So, the question I would have for W4PC and the others who work on HRD6 now is this:

If something like LOTW up/downloads, or QRZ lookups etc breaks in HRD5, and its an easy fix will they update HRD5, or are they hard set on using it as a big stick to get people to abandon HRD5?

Personally, the answer to that will be a big part of the decision I make to ever go to HRD6.

The fact it costs about $400 over 5 years if you want access to bug fixes and updates(like everytime qrz makes changes and lookups stop working, or you get that new yaesu like the ftdx3000 which only works in the latest versipn) is totally crazy.  

I am not exaggerating the 5 year cost is: $99 + $60 + $60 + $60 + $60 =   $340. 

Charging every year for the same software is the kind of stupid stuff businesses do for 'enterprise support'.

These guys think they are selling Oracle not a formerly free shareware ham app.  

 

Tune up a bit higher from the PSK areas and you will usually find the RTTY traffic... like 14.074-14.085 for instance on 20m.   There is a pretty good amount of regular RTTY traffic on the bands.  It seems like you can always find Eastern EU former soviet block DX...I think they all use surplus soviet era rtty gear or something because they seem to use that mode quite a bit.

>ICOM is the only radio manufacture selling it.---  False.
Buuzzz.. Wrong answer thanks for playing.  You ignored the actual question and gave a BS answer.  The answer to this is TRUE.

The very first month a non-proprietary digital system comes along that is available from multiple radio manufacturers and does not require a $300 patent encumbered monopoly chip in each device...D-STAR will be history, dust, and done for.  People will abandon it in droves.

I will save my $300 D-Star proprietary-chip premium feeds and wait for another option. 

What many D-STAR evangelists don't understand is, that its not that those of us not using it don't understand D-Star, or that we have some 'myths' we believe, or we are afraid of change.... its simple...we are simply voting with our pocket books against this particular digital option. 

So, anyone going to make a prediction for 6m on field day? 

Two years ago it was gangbusters....last year it was a complete bust.

Anyone have a guess as to what is it going to be this year?

Hmm.  All the photos show a backlit display.  On many QRP rigs cutting the backlight can often reduce the rx power draw in half. 

If you have an FT-450 I would check out the MOD that I did to mine to add a softrock ensemble to work along with it.

http://ws4e.blogspot.com/2011/07/ft-450-sdr-interface-to-softrock.html

I am not a busy-body type, but I have been watching the 'radios' in the for-sale section of my local craigslist for a few years now and I have really noticed a large increase in the amount of clearly non-authorized CB gear such as linear amps etc, being traded on craigslist in the last few months.

Should these ads be reported to the FCC?  Will they even bother to look into the gear?

As someone in a club who has to occasionally deal with the public asking for help due to interference from poor CB operation I do wonder if reporting these guys now, would help prevent another situation that we might have to deal with later.

Let us know when you get out of "the joint". 

I am going to throw something else out.

This antenna has been getting popular in the portable ops crowd, especially for use with the new Elecraft KX3.  Its becoming almost as popular as the Buddiepole.

I got to see one recently that a fellow ham in our club purchased and I was really impressed with how well it works.

Its called the "Alex Loop".  It seems to work amazing for the size it takes up, and does not require any radials or anything like that.
http://www.alexloop.com/index.html

There are reviews of the alexloop here on eham too that you might want to read:
http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/9012


If I lived in an apartment situation I would definitely look at it.  You might also look at the buddiepole depending on how much space you have to setup an antenna.

So what exactly is the bandwidth of the SDR IQ lines on the KX3? No where have I seen that listed.

I have a soundcard that will do 192Khz easy, and currently use it on the softrock and get a nice 192khz wide signal.

I think part of the problem is that only serious SDR users even have the type of soundcards or something like a FA66 that can do 192khz, and most people who have gotten a KX3 are not experienced SDR users, they are just regular hams.

So, does anyone know if the KX3 I/Q lines can be used at 192khz as well or are they limited to only 48, or 96khz wide?

Has anyone even tried to use a KX3 with a sound card that can do 192khz to test it?

Just curious.

YOU KNOW... in this day and age with all the CPU POWER in the modern rigs, it would not be anything for them to put in automatic band edges that account for what mode your in...  I mean REALLY how hard would it be to have a little more intelligence for the radio to know that "OK, the absolute edge is 14350, if the radio is in USB mode, then don't allow transmit above 14347 instead".

I mean its a simple bit of automatic MATH for the radio to do.

Right now they just are dump and do simple rules of no xmit above 14350 etc..

So..after readig the ARRL filing.

In summary are saying they want the FCC to reconsider the position that PRB-1 does not apply to CCR/HOA.  They say that this study that was conducted overwhelmingly proves the need to do so.

They submit the fact that the since the FCC already has asserted their authority over CCR/HOA contracts with the 1996 TV anteana regulations, this totally discredits any attempt by the FCC that they "can't" get involved with CCR/HOA issues.

So, I guess maybe the outcome of this will be the FCC relenting and asking congress to assert that 1985 PRB-1 applies to CCR/HOA, just as it does state and local governments.

If by ALL Mode, you are including 2m/70cm in there... I would strongly suggest you reconsider and plan on getting a separate 2m rig.

Having separate radios so you can be on both VHF and HF at the same time, eg local and DX, is well worth it.  


For HF ONLY right now I believe the Yaesu FT-450 is the best deal on the market right now...especially if you find one of the original FT-450's used. The only difference is the original has a 500hz CW filter, and the new model has a 300hz CW filter...and light up keys.  Other than that they are identical and the used ones can be had for a very good price.  The FT-450 is a very modern design, with a very good IF-DSP built.

You mean like what is on my QRZ page down towards the bottom?

http://www.qrz.com/db/ws4e

That is automatically generated live with Ham Radio Deluxe logbook uploading each log entry to the http://www.hrdlog.net/ website.

Here is the map directly off of the hrdlog.net website in full size...notice you can also click the link at the top of the image to load all the QSO's into google maps:
http://www.hrdlog.net/Map2.aspx?user=WS4E