December 12, 2007 by kb3ljm.

The first of 20 planned automatic public toilets across the five boroughs is expected to open this week in Madison Square Park, after construction and testing is completed.

The toilets are part of a 20-year contract with the Spanish advertising firm Cemusa Inc., which won a coordinated street furniture bid in 2005 to install 3,300 new bus shelters, 330 newsstands, and 20 public toilets within the next five years. The project, which utilizes tempered glass and stainless steel structures designed by the New York architecture firm Grimshaw Architects, is expected to gross the city $1.4 billion in funds and advertising space over 20 years.
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December 12, 2007 by kb3ljm.

We were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Lon, W3DID. Lon was one of the founders of The BRATS, along with Bob Bennett, W3WCQ, who passed away not too long ago. Lon was not only one of the founders of The BRATS, but also of fast scan ATV and ATV repeaters.. I recall one of his famous sayings: If you have $1 to spend on ham radio, spend 99 cents on your antenna… True. Lon always encouraged youngsters to become interested in and participate in ham radio and ATV, as well as anyone who came along. He was a welcoming sort of guy. We will miss him…..
73, Mayer, W3GXK

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December 12, 2007 by kb3ljm.

Lawrence A. Shelton
W3DID
December 1, 2007

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December 12, 2007 by kb3ljm.

Dell is venturing further from its direct-to-consumer sales model and will start selling computers at Best Buy stores in January.

The companies said Thursday that Best Buy will sell Dell’s XPS and Inspiron notebook and desktop computers at more than 900 stores.
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December 12, 2007 by kb3ljm.

President George W. Bush has announced his intention to re-nominate Jonathan S. Adelstein for a third term on the Federal Communications Commission; this will be his second full five-year term. Adelstein was first sworn in as Commissioner in 2002, filling the unexpired term of Gloria Tristani.

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2007/12/03/100/?nc=1

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December 12, 2007 by kb3ljm.

At the 98th annual Radio Club of America (RCA) banquet on November 16 in New York City, Walter Cronkite, KB2GSD; ARRL Roanoke Division Director Dennis Bodson, PhD, PE, W4PWF, and Jack Belrose, VE2CV, were toasted and feted throughout the night. Bodson received the Sarnoff Citation, given to recognize significant contributions to the advancement of electronic communications. Barry Goldwater, K7UGA (SK), was the first recipient of the Sarnoff Citation in 1973. Both Cronkite and Belrose received the Armstrong Medal, the RCA’s foremost achievement award and named for its first recipient, Major Edwin Armstrong. The keynote speech was given by Andy Rooney of television’s 60 Minutes.

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2007/12/08/100/?nc=1

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December 12, 2007 by kb3ljm.

The Peter W. Dahl Company in El Paso, Texas, will be closing its doors as of December 31, 2007, according to Peter Dahl, K0BIT, owner and founder of the company that has made custom transformers for more than 40 years. Dahl, 67, is suffering from Parkinson’s Disease. The company manufactured a wide variety of transformers and reactors for Amateur Radio and commercial radio and television applications. According to Dahl, many are direct replacements for original equipment components that are no longer available from the manufacturer, while others have general-purpose applications in any number of different transmitters. He said that they had more than 4000 individual transformer designs on file. QST columnist John Dilks, K2TQN (”Old Radio”), said the closing of the Dahl Company was “sad news for those of us who restore the big iron.” Dahl told the ARRL, “I want to thank everyone for their business throughout the years. I have enjoyed making each Amateur Radio transformer.”  — Thanks to John Dilks, K2TQN

http://www.arrl.org/?artid=7889

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December 12, 2007 by kb3ljm.

“Denver International Airport … offers something every airport should offer: fast, free Wi-Fi.” That’s from Computer World’s “The World is My Office” blog by Mike Elgan. Elgan writes “the airport threw a switch about a month ago, and transformed its for-pay airport-wide Wi-Fi into a free, advertiser-supported service.” After the switch, he says “overnight, without promotion,” Denver’s Wi-Fi usage “increased tenfold.” For those looking for more airport Web options, Elgan writes things are “looking up” as “major airports (succeed) with free, airport-wide Wi-Fi.” And, as for Denver, he notes the airport is installing one of the newest and fastest Wi-Fi networks currently available. “Now if only airports would add more electrical outlets,” Elgan says.

http://blogs.usatoday.com/sky/2007/12/denver-wi-fi.html

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December 12, 2007 by kb3ljm.

The 21st Annual Winter Shortwave Listeners (SWL) Fest, sponsored by the North American Shortwave Association (NASWA), will be held on Friday, March 7 and Saturday, March 8, 2008 at the Best Western Inn in Kulpsville, Pennsylvania (30 miles north of Philadelphia). The convention s the largest gathering of listeners to the radio spectrum in the United States and perhaps the world, and covers longwave, mediumwave, shortwave broadcasts, utilities, pirates, VHF/UHF, FM, scanners, television and satellites. About 200 hobbyists and broadcasters from across the country and around the world attend each year. Activities include forums, silent auction, vendors, swap meet, guest speakers, banquet, awards, and door prizes that include top line radios. For more information on forums, activities, directions,registration and hotel, visit
http://www.swlfest.com

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December 12, 2007 by kb3ljm.

“Sunspot-wise, we seem to be stuck in a trough between Solar Cycles 23 and 24. Lately the W1AW propagation bulletins have been reporting zero sunspots, day after day. The level of solar activity was low throughout 2006 and 2007 and is not expected to begin to pick up until around March 2008 — months later than earlier predictions.”

http://www.arrl.org/news/features/2007/12/01/1/?nc=1

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