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Comment Neat idea, BUT ... (Score 1) 3

Please, please, PLEASE do not use this device in the amateur radio bands (or any other band, for that matter) without first obtaining all certifications and licenses that are required by law.

Amateur radio operators are very welcoming to new LEGAL users of the amateur spectrum - they do NOT tolerate pirate/unlicensed activity.

I'm very surprised that the kickstarter campaign doesn't mention FCC compliance testing in their 'known risks' category. Getting an intentional radiator tested and approved/certificated is not a trivial exercise, even if it's sold as a kit. If they intend to leave 'out of band transmit' enabled, they're going to run afoul of a ton of Part 2 and Part 15 rules.

Submission + - Get started with two nerdy hobbies at once. The HamShield for Arduino! (kickstarter.com) 3

belial writes: For the past year, Casey Halverson, Morgan Redfield and Nigel Vander Houwen have been working on a not-actually-secret project at Seattle's Metrix Create:Space. The HAMShield for Arduino, a shield that incorporates a SDR and low noise amplifier in the VHF and UHF bands!

In the first 12 hours of it being on Kickstarter, it passed the halfway mark, pretty much guaranteeing its funding. What would you make with one of these if you had one, and how do you think this is going to change the Amateur Radio landscape?

Comment Re:bit coin doesn't solve the strategic issue. (Score 1) 359

Take the unemployed into government jobs. Forbid utilities from increasing their price (but giving them "subsidies"). In 3 or 4 years Greece will be a FINE place to live. You'll see a lot of expensive cars in the streets, lots of new buildings, overall support for the government. The president will be re-elected with an overwhelming majority. And in 10 to 15 years Greece will be struggling again. How do I know? Because as an Argentinian, this is what i live with every day.

So Argentina "Atlas Shrugged" itself into an unholy mess? Whoda thunk it?

Sounds like the Obama plan - free phones, free healthcare, free money!

Comment Re:The future is coming. (Score 1) 214

It's advantageous because of the reduced weight of wiring.

The real advantage comes from using electrically-driven valves in IC engines. You can eliminate the camshaft, camshaft bearings and associated holes that penetrate the head, the lifters, rockers, timing gears/chain/belt, etc, and more importantly have infinite variable-valve timing, which is a holy grail of efficiency.

You can also have a much smaller starter motor, as well as smaller alternator (higher voltage but smaller windings due to lower current for the same power output). If you're very clever, you could combine the two into a motor around the perimeter of the flywheel.

In addition, electrically-driven AC starts looking do-able, as well as electrically-driven power steering pumps (already exist - my Mini has it) and water pumps (with this you can eliminate the thermostat - just vary the speed of the pump).

Will all that you could end up with a completely beltless engine with no crank pulley on the front of the motor - the only holes would be for spark plugs and either fuel/air (non direct-injection) or air + direct injection in the heads and the power output shaft out the rear of the block.

Comment Which is it, artificial or synthetic? (Score 2) 57

The article calls the cells 'artificial' and the blood 'synthetic' - I would argue that the cells are not artificial but merely exogenous since they arise from the same stem cells 'normal' blood comes from and are simply grown external to the body (and are indistinguishable from 'real' RBCs, presumably). An artificial cell would be: 1) a cell-like nano-machine manufactured to carry O2, or 2) a living cell derived from other types of cells that has been coaxed into carrying O2 but was not grown from RBC-producing stem cells.

If the non-RBC components of the blood are not similarly derived or do not come from actual fractionated whole blood or plasma, then I agree that the blood is synthetic.

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