Daily Archives: 12/24/2009

My first attempt at the FM transponder on HO-68

The new Chinese amateur radio satellite, formerly XW-1, now designated HOPE-1 or HO-68, made a pass with its FM transponder active around 10:00AM local time here. I was unable to get a signal through, no doubt in small part to some incompetence on my part, but also judging by the amount of doubling and piling on, from the virtual assault of RF that it was bombarded with. Nevertheless, I did get a pretty good recording of 12 minutes of the pass. The quickness with which it faded makes me believe that its transponder was simply deactivated, rather than just gone over the horizon, but I haven’t had a chance to go back to double check. As you will hear, there is no difficulty at all hearing the satellite: it’s very loud.

MP3 recorded using my Kenwood TH-D7AG and an Arrow Antenna

Gutenberg Gem: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Yes, Christmas is upon us again, and this year we are treated to a movie release about a character near and dear to my own heart: Sherlock Holmes. While I am rather fond of Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, and even Rachel McAdams, I can’t help but think that this reinterpretation of the classic stories is going to make more than a little uncomfortable. If you enjoy the classic Sherlock Holmes, you can do worse than reread the originals, and in particular The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle which appropriately enough, takes place on the second morning after Christmas, when Watson arrives at Baker St. to wish Holmes “the compliments of the season”.

The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

If you’d rather have an MP3 of the classic story, try this excellent version that is also part of Project Gutenberg’s collection.

The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle, part one.
The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle, part two.