Short Takes #27: A Costco Ham Shack Item, Online Testing, Tribute to a Code Warrior

Please join us in a discussion about the topics from today's "Short Takes," which is located at this link. In this issue, QRZ brings you an update on Online Testing and a review of a Costco ham shack item. These, along with a tribute to a Code Warrior born 100 years ago on July 15 1924, and an editorial on the pursuit of perfection in ham radio products.

Your comments here would be very valuable. Thank you for being a reader, Dave Jensen W7DGJ

 

Dave,
I appreciated the article.

I found the on-line VE exams interesting, and that they obviously use live video feeds from the exam takers computer.

CBT(Computer Based Training) has been around since the 90's, but they never bother to check to see if you cheat as the object is to get you certified on a piece of equipment. If you cheated, you missed the point. There is also an industry devoted to commercial Computerized Testing for Certifications, but you need to go to their office to sit the test, and they have proctors. I took 3 of those to obtain certification for the industry I was in. And though they were open book, they were also timed. That ensured that people who didn't actually know the material did not pass. Passing score was 80.

Industry has been struggling to adopt to on-line schools, seminars, and meetings for some time as it is more efficient and less costly to the company to have people sit in their own office and conduct those events remotely.
However, the loss was the networking and relationships that were built after the event was done.
We all saw a more general and practical application on on-line schools for kids during COVID, but also got to glimpse the social cost of those Technologies 1st hand in lower test scores and less socialized people.

I remember a prophetic episode on a time traveling program before the internet.
The Team had ported to the future and was wondering where all the people where.
The virtual world had so taken over the population that they stopped socializing, and procreating.
Right now were are only at the stage where young people are socially awkward, I wonder where we will be in 10, 20, 30 years

I find old cardboard boxes to be the ticket for me. Seems like everything comes in a box or plastic container of some type, and they are ""free"" with the product. So like in days of yore, renew, reuse, recycle

 

Regarding my comment in the last para of article about the Ham Radio Product Innovation award. I have prepared the idea into a memo and am now trying to get some attention paid to it.

In my talk at Hamcon Zion, I stressed that Innovation must be prodded a bit. You can't simply push technology down the throat of the marketplace, however. That's what young companies do when they have a cool app or a cool product and they lack a marketing department. They push the latest technology but not a word about what it really does for you . . . I want to see developers of new technology rewarded and recognized for their affect on our radio interests, not just because they have something cool (that no one can figure out how to utilize). Dave

 

That's funny. I was in Costco, and I saw those storage containers. I came very close to buying them, but didn't. I had the same thought, that they would be good for my ham radio stuff.

I might pick up a couple sets yet. I have so many small accessories, cables, adapters, programming cables, you name it. I currently have those plastic storage drawers that they sell at Walmart and office supply stores, packed full, but need more space.

 

Hi Tom, that's a good one also. I like the Costco because you can grab 'n go with anyone of them or all of them, taking them on a POTA expedition etc. Thanks for showing this one.
Dave, W7DGJ

 

I think I will get some of those Costco containers, because of the "grab and go" aspect of them, as you mentioned.

 

Tools, Tools and more Tools!. When I retired and moved from New Jersey (yeah it sucked). I divested in many tools and hardware. Got my General ticket and started collecting Ham related tools! I have always hated the plastic storage boxes and or drawers. But now I am seriously going to rethink that logic. I need a box for Anderson Connectors and tools; PL259 connectors and tools, Coax adapters, and all the little do-dads that come with this hobbie. The plastic ammo boxes are nice for electronic tools; regular metal boxes are great for machanics tools (wrenches and hammers).
BTW: A P touch lable maker is great for marking boxes....

Thanks for your helpful collum.73's

 

Dave, thanks for your great work! As a point of clarification, the code that Denton used was the Tap Code. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tap_code
It was a code taught at the Navy's Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape school, where I was an instructor in the 70's. After using it for a while, it becomes instinctive, and can be transmitted by scraping or tapping on cell wall, eye blinks or other modes limited only by imagination. It was how POW's kept community and thus hope, in the Vietnam War. 73, Jim N4TMM

 

I can't really say anything nice about the pandemic other than it enabled me to study for and obtain my Extra ticket. I lucked out and found a testing group which was only about an hour from my house. After passing the exam, I went ahead and applied as a VE on the ARRL website and was volunteering at that same site the very next month. It was interesting to see how many people came in for testing and how far they would travel to do so. We all took the proper precautions, practiced social distancing, and everyone had a mask on. During the really bad part of the pandemic, we had people stay in their cars to take their test. We went up to each car to distribute and collect the testing materials. The following year, we moved our testing site to a vacant room at a local library. We also began doing online testing via ZOOM around that same time. I never heard a single complaint from anyone, we simply did what was necessary to get as many new HAMs on the air as we could.

 

Thanks a zillion. I need to get myself one of those label makers, as I had one years and years ago and it has disappeared. Good addition! Dave

 

Thanks Sebastian. That's about the timing of my Extra as well and I never would have had time to sit around and study for it if it hadn't been for the pandemic. I'll bet there was a big "hiccup" of licenses earned over that time - I never studied it. Thank you for your service as a VE! Sounds like we have you to thank for a bunch of new or upgraded hams! Dave, W7DGJ

 

Dave, as always, very stimulating write up, lots of great ideas all together! Thanks .


Oh, plastic boxes, they are expensive at the hardware store and it's impossible to get more later that match what I already have. Recently I found ammo boxes cheap at Harbor Freight, dunno how long they'll have them.

 

Thanks Cliff! I always keep my eye on the local Harbor Freight as well. Their foam cases are great -- just loaded four Meshtastic radios into one of them. Dave, W7DGJ

 

Harbor Freight carries the plastic ammo cans as a standard stocking item, and is available online as well. The .30 caliber size cans are $6 and the larger .50 caliber cans are $10. Wait for one of their coupon drops or Sidewalk Sales, and they're even cheaper.

Walmart carries these as well. You'll actually find the cheaper ones (similar if not identical to the Harbor Freight's) over in the tool department; same aisle as the tool boxes and bags. In fact, they have had clear ones in the past, which is nice...you can actually see what's inside the can. Prices basically the same as H.F, plus the added advantage of being delivered to your home along with anything else you care to order from them. A few totes, a beach umbrella, big jar of peanut butter, and a case of Gatorade...and you're set for Field Day!

 

@W7DGJ: Thank you for the thoughtful write up on Jeremiah A. Denton.

Morse and other methods were used by captured crew members of the U.S.S. Pueblo to communicate to the outside world, too.

https://www.monash.edu/arts/languag...korean-history/1-1.23-the-uss-pueblo-incident