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Episode 16 Happy Birthday, Ham Radio 100 years old today August 13, 2012

Free to watch, but not free to make support Ham Radio Now 'Click the Pig'

Passing almost unnoticed this year - 2012 - Amateur Radio turns 100! No big celebrations. No special event stations (yet, anyway). No commemorative special prefixes. But on August 13, 1912, Congress passed the Radio Act of 1912 that formally recognized the existence of... well, they didn't call it "Amateur Radio," but that's what they meant. And they banished us to what was thought to be the useless spectrum "below 200 meters" (that would be frequencies above 1.5 MHz). QST did run a two-page spread about it. They note it's 100 years of Amateur "licensing." An interesting point, since small-a amateur radio technically existed since the first successful experiments by Hertz, Marconi and the rest. And what we really think of as amateurs — enthusiasts tinkering in their attics and basements following instructions printed in the technology magazines of the day — were active for a decade before 1912. But sometimes you just have to pin it down, and the Radio Act of 1912 lets us do that. Sort of. So Gary celebrates briefly and marks the occasion. And if you want to confuse the hams at your next club meeing, be sure to greet everyone with "Happy Birthday." If you enjoy this and other HAMRADIONOW.tv programs, help keep us 'on the air' with a contribution. Just look up to your right, and 'click the pig.' Our goal is 10,000 hams @ $10/year, but it's really 'whatever it's worth to you.' And we know that watching is easy, contributing is a pain. So thanks for rewarding our effort with a little of yours Playback trouble? Watch this episode on download mp3 audio

Episode 16: Happy Birthday, Ham Radio
running time: 12 minutes


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