From the Independent.co.uk, 10/12/16 by Max Benwell, original post here.  Via Stuart VK2FSTU.

At the end of a year where the world has become increasingly bewildering and alien, a new site invites listeners to cross borders, and with profound results.

Radio Garden works like any other digital radio but, in this case, the world is your tuning dial.  As you turn it with your mouse, gliding between borders, over cities and towns, it crackles and tunes into every station available in the area.

The project was designed by Amsterdam’s Studio Puckey and released on Monday.  It lets users listen to 7,877 radio stations around the world by dragging and dropping a pointer over a 3D Google Earth interface.

I started browsing Radio Garden in Europe, and slowly went from west to east, from London and Paris through to Germany and Lithuania.  I found out what techno they’re listening to in Berlin, before swinging over to catch up on the latest pop music in Kazakhstan.

There’s something profound about going around and eavesdropping on what people are listening to all over the planet.  Dragging and dropping from place to place, you get glimpses of different countries, cities and regions, and not just through the music, but the adverts and talk show discussions.

Going further afield I got hooked on South Korea’s KCR, a station that plays non-stop classical music.  I then tuned in to a Sri Lankan talk show, before heading south west down to Africa where I discovered a radio drama broadcasting in northern Madagascar. Continue reading →

From The Register, 3/1/17 by Shaun Nichols, original post here.  Via Stuart VK2FSTU.

Cofounder ejects over blacklist for bad reviews.

The developer of Ham Radio Deluxe – a popular app used by thousands of hams – has restructured its management following claims it punished users who wrote critical reviews.

HRD Software said in a statement on Friday that co-founder Rick Ruhl will step down to pursue other interests.  Ruhl, along with co-owners Mike Carper and Randy Gawtry, ran the radio software company after buying the rights to the code in 2011.

The reshuffle comes after HRD found itself under scrutiny after it remotely disabled copies of the software belonging to users who spoke out against the company on various amateur radio websites and forums.

“Ham Radio Deluxe software would have been abandoned in 2011 without Rick’s partnership,” said HRD co-owner Dr Michael Carper.

“Rick’s day-to-day leadership in running the business has contributed to the vitality and functionality of Ham Radio Deluxe.”

Ruhl was, essentially, blamed by customers for his organization’s poor handling of complaints and bad reviews.  After one user went public about how his copy was blackballed in revenge for posting a negative review, it was followed by further claims that HRD had similarly retaliated against others – and had maintained a “blacklist” of radio handles that had been blocked from using the software.

Though HRD at first pinned the balls-up on a rogue “contracted support employee,” Ruhl eventually accepted responsibility for the blackballing and said HRD Software would remove the blacklisting of the call signs.

“No one is going to be sued.  I made a serious mistake and error of judgement in this and many cases and I am truly sorry,” said Ruhl.  He had earlier left an angry message on one blacklisted person’s voicemail, threatening legal action for speaking out against his company.

“I apologize publicly…  I do have diabetes and sometimes this affects my judgement and it did in that voicemail.  I truly regret it.  I’m talking to my doctor about changing my medications so I won’t have any more low sugar.”

“[HRD’s cofounder] Randy, Mike and I are discussing my future with HRD.”

In addition to shifting Ruhl out of the company, HRD said it will be updating its end-user license agreement to “modernize and renew” its customer support policies.

From the WIA, original post here.

Date : 14 / 01 / 2017 
Author : WIA Board

The election of the Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA) Board of Directors by postal ballot will happen in March; the nomination of candidates closes with the Returning Officer on January 31. 

The nomination requirements are in the Wireless Institute of Australia Regulation Postal Ballot for the Election of Directors, that is on the WIA website via this Link and available on request.

That regulation sets out the formalities of nominations, and the conduct of the election by ballot that closes on the 27th of March. Official notification of the call for nominations was in the December edition of Amateur Radio magazine.

Nominations are sought from WIA members to be a Director of the company, the Wireless Institute of Australia.

This year all seven positions on the WIA Board are open.

If you consider your skills and experience can add to the requirements of being a voluntary director of a modern not-for-profit organisation, then please consider nominating.

The Returning Officer will send out candidate information and a ballot paper in March.

From the WIA, original post here.

Date : 14 / 01 / 2017 
Author : Phil Wait – VK2ASD

The Wireless Institute of Australia is reviewing the digital segment in its band plan for the 80 metre band and for several other HF bands where the Australian band plan does not correspond to the plans applying in other countries.  It is also making other proposals for the narrow 30 metre band, and wants your feedback.

Activity on a band can include various modes.  The best way of avoiding clashes is to set aside different band segments for each of these activities.  That is what the WIA does.  Apart from avoiding interference, band plans which are voluntary agreements, make it easier for us to find other radio amateurs with the same interests.

The WIA Technical Advisory Committee, led by John Martin VK3KM, reports that for many years our 80 metre band plan has included a digital segment at 3620 – 3640 kHz.  The original reason for adopting this segment was the licensing restrictions that applied at the time to Novice operators.  These restrictions no longer apply; so the band plan should be updated to bring it into line with accepted operating practices, which include a greater use of digital modes.

John VK3KM sets out a reasoned argument for that change on the WIA website and in the January/February edition on Amateur Radio magazine.  The proposal is to align our digimode segment with the rest of the world, by moving it to 3570 – 3600 kHz.  Please have a read of the article whether you use digital modes, CW or SSB; because it contains a proposed change to the 80 metre band plan.  It also includes proposed band plan changes for several other HF bands, to bring their digital mode segments into line with international practice.

Now turning our attention to 30 metres; there has been some discussion of interference problems that can occur on that narrow band.  This band is only 50 kHz wide, and most countries have restricted it to CW and narrow band digital modes.

Australia is a little different because the ACMA permits a mode if the spectrum of a particular band allows.  Again, John VK3KM discusses the matter, and with his depth of experience, proposes a band planning solution.

The Technical Advisory Committee wants your feedback on band planning on the HF bands, from both WIA members and the Amateur Radio community generally.  Your ideas have equal weight whether you are a WIA member or not.  Please read the article, and any thoughts or comments you have would be appreciated.