Wouxun KG-UV920R: Price

Matt posted about an update from Ed. To quote a great philosopher... "Ruh roh, Shaggy!" So supply may not be as big of a problem as I thought given the information I highlighted in red below.

....June 30, 2012   Update......

Wouxun has released a limited number of the mobile radio to dealers.
These samples are not FCC Certified yet and do not have
the required 2.5 kHz tuning step required for 2013 regulations.
BUT THE RADIO DOES NOW EXIST.

The samples are
TX: 136-174 & 400-480 MHz
RX: 136-174 & 350-480 MHz
I DO NOT KNOW what the final productions models will cover

If no major problems are found with these samples,
hopefully full production will begin in July.

The costs of these samples are higher than I expected but
hopefully the costs will come down when the radio goes into full production.

Update @7:10 June 30, 2012... Ed also had this to say:

"All I know for sure is what's in my post. The production radios will certainly have the 2.5 step. Your guess is as good as mine as to upgrading. Despite numerous requests, China still continues to use one-shot chips, so I wouldn't get my hopes up."

So don't look for anything else at the moment.

Win a Knife

I really like my Ontario RAT 1. Win one at Gear Hog!

"It's free to enter! Enter today and you could have a chance to win this great Ontario Knife Company RAT Folder Black Partial Serration Folding Knife from Frontlinetacticalgear.com!

The RAT folder features a 3.5 in. AUS 8 steel, partially serrated blade with a black satin finish, dual thumb studs and a black, nylon 6 handle that includes a liner lock and a lanyard hole. The RAT folder has an overall length of 8.5 in."

It is the bottom knife in this picture below. The Kershaw is a little snazzier, but the Ontario feels like a real working man's knife. The RAT 1 was my EDC until I switched to a SOG Mini Aegis

From Brick O'Lore

Grip

Speaking of exercise, I've gotten a set of grip trainers before - thinking it would be easy to mindlessly use them during the day. It never worked out that way. If I ever go shooting again, it might be helpful... maybe I can find my cheap set to see if I can stick with it before buying something a little higher end.

I Work Out

Squats, running, and lighter weights... sounds like a plan.

Made in the USA?

The new Google Nexus Q is designed and manufactured in the USA. Is that a big deal?

Wouxun KG-UV920R: Supply and Demand

Based on this post, the KG-UV920R may be coming out in July, but it sounds like long odds for getting one. I'm on the waiting list for one, but some of the recent Baofeng experiences with buggy initial versions has me gun shy. I don't recall any significant problems with the early Wouxuns, but I wasn't on the bleeding edge with them. And, of course, there is always the hope of something even better on the horizon - TH-9800.

KGUVD1P vs TH-UVF1 vs UV5R

John asks which radio he should get. Hans replies:

"Best of the pack: Wouxun KGUVD1P. No real flaws to report. The KGUVD1P is verystrict when it comes to battery voltage though. It will switch off immediately,there's no escape. Switching to low power won't help. Buy a spare battery!

Runner up: Quansheng TG-UV2. Flaws: no DTMF. Not the prettiest design ever (a

matter of taste, of course). Strengths: capable of RX/TX on 350-390MHz. Batterylife is unbelievable.

The stock antennas of these two HT's are as good as they get, no need for areplacement.

The Baofeng UV-5R is interesting because of its price - you can buy two UV-5R'sfor the price of one Wouxun. If you can live with its quirks, you have a heck ofa deal."

Hans also replies on another thread:

"The cheap UV-3R can't be used here on 70cm. Total RX collapse. The UV-5R does alot better and is usable. The Quansheng TG-UV2 does even better, and the champion of Chinese HT's is the Wouxun KG-UVD1P. I hardly notice the influence of a 5+5+10 KiloWatt digital TV transmitter on that one, which is located only half a mile away from my QTH.

Even the best Chinese HT is no match for my Yaesu VX-177 mono band though. Thatone doesn't give a d*** about these signals. And it should, as I can buy fourUV-5R's for the price of one VX-177."

If you don't already follow Hans at his blog, I highly recommend it.

It is a Tax

Even before the decision yesterday on Obamacare, where did people think the money was coming from? That's right... Obama's magical stash.

Chief Justice Roberts Is A Genius link via Uncle

Go Anywhere Snake Antenna

The Snake Antenna:

"It is not a 'miracle antenna', though some people might say it’s a miracle that it works at all. Some operators swear by it; other operators swear at it! But it does work, albeit via an ATU, and with the availability of propagation."

Need Air Support?

JTRS update: Radio systems move closer to deployment, while GMR gets cut

There is an app for that:

"In the future, the SDR system will continue to evolve along these lines and eventually adapt attributes and features of popular commercial devices such as tablets or iPads, where functionality and capability will be in the form of applications added through the software, he continues. Different applications will be uploaded, run on the SDR for specific missions and different needs using waveforms with different performance characteristics based on mission requirements, Miller adds."

Or you can pull a Dick Tracy:

"'We have an Android-based device that integrates with the Rifleman Radio and is worn on wrist that pulls up and displays maps,' Miller says."

Thanks to anonymous for the comment on my post about the JTRS that sent me to the above article.

19 Things That Will Drive Your OCD Self Insane

Number 15 drives me crazy.

andrewchen 19 Things That Will Drive Your OCD Self Insane bit.ly/KUImqEWed, Jun 27 10:22:11 from Timely by Demandforce

VOL Gang Sign

TNSportsRadio VOL Gang Sign: (Read more...) goo.gl/fb/NCe56 #VOLS #aingeblogThu, Jun 28 06:57:55 from Google retweeted by ErikAinge3

Water Water Water Water Yeah

No More Start Button Drama

Drama in the comments on the Slashdot post... don't move my cheese! But then you get clever ideas like this:

"Maybe they'll develop a single field where you can type in whatever you want the computer to do. Wouldn't that be great? Let's see, you type in a line of commands, so you could call it a 'command line'. You wouldn't need all those icons! That would be the ultimate evolution of Windows."

Opportunity Costs

Year2 The iPhone debuted on 6/29/07 for $599. If you bought $599 of Apple stock on that day instead of the phone, it'd be worth $2,857.08 today.Sat, Jun 23 00:02:59 from web retweeted by MikeGriffith32

Marketing

I should start selling Chinese radios... we've seen multiple companies add their name/logo and they are in business. But here is how I would differentiate my version... I would just add a zombie killer logo and I could sell millions!

Aaron Sorkin is Green

I watched the first episode of The Newsroom and enjoyed it, but I can't argue that he doesn't recycle.

sarahcuda Can we stop pretending Aaron Sorkin writes great characters? (emph on plural) youtube.com/watch?v=S78RzZ… gross.Tue, Jun 26 02:25:06 from Twitter for iPhone

The Company That Shoots Together...

Geeks and Guns: Facebook employees enjoy a little range time.

Picture: Zizhuang Yang

Ease of Use

Pogue Of the 10 most pirated 2011 movies, guess how many you can rent legally? NONE! Hollywood is creating it own problem! j.mp/MG0kcZSat, Jun 16 14:45:39 from Echofon

Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS)

Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) - a silver bullet for military communications and "a certified radio that it will never deploy."

Via KF5CZO and AmateurRadio.com

Let the Wikipedia Games Begin!

Wikiwars... I thought it was going to be about making battling updates to controversial wiki. Instead, you start on a random page then navigate as quickly as possible to another randomly chosen page. You can only navigate by clicking the links within the current wiki - no searching or using the menu bars. Generally you race head to head with someone using the same start and destination pages, but I just played around in a solo match. I couldn't (easily) get from the start to the destination page, but I tried going the other way and was successful in a relatively few clicks.

The Weiner’s Circle

Rude, crude, but oh so funny. Actually, for me, some of the funniest parts are rude, but not crude.

NSFW - R Rated - etc.

Wouxun KG-UV920R: July

So in addition to the stirring of the pot on June 12, this old thread got going again, too.

Thanks to Christopher for pointing out the update on Ed's site:

.......June 15, 2012   Update......

Wouxun has informed me that the mobile radio will be available in July.

Ed also posted to the Yahoo group saying it would be out in July, but no pricing yet.

I just checked the Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) page and there are no new listings for Wouxun (WVT). This doesn't mean a lot - we've see radios (UV-5R) hit the street long before they get blessed by the FCC.

Vero Telecom UV-E5

I got an e-mail from Vero Telecom this morning. PDF brochure here. Product page here.

Looks familiar.

DUAL BAND TWO WAY RADIO UV-E5
High output power,1800mAh Li-ion Battery Capacity,128 memory channels,rugged construcion, rich in analog features-the UV-E5 offers practical 2m/70cm dual band operation anthed ruggedness ,updated for today's ham radio enthusiasts.

Our UV-E5 with some attractive features.For European customers,1750Hz Burst tone is a impressive function.And the dual-band,dual frequency,dual-standby are also the big selling ponit for this radio.

There are other common features of this radio,such as high/low power switchable, 25kHz/12.5kHz switchable, emergency alert,CTCSS/CDCSS,low battery alert,battery saver,time-out timer,keypad lock etc.

Our UV-E5 has got the CE,FCC and ROHS approvals.

Our UV-E5 with a bottom-line price.We are willing to receive your specific enquiry at an early date!

	Dual-Band ,Dual Frequency,Dual Standby
	136-174 & 400-470 MHz (TX/RX) 65-108MHz (FM Radio )

	Wideband Coverage
	Two bandwidth versions (400–470MHz& 136-174MHz) all have switchable 12.5/25kHz width by channel, and 5/6.25kHz frequency pitch making all the new UHF&VHF channels available for trunking.

	Channel steps (2.5/5K/6.25K/10K/12.5K/25K)
	Different channel steps 2.5/ 5K/6.25K/10K/12.5K/25K is optional to confirm with the different need.

	Scan Function
	The UV-E5 allows CTCSS/DCS Tone scan,FM Radio frequency scan,VFO scan.

	500mW Loud Audio
	The 36mm large speaker delivers 500mW of loud and intelligible audio even in noisy environments

	Wideband Coverage
	Two bandwidth versions (400–470MHz&136-174MHz) all have switchable 12.5/25kHz width by channel, and 5/6.25kHz frequency pitch making all the new UHF&VHF channels available for trunking.

	Dual-band ,Dual display,Dual Watch
	UV-E5 work in two bands,Display two bands on the screen and with dual watch function

	Powerful 5W of Output Power
	The UV-E5 offers a just-right mix of power and size 5 watts of high power which will work to get your message through. Get up to 19 hours* of operating time with the Li-ion battery pack (BP-1805L) . All that power comes is an easy to hold and use size – not too big, not too small. * Typical operation. 5:5:90 duty cycle with power save on.

	Channel Name Editing
	You can edit the channel name by yourself,it is very useful for the user.

	Internal VOX function
	The UV-E5 has an internal VOX (Voice Operated Transmission) function for convenient hands-free operation when used with a compatible optional headset and adapter cable. Also, the VOX level and VOX delay time are adjustable.

	Built-in CTCSS/DCS
	CTCSS and DTCS tone codes provide quiet stand-by and allow you to use tone-access repeaters. Pocket beep alerts you when a matching tone frequency is received. Tone scan detects the subaudible tone that is used for repeater access.

	128 Memory Channels
	Up to 128 regular memory channels can be stored with a 6-character channel names, tone and duplex settings.

	Wide/Narrow Bandwidth Selectable
	Different channel spacing 25KHz/12.5KHz are optional to confirm with the regulations of different countries.

	Scan Features
	The UV-E5 allows CTCSS/DCS Tone scan,FM Radio frequency scan,VFO scan.

Technical Specification   Model UV-E5   Frequency Range 136-174 & 400-470 MHz (TX/RX)   Channel Number 128   Channel Spacing 2.5/5/6.25/25/12.5KHz   Frequency Stability 2.5ppm   Operating Voltage 7.4V   Battery Type 1800 mAh (Lithium Battery)   Operating Temperature -30?C-+60?C   Standby Current 50mA   Antenna Impedance 50O   Dimension(without antenna&battery 58*110*32 mm   Weight 205 g (with antenna&battery) Transmitter   Power Output 5 Watts/1 Watts   Modulation 16K?F3E /8K?F3E   Spurious and Harmonious -36dBm<1GHz -30dBm>1GHz   FM Noise 45dB(N)/42dB(W)   Adjacent Channel Power 60dB   Audio Distortion =5% Receiver   Sensitivity (12dB SINAD) 0.2uV   Squelch Selectivity 0.15uV   Adjacent Channel Selectivity =65dB   Spurious Response Rejection -60dB   Audio Power Output 500mW   Audio Distortion =10%

Samsung Galaxy S III

A review of the Samsung Galaxy S III... it is huge, but has some innovative features including:

"Smart Stay. The phone’s front-facing camera looks for your eyes. When you look away, the screen dims to save power; it brightens back up when you return your gaze."

"Buddy Shot. The Galaxy’s face recognition software knows whose face is in the scene. The first time you take a photo of someone, you can type in the subject’s name — your mom, for example. Thereafter, whenever you take her photo, one tap sends it to her without your having to fuss with entering an address."

"Direct Call. If a texting conversation is getting too complicated, just lift the phone to your ear. It calls your texting partner, no taps needed."

"Tap to top. Swat the top edge of the phone to jump to the top of a list."

"Instant muting. Mute audio and video playback by covering the screen with your hand, as though to say, “Shhhh!” Mute incoming rings and notifications by turning the phone face down on the table — in a meeting, for example."

"Palm swipe capture. Save an image of the screen by wiping the edge of your hand across it, as though you’re the scanner of a photocopying machine."

And my favorite:

"There’s another crazy-great idea in TecTiles: small, embedded-circuit stickers ($15 for five). When your phone gets near a sticker, it activates some task that you’ve selected from a list of dozens in the free TecTiles app: make a call, send a text, adjust a phone setting and so on. "

I'd put one in my usual pew at church to automatically silence my phone.

Hawaii Radio Sales

Hawaii Radio Sales (NH7QH Radio Supplies) has updated their website with a lot of new items including the Baofeng UV-5R and the Baofeng UV-3R+ Plus. He's now carrying the UV-5R since it got the nod from the FCC.

Swiss Defense

Very interesting... A book about the Swiss infrastructure and their plans to destroy bridges and close tunnels as a component of national defense. Comments on the BLDG Blog and on Bruce Schneier's blog indicate that some of the information is dated, but I still find the concept fascinating. I also learned that one of my favorite treats can also be used to stop tank invasions.



Via Bruce Schneier

Feelings

You can use this chart of median net worth by age to a) feel good about where you fall, b) feel bad about where you fall, or c) feel bad about the overall state of things.

Technology, Ethics, and Music

Hippies are evil. Big business is evil. And I'm stuck in the middle. Makes me glad I don't buy a lot of music... a few iTunes downloads and whatever is on the radio meets my needs.

"I've only bought 15 CDs in my lifetime. Yet, my entire iTunes library exceeds 11,000 songs."

And the response:

"I applaud your courage in admitting you do not pay for music, and that you do not want to but you are grappling with the moral implications. I just think that you have been presented with some false choices by what sounds a lot like what we hear from the 'Free Culture' adherents."

Deal Alert: Antenna for $3.71

From Hans (PD0AC):

"This seems totally wrong: a replacement antenna (SMA Female) for the Wouxun, Quansheng or UV-5R for a price that won’t buy you a decent burger."

He's not had it in his hand, but thinks it is worth the risk.

Logical Fallacies

A great cheat sheet of logical fallacies.

Sign Me Up!

Do Not Kill Registry

(Disclaimer - probably only as effective as a no weapons sign.)

Via Slashdot.org

Salsa Cookie!

I will always remember this song from Excalibur. Now I will also always think of salsa cookies.



Via Walls of the City

The Smallest Minority

AtlasShrugged The smallest minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights cannot claim to be defenders of minorities. #asp2Thu, Jun 14 11:09:19 from web

Microsoft Tablet Names

harrymccracken Possible names for Microsoft tablet: Tablet PC 2013, WinSlate, iWindows, Metro One, UnPocketable PC, Bing to Go, ZuneTab, TabZuneFri, Jun 15 11:25:03 from Tweetbot for iOS

And my suggestion:

brickolore @harrymccracken The New uPad HD 3.Fri, Jun 15 12:27:53 from web in reply to harrymccracken

TYT TH-UVF9: More Tri-Band Info

Radio-Mart replied back that they are using a combination of hardware and software changes to make the TYT TH-UVF9 work well as a tri-bander. In a response to my question about output power:

"That’s what we’re messing about with before we release them. With a resonant antenna currently 3 watts but know we can tune it but it all takes time."

Sounds good to me - especially if they are already at 3 watts. That's a lot better than some of the other radio mods that only get a few milliwatts out.

Gun Data

Linoge goes all "sciencey" on us and looks at the data. Spoiler alert:

"The hypothesis of 'more guns = more deaths' is demonstrably false over the past 29 years of documented American history."

Seriously, go take a look. He's got two more major points and then he gives you the real kicker in the last sentence.

Quote of the Day

Tam in the comments on Les's post about giving up cable and almost giving up internet access, too:

"Okay, yeah, see, that's just crazy talk right there. :p

Keep your priorities straight, man: I can order bottled water from the internet, but I can't get books out of my faucet."

TYT TH-UVF9: Tri-band

Well, the plot thickens. I got a reply from Radio-Mart about the TH-UVF9. It sounds like they are making a modification to the radio to get 220.

"The model is originally a dual band but we have the correct way to make it work on the 220MHz band also"

I've asked if they get full power out on 220 and if this is a software or hardware modification. I'll let you know more as I learn more.

TYT TH-UVF9: The Story So Far

On 5 May, Kight Radio says the TH-UVF9 will be available soon. This was the first time I've run across anything about this radio.

On 21 May, Kight Radio is testing the TH-UVF9.

On 24 May, Kight Radio has the TH-UVF9 for sale as does the 409Shop.

On 31 May, 409Shop does their usual unboxing video.

On 31 May, Nate comments that Radio-Mart lists the TH-UVF9 as a tri-band radio. The link from Radio-Mart to a brochure shows the radio as a dual band. (I had not posted about this earlier as I could not find the time to review all my notes and surf to the end of the TYT internet to reconcile all this information.) Radio-Mart says they have 494 of the tri-banders available for $111 USD for pre-order and that delivery will be in three weeks. (Three weeks from when?) There is also a note that "the display is LCD and not dot matrix."

On 3 June, Kight radio says the TH-UVF9 is almost ready - just a minor problem with the channel/frequency display.

On 6 June, TYT has the TH-UVF9 listed as a dual band radio on their web page.

Today, I've e-mail both Radio-Mart and TYT to see if they can clarify the situation on the tri-band version.

While we wait, Nate has some other cool finds. Here are some pictures from a Hungarian Facebook page along with a couple of videos.

Thanks to again Nate, Steve, and others for links/info along the way.

Amateur Extra

Well, I had a somewhat arbitrary goal of getting my Extra license before the current exam expired. Since I've not cracked a book in months, I'll miss that target. Too much three year old and too much running to have time for studying... maybe this winter.

Social Security Statements On-line

Last year I posted about the end of paper Social Security statements and lamented that there was no on-line replacement. That's changed. You can check your Social Security history here.

Via Bargaineering (now and for the original post)

You Are Not Special

Or as I've seen in some signatures: You are special. Just like everyone else. Text here. If you've not already seen it a hundred other places, it is worth your time.

Apple Strategy

I swear I'm not an Apple fanboi, but I am impressed with their products and their plan. Their alternatives for Google Maps, Dropbox, Evernote, Google Docs, dictation software, Growl, and navigation systems along with their ruthless elimination of some technologies (optical drives, Ethernet, traditional hard disk drives, etc.) makes them a trendsetter and always gives the competition something to think about.

Battleship: How to Win

andrewchen Battleship: How to win the classic board game every time slate.me/KgGNyoTue, Jun 12 23:35:06 from Timely by Demandforce

I thought Joshua/WOPR figured out the only winning move was not to play.

You Can't Use Facebook To Serve Court Docs

sarahcuda Judge: Chase Bank Can’t Use Facebook To Serve Court Docs pandodaily.com/news/judge-cha… via @pandodaily - WOWWed, Jun 13 19:39:42 from Tweet Button

But "it’s a commonly used serving method in Australia, New Zealand, and more recently in England." That's the "wow" part for me.

Elecraft KX3: Kit Build Video

Elecraft KX3 Ultra Portable HF Transceiver Kit Build

Coke Limits

A couple of funnies about the NYC ban on big cokes (aka pops and sodas):

Good vs. Bad (with bonus New York Reload instructions at the bottom of the page)

SodaStream full page ad in the New York Times

If I were drinking much besides water, I would try the SodaStream.

Bizzaro World

On Slashdot today...

Geeks hate on the new MacBook Pro.

Geeks show love for Comcast.

Somebody must have slipped something into my drink.

Retina Windows 7 PC

Well this answers that.

harrymccracken Tragically, the Retina MacBook Pro isn't letting me install Boot Camp. I so wanted to see if it could be a Retina Windows 7 PC.Tue, Jun 12 02:57:21 from web