The opportunity to make money from home

The Oscillator

2009-07-18T01:53:00.000-07:00

From the President,

Dennis Kidder, W6DQ
So, how do you like your new privileges? I hope you have at least tried to use them. Some of us have been discussing the possibility of bringing an old club net back to life ... on 10 meters! Now that ALL amateurs have access to at least a part of the 28 MHz phone band, it seems fitting that we encourage club members to become active on HF if they aren't already. Let me know what you think.

From the March meeting, I would again like to thank Mick Stwertnik, WB6JVT, President of NCG, for his presentation on their products and a donation of one of their new dual-band mobile antennas for our drawing.

The upcoming April meeting promises to be an exciting one! I am delighted to hear that Dave Bell,W6AQ, will be our guest speaker. As one of Amateur Radio's biggest promoters, we can all take
inspiration from his work. I am really looking forward to this one!

Don't forget that for this month only we are meeting at the Greater Long Beach Chapter of the American Red Cross. Why? Well, I'm glad you asked. Signal Hill is holding the annual Easter Eggstravaganza at City Hall, and it is the Saturday following our general meeting. The meeting room is being used in preparation for the event. This is
one of the events that we, as ARALB, participate in order to secure the use of the meeting room through the rest of the year. In exchange for our donated time, we are given the use of the meeting room at no charge. Think about coming out on behalf of ARALB and helping to spread some cheer to the kids in the community!

And although it seems far off at this time, Field Day is coming fast and will be here before you know it. It takes a lot of planning to pull off a successful event. Think about what you might be willing to do to help out with our Field Day efforts again this year. Don't forget about the Yard Sale coming in May. Here's another chance to support ARALB by donating your old "stuff" to this event.Remember, this is one way in which we defer the costs of Field Day. Our level of success in the yard sale determines whether we dine on steak .... or Spam.

Last, but certainly not least, we still need help with many club activities. At the top of the list is The Oscillator. This is a vital club organ and is in desperate need of a new "home." Carina, KF6ZYY,and Michael, W6MJF, have taken this on in a temporary assignment until we can find a new volunteer editor. If you have a yearning to be "The Chief" of a distinguished newsletter, here's your chance. Let us know if you're interested.See you all at the April meeting! 73 - dennis W6DQ

About Our Speaker Dave Bell, W6AQ
Dave is best known for producing documentary films. He is an Emmy and Peabody award winner for his work, but his pride is in having produced the first documentary about ham radio that enjoyed worldwide distribution. He is active in CW and DX contests, and in QRP work. Please attend this very special program!
There’s a New Game In Town The Egg Drawing Is Cracked
Have you ever thought about the Egg Drawing? Month after month we draw an egg with someone’s name who is not present to win, or someone who seemingly is unknown to anyone in the club, or even an SK. Then someone lugs home the eggs and their crate,usually grumbling about carrying this load.

Starting at the April General Meeting we’ll try something NEW.Wear your name badge, and you’ll receive one ticket for a prize drawing to be given that night. Not from the ARALB? Wear your name badge from any club. Forget your badge, and you can make a paper stick-on badge at the door. You’ll still get a ticket.

The badge prize will be something small, approximately $5.00 in value. In this way we will spend the same amount per year as the Egg Drawing, but we’ll have 12 winners rather than one or two.We hope you like it! Don’t forget to wear your badge!

The connection may seem slightly detached, but it’s true! We help the City of Signal Hill the day after our next meeting in April, and they improve our reception the rest of the year!

That’s because the City of Signal Hill needs our help on Saturday,April 7, 2007, to host their annual community Easter Eggstravaganza, and ARALB needs their Community Center the rest of the year to host our monthly meetings.

Please arrive at the Signal Hill Community Center by 8:00 AM,and be prepared to receive kids and parents by 9:00. Talk-in is on 145.520 MHz (simplex). With your help, our reception on Signal Hill will be excellent

Elmer’s Corner Hello! Anybody out there? By Dennis Kidder, W6DQ
In February we talked a little on getting started on HF. Well, the day has come, and you are now the proud holder of HF privileges. So, what next? How do you get started talking to others? Well, this month we’ll talk about some of the finer points of HF operations.

Many of you have heard me give my “first three rules” of communications, namely, “1. Listen.2. Listen. 3. Listen.” These rules hold true as much on HF as they do during emergency communications and maybe even more so. Why?
Propagation. When you key that microphone, your signal may very well traverse the world. So, it really pays to listen around first before ever keying that PTT switch.

Listening will tell you a few things before you ever say a word. First, you get a rough idea of any activity already in progress on the band. Second,you get an idea of how propagation is doing.Propagation is dependent upon many factors: time of day, season, and of course the sunspot cycle. It is important to consider all of these things prior to
going on the air. Or, is it? More on that in a bit.Getting Started

So, let’s say that you hear a few stations on the air and they are all busy in QSO with others.How do you make a contact? Well, the first thing you need to do is to find a clear spot to begin calling.This may not be as simple as it sounds. Again it depends on all those things I mentioned earlier: time of day, season, and sunspots. And of course, if there are any contests in progress … but we’ll leave THAT topic for a future column.

Assuming that you’ve found a clear frequency,what now? One common technique that I hear a lot is to call, “Is this frequency in use?” In many ways, this is really being a good neighbor.Remember propagation? It is quite possible that
the quiet frequency you hear is in use, but you can only hear one side of the transmission, and the side you CAN hear is listening while you call out. He will hear you AND the station he is in QSO with at the time. He SHOULD acknowledge your call and let you know that the frequency is in use. If this happens, just thank him, ID and move to another clear frequency and repeat the process.

So, let’s just say that you’ve made that call and there was no response. Now what? The best technique to use is to “Call CQ.” CQ is a prosign that essentially means “I am willing to speak with anyone who wishes to speak with me.” Remember that this is not your local two meter repeater and “W6DQ listening,” is not the best approach to making contacts here. A time-honored technique of saying “CQ” three times, followed by your call three times, is a good approach. It would sound something like this: “CQ, CQ, CQ, this is W6DQ,Whiskey Six Delta Quebec, W6DQ,calling CQ and standing by.” There are many variations to this, but keeping the call short and simple has always worked best for me. It is important that the other station be able to understand your callsign, hence the use of the International phonetics. Cute little phrases are fine with your buddies on two meters,but they don’t hold up well on HF. You just never know who you may talk with next, it could be someone just down the street, or it could be someone halfway around the world for whom English is a second language.

Again, you can continue this process until you get a response. And the response may be something like, “W6DQ, this is Alpha Charlie Three Papa Tango, AC3PT, calling and standing by.” (That would have been a dream QSO back in the day, yeah?*) And so on and so forth. You would return the call, his call first followed by yours, acknowledging the reception of the call. A typical QSO would then go on to give a signal report and your name and location (QTH). You will soon find that there is plenty to talk about … weather, your radio, your antennas, other hobbies and the list goes on.

Someone else calling CQ? Just reverse the process. When they finish, call them, their call first, followed by yours, at least once phonetically.And let the process unfold. You will quickly get the hang of it and be an old hand before too long.On Sunspots

So, just how important is all the stuff about time of day, season and sunspots? Well, if you

There are several vacant committees that you might enjoy if you were to step forward and offer some time. If you’re interested in any of these, ask any Director or Officer. And remember that asking is not committing. We want each club member to participate in activities they enjoy and at a level that is comfortable.

The Oscillator: You’ll learn a lot as Editor,and you will have several assistants who will help write, proof, print and mail, and email thenewsletter. A very big and very important job!

Field Day: Assist Dennis Kidder, W6DQ, and organize band captains, plan menus, arrange for facilities, manage finances, record contest points and submit our Field Day results.Another big and very important job, with lots of helpers to assist.

7-3 Committee: Be the first chairman of this new committee, and you’ll set the course for its success. respond to the health and welfare news of our members, be an official greeter at the meetings, organize our holiday greetings at the end of the year. This committee is key to adding the personal touch to our club.

Club Net: As chairman of the Club Net you can be Net Control, or you can rotate the Net Control position in any of several ways. If you don’t have a strong enough base station at home, you can run the Net from the ECOC or from W6RO. This is a club net that helps allclub members keep in touch with each other.

Training Committee: Would you like to organize classes? Perhaps teach classes? The Club and the ARRL have training materials available, and we have people asking for classes. Help keep ham radio alive by spreading the hobby!

Scholarship Committee: The Hal Nahmens Scholarship Committee funds a $250 scholarship each year to help beginners get into ham radio. Help decide how the scholarship should be awarded.

Refreshments: What would a club meeting be without refreshments? Tap a few club members on the shoulder and ask them to sign up to bring refreshments to one meeting. Arrive at the meeting in time to make the coffee. Your job will be done, and we’ll all be happy.Help keep the ARALB the BEST radio club around. Participate in a committee. Again, ask anyOfficer or Director for more details before you decide.

IS MY GENERAL OR EXTRA CSCE STILL VALID? By Tom Gibbons, W9EYB
Do you hold a Certificate of Successful Completion (CSCE) for an Element 3 or 4 written test? CSCEs are valid for one year from date of issue. If you are unsure whether your CSCE is still valid, bring the CSCE and a legible copy to any testing session, and check with the Volunteer Examiner-in-Charge.

Present the CSCE original and copy at the examination session, along with a copy of your current Amateur Radio license, plus the processing fee. Do not give up the original Amateur Radio license. The original CSCE is yours and will be returned during the session.

The club Testing Committee sessions are held at 900 hours on the third Saturday morning each month at the CSULB University Police Station.Please arrive on time. You can pre-register with Louise Chapman, N6ELK, by email
N6ELK@aol.com or telephone 562-429-1355. She will have your "605" registration form ready to sign when you arrive at the session. The fee for monthly club testing is $4.00.

For FCC Rules or testing questions contact Tom Gibbons, W9EYB, the Testing Committee Chairman. You may reach him by email at tlgnov6@yahoo.com or w9eyb@arrl.net or by telephone at 562-529-8644.

A tip of the ARALB hat to the many Volunteer Examiners participating in the ARALB Testing Program. Their time and talents are very much appreciated.

Do You Remember Way Back When?
Calling all past ARALB members (especially the more senior ones). If you happen to have a copy of past membership rosters, on paper or computer file, please contact Membership Chairman Bob Grubic, NC6Q. He is trying to reconstruct a history and record of all past members and the years they were in the club. If you were a past officer of the club, you just might have a typed list or printout of some old club rosters hidden in a box somewhere. Please contact Bob by email at NC6Q@arrl.net.happen to find yourself tuning around a supposed “dead” band during one

of our many big contest weekends, you’ll discover just how UNimportant it really is. You can usually find activity anywhere you look for it, within reason. Don’t expect to find
South Africa on 80 meters in the middle of the day,but certainly give 10 or 15 a try. Even though it is a low part of the sunspot cycle right now, there is still propagation, and there may be others out there tuning around listening.
Other Resources

While listening is always a good way to learn the techniques, whom you listen to is also important. Not every operator has the best techniques. I suggest an invaluable resource for ANY ham is The ARRL Operating Manual. This is a good source of information on operating techniques and is a wealth of information in many other areas, such as, setting up your first station. I have never been without a copy, and as they get updated from time to time, I always have a fresh copy around. Of course, the Web is another good source of information, and the ARRL Web site has some good guidance as well.

By all means, when in doubt, ask someone.That’s what Elmers are all about. Get advice from an experienced operator. They are a great source of operating information.

In the meantime, get out there and make some contacts! QRZ? Who is the station calling me?? 73, -W6DQ

* BTW – AC3PT was a very sought after QSL card back in the 60’s and 70’s. He was King of the Principality of Sikkim. One of the rare ones

ARALB Yard Sale Saturday, May 5
at the home of Jeff KG6DKJ and Julie KG6FIA Potter 4527 Tolbert Ave.6:00 AM until noon Remember those great steaks we have at Field Day? The yard sale pays for that and much more, so support the sale with your saleable discards and your time on May 5. Start cleaning your closets now—the Potters have storage space and are willing to receive sale items ahead of time. Just call ahead to be sure they’re home. 562-423-9352. Let’s top last year’s take!

W6RO, the ARALB Station
Join the operators of the most famous club station in the world! For more information call Henry Lulli, W6OLZ, at 714-963-2986, or email him at W6OLZ@socal.rr.com. If you already are a W6RO operator and have scheduling questions, call Nate Brightman, K6OSC, at 562-427-5123. If you have questions about equipment in the Wireless
Room, please contact John Rogers, KF6TTR, 562-626-1755 (pager w/vm).

HAMCON 2007
HAMCON is coming sooner than you think.September sounds far off, but if you register by the end of April you will get the Early Bird Special,including a FREE HAMCON pin (while they last).When HAMCON was last hosted by the Los
Angeles area of the Southwest Division (2003 in Long Beach), the banquet sold out; many people were disappointed to miss the highlight of the weekend. So plan now to get your tickets early AND get a discount to boot! Fill out the
application on the next page and send your check before the end of April

The Associated Radio Amateurs of Long Beach publishes The OSCILLATOR each month. Subscriptions are
included with membership. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit all submitted material. Credit to The
OSCILLATOR and the writer should be given with any reproduction. The comments and views expressed by authors are not necessarily the views of the ARALB, its officers, or the editorial staff. The deadline for submission of articles for publication is the 15th of each month. Articles can be sent via email to KF6ZYY@arrl.net or W6MJF@arrl.net, or by mail to The OSCILLATOR, Michael Fox, W6MJF, 3546½ Falcon Ave., Long Beach, CA 90807-4816. Material can be on paper or any standard digital format. Printer: Circle C Printing, Bellflower, CA. Print Distributor: Joy Matlack,KD6FJV. Email Distributor: Carina Lister, KF6ZYY.

Forex history

2009-07-09T01:29:00.000-07:00

Introduction

Long ago, the world's economy was based on the bartering method. The value of a particular item, was measured by it's worth in exchange for other items. But, this system had it's obvious limitations. If you had nothing of value to exchange, you had no way of obtaining items you needed. This created the need to establish a more acceptable way of buying and selling early in history.

In various cultures and economies, anything could be considered valuable as long as there was a need for it. In some cases items such as animal pelts, corn, wheat and even hand made items were exchanged to obtain other much needed items. Eventually, the monetary standard became precious metals such as gold and silver. These metals not only served as a widely accepted method of payment, they've also became one of the most popular methods of investment.

Coins were originally simply minted from the metal that was preferred at the time. But, during the Middle Ages, the introduction of paper forms of money gained wide acceptance. Although, paper forms of currency were more successfully introduced by force that by choice, they still served as the basis of modern day currencies.

Before the beginning of World War I, many of the major banks allowed their currencies to be converted to gold. But, while paper currency could be converted to gold at any time, very few people took advantage of this practice. For this reason, many often felt it was unnecessary for the government to stock a full reserve of gold in their central banks.

However, with an ever increasing supply of paper currency entering circulation and not enough gold to cover it, inflation occurred which resulted in an instable government. More and more foreign exchange controls were instated to protect the national interests and prevent the market from plunging. In July of 1944 during the latter stages of World War II, the Bretton Woods agreement was signed that established a fixed rate for the exchange of currency that was linked to the U.S. dollar.

The Bretton Woods Accord

The Bretton Woods Accord was a major transformation in the way money was exchanged around the world. It began near the end of World War II and was the result of an agreement between France, Great Britain and the United States. The meeting was held at the United Nations' Monetary and Financial Conference with the goal of designing a new economic order.

This location was designated as the meeting place because at the time, the U.S. was the only country in which a war wasn't being fought. And, many European countries had been nearly destroyed by war. Before World War II, the major currency by which most of the world's currencies were compared was Great Britain's British Pound.

When the Nazi's started their campaign against Britain, this practice changed due to their major effort in counterfeiting the currency. The stock market crash in 1929 had resulted in the U.S. dollar having very little value. However, World War II stabilized its value and helped it become the monetary standard. The main purpose of the Bretton Woods Accord was to establish a stable economic environment around the globe so countries could re-establish themselves.

The world's major currencies became pegged by the U.S. dollar and could only fluctuate as much as one percent in value either lower or higher. Anytime that the exchange rate of a particular currency would approach the allowed fluctuation, intervention from the countries central bank would bring the rate back into the standard range. By associating the U.S. dollar with gold, which at the time was $35 per ounce, the Forex situation was also stabilized.

At the Bretton Woods conference, John Maynard Keynes had suggested a new world reserve currency would be much better than a system that was built upon the U.S. dollar. But, this suggestion was quickly rejected. The exchange rates finally settled upon helped to reinstate the standard of gold by setting the dollar at the current per ounce price and then setting the other major currencies to the dollar. This system was meant to be a permanent standard for exchanging currencies.

National economies began to move in different directions during the 1960's, placing and increasing amount of pressure on the Bretton Woods system. Through a series of adjustments to the system, it remained in effect for some time. However, in August 1971 U.S. President Nixon suspended the conversion of gold and the system collapsed. At a time when pressure was also increasing on trade deficits and the U.S. budget, the dollar became unsuitable as the only international currency.

Pegged and semipegged currencies

The first real test of the Bretton Woods Accord was due to the dramatic fluctuation rates of currency. A chain reaction resulted that ended with President Richard Nixon abandoning the gold standard in 1973. And, heavy pressure from the world markets caused the collapse of the fixed rate system allowed currencies to float freely.

Since the ancient days of Pharaoh, there has been some form of money. The first known use of paper currency and receipts is accredited to the Babylonians. The first exchanges of coins between various cultures were first practiced by Middle Eastern money changers. The need for other forms of currency other than coins occurred during the middle ages. But, the Foreign Exchange market, known as Forex as we know it today wasn't established until 1973.

Regional economies began to flourish when paper currency made it much easier for traders and merchants to make and receive payments in funds. From the middle ages when the Forex system first began emerged up until World War I, the market had remained fairly stable and didn't see much speculative activity.

However, after World War I, speculative activity increased as much as tenfold and the Forex markets became very unstable. The general public as well as most institutions began to look upon the Forex system unfavorably. The removal of the gold standard during the Great Depression in 1931, created a serious decline in Forex activity.

The market went through a series of changes that made a major impact on global economies between 1931 and 1973. During these years, there was very little speculation in the Forex markets. Today, the Forex market if one of the fastest growing markets world wide. In 1998, it became available to average investors and sees volumes that exceed the entire stock market almost 100 times over on a daily basis.

After the demise of the European Joint Float and the Smithsonian Agreement, foreign exchange markets made the official switch over to a free floating market system. Although, the free floating system was mainly chosen because of a lack of other options, it was not forced in any way. This gave each individual country the freedom to choose to peg, semi-peg or free float their respective currencies.

Pegged currency simply refers to currencies that have an exchange rate based on the currency of another country. Many smaller economies have pegged their currency with that of countries with larger economies that they consider to be economic liaisons. Many of the Caribbean nations, like Jamaica, have chosen to peg their currencies to the U.S. dollar.

Since 1993, the practice of using semi-pegged currencies has no longer been in use. The European Monetary System, EMS is a good example of how currencies were semi-pegged. Those European currencies were only allowed to fluctuate at a rate of 2.25 percent and with intervention bands of 6 percent. When the foreign exchange crisis hit in 1993, the EMS expanded their intervention rates to 15 percent. When currencies neared the maximum values allowed, semi-pegging would minimize them. The EMS switched their semi-pegged currencies over to pegged values forming the Euro in 1999.

Free-floating currencies and fixed exchange rates

When major global currencies such as the U.S. dollar are referred to as free floating, it means that their values are independent of the values of other currencies. Value is determined by the supply and demand of the currency and there are no set standards regarding intervention that need to be observed. Free-floating currencies can be traded by any one and are the most popular choice of trading.

Along with computers and technology, capital movements across borders accelerated in the 1980's. This advent extended the market though the United States, Asian and European time zones. New technology made it possible for private investors to enter into a market that had once been dominated by larger institutions and banks. During the 1980's, foreign exchange transactions were around $70 million per day, within just two decades; they had soared to over $1.5 trillion each day and had a speculative volume of almost 95 percent.

Throughout the preceding decades, foreign exchange trading continued to develop into the largest global market in the world. Most countries have removed all restriction on capital flows and have left the market forces free to adjust the foreign exchange rates based up their individual perceived values. But, the practice of using a system of fixed rate exchanges has by no means been completely done away with.

A brand new system of fixed exchange rates was introduced by the EEC in 1979, the European Monetary System. But, this attempt to fix the monetary exchange rates was almost done away with through 1992 and 1993, when economic pressures resulted in devaluations of several weak European currencies. Europe continued to work toward a stable currency by not only fixing them, but by replacing many of their currencies with the Euro beginning in 2001.

The project had become fairly advanced by 1998 and fixed levels of exchange and the final structure were decided. However, a three year period followed in which devaluation candidates could literally be attacked with little risk before the final introduction of the Euro came in this millennium.

The events that occurred in South East Asia toward the end of 1997 increased the relevance of the lack of sustainability that comes with fixed foreign exchange rates. One currency after another became devalued again the U.S. dollar, which left other fixed exchange rates appearing to be very vulnerable, particularly in South America.

In recent years, as commercial companies have been faced with a currency environment that has been more volatile, financial institutions and investors have found a new area to focus on. The foreign exchange markets have become much larger than any other market for investment that exists. Every day, it is estimated that over 1,200 billion USD is traded. A total that exceeds the world wide total of the bond market and the stock market combined.

Timeline of Foreign Exchange

1) 1944 - Bretton Woods Accord is established after World War II to help stabilize the global economy.

2) 1971 - Smithsonian Agreement is established which provided greater fluctuation bands for currencies.

3) 1972 - In an effort to move away from the dependency the European community had acquired on the U.S. dollar, the European Joint Float was established.

4) 1973 - The official switch to a free floating currency system was made after both the European Joint Float and the Smithsonian Agreement failed.

5) 1978 - In a joint effort to help other countries gain independence from the U.S. dollar, the European Monetary System was introduced to other countries.

6) 1978 -The IMF officially mandated the free-floating currency system.

7) 1993 -A world wide free-floating currency system is established when the European Monetary System failed.

How to Get Started

2009-07-09T01:28:00.001-07:00

People are introduced to the exciting world of foreign exchange in many ways: friends, current events, newspapers, television, and many others. For those of you who are new to forex, the following guidelines cover the basics of currency trading.

Step 1: "Practice makes perfect"

Demo trade. The demo account was designed to help traders gain familiarity with the speed and movements of the market. When you are demo trading, you should learn how to: 1) place market orders to enter a trade, 2) place stop-loss orders to protect your positions, and limit orders to take profits, 3) place OCO orders and If Done Orders to execute more advanced strategies.

Step 2: "Study, Study, Study".

Forex traders use fundamental analysis, technical analysis, quantitative analysis and sometimes a combination of all three to make their trading decisions. Fundamental analysis involves the use of economic, financial and political news to determine trading decisions. Technical analysis involves the study of Charts to predict future price movements based on past price patterns and trends. Quantitative analysis consists of the use of preset statistical models and properties in quantifying price formations such as averages, retracements as well as identifying oversold and undersold situations.

In order to help novice and experienced traders alike, MG has developed www.forexnews.com, a leading site on foreign exchange analysis, news and education. Comprehensive previews and summaries updated 4 times per day, insightful editorials covering the latest market developments and an open forum for discussing trading tips and ideas, are just some of the many features of Forexnews.com and MG's commitment to educating and informing Forex participants.

Step 3: Manage your money wisely.

You should always be aware of the amount of money in your account before placing a trade. If you think a long-term trend is developing, then you should consider whether you have enough funds to maintain your margin and withstand any movements against your position(s) that may occur. We encourage everyone who opens an account with us to ask themselves the following questions prior to entering each trade:

1) How much am I willing to risk?
2) What is my upside and downside potential?
3) What are the market conditions? (Is the market volatile or calm?)
4) What is the logic behind entering this trade?
5) When can I conclude if the assumptions/logic behind the trade are/is correct or wrong?

Before entering an order, you should consider both your entry and exit points. One of the mistakes most commonly made by traders, especially new traders, is letting emotions get in the way of their strategy.

Step 4: Stay Connected:

It is impossible to follow the forex market 24 hours day, 7 days a week. For better management of your account, we encourage you to use our Wireless Service and alert!FX™.

Step 5: Open a Live Account.

If you feel ready to trade this market, fill out our application forms and submit them today. Since the emotional factor may be higher than it was when you were demo-trading (as you are now committing real money), it is essential that you develop an effective strategy while demo-trading and plan to abide by it when trading your live account.

We hope you enjoy trading with us and wish you the best of luck!

MG Financial History

2009-07-09T01:27:00.002-07:00

MG Financial, founded in 1992, is one of the oldest and most recognizable names in retail foreign exchange industry. MG's strength and focus are in providing online trading services for the foreign exchange market. MG Financial accepts customer orders via the Internet as well as over the phone.

In April of 1997, MG Financial released the first version of its online trading platform. This trading platform enabled traders to view real-time quotations, execute transactions, and track open positions. Since the trading platform’s introduction, important features such as real-time charting have been added.

DealStation™, which went live on January 30th 2000, has revolutionized forex-trading platforms by offering traders the latest Java “Push” Technology, which immediately “pushes” new information to your computer, automatically updating your screens. The implementation of Java technology enhances overall system performance, which will improve speed and execution time. Since then MG has also added Desktop and HTML versions of the DealStation™.

MG Financial began a news/research in the middle of 1997. This division was formed to provide MG Financial 's clients with up-to-date information on the foreign exchange market. Analysts of the news/research division contribute expert commentary on MG's affiliate news & analysis website, Forexnews.com. MG's team of analysts is frequently quoted in publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times, Investors Business Daily, and interviewed on Bloomberg TV.

In order to increase the connectivity between the trader and the market, MG also added alert!fx™ and Wireless trading to its product line. Traders can now use their web-enabled Mobile Phones or Personal Digital Assistants to connect to our proprietary wireless version of the DealStation™ to check rates, charts & news, to monitor account status, and to place orders. alert!fx™ sends rate, news, margin and technical indicator alerts to any email-enabled device of trader's choice.

In 1998, MG Financial became the first foreign exchange market maker to obtain fidelity bond insurance. The insurance, issued through the subsidiary of a NYSE company, protects the assets of MG Financial from fraud and embezzlement by members of the firm.

MG Financial's greatest asset is its people. The firm has recruited individuals from all nationalities and backgrounds in order to obtain its own in-house global environment. The firm's talented and competent staff is dedicated to exceeding our clients' highest standards of satisfaction.

The Explosion of the Euromarket

2009-07-09T01:27:00.001-07:00

A major catalyst to the acceleration of Forex trading was the rapid development of the eurodollar market; where US dollars are deposited in banks outside the US. Similarly, Euromarkets are those where assets are deposited outside the currency of origin. The Eurodollar market first came into being in the 1950s when Russia’s oil revenue-- all in dollars -- was deposited outside the US in fear of being frozen by US regulators. That gave rise to a vast offshore pool of dollars outside the control of US authorities. The US government imposed laws to restrict dollar lending to foreigners. Euromarkets were particularly attractive because they had far less regulations and offered higher yields. From the late 1980s onwards, US companies began to borrow offshore, finding Euromarkets a beneficial center for holding excess liquidity, providing short-term loans and financing imports and exports.

London was, and remains the principal offshore market. In the 1980s, it became the key center in the Eurodollar market when British banks began lending dollars as an alternative to pounds in order to maintain their leading position in global finance. London’s convenient geographical location (operating during Asian and American markets) is also instrumental in preserving its dominance in the Euromarket.

Forex History - The Evolution OF FX Markets

2009-07-09T01:16:00.000-07:00

In 1967, a Chicago bank refused a college professor by the name of Milton Friedman a loan in pound sterling because he had intended to use the funds to short the British currency. Friedman, who had perceived sterling to be priced too high against the dollar, wanted to sell the currency, then later buy it back to repay the bank after the currency declined, thus pocketing a quick profit. The bank’s refusal to grant the loan was due to the Bretton Woods Agreement, established twenty years earlier, which fixed national currencies against the dollar, and set the dollar at a rate of $35 per ounce of gold.

The Bretton Woods Agreement, set up in 1944, aimed at installing international monetary stability by preventing money from fleeing across nations, and restricting speculation in the world currencies. Prior to the Agreement, the gold exchange standard--prevailing between 1876 and World War I--dominated the international economic system. Under the gold exchange, currencies gained a new phase of stability as they were backed by the price of gold. It abolished the age-old practice used by kings and rulers of arbitrarily debasing money and triggering inflation.

But the gold exchange standard didn’t lack faults. As an economy strengthened, it would import heavily from abroad until it ran down its gold reserves required to back its money; consequently, the money supply would shrink, interest rates rose and economic activity slowed to the extent of recession. Ultimately, prices of goods had hit bottom, appearing attractive to other nations, who would rush into buying sprees that injected the economy with gold until it increased its money supply, and drive down interest rates and recreate wealth into the economy. Such boom-bust patterns prevailed throughout the gold standard until the outbreak of World War I interrupted trade flows and the free movement of gold.

After the Wars, the Bretton Woods Agreement was founded, where participating countries agreed to try and maintain the value of their currency with a narrow margin against the dollar and a corresponding rate of gold as needed. Countries were prohibited from devaluing their currencies to their trade advantage and were only allowed to do so for devaluations of less than 10%. Into the 1950s, the ever-expanding volume of international trade led to massive movements of capital generated by post-war construction. That destabilized foreign exchange rates as setup in Bretton Woods.

The Agreement was finally abandoned in 1971, and the US dollar would no longer be convertible into gold. By 1973, currencies of major industrialized nations floated more freely, as they were controlled mainly by the forces of supply and demand. Prices were floated daily, with volumes, speed and price volatility all increasing throughout the 1970s, giving rise to new financial instruments, market deregulation and trade liberalization.

In the 1980s, cross-border capital movements accelerated with the advent of computers and technology, extending market continuum through Asian, European and American time zones. Transactions in foreign exchange rocketed from about $70 billion a day in the 1980s, to more than $1.5 trillion a day two decades later.

The opportunity to make money from home

2009-07-06T23:00:00.001-07:00

Home based businesses are more accepted today than in the past thanks to technology and the ability to deliver products and services via the Internet. Success doesn’t just happen, you have to make it happen. Businesses on the internet are not 9-5 jobs that pay by the hour, they are “businesses”, and most pay by commission.

Yet, it shouldn’t have to consumer all of your time. Analysts have proven that people who work from home are in better control of their destiny and therefore much more secure.
Choosing a home based business partner is something you want to put a great deal of thought into. Like anything else, having a home based business partner has an upside and a downside. Choosing a high converting affiliate program is important as it will ensures that you will have a very successful affiliate marketing business. Also support is extremely important, you will need help and you will need training. In order to get started with possible business ideas, sit down and make a list of your interests. Try to make a list of the things that you love doing because this is where excellent business ideas arise and after that, try to identify the ones that you can turn into a home business. If you do not feel good about what you are selling your customers will know it and of course be turned off. You need to be proud and enthusiastic about what you are marketing.

Build your business in a growth industry. Internet marketing is a Business model that combines direct marketing with franchising. These companies account for billions of dollars in annual sales. Sales in the United States represent nearly $25 billion annually and could soon approach $100 billion Worldwide.

Generating email leads for your network marketing business is the foundation of starting a successful online venture. It is important for a network marketer to get quality leads before he can attract a large number of prospects that has the potential to become his downline later on. Generally the more products you have the better. The fewer products you have, the more your potential customers might not be interested.

Marketing should be focused on building your lists and a relationship with your people. Build relationships with the consumers in your market and you’re well on your way to success. Always think to add value to the people you come in contact with and improve their lives.

Selling service is very different from selling products. Your clients cannot test before they buy. Sell your current customers more stuff once they trust you. This is a warm market and really where your profits come from.

A home based business entrepreneur needs to take advantage of the internet and seek out customers and team members from all over. The larger an area covered the more possibilities. By taking advantage of the fact that the internet allows a person to market all over the world, they can build a team and customer base of people all over the world.

Running a home based business must be ran as a business and not a hobby. On a professional level, an office should be as quiet as possible, with no interruptions by "family" or "friends". This also is a safety measure, as clients will assume the business is strictly unattached from the residence if they sense no background noise.

The opportunity to make money from home is consistently knocking at your door. Timing is very important towards your success when considering a new home business. Remember what you put in, is what you get out. Afford yourself the ability to leverage your time by starting a home based business opportunity today and working for yourself.