I've had a love/irritation relationship with NPR over the years. There's lots to like about NPR, for it has some great content and unique programming along with being one of the few sources of classical music. I like Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor, and Car Talk with those zany brothers. I appreciate Fresh Air, All Things Considered, and the in-depth news.
On the other hand, NPR has some serious negative features in my opinion. On the weekends, it has that awful Celtic music, which is repetitive, boring, and banal. Who would choose to listen to that stuff? And yet it goes on and on, year after year. There must be some heavy-duty, deluded sponsor who keeps it going. Certainly there could be far better, more creative and profitable programming to fill that slot. For a supposedly commercial-free platform, I grow weary hearing about their sponsors incessantly, and solicitations for more sponsors.
An improvement I would suggest is broadcasting scrolling text for the music being played and the composer/artist. I certainly appreciate this feature when listening to satellite radio and many other AM/FM stations. News can be broadcast this way as well while multi-tasking with other programming. I suppose it could also be used for mentioning sponsors. Perhaps this will change when stations begin HD broadcasting. But then how many people will have radios capable of receiving HD signals?
Another problem with NPR is that it seems every time I turn it on there is a fundraiser going on and on and on. While it bugs me, I usually fork over a donation every year because I want to support what I do like. However, it is usually a major inconvenience to make a contribution. I would be much more inclined to do so and more regularly if it were possible to do on my mobile phone or with PayPal instead of having to write a check, find a stamp/envelope, go to post office-fergetaboutit. Dropping everything to call on the phone and digging out a credit card isn't much better. Get with it NPR-go mobile.
Actually, NPR has gone mobile with a truncated version of its full Website. You can access it at mobile.npr.org. You'd think they would have used npr.mobi instead. There is a decent array of offerings there including "Local" News, Most Popular Stories, Story of the Day, Music, Politics, Business, Health and Science, Movies, Books, Interviews, Commentary, Wait Wait, Don't Tell Me! Quiz. Opening each of these headings brings up mostly text stories, but if the word "call" is next to a story, you can get a recording.There are some 35 "local" stations representing only the larger markets. If you want to listen to one of these stations, you can place a "call" to connect. This could cost serious money if don't have the right data plan. Hasn't NPR ever heard of Wi-Fi? You can search for a station in your area by zip code or city name, but chances are it will not be online if it's in a smaller market.
There is also an opportunity to donate to your "local" station. But, again, it's only the large market stations. The joke is that they give you a phone number to call. NPR just doesn't get it, and is losing out on the power of mobile phones as a tool for charitable contributions.
I think they need to retool their entire money-raising machine. It's outmoded and annoying, and particularly inept in this tough economy. I recently sent our regional NPR fundraising representative a proposal with an innovative approach that would have generated a sustainable residual income. She didn't even have the courtesy to respond. It's a good thing she doesn't work for me; she would be looking for another job without a recommendation.What amuses me is that the mobile version does not even mention RSS feeds, Podcasts, links for iPhone/Blackberry, text only site, API archives, Newsletters, MobiRadio, or Mspot. What about Windows Mobile?
NPR seems to be totally unencumbered with any knowledge of the interactive possibilities of mobile technology. There isn't even an opinion section on the mobile version, nor are there any blogs. NPR needs to hire someone knowledgeable in Web 2.0. NPR is missing so many opportunities. It should have a presence on all the social networks. It should be Twittering away with timely Tweets. It should be texting and allowing its sponsors to have contests, sales, promotions, conducting surveys, texting coupons, sending out optimized mobile sites, and MMS messages as well. What an incredible waste not to be building an opt-in subscriber base for fundraising and communication purposes. Shame on NPR. Does NPR stand for Neo-Paleolithic Radio?
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
listen eminem songs from radio
With the recent merger of the two main pay satellite radio services Sirius and XM Radio many people are starting to wonder how radio can survive in a world dominated by video. People enjoy the occasional audio stimulus but there is always that eternal search for the video that goes with the audio, as people seem to find it easier to associate images with events rather than just audio. As video and photographic images become more popular and become the norm for any multimedia presentation found on the internet the question becomes whether or not people still have the imagination necessary to make radio popular or whether radio will just fade away and good audio will become a permanent slave to video.
Ever since the launch of Music Television, known more widely as MTV, people have come to expect a video presentation along with their music and in some cases the video presentation has become as important, or more important, than the audio itself. While radio cannot compete with the popularity of video images there is a convenience to radio that will always assure that music has a home on your radio dial.
You cannot watch a video while driving your car, going for a jog, or shopping for groceries. Even with the introduction of the small screen video devices you still need to focus your eyes on more important things when you are doing these activities and for that reason there will always be a need for quality audio. Musicians have to focus just as much on the visual presentation of their music as they do on the actual music itself and that has changed the entire music industry but in the end it is still about the audio.
Audio will always have a home in music and regardless of how that audio is presented there will always be people that will create a demand for quality audio.But what about radio? How will radio as a medium survive these video times? It seems that one of the most basic of human activities has found a permanent and popular home on our radio airwaves and that basic human activity has not only helped radio survive but it has also helped radio expand. That basic human activity is talking.
It costs a great deal more money to put on a television program that is interactive to people all over the country but radio has the ability to create conversation with people anywhere in the world for a relatively low cost and it seems that people love talking to talk show hosts on the radio.The radio is becoming a pulpit for political pundits, a vehicle for sports figured to plead their case to the masses, and a way for civic leaders to gauge the opinion of their constituents. As long as people love to talk, and love to express their opinions, it appears as though there will always be a future for radio. Radio talk show hosts can sometimes cross lines like any television host can but it is up to the imagination of the listener to fill in the blanks left behind by this audio only medium.
Ever since the launch of Music Television, known more widely as MTV, people have come to expect a video presentation along with their music and in some cases the video presentation has become as important, or more important, than the audio itself. While radio cannot compete with the popularity of video images there is a convenience to radio that will always assure that music has a home on your radio dial.
You cannot watch a video while driving your car, going for a jog, or shopping for groceries. Even with the introduction of the small screen video devices you still need to focus your eyes on more important things when you are doing these activities and for that reason there will always be a need for quality audio. Musicians have to focus just as much on the visual presentation of their music as they do on the actual music itself and that has changed the entire music industry but in the end it is still about the audio.
Audio will always have a home in music and regardless of how that audio is presented there will always be people that will create a demand for quality audio.But what about radio? How will radio as a medium survive these video times? It seems that one of the most basic of human activities has found a permanent and popular home on our radio airwaves and that basic human activity has not only helped radio survive but it has also helped radio expand. That basic human activity is talking.
It costs a great deal more money to put on a television program that is interactive to people all over the country but radio has the ability to create conversation with people anywhere in the world for a relatively low cost and it seems that people love talking to talk show hosts on the radio.The radio is becoming a pulpit for political pundits, a vehicle for sports figured to plead their case to the masses, and a way for civic leaders to gauge the opinion of their constituents. As long as people love to talk, and love to express their opinions, it appears as though there will always be a future for radio. Radio talk show hosts can sometimes cross lines like any television host can but it is up to the imagination of the listener to fill in the blanks left behind by this audio only medium.
college radio for all students
The future of radio is at stake. As we quickly move into the 21st Century, our consumers are changing their listening mediums and we must stay abreast of those listening needs and modes.Traditional college radio broadcasts may be lost in translation if they cannot keep up with technological changes. Some radio broadcast owners are ignoring these trends, which may hurt their ratings if listeners increasingly move away from traditional college radio to college radio on the Internet. Still others perceive college radio on the Internet as a dead medium, however it can be revived if colleges continue to research listener audiences and trends.
Benefits of Having College Radio on the Internet
1. More formats are available than traditional FM college radio stations. Hundreds are available from jazz and blues to Broadway and opera, to Indie rock and adult alternative and many more.
2. Ability to listen while in multiple places such as home, work, college, library or wherever you have available broadband access.
3. With college radio on the Internet, there is no "dead air". Some college and traditional radio stations have their last broadcast ending at midnight, and the next one starts between five and seven in the morning. However, utilizing college radio on the Internet and the growing demand from students and consumers, this has the potential to increase funding and the listening audience base.
4. Set and leave it on one station without having to remember station call letters or numbers. No longer do listeners have to remember where they heard their favorite tunes on the dial. Having a college radio on the Internet can be easily bookmarked in your Favorites' list or even set as your homepage.
5. Colleges are able to increase their fan base among alumni and exchange students because with having college radio on the Internet, it can be accessed worldwide.
6. Many college radio stations on the Internet tout commercial-free listening or at least minimal interruptions. This is an important advantage for listeners who do not like all the interruptions between songs or song sets with station breaks and commercials which can last two minutes or longer.
7. Allows more opportunities for unsigned bands and musical talent to be heard on the radio. With additional opportunities for more format types, bands of all styles will have a medium in which to play their music for a specific audience. As with MySpace, unsigned or lesser known musicians and bands are trying to gain an audience base and frequently release a couple of their songs so members can upload them to their homepages. College radio on the Internet can increase that audience base by featuring the group or musician on its station and have listeners send their comments via email, blog, online poll or phone call.
8. Unlike a traditional radio station, college radio on the Internet enables listeners to skip a song. If the listener does not care for the song, he or she can merely select "skip" and move onto the next song. Only college radio on the Internet and satellite stations have this advantage.
There are many benefits to keeping college radio on the Internet. Although some college stations have abandoned this medium because it did not reap the rewards as quickly as was expected, now it has listeners' ears and they have more invested interest with this medium.
The top online radio networks include Shoutcast, Radio@AOL, and MSN Music as reported by MeasureCast, a company which provides next day audience size and demographic reports for online media networks. Only the top college radio stations online have made the top 10 list, which include a few Ohio college radio station programs too.
The top college radio broadcasts include KALX, Berkeley, CA; WNYU, New York, NY; and KTRU, Houston, TX, which was reported by adio-Locator.com. Furthermore, a notable Ohio college radio station has a list of eight college radio on the Internet stations that are broadcasted from various locations across the U.S., especially where a broadcasting school is located. Colleges and universities who have the ability and interest to support college radio on the Internet stations are able to employ its own students to undertake all tasks and responsibilities of running the online radio station. Student listeners create an instant audience base because their music interests vary and they are attracted by a variety of formats.
Because Internet based college radio stations can literally reach listeners from all corners of the world, we would think radio station owners would want to continue college radio on the Internet. Futhermore, college radio stations on the Internet, as well as traditional AM/FM formats, can run in tandem with one another without radio tower interference. However, many smaller universities and community colleges are not able to afford to keep such options on the Internet due to failing sponsorship, decreased student population, or fees required to both license music and the radio station.
Check with your local broadcasting school to find out if they continually accept students to become professional radio DJs. If you are interested in learning to become a radio DJ, video or audio producer, or in other radio and TV broadcast careers, then you will want a broadcasting school that is both credible and credentialed. Technology continues to grow and expand, so to keep up with the industry they should have the latest equipment for those wanting to learn how to become a radio DJ on a college radio station on the Internet and other radio broadcast careers.
Benefits of Having College Radio on the Internet
1. More formats are available than traditional FM college radio stations. Hundreds are available from jazz and blues to Broadway and opera, to Indie rock and adult alternative and many more.
2. Ability to listen while in multiple places such as home, work, college, library or wherever you have available broadband access.
3. With college radio on the Internet, there is no "dead air". Some college and traditional radio stations have their last broadcast ending at midnight, and the next one starts between five and seven in the morning. However, utilizing college radio on the Internet and the growing demand from students and consumers, this has the potential to increase funding and the listening audience base.
4. Set and leave it on one station without having to remember station call letters or numbers. No longer do listeners have to remember where they heard their favorite tunes on the dial. Having a college radio on the Internet can be easily bookmarked in your Favorites' list or even set as your homepage.
5. Colleges are able to increase their fan base among alumni and exchange students because with having college radio on the Internet, it can be accessed worldwide.
6. Many college radio stations on the Internet tout commercial-free listening or at least minimal interruptions. This is an important advantage for listeners who do not like all the interruptions between songs or song sets with station breaks and commercials which can last two minutes or longer.
7. Allows more opportunities for unsigned bands and musical talent to be heard on the radio. With additional opportunities for more format types, bands of all styles will have a medium in which to play their music for a specific audience. As with MySpace, unsigned or lesser known musicians and bands are trying to gain an audience base and frequently release a couple of their songs so members can upload them to their homepages. College radio on the Internet can increase that audience base by featuring the group or musician on its station and have listeners send their comments via email, blog, online poll or phone call.
8. Unlike a traditional radio station, college radio on the Internet enables listeners to skip a song. If the listener does not care for the song, he or she can merely select "skip" and move onto the next song. Only college radio on the Internet and satellite stations have this advantage.
There are many benefits to keeping college radio on the Internet. Although some college stations have abandoned this medium because it did not reap the rewards as quickly as was expected, now it has listeners' ears and they have more invested interest with this medium.
The top online radio networks include Shoutcast, Radio@AOL, and MSN Music as reported by MeasureCast, a company which provides next day audience size and demographic reports for online media networks. Only the top college radio stations online have made the top 10 list, which include a few Ohio college radio station programs too.
The top college radio broadcasts include KALX, Berkeley, CA; WNYU, New York, NY; and KTRU, Houston, TX, which was reported by adio-Locator.com. Furthermore, a notable Ohio college radio station has a list of eight college radio on the Internet stations that are broadcasted from various locations across the U.S., especially where a broadcasting school is located. Colleges and universities who have the ability and interest to support college radio on the Internet stations are able to employ its own students to undertake all tasks and responsibilities of running the online radio station. Student listeners create an instant audience base because their music interests vary and they are attracted by a variety of formats.
Because Internet based college radio stations can literally reach listeners from all corners of the world, we would think radio station owners would want to continue college radio on the Internet. Futhermore, college radio stations on the Internet, as well as traditional AM/FM formats, can run in tandem with one another without radio tower interference. However, many smaller universities and community colleges are not able to afford to keep such options on the Internet due to failing sponsorship, decreased student population, or fees required to both license music and the radio station.
Check with your local broadcasting school to find out if they continually accept students to become professional radio DJs. If you are interested in learning to become a radio DJ, video or audio producer, or in other radio and TV broadcast careers, then you will want a broadcasting school that is both credible and credentialed. Technology continues to grow and expand, so to keep up with the industry they should have the latest equipment for those wanting to learn how to become a radio DJ on a college radio station on the Internet and other radio broadcast careers.
Live Online Radio - A Thrilling Source of Fun and Entertainment
The internet has completely changed the scenario of fun and entertainment and it has opened a new world of information and knowledge. The recent developments in the domain of Internet have made our lives quite smooth and easy. Nowadays, it is not circumscribed to communication but rather it gives all sorts of entertainment. The FM radio is already available on various websites which allow the users to tune into these stations through their computers. It is now feasible to listen to current programs and songs with the help of these websites. It not is not compulsory for the users to get registered themselves in these websites but if they want to register themselves, the entire process is quite easy and it hardly takes few minutes. Now listen live radio over the Internet and experience the world-class music from anywhere with ultimate enthusiasm.
Quite interestingly, various free live radio stations have come to facilitate people to listen latest programs in order to get themselves entertained. In the present era, internet has created revolution in almost every sphere of our lives, be it sports, movies or information on diverse issues. One can also listen live radio news on different fronts like political, social as well as songs and music from numerous radio stations.
Furthermore adding to the excitement of the listeners, they can choose the channels which are compatible with their languages. Thus, listen live radio in different languages including, English, Hindi, Chinese, Japanese and many more. There is no dearth of variety of entertainment, internet has become such a medium which provides tailor-made solution on different fronts ranging from sports to entertainment to news to innumerable other fronts. The internet radio stations are getting immense popularity across the world among all the age groups. These stations also allow listeners to select their favourite music and predilections that make it more promising feature.
People can listen to their favourite online music as well as high star rated songs by accessing several websites. To add more spice, these websites also allow you to amazing features such as sending text and picture messages, playing online games, listening to several free live radio online stations and many more. There are numerous live stations which facilitate people of all around the world to listen to live online radio to keep them entertained. Thus, people can handsomely utilize the services which are being offered by these stations.
Quite interestingly, various free live radio stations have come to facilitate people to listen latest programs in order to get themselves entertained. In the present era, internet has created revolution in almost every sphere of our lives, be it sports, movies or information on diverse issues. One can also listen live radio news on different fronts like political, social as well as songs and music from numerous radio stations.
Furthermore adding to the excitement of the listeners, they can choose the channels which are compatible with their languages. Thus, listen live radio in different languages including, English, Hindi, Chinese, Japanese and many more. There is no dearth of variety of entertainment, internet has become such a medium which provides tailor-made solution on different fronts ranging from sports to entertainment to news to innumerable other fronts. The internet radio stations are getting immense popularity across the world among all the age groups. These stations also allow listeners to select their favourite music and predilections that make it more promising feature.
People can listen to their favourite online music as well as high star rated songs by accessing several websites. To add more spice, these websites also allow you to amazing features such as sending text and picture messages, playing online games, listening to several free live radio online stations and many more. There are numerous live stations which facilitate people of all around the world to listen to live online radio to keep them entertained. Thus, people can handsomely utilize the services which are being offered by these stations.
The History of Radio
The history of radio dates back to centuries ago and many people seem to be associated with it. Apart from James Clerk Maxwell there are many people who contributed to the idea of radio, some of the most famous are Michael Faraday, Friedrich Kohlrausch, Wilhelm Weber, and Heinrich Hertz. These were the people who contributed in one way or other for the development of radio.
Similarly, history of television also involves work of many scientists and engineers who work directly or indirectly for the invention and development of television. Just like history of radio, the history of television is also very vast and rich involving many people from many countries. So it would be wrong if we just mention the name of one person as many scientist, technicians, engineers work in their fields what we are seeing today as television.
Earlier television was mechanical as well as electronic gadget but later it became purely electronic item. So we can safely say that the foundation stone i.e. electromechanical principles were taken over by purely electronics as we are seeing it today. Actually, Maxwell was very impressed with electromagnetism related work of Michael Faraday. The main turning point in the development of radio started with the technical paper on Faraday's ideas on electromagnetism by Maxwell in 1855.
On the similar lines, the invention of television also involves work from several technicians, scientists and engineers who worked in different fields. Basically there are two different fields of technologies: early inventors tried to build a mechanical television on the basis of rotating disks technology by Paul Nipkow, whereas later electronic television was developed on the basis of cathode ray tube (CRT) in 1907 by English inventor Campbell and Russian scientist Boris.
We all know that over the period of time these were electronic television systems that replaced mechanical television technology due to obvious reasons, such as better performance, low heating and low power consumptions.
Similarly, history of television also involves work of many scientists and engineers who work directly or indirectly for the invention and development of television. Just like history of radio, the history of television is also very vast and rich involving many people from many countries. So it would be wrong if we just mention the name of one person as many scientist, technicians, engineers work in their fields what we are seeing today as television.
Earlier television was mechanical as well as electronic gadget but later it became purely electronic item. So we can safely say that the foundation stone i.e. electromechanical principles were taken over by purely electronics as we are seeing it today. Actually, Maxwell was very impressed with electromagnetism related work of Michael Faraday. The main turning point in the development of radio started with the technical paper on Faraday's ideas on electromagnetism by Maxwell in 1855.
On the similar lines, the invention of television also involves work from several technicians, scientists and engineers who worked in different fields. Basically there are two different fields of technologies: early inventors tried to build a mechanical television on the basis of rotating disks technology by Paul Nipkow, whereas later electronic television was developed on the basis of cathode ray tube (CRT) in 1907 by English inventor Campbell and Russian scientist Boris.
We all know that over the period of time these were electronic television systems that replaced mechanical television technology due to obvious reasons, such as better performance, low heating and low power consumptions.
radio show
Here's a nugget of know-how to encourage you to get back to the basics of broadcasting. Today's advice: Be the duck! As any waterfowl knows, in order to gracefully glide on the surface you've got to paddle like heck beneath it. The same applies to professionals in just about any field.
Tiger Woods plays golf with such elegance it seems effortless; NFL wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald makes circus catches seem like ballet moves; Brit pop singer Leona Lewis executes vocal calisthenics with ease; and then there's Ryan Seacrest: he may be overexposed but, love him or hate him, you have to admit he's likely the most successful radio/TV broadcaster working today. What makes Seacrest so good? He excels at assimilating a great deal of information and then dispersing it smoothly, flowing from topic to topic, and finally summing things up succinctly. All of these people have innate talent and, perhaps more importantly, all of them do the preparation required to ensure a great performance.
"I hate it when they talk." That comment came up in a radio audience focus group that was discussing on-air personalities. Upon investigation it was found this middle-aged female radio listener wasn't ticked with talk so much as with on-air personalities who keep talking when they have nothing to say. If you're going to have something worthwhile to say each time you crack a microphone, you're going to need useful material at your fingertips. That takes effort ahead of time.
Executing correct pronunciation of difficult names is another area that requires preparation. If you're going to be a professional sportscaster, you've got to nail them every time. To make a tough name sound effortless, you need to research the proper pronunciation and rehearse it over and over out loud until it falls off the tongue. Thanks to the Internet, finding pronunciation guides is easy. Sites such as Dictionary.com, ESPN, Voice of America, and Wikipedia provide either written or audible keys to pronunciation. If those fail, try simply Googling "(target name) is pronounced" and odds are you'll find a web page somewhere that breaks it down phonetically. Next time you're up against the likes of Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad or Major League Baseball pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, research and rehearse first, and you'll be able to toss them off smoothly. And that's just ducky!
Tiger Woods plays golf with such elegance it seems effortless; NFL wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald makes circus catches seem like ballet moves; Brit pop singer Leona Lewis executes vocal calisthenics with ease; and then there's Ryan Seacrest: he may be overexposed but, love him or hate him, you have to admit he's likely the most successful radio/TV broadcaster working today. What makes Seacrest so good? He excels at assimilating a great deal of information and then dispersing it smoothly, flowing from topic to topic, and finally summing things up succinctly. All of these people have innate talent and, perhaps more importantly, all of them do the preparation required to ensure a great performance.
"I hate it when they talk." That comment came up in a radio audience focus group that was discussing on-air personalities. Upon investigation it was found this middle-aged female radio listener wasn't ticked with talk so much as with on-air personalities who keep talking when they have nothing to say. If you're going to have something worthwhile to say each time you crack a microphone, you're going to need useful material at your fingertips. That takes effort ahead of time.
Executing correct pronunciation of difficult names is another area that requires preparation. If you're going to be a professional sportscaster, you've got to nail them every time. To make a tough name sound effortless, you need to research the proper pronunciation and rehearse it over and over out loud until it falls off the tongue. Thanks to the Internet, finding pronunciation guides is easy. Sites such as Dictionary.com, ESPN, Voice of America, and Wikipedia provide either written or audible keys to pronunciation. If those fail, try simply Googling "(target name) is pronounced" and odds are you'll find a web page somewhere that breaks it down phonetically. Next time you're up against the likes of Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad or Major League Baseball pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, research and rehearse first, and you'll be able to toss them off smoothly. And that's just ducky!
Getting Licensed in Amateur Radio is Easier Than You Think
Now that you've decided to try your hand at amateur radio, you may wonder: what's the next step? What's involved, and what does it cost? As a member of a ham radio club, I get those questions all the time. I'm always eager to talk about amateur radio, but I find occasionally that a little explanation is in order.
Some people confuse ham radio with the Family Radio Service or Citizens Band. Those are designed for folks who just want to chat over short distances--really short, in the case of FRS--using inexpensive equipment that doesn't require a license. Amateur radio is more involved, but it also offers the hobbyist more choices and opportunities. It is designed to be the experimenter's service, so the FCC permits a wide range of activity. A deeper discussion of the hobby will be saved for a later column. For now, we want to talk about how you can jump into the wonderful world of amateur radio.
First, a little primer about licensing. There are three classes of license in the Amateur Radio Service: Technician, General, and Amateur Extra. Each offers a certain amount of privileges, which increase as you progress to a higher class or level. The wonderful thing is, though, that you decide how far you want to go. Many folks attain Extra Class, but others are quite content with a lower class of license. All three levels offer great opportunities to operate across the radio spectrum using a wide variety of equipment. So you're not likely to get bored. You proceed at a pace that's comfortable for you, and upgrade when and if you wish.
The Technician and General Class exams have 35 multiple-choice questions; the Extra Class exam has 50 questions. A passing score of 70% is required for all exams. That equates to 26 correct answers on the Technician and General Class exams, and 37 correct on the Extra Class exam.
You will start with the Technician Class exam. Study guides are available from a number of sources, including, the American Radio Relay League (arrl.org), the W5YI Group (w5yi.org), and Amateur Electronic Supply (aesham.com), among others. At least one Web site, QRZ.com, offers online practice tests. You can "test" yourself to see how well your studying is going.
However, before even doing that, I suggest you track down a ham radio operator to act as a mentor (known as an Elmer). You will probably have some questions as you study the material. Plus, your Elmer can help you find an exam session. Once licensed, your Elmer will help you choose the right equipment, and will review with you the on-air procedures and etiquette.
Do you have a ham radio operator for a neighbor or a co-worker? If not, the Web site for the American Radio Relay League can help. Click on the "Clubs" link found near the top of the home page, and follow the instructions from there. Feel free to visit a couple clubs. Find one that you're comfortable with, and mention that you're interested in finding an Elmer.
Once you're "ticketed" (as we call it) and have your equipment, it's time to start taking advantage of the wonderful opportunities available to you. Among these are charity rides and walks. Public service is very important to ham radio operators, who provide basic communications for the larger walks and rides in your area. Sign up, and join your fellow hams as they provide an important service to a very worthwhile cause.Sound exciting? What are you waiting for? Take that first step toward earning your amateur radio license, and you'll be well on your way to a very rewarding "career."
Some people confuse ham radio with the Family Radio Service or Citizens Band. Those are designed for folks who just want to chat over short distances--really short, in the case of FRS--using inexpensive equipment that doesn't require a license. Amateur radio is more involved, but it also offers the hobbyist more choices and opportunities. It is designed to be the experimenter's service, so the FCC permits a wide range of activity. A deeper discussion of the hobby will be saved for a later column. For now, we want to talk about how you can jump into the wonderful world of amateur radio.
First, a little primer about licensing. There are three classes of license in the Amateur Radio Service: Technician, General, and Amateur Extra. Each offers a certain amount of privileges, which increase as you progress to a higher class or level. The wonderful thing is, though, that you decide how far you want to go. Many folks attain Extra Class, but others are quite content with a lower class of license. All three levels offer great opportunities to operate across the radio spectrum using a wide variety of equipment. So you're not likely to get bored. You proceed at a pace that's comfortable for you, and upgrade when and if you wish.
The Technician and General Class exams have 35 multiple-choice questions; the Extra Class exam has 50 questions. A passing score of 70% is required for all exams. That equates to 26 correct answers on the Technician and General Class exams, and 37 correct on the Extra Class exam.
You will start with the Technician Class exam. Study guides are available from a number of sources, including, the American Radio Relay League (arrl.org), the W5YI Group (w5yi.org), and Amateur Electronic Supply (aesham.com), among others. At least one Web site, QRZ.com, offers online practice tests. You can "test" yourself to see how well your studying is going.
However, before even doing that, I suggest you track down a ham radio operator to act as a mentor (known as an Elmer). You will probably have some questions as you study the material. Plus, your Elmer can help you find an exam session. Once licensed, your Elmer will help you choose the right equipment, and will review with you the on-air procedures and etiquette.
Do you have a ham radio operator for a neighbor or a co-worker? If not, the Web site for the American Radio Relay League can help. Click on the "Clubs" link found near the top of the home page, and follow the instructions from there. Feel free to visit a couple clubs. Find one that you're comfortable with, and mention that you're interested in finding an Elmer.
Once you're "ticketed" (as we call it) and have your equipment, it's time to start taking advantage of the wonderful opportunities available to you. Among these are charity rides and walks. Public service is very important to ham radio operators, who provide basic communications for the larger walks and rides in your area. Sign up, and join your fellow hams as they provide an important service to a very worthwhile cause.Sound exciting? What are you waiting for? Take that first step toward earning your amateur radio license, and you'll be well on your way to a very rewarding "career."
radio
The idea of using radio as a marketing source for insurance leads is attractive. Not only will having your own radio show make you a local celebrity but it will enhance your prospects view of your stature. Producing radio shows on a regular basis can be time consuming and can require organization that most insurance salespeople can not provide.
The secret is outsourcing. Outsourcing the radio marketing operation to a pre-approved script which contains interest hooks, a sound engineer to facilitate the show, a qualified time buyer to find the best slots and a call in net for collecting the leads. Outsourcing is the key for the busy working insurance agent. The question to answer and to make certain is correct for you is how far to outsource. The temptation to outsource all operations including the "voice" option is alluring because it makes the whole marketing issue someone else's issue and problem. Using a 'talent" to voice your show is an error. The beauty of the system is the relationship to the agent and the listener. To outsource the voice is to give away your marketing advantage and to lose the personality of your own show.
I am a big believer in outsourcing as much of a marketing system as makes sense. To not use your own personality to convey your personality to the listener is a huge mistake. The bond built with the listener can transfer to a business relationship but only if the radio talent is also the agent who works the leads. Outsource to professionals the things that professionals can do and remember you are the professional whose voice and personality builds repore with the listener and the future prospect.
The secret is outsourcing. Outsourcing the radio marketing operation to a pre-approved script which contains interest hooks, a sound engineer to facilitate the show, a qualified time buyer to find the best slots and a call in net for collecting the leads. Outsourcing is the key for the busy working insurance agent. The question to answer and to make certain is correct for you is how far to outsource. The temptation to outsource all operations including the "voice" option is alluring because it makes the whole marketing issue someone else's issue and problem. Using a 'talent" to voice your show is an error. The beauty of the system is the relationship to the agent and the listener. To outsource the voice is to give away your marketing advantage and to lose the personality of your own show.
I am a big believer in outsourcing as much of a marketing system as makes sense. To not use your own personality to convey your personality to the listener is a huge mistake. The bond built with the listener can transfer to a business relationship but only if the radio talent is also the agent who works the leads. Outsource to professionals the things that professionals can do and remember you are the professional whose voice and personality builds repore with the listener and the future prospect.
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