Koos van den Hout PE4KH

@PE4KH@mastodon.radio
316 Followers
439 Following
643 Posts
Radio amateur (full license), cw included. Interested in HF DX, contesting, digital modes, morse, satellites
Homepagehttps://pe4kh.idefix.net/
LocatorJO22NC
CallsignPE4KH
Preferred pronounshe/him
Koos van den Hout PE4KH3d ago
Rob Carlson  3d ago

Before prevalent social media, a static webpage and a few mailing lists could shake a brand.

My 1999 #Swatch #Protest archive shows how amateur radio operators used hand-coded HTML, listserv chains, and Usenet newsgroups to stop Swatch’s #satellite from advertising on their radio frequencies.

Relive the early-internet playbook here: https://vees.net/hobbies/hamradio/swatch-protest

#InternetHistory #DialUpDays #Space #DigitalProtest #ARRL #AMSAT

Swatch Protest of 1999 | Rob Carlson

In early 1999 Swatch set out to publicize its new “Swatch .beat Internet Time” by launching Beatnik, a grapefruit‑size “mini‑Sputnik” satellite from the Mir space station. The plan was to replay user‑submitted voice clips (each had to include the word beat) on the ham radio frequencies between 145.8 and 146 MHz. Because ITU rules forbid any commercial traffic on ham frequencies, the idea threatened to turn protected radio spectrum into a marketing platform.

Koos van den Hout PE4KH3d ago
Rob Carlson  4d ago

Online now at https://vees.net/hobbies/hamradio/swatch-protest/

In early 1999 #Swatch set out to publicize its new “Swatch .beat Internet Time” by launching #Beatnik, a grapefruit‑size “mini‑Sputnik” #satellite from the Mir space station. The plan was to replay user‑submitted voice clips (each had to include the word *beat*) on the #hamradio frequencies between 145.8 and 146 MHz. Because ITU rules forbid any commercial traffic on ham frequencies, the idea threatened to turn protected #radio spectrum into a marketing platform.

In February of 1999, a young me stumbled onto the scheme while browsing Swatch’s website. I confirmed the frequency claim and posted the first public alert. That single e‑mail snowballed into the pages that aggregated press releases, contract excerpts, ITU citations, and template letters to regulators. The archive helped the ARRL, multiple #AMSAT groups, and hundreds of individual operators coordinate a unified protest that reached the #FCC, the Swiss and Russian telecom authorities, and the ITU’s Radiocommunication Bureau.

The pressure paid off. Beatnik was hand‑launched from #Mir on 16 April 1999, but its transmitter stayed off; Swatch later claimed its batteries were “donated” to the cosmonauts instead. No commercial messages ever hit the airwaves.

I recently found all the documents from that time and have converted them into consistent Markdown to republish. Watch this space!

Swatch Protest of 1999 | Rob Carlson

In early 1999 Swatch set out to publicize its new “Swatch .beat Internet Time” by launching Beatnik, a grapefruit‑size “mini‑Sputnik” satellite from the Mir space station. The plan was to replay user‑submitted voice clips (each had to include the word beat) on the ham radio frequencies between 145.8 and 146 MHz. Because ITU rules forbid any commercial traffic on ham frequencies, the idea threatened to turn protected radio spectrum into a marketing platform.

Koos van den Hout PE4KHApr 28
@xssfox Ok I really wonder what the iso(1) org(3) dod(6) internet(1) private(4) enterprises(1) 61513 (1.3.6.1.4.1.61513) is about?
Koos van den Hout PE4KHApr 26
New countries/entities in the log: British Virgin Islands and Galapagos Islands. I had to be really determined to get the Galapagos in the log! https://idefix.net/~koos/newsitem.cgi/1745698787 #hamradio #dx
New countries/entities in amateur radio: British Virgin Islands and Galapagos Islands

The British Virgin Islands - Wikipedia are an island group in the Caribbeans. And a separate entry on the DXCC list so a country I want to have in my logs. The past weeks the VP2VI DXpedition was active from one of the islands. This is a DXpedition with ...

Koos van den Hout PE4KHApr 20

I measured the SWR graphs of the multiband vertical antenna I made from the draussenfunker design. Still no reasonable SWR on the 12 and 10 meter band which puzzles me. Any ideas what to look for?

The 20/17/15 meter bands are good, with the extra coil I get the 40 meter band.

Pretty graphs from the SARK 100 antenna analyzer and how I measured everything in https://idefix.net/~koos/newsitem.cgi/1745176072

Measuring the multiband vertical with the SARK 100 analyzer. Still no success on the 10 and 12 meter band

I took some time to do better SWR measurements on the multiband vertical antenna I started with in January 2024: Building a multiband vertical for playing radio outside based on Teleskop 1/4 Lambda Vertikal - Draussenfunker.de. So I compiled the sark-100 ...

Show threadKoos van den Hout PE4KHApr 17
And the Hungarian MRASZ has https://mrasz.org/iaru-100-award/
„IARU 100 YEAR CELEBRATION”

The Hungarian Radioamateur Society (MRASZ) organises an activity to commemorate the centenary of the foundation of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU).

Hungarian Radio Amateur Society
Koos van den Hout PE4KHApr 17

Lots of special event stations on the air for 100 years IARU (which I think is indeed worth of a special event!). Chasing them in CW, some of them make interesting award programs out of this.

The Spanish URE club has https://iaru100.ure.es/

100th IARU ANNIVERSARY

Koos van den Hout PE4KHApr 16
lpbkdotnetApr 16

Is anyone able to lay their hands on a firmware image for a Samsung Ubigate IBG1004?

It’s an #isdn to #sip #telephone gateway, and the one I’ve got seems to be corrupt and won’t decompress.

My usual haunts for firmware images are coming up blank.

The filename will be something like `iBG1004_Advanced_1.6.1.9.Z` - but I'm really not too fussy about the version number!

Please boost if you think you have followers that can help!

#TelephoneExchange #phone #phoneExchange #PABX #PBX #voip

Koos van den Hout PE4KHApr 13
jamesb (MW1CGG)Apr 13
Koos van den Hout PE4KHApr 12
Show threadnixCraft 🐧Apr 12
Every cybersecurity expert I talked to, including die-hard Windows fans, told me this is a nightmare no matter how much Microsoft sugarcoats it. Even if you don't use Windows, you might send someone sensitive information, such as a file or email that they open on their Windows 11 with "Recall" Copilot+ PC, and your information is now part of this nightmare. It is that bad.