<![CDATA[NORTH FRASER AMATEUR RADIO CLUB VE7NFR - The DIPOLE

<![CDATA[NORTH FRASER AMATEUR RADIO CLUB VE7NFR - The DIPOLE - Blog]]>Wed, 20 Nov 2024 09:35:27 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[The Onion Targets Amateur Radio Websites in Uncontrolled Acquisition Spree]]>Sun, 17 Nov 2024 16:10:46 GMThttp://ve7nfr.com/thedipole/the-onion-targets-amateur-radio-websites-in-uncontrolled-acquisition-spree

November 16, 2024 - The recent acquisition of the Infowars website and other assets by satirical news company The Onion has lead other important news sites to worry they could be next. Unsealed on Friday, The Onion’s Texas court filing for the Infowars purchase shows The Onion has hundreds of millions more dollars in the bank, all earmarked for further acquisitions. Our investigation uncovered that offers have already been made to the owners of ARRL.org, e-Ham.net, rac.ca, and qrz.com. But the offers aren’t exactly friendly. Titled, “An Offer You CANNOT Refuse,” they include threats that “Failure to sell will result in excessive ridicule by The Onion, the likes of which no one has ever seen.” Earlier today, even this publication, The Dipole, received a similar letter. Speaking on Good Morning America, The Dipole co-founder Adrian Stimpson (VE7NZ), said, “We immediately engaged our legal team to address this. We believe the First Amendment protects serious news outlets like ours and will be issuing a ‘Cease and Desist’ order. We’ve had enough of those lefty’s from The Onion who think their immature, satirical nonsense is funny.”

-reporting from US Federal Bankruptcy Court, Austin Texas, Adrian VE7NZ

The DIPOLE - the World's finest Amateur Radio News Source, like a Dipole there are two sides to every story, we ignore those sides, digging deeper for unwanted lobes and parasitic reactions.

]]><![CDATA[ARRL Membership Age Drops Substantially]]>Sat, 16 Nov 2024 17:30:03 GMThttp://ve7nfr.com/thedipole/arrl-membership-age-drops-substantially

Today the ARRL announced the results of their 20 year long program to lower the age of the average Amateur Radio Operator. ARRL President Rick Roderick said today that, "When we started this program in 2004 the alarm bells were ringing as the average age had crept up to 68 years old."

The ARRL board authorized 10 million dollars to promote a program which was released in schools and other public institutions such as community centres all across the United States and Puerto Rico. Aimed at children between 10 and 18 years old it saw millions of participants over the last 20 years, introducing them to all types of Amateur Radio from HF to communicating with astronauts on the International Space Station.

"Seeing these kids playing with radios really made it all worth while to our membership." Roderick went on to say, "therefore, today we are proud and happy to say that the results speak for themselves." The ARRL released that as of November 2024, the average age of the Ham Radio operator in North America has dropped to 67.8 years old.

-reporting from ARRL HQ, Newington CT, Scott VA7SL

The DIPOLE - the World's finest Amateur Radio News Source, like a Dipole there are two sides to every story, we ignore those sides, digging deeper for unwanted lobes and parasitic reactions.

]]><![CDATA[New Senate head suggests Communications, overhaul including FCC]]>Thu, 14 Nov 2024 02:03:51 GMThttp://ve7nfr.com/thedipole/new-senate-head-suggests-communications-overhaul-including-fcc

New Republican Senate leader John Thune has stated in his first interview that, "The next four years will be all about Science and innovation in America and the Federal Communications Commission will lead the way." The Trump agenda under the Tump endorsed Project 2025 is to fold the FCC into the responsibility of the US Space Force which was founded in 2019 by the first Trump administration. Thune went on to say, "The Space Force is not seen as doing much by the general public so we are going to give them total control of communications and they will answer only to the President."

Up until now the FCC has been an independent U.S. government agency overseen by Congress, the commission is the United States' primary authority for communications law, regulation and technological innovation but that all changes in 2025 when oversight and responsibility will be given to the Executive Branch via Space Force. This move is seen as a slam dunk as the Republicans now control all three branches of government.

The Amateur Radio community in America can expect total control of communications much like Trump has proposed for television networks. "If you spout lies and fake news on the air you will be shut down, " Thune said, "The airwaves are for sharing the truth, our truth, no matter how alternative it may be or contrary to facts, Science or reason."

-reporting from another world, Washington D.C., Scott VA7SL
The DIPOLE - the World's finest Amateur Radio News Source, like a Dipole there are two sides to every story, we ignore those sides, digging deeper for unwanted lobes and parasitic reactions.

]]><![CDATA[Conclusive Evidence of Serious RF Exposure Health Problems]]>Sat, 02 Nov 2024 21:26:51 GMThttp://ve7nfr.com/thedipole/conclusive-evidence-of-serious-rf-exposure-health-problems

In a groundbreaking scientific study conducted jointly by the National Institute of Health and the American Journal of Health Studies into long-term radio frequency energy exposure, serious life changing health consequences were found.

The double-blind study followed 500 licensed Amateur Radio Operators for a 20-year period who had a daily exposure to emissions from all sorts of radio equipment. The operators used various power levels and equipment configurations at close distances and were monitored for health for changes as compared to a control group who were not exposed daily to emissions.

"The results were stunning,” said researcher and Princeton University PhD candidate Rosemary Delahunty, "the physiological changes were clear and seem irreversible."

There is a lengthy list of health changes of which included the inability to read a paragraph from start to finish, and a serious decline in the ability to distinguish satire from reality. It was noted that many persons subjected to long-term exposure had a change in the way they saw themselves in a mirror which impacted their choice of apparel.

Another notable personality change was the need to point out that something was "fake" although only half the group could tell the difference.

-reporting from the National Institute of Health, Adrian VE7NZ & Scott VA7SL
The DIPOLE - the World's finest Amateur Radio News Source, like a Dipole there are two sides to every story, we ignore those sides, digging deeper for unwanted lobes and parasitic reactions.

]]><![CDATA[Trump Announces Plan to Stop Foreign Signals Crossing the Border]]>Tue, 29 Oct 2024 18:18:27 GMThttp://ve7nfr.com/thedipole/trump-announces-plan-to-stop-foreign-signals-crossing-the-border

In an effort to win over voters in the Amateur Radio community, the GOP leader today announced plans to build a “RF Wall” to keep foreign signals from entering the US. The plan involves setting up a fence-like wire along the northern and southern borders that will absorb HF radio signals, the same way AM signals are absorbed when you drive across a metal bridge. A prototype was developed in concert with the High Altitude Research Project (H.A.R.P.) and the U.S. Space Force during the first Trump Presidency and was considered to be quite effective.

Speaking in Michigan at a rally for Amateur Radio operators known as a “Hamfest,” Donald Trump told the crowd, “Have you listened to 20 meters lately? It’s a disgrace. No one has seen anything like it. QRM from every country…millions of signals coming from drug dealers, from prisons and insane asylums.”

Asked by CNN’s Stephen Collinson how the project would be funded, Trump replied, “Listen, someone showed me a map of the world and it’s full of foreign countries, more than ever before. It’s terrible. For years, these foreign countries have not been paying their share of dues to the IARU (International Amateur Radio Union) so we’re taking the money that’s there, so they will pay for the wall!”

The issue is hot topic in swing states like Michigan, Wisconsin, and Arizona that border Canada and Mexico. As one Amateur Operator in Arizona said, “We’re sick and tired of this. In the last five years 20 meters has gone from quiet and peaceful to full of foreign signals 24/7. We need to take back our frequencies!”

-reporting from the campaign trail, Adrian VE7NZ
The DIPOLE - the World's finest Amateur Radio News Source, like a Dipole there are two sides to every story, we ignore those sides, digging deeper for unwanted lobes and parasitic reactions.

]]><![CDATA[U.S. FCC Regulators propose Repeater Tax]]>Fri, 18 Oct 2024 17:50:46 GMThttp://ve7nfr.com/thedipole/us-fcc-regulators-propose-repeater-tax

In a move certain to cause controversy in the U.S. Amateur Radio community, the FCC has proposed a new Repeater Tax to free up radio spectrum.

The Dipole reached out to Jessica Rosenworcel, Chairwoman of the FCC Board of Directors, who confirmed the proposal before the board is to eliminate spectrum squatting by repeaters that have little to no use. Rosenworcel told The Dipole, "It is thought that a tax on repeaters will eliminate as many as 90% of existing Amateur Radio repeater systems which have been underused for years, freeing up radio spectrum for newer Amateur Radio operators to use the allocations for newer modes of operation." She went on to state, "If the spectrum is not used after this change then we may consider selling it off to industry. We don't think of it so much as a tax than a license fee, however as the repeaters are already licensed, it would have to be a tax by law."

Furious efforts are expected by the ARRL to oppose these changes. "We will lobby extremely hard to keep things exactly as they are, status quo, with cold repeaters and dead air." said ARRL President Rick Roderick when reached for comment. Roderick also said that, "if the United States employs this tax on repeaters then other nations like Canada are certain to follow."

Tax rates have not yet been determined and will not be until after the public consultation period has ended June 15, 2025, however an unnamed source has told The Dipole that suggested amounts could be in the range of $500 to $800 per year.

-reporting from the FCC, Washington D.C., Scott VA7SL
The DIPOLE - the World's finest Amateur Radio News Source, like a Dipole there are two sides to every story, we ignore those sides, digging deeper for unwanted lobes and parasitic reactions.

]]><![CDATA[BC Amateurs Petition to Have Six Meters Stripped of its “Magic” Designation]]>Wed, 09 Oct 2024 17:19:52 GMThttp://ve7nfr.com/thedipole/bc-amateurs-petition-to-have-six-meters-stripped-of-its-magic-designation

Evidence submitted in Supreme Court filing

British Columbia October 9, 2024 - Vancouver, BC - A group of Amateur Radio operators in British Columbia have filed a petition in the British Columbia Supreme Court to have the word “Magic” removed from any reference to the Six Meter band.

Standing on the steps of the courthouse, chairman of the “Magic, What Magic?” committee, Adrian Stimpson VE7NZ, said, “After years of promises of how great it will be when Cycle 25 hits, how great it will be when the solar flux is over 170, how we just need to wait until September, we’ve finally had enough. The only magic we see is a disappearing act!”

A large crowd joined in repeatedly chanting, “Hear hear! We don’t hear… anything but static here!”

Their frustration is understandable. Many have spent thousands of dollars on antennas and radio equipment after being promised magic, only to be confronted with extreme boredom, leading some to become alcoholics, or worse… one ham was found dead in his operating chair, the Oprah Winfrey show on repeat on the television. The coroner report cited “extreme boredom” as the cause of death.

But there’s more to this story. Neil King VA7DX, a somewhat respected contester and DX’er, has pointed out that there seems to be discrimination taking place. He notes that ARRL is headquartered in the eastern US and suggests “It’s no coincidence that they get all the propagation on six meters. They are keeping it all to themselves. It’s an outrage!”

Jury selection begins next week. The case is expected to include expert witnesses who will explain the hours of recorded silence that will be played to the jury.

-Pontificating from The British Columbia Supreme Court, Adrian VE7NZ
The DIPOLE - the World's finest Amateur Radio News Source, like a Dipole there are two sides to every story, we ignore those sides, digging deeper for unwanted lobes and parasitic reactions.

]]><![CDATA[AMSAT Proposes Solution to Global Warming]]>Sun, 29 Oct 2023 19:16:04 GMThttp://ve7nfr.com/thedipole/amsat-proposes-solution-to-global-warming

AMSAT is making a proposal at the upcoming “United Nations Climate Change Conference on Global Warming” for the launch of 500,000 Low Earth Orbit Satellites (LEOs). The proposal will provide unprecedented communications capabilities for ham radio operators while also solving global warming (also known as “Climate Change” for those who remember when Canada used to be a cold country).

Hams have been launching LEOs for many years, but never on the scale of companies like StarLink, who have around 5,000 LEOs providing worldwide internet service.

But now AMSAT proposes a bold new vision: launching 500,000 satellites that will provide not only a reliable emergency communications network, but will also block enough sunlight to reduce the Earth’s temperature back to the pre-climate change conditions.

“The plan is genius,” said Professor H. D. Mellon, a noted climate change expert. “Finally someone has realized the real source of global warming is the Sun. It must be blocked. I don’t know why we never thought of this before!”

Dubbed “sunglasses for the planet” the first 100,000 satellites will be launched early in the new year to provide the first level of protection in time for summer. The remaining sunlight that gets through will be reflected back to space, where it belongs, by the metal 10 GHz antennas used by hams on the ground.

The Climate Change Conference is expected to approve the proposal at next week’s session in Hawaii, once all delegates have arrived by jet aircraft.

-Reporting from live from Hawaii, Adrian VE7NZ/KH6.
The DIPOLE - the Worlds finest Amateur Radio News Source, like a Dipole there are two sides to every story, we ignore those sides, digging deeper for unwanted lobes and parasitic reactions

]]><![CDATA[Amateur Radio Fashion Month]]>Sat, 17 Jun 2023 18:51:55 GMThttp://ve7nfr.com/thedipole/amateur-radio-fashion-monthSpring has Sprung and has now nearly come to an end as Summer approaches. There can only be one thing on the collective minds of Amateur Radio operators around North America. All tenured Hams know that Field Day is booked and calendarized for the weekend of June 24/25 and it is also the yearly solar maximum for Ham-fests and Swap Meets so now is the time to show off your Radio Fashion on the cat walks of community centers and parks all over the land.

For the 50th straight year, everywhere we looked the discerning Amateur was rocking out a Baseball cap. This timeless piece of couture affords so many opportunities for an OP to express themselves. One small exception was a trend we see being adopted from Motorcycle meets: The Dew Rag. We also want to give a big shout out to the ballsey move by some to wear camouflage pants even after the January 6th debacle.

Another trend we noticed was the wide scale adoption of the sleeveless sweater vest by the older crowd, this choice of apparel allows the Ham to match his shirt and pants or not. These vests allow the adornment of patches, pins and stickers that really show off your commitment to the hobby.

Something new we are seeing this year is this statement making Yellow Safety vest which really says "I'm here" like nothing else on the market today. Pockets, pockets, pockets lets you tuck away HT's, spare batteries and girls phone numbers like nobodies business.

All in all an exciting year in Radio Apparel with timeless classics and new trends spicing up the airwaves.

-Scott VA7SL reporting from The Cat Walk

The DIPOLE - the Worlds finest Amateur Radio News Source, like a Dipole there are two sides to every story, we ignore those sides, digging deeper for unwanted lobes and parasitic reactions

]]><![CDATA[North Fraser ARC Announces “Pico Pet Program” - Taking Pets to New Heights]]>Sun, 23 Apr 2023 16:34:09 GMThttp://ve7nfr.com/thedipole/north-fraser-arc-announces-pico-pet-program-taking-pets-to-new-heights

Building on its recent successful pico-balloon launches, the North Fraser Amateur Radio Club recently announced the “Pico Pet Program” where pet owners can send their pets to the heavens as part of a high-altitude balloon payload.
After announcing the program during the weekly Trans-Canada Net, Scott VA7SL, said hundreds of submissions were received including cats, dogs, fish, and even birds (the birds were disqualified for having an unfair advantage).
One applicant wrote, “I am submitting my application for Fluffy the Cat to be the first cat to float up to 40,000 feet. He mostly sits in front of the fire doing nothing, so we decided he needed a new challenge to bring back the joy of discovery he had in his younger days.”
The shortlisted candidates will have to undergo extensive training like any test pilot. This will include time in the tumble dryer and survival training in the fridge to simulate temperatures found in the upper atmosphere.

http://ve7nfr.com/pico-balloons.html
-
Reporting from Flight Training Headquarters, Adrian VE7NZ
The DIPOLE - the Worlds finest Amateur Radio News Source, like a Dipole there are two sides to every story, we ignore those sides, digging deeper for unwanted lobes and parasitic reactions

]]><![CDATA[Pico-Balloonists to Fight Back]]>Sat, 01 Apr 2023 07:01:00 GMThttp://ve7nfr.com/thedipole/pico-balloonists-to-fight-back

It is now believed that a United States F-22 Raptor fighter jet, under NORAD command, on February 11, 2023 shot down a Amateur Radio Pico-Balloon over the Yukon Territories of Canada. This illegal, proactive and unnecessary act of War has outraged the international Amateur Radio community. Operators from all over the World have been hastily meeting to strategize countermeasures to deter and protect their perfectly legal payloads.

Top Pico-Ballooners such as W5KUB, VE3KCL, SA6BSS, NU7B, KO6FE and the owner of the shot down balloon, K9YO are set to implement counter-measures to protect their aerial investments from now on. State of the art tactical flare and chaff systems will now be employed as well as electronic warfare jamming techniques switched on when payloads are approached by military aircraft . When asked if the Amateurs were concerned that these tactics would "up the ante" for NATO the spokesperson for the collective responded with , " Just go ahead and try us".

If NORAD is willing to shoot a half million dollar missile at a bag of gas then our crowd funding will offset that with half a million in countermeasures. The Amateur Radio community is notorious for their generosity and willingness to spend money on expensive, cutting edge, modern technology. Green stamps have already started flooding into W5KUB mission control at the mere rumor of this development. "We have less trouble over Ukraine and Russia then over NATO territories." the spokesperson went on to say. Watch this space for future updates on this evolving story.

-Scott VA7SL reporting from Ham-tv.com

The DIPOLE - the Worlds finest Amateur Radio News Source, like a Dipole there are two sides to every story, we ignore those sides, digging deeper for unwanted lobes and parasitic reactions

]]><![CDATA[Bouvet Island Expedition's Biggest Surprise]]>Fri, 10 Mar 2023 22:09:34 GMThttp://ve7nfr.com/thedipole/bouvet-island-expeditions-biggest-surprise

Bouvet DXpedition Surprised to Find Starbucks on Island

The Bouvet Island DXpedition has generated a lot of attention. Bouvet is noted for being the land mass that is the furthest from any other humans on the planet. It is listed on CLUBLOG™ as the second most-wanted country after North Korea which is impressive, given North Korea does have people, and Bouvet is home to just lost seals and a few anti-vaxxers.

Or so it was thought, until the team arrived on January 31st.

As reported on dxnews.com, team co-leader LA7GIA couldn’t even get to the island without swimming the last 10 meters in the freezing south Atlantic while the other members of the team watched from the boat and cheered him on. Imagine his surprise when looking up and gasping for air, holding a radio in one hand and a Buddipole™ in the other, he saw a familiar sight: Yes, it was a Starbucks® - the hallmark of civilization to be found in any respectable town since man landed on the moon (allegedly).

After stumbling up the beach he informed the team via VHF that he had just had a venti caramel Frappuccino with one pump of caramel sauce, one pump of mocha, one pump of white mocha, and an affogato shot. Suddenly everyone on the boat had wished they had jumped into the water. They were also impressed he could speak the native language.

We reached Starbucks spokesperson Scott Presso who informed us, on the condition of anonymity, that they had been planning a Starbucks on Bouvet for some time, after realizing it was the only place they hadn’t put a location. However, when they heard about the DXpedition S. Presso said, “We simply had to get there ahead of the team, to welcome them and show how much we appreciate what they are doing and how much their wives appreciate the break.”

The new Starbucks is already prepared for the expected rush of customers. With a drive-through window and baked goods for the price of a dinner in New York, visitors will be able to enjoy a little taste of home while passing through from somewhere to nowhere.

As for the DXpedition team, they have applied for the special callsign 3Y0JOE so everyone can have a virtual “cup of Joe” with them. QSL via the bureau.

-Adrian VE7NZ reporting from the pileup

The DIPOLE - the Worlds finest Amateur Radio News Source, like a Dipole there are two sides to every story, we ignore those sides, digging deeper for unwanted lobes and parasitic reactions

]]><![CDATA[Yaesu USA going Vegan]]>Thu, 15 Sep 2022 18:57:11 GMThttp://ve7nfr.com/thedipole/yaesu-usa-going-vegan

Amateur Radio has existed in a bubble for decades having avoided many political controversies but in recent times controversy finds us more and more . Many younger Amateur Radio license holders have recognized such things as Climate Change, LGBTQ rights and now Animal Cruelty. This is why a young band of American Amateurs have banded together to promote Veganism in Ham Radio. It all started at the 2022 Dayton Hamvention with a small booth, off in a quieter part of the convention, where a small group of young Hams lead by 16 year old KA6VEG, Versaille Barnette lobbied for change. Barnette claims that much of Amateur Radio equipment is made with little or no concern for animal welfare of the monetization of animals as a commodity. Yaesu USA representative Mikio Maruya took notice and has pledged to the young operators that Yaesu has taken their concerns seriously and will be developing future product lines with Veganism in mind.

Maruya says that Yaesu will be developing future product lines with these goals in mind and he is quite certain most major radio manufacturers will be forced to adopt these measures :

No Animal Testing of products, they will use humans in all tests.
Soy based semiconductors and other components also free of Gluten.
and Biodegradable solders that will dissolve harmlessly when disposed of in landfills or exposed to liquids.

It is widely believed that transmitter output power levels will be significantly degraded as these new technologies generally operate at much lower voltages but they are confident that Hams will adapt as the leaders they are and have always been.

Veganism is a movement founded on a compassion for animals. Followers believe that animals should not be treated as commodities for our consumption or enjoyment. Instead, they should be protected from the impacts humanity has on the environment. For many years, this was expressed as a desire to remove animal products from your diet. It was also considered a fringe movement and, in some cases, derided. The movement is becoming very mainstream with many high profile celebrities and activists leading the way and now Amateur Radio.

Scott VA7SL reporting from Yaesu USA, Cypress California.

The DIPOLE - the Worlds finest Amateur Radio News Source, like a Dipole there are two sides to every story, we ignore those sides, digging deeper for unwanted lobes and parasitic reactions

]]><![CDATA[ARRL Exposes Massive Contesting Fraud]]>Thu, 14 Jul 2022 15:50:40 GMThttp://ve7nfr.com/thedipole/arrl-exposes-massive-contesting-fraud

“No More Monkey Business” - Says ARRL Contest Manager

A recent undercover operation has exposed some questionable operating techniques at big gun contesting stations. Posing as visiting operators, our reporters presented ARRL with videos of operators wearing adult diapers to maximize operating time, taking Red Bull intravenously and, most disturbingly, using trained monkeys to operate digital modes.

ARRL Contest Manager, Dwayne “Dupe” Checker, K1NFW, said he had thought such stories were just tall tales, but the secret footage clearly shows monkeys making digital contacts during the recent ARRL digital contest. In an announcement from ARRL HQ he stated, “We simply cannot allow this monkey business to continue. We are hams, not monkeys!”

But the station owner in question said there is no requirement in the rules that an operator must be a human. “Besides, the monkeys all passed their Technician exam, which thankfully was multiple choice, so with so many monkeys taking the test, it was just a matter of time. We just happened to be first.”

The ARRL complaint is now going to court in what is expected to be the most watched monkey court case since ‘Monkey #13 vs Michael Jackson.’ Mr. Checker, speaking from ARRL’s Newington CT headquarters, and surrounded by a team of celebrity lawyers, said, “We have to do this. Our membership expects us to do this. If we let monkeys operate digital modes - what’s next? CW? What if we have parrots saying ’59 Florida’ in SSB contests? It’s not right. It’s not natural. It’s not REAL HAM RADIO and it’s not going to happen!”

Monitor this website for daily updates from the courtroom. The trial is set to start April 1, 2023.

- Adrian VE7NZ, reporting from ARRL HQ, Newington CT.

The DIPOLE - the Worlds finest Amateur Radio News Source, like a Dipole there are two sides to every story, we ignore those sides, digging deeper for unwanted lobes and parasitic reactions

]]><![CDATA[ARRL creates "Elite Jammer Eradication Squad"]]>Sun, 27 Mar 2022 15:45:57 GMThttp://ve7nfr.com/thedipole/arrl-creates-elite-jammer-eradication-squad

ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR

In a decisive move Rick Roderick, K5UR President of the American Radio Relay League announced that the ARRL will form an elite paramilitary squad for the eradication of severe cases of jamming and interference on Amateur Radio frequencies in the United States. This squad will be comprised of former military personnel experienced in communication and radio direction finding tactics. This armed militia will travel the U.S. following severe reports of belligerent behavior and will have the eventual capability of being deployed anywhere in the nation within 8 hours. Each Amateur Radio call area will have it's own recallable team ready to roll on page out notice. The full implementation deadline is January 6th, 2023.

"Enough is enough" said Roderick, "The number one complaint of our membership is about goofs on repeaters and pirates on 20M & 80M." With this move Roderick hopes that decades of Ham Operator angst over "doing nothing" will be solved in a mater of weeks as the militia rolls in and out of towns and cities all over America destroying radios and antennas of offenders. Although most of the tactics will remain a secret it is widely thought that this hit and run squad will employ tactics made famous in Iraq by Blackwater employees and in the 1970's movie Citizens Band.

Scott VA7SL, reporting from ARRL HQ, Newington CT. , 04/01/2022 0:00 Zulu

The DIPOLE - the Worlds finest Amateur Radio News Source, like a Dipole there are two sides to every story, we ignore those sides, digging deeper for unwanted lobes and parasitic reactions

]]><![CDATA[Worldwide Controversy Over Radio Manufacturer’s Plans to Have S-Meters go to S-10.]]>Sun, 27 Mar 2022 15:32:59 GMThttp://ve7nfr.com/thedipole/worldwide-controversy-over-radio-manufacturers-plans-to-have-s-meters-go-to-s-10

From recently leaked documents it appears that Amateur Radio equipment manufacturers are about to part with tradition and change S-meters to go to S-10 instead of S-9. This has caused a huge debate on social media. While some hams see the higher signal reports as a boost to otherwise poor conditions, many are outraged that only people with money for new radios get to hear these stronger signals.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, Hitoshi Yakamoto from Yaesu said that they wanted to do something truly innovative for ham radio. After much discussion, the design team agreed an extra S-unit was perfect, although one of the new engineers said he couldn’t recall studying S-units in school at all.

The debates are intense. Contesters are wondering if everyone is now “5-10” or just those with the new radios. British and US hams are united in their opposition, complaining it’s yet another example of metric being used to confuse everyone.

AdrianVE7NZ/JA1 reporting from an undisclosed location in Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, 04/01/2022 0:00 Zulu

The DIPOLE - the Worlds finest Amateur Radio News Source, like a Dipole there are two sides to every story, we ignore those sides, digging deeper for unwanted lobes and parasitic reactions

]]><![CDATA[DXCC Award Threatened by Russian Invasion of Ukraine]]>Tue, 15 Feb 2022 18:46:10 GMThttp://ve7nfr.com/thedipole/dxcc-award-threatened-by-russian-invasion-of-ukraine

With Russia massing the bulk of its military and surrounding the independent nation of Ukraine over the last many weeks, leader Vladimir Putin has fired what those in the Amateur Radio Community consider to be the first shot in this coming war.

A Putin spokesman has stated that among the first order of business, post invasion, will be to discontinue the use of current Ukraine callsign prefixes EM-EO and UR-UZ and replace them with a good solid Russian prefix in the range of RA-RZ or UA-UI. Thus Amateur Radio will be changed forever.

The World Wide DXCC chasing community is in complete disarray as loss of Ukraine will threaten Awards and Endorsements causing delays of several days in fulfilling DXCC requirements. Currently all Yagi's are pointing towards Ukraine as last ditched attempts to log a QSO are at a fevered pitch on all HF bands as complete jamming of the spectrum by Russian military forces is considered imminent.

It is widely known that Putin was denied his DXCC many years ago during his time in the KGB and has never forgiven or forgotten this traumatic moment in his life and now seeks revenge on former Soviet Republics like Ukraine.

Scott VA7SL, reporting from the Russian Front

The DIPOLE - the Worlds finest Amateur Radio News Source like a Dipole there are two sides to every story, we ignore those sides, digging deeper for unwanted lobes and parasitic reactions

]]><![CDATA[The Ultimate HT Battery Replacement Experience - Truth in Advertising]]>Wed, 02 Feb 2022 18:25:16 GMThttp://ve7nfr.com/thedipole/the-ultimate-ht-battery-replacement-experience-truth-in-advertising

“They had what I wanted to buy so I bought it. Battery came, battery works. It didn't change my life much other than I now have the battery when before I did not have the battery. Battery arrived promptly with all the fanfare deserving of a battery purchase, delicately wrapped in an adorned Velvetine box encrusted in jewels and cryptic writing, Sanskrit I believe. All this in consideration I am satisfied with my purchase but bothered by the constant need for online sales organizations to request glowing comments for mundane everyday purchases like a battery. There you asked, I answered.”

Scott VA7SL, reporting from the Ministry of Consumer Affairs. (Actual published review below)

The DIPOLE - the Worlds finest Amateur Radio News Source like a Dipole there are two sides to every story, we ignore those sides, digging deeper for unwanted lobes and parasitic reactions

]]><![CDATA[New Ham Radio Mode Bypasses Need to Actually Make Contacts]]>Sat, 13 Nov 2021 23:58:21 GMThttp://ve7nfr.com/thedipole/new-ham-radio-mode-bypasses-need-to-actually-make-contacts

Building on the popularity of FT8, a new mode has been announced known as "FTGreat" or "FTG" for short. Why is it so great? Well, in the words of lead developer Chip Anderson K1QRP, "This new mode eliminates the tiresome need to actually make contacts in order to win awards like DXCC, WAS, and the prestigious Fred Fish 6m award.”

He added, “We all know your station could make the contacts if you were there, so why should you be punished just because you have to mow the lawn?"

Once you install the software (a step the developers are hoping to eliminate), you simply enter your location and details about your station - power, frequencies, antennas (optional), etc… after which the software looks at conditions and decides which contacts should go in your log.

There is even the potential to use bands not currently allocated to amateur use, since no transmissions are necessary.

Psychologists are applauding the release of FTG as a stress reducer for anxious hams and a boost to marital harmony. A prominent marriage counsellor for ham operators has seen a dramatic drop in business because "...now you can watch a romantic movie with your wife without pretending to use the bathroom to work a rare DX station. It’s a win-win!"

Adrian VE7NZ, reporting from the living room while earning DXCC on 10m and watching Love Actually, again.

The DIPOLE - the Worlds finest Amateur Radio News Source like a Dipole there are two sides to every story, we ignore those sides, digging deeper for unwanted lobes and parasitic reactions

]]><![CDATA[NEW ARRL ROTA AWARD - Repeaters On The Air]]>Sun, 17 Oct 2021 19:25:34 GMThttp://ve7nfr.com/thedipole/new-arrl-rota-award-repeaters-on-the-air

The American Amateur Radio League has announced a brand new award program effective November 1, 2021. In order to counteract the North American wide phenomenon of inactive, dead-air repeaters, the ARRL as initiated the Repeaters On The Air (ROTA) Award. Absolutely no simplex contacts will be allowed and submissions of such will be grounds for automatic disqualification as are contacts made via D, E & F Layer propagation, only contacts made via full duplex repeaters will count. All Digital & Analog Modes are acceptable.

Points for QSO's will be assigned thus:

Repeaters used once a day: 1 point
Repeaters activated once a week for Local Nets only: 2 points
Repeaters that have not been kerchunked in over a year: 100 points

QSO Multipliers are thus:

ISS repeater multiplier =X(-100)
2M band point multiplier = X (-5)
70cm band point multiplier = X (0)
6M band point multiplier = X (10)
10M band point multiplier = X (100)
33cm band point multiplier = X (1000)
23cm band point multiplier = X (1000)
above 23cm band point multiplier = X (10000)

Certificates will be awarded at 1,000,000 points with endorsement for each million points thereafter. Full details of ROTA will be posted to the ARRL web site November 1, 2021.

-VA7SL reporting from ARRL HQ, Newington CT,.

The DIPOLE - the Worlds finest Amateur Radio News Source like a Dipole there are two sides to every story, we ignore those sides, digging deeper for unwanted lobes and parasitic reaction

]]><![CDATA[Amateur Radio Life Coaching Catching On]]>Wed, 25 Aug 2021 15:28:22 GMThttp://ve7nfr.com/thedipole/amateur-radio-life-coaching-catching-on

In 2009 Billy Bob Braithwaite was an unemployed West Virginia coal miner trying to escape his troubles, using crystal meth, and suffering through the downward spiral that is addiction. In the Summer of 2009 an old friend came upon him in his misery and took Brathwaite under his wing, nursing him back into the mainstream of society.

During this time Billy Bob came to notice that his friend was an Amateur Radio Operator who was constantly whipped by his wife (XYL) and not allowed to put up visible antennas on his home, have more then one antenna on his car or be allowed to operate while she was in the vehicle with him. At that moment Brathwaite had an inspiration in which he hoped he could help payback his kind hearted friend in some small way. Billy Bob Brathwaite became the World's first known Amateur Radio Life Coach.

An now in 2021 for a very reasonable fee Brathwaite will meet with you in a counseling session to get the root of your limitations and then pay your wife a visit. He can point to several examples of his success stories such as VY3OMG who was not allowed anything larger then a 2M 1/4 wave whip hidden just outside a side yard window and now boasts one of the World's largest Quad antennas on a 120' tower.

Then there is WW4AW who went from just having just one single Baofeng handheld with a bent rubber duck antenna to one of the World's largest shacks and an impressive array of operating positions as well as door locking systems. Braithwaite's favorite client to date is AX2CAR who went from carrying a handheld hidden in his glovebox to this impressive mobile array and a World Class Contest Rover. (Shown below is his daily commute configuration)

Brathwaite claims that though his methods may be considered unorthodox by many you can not argue against his results. The Life Coach claims that he is so busy now with word of mouth referral that he cannot service all the requests and is considering mentoring others to fill the need for more Amateur Radio Life Coaching. When pressed for reactions from the spouses of these Operators Brathwaite was evasive and did not give any conclusive answers as to the spouses reactions. In fact our investigations were unable to uncover any reactions from an XYL nor did we actually meet or even see any of them. That aside the Ham Radio operators we met were happy and living fulfilled lives, fully accepting who they were as individuals and living their best lives.

-VA7SL reporting from Burnsville West Virginia

The DIPOLE - the Worlds finest Amateur Radio News Source like a Dipole there are two sides to every story, we ignore those sides, digging deeper for unwanted lobes and parasitic reactions

]]><![CDATA[Amateur Radio Nets Part 2]]>Fri, 13 Aug 2021 23:01:32 GMThttp://ve7nfr.com/thedipole/amateur-radio-nets-part-2

In my first article I described the most common types of Ham Radio Nets, in this submission I shall discuss some of the more esoterica of Net traffic:

Boaters Net is where many Operators check-in and hope to hear an actual Maritime Mobile station, every month or so they actually get one! Some may actually refer to this as a Fish Net.
Blind Hams Net always held after dark (at least they think so) and discussions of Music and Audio quality are priority traffic.
Raspberry Pi Net is a net where the same old joke is made week after week about cooking the Pi's all day to get ready for the Net. I am yet to get a good recipe from this Net.
Friends of Bill Net is a radio talking group of Tea Totalers who take things One Net at a Time and can talk about the bad old days but always forgetting how much fun they had.
Science Nets are where every Net Controller becomes Bill Nye The Science Guy after several hours of watching YouTube videos.

-VA7SL reporting from Net Control

The DIPOLE - the Worlds finest Amateur Radio News Source like a Dipole there are two sides to every story, we ignore those sides, digging deeper for unwanted lobes and parasitic reactions

]]><![CDATA[A Beginners Guide To Ham Radio Nets]]>Sun, 01 Aug 2021 16:05:15 GMThttp://ve7nfr.com/thedipole/a-beginners-guide-to-ham-radio-nets

(The VHF and above Radio World is littered with quiet repeaters, too quiet in fact. A tried and true practice to encourage activity is for the repeater sponsors to host a daily or weekly Net. What you will find is that there are several different styles of Nets that can be employed and many are based on the personality of the Net Controller. Here is a list of the most common type of Amateur Radio Net types and an explanation of their raison d'être:

The most common Net which can be found almost everywhere is the ever stimulating "Check-in Only Net". You know where the authoritarian net controller demands you state your call sign, name, QTH and then SHUT UP SCHWEINHUND! Always a good time, short sweet, over quick and affords the Net Controller the option of pontificating on a topic of their choice at random times for no apparent reason.
A variation on this theme is the "Calling Callsigns from a List Net". This variation allows for the ever chatty Net Controller to really flex there vocal chords, especially during long runs where no one answers. This is a favorite amongst those really trying to make the Net as long and disinteresting as possible. These Nets reward returnees with a place on the list whether they are actually there or not. Very often it is the not. This type of Net takes Callsign, Name and Good Morning/Evening everybody have a great day/night as there traffic passing ritual.
A "The Cross Country Checkup" is stimulating in that it excites the imagination as you can listen to check ins from far flung locals that you might otherwise not hear from such as Bismarck, North Dakota, Moscow, Idaho and Chevy Chase, Maryland.
The "Net with a Purpose" is just hard work and requires a Net Controller with a skillset to do more listening then talking. This type of net asks questions of the check ins on a topic of the day or interviews a guest with a particular knowledge set to share with the listenership. You will hear such things as discussions about Raspberry Pi's, Raspberry Pi's and did I mention Raspberry Pi's?

de VA7SL reporting from Mission Control
(Editors Note: VA7SL is a Net Controller on the Trans Canada Net and has been found guilty of all the sins of which he writes by a jury of his peers)
The DIPOLE - the Worlds finest Amateur Radio News Source like a Dipole there are two sides to every story, we ignore those sides, digging deeper for unwanted lobes and parasitic reactions

]]><![CDATA[Ham Community in Disarray After Discovering First Mentor Actually Named Bruce]]>Fri, 09 Jul 2021 07:00:00 GMThttp://ve7nfr.com/thedipole/ham-community-in-disarray-after-discovering-first-mentor-actually-named-bruce

Bruce "Sparky" McTavish circa 1914

Recently discovered documents have revealed that the first ham radio mentor was not named Elmer, but Bruce. The documents were found at an archeology dig beneath a coffee shop in Newington, Connecticut. The key discovery was a Ham club’s meeting minutes dated April 1, 1914. Just under the agenda item “Discussion: AM Voice – Is it Real Ham Radio?” was a note calling on the club to officially recognize the contribution of “Bruce ‘Sparky’ McTavish” for his outstanding work in mentoring new hams.

According to ham historian Chris Smart (yes, that’s his real name) VE3RWJ, “It turns out that the original ‘Elmer’ was actually a student of Bruce’s. Elmer took over mentoring new hams after Bruce was electrocuted, having accidentally connecting 240VAC to his Morse Code key.” Smart continued, “A teacher to the end, Bruce’s last moment on Earth provided an important lesson for us all.”

As a result of the discovery, the ham community is in a state of confusion. Being against any form of change, most hams say they will still refer to their teachers as “Elmer” despite the new information. However, national organizations are seeking to correct the record and give Bruce his due recognition. The Radio Amateur Society of Australia is going to sponsor a “Worked all Bruces” award and the Radio Society of Great Britain has put forward a proposal to formally change their name to the Radio Society of Great Bruce.

de Adrian VE7NZ reporting from W1AW Newington, CT

The DIPOLE - the Worlds finest Amateur Radio News Source like a Dipole there are two sides to every story, we ignore those sides, digging deeper for unwanted lobes and parasitic reactions.

]]><![CDATA[Gender Pronouns on Amateur Radio under Regulatory Review]]>Tue, 11 May 2021 19:44:36 GMThttp://ve7nfr.com/thedipole/gender-pronouns-on-amateur-radio-under-regulatory-review

The International Telecommunications Union has undertaken a pilot project to commence June 1, 2021 in ITU Region 2 (North America) to encourage Amateur Radio Operators to be more inclusive as a hobby and identify with their Callsigns and their Personal Pronouns.

An ITU study revealed that this hobby is very skewed towards 'incel males' (men who consider themselves unable to attract women sexually) and in order to open up the hobby to more different sexual persuasions it has been advised that openly identifying with your personal pronouns would help to accomplish this. European delegates to the ITU have already voluntarily embraced this project before the assembly even had time to vote on the recommendation.

Amateur Radio Operators will now identify as per normal in their country of license but will then add their 3 to 5 personal pronouns of choice as per the example table above.

Example "This is VE7FRY, she, her, hers, herself QRZ 20 meters"
The response could be "VE7FRY himself this is VE7NFR, xe, xem, xyr, xyrs, xemself good to speak with you again old woman"

-by VA7SL reporting from the International Telecommunications Union in Geneva, Switzerland

The DIPOLE - the Worlds finest Amateur Radio News Source like a Dipole there are two sides to every story, we ignore those sides, digging deeper for unwanted lobes and parasitic reactions.

]]>