Aug. 25, 2009 - 11:35pm

News from the outside world, but it is not good.

TV station that had been showing the color bars test pattern has
gone off the air along with all the others. Even though it was
useless for information, there was something oddly comforting
about being able to turnon the TV and at least see something on
the screen. Now it's all just useless static.



All the AM news stations are also off the air, but there's one
FM station that's still broadcasting. Unfortunately, it's
playing an endless loop of obnoxious '80s music and
advertisements for sales that ended days ago. If I hear
"Walking on Sunshine" one more frickin' time. Ill use the
radio for target practice to sight and tune in my RPK.
I opened the 720rnd.spam can of Brown Bear 7.62x39, which I
never thought I would open.

I just wish I could figure out what's going on out there
and how widespread this aberration is.

Wait a minute. What an idiot I've been. What about my
Fathers old HAM radio?

Read this article that made me remember I had one all along.

- Transmission from an anonymous writer
Back when I was a kid, my Dad did everything he could
to get me interested in HAM radio. He was hardcore.
Only Morse Code ('CW', he called it) for him. Anyone
that used a mic and actually talked to other people
was a second class citizen, as far as he was
concerned. I studied for the tests and actually
passed them, but I could never get the hang of Morse
Code so I never got my license.

Dad tried to keep me interested by using his radio to
tune into all sorts of shortwave broadcasts from
around the world. I used to listen to the BBC World
Service, Radio Free Europe and Radio Afrika
International. I'd think of the exotic places these
radio stations were reaching and the folks that were
listening in. It distracted me from my mundane
suburban existence, at least for awhile.

Just before my Dad passed away, he was gearing up to
work another "Field Day" with a bunch of his HAM
buddies. He did this every year and told Mom that
it was all about "being prepared". I suspect it was
as much that as it was an excuse to go camping
with some buddies, play with his radio toys and maybe
drink a beer or two.

Right. Enough nostalgia. Back to the situation at hand.

Let's go see if I can bring it back to life.