Show Notes

Featured Topic:

• Interview with Mooneer Salem, K6AQ, FreeDV Leadership Team, Developer
  • FreeDV Website: https://lhs.fyi/Cu
  • ARDC Press Release: https://lhs.fyi/MC

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!
  • Come hang out with us on Minecraft!
    • We have 2 Minecraft Servers, and we’d love to have you join us!
  • We need your feedback!
    • Comments, Questions, Show Topic Ideas! 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!  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 Mike, AE8U
    • I am interested in the Ambassador Program. I am an avid Linux user and run my entire station with it. What is involved in the program? Also, I have developed a new Desktop application that has lots of features. It runs as a Browser app. It has a station startup tab, a Station operation tab, a logging tab - which includes linking to your WRL Logging, an Automatic FT8 function, a CW send/decode application, and lots more. It is designed to run in Debian, and I run it as a Linux Mint app. I plan to offer it for free just to promote our hobby once I am done with having it Beta Tested. If you are interested in checking it out, please email me with your GitHub username. 73 and all the best, Mike,  AE8U

Subscribers & Supporters:

• Paypal
  • Tony Coberly
• Discord
  • DigitalAddiction
  • themindiswatching [K6AQ]
• Live Show Participants
  • Don - KB2YSI
  • Dan - KB6NU

 I have been asked by a few bloggers for the details on what I did to overcome the issue with the blogs I follow widget with Blogger blogs not working. So below are the details of that I and AI together came up with. 

Those of you who have a blogger blog sign into it and on the left hand side go down to Layout and click on it. On the right side you will see "Add a Gadget" click on that to expand to a menu of Gadgets. Now find the Gadget called "HTML/JAVAScript" and click on that. 

A new HTML/JavaScript window will open and you first put a title. I just called it "Blogs I follow" In the the space below is where you add the HTML coding. This coding will add a new Blogs I follow to your blog. Below is the script and before you cut and paste it some changes need to be made from the code I posted. They are very easy changes and actually you really do not need to do anything as AI can make the changes for you. In the code you will notice a section STEP 1 and some instructions to enter your blog you follow URL's. An easy way to do this is to sign into your blog, go to layout and to the left you will see Gadgets. Look for the gadget "blogs I follow" in the lists of gadgets and click edit. Highlight all the URL's of the blogs your follow and post the code below into the AI of your choice and ask also paste the URL's of the blogs you follow and ask AI to add them at step 1 in the code. Then take this code with the URL's inserted and cut and paste it into the gadget HTML/JavaScript. Click save and give it a go in your blog. Also in the HTML code below is a line that will hide your gadget Blogs I follow. This way you do not have 2 Blogs I follow. 

 NOTE: Always keep a unedited version of the code incase something does not workout. The code below worked great for me but I take no responsibility how things may work out at your end. As a side... if you try the HTML/JavaScript and it messes things up just turn it off and go back to the broken gadget "Blogs I follow"   

The HTML code 

<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;
  }
  .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;
  }
  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;
  }
  .bloglist-date {
    font-size: 0.85em !important;
    color: #ffffff !important;
    margin-top: 3px !important;
    display: block !important;
    opacity: 0.9 !important;
  }
  /* Hides original broken gadget */
  #BlogList1 { 
    display: none !important; 
  }
</style>

<script>
(function() {

  /* ====================================
     STEP 1: ADD YOUR BLOGS HERE
     Copy your list of blog URLs and paste 
     them between the brackets [] below.
     ==================================== */
  var followedFeeds = [
    "http://ae5x.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default",
    "https://www.kb6nu.com/feed/",
    "http://w2lj.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default"
  ];
  /* ====================================
     DO NOT EDIT BELOW THIS LINE
     ==================================== */

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

  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>



This is how the blog URL section looks in my HTML/JavaScrip gadget. 
<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/"
  ];

In this episode, we join Martin Butler M1MRB, Chris Howard (M0TCH), Martin Rothwell (M0SGL), Frank Howell (K4FMH), Bill Barnes (WC3B) and Leslie Butterfields (G0CIB) to discuss the latest Amateur / Ham Radio news. Colin Butler (M6BOY) rounds up the news in brief, and the episode's feature is What makes an Antenna Fail?

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

• AMSAT Youth Initiative Launches Its Fifth Course: Satellites and Astronomy
• Remote FT8, No VPN Required: Say Hello to HamRadioWeb
• Two Years After Helene, Western North Carolina Builds a Radio Network That Won't Go Dark
• Route 66 Takes a Detour Onto the HF Highway
• North Dakota Hams Run a Full Communications Blackout Drill
• Icom Releases Firmware Update 1.03 for the IC-7300MK2
• 100 Years of the Yagi: Contest University Marks a Milestone Antenna Design

In this episode, we join Martin Butler M1MRB, Chris Howard (M0TCH), Martin Rothwell (M0SGL), Frank Howell (K4FMH), Bill Barnes (WC3B) and Leslie Butterfields (G0CIB) to discuss the latest Amateur / Ham Radio news. Colin Butler (M6BOY) rounds up the news in brief, and the episode's feature is What makes an Antenna Fail?

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

• AMSAT Youth Initiative Launches Its Fifth Course: Satellites and Astronomy
• Remote FT8, No VPN Required: Say Hello to HamRadioWeb
• Two Years After Helene, Western North Carolina Builds a Radio Network That Won't Go Dark
• Route 66 Takes a Detour Onto the HF Highway
• North Dakota Hams Run a Full Communications Blackout Drill
• Icom Releases Firmware Update 1.03 for the IC-7300MK2
• 100 Years of the Yagi: Contest University Marks a Milestone Antenna Design

AmateurLogic.TV Episode 221 is now available for download.

The live stream is running and everything is going a planned. What’s the worst that could happen? Power Failure!
Thanks to emergency preparedness, the show goes on.
Watch our memories of Huntsville Hamfest 2026. Emile fixes stuff and saves a buck.

Download
YouTube

In this episode of AmateurLogic.TV (221), titled “The Night The Lights Went Out,” the hosts detail their experiences at the Huntsville Hamfest 2026 while dealing with a power failure during their live stream.

Key highlights and segments include:
Huntsville Hamfest 2026 Coverage: The team provides a comprehensive look at the hamfest (0:04:17-0:07:33, 0:11:34-0:18:50, 0:35:08-0:41:08, 0:45:17-0:57:25). This includes demonstrations of educational robots, discussions with vendors, and a look at various amateur radio hardware, such as Icom transceivers and mesh networking gear.
Technical Discussions: The hosts dive into various technical topics, including D-STAR, MMDVM hot spots, and transmission line theory as detailed in the ARRL Handbook (0:24:42-0:29:17).
Emergency Preparedness: The episode underscores the importance of having backup power solutions, which allowed the show to continue despite a power outage.
DIY and Repairs: The hosts showcase various DIY projects and repair tips, demonstrating how to save money on radio equipment and accessories (0:15:34-0:17:25, 0:29:51-0:31:51).

The Dutch rock band, Golden Earring’s classic hit, Radar Love, struck my mind when I received this email from my friend and ICQ Podcast listener, Greg Lane N4KGL, this morning. I was doing my fast-pace walk for cardio training when I saw the notification drop on my Apple Watch. Greg wasn’t thinking of this “radar,” but the amateur radio RaDAR: Rapid Deployment Amateur Radio. He wanted me to help get the word out about his team’s next rally.

Originally conceived by my friend from South Africa, Eddie Leighton ZS6BNE, it has grown to be practiced in many countries. Eddie ZS6BNE and I were co-admins on a Facebook support group for the Xiegu X5105 QRP transceiver. He was developing RaDAR at this time. Greg N4KGL in Mobile AL is a huge proponent and organizer here in the States. RaDAR tests an operator’s ability to set up communications anywhere, anytime, under adverse conditions. Operators must move to a new location or deploy after a specific number of contacts—typically shifting positions after logging 5 contacts. Stations use lightweight, battery-powered gear, handhelds, or portable wire antennas that can be carried in a backpack. It simulates emergency deployments where infrastructure fails and operators must relocate dynamically to maintain radio links.

Here’s Greg’s note to me with all the details for you to have some RaDAR Love. Just avoid running into the Twilight Zone, lol. Contact Greg N4KGL for any questions!

Frank,

Your help is welcome in getting the word out for the RaDAR Rally. See below including the YouTube. I enjoy your podcast.

Greg Lane N4KGL

Dothan, AL

[email protected]

Hello Portable Operators,

RaDAR (Rapid Deployment Amateur Radio), conceived by Eddie Leighton ZS6BNE, encourages outdoor operations with a unique challenge: make five contacts and redeploy as quickly as possible, as many times as possible, within a four-hour window. The RaDAR Challenge has evolved into the RaDAR Rally, featuring a few updated rules.

Please review the complete rules [Link]. If you are interested in participating, please make your plans and register to help facilitate RaDAR-to-RaDAR contacts.

To register, email [email protected], and I will reply with a link to a Google Form. Registrations will be accepted through November 6th UTC. Please note that this is not a contest; it is strictly for fun. You can also check out this intro video: [Link] and join the RaDAR group.io

Registration information needed:

  – Name
  – Call sign
  – Day (Saturday or Sunday)

   -Start time (UTC)

  – State/Province/Country (SPC)
  – Venue  
  – Conveyance(s)
  – Bands
  – Modes
  – QRP (Y/N)
  – Spotting method (optional)

Good R2R,

Greg N4KGL

www.radarrally.info

[email protected]