Great SSTV Article in QST this month

[White Tiger]

Long ago - Luck, WA4STO hooked me with an idea of setting up a low power, off-grid, HF security monitoring system utilizing a camera and a radio for a means of maintaining OPSEC at the BOL when you are away (and vice-versa)...but it was one of many very investing topics that Luck is well versed in...and my ADD kicked in and we moved on to another more pressing target (Luck's pretty good at sorting through the noise of conversations to find out what you really need to prioritize first)...and although it's been niggling at the back of my brain - I figured it was waaayy past my skill level...

...until yesterday, when I pulled my latest QST magazine from the 'ol mailbox and low-and-behold, there is an article entitled: Using a PIC to Control a Miniature Slow Scan TV Camera..." ...pictures of the board, the components, electrical diagram, etc.,!

You know, this may just be the first radio thing I build...

[WA4STO]

...until yesterday, when I pulled my latest QST magazine from the 'ol mailbox and low-and-behold, there is an article entitled: Using a PIC to Control a Miniature Slow Scan TV Camera..." ...pictures of the board, the components, electrical diagram, etc.,!

You know, this may just be the first radio thing I build...

Programming PICs is a lot of fun.  WA4STO-bot utilizes a PIC to control its movement, sonar guidance and other cool stuff.

You know that SSTV can be transmitted on amateur frequencies above 2 meters, meaning that your multi-mode VHF rig (wait, does it have 440?  If not, maybe you have a 440 HT)

Come to think of it, SSTV can be used on HF bands as well.  But for your use as a preparedness device, you'd want to use it on VHF or above.

But here's the thing.  Look at the OTHER article on the use of "high speed multimedia".  The point in that article which is lost on many folks is that you can use an old Linksys router to send FULL MOTION video.  See P.68.  Turns out that wi-fi, via those routers (cheap!) can be reset to operate on ham radio frequencies, simply by flashing new data at no cost.  THEN, you can abide by amateur radio rules, rather than "wi-fi" rules and use huge amounts of power if you like.  Cool, especially since the router is actually a complete transceiver.

Back when we first discussed SSTV, I had forgotten about those routers being perfect for your application.  Why go with slow scan (no real video there, just static pictures) when you can go with full motion video, hi-speed telemetry, the whole works for something less than fifty bucks, antennas included!  :)

Me, I'm back to assembling my "CW scrubber kit".  It's been some years since I soldered resistors, capacitors, and what-not to a circuit board.  Or, at least, it must have been some years, since back then, I could easily see the difference between a 'brown-black-orange' and a 'brown-black-red' resistor, or the '103' vs '104' printing on an itty bitty capacitor.  Where's my BIG magnifying glass when I need it?

Then again, I didn't need a magnifying glass to see my callsign THREE times on P. 103.  Imagine that.

73

Luck, WA4STO

[White Tiger]

Then again, I didn't need a magnifying glass to see my callsign THREE times on P. 103.  Imagine that.

73

Luck, WA4STO

Lookee there - our friend Luck, WA4STO made the Public Service Honor Roll, and Brass Pounders League!

Congratulations you 'ol fox!