More wired Chinese tuning into Amateur Radio

BEIJING (Reuters Life!) - When it comes to high-tech, China has it all. But in the country with the most Internet users in the world, some are choosing to stay in touch through an older device: the radio.

Armed with antennas, transmitters and receivers, a growing number of Chinese amateur radio operators, or radio hams, send out encoded messages and simple broadcasts in the hope of getting a response.

Of the world's three million amateur radio operators, up to 90,000 are in China, according to the Chinese Radio Sports Association which oversees licensing for hobbyists in the world's most populous country.

The number has been steadily growing in recent years, the association said, despite mobile phones and the Internet becoming commonplace in nearly all the country.

Chinese Hams grow in numbers

EI2GBW/GB2EI Celebrate Maritime Return

Fastnet Line reinstitutes ferry service between Cork and Swansea beginning in 2010.

The Ei2GBW and GB2Ei special event stations celebrate the return of this historical link between Ireland and Wales. The service provided by six ferry ships each named Innisfallen began in 1896.

Pictured above (see link below) is the third Innisfallen, which served the route from 1948 to 1967 (I've sailed on it myself, Radio Guy). This ship, known affectionately to locals as D'Innis, brought a new style and class to the route.

The sixth Innisfallen, pictured in link below, is an even larger 21,699 gross tons and begins regular service on 1 March 2010.

Special Event Station Swansea-Cork Ferry

Mountain Top Ham Radio

A lot of people may already know of Diana Eng. She was one of the contestants, the so-called "fashion nerd", on the second season of Project Runway.

She's also been a guest blogger on CRAFT and is the author of the new book Fashion Geek: Clothes Accessories Tech. And Diana Eng is no poser nerd. To prove it, she's here to talk about... ham radio?

That's right, Diana is a licensed ham! She loves the hobby and is excited about introducing a new generation of amateurs to it. She'll be contributing some posts here about ham, like this convention report, and doing some radio projects.

Diana Eng talks Ham Radio