[RFI] New ARRL Mission statement > Was solar fix
Dave (NK7Z)
dave at nk7z.net
Tue Jul 30 14:55:29 EDT 2024
Dave (W0LEV),
Ha!! We have a common background! In the early 70's I taught myself
machine language for the old 8000 series of processors, then moved to
Fortran IV, then Pascal, then Basic, then... You get the idea. I still
miss the old days of machine language most though...
I prefer digital, over analog, and I suspect that is because I started
in the 70's, while you started in the 60's... It is amazing what a 10
year difference will make...
I am far more adapt at things digital than I am at things analog, and I
wish I had a better understanding of analog, but alas, at 71, that comes
a lot harder than it used too...
Take care Dave E, and Ed H...
73, and thanks,
Dave (NK7Z)
https://www.nk7z.net
ARRL Volunteer Examiner
ARRL Technical Specialist, RFI
ARRL Asst. Director, NW Division, Technical Resources
I never learned from a man who agreed with me. (HeinLein)
On 7/30/24 11:21, David Eckhardt wrote:
> You've seen and experienced both sides: digital and analog. While I
> was still working, it was excruciatingly difficult to find engineers who
> could bridge both disciplines. Thus the finger pointing: a) its an
> analog problem....b) its a digital problem. No single engineer could
> address both, myself included.
>
> Very early in my career which started in 1969 right out of college, I
> became very adept at programming in machine language. I did that for
> three years, but looked in the mirror one morning, and it became crystal
> clear. I'm an analog/RF type at heart. I still love weilding a
> soldering pen and home brewing to realize my own creations. I typically
> design and build what I need anymore. Outside of a couple of vintage
> early solid state transceivers, yes, my main ham rigs are computers
> inside (FPGAs) with the Icom 7300 and 7610. I do NOT relate to the
> latest FT8 craze!!!.... I have used ECHO (part of the WSJTX suite) at
> 2.5, 5.0, and 10-watts on 160 and 80-meters to detect my signal
> propagating around this rock on which we reside. Two other hams in
> Berthoud, Co. did the same with similar results ( ±135 ms echo delay).
>
> Since I am copying Ed Hare, W1RFI, to this post, some may want to know
> Ken Wyatt, WA6TTY, for health reasons has been forced to move from his
> Woodland Park, Colorado, location at nearly 9000 feet elevation. I've
> known Ken since our collective Rockwell International days in S. Cal.
> He has moved to Windsor, Co., at roughly 4940 feet elevation with
> Sheila, his wife who is on oxygen. He also very recently underwent open
> heart surgery in Denver. The surgery also addressed a few other
> "getting older" problems. He is on oxygen until he "completely heals"
> (doctor's words) and came home from Denver a week ago this past
> Saturday. He has the same emails. He's doing well with much less
> recovery pain than my other friend who also went through open heart
> surgery a couple of years ago.
>
> Dave - WØLEV
>
> On Tue, Jul 30, 2024 at 5:33 PM Dave (NK7Z) <dave at nk7z.net
> <mailto:dave at nk7z.net>> wrote:
>
> Dave E,
>
> I do not disagree with you here... However, had we not made it easier
> for folks to get tickets, I doubt Amateur Radio would be even as
> good as
> it is today... We need numbers, and we were not getting them... The
> folks that replaced us, are now playing with computers, and digital
> devices, not loose parts... I used to be able to repair my own radios,
> I can not do that anymore... My radio is a computer now...
>
> The hobby has become far less technical in nature than it was 40 years
> ago, however, it has become far more technical with regards to
> computers, and digital. I suspect there will be far more computers
> than
> discreet parts in our futures, so I am not sure which way is best...
>
> All I know is I still like to take out test gear and play... I will
> until I die... I also program, (and have for decades), so I am
> lucky, I
> have seen both sides of this ride...
>
> 73, and thanks,
> Dave (NK7Z)
> https://www.nk7z.net <https://www.nk7z.net>
> ARRL Volunteer Examiner
> ARRL Technical Specialist, RFI
> ARRL Asst. Director, NW Division, Technical Resources
> I never learned from a man who agreed with me. (HeinLein)
>
> On 7/30/24 08:17, David Eckhardt wrote:
> > Sad to agree we are viewed as glorified CB operators. Tune across
> > 75-meters any evening (or 7.200 and 14.310) and the reason for that
> > impression is clear. That's the main motivation for my placing
> Segal's
> > "The Amateurs Code" at the end of my QRZ page. Not that anyone
> seems to
> > care these days, but at least I made the statement.
> >
> > Dave, I won't belabor the point, but when the FCC let us go to
> volunteer
> > examiners, multiple guess exams, and the "study guides" which
> fosters
> > memorize-and-forget, any technical prowess within the hobby was
> > ultimately doomed. You can gather I'm technical and a classic
> nerd, but
> > I find it rather difficult to land a rewarding QSO these days on our
> > phone bands. I still prefer CW, but those portions of our bands
> have
> > become rather empty (FT8??).
> >
> > Amateur radio isn't the hobby it was when I was first licensed
> almost 65
> > years ago. But one thing in life is absolutely certain: change.
> >
> > Dave - WØLEV
> >
> > On Tue, Jul 30, 2024 at 2:36 AM Dave (NK7Z) <dave at nk7z.net
> <mailto:dave at nk7z.net>
> > <mailto:dave at nk7z.net <mailto:dave at nk7z.net>>> wrote:
> >
> > Hi Dave E,
> >
> > What you are doing is not at all what I am talking about... I do
> > exactly the same thing here, I have a relationship with the cable
> > company. I locate leaks in their system, and they fix
> them... It
> > works
> > great. I recently got contacted by one of their Network
> engineers
> > about
> > a very high BER on one of their amps... We tracked it to a
> local ham,
> > and the cable company's leaky system. They terminated the
> loose drop,
> > and the BER dropped to an acceptable level for them, and one
> more RFI
> > source in my area bit the dust.
> >
> > Of late, the local cable company, (get this), has, by written
> decree
> > within the management, allowed unterminated drops on all move
> outs.
> > They are learning that this is not working... This is the second
> > instance of this I am aware of in the last month... So...
> No grass
> > roots movement needed...
> >
> > Yes, again unfortunately, I think we have also lost it with
> the DOD as
> > well...
> >
> > I believe the FCC, (not all within the FCC but a good part of
> the FCC),
> > now looks at Amateur Radio as a sort of glorified CB radio
> service,
> > with
> > only slightly smarter operators. Yes that hurts...
> >
> > One of the ways to change that perception is by careful
> > orchestration of
> > contact with the FCC... We need to look like pros, we need
> to act like
> > pros, and we need to prove we are not a dispirit group of CB
> operators
> > to the FCC. I believe the best way to do this is via the ARRL's
> > efforts...
> > 73, and thanks,
> > Dave (NK7Z)
> > https://www.nk7z.net <https://www.nk7z.net> <https://www.nk7z.net
> <https://www.nk7z.net>>
> > ARRL Volunteer Examiner
> > ARRL Technical Specialist, RFI
> > ARRL Asst. Director, NW Division, Technical Resources
> > I never learned from a man who agreed with me. (HeinLein)
> >
> > On 7/29/24 14:54, David Eckhardt wrote:
> > > QUOTE (DAVE, NK7Z): We are just lucky we USED to have
> emergency
> > status,
> > > we don't
> > > have that anymore in
> > the FCC's
> > > eyes, so the rules are different.
> > >
> > > We also had the attention of DoD. Is that still in place,
> or has
> > that
> > > gone down with the emergency loss as well?
> > >
> > > I hear you on a coordinated effort through ARRL. But I have
> > graciously
> > > done several individual problems with my equipment. for
> hams All
> > have
> > > been the "fault" of our power provider in the county and
> out of the
> > > cities. Here in N. Colorado in the county, we have a very
> good
> > > relationship with them. Once reported, they were on it
> the next day.
> > >
> > > Are you proposing to tie my hands behind my back with such
> > efforts? I
> > > do not charge anything for hams. Nor do I do solar
> installation
> > as they
> > > are a given.
> > >
> > > If I can't help others with my equipment and training as
> an EMC/RFI
> > > engineer, its time for my pine box.
> > >
> > > Dave - WØLEV
> > >
> > > On Mon, Jul 29, 2024 at 9:43 PM Dave (NK7Z) <dave at nk7z.net
> <mailto:dave at nk7z.net>
> > <mailto:dave at nk7z.net <mailto:dave at nk7z.net>>
> > > <mailto:dave at nk7z.net <mailto:dave at nk7z.net>
> <mailto:dave at nk7z.net <mailto:dave at nk7z.net>>>> wrote:
> > >
> > > Hi,
> > >
> > > I would think that we would want a single voice
> speaking for
> > us. Not a
> > > bunch of discordant, non organized, not communicating
> between
> > > themselves, citizen groups, all talking to the same
> companys
> > the ARRL
> > > has spent a few years creating working relationships with,
> > and then one
> > > of them threatening an entity with a lawsuit. The
> first time
> > that
> > > happens, is the last time the threatened entity, (and
> maybe
> > all of
> > > them), talks to the ARRL or anyone else for that matter,
> > without a
> > > lawyer reviewing everything said and done. At that
> point the
> > focus
> > > shifts from RFI corrections, to a game of legal cover
> ass...
> > >
> > > I guarantee you-- someone sometime soon, will threaten a
> > lawsuit to one
> > > of the companies the ARRL is currently working with,
> and crap
> > up the
> > > relationship the ARRL has worked so hard to create...
> > >
> > > That is why you discourage people from forming grass
> roots,
> > anti RFI
> > > groups, that are not affiliated with the biggest dog
> the Amateur
> > > community has right now, the ARRL. This HAS to be a
> > coordinated effort!
> > >
> > > We need to wake up and realize that the cat is already
> out of
> > the bag,
> > > some of the foreign, (and probably some of the American
> > manufacturers),
> > > have already discovered they can submit a test article
> to a
> > lab, obtain
> > > a pass, get FCC blessing, and then remove components
> and sell
> > the "new"
> > > device without a low pass filter in it, saving them
> tons of
> > money,
> > > (while spraying RFI all over), until they get caught.
> > >
> > > We are no longer in the PROACTIVE FCC world we grew up
> in, we are
> > > now in
> > > the REACTIVE FCC world that exists today, and will
> NEVER go
> > back to
> > > PROACTIVE FCC again...
> > >
> > > I suspect if the FCC were to hit the companies doing
> switch
> > game with
> > > meaningful punishments, (read that as millions of bucks in
> > fines, and a
> > > hiatus on importation, or sale into the US markets, for at
> > least one
> > > year), things would get somewhat better.
> > >
> > > The fact of the matter is we are small potatoes to the
> FCC,
> > and the
> > > vendors. We are just lucky we USED to have emergency
> status,
> > we don't
> > > have that anymore in the FCC's eyes, so the rules are
> > different. We
> > > need to adapt to the new environment... We all know what
> > happens to
> > > species that fail to adapt...
> > >
> > > 73, and thanks,
> > > Dave (NK7Z)
> > > https://www.nk7z.net <https://www.nk7z.net>
> <https://www.nk7z.net <https://www.nk7z.net>> <https://www.nk7z.net
> <https://www.nk7z.net>
> > <https://www.nk7z.net <https://www.nk7z.net>>>
> > > ARRL Volunteer Examiner
> > > ARRL Technical Specialist, RFI
> > > ARRL Asst. Director, NW Division, Technical Resources
> > > I never learned from a man who agreed with me. (HeinLein)
> > >
> > > On 7/29/24 09:24, Mike Fatchett W0MU wrote:
> > > > Why would we want to discourage people from actually
> > organizing a
> > > grass
> > > > roots movement and make our case heard.
> > >
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> <mailto:RFI at contesting.com <mailto:RFI at contesting.com>>>
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> <http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/rfi>
> > <http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/rfi
> <http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/rfi>>
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> <http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/rfi>
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> <http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/rfi>>>
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > *Dave - WØLEV
> > > *
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > *Dave - WØLEV
> > *
> >
> >
>
>
>
> --
> *Dave - WØLEV
> *
>
>
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