This episode of Surfin' follows up on two previous recent episodes: "A Wireless Dilemma" from November 27 and "Twitter, Facebook and Ham Radio" from December 4.

I received a lot of e-mails and comments regarding both columns, but I expected that "Twitter, Facebook and Ham Radio" would result in more than "A Wireless Dilemma." It was just the opposite. After writing 466 installments of Surfin', I should have learned by now to expect the unexpected.

Anyway, instead of repeating bits and pieces of the e-mails and comments, I posted all of them on my blog. The "Twitter, Facebook and Ham Radio" e-mails appear here and the e-mails concerning "A Wireless Dilemma" appear here. In both cases, the e-mails follow "UPDATE," whereas the comments appear below the e-mails (click on the COMMENTS link to view them).

A Good Read

I just put down a book that I had a hard time putting down: The History of Wireless: How Creative Minds Produced Technology for the Masses by Ira Brodsky, KC9TC. Ira's book covers the history of radio communications from the days of spark to today's palm-sized wireless communicators. This book is unlike your typical history book; instead of a dry read, this book is an entertaining read and held my interest to the very end. Telescope Books published Ira's book and it is available from the usual suspects.

Merry Christmas and until next time, keep on surfin'!

Editor's note: Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU, still hopes that a retro Ideal Electronic Fighter Jet shows up for Christmas (but my brother-in-law will probably show up instead). To contact Stan, send him e-mail or add comments to his blog.

Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU
Contributing Editor