In my quest to set up FT8 mobile, I needed to figure out how to manage a proper grid square for the software.  

After doing some research I found that there was some basic scripting already set up for this purpose.  It took me some digging to get it working properly (especially with my gps) so I am documenting it here for anyone else who would like to do the same.

This article is being written for Windows, but could easily be adapted to linux, and most linux people should be savy enough to follow along and adjust as needed.

My Dad (K2GC) and I were looking around for a greyline map to use in the shack so we could see what time it was around the world and see we could see what HF propagation was avalibale. So we got to looking online and founf this really cool thing called a Geochron, a mechanical greyline clock. there was one catch though... said greyline clock had a price tag of about $3000... not in the budget. So we started looking for a cheaper way to do the same basic concept.... A raspberry PI.

Please please please... if you share this anywhere, provide my link as source.  Because its not supported by Pi-star, I would like to keep it under control.

It seems that many people are interested in running some sort of display on their Pi-star device.  I felt the same way and worked out a way to do such a thing.  My method listed below is unsupported by the developers of pi-star (and me really even), but does work quite well.

I recently upgraded the radio in my daily driver to an Icom ID-5100a.  it was a little tough figuring out how to fit the large control head in the small car, but I got it to work nice!

Updated Shack Layout

Left to right:  TK-6110 6m;  TK-780H 2m;  TK-880H 70cm;  TS-480SAT HF-6m

I recently bought a new D-Star radio, and found it very difficult to understand at first.  Lots of information out there, but nothing very simplified.  After hours of research, I was finally able to make a D-Star contact.

Now that I have used it some, I figured I would write something up to explain how it all works.

Back about a year ago, i was given a 17m vertical antenna.  I finally was able to get it up on the roof in September.  As part of the project, I installed a 2" weatherhead through the roof to run coax through.  In the pictures, only the 17m coax is going through it.  I hope to get up there in the spring and add the other 2 antennas.

Left is the Tram 1481 2m/70cm  -  Right is the 6m Ringo

I recently picked up a Kenwood TS-430s.  Great radio, but the display kept dropping out...

I got ambitious today, and took the cover off, and pulled the display board out.  I resoldered every connection on the board, and voila - it stays on great now!

When I first got licensed, I put a Radio Shack Discone antenna up on a chimmney mount.  I recently decided it was time to upgrade.

I went to the Lockport Hamfest, and picked up a Tram 1481 from www.rwantennastore.com

Brought it home and put it up that afternoon!

Then I decided it was time to put up the 6m Ringo that I picked up from Rich at the Drumlins Hamfest last April.  That is on the opposite corner of the chimmney.

With the new 2m antenna, I can reach the Ithaca 895 repeater from the house!

I have had this golf cart for somewhere about 8 years now.  Previously, I had a TK-880 on it, that I used on a commercial repeater for dedicated communication.