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IVCA VISION NEWS
LETTER No.7 Nov. 27 2001
International
Visual Communication Association
Keeping
Amateurs informed on Developments in Visual Communication around the
world
Ukrainian SSTV
Contest
If you don't subscribe to the Yahoo IVCA Group Mail
this is to inform you of the Ukrainian SSTV Contest period of 12:00 UTC Saturday
to 12:00 UTC Sunday 8 - 9 2001 on 80,40,20,15.10 Meters. For complete
details contact me at ray@junct.com
Surface or
Snail Mail VISION News Letter ?
Some have asked if we will also continue to
provide a printed VISION news letter. As the folks that provided that service
before are no longer available and I as the new Director of IVCA after the loss
of Lew W6FVV in an effort to get the VISION back up and running
decided to try an e-mail version. Although a few do not have web or e-mail
access most have agreed to the advantages of electronic mail. More
information can be provided to more Amateurs at less cost more
frequently and with Hyper text web links and even graphics. If anyone
has a way to do any low cost printing we can provide them with the current
IVCA mailing list and the VISION e-mail version can be used as the source
of information. In the mean time I'll add any one to the VISION mailing that
send their Name,Call sign and e-mail address to me Ray W5NOO
at ray@junct.com Note: Back
issues can be obtained using web Computers at home or in public libraries
and Cyber Cafes that are popular in foreign countries at the following URL
http://www.sstv.de/News/news.html
Help
Wanted
I wish to remind
every one we still need News of activities of the members around the world to put in the VISION news
letter. Send any thing you are doing or know of including graphics in JPG and
GIF format including diagrams etc. to me Ramon Glidden W5NOO Editor at
ray@junct.com We also
would like to learn of any good informative SSTV web page
URL's links that we can include in VISION. I would also welcome any
suggestions, Ideas and comments you may have. Thank you for your
inputs and contributions.
Google Image
search
I did a Google Image search for my picture on the
web using only my call sign and found I was listed on a very nice SSTV home page
put up by Wayne E. Donnelly KB1HJ at www.conknet.com/~kb1hj/ links.htm (Nice
job Wayne)
SSTV Interface
Hardware
As we wrote in the first VISION news ! I find
some of the new comers asking how to connect the Computer to the Xceiver.
I'm not sure if you have had a problem connecting Mic, Sound
Cards and Amplified Speakers etc. to your Xceiver and PC to permit normal
computer and SSTV functions. (Out of necessity I designed a special switch box
interface some time back to solve this problem) If you want the diagram e-mail
me at ray@junct.com We also now have
several new commercial Interface Box devices to use for the digital and SSTV
modes, The newest one is by TigerTronics the SL-1 Signal Link at $49.95 see QST
Oct. 2001 for details we also have similar devices by the Rig Blaster Co, and
MFJ Enterprises Note: you can down load digital and SSTV software programs for
Windows and DOS from the Rig Blaster folks at http://www.westmountainradio.com
Video Cameras Digital
and Web Cams and Scanners
When I think of the difficulty we encountered
trying to construct a vidicon tube type Video SSTV Cam and also trying to
modify a commercial Blk&Wht Video cam into a scan converted SSTV cam,
over 30 Years ago. Even 5 years ago I was unable to purchase a digital Cam
in Tulsa Oklahoma, today the stores and catalogs have a large number of
digital Mega Pixel and Web cams and digital Camcorders. The Intel Co.
has a new line of inexpensive Digital/Web USB and Web USB cams
that will operate even with Windows XP. The Charged Coupled Device CCD invention
has made the small Low cost cameras practical. My construction of an
early CRT Flying Spot SSTV Scanner did work but was sure crude compared to
today's high resolution Flat Bed Scanners, The new applications for
cameras seems to be unlimited, now used for conferencing, security and
surveillance and facial recognition etc.,Video Cams are in use by the
thousands at locations around the world. (I find pioneering however
is just not a piece of cake)
Computer
Tips
As even the stand alone SSTV systems benefit from
storage and the ability to modify pictures etc.using computers,much of the SSTV
operation is moving to the windows computer sound card systems. I find lot's of
new functions and features and programs on the web as share ware and
freeware downloads. I will include some programs and useful tips in the Vision
News and request anyone to also send any thing they find useful. Tip: If
you only have a 56k modem and wish to speed up your web downloads a good
program is the "Down Load Accelerator Plus" (it tries to download
from several web locations and is possibly 100 times faster) available at http://www.speedbit.com
Happy Viewing 73 Ray W5NOO IVCA Director/Editor
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