New version of CWWAV

CWWAV is for those of you who want to generate their own practice files for learning CW or improving your QRQ copy.

Thomas, M0TRN says: I've just released a new version of CWWAV, version 0.4, with added support for UTF-8 files and a number of accented letters, suitable for at least Scandinavian languages and German, maybe French too. I also added Jules Verne: A Journey to the Centre of the Earth to the examples, and a conversion script to convert it to MP3 CW's in chapters. It sounds really good with new settings.

This software runs on Linux and instructions are available in the README. It's probably possible to run on Windows and maybe one day I'll release a precompiled version.

Check the web site - https://freecode.com/projects/cwwav

ADIF2KML shows your QSOs on Google Earth

ADIF2KML is an application that plots your ham radio QSOs as pins on the Google Earth map of the Earth. You can see where your QSOs or QSLs came from as the Earth spins slowly on your PC screen.

Hams that use digi-modes like PSK usually record the Maidenhead Grid of the stations they work. ADIF2KML uses those grids to calculate LAT and LON, then creates a KML file. The data shown includes notes like the ham's name, callsign, QSL received etc.

NOTE: The program can not plot QSOs that do not have a grid recorded. If you are not adding Maidenhead grids to your log entries, this program will not work for you!

You save your log, or part of it as an ADIF file (most computer log programs can do that) and ADIF2KML makes a KML file. Double click the KML file and Google Earth (tm) will dispay all your QSOs as yellow pins, click a pin for the QSO details and double click to zoom into the grid square. NEAT Eh? You do need to download Google Earth but many of you will already have done that and its free!

This is version 2 of this program. The new version eliminates the need for Excel and does the whole conversion in Visual Basic. But you still have the option of creating a .csv file so that you can run your own analysis of your log in a spreadsheet.

Download free from my web site http://www.qsl.net/zl3dw

This program has only been tested in a Window XP environment - your PC will need Visual Basic runtime files and of course Google Earth.​

35 Years of Amateur Radio Newsline

America's most highly-respected ham radio news service is marking something of a milestone. With this week's broadcast, Amateur Radio Newsline has just celebrated its 35th anniversary.

Amateur Radio Newsline's producer Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF writes, “In talking with Robert Sudock, WB6FDF, we realized that this weeks  newscast marks the 35th anniversary of the Amateur Radio Newsline.”

“I find it hard to believe that we have survived all of these years and that we are as fervent about what we do today as we were when Jim  Hendershot, WA6VQP, and I produced that very first newscast -- then  known as the Westlink Amateur Radio news -- some 1,820 weeks ago.”

“So from the bottom of my heart, I want to thank all of you who, over  the years, have been a part of the all volunteer team that has dedicated itself to bringing these newscasts to air.”

“Also, to all of you in our vast world-wide audience who have so  graciously supported our efforts these many years.”

“The promise we make is to once again commit ourselves to continue to  bring you the news of amateur radio and personal communications. Also to do our very best to keep improving our air product as we proceed into the weeks, months and years ahead.”​