ORCA DIGITAL NET

ORCA DIGTAL NET, Report 17/Nov/15

Check-ins: 4
Stations:
KE6SLS Jaye
KI6RIT     Nick
W7ZAP   Mindy
K7KY      Doug NCS

We didn’t run a regular net last week; band conditions were really poor.  We did end up with four stations in QSO.  Tonight, the band was noisy, but good for digital communications and all stations were printing well.  Mindy & I are transitioning to Linux and we had quite a bit of Linux discussion.  Jaye KE6SLS is very knowledgeable about Linux and a great resource for net members.  Ken K7IFG would have been with us tonight, but shore power failed just before net time.

Our nets have been small since reviving the net after summer break, but I think it will pick up over winter.  I’ve been visiting other digital nets during our summer break and it has me wondering if our net is too complicated for some Ops.  I’ve thought the website would help people prepare for the net, but maybe not.  It doesn’t have information for beginners.  We developed it for the skill level of existing members.  I’m interested on your thoughts about this.

If you would like to continue receiving net reports, please email me.  I don’t want to send unwanted email.  I’ll keep responders on the mailing list.  Thanks for participating in the net.  Hope to see you next week.  73 Doug K7KY

—————— Net Log ——–

11/17/2015 19:30 Pacific Standard Time

QST & WELCOME to the ORCA DIGITAL NET*

Doug K7KY NCS              Brookings,OR

 

ORCA meets every Tuesday @ 1930p here on/about 3.595usb.

Software: FLDIGI, FLMSG, FLAMP. Mode: MFSK-32 @ 1500.

Other modes and bands depending on conditions.  Alternate

data freq: 7.122 USB.  Optional phone freq’s: 3.955 &  7.200.

 

The ORCA DIGITAL NET is dedicated to learning and developing

digital operating skills and practicing digital traffic handling.  The

net connects digital Amateur Operators with common interests in

training, information-sharing, and mutual-aid. Visitors always welcome.

 

This is a DIRECTED Net. FLMSG-TRAFFIC & KEYBOARD stations

check-in with your ‘CALLSIGN’ only.

Monitoring stations may check-in-&-out with: ‘CALLSIGN  IN&OUT’.

 

After check-in, please stand-by while NCS organizes the rotation list.

 

NCS transmits test image

NCS transmits Rotation list  (keep it handy)

NCS transmits Announcements (comments/questions?)

 

NCS calls each station in order for traffic/keyboard **

 

Next, a round (or more) of  fills, reception reports, comments, questions

(keyboard or BLANKFORM as you like)

 

Closing Announcement

 

* ORCA DIGITAL NET website: http://orcadigitalnet.com/

 

* * LOCK fldigi @ 1500, enable RxID, TxID,  AFC.

Enable: CONFIGURE/ID/RsID ‘Retain tx freq lock’

Have FLAMP open.  FLAMP traffic is followed with

a round of FLAMP REPORTs and one fill round.  < K7KY

Early checkins:   W7ZAP & KE6SLS    < K7KY

 

ORCA DIGITAL NET Check-in:

Send your CALLSIGN only

or print it either side of 1500wf.

Monitoring? CALLSIGN IN&OUT.

< K7KY

Well, Jaye & Mindy, it looks like a small net tonight…  I’ll go ahead with the formalities as we often have members drop in late…  One more call for check ins   come now…  < K7KY

 

Before RSID: <<2015-11-18T03:35Z MFSK-32 @ 1503>>

Here!

de KI6RIT k

 

KI6RIT  GE Nick… thanks for checking in… any more checkins?    < K7KY

 

 

ORCA DIGITAL NET < K7KY

Grayscale image for signal evaluation

<IMAGE:G,D:\Radio\ORCA\Announcements\ORCAlogo.png>

 

Sending Pic:192×192;

<STX>

… start

[WRAP:beg][WRAP:lf][WRAP:fn ORCA.b2s]<flmsg>2.0.12

:hdr_fm:20

K7KY 20151811033659

:hdr_ed:20

K7KY 20151811030152

<blankform>

:mg:123 ORCA DIGITAL NET, 17nov15, Check-ins:

 

KE6SLS Jaye

KI6RIT Nick

W7ZAP  Mindy

K7KY   Doug NCS  FT-857D,35w,180′ doublet @ 80′

[WRAP:chksum 023E][WRAP:end]

… end

 

ORCA DIGITAL NET,  Announcements, 17/Nov/15

 

I’m again working with Dave W1HKJ, the FLDIGI programmer, to place all four rows of macro

buttons on screen.  Dave is very receptive to request for additional fldigi features.  I use two

different macro files to run the net, switching files after Announcements.  Explore fldigi macros

when you have time. They make digital communications easier.  My traffic tonight  is an ID

macro that prints your callsign on the waterfall. Try it out.

 

Dave no longer supports WinXP for FLDIGI.  The new version with 4 visible macro rows does not work on my XP PC, so it’s looking like transition to Linux

time.  He spent nearly a week trying to help me make it work, but no joy.

 

At Check-in: Send CALLSIGN only for flmsg traffic or keyboard.

Monitoring stations may check-in  & out with: CALLSIGN  IN&OUT.

 

FLAMP doesn’t open automatically.  FLDIGI can be configured to start FLAMP on the AutoStart

menu.  FLAMP provides for a REPORT from receiving stations.  Sender then resends only the

missing blocks; automated by FLAMP.

For FLAMP traffic, we interrupt the directed traffic round for a single round of FLAMP REPORTs.

Next Op after Sender sends REPORT w/o NCS prompt. All following Ops REPORT w/o prompt.

Sender resends missing blocks. Only one REPORT round.  Then, continue directed traffic

rotation.  Ops still missing blocks can fill after net.

Checking in late? Send your CALLSIGN during a lull or print it nearby on the waterfall.

Have to leave early? Check-out with NCS so we don’t search for you during rotation.  <K7KYAny late check ins before we begin traffic…?  < K7KY

KE6SLS < K7KY Over to you Jaye for traffic or keyboard as you like…  < K7KY

Before RSID: <<2015-11-18T03:41Z MFSK-32 @ 1500>>

ORca DE ke6sls

FB Doug.  Condx good, litle bit of qro but normal.  QSB too, but not bad llike before.

I did not copy the header of FLamp so my FLamp didn’t copy any of your message, but I seen 99% of it go by on the monitor here.

I’m running 25 watts tonight and I think I’ll stay here while the condx so good.

okay, btu NC.

de ke6sls k

KE6SLS  < K7KY Jaye…. My message wasn’t in flamp, but just a blankform that should have opened flmsg.   I’m @ 35w tonight, but probably notnecessary.  I’m a bit shy after the poor condix last couple weeks.   Ok over to NIck  KI6RIT      < K7KY Before RSID: <<2015-11-18T03:44Z MFSK-32 @ 1497>>

… start

[WRAP:beg][WRAP:lf][WRAP:fn NC6MC-2.m2s]<flmsg>2.0.12

:hdr_fm:21

NC6MC 20151811034426

:hdr_ed:21

NC6MC 20151811034426

<radiogram>

:nbr:1 1

:prec:1 0

:hx:3 HXG

:d1:6 NOV 17

:t1:5 1944L

:to:8 ORCA NET

:msg:346 NOTHING MUCH TO ADD HERE

X THANKS FOR THE HEADS-UP

ABOUT XP AND FLDIGI; THE

LAPTOP IM USING HERE HAS

XP ON IT X LINUX

WOULD BE THE ONLY PRACTICAL

OPTION FOR IT (TECHNICALLY COMMA

IT COULD RUN WINDOWS 7

COMMA HEHE) COMMA NEED TO

SEE WHAT DISTRO RUNS WELL

ON A PENTIUM 3 X

ILL HAVE TO TALK TO

THE OWNER THOUGH COMMA ITS

KIND OF ON A LONG-TERM

LOAN

:sig:11 NICK KI6RIT

:op2:16 25W 80/40 DIPOLE

:ck:2 71

:sta:6 KI6RIT

:org:15 UKIAH EOC NC6MC

:svc:1 F

:std:1 T

[WRAP:chksum 735E][WRAP:end]

… end

KI6RIT    < K7KY Nick, I should give you a bit more info about fldigi & XP..  I have a Panasonic Toughbook that is running the latest fldigi and it’s

XPproSP3.  Other Ops are running XP with fldigi and it’s still working.  My desktop PC is an early exception, and Dave is not going to continue sorting out XP

issues.  It’s a good time to learn Unix   or Linux, I guess.  We’ re working on it now here at home…  OK  Over to Mindy W7ZAP…  < K7KY

Before RSID: <<2015-11-18T03:48Z MFSK-32 @ 1500>>

 

… start

[WRAP:beg][WRAP:lf][WRAP:fn 10nov2015.213]<flmsg>2.0.10

:hdr_fm:21

W7ZAP 20151811034828

:hdr_ed:21

W7ZAP 20151811010337

<ics213>

:to:16 ORCA DIGITAL NET

:p1:22 30w 120′ doublet @ 65′

:fm:11 Mindy W7ZAP

:p2:13 Brookings, OR

:d1:10 2015-11-17

:t1:5 0054Z

:sb:32 Switching OS from WinXP-to-Linux

:mg:809

Doug and I are longtime WinXP users and are finally on the cusp of making a switch to the Linux OS. We’ve been doing our homework and trying small

experiments to find which ‘flavor’ of Linux we like best. Today finds us feeling more confident about Mint 17.2 Cinnamon being a possibility.

 

Switching to a new OS is disorientating and can be frustrating to get your head to think in a new way. It’s been a benefit that our android tablets have

allowed us to put a ‘toe in the water’ of the Linux OS.

 

Found a website (http://linuxsurvival.com) that teaches newbies to Linux, what’s going on. If you know of any resources that might make our transition from

XP-to-Linux smoother, please advise :-)

 

Glad that FLDIGI runs on so many systems! Hope to test a Linux version on ORCA sometime soon.

73,

Mindy W7ZAP

[WRAP:chksum 6845][WRAP:end]

… end

… start

[WRAP:beg][WRAP:lf][WRAP:fn IDmacro.b2s]<flmsg>2.0.12

:hdr_fm:20

K7KY 20151811035041

:hdr_ed:20

K7KY 20151111002707

<blankform>

:mg:1328 Macro prints CALLSIGN on waterfall

 

Here’s a simple macro for printing your callsign anywhere in the passband with one click. It only takes a few seconds. The macro does a little housekeeping,

before and after printing.  This example prints a callsign on the wf very quickly and sets the modem to MFSK-32.  The curser remains in place.  You can set

the modem to any mode.

 

Here’s all it takes to print your callsign with this macro:

 

1) FLDIGI topbar menu:  Configure/IDs/Video

Section: Video Preamble ID

All left side options: unchecked

Enter CALLSIGN in window

Set: CharsRow: One character more than CALLSIGN  (W1AW = 5)

SAVE

 

2) Replace my CALLSIGN with yours

<MODEM:MFSK32> can be replaced with any mode (modem list in Macro Editor)

 

3) Right click a blank macro button (or any button you don’t use) to open the Macro Editor.  Copy the macro below (that you’ve modified) and paste it into

the editor.  At the bottom, name the macro ‘Print ID’. Be sure to click APPLY before leaving that button or closing the editor.

Back up to the menu bar: ‘File/Macros/Save’.  Save your macro. That’s it. Try it out.

—————

<TXRSID:off>

<LOCK:off>

<MODEM:NULL>

<TX>

<RXRSID:on>

<VIDEO:K7KY>

<@MODEM:MFSK32>

<@TXRSID:on>

<@RXRSID:on>

<RX>

[WRAP:chksum 9345][WRAP:end]

… end

Let’s do a round of reception reports and comment…  We’ll go back to tthe top of the list to Jaye  KE6SLS    < K7KY

Before RSID: <<2015-11-18T03:54Z MFSK-32 @ 1501>>

ORCA de ke6sls

FB all around.  Nick=100% cooopy of his msg.  Doug=100% copy of his message.  Mindy=100% cp on hre message.  So great work everyone!

Okay, I will support your move to Mint .. I just did this for my x=partner in crime, and she uses hers for professional use.  I’ve got her XP machine running in

virtual box and she can do all her accounting in that without worry of network intrusion (it is off line only ).  So I also run Mint on this machine and it has been

up for over 6 months since the last power failure!  It makes it nice to run older machines.

Nick, you have really old HARDWARE, I would make a speciial suggestion for you.  If you have room on the HD, leave your windows on and insall Linux next

to it.  Then learn it.  I have a good desktop , but this will be an off net discussion for older hardware.  I have old netbook running like a top, only 512 Meg

memory and its’ pretty amazing.

okay, btu NC.

de ke6sls k

KE6SLS  < K7KY  FB Jaye…  WE will definitely have you in mind as we proceed with the transition.  I even copied your PH# earlier just thinking about

times I’l get really stuck….    OK over to Nick  KI6RIT    < K7KY 1″DLuf0E

Before RSID: <<2015-11-18T03:59Z MFSK-32 @ 1502>>

K7KY – Great signal, 6-12 dB

KE6SLS – OK signal, kind of weak -3 to 2 db. 100% copy

W7ZAP – Good signal (forgot to monitor the strength). 100% copy

Thanks for the macro! I just added it to my bar. Good choice on the Linux distro as well, Mint is quite popular. I need to try it out some more, I usually use

Ubuntu for testing but the Unity interface is a bit too limiting for me. One time I tried installing Gentoo… Never again! I missed one step (of hundreds it

seemed) and it blew up on me. My first taste of Linux was back around 2004-2005, with Red Hat 9. Thank goodness for Google, hehe.

 

This laptop might be a Pentium 3, but it’s been upgraded pretty heavily. 1.2 GHz CPU, 1 GB RAM, and a 120 GB hard drive. It has 3 partitions on it now,

probably could get a fourth on there without much hassle :).

de KI6RIT k

KI6RIT    < K7KY Nick.. I’m glad we’re not the only ones moving into Linux…It will be nice to have some company and maybe learn from others in the

same position…  Jaye will be a big help…  Asside..    I”m kinda liking having the net small as we restart.  It’s much easier to manage and I get to talk a bit

too…  OK over to Mindy W7ZAP..  < K7KY

Before RSID: <<2015-11-18T04:02Z MFSK-32 @ 1501>>

ALL ORCA   < W7ZAP

W7ZAP copied the following stations:

KE6SLS          100% KBD copy (S7-8) Good copy Jaye @ 25w

KI6RIT           100% Radiogram copy (S9+) Great signal tonight Nick.

K7KY 100% FLDIGI copy + image

Nice simple net tonight. Propagation much better than the previous 2 weeks. Thanks Jaye and Nick for sharing your endorsement of Mint!

Hope to see you both again next week.73,

Mindy W7ZAP

start

[WRAP:beg][WRAP:lf][WRAP:fn ORCA.b2s]<flmsg>2.0.12

:hdr_fm:20

K7KY 20151811040333

:hdr_ed:20

K7KY 20151811030152

<blankform>

:mg:198 ORCA DIGITAL NET, 17nov15, Reception reports:

 

KE6SLS Jaye  S-9 signal  100% print

KI6RIT Nick  S-9 100% opened flmsg

W7ZAP  Mindy   100% opened flmsg

K7KY   Doug NCS  FT-857D,35w,180′ doublet @ 80′

[WRAP:chksum 7338][WRAP:end]

… end

 

ALL ORCA  < K7KY   I want to thank Nick for coming so regular to the net.. He’s the only Op I know that has to drive from home to participate… TU Nick..  Is

there any more traffic, business, or comments for the net?  How about late checkins?  come now…  < K7KY

 

All ORCA < K7KY

This concludes the ORCA DIGITAL NET

for:11/17/2015 20:06 Pacific Standard Time

 

Thank’s for participating in the net tonight.

We appreciate your time and input.

Hope to see you again next week.

73   < Doug  K7KY NCS

Before RSID: <<2015-11-18T04:06Z MFSK-32 @ 1502>>

ORCA de ke6sls

gw OM.   We had a strong neighbor using about 3k of BW on the last few rounds.  FLdigi managed to cut throguh it very well.

Okay, good night ya’ll.

C U agn soon.

de ke6slk

KE6SLS  < K7KY FB Jaye… Yes, a strong RTTY signal @ 2000.  Still, not much bother for us… Thanks for coming and I’ll look forward to seeing

you next week or possibly sooner… take care… 73 Doug K7KY sk   dit dit

Before RSID: <<2015-11-18T04:08Z MFSK-32 @ 1496>>

Anyone else seeing those occasional tones around 500 Hz? Any idea what it is? Reminds me of an Atari game…

de KI6RIT k

KI6RIT    < K7KY We see them here too.. Last week, Ken K7IFG said they are the new FSQ mode, but I’m not able to decode it yet.  It just comes shortly

every 5min or so… I think it’s a beacon.   I’ll give it another try tonight….  CU next week, Nick.. 73  Doug K7KY  sBefore RSID: <<2015-11-18T04:10Z MFSK-32 @ 1498>>

Thanks for the info! Goodnight

de KI6RIT k

Before RSID: <<2015-11-18T04:11Z MFSK-32 @ 1498>>

KI6RIT de ke6sls

there was two staions on tonight.  One was centered at 400K on our WF, it’s a traffic msg net.  automated.  Once we started, it got a signal and began the

xmsn sequence.  Then, on about 550 on our WF, was a ROS station.  ROS can be learned about via Google.com.  Anyway, it’s nice that we were able to

continue the net despite the ORM!.

There ya go.

Okay, time for supper for this OM.

73  ya’ll.  Next week!

De ke6sls k

Before RSID: <<2015-11-18T04:13Z MFSK-32 @ 1502>>

zrS:naGS¬DoeƒjI’ll look those up, thanks :)

de KI6RIT k