On Thu, 05 Aug 2004 06:43:08 -0700, /dev/scott0
<outsideworld@scottbrown.us> wrote:

>Then you say: "Nobody but hams use S-units" If nobody but hams use
>s-units than what good is the study guide?

Well, I have my own opinions about the validity of the question pool.
For a long time, the question pool was not being properly updated.
You couldn't buy a commercial tube radio, but all the questions
related to tubes, dynamotors, Marconi antennas, and such. I
contributed some input on the question pool in the distant past, and
am gratified to see that the questions are currently being updated and
repaired. Unfortunately, most ham radios still have signal strength
meters calibrated in S-Units. Therefore, the questions remain
relevent. My guess(tm) is that the manufacturers use S-Units to save
them the effort of properly calibrating the meter.

>The only part I remember
>about DB is in the antenna gain section, but hey, that was 5 years ago
>and if you you don't use you lose it.

Ok, you're forgiven. Open book, insert face, read, think, etc.

>Every radio I ever had (Icom, Yaesu, Kenwood, and Alinco) all showed
>signal strength in S-Units. Therefore, that is all I had to know about
>till now.

You have embarked on the road to technological nirvana by taking a
detour. I suggest you abandon the dark side and immerse yourself in
decibels, for that is the way to the enlightenment, where your
presense among those that know shall be made welcome in the common
tongue of design, which be decibels, not S-Units. You must abandon
your worship of the S-Unit, for it only leads to an amateurish dead
end. However, the road to technological nirvana is a rough road and
full of miscalculations. The journey is not an easy one as it is
written that one must suffer before enlightenment. It will be a much
easier journey if you speak the common tongue, and that be decibels.
Learn the common tongue and you shall be known as technically literate
and astute. Continue to workship the cult of the S-Unit and it can
only lead to perhaps some DX and the absurdity of the 5-9-9 signal
report.


--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@comix.santa-cruz.ca.us
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 AE6KS 831-336-2558