Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Android Users are Data Hogs

It isn't just me according to this Business Insider chart. Also, I am above average!

The Gun Source Contest: Navy Seals Tactical Package

Sign up here if you want to win a Navy Seals Tactical Package from The Gun Source. You will get e-mails from TGS if you signup, but they don't flood you with spam. The Navy Seals Tactical Package includes a Sig P226, GSG MP5 Sport Pistol (.22LR), FN SCAR 16, and a SOG Seak Knife.

WB4GBI 145.470 Repeater is Up

Reports of the 145.470 Repeater's demise were greatly exaggerated.

Tim updates:
This afternoon, my XYL Tammy (KB4TQO) and I went to Cross Mountain and replaced the power supply on the 145.47 repeater. A few quick checks (duplex power, “desense,” and remote control function), and I am happy to report that 145.47 is back up and ready to go. I am also happy to report that *this* power supply has the provision for battery backup, which I hope to add the batteries for in the very near future. Stay tuned!

Baofeng UV-3R: The Manual 2

*** UPDATE (2011-06-02): New download link is here.
*** UPDATE (2011-09-27): Check out additional UV-3R info here.
NAJHouse just sent an e-mail to the UV-3R Yahoo Group with a temporary link to a downloadable copy of the new manual that includes all 18 menu options for the UV-3R (Amazon).

You can download the file until June 14, 2011 via WeTransfer.

Monday, May 30, 2011

Party at Coal Creek

My wife subscribes to the Daily Candy for Atlanta and a few other cities. The Daily Candy is a hipster newsletter with tidbits about local culture. The latest one for Atlanta included a new place to get a group together for a party.
Sandy Springs Gun Club and Range Does Parties
What: The state-of-the-art shooting range offers all-inclusive group packages ($50 per person, groups of ten) for special occasions (i.e., breakup therapy with the besties).
Why: Bang, bang.
Maybe Coal Creek Armory should start having birthday parties and corporate events.

Where do you want to eat?

Wife: Where do you want to eat?

Me: It don't matter.



As seen along Alabama 331.

Hamfests

I had already mentioned RACK's 45th Annual Hamfest and Electronics Exposition on Saturday, June 11, but there are a couple of other local hamfests to get on your calendar.

Ten-Tec - 12th Annual Ten-Tec Factory Hamfest
Friday, September 23, 2011 - 2:00pm to 7pm
Saturday, September 24, 2011 - 9:00am to 2pm
1185 Dolly Parton Parkway
Sevierville, TN 37862
"Welcome hams from around the country to the 12th annual Ten-Tec factory hamfest! Featuring a discount sale on Friday and Saturday on new and used Ten-Tec ham radio equipment! Door prizes! Tour of the Ten-Tec factory! Meet the Ten-Tec factory representatives! 4 HF stations will be simultaneously on the air to try out the latest equipment. License testing at 12:30 Saturday afternoon."
Sweetwater Hamfest
Friday, October 8, 2011
"There will be a Hamfest in Sweetwater TN Oct 8th! Free admission and free setup. Also, free coffee and doughnuts while they last! Talk in will be on the 145.25 repeater 100 HZ tone. The tone wil be turned off during the hamfest."

Cultural Center of the World

Not only is Knoxville the center of the gun blogging universe (Uncle, Tam, Linoge, Les Jones, etc.), but we also like to read books. Heck, we might even get a new brewery just outside of town. Scruffy little town in deed.

Sunday, May 29, 2011

The 145.470 Repeater is Down

The 145.470 repeater is down. When it rains, it pours.

WB4GBI 147.075 Repeater is Up

I posted earlier that the 147.075 repeater was down. As of Wednesday, Tim had it back up and running after replacing a power amplifier.

He also reminds everyone that the 147.075 has an autopatch to allow hams to make phone calls via the repeater. Here are his instructions for using the autopatch:
  • Key your mic and identify yourself, with your intentions to use the autopatch... Such as: "This is WX4ABC accessing the Autopatch..."
  • With the mic still keyed, and using your DTMF buttons... enter the (*) key.. followed by the 7-digit phone number. (No Long Distance numbers will be accepted)
  • Release the mic key... and listen. If the autopatch is accessed correctly, it will repeat back to you "Accessing Autopatch..." (followed by the number you just dialed)
  • You will then hear a series of beeps... while the machine dials your number. In a few moments, you will hear the phone ringing... then your party will answer.
  • Note: Be sure to tell them they are on an autopatch, so they will know the conversation is being transmitted!
  • Carry on your conversation as normal - releasing your mic to hear the other party's responses.
  • (Note: There is a 4-minute limit to each autopatch session!)
  • To hang up... simply key your mic, and press the (#) key -then release.
  • The Autopatch will hang up the phone, then ID itself... give the time... then ask you to "Please Identify..."
  • Give your callsign to let everyone know that you have finished using the autopatch, and have returned the repeater to normal use.

Baofeng UV-3R: My Orders - Updated

All three of my orders have arrived now, so I have updated the list below. The accessories all showed up within about a week, but the radio itself took almost two. Not bad for coming from Hong Kong to the scruffy little city.

UV-3R
Ordered May 6
Shipped May 6
Delivered May 19

FBA-37 (AA Battery Case)
Ordered May 11
Shipped May 11
Delivered May 18

USB Programming Cable
Ordered May 14 (Sat)
Shipped May 16
Delivered May 24

Repeater Guide - SERA

I posted briefly about two options for repeater guides. The post got an almost immediate response from the editor of the SERA Repeater Journal. Clearly, he is monitoring (Google Alerts, maybe?) for anytime someone links to the SERA site. So that his reply doesn't get lost as a comment, I've copied it below:
"It is true that there is a huge typographical error on the cover of the May issue of the Repeater Journal which incorrectly identifies it as the February issue. As that issue will be replaced two more times this year, I will make every effort to insure the correct date is on future covers. I apologize to our readers for the error and hope it does not detract too badly from the writing therein.
John Ghormley KJ4UFG
Editor, SERA Repeater Journal
editor@sera.org"
The fact that he found my post and responded has sold me on the SERA organization. Clearly they are keeping an eye on things. I'll be signing up for my Associate Membership.

Attention to Detail

Now this is attention to detail..
"Eckert was dedicated to testing every part. According to Scott McCartney, in order to choose his wiring, 'Eckert acquired some mice in cages and starved them for a few days. Then he put different kinds of wire in their cages to see which kind they enjoyed eating. The least appetizing brand was used in ENIAC.'"
The Man Who Invented the Computer: The Biography of John Atanasoff, Digital Pioneer

Monday, May 23, 2011

Heard on the 940 Repeater: Exam Prep and Repeater Guides

Exam Prep
A ham on the 940 repeater was discussing his plan to upgrade from Tech to General and then to Extra a month later. He was also planning on talking his XYL into getting her Tech, too. The usual suspects were very critical of his plan to upgrade so quickly. They encouraged him to learn the material instead of taking one of the local classes and memorizing the answers to the question set. They even offered to buy him the books, so he could learn the material. I really appreciate the "tough love" they were giving the guy. They were hard on him, but they followed it up with a way to help. (Of course, I'm more of a paper ham than an expert in electronics and radio communications, but I'm still trying to learn!)

Repeater Guides
As part of that discussion, the new ham asked about getting a repeater guide. The ARRL offers their guide, which has tempted me, but not to the point that I've ordered one. The other hams recommended subscribing to SouthEastern Repeater Association (SERA). See below for information on both resources.
The ARRL Repeater Directory (Desktop Edition) $10.95
  • Spiral Bound Desktop 2011/2012 Edition
  • Directory of repeater locations and frequencies for the 21,800+ repeaters around the country
  • Includes D-Star and APCO-25, references for operating practices, emergency message handling, tips for handling interference and much more.
  • New lay-flat spiral binding allows for easy reference on the road. And, now including the ARRL Radiogram and ICS-213 Message Forms.
  • Handy indexing tabs on the cover
  • Easy-to-read listings
  • Key to ""Repeater Notes"" located right up front
  • Icons to identify ""Open"" or limited access repeater systems.
SouthEastern Repeater Association (SERA)
  • Associate Membership - All repeater users are invited to join SERA as Associate Members. Although Associate Members have no voting privileges, their support is the heart of helping finance the successful operation of the organization. The $15.00 per year membership fee enables you to support the efforts of the organization and receive the Repeater Journal. Associate Membership deadlines are the 15th of the month preceding the months of publication (January 15th, April 15th, July 15th, and October 15th). The Repeater Journal is mailed third class mail.
It looks like the SERA guide may not be as closely edited as the ARRL guide.
"YES! We know the cover says February 2011, but it is indeed the May 2011 edition of the SERA Repeater Journal. To solve this dilemma, take a magic marker, cross out February and write in May and the problem is solved!"

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Baofeng UV-3R: eHam.Net Reviews

There are a few reviews of the Baofeng UV-3R coming in at eHam.net. Generally, they are positive, but I would give the radio a high score based on the value provided for such a low cost.
Baofeng UV-3R Reviews at eHam.net

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Wouxun Dayton Surprise

As I reported earlier, Ed from wouxun.us said he would have a surprise at Dayton. He said it would not be the KG-UV920R, but I was hoping for new hardware of some sort... instead, Dayton attendees could pick up a KG-UVD1P for $85! Price of $85 confirmed here. Amazing.

470 Repeater and Ham Radio to the Rescue

People talk a lot about the ability of hams to help in an emergency. I'm glad we are not often put to the test, but it is nice to hear examples where ham radio has made a difference like it did on the Dragon today. From the 470 ARG web page:
"I was sitting at my desk when I heard a call on the 145.470 repeater today, the 21st of May, a emergency call, I got up and responded to the station WA4HSM Alvin from Knoxville who was on the Dragon, apparently a Biker took a curve a little fast and went down, and ran off the road, when Alvin stopped their was another lady there who was a medical person, the bike rider was unconscious, Alvin stated a emergency on the repeater, and requested I call for emergency services, which he had the phone number , called and advised dispatch we had a MVA, gave him my location and information and proceeded to advise the emergency,we relayed information between us and emergency units where dispatched to the scene..a little later Alvin called back and advised that Police ,Fire and EMS was on the scene, the man was conscious."

Life Lesson: Work on the Cheaper Part

When fitting two parts together, work on the cheaper of the two parts.

Via Brownells

Summer Reading 2011

Here are the books I've just picked up for my summer reading. Reviews to follow.

Storm Front (The Dresden Files, Book 1)Ethics
Gaunt's Ghosts: The FoundingThe Blade Itself (The First Law: Book One)

Here is why I am reading Ethics. I hope the rest will be fun reads.

Friday, May 20, 2011

The Fate of Typewriters

The reports of the typewriter's death were greatly exaggerated... iPad meet the TypeScreen.
Via F5IYJ

Baofeng UV-3R: Menu Options - Video



And from my previous post...

Menu # Name Description Options
1 RXCODE Receive Tone Off, CTCSS, DCS
2 TXCODE Transmit Tone Off, CTCSS, DCS
3 SQL Squelch 0-9
4 LIGHT LCD Illumination Off, On, Key
5 K TONE Keypad Beep Off, On
6 VOX VOX/Handsfree Off, 1-9
7 POWER RF Output Power High, Low
8 DW Dual Watch/UHF & VHF Off, On
9 STEP 12.5/25KHz
10 OFFSET 0-37.995, 0-69.995M
11 SHIFT 0,+,-
12 STE Squelch Tone Elimination Off, On
13 W/N Wide/Narrow
14 SAVE Battery Save
15 TOT Timeout Timer
16 SCANM Scan Memory
17 RELAYM Relay Message
18 BCLO Busy Channel Lock

Life Lesson: Unload the Dishwasher from the Bottom

Unload the dishwasher from the bottom, so that you don't splash water on the lower dishes when moving the upper racks.

Blogger's Dead Man Switch

I read most of my favorite blogs and web sites using a RSS reader. One blogger I read is in poor health. He must have scheduled a good-bye post that he would continually update and push the date out. Except one time he must have forgotten or otherwise been unable to move the date.

I saw the post in my RSS feed, but when I checked his site, the entry had been pulled. It was eerie, sad, and beautiful all as the same time.

I am happy to report that he was still posting last week.

Baofeng UV-3R: My Unboxing Video

Keeping Score to Motivate People

Can playing games drive the adoption of sales force automation?
"Recently, there's been a lot of research in the area of gamification: the process of adding gaming elements to a non-gaming activity to encourage action and participation."
I'm pretty convinced that some people are motivated by keeping score and getting rewards while others are not. When I was a help desk tech, I would work as hard as possible to see how few tickets I could have open at the end of the week. I saw it as a game - some of the other guys didn't.

We also used visual aids to promote good procedures. For example, we took turns manning the phones. We tried to maintain constant coverage, so when nature or duty called, we had to get someone to cover for us. We bought a stuffed Tux the linux penguin. Whoever had the penguin was responsible for the phones. The rule was that Tux could never be left alone. It made it pretty easy to toss the penguin baton to someone as you walked out the door.

The only similar thing my group does today is that I "hand out" blue Cisco console cables when the non-network guys help with a server or network problem.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Skeet - After Action Report

I had been to the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency Volunteer Rifle & Pistol Club John Sevier Hunter Education Center (TWRAVRPCJSHEC for short) once before to use the bench rest range.

My second trip was to the shotgun range for skeet shooting with some more friends from church - Red Beard and Hardhat. Slim was supposed to be there, but he had just gotten his nails done or something, so he sent his regrets. Being the good friend that he is, he did suggest that I tell Red Beard and Hardhat that I wanted to go "a dollar a bird" with them. About the shotgun range:
"Shotgun ranges are open on Saturday and Sunday from 1:00-6:00 PM. Saturday and Sunday shotgun range shooters need to check in before 5:00 PM.

Shotgun ranges are open on Tuesday from 6:30-10:00 PM. Tuesday night shotgun shooters need to check in by 7:00 PM.

The range charges $4 for youth and $6 for adults for every 25 targets, in addition to the $5.50 TWRA fee."
We arrived at about 6:30 and got checked in at the front gate. Once you get to the shotgun range, you need to put your name on the waiting list. There are two skeet ranges and they take you through them in squads of about five shooters. Of course, hearing and eye protection are required. Between sessions, the range officers collect money for the targets and ammo (if you need it). You can buy single round tickets or punch cards for multiple rounds. If you don't have a shell bag, they will loan you an apron.

When it was our turn, they let us take six in our squad, since we had a newbie - namely me! There are two buildings that hold the target throwers - the high house on the left and the low house on the right (see pics below). You start under the high house. You must keep your shogun unloaded until you step up to the firing position. The range officer has a remote control to release the targets, so you just tell him "pull" when you are ready. From some stations, you shoot singles (one at a time) and doubles (two in quick succession). You can request, as I did, to get singles only. I lost track of the number of stations, but ultimately you are supposed to be shooting 24 targets. By moving around the field, you change the angle and speed at which the targets go flying by.





As you may recall, I was shooting a beautiful over/under 20 gauge Beretta Silver Pigeon that was on loan from Hardhat. They require that you use #9 shot - something about the people at the bench rest range get antsy when pellets start raining down on them. (You do actually shoot toward the bench rest when you aim beyond the high house!) It really is a pretty gun and I can say, with reservation, it is the best shooting shotgun I have ever fired.



So, I think I hit about seven targets out of the 24+ opportunities. I know I had more than 24 targets as I never saw one leave the house, so they let me have another chance. At another station, the fastest one I think, the range officer sent one flying just for me track before trying to actually hit it. Red Beard and Hardhat provided a lot of support and good advice, but I am especially thankful for the coaching and patience of the range officer. I was so tense and uncertain about firing a shotgun for the first time that I'm not sure I even had a clue where the clays were flying. The other shooters were very friendly and supportive, too. (I guess gun people aren't all bad.)

I am proud that I got better as the round went along. I settled down quite a bit and quit worrying about making the gun go *bang* and actually tried to aim. As far as aiming, I was usually way ahead and had to wait on it or so far behind it that I was trying to catch up. Smooth is the key. Once you have smooth then you start thinking about how much you need to lead the bird. I also felt extremely cool when I opened the shotgun and snagged the shell as it popped out. I neatly caught it and dropped it in the shell bag. Also, I'm recording a minor victory for remembering turn off the safety every time.

It was a lot of fun and I hope that I will be better next time. There are seriously not enough hours in the day. Maybe we can setup a challenge where I try to shoot skeet from the back of moving truck. I bet I am the first one to think of that.

Baofeng UV-3R: Delivered!

The packaging looks like it came right out of a M.A.S.H. episode.
From Brick O'Lore

Rain Delays are Fun!

Baseball plus wrestling, curling, civil war reenactments, hunting, and so much more!

Life Lesson: Most Important Troubleshooting Question

The most important troubleshooting question is what changed?

New Kid on the Block

There is a new kid on the block making waves in the stock market. International Business Machines is about to pass Microsoft to become number two in market capitalization. I think the company makes typewriters or something. Wait, that can't be right.

Human Antenna

A neat article about using the human body as an antenna to control your lights, HVAC, or even act as a remote control.
"The experiments showed that electromagnetic noise is so predictable that it can be used it to figure out where a person is standing, what the person is doing, and even where a hand is placed on a wall. The team used a simple sensor that was essentially just a piece of metal, but Morris said that ultimately a sensor could be placed in the user's hand or anywhere else that the radio signals being picked up by the body can be gathered."
It wasn't what I was expecting based on the headline... I was hoping to run full legal power through my fingers to make contacts on 80M. Okay, that's unreasonable. How about 40M QRP?

Via AdaFruit

Baofeng UV-3R: A French Perspective

I took several years of French in high school and college, so I will take a shot at translating F5IYJ's quick review.
"BAOFENG UV-3R: a Y***u VX-3R for 38 of those European Dollars?

I found a small VHF/UHF transceiver (1.85" x 3.19" x 91" - the same measurements as the VX-3R), that delivers 2W, comes with VHF and UHF antennas (SMA adapter), a charger (French adapter) and base, belt clip, and strap [BRICK - process of elimination to get strap, since I know what is in the box] - see pictures.

For the price equal to a certain national brand will sell you a house [BRICK - that can't be right], I now have made several contacts on the local repeaters [BRICK - some guessing here].

It has 1750Hz and CDTSS/DCS which is indispensable for me because I am often in the US.

Briefly, for 38 Euros, a no brainer [BRICK - my wife said it was litteraly "no idea"]. The same Yaesu brand costs 200 Euroes with accessories here."

I checked my work on Google Translate. Yeah, "housse" is a bag. That was fun.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Baofeng UV-3R: Battery & AA Battery Case 2

Today, I got the AA battery case that is based on the Yaesu FBA-37 and should fit the Baofeng UV-3R. I already had a Yaesu case, so I am comparing it to the cheap eBay version. I hate to give away the surprise, but you get what you pay for... The $21 FBA-37 is clearly better made than the $10 eBay version.

The eBay case (right) had a film all over it. It wiped off easily, but it looked like it came from a dirty plant.


The Yaesu (left) is much better engineered. On the eBay case (right), the metal strips that run between the contacts are just roughly covered with some plastic tape.


Here is the eBay case on my VX-3R. It is hard to tell in the photo, but there is a gap along the side where it does not fit well. I think the batteries do not sit flush against the base of the case and this keeps it from close snugly.


As usual, once I get the actual Baofeng UV-3R, I will update when I try this case on it.

Previously Baofeng UV-3R: Battery & AA Battery Case

Baofeng UV-3R: My Orders

So far I've placed three orders from RadioShop888 for the radio, AA battery case, and the USB programming cable. I got the battery case today. I'll update as the others arrive.

UV-3R
Ordered May 6
Shipped May 6

FBA-37 (AA Battery Case)
Ordered May 11
Shipped May 11
Delivered May 18

USB Programming Cable
Ordered May 14 (Sat)
Shipped May 16

Gun Expert

Unless I missed an announcement about a completely restyled Walther P22 I think someone got copy and paste happy.

WB4GBI 147.075 Repeater is Down

Tim's 147.075 repeater is down because it is causing interference with W4KEV's 145.370 repeater. Repeater owner's are a special breed - donating their expertise, time, and money to provide a service for other hams. Tim may be in a class all his own. I'd like to have a fraction of his radio knowledge.

Speaking of Tim, he is going to be a guest speaker at tomorrow's Radio Amateur Club of Knoxville (RACK) meeting. Oddly enough, W4KEV will be there, too. Maybe they are going to duke it out!

Unintentionally Funny

The Katy Perry loving football player reminded me of another unintentionally funny guy... Season 1 Winner of the Last Comic Standing Dat Pahn.
"The plan was to play hide-and-seek. Ralphie, reading his book, said that he'd read three pages more and then seek. At the "go" signal, everyone left the room -- and everyone but Dat came back right away. Dat took off like a bullet down the corridor. "I don't know how fast he thinks Ralphie is," Dave told the camera, "but he was just a streak." Ultimately, Dat landed in a hiding place in their theater, under the curtain.

What followed was mean. Juvenile. Cruel, almost. But absolutely drop-down hysterically funny. I laughed even harder than I did at last week's rat-hunt. The mainstay of the comics stayed in the living room, playing cards or just hanging out, while Dat hid and a graphic displayed how long he was there. Four minutes. Ten minutes. At 17 minutes he whispered to the camera, "Here's the thing. When he comes up, he's going to see you point that at me, and I'm dead. So point it somewhere else."

At 19 minutes, Dave narrated in a deadpan manner that it's been about 19 minutes that Dat has successfully hidden from Ralphie, and that Ralphie was intent on finding him. Cut to Ralphie intently and solemnly reading his book and everyone else collapsing in laughter.

At 23 minutes, Dat muttered that this was taking forever. Tess said in interview that at first she'd thought that they should get him out, but later changed her mind to leaving him for an hour, saying an hour would be enough time for him to think about how much he'd been stressing her out. (What is it about Dat?)

At 42 minutes, Dat said that he was trying to pretend there was an axe murder in the house who'd chop him to pieces if he knew his whereabouts, so he was trying to stay silent.

At 53 minutes Dat left his hiding place. "What the hell is wrong with you guys?" he asked. Cory explained that Ralphie looked everywhere. "You had the best hiding place."

At last they told him the joke, and roared with laughter."
What I remember next is Dat telling the other comics that he would never play with them again. I about fell on the floor laughing. I really don't think he had any idea how funny that statement was.

I did not enjoy the other seasons nearly as much as the original. It is hard to top Rich Vos and Dave Mordal bathes, Rich's interviews while ironing, and Ralphie May's girlfriend.

Life Lesson: Cinder Block Bars

Never stop for a beer at a cinder block bar with no windows.

No More Social Security Statements

So the government is going to save $70 million a year by ending the practice of mailing out annual social security statements. (One more nail in the USPS coffin!) My church also went through a similar exercise. First, they asked members to sign up for the electronic version and stop receiving one via postal mail. Secondly, they cut the newsletter mailing to every other week. So we get the same information - just in a different format and schedule.

If you read the article, the SSA is not providing any sort of on-line reporting tool as a replacement. Since the data exists electronically, one would think they could take part of the savings and build a system. They do provide an on-line estimator, but it wouldn't even recognize that I existed.

Tech Classics

A former co-worker e-mailed me with a funny update to a ticket that an IT tech had posted in their help desk. He called him a "George."

If you are in IT, you need to read the Chronicles of George for classics like "anti norton virus service" and "she would like to get nt network installed on her desktop, bah just replace it."

Also giving, as you might guess from the title, IT techs a good name is the Bastard Operator from Hell. He has been a role model to many. A typical interaction with him would go like this:
Another user rings.

"I need more space" he says

"Well, why not move to Texas?" I ask

"No, on my account, stupid."

Stupid? Uh-Oh..

"I'm terribly sorry" I say, in a polite manner equal to that of Jimmy Stewart in a Weekend Family Matine Feature "I didn't quite catch that. What was it that you said?"

I smell the fear coming down the line at me, but it's too late, he's a goner and he knows it.

"Um, I said what I wanted was more space on my account, *please*"

"Sure, hang on"

I hear him gasp his relief even though he'd covered the mouthpeice.

"There, you've got *plenty* of space now!"

"How much have I got?" he simps

Now this *REALLY* *PISSES* *ME* *OFF*! Not only do they want me to give them extra space, they want to check it, then correct me if I don't give them enough! They should be happy with what I give them *and that's it*!

Back into Jimmy Stewart mode.

"Well, let's see, you have 4 Meg available"

"Wow! Eight Meg in total, thanks!" he says, pleased with his bargaining power

"No" I interrupt, savouring this like a fine red at room temperature, with steak, extra rare, to follow; "4 Meg in total.."

"Huh? I'd used 4 Meg already, How could I have 4 Meg Available?"

I say nothing. It'll come to him.
The BOFH is famous for his excuses. If you need some help with coming up with an explanation for a user, you can try the BOFH Excuse Generator.

Baofeng UV-3R: Work-around to UV-3R Will Not Stop Transmitting

Julian, G4ILO, is at it again with some good information for a problem that has cropped up on a couple of rigs.

Symptom
After sending and releasing the PTT button, the radio continues to transmit. It happens on VHF, using the supplied microphone/ear piece, and the Menu Item 7 Power set to "High".

Cause
RF is leaking into the PTT circuit via the wire.

Workaround
1. Switch Menu Item 7 Power to "Low" or
2. Wind a couple of turns of the microphone cable on to a split ferrite.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

And He Will Make Millions

Ja'Juan Story is a 4-star college football player. I'm not sure what is funnier in this interview - his blunt honesty or his taste in music.

$60 Ziplock Bag for iPad

As an iPad owner, I feel free to criticize dumb iPad accessories like the DryCase. It makes my brain hurt on so many levels, not the least of which is the fact that you can't read the iPad in direct sunlight anyway. They say it can be used by Kindle owners, too, but I feel like Kindle people are more practical and less prone to be a sucker to marketing.

Via Lifehacker

Knoxville is Big Time

First, we find out that Knoxville is getting a Publix. Now it sounds like we are getting a Costco and a Whole Foods. The scruffy little city continues to catch up to the rest of the world.

Organic Egg Scorecard

My supplier of eggs doesn't show up on the rankings of organic egg producers. Makes me think we need to get some government inspectors over there PDQ!

Here are the criteria for the Organic Egg Scorecard Ratings (PDF).

Via Lifehacker

Life Lesson: Label Keys

Label your keys.

Otherwise you may end up with a drawer full of keys and have no idea what they unlock. And the funny thing is that I don't have a single house key!

Blogger's Poor Man's Backup

After the mishap with Blogger, I thought I might want to check out my backup options. I can manually download an XML file of the entire blog, but that depends on me to do something. I suspect there are cool tools to do a backup, but for now, I've just subscribed myself to the blog, so I get an e-mail with the current posts. That at least gets me the text, so I wouldn't have to rewrite a post.

Depending on Gmail, a Google service, to backup Blogger, a Google service, what could go wrong?

Baofeng UV-3R: Battery & AA Battery Case

Alternate Batteries
The UV-3R comes standard with a 1500 mAh battery with a stated run time of 10 hours. There are reports that this a common camera battery and you can use the NP60 and SLB1037 as a replacement. I will verify once I can lay my hands on the parts.

AA Battery Case
Some people have had good luck using an AA battery case for the Yaesu VX-3R, part #FBA-37, with their UV-3R. I've got the Yaesu part and have ordered another knock-off one from eBay. RPComms43 posted pictures indicating that a small modification had to be made to the plastic case before it would fit. Again, once I have the parts in place I will update and show how it worked for me.

I will once more suggest joining the UV-3R Yahoo Group. These guys are smarter than me and have been really great at getting answers to those that ask.

Monday, May 16, 2011

Maps and Character Locations

Obviously, I have been reading George RR Martin's Not a Blog today. He links to a Spanish site that includes a map of character location by episode. Pretty cool.

I had a similar idea when reading his A Song of Ice and Fire books, but was thinking more about locations based on the fictional date. Some of the chapters in the books overlap so chapters aren't perfect for defining a point in time either. Someone with a little technical savy and some time could map out the locations and then allow you to click "play" and watch them move around Westros. Given the number of characters and locations this would be a slick compliment to the books. You could even move back and forth through time to watch the relative movement of characters. Imagine using something like that to map out Heroes or Back to the Future.

As I mentioned before, the title scene does a good job of giving an overview of Westeros. If I was a good writer, I would have said it like this:
"From the spires of King's Landing and the godswood of Winterfell, to the frozen heights of The Wall and windy plains across the Narrow Sea, Elastic's thunderous cartographic flight through the Seven Kingdoms offers the uninitiated a sweeping education in all things Game of Thrones.

- Will Perkins, Contributing Author"
The above quote is from an article on the Game of Thrones intro at The Art of the Title Sequence. The article includes a video of the intro along with several good pictures of various components of the sequence.

And it sounds like my speculation that the intro would change based on the locations of the characters is correct. Plus one for me!
"At this point, we made a list of the locations we needed to build. Then we figured out how many different versions of the sequence we would need to create, the idea being that the opening title would show you all the places you would visit in each episode. And we boiled it down to four different sequences, each a subtle variation."
I'm loving the series. I can't believe we have seen five episodes already, but I'm glad we have several more and a whole second season!

Art of the Title Sequence info via Not a Blog

The Problem with Environmentalist Tree Hugging Hippies

[ SPOILER ALERT ]

[ SPOILER ALERT FOR GAME OF THRONES - READ AT YOUR OWN RISK ]

[ SPOILER ALERT ]

Life imitates art again... George RR Martin discusses the response to the demise of one of his characters in the Game of Thrones series.
"It has come to my attention that a number of television viewers (mostly those who had not read my books and did not know what was coming)were shocked and upset by what befell Sansa's direwolf Lady at the end of the second episode of HBO's GAME OF THRONES.

Good. I mean, that was kind of the point.

But some people were reportedly so shocked and upset that they wrote angry blogs about it, and even declared that they would not continue watching the show.

Not so good. Obviously, I'm sorry to hear that.

I don't know if any of those people are reading my Not A Blog. But in case they are, perhaps it will make you feel a little better to know that Zunni, the Northern Inuit who played Lady, is alive and well, and has been adopted by Sophie Turner, the lovely young actress who plays Sansa in the show. We didn't really kill her."
But here is the kicker...
"(Rhodri Hosking, the young actor who played the butcher's boy Mycah, was not actually killed either, though oddly, no one seems quite so upset about him)."
How often do we hear about saving the tree/bird/unicorn, but with nary a word mentioned about the impact to people?

Bricks Power the Internet

Sites that generate the most referral traffic:
1. Google
2. The Drudge Report
3. Brick O'Lore

Baofeng UV-3R: The Specs

I've posted a lot about the Baofeng UV-3R, but I've been remiss in posting the technical specifications of the radio. The information may not be perfect. I have noticed differences in what others has posted and what Baofeng listed. For example, squelch may be 0-9 or 1-9.

Functions and Features
- LCD Menu Operations
- 50 CTCSS, 104 CDCSS
- 99 Channels (1 Emergency Channel)
- Time-out Timer (Off/30/60/90/120/150/180 secs)
- Key Tone/Keypad Beep (Off, On)
- FM Radio Built-in (87.0 - 108.0 MHz)
- Shift Frequency
- VOX (Off/1-9 Levels)
- Call Tone (1750 KHz)
- Squelch Set (1-9 Levels)
- Electronic Volume Adjusting (8 Levels)
- Keypad Lock
- Backlight (On/Off/Key)
- Tail Tone Elimination
- Battery Save
- Monitor
- Power Capacity Display (Off, On)
- Low Battery Alert
- Restore to Factory Default
- PC Programming
- FM Radio Channel Storage

Technical Specification - General
Frequency Range | 136-174/400-470 MHz
Channel Capacity | 99
Channel Spacing | 5/6.25/12.5/25 KHz
Operated Voltage | 3.8V
Standard Battery | 1500 mAh
Battery Life | 10 hours
Frequency Stability | 2.5ppm (-20°C to 60%degC)
Operating Tempature | -30°C to 60%degC
Antenna Impedance | 50 Ω
Dimensions | 1.9" x 3.2" X .9" (Approximate)
Weight | 140g

Technical Specification - Transmitter
RF Power Output | 2W
Modulation | F3E
Spurious Emission | 65 dB
FM Noise | 45 dB (N)/42 dB (W)
Audio Distortion | 5.00%
Adjacent Channel Power | 60 dB
Max Frequency Deviation | <= 2.5 KHz (N)/ <= 5.0 KHz (W)
Frequency Error | 500 Hz
Modulation Distortion | 0.1 KHz (300 - 3000 KHz)
Transmitting Current | <= 1.4 A

Technical Specification - Receiver
Sensitivity (12 dB SINAD) | 0.2 uV
Squelch Selectivity | 0.15 uV
Adjacent Channel Selectivity | >= 65 dB
Background Noice | <= 50 mV
Spurious Response Rejection | -60 dB
FM Ham and Noise | 48 dB (N) /48 dB (W)
Audio Power Output at 8 Ω | <= 1.7 V
Audio Distortion | <= 10%
Receiver Current | <= 400 mA
Standby Current | <= 75 mA

Source: Baofeng UV-3R Product Page

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Baofeng UV-3R: Internals, Integrated Circuits

Fabrice, F4AVI, of France, was kind enough to share some pictures of the internal components of the UV-3R on the Yahoo Group. In addition, he's researched the chips. I've added the links and please note I had to guess about which version of RDA5802 is used.
"I have the old version, with 12 menu items and NO 1750Hz. I decided to open the rig, just to see inside.

I found the main CHIP is a RDA1846 which is an entirely integrated IC for portable radio. It's a true totally digital radio, with DSP inside for both receiving and transmitting.

The FM band IC, is a RDA 5802, similar to RDA 1846, but only for FM receiving.

There is a serial EEPROM 24C16 too, and I think I will try to read his content just to see if i can find something interesting.

The main processor is under the LCD display, but I didn't want to unmount it, as I'm scared for malfunction of the display after that."
For the rest of the pictures, sign up for the UV-3R Yahoo Group. It is a great resource for this rig.

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Coal Creek Armory: Face Lift

I noticed the other day that they were painting at CCA and some things were shuffled around. Looks like they are getting a nip tuck.

On Target Training Center

I've used On Target Training Center for FFL transfers a couple of times. I get really cheap when I buy my guns and pinch every penny, so I look for the lowest cost transfer. (I've bought several guns from Bud's. They seem really hard to beat on price.) Doug was doing the transfers for $25, but has gone to $30. That's still better than other places since it includes the background check. Right now he is only open Monday through Thursday.

Kel-Tec PF-9 Week: Day 6 - KTOG

The Blogger problem got me rattled and I forgot to add the following to Day 5 - Links.

There is a plethora of great information on the Kel-Tec Owner's Group PF-9 forum. Seriously. A. Ton. Of. Information.

And Golden Loki Fluff N Buff - the "gold" standard for improving reliability of your PF-9.

Helmet Cam Videos

There are those who doubt that live video from helmet cams was transmitted back to the situation room during the raid that resulted in the death of Osama bin Laden. I say if the the Colonial Marines had access to helmet cam technology, then Seal Team Six would have as well.
Image by Gryffindor

Friday, May 13, 2011

Grrr. Arrgh. Blogger Broke 2

Here is the official word from Google about what happened to break Blogger.
"Here’s what happened: during scheduled maintenance work Wednesday night, we experienced some data corruption that impacted Blogger’s behavior."
That clears it right up.

Here is a short list of my posts that you might have missed (or you could just scroll down through the site):

Baofeng UV-3R: Local Knowledge

Heard on the 940 Repeater

Baofeng UV-3R Menu Options

Tactial iPad Case

Kel-Tec PF-9 Week: Day 4 - My Holsters

Kel-Tec PF-9 Week: Day 3 - My Thoughts

And after clicking Publish Post, I am off to do a backup and go to bed.

Kel-Tec PF-9 Week: Day 5 - Links

Kel-Tec PF9 - link to the manufacturer's website

Matt G's detailed experience with the PF9 at Better and Better - His experience mirrored mine exactly. Firing pin, here today and gone after the next round.
"We struggled with ammo combinations, and this last qualification, noted that it didn't eject well, and then didn't fire. I looked at it, and found that the extractor spring retention screw had backed out, which accounted for the problems with extraction. It also served as the firing pin retention screw, which accounted for the fact that the firing pin and its spring were gone. Not Present. Well, this was fixable. A call to Kel-Tec, and they again sent the parts free of charge. The lady with tech support cautioned us wisely: "Whenever you turn that retention screw, be sure to put some LocTite red on it before putting it back together!" Excellent advice."
Shooting Illustrated's "Skinny to the Nines" - a simple review of the PF9 and other small 9mm pistols. Interesting that they comment that the mag release is right where it should be.

Oleg has some glamor shots of the PF-9 at his Volk Studio Blog. Very cool shots that are worth a two seconds for the page to load. The .22LR conversion he shows is from Twisted Industries. A taste of Oleg's work:

Baofeng UV-3R: USB Programming Cable 2

You can get the USB programming cable on ebay now. RadioShop888 appears to be the first to market with it. I'm tempted to order one, but at $15 it is almost a third of the price of the radio.

Going back to School

I think I need to go back to school for an MBA - the LEGO Master Builder Academy!

Via Uncrate

Grrr. Arrgh. Blogger Broke.

Google broke their Blogger service. I couldn't make changes last night or this morning. It is back now, but they lost some of my posts. Never fear! I will attempt to rebuild them bigger, stronger, faster - the million dollor posts!

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Kel-Tec PF-9 Week: Day 4 - My Holsters

I don't carry all the time, but when I do, odds are it is with the High Noon Hidden Alley IWB. I usually wear something that will cover the gun, but with this holster I have the option of using the "hidden ally" (see the fourth picture below) to tuck a shirt over it. I'm no expert, but the leather seems to be sturdy and is not too thick. The Kel-Tec takes two hands to get it holstered and fits snuggly - no security concerns. Definitely worth the $37 I paid for it.






For those occasions when IWB isn't appropriate or I want to leave it holstered, but not on my person, I use the DeSantis Nemesis Pocket Holster ($18).

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Kel-Tec PF-9 Week: Day 3 - Brick's Thoughts

My impressions..

Ammunition and Shooting
I'm not a great shooter and this isn't a very forgiving gun. If I had a better, stronger grip, I suspect the gun would perform better. I've not tried a lot of different ammunition with it, but the Federal 115gr RN seems to work best. It really did not like the Sellier & Bellot JHP (also 115gr I think). The Winchester White Box is marginal, too. When I try the WWB and have any looseness in my grip, I get a fail to feed. Blame me, blame the ammo, but the net effect is the same. The good news is that I'm aware of this, so when I practice, I'm working really hard to build better habits.

I can't complain about the accuracy of the PF-9 as I'm sure I am the limiting factor. I never intend on shooting this at long ranges, but I am comfortably consistent with it at short distances.

Size, Weight, Form
The PF-9 excels when it comes to size and weight. I don't carry all the time, but I don't feel uncomfortable when I do. I've got a pocket holster and an IWB that I use depending on the season and other circumstances.

I do have one issue with the layout of the controls. It doesn't happen all the time, but I occasionally hit the magazine release. The magazine drops just enough to prevent the next round from feeding. If you watched the Hickok45 videos yesterday, you will know he had the same problem.

Quality and Service
After shooting a few hundred rounds, my firing pin jumped out, disappearing in a pile of brass at the range, never to be found again. Some quick research revealed that this is a common issue and a little Blue Loctite will prevent the ejector from coming loose and subsequently freeing the firing pin to fly away. Kel-Tec sent me a free replacement firing pin quickly, but I'm surprised that they've not addressed the issue. It seems a simple fix.


Overall
Despite some issues, I'm happy with the gun. As I get better, it gets better. With the right ammo and a good grip, the gun works consistently. I would be perfectly happy with it if I could figure what I'm doing to make the magazine drop unintentionally.

Tactial iPad Case

I got an iPad 2. I'm looking for a portfolio case for it - basically something that will protect it more than a SmartCover. I ran across the Tactical iPad Case (Tac-Pad) from County Comm and must admit it appeals the Mall Ninja in me. Not a bad deal at $16.50 plus shipping.

Baofeng UV-3R: Menu Options

As one reader has pointed out, my link to a Baofeng UV-3R manual is minimally useful. Here is the most current information I have on the list of menu options. Format is menu number, menu description, and settings. [UPDATE: I should have noted that older versions of the radio have fewer options.]
Menu # Name Description Options
1 RXCODE Receive Tone Off, CTCSS, DCS
2 TXCODE Transmit Tone Off, CTCSS, DCS
3 SQL Squelch 0-9
4 LIGHT LCD Illumination Off, On, Key
5 K TONE Keypad Beep Off, On
6 VOX VOX/Handsfree Off, 1-9
7 POWER RF Output Power High, Low
8 DW Dual Watch/UHF & VHF Off, On
9 STEP 12.5/25KHz
10 OFFSET 0-37.995, 0-69.995M
11 SHIFT 0,+,-
12 STE Squelch Tone Elimination Off, On
13 W/N Wide/Narrow
14 SAVE Battery Save
15 TOT Timeout Timer
16 SCANM Scan Memory
17 RELAYM Relay Message
18 BCLO Busy Channel Lock

Heard on the 940 Repeater

I like listening to the 146.940 WB4GBI repeater for the random bits of trivia, good natured ribbing, and general rag chewing.

For example, one unintended benefit of moving the squad car shotguns to the roof was that officers could no longer ash into the barrel.

Also, one ham has personal experience with Kevlar pants saving him from hospital visit when he tripped into a running chainsaw.

When a ham mentioned that he wasn't going to take a radio with him on a trip, he immediately was advised to at least throw an HT in the car. CTW said he always bragged to his wife that he could use his HF rig to contact Italy. Then she would point out that could reach across the globe, but he couldn't call the local AAA with it.

Baofeng UV-3R: Local Knowledge

My company has a manufacturing facility in China. I sent a message to the IT guy there and asked him if he knew anything about ham radio in general and Baofeng in particular. His response is below.
"I knew HAM from internet, and I use public-type walkie-talkie for spring outing sometime , but they don’t need license (so its power is lower to 0.5W).

In China, there is one official organization which is the radio association to manage China Radio users. Its website is: http://www.carms.org.cn/ (no English page on it now),

Wouxon and BaoFeng are two of popular brands in China Radio market. I saw HAM BBS has some articles to show its pictures and operations. I check Vero website, it seems Vero focus on foreign market (some of products is its logon, but produced by other OEMS(like BaoFeng did)). These radios equipments are easier to buy in electronic market (but once its power output is over 0.5.it needs license, it is illegal if use it without license, but no one will want to find you or publish you even though you use over 0.5 equipments except you activities are illegal to government).

And I remember that it is possible HAM users can connect even though they are away thousands of miles via relay station? Did you try this?

I check www.taobao.com (China B2C/C2C site), BaoFeng UV-3R, price range is from 200RMB ~ 300RMB, fyi"
I'm guessing that he uses GMRS-like radios when he is out hiking. For these low power radios, it doesn't sound like the rules are strictly enforced. Of course, strictly enforced may have a whole different meaning in China. Google says that the Chinese Radio Sports Association handles the licensing for amateur radio. So, I think he got the link wrong, but I can't confirm. I keep getting a website is forbidden error message. I wonder if you have to be in China to see that page. Strange.

He is familiar with Wouxun and Baofeng since they make other radios for the consumer market.

Lastly, he sees prices from $31 USD to $46 USD for the UV-3R which, on the high end, is what we can pay for them on ebay today (excluding shipping).

Skeet - Quick Report

As I mentioned, I was going to shoot skeet for the first time today. I had a lot of fun despite shooting 7 of 24 clays. I'll work up some more notes, but I wanted to post a pic of the gun that was loaned to me for the evening. It is just too pretty to wait for the full report.

It was a 20 gauge Beretta Silver Pigeon. (Insert wolf whistle here.)

I have a friend that says life is too short to shoot ugly guns. I know what he means.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Kel-Tec PF-9 Week: Day 2 - Hickok45

Hickok45 can really handle this little beast. On some of the shots, you would think he was shooting a .22 instead of a small, light, 9mm. He admits it jumps, but nothing like what it was doing to Nutnfancy (or even worse, me). He does complain that trigger bites his finger. It wears me out, too. Given how hard it is to shoot and how hard it is on fingers, it is no surprise that I don't want to practice with it a lot. He also mentions that problem with mag dropping. It happens to me, but I can't quite figure how I manage to hit the mag release.





Skeet

I am going skeet shooting tonight. It is the first time I will have tried skeet shooting. Oh, it will also be the first time I've fired a shotgun.

I expect it will go something like this:

Wouxun Price To Remain Flat

Maybe I spoke too soon about the Wouxun price increase, but Ed is a credible source. The problem is that the other Ed, also credible, says he will not be having a price increase. See the exchange below.
"Actually you're over by 40% in that example.
Wouxun.US will have no price increase for the foreseeable future.

73
Ed Griffin
www.Wouxun.US
Dayton, North Hall #175-176"
Followed by:
"Ed,

We'll see. I was quoted a price increase effective May 1st. I haven't reordered yet this month so we'll see when I do. I hope they don't shoot themselves in the foot by 1) a price increase or 2) more rumors (like the mobile).

Ed"

Monday, May 9, 2011

Kel-Tec PF-9 Week: Day 1 - Nutnfancy

These videos are what brought the Kel-Tec PF9 to my attention as a good value for an everyday concealed carry gun.





Baofeng UV-3R: USB Programming Cable

We knew one was coming, but I think we are one step closer to a USB programming cable for the Baofeng UV-3R. Minimum order quantity of 5.

Wouxun Price Increase?

One of the two Eds that sell Wouxun radios responded to a query about seeing a 40% price increase in the Wouxon HT's with this:
"Mine will go from $100 to $140ish and for a dual band radio like this that is not really unreasonable. We're just selfish and spoiled. They produced a great radio at a great price and now we will have a great radio at a good price. Prices go up. Salaries went up 30% in China. What does one expect? Look in your favorite retail store and TRY to find something made in the U.S. Now try NOT to find something made in China."
If you are thinking about getting one, you might want to do it now. Of course, if this happens, and they are considered too expensive, I would expect another Chinese manufacturer to take their place... perhaps a Baofeng?

Rebecca Black - It's Friday - Colbert Style

For TNJeff... the ultimate Rebecca Black fan!



In case you missed the original is below... parents spend a few thousand for teenager to do vanity video. Video goes viral and is universally criticized. As a result of the criticism, the video gets 135 million plus views and shoots up the charts on iTunes. Reports vary, but it she may have made some good money out of the deal.



And another amusing, but not kid friendly, re-mix.

Baofeng UV-3R: Firmware

I e-mailed Vero Telecom and asked if the end user would be able to update the firmware on the Baofeng UV-3R. Good news - I received a very quick response. Bad news is that it sounds like you are stuck with whatever version was on the radio when you got it.
"Dear Brick,

Have a nice day ! Many thanks for your kindly email.

Unfortunately, now we can not provide the downloadable firmware updates, can not upgradeable by the user. If you want to upgrade the UV-3R radio, you must refund us the radio, and then our engineers will be do.

Any questions please kindly let us know.

Thanks and Best regards
Tina Van
VERO Global Communication Co.,LTD.-- Sales Dept.
3rd floor, No.3 Chongxiang St, Quanzhou, Fujian, P.R.C 362006
T: 86-595-2249 6660 | F: 86-595-8676 1912
W: http://www.verotelecom.com"
I don't think this is the end of the world. It would have been one more selling point if people with older radios could have gotten the new features or fixes.

Game of Thrones: George RR Martin Interviews



Droid Data Usage

According to the Verizon usage monitoring app, I have used over 750 meg of data this month from my Droid Pro. Maybe I shouldn't be posting this from my phone.

Repeater Finder - Android App

I saw this article about a Repeater Finder Android App and got pretty excited. This would be nice for my beach trip that is coming up. Then I saw it was $4.99. I'm a real cheap skate when it comes to software that I'm not sure I really need - even for such a small amount. I should just do my homework before I go and, if I decide I must have it, I can always buy/download it on the fly. It does look pretty slick.

Download RFinder - Worldwide Repeater Directory for Android.

The New DXer's Handbook

A nice introduction to long distance(dx) communication...

The New DXer's Handbook by Bryce K. Anderson, K7UA [PDF]

Sunday, May 8, 2011

RACK Hamfest - Saturday, June 11

Since I'm new to the hobby, I haven't attended any of the previous 44 hamfests sponsored by the Radio Amateur Club of Knoxville (RACK). I plan on attending this year.

There will be the usual dealers, clubs, tailgating, exams, and demos. They are giving away a Kenwood TS480SAT as a door price. That's about a $1000 rig!

The details:
Radio Amateur Club of Knoxville
45th Annual Hamfest
Kerbela Temple
315 MimosaAve, Knoxville
Saturday, June 11, 2011
8:30am — 4pm

Britain's Got Talent

I see your cool Britain's Got Talent video and raise you a Britain's Got Talent Video with Michael Jackson.

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Geeking Out!

I picked up my iPad today from the FedEx office today. I had to get it since I missed the delivery on Friday. Had. To. Get. It. I think my two year old was as excited as I was. She kept saying iPad and even over came her usual shyness to tell the FedEx lady that we wanted to pick up our iPad.

I really geeked out on the way to my parent's house. I had the Garmin GPS going, my Droid Pro acting as a hotspot for the family to watch YouTube on the iPad in the backseat, and I was listening to 2M on my ham radio. Winning.

Published from my iPad while sitting in bed.

Baofeng UV-3R: Unboxing Video

You might want to mute your sound - nothing to hear.

KG-UV Commander 0.1.1 Beta

Jim, KC8UNJ, announced that a new version of the KG-UV Commander (0.1.1 Beta) is now availbale for download from his web site. Original post here.

He lists the changes:
- Fixed crash when using TAB key on Config/VFO/FM tabs
- Fixed crash when deleting RX frequency
- Fixed crash when deleting VFO frequency
- Fixed crash when pasting blank line over blank TX frequency
- Fixed CSV import crash bug where it didn't properly handle blank TX field
- Fixed CSV import when CSV file contains no line feeds
- CSV import no longer requires placeholders for all fields
- CSV import now converts imported fields to uppercase characters
- Updated TPE import based on provided files
- Tweak for cut-off line on some printers in Landscape mode
- Fixed bug where mouse scroll wheel did not scroll to channel 1
- Fixed bug where multi-select didn't work for Cut operations
- Changed communication to continue if radio responds to HiWouxun with ID
- Workaround to try and get writing to work without error in WINE
- Small tweaks to communication

Data Center Consolidation

In 2011, data center consolidation is easy.
"For too long, the Federal Government allowed the American people’s hard-earned tax dollars to fund ineffective and duplicative projects, failing to leverage advances in technology to achieve savings. The result is that taxpayer dollars have been wasted. This should never be tolerated, but particularly with the tough fiscal situation, it’s unacceptable. It’s time that we live within our means, cut the waste too prevalent in Washington, and live up to our responsibility to the American people."
I agree. The above statement was made in the context of eliminating about 40% of the federal data centers. Let's not stop there.

I've reviewed the original presentation and the recent update. No where does it mention staff reductions (unless it is some political-speech/code that I don't understand.)

IT Reforms 25 Point Plan (PDF)
IT Reforms 25 Point Plan - Progress Report (PowerPoint)

Seriously, with virtualization, cloud based computing, and ubiquitous internet access the decision to retire, consolidate, and outsource is not difficult. To truly become lean, they need to get rid of people. That's the tough call to make. It sucks. Lives are impacted. If you don't get rid of some jobs, then you can't expect real change to occur. Industry learned this lesson long ago. Adopt the technology of 2011 and the business practices of the 80's.

Baofeng UV-3R: The Manual

*** UPDATE (2011-06-02): New download link is here.

*** UPDATE (2011-05-31): There is a newer version of the manual available. ***
*** UPDATE (2011-05-31): Information about the updated manual is
here. ***
There have been a lot of posts about the manual being incomplete and/or just plain wrong. Since I don't have my radio, I can't confirm that this one is incorrect, but just a heads up.

Baofeng UV-3R Manual

It isn't easy being Green.

I have no idea why it matters what color the bullets are.