• New Radio

    Posted on by beno Comment

    I bought a radio to do some listening around on the ham bands, to pick up Radio Australia and lastly, to pick up aircraft data.

    https://swling.com/blog/2011/09/alinco-dx-r8t-review/

    Thankfully I got it for less than this guy, I guess by now its a few years old and the price has come down somewhat.

    So far, like the reviewer, I am very happy with it. What I am not happy with is my antenna. I really need to do something about it. Given the super small backyard etc, I am at a bit of a loss to know what to try.
    At the moment I have an end fed dipole. I think I will try a normal dipole (while we still have the two palm trees to tie the ends off on).
    It will end up a vee, but that would be better than a single long wire? I think I am just going to have to try it.


    📂This entry was posted in Computers 📎and tagged

  • K6TBG

    Posted on by beno Comment

    There is a system over here for callsigns.
    If you don’t like the one issued, or even if you do, if you want another for any reason, then, within given constraints, you can apply for it.
    So I did.
    First up, I want to say I tried hard to live with KW6UWM, but it was just too much of a mouthful and hard to spell and tell people.
    I just wanted something a little more clear.
    Every option of BEN was taken, so I had to go for Option 2.
    TheBaldGeek.
    I just found out this morning that my application was successful.
    So, from here on out, this is my call and the one that I will keep going forward.


    📂This entry was posted in Computers

  • Long Endurance

    Posted on by beno 1 Comment

    Airbus have been testing a long endurance ‘aircraft’ in the backblocks of Arizona, my system has been tracking it.

    https://www.airbus.com/newsroom/press-releases/en/2018/07/Zephyr-S-set-to-break-aircraft-world-endurance-record.html
    We have been tracking it the whole time, its just that its right on the edge of coverage of one of my systems, so every now and then it drops out, but picks up again, but resets my flight timer.
    Point is, I only track the flight in bits, not a total time. I think the longest I have seen it is one whole day.
    If you are looking for it, it’s the aircraft labeled ‘Kelleher’ and its over the Yuma Proving Grounds.

    Very cool.


    📂This entry was posted in Life in the USA 📎and tagged

  • KM6UWM

    Posted on by beno 1 Comment

    Got my Technician Class radio license today.
    Pretty happy. Pretty excited.
    Now to figure out what I am going to do with it…..
    Well, sort of, there is a pretty active club repeater in the area, I am sure I will be a little active on there, they seem like a great bunch of guys with a really diverse interest base.
    Then there are a few digital modes I am interested in… .So yeah, Im on the air, already had my first contact and am sending my position to the web via my call already, so yeah, super excited.


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