May 1, 2025: A typical amateur radio morning for me; AllStar node terminal enhancements; interfacing an amateur radio microphone with my PC; new Quadra4K HamClock; upgrading WPSD; and more!
Interesting issue as always Tom! You run rings around me about Amateur Radio over Internet! I always learn something new in each issue. I'm also a fan of the Cobalt Qube (I've acquired two of them) and they'll probably get a brain transplant of a Raspberry Pi 5 (if I live long enough to tackle such non-radio projects)... or by then perhaps Raspberry Pi 6 or 7. Also the Cobalt Raq's are similarly cute for a 1U rack mount unit.
I think https://www.solarspeed.net/ has the BlueOnyx package that can be installed on the RaQ 1U servers. The Qube boots from an EPROM but the RaQ (I'm stretching my memory here) boots from disk. Upgrading the Qube means flashing a new boot image to the EPROM and that is probably beyond me. But the Raq 1U servers should be upgradable. Of course, they were made for data centers, so don't expect them to be very quiet!
I like the RPi 5 thought for the Qube. I've been thinking a back plate could be made from PCB board for various connections, or just leave it open (or put a grill on it) for easier access to ports. Then power the front LED from one of the USB ports on the Pi.
The "PC board as an adapter plate" blew me away when I first saw it used years ago. Someone was refitting something like a Raspberry Pi into an older unit and wanted to preserve the appearance of the unit so didn't want to drill any new holes to mount the replacement units. He designed and ordered individual PCBs with the same mounting bolt holes as the original PCB, and smaller PCBs for the I/O connector slots. For example, put in a USB connector in place of a 25-pin DSUB serial connector. Ah, technology...
Interesting issue as always Tom! You run rings around me about Amateur Radio over Internet! I always learn something new in each issue. I'm also a fan of the Cobalt Qube (I've acquired two of them) and they'll probably get a brain transplant of a Raspberry Pi 5 (if I live long enough to tackle such non-radio projects)... or by then perhaps Raspberry Pi 6 or 7. Also the Cobalt Raq's are similarly cute for a 1U rack mount unit.
I think https://www.solarspeed.net/ has the BlueOnyx package that can be installed on the RaQ 1U servers. The Qube boots from an EPROM but the RaQ (I'm stretching my memory here) boots from disk. Upgrading the Qube means flashing a new boot image to the EPROM and that is probably beyond me. But the Raq 1U servers should be upgradable. Of course, they were made for data centers, so don't expect them to be very quiet!
I like the RPi 5 thought for the Qube. I've been thinking a back plate could be made from PCB board for various connections, or just leave it open (or put a grill on it) for easier access to ports. Then power the front LED from one of the USB ports on the Pi.
The "PC board as an adapter plate" blew me away when I first saw it used years ago. Someone was refitting something like a Raspberry Pi into an older unit and wanted to preserve the appearance of the unit so didn't want to drill any new holes to mount the replacement units. He designed and ordered individual PCBs with the same mounting bolt holes as the original PCB, and smaller PCBs for the I/O connector slots. For example, put in a USB connector in place of a 25-pin DSUB serial connector. Ah, technology...