Author: almcr1

From Wikipedia: “A QR Code is a matrix barcode (or two-dimensional code), readable by QR scanners, mobile phones with camera, and smartphones. The code consists of black modules arranged in a square pattern on white background. The information encoded can be text, URL or other data.

Common in Japan, where it was created by Toyota subsidiary Denso-Wave in 1994, the QR code is one of the most popular types of two-dimensional barcodes. QR is the initialism of Quick Response, as the creator intended the code to allow its contents to be decoded at high speed.”

Someone posted a link on a qrp forum I follow this morning that pointed to a video about QR Codes. I have never seen them before, but they seem quite interesting. They are readable by mobile phones, I have not been able to find an online reader. Anyone know of one? Just want to try it out.

73, Al

I was just reading an entry oin the QRP-L list and a new teen amateur radio web site teenradiojourney.com was mentioned. Here’s a link to the new site. Another new one is also mentioned on the teenradiojouney.com blog.

As a hobby, it is great to see it being promoted in the teen ranks, they are the future of this hobby.

73, Al

In VHF/UHF, one of the main pieces of information usually exchanged is the grid square location. It consists of 2 letters, 2 numbers and then 2 letters and is derived from the latitude and longitude of a location. For example, the grid square location for a location in the middle of the river just above the Falls at Niagara Falls is FN03LC. Here’s a link to a web page which will tell you your grid square location, based on GoogleMaps. Just zoom in on the location you want the grid square location for and click on that location. The latitude and longitude of the location will be displayed, along with the grid square location.

Here’s a site with some spectaculer pictures, a new one daily. The site is Astronomy Picture of the Day. Check it out for some interesting pictures.

===================================================
RSH << RSD 2010 Cancelled >> 10 September 2010
===================================================

Radio St. Helena sincerely regrets to have to inform radio listeners everywhere that

>> Radio St. Helena Day 2010 has been cancelled << . This very difficult decision was necessary, due to severe technical problems with the shortwave antenna tower. RSH is quite confident that RSD will be able to continue in 2011. 73, Al Radio St Helena is a shortwave station that brodcasts only one day a year from the remote island of St Helena in the south Atlantic Ocean. Here’s your chance to hear this station again in 2010 and get one of their QSLs. This is a notice just posted on the ODXA (Ontario DX Association) list:

The following just came in from the Ardic DX Club. Saturday October 9th is Canadian Thanksgiving and American Columbus Day long weekends.

Radio St. Helena Day 2010 : Date, Times, and Targets

RSD 2010 will be on Saturday, 09. October 2010

Target Region       Times  (UTC )              Beam Heading
=============       ================           ============
EUROPE              1900 - 2030 UTC            10 degrees

INDIA               2030 - 2130 UTC            70 degrees

JAPAN               2130 - 2300 UTC            50 degrees

North America       2300 - 0030 UTC            310 degrees

Transmission frequency 11092.5 khz USB

Gary Walters, Station Manager of Radio St. Helena, has just confirmed the above information, and, as usual, Derek Richards will operate the RSD shortwave transmitting facility.

There will be a special email-address exclusively for the evening of RSD 2010. As soon as Gary sets up this special email account, we will publish the account name.

The RSD 2010 QSL cards are being sponsored by the Danish ShortWave Club International. Reception reports for RSD 2010 should be sent with sufficient return postage to RSH using the special Airmail address via Ascension and the United Kingdom — exactly the same procedure as for the RSD 2009 reception reports. ALL mail to RSH should use this procedure.

ALL 266 QSLs for RSD 2009 have been mailed and should now be arriving around the world.

The sunspot minimum between sunspot cycles 23 and 24 is the longest in history — much to the dismay of shortwave listeners everywhere. This minimum has lasted since 2007 and is still ongoing. There are not very many sunspots to “help” propagation, and there is no real sign of significant change. The UTC-times for broadcasting to the various target area have been very carefully selected to have the very best chance of good reception in each area. Also, we need to have the RSD broadcasts one after the other. After RSD 2009, it was decided to change the times somewhat and to move RSD from November to October (as was the case back in the late 1990’s — Thanks, John). RSH hopes that everyone around the world has excellent reception conditions during RSD 2010 and is looking forward to your emails and also, if possible, to your telephone calls.

Gary Walters , Station Manager of Radio St. Helena via Robert Kipp (Jaisakthivel, Ardic DX Club, India)

—
Mark Coady
Editor Shortwave Loggings
Shadow Lake Camp Convenor
Ontario DX Association