Why do I use AI in Amateur Radio and so many AI Generated Images for this Blog?

 

(Click on images for larger view.)

I am a believer in the Future but also behold the Past - Johan ZS1I

This phrase means that while you are hopeful and forward-looking, you also respect, learn from, and acknowledge the history that brought you here. It represents balance—embracing progress and the potential of tomorrow, while staying grounded in the experiences, traditions, and lessons of the past. 

The Future (Optimism/Faith): "Believing in the future" represents hope, progression, and forward momentum.

The Past (Reflection/Roots): "Beholding the past" represents honoring history, remembering where one came from, and recognizing that we are anchored by our heritage. 

Amateur Radio has transformed from a nostalgic, wire-and-tube hobby into a futuristic, bleeding-edge tech community. Today, it encompasses AI-assisted software, Software-Defined Radios (SDR), global mesh networks, and orbital satellites and many more. It allows you to build autonomous digital networks completely independent of the internet or cell infrastructure. 

It is my believe that we need to use amongst other AI generated images as a draw-card for the younger generation.  Hopefully this will generate an interest in amateur radio, science and technology. 

Am I completely off my rockers in saying that I use AI images as a draw-card for the youth?

No!  To today’s youth, Artificial Intelligence (AI) isn’t a sci-fi concept; it is an omnipresent tool for education, a creative outlet, and a 24/7 companion. Studies by organizations like the Pew Research Center reveal that the younger generation has seamlessly woven AI into their everyday lives, viewing it simultaneously with great optimism and a critical eye. 

For adolescents, AI functions in several distinct ways:

• The Personalized Tutor: Millions of students use chatbots like ChatGPT and Claude to act as on-demand tutors. They rely on AI to structure essays, brainstorm research questions, organize study schedules, and explain complex topics in simpler terms.
• A Creativity Booster: Youth leverage generative AI to compose music, generate digital art, and write song lyrics. It democratizes creative expression, making it easy to experiment with ideas that used to require expensive professional software.
• A Judgment-Free Space: Research highlighted by the American Psychological Association shows that a minority of teens turn to AI companions or chatbots for companionship, comfort, and emotional support. They act as a "safe space" to ask awkward or highly personal questions without fear of being judged.
• A Source of Anxiety: Despite high usage, youth are also acutely aware of AI's dangers. They worry about over reliance leading to a loss of critical thinking, deepfakes harming peers, and AI taking away jobs in the future. 

IMPORTANT:  We need to add the following to AI functions in several distinct ways:   

AI can act as a powerful catalyst to spark a deep passion for amateur radio, communication systems, technology and science in younger generations.

Here is exactly how AI serves as a gateway to these disciplines:

🌟 Interactive Learning and Mentorship

• The Infinite Elmer: In amateur radio, a mentor is called an "Elmer." AI acts as a 24/7 Elmer, explaining radio wave propagation, circuitry, and antenna design at any complexity level.
• Exam Preparation: Youth use AI to create custom flashcards and quizzes, transforming dry regulatory and technical syllabi into interactive learning games.  The RAE Manager should look at this.

📡 Real-World Radio Enhancements

• Decoding Weak Signals: AI algorithms filter out static and atmospheric noise, allowing young operators to pull clear voice or data signals out of weak, long-distance transmissions.
• Smart Space Tracking: Youth use AI to calculate the exact real-time orbital paths of amateur satellites and the International Space Station (ISS) for satellite radio contacts.
• Predicting the Ionosphere: AI processes massive solar data sets to predict space weather, telling young operators exactly when and where global radio frequencies will open up.

💻 The Intersection of Code and Airwaves

• Automating Radio Code: Youth use AI to write Python scripts that control Software Defined Radios (SDR) or program automated digital mode transmitters.
• Smart Antennas: AI simulations help students design, test, and optimize physical antenna shapes digitally before building them with wire and aluminum.

🚀 Bridging to Broader Science

• Emergency Data Networks: AI helps young operators build mesh networks, using radio frequencies to send data and messages without relying on the internet.
• Citizen Science: Youth connect radio gear to AI software to log meteor showers or solar eclipses, contributing real data to global atmospheric research projects.

• A beginner Python project that connects AI with a cheap USB radio receiver (SDR)
• The best AI prompts to help a student study for their technician radio license
• A guide to cheap hardware kits that combine radios with microcontrollers

Because AI is already integrated into their world, experts advocate for AI literacy—teaching youth how AI works, how to spot algorithmic bias, and how to verify information rather than just blindly trusting it. 

The above explains how AI can be incorporated into amateur radio. In short we need to keep up with the times but all in good measure!  

The Futuristic Face of Amateur Radio for the Youth as well as the Older Generation.

The futuristic face of amateur radio is defined by turning raw electromagnetic waves into pure data through software and space-based hardware. It moves away from voice-only static and into the realm of digital networking, orbital physics, and extreme engineering. 

High-Tech Core Pillars

• Digital Signal Processing (DSP): Powerful microchips isolate tiny, hidden signals out of massive atmospheric noise.
• Cognitive Radio Technology: Systems that automatically scan the spectrum, find open frequencies, and adapt their transmission style.
• Orbital Relays: Bouncing data packages off the International Space Station or specialized amateur micro-satellites.
• Earth-Moon-Earth (EME): Using the moon as a natural passive satellite reflector to communicate with the other side of the planet. 
•  Software-Defined Radios (SDR): Traditional hardware dials have been replaced by computational, wideband receivers. You can view terabytes of radio spectrum on a screen, decode signals visually, and experiment with code-driven radio interfaces.
• Space & Satellite Communications: You can build or buy setups that track, send signals to, and bounce messages off low-Earth orbit satellites, the International Space Station, and even the moon.
• AI & Advanced Digital Modes: Software like JS8Call and FT8 use forward-error correction and automated decoding. This allows your radio to communicate with stations across the globe using a fraction of a watt, even when the signals are too weak for the human ear to detect.
• Emergency Mesh Networks: Operators use AREDN (Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network) to set up localized, high-speed, line-of-sight data networks that function like an offline internet—perfect for disaster prep or off-grid communications. 

Cutting-Edge Digital Modes

[Your Computer] ──> [SDR Transceiver] ──> [Antenna] ──> (Ionosphere / Space)

• FT8 / FT4: Automated, time-synchronized protocols that decode signals buried deep below the noise floor.
• JS8Call: A text-messaging protocol built on FT8 technology that supports store-and-forward relay messaging without the internet.
• WSPR: The Weak Signal Propagation Reporter network, used to probe global radio pathways using less energy than a nightlight.
• Packet Radio & APRS: Automated tracking systems that transmit real-time GPS coordinates, weather data, and telemetry over VHF/UHF waves. 
• Digital Voice (DV) radio modes convert human speech into compressed binary data packets before transmitting them over the air. Unlike text-based digital modes, DV focuses on crystal-clear, static-free voice communication, often integrating global internet linking, GPS tracking, and text messaging alongside the audio stream. 
  The Core Technologies

  [Voice] ──> [Vocoder Chip (Compression)] ──> [Digital Modulator] ──> [RF Carrier]
  

• The Vocoder: Every DV mode relies on a "voice encoder" (vocoder) to compress analog speech into a tiny digital stream (often under 3,600 bits per second).
• The Digital Cliff Effect: Unlike analog FM or SSB which gradually fades into static, digital voice remains perfectly clear until the signal drops too low, at which point the audio drops out completely.

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Popular VHF/UHF Digital Voice Modes

These modes dominate local repeaters and handheld radios (HTs), allowing operators to link local repeaters into global networks using the internet. 

Mode	Creator / Champion	Vocoder Type	Primary Advantage
DMR (Digital Mobile Radio)	Commercial (Adapted by Hams)	Proprietary (AMBE+2)	Uses TDMA to split one frequency into two separate channels.
D-STAR	Icom / JARL	Proprietary (AMBE)	The oldest dedicated ham protocol; excellent routing capabilities.
System Fusion (C4FM)	Yaesu	Proprietary (AMBE+2)	Easiest to use; automatically switches between analog and digital.
M17	Open-Source Community	100% Free & Open (Codec 2)	Fully hackable, patent-free, and designed for hardware experimentation.

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Futuristic & HF Digital Voice Modes

While VHF/UHF modes require strong local repeaters or hotspots, modern protocols allow digital voice to travel globally on Shortwave (HF) bands without any internet infrastructure. 

• FreeDV: An open-source digital voice mode built for HF single-sideband (SSB) frequencies. It uses the Codec 2 vocoder to transmit highly compressed speech over noisy, long-distance channels where analog voice fails.
• RADE V1 (Radio Autoencoder): A bleeding-edge digital voice mode utilizing machine learning. It compresses high-fidelity speech down to a tiny RF footprint (1,500 Hz), delivering clear audio over shortwave frequencies even at extremely low signal-to-noise ratios. 

Next-Gen Hardware Tools

• SDR Dongles: Small USB sticks that turn any computer, smartphone, or Raspberry Pi into a wideband radio scanner.
• Phased Array Antennas: Electronically steered antenna setups that aim signals without moving the physical structure.
• QRP Rigs: Highly efficient, pocket-sized transceivers designed for remote mountain peaks and off-grid survival setups. 

Well there you have it.  In my opinion the future is bright for amateur radio and we need to use AI more and more, but with the necessary caution as in all things in life and electronica there are positives and negatives.  If you use it the wrong way around you will fail and even get hurt.

 

In my personal opinion the AI images I post on this blog is futuristic and in some sense art-like.  It reminds me and I hope others that we must not stagnate but rather be active and futuristic in using what we have to our disposal.  A very good old friend who is now SK was able to build the most beautiful valve radio equipment of what he could scrounge and find for free.  Now his human made "creations" was in my opinion vintage-, futuristic- and artistic like.  Wonder if AI was available in his time, what "creations" he would have come up with?

 

As far as AI in the ZS1I Amateur Radio Shack is concerned, I am currently busy with a few projects where I make use of  AI during the last few weeks to generate code and creating scripts for future use.  So far it looks quite promising. More on this in future postings. 

Let's try to kill the silent Amateur Radio Killer out there!! (Part 1)

Image:  Global Internet Outage (Click on image for larger view.) 

I am sure that you can think of a few silent amateur radio "killers" out there that can and will cause some serious damage to amateur radio.  In this series regarding this topic, I will discuss a few that in my opinion is slowly but surely effecting amateur radio in South Africa and maybe other parts of the world.   Now this is not going to be a ranting- or I know all session.  In  providing this series of articles I hope that we can "turn the ship around before it sinks."  Many of you will be of the opinion that what I am discussing here is not amateur radio.  In short - Each approach has its own place and each provides enjoyment and fulfillment for me.  I hear this from time to time, either posed as a sincere question or as a loaded comment deriding those who use so called not amateur radio equipment or software.

As radio amateurs, we adapt technologies and adopt methods from other fields. Some of us are theorists and some are pragmatists. All of us find something to enjoy in amateur radio.  This opinion that categorize what is amateur radio and what is not, is after all just and opinion.  I invite those opinionists to rather join in on the fun than wasting you breath on trivial fruitless opinions.

Now lets get back to the topic.

The first "killer" in this series we need to take notice of is the Internet Outage Killer: 

With amateur radio already woven widely into the Internet, one can only image how this will effect amateur radio should we have a complete Internet Blackout in South Africa.  Now I know many IT fundi's are of the opinion that the Internet will not completely blackout in South Africa.  Be as it may a prolonged outage will cause carnage to many amateur radio- and other systems.  Locally we are experiencing more and more Internet outages.  These outages are definitely on the increase and it does not matter what access system or service provider you are using.  Will it get even worse?  Your guess is as good as mine.  I personally think that red lights are flickering and we DO NEED a backup Internet plan or system in amateur radio.  Starlink was my backup plan but we all know by now that Starlink in South Africa will not be implemented under the current dispensation.  This is not only detrimental to amateur radio but also to the country and its citizens.  I hear you talk about other satellite internet providers will be available.  I am not even going to comment on alternative providers other than to say that they are light-years away from competing and beating the Starlink Service.  In my lifetime left on this earth they will never be competitive.

Now how can we implement a backup Internet service in Amateur Radio when the real Internet fails?

Now this is a difficult question and will also be a difficult solution if it was not for radio amateurs who invented AREDN (Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network). Explaining what AREDN is and do will keep me and you busy for several days.  However HERE is a short explanation.  Having implemented the first AREDN network in Mossel Bay, South Africa in the early 2000 when it was still known as HSMM (High-Speed Multi Media radio) resulted in a very useful replacement for the Internet if there is a blackout or outage.  In my humble opinion you can use AREDN the "same way" as the Internet.  You do however need a large extensive network (not required) to use AREDN to it's full potential. With regular firmware updates and the adding of new hardware to AREDN you will have a very robust high speed multi media radio network in amateur radio to serve your community or amateur radio groups in your area during times of need.

AREDN was designed to be used without any Internet connection, however you can add and Internet connection to the network if you so wish.

I will in future topics provide more information about the Mossel Bay AREDN Network.  

Below is a few articles I wrote some time ago about AREDN

•  Mossel Bay ZS1I AREDN Mesh Network Flowchart/Diagram now available
•  ZS1I GRHub (AllStar/Echolink Node) Network now linked to the ZS1I 5.8 Ghz AREDN Network in Mossel Bay (Part 1)
•  Revisited: Mossel Bay AREDN 5.8 and 2.4 Ghz Mesh Network once again active!! (Part 1)

I am convinced that the Internet Outage Killer can successfully be killed by using AREDN in amateur radio.  Linking other amateur radio equipment, firmware, software, radios, repeaters, nodes etc. to AREDN will result in creating a very usable and versatile network when there is no real Internet available.  One other benefit if the Internet returns, all systems will still be up and running without having to run around switching and rebooting systems.

I trust that the new generation of radio amateurs and also the older generation of radio amateurs will start to install and implement AREDN Networks in their communities and towns.  

We do need as many AREDN networks as possible in amateur radio in South Africa, otherwise the Internet Outage Killer will kill various amateur radio systems, networks etc. in the future in South Africa, especially seeing that the authorities will not currently allow Starlink access in South Africa. 

Who is currently running an AREDN Network in South Africa?  Tell us about your network by clicking HERE.  

Warning to candidates that passed the RAE!!

When I decided on a name for this topic I was rather concerned about the word, warning.  I could have used advice, recommendation etc.  I however chose the word warning as I want to warn new radio amateurs about buying amateur radio equipment that is priced far more than the current trade value.  I am going to be hated by some for bringing this to the attention of new radio amateurs.  Be as it may it is time that we look after new radio amateurs and their interests.  Yes, I know sellers can ask what they want for amateur radio equipment.  It is a free market and there is no price regulation.

I would like to give new radio amateurs a few pointers on what to lookout for when buying new or second hand equipment:

1.  Do your homework very well before buying any equipment.  The mere fact that an item is in its original box does not guarantee that it is working 100%.  All looks great and new from the outside but how does it look on the inside and how does it work/perform?  If you fork out a big some of money, obtain a guarantee against defects from the seller and ask him to disclose any defects.  If he is unwilling or he indicate that he did not test the item, the red light should go on.  If you have an experienced radio amateur living in the city or town where the item is located, ask him if he would "check-out" the radio or equipment on your behalf.  If the seller does not want to schedule a practical demonstration, do not go ahead with the purchase.
2. I have experienced the following in purchasing an over priced radio and by this I mean a new radio amateur is very keen to get on the air.  No matter what he pays for the radio or equipment, he buys the radio only to find out a few months later that he paid far to much for the radio or equipment.  This he discovers when he want to re-sell the radio or equipment again soon after purchasing it.  He now finds that nobody is interested in the radio or equipment and that he has no other choice than to reduce his asking price dramatically and suffer a substantial loss.
   
3. Be very careful in buying older to old radio equipment unless you have an interest in restoring/collecting old radios and equipment.  You may find that older equipment cannot perform certain functions that you would like to have in a radio.  If I look at how the technology raced ahead of many of us, then be careful what radio/rig/equipment you buy.
4. Do not jump in and buy everything you think you need to setup a "full" shack in a short time-span.  You will find later that you jumped head over heals into the hobby and that you could have purchased better and even cheaper equipment on the long run.
5. I received good advice from an Elmer years ago.  He advised me to buy a brand new dual band handheld radio from a reputable dealer and use that for a year or two.  After getting the hang of things and gaining more experience, I can start lookout for other equipment.  Very good advice and I was able to decide which aspects of the hobby I would like to explore.  I used the handheld on many repeaters before moving onto HF.  In some cases radio amateurs might not be in reach of a repeater and this will unfortunately not work for them.
6. I learned through the years that you must never be in a hurry/over excited/to eager when buying amateur radio equipment.  Take your time.  Do not be fooled by the first come first serve slogan or any other sales gimmicks.  I hear you say but I may loose the item if I do not jump in and buy it immediately. Remember, you will always find another item at a later stage, sometimes even better priced and in perfect condition.  Remember this is a hobby and we are not competing against the Jones's.
7. Do not be shy to "hackle" about the price of amateur radio equipment or ask the seller to carry the postage and packing.  In many instances you will find that the seller is willing to come down in price or carry the postage and packing.
8. Ham- and Public flea-markets or auctions can be a great source to buy equipment if you know what to look-out for. It can also be a source for gathering "rubbish" or filling up you junk-box or garage.  No guarantee or return of equipment is clearly stipulated.  If you not technically minded then flea markets and auctions might not be for you.  I just love ham- and technology flea markets and auctions.  You also find something nice to eat and drink at some flea-markets!
   
9. Scrap Metal Dealers is also a good source to salvage amateur radio equipment, electronic equipment and even components.   Yes I have bought amateur radio equipment from a Scrap Metal Dealer on a few occasions.   I know the dealer well and he is always looking out for radio equipment for me.  He then phones me when he received electronic equipment.  I once bought a No19 First World War Transmitter from him.  As stated I know the dealer well and asked him what the reason was for people to "dump" radio equipment at his premises.  He indicated that you will find in many cases that a person died and that the children has no contact to sell the equipment locally as they might be from elsewhere.  I once also bought a fully galvanized amateur radio tower from this dealer.  Apparently nobody was interested to buy the tower from a deceased estate and the children just dumped it at the dealer.  Another regular pickup at the dealer is C42 C11's etc.  People sell these old radios as scrap metal.  And so I can go on and on.
   
10. I talked about public auctions earlier.  Twice a year I visit a large auction locally.  Here I picked up VHF/UHF  HT's, Mobile Radios etc.  Although commercial equipment it also operates on the amateur radio bands.  Other equipment bought on these auctions include old computer servers, PC's, Laptops, WiFi Equipment, Transformers etc. to many to mention them all here.  Now what must I do with all this "junk",  I call it "white gold".  Hint: I buy the equipment and then resell it again.  This dealing is not for everybody especially if you a new radio amateur with limited electronic knowledge and experience.  I then use that money to buy decent amateur radio equipment.  Sadly Covid19 has put an end to it, but who knows one of these days things might change for the better.
11. Finally:  Look for good rugged and tried and tested equipment.  I buy many Chinese products that I use in amateur radio but be careful.  Look for good quality products from Japan, USA, UK, Germany etc.  It will last you a lifetime.
    

I have many more pointers but this will make this post very large and I find that some people do not like to read long essays nowadays.

So my new fellow radio amateur be very careful out there.  Do your homework and learn the ropes before just jumping in and spend you hard earned money only to find out later you payed far to much for amateur radio equipment.  You might also find that you do not like a certain aspect of amateur radio and then you sit with all those expensive equipment only to sell it at a substantial loss.

ED. This article was published the first time on the 2 November 2021.  It is necessary to inform new radio amateurs about the contents of this article. 

What is happening in and around the Shack of ZS1I in Mossel Bay?

Image:  Click on the image for larger view. 

Now this topic is surely not there to brag or to boast about my "doings", projects or  equipment in amateur radio, but I thought to create this post to tell some of the new radio amateurs what is happening in my Shack and also to hopefully create more amateur radio activity.  In the past two weeks I was busy with the following projects:

• Switching over to Linux Mint as my Windows7 computer decided it was time to go SK after 12 years of use.
• Installing the OS and software needed to replace the Windows7 PC.  Some of the software that I use is not available for Linux Mint so I had to find alternatives. Echolink, VoiceMeeter Banana, Irvanview etc.
• The 2 x Linux Mint PC's are i5's that needed upgrading.  Added 16GB memory to each and replace the CMOS Batteries.
• The latest Linux Mint uses Pipewire. PipeWire is a modern, low-level multimedia framework that manages audio and video streams on Linux.  I had to learn how to use Pipewire and it's associates.
• I also played around with Qtel, Qpwgraph, HPLIP, Angry IP Scanner, XnView MP, DroidStar etc.
• Test and setup Qtel and Audacity to relay nets and bulletins. 
• Test, setup and played around with software that enables linking (bridge) different commercial and amateur radio equipment together.
• Try to kill the silent Amateur Radio Killer out there. This killer will kill various systems, networks etc. in the future in South Africa.  More on this in a future posting.
• Find alternatives for when the Internet goes down.  Well I am winning ground here and this time around I played with several methods on how to setup nodes that are dependent on the Internet.  99% of the methods that I tried worked very well locally.  I do however have several ideas that will replace the Internet connection if the Internet fails.   This happens more and more frequently and outages will increase in my opinion.  Therefor the need for an alternative.
• I am currently busy to upgrade the firmware on the 49355 ZS1I HUB Node.  The upgrade will also allow the node to work without having to connect it to the AREDN Network when the Internet fails.
• Looking at ways to switch automatically from one Internet connection to the other when one Internet service provider goes down while the other is still operational.
• The ZS1I WSPR Beacon experienced a firmware crash which resulted that it was off the air for a day or two.  I had to enter all the necessary parameters into the unit to bring it back on the air.  It appears that the switch mode power supply was the culprit.  I will in future make it solar power operating compatible.  
• I started to build the 6 Meter CW Beacon into a cabinet but with all the crashes and outages experienced in the Shack, this was put on hold until all the glitches were sorted out. 
• Installed several amateur radio related servers.   More on this in a future posting.
• Setup the Mossel Bay DMR Bridge and DMR Repeater to automatically transmit the DMR-ZA Net on Tuesday evenings at 19h30.  The DMR-ZA Net is now transmitted on the ZS1I AllStar HUB, DMR Bridge, DMR Repeater and Echolink simultaneously. 
• Currently upgrading the Mossel Bay DMR Repeater.  More on this in a future article.

Okay enough for now.  I now need a mental and physical break after all the above tasks in the past two weeks.  One plus  ......  I enjoyed working on every one of the above.  More on this in a future posting.

Finally:  I trust that other radio amateurs might find the inspiration to get cracking in solving issues and to experiment with what they have in the Shack.  Just calling CQ CQ on the radio or having a Rag-chew does not cut if for me. Been there and done that. I need to learn, experiment, build, create, find solutions and enjoy what I am busy with in the Shack that relates to Amateur Radio.  So why not get up at 04h00 in the morning work on projects till you go to work and then occupy the Shack again at 20h30 when you have spend some time with the family.  It was nothing foreign to spend time in the Shack in the olden days till 01h00 in the morning.  Thankfully I am retired and can now get up at 04h00 and spend the day in the shack until 20h00.   Kids are out of the nest and the XYL join me in the Shack when ever she feels like it.   Ya it is vice versa of cause!

Be and active radio amateur or find another hobby? We need active and dynamic radio amateurs. Amateur Radio is not a hobby, but rather an obsession if you have the KNACK! 

South Africa now has it's own SVXLink Portal! (Part 1)

Image:  The South African SVXLink Portal landing page.   (Click on image for larger view.)

South Africa now has its own SVXLink Portal thanks to Curtis ZS6CMO.  For a while now Curtis ponder over the issue to setup a SVXLink Portal for South African radio amateurs. The portal can also be used by other SVXLink users World Wide.  The portal is currently running on a test basis and Curtis is still busy working on other aspects of the portal.  As can be seen there is already the following users:

• SOUTCAPE
• ZR1ACP
• ZS6CMO

I am sure other users will soon follow suite. 

Now what is earth is an SVXLink Portal? 

In short an SvxLink Portal (often called an SVXPortal or SvxLink Dashboard) is a web-based interface that allows users to monitor and manage SvxLink reflector networks in amateur (ham) radio. 

SvxLink is an open-source "radio operating system" that runs on small computers like the Raspberry Pi, turning standard analog radios into advanced repeater systems. An SvxLink portal visualizes this network on the web and provides several useful features: 

• Live Node Monitoring: View a real-time list of all connected analog repeaters, simplex nodes, and active users currently on the network.
• Talk Group Management: See which "Talk Groups" (logical channels) are static, active, or monitored by different repeaters in the network.
• Traffic Statistics: Access logs and metrics, such as how many hours of transmission occurred and which nodes are the most active.
• Connection Tracking: Visually map how different stations and reflectors link together over the internet. 

Because it relies on database-heavy platforms (like MySQL), the portal is typically hosted on a separate server or computer rather than the Raspberry Pi running the actual radio node.

Herewith a few images.  An update once the South African SVXLink Portal is fully operational will be published in Part 2.  More information will also be provided on how this portal will be incorporated in other amateur radio VOIP networks.

Curtis ZS6CMO has done sterling work in this regard and I want to congratulate him on establishing the first South African SVXLink Portal.  

Images:  Click on images for larger view 

Congratulations to all the candidates who passed the May 2026 RAE Examination!!

Congratulations to all the Radio Amateur Examination (RAE) candidates on passing the May 2026 RAE. They wrote the examination last Saturday (16 May 2026).  A special word of welcome to every new radio amateur and we trust that every single one that passed will be and active radio amateur for the rest of his lifetime on this planet.  We as "older" radio amateurs would like to take this opportunity to share our knowledge that we gathered throughout the years. Let's be realistic there will be experienced radio amateurs that might not share their knowledge but they are definitely far and in between. There are also a few "soar plums" around.  Please ignore them and find a friendly helpful radio amateur.  The only thing that you must do is to ask questions on the airwaves, and NOT social media as we would like others to also learn from you questions.  After all we talk about amateur radio here and NOT social media!  If you do not ask questions you will not gain the knowledge of experienced radio amateurs. Yes, there is Google, YouTube etc. but they do not always explain the "nitty gritty" and definitely not the way experience radio amateurs will personally assist you with any problems you might experience in your amateur radio career.  The worst thing you can do is to "disappear" after you wrote the RAE.  Please get into the "swing of things" (on the air) as soon as possible!!

Eighty (80) candidates wrote the examination and 66 candidates passed.  To those who did not make it ....  don't give up.  Write the RAE again!!

Finally:  Many thanks to all those who are/were involved in the RAE, PR and the recruiting process. 

Update: Node / Repeater Status Reports - ZS1I HUB, Mossel Bay

(Click on image for larger view.) 

As mentioned before from the 1 May 2026, several significant updates and changes are impacting amateur radio node and repeater operations in the Southern Cape, particularly regarding nodes, repeaters and new digital voice incorporation into the ZS1I HUB.

If a repeater or node is silent, it is often due to an Internet outage or power failure. Always monitor the ZS1I Hub 145.550 Mhz Simplex and ZS1I Amateur Radio Projects / Activities Blog for specific announcements. 

I changed the name of the page to : Node / Repeater Status Reports and added a new sub section called Local Southern Cape Nodes and Repeaters. Only non operational Southern Cape Node and Repeater information will be listed here if available. 

24 May 2026 10h27 SAST - Currently the ZS1I 40m WSPR Beacon is off the air due to a firmware failure.   

Visit the link page below for more information in this regard.  

Link with more information:  Node / Repeater Status Reports - ZS1I HUB, Mossel Bay

  

Let's install the Modified Droidstar App with new Features and Enhancements on an Android Phone!

Update:  18 May 2026 18h45 - A big thank you to the following radio amateurs who assisted me with tests relating to the 49355 AllStar Node,  ZS1I DMR Bridge, ZS1I DMR Repeater, DroidStar and BrandMeister connections.  Highly appreciated and the Mossel Bay Network is now in optimal working condition after upgrading and new firmware installations.

• Christo N5VAN
• Matt ZS5MDT 
• Zane ZR3VO 

With your help it makes it much easier for me to ensure that the network is working as intended.  Thanks - ZS1I 

My Droidstar application worked great these past few years but I recently decided to see if there is any upgrade / enhancements to the application.  I ran into an APK version of the firmware which already has the vocoder pre-installed. 

Now before I tell you what additional functions this new version have, we need to get it installed on our Android phone.  

Before continuing I must admit that the some of the info about installing DoidStar was obtained from Brian N1BGK who posted some information on how to install the Play Store version without the necessary Vocoder file on a forum. I adapted some of the information from the forum an my personal experience installing the APK version on my phone.  I also provided additional information listed under ZS1I Notes.

The Droidstar version discussed in this tutorial is V0.44.16.3 - DroidStar DMR Android By VU3LVO-arm64_v8a_release_signed and was installed on the 17 May 2026. It works great!!

Below are prerequisites necessary in order to use DroidStar. You need:

1. an Amateur Radio Operator's license

2. to register with RadioID for a DMR ID. Here is the link: https://radioid.net/

3. to creat an account with a DMR Network Service such as Brandmeister here: https://brandmeister.network/, and also register your DMR ID with Brandmeister here: https://brandmeister.network/?page=register

 

Note: Registering with the TGIF Network is not prerequisite, but you might want to for future use. Here is the link: https://tgif.network/

 

DroidStar Android Installation

 

You install this App on your phone at your own risk. I will not be responsible if this App does not work on your phone or even worse you now have a "bricked" phone.  You have been warned!!

 

If this is a re-install of Android it is advised to uninstall a previous version of DroidStar first.  The Cache and Data ( Go to Settings - Apps - App management - Droidstar - Storage usage - Clear data and Clear cache) must also be cleared / deleted and any other DroidStar files that was not uninstalled.  Every phone is different and I would advise  that you search the Internet for a how to clear / uninstall files relating to your phone.  I had no problem as my phone removed all files when I uninstalled the previous version.  New user installations can just install the apk without clearing anything.

 

The easiest method is to install DroidStar to your Android phone from the Github Site available HERE.  Scroll down the page and select the following package: 

vu3lvo-arm64_v8a_release-signed_V0.44.16.4.apk  

 

You need to know whether your phone's microprocessor's architecture is 32bit or 64bit, and you may be required to enable a feature on your phone called Side-loading. Here is a link explain Sideloading apps to your phone: https://www.wired.com/story/install-apps-outside-app-store-sideload/ Google is your friend here. My phone has a 64bit architecture and this apk works well with my Oppo phone.

 

You will have to do your own research to make this determination.  Download the apk package by clicking on it in GitHub.

 

To install the apk package just double click on the package normally under My Files in the Downloads Folder.  You need to give permission to your phone to download and open the package. 

 

Once DroidStar has been installed onto your phone open the app. From the top menu are six options, you will only be concerned with the first three.

 

Note: The Menu options you select will determines which parameters settings appear. 

 

From MAIN menu

1. We'll will configure the setup for DMR operation. Select the home icon and then mode by tapping the down arrow and scroll to DMR, then tap DMR. 

 

2. We'll configure the Brandmeister option. Select the DMR host by tapping the down arrow next to Host, scroll to BM_6551_South_Africa, then tap selection.

 

Note: The Timeslot and Color Code value defaulted to S2 and CC1, and there is no need to make changes.

 

3. Next we need to enter a Talk Group ID. Tap option TGID., then enter a Brandmeister Talk Group ID such as 65522 for the ZS1I DMR Bridge / Repeater TG.

 

4. Enable SWTX, SWRX and AGC by tapping the check box for each option.

 

From SETTINGS menu

1. From the top menu select Settings. Most of these parameter will be left as they are.

 

2. From the left side of the screen locate Callsign and enter your amateur radio  call sign.

 

3. Enter your DMRID, eg. 7689345. This is the numerical ID you were given when you registered with RadioID.

 

4. Settings parameter ESSID is a numerical suffix appended to your DMR ID, eg. 7689345[02], the "02" signifies that this is 1 of 2 DMR devices configured with your DMR ID.

 

5. Settings parameter BM Pass is the password you used when you set up your Brandmeister Selfcare Hotspot Security.  This is NOT the password to login to the Brandmeister Web Site.

 

6. If you registered with TGIF you can enter that password in TGIF Pass.

 

Note: You can choose whether set your Latitude & Longitude, Location and Description.

 

7.   Next the Vocoder  -  No need to install any vocoder as the apk package comes with the vocoder already installed.  Leave the vocoder upload blank.

 

8. In the Settings menu, scroll down and find Update Hosts and Update ID files located just above the URL for the Vocoder. Tap Update Host, a message appears that says "Updating...", then click OK. Next tap Update ID files, click OK. You can check progress of these operations by selecting Log from the top menu.

 

9.  First time users it will take 24 - 72 hours for the updating hosts and ID files. For those already using Droidstar it can take a few minutes to update.  I found using my phones Mobile Network rather than WiFi speeds up the downloading considerably. 

 

10. Return to the Main menu. If you were successful in installing and updating "TX Not Connected to network" should now appear in the "blue button" at the bottom of the DroidStar app. You need to connect.  Press the Connect Button. It will change to Disconnect and in the "blue button" the following will be reflected:  TX Connected ping cnt:  1 (This figure will increase if you stay connected.) 

 

To transmit [key] tap the "blue button," which briefly displays "TX 1... in red. (This figure will increase if you stay connected.) ". To unkey, tap the "red button", and TX will appear in blue indicating you ready to receive a transmission.

 

That it. You should now have Droidstar working. Congratulations!

 

ZS1I Notes:

 

The follow phone settings must be set for the optimal functioning of Droidstar:

 

 Go to Settings - Apps - App management - Droidstar.   

Manage Notifications:  Set to Deny

Permissions: Allow Microphone - Camera not allowed -  Allow Location 

Battery Usage:  Select Allow background activity

Important:  Once you clicked on Update hosts and Update ID files and the files were installed there is no need to click on these tabs when Droidstar is working.

Thanks to everybody who assisted  VU3LVO - Rohith in modifying Droidstar to enable new features and enhancements.

If your DMR ID and Password is incorrect you will receive the Error - Invalid DMR ID.  You will also receive this message if the Update hosts and Update ID files have not finished  updated.

Cannot connect - This does not happen often but try another BrandMeister Server as the one you are using might be down. Another reason is that Update hosts and Update ID files have not finished  updated.

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Customized DroidStar App - New Release

I’m excited to announce a new release of my customized version of the DroidStar app for both iOS and Android! This update includes several new features and improvements designed to enhance your experience:

New Features:

1. Automatic Handle and Country Display: The app now automatically fetches the operator's first name (referred to as the "Handle") based on their DMR ID and displays it below the "Call Sign." The operator's "Country" is also displayed next to the "Handle."

2. QSO Tab for Recent Calls: A new QSO Tab has been introduced, logging the 250 most recent calls (Last Heard) with details such as Call Sign, DMR ID, TGID, Handle, Country, and the logged time in local time. These logs are now persistently stored, remaining intact even after restarting the app.

3. TX Button with Net Status: Added a TX button in the QSO Tab, which now also includes integrated Net Status, providing real-time feedback on the connection status (Host Connected or Not Connected).

4. Enhanced Export Options: You can now export QSO logs in CSV or ADIF formats. Additionally, you can selectively choose specific log entries for inclusion in the exported file. You can also share the exported file directly from the app via WhatsApp, email, or any other app on your device.

5. "Last Heard" on Home Page: The app now features "Last Heard" as two rows on the home page for quick access to recent transmissions. The AMBES notification has been moved to the Settings.

6. Quick Access Buttons in QSO Entries: Added a button in the QSO entries that opens a menu to visit the station's QRZ, BM, and APRS pages directly from the app.

7. Background Functionality for Android: Enabled background functionality, allowing the app to continue operating seamlessly while switching between applications. This is particularly useful for checking a station's QRZ page while maintaining uninterrupted RX.

8. Simplified User Interface: Replaced the text "Main" with a "Home" icon for a cleaner and more intuitive user experience.

9. Recent TG ID Dropdown: Introduced a dropdown that saves recently dialled TG IDs, allowing you to select them directly from the dropdown menu, eliminating the need to remember TG IDs.

10.  Share Exported QSO Log Files: Added a "Share" option after Exporting QSO Logs. This will let you share the files directly from the app via Email, WhatsApp or other apps on your device.

Additional Links which include Droidstar for iOS

DroidStar project on GitHub: https://github.com/nostar/DroidStar

 

DroidStar for iOS (I have not tested this installation for iOS)

For Apple / iPhone / Mac you need the ipa file for the iOS package available here (other OS files are listed): http://pizzanbeer.net/droidstar/

To install the DroidStar ipa file you will need the program TestFlight available from the Apple Store here: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/testflight/id899247664

 

An alternative to TestFlight is a marvelous program called Sideloadly: https://sideloadly.io/

The instructions here are pretty thorough. It is important to read the FAQ section of the website to understand how sideloading works. I suggest enabling Wifi development on the iOS device, as explained on the website. This allows you to load/re-load DroidStar without connecting to USB.

 

Internet Archive WayBackMachine: https://web.archive.org/web/20211207201416/http:/pizzanbeer.net/plugins/

David (N1EA) Ring's website: https://qsl.net/n1ea/

Ronald (N5BNO) Craig's website: http://n5bno.com

If you would rather watch a YouTube video click this link: https://youtu.be/DMf4yAp65BI.

If you find any errors in this tutorial or would like to make suggestions please let me know so I can update this content.

_________

 

How to get tgif,network installed.  Web site:  https://tgif.network/ 

 

Go to tgif.network and register as well.

 

READ THIS IT'S IMPORTANT!

 

The thing that fouls most people up on DroidStar is that the TGIF Pass setting isn't the https://tgif.network/ site password, it is the "hotspot security key" that you have to use, even if your not using a hotspot.  You can find this by going to https://tgif.network/ and logging in with your call sign (not your email address) and your site password, then at the top right hand side you will see your call sign, click on that callsign, and select "user security", then you will see a screen with your DMR ID and your Hotspot Security Key (If you don't see a Hotspot Security Key, click the GREEN button with the clockwise pointing arrows), copy the Hotspot Security Key using the BLUE button, then return to Droid Star, and under Settings tab, go to TGIF Pass  (I know it's the wrong name, but that's the way the software was written) and paste your Hotspot Security Key into the TGIF password field.

 

While your on https://tgif.network/ open up your https://qrz.com/ page, and under the Detail tab, find your latitude and longitude. The latitude is a positive number and the longitude is a negative number.  Enter that information along with your location into the Droid Star Settings tab.

 

Once you enter the TGIF Hotspot Security Key into the TGIF pass field, it might disappear but it will be written into your settings on DroidStar.

Images:  Click on images for larger view.

 

Recent Severe Weather caused Power- Internet- and Amateur Radio Communication Outages in the Western and Southern Cape

Image:  Not long afterwards and this vehicle was swept away by the water.  - Gourits River, between Mossel Bay and Albertinia

The Western Cape in South Africa experienced two severe weather outbreaks recently that caused thousands of Rands of damage to property and infrastructure.  Unfortunately 4 people lost their lives during these storms.  These severe weather events is no strange phenomena and has occurred in the past.  Today I do not want to discuss severe weather but rather power- and internet outages that effects general- and radio communications during such events.

Severe weather had an effect on analog as well as digital radio communications during these two events as observed by the editor of this article.  The cause of amateur radio communication outages need to be investigated urgently and steps taken if there is any indication that some of the outages could have been prevented.

What worked and did not work?

Worked flawlessly even during power- and internet outages:

• AREDN Mossel Bay =  An Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network is a high speed data network built with Amateur Radio Operators and Emergency Communications Infrastructure in mind. Linked to the ZS1I Mossel Bay Network.
• 49355 ZS1I AllStar HUB Node, Mossel Bay linked to a 2m VHF Simplex Radio Setup on 145.550 Mhz. Also linked to the AREDN Network.
• ZS1I DMR Bridge Node, Mossel Bay linked to the ZS1I AllStar HUB Node and the ZS1I DMR Repeater.  Also linked to the AREDN Network.
• ZS1I DMR Digital Repeater, Mossel Bay - Linked to the AREDN Network. 

Did not work as a result of power- and internet outages:

• All Echolink Nodes (Links and Repeaters) connected to analog repeaters and radios.  Even private users of Echolink was offline and did not work.
• Several repeaters in the Western / Southern Cape Area.  As this might be sensitive to some I will not mentioned the repeaters that was down during and after the severe events.  Information that I obtained revealed that some repeaters died due to power outages as backup batteries ran flat.  I am not talking of only one repeater here!
• Several amateur radio stations (HF, VHF, UHF) were off the air due to the fact that they had no backup battery- or generator power when the power failed. 
• APRS Internet Gateways and some APRS Stations - No Internet or Power.
• Echolink- and MMDVM Servers - Locally and Internationally - No Internet and Power failures.

Did work but propagation conditions were bad due to solar activity:

• HF Radio Communications - During the past two weeks solar activity featured several M-class flares, including a significant M5.8 event on May 10, accompanied by a fast Coronal Mass Ejection (CME). A massive Earth-facing coronal hole also unleashed high-speed solar winds, which recently triggered G1 (Minor) to G2 (Moderate) geomagnetic storms.  Contact was possible at times but conditions were very bad.  Not sure if it would have suffice for emergency communications.

As the title indicates there are many silent amateur radio killers out there lurking to kill systems and networks and not only during severe weather events.   I hear you say but amateur radio is just a hobby and I am not involved in emergency radio communications.  Be as it may you might have been one of the lucky one's this time around that was not effected by the severe weather event. However there were quite a few radio amateurs that could not pick up on their regular afternoon nets and skeds as a result of the outages.  Even the radio amateurs up country that experienced no severe weather indicated that they were "cut-off " from the Western- and Southern Cape and left in the cold.

What needs to happen to prevent systems from going down during severe weather events.  Well one cannot curb outages to the full but you can alleviate the effect up to 80% if you take the necessary actions/precautions prior to the severe weather event.  Unfortunately I can write 100's of essays explaining how this can be done but as far as I am concerned this will be a waist of time.  Ever since the Devastating Fires in Knysna in 2017 nothing wide spread has been done relating to emergency communications  in the Southern Cape Area except on an individual basis. 

Image:  Violent gale-force winds that battered the Garden Route on May 11, 2026 caused catastrophic damage to the historic George Golf Club, uprooting an incredible 263 trees across the 120-year-old golf course. 

Be as it may it gives me great pleasure and satisfaction to test my amateur radio equipment during severe weather events to see what is working and what can be improved.  Nothing more satisfying when my systems and networks is fully functional during severe weather and other emergency events.  No and this is not to brag.  It serves as a barometer of how effectively I can run such systems and networks.

Will I make changes to systems and networks after this past events.  Definitely!  I already started to change and improve my networks with the necessary and noticeable improvements.  Having said that there is still a few silent amateur radio killers out there lurking ..... and they will kill more systems and networks if the necessary changes are not made.  In the next article I will look at one of the deadliest killers that is killing digital radio networks even if there is no power- or internet outages.  However I have a few ideas how this can be solved.  Provisional tests look very promising!

Finally:  I enjoy having a Plan A, B and C for most eventualities.  I hate when incidents happen that result in communication outages.  Some just except their "fate" which in many cases are preventable in amateur radio.  Maybe  I am just old school but life has taught  me  a few lessons.  One of the most important ones being prepared as best one can for any eventuality.  After all it effects my family, friends and the community.  Are you prepared and is it important to you to prevent communication outages during any eventuality?