Ahira's Hangar

My Morse code is nonexistent without an online translator.

My paternal grandfather was in the navy, so I guess he taught it to my dad, who in turn passed some of it on to me. Nowhere near enough to even attempt manual translation. But I know/can recognise a few letters. (Polish guy I used to live with in London had a ham radio...was amazing watching him on the key.)

--A

My brother is a ham radio geek. I thought about learning it at one point or another but never got past SOS. And I can't even remember *that* much now: is it --- ... --- or the other way around?

The other way around.

--A

See? I'm pathetic at it...

You two are one up on me. Don't even know how to do SOS.

As a PC hobbyist, I have a certain admiration for ham radio hobbyists. We both like to tinker with tech gadgets. But I imagine that amateur radio requires a bit more technical and arcane knowledge of electronics. Or maybe not.

First bit of Morse I ever learnt. ...---...

Dunno...the guy I lived with was into electronics and stuff, but he didn't fiddle with his radio much...that was more like aerials and frequencies and stuff.

--A

Long, long ago (late '70s), I held a 3rd class FCC radiotelephone license. It was pretty much required for working in radio in those days. Basically it was all about how to take meter readings to make sure the station is operating within parameters on its legal frequency (and not stepping on anybody else's). *Very* rudimentary and clearly no knowledge of Morse code was required. Then everything got automated, so the FCC stopped requiring people to have the license. I think I still have the thing in a drawer somewhere, long since expired....

I think my brother mostly communicates on voice frequencies these days. Haven't asked him about it in forever.... He's an engineer for a TV station in Chicago (or was, till he retired earlier this year), so all that arcane electronics stuff comes second nature to him.