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Around 2000-2005 my grandfather, Carl McDaniel, W3HC (SK) (ex W3HCW) in Williamsport, PA sold his Model 15 KSR teletype to someone. I have no idea who. Below is a picture of the teletype in 1973, with me beside it.

When it was sold it was paired with a black equipment cabinet which the unit sat upon, rather than the table it is pictured on above. The cabinet contains the black panel mounted in the table shown above with a CRT for RTTY tuning in the upper left and some filler panels.

If you know where this teletype is located, please contact me at [email protected]. I would be willing to pay a good price for it, assuming its in reasonable condition. At the very least it would be nice to know who has it now as it has special value to me and my family.

This article was originally posted in Radio Artisan.

As amateur radio operators, we’re always prepared for the unexpected—whether it’s a natural disaster, a power outage, family pets getting eaten, or an emergency communication scenario. This September, as we observe National Preparedness Month, it’s the perfect time to ensure that all aspects of our emergency readiness are covered. One often overlooked but vital aspect of preparedness is securing the data on our computers through regular backups.

Whether you’re logging contacts, managing digital modes, or maintaining software-defined radios, your computer is a critical part of your station. Losing data due to hardware failure, ransomware, or a natural disaster can set you back significantly. Here’s how you can make sure your valuable data is safe and sound.

Why Regular Backups Are Essential

1. Protect Your Logs and Records: As radio enthusiasts, we accumulate a lot of data—contact logs, QSL card scans, configuration files for digital modes, software settings, and more. Losing these records can mean losing years of hard work.
2. Preserve Software and Settings: Many of us use specialized software to run our radios and interfaces. Setting everything up again from scratch after a computer crash can be a time-consuming and frustrating experience.
3. Guard Against Ransomware and Malware: Cyber threats are on the rise, and radio operators are not immune. Backing up your data can ensure you have a clean version to restore, even if you become a victim of ransomware or another attack.
4. Plan for Natural Disasters: If your area is prone to flooding, hurricanes, or other disasters, having off-site or cloud backups can help ensure your data survives even if your equipment does not.

Types of Backups: Which One Is Right for You?

There are several types of backups you can consider, each with its own benefits:

• Local Backups: These involve copying data to an external hard drive or a network-attached storage (NAS) device. They are quick, reliable, and allow for rapid recovery, but they can be vulnerable to theft, damage, or the same disasters affecting your computer.
• Cloud Backups: Services like Google Drive, Dropbox, or dedicated backup services like Backblaze or Carbonite provide remote storage for your data. These backups are accessible from anywhere and are protected against local disasters, but they depend on a reliable internet connection and can come with ongoing subscription costs.
• Hybrid Approach: Combining local and cloud backups offers the best of both worlds. Local backups allow for quick recovery, while cloud backups provide an off-site option that ensures data safety even if your entire station is compromised.

How to Create a Backup Plan

1. Identify Critical Data: Make a list of files and directories that are essential to your operations. This might include your logging software database, configuration files, QSL card images, and any custom scripts you’ve created.
2. Choose a Backup Method: Decide whether a local, cloud, or hybrid approach works best for you. Consider your internet speed, the amount of data you need to back up, and your budget.
3. Set a Schedule: Regularity is key to effective backups. Daily or weekly backups are ideal for most operators. Make sure you automate the process as much as possible to avoid human error or forgetfulness.
4. Test Your Backups: A backup is only useful if it works! Periodically test your backups by restoring a file or directory to ensure everything is functioning as expected.
5. Keep an Off-Site Copy: If you’re relying on local backups, consider keeping a copy off-site, perhaps at a friend’s house or in a safety deposit box, for added protection against physical damage or theft.

Practical Steps for Backing Up Your Data

1. Use Backup Software: Windows and macOS both come with built-in backup tools (like Windows Backup and Time Machine). For Linux, tools like rsync can automate backups.
2. Automate the Process: Set your backup software to run automatically at regular intervals. This ensures you always have a recent backup without needing to remember to do it manually.
3. Use Strong Encryption: If you’re storing sensitive data or using cloud storage, make sure your backups are encrypted to prevent unauthorized access.
4. Check Your Backup Integrity: Regularly review your backup logs and run integrity checks to ensure your data is being backed up correctly.
5. Keep Multiple Versions: If possible, keep multiple versions of your backups to protect against data corruption or accidental deletion. This can be particularly important if you need to restore a specific version of a file or recover from a mistake.

Conclusion

This National Preparedness Month, take the time to review your data backup strategy. Protecting your data is just as important as maintaining your radio equipment—especially in emergencies. By having a solid backup plan in place, you can ensure that no matter what happens, you’ll be back on the airwaves with minimal disruption.

Remember, being prepared means being ready for anything—don’t let a data loss incident catch you off guard!

This article was originally posted at Radio Artisan.

After several weeks of downtime due to a ransomware attack that crippled the Logbook of the World (LOTW) service and much of ARRL’s IT infrastructure, LOTW is finally operational again. Jeff Davis, KE9V, penned a compelling article in response to ARRL CEO David Minster NA2AA’s Second Century article entitled Dewy Defeats Truman! Davis’s critique eloquently highlights the shortcomings in ARRL’s response to this event. In previous articles, I’ve also addressed the inadequate communications and suggested improvements, while noting that members discovered the nature of the attack through a Maine public document.

NA2AA’s recent column suggests that ARRL leadership has failed to learn crucial lessons about communication, transparency, and stakeholder management during a crisis. Rather than approaching the situation with humility and acknowledging areas for improvement, the column draws a flawed comparison to the historical “Dewey Defeats Truman” headline—a result of rushed journalism. In contrast, any misinformation circulating during the LOTW outage was largely due to ARRL’s infrequent and uninformative updates, which lacked warmth and personality.

While the column rightly highlights LOTW’s undeniable success, it also raises concerns about the high volume of non-ARRL member usage. The suggestion of potentially charging for LOTW use is intriguing, especially given ARRL’s challenges with membership numbers and revenue, and its ongoing tendency to alienate and outrage members. Implementing LOTW as an a la carte service for non-members could be a viable revenue strategy for the organization. However, it’s crucial to recognize that paying customers may have different expectations than organization members. In the event of future outages or communication issues, ARRL should be prepared for less patience and forgiveness from a customer base compared to its membership if leadership sees no reason to change its course with communication and transparency.

ARRL Life Member, K3NG

This article was originally posted on Radio Artisan.

Bleeping Computer reported on a Maine state filing by ARRL. The systems outage was caused by a ransomware attack (PDF download).

This article was originally posted on Radio Artisan.

ARRL made a comment in an update yesterday about some members “believe [ARRL] should be openly communicating everything [emphasis added] associated with this incident.” That’s not what this member has been suggesting. The update goes on saying “[authorities] […] have directed us to be conservative and cautious with our communications.” I really hate to belabor this, and I’m not trying to Monday morning quarterback the event nor sound condescending, but this is really a teachable moment for ARRL, for whoever may be listening. Here’s my advice, carefully outlined:

1. Post updates daily, even if it’s a short update. Anything.
2. Put a human face with the response effort. This can be quite simple: just post a two minute video every other day with someone on the leadership team or someone tasked with public relations to say “hello”, “this is what we’re doing today”, “these are the challenges we’re facing”, “we got this!, ” and “be patient”. Even add some snarky humor. This is not that hard to do, but it maintains and builds reputation capital and a rapport with the community and stakeholders. I’ve been amazed over my career and in my personal dealings in the online world how far a face, humbleness, self-deprecating humor, and falling on your sword goes in a bad or challenging situation. This isn’t going to silence irrational critics, of which there are plenty, but for 95% of the people out there, it works.
3. Technical details which, if made public, may compromise the investigation are separate from details regarding the restoration efforts. Don’t stand behind an investigation, it just gives a sense of secrecy and a lack of transparency and frankness.
4. Service restoration ETAs should be communicated from day one, and with each update. Even if an ETA is “we don’t know yet” or the ETA is in weeks, rather than hours or days, it’s much better than nothing.
5. Enumerate what services are affected, as soon as the scope is known, and track them throughout the ongoing communications. Initially to the outsider this appeared to be just an LOTW outage. It turned out this also affected the phone system and various administrative systems used to provide other services and publishing of periodicals.

I honestly hope this is my last post on this. For ARRL leadership there are takeaways from this event beyond technical issues. Technical issues can be fixed with expertise, money, and time. Cultural issues are much more challenging.

This article was originally posted on Radio Artisan.

In the realm of IT, there are best practices for managing system outages, and then there are examples of what not to do. The recent actions of the ARRL exemplify the latter. Today, HQ released an update stating that they were “the victim of a sophisticated network attack by a malicious international cyber group” and that they “quickly established an incident response team.” However, it took them 21 days to provide this detailed update.

As an IT professional, I have encountered numerous challenges and learned valuable lessons over the years. One of the most critical aspects of managing an outage is communication—clear, frequent, and transparent communication. It is essential to over-communicate during such times. Additionally, having a visible leader who represents the response effort is crucial. An effective “incident response team” should not only consist of technical experts working behind the scenes but also include individuals who manage communications, reassure stakeholders, and provide key information such as estimated restoration times.

ARRL has often been subjected to unwarranted criticism, but this situation is a result of their own missteps. I question whether the attack was all that sophisticated, sensing that it was a common ransomware attack. We await the final report for details, assuming it is made public. While technical shortcomings can be understandable and even forgivable, the poor communication and lack of transparency in this instance are not. The recurring sentiment from ARRL, echoing past incidents, seems to be, “You don’t need to know.”

This article was originally posted on Radio Artisan.

Having spent nearly 30 years in the IT industry, I’ve experienced my fair share of all-nighters and multi-day outages. Whether it’s been frantically repairing dead hardware, fixing corrupted databases, or resolving perplexing network issues, these stressful situations have taught me a lot. One of the most critical lessons I’ve learned is the importance of communication during an outage. While the technical team works tirelessly behind the scenes to resolve the issue, it’s equally vital to have a team dedicated to keeping customers and stakeholders informed.

Currently, there’s a lot of speculation surrounding the multi-day ARRL LOTW outage. Without insight into the system architecture or the specifics of the outage, speculating about the root cause or assigning blame is futile. However, one area where ARRL is undeniably falling short is in their communication about the outage.

The ARRL often faces criticism, sometimes unjustly, but frequently due to its own actions. The LOTW outage is a prime example of a situation where effective communication could mitigate criticism and even garner support. Regular, sincere updates with technical details would go a long way in keeping their stakeholders informed and engaged. Given that many of these stakeholders have technical backgrounds, they would appreciate and understand the specifics.

Moreover, humanizing the recovery effort by showcasing the dedication and hard work of the personnel involved could foster empathy and support. Highlighting the individuals and the tremendous effort they are putting into resolving the issue can turn a frustrating situation into an opportunity to build trust and rapport.

In summary, effective communication during IT outages is not just about transparency, but also about building and maintaining trust. The ARRL’s current communication strategy regarding the LOTW outage is lacking, but there is a clear path to improve it. By providing regular updates and humanizing the effort, ARRL can turn this challenge into an opportunity.

This article was originally posted on Radio Artisan.