RF Overkill?

I ran across this item this morning.  (Read the post.) Somehow, it rang a bell for me about ham radio - QRO, "radiosport", etc.  It's interesting what the average deer hunter pays out each year. It puts radio into some perspective.

Chromebook printer gotcha

The Samsung Chromebook (previous post) is a fine little machine. Simple setup, simple operation. What could go wrong? Well, try to integrate it with your home network! You can't directly connect to anything, like your printers on the network. (There are SSH and FTP apps, but they seem to work through a proxy outside the local net.) Google wants you to use its Cloud Print service (beta!), which allows you to print to a file in the cloud which is then queued for any cloud-connected print server for which you have permission.

It's on you to create a cloud print server for your local printers if you want to print from the 'book. To do this, you must 1) log in to your PC (under your ID of course), 2) run the Chrome browser, 3) set up a server process, and 4) configure sharing with any Google IDs you want to have printing. Your local PC becomes a server (and it has to be turned on), and you have to be logged in.

It's a little more complicated than that for us, since we have a number of local PC user accounts between several family members. The print server has to be configured separately for each user who might be using the PC, and each user has to share the access properly. There is no simple way to run the server as a daemon or service. (It can be done, however. See this article for a Linux method.)

What they really suggest you do is to buy a new Cloud Print friendly printer, with the server capability built it.  HP calls this "ePrint". There are quite a few models available in a low to moderate price range.  For example, the HP 6600 all-in-one. Turns out we've got the HP 6500, with no Cloud Print...

That adds $100 or so to the price of the Chromebook.  Caveat emptor.

Samsung Chromebook for the XYL

We have been struggling with some equipment failures while trying to provide a good platform for Eva to do her e-mail and other moderate computing stuff.  (Alas, our beautiful old VAIO laptop has given up the ghost.)

Enter the Samsung Chromebook.  It's really well priced, and for someone who really does NOT want the complexity of a traditional OS, and who will always have WiFi, it's just the ticket.   We think!

One more foot in the Google world, for better or worse...

Merry xmas, already, from QST

Watch "QST Holiday Video 2012" on YouTube

DC power grid still runs in San Francisco

DC Elevator Motor

Fascinating bit of techno-history persisting in the modern day.

http://spectrum.ieee.org/energy/the-smarter-grid/san-franciscos-secret-dc-grid .

In the early days (ca 1920) some hams could run their radios with the "B+" (plate voltage) coming straight from the DC power mains, saving money on expensive power supplies.  But if you needed high voltage for your transmitter's final, you might have needed a motor-generator (dynamotor). That would have been a big expense compared with an AC transformer/rectifier.

Least Helpful Message Yet

"...government officials are urging people to plan for the worst." (CNN Report, concerning NYC & Hurricane Sandy.)

As in the end of the world?  I'm more optimistic than that.

Antenna repair

Andrew from XX Towers inspected and adjusted the AA6E antenna farm today.  The SteppIR and mast are now pinned to the rotator.  No more windmilling unless something breaks!  We have a new Hallas-style 80 / 30 M sleeve coupled dipole, too.

So we are now officially restored after Tropical Storm Irene last year. Just.in.time.for.Sandy.  Grit teeth.

If this is the new climate regime in Connecticut -- one Tropical Storm / Hurricane per year -- I don't care for it.

Sic Transit Gloria Mundi

I see that the Hilberling PT-8000A has replaced my Elecraft KX-3 on the top line of the Sherwood receiver test results.

The Hilberling commands about 17x the price of the Elecraft.  On the other hand, it is provided in your choice of five designer colors.

(tks I0GEJ.)