canada switched to metric, on a national level sometime in the 70's I think.
I, of course, used all metric measurements in school and was perfectly fine 
with that.  However, growing up in a household where my mom and dad still 
used standard measurements in everyday speech and usage, I am also equally 
comfortable with that method.
In fact, I still struggle with conversions because most people my age still 
use standard terms in everyday speech...mostly.
Except when it comes to speed measurements and official measurements of 
height and perhaps Ski or snowboard lengths.
All the rest is in standard...how many miles to the gallon does your vehicle 
get?  how many feet is that, how many inches is that...unlike the europeans 
who pretty much use metric exclusively in everyday speech...
We travel at 120 kilometers per hour, but we get 28 miles to the gallon 
while we're doing 120KPH lol.
And that kind of terminology and speech is perfectly normal, common and 
acceptible here.
Half wave on the 20 meter band is 16.5 feet...same kind of thing.
The canadian football league still uses yards and not meters.
You could quite easily say I'm 192 pounds, and 2.1 meters tall.
not that I'm either of those, but that's the point.

73
Colin, V A6BS
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Buddy Brannan" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, December 28, 2011 11:12 AM
Subject: Metric


> All good, except (to be pedantic), the gram is the basic weight of mass, =
> not weight. Of course, we assume they're the same, since they kind of =
> are, on earth anyway, but someone who masses 100 kilos on earth will =
> still mass 100 kilos in space, but of course will be weightless. Or as =
> near weightless as to not matter much. Of course, this doesn't matter in =
> any practical sense.
>
> BTW, I'm a proponent of picking an arbitrary date and saying that on =
> this arbitrary date, we'll all switch to metric. This gradual switchover =
> clearly isn't working. And to all the people who say they "can't deal =
> with metric", of course they can. It becomes second nature after a while =
> when it's the only available system of measurement. Eventually, you =
> really do stop doing conversions in your head and just know that 25 =
> degrees is pretty comfortable, while 38 degrees is bloody freakin hot, =
> or that 80 KPH is pretty fast but not awfully fast, and you know without =
> knowing that it's about 1.6 KM to the mile more or less, or that temps =
> are, well, anyway, you get the idea. It's just that you don't have to =
> think in metric, so believe it is impossible for you. Of course, my =
> arbitrary switchover date will never happen, and we will continue to be =
> bass awkward from the whole rest of the world.
> --
> Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
> Phone: (814) 860-3194 or 888-75-BUDDY
>
>
>
> On Dec 28, 2011, at 12:09 PM, Howard Kaufman wrote:
>
>> Let's see.
>> I am going back to high school in my memory.
>>=20
>> The metric system is a decimal system, rather like our money system.
>> The basic units are
>> Measurement of distance, the meter.
>> The measure of weight the gram,
>> The measurement of volume the leader.
>> I think that distilled water with a density of 1 means that a leader =
> of=20
>> water weighs 1 kilogram, but am not sure about that.
>>=20
>> Most of the civilized world uses the metric system.  Therefore we in =
> the=20
>> United States have to convert from metric to the old English system, =
> which=20
>> the English do not use any more.  G-D knows how much this =
> nonconformity=20
>> costs us every year.
>>=20
>> A meter is just over a yard in length,  I think 39.1 inches.  making 
>> a=20=
>
>> centimeter about .391 inches in length.
>> The system was based on the diameter of the earth at the equator, =
> which is=20
>> 10,000 kilometers.  I think that's right.
>>=20
>> a Kilogram is about 2.2 pounds.  I have no idea how this compares to =
> weight=20
>> in stone.
>>=20
>> 28 grams of water equals an ounce.
>>=20
>> The system was to calculate temperature in centigrade, with 100 =
> increments=20
>> between the freezing and boiling point of pure water as measured at =
> sea=20
>> level.
>>=20
>> So if we were using the metric system, a half wave dipole, would be 
>> 20=20=
>
>> meters in length, or 10 meters either side of the center feed point.  =
> Since=20
>> a yard is less than a meter in length, and that difference is =
> multiplied for=20
>> every meter, a formula to convert the length is necessary.
>> So frequency in mhz, divided in to 468 gives you the total length of a =
> half=20
>> wave dipole.
>> at 7 mhz, 7 in to 46 is 6 with a remainder of 4.  7 in to 48 is 6 with =
> a=20
>> remainder of 6.
>> 7 in to 60 is 8 with a remainder of 4.
>> This gives a figure of 66.8 total length, or 33.4 feet per side.  =
> Since=20
>> their are 12 not 10 inches to a foot, this comes out to 33 and 4 =
> tenths of a=20
>> foot, about 33 feet 5 inches.
>> actually I think it's 33 feet 4.8 inches.  Close enough for government =
> at=20
>> this frequency, but if you were working at 900 mhz frequencies, quite=20=
>
>> critical.
>> Others who know better can rip this little story to shreds.