Fo Time: Ham Radio and Micro-controllers Podcast

Adding to my need to listen to list for the commute home.

Fo Time - Ham Radio Micro-controllers & Linux Episode 43: with KJ6VU and KF7IJZ

Baofeng Tech: Nagoya TB-320A Antenna

I got a delivery from Baofeng Tech yesterday, so I'm one step closer: Nagoya TB-320A tri-band antenna!

PRYME AL-800 Antenna System: Hans (PD0AC) Review

Reports of his retirement from ham radio were greatly exaggerated... Hans posted a review of the PRYME AL-800 Antenna System on the Chinese Ham Radio Equipment Google+ site:

"The PRYME AL-800 antenna system takes a whole new approach to the 'gain problem'. Instead of offering an antenna with a fixed length, the PRYME AL-800 is more of an antenna construction kit. 

What you get is a base with a connector of your choice (SMA, BNC) and two antenna extensions. One of the extensions is short and will perform much like any other helical antenna. The second one is a combination of two extendable whip antennas with a loading coil in between. The antenna will be 94,5 cm / 37.2 inches long when fully extended, which includes the base."

Marathon Olympic Trials

A cool infograph of the runners competing in the Marathon Olympic Trials. It is almost unreal how fast these people are.

Baofeng Tech: Nagoya TB-320A Antenna

Baofeng Tech has shared some results of the testing with their Nagoya TB-320A tri-band antenna:

Amazon and Zombies

I don't really think of Amazon as has having a sense of humor, but in the Amazon Web Services terms:

"57.10 Acceptable Use; Safety-Critical Systems. Your use of the Lumberyard Materials must comply with the AWS Acceptable Use Policy. The Lumberyard Materials are not intended for use with life-critical or safety-critical systems, such as use in operation of medical equipment, automated transportation systems, autonomous vehicles, aircraft or air traffic control, nuclear facilities, manned spacecraft, or military use in connection with live combat. However, this restriction will not apply in the event of the occurrence (certified by the United States Centers for Disease Control or successor body) of a widespread viral infection transmitted via bites or contact with bodily fluids that causes human corpses to reanimate and seek to consume living human flesh, blood, brain or nerve tissue and is likely to result in the fall of organized civilization."

Via @timbray

Baofeng Tech UV-2501+220: Software

I always like to review the software to get a sense of the options. Here is a snip of the UV-2501+220 software. You can download it from the Baofeng Tech website.

Morning Star

I really enjoyed the first two books in the Red Rising series. I'll be downloading the last book in the series tomorrow: Morning Star: Book III of The Red Rising Trilogy.

Red Rising: Book I of The Red Rising Trilogy: Amazon 4.5 / Goodreads 4.22 Stars

Golden Son: Book II of The Red Rising Trilogy: Amazon 4.7 Stars / Goodreads 4/49 Stars

Baofeng Tech UV-2501+220: Tri-band Antenna and Mount

I really like it when it appears that companies think things through. So if you are going to offer a tri-band mobile like the UV-2501+220, you should probably sell an antenna to go with it. And that's just what Baofeng Tech is doing. They are offering the Nagoya TB-320A tri-band antenna ($57.95) and Nagoya RB-35 5/8 NMO Mount Magnet ($22.99) - details of each below.

(EDIT: So apparently all the antenna and mount links go to the same place. You'll have to select antenna or mount on the Amazon page to see the details for each.)

Nagoya TB-320A - Fold-Over 39-Inch PL-259 Mount Triband 2m/1.25m/60cm (144/220/430Mhz) Antenna:

The Nagoya TB-320A is a 39 inch tri-band UHF (PL-259) mount antenna with up to 5.5 dB of gain. It is designed to be used with your mobile or base radio. An included SO-239 to NMO Adapter allows for flexible installation to both UHF and NMO set-ups.

Fold over design allows the Antenna to Fold-Over which allows you to easily put the antenna down in parking garages or in other places where height matters.

The Nagoya TB-320A triband is a 2 meter, 220 MHz (1.25 meter) and 440 MHz mobile antenna. It is a 1/4 wave on 2 meters providing 2.15 dB gain and a 1/2 wave on 220 providing 3.8 dB gain and a 2 5/8 wave on 440 MHz providing 5.5 dB gain. This antenna can handle up to 200/100/200 watts.

Included in the package is a SO-239 to NMO adapter.

Package:

1x Nagoya NB320A Antenna (PL-259 Base)
1x SO-239 to NMO Adapter

Nagoya RB-35 5/8 NMO Mount Magnet, 18' RG-58 PL-259, Includes Rain Cap:

Nagoya Antenna magnet NMO mounts are premium quality magnetic antenna mounts with very good holding power. They are a heavy 2 lb magnet mount (durable hold) with a 3 5/8" diameter base, and are recommended for antennas up to 45 in. tall.

Package:
RB-35 NMO Magnet (18 Feet RG-58)
Rain Cap

So add the UV-2501+220 radio, the antenna, the mount - and you are ready to rock and roll mobile!

Baofeng Tech: UV-2501+220: CTCSS

A question about CTCSS on the UV-2501+220:

"John,
Do you think that the phrase:
>>refined our audio and changed our RDA chip set placement to improve performance to audio filtering.

is referring the CTSS audio "picket fencing" issue that requires us to disable CTSS decode on all channels?"

 And the reply:

"Lorrin,
I know that the RDA chip was changed and there were some major firmware changes.
I did several hours of test driving with the +220 and I could not make it fail. 

R-CTCSS has no adverse impact on the receiver. 

The pulsing/chopping that is prevalent in some of the other similar models is not in my beta radio. 

John
http://www.miklor.com"