HeyWhatsThat! Coverage Prediction Software

Coverage prediction software is nifty and handy, the internet and powerful computers have made the availability of predicting coverage footprints for transmitters and the visible horizon from any location on the globe really easy. A number of simple software packages that let you predict these items are Hey Whats That http://www.heywhatsthat.com/ and Radio Mobile Online http://www.cplus.org/rmw/rmonline.html. I’ve written…

Ham radio and an APPLE MAC!

So, you have a mac computer, but you are also into ham radio, they don’t mix, or do they? This post is a pointer to some mac solutions for your ham radio exploits (or the ones I’ve discovered). Not everything you would want to do is easy or simple on a mac, and some things…

VK3XJM 817iPad Interface Cable

I can’t recommend you buy this product, Not yet anyway. It’s not an issue with the device, the build quality or the actual product operation. I cannot recommend you buy the product because of the poor purchasing experience. I wondered before my recent camping trip and first real try of QRP portable (non sota) if…

Portable PSK31 on the iPad

Digital modes on the radio are a bit of a Black art. In my quest to expand my radio options while camping. I discovered and purchased an 817-iPad interconnect cable and it arrived just before our trip. I’ll expand on that in another post, essentially it’s signalink type device for my iPhone/iPad. I haven’t really…

Radio Mobile Prediction Software

A nifty freeware bit of (windows) software for hams and other radio people is called “Radio Mobile”. This tool allows you to simulate and map predicted coverage of your location using terrain and clutter data and maps expected coverage into google maps. The windows version requires you to source the terrain and clutter data (easy…

Project Space Balloon 5 – Flight

PSB5 has been flown. The device was launched at around 11:30am north west of Bendigo and  I was able to track the device from around 12:30 when it was heigh enough to be seen from home. The path was very different from that expected when they ran the prediction 2 weeks ago, the device headed…

CHIRP and the FT817ND

An easy way to program and manage this new 817nd is with some simple computer control software (and with the intention of having it work with VKCL logging into the future if need be, I lashed out and spent $11 on ebay and purchased a USB to CT-62 yaesu CAT control interface cable. The cable…

Icom IC-7100 Omnirig INI File

Peter, VK5KX has modified my IC-9100 INI file to work with the new Icom IC-7100. He has modified the radio address (hex) only, and the same operation and limitations as my original IC-9100 version of the file. I don’t have a IC-7100, thus have not tested this file, but their is no reason it should…

ZBM2 Ham iOS and Android Apps

A very nifty range of FREE ham related apps is available on both android and iOS devices to help locate repeaters, Sota summits and to cat control some yaesu radios on the andriod version with a special adaptor. The software is produced by ZBM2 Software – Nicolas Pike M1HOG and a quick look at the website will…

Icom IC-9100 Firmware Update

Icom has Released a new firmware update for the IC9100 radio overnight. IC-9100 Firmware Rev. E2 is now downloadable form the Icom Japan website. It is a stand alone .exe file that will install the E2 firmware update. IC9100 E2 Firmware link The new firmware corrects a number of Issue and offers improvements to the…