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March 24, 2024. The Medium is the Message

A bit of magic is always a good place to start. With magic, coins appear from nowhere or perhaps with a bit of magic you can make your mother-in-law disappear. Or perhaps a new radio appears on your operating table with no idea how it got there. But as with all magic what appears to be likely is just an illusion.

Yes, your mother-in-law disappearing was just a dream, and she is still there always telling you her daughter could have married a lawyer or doctor.

For instance -- how did this radio get inside a Champagne bottle? Yes, it is a fully functional 40M SSB Transceiver!
 





Or maybe more fundamentally how with but a few hundred milliwatts of power long distance communication is possible? 
 
In the 1970's Marshall McCluhan offered a simple paradigm that the Medium is the Message and a template for the Orange Guy for his political purposes.

But our medium is ham radio and the tied at the hip connection to technology. Our message is that you have to know stuff to be a ham. For instance, you have to know where the "ON" button is for your $5K FLEX Radio and how to find the best deal on a new appliance box. Or better still how to leverage you credit card, so those purchases of expensive offshore rice boxes give you the most cash back. Yes indeed, you do know stuff!

But we really use a technically oriented medium in the conduct of our hobby and so doesn't it make sense that all hams should have some modicum of technical ability other than just contesting or operating.

73's
Pete N6QW

PS The bottle is made out of Lexan Plastic and the bottom comes off!

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