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Poor People Have Poor Ways

HomerBB

Sr. Member
Jan 4, 2009
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Rogers, Ar
Annoyed with the need to conserve funds.
Because my MFJ-259B was once again in need of going to the shop, and because the last experience was a 2 month+ wait for it to be done and returned to me, as well as a combined shipping cost and work done totaling in excess of $100, I opted to give another inexpensive alternative a try.
I bought the Sark 100.
I have used it. It's easy to use, however, the advertised ability to use PC/Smart Phone linking has proven frustrating and unproductive so far.
I bought a model that was not Bluetooth ready. So I spent more for the module. It arrives with no instructions, and is not plug and play. I don't solder tiny things. There is no way to USB connect to Android phones.
As for software to USB connect to computers, no luck.
None of the systems I own are fruitful. There is no apple software available. Windows does not like to see the analyzer no matter which drivers I installed. And Linux has no interest in playing along either.
I use XP. No legacy software available that cooperates.
So, I won't be getting graphical capabilities with the thing as my last resort is to burn up my solder points on the analyzer trying to install a Bluetooth board that is about postage stamp size.
Poor people should just use string and tin cans, or else expect nothing but overinflated expectations that disappoint.
You can't buy cheap and live rich.
 

Dallas, the analyzer works, but I was hoping for all the features it is supposed to offer.
I just grow impatient with products sold that are not fully supported.
This works for those who are steeped in technology. It doesn't for most others.
I would be in the same boat with Arduino.
I payed someone to assemble my uBitx only afterward to realize I will not get the touch screen feature unless I am proficient with technology. I won't even try. No other computer software has proven reliable when I attempt things that require it.
Even RTL-SDR doesn't work properly for me. Software installs. Get a jiggly lined waterfall. Lots of white noise, but absolutely no copy on any type receive that is humanly comprehensible. Google for a solution and the answer always involves throwing more big bucks at it.
Poor people just gotta hang analogue where ham radio is concerned, it seems.
To do anything else requires far too much money.
At that point it seems to pass from being a hobby into the realm of addiction where more than makes sense is spent on nonessential past times.

Thanks for the suggestion.
 
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I bought and tried a miniVNA, too.
It's way too much trouble to do the simplest thing.
I will stick with the Sark 100 without the computer linking until a real software programmer actually writes something that works more universally.

I know I sound very illiterate concerning technology. I can live with that.
I remind myself of an old country preacher who found the music being played in church discordant. Someone asked him whether he played.
"No" he replied, "I don't have to know how to play music to know when it isn't being played right."
 
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Dallas, the analyzer works, but I was hoping for all the features it is supposed to offer.
I just grow impatient with products sold that are not fully supported.
This works for those who are steeped in technology. It doesn't for most others.
I would be in the same boat with Arduino.
I payed someone to assemble my uBitx only afterward to realize I will not get the touch screen feature unless I am proficient with technology. I won't even try. No other computer software has proven reliable when I attempt things that require it.
Even RTL-SDR doesn't work properly for me. Software installs. Get a jiggly lined waterfall. Lots of white noise, but absolutely no copy on any type receive that is humanly comprehensible. Google for a solution and the answer always involves throwing more big bucks at it.
Poor people just gotta hang analogue where ham radio is concerned, it seems.
To do anything else requires far too much money.
At that point it seems to pass from being a hobby into the realm of addiction where more than makes sense is spent on nonessential past times.

Thanks for the suggestion.

I hear that. I started down the arduino rabbit hole a few days ago but haven't gotten very far. If I can learn to use the thing it may be useful.

What went wrong with the mfj analyzer? I've considered upgrading but the 259 has all of the caveman features I need for tuning antennas, tank circuits and the like.

I had bad luck with the rtl sdr also. The sdrplay is much better.
 
I bought and tried a miniVNA, too.
It way too much trouble to do the simplest thing.
I will stick with the Sark 100 without the computer linking until a real software programmer actually writes something that works more universally.

I know I sound very illiterate concerning technology. I can live with that.
I remind myself of an old country preacher who found the music being played in church discordant. Someone asked him whether he played.
"No" he replied, "I don't have to know how to play music to know when it isn't being played right."
You're looking at the King of saying "FU im not upgrading". Shit, I lived off grid in a schoolbus on the side of a mountain with nothing but wood heat for 10 years. But slowly ive found if I want to do certain things I have to meet the requirements.
Im still cell only, no puter or tablet so I know im really limited. I bought a GM Tech2 clone scanner for my Chevy HHR so I dont have to pay a dealership $130 to program a key fob or a factory radio. I know without at least a tablet there is a lot I cant do. I could upgrade to the newest dongle scanning tool clone but its worthless without a tablet or laptop also.
So my solution is to find a decent used laptop on offerup or letgo and sell some stuff I have laying aroung to fund it. Old junk out, new junk in lol. That's how we Po Folk make it happen.
I dont expect the place I work for to be around much longer. Before the shut down we were selling 10k/week in microgreens, herbs and edible flowers. Now its almost zero, not enough income to cover the power. He has multiple meters so each one is a minimum of $50/month for just service. Im down to 10 hours a week or less. Poor is getting poorer.
 
You're looking at the King of saying "FU im not upgrading". Shit, I lived off grid in a schoolbus on the side of a mountain with nothing but wood heat for 10 years. But slowly ive found if I want to do certain things I have to meet the requirements.
Im still cell only, no puter or tablet so I know im really limited. I bought a GM Tech2 clone scanner for my Chevy HHR so I dont have to pay a dealership $130 to program a key fob or a factory radio. I know without at least a tablet there is a lot I cant do. I could upgrade to the newest dongle scanning tool clone but its worthless without a tablet or laptop also.
So my solution is to find a decent used laptop on offerup or letgo and sell some stuff I have laying aroung to fund it. Old junk out, new junk in lol. That's how we Po Folk make it happen.
I dont expect the place I work for to be around much longer. Before the shut down we were selling 10k/week in microgreens, herbs and edible flowers. Now its almost zero, not enough income to cover the power. He has multiple meters so each one is a minimum of $50/month for just service. Im down to 10 hours a week or less. Poor is getting poorer.

My phone has made me dumber. As I sit in my recliner, using my phone, there is a laptop on the coffee table that would be much easier to type on.

Hang in there. A couple of kids got laid off at work yesterday. That dept has been slowing down for years and the covid deal didn't help.
 
You're looking at the King of saying "FU im not upgrading". Shit, I lived off grid in a schoolbus on the side of a mountain with nothing but wood heat for 10 years. But slowly ive found if I want to do certain things I have to meet the requirements.
Im still cell only, no puter or tablet so I know im really limited. I bought a GM Tech2 clone scanner for my Chevy HHR so I dont have to pay a dealership $130 to program a key fob or a factory radio. I know without at least a tablet there is a lot I cant do. I could upgrade to the newest dongle scanning tool clone but its worthless without a tablet or laptop also.
So my solution is to find a decent used laptop on offerup or letgo and sell some stuff I have laying aroung to fund it. Old junk out, new junk in lol. That's how we Po Folk make it happen.
I dont expect the place I work for to be around much longer. Before the shut down we were selling 10k/week in microgreens, herbs and edible flowers. Now its almost zero, not enough income to cover the power. He has multiple meters so each one is a minimum of $50/month for just service. Im down to 10 hours a week or less. Poor is getting poorer.

I don’t know nothing about anything in this thread except you had me at “side of a mountain”. Now that sounds like how I want to live.

Ok I lied, I had SDR dongle issues myself.
 
I hear that. I started down the arduino rabbit hole a few days ago but haven't gotten very far. If I can learn to use the thing it may be useful.

What went wrong with the mfj analyzer? I've considered upgrading but the 259 has all of the caveman features I need for tuning antennas, tank circuits and the like.

I had bad luck with the rtl sdr also. The sdrplay is much better.
The MFJ-259B is showing 1.0:1 SWR R=38 X=0
Never shows R=50. Needs something fixed in it.
 
I don’t know nothing about anything in this thread except you had me at “side of a mountain”. Now that sounds like how I want to live.

Ok I lied, I had SDR dongle issues myself.
Dont mind that bag.of stuff. It was very legal in Wa state (y)
IMG_20150603_134740.jpg
IMG_20150830_085559.jpg
1428467903855.jpg
 
I know I sound very illiterate concerning technology. I can live with that.
I remind myself of an old country preacher who found the music being played in church discordant. Someone asked him whether he played.
"No" he replied, "I don't have to know how to play music to know when it isn't being played right."

Many do not realize how much that applies to our ways in society...

When life was a little less "automatic"...

My Grampa' was a big Fan of Fords - to see what they did to the dashboard these days it would make him cringe and be surely at a loss on how to interpret the displays, no key - no analog gauge - except maybe the speedometer and fuel.

"Three-On-The-Tree" has been diminished to a handle, or a simple knob...

Don't ask him about the old days of listening to Baseball buzzing in at night on his old AM car radio...he'll go on forever

Our lives have gone from; " tune station in, pull button out - push-in firmly to set", to now a touch screen with auto-park and a voice talking to you - telling you what to do.

Yet now, maybe - as some form of retaliation against the voices' authority or just plain forgetfulness - some still leave their kids to bake in the back seat...

Life never was like this before...
 
Many do not realize how much that applies to our ways in society...

When life was a little less "automatic"...

My Grampa' was a big Fan of Fords - to see what they did to the dashboard these days it would make him cringe and be surely at a loss on how to interpret the displays, no key - no analog gauge - except maybe the speedometer and fuel.

"Three-On-The-Tree" has been diminished to a handle, or a simple knob...

Don't ask him about the old days of listening to Baseball buzzing in at night on his old AM car radio...he'll go on forever

Our lives have gone from; " tune station in, pull button out - push-in firmly to set", to now a touch screen with auto-park and a voice talking to you - telling you what to do.

Yet now, maybe - as some form of retaliation against the voices' authority or just plain forgetfulness - some still leave their kids to bake in the back seat...

Life never was like this before...



Electricity went from being servant to master after WWII.

The Kennedy Assassination was the turning point where Americans made TV the Silent King of their households. Men relinquished being Husband and Father as TV always has the final say. No exceptions by content or persons. On or Off makes no difference

Root out that problem for all its worth. Where culture “requires” the Juice, the result isn’t worthy of the specific name as applied: church, school, music, medicine, etc.

“Juice” is an overlay, NOT a fundamental. When it’s the latter, your control is a dial that spins meaninglessly. Baby’s high chair with plastic steering wheel.

It is a joke on you. The Enemy considers that as of the same importance as squeezing you of every bit of energy you & yours can muster. As it puts the lie to every statement you make of being Man. You’re a laughingstock.

To take this back around to the OPs title, ersatz tools are more than adequate for ersatz pursuits.

The lemming herd has no use
on its own for Radio.

Tools
to analyze Radio are modules attached to a computer-operated installation. Human operation of a separated module doesn’t exist except by accident or proxy.

OP: Get the tool worthy of the name.

Were Radio of value (a quality you aren’t allowed to modify) no one's house or car or workplace would be built without the tool-system of Radio being as basic to the blueprint as the tools of plumbing or wiring. Is a Radio installation not a system as are they?

“When we moved to the new city I updated the indoors wall terminals (sinks & faucets). Installed my radio & antenna. As everyone knows, I never had to worry about the General Products coax in the walls & attic, or their grounding gear (plumbing & electrical wiring for the house). Always a relief not to have to open walls and floors and ceilings, right?”

Communication-at-distance isn’t allowed except by corporate intercession. Neither to God or men without the priest.

Doors & Windows. Do you control their operation? Does that control allow you to independently call to your son or neighbor thirty-miles away?

Radio made difficult is idly watching the cat chase a red laser dot.

After all, its a joke: why aren’t you laughing at your dilemma?

This form of window or door is always receding in the near-distance. Zenos’ lovely paradox, made visible.

Funny, huh?

.
 
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