Hamlib, reloaded

The Hamlib project has been working on a rig-independent API for software developers that will allow them to connect to a wide variety of ham rigs without worry about their individual interface quirks.

Lately, we have begun discussing how this project can envolve into a "version 2". There is a new blog at hamlib-developer.blogspot.com to support development of Hamlib. If you want to take an active part in the Hamlib project through this blog, please contact me.

The Hamlib project is supported at sourceforge.net/projects/hamlib, which provides a mailing list, CVS, and other amenities.

DXCC at last?

After some 49 years in amateur radio, I tallied up my QSL connection and found 101 "entities". If the League agrees, there will be a new piece of wallpaper for me - DXCC. At this pace, I will be on the honor role in about 150 years.

ARRL LOTW on Linux Fedora Core 5

If you're a hard-core Linux ham and you want to use the ARRL's "Logbook of the World" (LOTW), you are in for some work. The Linux binary software distribution is provided only for Fedora Core 3 distribution, which is now well out of date. You have to compile from source code, and even the source code is out of date with respect to current (Fedora Core 5) compilers and libraries.
Here is my cookbook recipe for how I did it on my FC5 system. I believe I've incorporated all the steps, but I would welcome your feedback if you try to replicate the results.

Fedora Core 6 is right around the corner, and FC6 may possibly require further modifications.

Added Note: The procedure has been found to work as recently as the Fedora 8 release. (12/2007)