Good Idea, Bad Idea

Bad Idea Edition...

We've had samurai sword umbrellas and ENDO worries that it won't be long until a swat team is called because someone sends their kid to school with the neato backpack for the Ruger 10/22 Takedown rifle.

In a world where toy guns, embroidered guns on purses, and plastic lightsabers get the TSA all torn up and
where a few hundred rounds of ammunition, is considered a cache or armory, Wired is showing off an ammo can lunch box. Cue the school lockdown now! (Photo: Ariel Zambelich/Wired)

Running...

I've run over 100 miles this month. I will run four more tomorrow. And then on Sunday, I hope to run 26.2.

Build Your Own Tricorder

Okay, Star Trek fans... build your own Tricorder!



Via Slashdot

"So is sanitation!"

StudioXNYC Foursquare rep says, "Privacy is a modern invention," as if that ends the debate on ethics. Someone in audience yells, "So is sanitation!"Tue, Mar 27 19:55:48 from Twitter for iPhone retweeted by asymco

Baofeng UV-3R: Modification Service

Everyone seems concerned about jobs leaving their countries and moving to low cost regions. Due to the imperfections of the UV-3R, it is creating work for folks outside of Asia...

Frank (DD9UG) has a conversion service for your UV-3R. He will fix the harmonic problem, swap out the LEDs for a color of your choice, or tweak the antenna.

iPad Magic

Pretty slick...

Pogue 2 magicians + seven iPads = clever trade-show booth show... j.mp/HcuUgTTue, Mar 27 17:07:17 from web

Baofeng UV-3R: Expanded Frequencies 222 MHz

Pat (WA6MHZ) expanded the capability of his UV-3R to include 222 MHz. His results:

Upon measuring the Power Output of the UV-3R+Pus on 223.5, I find the power is greatly reduced, On 2M and 440, I see +33dBM, which is 2W. On 223.5, I only get +12.26dBM, which is pretty lame. That come out to be 0.0168267406W, or roughly 16mW. So there must be some Filters messing with us. But I can hear it in my Kenwood TM-331A mobile rig just fine, so for short simplex it will work. Also to some repeaters where U have a good shot at it. The stock antenna is optimized for 2M & 450 so I need to score a Triband antenna so I have a chance of getting out with the 16 Milliwatts.

RX sensitivity is pretty good. Measured at -119dBM minimum discernable signal.

Measured TX frequency (223.5) 223.4988120 Mhz

So it WORKS on 222, KINDA!

In a follow-up post is a link to an app that will auto-mod your .ini file to open the frequencies. He has successfully used the program with a UV-3R Mark II and a UV-3R + Plus. Head on over to Mark's (VE3PZR) page and check it out.

Instructions:

How to update your UV-3R Mark II to support 220mhz Ham Band

 Some models of the radio are able to support a much broader range of frequencies if you store a special memory file into the radio.

Follow these steps:

[1] Install UV-X4 programming software

[2] Run the UV-3R-soft-Modder program to update your UX-X4 software to add some extended Band Plans

[3] If you have an existing memory file, re-run the soft-mod program to change the Band Plan that is embedded inside the .3R memory file.

[4] Load the memory file inside UV-X4 and write the memories to your radio and your radio will now have 220mhz added to your radio!

Tech TIP #1: If you are unable to write a memory file to your radio, power-on while holding down the VOL button. It will reset your radio back to factory and you will be able to write the extended frequency file.

Tech Tip #2: 2 memory files are included. Both files have 220mhz included but during tests with other hams, we found that my radio gave better 220mhz results if we lowered the UHF instead of raising the VHF frequency range. I suggest testing both methods with your radio to verify results.

KF9ZA - Hide your Mobile

A neat idea to hide a mobile radio head unit in your car:

Protect Your Ham Radio From Theft With Kleenex Box Security - By Steve, KF9ZA 

This would be a lot better than the hat I might throw on top of it.

Baofeng UV-5R: Software v2

Ed at Import Communications has gotten a new version of the UV-5R programming software.  On the UV-5R Yahoo group, he notes that:

The new file has been uploaded to the Files section and also placed on my web
site. It starts in English and does 2.5 kHz frequency entries.

Download is here. The readme file states:

This is version 2 of the programming software for the UV-5R.  If installing over a previous version, you must first remove or rename the file "BF5R_CPS" from your original folder.

Improvements to this software will continue and newer versions will be announced and posted to the UV-5R Yahoo-Group and to the web site www.UV-5R.com as they are received.

73, Ed
www.UV-5R.com

The software installed in a different path than the original version I had. YMMV. I left the radio at work, so I couldn't really test it, but it does open with the menus in English. A step (no pun intended) in the right direction!

TYT TH-9000: Reviews and Notes

This guy (see video) likes his TYT TH-9000. I don't have much interest in 440 or 220, but this doesn't dampen my interest in a 2M version (or the Vero Telecom VR-2200). According to this article, the unit is fairly large - his actual words are "fat piggy size." Lastly, I do know how I missed it, but Ed is selling the 220 version for $224.95. He doesn't say in the description that it is a TH-9000, but one of the comments does.