Show Notes

Featured Topic:

• Happy Birthday to Linux in the Ham Shack!!
  • Our very first episode dropped on October 7th, 2008
  • Our hosts, over the years:
    • Richard Bailey KB5JBV wanted to start a podcast talking about Linux and Ham Radio (to go with his Resonant Frequency Podcast and Richard’s Radio Adventures).  He put out a call for anyone that was familiar with both departments, and Russ Woodman was the only one that responded.  Richard felt Russ would be an asset because of Russ’s extensive background in Linux and the fact that he had been a ham radio operator for over 15 years at that point. Russ started using Unix in 1987, then switched to Linux in 1991.  His Ham Radio journey began 1993, as N1UYE as a Tech Plus, testing at Aroostook Ham Radio Club in Presque Isle, Maine (where he was living at the time).  He got his general few months later and was assigned N1WAO.  In 2000 he moved to Missouri; he accepted employment at Northern Arkansas Telephone (NATCO) as their Senior Systems Administrator, and rapidly switched them from Windows to Linux.  Within a few months of moving, he was assigned KC0HWX.  Then the rules for Vanity signs changed, and he got K5TUX to reflect his love for Linux in February 2005. At the end of episode 100, which was February 25, 2013, Richard stepped down.  
    • Harrison, VE2HKW, guest hosted #101 with Russ.
    • Rob from the MintCast guest hosted #102 with Russ
    • Pete Landry, VE2XPL, steps up as a permanent host for #103, which was April 3, 2013.  He stayed with us until episode #157 - which was recorded on December 14, 2015.
    • Cheryl Jones, KE0NLC/W5MOO, seems to have come onto the scene, pre-license, on episode #121 - which was January 15, 2014 and my 42nd birthday.  She had been introduced to Ham Radio (and Linux) in April 2000 when Russ moved to Missouri after a long-distance relationship with Cheryl since 1995.  She got her Tech license at Hamvention in 2017 - originally assigned KE0NLC (General license at Hamvention in 2018).  After REFUSING to use Linux for years, she was thrust into using it in 2005… but Russ didn’t trust her to do anything from a command line.  Desktop only!
    • Richard Gordon, KD0RG/K0EB, who previously did Low SWR podcast, stepped up as a permanent host on #161 which was recorded on January 29, 2016; he managed to survive that bumpy ride until episode #168, which happened on April 25, 2016
    • Bill Stearns, KE4RGH/NE4RD, became our super-duper permanent host as of #168… and as of tonight, he’s been here through thick and thin, a ton of Hamventions (8, because we lost a year due to Covid), Russ getting cranky like a toddler at Hamvention (we think it was because he was Hangry), for 465 episodes.  He joined the show on May 9, 2016, and joined us at Hamvention 2017… which was the first year it happened at the Green County Fairgrounds in Xenia, Ohio!  His secondary mission from May 9, 2016 until Hamvention 2017 was to back Russ up in pestering Cheryl to get her license! :-) Because of Russ not being as motivated as he should have been, he recorded 167 episodes in 7 1/2 years (22ish episodes a year).  Bill kept him motivated, and we recorded 437 episodes in just under 10 years (so we doubled the amount of episodes we were releasing!).  Bill is such a slave-driver!
  • We all recorded our year-end episode on December 18th, 2025, with a planned return on January 11th, 2026 after our usual “holiday break”.  This would be the last episode Russ would be a part of.
  • Russ Woodman became a silent key on January 14, 2026 after spending 16 days in Intensive Care - Cheryl and Bill took a break from the podcast for a few months to try to recover and regroup, and started recording the podcast again on March 1, 2026 which was episode #606.
  • My hope is that we’ll be here for another 18 years and another 633 episodes.

Announcements & Feedback:

• Announcements:
  • Support the show!  
    • Support us via Patreon, Paypal, Merch, Sharing the Podcast via Social Media, and Rating Us in your Podcast Application! Your support allows us to continue to pay to host and produce the 18+ years of the podcast and participate in person at Hamvention!  We have $2/$5/$10 monthly subscriptions via Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/cw/lhspodcast) or you can set up to send us a recurring payment (monthly or yearly) via PayPal ([email protected])
  • Come hang out with us on Minecraft!
    • It’s been ages since we reminded folks about this, but… in case you missed it, we have 2 Minecraft Servers, and we’d love to have you join us.  Because of past issues of random unknown people creating some havoc on the servers, we HAVE to Whitelist you.  Make sure you let us know what your username is, so we can do that!
    • minecraft.lhspodcast.info
    • minecraft.bluecows.com
  • We need your feedback!
    • Comments, Questions, Show Topic Ideas! Go ahead and send us hate mail, too… we get bored and need something to read and comment on!  Email us at [email protected]
  • Memorial Service for Russ, K5TUX
    • There will be a memorial service held for Russ at our home in Mt. Vernon, Missouri on November 1, 2026.  Everyone is welcome!  We will be doing the fun stuff Russ loved to do… Texas Hold’em Poker, Bowling, playing Pool, maybe some Geocaching, Cards Against Humanity, etc.  And FOOD!  Serving foods that Russ LOVED and we’ve put a fun spin on them!  If you’d like to join us, please send an email to [email protected] and we’ll send you more info!
    • Facebook event page: https://lhs.fyi/mem
• Feedback:
  • Email from Bob VK1ED
    • Dear Bill and Cheryl Been a listener of the show for a couple of years now, and love the podcast. I listen regularly to the podcast in the car on my travels, and when I have listened to the current podcast, I occasionally go back through the back catalog for interesting episodes, especially on the longer trips from Canberra to Sydney (about 3 hours each way). Love the talks on Pale ales and IPA’s and now have a deeper appreciation than I have had in years. On ideas for topics, nothing to provide as a clear topic, however, very much a proponent of software integration, especially with the uptake of Linux in the Ham shack (I think we know the reasons why) with many now dipping their toes in the water. The wider range of apps now being available for Linux and Android/iOS (partly due to AI development) A wider range of apps now implementing the protocols
    • So any deep dive episodes talking about 
      • XML-RPC
      • TCI
      • WSJT-X/JTDX UDP Prot ocol
      • UDP Unicast/Multicast/Broadcast
      • TCP/IP Sockets
    • in relation with some real world apps would be of real interest.
    • Working in IT Infrastructure since the Z80 days, with an additional background in software design, and this included EDI since the late 80s, I don’t generally have a problem with understanding it and implementing it, including visualising the bigger picture, but I am noticing that many Hams have never ventured down this path working on a single PC model (everything on inter-communicating on single PC). I am just about to publish some web articles on the Ultimate Ham Shack PC/Network Setup (naturally using Linux) and really keen to hear how others utilise the technology and what works best for them. Anyhow keep up the great work, and thank you to Cheryl for the unexpected mention as a listener on the last episode  - my first time on LHS Discord. Regards Bob (VK1ED)

Subscribers & Supporters:

• Paid Patreon
  • Rodney Norris
  • Bob - VK1ED
• Facebook
  • Byron Fisher
  • Peter Pavlovich
• X / Twitter
  • David Young (WW0A)
• Mastodon
  • @[email protected]
  • @[email protected]
  • @[email protected]
• Discord
  • TREVI-26
  • ClifterT
  • Matt
• Live Show Participants
  • Bob, VK1ED
  • Tony, K4XSS
  • Paul, K4CVR
  • Don, KB2YSI

Show Notes

Featured Topic:

• Happy Birthday to Linux in the Ham Shack!!
  • Our very first episode dropped on October 7th, 2008
  • Our hosts, over the years:
    • Richard Bailey KB5JBV wanted to start a podcast talking about Linux and Ham Radio (to go with his Resonant Frequency Podcast and Richard’s Radio Adventures).  He put out a call for anyone that was familiar with both departments, and Russ Woodman was the only one that responded.  Richard felt Russ would be an asset because of Russ’s extensive background in Linux and the fact that he had been a ham radio operator for over 15 years at that point. Russ started using Unix in 1987, then switched to Linux in 1991.  His Ham Radio journey began 1993, as N1UYE as a Tech Plus, testing at Aroostook Ham Radio Club in Presque Isle, Maine (where he was living at the time).  He got his general few months later and was assigned N1WAO.  In 2000 he moved to Missouri; he accepted employment at Northern Arkansas Telephone (NATCO) as their Senior Systems Administrator, and rapidly switched them from Windows to Linux.  Within a few months of moving, he was assigned KC0HWX.  Then the rules for Vanity signs changed, and he got K5TUX to reflect his love for Linux in February 2005. At the end of episode 100, which was February 25, 2013, Richard stepped down.  
    • Harrison, VE2HKW, guest hosted #101 with Russ.
    • Rob from the MintCast guest hosted #102 with Russ
    • Pete Landry, VE2XPL, steps up as a permanent host for #103, which was April 3, 2013.  He stayed with us until episode #157 - which was recorded on December 14, 2015.
    • Cheryl Jones, KE0NLC/W5MOO, seems to have come onto the scene, pre-license, on episode #121 - which was January 15, 2014 and my 42nd birthday.  She had been introduced to Ham Radio (and Linux) in April 2000 when Russ moved to Missouri after a long-distance relationship with Cheryl since 1995.  She got her Tech license at Hamvention in 2017 - originally assigned KE0NLC (General license at Hamvention in 2018).  After REFUSING to use Linux for years, she was thrust into using it in 2005… but Russ didn’t trust her to do anything from a command line.  Desktop only!
    • Richard Gordon, KD0RG/K0EB, who previously did Low SWR podcast, stepped up as a permanent host on #161 which was recorded on January 29, 2016; he managed to survive that bumpy ride until episode #168, which happened on April 25, 2016
    • Bill Stearns, KE4RGH/NE4RD, became our super-duper permanent host as of #168… and as of tonight, he’s been here through thick and thin, a ton of Hamventions (8, because we lost a year due to Covid), Russ getting cranky like a toddler at Hamvention (we think it was because he was Hangry), for 465 episodes.  He joined the show on May 9, 2016, and joined us at Hamvention 2017… which was the first year it happened at the Green County Fairgrounds in Xenia, Ohio!  His secondary mission from May 9, 2016 until Hamvention 2017 was to back Russ up in pestering Cheryl to get her license! :-) Because of Russ not being as motivated as he should have been, he recorded 167 episodes in 7 1/2 years (22ish episodes a year).  Bill kept him motivated, and we recorded 437 episodes in just under 10 years (so we doubled the amount of episodes we were releasing!).  Bill is such a slave-driver!
  • We all recorded our year-end episode on December 18th, 2025, with a planned return on January 11th, 2026 after our usual “holiday break”.  This would be the last episode Russ would be a part of.
  • Russ Woodman became a silent key on January 14, 2026 after spending 16 days in Intensive Care - Cheryl and Bill took a break from the podcast for a few months to try to recover and regroup, and started recording the podcast again on March 1, 2026 which was episode #606.
  • My hope is that we’ll be here for another 18 years and another 633 episodes.

Announcements & Feedback:

• Announcements:
  • Support the show!  
    • Support us via Patreon, Paypal, Merch, Sharing the Podcast via Social Media, and Rating Us in your Podcast Application! Your support allows us to continue to pay to host and produce the 18+ years of the podcast and participate in person at Hamvention!  We have $2/$5/$10 monthly subscriptions via Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/cw/lhspodcast) or you can set up to send us a recurring payment (monthly or yearly) via PayPal ([email protected])
  • Come hang out with us on Minecraft!
    • It’s been ages since we reminded folks about this, but… in case you missed it, we have 2 Minecraft Servers, and we’d love to have you join us.  Because of past issues of random unknown people creating some havoc on the servers, we HAVE to Whitelist you.  Make sure you let us know what your username is, so we can do that!
    • minecraft.lhspodcast.info
    • minecraft.bluecows.com
  • We need your feedback!
    • Comments, Questions, Show Topic Ideas! Go ahead and send us hate mail, too… we get bored and need something to read and comment on!  Email us at [email protected]
  • Memorial Service for Russ, K5TUX
    • There will be a memorial service held for Russ at our home in Mt. Vernon, Missouri on November 1, 2026.  Everyone is welcome!  We will be doing the fun stuff Russ loved to do… Texas Hold’em Poker, Bowling, playing Pool, maybe some Geocaching, Cards Against Humanity, etc.  And FOOD!  Serving foods that Russ LOVED and we’ve put a fun spin on them!  If you’d like to join us, please send an email to [email protected] and we’ll send you more info!
    • Facebook event page: https://lhs.fyi/mem
• Feedback:
  • Email from Bob VK1ED
    • Dear Bill and Cheryl Been a listener of the show for a couple of years now, and love the podcast. I listen regularly to the podcast in the car on my travels, and when I have listened to the current podcast, I occasionally go back through the back catalog for interesting episodes, especially on the longer trips from Canberra to Sydney (about 3 hours each way). Love the talks on Pale ales and IPA’s and now have a deeper appreciation than I have had in years. On ideas for topics, nothing to provide as a clear topic, however, very much a proponent of software integration, especially with the uptake of Linux in the Ham shack (I think we know the reasons why) with many now dipping their toes in the water. The wider range of apps now being available for Linux and Android/iOS (partly due to AI development) A wider range of apps now implementing the protocols
    • So any deep dive episodes talking about 
      • XML-RPC
      • TCI
      • WSJT-X/JTDX UDP Prot ocol
      • UDP Unicast/Multicast/Broadcast
      • TCP/IP Sockets
    • in relation with some real world apps would be of real interest.
    • Working in IT Infrastructure since the Z80 days, with an additional background in software design, and this included EDI since the late 80s, I don’t generally have a problem with understanding it and implementing it, including visualising the bigger picture, but I am noticing that many Hams have never ventured down this path working on a single PC model (everything on inter-communicating on single PC). I am just about to publish some web articles on the Ultimate Ham Shack PC/Network Setup (naturally using Linux) and really keen to hear how others utilise the technology and what works best for them. Anyhow keep up the great work, and thank you to Cheryl for the unexpected mention as a listener on the last episode  - my first time on LHS Discord. Regards Bob (VK1ED)

Subscribers & Supporters:

• Paid Patreon
  • Rodney Norris
  • Bob - VK1ED
• Facebook
  • Byron Fisher
  • Peter Pavlovich
• X / Twitter
  • David Young (WW0A)
• Mastodon
  • @[email protected]
  • @[email protected]
  • @[email protected]
• Discord
  • TREVI-26
  • ClifterT
  • Matt
• Live Show Participants
  • Bob, VK1ED
  • Tony, K4XSS
  • Paul, K4CVR
  • Don, KB2YSI

In this episode, we join Martin Butler M1MRB, Dan Romanchik KB6NU, Caryn Eve Murray KD2GUT, Edmund Spicer M0MNG and Ed Durrant DD5LP to discuss the latest Amateur / Ham Radio news. Colin Butler (M6BOY) rounds up the news in brief, and the episode's feature is Q and A 2026

We would like to thank Daryll McCaffery (VK6DMC) and our and monthly and annual subscription donors for keeping the podcast advert free. To donate, please visit - http://www.icqpodcast.com/donate

• Will RADE Be the Next SSB?
• New Azores Collective Brings School Amateur Radio Clubs Together
• UN Agencies Warn: Spectrum Interference Is Putting Early Warning Systems and Climate Science at Risk
• Summit Activator's 12th Contact of the Day Wasn't on the Radio — It Was a Rescue
• On This Net, Etiquette Is No Trivial Matter
• Nearly 1,000 QSOs Made From a 12,000-Year-Old Archaeological Site in Turkey
• Nationwide Emergency Alert System Test Set for 17th November — As AM Radio Bill Awaits Senate Vote
• RSGB 2027 Construction Competition Is Open
• RSGB Adds Another Decade of RadCom to the App
• Two New Federal Inquiries Put RF Exposure Back Under the Microscope

Ham College episode 144 is now available for download.

General Exam Questions Part 5
G1E – Control categories, repeater regulations, third-party rules, ITU regions, automatically controlled digital station.
Information on the AmateurLogic 21st Anniversary Icom ID-5200 Giveaway.

Download
YouTube

Exam Preparation Topics (G1E):
Throughout the show, the hosts discuss several key regulatory concepts:

Third-Party Rules: They clarify regulations regarding message relaying and disqualification criteria for third parties (4:10–7:28, 14:16–16:21, 33:21–34:15).
Repeater Regulations: Discussions cover retransmission rules for different operator classes (7:30–10:05).
Digital Station Control: Understanding how automatically controlled digital stations function and the requirements for interacting with them (10:19–11:46, 30:03–33:18).
Interference Mitigation: Procedures for avoiding harmful interference, particularly regarding secondary band usage and proximity to monitoring stations (11:48–14:15).
ITU Regions: The hosts explain the International Telecommunications Union radio regions, identifying that the U.S. falls into Region 2 (16:24–21:03).
Special Anniversary Giveaway:
The hosts announce an upcoming contest for the AmateurLogic.TV 21st anniversary to give away a new Icom ID-5200A transceiver (37:11–43:30).
Entry details are provided, emphasizing the need to be a licensed U.S. or Canadian operator and highlighting the importance of following specific subject-line formatting and required details in entry emails (44:27–45:47).

More from the trip: A Lewis & Clark POTA Journey | On The Trail | West Over Lemhi Pass | Arrived at the Pacific Ocean Joyce/K0JJW and I have wrapped up our trip along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. We started at the Gateway Arch in St. Louis on September 5th and ended ... Read more

The post Wrapping Up the Lewis & Clark Trail appeared first on Above Average Terrain.

It seems Google has finally gotten around to fixing its Blogs I Follow gadget! The original issue was that it had completely stopped updating. You can read my previous post to see the workaround I used while waiting for the folks at Google to address the problem.

Below is the code I used to bring back the official Blogs I Follow gadget while hiding the temporary HTML/JavaScript fix.

To keep things organized, I saved both code snippets in OpenOffice. That way, if Google's gadget ever breaks again, it’s a quick copy and paste to deploy the temporary fix, and another simple copy and paste to switch back once it's resolved.

Note: The only change you will need to make is replacing my followed blog URLs with your own. I detailed step-by-step instructions on how to do this in the post linked above. Also you do this at your own risk. 

 HTML

<div style="display: none;">

  <div id="blogger-bloglist-feed">
    <p style="font-size: 0.9em; color: #ffffff; margin: 0;">Loading blog updates...</p>
  </div>

  <style>
    .bloglist-item {
      margin-bottom: 14px !important;
      padding-bottom: 10px !important;
      border-bottom: 1px dashed rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.3) !important;
      font-family: inherit !important;
    }
    /* Blog Name */
    .bloglist-name {
      display: block !important;
      font-size: 1.05em !important;
      font-weight: bold !important;
      color: #ffffff !important;
      margin-bottom: 4px !important;
      line-height: 1.3 !important;
    }
    /* Article Post Title Link */
    a.bloglist-link,
    a.bloglist-link:visited {
      display: block !important;
      font-size: 1.0em !important;
      font-weight: normal !important;
      color: #ffffff !important;
      text-decoration: none !important;
      line-height: 1.3 !important;
    }
    a.bloglist-link:hover {
      text-decoration: underline !important;
    }
    /* Updated Date */
    .bloglist-date {
      font-size: 0.85em !important;
      color: #ffffff !important;
      margin-top: 3px !important;
      display: block !important;
      opacity: 0.9 !important;
    }
  </style>

  <script>
    (function() {
      var followedFeeds = [
        "http://ae5x.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default",
        "https://www.kb6nu.com/feed/",
        "http://w2lj.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default",
        "http://pa1b-qrp.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default",
        "https://ve7sar.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default",
        "https://swling.com/blog/feed/",
        "https://www.arrl.org/arrl.rss",
        "http://ve3clq.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default",
        "https://wb3gck.com/feed/",
        "https://tommcquiggan.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default",
        "http://ve3vn.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default",
        "https://ke9v.net/feed.xml",
        "https://kg3v.com/feed/",
        "http://offgridham.com/feed/",
        "http://pe4bas.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default",
        "https://qrper.com/feed/",
        "https://www.amateurradio.com/feed/",
        "https://k9zw.wordpress.com/feed/"
      ];

      var container = document.getElementById("blogger-bloglist-feed");
      var loadedCount = 0;
      var items = [];

      // Helper function to fetch feeds that rss2json fails to parse
      async function fetchXmlFallback(feedUrl) {
        try {
          var proxyUrl = "https://api.allorigins.win/get?url=" + encodeURIComponent(feedUrl);
          var res = await fetch(proxyUrl);
          var data = await res.json();
          if (!data.contents) return null;
          
          var parser = new DOMParser();
          var xmlDoc = parser.parseFromString(data.contents, "text/xml");
          var item = xmlDoc.querySelector("item") || xmlDoc.querySelector("entry");
          if (!item) return null;
          
          var title = item.querySelector("title") ? item.querySelector("title").textContent : "Untitled";
          var link = item.querySelector("link") ? item.querySelector("link").textContent : "#";
          
          if (!link || link.trim() === "") {
            link = item.querySelector("link") ? item.querySelector("link").getAttribute("href") : "#";
          }
          
          var dateStr = item.querySelector("pubDate") ? item.querySelector("pubDate").textContent :
                        (item.querySelector("published") ? item.querySelector("published").textContent :
                        (item.querySelector("updated") ? item.querySelector("updated").textContent : ""));
                        
          var blogTitle = (xmlDoc.querySelector("channel > title") ? xmlDoc.querySelector("channel > title").textContent :
                          (xmlDoc.querySelector("feed > title") ? xmlDoc.querySelector("feed > title").textContent : "Blog"));
                          
          var pubDateObj = new Date(dateStr);
          return {
            blogTitle: blogTitle,
            title: title,
            link: link,
            date: pubDateObj,
            dateStr: isNaN(pubDateObj) ? "" : pubDateObj.toLocaleDateString(undefined, { month: 'short', day: 'numeric' })
          };
        } catch (e) {
          return null;
        }
      }

      followedFeeds.forEach(function(feedUrl) {
        var apiUrl = "https://api.rss2json.com/v1/api.json?rss_url=" + encodeURIComponent(feedUrl);
        fetch(apiUrl)
          .then(function(res) { return res.json(); })
          .then(async function(data) {
            if (data.status === "ok" && data.items && data.items.length > 0) {
              var blogTitle = data.feed.title || "Blog";
              var latestPost = data.items[0];
              var pubDateObj = new Date(latestPost.pubDate);
              items.push({
                blogTitle: blogTitle,
                title: latestPost.title,
                link: latestPost.link,
                date: pubDateObj,
                dateStr: isNaN(pubDateObj) ? "" : pubDateObj.toLocaleDateString(undefined, { month: 'short', day: 'numeric' })
              });
            } else {
              var fallbackItem = await fetchXmlFallback(feedUrl);
              if (fallbackItem) items.push(fallbackItem);
            }
          })
          .catch(async function(err) {
            var fallbackItem = await fetchXmlFallback(feedUrl);
            if (fallbackItem) items.push(fallbackItem);
          })
          .finally(function() {
            loadedCount++;
            if (loadedCount === followedFeeds.length) {
              if (items.length > 0) {
                items.sort(function(a, b) { return b.date - a.date; });
                var htmlBuffer = "";
                items.forEach(function(item) {
                  htmlBuffer += '<div class="bloglist-item">';
                  htmlBuffer += '<span class="bloglist-name">' + item.blogTitle + '</span>';
                  htmlBuffer += '<a class="bloglist-link" href="' + item.link + '" target="_blank" rel="noopener">' + item.title + '</a>';
                  if (item.dateStr) {
                    htmlBuffer += '<span class="bloglist-date">Updated: ' + item.dateStr + '</span>';
                  }
                  htmlBuffer += '</div>';
                });
                container.innerHTML = htmlBuffer;
              } else {
                container.innerHTML = "<p style='font-size:0.85em; color: #ffffff;'>No recent updates available.</p>";
              }
            }
          });
      });
    })();
  </script>

</div>