Nate K3LTC @K3LTC@mastodon.radio

Two of our local radio clubs have started holding Health and Welfare nets (one nightly) to provide a forum for local information during the COVID-19 event. Speaking only for myself I have found this meet up comforting and would recommend it to most clubs but be careful to ensure that you have a calm, scientifically literate, and well informed member run it!

Getting fldigi connected to my baofeng under Ubuntu was as easy as plugging in my new SignaLink (with the correct jumper settings), firing up pulseaudio and selecting the new sound card for playback and record.

Captured this #SSTV image from #ISS today using a Baofeng BF-F8HP with Nagoya NA-771 antenna, decoded in real time using #Robot36 android app holding phone close to radio with app running.

On the topic of automatic tuners, I think understanding why you might need one and more importantly why you might not is key. This video makes it pretty clear I think. https://youtu.be/zhsXIyq64Wc

Gary, KD2PYB announces APRS and SSTV High Altitude Balloon Event planned for those within 500 miles of Binghamton, NY June 29. More details at https://reachfornearspace.com

Test of running solar this weekend. Definitely not ultra-portable, but good for operating near a vehicle. Tripod stand gets the base of the Comet GP-3 to 4 meters, 35Ah AGM battery, Renogy 150W panel and controller, Kenwood TM-V71A (2m/70cm).

JS8call is very interesting
https://youtu.be/F0TkJJIsY3o

You'll know you've been practicing CW enough when you start hearing Chickadees calling "2 2 2"

Found a CW beacon on 2 meters near me. FLdigi mostly decoded it, but got some of it wrong - perhaps because it was keyed by hand? In any case it was fun to discover it!
https://www.k3ltc.com/links/fldigi.html

Got the old Vibroplex keyer making some sounds with a raspberry pi (actually a pi-top which has a speaker) and some python.
https://www.k3ltc.com/links/vibroplex.html

Got it hooked up to a pi-top with a little python program to make a 800Hz tone. Getting it set up has been a challenge, but at least I've got it making some sounds now!
https://www.k3ltc.com/files/cq-cq-cq-de-k3ltc-3rd.mp4

...and everything with #firefox add-ons is resolved as of this morning. Turned out to be an expired cert. https://www.engadget.com/2019/05/03/firefox-extension-add-on-cert/

egads. Suddenly all Firefox Add-Ons have been disabled in the browser across all platforms everywhere. Wonder if it is related to this work: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Add-ons/AMO/Blocking_Process

Building this circuit might be a fun project so I can start to play with that old Vibroplex. I think I have all these parts just laying around anyway!

Credit Donald J. DuBon, N6JRL
https://www.k3ltc.com/files/CW-with-your-HT.pdf

My mom gave me her old key this weekend. Needs a little cleanup and to be set up properly. Looks like it was made during WWII (~1943).

I'm still practicing CW every day for almost a month now. I'm on lesson 31 of 40 at lcwo.net and have been practicing with character speed between 15 and 17 wpm and effective speed between 3 and 7 wpm.

OH8STN makes great radio related videos. I enjoyed this one which details his portable digital field comms station with raspberry pi.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jx1Xi-tN7Ys

AMSAT reports that the ISS will be transmitting SSTV again Apr 1-2 on 145.800 MHz in PD120 format from 1400 to 1900 GMT both days.
https://amsat-uk.org/2019/03/26/iss-sstv-transmissions-april-1-2/