The NW7US Beacon

True Visionaries of the Future, in 1922

For what it is worth, there were moments of incredible vision and clarity in the magazine staff of “Radio News”. Here is an example. On the cover of the January 1922 edition, this picture predicts a time in the future when radio will become the “Street Organ of the Future.” Remember the Boom Box craze of the 1980s? And, now, as we have all our personal devices? This was truly visionary, back in 1922.

The FISTS International Morse Code Preservation Society Celebrates 25 Years In 2012

FISTS is an international group of individuals and clubs that support the use, preservation and education of Morse code. Practically speakinking, the club is devoted exclusively to the use of Morse code by way of radio, usually through the mode known as “CW”. CW operators, CW operating and people who are passionate about Morse code are welcome to be members.

FISTS is a well established and recognized Morse code (CW-mode on the radio) organization in the world of amateur radio. Founded in 1987 by Geo Longden, G3ZQS, it now has a membership in the thousands, is world-wide, and growing daily.

What FISTS wants to accomplish:

1. To further the use of CW on the amateur bands.
2. To encourage newcomers to the CW mode.
3. To engender friendship within the membership.

The International Morse Code, sometimes referred to as ‘CW’ in Amateur Radio jargon because a continuous wave is turned on and off with the long and short elements of the morse code characters, is a type of character encoding that transmits telegraphic information using rhythm. Morse code uses a standardized sequence of short and long elements to represent the letters, numerals, punctuation and special characters of a given message. The short and long elements can be formed by sounds, marks, or pulses, in on off keying and are commonly known as “dots” and “dashes” or “dits” and “dahs”. The speed of Morse code is measured in words per minute (WPM) or characters per minute, while fixed-length data forms of telecommunication transmission are usually measured in baud or bps.

Why is it called ‘Morse Code’? This character encoding was devised by Samuel F. B. Morse, the creator of the electric telegraph. This ‘Morse Code’ came in two flavors, in the beginning. One was in use by the railroads of America, and is known as ‘American Morse Code’. And, there was a unified, internationally-used version (adopted by radio operators), now known as the ‘International Morse Code’. Now, when most people refer to ‘Morse Code’ or ‘CW’, they mean, ‘International Morse Code.’

The most popular current use of Morse code is by amateur radio operators, although it is no longer a requirement for amateur licensing in many countries. In the professional field, pilots and air traffic controllers are usually familiar with Morse code and require a basic understanding. Navigational aids in the field of aviation, such as VORs and NDBs, constantly transmit their identity in Morse code. Morse code is designed to be read by humans without a decoding device, making it useful for sending automated digital data in voice channels. For emergency signaling, Morse code can be sent by way of improvised sources that can be easily “keyed” on and off, making Morse code one of the most versatile methods of telecommunication in existence.

More information:
+ My CW / Morse code website - http://cw.hfradio.org/
+ The FISTS Website - http://FISTS.org

A truly enjoyable experience: shortwave radio via the ionosphere, great Darjeeling tea, a warm pipe with slow-burning fine tobacco, while taking notes of the wispy Morse code signals with a medium-point nibbed fountain pen…

I started listening to shortwave radio when I was about seven years old.  I discovered the world, just by tuning a dial and letting the ionosphere bring in exotic signals from around the globe.  Africa, Asia, Europe, and broadcasts from closer stations, too.  Those days were not Internet days.  Television was not yet the hundred-channelized cable experience.  But, radio was red-hot.

As I grew older, I was infected with the Morse code bug, and then joined the Military to become a Signal Corpsman.  After that, I became an amateur radio operator.  Earlier in my life journey, the pipe and its peaceful joy entered into my experience, along with the fountain pen addiction.  And fine teas.  Real tea.  Not herbal beverages, though those suffice at times.  No, fine teas like a refreshing Darjeeling.  Or an invigorating Earl Grey.

The love of the pipe came during my high school days, actually.  I know what you might conclude: what a terrible habit to acquire.  Although it is not a habit like cigar or cigarette smoking, as I only smoke a pipe on special occasions (typically on cold Autumn or Winter nights, or while camping, or maybe while listening to exotic shortwave signals—never on a daily basis), I will argue that for me, it is not a terrible habit.  It is a great stress relief, all in itself.  

For those in the know, pipe smoke is not inhaled in the same way as cigarette smoke.  Pipe smoke is enjoyed more in the sinus realm.  That helps regulate breathing.  Some say that this aspect of pipe smoking extends the life of the pipe smoker.  

My first real experience with pipe was when my older brother went through his outdoors, “Mountain Man / Foxfire” mode—a mode he really has never grown out of.  He’s now living here in Montana, too, raising horses, a family, and living somewhat of a “Foxfire” life.  He picked up the pipe because all Mountain Men smoked pipes, too, you know.  My brother was, of course, my role model.  What he did was cool by me.  Therefore, the pipe became attractive.  Yet, I did not just go start smoking a pipe.  It was just attractive as an image.

Then, I discovered J.R.R.Tolkien and Middle Earth.  Hobbits and Elves and Dwarves, and of course, wizards all filled my imagination.  A certain Gandalf was known to smoke a rather contemplative pipe.  And, so did Mr. Tolkien.

That pushed me over the edge.  You see, I fancied myself a contemplative, literate sort of fellow, too.  And, I loved mushrooms and travels.  After all, I was a shortwave radio listener, and dabbled in the magic of the ionosphere and sunspots.

So began my venture into my enjoyment of a warm, glowing bowl of fine tobacco, a journey actually of trying many flavors and types of fine mixes of tobaccos, as I came to discover.  That in itself has become a hobby.

And that’s when I discovered the world of tea.  There’s so much more to tea than just dropping a tea bag from the local super market into a hot cup of water.  Oh, my, yes.  So much more.

Just like with pipe tobacco, there is a multitude of varieties of teas.  On the highest level, there are green teas, white teas, oolong teas, and black teas.  And within each of those categories, there are many different types, based on the region from which they are grown and harvested, how they are “cured”, from what part of the plant they are harvested, and even how the tea is brewed!  It is an art.  And, therefore, a very enjoyable and relaxing form of life-giving activity that I find part of my daily ritual.

Lately, I have decided that I must include in my life the human expression of the art of hand writing.  Not sitting at the computer typing out my thoughts.  No.  I feel that picking up a fountain pen, and letting my thoughts flow out onto paper is a pure form of personal expression.  I’ve missed that. I’ve let that lapse for far too long.  My penmanship has truly suffered after years of neglect.  Now, I take it very slowly, and enjoy the discipline of re-acquiring my handwriting skills.

When all of these great stress-relieving aspects of daily life come together in one exercise of the hunt for exotic world signals, my joy is complete.  Nothing is more thrilling than hunting for a faint signal from some remote part of the world, and finally catching it.  All the while, enjoying the other aspects of my vices.  Yes, these vices converge at the moment I “bag the prize” of the hunt.  If this is an amateur radio moment and I am actually able to make a two-way contact, even more is my joy.

How about you?  Do you have a combination of “vices” with which you enjoy your hobby?

Below: My current shortwave station (both transmit and receive). Yes, I smoke my pipe out on the patio (upstairs).  I can take my radio out with me…

Now, I might be a geekie nerd (old fashioned: I’m an SWLer), but, THIS IS COOL!

shrtwvr:

Magic Eye tuning

(Source: swl.hfradio.org)