Buildathon, anyone?

Buildathons, such as those pioneered by Steve G0FUW, are now being copied around the world. A recent report describes how they are being used in New Zealand.

The report described as ‘A Model to Lift the Profile of Amateur Radio & Attract New Amateurs’ was submitted to the 14th IARU regional conference in New Zealand and highlighted the Buildathons held in United Kingdom by Steve Hartley, G0FUW.

Read the IARU report (.doc)

The 3rd Bath Buildathon

“The Buildathon will allow those with limited soldering experience to develop their skills under the watchful eye of some very experienced homebrewers. The kit chosen [...] has been specifically designed for the newcomer so you can be confident that you will go home with a working 80m voice transceiver.”

(from southgatearc.org)

Ham Radio in Computerworld mag

from southgatearc.org:

Computerworld has published an article on Ham Radio.

The article says “Abundant spectrum resources and an engaged research community are drawing wireless experimenters back into a hobby that many had forgotten.”

Read the full article at
http://tinyurl.com/ComputerWorldHamRadio

Thanks to Steve NU5D for spotting this item

New microcontroller module

Interested in getting started with microcontrollers?  From Hackaday I just found out about the mbed module.  Its development software  is online and is accessed through a browser – there’s no software to install.  Works with Windows/Mac/Linux.  $60 at Digikey, shipping in November.

Just to show you what is possible, Hackaday has a hilarious video of a Big Mouth Billy Bass hacked to quote Homer Simpson, Bill Clinton and various Monty Python skits.

Fun Java apps

Got some time to kill?  I just ran across a website with lots of fun java apps.  You can play with a circuit simulator, visualize antenna patterns or play with digital filters.

You can even play a game of Pong or get lost in a 3-D maze.

Surplus Sources

Dan KB6NU has compiled a list of places that sell surplus electronics and other stuff that might be of interest to ham radio operators:

• Mendelsons Electronics Company, Inc.
• Marlin P. Jones & Assoc.
• All-Electronics
• BG Micro The Super Store
• American Science & Surplus
• Surplus Center
• Electronic Goldmine
• All-tronics
• Web-tronics
• Herbach & Rademan
• Hosfelt Electronics Inc.
• C and H Sales Company
• Skycraft Parts & Electronic Surplus
• Halted
• Surplus Electronics and Equipment for Amateur Scientists

FCC Blogs, Twitters

On Tuesday, August 18, the Federal Communication jumped on the technological bandwagon and began “Twittering.”  Twitter allows text-based posts of up to 140 characters displayed on the author’s profile page and delivered to the author’s subscribers; to date, the FCC’s Twitter page  has almost 1900 followers.

The FCC has also started a blog called Blogband. 

Source: The ARRL Letter Vol. 28, No. 33 August 21, 2009

New QRP power source

Sounds like just the thing for QRP (so to speak…)

Urine-powered cars, homes and personal electronic devices could be available in six months, with new technology developed by scientists from Ohio University. 

Using a nickel-based electrode, the scientists can create large amounts of cheap hydrogen from urine that could be burned or used in fuel cells.

A fuel cell, urine-powered vehicle could theoretically travel 90 miles per gallon.  Read article

More soldering

Soldering of badges for a party at Defcon.  The video begins by stencilling solder paste and reflowing it using a $20 electric skillet.  About 6:30 there is some good advice about through hole soldering as well.

MFJ acquires Cushcraft

On August 7, MFJ Enterprises announced they had purchased the Cushcraft Amateur Radio antennas product line from Missouri-based Laird Technologies effective July 31. According to MFJ, Cushcraft — makers of HF/VHF/UHF vertical, beam and Yagi antennas for the Amateur Radio community — will continue to be manufactured in Manchester, New Hampshire.  Read more

Pacific Power Batteries to open in August

Pacific Power Batteries to open in August [Bellingham Business Journal]

Pacific Power Batteries, a western Washington-based commercial and retail battery company with stores in Marysville, Everett, Monroe and Mount Vernon, is opening its first franchise location at 1511 Iowa St. in Bellingham in the 2,000-square-foot former Northwest Hot Springs location.  

Pacific Power Batteries carries vehicle and marine storage batteries as well batteries for laptops, cell phones, electric razors, backup alarm systems and more.

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