Amateur Radio; Where Livin is Lively

Canterbury, New Zealand

White House going after Patent Trolls

If you are a ham or other hobbyist who produces a podcast, listen up. The White House says that its time to end what the legal world calls patent trolling. And it’s taking the first steps by issuing five executive actions and seven legislative recommendations designed to protect U.S. companies and their products from spurious litigation from Patent Assertion Entities that are more commonly called Patent Trolls. Amateur Radio Newsline’s Heather Embee, KB3TZD, reports:
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According to the National Economic Council and the Council of Economic Advisers, Patent Trolls are entities that threaten to sue thousands of companies at once, without specific evidence of infringement against any of them. They may also create shell companies that make it difficult for defendants to know who is suing them and assert that their patents cover inventions not imagined at the time they were granted.

Information made public by the two councils say that suits brought by patent trolls have jumped by nearly 250% in just the last two years, rising from 29% of all infringement suits to 62% of all infringement suits. Estimates suggest that patent trolls may have threatened over 100,000 companies with patent infringement last year alone.

But it does not end there. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office says that there is yet another new aspect to this situation This is where Patent Trolls are increasingly targeting retailers, consumers and other end-users of products containing patented technology especially software.

Among the initial steps being taken by the Obama administration is having the Patent and Trademark Office begin a rule making to require patent applicants and owners to regularly update patent ownership information when they are involved in patent proceedings before that agency, specifically naming who controls the patent. Its also will give more training to its patent examiners on scrutiny of functional claims and develop strategies to improve claim clarity. This in areas where stakeholders remain concerned about patents with overly broad claims.

Possibly more important to all U.S, citizens is the White House statement that says end users should not be subject to lawsuits for simply using a product as it was intended. It says that citizens need an easier way to know their rights before entering into costly litigation or settlements with Patent Trolls.

Nighttime in Africa

Deluxe CB Radio

You have to love it when you are out hitting garage sales and flea markets.
I have come across many kinds of sellers. 
Today I met an arrogant SOB to say the least.
I was looking at an old phonograph player/stereo made by Zenith.  He gave me the idiot speech, telling me it was an antique worth a thousand dollars and was willing to let it go for half, 500 bucks FIRM!!
As I was shaking my head and leaving something had caught my eye, a Kenwood TS-530S.
I walked over to it, picked it up and the guy told me it was a Kenwood Deluxe CB radio. LOL
I asked him what he wanted for it and he said 50 bucks! He also said, “I do not know if it works because his police scanner antenna would not work with it”.
I thought about how he treated me on the Zenith and said, bummer, I only have ten dollars.
He said……..SOLD!!!!!!!!!
WOW!!!!
 Now to hook it up and see what I have.

Emergency Communications on Twitter

Amateur Radio Ecomms
@AmateurRadioEco

In times of crisis and natural disasters, amateur radio is often used as a means of emergency communication when other conventional means of communications fail~

Follow us on Twitter;
https://twitter.com/AmateurRadioEco

In the DX world

In the DX world;

If you are DXCC hunting and has a card for E51WL for North Cook Island rejected, here’s some good news. According to Bill Moore at the ARRL DXCC Desk, it turns out that the operator is a native of the island and that his previous ZK1WL had previously been approved. The bottom line is that this is just a callsign change, so if you had E51WL rejected in a recent submission send an e-mail to bmoore (at) arrl (dot) org for an update to your record. (NC1L)
In DX, W5JON will be operating as V47JA from his Calypso Bay, St. Kitts, West Indies vacation home from July 9th until August 10th. Listen out for John on 160 through 6 meters using SSB, RTTY and several digital modes. He will also be using his newly issued contest call V49J in the IARU and Islands on the Air contests on SSB. Johns wife Cathy, W5HAM, may get on the air occasionally operating as V47HAM. All QSL's go direct or via Logbook of the World to W5JON.
PA3A, PD1AEG, PA8AD and PA8AN will be active from Congo September 28th to October 11th as TN5MS. They will be active on H-F Bands. QSL via PA3AWW, either direct, or Logbook of the World.
ZL2JU is currently active from Rarotonga in the South Cook Islands as E51JJU. He is operational on most of the High Frequency bands but no exact schedule of operating times is mentioned. QSL via home call.
OO9O will be on the air portable LX from Luxembourg from June 17th to the 20th. He plans to focus on 30 meter CW and PSK. QSL via home call, or electronically using eQSL or Logbook of the World.
Five operators will be active using the call will be active from Ustica Island from July 24th to the 29th signing IE9 stroke IK6JRI. They also plan to take part in the RSGB sponsored Islands on the Air contest that takes place during their stay. If you make contact please QSL via IK6JRI
Lastly, G0MGX is currently working in Qatar and has obtained a permit to operate stroke A7. He says to listen out for him during evenings and some weekends primarily using RTTY and JT65. He adds that the Qatar Amateur Radio Society has made him feel very welcome and that he is very grateful to them for the support and help they have given to him. He adds that he has provided the ARRL with the necessary documents of licensing for all his callsigns and uploads to Logbook of the World regularly. QSL as directed on the air.

Two Hams Rescued from Flooded Campground

Two hams have been rescued from a flooded campground thanks to their hobby. Sunday morning, May 19th at about 4:40 a.m. Eric Heaton, KF4LJN, and Henry Miller N4VG, were awakened by a flooding situation at Lake Chinabee in Munford, Alabama east of Birmingham. The two had been camping when Miller noticed water getting into his tent.

Miller and Heaton moved their cars several times to stay above the flooding line. They soon realized that the only road out of the area was submerged in 2 to 3 feet of water and impassable. So Miller made contact with a ham in Talladega, Alabama, over the Mt. Cheaha 147.69/ .09 repeater. That ham in turn notified authorities of the two trapped radio amateurs.

The Cleburne County Sheriff’s Rescue Squad was dispatched and both Heaton and Miller were soon brought to safety by boat. There was very poor cellphone coverage in the area but thanks to ham radio everyone is safe. (KB4KCH)

Louisiana will use ALERT FM

The Louisiana Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness has announced that the it has completed the implementation of the ALERT FM and GSSNet systems. This as a way of improving the method used to deliver voice and text emergency notifications to the public.

Louisiana will use ALERT FM to send out its emergency alerts, as will emergency managers from all 64 parishes and 42 colleges and universities across the state. ALERT FM is an FM radio-based emergency notification system that will help Louisiana better keep citizens, schools, businesses, and first responders informed of critical information during natural or man-made disasters.

ALERT FM delivers emergency messages using the data sub-carrier of local FM radio stations. The use of this preexisting network of FM broadcasters provides overlapping and redundant signal coverage for the state.

Around 90 FM stations will participate in the Louisiana ALERT FM network. This overlapping coverage will ensure message distribution over a large footprint and gives emergency managers the ability to reach their intended recipients.

More on this Louisiana state wide implementation of ALERT FM is on line at http://rbr.com/louisiana-takes-alert-fm-and-gssnet-statewide/

KD8BIG "Places to Visit"

Being an Amateur Radio Operator I have experienced meeting so many people on-line.

I'm referring to sites like Twitter, Facebook, Skype, Ham Radio Nation, CQ Friends etc.

One of the cool things about being on the internet is the photos that are sent to me.

So, I decided to add a new Label on my Amateur Radio Blog (http://kd8big.blogspot.com/ )

titled "Places to Visit"

Many of the photos are sent to me via
Twitter, Facebook, Skype, Ham Radio Nation, CQ Friends etc. (KD8BIG)

If I post a photo that is copyrighted by you and you do not want me to post it please let me know

and I will remove it.

Enjoy the blog~

73 de KD8BIG Mark Strait.

Monument Valley

Sunrise at Monument Valley 

Swallows Nest Sea Castle near Crimea, Ukraine

RemoteQTH Server

This Open source project offers a solution to remote control of your Amateur radio station. Base for connecting other components and their remote control. The main advantage is low cost and adaptability (open source code).

Base for connecting other components on your remote station.

Main functions:

• System is configured via web interface, with password protection.
• Remote control are also possible with a smartphone.
• Control up to 8 arduino (K3NG code) rotators modules.
• Azimuth maps of rotators show actual grayline with position of the sun.
• Web control for 8 relays.
• Up to 8 temperature sensors.
• Up to 2 A/D sensors with four voltage inputs.
• LCD display shows actual IP adress and other informations.
• One click server update.
• Access without public IP addresses.
• CW daemon - send cw from web interface, also listen on TCP port.
• Export up to 8 serial ports to IP nework.
• SSH access allows you to run applications directly on the server (Tucnak log).
• QRcode generator for simply mobile acess.
• Backup server configuration.
• Based on RaspberryPI with consumption 2 watt only.
• Any linux system possible.

download →

Hardware requirements:

• Raspberry Pi single-board computer (or else linux compatible pc).
• SD memory card (min 2GB).
• Server main board.
• Eight relay board.
• Arduino rotor control with USB/UART converter (up to eight).
• LCD display with I2C controller and 3.3/5V level converter.
• I2C A/D converter with four voltage inputs (one or two).
• I2C temperature sensor (up to eight).
• USB/UART CW interface.
• 5V power supply.
• Power hub.
• USB hub with external power supply.

How to order →

Explore web interface

Arduino Band decoder - independent module kit

Main functions:

• Independent hardware.
• Open code (by OK1CDJ) - you can modify.
• Arduino mini module compatible.
• Hardware input for:
  • Kenwood/Icom CAT.
  • Icom Band voltage output.
  • Yaesu BCD.
• Optocoupler isolated output.
• 5V power voltage.
• Twelve open colector output.
• Twelve LED diode indicated.
• 70 x 80 mm PCB board.

More info at Remote QTH; Click Here
http://remoteqth.com/

STL-40 / STL40-PTT Lightweight Tactical Headset

Lightweight Tactical Headset
This lightweight tactical-style monitoring headset incorporates a flexible contoured ear hanger which can be easily adjusted for fit. Includes a quick-disconnect acoustic tube with multiple ear insert options and right or left ear compatibility. The swivel boom microphone adjusts for left or right positioning. Combine with a Sonetics SON231 Belt Pack for wireless system.

More info; Click Here
http://www.soneticscorp.com/products/stealth-headsets/stl-40-stl40-ptt-lightweight-tactical-headset/

Sonetics Communication Solution Home Page

http://www.soneticscorp.com/  

 

W4HM "Free" Daily MF/HF/6M Radio Wave Propagation Forecast

W4HM has decided to make his W4HM Daily MF/HF/6M Radio Wave Propagation Forecast free of charge to all of his fellow amateur radio operators and SWL's around the world.
It can be found at http://www.solarcycle24.org and http://www.wcflunatall.com/propagation.htm .

Thomas F. Giella, W4HM
Lakeland, FL, USA w4hm@tampabay.rr.com
W4HM Daily MF/HF/6M Radio Wave Propagation Forecast Subscription Service: http://www.solarcycle24.org

W4HM Solar Space & Geomagnetic Weather Data Dashboard: http://www.wcflunatall.com/nz4o2.htm

W4HM Solar Cycle 24 Forecast Discussion & Archive:
http://www.wcflunatall.com/nz4o4.htm

W4HM 160 Meter Radio Propagation Theory Notes: 
 http://www.wcflunatall.com/nz4o5.htm

W4HM Solar Space Weather & Geomagnetic Raw Forecast Data Links: http://www.wcflunatall.com/nz4o6.htm

Solar Cycle 24 Dot Org on Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Solar...39198369462931