Topband: Brave New World

[W0MU Mike Fatchett]

Yes!

Mike W0MU

On 2/26/2015 10:49 AM, Jim Brown wrote:
> On Thu,2/26/2015 7:29 AM, kolson at rcn.com wrote:
>> Sometimes it's more in how things are presented. The thing that 
>> struck me was how the ARRL looked at it was some kind of triumphant 
>> feat when it struck me as, ultimately, kind of sad.
>
> Have you ever visited a multi-transmitter contesting station? Do you 
> have any idea of the engineering it took to build it and make it 
> competitive? We're talking antenna system design, careful engineering 
> and filtering to allow multiple transmitters at high power to not 
> interfere with others at the same QTH, power distribution for those 
> transmitters, an acoustic operating environment that permits all those 
> guys to be running SSB in the same room without going nuts?
>
> Do you have any idea of the systems engineering needed to remote a 
> single station? I'm an EE, designed complex audio systems in my 
> professional life. I've looked at what it would take to remote my 
> station and quickly decided that it was WAY too much work. Heck -- it 
> takes much of my time keeping my station running for me to sit in 
> front of. Among other things, you've got to goof-proof the control 
> systems so that you don't fry your gear (and Mr. Rodman described). 
> Multiply that by 5 or 6 stations, and that's a very serious 
> accomplishment. THAT is ham radio.
>
> Sitting in front of a radio that you bought, set on a table, and 
> hooked up to an antenna that you bought with pre-made cables that you 
> bought is a lot closer to CB than ham radio.
>
> 73, Jim K9YC
>
>
> _________________
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