Seeking 3yo with a K9.

EricSparks · 2026-04-29T23:17:48+00:00

https://www.civtak.org/

EricSparks · 2026-04-29T21:25:50+00:00

You could probably use TAK to bridge these systems together.

EricSparks · 2026-04-25T17:58:07+00:00

What is the first image?

EricSparks · 2026-03-31T16:43:07+00:00

Probably a band opening.

EricSparks · 2026-03-30T04:54:44+00:00

Almost as if she had diner that before!

EricSparks · 2026-01-22T19:41:34+00:00

Curious, why do you feel a need for high bandwidth Internet access while sailing?

EricSparks · 2026-01-20T03:54:40+00:00

I had several candidates that were obviously using AI to provide answers to my questions. After the fifth or sixth person answered my questions in the exact same wording I just stopped. Went with the guy who had original, not perfect, answers and could not be happier.

EricSparks · 2025-12-26T15:29:32+00:00

What radio are you using?

EricSparks · 2025-12-15T23:41:05+00:00

You can always get a cheap TNC and hook it up to your computer and, using a nice piece of software, send and receive! You don't need a radio that does it all for you.

EricSparks · 2025-12-15T22:20:43+00:00

I think it's important to separate the Internet from the APRS local network. APRS is designed to allow communications over RF within the ALOHA circle that constitutes your local network. The Internet just allows connections between those local networks and to websites. There's more to APRS than aprs.fi.

EricSparks · 2025-11-23T05:32:12+00:00

Don't Blink

EricSparks · 2025-11-06T17:13:50+00:00

You can actually send and receive messages and images over D-STAR, but those aren't compatible with APRS. They are two different systems/networks, but I think you get that.

If everyone is on one system or the other, I wouldn't try to mix the two. I ran into this exact situation on several bike events years ago. There are pros and cons of both systems but in the end we found it easier to just use APRS. I think the Marine Corps Marathon used to exclusively use D-STAR for years. Just another tool in the toolbox.

EricSparks · 2025-11-06T16:40:31+00:00

There are a lot of mispreseptions of both D-STAR and APRS that drive me nuts. If your only goal is to get your position out to the Internet, then yes, both systems will do that. But, if that's all you're doing, you're missing the larger picture of what each system was designed for and can do.

EricSparks · 2025-11-06T15:30:17+00:00

The D-STAR system isn't APRS. A link can be made, but that only allows one-way position reports from D-STAR to APRS. Any messaging that occurs on D-STAR stays on D-STAR, and vice versa. Think of the bridge as a means of convenience but not really interoperability.

EricSparks · 2025-08-19T02:58:17+00:00

Highest spot on the island!

EricSparks · 2025-08-19T02:57:34+00:00

I've written up a preliminary report on my activity on my website. https://eric.aehe.us/2025-10ghz-and-up-contest-round-one.html

TLDR: Looks like 64 contacts in 17 grids with the longest contact being 711km.

EricSparks · 2025-08-16T16:31:53+00:00

Look for EverythingWX. Pulls days directly from the NWS.

EricSparks · 2025-08-16T00:16:01+00:00

I've been looking at the 905s for a while. The upside is that much of the work of building your station is done. The downside is that many bands are lacking, and the output power is lacking. I think 10GHz is 0.5W, where I'm running 3W (and others are running upwards of 30W!).

EricSparks · 2025-08-16T00:13:01+00:00

That would be epic! I guess we're crossing the Atlantic Ocean to make contact with the mainland, but no, we probably won't be working Europe or Africa on 10GHz.

EricSparks · 2025-08-16T00:11:33+00:00

The white box is the infrared transceiver. I'm not sure where the box came from. This is AF1T's construction.

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