Posts Tagged ‘General’
AmateurLogic.TV 62: It’s Alive!
AmateurLogic.TV Episode 62 is now available for download.
George gets the Raspberry Pi Echolink node on-the-air. Solving the GPIO problem, building a relay interface for the Pi, and using a Circuit Writer pen to create a PC board.
Tommy reviews the new DHAP. A Hardened case, computer, power supply and more for your D-Star DVAP access point.
Peter does some time lapse photography with the Raspberry Pi camera module. Plus the usual tech talk and witty banter you can always count on.
1:05:06 of AmateurLogic to start the new year right.
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Struck by lightning
The night before last Olga and I nearly jumped out of our skins after a tremendous thunderclap which sounded as if it was just a few feet away. I wasn’t concerned for the radios as I didn’t think attic antennas would suffer from a lightning strike unless the house itself was struck but in any case both antenna switches were in the grounded position after I had heard thunder a few days earlier.
I checked both the K3 and the FUNcube Dongle which was the only other radio connected to an antenna and both seemed to be OK so I thought I had got off scot free.
That afternoon Olga noticed that the Netgear DECT Skype phones were not displaying the amount of money in the account. Later I tried to make a Skype call and was informed that Skype was offline We could still make landline calls from the phones but only if we dialled manually. Any attempt to call a number in the Contacts list using the landline received the message “The number you have dialled has not been recognised.”
Poking the Netgear base unit’s Reset button with a sharp stick didn’t solve the problem. It looks as if the SPH200D base unit is broken. I’m rather sorry about that because it’s an obsolete product and new ones are unobtainable – although eBay has a used one on offer for several times what it cost when new.
Olga uses Skype a lot to talk to relatives in Ukraine so it was very useful to have Skype connected all the time and not just when she was using the computer, but it’s looking as if we will have to live without that facility.
That evening we turned on the Humax Freetime box to watch some TV and there was no picture. We checked the voltage from the power supply, which is a small 12V 4A “brick rather than internal switched mode supply. Zero volts. We checked the fuse and that was intact. Unfortunately the Humax power supply has an unusual type of plug so I can’t use one of the collection 0f wall warts that I have in a box in the garage to test if the satellite receiver itself is working or whether it’s just the power supply that has failed.
There is no proof that lightning really did cause these items of equipment to fail – everything else including the broadband router are still working – but it’s quite a coincidence it it isn’t.. SoNow all I can do is wait until next week and order a new power supply from Humax. Oh happy days! At least we can still watch TV as I kept the old Freesat box as a backup.
Postscript. According to a neighbour a house a few streets away was damaged by the lightning bolt. Doesn’t seem near enough to have blown up two items of equipment though.
AmateurLogic.TV 61: Echolink Pi and TVduino
AmateurLogic.TV Episode 61 is now available for download.
It’s the AmateurLogic Christmas Spectacular. Join the crew and special guest for a festive holiday event.
Peter hacks his Degen SW Receiver. Tommy puts the Arduino on TV. George trudges on in his effort to use the Raspberry Pi as an Echolink node. And a hilarious look at the 2013 ALTV Holiday Gift Guide.
A 1:13:08 AmateurLogic celebration of the season and other good stuff.
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AmateurLogic.TV 60: FreeDV, JT65 & Pi
AmateurLogic.TV Episode 60 is now available for download.
George looks at FreeDV, Digital Voice for HF. Peter operates JT65 for weak-signal communications. Tommy builds a Raspberry Pi file server.
And a Major Award, the ALTV 8th Anniversary Giveaway… We give away the ultimate mobile setup from Icom, GigaParts, Diamond and MFJ to one very lucky viewer.
1:13 of AmateurLogic Goodness
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AmateurLogic.TV 59: 8th Anniversary Extravaganza
AmateurLogic.TV Episode 59 is now available for download.
Our 8th Anniversary Extravaganza. You don’t want to miss a minute of this action packed episode!
Peter declares war, Tommy reviews the Icom ID-51A, George shows how and why to use a Megger, we model the new AmateurLogic T-shirts, a Google + Hangout with show friends, info on the 8th Anniversary Giveaway, and more.
1:12:24 of AmateurLogic Celebration
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Announcing the AmateurLogic.TV Shop
Lots of you have been asking about it and it’s finally here. The AmateurLogic.TV T-Shirt and Swag Store. You’ll find designs featuring our new logo and be able to support the show and look smart at the same time.
Currently it’s just shirts, but we will be adding more products as time goes on.
www.amateurlogic.spreadshirt.com
AmateurLogic.TV 58: 2013 Huntsville Hamfest
AmateurLogic.TV Episode 58 is now available for download.
George, Tommy and Wayne’s adventure at the Huntsville Hamfest. We had a great time visiting with old and new friends and seeing new products. Peter has some footage from the 2013 DATV QSO Party. An update on our 8th Anniversary Contest and more.
1:08:39 of Amateur Radio Entertainment
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