Without getting into the behavior of the people who sell HRD, which is reprehensible, the software does a whole lot more than digital modes. You can use it control most radios built in the 21st century, track satellites, operate an antenna rotator and a shit-ton of other stuff. It doesn't always work without some coaxing on the part of the user, but it's there. I used the free version (pre-6.x) of HRD for years until the crappy Windows XP box I cobbled together specifically to run it died and I switched my shack computer to a Linux box.
I did not say code is a licensing requirement. What I said was that a person holding a technician class license is limited to the CW segment of the 40m band.
It's the "open" part I was wondering about. All of the autopatches I was ever aware of required entering a DTMF code and getting the code (understandably) required membership in the organization that maintained the repeater. The only one left here in San Diego County is that way.
Still, you could put together a circular slide rule to compute the satellite's position. No need for an internet hookup.
Um, I think that trying to calculate Keplerian elements while in distress might be a tad impractical even with a circular slide rule. Turns out, though, that I was incorrect about the iPhone and Android apps requiring an Internet connection. They only need to be updated periodically.
Not amateur radio satellites. It costs a lot of money to up a satellite in geosynchronous orbit, far more than even a bunch of hams could come up with. As a result, amateur radio satellites are usually piggybacked on commercial launches with a bit of spare capacity and end up in a much lower orbit.
While I agree with you about the danger from humans being the least of someone's worries while out in the back country, you are incorrect about VHF direction finding. In fact, "fox hunting" is a popular activity among amateur radio operators.
True enough, but he's going to have a hard time learning how to use an FT-817 in an emergency if he can only use it as a technician most of the time. He'd be limited to CW on small portions of of 15, 40 and 80m, and 200KHz of phone privileges on 10m. Plus, the FT-817 only puts out five watts and weighs 2.5 pounds, which is twice what he said was his maximum weight.
Funny thing, however: I lived for over fifty years without a cell phone and never worried about being out of touch. Now that I've had one for while, though, I feel naked if forget it when I leave the house.
The antenna issue can be dealt with but how would he know how to find the satellite out in the backcountry? He'd have to lug a laptop with sat tracking software installed along with him. Besides, working satellites can be pretty tricky. Not only do you have to track the moving bird with your antenna, you have to continually adjust your frequencies to compensate for the Doppler Effect. The OP doesn't even have his ticket yet; it might be a little much to expect an inexperienced operator to make a satellite contact.
I can agree with that. We had a lot of visitors at our Field Day site. I was lucky enough to have an opening to Europe on PSK31 when a bunch of cub scouts came through. It took them awhile to wrap their heads around the idea of there being no internet or phone service involved. The number of people who understand the tech behind the devices they use daily is dangerously small.
I hope you get out of the hills and get good results; If you aren't showing your work, you're not working!
I've pretty much stayed neutral on the topic (spending a weekend in the mountains is kind of nice, after all) but am beginning to lean in the direction of doing things more publicly. I think it's better for the hobby as a whole.
Changing the subject, the recent increase in sunspot activity is great, isn't it? Last night I worked a station in Buenos Aires on 40m PSK31. 40 watts, 6000 miles--that's the kind of thing that makes ham radio a kick in the ass.
Drop me a line, maybe we can set up a digital QSO. E-mail address is [mycallsign](at)cox.net
The "open autopatches" thing makes me wonder a bit, too. I can't remember there ever being very many of those and, in my area at least, there's only one operating autopatch left out of a dozen or so. Cell phones pretty much killed them off.
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Without getting into the behavior of the people who sell HRD, which is reprehensible, the software does a whole lot more than digital modes. You can use it control most radios built in the 21st century, track satellites, operate an antenna rotator and a shit-ton of other stuff. It doesn't always work without some coaxing on the part of the user, but it's there. I used the free version (pre-6.x) of HRD for years until the crappy Windows XP box I cobbled together specifically to run it died and I switched my shack computer to a Linux box.
Withhold a password, go to jail.
Not really sure that justice was served here but the guy really was a first-rate dickhead.
. If another OSS project gets named after a disability, I'm sure the gimp devs will incorporate it somehow.
I guess they haven't heard about my OSS project, TARD, yet.
Barstow and Lodi... More cosmopolitan, hip metropolises you'll never find. I'm thinking "Monorail"...
Don't forget Buttonwillow.
I did not say code is a licensing requirement. What I said was that a person holding a technician class license is limited to the CW segment of the 40m band.
It's the "open" part I was wondering about. All of the autopatches I was ever aware of required entering a DTMF code and getting the code (understandably) required membership in the organization that maintained the repeater. The only one left here in San Diego County is that way.
Uh, that's what I was getting at.
Okay, let's start the one about the mobile unit set to cross-band repeat being in violation of FCC regs for not IDing itself every 10 minutes instead.
Especially if you're in distress of some sort. Plus, you generally only have a few minutes of air time available to you on each pass.
RR on the tracking software, turns out I was incorrect about the software for iOS and Android needing an Internet connection.
Still, you could put together a circular slide rule to compute the satellite's position. No need for an internet hookup.
Um, I think that trying to calculate Keplerian elements while in distress might be a tad impractical even with a circular slide rule. Turns out, though, that I was incorrect about the iPhone and Android apps requiring an Internet connection. They only need to be updated periodically.
It's the latter. I did a little research and it turns out I was mistaken about requiring an Internet connection.
I thought comm satellites were geostationary.
Not amateur radio satellites. It costs a lot of money to up a satellite in geosynchronous orbit, far more than even a bunch of hams could come up with. As a result, amateur radio satellites are usually piggybacked on commercial launches with a bit of spare capacity and end up in a much lower orbit.
You can go to the Amsat Web site for more details.
While I agree with you about the danger from humans being the least of someone's worries while out in the back country, you are incorrect about VHF direction finding. In fact, "fox hunting" is a popular activity among amateur radio operators.
Working on my Extra now, hope to have it in a couple of months. A lot of math involved, something I'm not very good at.
Drop me an e-mail at [mycallsign] @ cox.net if you'd like to set up a QSO some time. I work 20m (days) and 40m (evenings) PSK31 a lot.
73 de KJ6BSO
There is sat tracking software for both Android and the iPhone.
Yes, but they require a working Internet connection
Perhaps he could use an Android phone with a ham sat tracking app.
I see there's one called HamSatDroid but I haven't tried it myself.
I believe that app requires a working Internet connection. If he's got a phone with a working Internet connection, he doesn't need ham radio.
True enough, but he's going to have a hard time learning how to use an FT-817 in an emergency if he can only use it as a technician most of the time. He'd be limited to CW on small portions of of 15, 40 and 80m, and 200KHz of phone privileges on 10m. Plus, the FT-817 only puts out five watts and weighs 2.5 pounds, which is twice what he said was his maximum weight.
Nothing really unique about that, creationists have been practicing that for about 200 years.
Yeah, agreed. I was going to use them as an example then decided it was a little too much like karma whoring.
My wife gets upset when I make disparaging cracks about truck drivers, doesn't seem to get that it's an inside joke.
I'd have to agree with you on that.
Funny thing, however: I lived for over fifty years without a cell phone and never worried about being out of touch. Now that I've had one for while, though, I feel naked if forget it when I leave the house.
Who did they ask? People inside of Apple's campus.. You've got to be kidding me.
Got to love it--some research challenges your preconceived notions so, of course, the only thing to do is reconsider said notions, right?
Wrong. Better to disparage the research than admit they might have been incorrect.
The antenna issue can be dealt with but how would he know how to find the satellite out in the backcountry? He'd have to lug a laptop with sat tracking software installed along with him. Besides, working satellites can be pretty tricky. Not only do you have to track the moving bird with your antenna, you have to continually adjust your frequencies to compensate for the Doppler Effect. The OP doesn't even have his ticket yet; it might be a little much to expect an inexperienced operator to make a satellite contact.
I can agree with that. We had a lot of visitors at our Field Day site. I was lucky enough to have an opening to Europe on PSK31 when a bunch of cub scouts came through. It took them awhile to wrap their heads around the idea of there being no internet or phone service involved. The number of people who understand the tech behind the devices they use daily is dangerously small.
I hope you get out of the hills and get good results; If you aren't showing your work, you're not working!
I've pretty much stayed neutral on the topic (spending a weekend in the mountains is kind of nice, after all) but am beginning to lean in the direction of doing things more publicly. I think it's better for the hobby as a whole.
Changing the subject, the recent increase in sunspot activity is great, isn't it? Last night I worked a station in Buenos Aires on 40m PSK31. 40 watts, 6000 miles--that's the kind of thing that makes ham radio a kick in the ass.
Drop me a line, maybe we can set up a digital QSO. E-mail address is [mycallsign](at)cox.net
73 de KJ6BSO
[citation needed]
The "open autopatches" thing makes me wonder a bit, too. I can't remember there ever being very many of those and, in my area at least, there's only one operating autopatch left out of a dozen or so. Cell phones pretty much killed them off.