CQ Blind Hams

On this show Billy Erwin K 9 O H the South Carolina Skywarn Coordinator tells us all about Skywarn and how as blind hams we can help spot storms. For more information check out website below.

https://www.weather.gov/skywarn/

Don't forget to visit www.blindhams.com

We would like to thank Steve WA1RTB for giving us this great layout description of the Kenwood TMV71 a

On this show Gena M0EBP gives us a demo of a virtual radio.

Don't forget to visit www.blindhams.com

On this show Gena M0EBP walks us through creating a virtual com port on Windows

Robert NC5R gives a little preview of what you can learn about on the next CQBH Techzoom on Oct. 10th at 8pm eastern. Link can be found on front page of www.blindhams.com

On this techzoom we talk about preparing for emergencys with Shane KC1RLR.

Below you will find some affiliate links to a few items that may be helpful in an emergency.

Emergency radios

Raddy SW10 by Radioddity.

https://amzn.to/3PEO3je

Eton red cross

https://amzn.to/3RjkeGn

Water filters.

Sawyer mini water filter 2 pack.

https://amzn.to/3PkbKMr

Berkey water filter bottle

https://amzn.to/48dGUhh

Battery Bioenno 12volt 20ah

https://amzn.to/3Zqwln6

Bioenno charger

https://amzn.to/46bae61

Bioenno - LiFePO4 Batteries for Communication Equipment/Ham Radio

This website has great links to info on which sized batteries (all on this page) you would need for so many hours of operation at different duty cycles (Standard & Field Day). There also links to info on Radio-Battery compatibility for all of the standard radio makes and models (Icom, Kenwood, Yaesu, Elecraft, Flex Radio, Powerwerx, TYT, Alinco). Also, there is a great link with a “Solar How-to Guide”.

LiFePO4 Batteries for Communication Equipment/Ham Radio – Bioenno Power

Bioenno 20Ah Battery

12V, 20Ah LFP Battery (PVC, BLF-1220A) – Bioenno Power

Bioenno 40Ah Battery

12V, 40Ah LFP Battery (PVC, BLF-1240A) – Bioenno Power

Powerwerx MEGAbox2 Portable Power Box for 30-70Ah Bioenno Batteries

Powerwerx MEGAbox2 Portable Power Box for 30-70Ah Bioenno Batteries | Powerwerx

Powerwerx PWRbox2 Portable Power Box for 20-40Ah Bioenno Batteries

This is the smaller Powerwerx battery box. Less features than the Megabox but it has the basics. The box is about half the size of the Megabox so it can’t hold the larger batteries but can do up to a 40Ah battery.

Powerwerx PWRbox2 Portable Power Box for 20-40Ah Bioenno Batteries | Powerwerx

Good website resources for preparedness.

https://www.ready.gov/plan

Prepper youtube channels

Common Myths about ham radio while prepping.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5w0uItMylmo

72 hour kit, AKA bug out bag

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVW77RwH6kk

If I were going to start prepping in 2022 this is what I would do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZG-uxmwn7s8

3 mistakes made when storing water

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oX7Jls_1hso

10 things you need for emergencies

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsVBtawIvXY

Living Without Electricity 10 Things to Consider

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mdbH6xXYFk

How To Power Essential Devices When The Grid Goes Down (i.e., Refrigerator) - vs2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlpBzHbWsb8

15 Survival Foods Every Prepper Should Stockpile - Most Bang for your Buck

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyI9V-Kef7M

How to build a home first aid kit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tH_X3oxl03E

Don't forget to visit www.blindhams.com

Talkpod sent us the A36 plus GMRS to review. It is a good replacement for a UV5R. It has several features that may make it a good first radio. Like USB charging on the battery along with airband and a few others. You can look at the Talkpod A36 plus at Amazon link below. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C37T5TPS You can find the software along firmware at the link below. https://talkpodonline.com/pages/firmware-software Don't forget to subscribe and visit www.blindhams.com

On this show Butch shows us a few things we can do with the Aneng talking multi meter.

Dont forget to visit www.blindhams.com

Doug Chandler, W2VX, joins us this month with information on batteries of all sorts, focusing on choosing the appropriate battery for the job, and its proper care and feeding. Topics include lead-acid, lithium ion, lithium phosphate, and the newer lithium polymer technologies used in commercial and consumer products.

For transcription, click dropbox link below.

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/j5h3tlndgbztnmi12eu29/TechZoom-on-Batteries-07142023.txt?rlkey=p48yfji53hiylw8kzy73f1xwa&dl=1

Don't forget to visit www.blindhams.com, also subscribe to our youtube channel CQ Blind Hams

On this podcast Robert NC5R shows us how to create a memory channel on a Radioddity GD77 s using the virtual keyboard. Thanks to the accessible GD77 s firmware. Made possible by Joe VK7JS.

For a transcription click dropbox link below.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ne7b6wwdk2n9tya/Using%20the%20GD77S%20Virtual%20Keypad%20to%20create%20a%20memory%20channel.txt?dl=1

Don't forget to visit www.blindhams.com

On this months techzoom we talk with Tom VA2FSQ about his great accessible self voicing CAT software.

To find out more visit Tom's websites.

va2fsq.com for Elecraft radios

yaesu.va2fsq.com for Yaesu radios

icom.va2fsq.com for Icom radios

For a transcription click on the DropBox link below.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/tof85p2mfmy2aq2/February%20Tech%20Zoom%202023.txt?dl=1

Don't forget to visit www.blindhams.com

On this special show we tell our memories of how Ne5V was so much a huge part of the Blind Hams Network.

For a transcription click on Dropbox link below.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/o6vpnyhr5krv4ps/Tech%20Zoom%20Chris%20Miller%20Memorial%20January%202023.txt?dl=0

Don't forget to visit www.blindhams.com

On this podcast Johnny NE5L shows us how he tunes his Ameritron AL-811H using a LDG TW1 talking SWR / watt meter.

For transcription. Click on the Dropbox link below.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/uob9s5wv141tzl0/al811h.txt?dl=1

Don't forget to visit www.blindhams.com

On this show John WD9BCH shows us how to backup a image from a allstar node or hotspot with a utility on a Mac. 

You can find the utility below.

 https://www.balena.io/etcher/

For a transcription click the dropbox link below.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/lb6qc0aj31dxqzp/Backup%20Utility%20Micro%20SD%20card%20Mac.txt?dl=0

Don't forget to visit www.blindhams.com

On this Tech Zoom Bruce KC1FSZ joins us to deep dive into the NANO-VNA hardware and explains.

• Basic Vector Network Analysis concepts, how a VNA works, the complex impedance concept, relationship to VSWR, etc.
• The history of the Nano VNA device itself.
• The internal architecture of the Nano VNA device.  How it works electronically.

For a transcription click dropbox link below.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/efbkimqq7qndp9b/CQBH%20with%20Bruce%2008112022.txt?dl=1

Don't forget to visit www.blindhams.com

In this podcast, Robert, NC5R, explores how blind hams have struggled to figure out ways to operate inaccessible radios. He talks about how radio manufacturers should and could provide their radios with accessible firmware. Robert describes how the struggle frequently reduces the pleasure that blind hams get out of  the hobby. He demonstrates how the Accessible GD77 firmware has proven that when radios are 100 percent accessible blind hams can find the same level of enjoyment as do sighted hams. 

For transcription click the dropbox link below.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/xvka24xkvixfwpj/Mental%20Gymnastics%20Not%20Required.txt?dl=1

Don't forget to visit www.blindhams.com for the latest accessible GD77 firmware on the ham radio links page.

Today Gena M0EBP shows 3 ways to install the USB driver fix for the TYT MD9600.

To download the driver, click on the dropbox link below.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/unj7o94km45ow32/USB%20DRIVER.exe?dl=1

For a transcription, click on the dropbox link below.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jhucdizen2ikq10/3_ways_to_install_USB-driver_fixx_for_MD-9600_Open_firmware.txt?dl=1

Don't forget to visit www.blindhams.com or www.blindhams.wordpress.com

Today Gena M0EBP shows us how to calibrate the NANO VNA using NANO VNA saver on a Mac.

For transcription click on Dropbox link below.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/f98b68sjqthju7i/Calabration_demo_NanoVNA.txt?dl=1

Don't forget to visit www.blindhams.com

On this show Gena shows us how we can use our NANO VNA with another piece of software, NANO VNA controller.

To download the software click the dropbox link below.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/dle8jw4iobksdp9/nanovna-controller.zip?dl=1

For transcriptions click the dropbox link below.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jc16biwdv9s37g2/NanoVNA-Controller_Install_and_Sweep.txt?dl=1

Don't forget to visit www.blindhams.com

Today Gena M0EBP shows us more with NNANO VNA Saver on a Mac.

Transcripts can be downloaded by clicking on DropBox link below.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/nm0rwwrnitib48a/NanoVNA-Saver-3.txt?dl=1

Don't forget to visit www.blindhams.com

Today Chris NE5V takes us through the steps of installing DV Switch on a allstar node running HAMVOIP.

Text notes can be downloaded with the dropbox link below,  So you can follow along with the podcast.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/uo4khjpvo4ybtnj/Installing%20DVSwitch%20on%20Hamvoip.txt?dl=1

Don't forget to visit www.blindhams.com

On this show we have a presentation and Q and A with the developer of Accessible GD77 project, Joe Stephen VK7JS.

For a transcription click the link below.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1kmq1gses0sw13s/Zoom%20Tech%20with%20Joe%20Stephen.txt?dl=1

Don't forget to visit www.blindhams.com

Gena shows us how you can use NANO VNA saver on the Mac platform.

For transcripts click on link below.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ly17ljsm6vwt28w/NanoVNA-Saver_on_the_Mac.txt?dl=1

Don't forget  to visit www.blindhams.com

On this tech zoom we share our list of accessible ham apps for the iPhone and Android platforms. With Julian N1CA, Robert NC5R, Steve WB2KTV, Angelo N2DYN and Joel W0CAS

Accessible Ham apps

IOS:

ClearNode

Echolink

Calls Search

Repeater Book

Scanner radio

Node remote (needs buttons labeled)

Look for Patrick's podcast on CQBH

Zoiper (needs buttons labeled)

Android apps

ClearNode

Echolink

DV Switch

Node Remote

Hamsphear

QRZ Assistant

Peanut

Scanner Radio

Don't forget to visit www.blindhams.com

On this show Damo VK4FDPM gives us a deeper tutorial of Network Radio. We would like to welcome Damo to the CQ Blind Hams team.

Don't forget to visit www.blindhams.com

On the first CQ Blind Hams first tech Zoom we do a introduction of EchoLink, DMR and AllStar with Julian N1CA, Robert NC5R, Chris NE5V, Steve WB2KTV and Joel W0CAS. We also announce the winner of the Clearzero allstar node and Baofeng RD5R with accessible RD5R firmware. 

Congratulations to Dan KA4DAN as our winner.

Don't forget to visit www.blindhams.com