Ham radio operators use a unique shorthand language, with historical codes like 73 meaning “best regards” and terms such as CQ and QSL indicating specific communications. This coded communication has evolved from its origins in the 1800s, fostering a sense of belonging among operators while adapting to modern forms of interaction.
C. Crane loves radio and are here to make sure you’re informed when something might impact radio in a negative way. The NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) has proposed cutting their radio stations (WWV, WWVH, and WWVB) from their budget next year. This is the only reliable source of shortwave to see how band conditions are. This would equate to all three stations being closed down. We’ve heard from our friends in the field that shortwave radio listeners are gutted by the idea of losing WWV and WWVH–both stations are staple references for listeners and hams alike. The loss of WWVB would mean that all of the atomic clock-synchronized time pieces out there in North America (clocks, watches, weather stations, etc.) would stop synchronizing and automatically changing from DST to standard time. We’ve heard conflicting reports as to whether WWVB would be impacted or not.
Our good friend and radio advocate Thomas Witherspoon was recently interviewed by NPR as to what impact this would have and why it matters. You can listen to the full interview here: https://www.npr.org/2018/08/25/641835302/what-closing-a-government-radio-station-would-mean-for-your-clocks. Continue Reading
Updated 4/18/2024 This has become a popular question with our new CC Skywave™ 2. According to Wikipedia, Airband, also referred to as Aircraft or Aviation band, is a group of frequencies in the VHF radio spectrum that are allocated to civil aviation radio communications. VHF is a short range, line of site transmission. Our radio […]
A true emergency is something like what happened recently in Oroville and Sacramento Valley area – where an emergency spillway that has never been used in the previous 48 years begins to fail. This failure threatened the lives and livelihood of over 150,000 people and resulted in forced evacuation. Everyone thinks, if they have a […]
Shortwave radio is a radio transmission using shortwave frequencies, generally 1.6–30 MHz (187.4–10.0 m), just above the medium wave AM broadcast band. Many of SW’s properties are similar to AM like the ability for the signal to travel long distances. Since the early 1900’s, there have been significant advances in radio. One of the biggest advances that has […]
“Stop all runners on the course.” Was the message heard over radio frequencies across the 26 mile course of the 2013 Boston Marathon. Nearly 150 amateur radio operators were present on this day assisting in communication and emergency efforts at the first aid stations of the marathon. Whether it’s a natural or man-made disaster radio […]