Amateur Radio

[PsycoGeek]

First, a few questions. With the internet and the ability to communicate with anyone, anywhere in the world, what is the big interest in ham radio AND your PC's? What about ham radio is keeping it around yet? I'm not trying to insult anyone's hobby here, just trying to understand.

I was, and mabe still am, interested in short-wave radio for a while. I have noticed that there are some apps for controlling some radio's out there, but are there any apps for more modern ones like the Winradio cards and external models, or the TenTec RX320D? I have not seen any yet.

[DarkW0lf]

Yeah I found the wiki page eventually but haven't gotten around to checking it out.
(Had to work overtime)

There are two pages for altering the ubuntu distros:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/In...DCustomization
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/LiveCDCustomization

I was thinking it might be easier to start with altering the pool so that it runs/installs the Amateur Radio software and working from that.

[DarkW0lf]

PsychoGeek:
99% of the time Amateur Radio is a hobby and that last 1% is when some disaster strikes and standard communication is lost (phone, IM, celluar, Internet, etc...).

That is when you can use your radios to keep in touch with friends and loved ones or to help handle traffic between relief agencies (who usually have incompatible radio systems).

With Winlink you can handle email over the radiowaves like you were a regular email server. Actually that is in general how it works, Winlink is like an email server that connects your radio and PC.

Check out www.openaprs.net and see what hams are operating in your area.
Cool site really, my area has the highest concentration of APRS systems.
I am starting to get more interested in APRS than packet (maybe both).

There is also independency, no reliance on ISP's to commuicate when using packet, aprs or psk31. With Winlink and IRLP you can link existing radio nets with the Internet.

[PsycoGeek]

Interesting. I knew about the first one, but the others I was unaware of. So I guess radio does have a very useful place alongside computers. What is APRS?

As always, learning is good. Thank you for the info DarkW0lf.

[w4ett]

http://www.aprs.net/ Automatic Position Reporting System is a method of identifying the relative position of an Amateur Radio APRS/GPS capable station....this information is also uploaded in real time via the internet for use.

The newtork of Ham radio stations forward their position coordinates via vhf or uhf radio to radio network node, who in turn re-transmit this data to all connectied stations.

This capability is especially useful during severe weather or natural disaster situations and when search and rescue is going on.

[PsycoGeek]

Wow. I never knew Ham radio was so useful, or interesting. I always thought it was a way for you guys to just sit around and talk about your playboy collections...

I don't know if I am quite interested enough to buy any equipment for TX/RX, but short wave still interests me a bit. It holds some nostalga for me. My uncle was into it for many years, and had gotten interested in it during WW2 when he was in France. I remember being up late at night with him and my father (who had a minor interest in it, but was very much into CB radio during the 70's), listening to whatever we could get on an old portable (something like one of the Trans-Oceanic types you can find on eBay now, with the fold down front panel and the World map with time zones).

Keep the info coming, please.

[perryrt]

I just stumbled upon this discussion - I've not really gotten deep into Ubuntu and Ham Radio, as I currently live in an apartment (I'm KF4BAL, in case someone is interested.)

Last year at my local hamfest (Hamcation, here in Orlando) there was a group giving away (for donation) a Kubuntu disc with most amateur radio programs preinstalled.

Turns out you can download an ISO from their website here.

I've tried it and everything seems to work OK, but I have to admit, I can't say for sure, not having an operating station right now and all.

So....good luck with it - hope I've helped somewhat.

[subzero27]

I am planning to implement packet radio for data transfer for my local community....any help on this would be appreciated.

thanks
Jason
matrix7i

[perryrt]

What kind of data, frequency and transfer rate? There are way too many variables to be able to give you any real advice.

That having been said, basic packet modems with backbone/transfer and "store and forward" modes have been on the market for at least a decade or more... I've always liked Kantronics, but that's a personal preference. I would also generally recommend a hardware/stand-alone solution rather than a software-based solution for this kind of thing - they tend to be more reliable/rugged.

Can you talk more about your intended uses?

[subzero27]

Thanks for the reply Richard....what i had in mind was long distance packet radio...ummm something like shortwave.

probably intercontinental....lower frequencies can travel long distances so basically that was my idea.

jason
matrix7i