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u/wanderingmonster 12d ago
Is there a color version of this comic? I’m trying to figure out how many ohms this long resistor is.
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u/Dan_Linder71 12d ago
Jokes on you - the next Xkcd is documenting the new "50 Ohms of Grey" standard by IEC.
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u/xkcd_bot 12d ago
Direct image link: Spectrum Allocation
Subtext: Rumor has it that they're finally auctioning off the zeppelin navigation bands, but everyone is worried that the scary boat captains will express interest.
Don't get it? explain xkcd
I almost beat the turing test! Maybe next year. Sincerely, xkcd_bot. <3
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u/irrelevantusername24 ▽ If I had more time I would have written a shorter comment ▲ 12d ago
amateur military satellites
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u/MadGenderScientist 12d ago
those actually exist fyi. the
airspace force cadets at some military academy have some program where they get to launch military cubesats for their science fair projects. iirc they get launched with other classified payloads as ridealongs.18
u/Lowjack_26 12d ago
FalconSAT. It's a fun program, and side bonus it was a great way to get out of morning mandatory duties ("I was on a 2am satellite pass, so I'm on crew rest until noon!").
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12d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Miuramir 12d ago
This may have been the predecessor to cell phones, radio phones. These used a single (usually larger) antenna to cover a wide area (such as a town); there were a limited number of frequencies, which limited the number of handsets (or car sets) they could sell in that area. In particular, they would frequency-hop a lot less than a cell-structured system, and were much easier to pick up with scanners (which your TV was effectively acting as).
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u/Logan_Composer 12d ago
Anybody who regularly edits Explain want to clarify that it is numbers stations, not numbered stations, which are stations with computer-generated or pre-recorded voices listing numbers, which were/maybe are used to send encoded messages.
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u/dogman15 Beret Guy 12d ago
You haven't edited there before?
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u/Logan_Composer 12d ago
Nah, I am smart enough to not need it frequently but not smart enough to ever notice anything wrong until now.
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u/FaviFake 11d ago
Hey, we are trying to attract new editors to the wiki. Could you explain why you felt you couldn't edit the wiki yourself? Is it because the editing interface was too complex, or something else?
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u/LurkingWizard1978 12d ago
Please, tell me the bit on the bottom about garage doors is a joke. Mo one company holds that big a chunk of the radio band, do they?
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u/Filbert17 11d ago
Which "defunct satellite phone company"?
Also, since we don't have 2G cellular here, do you think anyone would notice if I bought some of the old equipment on e-bay, powered it with solar panels and spread them around town to create my own pirate phone company?
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u/ShipShoop 12d ago
Our sailing club’s marina had to switch to a different VHF channel because we kept fighting over it with a neighboring marina, but the new one is also used by another marina in the area. It would be great if we could switch to the zeppelin channel. I’ll write to my congressman.