This first story has gotten a lot of attention on the internet. I like it because, even though we may not be as necessary or useful for emergency communications these days, it recognizes the value of amateur radio in giving hams practical experience with RF. And, that experience does make them better engineers and software developers……Dan
Can learning ham radio make for better engineers and software developers?
When a group of Navy engineers and software developers took time away from their day jobs in December, they spent the time pursuing a task long considered passe: they became licensed amateur radio operators.
Some 23 employees from Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD) took a week-long class in amateur radio at Point Mugu, California culminating with an FCC amateur radio license test. All passed and are certified at the “technician” level for amateur radio operation.
Now, Navy officials say the move may make the workers better at their jobs.
I’m including this story because it’s just so bizarre. Have any of you ever had your ham plates stolen? And, how can you prevent this? Are there some kind of locking bolts that you can install to stop someone from stealing your plates?……Dan
Plate pirates target ham radio operators in Corner Brook
There’s a different kind of pirate radio situation unfolding in Corner Brook.
Someone is stealing the licence plates of amateur radio operators there, right off their vehicles.
The plates identify the owner as being an amateur operator, and sometimes that they have communications equipment inside the vehicle.
But the ease of identifying those unique plates could also make them targets.
“There’s a lot of plate collectors in Newfoundland and Labrador, and these plates are fairly rare. You don’t come across them very often,” said Gardner.
W8SFC~Steve says
A week long technician class, boy that must be some detailed classroom instruction! Having a background in radio as well as mainframe datacenter operations along with networks for data has helped me understand radio and the protocols and concepts – especially since a lot of amateur radio digital communications were the precursor to how the computer networks. Today there is such an integration between radio and computer networks that I think they compliment each other well. If you understand radio digital modes, you can easily relate that knowledge to computer network protocols and technologies. Someone at NAWCWD must have made that connection and this program will not only add to the numbers of hams, but I can see that some really creative engineering could be a result.
Oh Canada…
I have heard of security bolts that use a special driver but most of those are for things like keeping would be thieves from stealing the door hardware and coat hooks from the inside of restroom stalls, perhaps that would work. Unfortunately there are some people who are compelled to take things if they aren’t bolted down, and then there are some who don’t even let that slow them down. The Canadians for the most part are more socialist than we are, so I am not surprised they haven’t stamped the plates with ER and made it an offense against the crown to steal these call sign license plates. They could impose some heavy fine on persons in possession of license plates that are not theirs and send the RCMP after them… I always loved those red coats and the campaign hats with the Jodhpurs and calf height boots. Snappy dressers, those Mounties.
Dave New, N8SBE says
Stolen license plates have their own expiration date :-) Once they expire, they are worthless to anyone, except perhaps collectors. Otherwise, any residential garage that has a display of antique license plates would be a recipe for the owner to be arrested?