Getting in Touch...Converting an Old Toy Into a New Tool

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Although Cop Macdonald has modestly refrained from doing so in his article, it's only fair to tell you that he's known in amateur radio circles as "Mr. SSTV" because he's the guy who pioneered the whole slow-scan television idea in the first place.

Back in 1957, while still a student at the University of Kentucky, Cop decided it was technically possible for ham radio operators to transmit pictures (in addition to code and voice messages) all over the world with standard high frequency gear. During the next ten years he designed equipment, conducted tests and—with the help of other interested amateur radio freaks—lobbied hard for the idea. Finally, in 1968, the FCC gave in and changed its rules. Hams are now allowed to transmit and receive SSTV in segments of every band from 3.5 megahertz on up. Yep, one man can still change the world.

Mr. Copthorne Macdonald, it should further be noted, is far more than your average technofreak. He was not, in other words, merely content to invent a revolutionary new means of communication. Nor was he satisfied just to go the next logical step and battle the FCC until it accepted his new baby. Nor has Cop—in the good ole American way—tried to corner the market and cash in on his brainchild.

Nope. Copthorne Macdonald is a far more dangerous and subversive character than that. Why, this guy actually wants to put his "tool of change" directly into the hands of all us little folks (the ones who are beginning to have more than just a vague suspicion that the "leadership" of the world needs a good seeing eye dog) ... so that we can begin working out the planet's problems on our own.

"Imagine," says Cop, "a Montana rancher having his first 'faceto-face' rap with a New York black man through an SSTV-equipped ham radio hookup. Or think about the way it would expand your view of the world if you could directly compare your outlook on current events with the opinion of a Canadian or a New Zealander. How well does Sweden's welfare state really work? What does an Israeli think of U.S. internal problems?

"A network of SSTV hams could make really meaningful options available in the field of education," Macdonald believes. "For example, a farmer in Oregon could hold free organic gardening classes every day at noon on one particular frequency and interested individuals and groups all over the country could both watch and participate. SSTV can even be valuable in bringing issues before the public in roundtable discussions ... give and take 'town meetings' in which tens or hundreds of people around the country - or around the world - carry on an animated discussion.

"Our world is in deep trouble," says Copthorne. "There has never been a greater need for people to share their thoughts and ideas with each other. Slow-scan TV is do-it-yourself, audio-visual dialogue with each individual deciding what part of his life he wants to share. SSTV makes it easy and natural to step into another person's life ... if he wants to let us in and to share his feelings with us.

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