High Tech Infrastructure

Weil-McLain Boiler / DHW system

We've replaced our 30 year old oil boiler and hot water system with new 95% efficient natural gas equipment.

Bringing in the gas line from the street was a job, since we had to trench through granite ledge. Fortunately, the gas company was willing to do it on their nickle.

Our friends at Viglione Heating & Cooling produced a nice bit of industrial art in our basement.

Now we just have to count on a rising oil to gas price ratio and the passage of time (8 years?) to start making a profit. Meanwhile, we can feel green (less CO₂) and happy not to import oil -- but sad about dirty fracking. Nothing is simple.

And there's an on-board microcomputer to be hacked!

Need.More.Bench.Space

Reinventing Ham Radio? - Pogue

"You might think that we’ve exhausted every variation on electronic communication — text, audio, video — but you’d be wrong. A new one is quietly winning over millions of gadget fans. They’re free apps with names like Voxer, HeyTell and Zello, and they really do mess with the rules of the game."  -- David Pogue, New York Times

It's Ham Radio (e.g., D-Star) without the license.  Seriously,  Amateur Radio may need to lose some of its exclusive focus on FCC-licensed communications, to bring in a little new energy.