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This week, it's time once again to check out what's happening in the Linux realm of Amateur Radio.

The W1HKJ Software Web site presents an interesting array of Linux applications, as well as a painless way of running Linux.

An e-mail arrived from Walt DuBose, K5YFW, the other day suggesting that it was time again that Surfin' talked about Linux Amateur Radio applications. In his e-mail, Walt waxed enthusiastically about the Linux ham radio software presented by David Freese, W1HKJ, at his W1HKJ Software Web site.

Visiting that Web site, you will find:

• Fldigi, a digital modem program that supports many digital communication modes using your favorite sound card interface.

• Net Controller Program, net control station (NCS) software for the Rooster Net or any other call-in net with a large number of active members.

• Fast Light QRZ, an interface to the QRZ CD-ROM Amateur Radio call sign database.

• Geoid, a latitude/longitude to/from Maidenhead grid square converter and a range and Great Circle Bearing calculator.

• Pskscope, which adds functionality to PskMeter, a PSK scope program by George Rothbart, KF6VSG.

• Simple logging applications (wxLogbook and fl_logbook).

• CAT (computer aided transceiver) software.

• Modified gMFSK software

Last, but not least, there is digipup which allows you to create a Puppy Linux "live CD-ROM" containing Fldigi and other W1HKJ applications.

A "live CD-ROM" lets you to run Linux and Linux ham radio applications without actually installing Linux on your computer. You simply insert the live CD-ROM in your computer and then reboot the computer to run Linux. The native operating system installed on your computer is unaffected, ready to run after you exit Linux and reboot again.

ARRLWeb Firefox Plug-Ins

Also, arriving in e-mail the other day was word from Jon Bloom, KE3Z, the man behind the curtain at ARRLWeb, that two plug-ins are available for the Mozilla Firefox Web browser: one for searching the contents of ARRLWeb, and the other for looking up call signs within ARRL's copy of the FCC Amateur Radio license database. Visit the About ARRLWeb page to get the plug-ins. Also see Surfin' for March 31, 2006 and April 7, 2006 for other Firefox add-ons.

Until next time, keep on surfin'.

Editor's Poem

To discuss cool stuff with Stan, especially if it rhymes with radio, send Stan e-mail or add comments to his blog. By the way, every installment of Surfin' is indexed here, so go look it up (whatever it may be).

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