Jaguar, my favorite car ever, so I think very highly of him. > > I got back from Christmas vacation and found the attached article in my new Road & Track. I haven't any copyright authority to reprint this, so PLEASE don't send it anywhere, but I thought you would be interested in reading it; it has some strong parallels to Amateur Radio today. It is about soap box derby cars, and how there isn't enough of the three T's in kids today to build them the way they used to. The three Ts are "Time, Tools and Talent". > > This article really hit me. Two months ago, when I drove my son Ashton and his two friends home from a soccer game, one of the boys had an old BMW in the school parking lot. It was a real wreck, and when we got back, he realized that he had left the lights on in his car. I had jumper cables in my Tahoe, as I always do, so I knew this would be no problem at all, but I didn't say anything, because I wanted to see how the three boys, all smart prep school kids, would solve the problem, working together. They failed miserably. And I realized at that moment that I had failed as a parent, also, because all three boys, including my own, had no idea how to jump a battery, much less jump start a car! I had to explain the entire process to them, because their best plan was to call a tow truck. Since then, I have given Ashton a crash course (no pun intended) in auto mechanics. > > A few weeks ago, I was in Delaware at the Punkin Chunkin' competition, with the Sandy Spring Friends' School team. They had a trebouchet which launched a 5 pound pumpkin about 480 feet. The year before, the team (mostly different students) had built a very competitive one that launched the pumpkin about 690 feet. The students designed and built it. I talked to the Physics teacher most of the day, and he lamented that none of the kids knew how to use tools. They were OK at designing the device and calculating thrust, etc. using computers and formulas, but they couldn't build the darn thing because they didn't know how to use tools anymore. He had to coach them in the use of the tools. This was an extracurricular activity, but the "time" limitations were dealt with for this team by incorporating the design of the trebouchet in the applied physics class curriculum. > > Anyway, I am beginning to think that the problem that Amateur Radio has with growth, at least among young people, is due to the missing three Ts. Note that, in the attached article, the solution that the Soap Box Derby arrived at was to offer a car kit that can be assembled in 4 1/2 hours or less, because kids now don't have time for hobbies anymore, or a "slow, evolving craft project", and because suburban garages no longer have tools in them, or people who know how to use them. This seems their equivalent to our concern about "dumbing down" Amateur Radio. But it works for them, because it is a matter of survival, and they don't seem to have any other solutions. > > Perhaps there are other solutions for us, less drastic. > > 73, Chris W3KD > ________________________________________________________________________ > Check out the new AOL. Most comprehensive set of free safety and security tools, free access to millions of high-quality videos from across the web, free AOL Mail and more. > ARRL Vice-Director, Rocky Mountain Division

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[arrl-odv:15031] Re: On Youth in Amateur Radio (long)
by dick＠pobox.com 01 Jan '07

01 Jan '07

1 JAN 2007 - 1406 CST Chris, I really enjoyed that Road & Track article. I have never really been a died-in-the-wool car freak... er fan. But I always appreciate a nice set of wheels that will get up and go down the road - without breaking my piggy bank. My wife says it's because I have driven faster toys - jet aircraft. However, that article does bring back my memories of building things like a six foot long scale model radio-controlled, Wisconsin Class, battleship; messing with a very crude jet engine that ran on white gasoline; rebuilding and modifying an adult length snow sled so I and three of my high school friends could risk our collective necks on a very steep long hill; building a tree platform (never got around to building the house part); replacing the second gear in a '49 Mercury transmission that I stripped while drag-racing; and my piece de resistance - a working Van DeGraff generator with better than a 500K volt spark capability. Most of these activities involved the use of tools and materials considered to be hazardous by today's standards. Today, some of them will never get into general circulation because of todays Tort laws and the Consumer Product Safety Commission. But in spite of the risks and incidental damage to myself (came close to burning down our single car garage while tinkering with the construction of fireworks star shells) I survived with a knowledge of how things work and self-responsibility that considerably exceeded most of my peers. Today, this curiosity and risk-taking by our children is suppressed in our culture. Instead of being nurtured, it's held down with the result that when some young people (and adults) do experiment, they do really hazardous things with no inkling of what's at stake. Rather than learning gradually, with a modicum of adult supervision, they try to replicate things they see on TV or in movies without any understanding and damn little supervision. Society's knee jerk reaction to these disasters is to outlaw the activity and/or product in a foolish effort to protect our off-spring that impedes real-world learning. Computers are great devices. But they are no substitute for hands-on work with real tools, building or modifying a real mechanical or electronic device. I agree the "three Ts" issue applies to amateur radio and is a major reason why our demographics suck. We all know it will take quite few more years to correct it. I believe the best solution is "mentoring" young people - not just providing demonstrations and license classes, but actually taking individual youngsters in hand and helping them to become active enthusiastic hams. HNY to all of you - Dick, W9GIG

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[arrl-odv:15030] Fwd: "A Fading Signal"
by bfitpc＠aol.com 01 Jan '07

01 Jan '07

This was sent to me by Joel Berger at Kenwood. Nice article, in general. Good tone about the benefits of Amateur Radio. 73, Chris W3KD Subject: "A Fading Signal" > > New York Times article on the end of the CW requirement in ham radio. Click > on "A Fading Signal" for complete article. > > > BUSINESS | December 27, 2006 > _(A Fading Signal) _ > ( http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/27/business/27morse.html?ex=1167886800&en=b5… ) > By MIGUEL HELFT > The F.C.C.?s decision to no longer require Morse Code proficiency as a > condition for an amateur radio license has shaken some ham radio operators. > All messages and attachments are scanned with Norton Anti-Virus No trees were killed in the sending of this message. However, a great number of electrons were inconvenienced. ________________________________________________________________________ Check out the new AOL. Most comprehensive set of free safety and security tools, free access to millions of high-quality videos from across the web, free AOL Mail and more.

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[arrl-odv:15029] On Youth in Amateur Radio
by w3kd＠aol.com 01 Jan '07

01 Jan '07

Some reflections on a New Years' Day (and I realize that I am outside my job description here): Before I was a ham, I was a "car guy" and still am, to some extent. My two favorite monthly publications are QST and Road and Track, in that order. In Road and Track, I like Peter Egan's column. He writes a folksy column every month, from his home in Wisconsin. He restored an E-type Jaguar, my favorite car ever, so I think very highly of him. I got back from Christmas vacation and found the attached article in my new Road & Track. I haven't any copyright authority to reprint this, so PLEASE don't send it anywhere, but I thought you would be interested in reading it; it has some strong parallels to Amateur Radio today. It is about soap box derby cars, and how there isn't enough of the three T's in kids today to build them the way they used to. The three Ts are "Time, Tools and Talent". This article really hit me. Two months ago, when I drove my son Ashton and his two friends home from a soccer game, one of the boys had an old BMW in the school parking lot. It was a real wreck, and when we got back, he realized that he had left the lights on in his car. I had jumper cables in my Tahoe, as I always do, so I knew this would be no problem at all, but I didn't say anything, because I wanted to see how the three boys, all smart prep school kids, would solve the problem, working together. They failed miserably. And I realized at that moment that I had failed as a parent, also, because all three boys, including my own, had no idea how to jump a battery, much less jump start a car! I had to explain the entire process to them, because their best plan was to call a tow truck. Since then, I have given Ashton a crash course (no pun intended) in auto mechanics. A few weeks ago, I was in Delaware at the Punkin Chunkin' competition, with the Sandy Spring Friends' School team. They had a trebouchet which launched a 5 pound pumpkin about 480 feet. The year before, the team (mostly different students) had built a very competitive one that launched the pumpkin about 690 feet. The students designed and built it. I talked to the Physics teacher most of the day, and he lamented that none of the kids knew how to use tools. They were OK at designing the device and calculating thrust, etc. using computers and formulas, but they couldn't build the darn thing because they didn't know how to use tools anymore. He had to coach them in the use of the tools. This was an extracurricular activity, but the "time" limitations were dealt with for this team by incorporating the design of the trebouchet in the applied physics class curriculum. Anyway, I am beginning to think that the problem that Amateur Radio has with growth, at least among young people, is due to the missing three Ts. Note that, in the attached article, the solution that the Soap Box Derby arrived at was to offer a car kit that can be assembled in 4 1/2 hours or less, because kids now don't have time for hobbies anymore, or a "slow, evolving craft project", and because suburban garages no longer have tools in them, or people who know how to use them. This seems their equivalent to our concern about "dumbing down" Amateur Radio. But it works for them, because it is a matter of survival, and they don't seem to have any other solutions. Perhaps there are other solutions for us, less drastic. 73, Chris W3KD ________________________________________________________________________ Check out the new AOL. Most comprehensive set of free safety and security tools, free access to millions of high-quality videos from across the web, free AOL Mail and more.

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