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About RF Cafe
Copyright: 1996 - 2024 Web BSEE - KB3UON RF Cafe began life in 1996 as "RF Tools" in an AOL screen name web space totaling
2 MB. Its primary purpose was to provide me with ready access to commonly needed
formulas and reference material while performing my work as an RF system and circuit
design engineer. The World Wide Web (Internet) was largely an unknown entity at
the time and bandwidth was a scarce commodity. Dial-up modems blazed along at 14.4 kbps
while typing up your telephone line, and a nice lady's voice announced "You've Got
Mail" when a new message arrived... All trademarks, copyrights, patents, and other rights of ownership to images
and text used on the RF Cafe website are hereby acknowl My Hobby Website: |
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A Ham in the Making |
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Here is a little more tech comic artistry from Bill Hutchinson. Bill created a lot of work for Popular Electronics over the years in addition to his semi-regular Hobnobbing with Harbaugh series. One of the comics mentions an operator being referred to as a 'lid.' In Hamdom, the term means a person who is incompetent or stupid. The history of 'lid' is apparently uncertain (as is 'Ham') per many sources I checked, but two explanations seem the most feasible to me (not that either is necessarily correct). The first is that in the olden days of land telegraphy, less skilled Morse code operators supposedly placed the lid of a tobacco can over the speaker to clarify and amplify the sound. The second is that 'LID' stood for "License In Doubt," meaning the operator was so bad that he likely was not certified. Enjoy. Sources: QRZ Forum, AC6V's Amateur Radio & DX Reference Guide, QSL.net A Ham in the Making By Bill Hutchison
"Just because I had a little tough luck with birdhouses and bookends..."
"Now, for $64,000.00, what operating characteristics distinguish the electron-coupled type oscillator with regard to frequency stability?"
"He overheard someone refer to him as a 'lid'!"
"One more 'dit-dah-dit', and I'll let ya have it!"
"Someone actually answered him."
"I am NOT a toaster-fixer ... I'm a radio technician!"
"No, I'm not after a license ... I want to know what he's saying on that contraption!"
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