Hello All,
I've been reading the 2001 edition of the ARRL Handbook, the "bible"
for ham (amateur) radio in the US. I'm pleased to report that its
metric usage has greatly increased. New antenna projects use
millimeter dimensions ("for accuracy in duplication"), and the text
uses mostly a hard-metric (soft-converted FFU) format.
Some of the older material covering large wire antennas uses feet "so
that US hams can use their English rulers and tape measures to build
them," which gave me an idea: What if the ARRL sold metric-only tape
measures and rulers with their logo? These items would be an
additional source of income for the ARRL, and they would free US hams
from the fool's errand of having to calculate antenna dimensions in
meters and then having to convert them to feet and inches. No other
hams on the planet are saddled with this unnecessary chore.
I believe there are a few hams on the USMA list. What do you think?
Jason
