Internet Doomsday; July 9, 2012

Google plans to warn more than half a million users of a computer infection that may knock their computers off the Internet this summer.
Unknown to most of them, their problem began when international hackers ran an online advertising scam to take control of infected computers around the world. In a highly unusual response, the FBI set up a safety net months ago using government computers to prevent Internet disruptions for those infected users. But that system will be shut down July 9 -- killing connections for those people.
The FBI has run an impressive campaign for months, encouraging people to visit a website that will inform them whether they're infected and explain how to fix the problem. After July 9, infected users won't be able to connect to the Internet.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2012/05/25/google-warns-hundreds-thousands-may-lose-internet-in-july/#ixzz1vvgQYoEk

MI QRP Memorial Day CW Sprint

The Michigan QRP Club sponsors one contest and three sprints per year. As well as being a lot of fun the contest environment offers us an opportunity to test that new kit, home brew, or antennas. Gives us a format to further develop our operating skills as well as re-acquaint with old friends and meet new fellow QRP'ers.
If you're not a hard core contester, come and join in the fun anyway if for nothing else think of the skill development value. All members and visitors from around the world are welcome and encouraged to join in.

For more info; 
The MI-QRP Club, WQ8RP
http://www.qsl.net/miqrpclub/contest.html

HORYU-2 Satellite

Amateurs Asked to Listen for HORYU-2 Satellite:

The Japanese HORYU-2 http://kitsat.ele.kyutech.ac.jp/index_e_new.html research satellite was launched May 17 at 1639 UTC as part of a mission that included the JAXA climate observation satellite Shizuku. HORYU-2 was built by students at the Kyushu Institute of Technology (KIT) and it carries the call sign JG6YBW. The satellite will conduct a variety of experiments including high-voltage power generation and space debris measurements. Amateurs have been asked to monitor HORYU-2's Morse code and 1200-baud AX.25 packet telemetry at 437.375 MHz. Telemetry decoding software is available for download http://kitsat.ele.kyutech.ac.jp/Documents/ground_station/Horyu2%20Data_Analysis_Program_japanese.zip. To encourage hams to submit reports, KIT will conduct a monthly prize drawing. Details are available here http://kitsat.ele.kyutech.ac.jp/Documents/ground_station/english/Receive_competition_eng.pdf.

Source:

The ARRL 

Yaesu FT1D digital FM handheld.

One of the most eagerly awaited products at Dayton Hamvention was the new Yaesu FT1D digital FM handheld.
It has, for an Amateur Radio rig, a number of innovations:
- A microphone that uses a mini-USB plug and has a built-in camera for low resolution (320x240) pictures,
- An 80 character group short messaging facility
- 9600 bps data transfer
- Micro-SD card slot
- E-GPS facility
Although the optonal extra microphone has a camera there appears to be no way to display the pictures on the radio which some may see as reducing it's usefulness.
The use of 9600 bps with 12.5 kHz channel spacing (is it 10 kHz in Japan?) was a surprise. Some had expected it to support 5 or 6.25 kHz channel spacing with a resultant data rate of 4800 bps (digital speech using an AMBE vocoder only requires a 3600 bps data rate).
The modulation used is what Yaesu describes as C4FM otherwise known as 4 level FSK or 4-FSK and is the same as that used for Digital PMR-446 equipment. 4-FSK has advantages over other types of digital modulation such as GMSK.
Both ICOM and Kenwood have been producing 4-FSK equipment for the PMR market since 2007 so in some ways it's surprising that Yaesu beat them both in releasing an amateur version of 4-FSK.
As yet Yaesu hasn't announced any mobiles, base stations or repeaters so it appears that FT1D's can only talk to other FT1D's in digital mode.
After Dayton some questions remain:
- Does it have APRS? The website of at least one amateur radio dealer had been saying the rig did APRS but the brochure makes no mention of it only refering to E-GPS
- Which Vocoder does it use? The AMBE seems the obvious choice but the brochure doesn't say
- What will it cost? Yaesu currently sell the VXD-10 high power digital handheld to the leisure market for 63,000 yen ($796) hopefully the FT1D will be cheaper!
http://tinyurl.com/VXD10-Handheld
- When will the FT1D be available? Well one Japanese retailer indicates that it could be another six months, see
http://tinyurl.com/CQCQDE-Shop
The FT1DR/E brochure can be seen at
http://www.radioworld.ca/product_brochures/amateur/
yaesu_brochures/ft1d_brochure_front.pdf
http://www.radioworld.ca/product_brochures/amateur/
yaesu_brochures/ft1d_brochure_back.pdf
N9XLC Blog on FT1D
http://n9xlc.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/yeasu-ft-1d-redux.html
2005 Icom and Kenwood demo 'Very Narrowband Digital Communications Technology'
http://www.southgatearc.org/news/apr2005/
icom_kenwood_demo.htm