scott's blog

Has stood several listenings, but not yet the one that makes it click. It'll happen.

Tnx X.

On first listen and a half, a stellar submission.

Thanks, X.

WB4APR posted to AMSAT-BB news about APRS-XO, an Activity written by KG4GJY that provides an APRS (Automatic Position Reporting System) implementation on the OLPC laptop.

I got the owner of our XO to agree to install it and we managed very easily. Sending took some passcode research, but once that was done N1AIA appeared on findu.com.

It's a start, but I'd rather use RF than the Internet for future position reports.

What's Margie Boulé got to say about letterboxing in the December 2 Oregonian?

To hear or read about the hobby of letterboxing might make it seem odd, or pathetic.

Yes, she's got a point there. But she goes on to compare the experience to "the excitement pirates must have felt following a treasure map."

SV1BSX on Antenna Circular Polarization.

The WA5VJB pair has been wonderful for a year, but taking a step to an Arrow II 146/437-10BP satellite antenna, sans duplexer, would enhance enjoyment and, quite likely, signals received via the birds.

I've claimed 198 QSOs for my most serious SS effort since 2001. As the lines in the log filled, my attention increasingly went to the checks. So many from the 50s through the 70s and almost none from the present decade. My soapbox for the event simply says I'd plot the curve.

I don't have a plotting program and can't bother right now with trying to figure out if OO Calc will let me draw a bell curve, but a couple of key statistics are these:

Number of Years Since First Licensed
mean ±SD = 40.38 ±12.58

Just a single check from the 21st century. That's about one-half of one percent.

On the other end of the spectrum, it was very nice to work W4KFC, licensed 75 years in 2008 and 5-time CW Sweepstakes winner.

The AMSAT SSTV gallery holds images sent by Richard Garriott from the International Space Station and copied by earthbound hams. My receptions were few and not especially impressive. I failed to make a voice contact in perhaps 45 minutes of calling with QRP and a 3-element beam.

Based on selections heard, or simply rumor, these are artists or collections I would like to get to know -- or know better -- in no particular order.

• Jeremy J? On K?
• Ran Dass?
• Trentemoller - The Last Resort
• Murcof - Cosmos
• North Sea Radio Orchestra (see below)
• Various Artists - A Treasury of Tall Tales (here)
• Fridge - Happiness
• Anjulie - Ep
• Martin Simpson & Wu Man - Music for the Motherless Child
• Tony Bennett - Crazy Rhythm
• Pine Top's Boogie Woogie
• The Sound of Jazz: Complete Edition (2005) (DVD)
• Charlie Haden - Rambling Boy
• Mike Auldridge - Tone Poems III or The Great Dobro Sessions
• Roger Webb Trio - on the Swan label?
• Count Basie Orchestra - some premier collection
• And
• there'll
• always
• be
• more...

What do you recommend?

I have watched Obama and McCain repeat themselves ad nauseum. They stay on message, churning out the same arguments, phrases, and misrepresentations of each other, regardless of the questions posed. One more chance next Wednesday to talk to those of us who have registered the message and want more depth, substance, and inspiration.