My car is in the shop and I'm sitting here playing catch up... so here's Hans on the Pofung GT-1:
"After being confronted with all the lies surrounding the Pofung GT-1 there’s no way I can justify a diplomatic way of saying things. The GT-1 is just old wine in a new bottle, the battery voltage / capacity is one big lie and so is the promised power output.
The receiver is still disappointing unless you live in the proverbial ‘middle of nowhere’. To make matters worse the GT-1 is more expensive than a Baofeng BF-666S / BF-777S / BF-888S."
He recommends getting a UV-5R or ANILE-8R instead. (His review of the AnyTone Tech ANILE-8R is here.)
The Baofeng UV-5R is a very popular radio. I don't have any real data to prove this, but anecdotally it seems to be a favorite of new hams especially. AnyTone Tech is making the case for spending a little more to get the NSTIG-8R - which clearly has better features than the Baofeng UV-5R.
I'd been looking at Docker and saw this Slashdot post about a Windows container technology. As I was reading the comments, it made me think of how we used to setup a new Windows 3.1 machine. Basically, we got the machine on the network (with a PE3 if we had to problems!) and copied all the folders down. Change a few config/ini files and it was ready to go. Looks like I wasn't the only one thinking this way.
"The is to solve the problem is simple. Keep the apps self contained. No shared libraries or dll. To move the package you just move the directory containing the app to an other location. Some will say that is how Macs do it. But I would go further and say that is how it was done in DOS.
The shared library is an out of date concept, while sounds good when storage was expensive, today we are virtualizing full platforms just to prevent version incomparably. What may be a little bonus is to give application/process level networking settings so you can just virtual network your app from the OS"
"Brand new. The Runbo Q5 S is the successor of the Runbo X5+. It comes with a Quad Core processor at 1.5 GHz and a better graphic processor. It has overall better performance than the X5+. As all Runbo products, it has been built with high quality materials allowing him to be the next starting line of Runbo models.
The Runbo Q5 S has a resolution of 1280×720 and support multi-touch capacity. It features a powerful Gorilla Glass which is extremely resistant again scratches and impacts. Enjoy you photos and videos as you would on other popular smartphones with the great 4.5 Inch screen.
Runbo Q5 S is equipped with an RF connector so you can connect the delivered antenna to use it as a Walkie Talkie device; the actual version covers Very High Frequencies (VHF, 136-174 MHz)."
I can confirm the NOAA alerts work on the TERMN-8R. I was getting my e-mail warnings (like the one at the bottom of this post), so I thought I would listen to the SkyWarn 940 Net when I remembered to turn on the NOAA alerts.
From: CWA@mail12.knoxcounty.smartmsg.com
Subject: SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 845 PM EDT
FOR KNOX...EAST CENTRAL ROANE...NORTHEASTERN LOUDON AND SOUTHEASTERN
ANDERSON COUNTIES...
AT 808 PM EDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR OAK RIDGE...
MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.
HAZARD...QUARTER SIZE HAIL AND 60 MPH WIND GUSTS.
SOURCE...RADAR INDICATED.
IMPACT...HAIL DAMAGE TO VEHICLES IS EXPECTED. EXPECT WIND DAMAGE TO
ROOFS...SIDING AND TREES.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
KNOXVILLE...OAK RIDGE...CLINTON...LENOIR CITY...ALCOA...FARRAGUT...
LOUISVILLE...HALLS...KARNS...BEARDEN...LAKE FOREST AND POWELL.
A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT FOR CENTRAL
TENNESSEE.
...POSSIBLE
HAIL...1.00IN
WIND...60MPH
Thanks to BuyTwoWayRadios for loaning me the Vero Telecom (VGC) VR-6600PRO. Unfortunately, I didn't have much time to play with it - work, life, etc. But here is a video demonstrating the scan speed. There are just a few channels programmed in, but you can get a sense of the scan speed.
