LHS Show Notes #067

Introduction:

  • It's a ramblin' show tonight.

Announcements:

  • Texoma Hamarama 2011 will be October 21-22, 2011 at the Ardmore Convention Center, 2401 North Rockford Road, Ardmore, OK. Richard hopes to be there.
  • If you attended the Huntsville, AL hamfest in August, let us know if you think it would be a good venue for LHS.
  • Thanks, as always, to Gamma Leonis for the theme music.

Topics:

  • Russ talks about the antenna feedline window passthrough panel he bought at Dayton. He's also hoping to get a radio in his truck. Richard describes the window passthrough methods he's used in the past, with foam pipe insulation or air conditioning insulation foam.
  • Richard talks about the lack of ham radio activity in his area (Kaufman County, TX): no club, no RACES group, no ARES, etc. He called his ARRL SEC (Section Emergency Coordinator), Walt, KG5SOO, and learned that the local groups weren't happy with the current ARES manager. The SEC says paperwork is being processed and the new emergency coordinator of Kaufman County, TX is Richard, KB5JBV! Currently, there are just two ARES members, Richard and the Emergency Manager, so if you're in Kaufman County, TX, get in touch with Richard! (Congratulations, Richard!)
  • There's a new podcast out there: Richard's Radio Adventures. Look for it on the Resonant Frequency feed.
  • In Linux-related news, Russ lets us know that kernel.org was hacked a few weeks ago. Because the code was in an encrypted git repository, it was safe, but they moved it to github, anyway.
  • Russ also says there was a brief period that GNU Emacs was packaged and distributed with a binary blob in it, which violates the GPL. It's since been fixed.
  • A security hole in SSL/TLS has been reported.
  • Simon, HB9DRV, has sold the rights to his Ham Radio Deluxe software. Our hosts discuss the possible ramifications.
  • Richard wanders into a discussion of Arch Linux. It seems there was an issue with Arch not being free (as in speech). However, Parabola GNU/Linux is Arch, but free of all the entanglements.
  • If anyone out there is an Emergency Coordinator or Assistant Emergency Coordinator, send an email to Richard about how your EC is going. Richard is looking for advice on how to best set up the ARES EC organization in his county.
  • Russ admits that his other podcast, QSK Netcast, has stalled, mostly due to a lack of his available time.
  • Since some parts of the LHS website are now subscription only, Russ began researching SSL certificates. He found a couple of places that issue inexpensive or free browser-compatible certificates: CheapSSLs , under $10 per year, and StartSSL will issue personal certificates for free.
  • Russ and Richard discuss their love for the Sansa Clips. Russ likes DoggCatcher for listening to podcasts on his Android phone.
  • Richard talks about his secret antenna project. He's now in an area with Codes, Covenents and Restrictions (CCRs) which preclude outside antennas. Years ago, he bought an Arrow dual-band J-pole antenna, and used it for packet and other stuff. Using some military surplus olive-drab fiberglass tent poles, he strapped the J-pole to the top of the tent poles and the poles to the top of an 8' fence. He assures the neighbors that it's just a flower pot hanger. 😉

Contact Info:

  • Contact Richard at kb5jbv@gmail.com, Russ at k5tux@lhspodcast.info, or both at the same time at info@lhspodcast.info.
  • Listen to the live stream every other Tuesday at 8:00pm Central time. Check the LHS web site for dates.
  • Leave us a voice mail at 1-909-LHS-SHOW (1-909-547-7469), or record an introduction to the podcast.
  • Sign up for the LHS mailing list.
  • Sign up for the MAGNetcon mailing list.
  • LHS merchandise is available at the Merch link on Web site. Check out the Badgerwear or buy one of the other LHS-branded items at PrintFection.com/lhs or Cafe Press. Thanks!
  • Thanks to Dave from Gamma Leonis for the theme music.

LHS Episode #067: The Left Hand of ARES

And we are back. In this installment, Richard tells us all about his renewed interest in emergency communications and his dealings with ARES in the Texas county where he now lives. On the Linux side of things, Russ talks about some security issues: the hacking of kernel.org, emacs violates the GPL and how to get cheap certificates for your Web sites. Throw in a dash of humor, some general screwing around and you have the formula for pretty much every episode of Linux in the Ham Shack. Thanks for sticking it out with us, everyone. We love each and every one of you.

73 de The LHS Guys

LHS Show Notes #059

Introduction:

  • Apologies for the delays in releasing new episodes.
  • This episode is an interview with Jonathan Nadeau of Frostbite Systems and a user of the Linux screen-reading program, Orca.

Interview:

  • Orca is a screen reading program integrated with the Gnome desktop. It's available for most Linux distributions.
  • Russ and Jonathan discuss how a sight-impaired individual might install Linux. There are a couple of Linux distributions that have screen-reader support during the installation: Talking Arch Linux and Vinux.
  • Speakup is another accessibility tool, but one that speaks the command line.
  • Vinux is an Ubuntu-based Linux distribution with Orca built-in, allowing a sight-impaired individual to install it from the CD. Vinux is the distribtion Frostbite Systems normally installs for it's sight-impaired customers.
  • Slackware has a Speakup kernel, and more distributions are including the Speakup module as well. Several distributions can be installed using Speakup. Some instructions are available at the Speakup site.
  • Russ mentioned the Quick Learning Techies Show (QLTS) that also occasionally discusses accessibility issues.
  • Jonathan discusses the pros and cons of Vinux, as well as his concerns about it being Ubuntu-based.
  • Richard asks Jonathan for more details about how Vinux talks a new user through the install.
  • If the application is GTK-based, it will likely work with Orca; if it's QT-based, it probably won't work with Orca.
  • Ted's software (WA0EIR), including PSK31LX, works via ssh, so the programs are controllable from the command line and would work with the Speakup module.
  • Meanwhile, Russ attempts to install Orca during the show.
  • Jonathan mentions another podcast he does, This Week in Fedora, and says there is an amateur radio Fedora spin. (I could not find a link to a specific spin of Fedora for amateur radio, but there is a Special Interest Group. -Ed.)
  • Frostbite Systems sells desktops and laptops with Linux pre-installed. Customers can choose from Debian, Fedora, Linux Mint, OpenSuse, Ubuntu and Vinux. A portion of each sale is donated back to the distribution chosen.
  • Russ asks Jonathan about the hardware he uses in Frostbite systems. All of the laptops/notebooks have all-Intel hardware, while some desktops have nVidia video cards. All are completely Linux-compatible.
  • Russ then examines the specifications of some of the Frostbite computers.
  • Jonathan also produces several podcasts through Frostbite Media:
    • Frostcast: interviews with project leaders of various GNU/Linux and Free/Open Source projects.
    • This week in Fedora: interviews with people involved with the Fedora project.
    • This week in Debian: interviews with people within the Debian community.
    • Orcacast is on hiatus, but should resume in the not too distant future.

Contact Info:

  • Contact Richard at kb5jbv@gmail.com, Russ at k5tux@lhspodcast.info, or both at the same time at info@lhspodcast.info.
  • Listen to the live stream every other Tuesday at 8:00pm Central time. Check the LHS web site for dates.
  • Leave us a voice mail at 417-200-4811, or record an introduction to the podcast.
  • Sign up for the LHS mailing list.
  • Sign up for the MAGNetcon mailing list.
  • LHS merchandise is available at the SHOP! link on Web site. Check out the Badgerwear or buy one of the other LHS-branded items at PrintFection.com/lhs or Cafe Press. Thanks!
  • Thanks to Dave from Gamma Leonis for the theme music.

Outtakes:

LHS Episode #059: Orca and Outtakes

Welcome to Episode #059 of Linux in the Ham Shack. On this edition, we talk with Jonathan Nadeau of Frostbite Systems about Linux for the sight impaired. Jonathan, being a blind Linux user, has overcome many challenges when it comes to using his favorite operating system and he shares with us the ins and outs of accessibility on Linux systems. There is a Linux distribution dedicated to blind users called Vinux, along with an accessible version of Arch called Talking Arch. Even newer versions of Slackware are jumping on the bandwagon with a Speakup enabled installation kernel.

This is also the first episode of LHS with a blooper reel left in at the end. Listen all the way to the last so you don't miss out on any of the fun. Many thanks to Jonathan for his time and expertise, and many thanks to our listeners for making our show so fun to do.

73 de The LHS Guys