Update 2022-12-02 - the most recent version of this information is Zero Retries 0075 Omnibus of Zero Retries Interesting Information.
The topics I discuss in my newsletter Zero Retries are… varied (to be charitable). I do try to keep them roughly aligned with the theme Technological Innovation in Amateur Radio. In my mind (as Editor), these varied topics are a continuum, but as new subscribers trickle in, I certainly don’t blame them for not exhaustively reading the 50+ previous issues (and counting) of Zero Retries to get up to speed. To help with that issue, I decided to devote every decadal issue, beginning with Zero Retries 0040, to a "brain dump" of Zero Retries Interesting projects, products, etc.
I didn't achieve that goal (of a single issue), and it ended up spread across Zero Retries 0039 and Zero Retries 0040 that published 2022-03-25 and 2022-04-01 respectively. This page is a distillation of all the information from those two issues, in a single reference that's easier to browse.
This list is but a smattering of just how much technical innovation IS occurring in Amateur Radio. And yet, you only read about a “smattering of this smattering” in the “Amateur Radio Publishing Industrial Complex”, and I don’t just mean the two leading US Amateur Radio magazines. To a great extent, the Amateur Radio YouTube hosts are just as guilty of not showcasing the breadth of technological innovation that is occurring. It’s maddening to see “innovation” reduced to the newest, shiniest HF radio, or portable, or ? To me, what is most encouraging about Amateur Radio innovation is the totality of the technological innovation that’s occurring.
Zero Retries is just one voice in Amateur Radio, operating with no budget, with one writer. You’d think there would be more, and better funded such efforts. I agree that there should be.
This page should not be considered comprehensive, and lack of inclusion here should not be considered as lack of endorsement as “Zero Retries Interesting”. Much good stuff was not included simply due to limited space. Apologies in advance for terse / incomplete descriptions - see the links for detail.
Many of these items have been discussed previously in Zero Retries - just Search Zero Retries.
Awards / Recognition
Amateur Radio Software Award - “Promoting software projects that enhance and adhere to the spirit of amateur radio: innovative, free and open“.
ARRL Technical Awards - Annual awards for Technical Service, Technical Innovation, Microwave Development, and “Doug DeMaw W1FB Technical Excellence Award“.
Hamvention Awards - Annual awards for Special Achievement and Technical Achievement.
Books
Ham Radio for Dummies - I gift this book to prospective and new Amateur Radio Operators in my circles; it’s a great overview.
Ham Radio’s Technical Culture - Dated and out of print, but still interesting.
Events
Digital Communications Conference (DCC) - Primary development conference for Amateur Radio.
GNU Radio Conference - (Amateur Radio adjacent) A week of full immersion in Software Defined Radio.
Ham Radio Village at DEFCON - Amateur Radio is attracting interest at DEFCON!
MicroHAMS Digital Conference (MHDC) - Smaller version of DCC in Seattle area.
Mailing Lists
HamSCI - Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation (see Organizations)
New Packet Radio - Users of New Packet Radio systems.
Raspberry-Pi_4_Ham-Radio - Wide ranging discussions about using Raspberry Pi in for Amateur Radio.
Modems / TNCs (Sans Radio)
DigiLink Nano - Compact audio interface, good for use with portable radios.
Digirig - Compact audio interface, good for use with portable radios.
Masters Communications DRA series audio adapters - Best performance for using high speed “audio interface modes” such as VARA FM.
Multi Mode Digital Voice Modem (MMDVM) - Open source project, hardware, and software that Incorporates and translates [transcodes] various Digital Voice standards such as D-Star, DMR, System Fusion, and P25.
Mobilinkd TNC3 - Bluetooth APRS TNC with battery power and 1200 / 9600 bps KISS TNC for use with portable radios.
NW Digital Radio Amateur Radio ThumbDV - Easiest method for experimenting with mostly-software approaches to Amateur Radio Digital Voice modes; incorporates the most common (hardware) CODEC in use in Amateur Radio.
Nexus DR-X - A kit that uses a Raspberry Pi 3 or 4 for multiple Amateur Radio modes. Tightly coupled, well-maintained software makes this system easy to use.
NinoTNC - A “from scratch” KISS TNC designed specifically to support Terrestrial Amateur Packet Radio Networks (TARPN). The NinoTNC supports AX.25 packet radio at 1200 / 2400 / 4800 / 9600 bps and various modulation methods. The Nino TNC also supports Improved Layer 2 Protocol (IL2P) Forward Error Correction (FEC).
Media
APRS.fi - Best known, highest traffic web page of APRS in action. Particularly useful for high altitude balloon flights, etc.
APRS.org - The “APRS Omnipedia” created by Bob Bruninga WB4APR (Silent Keyboard) and is the most comprehensive reference on APRS (at the moment).
Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) Grants Awarded - When a grant is awarded, a brief description is posted. No RSS - requires manual polling.
Broadcastify - (Amateur Radio adjacent) Web feeds of two-way radio traffic, mostly public safety, but some Amateur Radio. In my opinion every Amateur Radio repeater ought to have a Broadcastify feed.
Digital Library of Amateur Radio & Communications (DLARC) - (In progress - grant awarded) - A dedicated section of Internet Archive for Amateur Radio.
Experimental Radio News - (Amateur Radio adjacent) Features selected FCC Part 5 Experimental Licenses. Highly recommended - you’ll learn a lot.
Hackaday - (Amateur Radio adjacent) Popular blog that often features Amateur Radio as an enabling, useful technology for self-education about radio and wireless technology.
Internet Archive - (Amateur Radio adjacent) See DLARC above; already a source of historical Amateur Radio information including the complete run of 73 Magazine.
Linux in the Ham Shack Podcast - LHS (weekly) often features “Zero Retries Interesting” projects and systems.
Microwave Amateur Radio - Amateur Radio Microwave info.
OpenWebRX - “Multi-user SDR receiver that can be operated from any web browser.“
QSO Today Amateur Radio Podcast - Interviews (weekly) with notable Amateur Radio Operators, a significant number of whom are “Zero Retries Interesting”. This entry updated 2022-03-25 after email version was sent.
Repeater Builder - Omnipedia for building and maintaining repeaters.
RepeaterBook - Independent online directory and pocket computer apps of Amateur Radio and GMRS repeaters.
Reverse Beacon Network - Worldwide network of receivers linked via Internet.
RTL-SDR - In addition to selling software defined receivers, it’s a popular blog for news about software defined radio devices.
UHF-Satcom - (Amateur Radio adjacent) Satellites don’t just use microwave frequencies; good info for monitoring satellites that operate at UHF frequencies.
World Radio History - (Amateur Radio adjacent) Archive of technical and Amateur Radio magazines, including Popular Electronics, Radio Electronics, and many others.
Networking
APRS-IS - Network of Internet servers that enables APRS iGate for APRS nodes to send local information to the Internet and make APRS data viewable on a web browser.
Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network (AREDN) - Replacement firmware for Wi-Fi and Wireless Internet Service Provider (WISP) radio units that reconfigure the hardware for the Amateur Radio portions of spectrum in the 2.3 GHz and 5.8 GHz bands, with features and capabilities that make it relatively easy to build Amateur Radio microwave IP networks.
Amateur Radio Internet Exchange (ARIX) - “internet exchange point for licensed amateur radio operators for the use of networking research, development, and education.“
BrandMeister - Independent network of DMR repeaters; encourages experimentation including text messaging, most widely used such network in Europe.
HamWAN - Microwave IP network system developed in the Seattle, Washington area; uses 5.9 GHz and 44Net IP addresses.
IRCDDB - Independent network of D-Star repeaters.
Highspeed Amateurradio Multimedia Network (HAMNET.EU) - High speed microwave IP network in Europe.
Multipurpose Remote Nodes - Remotely configurable Winlink / APRS / other nodes.
Winlink - Highly reliable bridge between sending email via Amateur Radio and Internet email, widely used for Emergency Communications (EMCOM).
Organizations
Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) - Provides substantial grants to Amateur Radio, research, and education. Also administers 44Net, the IPv4 address block (44.0.0.0/9, 44.128.0.0/10) allocated for Amateur Radio worldwide.
APRS Foundation - In formation in 2022, this organization was formed in the wake of the death of Bob Bruninga WB4APR, the creator of Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS) to potential coordinate the further development of APRS.
Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation (HamSCI) - Sponsors scientific investigations involving Amateur Radio operators and Amateur Radio spectrum.
TAPR - In the early 1980s, created the TNC-2 that popularized Amateur Packet Radio.
Radios / Radio Systems
BITX HF Radio Kits - Simplified HF radio kits, reasonable transmit power, and include multiple bands and SSB capability; good for data modes.
Halo TD-XPAH - (Overlaps with Amateur Radio) Crowdfunded (in progress) radio for 902-928 MHz based on 802.11ah and 802.11s.
Ham Radio Projects SHARI PiHat - Kit (or optionally, assembled) that integrates a ~0.5 watt (144-148 or 440-450 MHz) radio, modem, and a Raspberry Pi 4.
HobbyPCB Radio Shield RS-UV3A - 200 mW radio for 144-148 / 222-225 / 440-450 MHz that can be controlled via serial port and ATDT commands.
Icom ID-RP1200VD - 3rd generation D-Star repeater for 1200 MHz offers data speeds of “128 kbps”. The compatible user radio is the Icom IC-9700.
Kenwood TM-V71A - Discontinued, but can still be found for sale new; good radio for data communications with a flat audio interface and remote control of almost all parameters.
M17 Project - Creating an open source equivalent of Digital Mobile Radio - voice CODEC, text messaging, protocols, network, hardware, etc.
New Packet Radio / NPR-70 - “From scratch” data communications system for Amateur Radio for the 420-450 MHz band, with data rates up to 500 kbps. NPR was featured in an IEEE article.
Open IP over VHF / UHF - A 100 kbps TCP/IP link on VHF / UHF frequencies, over at least 10 km, using software, Codec 2 modems, Software Defined Receivers, and Raspberry Pi computers (as transmitters). Installments: 1 2 3 4 5
RHIZOMATICA High-frequency Emergency and Rural Multimedia Exchange System (HERMES) - (Amateur Radio adjacent) Innovative built-from-scratch system that uses High Frequency (HF) radio as a backbone for exchanging email in very rural areas.
TAPR WSPR HATs - The Raspberry Pi is capable enough that it can be configured in software to be a transmitter, most notably for Weak Signal Propagation Reporter (WSPR). These HATs for Raspberry Pi provide minor amplification and especially transmit filtering. This is an ideal beginner project for new Amateur Radio Operators - put your unit on the air and watch your signal be heard around the world.
Yaesu FTM-6000R - Introduced in 2022; good 144-148 MHz / 440-450 MHz radio for data communications with a flat audio interface, 50 watts output.
Satellite / Space
AMSAT-DL - Germany is one of the most active “chapters” of AMSAT; one reason might be a strong relationship with the European Space Agency (ESA).
Amateur Radio on the International Space (ARISS) - Coordinates and funds the Amateur Radio systems onboard the ISS and arranges contacts between ISS astronauts and schools around the world; one of Amateur Radio’s proudest boasts.
Cubesat Simulator - Amateur Radio satellites are a lot more interesting and relevant when you can see and touch (and interoperate with / monitor) a cubesat you can hold in your hand and “show and tell”.
Es’hail 2 / QO-100 - Amateur Radio payload on a Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) satellite above the Eastern Hemisphere.
SatNOGS - (Amateur Radio adjacent) Network of receive-only ground stations for receiving telemetry from research satellites (such as those built by schools); designed to be easy to build and operate, great project for Makers.
Software
Build-A-Pi - Utility to install a user-selectable suite of Amateur Radio software onto a Raspberry Pi.
Dire Wolf (Decoded Information from Radio Emissions for Windows Or Linux Fans) - Audio interface mode1highly capable packet radio “engine” taking maximum advantage of ample compute power.
Fldigi - Suite of audio interface “Fast, Light Digital Modes”, actively maintained and well documented.
G8BPQ Packet Radio - Perhaps the most full-featured, capable BBS for Packet Radio, and the most capable “Net/ROM” router; actively maintained.
HamPi - 100+ Amateur Radio applications for use on a Raspberry Pi.
KA9Q Radio Package - “… demonstrates fast convolution and IP multicasting in a flexible multichannel software defined receiver that easily scales to hundreds of channels on low cost hardware”.
JNOS - Sometimes called the “Swiss Army Knife” of Packet Radio, JNOS includes a packet node, BBS, email mailbox system, chat server (chatroom), and especially a Packet Radio to TCP/IP gateway. An interface to VARA FM was recently added.
JS8Call - Audio interface mode for chat / messaging mode leveraging the power of the WSJT-X capabilities.
multimon-ng - Audio interface modes that decode various obscure data modes, including POCSAG (paging).
MultiPSK - Many audio interface modes (some I’ve never heard of).
PiGate - Automated gateway between public users (Wi-Fi, web form) and Winlink email such as when doing communications in a mass casualty shelter.
PiStar - “Software image for the Raspberry Pi to provide the complex services and configuration for Digial Voice on Amateur radio in a way that makes it easily accessable to anyone just starting out.“
QT Soundmodem (QtSM) - Audio interface modes; multi-platform port of UZ7HO's SoundModem packet radio “engine”.
TARPN Networking - In addition to the NinoTNC, TARPN has customized a suite of existing packet radio networking software for Raspberry Pi that includes BBS and chat.
VARA FM - Audio interface mode; remarkable achievement that when used with a VHF / UHF radio that has a flat audio input / output and a high performance audio interface (such as the Masters Communications DRA series) achieves robust connections of up to 25 kbps on a standard 20 kHz VHF / UHF channel.
WSJT-X - Amazing audio interface modes that work far below noise thresholds.
Xastir - APRS client, ported to Windows, Mac, and Linux; actively maintained.
Software Defined (SD) Radio / Receivers / Transceivers
ADALM Pluto - (Amateur Radio adjacent) Entry level SD Transceiver, reasonably priced.
Airspy (US) - SD Receivers, optimized for HF; US distributor has a wider selection of accessories than parent (UK).
CaribouLite RPi HAT - (Amateur Radio adjacent) SD Transceiver for Raspberry Pi Zero / Zero W / Zero 2 W.
Dragon OS - (Amateur Radio adjacent) “Out-of-the-box Lubuntu 20.04 based x86_64 operating system for anyone interested in software defined radios.”
GNU Radio - (Amateur Radio adjacent) If you can’t do it with a SD Transceiver and GNU Radio (software), it may not be possible.
HAMNET Access Protocol (HNAP) - (As I understand it…) Turnkey software image for data communications on 420-450 MHz using ADALM Pluto Software Defined Transceivers. We need a lot more of these practical examples of Software Defined Radio technology.
KrakenSDR - (Amateur Radio adjacent) 5 phase-coherent SD Receivers in one unit, designed for tasks like time-of-arrival triangulation. Individual receivers can be configured for adjacent bands.
Lime SDR - (Amateur Radio adjacent) SD Transceiver - “Big Sister” (more capable than) the Lime SDR Mini (see below).
Lime SDR Mini 2.0 - (Amateur Radio adjacent) This is one of the more capable, entry level SD Transceivers and was popular enough to redesign when critical parts became unavailable.
LimeRFE - Companion unit for Lime SDR / Lime SDR Mini - driver amplifier / filter for Amateur Radio HF / VHF / UHF / Microwave bands.
rpitx - (Amateur Radio adjacent) “General radio frequency transmitter for Raspberry Pi which doesn't require any other hardware…“
RPX-100 - SD Tranceiver for 50-54 / 144-148 / 420-450 MHz at usable transmit power levels.
RTL-SDR - (Amateur Radio adjacent) Company that popularized “SD receiver dongle”; impressive performance for the price; widely cloned so pay careful attention to their authorized sales channel.
SDRplay RSP1A - SD Receivers with good performance, supported by their own Windows software (but with other SDR software).
YARD Stick One - (Amateur Radio adjacent) Hard to get a simpler SD transceiver than this one.
Special Mention / Unique Category
Laurel Volunteer Examination Coordinator (VEC) - Low overhead, no cost Amateur Radio license exams; the 21st century method of doing Amateur Radio testing.
RadioID.net - Worldwide, unified management of unique ID numbers for Amateur Radio use of Digital Mobile Radio (DMR).
Starlink - (Amateur Radio adjacent) In my opinion, the best, most stable Internet access. Relatively immune to local Internet outages such as damage to fiber, power outages, etc. If you want to provide backup communications in your community / neighborhood, Winlink, APRS-IS, etc. , Starlink is ideal.
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Thanks for reading!
Steve Stroh N8GNJ
Bellingham, Washington, USA
Copyright © 2022 by Steven K. Stroh