WT4Y - Amateur Radio » Uncategorized http://wt4y.com and other stuff I like to do. Fri, 06 Aug 2010 23:21:46 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Kindle For Amateur Radio http://wt4y.com/kindle-for-amateur-radio.html http://wt4y.com/kindle-for-amateur-radio.html#comments Fri, 06 Aug 2010 22:40:59 +0000 wt4y http://wt4y.com/?p=542 Kindle

Next Generation Kindle

With the introduction of Amazon’s next generation Kindle at $139 (Wi-Fi only version), this handy dandy device has finally reached the “gotta have one” price. For the newbie, all the study guides are available for the Kindle for under $10 (free if you have a PDF version). For Hams involved with emergency preparedness, many manuals and guides are already available. The new Kindle will read PDF files natively, so every PDF document in your library can be uploaded to the Kindle (free!!). This nifty device can store about 3500 e-books and the battery will last up to a month (with the Wi-Fi turned off). The Kindle would really come in handy during Field Day.

If you want one, better get in line. The waiting period is about a month, but Amazon is rewarding pre-orders with free 2 day shipping. I can’t wait for mine to arrive!

]]> http://wt4y.com/kindle-for-amateur-radio.html/feed 0 LOTW Triple Play http://wt4y.com/lotw-triple-play.html http://wt4y.com/lotw-triple-play.html#comments Wed, 04 Mar 2009 12:36:55 +0000 wt4y http://wt4y.com/?p=272 I must admit, ARRL’s new Triple Play Award for Logbook of the World users is a huge hit. For the first time in a long time I find it really fun to get on the radio and chase contacts. This is one award that most people can achieve in a few weeks or months without losing (too much) sleep.

By far the best tool to use to achieve this award is the K3UK LoTW Sked Page where people with the same goal gather together to hunt in packs.  The are even a few individuals from the rare states who spend hours working and logging so others can make it over the finish line. AH6RR in Hawaii, AL1G in sunny Alaska, K0TUP in beautiful Minot, North Dakota, WY7FD in Wyoming…….we couldn’t do it without you!

On a few occasions the rare state of Florida has been in demand and it’s a real hoot being asked for a contact from an operator in Wyoming. Lots of ops are working on other awards like 5BWAS so there is plenty of opportunity to snag the rare one if you have the patience.  Who needs a life ? We have ham radio !!!

Addendum: During the evening of March 11, 2009 I hit the 150 QSL mark and earned my TPA, all on a 50 foot piece of wet string !!! On 13 March I was assigned TPA number 210.

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