https://rz01.org/ Recent content on rz01.org en-us Mon, 23 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/casio/ Wed, 08 Apr 2026 08:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/casio/ First of all, I want to explain how I ended up with a wristwatch in the first place. Until a few months ago, I hadn’t worn a wristwatch since I got a cell phone (about 25 years ago?). When it comes to keeping track of time, I still don’t need one - though that’s not entirely true; more on that later. In any case, I really enjoy going for walks - at least 4 to 5 km every day before I start working. And I love data. So I had the idea to count the steps I take. I don’t want a dedicated step counter device on my belt, so a wristwatch with a step-counting function seemed like the most obvious choice. But I also don’t want a smartwatch, since it’s essentially a mini smartphone on your wrist and is far too distracting. Besides, they’re either expensive with Google, Samsung, and Apple selling my data or cheap, and some no-name company from the Far East sells it... https://rz01.org/eu-migration/ Sun, 22 Mar 2026 08:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/eu-migration/ For various reasons, I have decided to move as many services and subscriptions as possible from non-EU countries to the EU or to switch to European service providers. The reasons for this are the current global political situation and improved data protection. I don’t want to go into the first point any further for various reasons, but the second point should be immediately obvious, since the EU currently has the most user-friendly laws when it comes to data protection. Below, I will list both the old and new service providers; this is not an advertisement, but simply the result of my research, which was aimed at achieving the same or better quality at affordable prices.... https://rz01.org/1000-dxcc-band-points/ Mon, 23 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/1000-dxcc-band-points/ Last year, I set myself the goal of achieving the ARRL DXCC Challenge award. The ARRL describes the award as follows: "The DXCC Challenge Award is earned by working and confirming at least 1,000 DXCC band-points on any Amateur bands, 160 through 6 meters (except 60 meters)"... https://rz01.org/search-warrant-cybersec/ Fri, 13 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/search-warrant-cybersec/ As I described in a previous post, I started my IT career first as a software developer and then as a system administrator. In 2004, I had already been using computers privately for 15 years, but I was still relatively inexperienced professionally. I would not have progressed in my job as a system and database administrator if I had not also been involved with it privately. At that time, it was already relatively affordable to rent virtual private servers, which I did in order to host a small private website. Back then, it was still significantly more expensive, especially the traffic. While nowadays you get several TB of inclusive traffic, back then 1 GB of traffic cost 99 cents. As I said, the server only ran Apache and a MySQL database, but otherwise nothing out of the ordinary... https://rz01.org/irc/ Sun, 25 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/irc/ I initially wanted to write about how IRC (Internet Relay Chat) is my new old social media platform, but I'm not sure if that's even correct given the definition of social media on Wikipedia: [...] Assuming that everyone has come into contact with social media at some point, or avoids it because they know what it is, I should perhaps first explain what IRC is. https://rz01.org/wyse-homelab/ Sat, 24 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/wyse-homelab/ For those who know me, it's no secret that I'm a fan of the Dell Wyse 5070. This thin client with an Intel J4105 CPU, 8GB DDR4 RAM, and a 64GB SSD can often be found used in very good condition for around €50. This makes it much more versatile and cheaper than a Raspberry Pi (if you don't need the GPIO ports), which is why I already own four of them. If you don't have high demands, you can run Proxmox with a few smaller VMs on it. But it also works great as a normal PC; I have one of them running in my shack as a ham radio PC. https://rz01.org/website-overhaul/ Thu, 22 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/website-overhaul/ I thought long and hard about whether I should switch from Hugo to another static site generator. Not that I was unhappy with Hugo, I just felt like trying something new. In the end, I realized that I don't actually need a generator to convert Markdown to HTML. Basically, it would be enough to write the pages directly in HTML. Of course, a blog also has a few dynamic components... https://rz01.org/three-events-career/ Sat, 03 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/three-events-career/ Introduction Shortly before I graduated from high school in 1999, my principal at the time took me aside to tell me that all my diploma would be of use for is to wipe my butt with it. While it is true that my grades were not particularly strong, this parting remark was not particularly helpful. After school, I completed my civil service (an alternative to military service) as a driver for a drug therapy center. https://rz01.org/ham-sat-info/ Tue, 30 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/ham-sat-info/ Working amateur radio LEO satellites reliably depends on good sources for which satellites are active and how to work them. You furthermore want to know about upcoming passes that are suitable for your station setup. You also might want to know about new satellite launches, active modes of satellites and if their transponders are active right now. Below are some useful resources I use every day: AMSAT Live OSCAR Satellite Status Page This is one of most valuable resources provided by AMSAT and fed with data from satellite operators. https://rz01.org/hadley-telescope/ Sun, 14 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/hadley-telescope/ Introduction My kids, who are still quite young, often ask questions about space and astronomy. So I asked two friends for their opinion on which telescope I could buy for my children (and, of course, for myself). I had thought about a beginner’s telescope for around 200 euros and assumed that you couldn’t go far wrong with that. However, I was proven wrong: a very good beginner’s telescope is apparently a so-called Newtonian telescope which “is composed of a primary mirror or objective, usually parabolic in shape, and a smaller flat secondary mirror. https://rz01.org/na1ss/ Wed, 05 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/na1ss/ On Sunday, October 12, 2025, I accidentally fulfilled a dream. I had a QSO with an astronaut in space! Around 11:30 UTC, I received a notification on my phone that the ISS was flying over Europe. I thought I’d briefly power on the radio and have in a few QSOs with other radio amateurs via the repeater onboard the ISS but as soon as I heard the ISS, I noticed something was different. https://rz01.org/desense/ Fri, 10 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/desense/ I recently upgraded my satellite ground station from eggbeaters to cross yagis. Everything seemed fine, but at first I didn’t realize I had a problem. This manifested itself in the fact that I sometimes heard myself very distorted on satellites with linear transponders and couldn’t hear anything at all on FM satellites when transmitting. Since I couldn’t find a solution myself, I asked the International AMSAT Ops Telegram Group for help. https://rz01.org/sat-icom-ic910h/ Wed, 01 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/sat-icom-ic910h/ I have recently purchased a CSN Technologies S.A.T. which is “a self contained antenna rotator and radio controller” which “natively controls Icom radios, Yaesu rotators and can interface with PSTRotator.” My main motivation for buying this device was to get rid of Windows on the Shack PC. I installed it for SatPC32, which works great, but runs on the “wrong” operating system. However, that wasn’t the only reason. I also liked the fact that it is a standalone device that doesn’t need a PC. https://rz01.org/sat-cloudlog-bridge/ Tue, 30 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/sat-cloudlog-bridge/ The CSN Technologies S.A.T. is “a self contained antenna rotator and radio controller” which “natively controls Icom radios, Yaesu rotators and can interface with PSTRotator. The S.A.T. works with any modern web browser on any device.” This device is also capable of logging contacts directly from within its web interface. These logs are stored on the S.A.T. itself which can be configured to send every log entry to another device/service right after it was created. https://rz01.org/leo-sat-ground-station-v3/ Sun, 21 Sep 2025 08:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/leo-sat-ground-station-v3/ After having lots of fun experimenting with eggbeaters, I decided to invest some serious money and make a huge upgrade to my LEO ground station. The result is a much more capable setup that lets me also work linear-transponder satellites (RS-44, JO-97, etc.) with much lower RF power. It also allows me to work satellites during lower elevation passes. This is the new setup: Radio: Icom IC-910H Antennas: Cross RHCP 2m/70cm LEO satellite kit from YU1CF Pre-amps: Mast-head 2m and 70cm LNAs Rotor: Yaesu G-5500 DC rotor + RTC-200 computer interface PC control & tracking: SatPC32 (rotor + CAT + doppler control) Logging: Wavelog + Cloudlog Aurora (SatPC32 → Aurora → Wavelog) With this new setup, I now have a system that moves the antennas fully automatically and directs them at the satellite, and which not only sets the frequencies in the radio initially, but also continuously adjusts them to correct the doppler effect. https://rz01.org/satpasses/ Thu, 18 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/satpasses/ satpasses is a simple Python script that pulls satellite information on your favorite SATs from N2YO.com via their API to build an even simpler static HTML page listing all satellite passes over a user definable location for the next n days. Each row of the generated table has a different shade of green depending on the max elevation of the corresponding pass. A higher maximum elevation results in a brighter green. https://rz01.org/leo-sat-ground-station-v2/ Tue, 19 Aug 2025 08:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/leo-sat-ground-station-v2/ I have already experimented with 70cm/2m eggbeater antennas before with the goal to build a LEO SAT ground station. Basically, the eggbeater antennas worked, but I couldn’t find a good place to install them on my property. (Un)fortunately, the QRM situation on HF at my QTH has deteriorated so much that I can only operate on the 40m band while the other bands have become mostly unusable. So I decided to take the 10m/6m Moxon off the mast and install eggbeater antennas for VHF and UHF instead. https://rz01.org/what-is-m17/ Sat, 02 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/what-is-m17/ I have recently posted a lot about M17, and you may be wondering what it is all about, why I am so excited about it, and how you can get involved. Let’s start with what M17 is. What is M17? M17 is a free and open-source digital radio protocol for voice and data, built by and for amateur radio operators. This means that you can communicate with other hams worldwide using an M17-capable radio and a hotspot or repeater. https://rz01.org/m17-sms/ Fri, 01 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/m17-sms/ Well you can! Took me far too long to figure out but now I am having a blast with this! There are many possibilities to achieve this but the most convenient one is to use KD0OSS’s fork of OpenRTX on a Connect Systems CS7000 M17 (PLUS), Tytera MD-380 or a Baofeng DM-1701. You can either compile it yourself or download the firmware (for the DM-1701) from my server. Ths feature will eventually be incorporated into the original repository of the OpenRTX team. https://rz01.org/cc1200-m17-hotspot/ Tue, 29 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/cc1200-m17-hotspot/ Until now, CC1200 Hat users had to operate their M17 digital data/voice hotspot using the rpi-interface software on the command line, for example. To change this, Jim N1ADJ and I have spent the last few days developing a lightweight M17 hotspot based on the CC1200 and a Raspberry Pi. The heart of the hotspot is Jim’s m17-gateway, which he has now brought to a stable release. In the meantime, I have completely rebuilt the dashboard rpi-dashboard started by Wojciech SP5WWP and adapted it to Jim’s m17-gateway. https://rz01.org/wpsd-m17/ Mon, 21 Jul 2025 08:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/wpsd-m17/ I assume that word has already gotten around in the ham radio community that several digital voice projects have decided to remove support for M17 from their code relatively simultaneously. This concerns, for example, WPSD, Pi-Star and MMDVM. I will not express any opinion here and will stay out of political matters. The fact is that many radio amateurs now suddenly no longer have M17 functionality in their hotspots and were locked out of M17 as a result. https://rz01.org/cc1200-install-script/ Fri, 18 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/cc1200-install-script/ UPDATE: The script was now updated to include Jim N1ADJ’s m17-gateway One of the ways to get QRV in the M17 digital voice mode is to use a hotspot. Many are already familiar with Pi-Star based MMDVM hotspots from other digital modes, but there is a relatively new M17 dedicated variant, the CC1200 M17 hotspot hat. Unfortunately, until now there was no easy way to install the software components required to run the hotspot on the Raspberry Pi needed for it. https://rz01.org/cc1200/ Thu, 17 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/cc1200/ Now that I’ve built the M17 Nokia 3310 replacement board and also modded a Baofeng DM 1701 for M17, it was time to build the CC1200 Raspberry Pi hat. This small device can be plugged on the Raspberry Pi Zero’s GPIO pins and will then act as a M17 hotspot. Sourcing This time I also decided to solder myself, but with a hot plate and a stencil instead of hand soldering 0402 SMD parts again. https://rz01.org/dmg/ Mon, 14 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/dmg/ My very first computer back then was a Commodore C64, then I switched to the Amiga 500 and later to the PC. I also had a Playstation 1 and 2 and a Game Boy Color when I was a teenager. However, I played less with the latter back then. For a few years now, I’ve been getting more and more interested in the old Ninendo handhelds and have also bought a Game Boy Advanced and Micro to go with my Game Boy Color. https://rz01.org/m17-dm1701-mod/ Sun, 06 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/m17-dm1701-mod/ After I’ve finished building the M17 Nokia 3310 replacement board I also wanted to become more active on the M17 voice reflectors. The radio that I have modified already four years ago sadly hasn’t the best audio quality. I’ve recently learned that there is a new radio that is supported by OpenRTX and can be used for M17 which is the Baofeng DM 1701: This inexpensive radio needs to be modded before you can transmit in M17. https://rz01.org/m17-3310/ Sun, 29 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/m17-3310/ !!! WARNING - PLEASE READ !!! Before you order anything, please read the full article. Don’t be me. Just order the assembled board from PCBWay. It’s much easier and you support the M17 project. Many of the SMD parts are tiny. REALLY tiny. I’ve now learned what 0402 means in this context. If you decide to solder it by yourself, consider also ordering a stencil and reflow solder it. It’s a miracle that I got it working the way I did it. https://rz01.org/github-hugo-scp-deployment/ Thu, 19 Jun 2025 00:08:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/github-hugo-scp-deployment/ Introduction This post describes how to automatically deploy your Hugo project hosted on Github to any (shared) webhost as soon as you push changes to the underlying github repository. The prerequisite for this is that the target host is accessible via SSH. I followed this good tutorial and adapted the procedure to my needs: Github actions: Deploy a Hugo website to a FTP server. Preconditions: SSH Key First create a new SSH key locally on your computer: https://rz01.org/qwerty/ Mon, 19 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/qwerty/ I’ve been typing on computer keyboards for 35 years now, mostly on ISO QWERTZ keyboards because that’s what’s standard here in Germany and it was pretty much the only keyboard available when I started tinkering with computers. In recent years I have mainly used a Ducky One TKL keyboard with MX brown switches, which I have liked very much so far. I needed another keyboard for my shack PC, so I looked around for a small mechanical TKL keyboard. https://rz01.org/hamradio-goals-2025/ Sun, 18 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/hamradio-goals-2025/ Exactly one year ago I decided to concentrate more on the QSOs itself instead of collecting QSLs to achieve certain awards. This worked nicely for a while but it turned out to become boring after a while. It looks like I have to keep changing my behaviour in order to maintain my interest in the hobby. This doesn’t just refer to the communicative aspect of the hobby, but also to the tinkering part. https://rz01.org/mx-ergo/ Fri, 09 May 2025 08:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/mx-ergo/ I recently noticed that the buttons on my Logitech MX Ergo trackball kept causing problems. To be more precise, the buttons would occasionally lose contact while I was holding them down. This led to unwanted effects when dragging and dropping as well as copying text. I therefore decided to swap the two microswitches of the left and right buttons. After the OMRON microswitches I ordered on ebay arrived, I started replacing them: https://rz01.org/2850mox/ Thu, 24 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/2850mox/ My main HF antenna, a 13m long vertical paired with a CG-3000 automatic antenna tuner, does a decent job on 160m to 12m but it really isn’t doing great on 10. In fact, all my previous antennas weren’t great on 10m. This is why I decided to buy a Dual Band Moxon Antenna 10m/6m from EAntenna (which has been bought by WiMo). This is what the kit looks like after unboxing the single, quite small package: https://rz01.org/yfklog/ Thu, 13 Mar 2025 08:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/yfklog/ I think I’ve tried pretty much every amateur radio logbook software (including one for the Commodore C64) and I’m probably still not at the end of my search. Most of the time I used Wavelog. This web application, which I have running on a Proxmox server at home, actually fulfils a lot of my requirements: web-based and therefore usable on my Linux desktop, open source software, many integrations and is actively being developed further. https://rz01.org/90s-gamer-handwritten-notes-maps/ Sat, 08 Mar 2025 08:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/90s-gamer-handwritten-notes-maps/ In an age where information is easily available on the internet, it’s hard to imagine a time when gamers actually had to figure out everything by themselves or by sharing with (offline) friends. Back in the 90s, we didn’t have the luxury of walkthrough videos or automatic mapping; instead, we crafted our own guides, meticulously jotting down notes and sketching maps by hand. Sometimes we even went to the copy shop to copy notes and maps made by friends. https://rz01.org/random-wire-vertical/ Thu, 06 Mar 2025 08:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/random-wire-vertical/ Inspired by M0AWS’s blog post “Easy Multi Band Vertical Antenna for HF”, I’ve converted my 40m quarter wave vertical into a 13m long random wire antenna which is tunable for 160m up to 10m. The antenna system consists of: 12 Spiderbeam HD fiberglass mast 13m of wire, the top 1m tucked into the upper most mast element Two 3D printed mounts for the mast (details here and here) CG-3000 remote antenna tuner DIY mounting plate for the ATU (400x200x2mm aluminium plate + stainless steel mounting bracket) ca. https://rz01.org/shack-upgrade/ Wed, 05 Mar 2025 08:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/shack-upgrade/ Following my own new rule to only buy used computer gear whenever possible, I’ve decided to upgrade my shack by finally adding a dedicated shack PC and monitors. Being a big fan of the Dell Wyse 5070 thin client which I already use as a cheap low-power Proxmox server, I’ve bought another one for 45€ incl. shipping for the new shack PC with the following specifications: Celeron(R) J4105 CPU @ 1. https://rz01.org/statistics-and-likes/ Wed, 26 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/statistics-and-likes/ With social media there is undoubtedly the potential for addiction to likes. If you post something on X, Mastodon, Bluesky, Facebook or whatever, your post gets a certain number of likes. If you enjoy getting likes, you inevitably change your writing behaviour and post more and more content that others like instead of expressing yourself. To escape this perverse behaviour, I’m hardly active on social media anymore and when I am, 99% of the time I just read. https://rz01.org/homelab-wildcard-cert-zoraxy-clouflare/ Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/homelab-wildcard-cert-zoraxy-clouflare/ After the successful setup of my new cheap low-power Proxmox server, I had multiple web applications listening on a diversity of combinations of IP addresses and high ports (e.g. https://192.168.1.100:8000). Furthermore I had the issue that I needed to add security exceptions to my browsers so that they would access these apps despite their self-signed certificates. I have therefore decided to set up an internal reverse proxy, which is configured with a wildcard SSL/TLS certificate for my internal domain. https://rz01.org/proxmox-server/ Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/proxmox-server/ After I decided to reduce hosting costs and generally bring my web applications from the cloud to my home, I needed an energy-saving server on which I could install Proxmox. After some research, I decided to buy a refurbished Dell Wyse 5070 thin client. I was able to purchase this from a commercial dealer for just under 50€ including power supply, stand and shipping. As I bought it, it had the following specs: https://rz01.org/crispy-doom/ Wed, 12 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/crispy-doom/ I’ve recently moved away from GZDoom and picked Crispy Doom as my main Doom source port. My reasons for this are performance problems with GZDoom (believe it or not) and the desire for a more original gaming experience. Crispy Doom is a fork of Chocolate Doom (which is a modern source port aiming to be as vanilla as possible) and offers in addition to the vanilla gaming experience a few amenities, such as modern display resolutions and uncapped rendering framerate. https://rz01.org/doom-wad-logbook/ Wed, 12 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/doom-wad-logbook/ This page serves me to record which Doom WADs I have already played and what my verdict is on them. Having already played a few WADs, I’ve unfortunately lost track of them and would now like to take a more structured approach. It’s worth mentioning that I’m a casual player with a mediocre skill level. I started playing a few MegaWADs and was very enthusiastic at the beginning, but the game became so difficult towards the end that I lost interest and quit. https://rz01.org/about/ Tue, 11 Feb 2025 09:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/about/ This website is dedicated to amateur radio, electronic tinkering, cybersecurity, retro computing, homelab building and other (mostly technical) topics. The owner of this website and author of its content is DK1MI. Why does it exist? This blog is not intended to be read by a broad audience (with the exception of a few posts). The idea behind this site is to document my various projects, to make them available to friends and to myself, so that I don’t forget the solutions. https://rz01.org/bookmarks/ Tue, 11 Feb 2025 09:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/bookmarks/ Tech News Hacker News - social news website focusing on computer science and entrepreneurship, popular among tech professionals and startup founders. Engineering Blogs - curated list of blogs by software engineers. jimmyr.com Technology News Mashup - personalized aggregation of technology news and articles from various sources, tailored by the site’s creator. TechURLs - daily roundup of popular and trending technology news links across the web. Techmeme - real-time technology news aggregator that highlights breaking stories and trending topics in the tech industry. https://rz01.org/contact/ Tue, 11 Feb 2025 09:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/contact/ If you would like to contact me, please feel free to do so by email. I welcome both praise and criticism. Even better are pointers to errors in my posts. My email address starts with hello followed by @ and ends with the domain of this site. https://rz01.org/doom-wad-log/ Tue, 11 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/doom-wad-log/ This is not an ordinary blog post and it will not interest most readers. But for me personally it serves to record which Doom WADs I have already played and what my verdict is on them. Having already played a few WADs, I’ve unfortunately lost track of them and would now like to take a more structured approach. It’s worth mentioning that I’m a casual player with a mediocre skill level. https://rz01.org/experimenting-with-openscad/ Mon, 10 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/experimenting-with-openscad/ So far I have made all my 3D designs with Tinkercad. Although this browser-based CAD program is very limited in its range of functions, it can still be used for many things - such as my latest project. I recently found out about OpenSCAD and learned that you don’t drag objects onto the workspace with the mouse, change their size, move them, rotate them, etc., but that you create the 3D object programmatically. https://rz01.org/spiderbeam-hd-12m-mount/ Tue, 28 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/spiderbeam-hd-12m-mount/ After I had to take down my M0PLK Delta Loop, it was time to experiment with new antennas. In a corner of our garden, there has been a Hustler 4BTV vertical antenna for quite some time, which I have only ever used for 40m operation. Now I had the idea of replacing it with a 1/4 wave vertical antenna for the 40m band. The matching radials for this were already under the turf, so I only had to swap the Hustler for a 10m mast. https://rz01.org/dxcc-map/ Sat, 11 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/dxcc-map/ I have firmly resolved to worry less about awards and QSLs in general. I still log my QSOs and upload them to QRZ.com and LotW, but I only do the latter for my communication partners. I personally consider logging itself to be very important and I will never give it up. However, I was looking for a solution to keep track of the DXCC entities I had already worked. Then I had the admittedly not really new idea of simply pinning flags into a world map. https://rz01.org/s9-generator/ Sun, 22 Dec 2024 07:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/s9-generator/ Recently, I purchased the S9 Level Generator Kit from Box73.de. The device came as a soldering kit, but I opted not to include the optional enclosure in my order. The S9 Level Generator is a tool designed for calibrating and testing shortwave radio equipment. The device is described on the website as follows: “This device is a kit for an S9 standard level generator. It is particularly useful for evaluating interference on shortwave bands using a simple software-defined receiver, provided that the receiver has been calibrated with an S9 standard level generator, such as this one. https://rz01.org/dryer-repair/ Fri, 20 Dec 2024 07:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/dryer-repair/ For several weeks, we encountered issues with our AEG Lavatherm Protex Plus dryer (Model: T5.5IH, Type: TC12H6MHP, purchased in 2014). The drying cycles were frequently interrupted by the error code EH0, which, according to AEG, indicates a problem with the power supply. I’ve read about a quite common issue that dry solder joints on the main circuit board might be the culprit, so I disassembled the dryer to inspect the board: https://rz01.org/mikrotik-ap-troubleshooting/ Sun, 15 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/mikrotik-ap-troubleshooting/ Recently, I encountered a weird issue where one of my four WiFi access points, a Mikrotik wAP AC, stopped functioning correctly despite being powered on. Here’s how I uncovered the issue and what I learned along the way. The Setup All network devices are from Mikrotik, with WiFi centrally managed via CAPsMAN. The affected access point, a Mikrotik wAP AC, was powered via PoE from my server rack in the basement. https://rz01.org/catsync/ Mon, 09 Dec 2024 19:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/catsync/ If you’re a ham and have ever been frustrated by local QRM (man-made noise), you know how devastating it can be. You sit down, ready to make some QSOs, and the noise level is so high you can barely hear anything. I have a massive problem with spradic, temporary QRM at my home QTH, mostly on 20m but also on most other bands: It comes and goes and if the timing is bad, I’m switching on the radio a few times a day, have a look at the waterfall and immediately switch it off again. https://rz01.org/ft710-tx-audio-settings/ Thu, 05 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/ft710-tx-audio-settings/ I’m not sure if this will help anyone, but it will at least serve as documentation in case I have to re-set the TX audio settings on my FT-710. I unfortunately lost my settings for the original hand mic and don’t want to make the same mistake again. Please also note that I am not an audiophile and I really struggled to figure out what sounded good and what did not. https://rz01.org/mat-1500pro/ Tue, 03 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/mat-1500pro/ Update 2024/12/23: I’ve managed to kill the ATU a second time and learned some more. More on that at the end of this article. Since I have a small HF amplifier, I tune my Delta Loop with a manual tuner from MFJ. Lazy as I am, I looked around for an automatic tuner that can handle at least 600W. In the end I chose the mAT-1500Pro. The two reviews on eHam that existed at the time were both 5 star reviews and promised the best. https://rz01.org/shack-rebuild/ Sun, 10 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/shack-rebuild/ Since I got my amateur radio licence in 2019, I have set up and operated my radio in a small boiler room in the basement. However, this room also serves as a workshop and is therefore crammed full of tools and difficult to keep clean. In winter, it also got quite cold in the unheated basement, so I often operated with a jacket. I then got a remote station, which consisted of a Hermes Lite 2 and a Hardrock 50 amplifier. https://rz01.org/classic-computing-2024/ Sat, 28 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/classic-computing-2024/ This afternoon I visited the Classic Computing 2024. This event, which took place in Pfedelbach near Heilbronn, Germany, is described by the organiser as follows: “The Classic Computing 2024 will show a wide range of exhibits from the areas of office computers, gaming computers, game consoles, workstations, typewriters and calculators. Almost all of the devices are set up to be functional, and many can be used and tested. We will also be on hand to provide advice on restorations and repairs, and you can get support with repairing devices at our repair café. https://rz01.org/2600/ Thu, 19 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/2600/ To spread the word about amateur radio, I’ve submitted my Declaration of Love to Amateur Radio as an article for the 2600: The Hacker Quarterly magazine. It may not really be an article on the topic of hacking, but there are certainly overlaps. That’s why I thought that readers might be interested in this topic - and fortunately, the article was published in the current issue (Summer 2024). I am a long-time reader of the magazine and am glad to have been able to contribute to it. https://rz01.org/remote-atu-100/ Thu, 29 Aug 2024 09:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/remote-atu-100/ I’ve already built some ATU-100 automatic antenna tuners in the past: One was a build for QRO and one for QRP with only 5 windings on the binocular transformer and adaptions to the original firmware. While the QRO version worked fine, I had issues with the QRP variant. After I’ve discovered the very nice alternative firmware of DG4SN I’ve decided to build an ATU-100 based phantom powered remote antenna tuner that can be mounted on the mast directly beneath my M0PLK Delta Loop. https://rz01.org/when-two-become-one/ Thu, 29 Aug 2024 08:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/when-two-become-one/ After I’ve built the QubeDX for the higher bands (20 to 10m) and it’s little brother, the QubeDX S for the lower bands, I’ve realized that it would make more sense to combine both cubes into one. This time I wanted it as compact as possible so I went for the footprint of the QubeDX S but added 30mm in height. The final version now consists of: QRPLabs QDX 5W digital transceiver kit (high band version) QRPLabs QDX 5W digital transceiver kit (low band version) Raspberry Pi 5 with active cooling + NVMe SSD two buck converters The Result The following pictures show the finished setup: https://rz01.org/qubedx-s/ Sat, 24 Aug 2024 09:44:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/qubedx-s/ After I’ve built the QubeDX for the higher bands (20 to 10m) and therefore for the M0PLK Delta Loop antenna, I now wanted to build a second one, mostly for 40m. As my Hustler 4BTV is resonant on 40m, there was no need for a tuner. This meant that it was possible to place all necessary components into the original 10x10x10cm design of the 3D printable CubeSat. As with the original QubeDX, the idea was to build a (decorative) QRP radio for digi mode operation that can be operated remotely via Wi-Fi by accessing the desktop via VNC. https://rz01.org/amrumbank/ Mon, 19 Aug 2024 18:33:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/amrumbank/ During our last holidays, we visited the “Amrumbank” lightship in Emden, northern Germany. The ship, which was once a lightship near the Amrumbank, now serves as a museum ship and lies in Emden harbour. It is still seaworthy and continues to go to sea several times a year, albeit for tourist purposes. At the beginning of my visit, I noticed a few wires on the mast of the ship that looked like antennas to me. https://rz01.org/bear2hugo/ Fri, 16 Aug 2024 19:10:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/bear2hugo/ I’ve written the following small Python script to migrate a Bear Blog to Hugo: import csv import os with open('post_exports.csv') as csv_file: csv_reader = csv.reader(csv_file, delimiter=',') os.makedirs("./pages", exist_ok = True) os.makedirs("./posts", exist_ok = True) for row in csv_reader: dir = "" if row[11] == "True": dir = "pages/" else: dir = "posts/" with open(dir + row[4]+'.md', 'w') as post: publish = row[9] if publish == 'False': draft = "true" else: draft = "false" post. https://rz01.org/de-0094/ Fri, 16 Aug 2024 03:10:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/de-0094/ Had a very nice and special POTA activation of DE-0094 Niedersächsisches Wattenmeer National Park: Conditions were rough but I’ve managed to get 16 stations into my log, including two from the Azores. It was great to sit on a dyke, watch people kite and enjoy the view of the sea while talking to stations all over Europe. My rig was the usual: Xiegu G90 and a 5.4m long telescopic vertical antenna with four 5m radials. https://rz01.org/qdx-fldigi-linux/ Fri, 09 Aug 2024 16:07:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/qdx-fldigi-linux/ The following instructions describe how to configure Fldigi for operation with the QRP Labs QDX transceiver on Debian Linux 12 / Raspberry Pi OS (64bit). In the configuration menu, click on Soundcard -> Devices and select PulseAudio: Afterwards, click on Rig Control -> Hamlib and configure it as follows: With these few settings it almost worked for me - but only almost. The QDX switched to transmit mode, but no signal was emitted and the red LED flashed twice continuously. https://rz01.org/notes-on-the-qrp-labs-qdx/ Thu, 08 Aug 2024 15:41:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/notes-on-the-qrp-labs-qdx/ On this page I am continuously recording all the findings that I have been able to collect in connection with the QDX Transceiver Rev 6 from QRP Labs. What I am writing here might seem negative since it’s mostly about issues and how to fix them but I am actually a big fan of this device and have already ordered a second kit. A post on my QDX build can be found here. https://rz01.org/qubedx/ Wed, 07 Aug 2024 09:44:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/qubedx/ (the frame is actually dead straight, the distortion comes from the camera) This article is about the implementation of the idea of building a (decorative) QRP radio for digi mode operation that can be operated remotely via Wi-Fi. One possible use would be to place the device together with a simple vertical antenna and a small battery, e.g. temporarily in the garden, so that it can then be operated from the computer from inside the house. https://rz01.org/playing-doom-in-2024/ Sat, 27 Jul 2024 11:43:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/playing-doom-in-2024/ Besides amateur radio, I have another passion: Doom. Not the modern Doom variants, however, but the classic Doom or Doom II from the 90s (when I write about Doom in general in the rest of this article, I mean Doom and Doom II). There is hardly any other game that has such an incredibly persistent and active community as Doom. It delivers a continuous stream of total conversions, WADs, megawads and further developments of the numerous source ports. https://rz01.org/retro-console-color-schemes-for-quisk/ Thu, 25 Jul 2024 19:25:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/retro-console-color-schemes-for-quisk/ I’m a big fan of Quisk, the SDR software I use for my Hermes Lite 2 SDR transceiver, but I am not the biggest fan of the available color schemes. The following screenshot shows the default theme: I prefer dark color schemes, which is why I created the two new themes below. However, there is currently the restriction that the color settings for the following elements are hard-coded and therefore cannot be adjusted as described: https://rz01.org/keyboard-to-keyboard-digi-modes/ Sat, 06 Jul 2024 10:35:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/keyboard-to-keyboard-digi-modes/ When I started amateur radio in 2019, I initially only considered FT8 and FT4, as it is a very simple and straightforward way to get into the hobby - also because I still was very mic shy. I was already experimenting with other digi modes like PSK31 and RTTY, but my main goal was to work as many countries on as many bands as possible and as quickly as possible. To achieve this, FT8 and FT4 are very suitable and have been instrumental in achieving first the DXCC and later the WAS award. https://rz01.org/quisk-fldigi/ Tue, 02 Jul 2024 09:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/quisk-fldigi/ After far too long, I’ve finally managed to get Fldigi and Quisk to work together to finally do digi modes like Olivia. The problems I had before were the following: When I used hamlib to set the frequency from Fldigi and switch Quisk from RX to TX via PTT, it seemed like Quisk and Fldigi were fighting each other. The frequency then jumped back and forth for so long that Fldigi became so unusable that I had to terminate the process . https://rz01.org/buying-a-motorola-radio/ Mon, 01 Jul 2024 11:55:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/buying-a-motorola-radio/ This post is not a detailed guide to buying a Motorola radio but rather a list of things that I think you as a ham should know about before buying a used device. I am also not a Motorola expert. My experience is based solely on the purchase of two Motorola SL1600 (SL300 in the US). The following are my observations and comments: If you buy a used Motorola, you will need a commercial Customer Programming Software (CPS) to be able to program it. https://rz01.org/ubitx-linear-amplifier-ptt-control/ Thu, 20 Jun 2024 11:27:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/ubitx-linear-amplifier-ptt-control/ It was time for me to get out my HF Signals uBitx v6 again and use it for stationary shortwave radio operation. In the past I have already extended the uBitx with an analogue S-meter and an AGC board as well as adapting the firmware to my needs. Now I wanted to connect the little transceiver to my power amplifier, but unfortunately it has no external PTT output. Since the power amplifier has an active low input, i. https://rz01.org/matrix-ham-radio-space-allstarlink-node/ Mon, 10 Jun 2024 08:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/matrix-ham-radio-space-allstarlink-node/ The Matrix HAM Radio Space, which which is hosted and administered by M0AWS, is a slowly but steadily growing community of radio amateurs who are actively exchanging ideas and information via the Matrix chat network. Hosted on M0AWS’s Matrix server, the Ham Radio Space now includes several rooms on satellite radio, antenna construction, Meshtastic and many other topics. There are of course also rooms for the exchange of information on general topics. https://rz01.org/on-qsling/ Wed, 29 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/on-qsling/ The current drama with the Logbook of the World (LoTW) and its prolonged outage has made me think about the topic of QSLing and why it is or seems to be important to me. What kind of QSL? I am also concerned with the question of what type of QSL is really for me: electronic or paper? Electronic QSL is fast and mostly free of charge. On the other hand, the current platforms are outdated, complex, not fraud-proof or only free of charge with limited functionality. https://rz01.org/aprs-tx-igate-with-aprx/ Sat, 04 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/aprs-tx-igate-with-aprx/ After I recently discovered APRS for myself, I realized that I could not establish radio contact with the surrounding APRS digipeaters in and around the house with the HT. Connected to the X200 on the roof of the house, however, there were no problems. This immediately gave me the idea of operating my own digipeater. For a first test, I then connected my picoAPRS v4 to the X200 and configured the device as a fill-in digipeater. https://rz01.org/usb-c-charger-for-md380-rt3s-gd-77/ Sat, 06 Apr 2024 14:24:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/usb-c-charger-for-md380-rt3s-gd-77/ In order to reduce my travelling luggage, to be able to charge my Retevis RT3S even in the event of a power failure and basically to standardise the charging of devices, I have been looking around for a suitable solution. I came across the following design on Thingiverse: TYT MD380 , UV380 , Retevis RT3 RT3S USB charger. As the description is a bit sparse, I’ll try to document my build here. https://rz01.org/xiegu-x5105-lcd-swap/ Tue, 12 Mar 2024 14:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/xiegu-x5105-lcd-swap/ Some time ago I bought a second-hand Xiegu X5105, which is 100% functional, but had a small flaw. It was a rather unsightly but hardly annoying dark line in the bottom right-hand corner of the LCD: I ordered a replacement display directly from the UK, which wasn’t exactly cheap. As the display error didn’t really bother me, I put off replacing it for a long time. But now the time had come. https://rz01.org/improved-quisk-hardrock-50/ Thu, 07 Mar 2024 12:57:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/improved-quisk-hardrock-50/ Earlier this month I published a blog post about the Hardrock-50 Widget for Quisk written by Harald, OE6HKE. Since I wanted to add some functionality, I’ve now forked his project, which can be found here. The first improvement is the error handling, so that the widget doesn’t freeze Quisk when the backend script isn’t running. Also, the enhanced version now reads the selected band from Quisk, sends it to the backend script, which then switches the band filters inside the Hardrock-50 to match the active band of the Hermes Lite 2. https://rz01.org/openbsd-httpd-relayd-gitea-freshrss/ Mon, 04 Mar 2024 08:19:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/openbsd-httpd-relayd-gitea-freshrss/ This article tries to document the essential steps to achieve the following on a fresh OpenBSD 7.4 install: Serve static files via HTTP(S) Host a Gitea instance via HTTPS Host a PHP based FreshRSS instance via HTTP(S) Install and maintain Let’s Encrypt certificates Serve all above via IPv4 and IPv6 Protect SSH via sshguard Implement a reasonable secure packet filtering ruleset The aim is to use built-in services such as httpd, relayd and acme instead of third party packages. https://rz01.org/quisk-hardrock-50/ Tue, 27 Feb 2024 14:38:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/quisk-hardrock-50/ My shortwave station consists of a Hermes Lite 2 SDR transceiver, a Hardrock-50 power amplifier and the marvellous SDR software Quisk by James Ahlstrom. Everything works perfectly, but unfortunately the Hardrock-50 is operated relatively blindly. A lot of important information, such as the output power, the VSWR, the selected band and the operating temperature are not available remotely. The only option you have is to read out the parameters via the Hardrock-50’s USB interface. https://rz01.org/cloudlog-tampermonkey-antenna-rotator/ Tue, 13 Feb 2024 10:36:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/cloudlog-tampermonkey-antenna-rotator/ I’ve recently built a Remote Control for the Hy-Gain AR-500X Antenna Rotator which works nicely but requires me to look up the desired heading for a specific station in Cloudlog, go to the remote control web application, determine the best memory channel and then click it to move the rotator. Determined to streamline this process, I embarked on a journey to automate antenna control with the help of Cloudlog and a little scripting magic. https://rz01.org/vertical-vs-cobweb-vs-delta-loop/ Mon, 05 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/vertical-vs-cobweb-vs-delta-loop/ The following comparison between a Hustler 5-BTV vertical antenna, a Cobweb antenna and an M0PLK Delta Loop is not a scientific treatise, but rather my personal experience. The comparisons naturally only refer to the bands covered by all antennas and relate to operation at my QTH. Hustler 5-BTV Vertical Antenna The Hustler is a 7.50m long vertical antenna, which I use in my garden at ground level. Below the turf there is a radial network consisting of approx. https://rz01.org/remote-control-hygain-antenna-rotator/ Sat, 03 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/remote-control-hygain-antenna-rotator/ The project described here attempts to solve the following problem: an antenna is to be rotated remotely using a Hy-Gain AR-500X antenna rotor. The rotor comes with a control unit for this purpose. However, the aim is to develop a remote control for the control unit and to make the control unit network-compatible so that it can be controlled by a computer via the network. Preconditions The original antenna rotor control unit should remain unmodified A bidirectional antenna is installed, so the rotator only needs to be able to rotate 180 degrees, not the full 360 degrees. https://rz01.org/m0plk-delta-loop/ Wed, 17 Jan 2024 16:06:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/m0plk-delta-loop/ I’m actually very happy with my Cobweb antenna for the shortwave bands from 20-10m. It is omnidirectional, small and picks up significantly less noise than my vertical. Then one day I read a lot of positive things about the M0PLK multiband delta loop antenna. One of them was from an OM who also had a Cobweb and after switching to the M0PLK found clear advantages over the Cobweb, especially in terms of picking up local QRM. https://rz01.org/buying-used-computers/ Sat, 13 Jan 2024 08:46:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/buying-used-computers/ The strange thing about me and my buying behavior when it comes to computers is that I’m stingy. You might think that an IT professional would be more inclined to buy top equipment, but that’s not the case for me. I’m also not a gamer, at least not in the way that is generally imagined. The only game I’ve played regularly and consistently for years is Doom 2, and even if you play it with a modern source port, the hardware requirements are very limited. https://rz01.org/sdf/ Tue, 02 Jan 2024 12:18:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/sdf/ I thought is about time to express my gratitude and admiration for the SDF Public Access UNIX System. On the surface, the SDF is a UNIX shell provider, but I see it more as a community living in and around a UNIX based system. But before I go into this aspect, I would first like to explain what the SDF is, where it comes from and what services the SDF provides. https://rz01.org/pota-da-0264/ Mon, 01 Jan 2024 22:59:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/pota-da-0264/ Today I had the opportunity to be the first to successfully activate the “Cuxhavener Küstenheiden National Park” (DA-0264). This POTA park is located in the north of germany, not far from the north sea coast, which is currently struggling with very stormy weather. I was lucky enough to catch a time window in which it was only raining intermittently and not too heavily and in which I was able to extend the 5. https://rz01.org/book-review-amateur-radio-propagation-studies/ Sun, 31 Dec 2023 13:59:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/book-review-amateur-radio-propagation-studies/ I’ve tried to read and understand several books on the propagation of radio waves, but they were all too academic for me. Recently I’ve come across Flavio Egano’s (IK3XTV) book entitled “Amateur Radio Propagation Studies”: The book is a compilation of Egano’s own experiments and observations on radio propagation, which sets it apart from other available publications. Rather than relying solely on theory, Egano shares the results of his practical experiments, giving the reader a practical insight into how radio waves behave under different conditions. https://rz01.org/uv-k5-linux-firmware-programming/ Sun, 17 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/uv-k5-linux-firmware-programming/ Update 2024-02-05: Added new section “Troubleshooting” This post is intended to help you get started with migrating the QuanSheng UV-K5 handheld radio to a custom firmware under Linux and then programming it using CHIRP. Firmware upgrade I’ve tried several modded firmwares for the UV-K5 and finally decided to stick with the egzumer variant. It’s not only feature rich (SSB demodulation, spectrum analyzer) but also has a nice web based firmware flasher. https://rz01.org/pulseeffects/ Sun, 05 Nov 2023 17:09:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/pulseeffects/ After migrating from Windows to Linux and with this from SDR Console to the AMSAT-DL QO-100 Linux Transceiver, I had the issue that my transmitted audio was a bit weak in the treble. The solution to this was to install and configure the software equalizer PulseEffects to modify my microphone audio before it gets fed into the SDR application. Installation On Debian/Ubuntu Linux this application can be easily installed with the following command: https://rz01.org/qo100-lnb-gpsdo/ Mon, 30 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/qo100-lnb-gpsdo/ After recently migrating my Shack PC from Linux to Debian Linux, I can no longer use the great software “SDR Console”. This has the feature of calibrating and stabilising the receive frequency using the QO-100 middle beacon. That’s why I wanted to make my QO-100 setup software-independent. To achieve this, I exchanged my Bullseye LNB for an modified Diavolo Twin LNB, where the second output now serves as an input for an external clock reference. https://rz01.org/linux-migration-shack-pc/ Thu, 12 Oct 2023 15:28:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/linux-migration-shack-pc/ The latest news about Microsoft’s plans to use artificial intelligence on Windows machines to scan images and text for malicious content and upload them to Microsoft in case of suspicion, as well as to upload unsolicited user data to OneDrive for security purposes, has finally motivated me to migrate my Shack PC to Debian Linux. I’ve been using Debian Linux for over 20 years, but even if I hadn’t, installing Debian 12 with Cinnamon as the desktop environment would have been easy. https://rz01.org/hermes-lite-2-to-hardrock-50-interface-v2/ Thu, 12 Oct 2023 07:30:52 +0000 https://rz01.org/hermes-lite-2-to-hardrock-50-interface-v2/ The following older project already solved my problem with my constantly freezing Hardrock-50 amplifier by interfacing it with the Hermes Lite 2 with the help of an Arduino Nano as an I2C to serial translator: Hermes Lite 2 Interface Box (HR50 and Antenna Switch). Things have changed in between as I do not want to automatically switch the antenna anymore. The antenna is now switched via Home Assistant and a ZigBee smart plug which gives me much more flexibility - but that’s another story. https://rz01.org/pseudo-bidirectional-meter/ Fri, 06 Oct 2023 09:58:34 +0000 https://rz01.org/pseudo-bidirectional-meter/ For some modern electricity meters there is the possibility to read the current electricity consumption and the meter reading via an optical sensor. Ready-to-buy sensors are available for this purpose, which can be attached directly on the meter’s sensor using the built-in magnet. This sensor is connected to an ESP8266 board, which then collects and processes the information and makes it available via Wi-Fi. This board has Tasmota installed as firmware in my case. https://rz01.org/shari-asl-node/ Fri, 08 Sep 2023 12:43:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/shari-asl-node/ After having built an AllStarLink node for stationary operation in the past, I decided to build a second node for mobile operation. It should be simple, inexpensive and relatively compact. Furthermore, a power supply via USB (5V DC) was a prerequisite for this project. The choice fell on the inexpensive SHARI hats, which are based on the well-known SA818 module (hence SHARI, which stands for “SA818 Ham Allstar Radio Interface”). These can be purchased directly from China for about 55€. https://rz01.org/a-declaration-of-love-to-amateur-radio/ Thu, 03 Aug 2023 16:22:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/a-declaration-of-love-to-amateur-radio/ Hier klicken, um zur deutschen Version zu gelangen TL;DR Right at the beginning of this post, I would like to give the impatient reader a highly condensed summary why one wants to become a radio amateur: With an amateur radio license one can build radios oneself, irradiate the moon with radio waves, communicate via satellites, chat with astronauts, flying pilots, engineers on oil tankers, researchers at Antarctica, compete with others, have a reason to go into nature, make friends worldwide, acquire and expand language skills, understand the world better, and find many ideas for various projects. https://rz01.org/eine-liebeserklaerung-an-den-amateurfunk/ Thu, 03 Aug 2023 12:47:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/eine-liebeserklaerung-an-den-amateurfunk/ Click here for English Version TL;DR Gleich zu Beginn dieser Liebeserklärung folgt nun für die ungeduldigen Leser eine stark komprimierte Zusammenfassung, warum man Funkamateur werden will: Mit einer Amateurfunklizenz kann man selbst Funkgeräte bauen, den Mond mit Funkwellen bestrahlen, über Satelliten funken, mit Astronauten, fliegenden Piloten, Menschen auf Öltankern, Forschern an der Antarktis quatschen, sich mit anderen messen, einen Grund haben, in die Natur zu gehen, weltweit Freunde finden, Sprachkenntnisse erwerben und ausbauen, die Welt besser verstehen und viele Ideen für verschiedenste Projekte finden. https://rz01.org/tp5100-charger-mod/ Wed, 26 Jul 2023 06:24:45 +0000 https://rz01.org/tp5100-charger-mod/ The battery chargers of many chinese HT’s are known to be unreliable, noisy and to overcharge the battery. The TYT MD-380, TYT MD-UV380, Retevis RT3, Retevis RT3S and the Radioddity GD-77 share the same charger cradle with similar electronics inside. The following picture shows the PCBs found in the MD-380 (left) and the GD-77 charger (right): I’ve read about a very easy and affordable modification for these chargers here: https://kikuyumoja.com/2018/04/18/8-4v-ladeplatine-fur-das-dmr-tyt-md-380/. The goal is to exchange the charger’s guts with a small TP5100 board: https://rz01.org/remote-power-meter/ Wed, 26 Jul 2023 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/remote-power-meter/ This WT32/ESP32 based project, combined with a directional coupler setup, allows you to remotely monitor the output power and SWR of your station via a web browser. It reads two voltages which are supplied by the directional couplers. From these, the respective power is calculated with the help of a calibration data table to be created by the user. Credits for helping me with the directional coupler setup, software testing and feature ideas go to Matthias DD1US. https://rz01.org/plutoplus-firmware/ Mon, 26 Jun 2023 20:12:27 +0000 https://rz01.org/plutoplus-firmware/ This post describes how I update my Pluto+ SDR transceiver: Download the latest firmware from https://github.com/DeonMarais64/PlutoPlusSDR-FW/releases. At the time of writing this article this was version v0.37-dirty. Preconditions / assumptions: Filename: plutosdr-fw-v0.37-dirty.zip IP of the Pluto+: 192.168.88.99 Local Windows user: abcd Local OS: Windows 11 We can now either copy this file to the SD card of the Pluto+ or use a scp client to transfer the file via the network. https://rz01.org/hl2-hr50-interface/ Tue, 16 May 2023 16:25:31 +0000 https://rz01.org/hl2-hr50-interface/ Update: I’ve published a post on a simpler, more integrated version here. I have only had bad luck connecting my Hermes Lite 2 SDR transceiver directly to a Hardrock 50 power amplifier. The HR50 was constantly freezing and I did not find a solution in the HR50 user group. After I had discarded this setup for a long time, I wanted to give the HL2 a try again but only in QRP. https://rz01.org/dm4ds-midi-box/ Sun, 14 May 2023 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/dm4ds-midi-box/ In the last time I hardly sat in front of a real radio but was mainly QRV via SDR radios (Hermes Lite 2 and Pluto Plus). These I operate with the great software SDR Console from Simon Brown. However, I missed the VFO knob and other “real knobs” on the PC and was therefore looking for a homebrew project to realize this. In the end I decided to go with the MIDI Box from DM4DS. https://rz01.org/70cm-eggbeater-antenna/ Tue, 02 May 2023 08:56:23 +0000 https://rz01.org/70cm-eggbeater-antenna/ After I am now finally QRV on the geostationary satellite QO-100, I would like to be able to additionally work LEO satellites, which have amateur radio transponders on board. These are earth-orbiting satellites, which can only work for a short period per pass between the AOS (Acquisition Of Signal - when the SAT rises above the horizon) and the LOS (Loss Of Signal - when it passes below the horizon). https://rz01.org/sdr-console-fixing-audio-stutter-issues/ Fri, 14 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/sdr-console-fixing-audio-stutter-issues/ The Setup Lenovo Thinkpad T420 Intel Core i5-2520M CPU 16 GB RAM Intel 82579 Ethernet Interface Windows 10 Pro SDR Console v3.3 Beta Build 2870 The Problem I had lots of audio stuttering/drop-outs while using [SDR Console] on my Thinkpad T420 (see above), even if no other programs were running. The Fix In order to find out if there are device driverrs that are blocking other processes due to high DPC latency spikes, I’ve downloaded and executed the tool LatencyMon. https://rz01.org/qo100-gpsdo/ Thu, 13 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/qo100-gpsdo/ While SDR Console is doing a great job stabilizing the frequency with the help of locking to the middle beacon of the QO-100 narrow band transponder, it still has some inaccurancy. Because of this and because I might try out other SDR software in the future, I’ve decided to enhance my QO-100 ground station with a GPSDO. The product I have chosen for this is the well known “Mini Precision GPS Reference Clock” from Leo Bodnar. https://rz01.org/qo100-pluto-sdr/ Wed, 12 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/qo100-pluto-sdr/ Frustrated by local QRM on HF, I finally decided to build a ground station for the geostationairy satellite Es’hail 2 aka Qatar-OSCAR 100 - or short - QO-100. Since I don’t own a full duplex capable SSB VHF/UHF transceiver and did not want to purchase such an expensive radio, the remaining option was to go down the SDR route. After searching the web, I’ve found a setup based on the Pluto+ SDR transceiver which I’ve then built. https://rz01.org/dual-band-slim-jim/ Sun, 26 Mar 2023 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/dual-band-slim-jim/ While looking for a 70cm/2m antenna suitable for travelling, I came across the “Praesidenten Antenne” on the net: http://oe1iah.at/Hardware/Antennen/SlimJim2-70.shtml. The construction of this antenna is quite simple. The parts needed for my version are: approx. 1.4m 240 Ohm cable BNC socket with already soldered coaxial cable cable tie superglue heat shrink tubing I followed the instructions linked above and first build the lower part with the soldered BNC socket: Then, following the instructions, cut out the two 5mm pieces from one of the wires, soldered the bridge further up and applied heat shrink tubing to all the modified parts of the cable: https://rz01.org/pota-activation-da-0013/ Sun, 19 Feb 2023 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/pota-activation-da-0013/ Yesterday I had a very successful activation of POTA park “DA-0013 Stromberg-Heuchelberg Nature Park”. I found a nice spot but had to fight with strong winds so I wasn’t able to work on 20m for a longer time since my antenna was flexing a lot. Most of the total 51 contacts were made on 10m followed by 12m. Working conditions: Xiegu X5105 PAC-12 vertical telescopic antenna MX-P50M amplifier with 40W output Worked entities: https://rz01.org/cloudlogoffline-to-qrz/ Fri, 10 Feb 2023 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/cloudlogoffline-to-qrz/ Do you ever wanted to log QSOs offline with an Android/iOS/Desktop app and then upload them to the QRZ logbook? Now you can. Since I am not capable of developing such an app and there is already a really good app with CloudlogOffline, I have developed CloudlogOffline2QRZ. It is a simple Python application that pretends to be a Cloudlog instance. It offers a similar API to Cloudlog and forwards all transmitted QSOs to the QRZ. https://rz01.org/coax-relay-wall-mount/ Thu, 26 Jan 2023 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/coax-relay-wall-mount/ I’ve designed a simple snap-on wall mount for CX600 coxial relays: You can download the design on Printables. https://rz01.org/cloudlog-on-openbsd/ Tue, 24 Jan 2023 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/cloudlog-on-openbsd/ This page will guide you through the steps required to install Cloudlog onto an OpenBSD web server that is using the OHMP stack (that’s OpenBSD, httpd, MariaDB and PHP). Most of the text has been taken from the page Installation on a FreeBSD Server and adapted to OpenBSD. You can find this guide also in the Cloudlog wiki. Prerequisites Operating System: OpenBSD (tested on OpenBSD 7.2) Web server: httpd Database: MariaDB PHP 8. https://rz01.org/automatic-antenna-switch-system/ Fri, 13 Jan 2023 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/automatic-antenna-switch-system/ Preconditions The HF part of my amateur radio station mostly consists of the following: Transceivers: ICOM IC-7300 and a Zachtek WSPR Desktop Transmitter Antennas: Cobweb antenna for 6 to 20m, Hustler 4-BTV for 40m Antenna switches: One coax relay in the shack (shack antenna switch) for selecting which transceiver is connected to the antenna, one remote antenna switch close to the antenna (remote antenna switch) for selecting which antenna will be connected to the coax relay in the shack Goals of this project A solution should be found that achieves the following: https://rz01.org/mx-p50m-covers/ Tue, 10 Jan 2023 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/mx-p50m-covers/ I’ve made two simple 3D printable protection covers for the MX-P50M ham radio amplifier to protect the switch and other external parts from being damaged or from damaging other gear when being carried in a backpack. You can download them on Printables. https://rz01.org/miady-powerpole-lid/ Thu, 05 Jan 2023 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/miady-powerpole-lid/ In search of a compact, lightweight and affordable battery that has enough capacity for hours of portable ham radio operations, I came across the infamous Miady 12,8V 7,2Ah LiFePO4 battery which comes with an integrated battery management system (BMS) and can be bought for less than 40 EUR. After some initial testing I decided that this battery fits my needs but I was not happy with the idea of having cables soldered to the battery hanging loosely around. https://rz01.org/how-long-can-i-pota-with-6200mah/ Mon, 02 Jan 2023 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/how-long-can-i-pota-with-6200mah/ I’ve recently built two battery packs, one with eight 26650 cells (14.V, 6200mAh, originally 3300mAh/cell) and one with 24 26650 cells (14.4V, 12500mAh, originally 2400mAh/cell). You can read more about them here: Battery Pack Building. Please note that the battery cells are at least 5 years old. Setup To find out how long the smaller pack with 6200mAh would last during portable operations such as POTA activations, I’ve set up the following experiment: https://rz01.org/mx-p50m-mod/ Sun, 01 Jan 2023 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/mx-p50m-mod/ I’ve recently purchased the famous chinese MX-P50M 45W amplifier as an addition to the X5105 for portable use. The amp is small, lightweight and does a decent job but I did not like the SO-239 sockets. I also did not like that there is a PTT cable permanently attached to the amplifier. This post describes briefly the steps to modify it to BNC and a dedicated PTT jack. The MX-P50M before the modification: https://rz01.org/review-pac-12-antenna/ Sun, 01 Jan 2023 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/review-pac-12-antenna/ Since my old and proven antenna is only resonant on 20m and I did not like the fact that the mast does not fit into any backpack, I decided to give the PAC-12 antenna system a go. I’ve ordered the following from Aliexpress: 5,6m long stainless steel whip earth spike with feed point (part of the set linked above) radials coil for 40m band All in all the antenna system cost me ~100 EUR. https://rz01.org/interfacing-the-bx-184-microphone-with-the-xiegu-x5105/ Sun, 04 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/interfacing-the-bx-184-microphone-with-the-xiegu-x5105/ I wanted to use my BX-184 microphone which has a built-in voice keyer with my new Xiegu X5105. It was used with the FT-817 until now and I enjoyed the parrot very much during my POTA activations. I’ve read that the Xiegu would use the same wiring as the IC-7000 so I followed the instructions of the manual (https://www.box73.de/file_dl/bausaetze/BX-184_en.pdf, page 3, bottom right). The mic itself worked but PTT was not. https://rz01.org/pota-activation-of-da-0020-neckartal-odenwald-nature-park/ Sat, 03 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/pota-activation-of-da-0020-neckartal-odenwald-nature-park/ Today I successfully activated POTA park DA-0020 Neckartal-Odenwald Nature Park. It was cold and wet and I only made 10 contacts (20m, SSB, 5W) but the scenery was very nice. It was also the first time with the Xiegu X5105 and I am quite happy with it so far. Ergonomics and battery life are excellent and I also got some good audio reports. https://rz01.org/portable-gear/ Thu, 10 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/portable-gear/ The following is a picture of everything I am taking with me to portable operations: The gear consists of the following: Yaesu FT-817 with the following modifications 3D printed Power Pole connector 3D printed VFO knob 3D printed side rails 3D printed protection cover Inrad 2000 Hz 455 kHz SSB 8-pole Collins filter TCXO DIY 6600mAh 4s LiPo battery power cable modified mic with built in voice keyer (BX-184) self made 1/4 wave vertical antenna for 20m wrapped around a 3D printed winder and a 3D printed mast tip 7m Spiderbeam mini mast tension belt ear phones pen and logbook coax cable A picture of everything packed and ready to go (banana for scale): https://rz01.org/pota-feldberg/ Thu, 10 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/pota-feldberg/ Yesterday I was able to succesfully activate POTA park “Taunus Nature Park” on the Feldberg near Frankfurt. The following was my gear during the portable operation: Yaesu FT-817 DIY 6600mAh 4s LiPo battery modified mic with built in voice keyer (BX-184) self made 1/4 wave vertical antenna for 20m 7m Spiderbeam mini mast Due to the weather conditions, I only operated for one hour in total but I’ve made 22 SSB contacts on 20m from which four were DX and one was a park 2 park to Iceland. https://rz01.org/vim-fle-syntax/ Mon, 31 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/vim-fle-syntax/ I wrote a Vim syntax plugin for writing Fast Log Entry compatible log files in Vim. This allows me to write extensive logs with a lightweight Linux laptop on the console in Vim while operating portable without the need of a Fast Log Entry install but still with the very helpful syntax highlighting. This plugin does not convert the log into ADIF files. The idea is to copy/paste the log later on into FLE and to the convertion there. https://rz01.org/how-i-do-email/ Thu, 13 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/how-i-do-email/ I’ve used one single mail address for over a decade until it was involved in some breaches and thereupon has been sold to spammers. This address has been rendered unusable for me because I was drowning in spam since then. I’ve then decided to start over with a custom domain, unique mail addresses per website/account and to update all my online accounts to the new addresses. In fact, I am now using 200+ mail addresses. https://rz01.org/battery-pack-building/ Sat, 27 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/battery-pack-building/ I have inherited the following collection of battery packs, which were already at least 5 years old at this time: Two battery packs should now be built from them: One as power supply for my Yaesu FT-817 during portable operation and another bigger one from the remaining cells. For this I took all packs apart, charged each cell and then measured their capacity: I also needed do order a spot welder kit for this. https://rz01.org/dxpager/ Thu, 21 Jul 2022 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/dxpager/ I just released DXPager, a script that sends DAPNET messages to your pager if a DX station whose entity you have not worked/confirmed before has been spotted. In other words: The script checks your LotW QSL log, observes the DX cluster and pages you as soon as a new one appears. A “(L)” is added to the message if the DX station is a LotW user. Additionally, you can define a watch list of DX call signs for which you’d also liek to be notified. https://rz01.org/first-pota-activation/ Mon, 30 May 2022 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/first-pota-activation/ Last weekend I was able to succesfully activate Waldheide Recreation Park DA-0221 as part of the Parks on the Air (POTA) program. POTA is a ham radio competition aimed at setting up ham radio stations in parks open to the public and going on the air from there. You can find more information about the program here. This was my first POTA activation and also the first time this specific park has been activated. https://rz01.org/colorspot/ Sat, 21 May 2022 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/colorspot/ I just released a first version of ColorSpot, a command line DX cluster client written in Python. It adds the following benefits to the default telnet stream: displays the DX station’s country displays the DX station’s continent displays if the DX station uses LotW downloads your LotW QSL file and marks all lines with countries that need to be confirmed (optional) displays lines in different colors depending on the continent or band (user configurable) Code You can download the code here. https://rz01.org/qrp-trx-list/ Sat, 21 May 2022 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/qrp-trx-list/ I have compiled a list of QRP transceivers that are suitable for portable use. It can be downloaded via the following links: qrp_trx.pdf qrp_trx.ods If you have any corrections, additions or suggestions, please feel free to contact me. https://rz01.org/allstarlink-node-build/ Thu, 20 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/allstarlink-node-build/ In this post I will briefly describe my build of an AllStarLink node. For this, I used the following parts: Baofeng 888s CM108 USB soundcard Raspberry Pi 4 + case two buck converters, configured 5V and 3,7V output voltage metal enclosure power poles + mounting plates ethernet jack Waveshare LCD1602 RGB Module I will not go into great detail here since all modifications are described in other places. Please consult the following links: https://rz01.org/m17-md380-openrtx-pistar-mmdvm/ Mon, 13 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/m17-md380-openrtx-pistar-mmdvm/ In this post I will explain in detail how to become QRV on M17 with the following setup: TYT MD380 Raspberry Pi / Pi-Star / MMDVM Hotspot The process will be the following: Modification of the MD380: In order to transmit M17 audio, the radio needs to be modified so the MCU has direct access to the mic without the audio being routed over the HR_C5000. Installation of OpenRTX on the MD380 Modification of the Pi-Star installation Upgrading the MMDVM firmware to at least v1. https://rz01.org/server-backup-with-borgmatic-and-borgbase/ Thu, 18 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/server-backup-with-borgmatic-and-borgbase/ In this article I document how I backup my servers locally as well as remotely to borgbase.com. After implementing the follwoing steps, you’ll get: encrypted backups to a local directory encrypted offsite backups alarms in the case backups fail Preconditions All these steps have been tested with Debian 10/11. You’ll need a paid subscription with BorgBase or use your own remote repository server. All commands have to be executed in the context of the user root. https://rz01.org/hardrock50-remote-display/ Fri, 12 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/hardrock50-remote-display/ UPDATE: I moved the client and the server into one project. It furthermore now supports user actions via a button. Original post: I am using my Hardrock-50 as part of a remote station so I am of course not able to monitor its display which shows the selected band, keying method, temperature, SWR, power etc. Since I need/want this information and also prefer a physical display, I made two little projects that can be combined together: https://rz01.org/building-the-hardrock50/ Sat, 07 Aug 2021 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/building-the-hardrock50/ The Hardrock-50 is a very nice 50W short wave amplifier that comes as a kit. The package includes everything needed for building the amp. There were some optional modules available (QSK Mezzanine add-on board and an automatic ATU) which I decided not to order since I am very happy with my ATU-100. The Hardrock-50 includes an interface to some rigs including my FT-817 which allows automatic band selection. For this purpose, an additional but easily buildable Sub-D to Mini DIN cable is needed. https://rz01.org/qrzlogger/ Tue, 13 Jul 2021 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/qrzlogger/ I’m in the progress of developing a Python command line application to log QSOs directly into the QRZ.com logbook. It does the following: asks the user for a call sign displays available call sign info pulled from QRZ.com displays all previous QSOs with this call (pulled from QRZ.com logbook) asks the user to enter QSO specific data (date, time, report, band etc.) uploads the QSO to QRZ.com’s logbook fetches the just uploaded QSO from QRZ. https://rz01.org/ubitx_vfo_knob/ Fri, 18 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/ubitx_vfo_knob/ uBitx v6 modifications, Part III: 3D printed knobs (I like VFO knobs with a finger recess) and chassis tilt bails. https://rz01.org/ubitx_smeter/ Wed, 16 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/ubitx_smeter/ uBitx v6 modifications, Part II: Since the AGC board has a S-Meter tap, the next mod was obvious :) The S-Meter of a dead Yaesu FT-290R was a perfect fit for the uBitx case and I think it looks nice. https://rz01.org/ubitx_agc/ Tue, 15 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/ubitx_agc/ uBitx v6 modifications, Part I: The uBitx is a very nice radio but the missing AGC is an ear killer. I decided to purchase an AGC board from kit-projects and soldered it onto the radio main board. It’s tiny and I was afraid to damage something but it turned out fine. https://rz01.org/g1m-stand/ Sat, 05 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/g1m-stand/ A $0 Xiegu G1M stand: https://rz01.org/ubitx_v6/ Tue, 18 May 2021 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/ubitx_v6/ Yesterday I received and built my new uBitx v6 QRP transceiver. Connected to a LiPo battery and the 4-BTV vertical it gave me a few QSOs with Bosnia, Denmark, Poland and Austria. Very impressed so far! The first mod will be the addition of an AGC. https://rz01.org/bitx40/ Thu, 13 May 2021 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/bitx40/ Finally fixed some issues with the BITX40 and had my first QSO with it today (YU1XA, report 55) - two years after I purchased the kit. There are still some issues but I am on the right track. https://rz01.org/atu-100/ Sat, 09 Jan 2021 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/atu-100/ Just finished my ATU-100 build. It’s fun to build, super affordable and works without problems so far. https://rz01.org/qrz-sh/ Mon, 09 Nov 2020 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/qrz-sh/ This script queries the QRZ.com callsign database and returns the result to the command line. A XML subscription plan with QRZ.com is required for full functionality. You can download the script here: qrz.sh.tar.gz Installation Copy the file .qrz.conf into your home directory Copy the file qrz.sh into a directory that is in you PATH variable Set the correct file permissions: chmod u+x qrz.sh Dependencies curl Configuration Edit the file ~/.qrz.conf like this: https://rz01.org/antenna-switch/ Fri, 13 Mar 2020 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/antenna-switch/ New project: raspberry pi controlled remote antenna switch. One remote rpi for triggering the 4 relais inside the antenna switch and one rpi connected to the TRX in the shack measuring the ATU port’s voltage to fully automatically choose the correct antenna for each band. Update: The antenna switch itself is assembled and working. Next step: interfacing the pi and coding a simple web service which will be used to select an antenna via network. https://rz01.org/30m-dipole/ Sun, 02 Feb 2020 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/30m-dipole/ Why and what This aricle describes the construction of a 9,50 m long dipole for the 30 m band (10.1 MHz to 10.15 MHz). It was designed to be mounted ca. 6m above ground inside an attic. The calculations were performed by OE1MEW with the help of this antenna calculator. To reduce the length of the ~15 m long dipole, a coil will be integrated into each side of the dipole. https://rz01.org/g90-mods/ Fri, 17 Jan 2020 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/g90-mods/ Mods The following is a compilation of some recommended mods for the Xiegu G90. None of these mods are my idea, I learned about them from the Xiegu G90 group.io group (see below). Power Cable The original power cable is too thin and should be replaced with silicone 14AWG cables plus some ferrite beads. Don’t forget to integrate a 5Ah fuse into the cable. Mine looks like this now: Microphone Mod When using the original G90 microphone, your voice might be too bassy. https://rz01.org/the-antennapi/ Fri, 05 Jul 2019 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/the-antennapi/ Parts needed Aluminium case Raspberry Pi 1 or newer relay module PL sockets screws, cables, etc. soldering equipment, drill, etc. This is a remote antenna switch I use in my attic to connect transceivers in the basement to multiple antennas in the attic. There is only one antenna cable going up to the attic which is why an antenna switch is needed. The goal of this project is to be able to remotely connect one of the antennas in the attic to the only antenna cable available. https://rz01.org/mikrotik-auto-backup/ Fri, 04 Jan 2019 17:31:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/mikrotik-auto-backup/ Einführung Folgend wird beschrieben, wie man seinen MikroTik Router automatisch sichert und das Backup auf einen FTP-Server überträgt. Zielsetzung ist die folgende: Erstellung eines Exports und eines Backups Speicherung des letzten Backups/Exports auf dem Router selbst Übertragung der Dateien auf einen FTP-Server Vorbedingungen MikroTik RouterBoard, z.B. ein MikroTik hEX FTP-Server im LAN Quellen Mikrotik Forum Post von rextended https://github.com/massimo-filippi/mikrotik/blob/master/backup-config.rsc Los geht’s Skript ## environment specific configuration :local ftpServer "1.2.3.4" :local ftpUser "user" :local ftpPassword "pass" :local ftpPath "/" :local dstFile "backup" :local srcFile $dstFile :local myVer value=[/system package update get installed-version]; :local id value=[/system identity get value-name=name]; :local date value=[/system clock get date]; ## replace "/" with "-" in date :local newdate value=""; :if ([:find $date "/" -1] > 0) do={ :for i from=0 to=([:len $date] -1) step=1 do={ :local actualchar value=[:pick $date $i]; :if ($actualchar = "/") do={ :set actualchar value="-" }; :set newdate value=($newdate. https://rz01.org/mikrotik-capsman-setup/ Mon, 31 Dec 2018 17:31:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/mikrotik-capsman-setup/ Einführung Folgend wird beschrieben, wie man mit CAPsMAN beliebig viele Wireless Access Points verwaltet und dynamisch provisioniert. Zielsetzung ist die folgende: Zentrale Verwaltung aller APs im Haus (zunächst 3 APs, weitere sollen jederzeit ohne Aufwand hinzugefügt werden können) 2 SSIDs, je eine SSID für 2,4 GHz und eine für 5 GHz Jeder AP soll die gleiche Konfiguration erhalten Umgebung soll beliebig erweiterbar sein, z.B. weitere SSID mit eigenem VLAN Vorbedingungen MikroTik RouterBoard mit installiertem “wireless” Package, z. https://rz01.org/mikrotik-execute-scripts-via-sms/ Sun, 30 Dec 2018 17:31:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/mikrotik-execute-scripts-via-sms/ Einführung Dieser Blogeintrag beschäftigt sich mit dem Ausführen von Skripten per SMS-Kommandos. In diesem Beispiel soll als Aktion eine SMS zurückgesendet werden, welche die aktuelle öffentliche IP-Adresse enthält. Vorbedingungen MikroTik RouterBoard mit USB-Port, z.B. ein MikroTik hEX USB UMTS-Stick, z.B. ein Standard Huawei Stick aus verschiedenen Prepaid-Angeboten Los geht’s Zuerst schauen wir nach, ob der Router den USB-Stick erkannt hat: [admin@hEX] /system resource usb> print # DEVICE VENDOR NAME SPEED 0 1-0 Linux 3. https://rz01.org/dynamic-dns-for-nsd/ Thu, 03 May 2018 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/dynamic-dns-for-nsd/ Introduction nsd-dyndns is a simple script that adds dynamic DNS dunctionality to NSD (authoritative DNS name server). Requirements The following is required or suggested: OpenBSD (or another BSD or some Linux distro) with HTTPD and NSD installed (pkg_add nsd), configured and running (sub-)domain for your webserver. Needed for updating the NS record of your actual DynDNS domain. In this example: update.example.com (sub-)domain that is updated dynamically. In this example: dyn.example.com A router capable of sending custom GET-requests to your DynDNS server. https://rz01.org/correlation-rule-documentation-generator-for-mcafee-siem/ Sun, 29 Apr 2018 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/correlation-rule-documentation-generator-for-mcafee-siem/ Since we are required to document all custom correlation rules inside our SIEM (McAfee Enterprise Security Manager) for our customers, I wrote a Python script that converts XML rule exports to Markdown. Afterwards its easy to convert teh resulting file e.g. to PDF, DOCX, HTML or even variuous wiki-formats with e.g. Pandoc. This way it’s possible to generate a PDF documentation of all rules with just a few clicks/commands. On the long shot that this is useful for you, you can find the script here: esm2markdown. https://rz01.org/patch-for-the-cli-password-manager-pass/ Wed, 25 May 2016 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/patch-for-the-cli-password-manager-pass/ I use Pass to store and synchronize all my passwords. When I use Pass via SSH on a remote system in order to retrieve a password, I cannot make use of it’s clipboard feature. In order to output the password without actually displaying it, I wrote the following patch which prints the password in red on a red background while still being able to be manually copied to the clipboard: https://rz01.org/heated-trackball/ Mon, 22 Dec 2014 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/heated-trackball/ This post describes how to convert a trackball or mouse into a heated input device using simple means. You will need the following parts: heating wire (0,2 mm 43,95 Ohm/m Kanthal D) some regular wire glue soldering equipment Since the USB port should give us 500 mAh and the trackball shouldn’t consume more than 150 mAh, the wire can consume up to 350 mAh. Knowing the voltage of 5 V and the desired power consumption, it is easy to calculate the needed resistor: https://rz01.org/nse-script-sqlite-output-for-nmap/ Mon, 05 May 2014 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/nse-script-sqlite-output-for-nmap/ I wrote this little NSE script that allows you to store the output of Nmap into a SQLite database: nmap-sqlite-output.tar.gz This might come in handy when performing large inventory scans. The SQLite database can be queried and sorted easily or exported as a CSV file. This way you can, for example, easily generate tables for your assessment report. Example $ nmap -sS -A -F --script sqlite-output scanme.nmap.org [...] $ sqlite3 scan. https://rz01.org/little-helper/ Sat, 23 Mar 2013 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/little-helper/ Here’s the result of my attempt to recreate Gyro Gearloose’s Little Helper (in German: Daniel Düsentrieb’s Helferlein): It’s built out of: aluminium tubes brass sticks wooden shoes and gloves lots of two-component adhesive a 12V 40W bulb with E27 thread some wire a AC/DC converter 12V 3A https://rz01.org/the-one-button-audiobook-player/ Mon, 29 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/the-one-button-audiobook-player/ This little Raspberry Pi based project is a gift for my wife’s grandmother for her 90th birthday. Being visually impaired, she is hard to entertain but loves to listen to audiobooks. The problem is, that she isn’t able to handle a ghetto blaster or MP3 player. The solution to this problem was – tadaaaah – a one button audiobook player 🙂 It basically consists of: 1 Raspberry Pi 1 ModMyPi enclosure 1 button 2 resistors (330 Ohm, 10 Kilo-Ohm) 1 blue LED 1 (slow) 8GB SD-Card some wire a pair of speakers The following software has been used: https://rz01.org/the-arduino-enabled-washing-machine/ Fri, 05 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0000 https://rz01.org/the-arduino-enabled-washing-machine/ My washing machine is located in the basement. Unfortunately, the time data displayed on the front panel is always inaccurate. So instead of constantly running down the stairs and checking if the laundry is done, I decided to connect the washing machine to my LAN and extend it’s features by a simple http server. This is what I needed for it: 1 arduino uno 1 ethernet shield 1 opto-coupler (CNY17) 1 perfboard 1 resistor (150 Ohm) In my case, getting the right signal from the washing machine was simple: It has a “Finished” LED on the front panel, so all I needed to do, was to solder it out and replace it with a two-core wire.