On the whole, a movie that boasts intra-time communication obviously is asking for belief to be suspended and I don't quibble with that. In fact, it is an interesting plot gimmick and makes the movie somewhat entertaining.
Hey, we're not talking Oscar nominations here; just a Saturday afternoon's diversion.
But what grinds on me (an amateur radio operator) is the fact that Hollywood fails to get the basics down. I am not talking "hard technical basics" but the manner and style in which amateur radio HF communication is depicted. The initial dialog between Quaid and his son was laughable, the conversations between Quaid and other hams totally unrealistic, and the fact that Quaid's initial QSO (contact) was on 15 meter phone in the middle of the night improbable. Even during the height of a sunspot cycle, 15 meters is only rarely open. I dunno, I guess I am just a big nit-picker, but this kind of stuff is done over and over when Hollywood portrays ham radio..
..which is kind of funny, because you'd be surprised how many in Hollywood were/are hams -- er, radio amateurs. You'd think someone on the set would clue the director and writers in.
Well, that's my grumble; otherwise it's an o.k. movie.
Hey, we're not talking Oscar nominations here; just a Saturday afternoon's diversion.
But what grinds on me (an amateur radio operator) is the fact that Hollywood fails to get the basics down. I am not talking "hard technical basics" but the manner and style in which amateur radio HF communication is depicted. The initial dialog between Quaid and his son was laughable, the conversations between Quaid and other hams totally unrealistic, and the fact that Quaid's initial QSO (contact) was on 15 meter phone in the middle of the night improbable. Even during the height of a sunspot cycle, 15 meters is only rarely open. I dunno, I guess I am just a big nit-picker, but this kind of stuff is done over and over when Hollywood portrays ham radio..
..which is kind of funny, because you'd be surprised how many in Hollywood were/are hams -- er, radio amateurs. You'd think someone on the set would clue the director and writers in.
Well, that's my grumble; otherwise it's an o.k. movie.
