Tag: antenna

LHS Episode #164: Ancient Antenna Modeling

Posted on by Russ Woodman

AncientAntennaModelingWe're done with the editing of Episode #164 and here it is for your listening pleasure. In this episode, your hosts tackle topics from Bugbook computers to permanent amateur radio licenses, from Turing phones to Raspberry Pi computers and from antenna modeling software to lobster on pizza. We hope everyone will find something to enjoy. Please let us know by sending us feedback. We'd love to hear from you.

73 de The LHS Crew

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LHS Episode #124: Dog Boarding

Posted on by Russ Woodman

beaglebone-in-handHello, folks! A couple weeks late and a dollar or two short, we're back! In this delectable episode of Linux in the Ham Shack, your intrepid hosts discuss a variety of topics from antenna safety to Linux conventions to getting your name on an asteroid. For our main discussion, we tackle a couple updates to Linux distributions, including one specifically for amateur radio use. Then we plow on through a heaping helping of feedback. Thanks for tuning in, and be sure to tell all your friends about us. Also, hope to see you all at Dayton this year! Rewards for those who pledged to our fund are coming soon. Stay tuned.

73 de The LHS Guys

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Show Notes #097

Posted on by Russ Woodman

Introduction:

  • Welcome to another episode of Linux in the Hamshackedness, where the Chocolate Shake Fairy visits Richard.

Announcements:

  • LHS now accepts micropayment donations via Flattr. It's been successful for the Linux Outlaws guys, so we're giving it a try here.
  • We now have a countdown timer on the Web site that shows the time remaining until the next live recording. Of course, now that we're recording on Wednesdays, we've decided to move back to Tuesdays. That will happen in January. Keep an eye on the web site for the dates. (Tuesday, January 8, 2013, as of this moment.)
  • We also have a Google Community for Linux in the Ham Shack. It's a great method for leaving feedback, show suggestions, questions, hate mail or anything else.
  • The Dayton Hamvention 2013 will be coming up soon, so we've added the donation thermometer to the website. Please make a donation and help send LHS to Dayton again in 2013.
  • Sign up for the LHS mailing list, too.
  • Gnorman has a bio on the LHS About Us page.

Topics:

  • Raspberry Pi in the Ham Shack
    • Russ has been working on getting an Echolink node running on his Raspberry Pi.
    • He's chosen Raspbian as the operating system, which is based on Debian Wheezy.
    • Installation consists of downloading the iso, using dd to copy it to a secure digital card (SD flash memory card), booting the Raspberry Pi with the SD card, and following the prompts to install.
    • VK2MEV has posted instructions for configuring a Raspberry Pi as an Echolink node.
    • So far, Russ has Raspbian installed, as well as svxlink and qtel, but has not yet connected it to the usb sound card or attached it to his Rascal GLX interface to control the radio. Another option would be to use the Pi's GPIO bus to control the radio instead of a digital mode interface.
    • VK2MEV also has a page describing WSPR on a Raspberry Pi. (Another page is VK2MEV's blog on WSPRnet.)
    • Ted, WA0EIR, says he thinks some folks have his PSK31LX program running on a Raspberry Pi.
    • Russ mentions that there is a Slackware build for the Raspberry Pi.

Feedback:

  • Cory, KD0QEA, asks if there are any "hangout" radio frequencies for LHS hosts and listeners. Well, Cory, there are none due to lack of time for the hosts to get on the radio. However, perhaps our listeners would like to establish an LHS net. Email your suggestions for bands, frequencies and times and we'll announce them on the podcast. When Russ gets his Echolink node/Raspberry Pi running, he'll be there more often. The node number will be 54711 (LHS11 on the telephone pad).
  • Doug, N6LMX, left a voice mail about the Raspberry Pi. He has one and wonders which ham radio apps can be used on the Pi. He's also using Raspbian as the operating system. Doug will be attempting to create a media center with his, as well as ham radio applications. Russ suggests running the Pi headless and using ssh from a smartphone or tablet to access it. That would avoid having to carry a monitor and keyboard around with the Pi. It's likely that most of the popular Linux ham applications, such as fldigi, would work fine with the Pi, though you may need to compile them yourself. As for the media server idea, the Pi may not be quite powerful enough. Raspbmc is based on XBMC, and might be the best option. Ted, WA0EIR, has several Linux ham radio applications that should work quite well on the Pi. Richard also wonders if there are folks running APRS on the Pi, and there's at least one. Thanks for the voice mail, Doug. We appreciate it.
  • Dave, M0DCM, has been catching up on the show, and responds to episodes 95 and 96. He uses 75-ohm coax as a feedline with a 1:1 balun to horizontal and vertical dipoles, and is able to bypass his tuner on 21 and 24MHz. He goes on to describe his Linux and radio activities. Thanks, Dave.
  • Thanks to everyone who sent happy birthday messages to Russ.
  • Gorkon, aka Joel, says there may have been a problem with the ogg version of episode 96. Russ will take care of it if he finds the problem.
  • Mike, from Sugarland, TX, has been trying to use N3FJP's Amateur Contact Log (ACLog) program for logging, presumably under WINE, but it crashes and he wonders if anyone else has had any experience with this. If any of our listeners have tried ACLog under Linux, let us know, or respond on the Google+ LHS community. Russ suggests forcing WINE into 16-bit compatibility mode.

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:

  • None this episode.

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.

LHS Show Notes #067

Posted on by Russ Woodman

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.