Favorite productivity computer programs

Yes, productive, really. While much surrounding a computer can become a huge waste of time, there are some programs that are truly productivity enhancers. Here are a few that I rely on every day. Disclaimer: no pecuniary interest, just a happy customer.
Caution: large article. If you see this on Facebook you’ll want to go to [...]

Hams worldwide attempting EmComms in Haiti — one team fired upon

This from the IARU-R1 site:

Haiti Earthquake – Update No. 4.

Sunday, 17 January 2010 12:59

The eight amateurs from Radio Club Dominicano (RCD) who were operating under the callsign HI8RCD/HH have had to abort their operations after the convoy they were travelling in was fired on. News is also being received of two new stations which it [...]

Haiti becoming dangerous for amateur radio

I have been blogging what I observe about the possibility of amateur radio (ham) backup communication support in light of the earthquake disaster in Haiti. The worldwide ham community has been standing by ready to receive message traffic from Haiti, only to sadly learn that not only are there few hams there, but the disaster [...]

Interesting web links to natural disaster, ham radio news, weather

Lifted from the International Radio Emergency Support Coalition pages:

DISASTER NEWS AND MANAGEMENT

Reuters AlertNet
Alerting humanitarians to emergencies
http://www.alertnet.org/

Reuters AlertNet
Interactive Map
http://www.alertnet.org/map/index.htm

ReliefWeb
Information for Humanitarian Relief
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/dbc.nsf/doc100?OpenForm

Disaster Map
World Disasters News Atlas
http://www.mapreport.com/disasters.html

The Disaster Center
Information for the USA
http://www.disastercenter.com/

USGS
Natural Hazards Support System
http://nhss.cr.usgs.gov/#

GDACS
Global Disaster Alert & Coordination
http://www.gdacs.org/

Emergency Management
UK Emergency Management
http://www.emergencymanagement.org.uk/

IFRC
International Federation Red Cross
http://www.ifrc.org/

AMATEUR RADIO NEWS SERVICES

ARRL News
Amateur Radio Relay League (USA)
http://www.arrl.org/

RSGB News
Radio Society of Great [...]

Haiti: A sampling of the real news from humanity

Caution — some of this is explicit and sad. These are excerpts of actual pleas from help gleaned from an amateur radio database (cleaned up for privacy), all since 6pm CDT Jan 15.  Some of these calls came via facebook pages.  This will tell you how grave it really is. It’ll make you want to [...]

EmComms – some reality from the Haiti experience

If you have a disaster in an area where there are few hams and those can’t operate (themselves victims, no generators or no gas for generators, batteries dying), then it doesn’t matter how many well-intended hams there are across the rest of the world. Ham radio is usually the first responder communications mode when the [...]

Haiti earthquake related links

International interest in the earthquake in Haiti is great. Information is coming from many sources. Here are some web links to places I’ve found including some live coverage. Comments with additional links are welcome.  This page will be updated as I find more sites …
Health & welfare inquiry sites
Salvation Army health & welfare request form [...]

EmComms – early lessons from the Haiti event

Emergency Communications via amateur radio to/from Haiti have been interestingly a non-event.  This is due to the lack of operable ham stations in Haiti in the first days of the disaster.  The first ham heard from was Father John Henault (note 1), amateur callsign HH6JH and he was on battery power!  When hams can’t get [...]

When all else fails … amateur radio works

Amateur “ham” radio — it’s a great hobby.
Have You Always Been Interested in Ham Radio but didn’t Want to Learn Morse Code or Spend Weeks in a Classroom…?
Want to enjoy a hobby blending world-wide communications with the modern digital computer age? Interested in a hobby enjoyed by all ages in which you can also perform [...]

Ham radio mania

Those who know me know I don’t do anything half-heartedly.  Having gotten back into amateur (ham) radio I discovered a whole new world from 25 years ago when I was last active. The equipment is, of course, solid state and compact, and much is integrated with computers and the digital world. An old love was [...]