About

Richard Clem is an attorney in Minnesota and has been in practice for 25 years.  He has been an amateur radio operator for 40 years, and holds the call sign W0IS.   You can contact him at clem.law@usa.net.  You can visit his other web pages at the following links:

http://www.w0is.com

http://www.richardclem.com

6 thoughts on “About

  1. Stephen Walters

    The FCC is asking for comments on a proposal to require manufacturers to lock down computing devices (routers, PCs, phones) to prevent modification if they have a “modular wireless radio” (a Wi-Fi network adapter for example)(x-post /r/Technology)

    https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10139679

    https://libreplanet.org/wiki/Save_WiFi/Individual_Comments

    https://www.reddit.com/r/linux/comments/3it8ch/the_fcc_is_asking_for_comments_on_a_proposal_to/

    https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2015/08/06/2015-18402/equipment-authorization-and-electronic-labeling-for-wireless-devices

    Being a legal man, you might find this of interest.

    Stephen
    G7VFY

    Reply
  2. Mike

    I have been tiring for some time to find the answer to my question. “What rank was a merchant marine radio officer?” The job title says he was a ships ‘officer.” But, everyone commissioned was an officer with rank. Such as: Ensign, Jr Lt., Lt, etc: etc. Was a radio officer a “warrant officer or a regular officer?” He was not licensed to stand navigation watch, but he was officer on watch in the radio dept. So would that make him equivalent to a deck/engineer officer? How about the rank of the chief radio officer (master of the radio dept.) Would he be equal to the master (deck dept) and /or Chief engineer (master of engineering dept)? Just some thoughts on my understanding of the radio officer position on board ship.

    P.S. I know a ships master has over all command, but, such an understanding by a tough old sea dog chief engineer might bring up some other understanding on the matter.

    Reply
    1. Keith

      Hi Mike
      This is a bit dated. I was a 3rd Radio Officer for APL in1969. A rookie job, I went back to school after a summer at sea. The position, I was told by the American Radio Officers Union (I think it was), had “rank” equivalent to Lt.(j.g.) in the US Navy, meaning, in theory and by law, that a 3RO could be drafted into the Naval Reserve at that rank in time of declared war. The Chief Radio Officer of my vessel was third from the Captain to command the ship. Drawing on some later experience, I would say that the Chief RO’s rank equivalent would have been Commander. Lest that seem high, the Navy ranks Battle Group Meteorologist and Cryptographer at Captain level, though not with a command stripe. The Chief RO would have had the career experience of those two positions, but not necessarily at that level of technical breadth and depth, having met all three positions over the years. Hope that helps. 73

      Reply
      1. Keith Jones

        Keith, Dad worked on APL’s, Matsons, PFE, etc. during this time. He sailed 28 years working refer, engine room, sometimes 2nd Engineer through the MFOW mostly out of SFO. Also rode a lot of old Victories to Viet Nam.
        73’s
        Keith

        Reply
  3. Drew Lawson

    I have an old (1934-1935)) annual of the UK comic Chums.
    Within it are 8 pages showing kids how to make their own television from scraps for “a few shillings or pence”.
    It’s for a J.L. Baird type of TV.
    Would this be of interest to TV mechanics historians?
    If so, what should I do with them?

    Reply

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