What's The Oddest Thing You've Bought At A Hamfest?

I've got a real affinity for the unusual and the quirky. It can be radios, time pieces, dogs, tropical fish, computers, you name it. If it's quirky and catches my eye (and I can afford it), it often follows me home.

So it is with hamfest finds. Time was, I'd go to a hamfest and fill my truck with all sorts of odd stuff, often stuff with zero connection to ham radio or communications in general. Radiation detector? Check. Rifle bayonet? Check. WWII British 'Brody' helmet? Check. Military backpack? Check. Old National Geographics? Check. An old rotary-style pay phone? (Almost) check. 

So it was, years ago at a local hamfest, that I was wandering the boneyard and spied a large cardboard box labeled '$10 for anything in this box'. I peeked in and found a bunch of stuff that had nothing to do with ham radio. But boy, what neat stuff! The seller said everything in the box was from an SK estate and he wanted to get rid of it all, fast. I only bought two items - a set of binoculars (more about those in a minute), and this beauty, a Swiss made Bolex D8L 8mm camera:

I don't shoot 8mm movies (although you can still buy the film), but I am a great admirer of optical instruments and exquisite industrial design. Let me tell you, this little jewel registers a full 10 on the industrial design meter. Built at a time (between 1959 and 1961) when manufacturers could lavish time and materials on practical items, and sprinkled with just enough Rube Goldberg (look him up) inspired meters, setting switches, levers, winding keys, triggers and lens ring adjustments to keep even the non-Asperger's among us fascinated for hours. All wrapped up in polished aluminum, chrome and Morocco leather

For me, the icing on the cake are the lenses. Manufactured by Kern in Switzerland, they are high end optics and were, I'm sure, a large part of the overall cost of the camera. Never heard of Kern? At one time they competed with another Swiss company, Wild, as a world-leading manufacturer of optical surveying equipment, binoculars, and other high end optical instruments.

I displayed this on a shelf for a time, then tucked it away in a camera bag. A few days ago, while doing a major clean-out, I stumbled on it and almost tossed it on the junk pile (after all, I only paid $10 for it), but as I got it in my hands I once again was captivated by the craftsmanship and design. No, no junk pile for this beauty. I'll likely mount it on a table tripod and offer it to my granddaughter as a classic example of what was once possible without microprocessors, wi-fi and the internet.

Now, the binoculars. These came out of the same box and, again, for just $10. A pair of very dusty/grimy Bausch & Lomb 7 x 50 binoculars. I recognized the design instantly, and I hoped they were US military marked (both the Army & Navy used this design from WWII through the 1980s), but they carried only commercial markings. This meant they were likely made soon after WWII for sale on the civilian market. I took them home, cleaned the grime off of the outside, then carefully cleaned the optics. I expected scratches, rub spots and/or damaged coatings on the glass. To my delight, the optics were in great shape, almost perfect. The eyepiece focus rings were a little stiff but, considering the age, that's to be expected. I shipped them off to an optical repair shop in Arizona with instructions to inspect and provide an estimate of repair. Late one Friday afternoon I got a call from the shop. They had inspected the binoculars and told me they were in nearly perfect condition, physically and optically. The only thing the shop recommended was to do a routine service, make sure there was no fungus starting to grow on the inside (a common problem with binoculars of this era), check the collimation (the alignment of the two halves of the binoculars) and seal everything up. A few weeks later I had my binos back, and they have been one of my go-to pairs ever since.  

So that's my odd hamfest find story. Do you have one? Let's hear it!

W8BYH out

Playing Doctor

"Dr. Hackenbush, I presume?"

A few days ago I went rummaging through our closet looking for a specific type of bandage to cover a boo-boo. Nothing major, no blood on the floor, no protruding bones, just a minor injury in an unusual spot that needed a specific type of bandage. I was sure we had what I needed, because I remember putting them in the first aid supply box a few years ago. But they were not to be found. OK, no problem, I went out to our camper (parked in our driveway), rummaged through the camper's first aid kit, found what I needed, poached a few other items from the box, checked the expiration dates on some of the meds and then headed back to the house. It dawned on me that I'm in the 'rob Peter to pay Paul' stage of medical readiness, and it was time for a refresh on all of our first aid supplies.

We have three separate first aid supply stashes - one in the house, one in the camper and one in my truck. The house kit is really a pile of supplies that sits on a shelf in our linen closet, and it's the supply that gets used most. Lots of band aids, gauze, wraps, tape, antibiotic ointment, etc. We probably completely turn over that supply every 18 months, particularly band-aids and antibiotic ointment (Neosporin).

The first aid kit in the camper has a slightly different focus. That kit is specifically stocked to support my wife and I with a higher level of care while on the road and camping. The idea is to be as self sufficient as possible for a week or more with no access to regular non-prescription supplies like you'd find at Wal-Mart. So, more gauze, more tape, more bandages, but also things like OTC pain killers (Tylenol, Motrin, Imodium, aspirin, etc.), betadine wipes, burn gel, electrolyte powder, cold packs, splint rolls, oral tooth pain killer, oral thermometer, even water purification packs. We don't want minor bumps, bruises and scrapes to grow into something that impacts our camping adventures.

The first aid kit in my truck is a subset of the camper kit. It travels in a smaller box and leaves out a lot of  the more esoteric components of the larger kit, like the dental care items and the electrolyte powder. Plus it's easy to transfer to my wife's car if we decide to use that for traveling.

So... hi-ho, hi-ho, off to Amazon I go, and I'll say this - thank the Lord for generics! While this re-stock wasn't cheap, the price could have almost doubled if I bought name brands vs. generics. Just price Neosporin ointment against a generic of the same compound. The generic is roughly 20 - 30% cheaper. And antibiotic ointments like Neosporin get used a lot in my house.

Many would say, "Hey, things don't really expire, you can keep them around longer and they'll be just fine". I'm on board with that thinking when it comes to things like gauze, tape, etc. But medication I have in my truck kit are subject to some wild temperature swings - below freezing in the winter, well over 100 degrees in the summer. Medications in the truck kit get tossed on schedule. I check the non-medications (again, gauze, tape, band-aids, exam gloves etc.) to make sure they are still securely packaged and haven't degraded due to heat and cold, and I'll toss those too if they look a little suspect.

These mobile first aid kits get stored in clearly marked waterproof containers. For years I'd just buy the pre-stocked kits like those offered by Johnson & Johnson and the Red Cross. They are a good way to get basic supplies in a single purchase, but I've always found the box or container they come in to be less than ideal. Down through the years I've tried other options like tackle boxes (first got the idea watching the great Jack Webb series 'Emergency' when I was a kid), ammo cans, backpacks, tool boxes and more. 

"Dammit Roy,  you grabbed the wrong box.
 It's full of spinner baits, not bandages!"

But what I've settled on are clearly marked hard cases made by a Canadian firm called Nanuk. Nanuk is a competitor to Pelican, but in my opinion the Nanuks are better designed and built, and cost about the same. The cases are just simple empty waterproof boxes, so all the supplies get put into Ziplock bags and labeled by content type (roll gauze, tape, medications, adhesive bandages, etc.). 

Nanuk makes excellent cases that beat Pelican in design and quality

There's one key supply item that I can't get for myself, and that is oral antibiotics. In my serious prepper days I explored getting a supply of oral antibiotics as part of my apocalypse preparedness, but never perused it. It would have required going to my family doctor, explaining I was preparing for the end of the world, and gee, wouldn't it be a good idea to have a supply of antibiotics on-hand just in case? 

Last summer my wife and I went on an extended camping vacation up through Kentucky, Ohio and Michigan, with a lot of stops along the way. The goal was to get to western Michigan for a family wedding, and we were scheduled to camp there for about a week. The campground was crowded, the heat was awful (it was during the 2025 summer heat dome that impacted much of the eastern US). We had our three dogs with us, and they were on edge because of the heat, the campground noises, the lack of a yard to play in. One of our dogs, while he's great with humans, can be aggressive towards other dogs, particularly other males who also think they rule the world. One day while out walking him, he got into an argument with another aggressive male. The lady holding the leash was incapable of controlling her large dog, and the two tried to lunge at each other. I pulled my dog back, and stepped between them to try to break things up, but in the mele my dog managed to nip me good on the calf. It was an accident - he was going for the other dog, not me. My calf just got in the way. Accident or not, I had two puncture wounds. So, we're in a state far from Georgia, and one that might not look too kindly on an 'aggressive' animal from out-of-state with no verification of vaccination other than a collar tag. And, we had a wedding to attend the next day. No way was I going to head to an ER or urgent care center unless absolutely necessary. I knew my dog was vaccinated, so there was no threat of rabies. I had plenty of Neosporin, bandages, gauze and tape to handle the two puncture wounds, but there was a serious threat of infection. Dog's teeth, and all that. I flushed out the two bites, applied pressure bandages, and remembered that I had brought along some 'left over' amoxicillin that had been prescribed to me for dental surgery a few months prior. There was enough for a 5 day round of treatment. 

The decision to not go to an ER was a carefully calculated one. The wounds were clean and well bandaged, the pain was under control, and my mobility was fine, I knew the dog didn't have rabies.  On the other hand, if I did go to the ER an unnecessary chain of events could have kicked off that would place my dog in quarantine, causing us to have to extend our stay in Michigan by weeks, add additional cost to the trip, and ruin the back half of our vacation. The single factor that tipped the calculation in favor of continuing without an ER visit was the availability of antibiotics. If I hadn't brought those along I think my wife would have forced me to the hospital.

There are lots of other ways to get hurt while camping - burns, puncture wounds, cuts and scrapes, falls, walking into tree branches, twisted ankles, etc. Pretty much the kinds of things that can happen around home. But when camping you are not around home (that's the whole idea of camping, right?), and you are not around the medical system that you depend on for support. This means non-critical self-care is more important than at home. So, a robust first aid kit stocked with supplies and medications specifically chosen to treat camping-related injury and health issues is important. 

I now consider prescription antibiotics a key component of this first aid kit. But how to get them (legally)? There's a few ways. One is to ask your family doctor. Another is to turn to one of the on-line pharmacies. These have been operating in the US for years (they are the same kinds of outfits that will sell you the 'little blue pills' after asking a few 'discreet' questions). Prices are a higher than if you get them through your family doctor, but nobody's going to ask you why you need them, or require an office visit. Some companies like Jase Medical will sell pre-packaged kits of a broad range of medications for survival or emergency use, but geeze, those are expensive. I'm a believer in buying generic and in bulk, and being aggressive in tossing out expired medications. A few days ago I bought a supply of amoxicillin from an on-line provider called TelyRx, and the cost came out to about $1.80 per capsule after the medical review fee and shipping were calculated in. This will ensure my wife and I have enough medication for each of us to have a regular 7-day course of treatment.

But what else goes in the kit? On this, I rely on the advice of a few close friends and relatives who work in emergency medicine. Two in particular have long term ER and trauma center experience, one serving as a SF combat medic in Afghanistan. The secret is... nothing exotic or fancy. Lots of gauze, tape, Ace bandages, hand sanitizer, antiseptic wipes, antibiotic ointment (Neosporin), lots of Band-Aids for the small but very common ouchies, anti-itch cream, some Quick Clot for small cuts, cold packs, burn gel, exam gloves and face masks, and a selection of common OTC medications like acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Motrin), low dose aspirin and Imodium. I leave out all the prepper and apocalyptic silliness like decompression needles, combat tourniquets, suture kits, IV starter kits, iodine tablets for treating radiation poisoning, etc. 

Also important is an inventory sheet, one that stays in the kit so you know what and how much to re-stock. I maintain a list in spreadsheet format and print it out and tape it to the inside of the case lid. As you see below, I also segregate most of the kit components into ziplock bags. This makes sure the individual contents are easy to find and identify, and the bags keep the individual contents dry and clean. 

The kit I keep in my truck, under the passenger seat. Note the two hand sanitizer
packets taped to the inside lid. A neat trick I picked up that allows the user to easily clean
his/her hands before rummaging around in the kit contents

As mentioned above, medical supplies are subject to heat and humidity damage, especially if the kit is stored in a car or truck where temps can range from sub-freezing to well over 100 degrees. This is why my vehicle kit holds only the minimum amount of medications. Some antibiotic ointment, hydrocortisone cream (for bug bites), antiseptic wipes, burn gel, hand sanitizer and quick cool packs. Everything else is gauze, tape and bandages, which are less susceptible to heat and cold. The larger camper first aid kit gets stored in the house when we're not camping, since the camper can get quite hot and humid when in storage over the summer months. 

By now I know many of you are yelling at your screen, "What about training?!" Excellent question, and I'll admit it's been a while since I've taken a first aid course. But I've taken basic and advanced first aid all through my military career (it was an annual requirement in most of my jobs), and kept up with it in a fashion after retirement from the Army. While I could use a refresher, I think it's fair to say that the basics really haven't changed in the last quarter century (check for a pulse, clear the airway, stop the bleeding, etc.), and the goal of these kits isn't to be able to perform emergency surgery, but treat minor wounds and if necessary stabilize for treatment at a hospital or clinic. No picnic table appendectomies or treating 50 caliber gunshot wounds. But I promise, I'll get more training before the end of the year.

W8BYH out

Framework 12

A few months ago I tested a laptop with an ARM-based Snapdragon CPU, an experience that left me frustrated as heck. First off, it was a very good laptop (an HP Omnibook), and offered everything I was looking for - snappy performance, excellent battery life, a great keyboard. It was a really good all-around laptop. But, compatibility quickly became an issue. ARM processors are not built on the conventional Intel x86 architecture, the architecture that has dominated the Windows PC industry for decades. The Snapdragon processor is built on a RISC (reduced instruction set) architecture designed specifically to optimize speed and low power consumption. An ideal combination for laptops. Apple's incredibly successful M-series processors (M1 - M5) used in its MacBooks and iPads are also a type of RISC processor.

Since the Snapdragon is not an x86 architecture, it achieves x86 compatibility a few ways. The ARM compatible version of Windows 11 will do an on-the-fly conversion of x86 instructions to ARM instructions, many large software developers (like Microsoft) have released ARM-native versions of their applications, and there are hardware emulators built into the newest versions of Snapdragon processors to handle the translation. Any way you look at it, running a native Windows application on a Snapdragon-based computer is a fancy parlor trick, but it's a parlor trick that works... mostly.

What I quickly found out is that Icom has not developed ARM-compatible versions of their COM port drivers, and based on internet chatter doesn't intend to. This means that you can't connect with and control any current production Icom radio using a computer running a Snapdragon processor. I can drive my Elecraft, Kenwood and Yaesu radios using this laptop, but not my Icoms. And I'm an Icom guy. Grrrrr....

Back to an Intel x86 computer, and the star of this post.

I've got a stack of aging Windows laptops. Some can't be upgraded to Windows 11, others work just fine but have dying batteries. I figured it was time for an x86 refresh, but I didn't see anything in the general laptop lineups from Dell, HP, etc. that would cause me to spend my money. My want list was pretty simple, except for that last bullet item:

• Small form factor - 12" - 13" screen
• Intel x86 compatible processor
• Above average battery life (whatever that means)
• Touchscreen
• Backlit keyboard
• Minimum 16 GB of system memory
• Minimum 512 GB of storage
• Rugged construction
• Easy to open for repairs and upgrades, particularly for battery replacements

I refuse to purchase any laptop that I can't easily open for upgrades and repairs. After spending 18 years at the World's Busiest Airport managing generations of laptops and field data collection devices, and seeing most of them die before their time due to battery issues, I'm not going to buy anything I can't easily fix myself. Note the emphasis on easily. There are plenty of repair shops that, for a few hundred bucks, will crack open your dead Surface Pro or MacBook to do a battery replacement, but the disassembly process is akin to open heart surgery, and just as risky.

Several years ago, while watching a post on the popular Linus Tech Tips YouTube channel, I heard about a new startup that was going to manufacture laptops that were fully repairable and upgradeable. In fact, they were being designed so that, with a single screwdriver, the owner could easily and safely open the laptop and replace the storage, the battery, the keyboard, the display, and even the motherboard. The idea was that you would buy the 'frame' of the laptop - the shell - and fill it with the components you wanted. Hence the name of the company - Framework. Framework's first product was a 13" laptop. The reviews and comments were very interesting, almost polar opposite in many respects. Half of the  reviewers said it was an interesting product, but the specs were middle-of-the-road (they were), it was more expensive than it should be given the specs (it was), and for the average laptop buyer probably wasn't worth the investment (I'd agree). The other half gushed over it. saying that the design philosophy was revolutionary (it was), that the laptop delivered on it's promise of complete repairability (it did), and that Framework would eventually come along with easy to install upgrades that improved system performance (they did). The Framework 13 quickly struck a chord with a large user community that, like me, was fed up dealing with expensive laptops that could not be economically repaired. The Framework 13 took off, and became such a strong seller that Framework often reported availability issues. 

Framework continued to develop new products, and recently introduced both 12" and a 16" models. It's the 12" model that caught my eye. It's a 2-in-1 design, with a touchscreen that can be folded back to create a tablet. This is touted as Framework's 'education' model - ruggedly built with a plastic encased metal chassis built to MIL-STD-810 standards. It's not waterproof, or even water resistant, but it can take a few knocks. It can be had with Intel i3 or i5 Lunar Lake series CPUs, a variety of system memory and storage options, and Framework's unique interchangeable connector modules (for USB, HDMI, audio, Wi-Fi, etc). Like with the Framework 13, reviews of the 12 ranged from it being little more than a toy that offered poor performance for the price, to the greatest thing since sliced bread. During my research I kept coming back to a few level headed reviewers that said the Framework 12 wasn't perfect, but within a well defined use case, it's actually a very good option. It just so happened that the 'well defined use case' closely matched my requirements (bulleted above), with one major omission - the back-lit keyboard.

Buying the Framework 12 was a leap of faith, but a carefully considered one. It gets good reviews from people I trust, has a strong user community, and the company operates with a remarkably open philosophy and actively listens to its customer base. I figured if it failed to live up to my expectations it would be an easy sell on the Framework used market (one person-to-person used sales stream is actually hosted by Framework itself, on their website). 

I've had it for a few weeks now, testing it out and running it mainly for digital mode operations, JS8CALL and Winlink. My impressions so far:

• Since it's using an Intel CPU, no compatibility issues with Icom's COM port drivers
• Build quality is actually very good. The chassis doesn't flex any more than other, far more expensive laptops I've owned (i.e., MacBooks)
• The keyboard is a sore spot. The typing experience is very good, but the fact that it's not backlit is aggravating. In fact, within the user community the lack of a backlit keyboard is one of the biggest complaints. But here's something interesting - apparently there is an unused power pin on the keyboard connector that could be used to power back lighting. Speculation is that Framework may develop a backlit keyboard, and it would be a simple matter of popping out the old and dropping in the new. Try that with your Dell or HP laptop.
• The screen resolution, color balance and touch responsiveness is very good. Far better than many reviewers would have you believe
• The modular port design (USB, HDMI, Wi-Fi, etc.) is brilliant. You can have up to four external ports on the Framework 12, but because they are all swappable modules, you can move ports around. One of the neat features is the ability to place USB-C charge ports on both sides of the laptop, a common complaint on even high end models from other manufacturers. And if a module breaks - say a USB-C module fails - we're not looking at a motherboard-level repair. Just buy another USB-C module from Framework (for a whopping $11), plug it in, and keep chugging along
• Battery life. Well, not bad, but not great. The i5 Lunar Lake CPU is well regarded for its low power draw, so I think the issue is the battery doesn't have enough capacity. Now, the laptop will run for almost 6 hours, but I was hoping for something closer to 8. The battery is easily replaced, so perhaps Framework will make a higher capacity battery available?
• Overall performance. I'm not gaming, running SolidWorks or retouching photos with Photoshop. My computing needs are fairly pedestrian. Ham radio apps, office apps, web browsing, basic stuff. So far, the Framework 12 is more than adequate. In fact, it's downright snappy. No complaints there.
• Repairability is best in class. See what the iFixit folks have to say:

On to the single biggest complaint about the entire Framework lineup - the price/performance ratio. I'll be honest - for the specs they offer, Framework is at the high end of the price range when compared to Dell or HP offerings. But there are good reasons for this. First, volume. Framework is a niche manufacturer. For every laptop they sell, Dell and HP sell thousands. Framework can't take advantage of the economies of scale that Dell and HP enjoy. Next, bloatware. Framework sells computers. HP, Dell and even Apple sell gateway drugs, hardware devices loaded with bloatware specifically designed to squeeze money out of you at every turn by selling entertainment, gaming and cloud services. You are paying for the delivery platform, then paying for the content the delivery platform delivers. Manufacturers can shave their hardware margins knowing they'll make it up in on-line sales platforms, and they'll also broker your personal data for extra cash. This is why an HP or Dell laptop will always cost hundreds less than a similarly spec'd Framework. There's just no way around the cost differential - Framework's will always cost more. If you are interested in one of their laptops, you'll just have to accept that. 

To sum things up, I really like this little laptop. With a few exceptions, it's meets all of my requirements and the repairability aspect provides me a lot of peace of mind. I'll pop back in the future with any updates, good or bad, but expect to see this laptop showing up a lot in pictures of my field operations.

W8BYH out

It's Alive!

Like Frankenstein (or maybe Lazarus?), a bit of ham radio software I thought was dead seems to have arisen.

JS8CALL

I've written a lot about JS8CALL over the years, and was an early adopter when the developer, Jordan Sherer, KN4CRD, first released it back in 2019. It's weak signal keyboard-to-keyboard chat properties were unmatched at the time, and I always thought the program had a lot of potential in the EMCOMM world. Jordan took JS8CALL through several development cycles, all the way up to version 2.1 or 2.2, then development stalled. My guess, and it's only a guess, is that life simply got in the way. Jordan's a young guy and family, work and other interests likely pulled him away from ham radio and JS8CALL development. JS8CALL remained good software, but there was no forward movement. No new features, no bug fixes. It was going stale.

From the beginning, Jordan published JS8CALL as open source, and the code and packages were always available on Github. I think he understood that the time would come when another developer or team would have to carry JS8CALL forward. Starting in 2025, a small development team began work on an improved version of JS8CALL, which led to some 'Improved' releases starting in late 2025. In February 2026 the newest Improved version was released, version 2.5.2.  

It looks like Joe Counsil, K0OG, is herding the development cats on the Improved versions, and it's interesting to read the developer discussions on the Github threads. The team, particularly Joe, have a clear-eyed vision of what JS8CALL's role is, what is good at, what it's not good at, and likely never will be good at. This is a refreshing perspective. The developers understand there are better formal messaging applications available (Winlink, VarAC and even Fldigi), so their goal is to make JS8CALL a very robust weak signal chat tool, not a do-everything application. 

Here's a screen capture of part of a discussion thread regarding building an automatic missing message frame request tool into the application. I think Joe and Chris, AC9KH's comments are refreshing in their honesty about JS8CALL functionality:

Joe, K0OG, notes: 'This was discussed at the beginning of JS8Call, and I think the conclusion was (and I still agree with this) that there are better tools already available to do this, and JS8Call is not intended to be the best tool for formal messaging. This is partly due to upper-case-only text. In my opinion, JS8Call is good for coordination, informal chat, and very-light messaging duties, strong points being the mesh network and weak-signal capability. For more-reliable messaging, at the time I recommended the Fldigi-based toolset. I would still recommend that (there are some excellent weak-signal modems with FEC, and ARQ can be used with some of the tools), but also now Vara-based tools are good. I suggest that as a strategy, this is not something we need to do with JS8Call.' (my emphasis)

While JS8CALL was sitting dormant I dropped my support for the platform as a standard emergency communications tool. The weak signal chat and coordination mission was still there, but if JS8CALL was approaching orphanware status, I really couldn't recommend it. Now that development has ramped back up and a serious development community is plugging away at improvements and bug fixes, I think it's time to give JS8CALL another try.

W8BYH out

The IC-705 In Fixed Station Mode

For me, the Icom IC-705 radio has been a very frustrating radio. One one hand, as a transceiver it's typical Icom. That means it's great. Icom builds excellent radios, and their user interface is the result of almost two decades of tweaking. It is perhaps the best in the industry. It's also, by a long stretch, the easiest radio to run on digital modes next to the IC-7300, which says a lot. The internal design is an engineering marvel, particularly considering how cool the little radio runs, even  under constant digital mode operations (by comparison, the new Yaesu FTX-1 gets hot enough to light cigarettes off of).

On the other hand it's typical Icom in some not-so-good ways. An awkward case design, poor RF shielding, limited on-board battery capacity, a over-sized tuner that seems an after-thought, outdated connector technology (MicroUSB vs USB-C), a single combined HF & UHF/VHF antenna connector, overpriced accessories, and the need to buy expensive software (Icom's RS-BA1 package) just to get the radio to run properly on digital modes.

Honestly, the easiest way to get over most of these shortcomings is to buy an IC-7300 and take it to the field. The IC-7300 is a better field radio than the stock IC-705. There, I said it.

This leads to what will be a contentious observation. The IC-705 can be a better shack radio than the IC-7300. Not out of the box, of course. It takes some work (and expense), but it is possible to piece together a radio system, with the IC-705 at the center, that meets or beats the IC-7300 in fixed base operations. 

So why can the 705 perform better than the 7300? Two things: wi-fi and Bluetooth. These two features, not found in the first generation IC-7300, can make shack operations much more effective. The built-in wi-fi capability allows you to take your radio control interface remote, to the next room or the next continent. Bluetooth is much more 'local' due to it's limited range, but the radio's Bluetooth capability means it can connect to a variety of Bluetooth devices like headphones, microphones, speakers and other devices.

(Let me pause and mention an elephant in the room - the new IC-7300MK2 which is hitting the store shelves as I write this. This new Icom has built-in network capability, but not wi-fi. You still need to hard-wire it (via CAT6 cable) to a router or other node, which can be wireless. So the IC-7300 gets us further down the road in terms of connectivity, but it's not natively wi-fi capable.) 

OK, so what's needed to get the IC-705 up to snuff as a fixed station radio? Here's my list:

• An amplifier with an integrated tuner. I'm using a HobbyPCB Hardrock 50 amp with a built-in tuner and a Bluetooth IC-705 interface (another good use for Bluetooth). The interface automates band switching and antenna tuning from the IC-705. A very slick and effective integration.
• Duplexer. The 705 is both HF & UHF/VHF, but only has one antenna connector. Antenna switching is a real pain, and reflects one of the 705's design shortcomings. An antenna duplexer can fix this, so you can move from HF to VHF seamlessly without worrying about antennas and SWR. A duplexer is a bit clunky to drag to the field, but works fine in the fixed station mode.
• Bluetooth headset & microphone. A feature that can free you up to move around the shack, or at least relieve you of the tyranny of the corded microphone. I use Icom's own VS3 Bluetooth mic & earbuds. It works quite well and allows me to roam in Bluetooth range and still engage in conversations. It works well with a wide range of Icom (and Kenwood!) Bluetooth enabled radios.
• Software. The worst thing about Icom's RS-BA1 software is that you MUST have it to run digital modes, because of the 705's RF shielding problems. That said, the software is useful in this fixed station mode because of the radio control it provides over wi-fi. It also does an excellent job of out-boarding the band scope functionality. When connected via wi-fi I can carry my laptop to anywhere that I'm in range of the wi-fi node (my home wi-fi or my phone hotspot).
• Remote tuning knob. Nobody's made a good remote tuning knob for desktop rigs since Ten-Tec left the market. Their Model 302 remote knobs with keypad were exceptional. I used one with my Jupiter and it fundamentally changed how you operate the radio. One of the best features was that the remote plugged into the radio and controlled it directly. I know hams who bought Ten-Tec radios specifically to get that remote knob functionality, it was that good. Today, with the exception of Elecraft and their K-Pod, no other manufacturer offers a direct connect remote knob for their radios. Icom, however, comes close. Their RC-28 remote tuning knob doesn't connect directly to the radio, but interfaces with it via the RS-BA1 rig control application via USB. In typical Icom fashion, it very well built, over priced, and offers only limited functionality. But the functionality it does offer is well executed in the RS-BA1 software interface. I have my RC-28 configured to do frequency steps up/down with button clicks, initiate a tuning sequence, change pre-amp settings, and can be used as a PTT switch when using a Heil headset. 

When wired up, this combo makes a very good fixed station setup. Everything works quite well, plus there's the added bonus of having VHF & UHF available, and DSTAR (important in Georgia for state-wide emergency coverage).

Hams get grumpy when a radio doesn't offer all the features they want. I'm as guilty of this as anyone. But I also come from a communications environment - the US Army - where most radios were modular. You had the transceiver as a single low power unit, but then you were issued a separate battery module, power supply, amplifier, digital interface, antenna matching unit, vehicle mount, and more. Nothing was 'all-in-one', and this is a sound approach for ham radio. The IC-705 is a very good hub around which you can build an effective fixed station setup. But in the field, trying to operate at more than 10 watts... like I said, you're better off with an IC-7300.

W8BYH out

A New Computer and Oh, What a Mess

In my last post I discussed a bit about my search for a new computer. At the time, I was keeping an eye on the pricing moves for two computer models, the Microsoft Surface 13" laptop and the ASUS ProArt 13. Both get good reviews and feature the new SnapdragonX ARM-based CPU

Well, I got tired of waiting and watching. I took the recommendation of an on-line reviewer that I trust and I bought an HP Omnibook 14. WalMart was offering it at a good price, several hundred dollars below both the Microsoft and ASUS units. Like the Microsoft and ASUS computers, it uses the SnapdragonX CPU.

Why Snapdragon? I'm after the advertised improved battery life the CPU offers, plus I've never played around with a computer that runs that processor. Since the Snapdragon processors use the ARM architecture and not an x86 one, I knew there were likely to be some compatibility issues with certain apps, but I figured I'd give it a go. What can I say, I like living on the edge.

My intent was to create a stripped down Windows laptop for use in the field. Something running a lean version of Windows 11. Only the absolutely essential Windows services, and no local or cloud-based Copilot spyware. As much as I like the idea of a Linux computer (I'm currently experimenting with a Mint-based laptop and desktop), I still need Windows in the field for one critical ham radio app - Winlink. 

Unfortunately, it seems Microsoft has other plans for my new laptop. It shipped with Windows 11 Home edition (as most do these days). Win11 Home no longer allows the creation of local accounts - you MUST connect to the Microsoft Borg via the internet and use a Microsoft account to activate the operating system. Until you do that, the new computer you paid good money for won't work. You will be assimilated. 

I'm not being dramatic here. Microsoft openly and somewhat crassly admits that their intent is to turn the computer you paid for into little more than an AI-driven dumb terminal that is hard-wired to Microsoft's Azure-based sales, services and gaming ecosystems, and snoops on everything you do.

So my OmniBook arrives, I go through the Microsoft setup process, reboot and... Good God, the bloatware! Why the hell does an operating system keep trying to stuff useless ads and announcements in my face? It's pervasive - it's EVERYWHERE. And it's not just Microsoft. HP has loaded their own layers of bloatware onto the computer that overlaps with Windows. Bottom line - as delivered, Windows 11 isn't an operating system, it's crapware.

Within 30 minutes of firing up this new laptop for the first time, I was thinking seriously about putting Linux Mint on it. Windows 11 is that bad.

The good news is that help is available. I ranted about my frustrations on Facebook, and a good friend contacted me to let me know about a couple of apps that de-bloat windows. The one I tried is called Revision (revi.cc). Revision acts as a configuration manager. When you run it, Revision goes in and makes configuration and registry changes to Windows 11 that switch off the bloatware and spyware settings. As far as I can tell, Revision doesn't delete anything (unless you direct it to), it merely turns off those bits in Windows that allow all the bloat. Revision will also shut down Copilot and Microsoft365. This breaks the cursed hard link to OneDrive and Copilot in the cloud.

Revision accomplishes a lot, but it can't do everything. Since it only touches the Windows settings I still needed to manually delete all the HP crapware. Then there was the annoying default directory settings for things like documents and photos that kept pointing to OneDrive, even though I shut down the OneDrive application. Revision doesn't correct this, but the fix is easy - go to the local folder properties window, click the Location tab and reset the target location so it doesn't point to OneDrive (or click Restore Default).The fact that you have to do this yourself, and Microsoft doesn't make it easy to find instructions on the process, reinforces my feeling that Microsoft doesn't give a crap about the individual license holder. 

The effort, however, was well worth it. Revision did a great job of shutting down the bloatware, breaking the OneDrive and Copilot dependencies, and stripping Windows down to it's basic role as an operating system. I highly recommend it.

And yet I know that Windows, in all its bloated glory, is bubbling just beneath the floorboards, waiting for any opportunity to pop back up. Windows is always just one update away from a version that will trigger a procedure that blocks Revision and other third party Windows configuration apps. How do I know this? Well, a few days ago I did a Windows update on the laptop, and to my surprise, the Microsoft Store app was back, flooding my Start and Search menu windows with annoying ads for garbage I have zero interest in. This is an app that I deleted when I ran the Revision software. Somehow, some way, the Windows update snuck the app back in. Microsoft isn't going to give up, and they hold all the cards when it comes to Windows configuration options. I have no doubt that once the number of Windows installs that have Revision (or a similar tool) applied crosses some unstated threshold, Microsoft will decide enough is enough, and it will punish the peasants by blocking these configuration apps. Bastards.

 W8BYH out

'Tiz A Week Before Christmas and All Through the House, Not a Creature is Stirring, 'Cuz I'm Clicking the Mouse

I'm sort of obliquely back in the laptop market, looking for a new laptop to use in the field with my radios. I'm a geek, and I spend a good bit of time on websites and YouTube channels that review hardware. It's a hobby. This means that I have a list of curated sites and search criteria that I turned to when I kicked off the laptop search. 

The requirements are simple - a laptop that can be used outdoors (more rugged than a standard laptop, but not necessarily 'toughbook' standard), has a daylight readable screen, a back-lit keyboard, good battery life (a real 8 hour minimum), a good selection of ports (USB-B, USB-C, HDMI), a good CPU and enough system RAM and storage to get the job done. It also needs to be reasonably priced (not cheaply priced, but reasonably priced) and run Windows 11. Sorry, Apple need not apply. Many would say my requirements fit a 'business-class' standard, and I would agree.

The problem I'm finding is that may reviewers, even the good ones, don't want to spend much time reviewing business -class laptops because they are commodity items and, even worse, are just so boring. B.O.R.I.N.G. These are the laptops bought by the hundreds or thousands by Big IT to hand out to their workforce like Moon Pies at a Southern Baptist bible camp. Generally they are good computers, but they are... BORING.

Today's laptop reviewers seem to want to focus only on gaming, AI, immersive graphics and sound, fast wi-fi protocols, gobs of CPU cores, pen compatibility and Cinebench scores. Computers with mid-range specs, or laptops the emphasize other attributes like rugged construction or screen readability in direct sunlight get passed over. I don't need (or want) bleeding edge performance (and commensurate pricing), I want...

• an outdoor readable screen, 13" - 14"
• great battery life
• rugged construction
• a good selection of ports
• backlit keyboard

Since it's Christmas season, there are dozens and dozens (but certainly not hundreds, as YouTube would have you believe) of laptops on sale right now, but something's gone wacky with the pricing. I'll spot a really good price on an interesting laptop, and I'll bookmark it to go search for a competitor. But when I come back the pricing I saw just a few hours before (not days or weeks, but hours) has changed, and rolled back up to a higher price level. This has happened with Microsoft Surface laptops and Surface Pro tablets, and a whole range of ASUS and HP laptops on several major on-line retailers like Amazon and BestBuy. I know there are pricing algorithms working in the background to dynamically push and pull pricing based on number of search hits, available stock, competitor's offers for similar units, etc., but this is friggin' ridiculous.

Twenty-four hours ago this same laptop, on the same vendor's website, was $750

Hey computer retailers, guess what this results in? It results in me not buying ANYTHING you have on offer. You've screwed yourself. Congrats.

Next up, I think we'll talk about operating systems.

W8BYH out