Posts Tagged ‘humor’
Twisted Phonetic Alphabet
November 15th, 2014 | 
Author: 
Stu W0STU just posted an article on HamRadioSchool.com about the use of phonetic alphabets. I had previously posted a Shack Talk article on the same subject.
The “standard” phonetic alphabet is the ITU alphabet but I am starting to think that we might need to get a little more creative on our use of phonetics. Why not innovate in this area, just like we innovate on the technical front?
Towards that end, I was reminded of his phonetic alphabet listed over at netfunny.com:
A Are N Nine B Bee O Owe C Cite P Pseudonym D Double-U Q Queue E Eye R Rap F Five S Sea G Genre T Tsunami H Hoe U Understand? I I V Vie J Junta W Why K Knot X Xylophone L Lye Y You M Me Z Zero
Even this creative alphabet can be improved on. For example, I think H should be Honor.
What do you think?
73, Bob
The post Twisted Phonetic Alphabet appeared first on The KØNR Radio Site.
Zombie Shuffle Recap – 2014
It’s the little things that make life worthwhile
1) Like that yesterday was my daughter Cara's 13th birthday - she's officially a teenager now!
3) That while I was eating my chicken corn chowder in my Jeep, I managed to work DL4ISX in Germany (with some difficulty due to QSB) and HF37SONDA in Poland (who was super loud).
4) That I came home to a packet of QSL cards from the Bureau, including:
Yeah, it's the little things in life that are the absolute best!
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
I’ll admit, I fell for it!
This from the ARRL today:
ZCZC AG16
QST de W1AW
ARRL Bulletin 16 ARLB016
>From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT September 4, 2014
To all radio amateurs
SB QST ARL ARLB016
ARLB016 New Amateur Radio Vanity Call Sign Fee Set at $21.40
The FCC has adjusted very slightly downward - to $21.40 - its proposed Amateur Service vanity call sign regulatory fee for Fiscal Year 2014. In a June Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM), the Commission said it was planning to hike the current $16.10 vanity fee to $21.60 for the 10-year license term. The FCC released a Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (R&O) in the proceeding on August 29, in which it recalculated the fee to $21.40 for the 10-year license term. The $5.30 increase still represents the largest vanity fee hike in many years.
The new $21.40 fee does not go into effect until 30 days after the R&O is published in The Federal Register.
In the R&O, the FCC said it considered eliminating the regulatory fee for Amateur Radio vanity call sign applications but decided not to do so "at this time," because it lacks "adequate support to determine whether the cost of recovery and burden on small entities outweighs the collected revenue; or whether eliminating the fee would adversely affect the licensing process." The Commission said it would reevaluate this issue in the future to determine if it should eliminate other fee categories.
The FCC's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau sets the vanity call sign regulatory fee using projections of new applications and renewals, taking into consideration existing Commission licensee databases, such as the Universal Licensing System (ULS) database.
The FCC reported there were 11,500 "payment units" in FY 2014. The Commission said the vanity program generated an estimated $230,230 in FY 2013 revenue, and it estimated that it would collect nearly $246,100 in FY 2014.
The vanity call sign regulatory fee is payable when applying for a new vanity call sign or when renewing a vanity call sign, although some older vanity call signs are not subject to the regulatory fee.
NNNN
/EX
I wonder what the fee will be in 2020 when it's time for me to renew again! I think it was around $14 in 2010 when I last renewed. Oh well, if you want to dance, you have to pay the piper, I guess.
I love this part, though. "In the R&O, the FCC said it considered eliminating the regulatory fee for Amateur Radio vanity call sign applications, but decided not to do so "at this time," because it lacks "adequate support to determine whether the cost of recovery and burden on small entities outweighs the collected revenue; or whether eliminating the fee would adversely affect the licensing process." Translation - "Naaah! We decided to raise it by $5.30 instead."
Ya just gotta love the Federal Government!
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Radical, but I kinda like it!
Posted by Bobby AK4JA (who I’ve worked – fantastic op!) on QRP-L today. Provocative? Yes. Controversial? Yes. True? No, but I kinda like it anyway:
“QRP – a real man’s mode , not for sissies and certainly not for selfish, impatient , ego-maniacs – Man up, grow a set and go QRP if you dare!”
Not trying to start a QRO vs QRP war, but I enjoyed the humor. And it makes for a good battle cry. Definitely better than “Life is too short for $200 finals” or whatever some guys like to bandy about. And no, I won’t be changing my tag line.
Hey, Bobby! I think this would make a good T-shirt! Something on the order of this:
Hee hee! Is that a challenge, or what ?
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP – When you care to send the very least!
The USA vs Europe
Disclaimer – this is meant to be a bit of humor – let’s not all get offended!
There are many differences between the USA and Europe:
First off, Europe would fit inside the USA.
You call it petrol, we call it gasoline.
You call them chips (or whatever), we call them fries.
You use the metric system, we’re still on standard.
You use Celsius, we use Fahrenheit.
You call it the cinema, we call it the movies.
And so on, and so on, and so on ……….
But as a Ham, I’ve noticed a big difference in the way we approach special event stations. Here in the US, for the most part but not always, we apply to the FCC through the ARRL for special 1X1 call signs. For instance, when the Piscataway Amateur Radio Club celebrated the tri-centennial of the founding of Piscataway, we applied for and used W2P.
The 13 Colonies special event used call signs such as K2I for New Jersey, K2E for Delaware and so on. The special event station that just celebrated the 45th Anniversary of Apollo 11? W4A.
But in Europe, you guys take the opposite route! Special event stations from European nations can be a mouthful. DM200TSV, SF2014ECC, E72NATO, 3E2000PC, LZ1437MGS and my all time favorite, SV2013ATGM.
What I like about these European call signs is that they try to bear some significance towards the event they are commemorating – SV2013ATGM was about Alexander the Great, E72NATO celebrated membership in NATO and so on. A lot more descriptive than 1X1 call signs, that’s for sure.
I’m just waiting to hear one some day that has all the numbers 0 through 9 and all 26 letters of the alphabet. THAT would be a special, special event call sign – a bear to copy, but special, nonetheless!
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP – When you care to send the very least!
Preliminary QRPttF Results Posted
Paul NA5N posted the preliminary results of QRP to the Field 2014 to QRP-L last night. For the whole enchilada, you can go here: http://www.zianet.com/qrp/qrpttf/2014/ttf.htm
As you can see, W2LJ came firmly in the middle of the pack – a mere mosquito (Skeeter – Hi!) on the butt of the esteemed leaders. So, rule of thumb ……. if you ever hear me in a QRP Sprint or any other QRP contest – have no fear! I am a Giver Of Points only, and will most likely never threaten your lead. 😉
Oh, and many, many thanks to Paul Harden NA5N for hosting this really fun QRP event year after year and doing all the hard work that it takes to keep something like this running.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP – When you care to send the very least!
