Linux in the Ham Shack

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**Linux in the Ham Shack**

Linux in the Ham Shack Podcast in MP3 Format

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LHS Episode #095: I Has the Dumb Nov 27, 2012

Show notes

Introduction:

Welcome to episode 95 of Linux in the Ham Shack. Episode 100 looms on the horizon, and we’d like to do something a little special. Call in to the LHS voice mail line at +1-909-LHS-SHOW (1-909-547-7469), or send an email, and share your thoughts about the show.
LHS recommends this LOL Cat image.

Announcements:

Kevin O’Brien, Publicity Director of the Ohio LinuxFest, is looking for someone to step up and take on the role of Volunteer Coordinator. If anyone is interested please reply to news@ohiolinux.org.
We now digress into a ramble about censorship.
On page 45 of the December 2012 issue of QST has an article on vertical vs. horizontal antennas, a topic we discussed in episode 91. In the same issue, on page 52, there is also an article about the NorthWest Digital Radio UDR56K, a topic we discussed in episode 90. Are we seeing a pattern here?
Also in that issue is a description of several FCC Proposed Rule Changes, and our hosts discuss each of them:
Reduction of license expiration grace period from 2 years to 6 months.
Reduction of vanity call waiting period from 2 years to 6 months.
Reduction of the number of Volunteer Examiners at test sessions from 3 to 2.
Possible allowance of “remote testing” facilities using video and audio over a network that allows for proper administration of tests.
Allow single-slot TDMA transmissions.
The 2012 Fort Wayne Hamfest is this weekend, November 17-18, in Fort Wayne, Indiana. This is also the ARRL Convention for Indiana. This launches Richard into reminiscing about the presentation of The Last Voice from Kuwait.

Topics:

Symbolic (or soft) Links vs. Hard Links
Russ and Richard offer a discussion of the difference between soft, or symbolic, links and hard links in Linux.
A symbolic link is a pointer to another file name. Symbolic links can be created with the ln -s command: ln -s [original file] [link name]
Symbolic links can point to files on other volumes or file systems.
Hard links, on the other hand, are pointers to the data of another file, just like a directory entry is a pointer to the first block of data for the file. Hard links are also created with the ln command, but without the -s switch.
Hard links can only be used on the same file system.
A symbolic link is equivalent to a Windows shortcut, a pointer to the name of another file. A hard link is a reference to the data (first inode) of another file, and thus must be created on the same file system.
When the original file with associated hard links is deleted, the data remains until all of the hard links are also deleted. Deleting the original file with associated soft links will delete the file and the data, but the soft links will remain, now orphaned.
More information about links is available here.

Feedback:

Listener Dave left a comment on the web site expressing his appreciation for the show, and also became a subscriber. Thanks, Dave!
Jeremy, KD5HQN, also commented on the web site, claiming he’s actually learning something from the shows! He also corrected Richard about the proper location of Orthanc. Thanks, Jeremy.
Bill, KJ4KNI, asked, via Richard’s Facebook page, for suggestions about the best Linux distribution for a beginner. (Linux Mint 13 is a good choice.) He also wonders why a ham might use 75-ohm RG6 coax as an antenna feedline. Our hosts discuss the possibilities.

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:

“Easier As Us” by Michael McEachern, courtesy of Jamendo.
“Wicked” by Fresh Body Shop, from their album Bring Me Down, courtesy of Jamendo.

LHS Episode #094: Arsenic and Old Pi Nov 13, 2012

Show notes

Introduction:

No music this episode.
It’s the night before Halloween and we’re off to another spooky episode of LHS with our hosts starting with a ramble about horror movies. It’s a trick AND a treat!

Announcements:

Please consider donating to the podcast or subscribing for #20/year. Also, the free Black Sparrow Media app is at risk of disappearing unless our listeners are willing to provide $15/month to keep the download site alive. Please contact us if you can help.

Topics:

Creating a desktop wallpaper slideshow in GNOME:

It’s actually a built-in feature of GNOME. Briefly, here are the steps:

As root, create a new directory in /usr/share/backgrounds (any name you want).
In that directory, place your desired background images (or links to them).
There’s already a directory in /usr/share/backgrounds called cosmos which you can use as a guide.
Copy background-1.xml from the cosmos directory into your new directory and edit it to specify your images.

More information can be found in this askubuntu thread. Be sure to read through all the comments.

Richard points us to one of many articles about ham radio operators helping out during and after Hurricane Sandy. Our sympathies to the victims of hurricane.
More about EchoLink and Linux: Richard found the CQiNet project, which includes two applications, Echolinux (an EchoLink client for Linux) and The Bridge, an iLink/EchoLink compatable conference bridge. Of course, there is still the svxlink package, which includes the Qtel Echolink client.
C’mon, people, where are my Raspberry Pi suggestions? Russ is still looking for good uses for his Raspberry Pis. Send your suggestions!
Google Webfonts are open source fonts that can be embedded in Joomla, WordPress and others, embedded in CSS, or with Javascript. Visit Russ’ blog page for an example of Google Webfonts in action.

Feedback:

David, KE0AZ, sent an email about our discussion of antennas in Episode #091. He’s opting for a used 4BTV vertical.
Tim, KI6BGE, in response to Richard’s computer power supply repair in Episode #092, shares his success story involving a printer repair he attempted.
Scott, N8VSI, sent this audio report on his experience as the LHS ambassador at the Ohio Linux Fest. (We talked to Scott in Episode 93.)
Harrison, VE2HKW, made a donation to the Black Sparrow Media app server fund. Thanks, Harrison!

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 #093: Eating Crackers in Bed Nov 11, 2012

Show notes

Introduction:

Richard is looking forward to winter in Texas… all three days of it.

Announcements:

Subscribers to LHS now have access to the Etherpad, or via the Etherpad link in the Content area of the LHS website.
Black Sparrow Media now has a Twitter feed at BSM_Network.
Richard rants: Ubuntu has added a nag screen to the download page requesting a donation.
Linux Distributions for Ham Radio:
Has Shackbox died? There does not seem to be much activity since 2009.
Andy’s Ham Radio Linux CD by Andy, KB1OIQ, revisited. Version 11 was released in June, 2012, and is based on Ubuntu 11.10. Several of the tools have been updated to newer versions. Also at https://kb1oiq-andysham.sourceforge.net/
Jeff Hodsdon published a list of influential ham radio operators, and neither Richard nor Russ are on that list! For shame!

Topics:

Russ and Richard interview Scott, N8VSI, our LHS ambassador at the 2012 Ohio LinuxFest. He had demos of xastir, fldigi, yfktest, and others. Scott had two computers running and a Raspberry Pi. Sadly, the official LHS banner didn’t show up until two days after the event. Scott is a member of the West Chester Amateur Radio Club which operates from the Voice of America Bethany Relay Station.

Feedback:

The Old Texas Engineer sent an audio response to Episode 88 about High Speed Multimedia and mesh networks. He gives us some history of HSMM in Texas and his experiences with the technology. He mentions the Open Mesh project and the South Texas Balloon Launch Team website.

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:

“El Bubblino” by 20lb Sounds, from the album Bubblino. (That’s Dan Lynch’s band, one of the Linux Outlaws!)
“Kitsch Me If You Can” by MMO, from the album Drunk Dial of the Year, courtesy of Jamendo.

LHS Episode #092: Yardfuls of Cooked Squab Oct 11, 2012

Show notes

Introduction:

The earth moved in Texas, recently, which sends Richard down memory lane.

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.

LHS Episode #091: Messed Up in the Head Sep 30, 2012

Show notes

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 Episode #090: Purple Hays Sep 15, 2012

Show notes

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:
Winlink Email
APRS
D-RATS
D-STAR Digital Data
Digital Voice with AMBE Card Option
44 Net (AMPRNet)
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.

LHS Episode #089: Minty Fresh Sep 01, 2012

Show notes

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.

LHS Episode #088: Total Breakdown Aug 21, 2012

Show notes

Introduction:

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

Announcements:

Pimpin’ the band: Thanks, as always, to Gamma Leonis for the theme music for the show.
We recently learned of Tom, KB4HQA’s, unfortunate car accident after leaving the Dayton Hamvention this past May. We wish him a speedy recovery and return to podcasting.
Richard is a fan of America’s Test Kitchen.

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.

LHS Episode #087: King Jeremy the Wicked Jul 28, 2012

Show notes

Introduction:

Promo: Ohio LinuxFest 2012 will be held September 28-30, 2012, at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in downtown Columbus, Ohio.
LHS community sends their good wishes to the victims and their families in Aurora, CO.
Our hosts recommend Etherpad for collaborative document editing.

Announcements:

Ham Holiday Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, July 27-28, 2012, Biltmore Hotel.
Texas Linux Fest, San Antonio, Texas, August 3-4, 2012, Norris Conference Center.
Texoma Hamarama Ardmore, Oklahoma, October 26-27, 2012, Exit 33 - I-35: Ardmore Convention Center.
Watch the Events Schedule on the LHS website for more events!
Click the Amabassadors link on the website and volunteer to be an LHS Amabassador at a Linux or ham-related event.
20th annual Gainesville Hamfest Gainesville, Texas, Saturday, August 25, 2012, Civic Center.
Joplin Hamfest, Joplin, Missouri, August 24-25, 2012, Holiday Inn Convention Center. Look for Russ and Cheryl!
Russ is anxiously waiting for delivery of two (okay, three) Raspberry Pi computers. Call the LHS voice line 909-547-7469, or send an email to info@lhspodcast.info, and tell Russ what to do with his Rasperry Pis. Wait, that doesn’t sound quite right, but you get the drift.

Feedback:

Bruce, VE2GZI, writes to express his appreciation for the episode about GNU-Radio (Episode 84). It inspired him to try getting it to work under Linux Mint 11, but it’s been a struggle, and he asks for help. Russ managed to compile it on Linux Mint Debian Edition. Jlindsay in the chat room said he ignored the build script, and just did a cmake and make. Also make sure you have the proper version of portaudio installed. Bruce also tells us he’s waiting for his Hong Kong Dongle. ’nuff said.
Scott, N9LJX, says he’s always had trouble with rig control, via Hamlib, and his FT-900, and wonders if that’s been improved. He’s happy to hear that yfktest works with Winkey USB. Russ looked at the Hamlib website about Yaesu radios, and saw the status listed as “.1 untested”, which indicates poor, if any, support for that radio. Richard suggests avoiding the USB or USB-to-serial adapter. Instead, buy an inexpensive serial port card for the computer and connect the radio to a real serial port.
Someone in the chat room asked about a good personal cloud storage solution. Russ likes ownCloud. and has described it in episode 9 of his QSK Netcast.
Jeremy, KB7QOA, sends a long email thanking us for the show, discussing his gradual move toward Linux, and wonders if he could have a version of the podcast without the music. Well, Jeremy, if you’re willing to subscribe to the show, you’ll soon have the option of a music-free feed.
Grant, AA9LC, has embarked on a project to establish a Linux computer in his hamshack. He met Russ at the recent Dayton Hamvention, and has been trying to boot the LHS disc he received there, but it wants a username and password. He’s also tried Linux Mint 11 and is “mostly impressed.” As the disc contains nothing more than Linux Mint Debian Edition, Russ suggests the username may be one of “root”, “mint”, or “linuxmint”, and no password. However, it should boot directly into a “live” mode desktop without ever asking for a username or password. If that doesn’t help, Grant, let us know and provide a few more details about when you’re asked for the username and password. Russ and Richard also provide some hints about managing sound card audio.
Look for Russ on Episode 124 of the Mintcast.

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:

“I’m Doin’ Fine” by Lorenzo’s Music from the album Solamente Tres Palabras, courtesy of Jamendo.
“We All Fall Down” by Lorenzo’s Music from the album Just Had to Let You Know, courtesy of Jamendo.

LHS Episode #086: W9YA on YFKTest Jul 19, 2012

Show notes

Introduction:

Tonight’s episode is proof that LHS is at least as popular as the All-Star Game.

Topic:

Interview with Bob Finch, W9YA, principal maintainer of yfktest.
Bob got involved with the yfktest project because he was looking for a logging program like the old DOS program, WR9R.
His ideal logger did not use graphics, did not require a mouse, and was very easy to learn. yfktest was close, but had a few problems, so Bob began submitting fixes and improvements.
Over the past year, Bob began submitting code changes and eventually became the principle maintainer of the program, and has made over 150 patches in that time.
Russ described his problem with the program for Field Day logging. Bob explains that the issue was due to the error checking, and had Russ not tried to enter the signal report into the Class field, it would have worked fine. Russ suggests having a line of text above the fields that provides hints as to what each field should contain. Bob added that to his To-Do list.
yfktest is written in Perl, so no compilation is necessary to install.
Bob is working on a version that is completely contained on a USB stick that would be operating system agnostic.
Rudimentary networking features are in the code now, but disabled. So, it’s possible that networking might be a future enhancement.
Get your copy of the latest version of yfktest by following the instructions in the README.NOW link at bfinch.net.
Bob then describes another of his interests, rocketry, and is involved in the open source/open hardware rocketry project Altus Metrum.

Feedback:

Rich, KD0BJT, of the Low SWR podcast writes to tell us of a Field Day logging program called fdlog. It’s written in Python and has networking capabilities for multiple stations. Rich also mentions the Java-based logging program JL. Thanks, Rich. fdlog is a graphical Field Day logging program written in Tcl/Tk, but hasn’t been updated in about a year.
Leif, KC8RWR, sends us a link to a series of Youtube video tutorials for GNU Radio, the open source software project for RTL Software Defined Radios. He wonders if he could use an NE602 at the front end of the radio for HF, and use a Raspberry Pi to run GNU Radio. Our hosts discuss this and the Signetics NE602, a balanced mixer and oscillator on a chip.
Dave, M0DCM, has been catching up on LHS episodes while convalescing. He describes his system for listening, and some experiences with the Ettus SDR, Funcube Dongle, and digital modes with his new Yaesu FT-817ND.
David, KE0AZ, tells us that the power output of the Ettus transmitter daughterboards is anywhere from 50 to 200 mW.

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:

“Ancient (The Deepest Sky I’ve Ever Seen)” by Olga Scotland from the album Castles Under the Water, courtesy of Jamendo.

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