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SDR Dongle Plugin And Install List

By RD Bentley on September 29, 2014 in

I‘m going to list a few SDR plugins for my SDR dongle and this is in no particular order.

SDR Install And Plugin List

1. SDR Plugins — SDR# main site.
2. SDR# Plugins — Welcome to the home of some of the most popular free plugins for SDR# Software Defined Radio.
3. Step-by-step instuctions for setting up the RTL stick with SDRSharp Software — RTL-SDR Software Installation Guide.
4. Getting Started with RTL-SDR and SDR-Sharp — A quick-start guide for RTL-SDR under windows.
5. Gqrx SDR — Software defined radio for Linux and Mac.
6. GNU Radio — Welcome to GNU Radio!
7. The BIG List — The BIG List of RTL-SDR Supported Software.
8. Rtl-sdr on Ubuntu — I took to set it up with gnuradio on ubuntu 12.04.
9. Linux LiveDVD that Supports RTL-SDR and HackRF — A LiveDVD allows you to boot Linux directly from a DVD.
10. Andy’s Ham Radio Linux — This is a remastered version of Ubuntu Linux.
11. RTL-SDR Dongle in Linux — I first got rtl-sdr and SDRSharp running on my Linux machine.
12. Linux Software Wiki — Options for free software in Linux are:
13. Windows Software Wiki — Installing SDR#.

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Eric Holder Resigns Fast And Furiously

By RD Bentley on September 27, 2014 in

The United States Attorney General is the title that Eric Holder holds, that is until his resignation takes effect. I don’t know much about the position, but this official is chosen by the president and confirmed by the Senate. The question at hand is this: Why is Holder resigning so fast and furiously? Maybe because he has become a political lightning rod?

It turns out that Obama’s administration has been caught up in a scandal since 2010, more specifically a gunrunning scandal. Federal agents have taken a role in this gunrunning scandal and maybe Holder is the fall guy.

And to whom are these guns being sold to? Probably Mexican drug cartels, according to the documents released to the CBS network. ‘Fast and Furious’ is the label that’s being attached to this red hot potato.

It appears that a judge ordered the documents to be released by October 1, the Fast and Furious documents as referred to.

What is the big deal? Allegedly, there were 2,000 weapons that came up missing and were unaccounted for. The real problem stems from the death of Border patrol agent Brian Terry, because two of the missing rifles showed up at the crime scene. A Mexican man convicted of the crime was the first to be connected to the Fast and Furious scandal.

The types of arms used by these types of people are: 9mm pistols; .38 Super pistols; 5.7mm pistols; .45-caliber pistols; AR-15-type rifles; and AK-47-type rifles.

The Fast and Furious Operation was part of a bigger project called Project Gunrunner.

And so it goes back to business as usual, as we proceed with all things in the news. Back to the morning edition…

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NSA Is Selling Technology To Companies?

By RD Bentley on September 26, 2014 in

Not only is the NSA creating surveillance tools to invade your privacy, it’s also selling this technology to the highest bidder. American companies can rent this technology if they have the cash to do so. So basically, the NSA is making money from the inventions.

Read More:
The NSA is renting its technology to U.S. companies — The Daily Dot

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SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Can Transfer More Data Faster

By RD Bentley on September 25, 2014 in

What’s new in technology? The new USB cable 3.0, also called SuperSpeed (SS), can transfer more data and will be 10 times faster than the current 2.0 USB cable. The cable will be blue and it will have the SS label on it. There is a 3.0 adapter available that is currently on the market.

New Computers Come With 3.0 And 2.0 Ports

The new laptop is equipped with both — the 3.0 and 2.0 ports: Dell Inspiron i3531-1200BK 15.6-Inch Laptop Win with Windows 8.1.

Here is the new desktop if you prefer: Dell Inspiron i3646-1000BLK Desktop with Windows 8.0.

This is interesting. The Windows 7 version is more expensive: Dell Inspiron i3647-1233BLK Desktop (Windows 7).

3.0 Adapter Is Available

The older computer will be able to connect a 3.0 to a 2.0 port, but the speed will remain the same. It takes the 3.0 USB port to gain faster speeds.

Until a computer is purchased with USB 3.0, you will need to install a USB 3.0 PCI Express card to provide a USB 3.0 interface. For example: Anker® Uspeed USB 3.0 PCI-E Express Card with 4 USB 3.0 Ports and 5V 4-Pin Power Connector for Desktops [VL805 Chipset].

Manufacturer’s Note

PLEASE NOTE: This PCI-E card is powered by a 5V 4 pin power connector or sata 15 pin power connector. Please confirm that your computer power supply is equipped with a 5V 4 pin power connector plug or sata 15 pin power connector before purchasing. This is necessary to ensure sufficient power supply and smooth transfers, particularly for large data transfers from hard drive disks (3TB or above).

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Making Salsa Has Never Been Easier

By RD Bentley on September 22, 2014 in ,

I really like salsa and what’s even better is homemade salsa. Grow your own tomatoes, pick them fresh out of the garden, and you have great salsa at a great price. The thing is…the extras to get rid of: the skins, seeds, and chunks that are in the salsa. This problem can be solved. Making salsa has never been easier if you have all the right parts.

The first thing necessary is the stand mixer: KitchenAid KSM150PSWH Artisan Series 5-Quart, White. It’s a bit pricey but you have a kitchen appliance that’s useful and will last the rest of your life.

Another component is the food grinder: KitchenAid FGA Food Grinder Attachment for Stand Mixers. This is ideal for grinding meats, grating cheese, making bread crumbs and combining dips, salsas, spreads, etc.

Yet the additional parts are necessary: KitchenAid FVSP Fruit and Vegetable Strainer Parts for Food Grinder. Parts add a strainer function to KitchenAid food grinder.

Then you have to know how to crush the tomatoes and prepare them for the salsa or pizza sauce. There’s a number of uses for the machine, if you’re armed with the knowledge.

Especially if you are into canning, the machine, the additional parts, and the video are a must. The Best Fresh Tomato Salsa recipe is very handy as well.

Bon appétit!

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The Future Of The Payment System Is The Chip Card

By RD Bentley on September 19, 2014 in

Meet George Jetson. See how George automates his house. Apple Pay is the talk of the day. The giant corporation tried to pull a fast one and monopolize the mobile payment system, only to get rejected by Wal-Mart and Best Buy. Apple is not the only company trying to automate our lives.

It looks like the future of the payment system is the EMV card. This means the chip card is king.

I do not like the idea of big corporations trying to control everything, but it seems like we live in an age where they want to control every aspect of our lives. Society will have the last word on this one.

It appears that all merchants will at least have to offer the EMV card option. At least 80 countries have already made this transition, including Canada, so the United States may be next in line. The time has come. Apple has seen the future.

Supposedly, the main reason is security. Using the three steps, the EMV chip is allegedly a foolproof method, to the point of “virtually impossible to create a counterfeit”, at least this is being said.

Instead of wondering about what computer George Jetson was using, we now must contemplate what type of payment system he was using.

Meet George Jetson: Apple preps iPhone ‘big play’…

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New Gadget Creates Electricity From Captured Microwave Signals

By RD Bentley on September 15, 2014 in

Just imagine all of the radio frequencies that surround us as we step into our backyards. What if there was a way to capture those signals and turn them into electricity? Some scientists have designed a new gadget that proposes to generate electricity from captured microwave signals. Allen Hawkes and Alexander Katko are those scientists. The Daily Mail published the full story.

I wonder if Nikola Tesla would have been privy to such knowledge. He touted the idea that electricity should be free.

The FIM-41, a field strength meter, is a device that measures the electric field that is transmitted from a source. This device is used in the television and radio industry.

The POTOMAC FIM-41 can be rented if you need one. Here is the operating instructions to go with that.

The Potomac FIM-4100 replaced the FIM-41. The price for a new one at the current time is $14,975.00. The frequency range is 520 kHz to 5.1 MHz.

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Coffee Should Never Be Dull

By RD Bentley on September 12, 2014 in

Coffee should never be dull or bitter.

Coffee should never be dull. No matter if it’s that first cup in the am or that delightful cup of joy in the pm, coffee should never be dull. Furthermore, one should not settle for bitter tasting java. All things rejectamenta should be avoided.

Personally, I’m overjoyed to score a bucket of mud at the local McDonald’s. It has body, tastes great, and is inexpensive. By the way, I’m not knocking those that are willing to dish out 5 bucks for special mocha. Nothing wrong with that.

Let the coffee wars begin!

McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) wants to add a little excitement to your morning with their brand of coffee. In fact, McDonald’s coffee is coming to a supermarket near you.

McDonald’s has teamed up with Kraft to compete with the enemy, Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX). This could get interesting: Starbucks Pushes Further Into Grocery With Seattle’s Best.

Kraft had previously teamed up with Starbucks, but Starbucks chose to end the partnership. Interesting.

Just out of curiosity I thought I would try Gevalia Colombia.

The cup of Gevalia Colombia was smooth, not bitter, and I enjoyed every drop of it this afternoon. Although it wasn’t necessary, I did add a bit of coffee creamer. Delicious I tell you.

I urge you to try a new brand and find the coffee nirvana for yourself. Coffee should never be dull.

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Hitchhiker Weeds: Is This The Jerusalem Artichoke?

By RD Bentley on September 11, 2014 in

Helianthus tuberosus

There are numerous showy flowers that bloom in the late Summer/early Fall and I’ve tried to make an identification of this one. I think this is Helianthus tuberosus.

The flowers are quite charming actually, however, this is considered a very troublesome perennial weed and is prolific in forest edges, pastures, roadsides, etc. This weed tends to prefer full sun. It is tall and grows up to 12 feet in height.

The flower resembles a daisy and also looks something like a wild sunflower.

“Despite its name, the Jerusalem artichoke has no relation to Jerusalem, and it is not a type of artichoke, though both are members of the daisy family.”

The Jerusalem artichoke is native to North America and grows in most of the country. It also grows in most of Canada.

The potential for making ethanol from this ordinary weed is promising. The ‘Sunchoke’ may be a better producer of ethanol than corn.

If my memory serves me well, the flowers fade and a bunch of black seeds (with stickers) are available to catch a ride on the unsuspecting pedestrian. These stickers are troublesome to deal with.

Other hitchhikers that are painful to deal with are Hackelia virginiana (Beggar’s Lice) and Xanthium strumarium (Cockleburs). Anyone that has picked up the beggar’s lice on the pants will immediately know what it is.

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A G3 (Strong) Geomagnetic Storm Is Predicted

By RD Bentley on September 11, 2014 in

If you were listening to HF radio on September 10, 2014, you would have discovered that the bands dropped out completely for several minutes. At 1:45 p.m. EDT (1745 GMT) on Wednesday, a major solar flare disrupted radio communications.

Aurora watchers in the northern U.S. should be looking for possible activity both Thursday and Friday nights. A pair of CMEs could cause geomagnetic storms. A G3 (Strong) has been issued.

More news can be found at the Space Weather Prediction Center.

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