Reported by Dave Woolstrum K3ASI
If you are looking for a SSTV repeater you may wish
to check out Daves web page for details on the 28.690 MHz SSTV repeater and
general SSTV pictures and information also at
http://www.qsl.net/k3asi Also see the
pictures stored in the repeater buffer.
Back Issues of the Vision News
Letter
Any one that would like a back issue of the VISION
News Letter can go to the Home web page of Frank DL1FH that is now maintaining a
history morgue file of the previous VISION News letters at
http://www.sstv.de/News/news.html
(Thanks Frank)
HD SSTV Reported by John Wilson
VK3LM
John informs me he is trying to find a programmer in Australia to help
convert the High Definition SSTV program to run under Windows with no luck
so far. (John and Alf Coupe VK3CQE and Jim Schafer VK4CS and Don Miller W9NTP
and Farrell Winder W8ZCF did the initial test of the program running under Linux
I believe. If any one has the Windows programming experience contact Don at
wyman@svs.net or Farrell at
fwinder@one.net or John at
johnvklm@optusnet.com.au (one
giant step for SSTV and one for mankind)
OLED Displays
We now have a new way to view the screen.The
development of the new Organic Light Emitting Diode "OLED" flat screen monitors
I'm told will be brighter as they emit the light rather than allow it to pass
through like the TFT screens. I'm also told the OLED display has a life of
10,000 to 100,000 hours and also have a sharper picture with a wide viewing
angle unlike the TFT screens on current flat panel and laptops. The big
advantage of OLED screens is that they only require one fifth the power of a
conventional TFT display. This technology is also likely to replace the
incandescent lights in the future. Early applications will include cell phone
display screens and even battery powered flash lights. The big
disadvantage of OLED so far is the High cost. (the little panel lamp
indicator "Light Emitting Diode" devices finds new applications)
Computers Vs. Amateur
Radio.
The home computer is a double edge sword It has done more to benefit
Amateur Radio than almost any invention. It provides thousands of features and
functions and benefits never available before. however some feel it is
drawing Amateurs away from radio communication. Technical and scientific
advances do some times come with some undesirable results. Inexpensive long
range voice and video communication was once only available to licensed radio
Amateurs. With more than 50 percent of American homes using computers and most
also on the web using e-mail and Voice/Video mail this has resulted in
lot's of inexpensive hardware like
computers,cameras,scanners.printers etc.for every one. Apartment dwelling
hams or ones with antenna and tower zoning restrictions can still communicate
around the world with only a little more than computer and a telephone line. We
started with smoke signals and drums etc.and will probably find even more
efficient ways to communicate in the future!
Tablet Computers
Displayed at the Comdex electronic trade show this year were the new Tablet
Web Computers by Fujitsu,Intel and Compaq. These small thin portable devices
with a 10.4 Inch TFT screen are complete computers with wireless web connection
and have sound and USB etc. ports. As a key board is not provided a Pen input is
used for hand writing recognition and a electronic ink function. Battery life is
8 hours The main problem is the high cost at present. (sounds like a Palm Pilot
on steroids to me!)
Windows XP Report by Ray W5NOO
I finally managed to get the $99 WinXP upgrade CD installed and
running on my Gateway Essential IBM computer with some difficulty as the "Quick
upgrade" function did not work and I had to install using the Boot from
CD function. Some of my software did not work like my old Intel USB web cam
"Create and Share" software, but I understand a new CD program will soon be
available for $5.00 .My CD burner software version 4 of EZ-CD creator
required a upgrade to version 5 also. We have a USB cable device
connecting my two computers that permits file and folder transfers
that at first did not work on the WinXP computer but to my amazement it offered
to go out on the web and then found and installed a upgrade for the
little CTG Co. cable device using a "PC-Ling" software upgrade. (we have
not had a chance to try all the various SSTV software programs running WinXP so
far but as the MMSSTV sound card program works it's likely the SSTV
programs written for Windows 95 and 98 will run. I was able to press the F8 Key
during boot up and get into a DOS mode but did not have any DOS
programs installed.(but as Dos commands and the mouse were working I
believe I was running DOS under WinXP and not in a true DOS mode!
( Bill Gates is trying to eliminate DOS)
Happy Viewing 73
Ray W5NOO Director/Editor IVCA
