Ars Telegraphia

Well, the results are in and the answer is …. no change.
Logger32 under XP on a desktop, notebook and netbook: Overly complex, barely fits a notebook HD screen, not a chance on the netbook. Very strange database and especially annoying rig interface. Why no band buttons? It has it’s plus points, but they aren’t enough to overcome the minuses.
CQRLOG under Ubuntu 11.10 Desktop and Netbook. Utterly bewildering. Good choice of database. GUI completely unusable. Why? Entry window way too big. Barely fits a desktop monitor. Changing font size doesn’t make it easier. Non-intuitive interface - changing CW Key definitions means going to another window and drilling down through options? No! Utterly unusable on the netbook.
Conclusion - Windows stays. N1MM stays for DXpeditions, Contests, everything. It runs properly on notebook and netbook.
Just about every other application is waaaaaay better on Linux. Not amateur radio logging. This isn’t a put down on CQR - it just needs a lot doing to make it work under most reasonable configurations. 10.1″ screens are here to stay!

Installed Ubuntu 10.04LTS on a new machine (to here). Very, very fast! Have gone ahead and upgraded through 10.10 to 11.04 to 11.10. Argh! Have now replaced the horrible Unity with an older Gnome interface. Coooooooool.

Who in their right mind designed these abominations:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DC_connector#Anderson_Powerpole_connectors

Since I first saw these things (trying to assemble and make them work on a K2 100W PA), I can only say they are a disaster. They don’t grip, to the extent they fall out at the merest touch. They are causing connector heating, burn out and bad signals due to voltage drop.

Even more insane, what fool decided that these would become “standard” connectors in Amateur Radio Emergency comms?! What was wrong with the standard 6 pin “Molex” connector and banana plugs? Nothing.

This RSS posting says it all: Morse code not on the way out

… and the link from there shows the weakness of certain other CW clubs.

Hey-ho it’s 2012. Happy New Year. Well, unfortunately it re-starts a new round of annual events.
Some are:
[CQ] DX Marathon
IOTA Marathon - two years long!
UKCW Table
FOC Windle Award
CWops ACA
Commonwealth CC
and another….
ARRL Diamond DXCC Challenge

It’s time to re-visit logging software. Unfortunately the goalposts keep moving.
I knew HB9DRV had sold HRD and was moving to Cornwall (Kernow!). I wasn’t prepared to see what the “new” HRD site has become - a mixture of PHP-Nuke (OSS) in anything but Production form and vBulletin($$$). Run for the hills?

There’s a strange new “cult” of people asking for blank QSLs “for an award”. What? Send a blank QSL to somebody? Errrr, can’t they then just fill in all their missing band slots with you and run off to DXCC? Anybody who sends a blank card out devalues instantly the entire awards system, not just DXCC. Isn’t this so obvious that it shouldn’t have to be said?

Kenwood (USA) returned the rig today. In great condition. Their comment: Repaired surge damage through paddle jack (socket) or key jack (socket) as 1 time courtesy. Inductor L17 burned open from external cause. L17 takes the common shield connection from the above jacks (sockets) to ground.

That’s nice guys, but how can a rig that’s not connected to ANYTHING die? This thing about an L from keying to true ground rings a bell…. Elecraft did the same thing and many folks have shorted the Ls! Frankly, if you get the same condition, do like the fuse issue - solder a thin strand of wire across the opened “device”.

To quote Tim G4VXE, some time ago:

“Me? I don’t think I’ll be rushing to join any morse clubs. I think I’ll just try to use morse on the bands [where it’s appropriate] and to encourage others to do the same”.