"It’s Only Software" is the title of this week's installment of Surfin'. After you read it, you can post your comments, if any, back here.
By the way, Surfin' is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb that finds and features Web sites that are related to Amateur Radio, specifically, and radio, in general. If you have any suggestions for Surfin', please contact WA1LOU using the e-mail link to the right.
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Monday, May 21, 2007
Dayton wrap-up
I had another good time at the Hamvention. The weather was perfect for a ham convention: cool and dry.
My schedule was so full that I had little time to update this blog while I was there. Also, the slow intermittent Internet connection at my hotel did not help matters.
On Friday, I attended an informal meeting of ham radio Mac users in the pub at the Hamvention site. About 15 folks showed up and it was great to connect the faces with the names and call signs of the Mac users I have known for years.
Friday night, I attended the TAPR-AMSAT dinner. In past years, TAPR and AMSAT had competing dinners, but this year, they put their heads and dinners together and tripled attendance. The dinner was held at the Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson.
The food was great and after short talks from the leaders of TAPR, AMSAT, and the Hamvention, we had the run of the place for two hours. The museum is huge and houses huge planes, like a B-52, inside its hangars. I took a lot of photos and as soon as I get them all sorted out, I will post them on the Internet for you to view.
On Saturday, the forum (APRS) that I moderated was successful. We had a full house, standing-room-only, crowd. I estimate that there were over 300 in attendance. (I have a photo of the crowd and will make a better estimate later when I can actually count heads.) All the speakers were interesting and I did not see many people leave in the middle of the forum like I have seen at other forums, so that is a good sign that people were enjoying the show.
Software Defined Radio (SDR) received a lot of attention the Hamvention this year with lots of talks and new equipment related to SDR. I worked at TAPR's booth Friday and Saturday and could not help notice all the interest in TAPR's SDR offerings.
Throughout the Hamvention, I met old friends and acquaintances, some for the first time in person. That is a big attraction for me to go to the Hamvention.
My schedule was so full that I had little time to update this blog while I was there. Also, the slow intermittent Internet connection at my hotel did not help matters.
On Friday, I attended an informal meeting of ham radio Mac users in the pub at the Hamvention site. About 15 folks showed up and it was great to connect the faces with the names and call signs of the Mac users I have known for years.
Friday night, I attended the TAPR-AMSAT dinner. In past years, TAPR and AMSAT had competing dinners, but this year, they put their heads and dinners together and tripled attendance. The dinner was held at the Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson.
The food was great and after short talks from the leaders of TAPR, AMSAT, and the Hamvention, we had the run of the place for two hours. The museum is huge and houses huge planes, like a B-52, inside its hangars. I took a lot of photos and as soon as I get them all sorted out, I will post them on the Internet for you to view.
On Saturday, the forum (APRS) that I moderated was successful. We had a full house, standing-room-only, crowd. I estimate that there were over 300 in attendance. (I have a photo of the crowd and will make a better estimate later when I can actually count heads.) All the speakers were interesting and I did not see many people leave in the middle of the forum like I have seen at other forums, so that is a good sign that people were enjoying the show.
Software Defined Radio (SDR) received a lot of attention the Hamvention this year with lots of talks and new equipment related to SDR. I worked at TAPR's booth Friday and Saturday and could not help notice all the interest in TAPR's SDR offerings.
Throughout the Hamvention, I met old friends and acquaintances, some for the first time in person. That is a big attraction for me to go to the Hamvention.
Surfin': Studying the Ionosphere
"Studying the Ionosphere" is the title of this week's installment of Surfin'. Read it at ARRLWeb and write your comments, if any, back here.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
no resemblance
My daughter claims that this video is about me!
I'd write more about it, but I have some stuff that I need to get done.
I'd write more about it, but I have some stuff that I need to get done.
arrived in Hamtown
I started out at 4 AM and arrived at my hotel at 3:40 PM.
I did not see many hams on the road today. It seems that in past years, I've seen more on the way to Dayton, but I did leave and arrive earlier than I normally do, so maybe that accounts for the difference.
The weather cooperated for the trip. A few sprinkles here and there. I probably had my windshield wipers on for less than ten minutes the whole trip. But, it is unseasonably cold and I know someone who neglected to pack any long sleeve shirts. The forecast is for warmer weather Friday and Saturday, so maybe I won't need the long sleeves afterall.
I have the TAPR board meeting this evening. In the meantime, I think I will try and get some sleep.
Meanwhile, here is the LOUmobile with a very excellent parking space in from of the hotel.
I did not see many hams on the road today. It seems that in past years, I've seen more on the way to Dayton, but I did leave and arrive earlier than I normally do, so maybe that accounts for the difference.
The weather cooperated for the trip. A few sprinkles here and there. I probably had my windshield wipers on for less than ten minutes the whole trip. But, it is unseasonably cold and I know someone who neglected to pack any long sleeve shirts. The forecast is for warmer weather Friday and Saturday, so maybe I won't need the long sleeves afterall.
I have the TAPR board meeting this evening. In the meantime, I think I will try and get some sleep.
Meanwhile, here is the LOUmobile with a very excellent parking space in from of the hotel.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
save small, independent magazines
Cosign a letter protesting the U.S. Postal Service’s massive postage hike for independent magazines and demand that the decision be reversed! This decision unfairly hurts smaller, cutting edge publications at a time when we need independent media more than ever.
Here is the link to sign the protest letter.
Here is the link to sign the protest letter.
ready to roll to Dayton
I am just about ready to start my roadtrip to the Dayton Hamvention. Only have to gas up and pack the car tonight and I will be ready to roll at 4 AM tomorrow.
The weather forecast is about the same as yesterday with some showers predicted for the trip out on Thursday, but the rest of the weekend looks very good.
To track my trip, check out the Where's LOU? links below on the right .
The weather forecast is about the same as yesterday with some showers predicted for the trip out on Thursday, but the rest of the weekend looks very good.
To track my trip, check out the Where's LOU? links below on the right .
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Hamvention weather forecast update
The National Weather Service updated their forecast for the Hamvention weekend and it looks like it could be a wet roadtrip to Dayton on Thursday. Otherwise, the forecast looks very good for the rest of the weekend:
Thursday: A slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 65. Light wind becoming northeast between 12 and 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 44.
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 71.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 50.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 73.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 53.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 75.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 55.
Thursday: A slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 65. Light wind becoming northeast between 12 and 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 44.
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 71.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 50.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 73.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 53.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 75.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 55.
Monday, May 14, 2007
Hamvention radio preparation
I installed my APRS mobile station in the new car last evening. It is a temporary installation for the Hamvention roadtrip.
There is a less real estate inside the Outback as compared to Land Barge I and II, so a more permanent radio station installation is going to require some thought. Maybe I will get some ideas at the Hamvention.
There is a less real estate inside the Outback as compared to Land Barge I and II, so a more permanent radio station installation is going to require some thought. Maybe I will get some ideas at the Hamvention.
Hamvention weather forecast
Here is the good news from the National Weather Service:
Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 68.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 45.
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 70.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 51.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 74.
dayton hamvention
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 53.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 73.
Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 68.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 45.
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 70.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 51.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 74.
dayton hamvention
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 53.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 73.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Surfin': Having a Hamvention
The place to be next weekend is the Hamvention in Dayton, Ohio. Read this week's Surfin' to learn how you can participate in person or via the Internet, then leave your comments (if any) here.
Friday, May 4, 2007
Surfin': Online Ham Atlas
Check out the nifty online ham radio atlas that I write about in this week's installment of Surfin', and leave your comments (if any) back here.
Thursday, May 3, 2007
mystery solved
Last week, I mentioned a local mystery in the guise of a postcard I won on eBay.
In addition to blogging about the mystery here, I also mentioned it on the local geneology e-mail list, where a lot of local historians hang out. A number of people suggested solutions to the mystery, but none of them fit just right.
It suddenly occurred to me to check the rest of my postcard collection to see if I had any other postcards published by Prestige Associates, the publisher of the mystery postcard. I searched my postcard collection database and found one other Prestige Associates postcard in my collection depicting the Long Acre Inn in my hometown, Wolcott.
I found the Long Acre Inn postcard and, voila!, it was a match!
Funny thing is that I have gone to the Long Acre Inn, now called the Lily Lake Inn, a few times, but the place must have been remodeled and redecorated because it no longer looks how it is depicted on the postcards.
In addition to blogging about the mystery here, I also mentioned it on the local geneology e-mail list, where a lot of local historians hang out. A number of people suggested solutions to the mystery, but none of them fit just right.
It suddenly occurred to me to check the rest of my postcard collection to see if I had any other postcards published by Prestige Associates, the publisher of the mystery postcard. I searched my postcard collection database and found one other Prestige Associates postcard in my collection depicting the Long Acre Inn in my hometown, Wolcott.
I found the Long Acre Inn postcard and, voila!, it was a match!
Funny thing is that I have gone to the Long Acre Inn, now called the Lily Lake Inn, a few times, but the place must have been remodeled and redecorated because it no longer looks how it is depicted on the postcards.
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