Bill Zimmerly writes for both computers and humans and always seeks to
make the utmost sense to both. As a professional programmer, his
career has spanned more than thirty years in such diverse businesses as
roof-truss engineering, statistical biochemical evaluation of
herbicides, device drivers for medical instruments, and insurance
illustrations. Preferring to stay "as close to the metal" as possible,
he is well-armed with detailed programming knowledge and tools like
FORTH, C, and Assembler. After retirement, he has taken up writing
articles for on-line Journals such as IBM developerWorks, Linux
Journal, and books about technology - "Web Geek's Guide to the
Android-Enabled Phone" being the first. Rural living in retirement is
another of his passions and he calls Hillsboro, Missouri, USA his
home.
Jim Conley has run a successful business in the communications industry.
Now retired, Jim's company has successfully deployed communications systems,
for the U.S. government. The company today remains in the family and continues
meeting the needs of the U.S. Coast guard and other portions of the U.S government.
Jim's primary hobbies today are, digital mode radio, and microwave communications.
Jim has expert knowledge in microwave communications and digital communication,
where he builds and lectures on both topics within the amateur radio community.
Jim to date, owns and operates one of the finest microwave laboratories in this
region of the country.
Jim Conley's call sign is n0obg, and he is an active member of the
St. Louis Area Microwave Society (SLAMS).
Background/Details/Abstract/Outline/Summary:
Amateur radio has been on the cutting edge of technology since its
inception. Amateur radio operators (aka "HAMs") are for the most part,
technology oriented hobbyists, and it comes as no surprise that
bridging the communications gap between radios can sometimes use the
Internet - in addition to radio. Various digital data protocols have
been designed during the computer age, but one of the most recent that
has garnished interest among the vendors of HAM equipment has been
Digital Voice via the D-Star protocol.
They will cover the recent history of Digital
Communications in the HAM radio bands, the progress made with D-Star,
and possibly demonstrate D-Star in action using his HP laptop computer
running Ubuntu 9.04 Linux and a device called the DV-Dongle. They will
also bring a handheld radio that supports the D-Star protocol and, if
we're close enough to the D-Star repeater at Monsanto, demonstrate its
use too.
Everyone should note that Amateur Radio is the main theme of the January 2010
edition of Linux Journal Magazine.
Basics:
The room is open and available from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM.
Sometimes Linux knowlegeble folks show up early; so, the time between 6:00 PM and 6:45 PM
can be available for newcomers to GNU/Linux (the true beginners) to ask questions, view the
demonstration of applications, explore new features, receive one-on-one instructions, have
general discussions on hardware, review software configurations, and get general beginner orientation.
Sometimes volunteers even provide simple tutorials.
We want this time to be productive and informative for the Linux newcomers.
The Basics segment will be followed at 6:45 PM by the usual introductions, announcements, current events of interest,
and a general CALL FOR HELP segment. Then we will go into the presentation of our main topic at about 7:00 PM.
NOTE: The room is reserved from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM on each third Thursday
thru December for all of 2009.
Upcoming Meetings:
18 February 2010 - OpenGL - Part Two by Jerry Stutte (Tentative)
18 March 2010 - Topic yet To Be Determined (TBD)
15 April 2010 - Topic yet To Be Determined (TBD)
Previous Meetings:
See Above Meeting Notes.
Contact the LUG
if you have a presentation you would like to have considered for selection.