18. June 2010 by admin.

South Florida Media - We’d like to invite YOU - Field Day 2010 Press Release / Wire Release is Here! Channel 4, Channel 6, Channel 7, Channel 10, Newspapers Sun Sentinel, Miami Herald …

The C3i Group - http://www.ac4xq.net will be setting up and operating in Field Day 2010 demonstrating Emergency Operating Capabilities of Amateur Radio Operators in your local area. We will be at Markham Park in Southwest Broward County for Field Day the weekend of 26 and 27 June … and you are invited to stop by! You are even invited to operate on a radio! Please download the Wire Release Below. My contact information is also below.

Field Day 2010 wire release - Amateur Radio Field Day - Emergency Communications Demonstration - 2010

—

Alan Spicer

communications @ marinetelecom.net (remove the spaces)

+1 954-683-3426

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18. June 2010 by admin.

Field_Day_Logo ARRL

When All Else Fails - Amateur Radio

Field-Day-2010-Markham-Park

Field-Day-2010-Markham-Park-2

I will be participating in Amateur Radio “Field Day” 2010 with the C3i group - http://www.ac4xq.net in a local park in South Fort Lauderdale. We will very likely be operating as AC4XQ … please look for us on the bands on the June 25th, 26th, 27th.

Example of Field Day (not us, but you get the idea…)

http://www.arrl.org/public-service

Even if you are not a licensed “ham” Amateur Radio Operator … if you have a radio capable of SSB MF and HF frequencies … you might just tune around (get a list of amateur radio frequencies) and listen in for us!

Get that right here: http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Hambands_color.pdf

http://www.qrz.com/db/ka4udx

* We will be literally “In The Field” that weekend … Past the Yachts and Boats on “Marina Mile” a.k.a. State Road 84 in Fort Lauderdale … Past 441, Past the Florida Turnpike, Past the Sawgrass Expressway … we will not be “Out of the Woods Yet” until late Sunday / Monday. Out off the old “Alligator Alley” and at the Western Edge of Civilization in many parts of Broward County. (The Western Edge of Civilization just south of the location has moved a bit further west, about 5 miles further, in areas such as Weston and all the way down to Homestead, Florida.)

* We will operated Emergency Power … we will have Generators … we will have GOOD FOOD! Oh that last one was the best part. But we will be demonstrating what private amateur radio operators are capable of … in setting up Field Operations for Communications … using no Commercial Infrastructure. We have to set up in so many hours, we cannot start operating before a certain time, and we will try to log as many worldwide contacts as we can in the alloted time frame.

http://www.arrl.org/field-day

—

73 de KA4UDX,

Alan Spicer

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18. June 2010 by admin.

Noone has asked me this question, but they might think that way… (”Abigail:You know, people don’t talk that way anymore. Ben:I know. But they think that way.” — National Treasure, the movie.)

Why Amateur Radio on a Marine Telecom Blog?

Well #1 - Because I can … it’s my blog and it’s about communications … and, well it’s my blog.

#2 - It’s about Communications. If you know the electronics and theory of radio … then you know it wether it’s amateur radio or marine radio, or satellite - cellular or other radio. It’s all radio. It’s all wireless.

#3 - Amateur Radio provides a good service … including Emergency Services when the power is down and/or when other communications infrastructures are down, such as in disasters like Hurricanes, Earthquakes, and more.

What is the purpose of Amateur Radio?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amateur_radio

Amateur radio, often called ham radio, is both a hobby and a service in which participants, called “hams,” use various types of radio communications equipment to communicate with other radio amateurs for public services, recreation and self-training.[1]

Amateur radio operators enjoy personal (and often worldwide) wireless communications with each other and are able to support their communities with emergency and disaster communications if necessary, while increasing their personal knowledge of electronics and radio theory. An estimated two million people throughout the world are regularly involved with amateur radio.[2]

The term “amateur” reflects the principle that amateur radio and its skilled operators are committed to helping communities without financial compensation; whereas commercial radio operates for profit.

#4 - Knowledge of World Geography and Understanding and Relations with Persons of non-US residence. Alan Spicer Marine Telecom deals with marine vessels and other marine related entities not only in the United States but around the world. In order to communication with, and provide products to, marine vessels and marine entities - around the world. Requires a pretty good understanding of world geography. Now grant it I served 4 years United States Navy back in the late 1970’s to early 1980’s, and have traveled the Mediterranean (as far east as Golcuk / Istanbul, Turkey) and the Caribbean Seas, but still… I require refreshing of my knowledge of world geography. And Amateur Radio provides an excellent means of doing so. Amateur Radio coupled with Google Earth is an excellent way to boost your knowledge of world geography. Where a country or island is … how far is that from here? Do they have an airport nearby? Does Fedex and UPS go there?

* * * * So there you have it. 4 very good reasons why I use Amateur / Ham Radio, and why you see it on this blog. There is also the hope that it will encourage others to try Amateur Radio. There are a lot more things to do in Amateur Radio than there used to be. It used to be pretty much only Morse Code and SSB Phone radio on the HF bands. Then came 2 Meters VHF, and 70 centimeters UHF. Followed by 220Mhz and several Gigahertz bands. Amateur Radio Repeater Systems that allow mobile radios and hand held HT or walkie talkies to communicate over wide areas with minimal power and minimal cost to an individual. Repeater systems that often rival Police and Public Service communications in their coverage and capabilities. Not only that but the gained knowledge of how such professional communications in VHF, UHF, and Gigahertz bands works. Satellite Communications, Digital Modes Communications, even Television Transmissions … all happen on the Ham Radio Bands. And getting a license is now Easier Than it has Ever Been.

http://www.arrl.org/what-is-ham-radio-1

The word “Amateur” is often defines as “lacking professional skill and ease in a particular pursuit”. However, the true meaning of this word is, “not paid” and as one learns of the many facets of the hobby, they will find that radio amateurs are really radio “experts”. 

http://wedothatradio.wordpress.com/2008/03/31/what-is-ham-radio/

* * * * Oh I get a bonus reason, #5

#5 - Amateur Radio took Communications to sea (marine) originally!

Why Do They Call Themselves “Hams”?
“Ham: a poor operator. A ‘plug.’”
That’s the definition of the word given in G. M. Dodge’s “The Telegraph Instructor” even before there was radio. The definition has never changed in wire telegraphy. The first wireless operators were landline telegraphers who left their offices to go to sea or to man the coastal stations. They brought with them their language and much of the tradition of their older profession. In those early days, every station occupied the same wavelength-or, more accurately perhaps, every station occupied the whole spectrum with its broad spark signal. Government stations, ships, coastal stations and the increasingly numerous amateur operators all competed for time and signal supremacy in each other’s receivers. Many of the amateur stations were very powerful. Two amateurs, working each other across town, could effectively jam all the other operations in the area. Frustrated commercial operators would refer to the ham radio interference by calling them “hams.” Amateurs, possibly unfamiliar with the real meaning of the term, picked it up and applied it to themselves in true “Yankee Doodle” fashion and wore it with pride. As the years advanced, the original meaning has completely disappeared.

And another bonus one … #6

#6 - Amateur Radio, according to the Linux Journal, is the Original Open Source. And Alan Spicer likes Open Source (and Close Source as well, depending on our needs. We’re not beating up Microsoft here…) because it allows amazing “Outside of the Box” things to be done with various wireless systems. In around 2005 / 2006 Alan Spicer built a Marine WiFi System from Off-the-shelf hardware and using after-market Linux modifications (SVEASOFT, DD-WRT) of Operating Software. Some of those systems are still in use onboard yachts today. Alan Spicer continues to investigate and develop products using Open Source. Alan Spicer loves Amateur Radio because “Ham Radio” operators like technical investigation, they like to build stuff, they like to know how stuff works. And knowing how stuff works often results in us influencing how products work for the better. You know “The Good Stuff”, “Better Stuff”, like Snapple says.

http://www.linuxjournal.com/ham

“What most people tend not to think about is the open-source nature of Amateur Radio. While operators most often are seen working in emergency situations, many of the modern conveniences we have today—cell phones, satellites, wireless devices—were developed and tested by radio amateurs.”

* When you are on a sailing yacht, a motor yacht, a marine vessel, a boat … trying to communicate … nay, needing to communicate … you are in a unique mobile platform. You can’t depend on the same landline infrastructure that persons on land can. You can however use some of the communications structures, wether free, or for hire, that are wireless … be that via satellite or via wireless WiFi or via Cellular or other 3G (and now 4G) services.

—

73 de KA4UDX,

Alan Spicer

Alan Spicer Telecom / Alan Spicer Marine Telecom

http://www.marinetelecom.net - http://www.wifiyacht.net

communications @ marinetelecom.net

+1 954-683-3426

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18. June 2010 by admin.

KA4UDX - Hustler 6BTV (10, 15, 20, 30, 40, and 80 Meters [also works on 6 Meters]) Antenna

KA4UDX Station Picture

See More, including videos, at: http://www.youtube.com/user/alanspicertelecom

Here is Alan Spicer, KA4UDX, Amateur Radio Contact Statistics from eQSL.cc from December 2009 to current date:

Bands 

      2m  2
 
     6m  61 
     10M  31 
     15M  67 
     17m  2 
     20m  155 
     30m  2 
     40m  91 
     80m  10 

  Modes  CW  4 

     FM  12 
     PSK31  68 
     RTTY  2 
     SSB  333 
     VOI  2 

  Propagation Modes  EchoLink  2 

     Internet  2 
 
Dates 
    
     2009 December  3 
     2010 January  48 
     2010 February  57 
     2010 March  106 
     2010 April  86 
     2010 May  78 
     2010 June  43 

  Countries
(Only includes cards to members of eQSL.cc)   3 

     ARGENTINA  1 
     ARUBA  2 
     AUSTRIA  5 
     BARBADOS  1 
     BELGIUM  3 
     BONAIRE/CURACAO NETH. ANTILLE  2 
     BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA  1 
     BRAZIL  7 
     BULGARIA  2 
     CANADA  12 
     CANARY ISL.  4 
     CHILE  1 
     COLOMBIA  2 
     COSTA RICA  6 
     CROATIA  2 
     CUBA  1 
     CZECH REP.  2 
     DENMARK  2 
     DOMINICA  1 
     DOMINICAN REPUBLIC  6 
     ECUADOR  5 
     ENGLAND  2 
     FRANCE  6 
     FRENCH GUIANA  1 
     GERMANY  3 
     GREECE  2 
     GRENADA  1 
     GUADELOUPE  1 
     GUATEMALA  1 
     HAWAII  3 
     HONDURAS  2 
     ISLE OF MAN  1 
     ITALY  8 
     JAPAN  1 
     LATVIA  1 
     MARTINIQUE  1 
     MEXICO  2 
     NETHERLANDS  2 
     NORTHERN IRELAND  1 
     POLAND  1 
     PORTUGAL  2 
     PUERTO RICO  7 
     RUSSIA (EUROPEAN)  1 
     SCOTLAND  1 
     SLOVAK REP.  2 
     SLOVENIA  4 
     SPAIN  4 
     ST. MAARTEN/SABA/ST. EUST  1 
     ST. VINCENT  1 
     TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO  2 
     UKRAINE  1 
     USA  159 
     VENEZUELA  4 
     VIRGIN ISL.  1 

   Entire Logbook/OutBox Selector 421

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18. June 2010 by admin.

eQSL.cc - Dave monitoring progress during the server migration June 17, 2010

http://www.eqsl.cc - is the main web site … and it’s a whole lot faster, like I said. Good Job Dave!!!!

* The following is from: http://eqslcc.blogspot.com/

Thursday, June 17, 2010
First 6 hours on the new servers
 
One small issue: the eQSL applications are reporting the time as 1 hour ahead of the correct time that is set in Windows. I’m investigating.

Everything is going smoothly in the first 6 hours on the new servers. I managed to get some sleep from 0700 to 1200 UTC

Your logger that does Real-Time uploads of ADIF logs might fail occasionally over the next 72 hours. This is because the eQSL.cc domain name may take up to 3 days to propagate all around the world. There is nothing that can be done, except to wait a day and try again. In many regions, the eQSL.cc domain is already working properly, pointing to the new servers without a change in the URL to www.QSLCard.com. It should not take more than about 72 hours for this to occur.

If you logged into www.eQSL.cc but now your URL says www.QSLCard.com you can try logging out, then point your browser again to www.eQSL.cc and log in again. If it stays logged into wwww.eQSL.cc then you are all set. If it redirects you to www.QSLCard.com then your area does not yet have the updated eQSL.cc routing. Just wait another few hours.

In any event, everybody is now on the new servers and can use the system without limitations with their browser.
The system is running much faster from what I have been able to see. Right now I am seeing over 90 users logged in, and the longest wait for a database response has been on the order of 20 seconds, compared with 10 minutes or longer on the old machine.

Even the Power Users screen, which used to take 2 or 3 minutes (if it didn’t timeout first) now only takes a few seconds to display.

The new application server is easily able to handle those 90 users, and has never had to process more than 2 users at the same time, because it is handling their requests so fast. On the old machines, it was quite normal to have 10 to 20 users being processed simultaneously.

Most of the speed improvements are the result of the new database server, which has 24 Gigabytes of memory, along with 5 hard disk, of which 4 provide fully redundant, mirrored and striped (RAID 10) data storage spinning at 15,000 RPM for the database, and the 5th of which is a 1 Terabyte disk for storing database backups.

Please don’t report any errors yet, unless they involve money so we can have a chance to find errors ourselves and fix them. Otherwise you may overwhelm our email support volunteers with questions they cannot answer.

If everything continues to go this well, I will eliminate the time delays on the OutBox (I have already reduced it from 10 minutes to 1 minute) and the InBox, and other screens.

If you have questions or comments, feel free to post them here on this blog.

73!
Dave
Posted by Dave Morris, N5UP at 7:39 AM

—

Good Work Dave Morris … and Great Upgrade and new found SPEED!

73 de KA4UDX,

Alan Spicer

http://www.qrz.com/db/ka4udx

http://blog.marinetelecom.net

http://www.youtube.com/users/alanspicertelecom

http://www.marinetelecom.net - http://www.wifiyacht.net

+1 954-683-3426 - communications (at) marinetelecom.net

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