I can get the audio for the shuttle launch on my android phone.
That app uses www.RadioReference.com for the feeds.
You can also just use your computer to go and listen to the final launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis.
You can also watch it at: http://livewire.wesh.com/Event/Shuttle_Atlantis_Final_Launch
They say everyone gets 15 minutes of fame. I had a few seconds of fame in the “BBS: The Documentary.” I was in the movie and Jason Scott (the director) said that my line got the biggest laugh in the movie.
But I do not think that counts as my 15 minutes of fame. So I must still have something more right?
I think I am in a book! Jerome S. Berg wrote “Listening on the short waves, 1945 to today.”
He did an interview with me and I think he wrote about me. I have no idea if it is good or bad or if I made it into his book. I have not got a copy of the book yet. I got it on my Amazon WishList and I use that list as a place to put things that I want and when I have a few extra bucks I go and order something. You know me… I always order computer hardware or radio hardware first. So I have not ordered the book yet. But I will one of these days and then we will find out if I was a good guy or a bad guy back in the late 50s and early 60s. I put out a shortwave club publication for a time. I did a “DX program” over WRUL radio for a year until they kicked me off the air. I pushed for the formation of a organization of shortwave clubs (and it was created) and I held the first convention of the ANARC in Kanas City (MO) so I think I might get a mention in the book.
So how many minutes of fame does that count as?
Shortwave listening was such a fun hobby and I made so many friends. There were a few meetings but most of your time was spent in your room in front of a shortwave radio late at night. I often think that all those years were wasted. I should have been out meeting people and doing things. On the other hand it was exciting and all sorts of things took place. Listening to see what happened when the United States set off a nuclear bomb in space. I was a teenager that had to go to summer school every year but I headed up a research group for MIT! (Office for Satellite Scatter – Research Group C). So I do not know if that was wasted time or if I was getting a hell of an education sitting in my bedroom listening to my shortwave radios.
When I get my hands on the book I will let you know if that completes my 15 minutes of fame or if there is still someone ahead for me.
Do mentions in a newspaper count as 15 minutes of fame? I was mentioned in a story in the Kansas City Star one time. It had to do with a meeting of the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners. I stood up and make a hell of a speech. Of course the newspaper did not report it that way. The story did not make me look good.
I also was mentioned and given credit for a story on the front page of a weekly national Catholic newspaper. On my shortwave radio I picked up a report from Radio Havana about the arrest of a Catholic Bishop. I reported it to the newspaper and even played it for the over the telephone and they put it on the front page of the newspaper.
Maybe I have had my 15 minutes of fame. I am 70 years old.
“The Lockheed Martin Amateur Radio Club located in Fort Worth (for those of us either already on the "far west side" of the metroplex, or those who are in the neighborhood or care to make a special trip) will be hosting our Field Day site on the grounds of the Lockheed Martin Recreation Area, with the entrance located at 3400 Bryant Irvin Road on the southwest side of Fort Worth (upon arrival, ask the attendant at the front gate for directions to the Field Day activities).
We will have multiple stations running throughout the weekend, including CW HF, HF voice, satellite, and VHF/UHF. We will be using a variety of radios (5W portable, as well as 100W base, and the relatively new FUNcube Dongle SDR receiver), wire & portable antennas (the site has lots of trees to string wires in, in addition to the Buddipole), & generator power. There will be Wi-Fi network connectivity at each station provided by emergency-powered HSMM-MESH routers, as well as streaming video from an IP camera at the site (assuming the digital gods have mercy on us).
The club definitely has fun on Field Day, while still keeping with the Field Day objectives of demonstrating our ability to operate away from our primary shack in less than ideal conditions. All are welcome to come & play radio with us. You may use the call-in frequency for directions, etc. on the W5SJZ repeater at 147.28
We hope to see any/all of you out at our Field Day site !!
Mark J Culross
KD5RXT”
Over the years you have heard me talking about amateur (ham) radio. I have posted stuff often about ham radio. If any of you are interested in learning more about ham radio then this month is a good time.
On June 25th and 26th hams all over the United States will take part in Field Day. It is a disaster exercise and training. Hams across the United States, and Canada, will get out of the house and set up communications systems in parks and lots and all sorts of places and will not be using commercial power for their communications systems.
They will be open to the public and would love to have you show up so they can show you ham radio in operation and most of the time they will have a setup were you can sit down and try your hand at ham radio.
I am going to try and make it to some Field Day event this year. I do not have a car so it is hard without a car.
But I would like to take some photos, make some videos for YouTube and I might even find a way to stream live video from the site.
One way you can find a local Field Day event is do a Google Search for your area and use “amateur radio”, “ham radio”, “field day” in the search and you should find something.
Click on the banner to the left and you can go to the ARRL site and they have a utility to help you find a site neat you.
Field Day 2011 Locator
I put in Fort Worth and it found five Field Day Sites.
I put in Kansas City (MO) it found four sites.
Get out of the house for Field Day. The hams at the sites will be there 24/7 during the event and would love to see you. It is free. Take some photos and make some videos.
I am going to try and make it to the Lockheed Martin ARC Field Day and if you make it to the event I hope to see you there.
Here is my video blog for today. It runs 17:27 minutes and I am using a new lead in video for it. I had a guy make the video for me and it cost me $5.00 (I did donate an extra $5.00). Pretty good deal I think. I found him on FIVERR. The person that made the video for me was: Guruofall_Video.
Over the years you have heard me talking about amateur (ham) radio. I have posted stuff often about ham radio. If any of you are interested in learning more about ham radio then this month is a good time.
On June 25th and 26th hams all over the United States will take part in Field Day. It is a disaster exercise and training. Hams across the United States, and Canada, will get out of the house and set up communications systems in parks and lots and all sorts of places and will not be using commercial power for their communications systems.
They will be open to the public and would love to have you show up so they can show you ham radio in operation and most of the time they will have a setup were you can sit down and try your hand at ham radio.
I am going to try and make it to some Field Day event this year. I do not have a car so it is hard without a car.
But I would like to take some photos, make some videos for YouTube and I might even find a way to stream live video from the site.
One way you can find a local Field Day event is do a Google Search for your area and use “amateur radio”, “ham radio”, “field day” in the search and you should find something.
Click on the banner to the left and you can go to the ARRL site and they have a utility to help you find a site neat you.
Field Day 2011 Locator
I put in Fort Worth and it found five Field Day Sites.
I put in Kansas City (MO) it found four sites.
Get out of the house for Field Day. The hams at the sites will be there 24/7 during the event and would love to see you. It is free. Take some photos and make some videos.
I am going to try and make it to the Lockheed Martin ARC Field Day and if you make it to the event I hope to see you there.
They are doing the de orbit burn for the shuttle Endeavour right now. There will be only one more launch and landing of a shuttle.
I been listening to space craft from the start of the space age. I even did a space communications column each month for a long time. Tonight I am following the landing by watching streaming video from NASA TV.
I got my new new Wouxun KG-UVD1P radio the other day. I love it. It is a dual band handheld two-way radio for the ham bands.
I live in Fort Worth (TX) and I ordered it from a Texas company: Main Trading Company. The shipping was free. I had to pay Texas sales tax since I live in Texas. They tossed in the USB programming cable for free and my total cost was $140.00 for it all. That is a great price for the radio. My last ham HT dual band radio cost me $350.00 without cable and software.
I got it fast from Main Trading Company. They sent it priority mail.
I love the radio. To use the radio you need to be a licensed ham radio operator. I am NØUWY.
There are a lot of hams in the United States and around the world. If you are a ham there are a lot of things you can do. Pretty neat things. You can talk to the ISS crew on ham radio. Most of the ISS crew are hams. Read about Ham Radio.
The radio I got was made in China and the company name is Wouxun. I am not sure if they make it or sell it or both. They sell these radios for around $100.00 and they do not cost much money but they are not cheap radios. They are well built. They look good and look professional.
Now that I got a ham radio again maybe I will get out and do a few things. I could attend some ham events; hamfest, field day, do SkyWarn, take part in doing communications for public events etc.
Will I get out and do anything? I suspect not. It is the start of summer and here in TX it is HOT HOT HOT all summer. When you go outside it feels like you are walking into an oven. This is worst heat that Missouri or Florida. I do not think God expected humans to live in Texas during the summer.
Plus I am not sure it is a good idea for a fat, old, bald, man with a pacemaker in him to be out in 100 degree weather. I have an excuse for staying inside with the air conditioning going and play on the Internet.
The dealer has shipped my new radio. The dealer is in Paris (TX) and that is about 90 miles from here. I am not sure when I will get it. It would be great to get it today but I will look for it Friday. It was sent priority mail via the U.S. Postal Service.
I am getting a cable and software with it that will allow me to program the radio. I also found a Yahoo support group and they had a file on their with ham repeaters for Fort Worth so as soon as I get the radio I can load in all the Dallas/Fort Worth ham repeaters.
I will look and see if I can find a local ham radio club to join. I might try and join the Lockheed Martin Recreation Association ham club. They are close to me and I think I could ride the bus to their meetings.
Even if I do not join the club I plan to hang out on their repeater. They have three repeaters; 147.280 MHz, 224.420 MHz and 442.200 MHz. I like 440 repeaters. My new radio does not cover the 220 band it is a dual band that cover 2 meters and 440 MHz.
They are going to have a hamfest, the Cowtown Hamfest, January 20-21st of 2012. I love hamfest. I hope I can attend. I will plan on taking the general test at that hamfest and upgrade my license.
I am going to look into taking part in the North Texas Balloon Project. Their next launch will be September 17 of 2011 from the Hillsboro airport! If you guys are thinking you heard of Hillsboro (TX) that is were I was living before I moved to Miami (FL). Here is a YouTube Video about the North Texas Balloon Project – Radio Communications. Pretty neat.
I see the LMRA has club meetings every Thursday starting at 7 PM! Plus they do testing on the 2nd and 4th Thursday meeting. There is no need for me to wait until the hamfest to test. I just need to start hitting the book and learn what I need to learn to get my General ticket.
I hope my radio gets here soon.
I sold my ham radio when I was in Miami. I been without a ham radio for long time now. I keep planning on getting one but when I have the money I spend the money on something for the computer.
This week because of the storms and everything I need to order a new ham radio.
My last ham radio was a Kenwood and I think it cost me something like $350.00 plus I spent extra for a few items for it. It was a excellent radio and I should not have sold it.
But now you can buy some very cheap ham radios that are made in China.
They are getting excellent reviews by hams and they cost about $100.00 each.
Below is a review of the Wouxun KG-UVD1P from a guy on YouTube. That is the radio I think I will buy this week.
He talks about buying it from China but U.S. dealers are now selling it. In fact there is a dealer here in Texas selling it.
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