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Sunday, January 24, 2010

Misa - Digital Guitar Which Runs Gentoo

Haha, sounds weird, but this is the proof. Welcome aboard to new era of musical instrument.






Specifications: Linux kernel 2.6.31 (Gentoo); 24 frets; touchscreen; MIDI out; Ethernet; and SSH server.

http://www.misadigital.com/







thumbs up to Michael.

Listen And See Morse Code

I've found a good video uploaded by greendonever at Youtube. He made this video just to help him learning morse code.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Get Your Copy Of WorldRadio Online Issue Now


Get your copy of WorldRadio Online issue now.
available at their website http://www.cq-amateur-radio.com/WorldRadio.html






WorldRadio
was a monthly amateur radio enthusiast magazine published in the United States from July, 1971 to November, 2008. The magazine was published in English and drew its subscription base primarily from the United States of America and Canada, although it had subscribers around the world. The staff of the magazine had an amateur radio club that has been assigned the call sign WR6WR.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

9M2TR Is Not Tunku Abdul Rahman Al-Haj


Many of us think that this QSL card sent from Tunku Abdul Rahman Al-Haj to Mr. Keith, G3KYF.

See this stamp's picture, Tunku Abdul Rahman Al-Haj was from Alor Star, Kedah. Not Johor.


So, 9M2TR is not Tunku Abdul Rahman Al-Haj's callsign. Please comment if you got anything to say.


Source

N6NHG ( Kevin Mitnick ) - From Ham Radio Operator To Security Consultant




Kevin Mitnick, also known as N6NHG in ham radio world was the most wanted computer criminal in United States history. He used his social engineering skills to bypass all the security, doing phone phreaking, wiretapping and lots more.

Confirmed criminal acts

Alleged criminal acts


More info

Origin Of "73" ( Best Regards ) Ham Speak




ORIGIN OF 73

Via Louise Ramsey Moreau, W3WRE and Charles A. Wimer KC8EHA

The following is from Louise Ramsey Moreau, W3WRE: "The traditional expression "73" goes right back to the beginning of the landline telegraph days. It is found in some of the earliest editions of the numerical codes, each with a different definition, but each with the same idea in mind - it indicated that the end, or signature, was coming up. But there are no data to prove that any of these were used.

"The first authentic use of 73 is in the publication The National Telegraphic Review and Operators' Guide, first published in April 1857. At that time, 73 meant "My love to you"! Succeeding issues of this publication continued to use this definition of the term. Curiously enough, some of the other numerals used then had the same definition as they have now, but within a short time, the use of 73 began to change. "In the National Telegraph Convention, the numeral was changed from the Valentine-type sentiment to a vague sign of fraternalism. Here, 73 was a greeting, a friendly "word" between operators and it was so used on all wires.

"In 1859, the Western Union Company set up the standard "92 Code." A list of numerals from one to 92 was compiled to indicate a series of prepared phrases for use by the operators on the wires. Here, in the 92 Code, 73 changes from a fraternal sign to a very flowery "accept my compliments,"which was in keeping with the florid language of that era. "Over the years from 1859 to 1900, the many manuals of telegraphy show variations of this meaning. Dodge's The Telegraph Instructor shows it merely as "compliments." The Twentieth Century Manual of Railways and Commercial Telegraphy defines it two ways, one listing as "my compliments to you"; but in the glossary of abbreviations it is merely "compliments."

Theodore A. Edison's Telegraphy Self-Taught shows a return of "accept my compliments." By 1908, however, a later edition of the Dodge Manual gives us today's definition of "best regards" with a backward look at the older meaning in another part of the work where it also lists it as "compliments."

Editor Note -- Dodge's "The Telegraph Instructor" can be found at URL: http://artifaxbooks.com/afxrare/dodge.htm

"Best regards" has remained ever since as the "put-it-down-in-black-and-white" meaning of 73 but it has acquired overtones of much warmer meaning. Today, amateurs use it more in the manner that James Reid had intended that it be used - a "friendly word between operators." I hope that this helps you in some way....

73, Charles A. Wimer Amateur Radio Call: KC8EHA Assistant Emergency Coordinator, Trumbull County (OH) ARRL Official Emergency Station (OH)
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Somebody wrote: Actually "73" was a term the old telegraph operators would use back in the old west days. It meant that they owned a Winchester 1873 rifle (their most prized possession) and that when they died they would give it to the other operator. Hense '73' meant I will will you my 73 rifle. '73s' meant you had more than one rifles that you would give to them (they were a really good friend.).

Hello, It's a nice story, but it has no basis in fact. The actual source of "73" and "88" was the list of numerical abbreviations used by wire telegraphers. These abbreviations were used in a manner similar to Q signals today. Here's a partial list of number abbreviations: 1 – Wait 2 - Important business 3 - What is the time? 6 - I am ready 7 - Are you ready? 12 - Do you understand? 13 - I understand 14 - What is the weather? 17 - Lightning here 19 - Form 19 train order (used by RR) 21 - Stop to eat 23 - All copy 24 - Repeat this back 30 - No more, end 31 - Form 31 train order (used by RR) 44 - Answer promptly by wire 73 - Best regards 88 - Love and kisses 92 - Deliver promptly 134 - Who is at the key?

Note that American Morse was used by landline telegraphers. The signal "30" in American Morse is "..._. ____" (zero is an extra long dash). This was corrupted into a single character, "..._._" which is usually thought of today as SK or VA, with the space between letters removed. 73 (never plural!) de Jim, N2EY

Via http://www.ac6v.com/73.htm#73

Monday, January 18, 2010

Malaysia's Military Communication



Sunray is OC or officer in command.
Sunray Niner is CO or commanding officer.
31 is a callsign for a troop, platoon or section.
0B is control center.

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Amateur Radio Firefox's Addons


Everybody love Mozilla Firefox, so do hams.

1. UltraDX allows you to quickly search for Valid Ham Radio Callsigns from their extensive list of US and International Callsigns.

2. QRZ.com is one of the most popular Amateur Radio (Ham Radio) call sign database. With this search plugin you can access the QRZ.com search engine directly from your browser's search toolbar.

3. DXZone.com is one of ham's favourite site. This addon is to search any content regarding of keywords from DXZone.com.

4. HF Propagation status. Propfire displays solar/radio propagation data in your status bar. Ham Radio (aka Amateur Radio) enthusiasts and shortwave radio listeners use this to predict radio propagation.

Shackbox - Linux Livecd For Ham Radio Operator



Shackbox is a linux (ubuntu) based operating system designed for ham radio operator from F0FAK. Shackbox has all tools, software, applications for ham radio operator to control their rigs, antenna designing, PCB designing, logging, satellites tracking and more. Also windows software installed like the famous ham radio deluxe and trunking software.

It can run on intel's Macintosh too.

This livecd is a must for ham radio operator, just download the iso, burn it and you can use it on any and bring it anywhere you want. suitable for dxing activities, emergency services, disaster communications or dx contest. One of my idea for this livecd is to make it bootable using USB drive. more compact, and more handy.




p/s: To F0FAK, great work dude.

73 de 9W2PJU

Amateur Radio Fox Hunting And Workshop 2010 Universiti Teknologi Malaysia





To all "FOX HUNT" or "AMATEUR RADIO DIRECTION FINDING" (ARDF) fans Universiti Teknologi Malaysia's Student Representative Council(MPMUTM)
with cooperation with Gerakan Belia 4B Kawasan Johor Bahru and Suruhanjaya Komunikasi dan Multimedia Zon Selatan for the first time organized "UTM Introductory ARDF Open (Fox Hunting) 2010"
Basic workshop and introduction to amateur radio will opened to all hams community and also to all interested public. Seats are limited. Amateur Radio exhibition will be held from the morning to the evening.
Fox hunt will be held on Saturday, Januari 30 2010




Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS)

Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS™) (Formerly "Automatic Position Reporting System") is an amateur radio based digital communication system for real-time exchange of digital information to users on the network. APRS was originally developed by Bob Bruninga, WB4APR more than 20 years ago. It has since evolved into a robust system of interconnected networks.

List of APRS applications available on GNU/Linux:

1. APRSD - aprsd is a server daemon that provides Internet gateway and client access to amateur radio APRS packet data.

2. APRSDigi - An advanced multi-interface APRS(tm) digipeater using Linux kernel AX.25 and IPv4 and IPv6 UDP.

3. Xastir - Xastir is program for receiving and plotting APRS(tm) position packets.


Monitoring/tracking:

1. APRS's KML file for Google Earth - Download

2. For realtime APRS monitoring, log on to http://www.aprs.fi



What more APRS can do ?


  • Organic Packet Systems: all existing APRS and Winlink systems can send and receive messages

  • Text Paging Radios: 500,000 DTMF text paging amateur radio HT's were sold in the 90's

  • All other HT's with DTMF: Every radio with a key pad can send brief text messages

  • DTMF decoding software: can receive and display these messages

  • Other Consumer Devices: Applications on cellphones and other hand-held devices to TX/RX APRS messages

  • Ham Radio Voice Internet systems: Echolink and IRLP can exchange text messages

  • APRS Internet Systems: can send and receive text messages and email such as the following:

  • APRS to Email: Sending an email from any APRS or compatible system

  • WEB to APRS: Amateurs using Browsers to send into the APRS system

  • SMS to APRS: Global text messaging to APRS users

  • EMAIL to APRS: Global Email to APRS users.

  • Messaging via satellites.


  • See also:

    How APRS works ?






















    9M2AUR on APRS via ISS ( International Space Station - NA1SS )



    APRS handheld setup




















    More info:

    Thursday, January 14, 2010

    SMS Versus Morse Code



    Between Text Messaging and Morse Code, which one is the fastest ?

    History Of CQD And SOS

    CQD, transmitted in Morse code as  — · — ·    — — · —    — · ·  is one of the first distress signals adopted for radio use. It was announced on January 7, 1904, by "Circular 57" of the Marconi International Marine Communication Company, and became effective, for Marconi installations, beginning February 1, 1904.
    Land telegraphs had traditionally used "CQ" to identify messages of interest to all stations along a telegraph line, and CQ had also been adopted as a "general call" for maritime radio use. However, in landline usage there was no general emergency signal, so the Marconi company added a "D" to CQ in order to create its distress call. Thus, "CQD" is understood by wireless operators to mean, "All stations: distress." Contrary to popular belief, CQD does not stand for "Come Quick, Danger", "Come Quickly Distress", "Come Quick - Drowning!" or "Come Quick, Dammit!"; these are backronyms.
    Although used worldwide by Marconi operators, CQD was never adopted as an international standard since it could be mistaken for a general call "CQ" if the reception was poor. At the second International Radiotelegraphic Convention, held in Berlin in 1906, Germany's Notzeichen distress signal of three-dots/three-dashes/three-dots (· · ·   — — —   · · · ) was adopted as the international Morse code distress signal. (This distress signal soon became known as "SOS". Germany had first adopted this distress signal in regulations effective April 1, 1905.)
    In the early morning of January 23, 1909, whilst sailing into New York from Liverpool, RMS Republic collided with the Italian liner SS Florida in fog off the island of Nantucket, Massachusetts, United States. This was the first occasion on which the CQD distress call had been sent by wireless transmission. The Radio Operator was Jack Binns [[1]].
    This is incorrect. Between 1899 and 1908 there were 9 documented rescues made by the use of wireless. The first distress call was simply 'HELP'. By February 1904, the Marconi Wireless Company required all of it's operators to use 'CQD' for a ship in distress, or requiring URGENT assistance. We certainly have use of the 'CQD' call prior to Mr. Binns using it. His was the most famous use and rescue using wireless prior to the Titanic, except there was no major loss of life. Sadly, nothing was learned from this incident untill we had the massive losses of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, in 1912.
    During the sinking of RMS Titanic in 1912, its radio operator Jack Phillips initially sent "CQD", still commonly used by British ships. Harold Bride, the junior radio operator, jokingly suggested the new code "SOS" be used, thinking it might be the only time he would get to use it; Phillips began to alternate.


    RMS Titanic CQD




    SOS ...---... By Marina Orlova ( HotForWords )

     


    Tuesday, January 12, 2010

    Learn Morse Code Using CWIRC On Linux

    History Of Morse Code

    Samuel F. B. Morse (1791-1872) was a painter and founder of the National Academy of Design. In 1832, while on a ship returning from Europe, he conceived the basic idea of an electromagnetic telegraph. Experiments with various kinds of electrical instruments and codes resulted in a demonstration of a working telegraph set in 1836, and introduction of the circuit relay. This made transmission possible for any distance. With his creation of the American Morse code, the historic message, "What hath God wrought?" was sucessfully sent from Washington to Baltimore.

    The Morse code used in those days differed greatly from that which is used today. Morse code originated on telegraph lines and the original users did not listen to tones but instead to the clicking sounds created by sounders. They used the American Morse code as opposed to today's International Morse. When sending dahs (Morse code is composed of dits or short key closures, and dahs or longer key closures) the user simply sent two close-together dits. This was created by using a conventional code key.

    With the advent of radio communications the international Morse became more widespread. Users of the international Morse created dahs with a longer key closure, instead of two close-spaced dits. In order to increase transmission speed on early landline circuits and later on radio circuits, semi-automatic "bug" keys were invented in 1902 and were widely adopted. Bug keys used a vibrating pendulum to create dits and the user still manually creates the dahs.
    In more recent times, the user can employ keyers that electronically create dits and dahs. Iambic keyers have a memory so that the user can operate a mechanical "paddle" quicker than the keying rate of the keyer. This makes for very comfortable and nearly effortless keying.

    Today experienced operators copy received text without the need to write as they receive, and when transmitting, can easily converse at 20 to 30 words per minute. Morse code will always remain a viable means of providing highly reliable communications during difficult communications conditions.


    The Beginning Of IRC

    IRC was born during summer 1988 when Jarkko "WiZ" Oikarinen wrote the first IRC client and server at the University of Oulu, Finland (where he was working at the Department of Information Processing Science).
    Jarkko intended to extend the BBS software he administrated at tolsun.oulu.fi, to allow news the usenet style, real time discussions and similar BBS features. The first part he implemented was the chat part, which he did with borrowed parts written by his friends Jyrki Kuoppala and Jukka Pihl. It was initially tested on a single machine, and according to the words from Jarkko himself "The birthday of IRC was in August 1988. The exact date is unknown, at the end of the month anyways.". The first IRC server was named tolsun.oulu.fi.

    Jyrki Kuoppala pushed Jarkko to ask Oulu University to free the IRC code so that it also could be run outside of Oulu, and after they finally got it released, Jyrki Kuoppala immediately installed a server (which later became irc.cs.hut.fi). This was the first "irc network".
    Ari Lemmke's own words: "At the same time Jyrki installed ircd, I was at the same room and had nothing to do, so I decided to crack into tolsun (the irc server Sun machine at Oulu), and naturally ;-) got in through a new hole in sendmail. (At that time Jyrki was still the best cracker I knew...)"
     
    Jarkko got some friends at the Helsinki and Tampere Universities to start running IRC servers when his number of users increased.
    Other universities soon followed. Markku Järvinen helped improving the client. At this time Jarkko realized that the rest of the BBS features probably wouldn't fit in his program!
    Jarkko got in touch with guys at the University of Denver and Oregon State University. They had got an IRC network running (they had got the program from one of Jarkko's friends, Vijay Subramaniam -- the first non-finnish person to use IRC) and wanted to connect to the finnish network. IRC then grew larger and got used on the entire Finnish national network - Funet - and then connected to Nordunet, the Scandinavian branch of the Internet. In November 1988, IRC had spread across the Internet.

    In the middle of 1989, there were some 40 servers worldwide.
    ircII was released 1989 by Michael Sandrof.
    In July 1990, IRC averaged at 12 users on 38 servers.
    In 1990, a new network was set up in order to develop a new version (2.6) of the ircd. The network named ChNet (about 25 servers and no users) existed a few months before disagreements among the programmers caused it to dissolve.


    What is X-Chat

    XChat is an IRC chat program for both Linux and Windows. It allows you to join multiple IRC channels (chat rooms) at the same time, talk publicly, private one-on-one conversations etc. Even file transfers are possible.


    What Is CWIRC

    CWirc is a plugin for the X-Chat IRC client to transmit raw morse code over the internet using IRC servers as reflectors. The transmitted morse code can be received in near real-time by other X-Chat clients with the CWirc plugin. CWirc tries to emulate a standard amateur radio rig : it sends and receives morse over virtual channels, and it can listen to multiple senders transmitting on the same channel. Morse code is keyed locally using a straight or iambic key connected to a serial port, or using the mouse buttons, and the sound is played through the soundcard, or through an external sounder.

    Note that CWirc doesn't do any morse decoding : it simply transmits and receives morse code timing events. A standard IRC user on the same IRC channel you're transmitting morse on will only see coded lines when morse code is transmitted. Only other CWirc users can receive what you send.


    Who Invented Linux 

    Who invented Linux? Linux is the first truly free Unix-like operating system. The underlying GNU Project was launched in 1983 by Richard Stallman originally to develop a Unix-compatible operating system called GNU, intended to be entirely free software. Many programs and utilities were contributed by developers around the world, and by 1991 most of the components of the system were ready. Still missing was the kernel.
    Linus Torvalds invented Linux itself. In 1991, Torvalds was a student at the University of Helsinki in Finland where he had been using Minix, a non-free Unix-like system, and began writing his own kernel. He started by developing device drivers and hard-drive access, and by September had a basic design that he called Version 0.01. This kernel, which is called Linux, was afterwards combined with the GNU system to produce a complete free operating system. 


    X-Chat with cwirc plugin on Ubuntu Linux in action  



    Description: 9W2WTF - Mr Hafiz (Malaysian ham radio station) is having CW conversation with KB1OOO - Mr Marc (American ham radio station).


     


    Sunday, January 10, 2010