On the Web : April 2006

If you enjoy reading 'On the Web', your ham radio club can publish this column on an exchange basis with SJRA. Contact Ted, , for the exchange details.		Our contributions to the South Jersey Radio Association club bulletin "Harmonics" includes lengthy Web addresses. As the URL's can be difficult or a nuisance to type into your Web browser, the postings here should make it easier to get to the Web sites SJRA members are interested in. Look for the posting at w2xq.com at the time "Harmonics" is scheduled for delivery in the south Jersey area. Questions, suggestions or contributions are always welcome.
		Solar X-rays  Geomagnetic Field  N 3 K L

The 2006 Field Day Rules
The SJRA Field Day Site entrance is on Lower Main Street, Marlton, opposite the Indian Springs Golf Course.
GPS (Global Positioning System) coordinates are N 39° 53.162', W 74° 53.486', or use these maps.
Mapquest or Google

Ah, spring is here. Are you fixing your antennas?

The North Atlantic Hurricane season is upon us, and runs to November 30. The local television news writers attempted to scare us in early April. The Jersey shore is long overdue to be smacked. Maybe, maybe not. As radio amateurs, you can get up to date information. The 20-meter 14.325U is the well-known Hurricane Watch Net frequency, and there are a multitude of spin off Health and Welfare and emergency traffic net frequencies on the lower bands. However, if you're not involved in the effort, there is much, much more to listen to and — in my opinion — it is considerably more interesting. Hurricane Hunter aircraft, weather broadcasts from the USCG and NOAA, FEMA, FAX weather maps from CFH Halifax are just a few of the items that can be found:

Bill Snyder AA6KC's Hurricane Frequencies
www.hurricanefrequencies.com

Hugh Stegman NV6H's Hurricane Frequencies
www.ominous-valve.com/hurrlist.txt

If you need a tool to receive weather fax signals, check out Marius Rensen's HF-FAX site for everything that you need for decoding FAX signals on HF, VHF and satellite. It is the most comprehensive Web site on this subject matter. Turn the knob to www.hffax.de and have a read. Marius also covers slow scan television (SSTV) in detail.

Widgets. Dictionary.com define a widget as a "an unnamed or hypothetical manufactured article" but in computer terms it is much more. Apple's Dashboard is home to small bits of software code that do interesting things. There are thousands of widgets doing all kinds of tasks, and now the Windows XP PC getting into the game. I don't have a PC here, so I cannot test the software engine available at Yahoo. Rather than go directly to the Yahoo page, put the terms "yahoo widgets" into Google or another search engine of your choosing for lots of reading.

As a widget, on the Apple G4 iMac, takes a small bit of CPU overhead, I limit the number of widgets launched behind the scenes. On the Mac widgets run as a pop-up over the software programs currently running. For example, I run one that tunes in any BBC audio feed from the World Service down to the BBC locals, an NPR receiver (I tune it to WHYY), a NASA widget that optionally rotates among the 13 available channels, a metric converter, a widget that displays the current SOHO picture of the sun (and with a magnifer to look at the spots), and a USGS stream flow monitor (I watch the levels on the South Branch of the Rancocas Creek in Vincentown). The radio receiver widgets continue to deliver audio upon return to the main screen; relaunch Dashboard and click, again, on the receiver widget to turn off the audio. For geography needs, I also launch a widget that displays map and supporting data from the CIA Mapbook. Widgets are mostly Javascript, and the benefits far outweigh the 30k taken from the 1 GB of RAM.

If you want to try manufacturing your widget for something ham-radio specific, the Yahoo Widget page offers links to instructions on building your creation. But I would first look through the Internet to see if your desired functions are already available elsewhere. Most widgets are free, and I see no reason to reinvent the wheel. If you opt to try widgets on Windows XP, please drop me a note and tell me how they work. Most of the original widgets for the Apple have been recast in the "Universal" mode to operate on both the new Intel-based Macs and the Motorola Power PC platform.

As an aside, on April 6 Apple announced the availablity of beta Windows XP code to run Windows software (with OS X 10.4.6) on its new boxes. And the Intel-based mini-Mac, a little bit larger than a CD/DVD and less than 2 inches high, is is now shipping with a remote control for multimedia products. Add a screen, wireless keyboard and mouse, and there is an interesting little box that can run just about any software in the consumer market.

Quickies

I have updated the W3BXW Web site with pictures supplied by the repeater owner, and added a list of satellite receivers that feed the 2m and 70cm hub repeaters. Take a look at w3bxw.com. If you subscribe to the RSS news feed, you will automatically receive update notices without invoking your e-mail program.

The National Weather Service has added a new page (I think it is new...) of doppler radar images covering the United States and closeup regional views. If you have a large monitor click on the option to look at the nationwide image in full size. It is quite spectacular. Look at this page at www.nws.noaa.gov/radar_tab.php. I have many more weather forecasting and storm weather links at trsc.com/links_weather.html. I'm sure that Stan, KC2HDR, will be happy to explain terms to you if you have questions; I am not usually available during the work day. Feedback, suggestions for links, et al, are welcome.

Club Bulletin Exchange

Ted, W2TAG, is interested in doing a club bulletin exchange that would include "On The Web." If you have a friend in a ham radio club elsewhere in the USA, Canada or the world involved in a local radio club, please consider asking that person to read the this column on w2xq.com. Club bulletin exchange details with SJRA can be made by contacting directly. Thanks!

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Revised 7 April 2006

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