Imzy
  • Discover communities
  • Log In
  • Sign up
  • Home
  • Discover communities
  • Log In
  • Sign up
  • About
  • Learn More
  • Contact
  • Community Policy
  • FAQ
  • Sitemap
  • Terms
  • Privacy Policy
  • Available on the App Store
  • Available on Google Play
Copyright © 2017 Saurus, Inc. All rights reserved.
Let's Grab Coffee!

Let's Grab Coffee!

Gather here to chat about your day & have fun with all your Imzy friends!

9175 members
Posted byEilisin/lets_grab_coffee-Sep 02, 2016 at 1:36 PM

Does anyone on LGC know anything about short-wave radio?

  • Casual
  • Question

Just curious :)

Comments12
  • EilisSep 02, 2016 at 2:47 PM

    "ham radio" - that's what I'm thinking of!

  • zhemaoSep 02, 2016 at 2:57 PMΔ

    In undergrad, I studied the manual for the amateur radio licensing exam but never ended up taking it. Can't say I remember that much.

    The main thing about ham radio is that it's much more decentralized than the internet. Pretty much anyone can set up a station and start broadcasting (assuming you've gotten a license). There are also quite a few public repeaters.

    As a result, it's much more resilient than other communications infrastructure. It's often the first kind of communication to be reestablished following a natural disaster like an earthquake or hurricane.

    Basically, when the apocalypse happens, there will still be hams sending out broadcasts from their reinforced concrete bunkers. Fallout was pretty accurate in that regard.

    • EilisSep 02, 2016 at 3:05 PM

      Zhemao, you always amaze me with your factual knowledge! :)

      • zhemaoSep 02, 2016 at 7:18 PM

        I'm a veritable font of mostly useless information.

      • EilisSep 03, 2016 at 10:04 AM

        @misbegotten font!

      • misbegottenSep 03, 2016 at 10:10 AM

        image-1472918864806.jpg

        Anybody seen Frequency? A time-crossing ham radio allows a son to contact his father just before his father's accidental death. Great flick.

  • stile99Sep 02, 2016 at 2:28 PM

    There were actually ham radio BBSes. It was a glorious time.

    • EilisSep 02, 2016 at 2:46 PM

      BBS?

      • zhemaoSep 02, 2016 at 3:01 PM

        Bulletin Board System

        Basically you could dial into a server using a terminal program and enter chat rooms, post on message boards, play games, etc. Like a super-primitive form of the world-wide web.

        It was originally done over phone-lines, but you could also do it over packet radio.

  • EilisSep 02, 2016 at 2:11 PM

    secretly plans to contact aliens

  • EddiSep 02, 2016 at 1:54 PMΔ

    Shortwave radio was a big thing 30-40 years ago - way before the internet and all, it was a wonderful way to get good content from around the world.

    The Wikipedia page is an interesting read. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shortwave_radio

    Also see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numbers_station

    • EilisSep 02, 2016 at 2:10 PM

      Oh yeah, wikipedia... lol I guess I could have tried that.

      I like learning from people too!

Let's Grab Coffee!

Let's Grab Coffee!

Gather here to chat about your day & have fun with all your Imzy friends!

9175 members
  • About
  • Sitemap
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Copyright © 2017 Saurus, Inc. All rights reserved.