Old Heathkit Manuals Forced Offline

"Even though the company (Heathkit) stopped making and selling kits back in 1992, it apparently just sold the copyrights on its old manuals to another company, which is going around forcing any old manuals offline and demanding people buy them instead..."

Read all about it here.

Surfin': Returning to Smart Phones and Antique QSLs

This week’s Surfin’ opens the new year by returning to the old year.

Update: The links for N8CIA's Web site in the figure caption and the third paragraph of this week's Surfin' went bad. The correct URL is http://www.n8cia.com

Did you know that Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb that features Web sites 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.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year de WA1LOU

Get Smart and my radio

Watched Get Smart last night. It has a couple of laugh-out-loud moments, but it is not a great film and I probably will not watch it again.

However, it does have a ham radio moment. In the chase scene near the end of the film, there is a two-way radio in one of the automobiles: a Yaesu FT-1802, the same model of radio that serves as my APRS home digipeater transmitter. The displayed frequency of the radio in the film was 143.910 MHz.

I had a choice of accompanying this post with a photo of the FT-1802 or a photo of Anne Hathaway and Steve Carell appearing in the film. I think I made the right decision.

Surfin': Radio Shack Historically Speaking

This week’s Surfin’ looks back on radio and electronic history via vintage Radio Shack catalogs.

Did you know that Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb that features Web sites 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.

Surfin': Going Vertical

This week’s Surfin’ reflects on vertical polarization of the antenna variety.

That is the WATR AM radio antenna farm in the photo, two blocks from where I grew up in Waterbury.

Did you know that Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb that features Web sites 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.

FCC Chairman Manipulated Data, Suppressed Information

WASHINGTON (AP) -- In a scathing report released Tuesday, congressional investigators outlined a pattern of mismanagement, dysfunction and abuse of power at the Federal Communications Commission under the agency's Republican chairman, Kevin Martin.

Read all about it here.

Forrest J Ackerman, R.I.P.

Forrest J. Ackerman died on Thursday.

Mr. Ackerman is noted for coining the term "sci-fi" and amassing a vast collection of science fiction and fantasy memorabilia, but I will remember him as being the brains behind the operation known as Famous Monsters of Filmland, which was one of my favorite periodicals when I was a kid.

Famous Monsters of Filmland was 50 cents per issue at a time when my periodical budget was in the 10-cent comic book and 25-cent Mad magazine range. So, I hesitated splurging on the magazine, although I admired its covers whenever I visited the newsstand.

I built the Aurora model kits of the Universal Studios' monsters and one time, while opening the box of a new kit, I found a coupon for a free sample issue of Famous Monsters of Filmland. I immediately filled out the coupon and walked it to the mailbox at the corner of Baldwin and Piedmont Streets, then waited patiently for my free issue to arrive.

The free issue finally arrived, but it was not the current issue. Rather, it was a back issue, but it was the mother of all back issues of Famous Monsters of Filmland: the October 1963 special King Kong issue! King Kong was my favorite film and I read that magazine from cover-to-cover so many times that the cover came loose and the pages were dog-eared.

That issue hooked me on Mr. Ackerman's magazine and I started buying it from the newsstand regularly. However, in my opinion, that special King Kong issue represented the peak of the run of Famous Monsters of Filmland. I did enjoy the subsequent issues of Famous Monsters of Filmland, but none were as good as the special King Kong issue and after a few years, I lost interest and stopped buying it.

Anyway, thank you, Forrest J. Ackerman, for providing a lot of fun for a 12-year-old kid and helping to inspire him to become a writer.

Surfin': Still QSLing Those Radio Memories

This week’s Surfin’ considers the QSL card for one more time.

Did you know that Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb that features Web sites 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.

remembering memory

Last week, I wrote here about how I bought a 1-Tbyte external hard drive for backup after I noticed how low the prices had dropped on external drives.

I also noticed that the prices of USB memory sticks had dropped considerably. Since I was in the market to replace my well-worn 1-Gbyte memory stick, I hit the "Add To Shipping Cart" button as soon as I saw an 8-Gbyte stick for $16 on Amazon last week. The stick arrived on Wednesday and I immediately put it to good use.

Back in 1978, I paid $599 for 16-kbyte of RAM for my Radio Shack TRS-80 Model I computer. Adjusted for inflation, that $599 would buy me 124 Tbytes of memory today! Amazing!

Surfin': QSLing Those Radio Memories

This week’s Surfin’ considers the final courtesy of a radio contact: The QSL card.

Did you know that Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb that features Web sites 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.

$1.89 per gallon gas

Today, I purchased gas here in Wolcott for $1.89.9 per gallon. Amazing!

Surfin': Revisiting Radio Monitoring Memories

This week’s Surfin’ reveals new information about broadcast band and shortwave listening.

Did you know that Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb that features Web sites 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.

$1.99 per gallon gas

Today, I saw a gas station in Wallingford, CT selling gas for $1.99 per gallon.* First time I have seen gas under $2 in a long time. Six months ago, the same gas station was selling gas for nearly twice today's price.

* Tonight, the local news showed gas for sale at another Connecticut location for $1.73 per gallon!

new external hard drive

Daily, Retrospect runs automatically to back up my Mac at 2 AM to two 160-Gbyte SmartDisk external hard drives. I inherited one of the drives, so I put it to work and on even days, Retrospect backs up to drive "A" and on odd days, to drive "B."

Problem is that some days, depending on what projects I am working on, Retrospect cannot do a backup because there is not enough space on Drive "A" or "B." When that occurs, I delete some of the project files from my Mac and when 2 AM rolls around, Retrospect can do its thing.

This occurs about once a week and has gotten old fast, so every once in awhile I consider buying a larger external hard drive. That once in awhile occurred again last week and when I checked online, I was amazed how low the prices for hard drives have fallen. So I bought one: a LaCie 1-Tbyte external hard drive that includes a slew of interfaces including Firewire 800, which is the interface I was after. (The SmartDisks only had Firewire 400, while my Mac supports both 400 and 800.)

The LaCie arrived yesterday and I connected it to my Mac last evening. When I made the connection, my Mac asked me if I wanted to use the new drive with Time Machine to do backup. I clicked positively and my Mac informed me that Time Machine would do a backup on the hour.

I finished some work, then went downstairs to clean the litter boxes and walk the Pies. After I finished my sanitation assignments, I returned to my Mac to see how the backup was going. A progress bar indicated that there were over one million files to backup and that Time Machine was about one-third of the way through.

The Harmonic phoned and I talked with her for a half hour or so, then I checked my Mac again. The progress bar was nearly at its end and less than a minute later, the progress bar disappeared and the initial backup was complete.

I was impressed! Firewire 800 is fast. I expected that the initial backup would take the better part of the evening, but I estimate that it took no more than 90 minutes.

By the way, the new hard drive (specifically a LaCie 301827U d2 Quadra) is soundly constructed and not much bigger than the SmartDisks. It includes a bundle of software that I have not explored yet.

Surfin': Tying Ham Radio Together with Twine

This week’s Surfin’ visits a Web site using semantic Web design to organize your Amateur Radio information.

Did you know that Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb that features Web sites 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.

Surfin': How We Got Here

This week’s Surfin’ reviews the different paths we take that lead us to Amateur Radio.

Did you know that Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb that features Web sites 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.

Surfin': Clandestine Radio in Uncle Tom's Corner

Last week’s Surfin’ wonders who were the men behind the curtain at Radio Swan (aka Radio Americas).

Did you know that Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb that features Web sites 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.

Surfin': I Phone, Therefore I Ham

This week’s Surfin’ considers Amateur Radio applications for Apple's iPhone and other smartphones.

Did you know that Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb that features Web sites 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.

Surfin': Blogging with an Interest

This week’s Surfin’ visits a pair of blogs that provide interesting content associated with Amateur Radio.

Did you know that Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb that features Web sites 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.

Surfin': More Going ATV Digitally

This week’s Surfin’ again considers Web sites related to Amateur Television (ATV) going digital.

Did you know that Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb that features Web sites 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.

Surfin': Going ATV Digitally

This week’s Surfin’ considers Web sites where Amateur Television (ATV) is going digital.

Did you know that Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb that features Web sites 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.

Surfin': Playing Safe

This week's Surfin' visits Web sites that address the safety issues in Amateur Radio.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites 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.

Surfin': Getting Your QSL from Here to There

This week's Surfin' features a Web site that is a one-stop shop for getting your QSL card on its way.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites 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.

Surfin': Old and New, But Nothing Blue

Like a bride, this week's Surfin' features some new things and some old things, but no borrowed blue things.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites 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.

Bad link in this week's Surfin': Skimming the Code

This week's Surfin', Skimming the Code, has a bad link, which may be fixed by the time you read this. If not, the bad link is the word "tutorial" in the last line of the third paragraph. The link should be http://www.dxatlas.com/CwSkimmer/Files/Skimmerintro.pdf

By the way, the link was OK when I wrote the column, but Murphy changed it in the meantime!

And one more thing, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites 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.

Surfin': Batten Down the Hatches

This week, Surfin' visits a Web site devoted to hams providing communications to and from areas affected by hurricanes.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites 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.

Surfin': Conferencing in the Center of the USA

This week, Surfin’ plugs the annual meeting of the movers and shakers of the digital Amateur Radio world.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites 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.

Surfin': Dig Up Dead Web Sites

This week, Surfin’ finds Amateur Radio Web sites that are no more.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites 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.

Amateur Radio When You Least Expect It Redux

This morning, I read a couple of e-mails about this week's Surfin' and it occurred to me that the very comprehensive "Morse Goes to the Movies" Web site that disappeared off the face of the net many years ago might be available on archive.org.

Sure enough; I went to archive.org and found the "Morse Goes to the Movies" Web site archived on March 9, 2001 here.

Surfin': Amateur Radio When You Least Expect It

This week, Surfin’ finds Amateur Radio in motion pictures and other unexpected places.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites 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.

in the air

Things I don't see too often around here...

Wednesday evening, after washing the cars, I looked up to see the end of a military jet refueling operation. I say "end" because the two planes flew in refueling formation for about 15 seconds, then the plane behind and below the other plane broke formation and flew off to the northeast. That is the third time I have seen a refueling operation; another time, while visiting my mother in Waterbury, and the first time, while walking The Pies on Beecher Road in Downtown Wolcott.

And speaking of walking The Pies, Thursday morning, I was walking The Pies on Beecher Road and looked up to see a snowy egret fly overhead just above tree level.

10 things you should know about the Internet

...including the fact that Al Gore actually did sort of create the Internet.

Read the whole story here.

The Bank Job and ham radio

I watched an excellent movies on DVD last night, The Bank Job, a true story about a bank "heist gone wrong... in all the right ways." I was surprised watching the film when ham radio showed up and became a key element in the story.

I don't want to ruin the story if you have not seen the film, so I will say no more except that I highly recommend it.

Surfin': More Theme Park Hamming

This week, Surfin’ picks up where it left off last week with more hamming at the theme parks. After you read that, come back here to post your comments, if any.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites 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.

Surfin': On the Radio at Disney

This week, Surfin’ take a radio road-trip to Disney’s East and West Coast worlds. After you read that, come back here to post your comments, if any.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites 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.

Surfin': Still Got User Interface?

In this week’s Surfin’, readers of this column consider the user interface of Amateur Radio software. After you read that, come back here to post your comments, if any.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites 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.

Surfin': Logging Online

In this week’s Surfin’, we consider Google Docs as an online Amateur Radio application. After you read that, come back here to post your comments, if any.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites 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.

Surfin': Got User Interface?

In this week’s Surfin’, we consider the user interface of Amateur Radio software. After you read that, come back here to post your comments, if any.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites 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.

what a deal!

When we were kids, my sister and I were allowed to stay up late on Friday nights to watch The Twilight Zone, which was on at 9:30 Eastern Time. But we had our marching orders: as soon as the show ended at 10 PM, we had to go straight upstairs to bed.

To make ends meet, both my mother and father worked. Dad worked days (7 AM to 3:30 PM) and Mom worked nights (5 to 10 PM). Dad did not want my mother driving alone at night, so he drove her to and from work ever day including Fridays, which left us kids home alone to watch The Twilight Zone, while Dad crossed town to pick up Mom.

Needless to say, two kids home alone watching The Twilight Zone was a scary proposition and after many episodes of the show, going upstairs to our dark bedrooms was not very inviting. But, we loved the show, continued to watch it, and managed to go upstairs to bed sooner or later... usually later.

Today, my wife, sister, and I went to a couple of tag sales and at one, I found a box containing 25 VHS tapes of The Twilight Zone collection. Most of the tapes had four episodes, some had three, and they were the cream of the crop. I recognized the titles of many of those episodes that made it difficult to go upstairs to bed nearly 50 years ago.

When I asked the lady running the tag sale, how much for the tapes, she said I could have the box full for $1. What a deal!

Surfin': LOU on SDR and GPS

In this week’s Surfin’, we consider two initialisms that are on the cutting edge of Amateur Radio. After you read that, come back here to post your comments, if any.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites 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.

Where are the Sunspots? Are we in for a Quiet Solar Cycle?

So what's up with our Sun? Is it going through a depression? It seems as if our closest star is experiencing a surprisingly uneventful couple of years. Solar minimum has supposedly passed and we should be seeing a lot more magnetic activity, and we certainly should be observing lots more sunspots...

Read all about it here.

Surfin': Mastering the Keys of Amateur Radio

In this week’s Surfin’, visits the Web site of a master designer, builder and restorer of telegraph keys. After you read that, come back here to post your comments, if any.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites 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.

Supreme Court restores habeas corpus, strikes down key part of Military Commissions Act

In a major rebuke to the Bush administration's theories of presidential power -- and in an equally stinging rebuke to the bipartisan political class which has supported the Bush detention policies -- the U.S. Supreme Court today, in a 5-4 decision (.pdf), declared Section 7 of the Military Commissions Act of 2006 unconstitutional. The Court struck down that section of the MCA because it purported to abolish the writ of habeas corpus -- the means by which a detainee challenges his detention in a court -- despite the fact that the Constitution permits suspension of that writ only "in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion."

Read all about it here.

Kucinich presents Bush impeachment articles

An Ohio Democratic lawmaker and former presidential candidate has presented articles of impeachment against President George W. Bush to Congress.

Thirty-five articles were presented by Rep. Dennis Kucinich to the House of Representatives late Monday evening, airing live on C-SPAN.

Read all about it here because you won't read about it in the mainstream media, which is in bed with Bush and his crew.

Surfin': Relive the Lives of Dead Electrical Dudes

In this week’s Surfin’, learn about all the dead radio and electrical dudes. After you read that, come back here to post your comments, if any.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites 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.

Revealed: Secret plan to keep Iraq under US control

Bush wants 50 military bases, control of Iraqi airspace and legal immunity for all American soldiers and contractors

A secret deal being negotiated in Baghdad would perpetuate the American military occupation of Iraq indefinitely, regardless of the outcome of the US presidential election in November...

...But the accord also threatens to provoke a political crisis in the US. President Bush wants to push it through by the end of next month so he can declare a military victory and claim his 2003 invasion has been vindicated. But by perpetuating the US presence in Iraq, the long-term settlement would undercut pledges by the Democratic presidential nominee, Barack Obama, to withdraw US troops if he is elected president in November.

Read all about it here.

double rainbow

An intense thunderstorm passed through here early Saturday night and a rainbow appeared near the storms end. I photographed the rainbow and to my surprise, when I viewed it on my computer, I realized it was a double rainbow.

I e-mailed the photo to Geoff Fox, K1GF, the weatherman at WTNH, and he showed the photo during the 10 PM news on channel 59 and the 11 PM news on channel 8.

Surfin': Are You in the Blog Now?

In this week’s Surfin’, take a look at the current state of the art of Amateur Radio blogging. After you read that, come back here to post your comments, if any.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites 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.

bear sighted

I saw a bear on my way to work this morning. He was doing whatever bears do on the lawn of a MacMansion off County Road in Marion. This area borders the forest that extends along the Southington, Compounce, and South Mountain ridge where bears have been sighted before.
I live near the top of Compounce Mountain and I have seen signs of bear visits in the past, but this is the first time I have seen a real life bear in Connecticut.

government lies

I heard on the news that a study released today indicates that gas consumption is down significantly from one year ago. However, Bush's bullsitters say that this is not going to affect gas prices because demand is up. So, according to the US Ministry of Propaganda, although demand is down, demand is up.

If you believe that, I have a bridge for sale in Brooklyn that you might be interested in purchasing.

$4.16 per gallon

I paid $4.16 per gallon for gasoline this morning. There was no attendant to pump the gas, clean the windows, check the oil, check the tire air pressure, or take my money to the register.

Isn't it wonderful living in the the 8th Year of the Bush Trickle-Down Prosperity!

Surfin': You Too on YouTube and Star Wars

In this week’s Surfin’, visit a Web site that provides a tool for finding a location for your next hilltop radio operation. After you read it, come back here to post your comments, if any.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites 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.

we have met the enemy and the enemy is us

This morning, Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, (the "father of APRS") posted these wise words on the APRSSIG:

At the ARRL Technical Challenge Forum at Dayton, the ARRL
technology leaders were lamenting that HAM radio needs something
for youth to get excited about. Something like: "Look at how
kids have taken text-messaging as the be-all-end-all excitement
of communications! We need something like that in ham radio!
Why aren't we developing things like this?"

To which I jumped up from the audience and could not contain
myself and exclaimed! "We have! We have had local/global text
messaging and text email from a handheld since 1998 in APRS! It
is exactly what kids are doing today, but we have been doing it
for 10 years! But you know what? All the old fuds in ham radio
say 'How crude.  We need a keyboard.  No one is ever going to
communicate by punching buttons on the front of an HT'!" SO
still, only 1% of ham radio is even aware of this routine global
connectivity from a handheld that we have had for 10 years.

As pogo said, "we have met the enemy and the enemy is us."
Everyone keeps waiting for the "perfect dream" solution and then
they dream of all the things they could do. But you know what?
The perfect dream solution is always in the future. The few
instances in ham radio that really excell in actual needed
practical communications are those that ALWAYS take what they
have and just do the MOST with it, NOW!

Surfin': Locating a Radio Destination

In this week’s Surfin’, visit a Web site that provides a tool for finding a location for your next hilltop radio operation. After you read it, come back here to post your comments, if any.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites 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.

gas pump blues

I paid $3.99 per gallon for regular gasoline today!

Surfin': Destination: Dayton

In this week’s Surfin’, I pine for the Dayton Hamvention. After you read it, come back here to post your comments, if any.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites 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.

Surfin': Google Earth's Ionosphere

This week’s Surfin’ explores the Earth's ionosphere via Google Earth. After you read it, come back here to post your comments, if any.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites 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.

new Holy Land pictures

I just obtained a new Holy Land postcard containing four views. Three of the four are new and are now on display on my Holy Land, Batman! Web page.

By the way, I am always on the lookout for new Holy Land (of Waterbury) postcards to add to my collection, so if you are aware of any that I can obtain, please let me know.

Surfin': Still Exploring 900 MHz

This week’s Surfin’ continues the exploration of the 900 MHz/33 cm Amateur Radio band. After you read it, come back here to post your comments, if any.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites 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.

Surfin': Exploring 900 MHz

In this week’s Surfin’, visit a Web page that explores the 900 MHz/33 cm Amateur Radio band. After you read it, come back here to post your comments, if any.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites 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.

Surfin': Upgrading Computers

In this week’s Surfin’, read about Web sites I found to load my new computer with Amateur Radio software. After you read it, come back here to post your comments, if any.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites 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.

Surfin': Whispering on 30 Meters

In this week’s Surfin’, read about a new soundcard-based digital mode that will have you whispering. After you read it, come back here to post your comments, if any.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites 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.

Surfin': Having a Ham Radio Cow

In this week’s Surfin’, read how N1JOY is putting ham radio on wheels. After you read it, come back here to post your comments, if any.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites 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.

new mac

Over a year ago, I wrote about the defective LCD on my 17-inch Powerbook G4 1.67 GHz Mac.

Last count, there were over 100 vertical lines on the LCD. They did not pose a problem using text-based applications, but they did make graphic-based applications very hard on my eyes, so much so that I stopped using my Mac for those applications.

Meanwhile, I had been following the situation closely. I had become resigned to the fact that Apple seemed to be ignoring everyone with the defective LCD and that I was stuck with a bad apple.

My daughter felt my pain and decided to call Apple in late February to fight for my cause. After 90 minutes on the phone, Apple agreed to fix my Mac for the cost of labor, $325, which was a bargain since the replacement part alone cost about $1000. Next day, Apple sent me a box to ship my Mac to their Texas repair center and I sent it on its way.

Day after day, I checked the status of my computer online and day after day, the status was that the part was on order.

Tuesday, Apple called to tell me that the part was expected on Friday and if it arrived on schedule, I would have my Mac back on Monday.

I was pleased with the news.

The man from Apple then said that if Monday was not soon enough, they would ship me a brand new Mac that was equivalent to my defective one. The equivalent is the brand new 17-inch 2.5 GHz MacBook Pro with 2 GB of RAM and a 250 GB hard drive. I jumped at the proposal; it is not often that someone offers me a $2800 computer for $325.

The new Mac arrived yesterday. Last night, I decompressed the backup files from my old Mac and began installing software.

I am still in shock over my good fortune!

Surfin': Looping Into the 21st Century

In this week’s Surfin’, read all about new loop antennas we can use to chase DX. Then come back here to post your comments, if any.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites 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.

Surfin': Thrown For a Loop

In this week’s Surfin’, read all about those loop antennas we use to chase broadcast band DX. Then come back here to post your comments, if any.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites 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.

Surfin': Splat That Path Online

In this week’s Surfin’, read about a Web site that determines how well your signal gets from here to there. Then come back here to post your comments, if any.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites 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.

OLPC XO comparison

This article compares the OLPC XO with its competition.

OLPC XO's mesh networking

This article explains how OLPC XO's mesh networking works.

Surfin': Leap Day and the Continuing Saga of the Kerosene Radio

In this week’s Surfin’, read about Leap Day hams and revisit the good, the bad, and the ugly side of innovations from the past. Then come back here to post your comments, if any.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites 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.

The Six Million Dollar Blog

It seems that these days a picture is worth $6 million dollars, i.e., if it is a baby picture of a so-called celebrity's off-spring. So, I decided to spare no expense to bring my blog readers what they deserve and demand.

I hope you get your six million dollars worth viewing this photo!

Surfin': Do Wild Radio Waves Cause Air Disasters?

In this week’s Surfin’, read about a blog that reveals the good, the bad, and the ugly side of innovations from the past. Then come back here to post your comments, if any.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites 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.

lunar eclipse

I was looking forward to viewing the lunar eclipse with my new telescope last night, but K1GF's 5 PM  forecast was not promising (an overcast of clouds), so I did not expect to see much.

I looked out at 9 PM and the sky was not overcast. There were a few thin scattered clouds and the moon was in the clear, so I brought the telescope out and viewed the eclipse until about 10:10 PM. The view was spectacular and I was surprised how well I could still see the features of the moon even though they were in the dark orange shadow of the Earth.

During the eclipse, I momentarily swung the telescope over to Saturn, which was the closest naked eye object northeast of the Moon last night and got a good glimpse of Saturn's rings.

The air was very calm last night and except for the scattered clouds, it was an excellent night for telescoping. It was a great show!

Rusty Potz and WLNG

When I don't have my iPod for musical entertainment, I have taken to listening to WLNG, 92.1 MHz, out of Sag Harbor, NY. They not only play oldies that I like, but they have jingles, local news, sports, etc. just like the AM radio stations I grew up with in the 1960s and 70s.

It is very nostalgic!

Last night was the first time I listened to LNG during the drive home from work. I was very surprised when I heard the voice of the DJ spinning the platters during the drive time. It sounded just like Rusty Potz, who used to be a DJ on local Connecticut radio stations 30 years ago. When the DJ announced his name, it turned out that it was Rusty Potz. I was shocked.

It is very very nostalgic!

satellite spotters learn too much for the government's comfort

This article is an interesting follow-up to what I wrote here on the 7th.

Winter 2008, #104 issue of Packet Status Register (PSR) is now online

The Winter 2008, #104 issue of Packet Status Register (PSR) is now online. The new issue of my favorite quarterly contains the following:

• President's Corner


• HPSDR Project Status


• Minutes of TAPR Board of Directors Meeting


• DCC 2008 Plans


• NUE-PSK


• Beam Steering in Combat...


• FDMDV


• Click Once


• Preliminary Treasurer's Report for 2007

Read more here

Surfin': Real Low Banding on 600 Meters

In this week’s Surfin’, read all about the ARRL 600 meters/500 kHz experiment on the abandoned maritime band. Then come back here to post your comments, if any.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites 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.

Surfin': Finding More DX and VNAs

In this week’s Surfin’, we suggest other ways to find DX via the Web and how to obtain an excellent piece of test gear for the ham shack. Then come back here to post your comments, if any.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites 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.

Visual Satellite Observer's Home Page

"If you have ever star-gazed shortly after sunset or before sunrise, you have probably noticed one or two "stars" sailing gracefully across the sky. These are Earth-orbiting satellites, visible due to the reflection of the Sun's light off their surfaces toward the observer. Hundreds of satellites are visible to the unaided eye; thousands are visible using binoculars and telescopes. Observing satellites has many enthusiasts around the world."

And many congregate at the Visual Satellite Observer's Home Page. This is a very interesting Web site and I hope it will solve some of the mysteries I have encountered while stargazing with my new telescope.

Surfin': VNA in Your Future

In this week’s Surfin’, discover how you can obtain an excellent piece of test gear for the ham shack. Then come back here to post your comments, if any.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites 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.

mystery aircraft

At night, from my 925-foot perch on the west rim of the Connecticut River Valley, I can see the headlights of planes lined up as they approach BDL from Long Island Sound to the south. Typically, I can simultaneously see the headlights of two planes, sometimes three planes, each separated by the requisite airspace that such maneuvers require.

Some nights they pass to the east of my location on a straight up the river valley approach to BDL. Other nights they veer to the west off that straight up the river valley approach and end up passing directly overhead on a roundabout approach to BDL. (When they fly overhead, they are so low that I can hear them lower their landing gear in preparation for landing.)

Last night, I took the Pies out for last call at 10:05 PM and I saw three planes lined up on their approach to BDL. As I waited for the dogs, the first two passed to my east on the straight up the river valley approach to BDL.

The third plane was different; its headlights were not what I typically see. Usually, I see only one large point of light per plane until the plane passes more closely. The third plane had two large points of light side-by-side connected by a lighted horizontal bar (see my accompanying drawing).

When I originally saw it, I assumed it was traveling toward me, like a pair of connected headlights, but then I realized it was traveling along the horizon and I was viewing it from its side with one globe of light at its front end and the other globe of light at its rear end.

It flew along my horizon starting at approximately my south-southeast, moved west and then north, the whole time remaining about 40 degrees above my horizon. I lost it in the trees to my north-northwest.

The craft was too far away to see anything but its lights. Its speed was typical for the airliners I usually see.

There were one or two other distant planes in the area at the time and they were so distant that I could not tell which direction the faint jet engine sound I heard was coming from, i.e., from the mystery craft or the other distant planes.

Early on, I thought it might be a helicopter because it looked so unusual, but even at a distance, helicopters have an unmistakable sound and I did not hear that when I saw the mystery craft.

I am stumped as to what I saw last night. Any solutions to the mystery would be appreciated.

Surfin': Finding DX

In this week’s Surfin’, find out how to find the rare ones (and not so rare ones). Then come back here to post your comments, if any.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites 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.

Hacking the XO laptop

Here is an article about Hacking the XO laptop.

Surfin': Building from Scratch

In this week’s Surfin’, find out how to build something from practically nothing. Then come back here to post your comments, if any.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites 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.

new telescope

For Christmas, my family bought me a new telescope, a Celestron NexStar 130 SLT. It is a 130 mm reflector with a "fully computerized altazimuth mount."

It is not something that was on my wish list. My Christmas wish list typically includes some books, DVDs, CDs, and nothing that is very expensive. If my family wants to buy me something expensive, they try to figure what to give me that will be a hit.

In early November, the explosion of Comet Holmes rekindled my interest in astronomy. I followed the progress of the comet using my old refractor telescope. One night, I was lazier than on most nights and instead of hauling my refractor outside, I used my father's old binoculars and was surprised that the binos did a better job than my scope. I must have mentioned that fact to my wife and/or daughter and they decided that I needed a new telescope and chipped in with my sister to buy the aforementioned Celestron reflector.

The weather has not been to kind as far as breaking in the new telescope. Since Christmas, there have been more nights with fog, clouds, and precipitation than there have been clear nights, but this past week, I managed to find some clear skies and put in some good time getting acquainted with the new scope.

Last night, I viewed the Moon until the clouds moved in. I went to bed, but could not sleep, and when I got up to get a drink of water, I noticed that the sky was clear and Saturn was visible. So, I took the scope outside and viewed Saturn in my pajamas until the clouds moved in again. (What Saturn was doing in my pajamas, I'll never know!)

An online review of my scope recommends getting a Barlow lens "to give the magnification necessary to view detail on the planets." I'm all for that, so I started shopping around for such a lens.

Celestron has a Barlow lens for $60. I found the very same lens on eBay new for $24. I bought it and with shipping, cost me half its list price!

The lens is being shipped from Pennsylvania, so I hope to have it in a few days, and weather permitting, be able to try it out (and report my findings here).

MacLoggerDX 4.3.3 released

Dog Park Software is pleased to announce that version 4.3.3 of MacLoggerDX has been released and can be downloaded here.

What's New in this version:
* Elecraft K3 Driver.
* Fix for DXCC 9M
* Ten-Tec Argo V S-Meter fix.
* Yaesu FT-450 VFO Select fix.
* Yaesu FT-450 Power report fix.
* Added FJ St. Barthelemy.
* Band Plan digital modes fixed.
* TS-480 use data connector for software transmit.
* IC-703 Digital modes & report power setting.

Surfin': Buying the Farm

This week’s Surfin’ discusses how to avoid buying the farm when hamming on the road. Read it here, then come back here to post your comments, if any.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites 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.

buying the farm

I almost bought the farm yesterday.

I am driving to work on the interstate in the right hand lane at the posted speed limit (65 MPH), which is how I usually drive during the rush hour when there are a lot of frantic drivers on the road driving like maniacs. Another car in front of me is doing the same, meanwhile most of the other vehicles on the interstate are passing us in the two lanes to our left.

I notice the car in front of me momentarily swerve into the breakdown lane, then it swerved back into the driving lane after encountering the bumper strip. With that I decided to slow down and put more space between us. I am in no hurry, my exit is about a mile away, so I am not going to worry about adding an extra 30 seconds to my commute.

A tractor trailer passes me in the center lane. As it passes the car in front of me, the car begins to swerve into the center lane and the rear wheels on the right side of the tractor trailer catch the left front side of the car in front of me.

I can't believe my eyes, but I know that all hell is about to break loose 500 feet ahead of me and I hit the brakes.

The tractor trailer never stops. When the car hit its rear wheels, it probably felt like a flea bumping into an elephant.

On the other hand, the car careens out of control across the three lanes of the interstate, onto the center median, and comes to a stop on top of the man-made hill in the center of the median facing traffic at a right angle.

I lucked out and the car did not end up in my lap. There were no cars in the other as the car crossed the interstate, so everyone lucked out except the driver of the car that swerved into the tractor trailer's wheels.

My car came to a stop in the breakdown lane exactly across the highway from the car where it landed on top of the hill in the center median.

I had no cell phone to call in the accident. I was not going to try and walk across three lanes of traffic to see if the driver of the car needed help especially since other cars were now stopping along side the center median to offer assistance. So, I eased back into traffic and went to work.

Wow!

I don't know what caused the car to swerve as it did. The car had a red, white, and blue out-of-state license plate that I did not recognize. Had the driver been on the road too long and was falling asleep at the wheel? Or was the driver distracted using a cell phone or an iPod, consulting a map, putting on makeup?

I don't know and probably never will, but that close call provided me with an education and I promised myself that I will never be distracted using a cell phone, iPod, ham radio, etc., while driving in the future, and I will be even more alert of the other drivers around me.

transmitting from a plane

Here is an excellent article about the current status of using a transmitter aboard an airplane. This article deals specifically with cellphones, but you can apply it to other transmitting devices like Amateur Radio handheld transmitters.

Surfin': Sixteen Thousand Cards and Counting

This week’s Surfin’ looks at a collection of 16,000 QSL cards. Read it here, then come back here to post your comments, if any.

By the way, Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb features Web sites 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.