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nBeforenthere was Twitter…
nbeforenthere was Facebook or MySpace…
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nbeforenthere was the Internet, even!…
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nPeoplencommunicated with one another, broke big news, shared info andnideas—all through amateur radio!
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nTodaynis the 87th anniversary of the founding of thenInternational Amateur Radio Union – and today’s celebration has thentheme “Radio Satellites: Celebrating 50 Years in Space.” Amateurnradio itself has been in existence for more than a century.
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Anothernterm for “amateur radio” is “ham radio.” Ham radio operatorsnuse a variety of voice, text, image, and data communications modesnand can get in touch with others across the city, across the world,nor even in space! n
Anothernterm for “amateur radio” is “ham radio.” Ham radio operatorsnuse a variety of voice, text, image, and data communications modesnand can get in touch with others across the city, across the world,nor even in space! nn
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nWow!
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nApparentlynthere have been amateur radio satellites in orbit around the Earthnsince late 1961 (hence the “50 years in space”), and ham radionenthusiasts can contact the satellites with even hand-heldntransceivers and regular factory antenna. Hams can use the moon, thenaurora borealis, and even meteor trails as reflectors of radionwaves, and they can contact the International Space Station. Manynastronauts and cosmonauts are licensed amateur radio operators!
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nHerenis a video about ham radio on the Space Station.
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nOfncourse, many of us contact satellites in space multiple times a day,nbecause we use cell phones now. (I’ve never chatted with an astronautnin space, though!) Apparently ham radio can help people stay in touchnin areas that aren’t so easy with cell phones. When traveling out ofnthe area covered by your cell phone service, such as a foreignncountry, and when talking to other within 30 miles in mountainous ornremote areas that don’t have good cell phone coverage, you can staynin touch with family and friends using amateur radio. Here is annarticle that discusses some of the reasons you might want to get anham radio license—and how to get it, too!
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nAlsonon this date:
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Paul Revere Day in the U.S.
Paul Revere Day in the U.S. n
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nBirthday of lawyer Clarence Darrow (famous because of the “Monkey Trial”nabout teaching evolution)
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nAnniversary of the publishing of the first crossword puzzle book
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nAnniversary of Albert Einstein’s death
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