OSCAR Locator App

Tom Doyle W9KE has developed a Windows satellite tracking App that reproduces the graphical display of the original cardboard OSCARLOCATOR

Most tracking programs use an equirectangular projection which is by far the easiest to program and shows the entire Earth at once. A 3D model is often used which helps visualize orbits but does not show the entire Earth at the same time.

Tom remembers having an easier time visualizing the orbits back in the day (1970's) when amateurs used cardboard Oscar Locators with overlays. This Windows program lets you visualize orbits Oscar Locator style.

You can download the OSCAR Locator - http://www.tomdoyle.org/OscarLocator

40 Years of Tracking OSCAR-7-  http://amsat-uk.org/2014/11/09/40-years-tracking-oscar-7/

Electronic Coins via Ham Radio?

The HamRadioCoin project aims to enable amateur radio operators to send and receive HamRadioCoins via radio

In order to send crypto-currency protocol data via radio instead of the internet, developers are extending the HamRadioCoin protocol to use SSTV or PSK63 as the carrier.

In the Spring of 2015 HamRadiocoin say they will attempt an Earth-Moon -Earth communication over Ham radio. Earth-Moon-Earth communication, also known as “moon bounce”, is a radio communications technique that relies on the propagation of radio waves from an Earth-based transmitter directed via reflection off the surface of the Moon back to an Earth-based receiver.

This event will make HamRadioCoin the first cryptocurrency in space.

Read the full story - https://www.cryptocoinsnews.com/hamradiocoin-crypto-via-radio-alternative-blockchain-channel/

HamRadioCoin - http://hamradiocoin.com/

Real-time Amateur / Ham Radio Band Conditions Website

A new website has been created, to use HF Ionospheric Interferometry to predict the condition of Amateur / Ham Radio band conditions.

The purpose of the experimental Web site is to provide 24/7/365 actual (real-time) band condition information to CW QRPp, QRPe and CW/SSB for Contesters interested in increasing their scores.

The information provided can also be of benefit to other Radio Amateurs to determine band conditions for Nets and casual QSO's.

This information is not based on any software predictions or any kind of satellite based readings. It is based on a new Ionospheric sounding method called "HF Ionospheric Interferometry" which operates very similarly to the PolSAR system used by NASA.

Review the information - http://www.bandconditions.com