Elecraft is going to announce the KX2 tomorrow.
I saw this multiple places, but Cale's note popped up first on my radar.
Wednesday, May 18, 2016
Vivosmart HR Update
So after about a week, I can't say that I love my Garmin Vivosmart HR fitness tracker. It just doesn't seem to be that accurate.
Sleep
It says I got 10 hours of sleep last night. Ha. I went to bed at 11:30 PM and got up at 5:00 AM to run. I took it off around 8:00 PM to wash some dishes and somehow that was recorded as sleep.
Heart Rate
I thought it was reading high on both my resting and running heart rate. I did a track workout yesterday and it had my heart rate at 200 bpm for a lot of it.
I'm going to try some of the recommended troubleshooting (tighten the band, swap arms, move it up the arm, have it face the inside the wrist, etc.), but I really wanted it to just work.
Phone Notifications
The phone notifications are a nice. I didn't think I would care, but there is some value in being able to glance at my wrist and not pull the phone from my pocket.
Sleep
It says I got 10 hours of sleep last night. Ha. I went to bed at 11:30 PM and got up at 5:00 AM to run. I took it off around 8:00 PM to wash some dishes and somehow that was recorded as sleep.
Heart Rate
I thought it was reading high on both my resting and running heart rate. I did a track workout yesterday and it had my heart rate at 200 bpm for a lot of it.
I'm going to try some of the recommended troubleshooting (tighten the band, swap arms, move it up the arm, have it face the inside the wrist, etc.), but I really wanted it to just work.
Phone Notifications
The phone notifications are a nice. I didn't think I would care, but there is some value in being able to glance at my wrist and not pull the phone from my pocket.
Tuesday, May 17, 2016
Hyperion Cantos Series
I finished Dan Simmon's Hyperion over the week-end. It's the first book in the Hyperion Cantos Series. I really like the stories within a story. I got sucked in early even though the pace indicated that all this book was doing was setting the stage for the others in the series.
DV4mobile: More Pics
More pics emerging of the DV4mobile tri-band, all-mode digital radio. #hamr #hamradio pic.twitter.com/LoChfFuUSk— VA3XPR.Net (@VA3XPR) May 16, 2016
Monday, May 16, 2016
Vivosmart HR Plus GPS
Timing...
So, I just bought the Vivosmart HR and today they announce the Vivosmart HR+ - basically the same fitness tracker, but now with a built-in GPS. I'm not sure if I would want to spend the extra $100 to get the GPS functionality. I'd have to think about it, but, shooting from the hip, I'd save that money to spend on the Forerunner 235.
If you want the Vivosmart HR+, you can pre-order it at Amazon.
So, I just bought the Vivosmart HR and today they announce the Vivosmart HR+ - basically the same fitness tracker, but now with a built-in GPS. I'm not sure if I would want to spend the extra $100 to get the GPS functionality. I'd have to think about it, but, shooting from the hip, I'd save that money to spend on the Forerunner 235.
If you want the Vivosmart HR+, you can pre-order it at Amazon.
DV4mobile
In a similar vein as the NEW RADIO post earlier... DV4mobile:
"DV4mobile - first all mode digital tri band transceiver plus LTE with GPS
- The DV4mobile supports all digital modes: no need for multiple radios, saving space and money.
- It is programmed from the cloud: no need for programming and updating code plugs.
- It is a software defined radio: future modes are just an update away.
The DV4mobile is another member of the successful family of DV4 products.
It operates in the 2 meter band, at 222 MHz and the 70cm band.
All modes are supported: C4FM, D-Star, DMRplus, dPMR, P25 (NXDN later via software update)Voice over LTE and of course, FM!
C4FM both narrow and wide band modes
D-Star (DCS,CCS,REF,XRF,XLX)
DMRplus (TS1 all / TS2 Reflectors or talkgroups)
dPMR(All Systems and codecs transparent mode)
P25(Phase 1 Only and all NAC transparent mode)
FM with PL and DCS tones and RDS for call sign transmission in the background
DV4LTE is a new voice over LTE mode that connects the radio to the reflector using an LTE connection.
The LTE modem connects to the CCS7 reflector system supplying codeplugs in the cloud, there is no need to program codeplugs any more. Any changes in the network, be it on the reflector, repeater or user side are instantly updated. Private settings such as local channels can be maintained on the web.
When no repeaters are in range, the radio can revert to LTE (DV4LTE) for reflector connection (i.e. between metropolitan areas)
The GPS module provides location data for APRS and automatic display of repeaters in range. When a repeater is selected, frequency and mode is already in the radio, no programming!
The DV4mobile can also be used as a dual band, dual mode simplex repeater.
For example you can use it as a D-Star repeater on 2m and simultaneously as a DMR repeater on 70cm while conducting FM QSO on 222 MHz (USA version only)"
Specs:
Frequency range (USA)
|
144-148 MHz, 222-225 MHz, 420-450 MHz
|
Output power
|
2 x 20W simultaneously
|
Modes
|
FM, D-Star, C4FM, DMR+,,dPMR,P25*,NXDN*, DV4LTE
|
Microphone
|
DTMF, Electret with modular connector
|
Antenna
|
N
|
Speaker
|
3.5 mm, stereo 2 x 4W at 8 Ohms
|
Connectors via adapter cable and 2 x 12 pin connectors:
| |
Ethernet
|
RJ-45 via adapter 10/100 MBit/s
|
serial
|
USB
|
External Monitor
|
HDMI
|
Internal display
|
240 x 320 pixel, 262k color
|
Power
|
10.5-15V, 5A
|
GPS
|
Antenna combined into main antenna
|
Temperature range:
|
-40C - + 85C
|
AWS IoT Button
Amazon is selling an IoT Dash-like button:
Via @kfalconspb
And perhaps a fitting comic to accompany the above:
The AWS IoT Button is a programmable button based on the Amazon Dash Button hardware. This simple Wi-Fi device is easy to configure and designed for developers to get started with AWS IoT, AWS Lambda, Amazon DynamoDB, Amazon SNS, and many other Amazon Web Services without writing device-specific code.A tear-down of the Dash:
Via @kfalconspb
And perhaps a fitting comic to accompany the above:
We are barely scratching the surface of new shopping models 😏— Subrahmanyam KVJ (@SuB8u) May 15, 2016
Via @NewYorker pic.twitter.com/8wUY48fNGe
NEW RADIO
What a terrible name... NEW RADIO - a dual-band, multi-mode radio to support DMR, D-STAR and C4FM:
"a new dual-band, multi-mode mobile radio called the “NEW RADIO” that will operate on the 2m & 70cm bands and support the most common ham digital modes, including DMR, D-STAR and C4FM (System Fusion), plus analog FM. As reported in the article, the NEW RADIO has been created by hams for the ham radio community will feature a colour touch screen display, 50W of power output, a 1.8 GHz processor, a Linux operating system, plus dual AMBE+ vocoders, allowing for full-duplex, cross-band operation. Also, one of the biggest features of the NEW RADIO is that it will include a built-in LTE wireless modem and SIM card allowing it to be Internet connected while on the go."
And maybe an HT version.
I'm putting this all on the wait and see list.
Via the CS7000 Yahoo Group
Friday, May 13, 2016
Workouts
After my last post, many* of you asked about my workouts. Here are a couple of examples:
* Many = none
* Many = none
Fitness Friday
Lots of things in the fitness arena converging today...
Running
Bad news for us older folks... the data shows a strong correlation between age and decline in speed:
Cross Training
I've built a fairly large collection of dumbbells that my wife and I use to workout at home. I think something like these Bowflex SelectTech 552 Adjustable Dumbbells would be a good supplement to our home gym. It would keep us from replicating all the weights and definitely would save space. (Our family room is also our gym.)
Fitness Tracker
I bit the bullet and after a small USPS delay, I have a Garmin Vivosmart HR fitness tracker. It monitors the usual steps and stairs, but I bought it for the heart rate monitor and sleep tracker. In addition to tracking my heart rate throughout the day, it will link to my Garmin GPS watch and share the heart rate information. I've only done that once - it's a little more awkward wearing the two devices than I expected.
The sleep monitoring is cool. I feel like I don't get a lot of quality sleep and I know I get up a lot. I'll have the data to back that up now.
Running
Bad news for us older folks... the data shows a strong correlation between age and decline in speed:
By age 35, the rates of decline are so predictably linear that this calculator by a Yale economics professor maps out just how slowly you can expect to run the same distance as the years run by.The good news is that I don't think I've hit my peak yet, so I hope to keep seeing improvements for some years yet.
https://fairmodel.econ.yale.edu/aging/runoth.htm
Cross Training
I've built a fairly large collection of dumbbells that my wife and I use to workout at home. I think something like these Bowflex SelectTech 552 Adjustable Dumbbells would be a good supplement to our home gym. It would keep us from replicating all the weights and definitely would save space. (Our family room is also our gym.)
Fitness Tracker
I bit the bullet and after a small USPS delay, I have a Garmin Vivosmart HR fitness tracker. It monitors the usual steps and stairs, but I bought it for the heart rate monitor and sleep tracker. In addition to tracking my heart rate throughout the day, it will link to my Garmin GPS watch and share the heart rate information. I've only done that once - it's a little more awkward wearing the two devices than I expected.
The sleep monitoring is cool. I feel like I don't get a lot of quality sleep and I know I get up a lot. I'll have the data to back that up now.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)