PA3CLQ's Leuke Linken Nr. 412
Windoze Cleanup
I've been doing some poking around in the last few days, and found how to speed up Windoze by turning off some Windoze nasties that burn cycles
and
made my machine boot and run a lot slower.
First, the Windoze 10 Upgrade Nag is called GWX, and there's a
ton of crap on your computer to make it work.
To
get rid of it, download, install, and run "GWX Control Panel" and
follow the instructions in the Help (which is a blog by the program author).
http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/
Second, go to Control Panel, then Action Center, then Change Action Center settings, then Customer Improvement Program settings, and if the
Yes
box is checked, click on No.
These two changes reduced my boot time by half. I have no easy
way to tell if it's running faster, or by how much.
Comments from IT professionals appreciated. I posted this to the NCCC and NCDXC
lists a few days ago, and got no negative comments.
73, Jim Brown
K9YC
REM :
Consider upgrading the hard disk to a SSD, it can make an old slow PC very unable.
Stephen Tompsett
REM :
Yes, I've done that with two laptops, and a recently purchased refurb Thinkpad came with an SSD.
AFAIK, SSDs only come with an SATA interface, and are not compatible with older machines that use PATA.
And, last I looked, PATA drives are awfully hard to find, maybe no longer manufactured.
I
was able to put an SSD in a T61 Thinkpad, but earlier T4x-series Thinkpads use
PATA.
An easy way to check is to go to crucial.com, download and run their test
software, which will find their brand of compatible SSDs and RAM for the
machine that you run it on.
I
have a Crucial drive in that T61, but on the advice of an IT friend, put a
Samsung EVO in another machine.
73, Jim K9YC
REM :
Bob
Beyer wrote:
I've put SSD PATA drives in a number of systems at work.
The best price point at the moment is 128 GB.
The price goes up exponentially at 256.
REM :
HI Jim
One thing you can check is your computer 'rating'.
It gives a view of how your computer is doing.
Not sure if it works on W10 the same as W7, but on my W7 machine, you left click the computer icon in the lower bottom left of the screen.
One of the choices that comes up is 'computer'.
Right click that and then click on 'properties'.
You will see a 'Windows Experience' number.
There should be a selection next to that to see what number means.
All kinds of info there.
Write the numbers down and then if you change something, you can compare 'before and after' numbers to see if it did anything.
73, Tom W7WHY
Does any one use the ZIP Electronics DigiMaster CW interface for N1MM
I know most hams use K1EL Systems for CW work in N1MM + but I hear their is a keyer called the DigiMaster CW interface that is fully assembled.
It is made in England and they clam it emulates the WinKey 2v3
If you have used it or know of someone who has I would like your input.
Thank You, Steve KK4JKQ
REM :
There have been multiple reports of bugs in the Winkey emulation in that device.
I strongly recommend sticking to genuine K1EL products or products that use genuine K1EL Winkeyer chips rather than deal with "emulations" that
may
or may not work correctly.
73, Joe, W4TV
REM :
Hi Steve,
I use the ZLP Electronics Digimaster PRO 3 interface.
This is an all in one unit which gives me a cw keyer, Data interface and CAT control all in one box and with only one USB cable from the PC.
I used to have separate data (Digimaster Datalink) and cw (K1EL Winkeyer) boxes but sold these two and replaced with the PRO 3.
I have this interfaced with N1MM + for contest work and also with another log program for general day to day use.
At first I had problems with the cw sent from the interface, whereas the K1EL was flawless, but after working with G4ZLP and alerting him
to these problems he very quickly updated the firmware and over the course of a few emails back and forward between us, he very quickly
ironed out the one or two bugs I could find until everything now works as it should and has done in the couple of years or so that I've owned his interface.
If you don't need the Data and CAT control then I would be very confident in getting just the cw interface which I see is also capable of flash updating
the firmware.
I've always found G4ZLP to be very helpfull and he has always responded very quickly to any queries I've had.
Hope this helps.
73, David MM0AMW
REM :
I used it when I first started and it worked fine.
I have the digimaster proplus with cat cw, digital,etc. for kenwood and icom,
I have updated my rig and now just use a USB cable.
In fact I am going to sell my proplus.
G4ZLP is good to work with and there is good how to set up material.
Ron Wilcox KF7ZN
REM :
The RF immunity of some keyer kits has also been an issue.
John, K3CT
REM :
Hi
all,
I too bought one of these interfaces to use with N1MM Logger.
As has been mentioned previously, it had flaws.
I too worked with G4ZLP, but after many frustrating firmware versions that got better, then worse, then unusable, then almost usable,
but which never became 100% reliable, I gave up and purchased a WinKeyer USB kit from the 'States, and have never looked back.
The
'ZLP interface is sitting in the junk box now.
73 - Stuart g1ide/m0sar
REM :
http://www.g4zlp.co.uk/unified/DigiMaster_CW.htm
http://www.g4zlp.co.uk/unified/DigiMaster_ProThree.htm
pa3clq
Maritime Radio Historical Society Mini Night of Nights For all you mechanical CW aficionados,
all of the CW sent by the Maritime Radio Historical Society is sent by mechanical keys, mostly bugs.
On February 6 they will be having a Mini Night of Nights where they will activate the old transmitters on medium wave bands.
They will also be standing by on amateur bands if you want to contact them.
Check out their latest newsletter:
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs149/1109843077277/archive/1123606110185.html
There are some YouTube videos of these operators sending code.
It is pretty amazing.
Bob AF9W
REM :
I discovered the KPH receive site 8 years ago while visiting Point Reyes.
Where is the transmit site?
73, Brian, KD6NRP
REM :
Brian:
The transmitter site is down in Bolinas about 20 miles South.
It is also a fascinating place to visit.
Ed W1EJ
REM :
The transmitter site in is Bolinas, about 20 miles south of the receiver site at Pt. Reyes (where they operate KPH/K6KPH).
The transmitters are keyed remotely from Pt. Reyes.
I was visiting my brother in nearby Petaluma in 2013 and he tagged along on a visit to KPH.
He had no idea such a gem was right there in his own back yard - he was very impressed (as was I).
Richard Dillman gave us a personal tour, when then contacted Steve Hawes, the engineer at the transmitter site,
who graciously stayed past their operating time to give us a tour of the transmitter site in Bolinas.
Interestingly, on the air they use international morse code, which we would all recognize.
At one point Richard called Steve in Bolinas over a landline circuit (in code) - but I couldn't read what Richard was sending!
When I asked him about it later, he said that while they use international morse over the air, over the landline circuits they still use continental code!
There are some interesting and talented individuals that run and maintain that site.
If you're ever in the area, it would be worth anyone's time to divert out to KPH for a visit - especially for a CW op, you will feel welcome.
Webmail dsittner dsittner@isp.com
Which Micro QRP rig do you recommend?
I've been thinking about a small qrp(cw only) rig to take on backpacking trips.
The rigs that seem to be most popular are the LNR MTR, the youkits HB1B, and the Elecraft KX1.
Do any of you have experience in comparing these rigs?
If so, I'd appreciate a brief comparison and recommendation.
Thanks, Cliff KF7KU
REM :
Like the MFJ 90xx siries and the Cubs.
Ultimately simple to use and light weight.
The perice is right for something to drag into the woods.
Performance is decent and I have taken a few of those radios camping with a light wire dipole that I can throw up in trees on a campsite and make contacts.
I have the single band MFJ rigs for 80, 30, 40 and 17M, I usually just take the 40 and 30M ones since 17 is rough without a big Yagi on a tower for QRP and
80M needs too much antenna wire for a small campground.
40 and 30 never fail to give me good QSOs over the weekend.
The one time I took the 9017 out camping I did a lot of listening and finally snagged a UA0 station, who was calling CQ, on the first try !
Just a 26 ft long dipole was all it took !
My radio is Ham Radio...CW is Real Radio
73, John...K8JD
REM :
Cliff, I have all three (the pre-LNR 3-band MTR).
If I could only keep one ("the horror, the horror"), it would be the KX-1.
Tommy laid out the case for the KX-1 vs. the MTR.
His analysis holds for the HB1B vs MTR.
Between the KX-1/HB1B and MTR, it's really a size/weight vs. ease of use decision.
If you'll be needing to match your antenna, then the KX-1's internal tuner keeps the clutter down out in the field.
As for the HB1B vs. KX-1, I find that the HB1B is marginally easier to tune around the bands.
But since I'm usually the one calling CQ, that's not a big deal for me.
Of course, what the HB1B really lacks is that Elecraft cachet . . .
John KC7DM
REM :
Hi John,
I have the MFJ 20 meter and 40 meter rigs and over the years I had a blast with them.
I use all my rigs with an end fed wire and now that the old BC stations are shut down, you can peak up one more trimmer and
get better RX sensitivity out of the rig.
Amazing who can hear the 5 watts and OH6BI is trying to work me but right now the bands are very low.
BOB AF2Q
REM :
Hi Bob,
The Cubs only run 3W (80M) and 2.5W (40M) and it's amazing.
I worked 25 states, with the 80M Cub, in the few months after I got it going with the 130 Ft dipole in my trees!
AND it was Summer-Fall when the Lightning noise is at it's worse.
I used the 40M Cub on camping trips with a dipole up 15-20 ft in trees on campsites.
Managed to work most of the midwest and eastern states with that setup !
I think the bigger 90XX rigs have a bit more selectivity and of course a full 5W !!!:D
Have Fun !
CW is Real Radio 73, John...K8JD
REM :
Hello Cliff,
I spent quite a bit of time searching for the best QRP rig for the price.
Only because cost was and still is a huge deal to me. I hate spending a lot of
money on anything.
After the review in QST about the YouKits EK1A won out.
Building it was fairly easy... but I also build quite a bit of my own
tools/parts/etc/etc.
Although, this was the first time I wound my own transformer.
Short/long.
It's small, dual band (20/40 Meter), strictly CW, memories, digital screen,
fine/quick tuning (10 hertz, 100 hertz, 1 kilohertz and 100 kilohertz)
AND it has a built in electronic keyer if you want to use it, whenever you're
not making SKCC contacts.
One gotcha, you need to hookup the straight key/bug before turning it on.
It only does a check for the type of key on power up.
This motto seems to suit me.
QRP - "Do more with less"
Mstruthers
REM :
I’m going to vote for the K1. Up to 7W out, 4 bands, killer RX, clean TX and a lot of other big rig features including a decent internal tuner.
It’s really not much bigger than the KX1 and weighs next to nothing.
It’s an awesome portable rig. 73, Steve, W1SFR
REM :
Agree 100%.
I have both of my 2 band and 4 band rigs in Pelican boxes with my small end fed tuners,4 AMP battery,65 feet of wire,ear buds,my small paddles.
The RX on these China rigs are just as good as the IC 7000 that I sold.
I searched the web and I paid $100.00 for the 2 band rig and $200.00 for the 4 band rig.
Just my 2 cents on the topic.
BOB AF2Q
REM :
Take a look and be amazed at the price.
Package received in neutral packing is possible at:
http://www.banggood.com/search/pixie-2-cw.html
USD 04.53 Yes Four USD
Much cheaper
USD 04.16
Another at:
USD 10.52
All with diagrams!
Have Fun, Jan Pieter Oelp PA3CLQ during 2 up to 29 january 2016 for 8th time QRV as "K3Y DX Operations from the Nethelands" PH6SKCC.
30 & 31 january also as K3Y with PI4OTC Have made 596 Q's, thank u all
73, your Editor PA3CLQ
-30-
My simple website about Gigantic DF-Antennas
Part 1 "DF-Antenna Wullenweber Array"
Part 2 "DF-Antenna USSR Variants"
Part 3 "DF-Antenna USA Variant"
Next Part 4 "USSR OTHRA DUGA 1,2 & 3" at: