Apple "says" they care about consumer safety but what Apple says and what
Apple "does" are two completely different things with respect to FM radio.

*FM radio chips make sense from a public safety aspect alone*
<https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/fm-radio-in-smartphones/>

The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) has been asking mobile
manufacturers to allow cellphone owners the safety of FM radio for years.
"'From a public safety aspect alone, it makes sense to enable radio
on smartphones. Broadcast radio plays an important role as first
informers in local communities, providing up-to-the-minute information
when disaster strikes,' said Dennis Wharton, an executive vice president
with the NAB. 'By equipping mobile devices with radio capability,
wireless carriers allow Americans to tap into that valuable public
resource.'"

Even the FCC agrees with the NAB.
"Digital Trends reached out to the Federal Communications Commission,
which promptly pointed us to a speech chairman Ajit Pai gave at a
North American Broadcasters Association event. At the event, Pai
largely agreed with the NAB's position, noting how important the
radio could be in emergencies. 'You could make a case for activating
chips on public safety grounds alone. Most consumers would love to
access some of their favorite content over-the-air, while using
one-sixth of the battery life and less data,' continued Pai."

So why doesn't Apple allow consumers basic safety measures on the phone?
"Apple's not going to change its mind anytime soon. Recently, the
company was urged to enable the FM radio on the iPhone after a
horrific hurricane and fire season. Again, things boil down to why
Apple may not want consumers to use the radio, and again, a possible
culprit is music streaming.

Apple Music has become popular, and the company may not want to
jeopardize subscriptions with free radio."

That article, from 2017, predicted that FM radio use would increase.
"The tides seem to be changing. More manufacturers are adopting FM radio,
and some carriers even encourage it. But there are holdouts - Apple
being the biggest.

If you want an FM radio, you may need to make the switch to Android.
As far as disasters are concerned, it certainly can't hurt to have
a battery-powered radio in your arsenal."

In summary, Apple only "says" they care about consumer safety as what Apple
does in the case of FM radio is the exact opposite of what Apple says.
--
The iKooks hate the truth about Apple product so much they lie about them.

Your Name <YourName@YourISP.com> wrote

>> My second motorola phone did not mention FM radio, but when I initially
>> cloned it over from my previous phone, the FM radio app was installed
>> and actually works.
>
> The FM radio app on my mother's previous Samsung phone only works if
> you plug in wired ear / headphones because it uses the wire as the
> antenna. Her current Samsung phone doesn't have a headphone jack, but I
> don't know if it still has the FM radio app (she hasn't and wouldn't
> ever use it anyway) - I would guess not.

Only new Apple phones, as a brand, prevent emergency radio safety.

Despite Apple's ads about caring for consumer safety, the real reason Apple
doesn't allow its users basic safety is said to be their streaming revenue
(at least according to this article which came out when Apple removed this
important basic emergency safety feature from all new iPhones since then).

*FM radio chips make sense from a public safety aspect alone*
<https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/fm-radio-in-smartphones/>

So if you own an iPhone, Apple's claim they care about your safety with
their satellite SOS is proven to be a lie by their lack of emergency radio.
<https://groups.google.com/g/misc.phone.mobile.iphone/c/LXHBEnnISyA>

Luckily, if you want the safety of an emergency radio, Android has it.

You can check if a phone has the emergency radio at the versus site, e.g.,
<https://versus.com/en/google-pixel/radio>
Which says 56% of Android phones have the FM radio as of today's report.

Here are the results for my free Samsung Galaxy A32-54G, for example:
<https://i.postimg.cc/5NSxqRHj/fmradio02.jpg> 56% Androids have the FM IC

BTW, recently I ran a search to show Alan Baker and Arno Welzel that their
absurd claims were completely wrong in terms of which phones have radios.
<https://versus.com/en/samsung-galaxy-a32-5g/radio>

The result said most Android phones today come not only with the aux slot
but also an FM IC (both of which are required to use the emergency radio).

For Samsung alone (which the iKooks & Arno claimed had no aux jacks)...

*There are 58 recent (2021 to current) Samsung models with the 3.5mm jack*
<https://www.gsmarena.com/results.php3?nYearMin=2021&chk35mm=selected&sMakers=9&sAvailabilities=1,2&sOSes=2>

*There are 26 recent (2022 to current) Samsung models with the 3.5mm jack*
<https://www.gsmarena.com/results.php3?nYearMin=2022&chk35mm=selected&sMakers=9&sAvailabilities=1,2&sOSes=2>

In summary, as a brand, only Apple denies the consumer the choice of buying
a new phone that has this basic industry standard consumer safety feature.
--
What Apple says it does is quite different from what Apple actually does.

On 2023-11-17 13:02, Wally J wrote:
> Apple "says" they care about consumer safety but what Apple says and what
> Apple "does" are two completely different things with respect to FM radio.

The "industry standard antenna port"?

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

"Carlos E. R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> wrote

>> The result said most Android phones today come not only with the aux slot
>> but also an FM IC (both of which are required to use the emergency radio).
>
> I have the suspicion that the radio could be re-designed to use the
> screen wire on the USB cable instead of the screen wire on the audio jack.

Hi Carlos,

I will agree with anyone who makes a sensible logical assessment, where I'd
agree with you if they 'wanted' to add an FM antenna, they probably could.

You make sense where the article I quoted suggested the real reason Apple
doesn't have this consumer safety feature is the risk to streaming revenue.

The article also suggested that the carriers want to protect data revenue,
but nowadays, for most carriers in the USA, that doesn't seem to be a cost.

As to your astute point, certainly they could re-design the phone to add
the capability for "one more antenna" (even as an FM antenna is long).
<https://gegcalculators.com/fm-transmitter-antenna-length-calculator/>

BTW, as a basic emergency safety feature, most Androids have the aux jack,
where the iKooks and Arno Welzel are unaware "most" here means 75% of them!

1,907 Androids offered for sale since 2019 have the required AUX jack.
<https://www.gsmarena.com/results.php3?nYearMin=2019&chk35mm=selected&sAvailabilities=1,2&sOSes=2>
Which is 75% of the total of 2,548 Android models offered for sale.
<https://www.gsmarena.com/results.php3?nYearMin=2019&sAvailabilities=1,2&sOSes=2>

It's amazing how wrong Arno & the iKooks are when it's 3/4 of all models!

As for FM Radio, 1,257 Androids (50%) have the FM radio emergency feature.
<https://www.gsmarena.com/results.php3?nYearMin=2019&chkFMradio=selected&sAvailabilities=1,2&sOSes=2>

Where 1,163 (46%) have both the emergency FM radio & the standard jack.
<https://www.gsmarena.com/results.php3?nYearMin=2019&chk35mm=selected&chkFMradio=selected&sAvailabilities=1,2&sOSes=2>

Let's look at the 1,801 (71%) with the all-important portable memory slot.
<https://www.gsmarena.com/results.php3?nYearMin=2019&sAvailabilities=1,2&sOSes=2&idCardslot=1>

And the 112 with a removable battery, which is less than 5% unfortunately.
<https://www.gsmarena.com/search.php3?nYearMin=2019&sAvailabilities=1,2&sOSes=2&idBatRemovable=1>

Ion summary, I agree with you that they "could" have probably designed the
phone to use something else than the industry standard aux port, but the
good news is that half of all Androids already have FM _and_ the aux port.

Even better, 3/4ths of all Android phones today have the aux port itself.

Which is why it's a strange thing when you hear only the iKooks (and Arno)
claiming that the aux jack at 3/4 and the sdslot at almost the same
percentage is gone. It's not. They're all just ignorant of the facts.
--
My role is to flesh out news, solutions and technical issues on this ng.

a. AUX Jacks are 75% of Android models, *0% choice for iPhones*
b. FM Radio is 50% of Android models, *0% choice for iPhones*
c. Portable memory is 71% of Android models, *0% choice for iPhones*

Given nobody sensible would claim a phone without the AUX jack is more
functional than a phone without it (as without it, the phone is less
functional by definition)...

And given nobody sensible would claim an FM radio isn't an important safety
feature in a phone during an emergency...

Nor would anyone who understands the power of portable memory disagree that
it's a very handy way to privately move data between devices...

Of the total of 2,548 Android models offered for sale from 2019 to today...
<https://www.gsmarena.com/results.php3?nYearMin=2019&sAvailabilities=1,2&sOSes=2>

For the AUX jack, 1,907 (75%) of current Android models meet this standard.
<https://www.gsmarena.com/results.php3?nYearMin=2019&chk35mm=selected&sAvailabilities=1,2&sOSes=2>

As for FM Radio, 1,257 Androids (50%) have the FM radio emergency feature.
<https://www.gsmarena.com/results.php3?nYearMin=2019&chkFMradio=selected&sAvailabilities=1,2&sOSes=2>

Where 1,163 (46%) have both the emergency FM radio & the standard AUX jack.
<https://www.gsmarena.com/results.php3?nYearMin=2019&chk35mm=selected&chkFMradio=selected&sAvailabilities=1,2&sOSes=2>

Let's look at the 1,801 (71%) with the all-important portable-memory slot.
<https://www.gsmarena.com/results.php3?nYearMin=2019&sAvailabilities=1,2&sOSes=2&idCardslot=1>

But only 112 with a removable battery, which is less than 5% unfortunately.
<https://www.gsmarena.com/search.php3?nYearMin=2019&sAvailabilities=1,2&sOSes=2&idBatRemovable=1>

Compare those choices Android users have to those of the poor Apple user.
AUX <https://www.gsmarena.com/search.php3?nYearMin=2019&chk35mm=selected&sAvailabilities=1,2&sOSes=3>
FM <https://www.gsmarena.com/search.php3?nYearMin=2019&chkFMradio=selected&sAvailabilities=1,2&sOSes=3>
SD <https://www.gsmarena.com/search.php3?nYearMin=2019&chkFMradio=selected&sAvailabilities=1,2&sOSes=3&idCardslot=1>

In summary, the choices for Android are:
a. 75% AUX
b. 50% FM Radio
c. 71% SD SLOT

That's a _lot_ of choices (especially compared to Apple choices):
a. 0% AUX
b. 0% FM Radio
c. 0% SD SLOT

The lack of basic hardware functionality on iPhones is yet another reason
why anyone claiming to "compare" the two platforms, has to ignore
everything that makes a phone useful - as the iPhone lacks basic hardware.
--
My role is to provide the facts, and to confront the morons who only know
the fantastically unbelievable bullshit that Apple MARKETING has fed them.

On 2023-11-17, Wally J <walterjones@invalid.nospam> wrote:
> Apple "says" they care about consumer safety but what Apple says and what
> Apple "does" are two completely different things with respect to FM radio.
>
> *FM radio chips make sense from a public safety aspect alone*
> <https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/fm-radio-in-smartphones/>
>
> The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) has been asking mobile
> manufacturers to allow cellphone owners the safety of FM radio for years.
i Imagine harboring such an irrational hatred of Apple that you find
yourself simping for ...FM radio stations... 🤣 You can't make this shit
up, folks! 🤡

--
E-mail sent to this address may be devoured by my ravenous SPAM filter.
I often ignore posts from Google. Use a real news client instead.

JR

On 2023-11-17, Wally J <walterjones@invalid.nospam> wrote:
> Your Name <YourName@YourISP.com> wrote
>
>>> My second motorola phone did not mention FM radio, but when I
>>> initially cloned it over from my previous phone, the FM radio app
>>> was installed and actually works.
>>
>> The FM radio app on my mother's previous Samsung phone only works if
>> you plug in wired ear / headphones because it uses the wire as the
>> antenna. Her current Samsung phone doesn't have a headphone jack, but
>> I don't know if it still has the FM radio app (she hasn't and
>> wouldn't ever use it anyway) - I would guess not.
>
> Only new Apple phones, as a brand, prevent emergency radio safety.

Summary: Arlen is so triggered by the fact that Apple is offering its
awesome SOS via satellite service for free that he is digging around for
articles from 2017 about ancient FM radio in a feeble attempt to paint
Apple as supposedly "not caring about customer safety". You can't make
this shit up, folks. Arlen *really* wants to convince you that FM radio
with its limited range and questionable emergency services is somehow
*safer* than SOS satellite technology. 🤣 What a fucking loser!

--
E-mail sent to this address may be devoured by my ravenous SPAM filter.
I often ignore posts from Google. Use a real news client instead.

JR

On 2023-11-17, Wally J <walterjones@invalid.nospam> wrote:
> Apple "says" they care about consumer safety but what Apple says and what
> Apple "does" are two completely different things with respect to FM radio.
>
> *FM radio chips make sense from a public safety aspect alone*
> <https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/fm-radio-in-smartphones/>

Summary: Arlen is so triggered by the fact that Apple is offering its
awesome SOS via satellite service for free that he is digging around for
articles from 2017 about ancient FM radio in a feeble attempt to paint
Apple as supposedly "not caring about customer safety". You can't make
this shit up, folks. Arlen *really* wants to convince you that FM radio
with its limited range and questionable emergency services is somehow
*safer* than SOS satellite technology. 🤣 What a fucking loser!

--
E-mail sent to this address may be devoured by my ravenous SPAM filter.
I often ignore posts from Google. Use a real news client instead.

JR

On 2023-11-17 20:47, Jolly Roger wrote:
> On 2023-11-17, Wally J <walterjones@invalid.nospam> wrote:
>> Apple "says" they care about consumer safety but what Apple says and what
>> Apple "does" are two completely different things with respect to FM radio.
>>
>> *FM radio chips make sense from a public safety aspect alone*
>> <https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/fm-radio-in-smartphones/>
>>
>> The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) has been asking mobile
>> manufacturers to allow cellphone owners the safety of FM radio for years.
> i
> Imagine harboring such an irrational hatred of Apple that you find
> yourself simping for ...FM radio stations... 🤣 You can't make this shit
> up, folks! 🤡

Radio is an area that preppers are keen about. And a keen prepper would
make sure he has a standalone radio that receives at least AM/FM if not
a much wider range of bands. Such radios are often hand crankable to
charge the battery. The whole notion of this in a cell phone is not
fringe, but close to it.

Short version: if it's safety critical - get a dedicated radio.

In the meantime, most popular FM (and AM) stations here (and most
everywhere) stream their content if that is really what one wants.

Personally haven't listened to AM/FM in decades except to test a radio out.

--
“Markets can remain irrational longer than your can remain solvent.”
- John Maynard Keynes.

On 17.11.23 22:02, Wally J wrote:
> Apple "does" are two completely different things with respect to FM radio.

Will be turned off in Europe anyway quite soon.
Super old technology. *ROTFLSTC*.

--
"Gutta cavat lapidem." (Ovid)

Jörg Lorenz <hugybear@gmx.net> wrote:
> On 17.11.23 22:02, Wally J wrote:
>> Apple "does" are two completely different things with respect to FM radio.
>
> Will be turned off in Europe anyway quite soon.
> Super old technology. *ROTFLSTC*.

Nope.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/analogue-radio-stations-licence-renewal-ofcom-classic-fm-talksport-a9599071.html

Norway has done and the Swiss will do soon, but other than that no other
country has plans.

On 2023-11-17 15:39, Wally J wrote:

Lots of half truths.

> a. AUX Jacks are 75% of Android models, *0% choice for iPhones*

True if you consider phones still available from quite a while ago
(going all the way back to 2001)...

....but not true of you look at phones from the last 5 years.

> b. FM Radio is 50% of Android models, *0% choice for iPhones*

Not close to true of phones from the last 5 years.

> c. Portable memory is 71% of Android models, *0% choice for iPhones*

Not true for phones from the last 5 years.

AJL <noemail@none.com> wrote

>> For about the same footprint, consider keeping a HAM radio on the
>> charger.
>
> I do have an Advanced Class ham ticket but haven't used it in years.
> Think the Internet spoiled things...

Don't get me wrong, I really liked the neat FM radio you showed.
<https://www.radioddity.com/products/raddy-rf75a>

It's similar in footprint to this radio I got from a neighborhood event.
<https://i.postimg.cc/1zvGYNZt/hamradio.jpg>

I like your FM radio. You need it because your phone OEM saved a few
cents (at your expense) by not providing both the radio & the jack.

I was just clarifying that, in emergencies, HAM is nice in addition to FM.

The Apple iKooks are stupid in that they don't realize Apple lies to them
when Apple claims to care about their emergencies (with SOS subscriptions).

If Apple really cared, they'd let them have FM radio's for free also.
But FM radios would cut into lucrative music-streaming subscriptions.

>> I live in the boonies in a high fire danger area with windy mountain
>> roads and with the San Andreas Fault line within eyesight and we
>> have outages.
>>
>> While the PG&E power goes out monthly, we only get evacuation orders
>> once every few decades - but it's going to happen. Again. And again
>> it will.
>
> I live in a gated retirement community with around 8000 homes (will be
> 10K on buildout) in a metro area of 6M folks. The power hasn't gone out
> in over a year. We live in vastly different settings...

Understood. We are subject to EPSS which is PG&E's way to punish us for
making them go out of business years ago when they burned a whole town.

So now, the power goes out two and three times a month in the dry months
(which, in California, is most of the year) but only about once a month on
the winter wet season (which started today, by the way, as it's raining).

Of course every one of us (thousands upon thousands of homes in the
mountains) has a 240VAC generator or two, plus battery backups, etc.

We even have special meters from PG&E that we can hook our generators up
_directly_ to the meter when the power goes out. Fancy that from PG&E!

I think they give them to us for free because our power goes out that much
so the CPUC forced them to do it as PG&E has the same attitude as Apple.

>> As a neighborhood, we went down to the local fire station years ago
>> to get our HAM radio licenses and each of us is tuned to the same
>> repeater freq.
>
>> In an emergency, the ability for two-way communication can be
>> important. And it's about the same cost & footprint as your (rather
>> nice) FM radio.
>
> If you're talking using 2 meter repeaters the handhelds are quite a bit
> more than 50 bucks...

I am one person who is not afraid to say I'm ignorant, where you saying
that means you know more than I do and I accept that and learn from you.

The only thing I know about HAM radio is what I needed to learn to pass the
test and after that, like you, I forgot about most of it over time.

So you know a lot more than I do as I only did it as a community event
for safety reasons (given we live in the highest fire danger area possible,
and we can see the San Andreas Fault, and our PG&E power goes out two and
three times a week in the dry EPSS periods but only monthly in the winter).

Is my radio any good?

If you look at the picture I provided you, the radios I have are
BAOFENG UV-5R
Are they any good?

The reason I don't know is _everyone_ in the neighborhood has them.
That's many hundreds of people who all have the same HAM radio as I do.

What happened is one HAM enthusiast aficionado long ago sent out a
suggestion we all chip in twenty-five bucks each and that would cover the
radio and the testing - which was why those two radios plus two tests cost
me only fifty bucks (one for my wife and the other for me).

We have sequential federal Id's (ain't that sweet) where I don't remember
them so since they have to be used, I write them on the back of the radio.

Are those BAOFENG UV-5R radios any good?
--
Usenet is an approach to find people who know more than you do, & then to
discuss things with them such that you learn from their added knowledge.

Alan Browne <bitbucket@blackhole.com> wrote

> Radio is an area that preppers are keen about. And a keen prepper would
> make sure he has a standalone radio that receives at least AM/FM if not
> a much wider range of bands. Such radios are often hand crankable to
> charge the battery. The whole notion of this in a cell phone is not
> fringe, but close to it.
>
> Short version: if it's safety critical - get a dedicated radio.
>
> In the meantime, most popular FM (and AM) stations here (and most
> everywhere) stream their content if that is really what one wants.
>
> Personally haven't listened to AM/FM in decades except to test a radio out.

While Apple is the George Santos of the smartphone industry... the iKooks
only have 7 excuses for why the iPhone is easily shown to be crippled.

Basic hardware functionality is *not needed* & *nobody wants it*

And yet, the fact is most current Android phones come with it.
<https://groups.google.com/g/comp.mobile.android/c/SQ4XGhFaOgI>

FACT:
a. AUX Jacks are on 75% of current Android models; *0% on current iPhones*
b. FM Radio is on 50% of current Android models; *0% on current iPhones*
c. Portable memory is on 71% of Android models; *0% choice ever on iPhones*

Apple lied when Apple said they care about consumer safety since it's well
documented that - in emergencies - it's better to have FM radio than not to
have it.

If Apple actually cared about consumer safety, the FM radio would be there.
--
It's always the case that what Apple says it does, is not what Apple does.

Jolly Roger <jollyroger@pobox.com> wrote

> in a feeble attempt to paint
> Apple as supposedly "not caring about customer safety".

You're desperate to fabricate excuses for why iPhones are crippled.

Q: Why is my iPhone crippled, asks Jolly Roger?
A: *Nobody wants it* *Nobody needs it*
Even though most current Android models have it.

Face it, Jolly Roger: Apple lied to you.
Just like George Santos & Donald Trump lie to you.

If Apple actually cared about consumer safety, the FM radio would be there.
--
It's always the case that what Apple says it does, is not what Apple does.

Chris <ithinkiam@gmail.com> wrote

> https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/analogue-radio-stations-licence-renewal-ofcom-classic-fm-talksport-a9599071.html
>
> Norway has done and the Swiss will do soon, but other than that no other
> country has plans.

Apple is like George Santos. What it says it does is not what it does.
*It's the facts that prove them wrong.*
*It's not what they say*
*But what they do*

FACT:

I quoted organizations who provide evidence that shows a phone with the FM
radio safety feature is useful in emergencies in ways that a phone without
the FM radio is crippled in. Those are just facts.

FACT:

Another set of facts is most current Android phones have these features.
AUX Jacks are on 75% of current Android models; *0% on current iPhones*
FM Radio is on 50% of Android models; *0% on current iPhones*
Portable memory is on 71% of current Android models; *0% for iPhones*

FACT:

It's simple sensible logic that a phone that has those things is always
going to be more functional than a phone that doesn't have those things.

ASSESSMENT OF FACT:

Apple lied about caring about consumer safety.
If Apple actually cared about safety, the iPhone would have an FM radio.
--
Like George Santos, what Apple does is different than what it says it does.

Jolly Roger <jollyroger@pobox.com> wrote

> Apple is offering its
> awesome SOS via satellite service for free

Assuming you're a sensible adult, Jolly Roger, allow me to ask you two
simple questions which require intelligence to answer logically.

Q: Is this "awesome SOS" safety feature expected to be free after
the stated trail period, or will it cost the consumer money?

Q: For the vast majority (apparently almost everyone) who don't wish
to pay for this "awesome SOS" feature, how is it going to benefit them?

HINT: Apple lied.
If Apple actually cared about consumer safety, the iPhone would have FM.
--
Note: Both Qualcomm and Apple have clearly indicated few will be willing
to pay the price that is expected - as their actions show that clearly.

On 2023-11-19, Wally J <walterjones@invalid.nospam> wrote:
> Jolly Roger <jollyroger@pobox.com> wrote
>
>> in a feeble attempt to paint Apple as supposedly "not caring about
>> customer safety".
>
> You're desperate

Nah, that would be you, spending every hour of every day trolling
newsgroups for products from a company you have a raging little hate
boner for instead of leading a productive life like a normal person.

--
E-mail sent to this address may be devoured by my ravenous SPAM filter.
I often ignore posts from Google. Use a real news client instead.

JR

Jolly Roger <jollyroger@pobox.com> wrote

> Nah, that would be you, spending every hour of every day trolling
> newsgroups for products from a company you have a raging little hate
> boner for instead of leading a productive life like a normal person.

I study strange people like you, Jolly Roger.
Which is why I love you.

What I find interesting is how _afraid_ you are of me, Jolly Roger.
Because everything you think and believe - I easily prove to be wrong.

You actually believe, for example, that an iPhone without any of the basic
hardware that most Android phones have, can do what Android can do.

It can't.

What you hate, Jolly Roger, is that your iPhone is functionally crippled.

FACT:
AUX Jacks are on 75% of current Android models; *0% on current iPhones*
FM Radio is on 50% of current Android models; *0% on current iPhones*
Portable memory is on 71% of current Android models; *0% on any iPhones*

You _hate_ that your toy iPhone can't do what Android phones easily do, JR.
But what's interesting is how desperate you are to make excuses for that.
--
Never forget Apple is a MARKETING company - just like Coca Cola is.
There's no product value unless they can make people believe there is.

On 2023-11-19, Wally J <walterjones@invalid.nospam> wrote:
> Jolly Roger <jollyroger@pobox.com> wrote
>
>> Nah, that would be you, spending every hour of every day trolling
>> newsgroups for products from a company you have a raging little hate
>> boner for instead of leading a productive life like a normal person.
>
> I study strange people like you, Jolly Roger. Which is why I love
> you.
>
> What I find interesting is how _afraid_ you are of me, Jolly Roger.

More projection. You are so fearful of Apple that you literally spend
*hours* every day trolling the Apple newsgroups insulting complete
strangers from behind your keyboard. You wouldn't have the balls to
sling your little schoolyard insults in person, because you know you'd
get your ass kicked. You're a cowardly, tiny man child. And you are
scared of the world.

--
E-mail sent to this address may be devoured by my ravenous SPAM filter.
I often ignore posts from Google. Use a real news client instead.

JR

Jolly Roger <jollyroger@pobox.com> wrote

> You're a cowardly, tiny man child. And you are
> scared of the world.

The sad fact is, Jolly Roger, the iPhone lacks basic functionality.

That's trivially easy to prove, Jolly Roger...
AUX Jacks are on 75% of current Android models; *0% on current iPhones*
Portable memory is on 71% of current Android models; *0% on any iPhones*
FM Radio is on 50% of current Android models; *0% on current iPhones*

The fact is, every phone that lacks these features is less functional.

You can't refute that the iPhone is crippled because it lacks normal basic
hardware, Jolly Roger... so you try to attack me... trying to insult me.

Why?

Because you can't refute that the iPhone is crippled because it lacks
fundamental hardware that most Android phones have always had & still do.

*You _hate_ that your toy iPhone is crippled, Jolly Roger*
So you attack me.

You hate that I easily prove all iPhones are crippled in functionality.
So you take it out on me because you hate Apple's incompetent designs.

So be it.
--
Apple is incompetent at designing a functional phone, but Apple is
brilliant at markteting a toy that can't do half of what Android does.

AJL <noemail@none.com> wrote

> On 11/18/2023 3:53 PM, Wally J wrote:
>> AJL <noemail@none.com> wrote
>
>> I like your FM radio. I was just saying in emergencies, HAM is nice
>> too.
>
> Agreed. Having both would be better in an emergency. They both have
> their uses. My receiver would be better at receiving the commercial
> bands (AM, FM, SW) where most local and national emergency news
> broadcasts would be found. And your 2 meter handheld ham transceiver
> (with a mountaintop repeater) would serve communications in your local
> area with other hams.

Living in the Santa Cruz mountains, we are pretty much used to the
electrical power going out monthly & fires burning down entire
mountainsides every few years, landslides blocking the roads during the
rainy season, and of course, a few earthquakes a year so we know the
inherent safety value of not only the ubiquitous FM radio in cellphones,
but also the ability for local area communications via the ham radio &
mountaintop repeaters (where we have fantastic LOS views to them).

That's my point about the FM radio in the cellphone, which is that it's
always better to have a flashlight than not to have the flashlight.

The Apple people, for example, not only pay twice as much to NOT have the
flashlight, but they have to pay Apple to get back the missing flashlight.

And they are told by Apple that paying for missing stuff that Apple took
away from them is the modern way to do things in the Apple ecosystem. :)

>> the power goes out two and three times a month in the dry months
>> (which, in California, is most of the year) but only about once a
>> month on the winter wet season
>
> Things are better here. It's been well over a year since the last power
> failure. Usually it's a car or storm taking down a power pole and they
> can usually reroute within a couple of hours or so.

You're lucky. We pay some of the highest electricity rates in the nation,
and we get nearly the most outages per year in the nation.

The only good thing about that is the CPUC forces PG&E to give us free
stuff related to the many power outages a year. For example, I got a
dual-fuel DuroMax XP5500EH generator from PG&E even though I already have a
built-in Generac that runs on propane.
<https://www.pge.com/en/outages-and-safety/outage-preparedness-and-support/general-outage-resources/generator-and-battery-rebate-program.html>

>> (which started today, by the way, as it's raining).
>
> Yep. Your storm came this way and got my driveway (slightly) wet...

Yeah, we don't normally get rain from about March or April to about now.
Sometimes we get rivers of rain. Sometimes not. It's fickle. Weather.

>> Of course every one of us (thousands upon thousands of homes in the
>> mountains) has a 240VAC generator or two, plus battery backups, etc.
>
> That would be wise considering the conditions you describe...

I don't know a single person that doesn't have at least one generator.
Unfortunately, some people use a suicide cord, which is just dangerous.

The funny thing is because we're in the highest fire danger area of the
country, PG&E will give us a lot of free stuff for the power outages.

If you follow the rules, you get a lot of free stuff like...
a. A free portable power generator
b. A free backup power transfer meter to connect it to
c. A free portable emergency 2KW battery with 120VAC output
d. A free 4-liter 120VAC/12VDC refrigerator

You have to follow the rules though. For example, PG&E insists our portable
generators have a NEMA L1430R Locking Outlet which they use to connect to
their proprietary backup transfer meters, which are really neat devices.

I don't know if anywhere else in the country has these new devices but us.
<https://energycentral.com/news/first-its-kind-technology-allows-pge-customers-safely-and-easily-connect-backup-power-their>
>> We even have special meters from PG&E that we can hook our generators
>> up _directly_ to the meter when the power goes out. Fancy that from
>> PG&E!
>
> Neat. Here some folks have solar panels with storage batteries so they
> can get a few extra hours from the batteries in a power failure.

BTW, PG&E applied for a patent and says they designed these switches.
<https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220217005846/en/First-of-its-Kind-Technology-Allows-PGE-Customers-to-Safely-and-Easily-Connect-Backup-Power-to-Their-Homes>

It's a really neat device they give us to connect to the generator.
<https://solarbuildermag.com/policy/pge-built-a-transfer-device-for-homes-in-high-fire-threat-districts-to-connect-backup-power-sources/>

But you can only get it from PG&E for free if you're in the worst fire
danger area and if they cut off your power due to frequent EPSS trips.
<https://www.power-grid.com/smart-grid/pge-develops-backup-generator-meter-for-fire-threat-prone-customers/>

>> _everyone_ in the neighborhood has them [BAOFENG UV-5R]. That's many
>> hundreds of people who all have the same HAM radio as I do. What
>> happened is one HAM enthusiast aficionado long ago sent out a
>> suggestion we all chip in twenty-five bucks each and that would cover
>> the radio and the testing
>
> Back in the day (got my first ticket in 1956) you had to pass a written
> AND a Morse Code test. Guess not anymore...

No Morse Code anymore. But you do have to pass the written test.
The way I passed the test was I put on my iPad a zillion free HAM radio
tests, which contained the EXACT QUESTIONS to the exams (so it was easy).

You can see my Ham Radio folder on my iPad in this old graphic in fact.
<https://i.postimg.cc/LXzB3Lc0/appleid01.jpg> Apple _forces_ a log in!

> Another back in the day story: Some of our original mountaintop
> repeaters had autopatches. There was a landline connection at the
> repeater site. You could actually call someone using your 2 meter
> handheld. This was pre-cellphone days so very handy. Course it wasn't
> very private since all of Phoenix hamdom could listen in...

I know what you mean, but I don't know if the repeater we mostly use has
that, but we have gotten people from extremely far away on the radio.

I don't play with it all that much. Mostly I bring it on my backcountry
hikes, where it's my emergency backup in case I break a leg or get bitten
by a rattler or whatever.

An FM radio isn't needed on hikes as much as a HAM radio would be; but if
there was an emergency, I pity all those Apple iPhone owners without FM
radios since they have to buy an FM radio just to get back what was
previously already there for free in the first place (which Apple removed
to protect their streaming revenue). They have to keep it plugged in or
with batteries. And they have to find it in an emergency when their phone
is already in their hands. Apple hoodwinked them. And they ate it all up.

>> - which was why those two radios plus two tests cost me only fifty
>> bucks (one for my wife and the other for me).
>
> Things are apparently a lot cheaper now, though I did used to get some
> pretty good deals at hamfests.

I didn't do any of the buying but the guy who bought a thousand of them (or
whatever the number was) got some kind of bulk deal so I'm happy with this.
<https://i.postimg.cc/1zvGYNZt/hamradio.jpg> $25 bucks, including the test

>> We have sequential federal Id's (ain't that sweet) where I don't
>> remember them so since they have to be used, I write them on the back
>> of the radio.
>
> Do you mean licenses with call letters? IIRC California was in the 6th
> call district. AZ is in the 7th and my call starts with W7...

Oh my. I am glad I told you I was ignorant as I really forgot everything.
All I know is I need to mention my call sign every five minutes or so.
I don't remember it. So I taped it to the back of the radio.

Lemme look for you... OK... my call sign is of the KMxxxx type, but some of
my neighbors are ABxxx (notice only 5 characters for them but 6 for mine).

As I said, I stuff the HAM radio into my pack when I do backcountry hiking,
just in case, but I really never need to use it but, of course, if I don't
put it in my pack, that's when I'll need to use it (Murphy's Law).
>> Are those BAOFENG UV-5R radios any good?
>
> Specs look Ok. If they're reliable as is your repeater then they should
> work just fine.
> <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baofeng_UV-5R>

Thanks for checking on that as I wasn't sure how to respond to your first
suggestion that the radio would not be powerful enough. It works for me.

I talked the 3,500 gallon propane truck into giving me more than 85% as I
normally run the built-in generator which runs off of propane.

But I have a Nash Fuel hose so that I can fill up the twenty pound propane
tanks from my 1,000 gallon residential propane tank and then I have the
Flame King adaptor to fill my one-pound propane tanks from the twenty
pounder (which is all very convenient). I refuel my cars at home too. :)
<https://www.costco.com/flame-king-refillable-1lb.-empty-propane-cylinder-tank-16.4-oz%2C-2-pack---with-refill-kit.product.100679019.html>

On 11/18/23 17:02, Wally J wrote:
> AJL <noemail@none.com> wrote
>
>>> For about the same footprint, consider keeping a HAM radio on the
>>> charger.
>>
>> I do have an Advanced Class ham ticket but haven't used it in years.
>> Think the Internet spoiled things...
>
> Don't get me wrong, I really liked the neat FM radio you showed.
> <https://www.radioddity.com/products/raddy-rf75a>
>
> It's similar in footprint to this radio I got from a neighborhood event.
> <https://i.postimg.cc/1zvGYNZt/hamradio.jpg>
>
> I like your FM radio. You need it because your phone OEM saved a few
> cents (at your expense) by not providing both the radio & the jack.
>
> I was just clarifying that, in emergencies, HAM is nice in addition to FM.

Options are definitely nice.

> The Apple iKooks are stupid in that they don't realize Apple lies to them
> when Apple claims to care about their emergencies (with SOS subscriptions).
>
> If Apple really cared, they'd let them have FM radio's for free also.
> But FM radios would cut into lucrative music-streaming subscriptions.

I miss the days when they had a FM radio included with the iPod..

>>> I live in the boonies in a high fire danger area with windy mountain
>>> roads and with the San Andreas Fault line within eyesight and we
>>> have outages.
>>>
>>> While the PG&E power goes out monthly, we only get evacuation orders
>>> once every few decades - but it's going to happen. Again. And again
>>> it will.
>>
>> I live in a gated retirement community with around 8000 homes (will be
>> 10K on buildout) in a metro area of 6M folks. The power hasn't gone out
>> in over a year. We live in vastly different settings...
>
> Understood. We are subject to EPSS which is PG&E's way to punish us for
> making them go out of business years ago when they burned a whole town.
>
> So now, the power goes out two and three times a month in the dry months
> (which, in California, is most of the year) but only about once a month on
> the winter wet season (which started today, by the way, as it's raining).
>
> Of course every one of us (thousands upon thousands of homes in the
> mountains) has a 240VAC generator or two, plus battery backups, etc.
>
> We even have special meters from PG&E that we can hook our generators up
> _directly_ to the meter when the power goes out. Fancy that from PG&E!
>
> I think they give them to us for free because our power goes out that much
> so the CPUC forced them to do it as PG&E has the same attitude as Apple.
>
>>> As a neighborhood, we went down to the local fire station years ago
>>> to get our HAM radio licenses and each of us is tuned to the same
>>> repeater freq.
>>
>>> In an emergency, the ability for two-way communication can be
>>> important. And it's about the same cost & footprint as your (rather
>>> nice) FM radio.
>>
>> If you're talking using 2 meter repeaters the handhelds are quite a bit
>> more than 50 bucks...
>
> I am one person who is not afraid to say I'm ignorant, where you saying
> that means you know more than I do and I accept that and learn from you.
>
> The only thing I know about HAM radio is what I needed to learn to pass the
> test and after that, like you, I forgot about most of it over time.

At least the test is pretty easy to pass.

> So you know a lot more than I do as I only did it as a community event
> for safety reasons (given we live in the highest fire danger area possible,
> and we can see the San Andreas Fault, and our PG&E power goes out two and
> three times a week in the dry EPSS periods but only monthly in the winter).
>
> Is my radio any good?
>
> If you look at the picture I provided you, the radios I have are
> BAOFENG UV-5R
> Are they any good?
>
> The reason I don't know is _everyone_ in the neighborhood has them.
> That's many hundreds of people who all have the same HAM radio as I do.
>
> What happened is one HAM enthusiast aficionado long ago sent out a
> suggestion we all chip in twenty-five bucks each and that would cover the
> radio and the testing - which was why those two radios plus two tests cost
> me only fifty bucks (one for my wife and the other for me).
>
> We have sequential federal Id's (ain't that sweet) where I don't remember
> them so since they have to be used, I write them on the back of the radio.
>
> Are those BAOFENG UV-5R radios any good?

Well, the BAOFENG stuff works, I guess. I got mine for 30$
--
user <candycane> is generated from /dev/urandom

On 11/18/23 23:49, Wally J wrote:
> AJL <noemail@none.com> wrote
>
>> On 11/18/2023 3:53 PM, Wally J wrote:
>>> AJL <noemail@none.com> wrote
>>
>>> I like your FM radio. I was just saying in emergencies, HAM is nice
>>> too.
>>
>> Agreed. Having both would be better in an emergency. They both have
>> their uses. My receiver would be better at receiving the commercial
>> bands (AM, FM, SW) where most local and national emergency news
>> broadcasts would be found. And your 2 meter handheld ham transceiver
>> (with a mountaintop repeater) would serve communications in your local
>> area with other hams.
>
> Living in the Santa Cruz mountains, we are pretty much used to the
> electrical power going out monthly & fires burning down entire
> mountainsides every few years, landslides blocking the roads during the
> rainy season, and of course, a few earthquakes a year so we know the
> inherent safety value of not only the ubiquitous FM radio in cellphones,
> but also the ability for local area communications via the ham radio &
> mountaintop repeaters (where we have fantastic LOS views to them).
>
> That's my point about the FM radio in the cellphone, which is that it's
> always better to have a flashlight than not to have the flashlight.
>
> The Apple people, for example, not only pay twice as much to NOT have the
> flashlight, but they have to pay Apple to get back the missing flashlight.
>
> And they are told by Apple that paying for missing stuff that Apple took
> away from them is the modern way to do things in the Apple ecosystem. :)
>
>>> the power goes out two and three times a month in the dry months
>>> (which, in California, is most of the year) but only about once a
>>> month on the winter wet season
>>
>> Things are better here. It's been well over a year since the last power
>> failure. Usually it's a car or storm taking down a power pole and they
>> can usually reroute within a couple of hours or so.
>
> You're lucky. We pay some of the highest electricity rates in the nation,
> and we get nearly the most outages per year in the nation.
>
> The only good thing about that is the CPUC forces PG&E to give us free
> stuff related to the many power outages a year. For example, I got a
> dual-fuel DuroMax XP5500EH generator from PG&E even though I already have a
> built-in Generac that runs on propane.
> <https://www.pge.com/en/outages-and-safety/outage-preparedness-and-support/general-outage-resources/generator-and-battery-rebate-program.html>
>
>>> (which started today, by the way, as it's raining).
>>
>> Yep. Your storm came this way and got my driveway (slightly) wet...
>
> Yeah, we don't normally get rain from about March or April to about now.
> Sometimes we get rivers of rain. Sometimes not. It's fickle. Weather.
>
>>> Of course every one of us (thousands upon thousands of homes in the
>>> mountains) has a 240VAC generator or two, plus battery backups, etc.
>>
>> That would be wise considering the conditions you describe...
>
> I don't know a single person that doesn't have at least one generator.
> Unfortunately, some people use a suicide cord, which is just dangerous.
>
> The funny thing is because we're in the highest fire danger area of the
> country, PG&E will give us a lot of free stuff for the power outages.
>
> If you follow the rules, you get a lot of free stuff like...
> a. A free portable power generator
> b. A free backup power transfer meter to connect it to
> c. A free portable emergency 2KW battery with 120VAC output
> d. A free 4-liter 120VAC/12VDC refrigerator
>
> You have to follow the rules though. For example, PG&E insists our portable
> generators have a NEMA L1430R Locking Outlet which they use to connect to
> their proprietary backup transfer meters, which are really neat devices.
>
> I don't know if anywhere else in the country has these new devices but us.
> <https://energycentral.com/news/first-its-kind-technology-allows-pge-customers-safely-and-easily-connect-backup-power-their>

Hey, at least you get compensated for the bad weather stuff.

>>> We even have special meters from PG&E that we can hook our generators
>>> up _directly_ to the meter when the power goes out. Fancy that from
>>> PG&E!
>>
>> Neat. Here some folks have solar panels with storage batteries so they
>> can get a few extra hours from the batteries in a power failure.
>
> BTW, PG&E applied for a patent and says they designed these switches.
> <https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220217005846/en/First-of-its-Kind-Technology-Allows-PGE-Customers-to-Safely-and-Easily-Connect-Backup-Power-to-Their-Homes>
>
> It's a really neat device they give us to connect to the generator.
> <https://solarbuildermag.com/policy/pge-built-a-transfer-device-for-homes-in-high-fire-threat-districts-to-connect-backup-power-sources/>
>
> But you can only get it from PG&E for free if you're in the worst fire
> danger area and if they cut off your power due to frequent EPSS trips.
> <https://www.power-grid.com/smart-grid/pge-develops-backup-generator-meter-for-fire-threat-prone-customers/>
>
>>> _everyone_ in the neighborhood has them [BAOFENG UV-5R]. That's many
>>> hundreds of people who all have the same HAM radio as I do. What
>>> happened is one HAM enthusiast aficionado long ago sent out a
>>> suggestion we all chip in twenty-five bucks each and that would cover
>>> the radio and the testing
>>
>> Back in the day (got my first ticket in 1956) you had to pass a written
>> AND a Morse Code test. Guess not anymore...

I think they removed that requirement in 2010?

> No Morse Code anymore. But you do have to pass the written test.
> The way I passed the test was I put on my iPad a zillion free HAM radio
> tests, which contained the EXACT QUESTIONS to the exams (so it was easy).
>
> You can see my Ham Radio folder on my iPad in this old graphic in fact.
> <https://i.postimg.cc/LXzB3Lc0/appleid01.jpg> Apple _forces_ a log in!
>
>> Another back in the day story: Some of our original mountaintop
>> repeaters had autopatches. There was a landline connection at the
>> repeater site. You could actually call someone using your 2 meter
>> handheld. This was pre-cellphone days so very handy. Course it wasn't
>> very private since all of Phoenix hamdom could listen in...
>
> I know what you mean, but I don't know if the repeater we mostly use has
> that, but we have gotten people from extremely far away on the radio.
>
> I don't play with it all that much. Mostly I bring it on my backcountry
> hikes, where it's my emergency backup in case I break a leg or get bitten
> by a rattler or whatever.
>
> An FM radio isn't needed on hikes as much as a HAM radio would be; but if
> there was an emergency, I pity all those Apple iPhone owners without FM
> radios since they have to buy an FM radio just to get back what was
> previously already there for free in the first place (which Apple removed
> to protect their streaming revenue). They have to keep it plugged in or
> with batteries. And they have to find it in an emergency when their phone
> is already in their hands. Apple hoodwinked them. And they ate it all up.
>
>>> - which was why those two radios plus two tests cost me only fifty
>>> bucks (one for my wife and the other for me).
>>
>> Things are apparently a lot cheaper now, though I did used to get some
>> pretty good deals at hamfests.
>
> I didn't do any of the buying but the guy who bought a thousand of them (or
> whatever the number was) got some kind of bulk deal so I'm happy with this.
> <https://i.postimg.cc/1zvGYNZt/hamradio.jpg> $25 bucks, including the test
>
>>> We have sequential federal Id's (ain't that sweet) where I don't
>>> remember them so since they have to be used, I write them on the back
>>> of the radio.
>>
>> Do you mean licenses with call letters? IIRC California was in the 6th
>> call district. AZ is in the 7th and my call starts with W7...
>
> Oh my. I am glad I told you I was ignorant as I really forgot everything.
> All I know is I need to mention my call sign every five minutes or so.
> I don't remember it. So I taped it to the back of the radio.

It's 10 minutes, I think.

> Lemme look for you... OK... my call sign is of the KMxxxx type, but some of
> my neighbors are ABxxx (notice only 5 characters for them but 6 for mine).
>
> As I said, I stuff the HAM radio into my pack when I do backcountry hiking,
> just in case, but I really never need to use it but, of course, if I don't
> put it in my pack, that's when I'll need to use it (Murphy's Law).
>
>>> Are those BAOFENG UV-5R radios any good?
>>
>> Specs look Ok. If they're reliable as is your repeater then they should
>> work just fine.
>> <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baofeng_UV-5R>
>
> Thanks for checking on that as I wasn't sure how to respond to your first
> suggestion that the radio would not be powerful enough. It works for me.
>
> I talked the 3,500 gallon propane truck into giving me more than 85% as I
> normally run the built-in generator which runs off of propane.
>
> But I have a Nash Fuel hose so that I can fill up the twenty pound propane
> tanks from my 1,000 gallon residential propane tank and then I have the
> Flame King adaptor to fill my one-pound propane tanks from the twenty
> pounder (which is all very convenient). I refuel my cars at home too. :)
> <https://www.costco.com/flame-king-refillable-1lb.-empty-propane-cylinder-tank-16.4-oz%2C-2-pack---with-refill-kit.product.100679019.html>
>
> You learn to be self sufficient in the mountains, where, for example I even
> refill my five pound carbon dioxide tank myself, with dry ice, and then I
> use a high-pressure stainless steel hose to refill sodastream canisters.
>
> As another example, all of us have either a T-Mobile, AT&T or Verizon
> femtocell (connected to the router) or a two-piece cellular repeater (I
> have both) so that our signal strength is perfect inside the house even
> though we're miles from the nearest cell towers.
> <https://i.postimg.cc/XJChDCPr/spare-access-points.jpg> cellular repeater
>
> We are so far in the boonies, that we don't have the option of cable, so we
> get all our Internet over the air from a nearby mountaintop too. Which
> makes us pretty self sufficient in an emergency...
> <https://i.postimg.cc/Gh22Sb2N/desktop.jpg> Desktop in shed with MikroTik
>
> Which, to come full circle, is why we know to feel sorry for the hapless
> iPhone users because having an FM radio on the phone is always better than
> not having it (despite Apple convincing them otherwise, somehow).
>
> If you want photos of anything I've said above, just ask. I was gonna snap
> some and upload them as I am a stickler for facts - but it's night and
> they'll suck without good light but in the morning let me know if there's
> any emergency safety item you're interesting in more information on,
> as I have everything that I said above - most for emergency purposes.
>
> Including the FM radio, aux jack & sd card in my free Galaxy A32-5G phone.

On 2023-11-19 09:37, candycanearter07 wrote:

<blather snipped>

> Can you send pics?

Despite the blather above, any serious prepper has everything planned
out and set up to not depend smartphones or other such devices. The
batteries do not last long enough.

In an emergency a radio receiver should cover several bands (not just
FM) and should be hand crankable. There are various cheap and not cheap
ones on the usual sites.

To flip it over - from the Troll's POV he should be shocked and angered
that Android phones do not include AM - as much emergency broadcasting
goes AM - in large part due to favourable nighttime propagation. (Why
some AM stations are legally forced to shutdown at night and others are
allowed to operate but possibly at reduced output power at night
(Class-A aka "Clear channel" in North America)).

--
“Markets can remain irrational longer than your can remain solvent.”
- John Maynard Keynes.