Thanks Ed
Unfortunately cancer forced me to retire from two such organizations. However,
a friend who has been trying to attend for the last several years says he can
take off work those two days and we may be able to attend from his place, so I
might make it this year.
JEF
On Thursday, January 21, 2021, 08:25:38 PM EST, Ed Cummings
<[email protected]> wrote:
Jef, we'll really miss you and your loopy presentation thisyear. And of
course, we all miss Charlyne.
Your comment about being unable to participate in this year's SWLFest(because
your internet connectivity is unreliable and sporadic) made mewant to share a
solution that too few here know about--even on thisSWLFest discussion list that
includes many knowledgeable radiocommunications enthusiasts.
Unlimited wireless high-speed accounts are available at very low cost
to501(c)(3) organizations that apply for it through a specialprogram. So if
you have an affiliation with a 501(c)(3)organization, and are willing to
facilitate their participation in thisprogram, then you can probably get this
deal, too. (I don't thinkNASWA is a 501(c)(3) but maybe I'm wrong.)
Over the past decade I've helped several 501(c)(3) organizations qualifyfor
this low-cost wireless internet service. At least one of themhas a user on
this SWLFest mailing list. The service uses theSprint/T-Mobile 4G LTE Band 41
spectrum (2496-2690 GHz) which the FCC hadlong ago allocated to the
Instructional Television Fixed Service (akaEducational Broadcast Service).
For over a decade it's beenused for wireless internet service via low-cost
dedicated 4G LTE WiFi'hotspot' devices.
Through a special FCC-approved 20-year agreement between some of theoriginal
ITFS/EBS licensees of Band 41 spectrum andClear>Sprint>T-Mobile, this spectrum
must be shared with thoselicensees by providing unlimited wireless internet
accounts--which arethen shared by participating 501(c)(3) organizations with
their staff,members, volunteers, and the people they serve.
As a volunteer for a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization, I usethis
service and routinely get 80 Mbps download speeds through an InseegoMIFI 8000
LTE modem/bridge/router (your mileage may vary.) Therequired Sprint/T-Mobile
Band 41 (2.5 GHz) network only exists in certaingeographical areas, so it's
unlikely to work in rural and some otherareas.
The ITFS/EBS licensees charge participating 501(c)(3) "DirectUsers" an annual
admin fee of $120 for each of line of service,which can then be provided at
cost (or more) by each 501(c)(3) to theirstaff, members, volunteers, and people
they serve. The required LTEmodem/bridge/WiFi routers costs less than $100 or
less than $200,depending on the model and features. The bottom line is
thatunlimited internet connectivity $10/month is a remarkably good
deal,especially if you can carry around with you as a high-speed WiFi
mobilehotspot. I just got off a flawless Zoom conference on my laptopusing
this internet connection.
If anyone on the SWLFest discussion list is interested, I can help pointyou in
the right direction. But here's a link to a consortium ofITFS/EBS licensees
called Voqal that offers these accounts and therequisite modem/bridge/router
equipment to 501(c)(3) nonprofits. While this may all sound to good to be true,
it's no scam--it's a cleverrepurposing of a defunct FCC service that allocated
2.5 GHz spectrum foreducational purposes. They just don't advertise it.
https://mobilecitizen.org/about/overview/
-Ed
At 09:51 AM 1/19/2021, Kb3gty wrote:
This is the first I've heardabout the fest this year. I haven't gotten a
newsletter since Nov.,and my access to the internet is unreliable, and
sporadic. Becauseof the internet issue its not likely that I'll be able to
join you thisyear. I hope it goes well, and will look forward to nextyear.
Jet
Mr loop
Kb3gty
On Saturday, January 16, 2021, 03:21:51 PM EST, John
Figliozzi<[email protected]> wrote:
The answer is yes, Sheldon. Still figuring out where it will bestfit in.
John
> On Jan 16, 2021, at 11:15 AM, Sheldon Harvey<[email protected]>wrote:
>
> Hi, John. Thanks for the draft schedule.
>
> Do you still want to have me do the "In Memoriam"segment?
>
> Sheldon Harvey
> Greenfield Park, Quebec
>
> Enjoy birds and birdwatching?
>http://www.birdprotectionquebec.org
>
>
> On Saturday, January 16, 2021, 1:10:21 a.m. EST, John
> Figliozzi<[email protected]>wrote:
>
>
> As stated previously, COVID-19 has forced cancellation of anin-person Fest.
> But undaunted (well, mostly…) the Fest sshall go onwith a “virtualâ€�
> event, courtesy of the Internet and the ZOOMplatform. Interested?
> Consultwww.swlfest.comfor registration instructions and further particulars.
> Here’s theprogram schedule:
>
>
> 2021 34th “VIRTUAL� WINTER SWL FEST PROGRAM
>
> All sessions except the “Shindig� nominally one-hour but may runlonger or
> shorter at the option of the presenter.
>
> This schedule,LOGNULL NowTransReader::ReadIt()JJFileMT::Truncate(1048739014)
> LOGNULL NowTransReader::ReadIt()JJFileMT::Truncate(0) accurate as of January
> 16th, is subject tochange.
>
>
> Friday February 26th, 2021
>
>
> 1800 UTC / 1300 EST / 1000 PST / 1900 CET / 0500 (Sat.) AEDT
>
> The Well-Equipped Scannist - A Scanner For Every Purpose – TomSwisher
>
> . . . and the gadgets, doohickeys and trinkets to enhance yourscanning
> pleasure.
>
>
> 2000 UTC / 1500 EST / 1200 PST / 2100 CET / 0700 (Sat.) AEDT
>
> Easy Antennas for SWLs Who Want to Become HF Hams – Skip Arey
>
> Communicating is just as much fun as listening. Can your shortwavereceiving
> wires do the job or should you be rethinking your station'santennas? Uncle
> Skip will show you how to get on the air withoutmortgaging your house to do
> it.
>
>
> 2300 UTC / 1800 EST / 1500 PST / 0000 (Sat.) CET / 1000 (Sat.)AEDT
>
> The Annual Free Radio Forum – Larry Will
>
> Including:
>
> -- News, FCC actions or lack thereof
>
> -- Shortwave free radio year in review
>
> -- Everyone's still doing the 6850-6980 area
>
> -- …Butt! There's been a noticeable diversity in frequency usebecause of
> lousy DX
>
> -- …¦Noticeably in the 4000-4100 KHz and 5100-5200
> KLOGNULLNowTransReader::ReadIt() JJFileMT::Truncate(1048739014)
> LOGNULLNowTransReader::ReadIt() JJFileMT::Truncate(0) Hz areas
>
> -- Most active stations
>
> -- Gallery of interesting QSLs and SSTVs from the past year
>
> -- Medium wave free radio, the world above 1700
>
> -- North American Pirate Radio Hall of Fame inductees for 2021
>
> -- Resources for the free radio listener
>
> -- archive.org
>
> -- swlpost.com
>
> -- hfunderground
>
> -- free radio network
>
> -- Free Radio Weekly (25 years!)
>
> Preparations are underway to simulcast this forum on WBCQ 6160 kHz.Watch this
> space!
>
>
> Saturday, February 27th, 2021
>
>
> 0100 UTC / 2000 (Fri.) EST / 1700 (Fri.) PST / 0200 CET / 1200AEDT
>
> The Shortwave Shindig in Exile – David GGoren
>
> From a secret location, David’s annual freeform celebration of themedium.
> This time it shapes up like this:
>
> 0100 – Shortwave-related music videos, a loook at the recentBrooklyn Pirate
> Radio Sound Map update, and a review of radio-relatedbits and bobs from the
> past year.
> 0200 – Live on WRMI! (frequencies TBA) - with music, Meet theArchhivist w/
> Thomas Witherspoon and other special features.
> 0300 – A RLOGNULL NowTransReader::ReadIt()JJFileMT::Truncate(1048739014)
> LOGNULL NowTransReader::ReadIt()JJFileMT::Truncate(0) eplay of
> “Shortwaves/Long Distancee� - the 2017two-hour broadcast featuring the
> top submissions to NASWA’s and WaveFarm’s call for shortwave-related
> music and sound compositions.
>
>
> 1800 UTC / 1300 EST / 1000 PST / 1900 CET / 0500 (Sun.) AEDT
>
> QRP General Coverage Transceivers: Bridge Between Transmitting andListening –
> Thomas Witherspoon
>; We've seen an amazing array of full-featured general-coverage
>QRPtransceivers hit the market in the past few years--during the doldrums
>ofthe solar cycle, no less. These rigs provide SWLs and even DXers a meansto
>easily escape RFI and to experiment with portable listening posts.We'll take a
>look at a number of QRP general-coverage transceivers Iconsider to be truly
>worthy, with a particular focus on the innovativeIcom IC-705.
>
>
> 2000 UTC / 1500 EST / 1200 PST / 2100 CET / 0700 (Sun.) AEDT
>
> Mr. Robinson’s Neighborhood…er, Basement – Dan Robinson
>
> Premium Receivers In A Time of Plummeting Shortwave
> With All India Radio GOS in English all but gone from shortwave andBrazil
> shifting to DRM,
> among other depressing developments, Dan takes a look at the usedreceiver
> market in 2021, including premium receivers, and discusses theJapanese Buyee
> site.
>
>
> 2300 UTC / 1800 EST / 1500 PST / 0000 (Sun.) CET / 1000 (Sun.)AEDT
> The Addictive Quality of Curiosity - Mark Fahey, Live from FreemansReach,
> Australia
> This building in the sleepy rural village of Freemans Reach insoutheast
> Australia rarely needs LOGNULL
> NowTransReader::ReadIt()JJFileMT::Truncate(1048739014) LOGNULL
> NowTransReader::ReadIt()JJFileMT::Truncate(0) heating. 18 receivers running
> 24x7x365 providecontinuous coverage from 1kHz to 12.8GHz. Can the quest for
> knowledgeever be satisfied? This presentation is a live dive into
> thepresenter’s Sisyphean obsession to monitor the world’s culture.
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Swlfest mailing list
>[email protected]
>http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/swlfest
>
> To unsubscribe: Send an E-mail to
> [email protected]?subject=unsubscribe, or visit theURL shown
> above.
>
> For more information on the Fest, visit:
>
> http://www.swlfest.com
>http://swlfest.blogspot.com
> _______________________________________________
> Swlfest mailing list
>[email protected]
>http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/swlfest
>
> To unsubscribe: Send an E-mail to
> [email protected]?subject=unsubscribe, or visit the URL shown
> above.
>
> For more information on the Fest, visit:
>
> http://www.swlfest.com
>http://swlfest.blogspot.com
_______________________________________________
Swlfest mailing list
[email protected]
http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/swlfest
To unsubscribe: Send an E-mail to
[email protected]?subject=unsubscribe, or visit theURL shown
above.
For more information on the Fest, visit:
http://www.swlfest.com
http://swlfest.blogspot.com
_______________________________________________
Swlfest mailing list
[email protected]
http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/swlfest
To unsubscribe: Send an E-mail to
[email protected]?subject=unsubscribe, or visit the URLshown
above.
For more information on the Fest, visit:
http://www.swlfest.com
http://swlfest.blogspot.com
_______________________________________________
Swlfest mailing list
[email protected]
http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/swlfest
To unsubscribe: Send an E-mail to
[email protected]?subject=unsubscribe, or visit the URL shown
above.
For more information on the Fest, visit:
http://www.swlfest.com
http://swlfest.blogspot.com
_______________________________________________
Swlfest mailing list
[email protected]
http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/swlfest
To unsubscribe: Send an E-mail to
[email protected]?subject=unsubscribe, or visit the URL shown
above.
For more information on the Fest, visit:
http://www.swlfest.com
http://swlfest.blogspot.com
