If you tried hunting me on POTA and heard nothing,I figured out why. if you don’t know what I’m referring to, HAM stuff, if you don’t care, carry on!
The split mode on the 991A was on and the sunlight drowned out the indicator. FAIL
StarLink – Initial Impressions
I am trying a Starlink roaming package. I picked up a standard 3rd generation package online and am pleased overall with the portability and ease of use. I’ve read a few reviews and the commentary thus far has been generally positive, however if you are relying on portable power, it is taxing on power. The good aspects from the reviews I’ve read state improvements over past iterations, regarding connectivity to the StarLink via an ethernet dongle – with is now included in the router.
For my purposes, I would take StarLink when out camping or out to a Ham POTA activation where I am in close proximity to my vehicle or available power and/or use it with my Jackery AC power supply. It is portable, however it isn’t conveniently portable. If you needed to hike to a remote location, one man would need to dedicate packing the equipment and power supplies. Starlink sells a backpack for almost the current cost of the standard dish. Also, For an extra hundred dollars you can get the DC adapter and plug it into a car or DC power source. The power draw I have seen from the testing thus far is on par with the reports – I am seeing a power draw of between 60 -70 watts while StarLink is plugged in and online. For now I think I would plan to have my vehicle nearby for carting and housing the gear, with solar and DC power to keep the Jackery powered.
The speeds I have tested from two different locations range between 150 to 300 Mbps Download and 10-20 Mbps upload, with a ping between 25-50 ms., however that is just on my phone. a Speedtest on other devices outside of my phone produce worse results – typically 1/10th of what my phone is (and I tested with a 2018 iPad Pro and a 2021 MacBook Pro with wifi6. maybe there are some additional configurations I can make, will have to research it further.
So after a couple of hours of use, I’ve used up 15% on my Jackery and a little over 2Gb of Data of the 50 gb allowance. I didn’t really pull down anything too heavy for download, just a FaceTime call and a few minutes on YouTube, and some basic browsing on different sites. I would not plan on doing a lot of internet on the cheaper Roaming package, but for occasional use I think it would serve someone well that maybe out of cellular data range and needs to connect occasionally.
How to Prevent Data Loss: Backup Tips
Have you ever lost data on your computer because of a hard drive failure? It can be super frustrating! Since our lives are now so computer-dependent, our data, memories, history, and even our lives are stored on tiny magnetic cylinders and solid-state transistors.
Pictures, videos, documents, emails, and chat messages, as well as financial and health data, all live on these devices. Our identities are stored here too.
You never know when you’ll lose data because of a technical glitch, someone being mean, or an error. Whether it’s a mechanical or solid-state device, these components will eventually fail.
The other day, I was trying to copy some photos to my Mac Mini that has an external SSD attached to it. Somehow, the connection got lost, and the drive was disconnected while writing data. Now, unfortunately, the Apple File System partition map is corrupted. I’ve tried fixing it with Disk Utility, but it didn’t work. So, I’m trying some deeper data recovery options. If they work, I’ll share the process. But back to the point of this post – before you run into it, regularly back up your data!
Where you back things up to is up to you. You can use cloud storage, local storage, thumb drives, or anything else you like. Just make sure you keep a copy of it somewhere important. There are lots of storage options available, from free to the cost of your right arm.
Here are some backup options to consider:
Thumb Drive:
My favorite way to back up smaller files like office documents, tax records, health records, personal financial information, and other sensitive data that you keep on your computer and only really need to access from home regularly is to use a thumb drive. Back it up once a month, encrypt it, and keep it locked in a safe.
Cloud Data Backup:
You can get a few gigabytes of free data storage that you can access from anywhere with iCloud or Google. This is great for essential documents and info you might need in case of a disaster. Just be careful, not every online service is foolproof, so make sure to encrypt your data where you can and use a VPN when you’re storing and retrieving sensitive info. Prices range from free to a monthly subscription for more storage.
Local NAS or USB-attached storage:
Network-attached storage devices are a great way to back up your entire computer locally. Mac users can use Time Machine, while there are other options for Windows and Linux devices that can be encrypted. USB-attached storage devices can also serve as full computer backups, but make sure your storage volumes are bigger than your local hard drive.
Security:
This should probably be the first thing you think about, but keeping access to your data is super important. Identity theft is a real thing that can have serious consequences. Not every system is secure, but with some simple steps, you can easily protect yourself. Wherever possible, use multi-factor authentication, regularly update your passwords on your devices and online accounts, and never use the same password, especially when it comes to financial and health info. Use a VPN service whenever you’re accessing health or financial records on any wireless network where you don’t know what devices are connected to it. Better yet, don’t join public networks at all if you can.
This post doesn’t cover all backup options, but these have worked well for me. Have you backed up your data recently?
NOLA
The year thus far, it’s been a bit crazy. I find myself waking up the past couple of days here in New Orleans, Louisiana. Three days ago on New Years Eve. I was invited to tag along on a trip to the Sugar Bowl. celebrated New Years with friends and went to bed mentally preparing for the journey.
The next morning was surreal. En route to the city, ran across news alerts for the attack in the city. The train kept a rolling. We were witnessing on news reports in surreal disbelief. We weren’t willing to turn around by the time it was announced the game would be delayed, we were practically already there.
We stayed in at the Airbnb that was rented, played some games, went to the store for groceries and had dinner. And yes for New Year’s Day got some black eye peas and leafy greens in.
The next day prior to the game we went to have some breakfast and did a little exploring around the French Quarter. Despite a few closed streets the city was vibrant and alive. A testament to the resilience and perseverance attitude of this city. Sure there was an extra police presence and a few streets closed. But the city was alive! I had felt no concern for safety walking around and enjoying the day. Football fans and locals about, we all did what we would normally do
We will lick our wounds be defiant and fight back.
What happened was tragic, unfortunate, and horrible. Yes, I say thoughts and prayers for the victims and their families. In these times, under these circumstances , the action to do as we normally do, we win. The fear and terror they strive to accomplish dies a quick death when we remain resilient to their objective.
We can’t get back what we lose, we will bear these scars a long time. Stay strong NOLA.
And next season, for your football team, may you find little to marginal success.
Sincerely your favorite Falcons fan. Rise Up.
the new year
It’s a few days away. How time flies, doesn’t it?
To be quite honest, I do not know what 2025 will bring to the table. If it’s anything like 2024, it’s saying, hold my my beer. I, however, am not one to let the outside world dictate everything about my life.
I’ve been reminded on countless occasions that attitude is everything. Others perceptions, are meaningless if you discount and disregard them, and everything when you, yourself define them. It’s best to steer perception truthfully. All this because, the worst thing you can do to another person is to not meet their expectations. No, you can do worse but, I digress.
In 2025, the number one thing i need to do is to be more consistent. Is it going to be writing in this blog? Do more with this aging social infrastructure I’ve established. Has the content creation ship sailed for me? Nope. What has sailed for me is time. There are going to be challenges ahead that I may not be able to tackle on my own. There are going to be adventures. There are going to be failures, mishaps and the like, and there will be success. I will see to that. Persistent consistency will shape you. The trick is, will you enjoy what you persistently are consistent about.
I’ve read from many resources that successful people always follow some sort of rhythm in their lives, they stick to a pattern of what works. They surround themselves by others who are successful and feed off that synergy. I could be a little more consistent in seeing where I succeed and fail in this.
I plan to continue down this path, wherever it may lead.
Words to be: consistent, persistent, resonant, thoughtful, kind.
Hello, Again, VisionPro.
I’ve had the first generation Vision Pro since shortly after it’s release to the public back in February. I think the biggest question is, have I used it enough to justify the purchase? Ultimately, I feel that the answer is a mixed, no. I don’t regret getting it, it is amazing for what it does. Do i use it daily? No. Weekly? Almost, the biggest detractor is when I’ve had a weeklong dull headache, or just felt ill or nauseous. I call it – the iPad planted to my face, or may wall sized Mac display. It doesn’t justify the price tag, but it lessens the sting.
What do I primarily use it for?
Visual content looks amazing, if you can get past the lens flare in a high contrast scene – in particular movies in cinema mode. It’s the best 3-D personal television on the market, after all. Although google hasn’t published any apps – watching YouTube and streaming YouTube tv work flawlessly. The DirectTV stream app also works well. That being said, what I have primarily used it for is a Mac Display. Stretching the screen out over the wall in the room is an executive experience. Removing the room and entering an immersive environment (the Moon in particularly, is otherworldly) is a blessing for the claustrophobic.
Apple is getting a lot of things right.
The VisionOS experience felt polished from the start and has only gotten better. I haven’t run into very many bugs. The limitations put in by other software vendors are keeping the Vision Pro from seeing more use out of me. I am looking at you, Microsoft – allow Authenticator to work so I can access work materials. It would be nice if I could use my work Mac with it without having to log into my work based iCloud account, but I digress. These gripes aside, the Vision Pro is a very capable device. It’s a great iPad.
Could it work as a productivity device? Dictation works very well, a Bluetooth keyboard, as well, makes it an excellent way to put words on the electric canvas. If you work primarily with a web browser, basic Office apps (again – major drawback- but could be worked around) it could do. What it is better at, again, is an external display to a Mac. I’ve read you can also use a PC- but I haven’t experimented that far. With the help of the overhead band, I can wear it for several hours comfortably.
Comfort
I would not recommend trying to eat, drink or chew gum though while wearing it – it shortly becomes noticeably uncomfortable then. I haven’t been able to attribute any eye discomfort to it, except the need to blink more to prevent dry eyes. The Vision Pro is also the only virtual headset that doesn’t make me want to vomit within 5 minutes of putting it on.
Best Bits
Where it excels is in the consumption experience. The built in speakers are very good. Tack in a pair of AirPods if you don’t want anyone else listening though. I want to use it more and more often. I haven’t gotten too many weird looks on the rare appearance while in public. The coworkers get a kick out of it. I have no shame although It’s raised a few snarky comments. They can get over it. Immersive environments and virtual/augmented reality – it does very well.
Worst bits
The price. The lack of enterprise support. Limited dedicated software; no breakthrough app. But I argue that the breakthrough is the devices and the implementation of the OS is the breakthrough.
Despite the faults. After getting over the price sticker shock, I am still happy to have a VisionPro.
Vote
Please, vote.
Another New Radio
New rig opened today! Looking forward to creating some content for the channel with it!
June 21, 2024
What it is?
I’ve been doing an internet sabbatical the last 5 days now. I believe my stress levels are down a good bit, so that’s a positive. My attention span is going stronger too. And so now what?
I’ve slightly cheated a bit, but nothing too drastic. The plan is, no Texts or Messages, no YouTube, no social media, stay away from news. I’ve done pretty good, only used my phone when I need to. Only carried my work phone, which I’ve already stripped down. I have worn my ultra watch so in a pinch, I’m not totally out of the internet and can keep track of health stuff. I’ve allowed myself to stream music and TV, and an occasional online game… but ultimately cut out a lot of things that I just find myself wasting a lot of time doing… mostly things that drive short attention spans. I’m doing more with offline content, print, reading. In a lot of ways better things, more worthwhile and more engaging.
It’s great!
A truly tougher thing to do is a total technology sabbatical. I tried it before and it is really tough to do. I caved day 6. I bought a dumb phone, forwarded my cell to it and cut out literally everything. I read books, and listened to the radio only in the car. In both of these experiments, I of course still needed to work. So I had to keep everything operational for that. You have to discipline yourself to stick to it. Avoid the temptations to go on social media. Go and actually talk to people. Interact in the moment. It really is a fun experiment, to be honest. Cutting out the unnecessary is sometimes good for your well being. I like it.
June 2024
Yes, I am still around, in case anyone was wondering. I also still use the Vision Pro fairly regularly. At this stage in the game. I have no regrets owning it.