AT-3318UV: AM Aircraft Band Receiving

Ed has posted on the AT-3318UV Yahoo Group to clarify how to receive the AM aircraft band on the AT-3318UV-D & AT-3318UV-E:

"Some people have been confused in how to access the AM aircraft band with the UV-D and UV-E models. Hopefully this will help. 

To access any of these bands, you must set MENU 34 to "ON". Please note that MENU 18 (BAND) has nothing to do with receiving any of these bands. You must also have the appropriate band set to "Enable" in the Function Setup window of the programming software. If the band is not "Enabled" in the software, each band will show on the radio's display but there will be no reception possible. 

The four bands are accessed in the radio in the order of FM, AM, SW and LW. The last band used will be the first one accessed. Press FUNC + FM and one of the four bands will show on the radio's display. You can step through the remaining three bands by pressing FUNC + BAND for each change. To stop the radio from receiving one of the bands, press FUNC + FM. 

Choices made in the Function Setup window of the software will determine whether the band starts in VFO mode or in MR mode. Pressing the V/M button will switch between the modes. Using the keypad numbers, you can directly enter either a frequency or a saved channel, depending on the mode the radio is in. Pressing FUNC + SCAN will begin scanning the saved channels or the frequency range depending on the mode." 

The reception of FM Broadcast, AM Aircraft, Shortwave & Longwave are all tied together. FM and AM are available in both VFO and MR modes. You can store up to 99 channels for both FM and AM mode. SW and LW are only available as VFO mode."

Upside Down

So Apple had to pull back the iOS 8.0.1 update. And now there is the Shellshock BASH vulnerability.

Time to upgrade your Mac or Linux box to Windows for a secure computing environment!

Xiegu X108: Ordering

Andy, DC3AFA posts to the Yahoo Group:

"She [a cqxiegu representative on Facebook] gave an update today. "Good news! The first batch of Xiegu Made hf transceiver X108 will be ready on 10th, October, 2014. But as all of them has been ordered and paid by our sales agent for a long time, they will be sent to our sales agents. Then we will begin the second batch. Orders for the second batch can be accepted from now on."

For US folks, if I were ordering one, I would get it from Ed in case there were any issues with the first release.

9mm

Lots of people have been posting about the FBI document that says 9mm is the best option for them. Fred sums it up nicely:

"I can carry more and shoot it better, and it works just as poorly as any other pistol round."

Truth

I see things like this all the time... usually when someone demands something, it is impossible (given the current architecture or would take a year or a million dollars.) When someone starts by saying "I don't know if this is even possible," it turns out to be a simple request.

NoteSlate: Coming in June 2014

I was doing some Twitter clean-up and realized I was still following NoteSlate. I went to their site and found this video - which ends by saying that NoteSlate coming in June 2014. Hmmmm. But, there was a hashtag, so it must be real - #SlateIsBack.

Home Data Center

I've added a Dell Mini 10 running Ubuntu and have a Frankensteined desktop that has replaced the one that died a while back. So I am slowly moving in this direction - the home data center.

(Who am I kidding? I'm all about being a minimalist now and I grumble enough about my electric bill.)

Via Data Center Knowledge via Slashdot.org

Xiegu X108: FCC?

From the X108 thread:

"x108 is to be visited fcc certification, technical indicators promised things would be done, the average user know there is no water on the line. If you want to know the test method, you can refer to a few centimeters of qst information or go to see, of course, if you can, that bob wrote the book arrl can also be bought to see that currently no Chinese version."

That clears that right up for me.

Pricing

The 409Shop is promoting the Yaesu VX-3R (which I like), but selling it for $229 USD. The first US site I check has it for $185. I don't usually look at the Japanese radios when looking at the Chinese sources, but this strikes me as odd. Are they always this much more expensive?

SainSonic AP510 APRS Tracker

The SainSonic AP510 APRS Tracker ($140 at Amazon):

AVRT5 is developed on the basis of the above aprs AVRTT-AVRT4 equipment, the main function is to transmit APRS data integration. Built-in GPS antenna and module + VHF radio transceiver module to TNC codec comprehensive plan. When it power on it can be decoded to work with the standard orientation can be issued after verification of aprs data. It's compatible with common business APRS equipment and various aprsDIGI repeat and IGATE, it's a real APRS machine including transmitting and receiving.

Features

* Built- charge management IC (Input 5V)
* LED status display: Dual LED display, red is charging indicator, when charging it's red, full extinguished or dimmed. Green is the GPS indicator: Flashing indicates that no location. If it's on it means success positioning
* Single button: Press button long time - turn on. After startup, short press- transmitting, long press-turn off
* 18B20 temperature sensor: IC precision 0.0625 degrees, passes the temperature of inside/outside the machine and the board in real time
* The buzzer (beep): Switch and transmitter, there beep prompt, convenient to determine the state and blind transfer machines
* TF deck: Internal device flash memory allow you to store your position history with second by second resolution

Specifications

* Memory: Support 4G TF card (not included)
* Thermometer: 18B20 Sensor
* MCU SCM: Mega64 Industrial
* Output: USB
* Bluetooth: Bluetooth 2.0
* Decoding function: Decoder chip of CML Inc.
* Battery Capacity: 3300 mAh
* Interface Extension: PCB 3 Analog Interface
* LED: Highlight Dual LED Indicator

Package List

1 x AVRT5 APRS tracker
1 x USB data cable to PC
1 x VHF Antenna





Via reddit