On Thu, 2007-02-08 at 16:29 -0500, Gene Heskett wrote: Big Snip! > difficult. Hi, Gene, As an old hand HAM from the 60's, I know of what you speak. Today, hardware hacking is a fine sport for all kinds of folks, from HAM's to low power local "bandit broadcasters", to Robotics enthusists, and even the Radio Control folks. I remember fooling with an old IFF transponder to get something with AM in the 2.4GHz range, using a flourescent tube as a wavemeter. I built antennas from beercans, baby food tins, small apple juice cans, pipe, an umbrella, bamboo pools, ground wire for housing, used two antenna rotators to get moon bounce antennas pointed at the moon, and other fanciful stuff, some of which actually worked quite well. I built an SSB transmitter from a CB radio using crystal filters before SSB was available on CB bands, and got it on 10meters by reversing the transmit and receive crystals then reversing the tunng of the receive side. I built a QRP (low power transmitter) from two transistors and some 16G wire with a screw adjustable cermic trimmer as the tunable element, and talked to Japan and Alaska from southern CA. <RANT> A dedicated HW hacker can build many things from a set of components, limited primarily by their imagination, available time, and persistence. The rules apply to those who will not take the time, or learn the skills to do what they desire. And in so doing protect the ignorant from damaging everyone else. I remember that one of my neighbors complained about my radios interfering with his television. I am well schooled in calibration (6 months at Lowry AFB), and knew I was OK. I told them to call the FCC. They did. The father was running a military linear behind his CB radio and didn't know how to tune it. He got in a bit of trouble for that. Running high power, or spraying the spectrum affects all kinds of people, and television, radio and emergency communications are important and vital tools of societies world wide. Not to mention police, fire, airports, and other first responders. I have helped provide communications in emergencies both here in the US and over seas. Be kind to your local amateur Radio operator. He may someday be your only life line. Do not mess with stuff unless you know the rules and do not mess with radar, radio and other frequencies unless you take the appropriate actions to protect the other users. </RANT> Regards, Les H
