Amateur radio plays a big part in this new Burger King ad.
FCC Denies ARRL BPL Petition. As this commentary from TV Technology notes, the FCC denied the ARRL’s that BPL systems include full time notching of amateur radio frequencies and an increase in the required notch depth from 25 dB to 35 dB. They also say, “While the Second MO&O isn’t good news for amateur radio operators, utilities seem to have lost their interest in using BPL to provide residential Internet access…and smart meters so it may have little real impact.” Let’s hope it stays that way.
Solderless PL-259. On the AMRAD mailing list, one ham writes:
Shakespeare has been in the marine antenna business since shortly before the discovery of oceans and they have a couple of bits of kit which you might consider for your ARES or Field Day bug-out box. They make a PL259 and a coax cable spice which go together with nothing but a knife sharp enough to cut the plastics and a pair of pliers. I wouldn’t try running the legal limit through these (the coax they fit wouldn’t like it either) but i have used the PL259 for up to 100-watt service and they have performed admirably.
They are kind of expensive at around $15 a pop, but they do look like quality parts and that they’d work pretty good in a pinch.
I think those PL259s are made by Centerpin. Here is an animation for how they work:
http://www.centerpin.com/CenterProductCoax_More.cfm
I’ve tried a few, they work ok but I wouldn’t use them routinely, might keep a few in a go box.