NEW DIRECTIONS RADIO

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SLOW-SCAN TELEVISION OR SSTV is a technique by which pictures are converted to audio frequencies in a special TV camera or scanner. The weird whistling sound which results is then sent by a regular single sideband voice transmitter. At the receiving end the "sound" is reconverted to a picture which is "painted" in yellow light on a special picture tube. (The SSTV equipment, bought new, costs about $600 in addition to the cost of the basic SSB voice transmission equipment.)

RADIO TELETYPE OR RTTY is a possibility for all you former typists out there in the woods. Surplus teletype machines are available, for $100 or so, and can be attached through an adapter box (more money) to an SSB voice transmitter. You type on your keyboard, and the ham at the other end gets your message printed out on his machine.

FCC LICENSING

"Why should I need a license from the federal government just to bounce a little energy off Mother Nature's bountifully provided ionosphere?" It's the old question of governmental control versus anarchy. Regulation always seems to end up being unfair to someone. Without it, however, the weak tend to get clobbered.

You can argue the question all you like, but we still have to face the fact that operating a ham transmitter without a license subjects one to the very real possibility of a $500/day fine. The licensed ham who knowingly communicates with an unlicensed station (or breaks any other FCC rules) subjects himself to that same penalty and runs the further risk of losing his operator's permit. That's a heavy trip to lay on someone else. Let's work the airwaves strictly "by the rules" so we don't give anyone so inclined a "legal" excuse to wipe out alternative-oriented radio.

"Well, what can I do and what can't I do if I get a license?" First-in addition to using the various modes already mentioned you'll be able to eliminate some long distance phone bills if you can contact a ham with a phone patch who lives in the same local telephone calling area as the person you want to talk to. (A patch is a device that connects the transmitter and receiver audio of an amateur radio station into the telephone circuit.)

You can also take advantage of a new FCC rule with interesting ramifications for communes. The regulation says, "The licensee of an amateur station may permit any person to participate in amateur radiocommunication from his station provided that a [licensed] control operator is present and continuously monitors the radiocommunication to ensure compliance with the rules." Which means that anyone in the group can operate the equipment, use the station call letters—do the complete ham radio thing-just as long as one member has a license, is present and listens to what's going on. Another plus for communal or cooperative operation is the low per-capita cost of the equipment when several people share one station.

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