Last typewriter factory in the world shuts its doors

[Stewart Russell]

On Fri, Apr 29, 2011 at 9:01 AM, Colin McGregor <colin.mc151-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org>wrote:

>
> As well there are still Morse code key
> makers : www.vibroplex.com (before an amateur radio operator is
> allowed to use some frequencies he/she must pass a Morse code
> test...).
>

Actually, as long as you get 80+% on the Basic test, you can use all the HF
bands. The only things you can't do with a Basic licence is build a
transmitter from scratch (kits are okay) or operate a repeater. Some of the
newer repeaters are Linux boxes running Asterisk for nifty VOIP/radio links.
It's an extraordinarily nerdy pastime, but fun - if expensive to set up.

Some of the Amish/Mennonite/Plain Living catalogues are a trove of
technology you'd thought was long gone, but still turned out by small
foundries. The Amish plough was the quad core of its day, being able to work
more land than anything else. Then they (mostly) decided that that was quite
enough new technology.

It's also only in the last few years that solar powered well pumps have
beaten out the old Chicago farm windmill on cost and efficiency. Aermotor -
http://www.aermotorwindmill.com/ - still make them like they did in the 19th
century. And - unlike solar - you can still maintain them with not much more
than a spud wrench and an oil can.

 Stewart


-- 
http://scruss.com/blog/ - 73 de VA3PID
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://gtalug.org/pipermail/legacy/attachments/20110429/dcca4de2/attachment.html>