Wednesday, June 22, 2011
On Target Training Center is now on Twitter
You can follow Doug from On Target Training Center on Twitter. His account is @OTTC_Doug.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
La plus ça change
If Tam sees some strange hits on her old posts at View from the Porch, then that's from me walking through history. During my walk, I noticed that things haven't changed much.
2011 - Gas prices coming down.
2005 - Tam talks about gas prices.
2011 - Tam asks what is the difference between a SWAT team & Depart of Education federal agents?
2005 - Tam points out militarized police arresting a man for loitering.
2011 - Atlas Shrugged is an eye-opening read for me as the movie comes out.
2005 - Tam says Atlas Shrugged approaches philosophical scripture status.
2011 - Gas prices coming down.
2005 - Tam talks about gas prices.
2011 - Tam asks what is the difference between a SWAT team & Depart of Education federal agents?
2005 - Tam points out militarized police arresting a man for loitering.
2011 - Atlas Shrugged is an eye-opening read for me as the movie comes out.
2005 - Tam says Atlas Shrugged approaches philosophical scripture status.
Dropbox - Even Worse
I posted that I shouldn't put sensitive information in my Dropbox, since there are tools being released to compromise your "secure" storage.
Apparently, you don't need a tool or even a correct password. Dropbox allowed any password to work with any account for 4 hours.
Via Slashdot.org
Apparently, you don't need a tool or even a correct password. Dropbox allowed any password to work with any account for 4 hours.
Via Slashdot.org
New Acronym: BUR
I was writing a reply to a comment and described the Baofeng UV-3R as a BUR. Those from the gun world might recognize the similarity to the short-hand BUG. BUG is a "back up gun", so BUR is "back up radio".
I think the UV-3R fits this bill perfectly. It is small and light weight. You can use the AA battery pack for emergency power. (That's another reason I prefer flashlights that use AA batteries as well - I can move the batteries between devices if needed.) And it is inexpensive enough that I could buy a couple UV-3Rs and toss them in the glovebox without having to get a second mortgage.
I think the UV-3R fits this bill perfectly. It is small and light weight. You can use the AA battery pack for emergency power. (That's another reason I prefer flashlights that use AA batteries as well - I can move the batteries between devices if needed.) And it is inexpensive enough that I could buy a couple UV-3Rs and toss them in the glovebox without having to get a second mortgage.
General Knowledge
So over at the the Quest for C Class on the Exurban League blog, they have a list of General Knowledge every firearms enthusiast should possess. They have a few categories...
Know the basic operation and use of:
UHF/VHF Transceivers on Repeaters
HF Transceivers
Power Supplies
Coax
Be capable of:
Build a half wave dipole
Build a quarter wave ground plane
Use a manual tuner
Sending and receiving CW at 8 wpm.
Soldering
Reading a circuit diagram
As I learn more about ham radio, I think this would be a good list to build.
They lead in with a quote from Robert A. Heinlein and as a bonus I measure myself against the list.
Plan an invasion - probably not.
Butcher a hog - doubt it.
Conn a ship - I do have some small sailing experience.
Design a building - Do levels for Dungeon's & Dragons?
Write a sonnet - I've heard of iambic pentameter and been to the Globe in London.
Balance accounts - check!
Build a wall - 16 inch centers.
Set a bone -
Comfort the dying - I hope so.
Take orders - Sir, yes, sir.
Give orders - check!
Cooperate - check!
Act alone - check!
Solve equations - check!
Analyze a new problem - check!
Pitch manure - I'm not much of a salesman.
Program a computer - check!
Cook a tasty meal - Sustenance is the goal for me.
Fight efficiently - you don't want to find out.
Die gallantly - untested.
Know the basic operation and use of:For ham radio, I wonder what the list would look like? I don't have the experience to complete it, but I'll throw out some things and see what sticks.
Be capable of:
Know how to (but not always accomplish):
Know (and ALWAYS accomplish successfully):
Know the basic operation and use of:
UHF/VHF Transceivers on Repeaters
HF Transceivers
Power Supplies
Coax
Be capable of:
Build a half wave dipole
Build a quarter wave ground plane
Use a manual tuner
Sending and receiving CW at 8 wpm.
Soldering
Reading a circuit diagram
As I learn more about ham radio, I think this would be a good list to build.
They lead in with a quote from Robert A. Heinlein and as a bonus I measure myself against the list.
"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects."Change a diaper - check!
Plan an invasion - probably not.
Butcher a hog - doubt it.
Conn a ship - I do have some small sailing experience.
Design a building - Do levels for Dungeon's & Dragons?
Write a sonnet - I've heard of iambic pentameter and been to the Globe in London.
Balance accounts - check!
Build a wall - 16 inch centers.
Set a bone -
Comfort the dying - I hope so.
Take orders - Sir, yes, sir.
Give orders - check!
Cooperate - check!
Act alone - check!
Solve equations - check!
Analyze a new problem - check!
Pitch manure - I'm not much of a salesman.
Program a computer - check!
Cook a tasty meal - Sustenance is the goal for me.
Fight efficiently - you don't want to find out.
Die gallantly - untested.
Dropbox
I love Dropbox - especially now that I have an iPad. But remind me to never put anything of a sensitive nature there.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Ham Study Guides
I think I've pointed them out before, but I have a friend who is tempted by ham radio, so I will link to the the KB6NU study guides again. PDF versions are free, but paid versions are available for Kindle and Nook.
Free study guides, inexpensive exam fee, free Echolink, and inexepensive rigs... add it up and it is like the package a dealer gives you to get you hooked.
Free study guides, inexpensive exam fee, free Echolink, and inexepensive rigs... add it up and it is like the package a dealer gives you to get you hooked.
Baofeng UV-3R: KC2RA Review
A KC2RA (Kings County Repeater Association) review by Gary ( KB2BSL) of the Baofeng UV-3R is below. I had not thought about it, but the review points out how much the of radio is in the software - that it uses the software to leverage a small number of components to build such an interesting little radio.
First Look: Baofeng UV-3R Review
First Look: Baofeng UV-3R Review
"This radio is undoubtedly a SDR (Software Defined Radio) and has a relatively low part count. I will not cover every part used as a full list is available in the UV-3R Yahoo group file section (Thanks to PY2BBS), but will cover some of the major ones."
"The heart of the radio is a RDA Microelectronics RDA1846 single chip transceiver for walkie talkies. This single CMOS chip provides frequency synthesizer, VCO/VFO, AFC, AGC, pre/de-emphasis (selectable and can be disabled), RSSI indicator, CTCSS/DCS encode/decode, DTMF, 8dBm PA (about 6mw), and more. Basically everything a radio needs is provided by a single chip."
KYD NC-5H, KYD UV-5H
Kenivore found "another UV-3R clone with more button[s]". At first glance, they look more like the Yaesu VX-3R than the Baofeng UV-3R, because of the extra buttons. The specs for the NC-5H and UV-5H are identical and very similar to the UV-3R. I did a quick search on eBay and could not find any for sale. A search on Alibaba has them for sale for $60 from New Century Communication and Electronics Co., Ltd. The company website is here.
In fact, the physical layout of the buttons on the KYD models is identical to the Yaesu VX-3R. For example, the power button is on the side like the VX-3R, but different from the UV-3R. Most reviewers are pleased with simplicity of the UV-3R menus using the limited buttons and knob to do the programming. Looking at the picture, it appears some of the menu items have gotten a dedicated menu in this radio. For example, STEP (MENU 9 on the UV-3R) has its own button. It does not appear to have a flashlight, but does have an inner and outer knob. Also, the web pages say they will support the channel naming via a programmable alpha-numeric display. The NC-5H does not explicitly say that it is a dual band, but the specs have both 2M and 440 listed.
In fact, the physical layout of the buttons on the KYD models is identical to the Yaesu VX-3R. For example, the power button is on the side like the VX-3R, but different from the UV-3R. Most reviewers are pleased with simplicity of the UV-3R menus using the limited buttons and knob to do the programming. Looking at the picture, it appears some of the menu items have gotten a dedicated menu in this radio. For example, STEP (MENU 9 on the UV-3R) has its own button. It does not appear to have a flashlight, but does have an inner and outer knob. Also, the web pages say they will support the channel naming via a programmable alpha-numeric display. The NC-5H does not explicitly say that it is a dual band, but the specs have both 2M and 440 listed.
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