By H. Ward Silver, N0AX
December 8, 2006
While you're keeping an eye on the football game or trying to crack that big contest pileup, here are some condensed conundra to consume cranial craftiness. The theme is non-amateur radio services and such. It's best to just assume that the answers are abbreviations or acronyms or prosigns. If you're skilled with GNATs (Garish Name Assignment Techniques), you'll do just fine.
BONUS - embedded in the puzzle are four answers that solve the following riddle:
What international catastrophe occurred when the cook dropped Thanksgiving dinner?The answers are in the form of call sign prefixes that tell you how to fill in the solution:
The downfall of ______, the ruination of ______, the destruction of ______, and the domination of ______.The solution follows the set of Down clues.
Across
1. Organic Free antenna support
3. Link between transmitter and studio
5. Pictures of weather
9. Most popular VHF band
10. Won't rust
12. Current on all conductors
13. High bandwidth data
15. Clean
16. Closing the station
17. Mobile phone regions
19. Orbiting lab
21. Prefix meaning "of the air"
22. Electronic designer
23. Question mark prosign
25. Official but not governmental organization
27. Higher than AF
29. Network with wires
30. Unlicensed VHF service
33. Excuses
35. Who uses Channel 16 as a calling frequency
38. Battery energy rating
39. Broadcast
40. Pole used for tower work
41. National timekeepers
42. Largest mobile service
45. See the introduction
46. Units of audio level
48. Error measurement over comm links
49. Satellite service for ships
52. Type of synchronous satellite
53. Registered brand or logo
54. Between HF and UHF
56. A pico giga-amp
57. Access divided in time
60. RAC section abbreviation for Quebec
63. AC voltage equivalent to dc
65. Measure an ability or quality
67. Abbreviation for 65 Across
68. Fundamentals
69. Limit
70. Administrator of amateur exams
Down
1. See the introduction
2. European launcher of satellites
3. International broadcaster
4. Holds up the antennas
6. Signal bounced back
7. Commercial high-fidelity broadcast mode
8. Spouse of an OM
9. Tones on a phone
10. One who listens to 3 Down
11. Send one for your return QSL
13. Unlicensed UHF service
14. See the introduction
16. Access shared by using different codes
17. Mark certifying products for Europe
18. Low frequency radionavigation service
19. Unlicensed bands
20. Measures strength of signal compared to noise
21. Amateur satellite designator
23. Guides planes to the ground
24. Imperial unit of length
26. International mobile phone standard
28. Did fly
29. Popular wireless networking standard
31. GMT
32. Satellite comm service named for element
34. Beyond red
36. CW for repeat
37. Not out
38. Amateur fast-scan
39. See the introduction
41. American space agency
42. Lowest satellites
43. End of message
44. Electrical conduit
45. 3600 seconds
47. Above VHF
48. Directional antenna
50. Analog cell system
51. Broadcast video
52. Licensed parent of 13 Down
55. What's coming to 51 Down
58. Use a dish to receive
59. Keeps the planes organized
61. Traffic
62. File exchange protocol
64. California ARRL section
66. CW for "and"