OpenBeacon

An interesting beacon transmitter kit. I want to try this out sometime in the future when I have more time.
http://www.etherkit.com/transmitters/openbeacon.html

The following is a quote from the site.

Quick Overview

OpenBeacon is an open source crystal-controlled QRPp beacon transmitter kit which can output a variety of slow-speed modes, including QRSS, DFCW, and Sequential Multi-tone Hellschreiber. It is configured via USB port, so there are no jumpers to set and you can easily adjust all of the operating parameters via command line. Once configuration is complete, OpenBeacon may be removed from the PC and operate stand-alone.

Replacing backslashes with something else in Java

The use of regular expression implemented in Java is messy when it comes to replacing '\' with something else. I have come across with a handy code example that shows how it could be done.

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public class DoubleTheBackslash {    public static void main(String[] args) {       String[] inputs = {"abc\\\\def", "abc\\def\\\\ghi"};               showReplacements(inputs, "(?<!\\\\)\\\\(?!\\\\)", "\\\\\\\\");       showReplacements(inputs, "(?<!\\\\)\\\\(?!\\\\)", "$0$0");       showReplacements(inputs, "([^\\\\])(\\\\)([^\\\\])", "$1\\\\\\\\$3");       showReplacements(inputs, "([^\\\\])(\\\\)([^\\\\])", "$1$2$2$3");    }         private static void showReplacements(String[] inputs,          String regex, String replaceWith) {       for (String input : inputs) {          System.out.println(input);          System.out.println(input.replaceAll(regex, replaceWith));          System.out.println();       }    } }

D-Star net check-in

I checked into Cannet D-Star net through VA3PMO-B repeater (Mississauga) tonight. The net starts at 9:00PM EDT on Friday. This is my first time to check in to a D-Start net. I bought an Icom IC-91AD a couple of month ago. It is a different kind of fun to use or hear digital voice signal. I confirmed my D-Star rig is working, hi hi.

TS-590S portal

I have come across with a nice page for TS-590S. At the moment, I am interested in the articles that explain how to monitor the rig's  CAT commands in particular.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/wadei/ts-590s.htm

UZ7HO AX.25 sound card modem

I tried to experience the UZ7HO AX.25 sound card  modem. The program can be downloaded from:
http://uz7.ho.ua/index.php?lang=eng&id=4
I installed it on my Windows 7. After launching the program, I set the modem baud rate to 1200bps, and monitored the APRS frequency on 144.390Mhz. With the internal mic, the signal shows on the waterfall but is not decoded. I tried to raise the mic gain from the menu but it does not seem to work - i.e. nothing happens after I select the menu item for setting the input gain. I will read the manual again thoroughly to see if there is something I may be missing.

There is a UNUN schematic provided by K0BG.

An F114-67 ferrite core is used with a few feet of #14 enameled copper wire (enough for 9 bifilar turns).