Year 2000 Stories
Note: Most new content is now being added to the Daily Update section, and not to this 1995 through 2000 list of stories. To see the latest commentary, please visit the Daily Update section.
 
  • Part 27: "Wanna Tinker?" Construction Project Series

    • By Dick Kelly, W6BKY, 10 June 2000
    In Part 27, Dick describes how to use that peanut butter jar to make a great little dummy load (and a few tricks that I never knew about...) plus puts in plug for MARS (no, not the planet...)
     
  • ARRL Kid's Day on June 17th

    • Link to ARRL, 10 June 2000
    Kid's Day is a great opportunity to introduce kids to Amateur Radio. Invite some kids over and watch their enthusiasm grow - this event is a lot of fun and highly recommended by me, KF7VY.
     
  • New Movie Features Ham Radio: Frequency

    • Link to CNN, 28 April 2000
    A new motion pictures gives Ham Radio a starring role. Check it out!
     
  • Part 26: "Wanna Tinker?" Construction Project Series

    • By Dick Kelly, W6BKY, 25 April 2000
    In Part 26, Dick describes how peanut butter and ham radio can work together to make a great concoction! Really.
     
  • Part 25: "Wanna Tinker?" Construction Project Series

    • By Dick Kelly, W6BKY, 17 April 2000
    In Part 24, Dick described interfacing to a packet TNC. This time he tackles using the same interface for both voice and digital modes.
     
  • Part 24: "Wanna Tinker?" Construction Project Series

    • By Dick Kelly, W6BKY, 26 February 2000
    Dick departs from past construction work to describe the true story of what is really involved with hooking up a digital packet TNC to any radio.
     

    January 2000 Stories
     

  • Several New Amateur Satellites Launched

    • Via links, 28 January 2000
    Several new Amateur Radio satellites were launched at 0403 UTC on 27 Jan 2000, using an experimental launcher - an old Minuteman missile converted for use as a satellite launcher.
  • Stanford "Big Dish" May Have Heard Mars Lander

    • Via link to San Jose Mercury News, 26 January 2000
    The Mars Lander that may have crashed into the Martian surface - might have been heard by the Stanford "big dish" radio telescope, located in the hills above Palo Alto.
     
  • French Spies Said to Listen in on GSM Celphone Calls

    • Via link to Newsbytes, 26 January 2000
    Newsbyes cites a Sunday Times (U.K.) story alleging that French spies are listening on British GSM celphone calls, across the Channel. 
  • Build An Audio-Noise Based Voting Circuit

    • By Mark Kolber,  WB2WHC, 13 January 2000
    With handheld radios in common use, many repeaters have added multiple receivers to improve coverage for handheldss. This article shows how to build a voting circuit to select the best signal from the multiple receivers. (Linked by permission of Kevin Kuster, W3KKC).
     
  • NY Times: The Failures of Consumer DSL

    • Via link to NY Times, 13 January 2000
    (NY Times access requires a free regisration for access). While aggressively marketing DSL services, the telcos do not tell consumers that DSL service is not available to most locations. Consumers complain of poor customer service, misleading advertising, and "disorganization" by the telcos.
  • GM Said to Plan To Make Celphones Standard Equipment on GM Cars

    • Via link to Cnet, 12 January 2000
    General Motors is in talks with Bell Atlantic to put cell phones in all GM cars and trucks. AOL will provide data content to mobile users. For 2001 high end car models, Ford expects to make mobile Internet access a standard feature.
     
  • SETI At Home Project To Release Version 2 Software

    • Via link to Wired, 8 January 2000
    The SETIAtHome signal processing screensaver will be updated to version 2.0, with improved firewall support, better security for results, and the addition of new signal analysis algorithms.
     
  • Digital Satellite Radio Broadcasting to go Live in 2001

    • Via link to Wired, 8 January 2000
    Services that deliver 100 channel digital radio stations, via satellite, will be available for use in 2001. The new services promise "CD-quality" music, and nationwide, niche-market programming.
     
  • U.S. Government Claims Some Ramsey Electronics Wireless Kits are illegal

    • Via link to Ramsey Electronics, 6 January 2000
    In November, Ramsey Electronics was raided by 7 armed federal agents, and 3 state troopers, and has been prohibited from selling certain wireless transmitter kits. The government alleges these commonly available wireless kits were intended for illegal wiretapping and international espionage. "Hacker" groups allege the order to remove previously legal wireless technology kits came from the White House, chagrined after the Linda Tripp wiretapping incident.