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any THRers into ham radio?
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> any THRers into ham radio?
January 3, 2006, 06:01 PM
i was thinking about getting my technician license and a cheap radio. just wondering if there's anyone out there interesting to talk to :)
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January 3, 2006, 06:30 PM
Yep, General here in Ft Worth. Technician is just too easy NOT to get.
Find a handheld 2M and a repeater book and get after it.
If you haven't found it yet, read up on the IRLP thing. We could all have weekly THR chats with that thing just by linking a bunch of repeaters over the Internet. Very cool stuff.
January 3, 2006, 06:30 PM
YES .....Anywhere you go....
January 3, 2006, 07:28 PM
I have been into shortwave DX about as long as firearms way before computers began to take up some free time have a Yaesu FRG-8800.
January 3, 2006, 07:32 PM
--... ...-- -.. . -. ..... .-. -.- .
January 3, 2006, 07:51 PM
General Ham License, CCW. Great combination! :)
January 3, 2006, 07:52 PM
ex-KG6H, expired many years ago.
January 3, 2006, 07:52 PM
Glock Talk has a Ham forum also...I wish Gun Talk was on shortwave...
January 4, 2006, 06:51 PM
Find a handheld 2M and a repeater book and get after it.
This is how I got started. I was interested in the Skywarn thing and decided I should pick up my ticket. Lots of really nice people are involved in amateur radio.
January 4, 2006, 06:54 PM
I read the AARL book for the technician license a couple months ago, but never got around to taking the test. Perhaps soon...
January 4, 2006, 07:01 PM
Free online practice tests :D
January 4, 2006, 08:04 PM
I've been known to toss some RF into the ether.
January 4, 2006, 09:12 PM
Yes, I'm an Extra and my wife and son are Generals. There seems to be a lot of commonality (sp?) in both hobbies.
January 4, 2006, 11:46 PM
I've been studying for Technician here: http://www.hamtestonline.com/
January 5, 2006, 12:09 AM
Here is KC4HGH, Extra Class! Git yer Tech Plus, then capture that General & get on HF as well as 2M- we've been granted some new freqs in the 60M band that're awesome!
Been in all phases of radio for 38 years now & still having the time of my life!
If you need help, please let me know....de Bud.:D
January 5, 2006, 12:45 AM
Been a ham since 1978 or 1979.
Extra Class.
Used to be VERY active. Had a ton of gear. Spent lots of money. Went to the big conventions. Everybody I knew was a ham. Was active on a daily basis on everything from 160 meters to satilites for over 20 years. Had three complete HF stations set up in my shack: each with all the accessories including legal limit amps.
Totally lost interest when the license test was dumbed down to the point where they give you every possible question and every possible answer, word for word. This is a test of how well you memorize, not of your knowledge of radio. The people at the club meetings and on the air reflected this. We went from people building their entire station from the ground up using scrounged parts to people who don't understand how a repeater works. From hams inventing cutting edge electronic equipment to hams having no idea how to install a 2 meter antenna on their car. When the code went out, I sold all my stuff and invested it all into guns. The code was the only thing left that took some kind of commitment and effort to learn.
I sold $10k worth of gear to one guy and had plenty more stuff left over that I gradually sold off or in some cases just threw away. Sold my tower for $500 and never looked back. I haven't heard a ham radio in at least 5 years.
January 5, 2006, 02:46 AM
I'm a ham, off and on since the early 1970s. W9KIZ. Advanced ticket. Haven't been on the air in a long time but when I am on, you'll find me on HF CW.
January 5, 2006, 02:53 AM
I'm KB3EEE, but off the air for the time being as my set is toast. (It was pretty dumpy to begin with, i had to put most of the board back together. Now i've blown some tubes, and just getting a new set is WAY easier then continuing my perpetual hunt for the right vac tubes.) :)
Dwayne Russell
January 5, 2006, 03:10 AM
Optical Serenity
January 5, 2006, 03:19 AM
I recommend the Yaesu VX-7R, not the cheapest, but its submersible and rugged. Also does UHF, VHF, and 220.
January 5, 2006, 03:53 AM
i'm not on air anymore, but still carry a tech permit. I have an icom IC-W32A handheld, and i function test it once a month. Handy to have for SHTF scenarios. I probably should join the local ARES chapter.
January 8, 2006, 06:07 PM
Got the license to communicate on the motorcycle. The test was so easy, I wonder why they even give it? As someone already said, it's not a knowledge test, it's a memorization test. Still nice to have the license though.
Dave Markowitz
January 8, 2006, 09:04 PM
KB3MNK here. No-code Tech for now, but I'm planning to upgrade to General class this spring.
January 8, 2006, 09:16 PM
Looking forward to hearing you on the HF bands, Dave! :)
...:( I was just looking at my logbook and I haven't had time to get on the air since July, so when I say "looking forward," it's as much a hope for me was it is for you...
January 8, 2006, 10:11 PM
KB9LZD here! My wife, KB9UGM, brother KB9NKF, and his wife KB9RGM. We keep in touch....
January 8, 2006, 11:21 PM
Kitiara (http://www.forevervain.com) hasn't posted here in quite a while, but from what I understand she is an avid ham (and shooter).
January 8, 2006, 11:59 PM
N6EMM, General Class. Formerly WA6MKW.
January 10, 2006, 08:53 PM
K8IFU since 1957. Extra Class. 40M, 20M, Cw only.
January 10, 2006, 11:59 PM
K5CHF em15
January 11, 2006, 03:12 AM
Hey, this is a great thread! I hope to get the Tech license in a couple of months, and when I do I will be sure to come back and check this thread.
Optical Serenity
January 11, 2006, 09:43 AM
Are you studying with a book? I think the one I had was "Look Who's Talking" or something...or "Now Your Talking" and the General one is great too...
January 11, 2006, 10:44 AM
I've been a ham almost as long as a shooter.
General Class. I do agree with the comment about code. Not much can be done about that.
I actually passed the 20 wpm but never passed the written text. Go fig.
January 11, 2006, 12:53 PM
Are you studying with a book? I think the one I had was "Look Who's Talking" or something...or "Now Your Talking" and the General one is great too...
Not yet. I plan to get ARRL's "Now You're Talking! It looks pretty good. I have a PDF file from the Internet that was put together by a ham that has the entire question pool for the Element 2 exam, and two others with the question pools for the General (Element 3) and Amateur Extra exams. (Element 4)
I also found a place on the Internet that has free practice tests for the Tech, General, and Amateur Extra exams. As of right now, I usually score just over a passing grade when I take one of the Tech exams. I want to get a little better before I go take the exam for real.
January 11, 2006, 04:33 PM
Technician class has limited use except for local stuff. General and extra class opens up the whole world ! Here we're involved with emergency communications with floods. Some have helped with 9/11 and Katrina. We also have automobile rallys where we do all the communications . AC2RC
January 11, 2006, 11:24 PM
Yep, I'm an OM, licensed since 1964 and enjoy playing with low power short wave gear (QRP) and burning solder.
Just a warning, the hobby will seriously compete with the shooting hobby $$$.
January 11, 2006, 11:40 PM
thanks for the replies everyone. i'm going to go for it. i just found out tonight that they're offering a test at the local university for $14 on friday. not a lot of time to study. anybody have a website i can cram on? (that's not already listed on this thread)
you think if i just practice the test on the qrz site that i can pass?
oh, and more to the point of the thread... are THR-type discussions typical faire on the radio? i realize something less than 100% of ham folks would be interested, and politics/religion is to be avoided, but would someone take a lot of flak or irritate anyone if conversations veered into shooting/gun subjects?
edit: i guess what i'm getting at, is that i don't want to be the ham equivalent of someone with an AOL.com address on the internet, if you know what i mean
January 11, 2006, 11:52 PM
Go here: http://studyguide.eqth.org/
Left side of page: Free (legal) Amateur Radio Exam Study Guides -- Amateur Extra, General, and Tech.
Here are free practice tests: http://www.qrz.com/p/testing.pl
Oh, I see you know that already. I'll post it anyway.
March 12, 2006, 03:04 PM
K6YDW here for +50 years (original callsign). Dad was W6ZKH, now SK. When I get situated to my new property in WA I'll get back on HF and mainly run PSK31.
4v50 Gary
March 12, 2006, 03:29 PM
I've been a hamster for a few years now.
March 17, 2007, 05:24 PM
well, i got bogged down at work with work and stuff...delays delays... but I finally got around to taking the technician and general exams today. even better, my 8 yr old daughter passed her technician exam, so she'll be able to talk too. (she's an avid shooter, btw)
i hope to have a decent mobile rig installed before the THR trip to Whittington. I'm sure it'll come in handy there, and also on my trip to camp perry this summer for the national HP matches.
I can't tell you how much i'm looking forward to being somewhere that's out of cell phone range!
thanks again to those who responded. I should have my call sign in a week or so and will be looking for your calls on the air. w000t
March 17, 2007, 05:38 PM
And in case anyone reads this thread from long long ago, the Morse Code requirement is now gone for all US ham radio licenses so no more excuses :D
I passed my Extra last summer too so more for me to play with :)
March 17, 2007, 07:47 PM
KC4ALG hearing you 5 & 9!
315 countries confirmed, but the hobby has really suffered since the internet makes everything so easy to do.
Extra class...not as active since the sun spot cycle is down right now. Starting to trend upwards now though. Things will be hot again in about 5 years.
Derek Zeanah
March 17, 2007, 08:17 PM
KI4LXB here. Need to take a couple more tests now that code is hostory. Just been too busy to think about it, to be honest.
March 17, 2007, 09:20 PM
The Code requirement may be gone, but not all that math junk you have to memorize, or limp through. I'm no good with that math stuff. Years ago, I took my Novice test, with Code, but I have let the thing expire. I can see a need for knowing code for disasters. I'm just not too terribly interested in being a Ham.
March 17, 2007, 10:02 PM
General class here.
Was going to take the Extra class exam last Monday, but will wait until next week instead.
I'll be going to the Dayton Hamfest this year (in case any other THR'ers are going as well) :)
March 17, 2007, 10:17 PM
Tech class. Grandfather got me into it, as he was a VEC and was on the question pool committee some time back.
March 17, 2007, 10:46 PM
it was interesting, because while i was standing in line with my paperwork and identification today, the guy in front of me was talking about using his TN handgun permit for ID. i'd be surprised if there isn't a LOT of overlap in the ham/gun communities
March 18, 2007, 01:11 AM
N0OBF here. For you guys still complaining about the dumbing down of the test by giving the answers, I was around ham radio when that first became an issue and I really had to laugh. The system that was developed with the ham tests was almost identical to the one that had been used for a pilot's license for a number of years and I never heard them complaining there would be a lot of dumb pilots in the air.
March 18, 2007, 02:37 AM
DE K8NMU here
Look for me at NV8N in the contest next week :)
March 19, 2007, 11:38 AM
got my call
ki4ukc and my daughter is
March 19, 2007, 11:47 AM
I'm a ham too. The tech test is really easy. All you have to do is memorize the answers to the test from the question pool to pass the tech test. All the rules and procedures are pretty straightforward so once you get the license, you can learn all you need. Besides, most of the questions are common sense anyways.
tele mark
March 19, 2007, 06:50 PM
WI1W -- been inactive for years, though.
March 19, 2007, 07:35 PM
Tech, with no desire to ever go after any other license. I have a mobile in the car and carry a HH while hiking.
(X Flight Engineer)
March 19, 2007, 07:57 PM
I'm real close to membership in the Quarter Century Wireless club, in December it'll be 25 years since I got licensed.
I'm an Amateur Extra now, and getting interested again after a bit of a hiatus. HF is my first love, I was a SWL for years before I got my ticket.
There is a lot of crossover between the two hobbies. Or should I say, lifestyles?
March 19, 2007, 08:03 PM
I've been a ham since i was 13.
March 22, 2007, 01:44 PM
KC0HBR in NW Kansas. General Class.
March 22, 2007, 02:40 PM
KE6FJG Technician Plus, but may be upgrading to general.
March 22, 2007, 03:15 PM
No HAM yet, just GMRS - WPXQ778
March 23, 2007, 11:03 AM
I have been radio active since 1959,took my first novice class ticket on board the USS charles j Badjer DD-657 . Now on low bands as well as vhf/uhf . Listen for my call on E.C.A.R.S.
or the vhf / uhf hailing freq.
March 23, 2007, 11:05 AM
No HAM yet, just GMRS - WPXQ778
People are actually using that mess?
Where did you get a repeater?
I have a GMRS license that is about to expire and have no intention of renewing it.
Without a repeater it's useless IMO.
shooting time
March 23, 2007, 01:50 PM
KO4ZB here extra class I like guns horses and ham radio also
March 25, 2007, 04:52 PM
and guns
short story: hiram p maxim, whose father, hiram s maxim invented the maxim machine gun, was not only the the founder of the ARRL and "father of amateur radio" but also the inventor of the maxim suppressor.
March 25, 2007, 05:08 PM
Oddly enough, My license expires this year. I'm selling my radio, as I haven't used it in about seven years or so.
March 25, 2007, 05:09 PM
Advanced @ 13 2 m local only though.
April 19, 2007, 06:13 PM
Just got mine KI6JEH
April 19, 2007, 06:35 PM
Yep, KB0PJG about to go for General
April 19, 2007, 07:09 PM
hamming since '85, and I'm only 33 :)
inactive most of that time however. run an aprs digi in the DC area.
congrats to the new and newly upgraded hams in the thread!
April 19, 2007, 07:11 PM
General class hammy here... since 1997!
April 19, 2007, 09:09 PM
KI6GRQ is my call sign, got my tech licence end of 2006. I use a Yausu VX7R handheld on 2m, 6m, 440mhz & 220mhz.
Not sure if it's common knowledge but the GMRS radios require a icence that is only good for 5 years & is $80 the ham licence is $14 & good for 10 yrs.
April 19, 2007, 09:37 PM
you guys want to get on the air one of these days together? After May 25th, I should have a new rig to replace my current broken one. All I have as of the moment that works is a 2m HT.
Derek Zeanah
April 19, 2007, 09:42 PM
/me needs to get his higher certs, and a HF tranciever.
April 20, 2007, 12:14 AM
Derek - what are you now? I'm only General - I've been putting off the extra level exam until after I graduate school.
Derek Zeanah
April 20, 2007, 01:17 AM
Derek - what are you now? I'm only General - I've been putting off the extra level exam until after I graduate school.I've been too busy to look at the books.
Well, that's not exactly true. I've been messing around with electronics as well, but haven't given much thought to more licenses. Prolly in the next 60 days though.
April 20, 2007, 07:21 AM
My father has had his ham license for about 50 years now. (wonder what the record is) I spent a lot of my childhood at hamfests and field days.
I really need to get a license and carry on the tradition.
Dad says there are a few hams still active here in East TN
Molon Labe
April 21, 2007, 06:40 PM
I have my Technician's License. Am looking to get my General.
April 21, 2007, 11:29 PM
I'd love to see an informal gathering, perhaps 80 meters?
Anyone? :)
April 22, 2007, 05:46 AM
Well as if my SN/ Callsign was not a giveaway I am a HAM and have been since I was 12.
April 22, 2007, 02:45 PM
Did they removed the Morse code requirement?
Two Cold Soakers
April 29, 2007, 02:07 AM
No more code link (http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/2007-arlb005.html)
Passed Tech. today.
April 29, 2007, 03:20 AM
Me too since 1988. I haven't been very active in recent years though. I'm what they used to call a "Technician Plus," never got into HF.
April 29, 2007, 11:49 AM
Passed Tech. today.
April 29, 2007, 12:42 PM
i'm definitely up for a ham get together. (it's why i started the tread)
somebody pick a freq and a time
April 29, 2007, 01:47 PM
Tech here, though I passed the General written at the same time last December. Just haven't gone back to upgrade since I don't have an HF rig yet. Working on Extra :)
May 18, 2007, 09:44 PM
Yep... I'm a General Class. Only have HF antenna for 10 meters right now. Have 2 meter rig too. I haven't been very active the last few years either.
May 19, 2007, 08:44 AM
I have been licensed over 25 years i currently hold an advanced class but i havent been active for awhile either "well some 2 meter for skywarn". I have been thinking about throwing my G5RV back up for my set of Drake twins.
Since the sunspot cycle is starting to coming back, last time it was high i really liked to work the 10 meter repeaters down in the carib basin, I got a yaesu 901DM with 10 meter FM.
May 19, 2007, 05:19 PM
eolian, put that g5rv up and shoot me a PM... we can meet on 80m!
May 19, 2007, 05:45 PM
May 24, 2007, 10:06 PM
WB8YYG General class
Let it lapse, as I hadn't been on for years. When it got to be too much like CB way back when, I lost interest. BTW, N5RKE, an aspiring tech won't know what you said! I was devastated when I learned that there are no more Coast Guard Radiomen...and no more code, no more SOS's...ah, what's the point? I feel so obsolete!
All my cash is going into reloading equipment and components now, and I still NEED a good 1911, another nice revolver, a better spotting scope, maybe another nice revolver, maybe put together an AR15...I also really NEED a gun safe,
maybe ham has to continue to take a back seat!
May 25, 2007, 01:17 PM
Advanced class. Not too active in radio, but do keep a dual band going in the vehicle. Occasionally do a little HF. Most $ and effort goes into firearms. Hope to get grandsons interested in radio and firearms a few years down the road. Meet a lot of great people that way!
May 31, 2007, 11:06 AM
I am thinking about getting into ham this fall. I used to install 2-way radio equipment and some ham gear but never got licensed.
Are there some good ham forums or websites that I can get some more info?
Correct me if I am wrong but ham uses wavelength(meters) and 2-way uses frequencies(Mhz) ?
May 31, 2007, 11:34 AM
There are a number of sources out there. One is arrl.org. Another is eham.net.
The first will answer a lot of your questions regarding licensing.
As to wavelength v frequencies, it is just a way that we express a range of frequencies. For example, the 2 meter band includes frequencies between 144.000 MHz and 148.000 MHz. When we say 2 meter, we are referring to the approximate wavelength of a signal on a given frequency. Mainly, it's just a lingo that most hams use.
Hope that helps and good luck. Hope to catch you on the airwaves for a QSO (conversation) one day. N5QNS
June 11, 2007, 03:59 PM
I just passed my Tech on Saturday. I'm as confused as can be about what gear to get for my first rig, so I'm waiting to go to a local Field Day on June 23 to see what all is out there.
I'm more interested in long-distance contacts, so I hope to get the General very soon. Hence the confusion on what to start out with.
June 11, 2007, 04:06 PM
mean streaker, dayton is home to one of the largest hamfests in teh country, so you're probably in luck there.
for those of you in TN, there's a very small hamfest on the western edge of putnam county this saturday. probably 50 minutes from nashville.
June 11, 2007, 04:07 PM
That it is... and I just missed it!
June 12, 2007, 12:08 PM
Yep -- W9RCL. Look me up on the 2M sometime. If we're going to do an online, let me know!
June 12, 2007, 01:14 PM
I never got too far into it. I used to use 11 meters alot on the road.
I had an Rci 2950 and used to talk all over the place on 10m. Lots of fun.
Then I picked up an Rci 2995 I think it covers 10, 11, 12 meters, but haven't heard any skip anywhere for some time. I don't mess with it much anymore also because it's just gotten too much like the radio rambo hour, and no courtesy is left like the older days.
June 12, 2007, 01:51 PM
June 12, 2007, 03:04 PM
WD9GET (extra), xyl is KA9MHO, son KC9GUU
January 20, 2011, 07:15 PM
if any of you gun nut/ham nuts are also space nuts, you can get a QSL card from a solar sail here http://nanosaild.engr.scu.edu/dashboard.htm
speaking for AR lovers everywhere, i hope NASA is planning to offer a nano-satellite/compact solar sail boom launcher with a picatinny QD mount. though i would take one that mates to the grenade launcher cut-out in the M4 barrel.
January 20, 2011, 07:15 PM
if any of you gun nut/ham nuts are also space nuts, you can get a QSL card from a solar sail here http://nanosaild.engr.scu.edu/dashboard.htm
speaking for AR lovers everywhere, i hope NASA is planning to offer a nano-satellite/compact solar sail boom launcher with a picatinny QD mount. though i would take one that mates to the grenade launcher cut-out in the M4 barrel.
January 20, 2011, 10:44 PM
I run hot and cold on the ham bands and currently I'm HOT!
I installed a 2 meter rig in my airplane and I get a lot of call backs when I advise "airborne" on a CQ. When I plan a trip I cross reference my repeater call sign book for my fly-over cities and program my rig with the proper tone and send/receive freqs.
My usual arial haunts are the flyways from South Florida to Jackson MS to middle and southern Texas. If you hear a CQ with "airborne" then get the handle "Doc" it will probably be me. 73s
January 20, 2011, 11:01 PM
"i was thinking about getting my technician license and a cheap radio. just wondering if there's anyone out there interesting to talk to "
Since the thread has popped up again, I observed that the question really hasn't been answered. At least not the unstated part of it.
Ham radio is great, esp. for bad situations like weather emergencies or anything that shuts down the power and communications supply. But unlike guns, it's a technical service. With guns, you might just buy a revolver to drop in your pocket for protection, very simple, or you might develop a sophisticated hobby out of it involving lots of time, money, training, expertise, etc.
With ham radio, there's a basic amount of study and knowledge needed to make practical use of it. It's not hard, you just have to like it or you won't follow through.
So you need to ask what you want to get out of it, and how much effort, time, and money you want to put into it.
I figure it cost me about $300 to get started with study, testing, and my basic radio equipment. It was useful but no fun until I upgraded to General class and HF equipment, adding another $500. That's cheap fun over a period of 15 years. (You can spend tens of thousands if you buy high-end equipment and money is no object, or you can go the traditional route and make do.)
I have used my radio for good, practical purposes in real tornado emergencies and other weather situations. I have one older model HF radio (long distance communications), using a simple wire antenna in my attic, and it's good enough. I've made contacts in Europe and South America. I also have two HTs (hand held radios) and I keep one with a spare battery in my briefcase due to many tornadoes in my area. HTs are for local short-range communication only, but very useful and there is plenty of activity on local repeaters.
I also have two very good GMRS radios. You get a license for about $75, it covers the whole extended family, and there's no test. It's like an FMRS radio on steroids, or a junior ham radio. I use them for camping with my wife. The difference is that no one listens on GMRS except your partner, so it's useless for emergency communications. It's for personal use, but it's cheap and high quality.
One problem -- hams tend to overstate technical things at times. Yes, science is a real and important part, but many people get so intimidated that they don't actually enjoy the service. When you get past that and tell yourself, "I'm just gonna throw a damned length of wire over a tree and see if I can contact someone" instead of agonizing over the perfect antenna design, you'll have some success and have some fun. And you'll learn the first lesson in SHTF communications -- how to do what you can with what you've got. Then you can advance to more technical things without sacrificing the fun.
Finally, it really isn't hard if you are willing to join a local club. Dues are cheap and you'll make friends and get lots of help.
73 (Regards) and Good Luck,
January 21, 2011, 01:43 PM
One of the few necro threads I'm glad to see :)
Does anybody else run the digital modes? I run PSK almost exclusively. Usually on 15m or 17m and occasionally 20m during the day (20m gets real busy) and 40m or 80m at night. It never ceases to amaze me what 10w and a dipole 25' AGL will do. Been off the air a while, but there aren't too many cobwebs on the rig. If anybody wants to schedule a contact, PM me....
January 21, 2011, 03:35 PM
I'm not into HAM, but I collect and conserve vintage radios. My pride and joy is a rather rare Midwest that came out of Cincinnati's Union Terminal train station.
January 21, 2011, 04:12 PM
i rarely transmit and all i have is a 2m handheld
i say go for it though
January 21, 2011, 05:08 PM
I have a ham license, but I wouldn't say I'm "into" it in the sense that some people are. I got my license primarily for hiking and secondarily for general emergencies.
I have no real interest beyond the Tech license.
January 21, 2011, 05:25 PM
K0WHI here. I have found out a lot of people who shoot Muzzleloaders like
myself are Hams.
January 21, 2011, 10:32 PM
Started making SW receivers when I was eight. Did a lot of DX listening. My family was po' so I scrounged parts from local repair shops. Still have one of the first, a super-regen.
Did not get a license until a few years ago since I'm into technology more than talking. But, figured a 2m transceiver might save my bacon in a remote camping mishap. I gather frequencies local rescuers monitor before heading into the wild.
Answering the questions on the test brought back good memories. I'm planning to get a two band setup for my Jeep.
January 22, 2011, 08:59 AM
KB1TKQ.....Haven't been on in awhile. I should get back into it.
January 22, 2011, 02:35 PM
tech no code here.
January 22, 2011, 07:34 PM
N2oam here, Advanced class, lifetime interest in electronics & shooting.
73 de bob
Black Toe Knives
January 23, 2011, 02:52 AM
KE4OZO here. I been a technician for twenty years.
January 27, 2011, 09:19 PM
I have my technician, and unlike some of the techy people into ham radio, do just fine with 2m or similar. I recently bought a mobile radio so I can stop borrowing equipment when I do what accounts for the majority of my radio activity, helping with communication at rally races. There I learned the benefit of having options, and to not get tied up in the ham radio. I've used everything including FRS, GMRS, runners, cell phones, etc. Put it simply, use whatever you have at the moment, even if it means cobbling a two way radio to your car's radio antenna. (I don't recommend it, but it can be done)
@GTD: What do you classify as a "good GMRS" radio? I have some of the cheap FRS/GMRS combo radios, the Cobra CXT450.
@Gottahavone: I wanted to get into digital modes back in HS/college, I should look back into that stuff. Well, after I clean up the living room, and put together some sort of bench to hold the radios I have currently. (A kit aircraft reciever, kit shortwave reciever, broken 2m HT, and the previously mentioned mobile rig.)
January 27, 2011, 09:41 PM
Ham threads pop-up from time to time---still, this one surprised me. I get bored with the same old roster style check-ins with call sign and "no traffic" reports of the typical ARES net so I logged in here.
I spent 41 year wishing to be a ham. Family, job and kids got in the way.
Last spring I popped for the study guides, logged 31 hours with an online 'flash card' study system and sat for all three elements one afternoon in May. License grant appeared 8 days later, paper copy arrived early the next week. Silent to Amateur Extra in one move-AE5RY.
I'm still building the station: 160m thru 70cm/cw,phone, digital and my code (CW) is up to about 22 wpm. Little old Albuquerque, NM and surrounding communities boast of about a dozen different clubs and statewide of something called the Mega-Link. A 2m-70cm linked repeater system (about 35 repeaters) blanketing the state with voice coverage and digipeater packet capability. Check it out: Mega-Link (http://www.nm5ml.com/)
January 27, 2011, 10:15 PM
My license expires this year, thanks for the reminder.
I'm not terribly active. I have a 2m rig somewhere, sold the HF stuff.
January 27, 2011, 11:23 PM
I'm still a licensed Ham, but I only got it because it was a condition of my fathers to get my drivers license. Was a RTO while I was in the Marines, but it was never really my intrest.
Bear 47
January 29, 2011, 02:04 PM
I would like to know how the hearing impaired ham operators use their radio's.
Are they limited to morse code with visual light flash for recieving code or what is out there in technology advancements. I was wondering if ham radio operators can recieve in text similar to captions on tv. ...............I would like to get started in this...
January 29, 2011, 06:49 PM
I would like to know how the hearing impaired ham operators use their radio's.
Read up on the digital modes, PSK31, RTTY, etc. Plenty of ways to operate and contest without having to hear a sound. Don't know of any speech to text conversions but it wouldn't surprise me if they existed.
January 29, 2011, 06:51 PM
I did see a radio that was rigged up with a light in addition to the speaker for those whom can't hear.
Black Toe Knives
January 29, 2011, 10:14 PM
Read up on the digital modes, PSK31, RTTY, etc. Plenty of ways to operate and contest without having to hear a sound. Don't know of any speech to text conversions but it wouldn't surprise me if they existed.
There are plenty of text to speech programs. Dragon Naturally Speaking, IBM via Voice and now Windows 7.
January 30, 2011, 01:29 AM
Got my license 2-3 years ago. Haven't upgraded yet.
I have a Yaesu (is that how you spell it?) FT-60. Very nice for the price. I've sorta' been out of it for a while, but recently built a j-pole from some twinlead wire. Works extremely well and can be rolled into a nice small package. Tons of instructions online and if you build it to the specs, you shouldn't have to check it with a swr meter. I haven't been able to test it with the Yaesu yet as I don't have the right connectors, so I have to make do with an old Kenwood ht from the '70s. But when I solve that problem, it should work nice for hunting when I want to keep in touch with the family.
Have a good one. Matthew (KE7PXR)
January 30, 2011, 09:31 AM
Yep, the Yaesu FT-60 is a good one, when I was helping my college club get started we bought a few of them for club radios. They can take a beating and keep on going. They aren't the "sexiest" or anything, but they are easy to figure out, and have good capabilities.
If I were to get a handheld, I'd probably go with one of the VX line. I had an Icom IC-V8, but finally managed to kill it, and haven't been able to get it apart to see if I can fix it. It was largish, simple, but dang it worked good. And took quite a bit of abuse it never should have.:o
(BTW, not be be paranoid, but does everyone posting callsigns know that you can be found by your callsign fairly easily? Personal policy is I treat it like a cell phone number, and only those that need it get it.)
January 30, 2011, 09:51 AM
There are plenty of text to speech programs. Dragon Naturally Speaking, IBM via Voice and now Windows 7.
Yes but can they translate a static filled HAM radio conversation is the question. Text to speech is simple, doing it out of a noisy HF background, that's different entirely it seems.
January 30, 2011, 04:48 PM
Been a Ham since 89 ........
Great hobby too .....
You can't have enough guns, radios, motorcycles, and babes .......
January 30, 2011, 05:13 PM
I've got the guns and motorcycles part covered, working on the other two.:D
January 30, 2011, 08:11 PM
K1TRM here. General for about 2 years now.
ICOM 308H - In the truck
Yaesu VX7R - In the hand
ICOM 756PROII - In the shack
If anyone wants to sked with someone in VT, let me know!
January 30, 2011, 08:26 PM
Just got back from the range and eating supper. Relaxing while listening to some friends on 160m (1.950mhz) and reading some forums. I do this most every night. I love my HAM radio friends the best of all my friends. They all have an off button.:neener:
January 30, 2011, 10:39 PM
I've also got the guns, motorcycle and babe thing down. I've often thought of trying HAM. I happen to have access to a 500W GMDSS transciever that many of you would probably kill for. For me it's more of a chore since I have to maintain the system for a ship as the Electronics Tech. I could probably get myself a decent transceiver in this community.
January 31, 2011, 02:12 AM
KE7VZW here :)
I have an FT-450 HF+6M rig, DM-710 uhf/vhf, astron power. I do a lot of digital modes, PSK31, RTTY, Hellschrieber, JT65 (WSPR), usually on 20 meters w/my PC and signalink USB. I work AO-51 with my handheld TH-F6A and arrow satellite also. I'm also on 20 meter CW usually on the weekends. Still trying to get over 10wpm though.
I have a compromise antenna at my QTH since i'm in an apartment, but I can still get out pretty good worldwide if the bands are doing OK.
Seems like ALL the hams I know are gun guys! Nice to see some ham guys on the gun boards as well. Anyone here on QRZ also ?
January 31, 2011, 10:34 AM
General. Don't do 2 or 6M as it's too short range and mostly guys talking about traffic or supper....LOL
January 31, 2011, 01:38 PM
I'm just a lowly Tech, but I'm interesting to talk to ... or so I'm told. (Well, maybe once.) :D
I'm looking to upgrade to General, and I'm watching this thread hopin' that the enthusiasm generated herein will rekindle the fire.
January 31, 2011, 02:09 PM
Don't do 2 or 6M as it's too short range and mostly guys talking about traffic or supper..
There is one 2M repeater close to me that I swear is busy all day with this guy and his wife shooting the breeze about the kids, groceries, etc. He's a local truck driver and she stays at home on her handheld. It's a club owned repeater but I never hear anyone else using it.
It's pretty funny....
January 31, 2011, 02:28 PM
Don't do 2 or 6M as it's too short range
Not really. Using this type os setup, you can communicate all over the world. I've used my Yeasu FT90 in the mobile to speak with another ham in Europe.
Steve Raacke
January 31, 2011, 04:37 PM
KC5SAS here. Licensed as a Tech since 1995 and serve as RACES Officer for my Parish Office of Emergency Preparedness. I work 2m/440 FM voice and APRS. Played with low power Amatuer TV but haven't done that in a couple of years. Active in public service events several times a year.
January 31, 2011, 04:43 PM
I'm also a ham. I don't have any rigs currently up and running, though. I've been an advanced operator since about '92, but don't get on the radio much, since my office is now full of computers and reloading equipment. Ham radio is fun, though. You can talk all over the world for free -- once you've sunk about $7000 in gear. You also never know for sure who you're gonna end up talking to. Two meters is a good start and lots of local clubs have repeaters that expand coverage.
February 1, 2011, 12:14 AM
I'm not, but my good buddy Josh is. He is currently at KD5PTL, and yes, I do have his permission to his # up here. :D
shooting time
February 1, 2011, 07:48 AM
I am a Ham also extra class KO4ZB I get on 80 meters daily and also 2 meters and have a Icom which uses the digital mode DSTAR but i don't get on that often.I have ham radios in every vehicle and my wife is a ham also. I will always be able to communicate in a SHTF situation.Sometimes i have a handheld when i am out riding my horse .I have always liked radio, got my first CB radio in 1971 been in it ever since.Made a lot of good friends with it. It is amazing you can put up some wire in between 2 trees and talk around the world.
February 4, 2011, 03:41 PM
I have my GROL, one day when the kids finally don't need me every second of the day ;) I'd love to get into amateur radio. :)
February 5, 2011, 03:01 PM
Just joined THL ...
I am very active in the local amateur radio community...
Put together a 13 hospital network...
Trustee of a wide area repeater (70 mile radius near marker 314 on IH-35)
Run a VE test group (The Belton Ham-fests are our big test sessions)
Bell County EOC volunteer (EOC is run by the volunteers)
Teach license courses
SKYWARN net control
February 5, 2011, 04:17 PM
welcome to THR, Joe
February 18, 2011, 02:12 PM
KE5TTL checking in...Tech license from 2009.
I only have a mobile rig at the moment....hope to get an antennae up at the house one of these days...just not enough hours in a day and money in the bank :)
February 18, 2011, 03:10 PM
KK0G Extra Class. 73
February 18, 2011, 07:17 PM
Something I've been thinking about, Have a feeling these and CB's will make a big come back.
February 19, 2011, 11:58 AM
Licensed in '93
Upgraded to Advanced in '94
I run a modest HF station at home (TS-480 and 4btv)
and HF mobile (FT-857D and TARHEEL II antenna)
I don't do a lot of VHF/UHF, but....
On the way to the gun club last summer, I talked to Colonel Warlock on the International Space Station.
we were driving down the highway in my friends truck.
Used his FT-7900 dual bander
February 19, 2011, 12:28 PM
KF6OSK, General. I am down to an unistalled FT100 and a VX5. Not real active now.
Gadzooks Mike
February 19, 2011, 04:23 PM
Yup, here's one.
March 27, 2014, 02:39 PM
Revived thread!
HF Station:
Collins S LIne
Icom IC-736
Icom IC-720A
Icom IC-47A (440)
Icom V8000 (2m)
Running all homebrew antennas.
PBR Streetgang
March 27, 2014, 06:56 PM
Running a Icom 756 Pro2 into a AH-4 tuner and a home-built 80 meter full wave horizontal loop.
I'm also a VE and am starting to see a influx of new hams.......we have a group that runs a class to teach theory and not just answers to pass the test..............
March 27, 2014, 07:26 PM
I have been licensed since 1976. I have a very modest station. My main HF station is an old Ten Tec Paragon with an AL 811. I am normaly active on 40 Meter fone and 60 Meter fone on a net 3 times a week. I have been off the air since about Christmas because my dipole is on the ground. My call is November 3 Oscar Delta or n3od. I would be happy to run a sked when I get an antenna up.73 de n3od.
March 27, 2014, 07:28 PM
Yep, ARO here, too. Been licensed since 1967 when I was 14 years old (quick math will indicate I'm 61).
Yeah, back in myyyyyy daaaaaaay, we didn't have any wimpy, mamba pamby, no code licenses! :-) all in fun of course. Had to pass 5 WPM for the Novice and Technician classes. I started as a Novice and all Novice calls back then started with WN (or KN for the older guys). Got my General with a 13 WPM code test and changed my call prefix to WA, had my Advanced for a short while, but quickly got my Extra Class with the 20 WPM requirement. No way around it. If you wanted to advance, you HAD to know Morse Code.
Hmmm, wondering what an equivalence to having a license would be in the shooting hobby. Maybe we shouldn't go there. It is off-topic and can see that discussion going to the lowest common denominator real fast.
73s to all hams!
PBR Streetgang
March 27, 2014, 07:42 PM
KingContraryMan,,,as a novice,I remember dreaming of those Collins radios when I was running a crystal controlled HW-16 with a straight key...........
March 28, 2014, 10:51 AM
one of these days it would be cool to have some THR discussions on HF
Bob Bonillas
March 28, 2014, 02:28 PM
General Class, studying for extra
March 28, 2014, 06:19 PM
one of these days it would be cool to have some THR discussions on HF
Who would moderate? :D
August 11, 2014, 09:43 PM
Amateur Extra. Mostly HF (40, 20, 15 and 10) with a local 2m ARES net thrown in occasionally. Love it.
Willie Sutton
August 11, 2014, 10:08 PM
Ran KC4AAC for a while and then KC4AAA (look those up). Used the military Collins KWM-2A setups... magic.
Run a Furuno marine HF radio opened up for ham bands when I am on my boat in the Caribbean. PACTOR Modem and SailMail is my email link to civilization when I'm there. Plus we have several good cruising nets running every morning with weather and security and social news for boaters.
August 11, 2014, 10:23 PM
34 years a ham and an Extra Class for quite a while now....got a couple Yaesu's that are HF only FT-950 and FT-2000D and A couple rigs that do it all...TS-2000 and Icom IC-7000...amps...antenna tuners...160 meters to 70 CM...SSB / CW / Digital too!
August 11, 2014, 11:16 PM
August 12, 2014, 12:40 AM
Extra here.........K4jpf.........qrz gives the background. Not terribly active but I enjoy the occasional cw qso & do manage to check in on the MM net.
A useful tool that I've used during the Ak. quake and several hurricanes.
August 12, 2014, 06:38 AM
Currently have a handheld Baofeng UV-5R. Used for hiking communications, but that's about the extent of Ham-ing.
August 12, 2014, 04:26 PM
Who would moderate?
The FCC :)
PBR Streetgang
August 12, 2014, 09:15 PM
anyone want to run a straight key net?
August 14, 2014, 07:08 AM
KE4OAR, Amateur Extra.
My original FCC issued call sign. I just could not bear to part with a call sign that spells something.
Dave Markowitz
August 14, 2014, 10:49 AM
Since this thread was started, I upgraded to General class, and I'm now studying for Amateur Extra. I mostly operate on digital modes -- PSK31 and Olivia -- on 20M, with a little 40M thrown in. I'm also setup for portable HF operation with my Icom 7200, a battery, and an end-fed antenna supported on a 31' telescoping fiberglass pole.
The digital modes are great for those of us without the ability to put up large antenna farms, since they use the processing power of a PC to pick out and decode signals. E.g., I have been doing PSK31 with only 30 watts to get QSOs into Eastern Europe and South America from my QTH near Philadelphia, PA. (Obviously, CW would work well for this but I have no ear for code.)
August 14, 2014, 04:06 PM
KD8USS in Michigan
August 15, 2014, 06:52 PM
KD5ZGX, General class for about 15 years now.
August 16, 2014, 11:13 PM
Hello all, I live up in Alaska and was hoping to get started in HAM Radio this winter as a hobby. Do you guys have any recommendations for a decent inexpensive radio to start out with after I pass my test?
August 17, 2014, 01:35 AM
Baofeng GT-3 is a good handheld. cheap but a good radio. get on QRZ.com and join the forums they will be a huge help.
August 17, 2014, 10:06 AM
Hello all, I live up in Alaska and was hoping to get started in HAM Radio this winter as a hobby. Do you guys have any recommendations for a decent inexpensive radio to start out with after I pass my test?
Which bands are you planning to operate on? To talk the world without the use of an internet portal, you will need HF and at least a General license.
Just like shooting, amateur radio has many different ways to get involved, voice, morse code, digital modes, slow scan and fast scan television, APRS, and more.
Winter in Alaska would be a good time to study for the amateur radio tests.
Dave Markowitz
August 17, 2014, 07:42 PM
Now that Morse Code is no longer required, I highly recommend studying for and taking both the Tech and General tests in the same sitting. The test for General has a lot of overlap with that for Tech, going into many of the same topics just in more depth. A General class license gets you a lot more operating privileges on HF, which was what you need for continental/intercontinental communications. Personally, I got bored with Tech privileges fairly quickly.
When it comes to choosing a radio, the typical ham progression is HT (handy talkie, AKA a handheld) to mobile VHF/UHF rig, and then to an HF rig. Radios from any of the Big Three (Icom, Kenwood, and Yaesu) are generally a safe bet. In the past few years the Chinese have entered the HT market in a big way with the radios from Baofeng and Wouxon. I recently picked up a Baofeng UV5RA from Amazon and for the price I'm impressed.
CHIRP (http://chirp.danplanet.com/projects/chirp/wiki/Home) is a nice piece of software that allows you to program many VHF/UHF rigs, and it's free. I'm using it with my Baofeng and my Yaesu FT-7800R. (Programming VHF/UHF radios by hand is really tedious.)
August 18, 2014, 09:13 PM
K0RX. Been a ham since 1973 - I guess that's 41 years now. Time flies...
DXer, contester, APRS developer, JOTA (K0A), etc... lots of fun over the years.
Kind of like shooting - at different times of my life I've been interested in different aspects of the hobby. Its all fun, though!
August 21, 2014, 12:04 AM
KD9ASP. Took and passed Tech and General last spring. Working now to get an antenna up high enough to be more effective.
August 21, 2014, 01:59 AM
Ham since 1961. Extra since 1968. Operate mostly 40 meter SSB/CW/AM with TS-2000.
August 21, 2014, 12:42 PM
Just got my Technician-class on Monday.
Currently, I just own a Baofeng UV-5R but I'd like to get something with a bit more powah.
Living in NYC w/o roof or street access, it's going to be tricky to hit a distant repeater.
The Alaskan
March 15, 2015, 06:29 AM
Just joined here.
First licensed 2011. Upgraded to General about 3 months later.
I have everything in my F-150. A fully mobile station.
Yaesu FT-857 to a triband mag mount on the roof for 6m/2m/70cm. Hamstick and tuner on the HF side for 10/20m or can go stationary portable with a Buddipole to run 40 through 10. I also have a J-38 straight key in the truck.
Yaesu VX-7R to a tri band lip mount on the hood for 2m packet/Winlink 2k using a Kantronics KPC-3+ and an older Dell with XP Pro. That also serves as my 1.25m voice and my back up 2m/70cm voice.
Everything, including the TNC and lap top, is powered from the truck's batter through a Rig Runner, plus I have a backup SLA battery.
The 857 comes out of the truck and goes in my pack, along with the buddipole antenna and a small (7ah) SLA battery for hunting trips, camping, etc.
June 7, 2015, 10:54 AM
Just found this thread. KC9VFG. General ticket since Jan 2012. Currently running a Kenwood TS-480 as a home base but can go mobile fairly easily. I'm mostly on 17 or 20 meters trying to work DX.
June 8, 2015, 12:09 PM
Tech license, no desire for any other.
Currently running a Yaesu 8800 dual-band in my jeep and 110 watt VHF and UHF Ericsson Orions in my M1009.
Hairy Clipper
June 8, 2015, 12:19 PM
I have been licensed for over 40 years. Extra.
June 15, 2015, 08:17 PM
I am currently a tech, but now that Im retired Ill start studying for the General license.
I run a 2M/70cm Yaesu with a 2M beam and two groundplane antennas at home.
Also, I am installing a 2M Kenwood rig in my airplane. Actually the rig is in, but Im trying to figure out where the best place to put the antenna that will absolutely not cause any interference with the avionics.
If theres an Elmer out there that has some experience with this I would appreciate some help.
73. . Doc
Just to keep this thread legal, I plan to use the radio to advise members at my shooting range that Ill be doing a water bomb drop at a target near the berm. ;)
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text:
Monday, June 10, 2013
Mount Pleasant product Nick Ciuffo was selected No. 21 to the Tampa Bay Rays in this past Thursday's MLB Draft. Ciuffo, the state's Gatorade player of the year, played at Wando his first two high school seasons before transferring to Lexington.
The slot value for the left-handed, power-hitting catcher's first-round selection is valued at $1,974,700. Ciuffo committed to play collegiately with South Carolina at age 14. As of press time, he has not made a public decision whether he will sign a professional contract or report to the Gamecocks, but it was largely believed that if he was picked in the first round, he would accept the major league assignment.
Immediately after Ciuffo's name was called by commissioner Bud Selig, the 18 year old told a MLB Network reporter "I want to get there as fast as possible," referring to the major leagues.
He is the first catcher the Rays have ever taken with their first overall pick. The franchise is relatively weak with catching prospects, and Ciuffo is already widely considered to have vaulted to the top of the minor league catching depth chart.
"I can guarantee everybody in Tampa Bay and everybody in the state of Florida one thing," Ciuffo said in an article on the team's official website. "I can't promise you that I'm going to get to the big leagues, but I can promise you there won't be another catcher coming out of this draft that's going to work harder than me to get to the big leagues."
Four Mount Pleasant youth track and field athletes shined during the Hershey State Track Meet, last Saturday at Park West. Justin Pelic, of Christ Our King, had first place finishes in the 100- and 200-meter dashes in the boys 11-12 age division.
Zeniyah Lawrence earned three first place finishes in the 100- and 200-meter dashes, as well as the long jump event in the girls 13-14 division. In the girls 11-12 division, Rianna Manigault, of Jennie Moore, took third in the softball throw.
Zaria Ascue, also of Jennie Moore, grabbed a second place finish in the 9-10 division for 400-meter dash. She earned bronze in the 200-meter dash.
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Thursday, August 7, 2014
Summerville Police have named 24-year-old Christopher Adam Mitchell as the suspect in yesterdays bank robbery at South State Bank.
Theyre asking for the publics help to locate Mitchell, and say he should be considered armed and dangerous.
He is wanted for entering a financial institution with the intent to steal.
A man entered the South State Bank at 402 North Main St. about 10:15 a.m. Wednesday, pointed a gun at the teller and demanded cash.
At the time, the suspect was described as an olive-skinned man between 50 and 60 years old.
Police say Mitchell has ties to North Charleston and Summerville, and ask if anyone knows his location to contact Summerville Police at 851-4100 or Crime Stoppers at 554-1111.
© 2016 The Journal Scene an Evening Post Industries company. All Rights Reserved.
Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service, Privacy Policy and Parental Consent Form.


text:
Recently, my bride and I embarked on a long-awaited weekend with bikes in tow and a sparkle in our eyes, driving north into the Sierra Buttes region with dreams of late-summer weather, blazing singletrack adventures, lake solitude and cool Yuba plunges.
Surprisingly, after taking some time off from competitive racing, and even consistent bike riding, to be honest, I found myself recharged and reinvigorated this late summer with the sights, sounds and pace found only on a bike as it rolls and lofts along trails narrowly lined with green ferns and towering cedars, and through creek ways strewn with slippery rock and tangled wet roots. Oh yes, it was that good.
Sounding promisingly peaceful, and convinced by the photos posted on vrbo.com, we arranged our home away from home to be a low-tech cabin in the lush and remote Jim Crow Canyon, just 2.5 miles upstream from downtown Downieville. Designed and built in the mid 1950s, it's perched just above a small cascading creek, promising a vintage atmosphere with a fresh ambiance. Turns out, it's tucked up along existing mining claims, where miners still scratch out a living on 19th Century leftovers.
More than gold and timber, the good people of Plumas and Sierra counties are now focusing on improving and preserving their backyard with vast networks of trail for the enjoyment of present and future generations.
Whether we were in downtown Forest City, Downieville, Sierra City or the top of Mills Peak Fire Lookout, all we heard about from locals and visitors alike was how much they appreciated the trail-building efforts and outcome made possible by Forest Service officials collaborating with nonprofits such as Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship and Forest Trails Alliance.
Throughout this memorable weekend, whether riding endless networks of singletrack or cold plunging into gold-laden tributaries of the North Yuba River, I was reminded of the area's endless vistas, easy lifestyle and the recharging benefits of breathing deep and taking it all in. After a pleasant lunch atop Mills Peak and the adventurous singletrack descent into Graeagle that followed, I'm here to report that this memorable weekend also brought glimpses of yellow foliage and familiar scents of autumn. Bring it!
— Team rider Forrest Huisman is the author of this week's Marc Pro-Strava Racing column. For more information, results and upcoming events from the Truckee-based cycling team, visit http://marcpro-strava.com.


text:
on September 19, 2012 - 10:29 AM
, updated September 19, 2012 at 5:31 PM
Cheektowaga police believe that the glare of the sun may have prevented a driver from seeing a red light before he struck a 10-year-old girl walking to her Maryvale school Wednesday morning.
The girl was taken to Women and Children's Hospital with what Cheektowaga police described as non-life-threatening injuries.
"Apparently, her injuries are not serious," Police Capt. James Speyer said.
The girl, believed to be a fifth-grader, was crossing the street on Maryvale Drive, near the entrance to Maryvale Intermediate School, when she was struck, at about 8:05 a.m., by the vehicle that was eastbound on Maryvale.
Cheektowaga police questioned the driver, who stopped after the accident.
"He had a red light, but apparently the glare from the sun prevented him from seeing it," Speyer said.
Police continue to investigate the incident, but no charges have been filed.


text:
PITTSBURGH - The following are the highlights and lowlights from the Steelers' 13-10 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday at Heinz Field:
Play of the game: With 24 seconds remaining in the game, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger overthrew Mike Wallace and was intercepted by Cincinnati safety Reggie Nelson near midfield. The play set up Josh Brown's game-winning 43-yard field goal.
Offensive player of the game: Cincinnati receiver A.J. Green caught 10 passes for 166 yards.
Defensive player of the game: Bengals defensive tackle Geno Atkins recorded 2.5 sacks and forced a fumble.
Most telling statistic: The Steelers converted just 2-of-14 third-down opportunities.
Notable statistic: The Bengals won despite averaging less than 1 yard per rushing attempt.
Fact Box
Uncertain offseason
The Steelers were officially eliminated from the playoffs on Sunday. The following is a list of current Steelers who will be free agents after next week's season finale in Cleveland:
QBs: Charlie Batch, Byron Leftwich
RBs: Rashard Mendenhall
WRs: Mike Wallace, Plaxico Burress
TEs: Leonard Pope
OL: Max Starks, Ramon Foster, Doug Legursky
DL: Casey Hampton
LBs: Larry Foote, Brandon Johnson
DBs: Keenan Lewis, Will Allen, Ryan Mundy, Justin King
Special teams: Greg Warren
RBs: Jonathan Dwyer, Isaac Redman
WRs: Emmanuel Sanders
DL: Steve McLendon
LBs: Stevenson Sylvester
RBs: Baron Batch
DBs: DeMarcus Van Dyke
Best pass: Cincinnati quarterback Andy Dalton threw a 21-yard pass to Green near the sideline on the first play after Nelson's interception to get the Bengals in field-goal range.
Worst pass: Roethlisberger misfired on a throw to tight end Heath Miller early in the game, and cornerback Leon Hall returned the interception 17 yards for the Bengals' only touchdown of the game.
Best run: Pittsburgh's Rashard Mendenhall ran over Bengals safety Chris Crocker en route to a 20-yard gain in the second quarter.
Best catch: Bengals tight end Jermaine Gresham snagged a high throw down the middle of the field for a 25-yard pickup in the third quarter.
Dropped pass: Cincinnati wide receiver Marvin Jones went over Pittsburgh's Keenan Lewis but couldn't hold on to the ball in the end zone in the second quarter.
Best block: Steelers fullback Will Johnson sprung Mendenhall for a 12-yard run in the fourth quarter to get the Steelers close to field-goal range.
Missed block: Pittsburgh rookie right guard David DeCastro was beaten twice for sacks by Atkins.
Best tackle: Steelers safety Troy Polamalu timed the snap and jumped on Dalton for a 6-yard sack in the third quarter.
Best hit: Lewis knocked Jones out of bounds on a third-and-7 pass in the first quarter.
Missed tackle: Steelers cornerback Cortez Allen allowed Green to escape for a 15-yard reception on a short pass in the fourth quarter.
Best coverage: Allen made a few big plays, including intercepting two passes and forcing a fumble.
Worst coverage: Cincinnati cornerback Adam Jones bit on a Roethlisberger pump fake and allowed Antonio Brown to get deep for a 60-yard touchdown in the second quarter.
Best kick: Cincinnati's Kevin Huber booted a 54-yard punt that bounced out of bounds at the 2-yard line in the second quarter.
Worst kick: The Steelers' Shaun Suisham sailed a 24-yard field-goal attempt wide left, although the cause might have been a bad snap from Greg Warren.
Best return: Pittsburgh's Chris Rainey took the opening kickoff 34 yards.
Costliest penalty: A holding call against Cincinnati's Jason Allen wiped out a 62-yard punt return by Adam Jones in the first quarter.
Best decision: Cincinnati ran a shovel pass - from Dalton to Brandon Tate - to perfection in the second quarter, gaining 23 yards.
Worst decision: Steelers coach Mike Tomlin should have told his team to take a knee with 44 seconds remaining and on its own 11-yard line, rather than risking a turnover.
Best effort: Cortez Allen stepped up to guard Green with Lewis hobbling and Ike Taylor out of the game.
Unsung hero: Huber had a 48.3-yard net average on his six punts.
Challenges: Tomlin was able to get one call overturned when he challenged that Green was short of the line of gain in the third quarter. However, it didn't matter when Pittsburgh nose tackle Casey Hampton was called for offside on the next play.


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Source: Politico
quote: Osama Bin Laden is dead, and our intelligence is at an all time high.
quote: when in fact he's been the strongest leader we've had since Nixon.
quote: America is again globally recognized as the world super power, something people were not comfortable with from 2000-2008 when we were clearly abusing our power for frivilous reasons.
quote: But don't get me wrong, I love Faux News theater.
quote: And anybody voting for Romney is dillusional. Do you really think this guy is looking out for you or your family? Seriously?
quote: He doesn't give a crap about anybody but mega corporations and making himself and his buddy's ultra-richer. It'll be Dick Cheney / Halliburton / Black Water all over again.
quote: That cost us just as much money as Barack Obama has, but with nothing to show for it.
quote: Meanwhile Romney will strip social service programs to the bone because he thinks a balanced budget is more important than families eating and surviving disease.
quote: Obama was against gitmo and against waterboarding (he called it torture).
quote: Finally, with what happened in Libya on 9/11 as well as allowing the muslim brotherhood to take over Egypt essentially destabilized the middle east and put America at risk for more terrorist attacks.
quote: Fuel prices were quite cheap under Bush compared to how they are now. Median income was higher under Bush and despite a deficit we had the highest tax revenues in recent history under Bush thanks to a reduction on capital gains tax...things were not nearly as bad as the socialists would have you believe.
quote: Do you still spell Microsoft as "Micro$oft"? Fox News does provide the most accurate and complete news coverage - they cover stories that all other networks should be covering but don't.
quote: Bush Spending: $4 trillion in 8 years.
quote: Obama Spending: $6 trillion in ~3.5 years.
quote: Economic stats are dismal; the unemployment rate is cited as being around 8.3% but since they do not consider people who have given up the actual figure is probably over 15%. GDP has recently fallen under 2%.
quote: Cutting social programs is a necessity. They have not improved the situation in the country and have only served to allow democrats to stay in positions of power. The USA is a Republic, not a communist state for socialist underachievers. If you really believe all that crap you are spewing then move to europe and enjoy being coddled by the government...while it lasts. With France adding a 75% wealth tax people are bailing on that country in droves.
quote: aharris02 How dare you bring our Police/Fire Dept./Libraries/Post Offices into this! They're not socialist, they're Amur'can. /s.
quote: jeffkro Decom, way to smack him around with the facts
quote: Decom I believe they should be tried in civilain courts under terrorism laws.This act of holding them offshore in limbo makes America come off as hypocritical, practice what you preach and all.
quote: Jeffk464 US forces are bound by the Geneva Convention, end of story. At least unless the US decides to no longer be governed by it.
quote: cruisin3style I just want to comment on the Fox News comment... Fox won a lawsuit in Florida that says it is not illegal to falsify the news ...I watched a documentary where the employees that filed the suit explained the case, it wasn't biased BS they were just trying to do their jobs and Fox wanted to cover up these reporters' findings so they wouldn't piss off or get sued by Monsanto over the bovine growth horomone.
quote: Granted MSNBC leans the other way, but in my opinion nowhere near as bad or as spiteful as Fox.
quote: Since terrorists are not part of any officially recognized army from any combatant nation we were currently engaged with, the Geneva Convention doesn't apply. Sorry to burst your bubble.
quote: The rest of your post...just garbage as well.
quote: I'm european, let me give you a little insight into how we see American influence under both Bush/Obama
quote: Waterboarding is Torture as defined by the Geneva convention.
quote: America didn't let the Muslim Brotherhood take over in Egypt.
quote: I believe when these other parties consolidate together the MB will be out on their ass.
quote: Fuel prices have nothing to do with any President in power, they are dictated through the markets, and fuel prices fluctuated under Bush from around $1.70 to over $4.
quote: Fox news leans so far to the right that it needs help not to fall over.
quote: With someone who has nothing to gain in your elections and by comparing both Fox and MSNBC it is clear to anyone who swings neither left/right that they exist only to bash your President and the Democratic Party.
quote: Their reporting is toxic and couldn't be farther from the truth.
quote: Fox is viewed as a laughing stock outside the states.
quote: Mumbarak was overthrown by egyptians and the US considered him an ally, but did not step in to prevent the uprising because Obama thought it was democracy springing up in Egypt all on its own. Unfortunately that's not what happened as the recent events have shown. Hitler was also elected, BTW...that tidbit seems to slip under the radar a lot of times.
quote: Fuel prices are up in America because Obama insists on forcing alternative fuels instead of giving the OK for domestic oil production. He wants to force people into hybrids and electric cars that most people do not want rather than creating a plan for a smooth transition. The average fuel prices in the US from 2000-2008 was lower than the average under Obama, and when Bush left office fuel was under $2 per gallon and now it's nearly double (after our recovery).
quote: You see, Europeans have always been lefties that's why you ended up with so many dicatorships throughout your history...so it makes perfect sense that someone who has fallen on their face would see moderate news reporting as "far right". You do realize that "far right" politics would essentially be promoting anarchy and I have yet to see anyone on Fox say we should abolish government altogether and let everyone fend for themselves. America was created as a big "fcuk you" to the european socialists who wanted (and had) totalitarian control over the people. Unfortunately for the US, we've had a disproportionate amount of liberals festering in our country who would see it become another socialist dystopia.
quote: The democratic party has been a bane to America ever since it gained traction among the lazy, unmotivated people who believe someone else should take care of them from cradle to grave. Democrats voted against abolishing slavery. Democrats voted against civil rights. Democrats in governing positions breed poverty and dependence, diminished opportunity for entrepreneurs and pretty much all the crap that we were trying to get away from when we fought to establish the USA hundreds of years ago.
quote: The truth is toxic to people who form their ideologies on a platform of lies and half-truths...but let's take an example of something recently aired on Fox. They ask why Obama did not take a break from campaigning when the US Embassy in Libya was attacked on 9/11. No other network paid much attention to what was going on over there, instead they tried to make Romney look like the bad guy for making a strong statement (like Obama should have) about the incident. Give me an example of a Fox news story that is an outright lie. Please. I'd love to see it.
quote: All that animosity you have toward Fox only affirms their effectiveness of telling you things you don't want to hear - aka the truth.
quote: Egypt got it's own democratic elections and the Muslim Brotherhood came to power. You can't bemoan the fact America let the elections happen and then didn't like the outcome.
quote: Do you really understand why these "Radical Extremists" hate the USA so much?
quote: It is true that Obama seems to pushing a Green agenda, but you still dodged my point of Gas prices being between $1.60 to over $4 during Bush's Presidency. You cannot blame Obama for the gas prices which are dictated by the markets. Tell me, what was George Bush doing when gas prices were over $4 ??
quote: This gave me a huge chuckle, "far right" politics doesn't equate to anarchy in relation to Fox news.
quote: You talk about totalitarian control, name another country in which it costs over $1 million dollars to get a seat in the house, over $10 million to get a seat in the senate, where it costs over $1 Billion to get the presidency and where money equals free speech.
quote: Where your politicians are legally bribed through "lobbying" and where money equates to free speech.
quote: How much of those founding principles do you still think exist today when your political system is one of the most openly corrupt on the planet.
quote: however not all Europeans are "lefties" as you so willfully tar us
quote: I don't know why you're ranting at me about the Dems, however I consider myself a fiscal conservative and agree that laziness breeds laziness.
quote: Fox excels in half truths and warped ideology, they exist to smear the other side.I'm not saying that both sides don't do it, but to the outside observer Fox goes much farther and seedier with their "reporting"
quote: Wow, way to ignore what actually happened, bro. Mumbarak was not voted out of office, he was physically dragged out of office, beaten and killed. To say the muslim brotherhood was elected is a joke. They cast their vote for the only choice they had but they would have assumed power one way or the other.
quote: Seems to be? No, he is. There is no uncertainty there. I didn't dodge anything - but you are ignoring the fact that gas was lower under bush than under obama on average for the duration of their respective presidencies. You were also incorrect about what a president can or cannot do to affect the price of gas by saying that the president has no control over the prices.
quote: Far right political ideology DOES equate to anarchy and that was what you accused Fox of representing. The left-wing media in this country (and our government) is already exhibiting the characteristics of a far left ideology - socialism. The media does not report on issues they should be covering, the do not ask Obama tough questions or demand accountability - they happily play along with whatever BS the whitehouse wants them to. This is propaganda. The only thing missing is a dictator who tells us he is "scaling down the size of government" when in reality he is consolidating power for himself. Fox News provides coverage that leans right (which is NOT a bad thing) and is fairly moderate. If you perceive it to be "far right" it's not because they're anarchist, it's because you are too far left.
quote: First of all, any US citizen can run for office. It falls upon them to raise the money needed to get their message out because they are essentially ADVERTISING. Your political message, as a candidate, is competing with other messages for airtime on TV & Radio, as well as ad impressions on websites. This market determines the relative costs of running for office. The larger your audience the more expensive it becomes to reach them...so what are you suggesting here? That anyone running for office has their expenses paid for them by taxpayers? LOL
quote: Your quip about free speech is a joke. The internet has made it incredibly easy for any m0ron with a computer to really take advantage of their 1st amendment rights AND reach a large audience. In the past the only way to be heard was to be lucky enough to be published in a newspaper OR write your own book and pay to have it distributed.
quote: You are not making a strong case for europeans being anything other than lefties with a lot of what you're saying...in fact Obama's policies probably come across to you as being on the right.
quote: Mubarak was forced to resign, and was then arrested and prosecuted for the killing of innocent civilians.
quote: Again, a President has no affect on Oil prices, even if Obama were to "Drill Baby Drill" the Oil produced would be sold on the open market, it wouldn't have some magical influence on bringing prices down in the USA.
quote: Market forces and a conglomerate of Oil producing nations dictate the prices.
quote: Supply and demand doesn't even come into it, it's a rigged game.
quote: Why do you keep equating far right ideology with Anarchy?
quote: To the outside observer Fox exists as the Media Arm of the RNC. Not once have I seen a positive story on Fox about the left.
quote: Again, they tread where others dare not and this is a good thing, politicians should be held accountable by both sides of your media, but that's where your problems lie, your "News" outlets have huge political bias.
quote: When this happens they cease to become News outlets and only mouthpieces for their respective parties.
quote: Wishful thinking comes to mind with this one.The chances of your message being heard in a sea of the Internet are fat to slim.
quote: While some of Europe has gone overboard on the socialism, some countries have not. Again, I'm a fiscal conservative and open on the social issues, were all adults right. quote: A lot of what Obama has done could be construed as continuing with a lot of what Bush did. Continue the wars, keep Gitmo open, run up the deficit. Bush is often maligned by the media, as it is "cool" to do to anyone who is not on the left, but he did deal with 9/11 quite well. He did fend off a major recession coming off of Clinton with the dot-com bust. He did ensure that both businesses and people were prosperous for the majority of his presidency.What Obama failed to do is address the immediate problems facing America - instead he spent his time and energy primarily pushing Obamacare through. He said he would cut the deficit in half in 2008; he added $6 trillion to it and that number is still going up. quote: It makes me laugh when Americans slag off Greece etc, have you looked at what your deficits are and are projected to be. Most Americans don't want to end up like Greece or Spain, and we certainly do not want to become a welfare state like Sweden.
quote: A lot of what Obama has done could be construed as continuing with a lot of what Bush did. Continue the wars, keep Gitmo open, run up the deficit.
quote: It makes me laugh when Americans slag off Greece etc, have you looked at what your deficits are and are projected to be.
quote: Obama gets hammered on adding a massive amount to the deficit, however very little of the total was added under his term. You've 2 x Unfunded Wars and Unfunded Medicare to add into that figure.
quote: Europe is running zero or negative GDPs.
quote: We have just come through the biggest recession since the 1930s and America has continued to recover faster than most nations that were impacted. Most countries would kill for your growth.
quote: Also, not too long ago America had a tax rate above 70% for decades and I don't think you did too bad then.
quote: One other thing, this socialist nonsense i hear spouted so often on Fox and other right leaning sites, the best countries are a mix of capitalism and social, what do you think your Police/Fire Dept./Libraries/Post Office are? Just curious.
quote: More than half of all Americans are receiving some type of government handout and incidentally the majority of our tax revenue goes to pay for these handouts. It's not defense spending that is bogging down the US economy.
quote: Please provide a source of this. NO I DON'T WANNA HEAR THAT SINCE 47% OF PEOPLE PAY NO INCOME TAX THAT THEY ARE RECEIVING A HANDOUT.
quote: I suppose to you those freeloadin' troops that are giving their lives for you to have the freedom to post such a flaming comment should go away so to 'stimulate' your version of what the economy should be then. Arrogant prick.
quote: How DARE you say veterans 'don't pay their fair share' and that shit. That's not just anti-american, that's fucking anti-republican!
quote: But people like you are the ones smiling and walking up to vets when you bump into them at walmart thanking them for what they do and when you turn your cheek you call them freeloaders.
quote: quote: Obama gets hammered on adding a massive amount to the deficit, however very little of the total was added under his term. You've 2 x Unfunded Wars and Unfunded Medicare to add into that figure.
quote: What budget would the congressional budget office be reporting on? Obama has not passed a budget since he took office.
quote: I wonder how many other European countries are considering a 75% wealth tax? That would surely bump up your growth. You living in Europe should know exactly why your economy is stagnant - big government, big spending and a lack of emphasis on creating opportunity for the individual.
quote: Our GDP is slowing down. We've been kicking the can down the road to give the illusion of growth but there is no substance behind it. The truth is that until we scale down the size, scope and spending of our government and create an environment where small businesses can be established and thrive, it's going to be stagnant. The US has shift too far left because a lot of people are desperate and buy into the false promises put forth by socialist leaders: - Wealth redistribution. - High taxes on investments (capital gains). - Unending social programs that keep people down rather than giving them a way to improve their life. - Continual erosion of civil liberties with laws like NDAA, ACTA and DMCA getting the nod by Obama.
quote: What? You're going to have to back that 70% tax rate claim up or explain how you're arriving at the number - we've never had a rate that high on income tax or capital gains.
quote: It's not "socialist nonsense" - it's calling it like it is. Socialism is when the government gets too big and starts running peoples' lives and taking over businesses and industries. It's also a breeding ground for dictatorships. Police, Fire and Military are basic services that the government can and should provide - private and public labor unions are examples of socialism gone awry. The US is the best country, hands down, and it is a constitutional republic that got to where it is today due to capitalism and the idea that any individual has the OPPORTUNITY to achieve their greatest dreams. Opportunity does not mean hand-out.
quote: While that is true, here is a nice Graph for you to look at.I support neither Dems/Repubs,(as I'm not American), but the BS coming from both sides pisses me off.
quote: Again, the 75% is only above €800,000. Tarring Europe with the same brush is a cop out.
quote: Where was the ourage when Bush was running huge deficits? I didn't hear one Repub bemoan Wealth Redistribution etc. back then.Everything has to be cut, absolutely everything, if America wants to get it's fiscal house in order. i don't agree with raising taxes until every last dollar has been shred from programs, all programs, on both sides, and that includes your Military.
quote: Again, another softball :- here you go.
quote: Social seems to be a dirty word in America.
quote: As I stated in a previous post, the best countries are a mix of Capitalism and Social programs.
quote: As for saying the US is the best country hands down, there are a lot of metrics which would disagree with this statement, and this opens up another huge debate for which I don't have the time right now.
quote: Fox News does provide the most accurate and complete news coverage - they cover stories that all other networks should be covering but don't.


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Preterm birth rates are stratified into three categories on the PeriStats web site: very preterm (live birth prior to 32 completed weeks); late preterm (live birth delivered between 34 and 36 weeks); and preterm (live birth prior to 37 completed weeks, including both late and very preterm births). Live births at or beyond the 37th week of pregnancy, include term (37-42 weeks) and post-term (42+ weeks) births. Calculations are based on the number of live births to infants in a specific gestational age category divided by all live births excluding those missing data on gestational age, multiplied by 100. Singleton-specific rates are calculated the same way.
The March of Dimes Perinatal Data Center stratifies data by the gestational age categories listed above, however, the individual level algorithm for calculating gestational age in weeks was developed by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). All individual level gestational age calculations are completed by NCHS prior to receiving electronic data. The following provides a detailed description of the NCHS algorithm, and uses data from 2001 as an example:
The primary measure used by NCHS to determine the weeks of completed gestation of the newborn is the interval between the first day of the mother's last normal menstrual period (LMP) and the infant's date of birth. In 2001, the gestational age for 95.1% of live births was calculated using LMP. LMP is reported as the day, month and year.
In cases where the day of LMP is missing (but the month and year are complete), NCHS assigns that record the weeks of gestation of the previous completed record in the file with a similar race and birthweight and the same computed months of gestation. For these records, the gestational age is said to be 'imputed'. The number of months of gestation needed for this process is computed for both missing-day records and completely reported records by subtracting the reported month of LMP from the reported month of birth.
In cases where the month, year, or entire LMP is missing, or when the calculated or assigned (imputed) gestational age appears to be inconsistent with birthweight, the clinical estimate of gestation is used (4.9% of live births in 2001).
In cases where the reported birthweight is inconsistent with both the LMP-computed gestational age and the clinical estimate, the LMP-computed gestational age is used and birthweight is reclassified as "not stated" (less than 0.01% of live births in 2001).
In cases where both the LMP and the clinical estimate are missing, gestational age is set to 'missing.' In 2001, 0.1% of live births were missing gestational age.
As with other indicators, preterm birth rates on PeriStats may differ from those provided directly by state health departments. This may be due to differences in the way the health department and NCHS calculate the gestational age of the infant or in the handling of missing data.
Additional detail on the NCHS algorithm for calculating gestational age can be found in:


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Young farmers face financing challenges
Young farmers face financing challenges
Owning a farm is a dream for many young farmers, but it might not be a reality due to financing that is hard to obtain.
by Abby (Huibregtse) Bauer, Hoard's Dairyman Associate Editor
Farming may be considered a young man's job in regards to physical demands, long hours and stressful days. In reality, the average age of farmers has actually climbed steadily over the past few decades. From 1940 to 2007, the average age of farmers rose from 48 to 57, and age 65 and older was the fastest growing group of farmers.
Quite possibly the biggest challenge facing young agriculturalists today is financing. This topic was discussed in The Main Street Economist, a newsletter released by the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, in an article titled "Financing Young and Beginning Farmers." As explained in the article, agricultural prices have always fluctuated, but now more than ever they seem to present a challenge for young producers.
The past decade saw production costs rise at the fastest pace since the 1970s. From just 2006 to 2011, average annual fertilizer costs jumped by 17 percent and seed costs surged by an annual average of nearly 20 percent.
Young farmers have less equity and higher debt ratios. Farmers under the age of 35 had 20 percent less equity per farm than the average of all farms in 2012, according to USDA data. Likewise, these young producers had more than twice the farm liabilities than the average. The result is a debt-to-asset ratio of farm enterprises managed by operators under 35 to be more than four times higher than those 65 or older.
This makes young farmers a distinct risk to lenders. Farmers in a high debt-to-asset situation are less likely to be able to repay loans when agricultural prices take a downward turn. A solution is to build more equity, but with soaring land prices it is often hard for younger producers to compete for farm and land purchases.
In the early 1900s, most young farmers were not landowners but instead farmed on rented land and facilities. Over the next century, the trend was for young farmers to have partial ownership of land but it wasn't that common to have full farm ownership. By the 2000s, things changed. Farm Credit System loans for young, beginning and small farming operations roughly doubled between 2001 and 2007, and by 2007, more than half of U.S. farmers under the age of 35 were full owners of farmland.
However, the most recent trend has been a steep decline in land ownership for young farmers. Many aspire to own land, but with the sky-high prices for land and inputs and the difficulty in securing financing, other rental and ownership options need to be considered again. It's certainly not easy, but thankfully young producers are finding ways to enter into production agriculture. We're hopeful that most can find success and stay farming until they reach that 65-and-up age bracket.
The author is an associate editor and covers animal health, dairy housing and equipment, and nutrient management. She grew up on a dairy farm near Plymouth, Wis., and previously served as a University of Wisconsin agricultural extension agent. She received a master's degree from North Carolina State University and a bachelor's from University of Wisconsin-Madison.
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The Smartest Financial Advice Ever
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CNNMoney.com asked forty famous people for their best piece of financial advice. You'll hear answers from the likes of Bill Miller, Derek Jeter, Jon Barry, Steven Levitt, and even advice from Rodney Dangerfield. In the beginning of the slideshow, the photos are of the respondents but as you get closer to the end it's photos of the origins of the advice; you'll know what I mean when you get there.
Unfortunately, they didn't ask me, otherwise this is what I'd say about the smartest financial advice I got:
The smartest advice I ever got from my parents was to always work hard. My dad once told me that I was one of those people who could complete a fifteen minute job in ten minutes. As I basked in the compliment, my dad told me that what would separate me from the other people who could do the same thing was what I did with the other five minutes. Everyone has talent in something, but not everyone has a work ethic. A strong worth ethic is what separates the great from the merely good. I can't say I disagree.
Here are my favorites from the slideshow:
Elizabeth Gilbert: Swear off debt.
Elizabeth Gilbert is the author of Eat, Pray, Love, a book my wife has read and really enjoyed, and I thought this bit of advice from her parents was a gem. Her father passed along this message from her grandfather: "Borrowing money is like wetting your bed in the middle of the night. At first all you feel is warmth and release. But very, very quickly comes the awful, cold discomfort of reality."
In Taiwan, and China, the concept of consumer debt is only a recent phenomenon. Until the last five or ten years, the idea of a credit card was foreign in Taiwan. My father told us a story about when my parents bought a home on Long Island that my grandfather wanted to give him the cost of the home (this was nearly thirty years ago). My dad explained to my grandfather that he could put 20% down and borrow the rest, a concept that made no sense to his grandfather. Why borrow money? Just keep saving and saving and saving until you can afford it. It's amazing how pervasive consumer credit has become in such a short time.
Derek Jeter: Know where your money goes.
Derek Jeter is the shortstop for the New York Yankees and considering the size of his paycheck, it's amazing this was the advice he thought of. I think it's valuable because as we get older, the finances get more complex and you begin relying on more and more experts. We now have an accountant that handles our taxes, we leaned on a real estate agent when we bought our house, we'll have to rely on the expertise of numerous subject matter experts as we grow older but it's always important to be part of the process.
Chris Larsen: Take risks when you can.
Chris Larsen founded E-Loan.com and Prosper.com, two hugely successful and innovative companies in the lending industry. This bit of advice came from Jim Collins, author of Built to Last, Larsen's MBA professor at Stanford. "You're young. You can fail two or three times, even lose all your money two or three times, and you'll be just fine. Taking that risk puts you in the path of wealth."
In my MBA, I received similar advice from my Entrepreneurship professor. He said that, especially if you're young, you should be willing to take risks and try paving your own way. It'll be hard, you might fail, but the worst thing that can happen is that you go back and get another job.
There are a lot of good gems in there including appearances by Freakonomics author Steven Levitt, Four Hour Work Week author Tim Ferriss, and many many others.
The smartest advice I ever got [CNN Money]{ 3 comments, please add your thoughts now! }


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Name: Hannah Mercer
High school: Hollidaysburg
Hometown: Hollidaysburg
Sport: Softball
Position: Shortstop, second base
College choice: Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Other colleges considered: Marist, Lock Haven, Siena, Ashland
Why I picked IUP: "I was told I need to pick a college regardless of softball. IUP has everything I was looking for in a college, and Coach [Bill] Graham runs an amazing softball program. The second I stepped on campus, I knew I wanted to go there.''
Greatest high school achievement: "Winning back-to-back District 6-AAA basketball championships.''
Coach Mike Harris' quote: "Hannah is one of the best softball players to come out of Hollidaysburg. She is consistently a hard worker and a great kid with a great attitude. She's a team leader. Her fielding is phenomenal. Most look at her hitting stats, but she made plays in the field that aren't going to be seen around here for a long time.''
How I got my start playing softball: "I played tee ball and little league with the boys until I was 12, then I made the switch to softball with the Altoona Express.''
Favorite college growing up: Penn State
Other interests: Basketball, hanging out with friends, going to the beach
What getting to play in college means to me: "All of my hard work had paid off, and I get to continue doing what I love.''
Probable college major: Marketing
Parents: Don and Barb Mercer


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Until three years ago, most students at Sanders-Clyde Creative Arts School probably thought of squash as a vegetable. But through the efforts of Chucktown Squash, they now know it also is a sport, one that can lead to other opportunities.
Twenty-six Sanders-Clyde boys and girls are participating in Chucktown Squash on the court, in the classroom and in the community. The teams each come to the College of Charleston two days a week (girls on Mondays and Wednesdays and boys on Tuesdays and Thursdays), where they spend time practicing and training for squash before going to a classroom and being tutored by College of Charleston students.
On Saturdays, both teams practice at Medical University of South Carolina courts and then participate in community service activities.
"Our primary focus is academics. We want them to get their grades up and get into college," said Sam Candler, executive director of Chucktown Squash. "Squash is the hook."
Students must express a desire in order to be accepted into the program, but by December, they must have at least an 80 average. Making it to the 95-plus club by the end of the school year qualifies a student for a special trip to Sea Island, Ga., to play squash at the private Cloisters.
Javier Gathers, a seventh-grader at Sanders-Clyde, is in his second year with the program. "I used to play soccer and football. Now it's all squash," Gathers said. "I like it better than other sports. You are playing one on one, seeing how good you can be against another person.
"Before (squash), I was kind of a good student, but now I have better grades," he said.
Squash is an indoor racket sport similar to racquetball although the squash ball doesn't bounce as much as a racquetball. Candler said it has been stereotyped as an elitist sport played in private clubs. "Our purpose is to take kids who wouldn't have squash normally available and use that as a catalyst for college. We're breaking down that barrier," he said.
Candler's wife, Lynnie Minkow-ski, a former undefeated national champion, serves as the program director. Lynnie's sister, Anna, who now lives in Sea Island, Ga., started Chucktown Squash. Candler said the model for Chucktown Squash is to begin with fifth-graders and carry them on through high school and into college.
The game already has opened up new worlds for the players who are traveling to Baltimore soon to compete against urban squash teams from that city and Philadelphia. Recently, they participated in a one-day junior squash marathon at Charleston Squash Club with students from Porter-Gaud, Ashley Hall and The Westminster Schools.
"Our association with the College of Charleston has been great," Candler said. "... They are learning that college is within reach."
Sanders Clyde student Javier Gathers competes against Chucktown Squash program director Lynnie Minkowskie. Provided.×
Sanders Clyde seventh grader Javier Gathers practices his serve at the College of Charleston squash courts. Provided.×
Program director Lynnie Minkowski (top left) and intern Darcie Ilg help Javier Gathers and Terrence Broughton (right) during the classroom portion of a Chucktown Squash session.×
Precious Settles (left) and Chyna Whaley keep up with Chucktown Squash intern Jessie Ilg during the one-mile test at Porter-Gaud. Provided.×
Members of the Chucktown Squash girls team wait for a practice session to begin at the College of Charleston. Provided.×


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Top Definition
The act of engaging Daniel Gaul in a conversation just to see how many topic changes it takes before he'll mention a desired end. Similar to Wiki Race, except alot more time consuming.
Challenger: Wanna Wiki Gaul race? Okay, see how fast you can get him from Star Wars to the history of the toothbrush...
מאת Black Magik 29 ביוני, 2008
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Hiring continued at a slow pace in August, and the unemployment rate fell as more Americans dropped out of the labor force.
The U.S. economy added 169,000 jobs in August, the Department of Labor said Friday.
Although that was an improvement from 104,000 jobs added in July, it was also slower than the average pace of job growth over the last 12 months. Job growth for both June and July was also revised lower, by a total of 74,000 jobs.
Meanwhile, the unemployment rate fell to 7.3 percent, but the decline came for the wrong reasons, as 312,000 people dropped out of the labor force.
The report missed expectations of 185,000 new jobs, according to economists polled by CNNMoney.
The report is being closely watched for signs that the Federal Reserve will begin pulling back on its controversial bond-buying program later this month. The Fed has said that the timing of the "tapering" would depend heavily on improvement in the labor market.
Overall, the trend remains the same: Modest hiring has continued at a rate of about 184,000 jobs a month for the last year, but that's not nearly fast enough for the 11.3 million people who remain unemployed.
The economy needs at least 200,000 new jobs a month just to keep pace with population growth.


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Because life is about living
Citadines Daxing Beijing is strategically located at the core area of South Beijing. The serviced residence is part Beijing BCDH Vanke Plaza, a mixed-use development that also comprises offices. It is near the district government, office buildings and several attractions such as Niantan Park and Qingyuan Park. Beijing Daxing Capital Golf Club is a 15-minute drive from the serviced residence. Residents will enjoy convenient access to various destinations in Beijing via metro Daxing Line and easily connect to the Railway Station and Beijing's upcoming second international airport.
Citadines Daxing Beijing offers independent travellers the flexibility to customise their stay by choosing the services they need according to their lifestyles. The serviced residence will provide a range of spacious studios to two-bedroom apartments that come with a fully-equipped kitchen and separate working and sleeping areas. Residents can make use of the property's comprehensive facilities including a business centre, children's playground, gymnasium, sauna, spas well as breakfast and residents' lounges.


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Top Definition
a very specific mixture of penis and vagina in which spews out mid sized eggs aroung the speed of a .32 pistol, no testicles involved and/or attached.
Bill: Well sit on my dick and call me Abraham, look at its panginuss
Ted: YES
Ted: YES
โดย james. t. kirk. 11 กรกฎาคม 2009
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The Massachusetts Port Authority said the Conley Terminal will be upgraded with an additional berth and three new cranes, while the Boston Harbor will be dredged to accommodate 12,000-TEU vessels.
The South Korean carrier said certain providers have been charging its customers more than what it would have charged to transport cargo and has tried to intervene, taking its concern up with the Federal Maritime Commission.
The Water Resources Development Act has mostly received bipartisan support, but Democrats in the House are upset that a provision that would have protected Harbor Maintenance Tax receipts from being diverted for other uses was removed from the final draft.
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South Korea's largest container shipping company's transported volumes ticked up 1 percent year-over-year in the quarter to 1.17 million TEUs, container revenues tumbled 26.6 percent year-over-year to 1.35 trillion won.
Following Hanjin Shipping filing for receivership, Hyundai Merchant Marine will start up two new services, one between Korea and the U.S. and one between Korea and Europe.
A bankruptcy court in Newark, N.J. will hear requests for modifications as Hanjin Shipping's biggest shareholder, Korean Air Lines, has postponed a decision to provide cash to the carrier.