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HamRadioNow from the DCC: Better PSK31; FreeDV Rant; HackRF's Ossmann; GNU
for Hermes

Posted: 13 Jan 2014 01:16 PM PST
http://forums.qrz.com/showthread.php...s&goto=newpost




HAMRADIONOW.tv



Four More from the 2013 ARRL and TAPR

Digital Communications Conference



Still busy editing, still haven't updated the HamRadioNow web page. You'll
find these on our YouTube channel. If you subscribe to HRN on YouTube,
you'll always be the first to know when a new episode has been uploaded.
It's automatic, and that's the first place they appear, hot off the
editor. I'll update the web page as soon as I can. They are also posted on
our Blip.tv channel, which forwards them to iTunes, usually right after
going up to YouTube.



Episode 122 - High Performance PSK31. Believe it or not, PSK31 is old. As
good as it is, it could be doing better - fewer errors with even weaker
signals. Or so says John Gibbs NN7F in his talk at the 2013 ARRL and TAPR
DCC. Don't miss the Q&A at the end. Bruce Perens K6BP will suggest that
maybe it's time to just move on and give PSK31 the burial it deserves!



Episode 123 - Free DV, CODEC2, HT of the Future, Open Source, etc. At
Dayton last spring, we talked to Bruce Perens K6BP (HamRadioNow Episode 81)
about this stuff – all part of a fiendish plot to introduce open-source
digital voice and more to Amateur Radio on both HF and VHF/UHF. At the 2013
DCC, he continued that theme, going deeper into the technology, though this
isn't a highly technical talk. And yes, he takes on Yaesu's new VHF/UHF
digital system, as well as D-STAR. Enjoy the ride!



Episode 124 - HackRF - A Low Cost SDR Platform. This is the HackRF
project you've heard so much about. Developer Michael Ossmann visited the
DCC (his first Ham Radio talk) to tell us what the Jawbreaker SDR
transceiver is and how it came to be.



Episode 125 - GNURadio Module for Hermes-Metis .If you understand the
title, you're in the right place. If not, BUT you want to know more about
the guts of SDR, stick around. I'll do my best to break it down for you in
the intro, then Tom McDermott N5EG will walk you through it. "It" is a way
to use GNURadio to poke around in the Hermes and Metis HPSDR radios (and
yes, I know saying "SDR Radio" is like saying "ATM Machine").



Watch these episodes on our YouTube channel:

YouTube.com/HAMRADIONOW

HamRadioNow is supported by viewer contributions

If you enjoy the programs, visit www.HamRadioNow.tv and "click the pig"





THANK YOU to all our contributors!






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HRO's Mark Nowell, WI7YN (SK)

Posted: 13 Jan 2014 12:07 PM PST
http://forums.qrz.com/showthread.php...)&goto=newpost


IMG_5417.jpgIt is with deep sadness that I report the passing of Mark
Nowell, WI7YN, until recently manager of Ham Radio Outlet in Oakland. It is
interesting that despite being one of my best ham friends, Mark and I never
actually talked to one another on the radio.



Mark, who had suffered heart problems in the past and had been recently
hospitalized, suffered a heart attack while riding with a friend on Friday.
He was immediately driven to the hospital, where he passed a short time
later.



He was a really good guy, a friend to all, and will be missed. Interesting
fact: He was probably as interested in amateur astronomy as he was in
amateur radio.



Funeral arrangements are pending.



(David Coursey, N5FDL.com)










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China Hot Air Balloon crashed down in Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands waters

Posted: 02 Jan 2014 12:14 AM PST
http://forums.qrz.com/showthread.php...s&goto=newpost


http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1071844

The China Fujian Province amateur Ham Radio club launched a hot air balloon
to Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands on New Year's. The Taiwan Amateur Ham Radio using
APRS(Automatic Packet Reporting System) to support and monitoring the
entire status during on flight. Unfortunately the hot air balloon flight
altitude from 10400 feet falling down to 2700 feet and then the radio
signal disappear due to wind wrong or fuel shortage was crashed in
Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands waters .The Taiwan Coast Guard contact with Japan
Coast Guard to be support for emergency rescue.

look at the flight route from :
http://aprs.fi/#!mt=roadmap&z=11&cal...400&tail=86400



Report from CTARL (Chinese Taipei Amateur Radio League of Taiwan)

Randson Huang /President /BV2DQ /WJ2I










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HamRadioNow from the DCC: Do It Yourself SDR; "NPR" Testing for receiver
performance

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 05:55 AM PST
http://forums.qrz.com/showthread.php...e&goto=newpost




HAMRADIONOW.tv



From the 2013 ARRL and TAPR

Digital Communications Conference

Episode 116:

MDSR (Do It Yourself SDR)

Episode 117:

NPR (Noise Power Ratio) Testing

old technique tests critical receiver performance



Happy New Year! Listening to TWiT as I type, and it's already tomorrow
across ZL and VK. 15 hours to go here on the East Coast (though being in
North Carolina, we're sometimes minus 100 years). Meanwhile, we've got a
couple more talks from the DCC to help you pass the time.



Episode 116 - Alex Schwarz VE7DXW presents MDSR, that's
Modulation-Demodulation-Software-Radio. Short story: you pick off RF at the
IF of your existing SSB radio, pass it through their interface board (a kit
you can buy), and into your PC with their software. It turns your "old"
analog stuff into a cutting edge Software Defined Radio. OK, maybe not
exactly a Flex 6700, but it's a start.



Episode 117 - Let's see if I've got this. Receiver designers battle
nature. They try to filter out unwanted signals, and pass through just the
one you want. But strong signals nearby wreak havoc, creating intermod,
image signals, noise. How good a job did your receiver's designer do? NPR
Testing is one way to find out, using techniques developed for the telecom
industry before they went all digital. They left some test equipment
behind that cost them a bundle, but you can get for cheap. Adam Farson
VA7OJ has the details.



Watch these episodes on our web site: HAMRADIONOW.tv

And please consider the KICKSTARTER to help us get to the

Orlando and Dayton hamfests to continue our Tour and interview videos.



HamRadioNow is supported by viewer contributions

If you enjoy the programs, visit www.HamRadioNow.tv and "click the pig"





THANK YOU to all our contributors!