Field Day 2015

Field Day, when ham radio operators worldwide take to remote locations to get a little outside their comfort zone and operate under slightly austere conditions, was last weekend.  Not exactly roughing it in the heat of the summer, we operated from a classroom on the MS Gulf Coast Community College's Jefferson Davis campus in eastern Gulfport.  Even though we had air conditioning, it was still a learning experience to haul radios, antennas, and solar gear to a remote location and get on the air.  I don't have final numbers for the entire club, but we managed several hundred contacts over the course of about 18 hours.  I bagged 20-ish using PSK31, a common digital mode, on 20, 40, and 80 meters.  20 was a zoo and it was hard to be heard amongst the din of digital whistles, 40 was too quiet – only made one contact there, but 80 was a lot of fun.  Ah hey, the whole thing was good.

I think the whole "field" part happening in late June works better in more northern climes. Considering that this largely originated in New England, it kind of makes sense.  However, we're making up for it with several fall-winter-early spring Club campouts.  It fits in better with the local climate, and is a lot more pleasant.

Field Day is OK, but to tell you the truth I think that cool weather camping is more my style.  Still, something different, something fun.

Hazard Fraught

In case you missed it nearly three years ago, here's a scan of the original Hazard Fraught Tools spoof coupon ads.  Originally in Mad Magazine, now preserved for posterity by Hooniverse.

Evil Dictator Worldwide Mind Control Console

What is this?  A prop from an early James Bond movie?  Sort of looks like one.

Actually it's a really cool late 40's ham radio.   Go read the full article at Gizmodo.  Hmmm, something here gives me ideas...  like world dominion?  Nah, this idea is cooler.  Maybe I'll have time to work up a prototype in the near future.

BTW, check out that brand name, Kluge.  (Pronounce "kloo-ghee" not "klooj.")  No, I don't think it's any relation to the press company B&K though.

Dead Space

A photo article about the final(?) resting place of the Soviet space shuttles over at Messy Nessy.

On one hand it is kind of depressing to see real live spaceplanes sitting around covered in pigeon crap.  On the other hand, these puppies aren't dropping off Soviet reconnaissance satellites in orbit to get a better view of how to blow the living shit out of the Free World.  So I guess that's a net win.  Too bad we didn't tow them away for display as war trophies on some courthouse lawns circa 1992 though.

More Martian Maunderings

Andy Weir, author of The Martian, interviewed over at Bloomberg about Elon Musk's Mars aspirations.  More "sci," less "fi."

Bonus linkage: How Musk got started in the space business.  What a long, strange trip it's been.

A diverse list of good things coming up.

• The New Horizons Pluto probe will be entering orbit in just under three weeks.  Video here, countdown site here, and NASA's site for the probe here.
• Kacey Musgraves' new album Pageant Material is out as of today.  Reviews at Washington Post, Rolling Stone (if you can trust them anymore), Fox, and LA Times. 
• Found and pulled onto my Kindle a new collection of hard sci-fi: Carbide Tipped Pens.  Looks like it's my kind of book.  Will get on reading – and reviewing – as soon as I have some other deadwood cleared out.

OK, that's the roundup of good things on my July horizon.  Expect news, commentary, and reviews as things roll along.

I thought it was hot yesterday.

No wonder.  It was the summer solstice – already?  Seems like it.  And I had been thinking it wasn't until next week.  From timeanddate.com:

June Solstice in Gulfport, Mississippi, U.S.A. was on
Sunday, June 21, 2015 at 11:39 AM CDT

I was in the garden picking tomatoes at 11:39 CDT, and thinking that the sun was beating down pretty hard.  As a matter of fact, the sun was beating down pretty hard!