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SeaTac, Washington
The Digital Communications Conference was held on September 20-22 in SeaTac, Washington, between Tacoma and Seattle, Washington. The attendance count for the conference was 168 people. This was an increase of 30% from the previous year. It seemed that the conference was well rounded in technical content. When you talked to people after the conference, they commented that HF, DSP, Spread Spectrum, or APRS were the main areas of interest. The nice thing about this year's conference was that all of these and more were focused on at different times of the conference.
The conference was co-hosted by the Puget Sound Amateur Radio TCP/IP Group and Boeing Employees Amateur Radio Society (BEARS). If it were not for the effort of Tina and Steve Stroh, N8GNJ, of the Puget Sound Amateur Radio TCP/IP group many aspects of the conference would not have been possible. Tine and Steve put in a lot of work on the local issues before and during the conference. Both amateur radio groups contributed towards the very well provisioned hospitality suite.
See pictures from the conference.
Proceedings are available.
Lyle Johnson, WA7GXD, Banquet Presenation.
FridayThe conference began on Friday with the opening of the hospitality suite, even though the TAPR Board and ARRL Future Systems Committee had already had meetings that day. Attendees visiting the hospitality/registration area had a good selection of munches and drinks, plus lots of space to set up equipment and sit around and discuss projects and plans. Friday afternoon Keith Sproul, WU2Z, held an APRS workshop. 65 people attended the workshop and heard the latest on what Keith and his brother Mark, had been working on. After the workshop, people moved back over to the hospitality area.
SaturdaySaturday morning the conference got an early start at a little past 8:00am when Steve Stroh, N8GNJ, Rod Stafford, KB6ZV (President ARRL), Greg Jones, WD5IVD (President TAPR), and Keith Justice, KF7TP welcomed the conference attendees and kicked off the conference.
As a first ever, the conference audio from the main session was made available via RealAudio over the Internet -- LIVE!. There were a few glitches throughout the day, but overall the comments received were positive. One of the first problems was that the local phone company (US West) had a switch problem that was not corrected until after 9am. The problem had been reported the night before! Once that was corrected, we had an error on the TAPR server that was corrected just after 10:30am. After these two small problems, the feed was pretty much continuous until the encoding computer locked up a little past 4pm, when someone came by and decided they wanted to check their e-mail. The live broadcast had over 200 people connect to listen to the conference throughout the day.
Introductory Sessions
This was the second year that the DCC held an introductory topic session strand. These sessions ran in parallel with the main paper sessions in the adjacent room. The purpose of these sessions was to try to have a more indepth look at specific topics of interest. Based on comments received as of this writing, the Introductory session strand will be present again next conference.
The first introduction session strand had Greg Jones, WD5IVD, presenting a 45 minute talk on basic digital communications from an operations standpoint. Greg touched on HF, VHF modes as well as explanations of many of the topics that would be seen during the conference. The talk was very generic and tried to touch on a lot of basic topics. Johan Forrer, KC7WW, then presented an introductory talk on HF digital communications. Johan discussed in detail what was involved and how people operated the HF digital modes. He touched on basic and more advanced aspects of the F digital communications modes.
Introduction to
Digital Communications
Greg Jones, WD5IVD Introduction to HF Digital Communications
Johan Forrer, KC7WW
The second Introductory Topic session saw presentations by Steve Bible, N7HPR, on Spread Spectrum Communications and Keith Sproul, WU2Z. Steve covered the basics and more advanced concepts of Amateur Radio based Spread Spectrum Communications. There was a lot of interest in this topic, as indicated by the the number of people who couldn't find a chair to sit! The presentation touched on the upcoming directions of Spread Spectrum communications in Amateur Radio. All very exciting. Keith Sproul, WU2Z, presented a 45 minutes condensed version of his normal APRS talk. He hit on all the major aspects of APRS and got to demo the system and his software one more time during the conference. If there had been a prize for most papers given and most equipment moved, Keith would have won it!
The Introductory topic sessions were recorded, but due to local Part 15 device interference (from the several Metricom radios operating in and around the conference) a lot of the audio was lost due to noise hits, one of the problems you sometime run into with Part 15 wireless audio mics. We didn't realize this was a problem until we got back and started encoding. Opps. Something for TAPR to fix next conference with better wireless mic devices.
Introduction to Spread Spectrum
Steve Bible, N7HPR Introduction to APRS
Keith Sproul, WU2Z
Welcome to the DCC
Steve Stroh, N8GJN, Rod Stafford, KB6ZV, Greg Jones, WD5IVD, and Keith Justice, KF7TP
Session 1a, 8:30am - 10:00am
The first paper was "Baseband Group Delay Equalization of IF Filters for Data Communications" by Tom McDermott, N5EG. Tom talked about ways to figure IF filters in receivers. He examined some amplitude, phase, and delay properties of first-order, second-order, and all-pass filters. In addition, he showed several examples of Chebychev and Butterworth IF filers. A very good talk if you are interested about how to make modems work over radios. Much of the talk was based on information being published in Tom's book "Wireless Digital Communications: Design and Theory" being published by TAPR.
Baseband Group Delay Equalization of IF Filters
Tom McDermott, N5EG Paul Rinaldo, W4RI, followed Tom and presented a paper entitled "Amateur Radio Digital Voice Communications". However, Paul didn't talk about his paper. He focused his presentation on spectrum policy and current issues that are impacting amateur radio. A very interesting discussion touching on such things as current FCC policy and issues regarding the upcoming WRC. His paper in the proceedings outlined that amateurs need to apply the same energies and talents that made SSB, ATV, packet, and small satellites possible to now make digital voice a reality in the amateur bands. Nothing is keeping amateurs from implementing digital voice communications.
Amateur Radio Digital Voice Communications
Paul Rinaldo, W4RI Keith Sproul, WU2Z, presented "A 9600 Baud modem for the LPT port", submitted by Wolf-Henning Rech, DF9IC, and Don Rotolo, N2IRZ. The talk outlined a simple modem for 9600 Baud FSK which can be connected to a LPT port that has been designed by Wolf-Henning Rech, DF9I. It is powered from the port and does not need any alignment. Several drivers for DOS and Linux are available because of its compatibility to the BayCom PAR96 modem (and its PacComm clones). The design was originally published in the proceedings of the 12th Internationally Packet Radio Conference Darmstadt, 1996.
A 9600 Baud Modem for the LPT port
Keith Sproul, WU2Z for Wolf-Henning Rech, N1EOW Craig McCartney, WA8DRZ, then presented "Constructing a Worldwide HF Data Network". Craig discussed the design and implementation of a HF Digital system that his company had developed for the maritime communications environment. Craig touched on some of the history and then explained the practical guidelines for making such a system work reliably. The system uses Automatic Channel Sounding, Clover, and they have adopted several different ways for interconnecting their worldwide sites together (dedicated dial up, Internet, and others). They should have 15 stations operational by the end of 1996.
Constructing a Worldwide HF Data Network
Craig McCartney, WA8DRZ
James Wagner, PhD, KA7EHK, presented a paper entitled "Packet and Internet". James' paper looked at the recent debate issues concerning the question of BBS mail forwarding by methods other than the ham RF network. Whichever side proves to be "right", (and it is possible that both may be right), the answers to this debate will have an impact on all packet users. James discussed these issues and looked at both sides of the issue. He voiced the concern about some of the deterioration of long-haul RF networking due to the ease of access and use of Internet and other wireline based systems.
Strategies for Improving Wide-Area Networks
James Wagner, KA7EHK Tim Bagget, AA5DF, presented a paper regarding the use of Motorola's DSP with regard to HF applications. This talk did not appear in the proceedings. Tim, a recent graduate from New Mexico State, is now working in Austin for Motorola in the DSP group. Tim focused on the DSP used within the Kenwood TS870. The TS870 uses two 56002 DSP and are in-line with the IF of the radio. The radio has 237 selectable IF filters! Tim discussed the implementation and some of the methods of implementation and also discussed the overall family of Motorola DSP processor line. The 56300 core was discussed in detail. The EVM56002 was discussed and Tim touched on the TAPR group purchase and possible future direction with EVM products for amateur applications.
DSP in HF Communication Systems
DSP in HF Communications Systems
Tim Bagget, AA5DF James Wagner, PhD, KA7EHK, presented his second paper entitled "Strategies for Improving Wide-Area Networks". James' paper covered the topic that wide-area single-frequency networks still cover large areas of this country. While, this might be the low-end solution to networking, it doesn't seem to be going away. A number of strategies have been developed for improving such networks, but these strategies are very slow to be adopted. He discussed some of the reasons for the continued existence of these networks and the strategies and their likelihood of success. How can we use education to try to get changes made in different areas to help support better and faster communications. It was interesting to note some of the comments during the question period that indicated a number of new digital networks seem to be generating systems very similar to what was done in the mid-80's and thus we seem to have lost the link between those efforts 10 years ago and new operators today.
Packet and Internet
James Wagner, KA7EHK
The conference then broke for Lunch. Lunch was a sandwich buffet. Near the end of Lunch, Rod Stafford, KB6ZV (President ARRL) and Gerald Knezek, KB5EWV (DCC Student Awards Co-Chair) presented the first annual Student Paper Awards. Rod and Gerald presented checks and plaques to Michelle Toon, KC5CGH, and Marc Normandeau. Michelle received the award for 'best educational or community-oriented application paper by a student' for the paper 'Circus of the Stars'. Marc received the award for 'best technical/theory-oriented paper by a student' for the paper 'Object-Oriented Modeling of a Satellite Tracking Software'. This year's awards were made possible by a donation by the ARRL Foundation, Inc. It was very exciting to see the culmination a year's worth of work. The principle individuals responsible for the Student Awards starting were Gerald Knezek, KB5EWV, Robert Diersing, N5AHD, and Greg Jones, WD5IVD. They had wanted to do something like this for the last several years and found it possible now that the TAPR and ARRL conference have been joined. This made for a good opportunity and first round of results were very positive. Gerald and Robert will continue as co-chairs for the 1997 awards to be given at next years DCC. Full details on the 1997 Student Paper Awards are already available on the TAPR web site, under the DCC link.
Session 3a, 1:30pm - 3:00pm
"Object-Oriented Modeling of a Satellite Tracking Software" was presented by Marc Normandeau and his professor M. Barbeau, VE2BPM. This paper won the category of Best Technical/theory-oriented Student paper. Marc's paper presents a case study of an object-oriented development of a satellite tracking software. It is designed following the Real-Time Object-Oriented Modeling (ROOM) methodology. The design resulting from the application of ROOM is implemented in C++ on the QNX platform. The QNX kernel is about 15K and is really fast! ROOM yields a modular architecture which is clear, reusable, and maintainable. Use of QNX leads to a highly performant and reliable system. Excellent presentation!
Object-Oriented Modeling of a Satellite Teacking Software
Marc Normandeau, (Student Paper Award) Michelle Toon, KC5CGH , then presented the paper entitled "Circus of the Stars". This paper won the category of Best Educational or Community-Oriented Application Student paper. Michelle described a unique collaboration between diverse groups in the Waco, Texas, area. The project uses amateur radio to tie school sites in the Central Texas area together during a mentoring session based on night-time astronomical observation. Michelle discussed the issues of amateur radio in education and the project of involving schools with amateur radio during this summer project. Michelle told a great story of the trials and tribulation from the first introduction of the concepts of amateur radio in education from classes held by Gerald Knezek, KB5EWV, at the Univ of North Texas to her current efforts and projects in implementing various approaches. One of the best presentations during the conference.
Circus of the Stars
Michelle Toon, KC5CGH (Student Paper Award) Keith Sproul, WU2Z , then presented a paper by him and Mark Sproul, KB2ICI, entitled "WinAPRS: Windows Automatic Position Reporting System. A Windows version of APRS". WinAPRS is a Windows version of the popular APRS, Automatic Position Reporting System. WinAPRS is fully compatible with APRS, the DOS version, and the MacAPRS, the Macintosh version. Due to the larger amounts of memory available in the Windows operating system, WinAPRS, just like MacAPRS has many additional features not available in the DOS version. Keith discussed in detail some of the issues of supporting different OS software and how they have been able to do it easily.
WinAPRS: Windows Automatic Position Reporting System
Keith Sproul, WU2Z
Session 4, 3:30pm - 5:00pm
"javAPRS: Implementation of the APRS Protocols in Java", presented by Steve Dimse, KO4HD. Steve's paper described an implementation of the Automatic Position Reporting Systems (APRS) protocols in the computer language known as Java. javAPRS extends the usefulness of APRS to the Internet and allows animation of APRS tracking data live over Java equipped systems. Steve used javAPRS during his trip from Florida to Washington to allow all those on APRS SIG and others to watch his progress. Very exciting stuff. There is a link to his Web page from the TAPR SIG web page.
javAPRS: Implementation of the APRS Protocols in Java
Steve Dimse, KO4HD Keith Sproul, WU2Z , presented his last paper of the day entitled "Automatic Radio Direction Finding Using MacAPRS and WinAPRS". Basically, Keith described how radio direction finding had been around for almost as long as radio itself and with the assistance of new Doppler-based RDF systems with computer interfaces you could combine these elements under APRS. APRS now has the ability to display the RDF information on maps, giving the user a graphical way to view the RDF patterns. Using various CD-ROM databases and the like, tracking down potential jammers should be easy. Keith showed several examples to explain the concept and discussed some practical real stories. Keith felt that with all of the available technology, we should be able to develop a system that zeros in on a location and automatically shows us the possible transmitters in the area much simpler than many system have done in the past.
Automatic Radio Direction Finding Using MacAPRS and WinAPRS
Keith Sproul, WU2Z The last paper of the conference was presented by Phil Karn, KA9Q. Phil's presentation is not in the proceedings. Phil presented current information regarding his experimentation of coding and modulations on a PC. Some very exciting potentials Phil is seeing in this work. Everyone will need to listen to Phil's talk on the Internet to get all the details.
Progress of Coding Experiments
Phil Karn, KA9Q
Dinner was held at 6pm. After dinner several Plaques were awarded. A plaque was given to Keith Justice, KF7TP, which read "TAPR Proudly Recognizes Keith Justice, KF7TP for outstanding service from 1993 to 1996 as a board member and Vice President from 1994 to 1995 of the Tucson Amateur Packet Radio Corporation." Another plaque was given to John Ackermann, AG9V, which read "TAPR Proudly Recognizes John Ackerman, AG9V, for outstanding service to TAPR as founder of the TAPR NETWORK Special Interest Group in 1994 and dedicated volunteer." Then several awards were given to the local hosts of the conference. "ARRL and TAPR are pleased to recognize, Steve Stroh, N8GNJ, and Tina Stroh for their invaluable and dedicated service as local coordinators for the 1996 ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference". "ARRL and TAPR are pleased to recognize Puget Sound Amateur Radio TCP/IP Group for their participation as local co-hosts for the 1996 ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference". "ARRL and TAPR are pleased to recognize Boeing Employees Amateur Radio Society for their participation as local co-hosts for the 1996 ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference". One plaque of special note was given to Lori Wienberg , which read "ARRL and TAPR are pleased to recognize Lori Wienberg in appreciation for invaluable and dedicated service and support to the Digital Communication Conferences." Lori has been doing the conference proceedings from the very beginning. Everyone who has ever read or gotten a DCC proceedings owes a big thanks to Lori. Thanks Lori!
After the plaques were presented, Lyle Johnson, WA7GXD, gave his banquet talk. The talk was a real winner! Lyle talked about the future of Amateur radio and gave some analogies that hit the mark one after the other. Everyone went away after the banquet thinking about where amateur radio is today and where it might be going.
Saturday Banquet Presentation
Lyle Johnson, WA7GXD, was the Saturday evening Banquet Speaker.
Lyle gave an exceptional talk regarding the future of amateur radio.
Both the transcript and audio can be read and listened to.
At 8:30pm, TAPR's HF SIG met. Johan Forrer, KC7WW, began the TAPR HF SIG meeting with an introduction to SIG activities and a list of current goals for the SIG. Tom McDermott, N5EG, then presented an overview of the physical effects of HF ionospheric propagation, what their effects are on an HF signal, how you simulate these effects for a modem, and concluded with information on CCIR-520. This was a very good technical presentation and really hit a lot of the most important aspects of trying to build an HF simulator. Building an HF simulator has been a goal of the SIG over the last year. Johan then showed the HF simulator that had been developed based on the theory in Tom's presentation. The simulator was running on a TAPR/AMSAT DSP-93. Having a common simulator that the group can agree on has been deemed necessary in order to test and compare results for future HF digital communications designs. Johan discussed the development steps that had been done for the simulator. Johan then presented a talk on his current development of Quator. Quator is Johan's research in developing a new robust HF digital modem. The presented materials looked very promising and everyone looks forward to seeing further development. The final discussion focused on the future of HF SIG.
Overview of HF Simulator Theory
- Tom McDermott, N5EG
HF Simulator Development Update
- Johan Forrer, KC7WW What went into the HF Simulator
- Johan Forrer, KC7WW Quadtor Development Update
- Johan Forrer, KC7WW HF SIG Update
- Johan Forrer, KC7WW
- Johan Forrer, KC7WW What went into the HF Simulator
Sunday Technical SeminarThe first workshop on Sunday was by Dewayne Hendricks, WA8DZP. Dewayne's workshop focused on the aspects of using Part 15 wireless devices and their potential usage in Amateur Radio. Dewayne provided a laundry list of devices on the market currently and the audience took a lot of notes and asked a lot of questions about the different units. Dewayne outlined the planned introduction of two SS radios by TAPR (one at 115Kbps and another 256Kbps) in coming months as part of the ongoing Spread Spectrum rules changes in Washington. This workshop allowed those in attendance to grasp the reality and ease of implementation of truly high-speed amateur radios in the near future.
The second workshop on Sunday saw Barry McLarnon, VE3JF, provide an overview of what 56K is all about, including a survey of available hardware, networking design, and some hints 'n kinks based on 56K experience in the Ottawa area. Dennis Rosenauer, VE7BPE, followed with an entertaining and informative slide show on the 56K system which has been set up in the Vancouver area. Gwyn Reedy, W1BEL, contributed an update on current and future 56K - related products from PacComm. An array of 56K hardware was displayed and demonstrated, including two complete 56K stations based on PCs running Linux, provided by Dennis. The Linux boxes were networked to other PCs via SLIP and ethernet. Also on display were the new WA4DSY 56K modem, a Gracilis PackeTwin interface card, and the SPIRIT-2 PAD unit, all from PacComm, and an Ottawa PI2 card and Microwave Modules transverter from VE3JF. Everyone attending seemed to really enjoy the presentations and the ability to ask questions about the equipment at the end of the workshop.
Conference PhotosStudent Awards and Banquet
Rod Stafford, KB6ZV (Pres ARRL), Michelle Toon, KC5CGH, Marc Normandeau, and Gerald Knezek, KB5EWV (DCC Student Awards Co-Chair). Rod and Gerald present Michelle and Marc with their award plaques and checks for the first annual Student Paper Awards. Michelle received the award for 'best educational or community-oriented application paper by a student' for the paper 'Circus of the Stars'. Marc received the award for 'best technical/theory-oriented paper by a student' for the paper 'Object-Oriented Modeling of a Satellite Tracking Software'. Full details on the 1997 Student Paper Awards are available.
Lyle Johnson, WA7GXD, was the Saturday evening Banquet Speaker. Lyle gave an exceptional talk regarding the future of amateur radio. Both the transcript and audio from the talk are available.
A photo of the banquet crowd listening to Lyle's talk.
Hallway and Hospitality Areas
You never knew who might be lurking in the areas outside the meeting areas.
John Ackermann, AG9V (TAPR VP) and Dewayne Hendricks, WA8DZP (TAPR Regulatory Chair), having a discussion on ??? Could it be Spread Spectrum guys ?
Dorothy Jones, KA5DWR (TAPR Office Manager) and Tina Stroh sitting at the registration desk in the hospitality room. Tina was the prime reason the hospitality room refreshments were so good and plentiful! They are also showing off the new TAPR mugs :-)
Bdale Garbee, N3EUA, Glenn Elmore, N6GN , and Lyle Johnson, WA7GXD supposedly working on some RF software that Glenn had written. Although several commented on the fact that the PC kept making Duke-Nuke'm sounds when Glenn moved the cursor keys!
Jon Bloom, KE3Z and Mike Cheponis, K3MC take a break outside the meeting rooms. Mike was wearing his Bill Gates "You will be assimilated" shirt. Very cute Mike!
Bob Hansen, N2GDE (PSR Editor) shows his skill at balancing a TAPR mug while posing for this picture.
Bdale Garbee, N3EUA , and Lyle Johnson, WA7GXD
Bob Stricklin, N5BRG and Tim Bagget, AA5DF
"The Usual Suspects". Doug Lockhart, VE7APU, Phil Karn, KA9Q, Frank Perkins, WB5IPM, Tom McDermott, N5EG, and Jon Bloom, KE3Z.
Steve Bible, N7HPR, Bob Stricklin, N5BRG, John Koster, W9DDD, and John Ackermann, AG9V.
Craig McCartney, WA8DRZ and Paul Rinaldo, W4RI
Lyle Johnson, WA7GXD, and Heather Johnson, N7DZU. Great to see you two at the DCC!
Main Paper Sessions, Introduction Sessions, and SIG meetings
Johan Forrer, KC7WW (TAPR HF SIG Chair), Tim Bagget, AA5DF, Phil Karn, KA9Q, and Tom McDermott, N5EG after the HF SIG meeting.
Phil Karn, KA9Q, presents a paper on Coding and Modulation Experiments on a PC.
Steve Dimse, KO4HD. Steve about to present his paper on JavaAPRS (left) and a picture of Steve in his van, which he drove all the way from Florida (right). Lucky he had APRS right in the van :-)
Tom McDermott, N5EG, presents a paper on Baseband Group Delay Equalization of IF filters for Data Communications.
, does an introductory presentation on High-Speed Digital Communications.
Steve Bible, N7HPR, does an introductory presentation on Spread Spectrum.
Frank Perkins, WB5IPM, doing a introductory session on Digital Satellite Operations.
Keith Sproul, WU2Z, doing one of his four talks during the weekend. It seems like Keith was always moving equipment someplace.
Barry McLarnon, VE5JF, talking about some of the 56K equipment on the table after the 56K workshop.
Dennis Rosenauer, VE7BPE, shows off some other 56K equipment after the workshop.
A close up of a 56K radio system.
Barry McLarnon, VE3JF, presenting during the 56K workshop.
Dewayne Hendricks, WA8DZP, talking during the PCS wireless workshop.
Lyle Johnson, WA7GXD, Banquet Presentation
Well, as you can probably tell, this is the first time I've ever done one of these, so I want to thank everybody for the opportunity to do this. I want to thank Greg Jones, WD5IVD, for inviting me. What I understand the ground rules on this are that: if this goes over OK, Greg gets the credit for his wisdom; if it doesn't, it's my fault. And besides that, I know you're really here for the prize drawing so I'll try and keep this short.
My personal involvement with TAPR, heavy involvement that is, on the board and as an officer and so forth, ended about three or four years ago. I left at that time feeling it was really time for some new blood with a new organization, new directions of leadership. Four years ago when I left, I was very, very proud of TAPR and what it had accomplished. And today I can honestly say that I'm just as proud of what it's still doing and I want to thank Greg for doing an excellent job. (Applause)
We have a number of students with us this year. I understand with the first ever student awards that some of these students may not be terrifically familiar with Amateur Radio. So, I'm going to touch on a few things that may seem a little bit basic; for them it's new, for the rest of us it's a refresher.
One of the points I want to make is that we must keep in mind that Amateur Radio is a Service that we have under the FCC. We often talk about this wonderful hobby that we have, but hobbies are like tying fishing flies. This is a Service, it's licensed by the government, under government regulations.
And one of the things that strikes me about this is that the public has entrusted us with billions of dollars' worth of spectrum. Some of it's exclusive, some of it we share with other services. But, we're finding out more and more these days that the public is expecting its money's worth. And remember that the public that's granting us this privilege is the same public that brings lawsuits about our big antennas in our backyards.
So the Amateur Radio Service was formed in the Communications Act of 1934. There was a basis and purpose for it and there are four (if memory serves me correctly) basic pillars or precepts upon which our Service is formed. One of them would be public service, emergency communications, things of that nature. Another is to provide a trained reservoir of technicians and operators in times of national emergency. A third is to advance the radio art, and the fourth is for international goodwill.
And the thought struck me the other day when I was wondering about what should I talk about to this group of people. I was wondering, "This is 1996, not 1934. Would the FCC establish the Amateur Service today, in today's climate?" If we weren't trying to preserve what we had, but trying to carve out something new, would they take spectrum from someone else and give it to us? And if they would do it today, would they do it ten years from now or fifteen years from now? I got to thinking about that a little bit. And in 1934, public service communications radios were fairly rare and Amateur Radio could step in and do quite a lot. In 1996 we still provide public service but I think the public is a little bit less dependent upon us now than they were in 1934. What about the year 2010?
In terms of providing technicians and operators, certainly in 1934 it was a wise choice. In 1940, 1941-42 we went to war and a lot of the same equipment that was in our ham shacks wound up on the front lines and the same people operating that same equipment. In 1992 with Desert Storm, I'm not sure how many hams were invaluable in Desert Storm. I'm not sure what would happen in 2010 if, God forbid, we had to fight another war.
In terms of international goodwill, in 1934, we've all seen the Indiana Jones flicks- everybody climbs on a Pan Am clipper, all eight passengers, and they fly for days to get across the Pacific ocean stopping for fuel at every passing boat. Today, travel is inexpensive; it costs pennies instead of dollars now. Everybody travels; it's ubiquitous. Last week at this time I was on my way to Brazil on business. I left on Saturday, I was in Brazil Sunday and Monday and part of Tuesday and I was back at my desk Wednesday afternoon before I came here Wednesday evening. Travel- it happens. We get international goodwill now by face-to-face meetings rather than necessarily by Amateur Radio.
And what about advancing the radio art? Certainly in 1934 we contributed a lot. In 1996, I think we're still contributing, but it's somewhat less. But I wonder about what might happen in 2010.
To touch some of these points again...
In terms of public service, I remember when my brother was stationed at government expense in a beautiful tropical paradise near the Cambodian border. And he was able to call home from time to time through something called MARS- the Military Affiliate Radio System, which was basically Ham Radio. And he called home and we got to talk to him for sixty seconds or one hundred and twenty seconds and then it was the next GI's turn. But in Desert Storm the phone company just put phone booths out in the desert and people just direct dialed home. MARS wasn't terribly relevant then.
Nowadays when a disaster hits, another hurricane hits the East Coast, a twister hits the Midwest, the infrastructure gets damaged. When that happens, the hams step in and they provide emergency communications. How long do they provide that for? Months? Years? No, until the technicians fix the commercial infrastructure, then the commercial services take over again. Why? Because they're more efficient.
So, what's going to happen in a couple of years when Iridium will be here, the little LEO satellites get launched, and now you can grab your cell phone and you can directly link with the satellite, and the infrastructure doesn't get damaged when a hurricane occurs. How meaningful are we going to be at that time? If you're driving down the road and you see an accident, you grab your two meter radio, you bring up the phone patch, but four other people have already driven by with their 900 MHz handhelds and they've already reported the accident by direct dialing 911. So I think that if we look today and towards the future that one of those pillars that has held Amateur Radio up, that of Public Service, is going to be providing diminishing returns to the public in terms of these billions of dollars of spectrum that they're authorizing us to use.
What about trained operators and technicians? This afternoon we were down there looking at this really neat Kenwood, what is it? A TS-870 radio with dual digital signal processors. How many people here can fix it? How many people here think Kenwood can fix them?
How many people have an HF radio with Automatic Link Establishment protocol built in that they use in Amateur communications? Not too many. What I'm trying to point out is that there's a divergence between what we use and what the government or the military might use. How many of you have set up a satellite ground station? How relevant is our experience to a real-time graphics display in an Abrams tank or a Bradley fighting vehicle that's rolling over a battlefield with all the enemy and all the good guy positions all illuminated on there for their fire control systems?
In Desert Storm there was some thin route communications used on the front lines that were based in some degree on Amateur-developed technology in TNCs and so forth. We did make a contribution to Desert Storm, but it was in technology more than it was in people.
In terms of international goodwill, I think I already touched on the fact that travel nowadays is cheap and Americans go everywhere all the time. I 'm not sure how much international goodwill is promoted when you turn on twenty meters on any weekend you want to pick and hear "CQ Contest" or "Hello Contest".
If you were the public-- if you were the administrator-- would you be willing to give up a billion dollars of public spectrum for what you hear on the HF bands in terms of international goodwill? I'm not saying what we're doing is bad, I'm simply wondering, within the perspective of the billions of dollars that we're now faced with, what will we do?
So, to me, the pillar that's left, the strong one, is advancing the radio art. I think that's what we have to build our case upon. I don't think that we can build a strong case upon other things in the future, although we can to some degree today. Clearly, that's what the DCC is all about, that's what TAPR, AMSAT, AMRAD, the ARRL is heavily involved in this, that's what we do, that's what we re involved with- trying to advance the radio art. But to do the radio art, you need radio, right? You need spectrum. OK? So we can't waste the spectrum.
Now, a fellow at work a few weeks ago handed me a book that I read-- I must have been terribly bored. The name of the book was "God Wants You To Be Rich" by Paul Pilzer. What does that have to do with radio spectrum? Well, this fellow that wrote this book had a strange view of economics. He didn't believe that economics was "handing out scarce resources," he felt there were abundant resources. And he made three points that kind of stuck with me.
One of them was, he gave an example of a ketchup factory in the Midwest. And this ketchup factory used to employ, I don't know, a gazillion people, now I'm sure they employ half a gazillion. But they didn't just make ketchup, they made the glass bottles, they made the labels, they printed them, they screwed the caps on them, they owned a fleet of trucks to distribute the ketchup around and they started being eaten alive by their competition during the 1980's. They shifted things a little bit and found a company that made plastic ketchup bottles cheaper than they could make glass ones. So they started buying plastic bottles. They found another company to make labels cheaper than they could make labels, and they found that they could contract with a trucking company cheaper than they could truck it themselves. In the end they wound up making more profit, selling more product, at a cheaper price, with a leaner organization because it became more efficient.
How is this related to what we're talking about?
Well, a lot of times I hear a real hue and cry when we talk about Amateur Networking, and "we've got a local area net over here in Tucson," or maybe "they've got their local area net in San Diego and this is Amateur Radio and we've got to tie these together by radio- we've GOT to use radio!" Well, people just sort of make sure nobody's looking and connect it up to the Internet, and BOOM- they create a wormhole and we get messages across. Well, what's going on here? Well, we're being more efficient- we're subcontracting out those services that can be more efficiently provided by others and focusing on the things that we can do well. I think there's some relevance there. We could raise up our hands and say "that's not Amateur Radio," but maybe it doesn't have to be Amateur Radio to CONTRIBUTE to Amateur Radio.
Another point this fellow made was that nowadays we're creating wealth from absolutely nothing. Well, you say "What are you talking about, Lyle?" Well, there's a couple of things.
In the 1800's, there was a kind of a crisis that occurred because they realized that the Yankee Clipper Ships were going out there and taking out the whales faster than the whales could make more whales. And this was a problem because everybody lit their house (back in those days) with whale-oil lamps. And how were they going to have light for their children or grandchildren if we killed all the whales? So they decided that maybe we should cut back on the hunting a little bit, or this or that.
But, a couple of things happened in the meantime. There was this guy named Edison, and he got some bamboo filament, and this and that, and he made an electric light bulb. "Hmmm, this might have some applicability to saving the whales?" Another fellow went walking around, he was in Pennsylvania somewhere I guess, and noticed there was this perfectly good farmland that "Gosh, it's ruined! There's this slimy black stuff that's kind of oozing out of the ground here". Well, there's petroleum! Now, we don't want our houses lit with whale oil lamps. But tremendous wealth has been created with electric light bulbs, and with petroleum. Well, now we're running out of petroleum- but maybe technology will find another answer to this.
Twenty years ago there wasn't any viable PC industry in this country, but today the PC industry is roughly on par with the automotive industry in terms of its contribution to our economy. We're talking about an industry that did not exist twenty years ago!
And what is the PC industry, this tremendous wealth, what is this based on? Sand. Silicon- the most common element there is on our planet- silicon. But that's what a huge fraction of our economy is now based on, something that we walked out on and just shook it out of our shoes and walked down the beach and didn't worry about it much.
Well, what do we need? We need spectrum. How are we going to get that spectrum? Maybe we're going to get it by applying technology in ways that we haven't applied it before to create, in effect, more spectrum.
Another point this fellow made in his book was the accelerating pace of change. He pointed out that in the 1930's there were tens of millions of people that were involved in agriculture in this country. And each farmer could feed his family and two or three others. Now, in the 1990's, we have just a few million farmers, but each farmer can feed his family and about a hundred others. Farmers are far more efficient.
Well, that's great for those that are still farmers, but what about those tens of millions that aren't farmers anymore- what did they do? Well, over a period of a few decades, as this revolution was occurring they moved to the cities. And what did they do? Well, some of them went to factories in the automotive industry and built carburetors. And others went to the recording industry and built vinyl LP s.
And then what happened in the 1980's? We went from employing a million or so people making carburetors in this country to nobody making carburetors. Why? Because we're using electronic fuel injection. And what about the people making vinyl LPs? In 1983 they had a job. In 1985 they didn't. Why? Because of the Compact Disc.
We're going through changes where, in the past, it took a generation or so for a major change to occur; to where my children are going to probably face two or three major changes in their career growth during their normal working lifetime. Something we've never had to deal with because of the incredibly accelerating rate of the advancement of technology.
In the 1950's and 1960's when I went to school, nobody ever heard of the PC, we didn't care much about sand, what was good for GM was good for the nation. We had slide rules, log tables, and ham radio. My kids went to school in the 1980's and 1990's and what did they use in school? Graphing calculators, and they hook up to the World Wide Web. They take their tests electronically at home, they do their homework electronically and e-mail it in to their teacher. What's going to happen with my grandkids? I don't know either.
In the 1970's, or up to the 1970's the US economy was based on manufacturing. Today, our economy is based on information and services. As Greg pointed out in his latest PSR editorial, it's a paradigm shift- looking at things completely differently. It's like "Dead Poet's Society" where everybody stands on the desk and looks around. It's a different perspective on life. We worry about the loss of manufacturing. Well, gosh! Japan made six billion dollar's worth of VCRs last year. Yeah, but Hollywood made SIXTY billion worth of movies for those six billion dollar's worth of VCRs.
Well, let's shift gears a little bit and gaze at the digital Amateur station of ten years ago. It's now 1986- most of us can still remember back that far. You had an 8088 or 80286. 1986- OK, maybe you had a Mac as well. You had a megabyte of DRAM, you had a forty megabyte hard drive, you had an EGA monitor (how many remember EGA monitors?). You had a Z80 TNC with a 1200 baud modem plugged into the audio jacks of your two meter radio, and you had a 1200, or if you were rich, a 2400 bit per second connection to The Source, or maybe CompuServe.
Let's look at that same digital Amateur station today. It's now 1996. You've got a high speed 486 or Pentium, it's got at least eight megabytes of RAM, you've got a one gigabyte hard drive and a SuperVGA monitor. You've got a 28.8 kilobit modem that cost $99 connected up to your $20 per month Internet connection. And you've got a Z80 TNC running at 1200 bits per second connected to your two meter radio. (Laughter)
What's wrong with this picture?
Advancing the radio art is how we're going to retain what we have. Lets look at something else. Pretend it's 1944 now (I think most of us will have to pretend). If you ran into QRM on the frequency, well, what would you do? You'd QSY, change frequency, you'd QRZ, be sure the frequency was clear, and then you'd call CQ. What do we call that? Frequency Division Multiplexing. We got a problem, we change frequency. In 1954, you know, 10 years later, Single Sideband was starting to come on past the Dan Norgaards and so forth and was up to the Wes Schuns and the Central Electronics guys. And you had Single Sideband, you cut your spectrum in half so you could put twice as many people in the same amount of spectrum. It was still FDM, right? In 1996, we're using what? Single Sideband. Same as we were using in 1954. It's nearly fifty years later. We're still using the SAME techniques.
In the 1970's, FM repeaters suddenly took over the landscape in Ham Radio when it went from basically zero in 1970 to five thousand today (and I imagine that eight years ago it was four thousand, nine hundred and fifty). What happens today in 1996? You go to Ralph, your local frequency coordinator, and say "Ralph, I need a frequency for my repeater" and Ralph just kind of says, "What else is new?" Right? There aren't any.
So Ralph, your local frequency coordinator, he's empowered as a kind of a God now. He can hand out these frequencies-- these frequencies that are worth millions and millions of dollars. Ralph controls them now. And Joe Ham, who's a repeater owner, carefully warehouses that spectrum. He doesn't use it much but he wants to be sure nobody can use it either, so he has his frequency coordination thing. Meanwhile he goes to another channel that Ralph gave him so he can run his remote base on the mountaintop so he can call CQ DX. And that's cool, that's good.
But somebody else went up to a local mountaintop with a spectrum analyzer one day and they scanned two meters. And they noticed that "I can't get a repeater allocation. Yet, if I scan this band and make a graph over twenty-four hours, I'll find that this band is maybe being used five percent." Maybe in our area it's being used twenty percent, but I doubt it.
There's something wrong here. So we're very busy organizing things so we can warehouse spectrum with closed repeaters that other people can't use. There's something wrong here I think. Does this sound like a good idea to you? That we promote this, we organize ourselves around this, and we defend this?
Now if you were a public policy maker, how would you feel about this? How would you react to the creation of this kind of a Service? Neither would I.
Well, now we've got this what we call the Little LEO controversy-- the low earth orbiting guys. And they sat up there with their spectrum analyzer and noticed the same thing. So, now they've gone to the policy makers, and amongst the candidate bands (and we've all read the QST editorials) there's two meters and seventy centimeters on the table for consideration. Not to be taken, but to be shared. And we're treating this, and I suppose properly, as a call to battle-- we have to battle those little LEO guys. "We can't possibly let them share our spectrum- this is our sacred stuff." Joe's gotta have his warehouse because Ralph gave it to him-- right?
I don't look at this so much as a call to arms-- I think it's a wakeup call.
I think that if we look at ourselves objectively, we have to say that we're grossly inefficient and that we're wasteful. We've been given a precious public resource and we're not utilizing it properly. Now the Little LEO guy can put his Spread Spectrum satellite on top of two meters and claim that he's not going to interfere with us, and he'll accept whatever we can dish at him because he knows how to handle it. Well, it's hard to argue that we're not going to share this underutilized resource with you because Ralph said it belonged to Joe... And I believe that this coexistence has been demonstrated to some extent with the STAs that were mentioned earlier in the Spread Spectrum talks today.
Well, it seems to me we have a choice here. We can either share our frequencies with the Little LEO guys, or we can share it with ourselves. If we don't share it with ourselves, we're going to have to share it with somebody else that might not be of our own choosing. So, it seems to me that we need to push really, really hard. And TAPR is doing this, and the League is doing this, we need to push really hard to get the Spread Spectrum rules relaxed.
How relaxed?
My feeling of how Part 97 should read is easy-- "Here's your band limits. Have a nice day." I think we could fit the whole of Part 97 on this side of this three by five card in large type. So that even a bifocal guy like me could read it without glasses.
Well, let's go back to the little Z80 TNC that I talked about.
If you look in your Proceedings that you received today, and I think everyone here got one, you'll notice on page 145, and again on page 177, there are articles in there for an L band and an S band digital transceiver. Runs at 1.2 Megabits per second. It's pretty slick. These were designed by Matjaz Vidmar. Now Matjaz is a sort of down-the-totem-pole level professor. Whatever an entry-level professor in Slovenia (I don't speak Slovenian, I'm not sure if anybody here does ) is called. He did this at the University of Slovenia. Can anybody locate Slovenia quickly on a globe? (There are a few that can. Alright, that's good. Most people, if you said Slovenia, they wouldn t know where it is.) Now, this is not a wealthy guy with a cadre of highly-paid highly technical people under him, and the economic powerhouse with highly technological infrastructure of Slovenia that dominates Europe today. This is a guy that's working in his house, making circuit boards, drawing pictures, using X-acto knives. But in a smaller European country, he is sharing with us this development that he has of a 1.2 Megabit radio. I remember, several years ago, we tried to make a 9600 bit per second radio, and we just sort of never did that.
So, granted, Matjaz is a very bright guy. But there are a lot of other bright people around here. What I'd like to see is TAPR, just as we revolutionized things with 1200 baud many, many, MANY years ago, or helped contribute to that, I'd like to see us revolutionize things at a Megabit. And I think we can do it-- the plans are right there, they're right in the book-- that can cost a couple of hundred dollars to build. I held it in my hand last October when I was in Germany. I met with Matjaz as we were working on the Phase IIID project. Incidentally, that design that he has there is the basis of the 153.6 kilobit PSK modem that's going to be riding onboard RUDAK in Phase IIID, that's going to have Phil's convolutional encoder on it.
So, I think the stuff isn't magic, certainly. I think that, in my opinion, the only surviving basis that we're going to have over the next years for retaining our spectrum is technological advancement. I think we need to keep pressing on. I think we need to be very aggressive. I think with the rate of change and pace of change we need to be less conservative and more assertive. I think we need to expand our participation, speaking from a TAPR viewpoint, in the FCC and ARRL processes, and I know that TAPR is doing that. I think we have to press HARD for Spread Spectrum. We need to develop radios, we need to put them in people's hands just like we did with the Beta Test in 1982 with TNCs. I'd love to see a Beta Test in 1997 of Spread Spectrum radios to get out there into the Amateur community. I'd like to see us pushing the bit rates faster and faster.
Above all, I want to see us have a lot of fun. Because this is an Amateur Service- we're not allowed to make money at it so we might was well have a good time.
Thank you very much. (Applause)


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Mildred Steinle
Mildred Steinle, 88, of Hillsboro died Dec. 2 at Parkside Homes in Hillsboro. She was born June 10, 1925, to Jacob and Hulda (May) Dies in Topeka.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Marlin "Dutch" Steinle, in 2007.
She is survived by two daughters, Judy Fleming of Springdale, Ark., and Brenda McGinness of Hillsboro; two brothers, Robert and Ronald; a sister, Carol Wilkening; four grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.
Services were Thursday at Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, McPherson. Visitation was before the service at the church.
Memorial funds have been established with the church, The Lutheran Hour, and Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice.

subset: commoncrawl


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Super Cool: See Who's Hosting a WebEx Right Now via World Map
Ever wondered who's on a WebEx? Here's a look at global activity that's refreshed every few minutes.
Click in and take a look. You will see the host's location and how many people are participating in the meeting. Some people are even in a one-person meeting, which I imagine means they are recording content to share with others or post on their website.
WebEx Makes the World a Little Smaller
What I find amazing is how many people are video conferencing from very remote locations – really shows the power of the Internet and how it allows for collaboration no matter where you are!
If you use WebEx, you can see the power of the WebEx network. If you are hosting a WebEx event or have a recorded WebEx posted that's public, let us know. Send us a tweet @WebExEvents and we'll retweet your information to our network.
If you haven't tried WebEx yet, you can get a free trial and download WebEx mobile free (you need an account if you want to host from a mobile; attending is free).
In an effort to keep conversations fresh, Cisco Blogs closes comments after 60 days. Please visit the Cisco Blogs hub page for the latest content.


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Despite being well over half a century old now, for many players, the Telecaster will always represent the pinnacle of electric guitar design.
With an arguably less flashy, more workmanlike image than the curvaceous lines of the Stratocaster, and a raunchier set of basic tones, it´s also one of the few electric guitars that excels in virtually every musical setting imaginable, barring perhaps extreme metal, without fitting new pickups.
From the Squier Affinity range, right up to the Custom Shop Time Machine models, Fender makes a Tele for every pocket. As you might expect, the American Vintage ´52 Tele is largely a slavish reproduction of the guitar that started it all.
Fender tries to ensure that each guitar in its American Vintage series feels like a special package. On flipping open the catches on the attractive tweed case, apart from the fruity aroma of nitrocellulose and the plush orange of the case interior, we are greeted by a generous complement of 'case candy´. Along with the guitar itself, you get an assortment of goodies.
A rather short leather strap of US origin, guitar care kit and a vintage style lead are accompanied by, in this case, a slightly ill-fitting ashtray bridge cover, a modern six-saddle replacement bridge and a capacitor and wiring diagram for converting the guitar to a more modern specification… but more on that later.
On removing the ´52 from its case, the nitrocellulose lacquer has that familiar aroma and slight stickiness, although initial impressions are that the butterscotch finish applied to the one-piece ash body is just a touch too dark in hue and too thick and glass-like to really capture that vintage vibe in the way that the Custom Shop Time Machine Fenders do.
That said, an NOS Nocaster will set you back £2099, so therein lies the difference. If you like the aged look, then the only answer that doesn´t involve sandpaper is to distress it the old-fashioned way… by gigging the hell out of it! So, rather than evoking the worn-in comfort of your favourite pair of jeans or an old leather jacket, there´s something a little stiff and new about the immediate feel of this guitar.
The ´52´s vintage profile frets are immaculately fitted with no sharp ends, yet the gauge of the fretwire seems a fraction fatter and a little closer to medium than some we´ve encountered. But there are plenty of impressively vintage-accurate features and the attention to detail is apparent in the choice of slot rather than crosshead screws, even down to the neck bolts and tuner screws.
The neck itself is one piece of maple with traces of a light flame on the back, while the 'U´ profile is a decent rounded palm-full, without quite being as chunky as the Nocaster spec. With a less flat playing surface than most modern Teles, the ´52 fights back deliciously and provides the perfect platform for emotive lead playing and gritty, aggressive rhythms.
The ´52´s wiring is authentic, and may prove somewhat alien to even die-hard Telecaster fans. Instead of the usual bridge, both pickups in parallel and neck selections, from right to left we get the bridge single-coil, neck pickup and a second, woollier version of the neck unit; a lower output pseudo bass tone dating back to 1950, a year before a certain Clarence Fender finalised his Precision Bass design.
A conversion kit allowing you to convert the guitar to a 'modern´ wiring configuration is supplied but surely players would prefer the guitar wired more familiarly, as has been standard since 1967, with an optional vintage wiring kit supplied? As a result, straight out of the case there is no nasal twin pickup setting.
Powering up a nice small valve combo with a little break-up dialled in, it really is arresting to note just how satisfying and rich the unadorned sound of a good Telecaster can be. The '52 is a delight, with a rich woodiness and an earthy character infusing the instrument's characteristic spank.
Apart from the missing middle position due to the vintage-authentic wiring, there's everything else you could want from a Telecaster here, from the authoritative raucous bark of the bridge pickup to the gorgeous, buttery neck unit that begins as a perfectly balanced, mellow clean voice and gets fluid and fiery as you wind up the gain.
If you don't own a Telecaster of some description, the most pressing question really is why not? The biggest competition that both of this guitar faces is probably from within the Fender catalogue itself as, these days, there's a Telecaster to suit virtually everybody with any number of additional features. The '52 harks back to a time when you could buy only one type of Telecaster, and all these years down the line, it goes a long way towards proving that sometimes less really is more.


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Selena Gomez's Hacker to Serve Time
Selena Gomez's Facebook account was hacked in early 2011, and now the man behind the takeover will be serving jail time for his crimes.
The 21-year-old British hacker, Gareth Crosskey, has been sentenced to one year in prison for the January 2011 incident in which he gained unauthorized access to Gomez's Facebook account. Through the hack, the West Sussex native also obtained personal exchanges between the pop star and her boyfriend, Justin Bieber, as well as messages between Gomez and Demi Lovato.
According to a press release from London's Metropolitan Police, Crosskey had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to charges under the Computer Misuse Act. "Today's result should act as a deterrent to any individuals thinking of participating in this type of criminal activity," police wrote.
The hacker was tracked down by authorities after reportedly posting a video of himself bragging about his crimes. Judge John Price, who presided over the case, said to Crosskey:
"You are clever with a computer and you hacked into the private part of somebody's Facebook account. Selena Gomez had a Facebook account on which she has six million friends. They have permission to get into part of the account and you hacked into a private part by getting the email password."
And with that, justice has been served.
Watch the Selena Gomez 'Hit the Lights' Video (Version 2)


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When I arrived at the Alamo Drafthouse Lakeline theater today, which is hosting FANTASTIC FEST while the Alamo's South Lamar location undergoes extensive remodeling, it was about 12:45pm. My first screening wasn't until 5:45pm, and being the Festival Co-Founder, it's not like I had to be there much before that screening, but I wanted to. Why? Because hanging out at FANTASTIC FEST is every bit as important as seeing the films.
I wasn't in the Lobby more than about 15 minutes before this gentleman introduces himself and begins to chew my ear about this Ugandan film movement that is going on that he's vitally thrilled by. It has popped up in the slums there, where they're emulating Hollywood action films, with their own spin – and he swears they're unlike anything I've seen. Across his back looked to be a leather quiver and when I asked him about it, it turns out it was movie posters made from some strange African bark and painted… They looked… so… cool. We traded info and he promised to hook me up with some insane Ugandan Slum-made Action Flicks – and I'm giddy at the prospects.
Film is a universal shared palate for our Dreams – and that is never more true than at Fantastic Fest.
Lunch was spent sharing drinks and food with friends I've made at this fest from all over the place. The conversation? Hopes and dreams, fears and giggles over what we were to see over the next 8 days.
However, the 5 hour wait for MACHETE KILLS was over before I knew it. Talking with Film Geeks melts hours like butter on a stove.
Heading into Theater 4 for MACHETE KILLS, I was thinking about how much I was hoping this film kicked the first film's ass. I enjoyed MACHETE, but I wanted it to be more than what it was. Here… we get that!
It begins with a trailer for the sequel to MACHETE KILLS… but I have to let you discover that joy for yourself, or much later in this write up. But the trailer got cheers and set the tone for the absurdity that was to follow. MACHETE KILLS feels like a Roger Moore era-BOND film… Mainly… it feels like MOONRAKER, but if instead of The Saint & Dr Goodhead, we have MACHETE and Ms. San Antonio (pssst – that's Amber Huh Huh Huh Heard). Oh – and the craziest absurd action you've seen in a good long while. With the most playfully giddy gore you've seen in a flick for a while.
The cast is just insane. But punctuated by a character named The Chameleon – when you see who all plays this singular character… you'll not only laugh, but kind of be in awe. Once you see the very obviously Mel Gibson eyes in the Mexican Wrestler mask… you're going to just begin a giggle – that's gonna continue for the rest of the movie.
How's Mel? He fucking fantastic! Robert's inspiration for his character probably has some origins with Drax from MOONRAKER… but given that Robert's met both Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, he discovered that they all shared personality traits with Bond villains, but also a deep geeky love for STAR WARS – so he put it all up in a blender and cast Mel – and man… the result is an awesome awesome super villain for Machete to attempt to bring down.
Now – if Mel Gibson is the Bond Villain of the film… who is his JAWS? Heh.
6'3" – Marko Zaror moves like nothing I've ever seen before. I've been saying that for years – and I've been bending fucking Rodriguez's ear to cast him for years, and when he did… he just kept adding more and more scenes with him because… HE IS THAT FUCKING AWESOME!
But… since he's fighting MACHETE… he's gonna… well… you'll see.
President Rathcock aka Charlie Sheen aka Carlos Estevez… I kind of flat out love. And I have to admit, it would be a remarkably refreshing United States if the President could say and fuck whatever he wants. I mean, what's the fucking point of being President if you have to act like you're on a visit to your church going grandmother's on Easter for 4 year shifts at a time. Sheen hasn't looked this good or fun in a film in so long that I was absolutely not looking forward to him being in the film, but he's great.
Demian Bichir is great as Machete's initial target, I didn't recognize him at first… but as he cycled through various personalities – I remembered him from Soderbergh's two-part CHE as Fidel Castro, but more so for his wonderful turn in WEEDS, but he's been around since the original RED DAWN making film, but as Mendez The Madman, he gets the opportunity to steel a whole lot of screentime and become one MACHETE KILLS' brightest roles. Bichir's "MEXICAN STANDOFF" destroyed Yoko with laughter which required her some time to recover.
Then there's the ladies.
One of the things I love about Robert Rodriguez is the ambition of his casting. Here, Robert casts the craziest cast of femmes I think he's yet put upon film – and man does he have the most fun dressing these crazy ladies up! Amber Heard, Alexa Vega, Vanessa Hudgens, Lady Gaga, Sofia Vergara, Jessica Alba, Michelle Rodriguez, Electra Avellan, Emmy Robbin and there's still more! I mean they're all playing bloodthirsty whores, secret agents, Cartel hussies, Revolutionaries, Beauty contestants… and then there's LADY GAGA – and I can't really explain her – but it's kinda like when I was at the World Premiere of Emmerich and Devlin's GODZILLA and that model was sitting two seats over with a pillow on her lap with the "Yo Queiro Taco Bell" dog watching the world premiere upon it. You can't really explain how the Taco Bell Chihuahua was there… but along with Muhammad Ali – it really made that room absurdly entertaining. That's what Lady Gaga brings… the WHAT THE FUCK?!?
In fact much of MACHETE KILLS is about defying expectations and making you wonder why so many films cost SOOOOO much more but are often times, far less entertaining. Stay through all the credits – the movie plays with you from beginning to end. There's a point of exhaustion that begins to hit about 25 minutes before the end, but it passes quickly and hops right back on track!
Danny Trejo? He's fucking MACHETE! In person, Danny Trejo is one of the sweetest people I've ever had sitting on my living room couch, but the legion of Indie films on Blu Ray that I get – of wildly varying quality – I never forget how Rodriguez just shoots and directs him better than anyone. And he knows how to treat his star, by surrounding him with actors and names that just makes him feel like he's the center of the universe. BY the end of the film though, I was just dying to see the third installment. It looks like it could give GALAXY OF TERROR or STARCRASH a run for its funky awesomery!
The next film on the night's docket was a remake of an Ozsploitation & Horror Classic by Richard Franklin's seminal PATRICK! PATRICK doesn't have a sterling reputation on a site like IMDB, but in my estimation, I like the hell out of it. The film was playing with crazy powerful telekinetic & telepathic prowess – and as a big X-MEN kid, I thought it was a whole lot of fun, but really the fun of that film is in the disturbing looking Robert Thompson and Franklin's shot selection, which was particularly fun. But it isn't GREAT. It's real good.
PATRICK (2013) is GREAT! Directed by Mark Hartley, who has been to Fantastic Fest before, but with his documentaries upon Ozploitation (NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD) and Filipino Cult Cinema (MACHETE MAIDENS UNLEASHED!) – but what sets this apart from Franklin's original is the superior script by Justin King, the amazing score by the great Pino Donaggio, a great cast featuring Charles Dance, Rachel Griffiths and Sharni Vinson!!! And then the atmosphere of the film… a Cliffside Coma Patient facility next to a Lighthouse on a foggy point… It's a modern day film that if not for the technology, you could easily believe this film was set in the distant fog of yesteryear. A film that makes you think about gothic tales and crazy horror.
If you've never seen the original and have no idea about the plot – Sharni Vinson plays a young bright & sweet nurse, that's running from a relationship gone astray. She gets hired at The Roget Clinic. Hospitals are creepy. Morgues are really creepy. But a place filled with COMATOSE emaciated people… FUCK THAT! I don't mean to be insensitive to anyone with a loved one in that condition. I wish all were better. But – the creepy part about comatose wards is just the notion of that reality and wondering truly if something is going on in there. It's also prime for alien takeovers, zombie awakenings… you name it, but then… films with coma plotlines are almost always creepy as hell.
PATRICK is like if Carrie White were in a Coma with a crush that could stand no competition. It's a really fun and scary movie. Mark Hartley has made a great remake of a really fun classic cult flick. That doesn't happen too often, so let's celebrate it!
Then the last film of the first day of FANTASTIC FEST 2013 was WHY DON'T YOU PLAY IN HELL – which was the very best film of them all!!!
WHY DON'T YOU PLAY IN HELL by Shion Sono (SUICIDE CLUB, LOVE EXPOSURE, COLD FISH) is the most refreshing film of the day. Wholly original. This is the film that is not like others.
Do not read a logline for this film and think for a second that it has anything to do with the reality of this spectacular celebration of filmmaking. The film is unleashed from the projector with an excruciatingly delightful toothpaste jingle sung by the cutest Yakuza princess that you've ever seen. We don't instantly know that… we'll learn that shortly. But what Shion has done here is to pepper his film with characters, mythologies, lies, vendettas, prayers, circumstances, while also reaching deep down into the hearts of just about every soul that has ever sat in a movie theater seat has ever dreamt of. We all want to be in movies.
A lot of film is forgotten, lost, destroyed, abused and just never ever sees the light of day, but we live in a world populated with dreamers that increasingly have access to the tools of filmmaking. Austin is alive with the filmmaking bug. Folks pitch in and make a show all the time here. 48 hour film contests, workshops, big Hollywood productions and a very literate amateur film community that is constantly spawning quite interesting filmmaking voices… Well, this is a film that speaks to that wild abandon that those possessed with the passion and strange affirmation that can come with filmmaking.
Once we're introduced to the FUCK BOMBERS – a Scooby Doo gang of filmmaking pesky nosey kids living the dream of film, everyday. They only have video cameras, but most every filmmaker begins with those tools these days. There's also a deep passion for Bruce Lee demonstrated by them. But you don't get the idea they ever take this very seriously. Hanging out and making film, wandering the streets to discover something filmable has become a lifestyle for them.
The opposing Yakuzi families are butting heads. It gets very bloody, but I'd be lying if I didn't state that the jaw-dropping third act of this wonder gave me joy at a cinematic level that I don't think I've felt quite this intensely since THE HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES sequence of KILL BILL VOL 1.
You know how in SUPER 8, the giddy excitement the kids felt when they realized they were getting great stuff – and that energy they were getting? This film is in love with film. Drunk on it, High on it and it's giving you that high!
There are films you see at this festival that can make you love cinema at such an intense level of affection that you come home and you just keep delaying going to sleep because you're playing scenes and moments and pieces of just WOW MAGIC that the film slapped you silly with. That's WHY DON'T YOU PLAY IN HELL.
If you have ever shot anything playful in your life, you're going to LOVE THIS MOVIE! This film has an ending that gives Eskimo Kisses to Quentin's KILL BILL and Peter Jackson's DEAD ALIVE! It's bloody, hilarious, poignant and a complete celebration of the magical fantasy of cinematic mayhem and wonder.
WHY DON'T YOU PLAY IN HELL is the sort of original insanity that reminds you that life is much more interesting on the shady side, but especially when it is lit well! The absurd genius of the audacity of the third act is the sort of refreshment that hits you and reminds you that so much of film is playing in hell.
I think back on the fucking insane pussy asses that have been bitching about the WANTON DEATH OF HOLLYWOOD this summer. As buildings toppled and life destroyed… but WHY DON'T YOU PLAY IN HELL let's us in on the glorious secret of filmmaking. YOU CAN DO ANYTHING! And you're gonna try to do it with your friends and anyone that you can fucking get to pay for it, act in it and crew it. The moment where the filmmaker realizes… COMPLETELY… what he's doing. It's just. It's like seeing Danny Trejo in a real Astronaut suit. It's like listening to Charles Dance just destroy Sharni with words.
These grown children are all playing in Hell, where terrible, horrible, traumatic nightmares can happen, where everything you see is done for the JOY of it. The Passion of it. When you've been on sets and worked on film, you realize that there's a joy of the play, the putting on of the wildest show… But I have to say – IF – what happens in this movie were to really happen, I'd watch the living shit out of that OUTLAWED IN EVERY COUNTRY MOVIE. Heh. FUCK BOMBERS!!! YEAH!!!!! FUCK BOMBERS!!!! YEAH!!!!
To smile like I am at 5am, 4 hours till waking… THIS IS WHAT IT IS TO LOVE FANTASTIC FEST!!!


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California Department of Transportation
Date: April 16, 2013
Contact: Ken Paglia
Phone: (209) 941-6562
Caltrans Installing New Signs Statewide to Remind Motorists to "Move Over" for Law Enforcement and Highway Workers
SACRAMENTO – Caltrans workers and the California Highway Patrol will be out in force today on highways throughout the state, installing "Move Over" signs intended to help save lives and increase safety for motorists, highway workers, CHP officers, and other law enforcement.
"Every day, highway workers put their lives in danger just by going to work," said Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty. "We're asking motorists to slow down, watch out for highway workers and CHP, and safely move over a lane when they see flashing amber lights on Caltrans or other emergency vehicles."
The new signs will display the messages, "Move Over or Slow for Stopped Emergency and Maintenance Vehicles" and "Move Over or Slow When Amber Lights Flashing." In addition, more than 700 existing electronic highway message signs statewide will display, "Move Over or Slow for Workers, It's the Law."
"Every year, a growing number of law enforcement, emergency personnel, and highway workers are killed or injured along California's roadways," said California Highway Patrol Commissioner Joe Farrow. "One way to help minimize the risk for these workers is for the motoring public to do their part by paying attention and exercising caution on the road. If you see emergency lights on the shoulder ahead, the law requires you to move over or slow down."
Signs are being installed today at these locations:
- San Joaquin County – State Route 99 at Kettleman Lane
- Stanislaus County – State Route 99 at the Enoch Christoffersen/Turlock Rest Area
- Stanislaus County – Interstate 5 at the Westley Safety Roadside Rest Area
- Merced County – Interstate 5 at the John "Chuck" Erreca Rest Area
The Move Over law, which took effect in 2007, was amended in 2009 to add Caltrans vehicles displaying flashing amber warning lights to the list of vehicles for which motorists must move over if safe to do so, or slow down.
Highway construction and maintenance work is one of the most dangerous occupations in the United States. Since the 1920s, 178 Caltrans employees have died while on the job.
For historical information about Move Over, please visit http://www.dot.ca.gov/moveover/.
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I have two registered, fully functional, MG34s. One is a DOT 45 and is civilian transferrable. The other is a DOT 44 and a dealer only "Post Sample". Both of my MG34s were manufactured by the Bruno Works in Czechoslovakia using tooling that came from Steyr. My DOT 44 MG34 is the one pictured below with my BREN. The BREN is also registered, fully functional, and civilian transferrable. It is a Canadian Inglis Mk II variety manufactured in 1944. Interestingly, both the MG34 and BREN were manufactured in the same year. Surprisingly, both are nearly identical as to length and weight.
Old, non-functioning links to Photobucket have been removed by Admin.


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September 4, 2010
Wabash took the top-three spots to win the 49th Hokum Karem, hosted by the Little Giant cross country team Saturday.
View photos from the meet here.
Kenny Farris and Kevin McCarthy combined to claim first place with a time of 28:52. The race features two runners combining for a total of six miles in the men's race and four miles in the women's race. Each runner completes one mile, then hands the baton to their teammate, alternating miles to the completion of the race. The top-three pairs for each school earn points in the overall team scoring based upon their finishing place, with the lowest score claiming the team competition. Farris and McCarthy were 45 seconds off the meet record of 28:07 set by John Poray and Patrick Hamilton from the University of Indianapolis in 2003.
Little Giant runners Donavan White and Justin Allen grabbed second place with a time of 28:56. Jake Waterman and Seth Einterz completed the sweep to finish with a perfect team score of six points with a third place finishing time of 28:57.
Corey McFarland and Brian David combined for 12th place (30:06). Michael Gough and Colin Dunlap were 19th (30:39). Jacob Ponton and Dalton Boyer took 20th place (30:41).
DePauw took the women's title with a total of 12 points. Jess Macy and Claire Hollis finished first as a pair with a time of 22:41.
Wabash will compete at the Indiana Intercollegiates at Purdue University on Friday, September 17.


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Missoula, Mont. --- Tennessee State University senior women's basketball players Simone Hopes and Kesi Hess were named to the 32nd Lady Griz Classic All-Tournament team.
Hopes (5-10, Forward) and Hess (5-10, Guard) led TSU in scoring throughout the tournament and had solid showings against Idaho and Montana.
Hopes recorded her second career double-double against Idaho with 16 points and 11 rebounds to go along with three steals to help TSU defeat Idaho. The Houston, Texas native followed that up with 13 points and six boards versus Montana.
Hess, a native of Dublin, Ohio also posted a double-double against Idaho, the first of her career, with 15 points and a team-high 12 rebounds. She had eight points, three rebounds and five steals in the match-up with Montana.
The Lady Tigers return to action on Monday at Montana State. Tip-off is slated for 8:05 p.m. CT.


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Alain Johannes | 28/02/11
Following on from the news of the Queens of the Stone Age debut album reissue, Domino's exciting relationship with Rekords Rekords continues with the announcement of the release of Spark, the mesmerising debut album by Alain Johannes which is due out on May 23rd.
For those of you not in the know, Alain is something of an underground legend having collaborated with everyone from Queens of the Stone Age, to Chris Cornell to Them Crooked Vultures to Mark Lanegan which is obviously a pretty incredible creative resume to have by anyones standards. Spark is the distillation of his talents as a songwriter, producer and composer which also functions on an extremely deep level as an effecting tribute to his late wife and creative partner Natasha Shneider.
Rekords Rekords founder Josh Homme comments, "Alain's record is the total embodiment of what the label stands for – the war against endorsing mediocrity and the uncensored attempt to take a leap off the musical cliff. Spark is a stunning examination of figuring out what you do when someone's gone, and it's utterly breathtaking." Given one listen it would be difficult to dispute what Josh is saying. Check out this breathtaking footage of Alain performing on a boat in Norway, filmed by Josh himself:
Spark will be available on CD (REK003CD), LP (REK003LP) and via digital download (REK003D). The tracklisting is as follows:
Endless Eyes
Return To You
Make God Jealous
The Bleeding Whole
Gentle Ghosts
Unfinished Plan
Pre-order Spark
As well as the release of Spark, Return To You, the first single to be taken from the album will be available from 16th May on 7" (REK005) and via digital download (REK005D).


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A list of book releases compiled by Dr. Dobb's to keep you up-to-date on parallel programming and multicore technology.
Research in Mobile Intelligence
by Laurence T. Yang
New from the Wiley Series on Parallel and Distributed Computing, this book explores the combination of mobile computing and computational intelligence. As a very new area of research, mobile intelligence has created a wide range of opportunities for researchers, engineers, and developers to create new applications for both end users and businesses. Mobile Intelligence covers the comprehensive state-of-the-art in various applications of computational intelligence to the mobile paradigm, including mobile data intelligence, mobile mining, mobile intelligence security, mobile agent, location-based mobile information services, mobile context-aware and applications, intelligent networks, and mobile multimedia. Readers will not only learn different areas of mobile computing and its issues but also various intelligent approaches that contribute in addressing these issues, as well as discover other potential elements in the mobile paradigm.
Introduction to Reconfigurable Supercomputing
by Marco Lanzagorta, Stephen Bique, and Robert Rosenberg
This book covers technologies, applications, tools, languages, procedures, advantages, and disadvantages of reconfigurable supercomputing using Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). The target audience is the community of users of High Performance Computers (HPC) who may benefit from porting their applications into a reconfigurable environment. As such, this book is intended to guide the HPC user through the many algorithmic considerations, hardware alternatives, usability issues, programming languages, and design tools that need to be understood before embarking on the creation of reconfigurable parallel codes. We hope to show that FPGA acceleration, based on the exploitation of the data parallelism, pipelining and concurrency remains promising in view of the diminishing improvements in traditional processor and system design.


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The 49ers are talented on defense, and deep.
They're now hoping to turn some of that depth into something else.
According to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com, the 49ers are shopping outside linebacker Parys Haralson in trade talks.
Haralson already took a pay cut this offseason, but they apparently want to cut that number even further.
Starters Aldon Smith and Ahmad Brooks give them an excellent tandem, and between veteran Dan Skuta and rookie Corey Lemonier, they have solid backup options.
The 29-year-old Haralson has 21.5 career sacks, and missed last year after tearing a triceps muscle.


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Yesterday I went to the supermarket and found... Fresh green soy beans! I thought "hey, isn't this edamame?"
I was about to buy some, but then I realized I don't actually know how to cook them. They are sold in a plastic container, and without the pods. I can't tell wether they are already boiled or not (i think they are not). But anyway...
Hoy do I cook them? Should I boil them? And for how long?
And the most important thing: How long will they last in my fridge once boiled???
I truly love edamame and i wouldn't mind to eat them on a regular basis... any help?
Thanks! :D
My bento blog: http://justbento.com/blog/1305
My art blog: http://jizaacaso.deviantart.com
I just steam mine along with any other veggies I have on the go. It all depends on how soft you like them? Maybe a few minutes in boiling water? I'm not really sure, the ones I buy are frozen. Hopefully someone else will come along with more advice in a bit!
They are just shelled edamame. Edamame are green soy beans. (Incidentally, edamame is written 枝豆, which means 'branch beans', because in Japan the fresh ones are usually sold as whole plants, with the pods still on the branches.) You can boil them and eat them as-is, or put them in salads, stir-fries, grind them up and make edamame hummus... whatever you can come up with!
The Big Onigiri.
- Wherever you go, there you are. -
oookay :D
so i can both boil them and steam them :D cool :D Should i soak them the night before or something? They seem to be quite soft (like peas) so maybe I shouldn't. hmm...
I'm buying them today ^^
I knew they were sold in their pods, i even ate them sometimes in a couple of restaurants :D
Edamame hummus. That opens a new world for me :D
Thanks!! :D
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Free Land Deal
PDC defends controversial project
| 11/27/2013, 9:50 a.m.
The Portland Development Commission is defending its move to bring the national specialty grocer Trader Joe's to the rapidly developing King Neighborhood in northeast Portland.
Economic development in the long gentrifying neighborhood can raise the alarm of longtime residents, especially low and middle-income African-Americans who have lost their homes, but the economic development agency maintains that this deal will not contribute to further gentrification, but in fact help people stay in the neighborhood and "prosper".
Not everyone agrees though.
The location in question is a 2-acre site at the intersection of two of the city's rapidly changing streets, Martin Luther King Boulevard and Alberta Street. Houses and businesses on the property had been removed from several lots over the years as the PDC worked to invigorate the heart of Portland's traditional black community with the adjacent Vanport Square, a retail hub that was created by minority and women-owned developers as a magnet for minority entrepreneurs.
PDC had been in talks with various developers to double the size of the Vanport Square project by luring a highly attractive retailer; one that would bring more foot traffic to the other vendors along the development.
At one point during the mid 2000's it looked like former NBA star and businessman Magic Johnson's, Magic Johnson Enterprises would ink a deal to bring a 24 Hour Fitness to the space but late in negotiations that plan fell through.
Since that failed attempt, PDC followed a path that would fill the space with an anchor grocer, a vision that drew some support from the King Neighborhood Association and others. According to city data at the time, the area was deprived enough to be deemed a "food desert," even with big-name retailers like Safeway and Fred Meyer serving the neighborhood, and various smaller grocers like the Alberta Co-op and Cherry Sprout even closer-in.
With this justification, PDC moved forward with their plans. Around 2011, they began talks with California-based developer Majestic Realty Co. to bring Trader Joe's to the area.
The retail chain extended a stipulation of secrecy in talks with the PDC, which may have stemmed some outcry from the public once the details of the deal were revealed.
Although not yet legally set in stone yet, Majestic Realty is expected to sign a letter of intent at the end of December solidifying a transaction with PDC that will give them a $2.4 million break on the cost of the property with Trader Joe's as the anchor tenant and space for 4 to 10 other businesses and 100 surface parking spaces.
When the proposed transaction was made public, opposition came quickly in the form of an organized protest at the site drawing a few dozen citizens led by Steven Gilliam, a local African American resident and community activist.
In a letter sent to the King Neighborhood Association, Gilliam ridiculed the labeling of neighborhood as a food desert saying the decision to sell a prime piece of real estate at an 80 percent discount was based on a false promise and fulfills a fictional need that primarily benefits the 1 percent of wealthy Americans.


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Could new airports to the west of London solve the city's airport capacity problem?
Looking down on Heathrow Airport from its 87-meter-high (285-ft.) air traffic control tower, the challenges that face the world's busiest two-runway airport suddenly become very clear.
With an aircraft landing or taking off approximately every 2 min., runway and parking-stand capacity is at a premium, and the site offers little room for expansion. On every side, the airport is hemmed in by development, which has a dramatic effect on airport efficiency. A single day of inclement weather can bring about a domino effect on operations resulting in hundreds of canceled flights, leaving passengers stranded and the airport's reputation in tatters. No wonder managers are considering moving operations to another site.
Heathrow Airport Holdings has been quietly exploring options for future airport configurations and two new locations never previously examined for the siting of a major new airport. Aviation Week has seen the Heathrow 2025: Masterplan Options & Indicative Layouts documents produced by the Mott MacDonald consultancy that propose 10 options, ranging from a reconfiguration of the current airfield with two runways and new a terminal layout to an entirely new four-runway facility built on greenfield land at one of two locations in the nearby counties of Berkshire and Buckinghamshire to supplement, or more likely replace Heathrow.
The two new sites suggested by the consultants would feature a four-runway layout, not unlike the configuration of Madrid's Barajas Airport (see map). Two runways would be located on either side of a main terminal core, while the other two runways, parallel to the first two, would be slightly offset but more than 1 km (0.6 mi.) apart allowing parallel landing and takeoff operations. The newly built facilities could potentially handle 140 million passengers and 800,000 air traffic movements a year, just under twice Heathrow's capacity today.
One site suggested is at White Waltham, a small general aviation airfield about 15 mi. west of Heathrow and close to the town of Maidenhead. The other is Haddenham, the location of a old World War II glider airfield about 15 mi. from the city of Oxford but more than 30 mi. from the center of London. Local parish councillors contacted by Aviation Week were taken aback by the suggestion that the countryside near their homes could be turned into a major international airport.
The Haddenham site would perhaps be the most controversial, as the layout suggests the virtual removal of two villages, Chearsley and Long Crendon. Both sites are in open countryside, however, and have the advantage of being close to major transport links. White Waltham, would be built almost on top of the M4 motorway and is close to major rail links, while the Haddenham location is close to the M40 motorway and within a few miles of the government's planned but controversial High Speed 2 (HS2) rail route to Birmingham, a move that would boost transport times into Central London.
Heathrow Airport officials tell Aviation Week the documents are early drafts developed by consultants last year. "They are not designs that have been endorsed by Heathrow Airport," the officials say. "Heathrow will be making its considered submission to the Airports Commission in July."
A new facility to replace Heathrow is a highly unlikely scenario, so the focus is likely to be back on the current airport's ability to retain its position as the U.K.'s main hub into the future.
Politicians regularly highlight the failures of Heathrow and its ability to stay open in the face of snow or fog, but they are considerably more reticent about helping to fix it. The building of new runway capacity in the southeast of England is seen as a political "hot potato" and ministers have been reluctant to make a decision which could bring extra noise to hundreds of thousands of city dwellers. And if a third Heathrow runway is unpopular, politicians are going to be even more reluctant to approve the building of a new airport, even if its creation could deliver a long-lasting economic legacy to the region.
Since the coalition government came to power in 2010 and withdrew support for another runway at Heathrow—reversing a 2009 decision made by the previous Labour administration—no fewer than seven new airport options have been suggested. Six of them would lie east of the city, using reclaimed land in the Thames Estuary. One of those, suggested by London Mayor Boris Johnson, was enthusiastically dubbed "Boris Island."
But many believe an airport in the Thames Estuary is the wrong location for a London airport, since it would be difficult to reach for many people. Indeed, a key part of Heathrow's success has been its location to the west of London, and its proximity to the M4 corridor, where some of the world's largest multinational companies are headquartered.
The Heathrow 2025 masterplan also highlights a range of options for change at Heathrow, including two configurations for a third runway to the north of the airport. One features a short runway, to be primarily used for short-haul and domestic flights, combined with a new terminal in between the new runway and the current northern runway. The other suggests a third longer runway and another set of satellite terminals in the northeast corner of the airport.
Three options for four runways on the Heathrow site are also suggested. One proposes building a new fourth runway to the south of the current southern runway, construction of which would require demolition of the airport's current cargo facilities. Another alternative would see the runway moved toward the east, necessitating the demolition of both the freight areas and Terminal 4. And the third option, which has made it into the national press, would essentially rebuild Heathrow with four runways on land just west of the current airport, a move that could also reduce the number of people effected by noise, at least in London.
Heathrow air traffic has been affected by the economic downturn, dwindling since its peak in 2008, but it is forecast to rebound by 2018-19, and figures from the U.K. Transport Department indicate that all of the airports serving London will be full by 2030—and perhaps by 2025, if no new runways are built.
The Airports Commission, launched last November, is due this year to report assessments and recommendations to improve airport capacity in the next five years, but it will not announce longer-term recommendations, for the next 25-30 years, until the summer of 2015, after the next election.
Tap the icon in the digital edition of AW&ST to see proposed alternatives for a third runway at Heathrow, or go to AviationWeek.com/heathrow