Radio Trip to Mt Pilchuck

A copy of an e-mail that I sent to my local HAM Friends:

Hello All,

On Saturday July 17th, I am going back up onto the side of Mt Pilchuck to try some radio operations.

The view from the Pilchuck's overlook is fantastic, if you have never flown in a small airplane - this is as close as it gets!

The drive to the upper parking lot (at 3200ft) is a little dusty/dirty but easy, this overlook provides views to the Northwest-and-West, but with Bugs.

See Map: http://no.nonsense.ee/qthmap/?qth=CN98CB47AQ

To get to the slightly lower (at 2600ft) overlook that I plan to use, the road is a little rougher and a low vehicle is not appropriate. But the full view is from this location is North-to-West-to-South, and with NO Bugs (without wind or at least yesterday when I was there).

See Map: http://no.nonsense.ee/qthmap/?qth=CN98BB96KO

I plan to leave from Granite Falls McDonalds (west of town center about 4 blocks) at 10:00AM - if I remember it is about a 20 mile drive from there.

Bring Radios, Antenna Materials, Camera, Binoculars, Lunch, Windbreaker, Sunblock, Bug Spray (hopefully not needed) and come join the fun. It is not a Real Field Day, but it is in the Sun, with Radios, and a Breath-taking View - what more could you want?

Note: it would be fun to try some Laser Communication with someone down below!?

Please let me know if you can join.

Regards, Eldon Brown

72 - Eldon - WA0UWH - CN97xc - http://WA0UWH.blogspot.com/ ( 72 is a qrp 73's )

UPDATE:

Note: the top of Mt Pilchuck is about 5200 ft as shown here. Check out the new "Terrain" key mode on the map (upper right) - it was recently added at my request.

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What Is In A Date

This year, Oct 10, 2010 is a special date, because one particular time on that date can be precisely (well, almost?) written as:

20101010 - 10:10:10.101010

This happens to be the date-and-time that the next release of Ubuntu 10.10 is planed. Normally, the releases follows a six month schedule, with the release sometime in the last half of the month. For this release, the schedule has been moved up to allow for this very special exact date-and-time for the release. The previous release 10.04, was in April 2010 - the tenth year and the forth month. 

For me, this date is also special, it would have been my Father's 89th Birthday (see previous post) - I will celibate it at 10:10 AM on Oct 10, 2010 - My dad would have like it that way. I am sure if he had been born 70 years later, he would have be a real First-class Ham Radio and Computer Geek.

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The New Look

Google Blogspot has provided new customizable Templates for Bloggers.

This is my first attempt to change the look of my blog since my original selection. So far, I have tried to keep it simple and consistent.

The main reason that I wanted to try this change was it provides for wider text space and I like the star field in the background.

Some tweak may be necessary to get the colors right, but this is it for now.

So how do you like the New Look?

It is interesting, the old style is gone, as the New Style Template is used for the entire blog - as it should be, but that means new viewers can not compare the Old with the New.

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When Things Go Wrong

This a dual boot, MS Windows and Ubuntu Post, Ignore it you do not use these.

WARNING - Some things NOT to do.

The other day while Larry - KB7KMO, was here helping me setup and reconfigure my Shop/Shack computers - we ran into trouble.

Larry brought his new laptop (NotPad) and several additional peripherals, including USB hard drives and CD readers - we had lots of equipment, felt invulnerable and therefore we could experiment and do anything.

Larry dual boots his NotePad with both MS Window 7 and Ubuntu - where the original disk space was shrank to about 50% for MS Windows and the remainder for the Ubuntu 10.04 install. He was able to show me many neat things that he has found in the new Ubuntu 10.04 release.

So, back to the current Shop/Shacks problems or challenges that we wanted to solve;

• Fix a non-booting Ubuntu upgrade Workstation 
• Configure an old, but newly recovered, MS Window XP Workstation, given to me by my son 
• Understanding of the new boot process of a good working Ubuntu New Install 
• Fix a non-booting MS NotePad 

We were working on all of the above at the same time, between reboots and as time permitted.

While working with the MS Window XP Workstation, I mentioned to Larry that we (my son and I) were able to restore the OS to factory original, via booting from the RECOVERY partition (the D: drive) and answering a few question - the process was real simple.

Larry checked, he had a unmounted partition on his NoteBook in the same position as a that found for the D: drive on my WorkStation.

"WE" decided to check out what options it may provide, assuming that Larry, at sometime in the future, may want to reset or recover his MS Windows partition. The RECOVERY process has a menu that allow you to pick what you want to do, or abort. But, . . . .

BUT, as we found out, it modifies the Partition Table, and the Master Boot Record (MBR) on the hard disk before it provides a menu and a chance to stop or abort the recovery process!

** We BRICKED Larry's new NoteBook! ** 

** It would NOT boot **

Larry, did not have backups
nor does he have MS install disks!

We used an external USB Drive with Ubuntu 9.10 to inspect the damage - and yes;

• the MBR was damaged or modifed, 
• a new very small MS Windows partition was exposed, 
• and the previously used Ubuntu partition was maked as "unused", 
• the original MS Windows partition may have be foreshortened. 

Nothing we tried seemed to help the situation. We did not want to touch the MS partition if it could be recovered as it contains valuable data. The Ubuntu partition contains a lot of customization and some data that would be nice to retain, but it is replaceable.

After many attempts to repair the damage (and after sometime around 1:00 AM), we decided to reset the "ID" on the Linux partition and attempt to re-install Ubuntu into it's alloted partition, hoping that the process "would" fix the MBR for both it and MS Window. The install process is very slow from the external USB CD drive - I went to bed with Larry camping out in the living room.

The next morning - Great News - it worked! Both MS Windows and Ubuntu booted as expected (or as we had hoped)!

The very first thing we did was install the Ubuntu "Backintime" backup utility. We set it up to backup valuable data from each partition (MSW and Ubuntu) to it self and to the other. Larry will add additional backups to multiple external USB hard drives when he returns home.

Lessons Learned - 

• Have backups of all customization and valuable data! 
• Do NOT boot from the RECOVERY partition unless you really intend to Recover to the "Factory Install", especially if you have modified the system for DUAL boot. 

We were thankful that this had a happy (and/or more knowledgeable) ending,

Now. (when I have time) back to my continued Shop/Shack computer concerns.

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Data is Stuck in the Shop Below

I have several project updates for this blog, but the details are stuck in my Shop at a lower level.  That is my Electronics Bench is on the lower level within my Hanger/Shop and my Computer Room and Shack is above two stories in the loft - without a CAT 5 cable between.

I have plans to drill a hole and install a conduit between the two levels down through the corner of the bathroom, to make the communication connection possible. I have wireless, but the distance and the resulting slow data rate make it prohibitive.

Sneaker net, is possible, but that is up two flight of stairs, (34 steps, -  yes, I need the exercise) - but that is too old fashion.

Larry - KB7KMO, is coming over today help with computer setup and configuration for the loft Shack - I have been having trouble getting all of the systems to work together - for those that use Ubuntu 10.04 will understand that the new release has changed how "grub" (the boot loader) works and needs to be configured. Some of the systems were upgraded and others were fresh installed.  It appears the two methods do NOT result in the exactly the same end - I may have, or should have, expected that?

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When is PCB Material Clean?

For my Homebrew Projects, I have had varying degrees of success at cleaning PCB Material for use with the Toner Transfer process.

The most success seems to come from scrubbing the PCB Material with Scotch-Brite while under running water with soap.  I try to clean the copper until the water beads-up and runs off. Sometimes this happens, and other times it does not seem to work as well. If it does not look right, I follow-up with Alcohol, Acetone or Brake-Cleaner.

Inadvertently, I discovered my success was dependent on the type of soap I used, Simple Green seems to sheet the water off, and Boraxo Hand Soap beads the water off.  Obviously one of the two methods is leaving (or removing) something that is potentially, beneficial, or harmful, to the following Toner Transfer process.

The Boraxo cleaning method makes the board "look-the-best" and requires little or no drying - but I wonder if it is really clean, or is it a False-clean?

The Simple Green cleaning method requires drying, and so far I have used paper towels to "pat" the surface to dry. But, I think the paper towels may have chemicals that may be detrimental to the Toner Transfer process. Note: My Dad worked in a paper factory, and once said, "paper towels have rosin in them and that is what makes you nose red or raw if you use them as a tissue".

Should water bead-up or sheet-off of clean copper? I am not sure if I know how to find the real answer. It could make a big difference in the success or failure of my repeatable Thin Trace (5mils or less) Toner Transfer process.

Google does not help, most articels provide information on how to clean pennies or cookware, and then they suggest the addition of a protective ware-layer. Nothing I have found provides information on how to clean to real bare copper.

My new Shop location uses well water (the previous shop was on a city water supply, of processed lake water), I wonder if the well water is more or less deterministic for my success? I may try some distilled water, but I do want to kept it simple,


I need to investigate how to "cleaning copper" further.

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System Backup

This a Ubuntu Post, Ignore it you do not use a UNIX like OS.

I know this is not exactly HAM Radio, but it does support my interest in the Hobby, both for Homebrew Project Creation and Radio Operations.

I have worked with the UNIX OS for about 30+ years, and have used many "Backup Utilities", everything from system level simple "tar", "cpio" to full DataBase supported systems. All of these methods are lacking, and NONE of them have what I would call the "Right Stuff". Over the years, I have written many custom backup systems for myself and customers, to support the following.

A Backup System should be; "easy to set up", "easy use", and "easy to RESTORE". The Backup System should be able to be used by the System Administrator for full system backup, and/or by a normal "user" for personal files.

The Backup System should provide;

• local storage, to same disk and/or to another partition
• local storage, to another disk
• remote storage to another system's storage
• remote (out of house) system storage
• easy access to that associationally needed file restore, directly from online
• delta backups should be supported and automatic
• multiple revisions with date stamps
• it should be fast as the path allows

I believe "tape storage" is worthless, nobody has the time to wait for multiple 100's of G Bytes for tape to RESTORE (remember, for me, time to RESTORE is a measure of the worth of a Backup System, disk are cheap, use them!).

I believe; "An untested backup and the resulting RESTORE, is no backup at all".

Up until now, for my personal use,  I have preferred my own "Backup Utilities" , they have had all of the above qualities.

But, Today I found, what I think, is the ideal UNIX Backup Utility - "backintime" from "http://backintime.le-web.org".

It does everything I needed of a Backup System, and it is simple to use!  - Thanks Guys!

BackInTime provides a very nice, easy to use GUI. Under the hood, "backintime" uses "rsync" with all of its capabilities and speed.

If you want to use it with your Linux system, check for it in your "software repositories" first to see if it is available, that way it will be updated with normal system updates, otherwise download from the above site.

I recommend, to always plan for a second local disk and/or another system for the "Backup Storage Target". If your single local disk with the only backup (on the same disk) fails, you-are-hosed! Avoid the problem - have multiple disk or systems. Remember, it is not a matter of IF the disk or system fails, but only a matter of  WHEN.

Note: For remote backup storage access, "sshfs" is your friend (which should also be available in your software repository).


From now on, my Shack/Hanger/Shop (plus boathouse) will now be Backed Up with "BackInTime"!

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UPDATE:

Well "backintime" got is almost right, or at least as high as 98%.  A backup to a remote mounted files systems does not appear to utilize hard links for each successive backup - and therefore each requires the same amount of space as the original.  I my have this wrong (I hope so), but so far I have not be able to confirm or deny this with online documentation.  I am still checking for more information.

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Camera Received

I received the Camera for the Microscope the other day, it is supported via a Windows program and drivers - just as the description suggested.  I was hoping that my Shop Ubuntu System would see it as just another camera device. But NO luck.

The only one MS Windows system in my Shop is not readily accessible and therefore I have not had time to move things around to make use of the camera.

My immediate goal is to document my results and use of my Toner-Transfer Method to make very small PCB's.  The current project is another 10m Crystal Marker on a 1/2 inch square board with 0603 parts. Viewing this board via the Microscope shows that my previously thought pristine DIY fabrication efforts has always had many holes/pits in the pads and miss-shaped traces. I am finding out that you don't want to look very close. That is, if you have very critical eye. It is a good thing that electrons do not care where they flow (at least at this frequency)!

I want to see how "wiped solder plating" changes the results.

When I etched this latest board, it seemed to take a inordinate long time to etch. Now looking at it via the Microscope it is obvious, I used a scrap piece of 2oz copper PCB material. I normally use 1/2oz copper for my circuits. When viewed at a angle, the 2oz traces and pads makes for a interesting photo.

One part of the Amateur Radio Hobby is building HomeBrew projects,  for my part of that,  I enjoy shrinking normal circuits with very small parts, and building on extremely small PCB's. I strive to continually make things smaller.

Soon, I should have photos to share.

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A Reply to Mark

This is a reply to Mark's "post" regarding his blogging efforts.

Don't change a thing!

Mark, I would NOT like to see you change anything on your blog. I see your "Brainwagon" - is just that, a place to carry your thoughts and interests. We share many similar interests even though mine may not be active.

I was inspired by your "Brainwagon" blog and Bill's "Soldersmoke" blog/podcasts, enough to do something similar and started my own "Ham Radio Blog". I am not a great writer, but I use my blog to capture thoughts, links, and to blog about things that interests me. Some readers find my blog interesting enough to return, and I enjoy seeing the hit count stats, but that is not my goal. I have met many people via my blog, and I count them among my friends.

I see links to your blog on many pages that I read, I am sure many reader enjoy your content.

The ONLY thing that I would suggest; is for you to be more engaging, reply to comments.

Eldon - WA0UWH

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Computer Updates

For the last few days I have not done much HAM Shack or Homebrew work. My computers have taken most of my spare time, updating the Operating Systems to newer releases.

My "Direct Laser Print to PCB" project is temporary on hold, awaiting a new strategy or idea.

As a Computer Consultant I have several (more than I should need) Home/Office/Shop computers that I use:

• A Production File and Print Server - Big and slow
• My Workstation - A High Speed Machine
• My Laptop
• A Backup Server - Multi Tera Bytes of Storage
• A Local Web Server
• A Shop PlasmaCAM (CNC) Computer - an MS OS, darn.
• A HAM Radio Computer - QRSS and PCB Design
• A Remote Web Server - 30m QRSS Grabber, WSPR Radio Server
• A Boathouse Server - Network and File Server

Except the Shop CNC Computer, all of the systems have always had some form of Linux installed, Red Hat, Fedora, or Ubuntu, etc.

During the last few years I have been slowly moving to Ubuntu on each of them. But due to many factors, even the same revision of Ubuntu has NOT been installed on each.  I am now trying to fix this with the new release of Ubuntu 10.04.

Over the last 30 years while working with the UNIX OS as a profession and with this many Home/Office/Shop systems, I have learned many things that help avoid system-admin-madness.

Here are a few strategies that I use:

• Avoid customizing the Operating System directly. Use appending files with your modifications.
• Install additional Data Disks for most of your "user storage" space. The OS disk should contain only the OS stuff.
• For performance, use a local "DNS Caching Service", use a program called "dnsmasq" 
• Each day, backup most user data into a locally created "/Attic" directory, on a separate disk, mounted on the local machine, allowing for multiple date stamped copies - disks are cheap.
• Backup all important data to another system, devise a way to have multiple date stamped copies on-line (i.e., my backup server). I do not use tape, again, disks are cheap.
• Create a special local area that is NOT backed up for on-line copies of CD's (I call it: /Depot/@CDs/), CD's and/or most downloads should not need to be backed up. In my backup scheme, any directory name starting with an "@" are purposely NOT backed up.
• Use "ssh" to work on other systems from a central workstation.
• Customize the command prompt to include the "system name", this helps avoid executing a command on the wrong computer.
• Ubuntu supports an easy to implement "apt-cache-ng" server for local copies of system updates, so that each system is not required to obtain same from across the Internet from a remote Internet resource. To implement, it is only a one line statement in the "/etc/apt/apt.conf.d/01proxy" file.
• Use "rsync -a" to backup directories, locally or onto a remote system.
• And, etc,  etc .  .  .

Many years of experience has created a much longer list, but you get the idea, for now this will do.

More work is to be done before each of my systems are brought up-to-date - but, I am still working on it!

Tess is not liking this effort, I have not taken time to play with her, she keeps bringing me her ball for me to throw down the stairs from the loft. She loves to chase and return it. Very seldom does she get more than about 30 feet from my side. She is a great joy!

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