The Self Destruction Button USB Hub

The Self Destruction Button USB hub comes with four ports in the back for all your USB-connectivity goodness, but the main draw comes from all the stuff on top. There's two flickable switches, a turnable key, and a protected self-destruct button!

But don't let your imaginations go wild ... all you get by pressing the middle button is a "Kill Kill Kill" audio file from your computer. Disappointing, huh? Believe me, it is better this way. You don't want someone purposly wipe out your hard drive by pressing this attractive and inviting button, do you?

The Self Destruct Button USB hub is available online at GeekStuff4U.com for $62 plus $25 shipping

Read Also:
Self-Destruct Button USB Hub (Gizmodo)
Self Destruct Button just hooks up extra game pad (SCHI FI Tech)
Self Destruction Button USB (GeekStuff4U.com)
Self Destruct Button USB Hub (Gadget Madness)

Twitter telegraph?

Just when you think you know about technology convergence, along comes the simple Arduino project.
It involves a Morse code key, somewhat an old switch, with a new use in the form of modern Twitter.
Becoming a Tworse key you can send standard Twitter messages through a LAN cable and decoder.
The Arduino project includes the source code, hardware schematics and building instructions.

Check out @tworsekey on Twitter to read some examples sent from the actual device.

Or visit Google at https://code.google.com/p/tworsekey/

International CW Z Signals

New CW "Z Signals" Recently Approved for Use on ham bands

By international convention, CW operators have developed a list of standard three-character groups to improve brevity and comprehension on CW. Here are the most commonly used Z signals. (Z signals take the form of questions when followed by a question mark.)

ZRB I'm tuned up on the wrong band. Can you copy me anyway? You're tuned up on the wrong band, but I can copy you anyway.

ZRC Do you make cow sounds when you tune up on phone? I make cow sounds when I tune up on phone.

ZRD Are you in charge of donuts for your Amateur Radio club? I'm in charge of donuts for my Amateur Radio club.

ZRE Do you have to go eat now? I have to go eat now.

ZRG Are you going to Dayton? I'm going to Dayton.

ZRH Is it hot enough for you? It's hot enough for me.

ZRM Is your wall map laminated? My wall map is laminated.

ZRO Has your XYL/OM told you to get off the air yet? My XYL/OM says I have to get off the air.

ZRS What kind of chair are you sitting in? My chair is a ___________.

ZRT Were you just tuning across the band and decided to give me a shout? I was just tuning across the band and decided to give you a shout.

ZRW When was the last time you went outside? I went outside________ (1) last week, (2) this week, (3) can't remember.

ZSB Am I boring you to tears? I'm boring myself to tears.

ZSC What did you say your call sign was? I can't remember my call sign, or yours.

ZSD Do you know what all the buttons and dials on your rig are for? I don't know what all these buttons and dials on my rig are for.

ZSE What are you having for dinner? I'm having_________ for dinner.

ZSH Do you have a hat with your name and call sign on it? I have a hat with my name and call sign on it.

ZSK Do you tell new hams not to kerchunk, then do it anyway to demonstrate? I tell new hams not to kerchunk, then I do it anyway to demonstrate.

ZST Did you watch last week's episode of __________ on TV? I watched last week's episode of __________ on TV.

ZSY Can you make your voice real high so DX will think you're a YL? I can make my voice real high so DX will think I'm a YL.

ZZZ Are you starting to nod off? I'm starting to nod off.

CW Abbreviations You May Not Have Heard Of

When operating on CW, it's faster and easier to use universally understood abbreviations to stand for routine words and phrases that are exchanged often. Although abbreviations help to cut down unnecessary transmission, as a rule, don't abbreviate unnecessarily when working an operator of unknown experience.

BFS Box Full of Stuff

BFST Breakfast

CFE Coffee

CFSD Confused

CFT Confounded Fool Thing

CTH Colder Than Heck

DHK Doohickey

DNR Dinner

DNT Doughnut

DT Dinnertime

ET Eat

FUD Food

GOH Get Outta Here

HC Holy Cow

HLR Holler

HMD Humdinger

HMF Hamfest

HTH Hotter Than Heck

HNL Have a Nice Lunch

HWD Howdy

LCH Lunch

LSW Lifetime Supply of Wire

LT Lunchtime

NF No Fooling

NTD Nothing To Do

NTV Nothing on TV

OC Obsolete Computer

OCP Obsolete Computer Parts

SNK Snack

SYWT Say What?

TH Telegraphic Giggle (Tee Hee)

TRO Tie the Ribbon On it

TTE Time To Eat

TVT TV Tray

UCP Unidentifiable Computer Parts

UF Unknown Function

UGLI Ugly

UJP Unidentifiable Junk Parts

WCI Watchamacallit

WPO Wife Angry

YAL Y'all

74 Best wishes to yours for a long and prosperous life , a nice house, a good job, beautiful family, happy holidays, and enough DX to make you jump with joy!

89 I hope your family members change their minds and come home.

Ya gotta love CW~

Movie SUPER 8 to feature Amateur Radio

A new movie, Super 8, set just outside Dayton, Ohio in 1979 uses Amateur Radio in a crucial scene.

Super 8 revolves around a group of six middle-schoolers who witnesses a mysterious train crash in the fictional town of Lillian. Soon after the crash, the Air Force arrives and strange things start happening in the small town.

The kids, a group of young film makers (hence the title of the movie) begin to investigate the creepy phenomena.

One of the kids’ dads is Deputy Lamb. After the Sherriff mysteriously disappears, Deputy Lamb takes over and holds a town-wide meeting to help allay the fear. One woman thinks that all the strange goings-on are the work of the Soviet Union. But when Deputy Lamb calls on Mr McCandless to ask a question, the man complains that he is hearing strange transmissions on his ham radio. As soon as Mr McCandless mentions ham radio, the residents at the meeting just ignore him.

Read the full ARRL story at
http://www.arrl.org/news/another-hollywood-blockbuster-
features-amateur-radio

Super 8
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1650062/

DX Code of Conduct

I will listen, and listen, and then listen again before calling.

I will only call if I can copy the DX station properly.

I will not trust the DX cluster and will be sure of the DX station's call sign before calling.

I will not interfere with the DX station nor anyone calling and will never tune up on the DX frequency or in the QSX slot.

I will wait for the DX station to end a contact before I call.

I will always send my full call sign.

I will call and then listen for a reasonable interval. I will not call continuously.

I will not transmit when the DX operator calls another call sign, not mine.

I will not transmit when the DX operator queries a call sign not like mine.

I will not transmit when the DX station requests geographic areas other than mine.

When the DX operator calls me, I will not repeat my call sign unless I think he has copied it incorrectly.

I will be thankful if and when I do make a contact.

I will respect my fellow hams and conduct myself so as to earn their respect.


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Lasers Instead of Spark Plugs in Car Engines

This is cool; It's not Amateur Radio related but it is amazing how technology keeps advancing.
Car engines could soon be fired by lasers instead of spark plugs.
Continue Reading

Really Cool Dipole

This is a really cool, eye opening set-up.
I mean this antenna looks cool in the carrying case and set-up.
The real eye opener is the price, Big Ouch.
I am not going to waste your and my time with photos and the write up, just a link.
Click Here

An Electrifying Job

The tower climb to heaven was seen by many last week and the week before. I posted the video in late August. I am still seeing it come across on twitter and e-mails. I do not think the Tower Climb is scary. What would make me nervous is this guys job, watch the video. It has been around for a while but is still cool.

Tower Climb to 1768 Feet

This is being sent on twitter and e-mails. Seems like everyone is seeing it. I would climb this tower.