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IDEAS
RACHELLE RILEY a columnist for the Detroit Free Press
recently wrote of a person that she had met, Eldredge Ryans. Eldredge described his way of becoming better educated. At the beginning of each year, he had made a resolution of studying three topics in depth during the course of that year.
Think of this self-education. Such a wonderful idea.
There so few things in this world that we have studied
thoroughly enough to have a valuable opinion. Most of our
understandings are based on observations of our surrounding world and those observations are only as valid as our
observation tools. ( I saw it with my own eyes.)
And has long been noted, our most unreliable observations are made with our eyes. All of us are aware of the different descriptions given to police at the scene of a incident. (The black sedan, bright yellow pickup, little foreign roadster, purple limo, all being identified by witnesses as the culprit car at an accident.)
We also use other ways to come to conclusions. Many such decisions are based on happenings we have
experienced. If you just walked out of a tax tribunal where you had pleaded the case for your property taxes and lost and then heard one of the rantings about taxes, you'd very likely agree without a lot of thought. Under these circumstances you'd be very susceptible to propaganda about taxes.
Decisions we make need to be made as a result of a
thorough study of a subject. Looking at all sides of a topic.
Evaluating the author presenting an argument. Having an open mind while studying. Ryans' recommendation of a study in depth of a least three subjects each year makes a lot of sense.
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SUITSAT-2 NOW CALLED ARISSAT-1
The SuitSat-2 project -- an Amateur Radio satellite housed in a Russian spacesuit -- now has a new name to go with a new shape: ARISSat-1. On Wednesday, August 19, Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) <http://www.rac.ca/ariss/oindex.htm> Chairman Gaston Bertels, ON4WF, announced the new name for the satellite and project. According to ARRL ARISS Program Manager Rosalie White, K1STO, the project team is moving ahead, using the same hardware that was to fly in the Russian Orlan suit. Russia will continue to call the satellite Radioskaf-2, so ARISS is designating it ARISSat-1/Radioskaf-2.
Plans to launch a second SuitSat-spacesuit-turned-satellite were the subject of discussions and presentations at the November 2006 AMSAT Space Symposium and ARISS International Delegates' meeting. Despite a weaker-than-anticipated 2 meter signal, SuitSat-1 sparked the imagination of students and the general public and turned into a public relations bonanza for Amateur Radio <http://www.arrl.org/ARISS/Suitsat.pdf>. ARISS hopes to capitalize on the concept by building an even better SuitSat that will include ham radio transponders.
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MORE HAMS
We Keep Growing and Growing
New amateur licenses seem to be overcoming the blip in licensing figures brought on by the onset of the 10-year license. There are about 14,000 more licensees now than a year ago.
Last year's increase brings the number of ham licensees in the US to over 674,000. This total is just under the all-time high for US licensees. If we add another 14,000 this year, we will have exceeded the all-time high for ham licensees.
Therefore, current facts do not support the contention being spread by many amateurs that ham radio is a dying avocation. We may not be in a teen-age growth spurt, but we are growing. Don't count Amateur radio
out.
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