Category: Show Notes

Show Notes #092

Posted on by Russ Woodman

Introduction:

Announcements:

  • Texoma Hamarama will held October 26-27, 2012 at the Ardmore Convention Center in Ardmore, Oklahoma. Pre-registration ends October 20th.
  • The Augusta Hamfest will be Saturday, October 13, 2012 in Augusta, GA.
  • Scott, N8VSI, was the LHS ambassador at the Ohio LinuxFest, September 28-30, 2012. We look forward to hearing a report from Scott in the near future.

Topics:

  • Richard recounts his experience replacing a computer power supply. Moral? Don't be afraid to try repairing a computer yourself. Swapping parts is easier than you might think. For power supplies, pay attention to the wattage required. (Ed. Note: When in doubt, it's best to replace the bad supply with one that has the same or greater wattage rating.)
  • Departing from our usual topics, Russ and Richard discuss a couple applications for producing slide shows and panoramic photographs:
    • Imagination is a lightweight and simple DVD slide show maker for Linux and FreeBSD that's very easy to use, offers a wide variety of transitions, supports background music, and much more. Available in the Debian and Fedora repositories, and probably many others.
    • Hugin is a program that allows you to assemble a mosaic of photographs into a complete, immersive panorama, stitch together any series of overlapping pictures, and much more. It's cross-platform and easy to use.
  • Why Ham Radio? Richard talks about why you might wish to obtain an Amateur Radio License and how you can combine it with Linux, including:
    • Getting your ham license for our non ham listeners.
    • There are many modes of communication, including voice, Morse code, and many digital modes.
    • The ease of getting your license.
    • Why you should get your license.
    • How to get your license.
    • The Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL) is a good source of information
    • Free practice tests are available at qrz.com
    • A list of certified Volunteer Examiner Coordinators is available at www.ncvec.org.
    • Test sessions can be found through the ARRL and many local radio clubs.
  • Russ describes Universal Plug 'n' Play devices (UPnP). Many new devices offer the ability to play media from UPnP servers. It makes sharing your media very convenient and easy, but can also be a security risk.

Feedback:

  • Pete, VE2XPL, sends a long email in response to episode 88, and covers such things as the Toonie, Alexandre Graham Bell, Brad Sucks, the wAVEgUIDES PodCast, SouthCARS, email addresses for LHS, and the MintCast.
  • Ted, WA0EIR, asked if there is a problem with the LHS mailing list as his attempts to post a message there "bounced". Yes, the mailing lists have been broken, but they're fixed now.
  • Larry Bushey of the Going Linux podcast says thanks for the great show, and admits they stole the LHS "badger" sound effect for use on their show. Episode 185 contains an example of their use of the Badger.
  • LHS was mentioned in a comment to a post at hak5.org.

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.

Music:

  • "You Are You" by Fall Walk Run from the album Throwing It All Away, courtesy of Jamendo.
  • "Flash Back" by MattMigma from the album Phoenix, courtesy of Jamendo.

Show Notes #091

Posted on by Russ Woodman

Introduction:

  • It's Second Spring in Texas, and Autumn is beginning in Arkansas, so sit back and enjoy another exciting episode of LHS.

Announcements:

  • Paid subscribers to LHS may have noticed the web site certificate had expired. That problem is fixed.
  • Welcome new subscribers Michael S., Michael C., and Bill A. Thank you!
  • Sign-up for the LHS mailing list.
  • Our LHS Ambassador to Ohio LinuxFest will be Scott, N8VSI. Thanks, Scott, and we look forward to hearing all about it.
  • Please donate to the podcast and click on the affiliate links on the website.

Topics:

  • HF Antennas, Horizontal vs. Vertical
    • Tonight, our hosts discuss the pros and cons of horizontally and vertically polarized HF antennas.
    • One thought is that once the RF radiation hits the various layers in the ionosphere, the polarization doesn't really matter much as it gets reflected to and fro.
    • Richard offers the practical reason for preferring horizontal antennas for HF: it's easier to build and erect the long antennas necessary for these frequencies. However, for chasing DX, those long-distance contacts, many hams prefer vertical antennas as they tend to have lower angles of radiation.
    • Also mentioned: GAP antennas and the G5RV antenna.
    • Wire horizontal dipoles are inexpensive and easy to construct. Verticals are a good choice when space is limited and can have a lower take-off angle, providing a good ground radial system is installed beneath them.
    • Horizontal antennas can be more directional. A dipole wire running north and south will have a better propagation east and west. A vertical is omnidirectional, radiating equally in all directions. To complicate matters, a horizontal antenna lower to the ground will radiate at higher angles than the same antenna that is higher. This can be useful for communicating with stations that are close to you.
  • A new section of the podcast: Russ' Rant!
    • Russ has a Yaesu FT-7900R, a dual-band UHV/VHF mobile radio. It has a removable front panel, allowing the main part of the radio to be hidden and the display can be easily mounted on the dash. However, the speaker is on the body of the radio, so you can't hear it if it's hidden under the seat or in the trunk! Russ thinks the head unit should also contain a speaker, perhaps a very small one like in an mp3 player. Or put the speaker in the microphone.
  • Returning to antennas, Richard recommends that KD8SZG (in the chat room), should try building his own wire antennas for HF. Any of the antenna books written by Doug DeMaw, W1FB, are good resources. His Antenna Notebook is one. (I also like the various ARRL antenna books, like the Simple and Fun Antennas for Hams. -Ed.)

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.

Music:

  • "A Little Time" by Not From Georgia, from their album Love & Umbrella, courtesy of Jamendo.
  • "Metal Heart" by Zamza, from their album Songs for Jukebox, courtesy of Jamendo.

Show Notes #090

Posted on by Russ Woodman

Introduction:

  • Join us this episode as our intrepid hosts, Richard and Russ (mad posstcatter!), interview John Hays of NorthWest Digital Radio.

Topics:

  • Interview with John Hays (K7VE) from NorthWest Digital Radio.
  • John has been a licensed amateur radio operator for 40 years. His wife and all of his children are hams, too!
  • A couple years ago John gave a presentation at TAPR, and discussed his wish for a reasonably priced radio for digital communications with just a few connections: antenna, power and Ethernet.
  • Bryan Hoyer (now K7UDR) approached John and volunteered to build one. Their collaboration (with Basil Gunn) resulted in NorthWest Digital Radio.
  • Their first product will be the UDR56K-4 Universal Digital Radio, planned for availability in early 2013.
  • John goes on to discuss the features of their digital radio and some of the design decisions the company made.
  • Specifications (subject to change, of course):
    • 25W 70cm Transceiver
    • 4800 to 56Kbps
    • FSK, GMSK, 4FSK
    • Open Source Linux Platform -- a full Linux-based web server is built-in. It uses the Debian kernel, running on an ARM processor (faster than a Raspberry Pi).
    • Web Interface over Ethernet
    • 4 USB Host Ports
  • Applications:
  • The radio can be completely controlled through the web interface or the command line.
  • John talks about other potential applications for their radio platform.
  • Keep an eye on the website for more information and to sign up for email announcements.
  • You may also be interested in John's blog.

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.

Show Notes #089

Posted on by Russ Woodman

Introduction:

  • The 10th Annual Ohio LinuxFest will be held September 28-30, 2012, at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in downtown Columbus, Ohio.
  • Another riveting episode even though Richard has been attempting unassisted human flight. (We're all worried about the consequences should he succeed.)
  • Our special guest tonight is Rob Hawkins from the mintCast.

Announcements:

  • If you're a subscriber to LHS, you can access the Etherpad, download episodes without music, and you'll soon have the option of episodes in .flac format.
  • Remember the Black Sparrow Media app for iPhones, iPads and Android devices. It's free! With it, you can listen to all of the podcasts in the Black Sparrow Media group.
  • Please consider donating to the podcast! Click the Donate link.
  • Check out the KF8GR Linux Ham Home Page. Even though it hasn't been updated in several years, much of the information is still relevant.
  • Richards suggests a Linux/Amateur Radio "best on the web" award. Your web site should have at least one page devoted to Linux or Linux and Ham Radio. Send your nominations to info@lhspodcast.info. If accepted, the LHS hosts will provide an award graphic for your website, and a link to your site from LHS.
  • Richard also found this TechNewsWorld article "Why Ham Radio Is Still Handy".

Topics:

  • Interview with Rob Hawkins of the mintCast podcast.
  • Rob describes his move from Ontario, Canada to Houston, TX, and drops this bombshell: "Texas is nothing like Ontario!" Rob is an engineer by training. His first computer encounter was an IBM 370 mainframe and Fortran at the University of Waterloo, Ontario. His first personal computer was a Radio Shack Color Computer and his first Linux exposure was with Slackware and several dozen floppy disks. He's been using Linux Mint since version 8.
  • Rob goes on to describe how he came to the mintCast.
  • Our hosts and Rob then move on to various technology topics:
    • The current state of Linux Mint.
    • UEFI - Unified Extensible Firmware Interface.
    • Software patents.
    • Windows 8 and possible opportunities for Linux.

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.

Music:

  • "The Napalm Theory" by Ophyra, from the album Post Mortem, courtesy of Jamendo.
  • "Velvet Embracer" by Diablo Swing Orchestra, from the album The Butcher's Ballroom, courtesy of Jamendo.

Show Notes #088

Posted on by Russ Woodman

Introduction:

  • A sticky, stormy night in Texas, just right for podcasting and Russ' attempt to take over the MintCast.

Announcements:

Topics:

  • Pimpin' the network: If you have a podcast and want to reach LHS listeners, please visit Black Sparrow Media and contact us to become a member! The Waveguides Podcast did and so can you.
  • Who is your hero in amateur radio, living or dead? Let us know! Richard is gathering information for his super-secret project.
  • Storm watchin and workin on radios. While a storm raged in Texas, Richard received an email about an IC-735 that would not power on reliably. Richard's trouble-shooting philosophy: start with the things that are cheap to replace.
  • Richard is hoping to pursue a high-speed multimedia (HSMM) and mesh radio project using DD-WRT or OpenWrt for use in emergency communications. Used routers, such as the Linksys WRT54GL, are ideal and can be found for little money.

Feedback:

  • Leif, KC8RWR, wrote to clarify a comment to episode 86, explaining that he'd like to try using an NE602 frequency converter to an RTLSDR radio to receive ham bands.
  • Brian, G3XGY, heard Russ on the Mintcast and is looking forward to listening to episodes of LHS! Welcome, Brian.
  • Leif, KC8RWR, offers a suggestion for Grant, who was having difficulty with the LHS live Linux CD handed out at Dayton. He thinks it may have been due to Linux not recognizing Grant's video card. Thanks, Leif.
  • Harrison, VE2HKW, a sometime participant in MintCast, expresses his appreciation for episode 85, our interview with David Rowe and discussion of Codec2. Thanks, Harrison. Speaking of Codec2, Russ reports that David Rowe has won the 2012 ARRL Technical Innovation Award for his work on Codec2. Congratulations, David!
  • Harrison, VE2HKW, wrote to ask for help with his Icom IC-735 (as mentioned above).
  • Claudio of the LinuxBasement podcast thanks us for the mention in episode 87.

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.

Music:

  • "The Television Song" by Bryan Dunn, from the album Vicious Waltz, courtesy of Jamendo.
  • "Total Breakdown" by Brad Sucks, from the album Out of It, courtesy of Jamendo.