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THOSE CURLY LIGHT BULBS
I'm all for conservation, but sometimes we're not aware as to what is being conserved. A case in point is the fluorescent light bulbs that have come on the market lately, the curly ones that are intended to replace the standard incandescent light bulb that has been in use in homes for the last century. These bulbs are without doubt far more efficient at producing light than the incandescent. So much so that California has outlawed the sale of the incandescent bulbs mandating that they be replaced with florescent bulbs. A few weeks ago, one of these curly bulbs in our home started making weird noises -- crackling, sputtering. We turned off the switch and when the bulb was removed the base was found to be extremely hot showing burn signs. A little search on the net revealed that this was not an unusual problem. It also revealed a much contradictory behavior. Several people had experienced the same problem with one noting a small lamp shade had been scorched. Further research revealed many radio operators finding the bulbs to be RF noise sources. But many others praised these bulbs for their energy saving. It was pointed out that a necessary part in each of these
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bulbs was a small switching power supply in the base of the bulb. And as many amateurs have complained, this type of supply is RF noisy if not carefully designed. The ARRL has been testing these bulbs as manufactured by many different companies, mostly off shore businesses, and has not been able to duplicate the heat problem. As much as I have respect for the test lab at ARRL, my own experience duplicated by others leads me to not trust these bulbs. Those in our home are turned off when we aren't home. We always have had some lights on when we were out for both security and safety reasons. That habit must change with these bulbs. Is such a device, maybe a safety hazard, really an improvement on our environment? There is another factor that needs to be considered in light of a "green" environment. Each of these bulbs contain a tiny bit of mercury. The bulbs eventually will wear out and will be discarded. Yes, they shouldn't be thrown in a land fill just as their big brothers, the long tube fluorescents, are prohibited by law from being destroyed in the land fill. But knowing human nature, the observance of correct disposal will be rare. A device that could be a fire hazard as well as an environmental problem might need further consideration prior to total acceptance.
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MOTOROLA BUYS YAESU
Motorola USA has announced its intention to launch a tender offer to acquire a controlling interest in Vertex Standard Co, Ltd. Vertex Standard is the parent company of Yaesu. Motorola will own 80 percent of Vertex Standard; Tokogiken, a privately held Japanese company, controlled by current president and CEO of Vertex Standard Jun Hasegawa, will retain 20 percent, forming a joint venture. The total purchase price for 80 percent of the outstanding shares on a fully diluted basis will be approximately US $108 million.
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