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Hobbies

Amateur Radio was my introduction into the world of electronics.  During my teenage years I became fascinated with the thought of talking with people on the other side of the world.  Imagine being able to talk into a microphone and have someone in Japan or Yugoslavia hear you and carry on a conversation with you.

I received my first license in 1981, my novice call letters were: KA9OIZ.  Soon I was talking with people all over the United States, Europe, Asia, and South America.  I started to build small Heath Kit projects for my amateur radio station.  I found working with electronics was great fun.  When it came time to decide what I was going to study in college, electronics was the obvious choice.  Through my limited exposure to the field, I knew it was FUN and if I was going to spend all my time studying it should be something I enjoy.

Twenty plus years later, I am still active in amateur radio.  My call letters have changed, I have held an extra class license for about fifteen years now.  My current call letters are: WW9R.  My main mode of communication is called CW.  Cw is another name for Morse code.

If you would like to learn more about amateur, please visit either of the two links below.

The Milwaukee Radio Amateur's Club (MRAC)       The American Radio Relay League (ARRL)    

My other passion is reading Science Fiction.  My three favorite authors are Isaac Asimov , Frank Herbert, and Douglas Adams.  Mr. Asimov wrote many stories on many topics.  However my favorite are the Robot series and the Foundation series.  In fact, if read in the correct order you will see a thread between the two series. 

Isaac Asimov,  January 2, 1920 - April 6, 1992 

He is most remembered for the Three Laws of Robotics.

The Three Laws of Robotics are:

1. A robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.

2. A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would
conflict with the First Law.

3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the
First or Second Law.

From Handbook of Robotics, 56th Edition, 2058 A.D., as quoted in "I, Robot".

In Robots and Empire (ch. 63), the "Zeroth Law" is extrapolated, and the other Three Laws
modified accordingly: 

0. A robot may not injure humanity or, through inaction, allow humanity to come to harm. 

Unlike the Three Laws, however, the Zeroth Law is not a fundamental part of positronic robotic engineering, is not part of all positronic robots, and, in fact, requires a very sophisticated robot to even accept it.

Mr. Asimov suggested the two series be read in the following order:

1. The Complete Robot (1982). 
2. The Caves of Steel (1954).
3. The Naked Sun (1957). 
4. The Robots of Dawn (1983). 
5. Robots and Empire (1985). 
6. The Currents of Space (1952). 
7. The Stars, Like Dust-- (1951). 
8. Pebble in the Sky (1950). 
9. Prelude to Foundation (1988). 
9a. Forward the Foundation (1993).
9b. Foundation's Fear (1997). 
9c. Foundation and Chaos (1998). 
9d. Foundation's Triumph (previously titled Third Foundation and Secret Foundation)(1999) 
10. Foundation (1951). 
11. Foundation and Empire (1952). 
12. Second Foundation (1953). 
13. Foundation's Edge (1982). 
14. Foundation and Earth (1983). 

Frank Herbert (1920-1986)

Frank Herbert is another of my favorite authors.  He created a story line filled with many different and exciting worlds.  Yet they all are connected in a delicate fashion.  The stories should be read in the order listed.  

1. Dune
2. Dune Messiah
3. Children of Dune
4. God Emperor of Dune
5. Heretics of Dune
6. Chapterhouse: Dune

Mr. Adams wrote many books, but my favorites are:

1. The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy
2. The Restaurant at the End of the Universe
3. Life, The Universe and Everything
4. So Long, and Thanks For All The Fish

The one thing NEVER to forget is....

For Additional Information:
Patrick Hoppe
Division Chair - Engineering Technology
hoppep@gtc.edu
cell (414) 640-9911