https://www.hamwan.org/t/tiki-index.php
The Puget Sound Data Ring was presented at the Digital Communications
Conference in Seattle in September; it was very shiny. I am almost
within the "red" zone coverage area; I could probably get at least some
service with the current sites, but even a $200 investment is a bit much
for me just to play at the moment.
The group doesn't self-promote very well, but here's an excerpt from a
brief from commacademy.org:
The Puget Sound Data Ring, or HamWAN Project, has matured significantly
since its introduction at the NWAPRS Summer Gathering last September.
Bart Kus, AE7SJ introduced the concept for a multimegabit network,
autonomous from the internet, yet providing analogous connectivity. The
network is designed and implemented by hams for ham radio use in
emergencies as well as for microwave experimentation. This network is
extremely complementary
to projects such as the HSMM / NW-MESH system in
that it provides high-speed linking of patches of mesh as well as
back-haul across the region or linking to other systems and resources.
Once implemented, HamWAN will provide a high speed, independent, and
redundant backbone over which a multitude of existing and new amateur
functionality can be implemented. It.s RF backbone literally places
network access where Amateur resources need it the most . at the
mountaintops. It.s redundant ring design allows it to survive and serve
if one or more sites go offline during a disaster. The carrier grade
design ensures that it will be capable of peering with ISPs on the
global internet. This will allow us to provide gateways to existing
amateur applications such as EchoLink, IRLP, D-Star, packet, etc.
Additionally, a wide range of regionally accessible EMCOMM resources
such as ham
paging, disaster messaging services, websites and other
applications can be supported by a redundant RF backbone regionally
instead of relying on existing infrastructure that we don't control.
The Puget Sound Data Ring was presented at the Digital Communications
Conference in Seattle in September; it was very shiny. I am almost
within the "red" zone coverage area; I could probably get at least some
service with the current sites, but even a $200 investment is a bit much
for me just to play at the moment.
The group doesn't self-promote very well, but here's an excerpt from a
brief from commacademy.org:
The Puget Sound Data Ring, or HamWAN Project, has matured significantly
since its introduction at the NWAPRS Summer Gathering last September.
Bart Kus, AE7SJ introduced the concept for a multimegabit network,
autonomous from the internet, yet providing analogous connectivity. The
network is designed and implemented by hams for ham radio use in
emergencies as well as for microwave experimentation. This network is
extremely complementary
to projects such as the HSMM / NW-MESH system in
that it provides high-speed linking of patches of mesh as well as
back-haul across the region or linking to other systems and resources.
Once implemented, HamWAN will provide a high speed, independent, and
redundant backbone over which a multitude of existing and new amateur
functionality can be implemented. It.s RF backbone literally places
network access where Amateur resources need it the most . at the
mountaintops. It.s redundant ring design allows it to survive and serve
if one or more sites go offline during a disaster. The carrier grade
design ensures that it will be capable of peering with ISPs on the
global internet. This will allow us to provide gateways to existing
amateur applications such as EchoLink, IRLP, D-Star, packet, etc.
Additionally, a wide range of regionally accessible EMCOMM resources
such as ham
paging, disaster messaging services, websites and other
applications can be supported by a redundant RF backbone regionally
instead of relying on existing infrastructure that we don't control.
what you describe, fleeb, is actually mentioned in the book "cheaper by the dozen"
The father actually worked out words with the correct rhythm for morse code beginning with the letter...
Much as I'm joking with vince-q, it sounds like a great way to learn morse code, but I'd want to find the right words or tunes to get the right letters.
That might make for an interesting musical challange, though. Create a song to help teach morse code.
Hrm... thinking about this more, it would take several songs.
I doubt you could properly write one song for all the letters, as the morse code would force a lack of continuity in the music.
But if you made a series of melodies that take each letter as a particular rhythm-theme, one could probably do it. Hm.
Well, after twelve years I did it. Gave in. Drove all the way to Oakland (about 180 miles from the "home QTH") to the "nearest" Ham Radio Outlet (HRO) store and spent money (gasp!) buying a ***new*** Yaesu FT-280R 2 meter FM handheld.
The little thing is turning out to be a lot of fun, and is just incredibly packed with more "bells and whistles" than I even knew existed. Remember, I have been totally "off the air" and away from amateur radio since early 2001 just prior to the Great Western Relocation after my retirement.
Wow. Today I worked a guy just outside of Dallas TX on a silly little 5 watt handheld with the stock "rubber duckie" antenna. It is truly amazing what has happened while I've been away - linked repeaters using internet "backbones" and more.
I feel like a kid again.
Whodda thunk it now being licensed for.... 48 years.... ugh!
--K2NE
I saw my first ever Ham Radio Outlet yesterday in San Diego (where I've been
this week). The shuttle from the airport drove by it and then my hotel turned
out to be just two blocks away. Alas, I showed up close to closing time,
but it was kind of cool nonetheless. Outside of the Digital Communications
Conference back in September, I have never really talked radio with anyone
or even seen any of the equipment outside of magazine photos (or what I personally
own).
I jumped into radio with both feet (and my checkbook), but then I wasn't able to really start operating because other real life things intruded. I wanted to study for my general license, but my language proficiency test, GRE, and Network+ have intruded. Fortunately, every month my QST shows up in the mail and rekindles my interest.
I jumped into radio with both feet (and my checkbook), but then I wasn't able to really start operating because other real life things intruded. I wanted to study for my general license, but my language proficiency test, GRE, and Network+ have intruded. Fortunately, every month my QST shows up in the mail and rekindles my interest.
Meant to go back today (class got out much earlier), but I got caught up in
paperwork and e-mail (and finding out about my de facto pay cut) and I just
plain forgot to visit before closing. Annoying. I'll have to get work to
send me somewhere else with a ham radio presence; there are no such stores
in WA state.
[#]
Fri Jan 31 2014 09:22:35 UTC
from
vince-q <vince-q@ns1.netk2ne.net>
There is an HRO store in Portland OR which is a lot closer to you, Sig, than
California.
--K2NE
--K2NE
Ham Radio Outlet in Portland did just mail me (with a quickness, via UPS)
a new Signalink USB to make my netbook and Yaesu FT-817 talk to each other
civilly. I REALLY want to go home and play with it, but we have training
until 9pm. Grr.
I spent part of the weekend playing with WSPR, Weak Signal Propagation Reporting.
It is the bee's knees.
I spent part of the weekend playing with WSPR, Weak Signal Propagation Reporting.
It is the bee's knees.
WebSDR is amazing and shiny. I've been playing with it for a bit, connecting to internet-connected software defined radio receivers all over the world and tuning in as though I were at the local console. Recently, I picked up another Nexus 7 tablet
(replacing the one that did a swan dive off the Subaru in January) and I picked up PocketTxRx (for free), which has a pretty decent (if rough) interface allowing me to do the same thing from my tablet. The 40 and 80 meter bands have been pretty open
around the time in the evening when I'm getting ready for bed, so I've been annoying my wife by listening to Russian radio traffic in the comfort of my bed. It also has a module to provide a similar control interface to my Yaesu FT-817 radio, which
would be awesome for operating out of a backpack; my tablet is a good deal lighter than even my netbook.
It's a cool era to learn new things.
(replacing the one that did a swan dive off the Subaru in January) and I picked up PocketTxRx (for free), which has a pretty decent (if rough) interface allowing me to do the same thing from my tablet. The 40 and 80 meter bands have been pretty open
around the time in the evening when I'm getting ready for bed, so I've been annoying my wife by listening to Russian radio traffic in the comfort of my bed. It also has a module to provide a similar control interface to my Yaesu FT-817 radio, which
would be awesome for operating out of a backpack; my tablet is a good deal lighter than even my netbook.
It's a cool era to learn new things.
Sounds like fun Sig. I have spun the dial on the setup at the U of Twente for a few hours here and there. Wonder where the hours went, but then remembered they were not lost (so no alien abduction happened), just lost in having fun.
Reminds me of firing up the Zenith Trans-Oceanic when I picked it up at a rummage sale and getting some help from an older neighbor that loved digging around in bins of tubes and fixing old radios.
Received a QSL card for a signal report I gave for the N5FUN beacon in Texas. I'd picked it up just for a few minutes on an untuned wire (roughly 1/2 wave) haning out of my window. My wife is utterly unimpressed by all of my radio gear, but thinks
the idea of getting a postcard from someone I've communicated with is magical.
the idea of getting a postcard from someone I've communicated with is magical.
I am looking for a simple, basic ham radio logbook. Must run on XP and Win7.
Must be easy. Must be free.
Any recommendations?
--K2NE
Any recommendations?
--K2NE
[#]
Tue Mar 18 2014 00:03:08 UTC
from
vince-q <vince-q@ns1.netk2ne.net>
Mar 17 2014 4:42pm from fleeb @uncnsrd (Uncensored)
I'm not a HAM guy, but how about this:
http://www.dx4win.com/
Hmmmm... I think you missed the "must be free" part. That thing is $89.95 !!