Linux in the Ham Shack

And we are back. In this installment, Richard tells us all about his renewed interest in emergency communications and his dealings with ARES in the Texas county where he now lives. On the Linux side of things, Russ talks about some security issues: the hacking of kernel.org, emacs violates the GPL and how to get cheap certificates for your Web sites. Throw in a dash of humor, some general screwing around and you have the formula for pretty much every episode of Linux in the Ham Shack. Thanks for sticking it out with us, everyone. We love each and every one of you.

It's no mystery that we at Linux in the Ham Shack are big fans of the application known as fldigi. We've even had the author of the program, W1HKJ, on the program to talk about it. We consider it one of the best Linux-native programs for ham radio ever written. That being said, one of our longtime listeners has also written some small, efficient and easy to use ham radio programs for operating PSK, logging, learning and transmitting CW and more. His name is Ted, WA0EIR. We've mentioned Ted in the past, but this time we decided to take a real gander at his applications. There's plenty of Linux and ham radio goodness sandwiching the main segment as well so no one will go away disappointed. Thanks for listening, and keep fighting the good fight!

In today's long-awaited episode of LHS, we tackle a topic from a few episodes back, that of Open Hatch, the Open Source collaboration project. In another segment, Richard explores what it's like to go through the process of getting your first amateur radio license. Among these topics we also mention the ICQ Podcast from the UK, Windows 7, AT&T Uverse, wget and a bunch of other topics of interest to ham radio and Linux operators alike. If you like our episodes, or even if you don't, please send us along some feedback via the web or via our call-in hotline. Thanks for listening!

Welcome to Episode #062 of Linux in the Ham Shack. Today Richard has decided he's going to talk a bit (OK, a lot) about Winlink, AX.25 and packet radio under Linux. In the meantime, I get to discuss some useful Linux utilities like modprobe, wget and the SysV init script system. So get comfortable in your easy chair, put on your headphones and relax for a deep dive into packet radio with Linux. Captain Nemo has nothing on us.

Hello, new and faithful listeners. Welcome to the sixty-first-eth installment of Linux in the Ham Shack. If anyone has been paying attention lately, a lot of podcasters are packing up their gear and moving on to other things. Many more have moved into much more irregular release cycles. We on the other hand are coming back stronger than ever. New releases are on the way. We'll be back to every two weeks starting with Episode #062 and we're hitting our stride again. We may not be the best or most listened to podcast out there but at least we still are a podcast. So thanks for tuning in, as always, and please let your ham radio and Linux enthusiast friends know about us. Linux in the Ham Shack lives on. ¡Vámonos!

Okay, so we managed to take a two month hiatus and we didn't even know it was going to happen. Happen it did, though. Because of that, Episode #062 and #063 will have some dated information but most of it has been edited out and the stuff contained within that will be timeless has been left in. I (Russ) will admit to shirking my duties to some degree. Many things are going on in my life right now and I just didn't want to deal with editing or recording of late. Richard has also had his share of life problems and we've both been out of pocket a few times between Episode #061 and now. I suspect our absence is coming to an end and regular production of LHS will soon resume. Thanks to everyone for hanging in there with us. We now return you to your irregularly scheduled podcast.

One final notice before Hamvention is here. We'd sure like to visit with all of our listeners out in Dayton if you can make it. Hopefully we'll be able to turn a bunch more ham radio enthusiasts onto the benefits of Linux while we're there. In this episode, your fearless hosts tackle some of the hard questions concerning Open Source, namely: 1) Can anyone in free software agree on a set of standards for documentation and development in order to help newer users join the community, and 2) If it is possible, would anyone want to do it? When we're all done philosophizing, send us your thoughts. We want to know what YOU think.

Hello, faithful listeners and newcomers alike. A couple of big events are coming up. The first is the Dayton Hamvention, this weekend from May 20th through the 22nd. The other is the Southeast Linux Fest, from June 10th through the 12th. Linux in the Ham Shack will have a presence at both events and we hope to see everyone there. We will be having raffles for "quite good" prizes so you don't want to miss that either. In this episode of our show, we catch up on almost all of our (very old) feedback and even manage to discuss a couple of items which may interest ham radio and Linux enthusiasts alike: JT65, a weak-signal digital mode, and codec2, a new audio codec designed for low bandwidth, telephone quality, error correction and to be free of patents or encumbrances of any kind. Enjoy.

Welcome to Episode #059 of Linux in the Ham Shack. On this edition, we talk with Jonathan Nadeau of Frostbite Systems about Linux for the sight impaired. Jonathan, being a blind Linux user, has overcome many challenges when it comes to using his favorite operating system and he shares with us the ins and outs of accessibility on Linux systems. There is a Linux distribution dedicated to blind users called Vinux, along with an accessible version of Arch called Talking Arch. Even newer versions of Slackware are jumping on the bandwagon with a Speakup enabled installation kernel. This is also the first episode of LHS with a blooper reel left in at the end. Listen all the way to the last so you don't miss out on any of the fun. Many thanks to Jonathan for his time and expertise, and many thanks to our listeners for making our show so fun to do.

I have to say this was probably the hardest episode to put together so far. I managed to not record the first 20 minutes of my side of the episode. Then there were bits from Episode #057 that needed to be put in. I recorded secondary items that didn't match up with the original first take. And somehow I think I managed to get it all put together and make it make sense. Hopefully we will see everyone at Indiana Linux Fest this weekend in Indianapolis. If you can't make it, be with us in spirit. Thank you to our listeners for all your support. Please continue to help us get to Dayton if you can, and remember to tell a few of your friends about us.

In this very late episode, Linux in the Ham Shack gets back to some basics. For those listeners who haven't been around ham radio that much, we take a look at some of the basic concepts of radio communication. Then, we get all up in arms about how long our...antennas are. Explore with us some of the concepts of antenna modeling, different types of antenna design and what they're good for, and some software that might help you make sense of Smith Charts. As if that isn't enough, we through in some good-natured ribbing, feedback from our listeners and a whole heap of fun. Tune in and let your worries disappear. LHS Top Tip: Don't fumble your foo dog too hard, it might go off prematurely.

Hi, folks. Episode #054 of Linux in the Ham Shack is an all-feedback episode. We cover a lot of ground in this one, from how to run Linux using WUBI, via dual boot, from a flash drive and more. There's a bit about PIC controllers, feed problems, sticks in the mud, a sprinkling of badgers and a whole lot more. Keep that feedback coming. We love it!

Welcome to the first Linux in the Ham Shack for the new year! 2011 is upon us and we wanted to present our listeners with a fantabulous new show. That's what you're going to get. We were able to entice the lead developer of FLDIGI, W1HKJ, to come on the program and give us his personal insights into this best-of-class Open Source amateur radio software. Yes, we know we talk about FLDIGI a lot in our program. We try not to beat it to death. But if you use this program, there is so much information packed into this interview, you're going to learn at least a dozen things you didn't know about FLDIGI, even if you use it every day. So sit back, strap in, and join us on this thrill-packed ride into the dark and seedy innards of your favorite digital mode app. We were impressed; you will be too.

It's the holiday season and we had time for one more podcast this year. We want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a prosperous New Year in 2011. Linux in the Ham Shack has undergone a few changes and weathered a few challenges in the last 2+ years, but we're still going and expect to be going for a long time to come. We want to thank everyone for their continuing support and continuing listenership. We would not have a podcast without you, and we wouldn't know what to do if you weren't there. So spend time with your families and enjoy all of the wonderful things that life brings at this time of year, and hopefully all the year through. And if you find the time, curl up on the sofa with year headphones next to the roaring fire, crank up LHS and sit back and enjoy our gift of holiday cheer. 73 and Happy Holidays de The LHS Guys

Hello, everyone. We're coming to the end of another year and the world is aglow with holiday spirit. With that in mind, we bring you the second-to-last episode of Linux in the Ham Shack for 2010. We will have one more recording and release before the end of the year, so don't miss out on our holiday extravaganza. We no longer broadcast video via Ustream, but we do have a live audio feed. Just point your streaming audio player at https://stream.lhspodcast.info:8008/lhslive starting about 30 minutes prior to air time (8:15pm CT). You can join in the chat room scene as well with your favorite IRC client. We are at irc.freenode.net in channel #lhspodcast. The channel is available 24/7, even when we're not doing a live show. Join in when you can and chat with other LHS listeners. During the live show, #lhspodcast becomes our chat room and our live connection with YOU. Cheers and 73 from the LHS Guys

Hello, podcast listeners! It has been an extra week that you've had to wait for our landmark episode 50 to be released. I (Russ) had planned to do an episode from his hotel room in San Jose. Unfortunately, the network there was so bad it was impossible to record so everything was pushed back. In this episode, we talk about life, love and amateur radio. OK, not really. But we touch on a number of interesting topics including the necessity of logging in amateur radio, theoretical nonsense like Internet via Moonbounce and, thanks to a couple of missives from AD7MI, we wax philosophical on our ideal ham shacks--computers running Linux included of course. Thank you for being a listener of our show. If you're new: Welcome! Please tell everyone you know where they can find us. And keep fighting the good fight.

A short while ago, Canonical released the latest version of Ubuntu: the fabled Maverick Meerkat, 10.10. This is the latest in Ubuntu's normal release cycle and is not LTS. I had occasion to upgrade a couple of my personal computers running Ubuntu to the wily Meerkat. Find out what's new in 10.10, and what's old, in the first segment of LHS #049. After that, Richard and I tackle the WSPR protocol for ham radio again. When it was discussed the first time around, neither of us had much of an idea what it was or how it worked. Armed with a broader understanding and a lot more experience, we talk about what works and what doesn't work with WSPR, how to get it up and running on your system and what we like and don't like about it. Following that it's on to witty banter, a passel of badgers, some hijinks, censorship, feedback and more entertainment than you can shake a wet hedgehog at. Thanks for tuning in. We love you all.

As I was roaming around the Intertubes, I came across an article at AmateurRadio.com written by Jeff, KE9V. I had been an avid listener of Jeff's "Cornbread Road" podcast while he was publishing it as a podcast. The format was different enough to keep me interested. When it went away, I was highly disappointed. As it turns out, his recent article disappointed me quite a bit as well. I don't want to give much away, but suffice it to say the outlook Jeff paints is fairly bleak. At the same time, some of the points are valid and overall the essay was fairly thought provoking. Because of that, Richard, Bill (KA9WKA) and myself decided to discuss Jeff's recent article. We also have our usual assortment of announcements, banter, gripes and response to feedback. So settle in for an interesting episode. We all had a good time. We hope you do, too.

Hello, everyone! Due to Cheryl having some hand surgery and my being a telecommuter for the last month or so, I haven't been able to keep up with the podcast release cycle. We've been recording episodes like we're supposed to. It's just been impossible to get them released on time. That means that #047 and #048 are going to be released in rapid succession so you'll get twice the LHS yummy goodness. This time around, Richard has been looking a little deeper into CQRlog, a great logging program for Linux created by OK2CQR. We talked about this program in a past episode and we've mentioned it a few more times in passing. This time we're getting down deep into the features and all of the integrations CQRlog has with other ham radio applications. We also address our usual announcements, feedback, other technical topics and throw in a bunch of witty banter just to keep things interesting. Thanks, all, for staying with us while we try and get back to a regular podcasting cycle. Keep listening and keep spreading the word.

Linux in the Ham Shack took a bit of an unintended hiatus over the last month. We're in the process of trying to catch back up to where we're supposed to be. The current episode recording schedule has been posted and is accurate. We're going to do a couple of broadcasts two weeks in a row and then the next three releases will be coming out in rapid succession so we're back on track. After the Dayton Hamvention, Southeast Linux Fest, Joplin ARC Hamfest and Ohio Linux Fest, things have slowed down a bit on the event front, but we're just starting up again when it comes to the show. So please stay tuned, tell your friends about us, and make sure to pick up a shirt or a ball cap. These are high quality items, and the only way you can get them is online or when we're at an event close to you. Also, check out the new BADGER WEAR! You can find a link to all of our merchandise at the top of this Web site. Have a good week, everyone, and thanks for listening!

In a rare promotional episode of Linux in the Ham Shack, we talk to four folks from the upcoming Ohio Linux Fest. Bear, Rob, Moose and Beth Lynn give our listeners the low down on everything that's going to happen at this year's event. Make no mistake, this time around it sounds like it's going to be a lot of fun, even more fun than last year. Linux in the Ham Shack is going to be there, too, with new equipment, new demos and a lot more to make it worth stopping by. So if you're going to be around Columbus, Ohio on September 10-12 or you have some free time and a little bit of extra cash, make sure to come by the show. It's going to be KILLA.

Episode #044 of Linux in the Ham Shack makes its debut, and even on time. We're still trying to catch up on a little bit of a backlog so this episode is mostly feedback from listeners. We touch on a variety of topics including packet radio, the AX.25 kernel driver for TNCs, the importance of Linux and Open Source, Android and emerging Linux markets, and much, much more. Thanks for taking the time to download us and being an ever-faithful listener. We would be nothing without you and we want to let you know that we appreciate each and every pair of ears that hears us every fortnight. Don't forget to send us your feedback, whether it be as a comment on the Web site, a voice mail submitted via our toll-free hot-line or an e-mail to one or both of us. Also, please don't forget about making donations or buying some of our LHS merchandise if you have the wherewithal to do so. Enjoy our current offering and we'll be back live in a week for more rowdy fun.

Episode #043 of Linux in the Ham Shack almost didn't exist. In the process of trying to edit the audio for the program, I managed to delete everything that I had recorded. By some miracle of coincidence, I actually remembered to record the entire episode at Ustream.TV. I almost never remember to do that but it happened this time. The audio was recovered from the live video stream and I put it back together. There are a couple of minor flaws and the quality might not be as good as normal but at least it exists. Since the edited version came out to over 100 minutes, I'd sure have hated to try and record this all over again. And that's why this episode almost didn't exist: Because if the audio had truly gone away, I would have thrown up my hands and said forget it. We'll try again in two weeks. But since we got lucky, you can now listen to us talk about our newest features and endeavors, our problems with the ARRL, the status of Logbook of the World, listener feedback, live chat room discussion, installing Linux Mint on an ancient laptop, ham radio software for [that other OS] and much, much more. And hey: Go buy a shirt. Please?

It's time for a new episode of Linux in the Ham Shack. I can hear everyone cheering in unison from here. Richard's Internet service was down for the recording so he had to bring some portable computers over to his father's house and attempt to get everything done from there. Unfortunately, all did not go well. I was able to cobble together the broken bits of audio into something that sounds like a podcast. There's even music, some production value and--most amazing of all--actual content. Thank you to everyone who stopped by for the live recording. Because I've been so busy over the last couple of weeks, we're going to be doing it all again tomorrow night, July 27th. Hope to see everyone in the chat room and please enjoy this latest installment of the program. There are lots of new things in the works that I can't mention right now, but it will all be a lot of fun and it all means more stuff for you out there to listen to. As if you already didn't have enough to do. Don't forget to send in that feedback, especially audio feedback. We want to hear from you. Until then, keep it real.

The Dayton Hamvention was a little while ago and we've just now been able to get around to talking about it. In this episode, we bring in Bill, KA9WKA, our right-hand man, to help us out with discussion of the event and a number of other topics as well. Don't be alarmed, however. We keep the dated material to a minimum and move directly into things that are much more current and much more interesting, including questions about the "lightness" of distributions, how to install Ubuntu on a USB stick, a super geeky radio question and much more. Not only that, this may have been the most fun episode we've recorded so far. For those who want to brave the unedited version of this one, there are belly laughs aplenty. Check out the stream feed in the right column for that. Just remember, unedited means just what it says. We haven't been pushing donations lately so here's a small tug on your subconscious: If you have a spare few dollars, please consider helping us with our hosting expenses so we can continue to bring you the show long into the future.

Yes, we're running behind AGAIN. It's the story of Linux in the Ham Shack lately. Because of that, this episode turned into an expose on our backlog of feedback. As it turns out, feedback is a good thing. We were able to address several questions and comments from listeners to the show. Hopefully the information we give out as answers to questions will also answer the questions and fulfill the needs of other listeners who are hoping someone will ask their questions for them. We'd like to encourage everyone to send in feedback and we will address it as soon as we're able. You can send an e-mail to the show, call our hotline at +1-888-455-0305 or +1-417-200-4811, or leave us a comment on the Web site. We encourage all our listeners to tell us what you like, tell us what you don't like, tell KA9WKA he's awesome, ask a question, or just tell us whatever's on your mind. Also, if you happen to have a few extra dollars kicking around, send us a donation to help with our expenses. Keep Linux in the Ham Shack moving into the future and we'll give you proper recognition! And if you buy some of our cool swag, you'll also be helping out the show. Thanks so much for being a part of our world. We love you. It's a big ol' love fest.

If life would stop conspiring to halt production of Linux in the Ham Shack, everything would be just fine. Instead, because of problems in both our lives, the Dayton Hamvention and the Southeast Linux Fest, everything has been pushed back so far we feel like we're going back in time. Richard was unable to record for Episode #039, but luckily I was able to find a worthy surrogate for this particular show. Chris and Bryan over at The Linux Action Show had prior obligations and didn't respond quick enough, respectively, but we hope to have them on a future episode. However, ClaudioM decided he didn't have anything better to do and was able to swing by and offer his thoughts on a couple of intriquing concepts suggested by visitors to the Dayton Hamvention: 1) How do we promote Linux and Open Source and should it be promoted, and 2) Why does the perception that Linux is harder to use than Windows persist? I found this to be a rather insightful episode and I hope you do as well. Thank you to everyone who visited Linux in the Ham Shack in Dayton and in Spartanburg, and please enjoy this latest installment of the program.

It's a couple of days since the end of the 2010 Dayton Hamvention. Cheryl and I would like to send out a special thank you to everyone who stopped by our booth while we were there. We met a lot of interesting folks and had a great many thought provoking conversations. It was our first time so we didn't know we'd be out in the sticks, so to speak, but we still had a lot of traffic and a lot of fun. Now that I'm home and most of the work that piled up on me while I was away has been tackled, I got the podcast we recorded before the event finished and here it is. There's no Dayton content this time around. That will come next time. The drawing for the Alinco radio and the other Linux in the Ham Shack swag will happen on Friday and we'll announce all the winners in the next show and on the Web site so stay tuned for that. In the meantime, enjoy some interesting feedback from listeners and some insight into Richard's latest mobile rig install. Keep the feedback coming, visit our Printfection and Cafe Press stores and pick up an item or two, and get ready for next year in Dayton. Linux in the Ham Shack will be back.

Lately it seems like if there were an extra day in the week it still wouldn't be enough to get everything done. That being said, Episode #037 is here and it's even released on time. We'd like to especially thank Dan and Gary for leaving us audio comments via our call-in numbers. If you'd like to participate by leaving us audio feedback, the number to call can be found at the top of the left column of this site. We really do like to "hear" from our listeners. This has also already been announced, but I'd like to promote our merchandise shops once again. If you'd like T-shirts, tote bags and lots of drinkware items with the cool new Linux in the Ham Shack logo on them, take a trip over to https://www.printfection.com/lhs and pick up an item or two. You'll be helping us out with a small donation and advertising the show to your friends, family and colleagues. If caps or wall clocks are your thing, https://www.cafepress.com/lhspodcast has exactly what you need. They make great gifts, too. And every purchase helps Linux in the Ham Shack out with our hosting expenses. Hopefully we'll see a lot of our listeners at the Dayton Hamvention this month, and hopefully we'll have many more faithful followers by the end of the event. Thanks as always for downloading the show, and make sure to leave us a comment. Don't be a stranger.

The season of Linux fests is now under way. The Texas Linux Fest took place a couple of weeks ago. By all accounts, the turnout was excellent, the educational opportunities were plentiful and fun was had by all. Oggcamp in the UK is next on the list. Then there will be ham fests and Linux fests all over the country and the rest of the world for the rest of the spring, summer and early fall. Linux in the Ham Shack will be represented at the Dayton Hamvention in May and at the Southeast Linux Fest in June. I'm also trying to start a new Linux fest called the Mid-America Linux Fest which will be held in early November. It's possible that could be November of 2010, but it's more likely to be November 2011. If you want more information about the Mid-America Linux Fest or are willing to volunteer your time or services, please check out the Web site at https://midamericalinuxfest.org. And yes, I know this episode of Linux in the Ham Shack is late. Life has been very busy of late and I think all of our listeners for your eternal patience. We hope to see you at the live recording of Episode #037 on April 27th at 8:00pm. 73

There are good things coming up in the world of GNOME and Linux in the Ham Shack has some of the scoop. In this episode we had the good fortune to interview Stormy Peters, the executive director over at the GNOME Foundation. We'd love to tell you all the stuff she told us, but that's what downloading the episode is all about. We wouldn't want to spoil any surprises. We are currently in migration from Hostican to our new hosting, which includes a mix of BlueCows Technical Services and GoDaddy. During this process, some of the Web site features may come and go, but rest assured everything will be back online eventually. I believe most everything is working now except for the OGG feed and I am working on that. It is very important that everyone switch over to the new RSS feeds in your podcatcher of choice. We wouldn't want you to miss a single episode. Click or hover over the RSS Feed links on the left-hand side of the main Web page for the correct new URLs. And remember, our new e-mail address is info at lhspodcast dot info. That will go to both of us. Don't forget about the current contests. Don't forget to show up at the Texas Linux Fest in April, the Southeast Linux Fest in June and the Ohio Linux Fest in September. Don't forget to tell 200 of your closest friends about the podcast. Don't forget to donate to the noise gate fund. And don't forget to have fun listening to the show! 73, The LHS Guys

We've managed to cobble together another round table discussion for Episode #034 of Linux in the HAM Shack. Thanks to Lord Drachenblut of Ten Buck Review and our party crasher, Jonathan, KB1KIX, for helping us out with this episode. The format is a little bit different this time based on some feedback from listeners. If you like what you hear or would rather have us go back to the way things were, let us know. We're interested in what you think. Our topic tonight is a thought provoking e-mail that we received before last episode from Jim, N2ENN. Hopefully we've given it an honest appraisal. Please send us your feedback, your questions and your donations to obtain a noise gate for Richard. Also, enter our two contests for a chance to win real money! And stay tuned for our next recording. We have a very special guest interview coming up. You won't want to miss it. 73 from the LHS Guys

Last week in the Linux in the HAM Shack chat room, we had a lot of participation from our listeners. It was so great to see everyone there. We hope that in the future, more people will get a chance to check out the live show. Check back here on the web site for the schedule of live recordings. This episode of Linux in the Ham Shack is jam-packed with content. We have a special guest from around the Interwebs that you will likely know if you listen to other podcasts about Linux. The show did run a bit longer than usual, but there is just so much in it I couldn't begin to tell you everything you're going to hear. I do hope that you'll stick around for the entire episode because there are some goodies near the end that you will not want to miss out on, including how you can win significant cold, hard cash. Thanks to our special guest, our live participants and to everyone who listens to the show. PLEASE, tell everyone you know about us, and that we're not just for amateur radio enthusiasts. Technofiles, geeks, Linux and FOSS addicts and just about everyone will gain something from the podcast. Oh, and due to a couple of technical problems, the audio quality in this episode is poor in a few places. I did the best I could. Next time it'll be better. Have a great week!

Richard is back and everything is right with the world--except Russ. Plans are in the works for setting up at the Dayton Hamvention. Many thanks to all of our listeners who donated to the cause. Our next donation goal, is $150 to get a noise gate for Richard. We know at least a couple listeners who should be happy about this, and we suspect there may be a few others out there. Of course, we're committed to improving the quality of the program whenever and wherever possible. This episode is a little heavy on the radio side of things. However, don't be deterred. Richard gives us a lot of great information about satellite technology, concepts such as Doppler shift, transponders, antenna polarization, the science of orbits and much more which will appeal to your inner geek whether you're into ham radio, computers or just science and technology in general. Have a great week, and we look forward to seeing everyone in the chat for the next live recording on Tuesday, March 2nd.

Episode #031 of Linux in the HAM Shack is now available, and nearly on time. Due to myriad circumstances in our lives, we had to put off recording of this episode until February 9th. It is therefore almost astonishing that I can announced that it is being released on February 10th. After this, everything should return to its normal bi-weekly cycle. I would very much like to thank Bill, KA9WKA, Ted, WA0EIR and Andy (Integgroll on IRC) for filling in as co-hosts for Richard on this episode. Sadly I must report that Richard lost his mother to a battle with cancer yesterday morning. I know the thoughts, prayers and deepest sympathies of myself and our listeners are with Richard and his family during this time. Unfortunately, I do not have any further details on events in Balch Springs at this time. If you would like to send your condolences, please address them to [email protected]. Richard may feel like joining me to record again in a week's time, but if his circumstances do not permit, we will certainly carry on and offer him all of the time and space he may need to recover. In this episode, our esteemed round table guests touch on a variety of topics. In usual fashion, I address feedback at the start. Beyond that, topics range from MicroHam digital rig interfaces, a rant about Yaesu, Linux Mint 8, cloud storage, e-readers and much, much more. Thank you for your faithful listenership.

Well, January has pretty much come and gone. I sure hope the rest of the year sticks around a bit longer. Now that it's 2010, though, Linux in the HAM Shack has a lot of things planned for the future: contests, interviews with fascinating and influential people, trips to live events throughout the year and, as always, scintillating content about Linux and ham shacks. As of Episode #029, we have achieved more than 50,000 downloads. Episode #029 also turned out to be one of our most popular. When Richard and I started this endeavor back in October 2008 we didn't really know what to expect out of the podcast, but I think it's safe to say that whatever expectations we may have had, we're certainly reaching or exceeding them. I only hope that we only have more room to go up from here. Thank you to everyone who listens to, participates in, or otherwise helps out with the podcast--especially Bill, KA9WKA, our beloved Show Notes compiler, and everyone who has made a donation to the program. We are only about $100 in donations away from our booth at the 2010 Dayton Hamvention and we hope that we'll be able to set up there and say hello to all of our fans, old, new and undiscovered, when it finally rolls around. But for now, we wish you a speedy download and an enjoyable listen.

Linux in the HAM Shack has arrived in 2010! It's hard to believe that 2009 is over already. We've have so much fun putting together the podcast for everyone, the time has literally flown by. Soon it will be time for the snow to melt, the world to turn green once again, and for LHS to travel to Dayton, OH for the 2010 Hamvention in May. We're so ready we can almost taste it. In this episode, we had the honor of interviewing two prominent figures from Linux Journal magazine. David Lane, KG4GIY, is the magazine's eminent blogger and ham radio advocate. He is a large part of the reason the January 2010 issue of LJ is all about amateur radio. Shawn Powers is the magazine's associate editor, which gives him the dubious honor of being a guest on our show. He's the go-to guy when the editor, publisher and just about everyone else needs something done. We have to say we were greatly honored to have the LJ folks join us, and we sure hope we haven't scared them off so they'll come back and talk with us in the future. Hope everyone is having a fantastic 2010 so far, and thanks for downloading LHS in the new year. And if you have a couple of dollars leftover from holiday binging, please drop us a donation as the deadline for acquiring a booth in Dayton is coming up fast. And remember, we appreciate our listeners, each and every one. Thank you!

We've reached the end of the decade. 2009 is just about over and 2010 is just about to swoop in and overwhelm us all. It's been a fantastic year here at Linux in the HAM Shack, and we'd like to thank all of our listeners and sponsors who make the show possible. Without you, we would literally be nothing. Hopefully everyone has enjoyed their holidays, spent time with families, given and received all of the gifts you've hope to give or receive. Warmest wishes from our homes to yours during this time of friendship and togetherness, and please accept our gift of a new podcast to take you through the rest of this special time and into the upcoming new year. May it be more prosperous and fulfilling than the ones that have come before. 73 and Happy Holidays, Russ (K5TUX) and Richard (KB5JBV)

It occurs to me that having an episode discussing evil empires during a celebration- and holiday-filled time of year might be a bit ironic but that's just how things turned out. Thank you to everyone who has so generously donated to the podcast so that we might have a presence at the upcoming Dayton Hamvention in May, 2010. It was an idea spawned at Ohio Linux Fest in September, 2009 and we've come a long way since then. Every contribution helps and we hope you'll continue to support Linux in the HAM Shack in the future. We also hope to provide timely and essential information to amateur radio enthusiasts and computer users for a long time to come. From our world to yours, have a Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Joyous Saturnalia, or just a good ol' time--whatever your "thing" might be. We hope you enjoy our latest installment of the podcast, and please: Keep spreading the word. Every month our audience grows, and we predict world takeover by 2014. Well, maybe not, but we are talking about evil empires after all...

It's the holiday season, and our gift to our listeners is a brand new podcast. During my time at Ohio Linux Fest back in September, several of the participants who visited the Linux in the HAM Shack booth provided topic ideas for the program. I recently dug those topics up and Richard and I will be tackling them over the next few episodes. In Episode #026, the topic we decide to visit is shortwave listening, including hardware and Open Source software for that very purpose. SWL is a way for non-hams to approach the hobby without encountering mic fright, and a way for existing hams and non-hams alike to explore the world of radio frequency communication, whether it be foreign broadcasts, pirate radio, amateur radio or time beacons. With several manufacturers of equipment still in business, SWL is by no means a lost art, and may be an interesting extension to the amateur radio hobby for those who don't currently participate in it. Several thank yous go out to those who donated to the Dayton Hamvention 2010 fund. With my upcoming matching contributions we'll be about halfway to our goal. Please keep those donations coming, even after we've met our goal, so we can continue to improve our equipment, our hosting and our program. As always, thank you for downloading Linux in the HAM Shack. Please send us your feedback and questions, and please tell everyone you know about us--through word of mouth, blogging, social networking, whatever it takes. Our listenership continues to grow, and we hope that trend continues for years to come.

We have topped 40,000 downloads! Thanks go out to all of our listeners and live webcast attendees for making Linux in the HAM Shack as popular as it is. Give yourselves a huge round of applause. We're also well on our way to our donation goal of $750 so we can buy booth space and Internet access at the Dayton Hamvention in Dayton, Ohio, in May of 2010. Thank you for all of your donations. Please keep them coming as you're able to send them in! In this episode, we address listener feedback and comments, and then in a burst of inspiration invite listeners from the chat room to come onto the program for a lively and very fun roundtable discussion. Topics were varied, from portable antenna design, to life without Red Bull; from the HAARP VLF array in Alaska to D-STAR, PACTOR and other digital ham radio communication modes. And since I was on meds and Richard was off his, things got a little crazy towards the end. We hope you enjoy this episode of Linux in the HAM Shack. Please leave us comments or questions on the web site or via voice mail at 888-455-0305. And send your best wishes to Bill, KA9WKA, who has taken on the responsibility of getting LHS's show notes out in a timely fashion. Thanks, Bill. You're a lifesaver!

Back from Baltimore and ready for more ham radio, Linux and Linux in the HAM Shack. I had originally planned to get this episode out before I left for the Large Installation System Administration conference in Maryland, but it didn't work out that way. I even brought all the audio with me to assemble the podcast during my off time at the conference. It turned out there wasn't any off time, so I wound up having to finish up when I got home. That being said, I have to admit this is my favorite episode so far. It seems like Richard and I are finally getting the hang of this podcast thing. We truly appreciate all our listeners. It makes the time, effort and money of putting out this program worth it. In Episode #024, we bring you some final wrap-up from Ohio Linux Fest, including interviews with ham radio operators, Linux users, Beth Lynn Eicher from OLF, members of the Drupal project and more. We answer listener comments and questions, of which there are many, and I talk about my getting back on the air and include my new experiences with digital communication via ham radio, from PSK to IRLP. Grab a drink, sit back and enjoy this episode of Linux in the HAM Shack. And if you have a spare couple of dollars, drop them in the can so we can bring our show to the national ham radio convention in 2010: The Dayton Hamvention.

Richard and I have been busy over the last couple of weeks. He spent a day at the Belton Hamfest near Waco, Texas on October 3rd. The weekend before that, I spent a few days in Columbus, Ohio at Ohio Linux Fest. This is our first episode back from those events. I have a few hours of audio I need to sift through, but I managed to get a couple of clips from my interviews and commentary from OLF included in the second segment of this episode of the podcast. Because I had a visit from my parents and my brother and sister-in-law from New Hampshire, I haven't been able to get the podcast out in a timely manner. I suppose after 25 releases, I should probably stop apologizing for being late but I do like it when we release on time. Anyway, enjoy our interviews and Richard's discourse on APRS and Xastir, and stay tuned for a lot of great audio from our live endeavors coming up in future episodes. Thanks for downloading, and have a great couple of weeks.

In this latest installment of Linux in the HAM Shack, we air the second half of our interview with Bill, KA9WKA, from Episode #022. While the first part of the interview focused on Linux Mint and EeePC netbooks, this part is mostly about amateur radio, answering questions from the chat room and generally having a good time. In fact, it's like a good old fashioned ragchew. Not ones to leave out actual content and learning, we address questions from listener feedback, and Richard talks about using rig control software under WINE for Icom, Yaesu and Kenwood radios. And of course there are other topics thrown into the mix as well. Thank you to all of our listeners, old and new, for downloading this latest episode. Please tell all your friends about us and send us feedback, whether by e-mail, forum or voice mail. Hope to see everyone in Belton, TX on October 3rd or in Columbus, OH from September 25-27. And may the force be with you.

Welcome to Episode #021 of Linux in the HAM Shack. As always, feedback for the program has been abundant and entertaining. We address several listener questions and comments. We also have new features on the web site. Please check them out after listening to the show. Russ will be at the Ohio Linux Fest and Richard and Jerry from The Practical Amateur Radio Podcast will be in Denton at a hamfest there. Check out the podcast for more information on times and locations. For the main segment of our program we talk with Paul Shirey of Teen Radio Journey, a podcast chronicling the pursuits of a young man from Illinois on a quest to get his ham radio license. It was a lot of fun to talk with Paul and we're glad to have him on the show. As always, send us feedback on the program and leave us voice comments at (888) 455-0305. And if you have a few extra dollars kicking around and you find the podcast useful, why not make a charitable donation to the program? All funds go directly toward improving our show. Thanks for listening!

In this episode we tackle user questions and comments and then talk with Beth Lynn Eicher of the Ohio Linux Fest. Linux in the HAM Shack will be there. Will you? Hope to see everyone who can make it to Columbus from Friday, September 25 through Sunday, September 27.

Here is the second and final installment of the special OSCON update for Linux in the HAM Shack. In this episode I examine the second half of my trip to San Jose, California, and the O'Reilly Open Source Convention. I talk about sessions I attended dealing with subjects as diverse as patents and legal issues, processor speed, cloud computing, users as Open Source advocates and, yes, evening programming in Klingon. I also take a trip through The Tech Museum of Innovation, an institution run entirely using Open Source. So sit back and enjoy this special report from OSCON and as always, thanks for being a loyal listener to the program. Don't forget to leave us voice feedback or questions. We'd love to put you on the air. And we know how ham radio operators often have the gift for gab. So let it out. Don't be shy. Linux in the HAM shack wants YOU.

Linux in the HAM Shack #020 has arrived. This one ran a little bit long so it's been cut into two parts. The second part will wind up being the first half of Episode #022. For this show, we brought in a friend of the show to help us with a discussion of Linux Mint and several amateur radio topics. Thanks to Bill, KA9WKA, for sitting in with us. The amateur radio portion of the discussion is being pushed over to the next show, so be on the lookout for that in a couple of weeks. This time we answer feedback, talk with the live participants in the chatroom and give all the ins and outs of Linux Mint on various platforms, from laptops to desktops to netbooks. Thanks to all of our listeners for downloading the podcast and sending us your comments and other feedback. We hope it's as much fun for you as it is for us. And remember, leave us an audio comment at +1-888-455-0305 and we'll get you on the podcast. And if you want to participate as KA9WKA did, let us know and we'll set you up.

Hey, everyone. I'm spending the week in San Jose, California at the O'Reilly OSCON conference. Since OSCON is an Open Source convention and has a lot of information about Linux and Open Source, I thought I would bring our listeners a couple of updates from the con. We'll call these supplemental episodes of Linux in the HAM Shack. The second one will be along in a couple of days. Hopefully this will provide a little insight into the conference experience, and I'm going to share as much useful information as I pick up with our listeners. Thanks for downloading, and look for our next live podcast on Tuesday, 7/28 at 8:00pm CDT.

While Richard is back home in Texas, I came out to San Jose, California for a week of "geeking out." I'm attending the O'Reilly Open Source Convention, learning all I can about Ubuntu, Open Source licensing and patents, cloud computing, system tuning and monitoring and a whole lot more. I hope to put out a couple of short supplemental podcasts for Linux in the HAM Shack giving a little insite into my experiences here and tell a little bit about what I've learned. As far as Episode #018 is concerned, Richard and I tackled a few questions from listeners. We spent a few minutes trying to keep our thoughts to ourselves about spam e-mail, managing to fail miserably. After that, we talk about some useful ham radio and other miscellaneous add-ons for Firefox that we hope our listeners will find useful. And when no other topics present themselves, our well-oiled machine moves onto an in-depth look at the virtual keyboard and mouse controller called Synergy. We hope everyone enjoys this edition of the podcast and feels compelled to send in their comments, questions and suggestions for future episodes. Also, don't forget to follow us individually and as a podcast on Twitter, and make sure to leave your audio comments at +1-888-455-0305 so we can include them in upcoming shows.