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ZL3AI > APRDIG 19.12.03 11:24l 246 Lines 10171 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
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To : APRDIG@WW
Subject: Re: Power Poles Double Duty
From: "Scott Miller" <scott@opentrac.org>
Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2003 13:47:29 -0800
X-Message-Number: 42
>BTDT, works fine.
>I have a couple sets of heavy duty cig adaptors, and a relatively long
>heavy duty extension cable, which doubles for running my spotlight.
I've got the same thing, but I noticed something the other day. I'm using a
Radio Shack cig plug with the largest gauge wire I can fit in the connector
lugs. There's an insulating strip of plastic that runs between the lugs
where they clip in, but they don't go in far enough to let much insulation
go into the body of the connector. The result is that after a bit of
pulling and twisting from normal use, I've got a bit of exposed copper on
both leads that's coming a lot closer than I'd like to shorting out. I
don't see any good way to avoid it, so I'll probably wind up getting another
type of connector.
Your mileage may vary...
Scott
N1VG
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Subject: Re: Open source licensing
From: Jeff King <jeff@aerodata.net>
Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2003 16:50:18 -0500
X-Message-Number: 43
On Tue, 16 Dec 2003 22:04:17 +0100, Henk de Groot wrote:
>At 11:19 18-12-2003 -0600, Sean \\The RIMBoy\\" <sean@rimboy.com>
>wrote:
>>>The word "free" has little to do with the GPL. Free is free.
>>>Period.
>>
>>Free has everything to do with the GPL.
>
>I fully agree with Sean.
In the context of this thread, how would the GPL prevent the TNCX, OpenTrak
or TINITRAK from being ripped off? The schematic is published, but can only
be protected by copyright, and change it a little, it is no longer
copyrighted. The PCB can be copyrighted, but change it a little, and it is no
longer copyrighted. A modified BSD license would infact offer the source code
protection they need, while giving them profit recourse for commercial use.
Or do what TiniTrak 3 did and make the source/hex code a trade secret.
But under the GPL, someone could take the HEX file, burn the chip, make a new
PCB, and sell them on Ebay. There would be no recourse what-so-ever, this is
entirely legal under the GPL.
If you had read the post to begin with, this was specifically what the author
was trying to avoid. The GPL, in this case, is simply a license to steal.
>Anyway, I think there is enough information now about copyrights.
What you provided was useless in the context of what these guys are trying to
do. If one is really interested in copyrights and protecting their business,
they best do their own research and not rely on third hand information. One
site to check is:
http://www.uspto.gov as well as the other site I already mentioned:
http://www.nola.com
>I think its about time to close this topic, I will not comment
>anymore on this.
Priceless.
-Jeff
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Subject: Re: Power Poles Double Duty
From: "tvsjr@sprynet.com" <tvsjr@sprynet.com>
Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2003 16:13:02 -0600 (GMT-06:00)
X-Message-Number: 44
My advice would be to avoid the Rat Shack cig plugs if at all possible -
they suck, IMHO. A while back, I picked up a few dozen Sony 12VDC power
cords for some type of camcorder for little-to-nothing at a hamfest. They
have a heavy-duty cig plug, ground tabs on both sides of the connector
(much more reliable), the screw-in tip to hold the fuse, and about 14ga.
wire coming out. Being nice and molded, they don't come unglued easily, and
they come with probably 6' of wire. I simply chop off the Sony-standard
power connector and solder on whatever I like. I've had no problems running
a 150-watt spotlight off of them.
73,
Terry/N5RSE
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Subject: Re: Open source licensing
From: John Ackermann N8UR <jra@febo.com>
Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2003 17:17:14 -0500
X-Message-Number: 45
--On Tuesday, December 16, 2003 16:50:18 -0500 Jeff King
<jeff@aerodata.net> wrote:
>In the context of this thread, how would the GPL prevent the TNCX,
>OpenTrak or TINITRAK from being ripped off? The schematic is published,
>but can only be protected by copyright, and change it a little, it is no
>longer copyrighted. The PCB can be copyrighted, but change it a little,
>and it is no longer copyrighted. A modified BSD license would infact
>offer the source code protection they need, while giving them profit
>recourse for commercial use. Or do what TiniTrak 3 did and make the
>source/hex code a trade secret.
I promised myself I wouldn't get into this thread* but Jeff's comment above
needs a couple of corrections... although a schematic diagram is certainly
subject to copyright, that DOES NOT protect the circuit -- it only protects
the drawing. Copyright protects the expression of an idea, but not the
idea itself. You can build any circuit you see in a published schematic
for personal or commercial use. The only exception is if there is a patent
covering some part of the circuit.
Second, copyright isn't destroyed quite as easily as Jeff suggests. A
minor change does not avoid the copyright, but creates a "derivative work"
which consists of both the underlying copyright in the original, plus the
copyright in the modified portion. You need to have both sets of rights to
copy it (ie, etch boards).
John
* I'm in an odd position -- I think a lot about open source issues (a) in
my role with TAPR, (b) in my role as an occasional developer, and not least
(c) in my professional life as a lawyer who makes his living in part
dealing with licensing questions. Given all that, there's no way I can
write a "short" answer to John's underlying question!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Re: OT: Looking for a pager...
From: Richard Garcia <k4gps@bellsouth.net>
Date: 16 Dec 2003 17:19:22 -0500
X-Message-Number: 46
That's the problem now. Not many pagers can be re-crystaled anymore, I
doubt Kantronics will see much use of that feature on the 9612. But what
many do not know is that they do quite a bit of paging sales and
probably most of it out of the country.
VHF and UHF pagers are scarce now, most paging services have moved to
the 921 Mhz region. Since 95% of pagers were bought outright when
customers were moved to 900 all of the pagers hams would want were
probably tossed into the garbage. Those VHF and UHF pagers that were had
in bulk were sent to South and Central America where most of our cast
off's end up.
Ever wonder where all the 800 MHz LTR and Motorola systems ended up when
Nextel took over ? Same place where all of our surplus radios and pagers
end up, south of the border. Not to say there is no VHF paging stateside
but very little.
Rich
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Subject: Re: Open source licensing
From: John Hansen <hansen@fredonia.edu>
Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2003 17:29:45 -0500
X-Message-Number: 47
At 05:17 PM 12/16/2003 -0500, John Ackermann N8UR wrote:
>* I'm in an odd position -- I think a lot about open source issues (a) in
>my role with TAPR, (b) in my role as an occasional developer, and not
>least (c) in my professional life as a lawyer who makes his living in part
>dealing with licensing questions. Given all that, there's no way I can
>write a "short" answer to John's underlying question!
No doubt, but a seminar on this at DCC would be very well received, I
think. (hint, hint) I'm not suggesting enough to make us all legal
experts, but enough information about the options that we could make better
informed decisions about which IP mechanism is right for a particular
project would be very helpful. These issues seem to be coming up more and
more often and it seems to me that as TAPR becomes more prominent in the
role of assisting developers who are working on both hardware and software
projects, such a seminar might be extremely useful.
BTW, John, do you know off hand what recent TAPR-sponsored projects have
done about this?
John W2FS
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Re: OT: Looking for a pager...
From: "Mike Yetsko" <myetsko@insydesw.com>
Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2003 17:21:48 -0500
X-Message-Number: 48
Is that what they call PACsomething or other? I've not looked into that
before.
>Kantronics TNC's have Pager encoders built in...
>Thats the send side.
>Then any compatible pager that you can XTAL on the HAM bands should
>work...
>
>Havent dont it myself tho...
>Bob
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Re: OT: Looking for a pager...
From: "tvsjr@sprynet.com" <tvsjr@sprynet.com>
Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2003 16:47:24 -0600 (GMT-06:00)
X-Message-Number: 49
Actually, VHF and UHF paging has made a bit of a comeback in the eyes of
Motorola. They recently released the new Advisor 2 VHF and UHF pagers. They
support POCSAG 512, 1200, and 2400 (the same thing the KPC9612 transmits,
from what I saw around the Net), and use the same case as the commonly-seen
Advisor Gold FLEX and Advisor Elite. Even handier, they're synthesized. The
VHF Range A model covers 143-152MHz, although it's going to set you back
somewhere on the order of $150+ per unit. It's probably not much more
expensive (certainly cheaper in the long run) than NextHell, and it might
actually work (ahem)...
I can't comment as to how well the Advisor 2s work, but I carry Advisor
Golds and Advisor Elites, and have been pretty happy with them.
Programming software is cheap (something like $20?) - the only other
expensive part would be the programming interface and cradle, which will
likely run ~$150-$200. OTOH, you could build up a jig, and the programming
interface schematic is available on batlabs.com. You could also find
someone with the right hardware to do the programming for you...
A KPC9612, a decent radio/antenna (remember, RX sensitivity is 4uV for
512baud, 7uV for 1200baud, 8uV for 2400baud), and a few of these devices,
and you'd be set.
73,
Terry/N5RSE
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