Monday 24 October 2011

NOAA Weather Satellites and SDR

One site I have in my Google Reader list and check regularly is the Hackaday blog


One project they recently featured was Grab your own images from NOAA weather satellites

The main project website describes using a Softrock homebrew SDR(software defined radio) to get the necessary audio file to import into WxImg decoder.

I have been toying with getting hold of the AmSat-UK FunCube SDR dongle, which is now available from Martin Lynch and Sons and using it in a similar way after seeing this article a while back.




Wednesday 5 October 2011

UVB-76 - A Wired Magazine Article


Wired magazine have an interesting article about the famous Russian 'Number Station' UVB-76

Number stations are fascinating, growing up during some one the tense periods of the Cold War I remember listening to very strange transmissions on the old short wave. It brings back memories to hear recordings of the Russian Woodpecker nowadays listeners just have to put up with the din produced by PLT devices.  



Also on the Wired magazine website was a feature about another relic of the Cold War an abandoned NSA listening post.

Tuesday 4 October 2011

Sky News Cock Up

Slight cock up on Sky News this morning, unable to watch it on Freeview due to constant promotion of Challenge and Holidays channels....

Monday 3 October 2011

National Hamfest Video by M0OGY

Nice little video of the National Hamfest by

Dave M0OGY
Chairman
BDARC North Lincolnshire UK
http://www.bdarc.co.uk/

Saturday 1 October 2011

National Hamfest 2011

Glorious sunshine today at the Newark Showground for the Hamfest, had a good time and despite the temptations didn't spend lots of money just a few books from the RSGB stand. My brother got himself a new antenna to hopefully improve his scanner reception. But the highlight of the day was him winning a 4-element 2m Yagi antenna in the prize draw! It was the last draw of the show and with six no-shows for the prize, he won it on the seventh redraw! I had jokingly said to him we will give it one more chance and then we will go....

He cannot really use it, so I currently have the antenna and may set it up if I can find somewhere to mount it!









Posted by Picasa