Digital Radio Yahoo Group

David (K7DB) shared this with me and I'm passing along the information for those who might be interested:

NEW FORUM FOR DIGITAL RADIO 

I read on Feb. 21 that the owner of the digitalradio Yahoo group decided to end the group. 

In my judgment there is benefit coming from the existence of a forum where digital radio enthusiasts can exchange information and help each other. I have therefore created the Yahoo group DigitalRadio2 to serve as such a forum, and I invite you to join. 

Group link: https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/digitalradio2/info

Quick Score

Underwear

My five year-old was asking me if I had any fun underwear when I was a kid. She's got princess, My Little Pony, and Hello Kitty underwear. I told her about my Underoos. I think I had the Flash and maybe Batman. Soon after that conversation, I came across these:

Bench in a Box

For people who don't have a lot of room for a proper bench.

Via Lifehacker

Wouxun KG-UV8D

BuyTwoWayRadios has a post about the Wouxun KG-UV8D:

"Billed as an upgrade version of the popular KG-UV6D, the new KG-UV8D will have some significant feature additions and improvements. One of the most exciting new features of this transceiver is duplex cross-band repeat operation, a standard feature on Wouxon's popular base/mobile radios (the KG-UV920P-A and KG-UV950P), but is a first on their handheld models. According to Wouxon, the KG-UV8D will also work in duplex, providing the ability to transmit on one band and receive on another simultaneously. 

One feature that really stands out is the display. The KG-UV8D will sport a large, color LCD display that is more than double the size of its predecessor. The screen alone looks impressive, encompassing nearly half the front face of this handheld."

They say it should arrive in mid April.

The Internet of Everything

I love slideshows like this Business Insider presentation showing the state of the internet union.

I wasn't surprised by anything in particular as I've seen the trends at home (thermostats, locks, etc.) and at work. For example, we were installing a new manufacturing line and made our usual assumptions about how many network ports would be required. Unbeknownst to us, the engineers had bought new versions of devices (like scanners) that were all IP based. In the past, these devices would have been connected to the PLC. It more than doubled the number of Ethernet connections we saw on a line that size.

Upgrade Cycle

Speaking of iPhones...

So my wife's car is almost 10 years old and my car is about 9. Does this mean we will need to start upgrading every two years?

Cost of an iPhone

In the US, $707. In Brazil, about $1,200.

My company looked at doing business in Brazil. I learned about several complexities on the accounting side. I suspect these "complexities" explain the extra $500.

Life Expectancy and Healthcare Spending

jeffweiner Problem with U.S. health care costs summarized in one chart via @conradhackett lnkd.in/bE-nXKc
Sat, Mar 01 20:41:53 from LinkedIn
retweeted by msuster

Very interesting... I'm not quite sure what to make of it, but the US does not appear to be making a reasonable return on its investment in healthcare.

Puxing PX-UV973: Buddy's Tips And Hints For Eyes-Free Operation

bbrannan The first draft of the Puxing PX-UV973 Guide For Eyes-Free Operation is available. bit.ly/1fSn8ZU #hamradio

Note: The link is a direct download of the RTF file.