IT Analogy For Cars

Usually it is the other way around... from an article about car makers fudging the fuel efficiency numbers.

"This is no different from dot matrix printer specifications from long ago. Sure your printer would do 250cps as long as all the characters were the number 1."

"This needs to be modded up simply because it's a computer analogy for a car issue."

FCC IDs for Chinese Manufacturers

Here is a list in case anyone wants to look up some of our favorite Chinese manufacturers on the FCC site.

In the box labeled "Grantee Code," enter the three characters below.

Anytone: T4K

Baofeng: ZP5
Kirisun: Q5E

KYD: VO6 

Puxing: AUJ 

TYT: X24

Vero Telecom: ZVM
Wouxun: WVT

Leave the second box blank and click the "Search" button.

Gorilla Arms Solution

With touch screens coming to a desktop near you, I am going to patent a solution to the Gorilla Arm issue.

I'm not sure what to call it, but it will be the upper body equivalent to the Lithotomy position - including stirrups.

Google Reader

I'm on a webinar with Google regarding changes to our spam filtering. Can't wait for the Q and A so I can ask them about killing Google Reader.

 

AnyTone AT-5888UV: Moleculo Review Finished

moleculo Wrapped up my review of the new Anytone AT-5888UV chinese mobile VHF/UHF #hamradio @ bit.ly/YYp3SdWed, Mar 13 20:53:05 from TweetDeck

His conclusion is below, but read the article to get all the details.

"If you need a full featured VHF/UHF mobile radio for under $300 that includes programming software, this radio is for you. If you can spend another $100 for a radio, the Kenwood TM-V71A is a better all-around radio without the harsh RX artifacts while including support for external interfaces like a TNC. I will likely keep this radio as an inexpensive, use-anywhere radio but would probably recommend the TM-V71A as a better buy for most people."

V689U = Kirisun S760/FP460 or V688

So that V689U I posted about yesterday... Hans put on his detective cap and thinks it may be the Kirisun S760/FP460. UHF only. Boo. Hiss.

UPDATE 14 MAR 2013: Or maybe it is a Kirsun V688. Thanks to tornadolaci for the tip. Title was V689U = Kirisun S760/FP460 - changed to V689U = Kirisun S760/FP460 or V688. The radio looks to be the V688, but the sample of the display matches what is on the FP460 page.

Google Reader Being Retired

To borrow a phrase from my wife... What the what?!?!

"We launched Google Reader in 2005 in an effort to make it easy for people to discover and keep tabs on their favorite websites. While the product has a loyal following, over the years usage has declined. So, on July 1, 2013, we will retire Google Reader."

I don't want to move to one of those flashy RSS clients. I want fast, simple, clean.

Weather Apps

A good list of weather related apps for your smartphone.

Lego Game of Thrones

Scenes from The Game of Thrones in Legos.

Via Tower of the Hand

Hora HR-79D: Digital Mobile

More from Nate (with some notes from me in brackets):

A new mono-band (136-174MHZ) mobile VHF radio just got added to the 409Shop's plethora of radios, the Hora HR-79D ($296 USD). [Based on the picture of the box, I'm guessing the "V" in the part number is for VHF, but I don't see a UHF version.]

Some Specs:

- Analog mode, digital mode, mixed analog/digital mode

- FDMA modulation with 6.25K channels

- Super High security

- 999 channels with 20 Zones, each Zone with 50 channels

- More than 7 codes ID number

- Large programmable buttons

- Powerful, front-facing speaker

- Steps: 5/6.25/10/12.5/20/25/50/100 KHZ

- Output Power: 55W/15W/10W/5W

While the body of the radio reminds me of the Yaesu FTM-350, the most interesting feature is the FDMA modulation with 6.25K channels option.
 
I looked into it, and I suspect that since Chinese radios pretty much "borrow" everything Kenwood, these may be NXDN / Nexedge compatible.

Of-course if you would like a different brand on the same radio, there is the identical Luiton DG-78 and DG-79. [I was looking back to see what I had posted before about Luiton and note that Kight Radio had warned about "fake" FTM-350 radios being sold as Luiton FTM-350AR.]

Looks like the year of the Water Snake is going to be very interesting.