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East Coast Reflector Newsletter - February 7, 2022





MORNING BREW Q&A
- By Michael K2SHF

Thank you to all who checked in to the Morning Brew last week.

We asked the following questions.   As always, only answers with a tally of 2 or more were included below.  Thanks to Derby Dan (KD2VNU) for tallying the results after each net.

Of all the things you have bought in your life, what has been your worst purchase?
     Used Car [27] | Boat [6] | Radio [6] | New Car [5]

Do you think Punxsutawney Phil will see his shadow tomorrow? (asked before groundhog day)
     Yes [36] | No [26]

What was your last major home improvement project?
     Nothing [6] | Multiple Rooms [5] | Bathroom [3] | Whole House [3] | Windows [3] | Floor [3]
     Roof [3] | Kitchen [2] | Shack [2]

What is the greatest number of miles you have put on a car before selling/trading it?
     51-100K [7] | 100-150K [26] | 151-200K [14] | 201-250K [9] | 251-300K [5] | 300-350K [7]
     351-400K [2]

Do you prefer to write with a pen or a pencil?
     Pen [46] | Pencil [21] | Both [2]



ECR BIRTHDAYS

The following hams are celebrating a birthday over the next two weeks.  There will be no newsletter next week due to HamCation.  Happy Birthday to you all!

VE3IQU, Reg of Ontario, Canada - Thursday, February 10th
K8BWK, Ben of Oregon, OH - Friday, February 11th
KD2HCU, Eric of Yaphank, NY - Friday, February 11th
KD2WCN, Devin of Selden, NY - Thursday, February 17th



ECR MEET & GREET AT HAMCATION - By Michael K2SHF

HamCation is here this week!  It takes place in Orlando, FL from Friday February 11 through Sunday February 13.  The East Coast Reflector is having a Meet & Greet on Saturday, February 12th at 10:15AM in the Pavillion Room CS-IV.  Check out the HamCation website for more information on the hamfest.  We hope as many of you as possible can join us.



ALLSTAR TECH NOTES VOLUME 5 - BY Pres W2PW

Configuring/troubleshooting this Supermon to see/control other nodes:

There are 2 files in 2 different servers that we work with here. Use WinSCP to open them both, side-by-side:
/etc/asterisk/manager.conf on the other node (the one you wish to see and be controlled)
/srv/http/supermon/allmon.ini on this node (the one you wish to use to control others)

In manager.conf of the other node which you want to control

[general]                                                                     
displaysystemname = yes                                                       
enabled = yes                                                                 
webenabled = yes
<-remove the ; which will allow Supermon to work!
port = 5038
<-this port needs to be open in your router for anyone to control this node from outside  

;bindaddr = 127.0.0.1   ; Local interface only! 
<-add the ;                                                           
bindaddr = 0.0.0.0    ; Not secure
<-remove the ;
(basically you're flipping from 127.0.0.1 which is "self only" to 0.0.0.0 which is "any")

[admin]                                                                       
secret = passw0rd
<-there is a space around the ' = ' 
read = all,system,call,log,verbose,command,agent,user,config                   
write = all,system,call,log,verbose,command,agent,user,config                  

****************************************************************************

in allmon.ini of this node 123451 you want to DO the controlling:

[123451]
<-the node on this server
host=127.0.0.1:5038
<-notice the 127.0.0.1 which is "self"
user=admin
passwd=passw0rd
<-there is *no* space around the "="
menu=yes
hideNodeURL=no

[123452]
<-a node on an other adjacent server in the same LAN (network)
host=192.168.1.123:5038
<-that server's IP and manager port
user=admin
passwd=passw0rd
menu=yes
hideNodeURL=no
                                                               
[123453]
<-a node on an other external server on a different LAN
host=123453.asnode.org:5038
<-that port must be forwarded in their router.
user=admin
passwd=passw0rd
menu=yes
hideNodeURL=no

[All Nodes]
nodes=123451,123453,123452,1999
<-sets the order in which they appear in 'All Nodes' in the blue ribbon
menu=yes

To check, simply save the file and refresh the browser to see the changes. You might need to hit shift-refresh

It still doesn't work!

Warning: Node 123454 not found in our allmon ini file.
Be sure /srv/http/supermon/allmon.ini has an entry for 123454
Those entries are in no particular order, they must all be present though

Could not connect to asterisk manager
Be sure /etc/asterisk/manager.conf (on the other node)
has the right secret (matching this allmon.ini's password) with spaces around the ' = '
webenabled=yes
allows 0.0.0.0
shows the correct port, which is open for TCP

Be sure /srv/http/supermon/allmon.ini (on this node)
has the right password (matching the other manager.conf's secret) with no spaces around the '='
has the right IP address and port of the other server
the secret and the password match, and have no special characters like '!'

It's confusing that manager.conf uses a secret (with spaces) and allmon.ini uses a password (with no spaces), which must match, and have no special characters.

No connections.
This is not an error, there are no active Allstar connections at the moment

I still can't manage the other node elsewhere!
Be sure 5038 TCP is open in their router.

Node not in database
at the BASH Shell prompt type
astdb.php <enter>
or just wait, this will straighten itself out over time
then refresh the browser

People can't see my Supermon.
In your router, forward any port to 80 on your Supermon server. For example, if your node number is 5 digits, maybe forward 12345 to 80 on your server's IP so others will go to http://12345.asnode.org:12345, or use 50000, or whatever you like between 1024 and 65535.

If your router will not translate an external port to an internal one, go to /etc/http/conf/httpd.conf and add a second line:
#Listen 12.34.56.78:80
Listen 80
Listen 12345
<-add a second listen port here and forward it in your router
At the BASH prompt type 'systemctl restart httpd' or reboot

If you make a web shortcut, it looks like:
http://40980.asnode.org:40980/supermon/link.php?nodes=40980,4447000,409810,465711,1998
           ^The IP                 ^port ^program                              ^the nodes & order which they appear

I can't login, fooey!
enter the user name then the password on the Supermon page. Click 'Login' rather than pressing 'enter'
use Chrome or Firefox. Older MS browsers don't login.

I still can't login, fooey part twoey!
Do you have a login?
go to /srv/http/supermon/
type:
htpasswd -B .htpasswd username <enter>
type a password, repeat it
try again
You can add multiple users for club members.

ADVANCED STUFF:

I have so many Supermons in my life I can't keep them straight, they all look like Paul's yard! Blah!
in /srv/http/supermon/global.inc
// Background image - specify path if not /srv/http/supermon
// Leaving BACKGROUND null "" results in BACKGROUND_COLOR
//$BACKGROUND = "background.jpg";
<- remove the file name, or using '//' in the front is just like leaving it null
//
// Background color if no image
$BACKGROUND_COLOR = "purple";
<-use html-compliant color names (such as blue, darkorange) or HEX color codes like '#dd4b39'

or, in /srv/http/supermon
you can put a very wide panoramic picture like 120x1200 pix and edit the symlink called background.jpg to go from CapeCoralYard.jpg to the new picture name. Use WinSCP's ALT-F6 to do so.

Whew. Head spinning yet?

-Pres W2PW



UPCOMING ZOOM ROOM PRESENTATIONS

none

Do you have knowledge on a subject that would be of interest to the group?  Send Dick an email at wb2jpq(at)aol(dot)com letting him know that you'd like to present it to the group.  It's always fun to learn new things, and we always enjoy a presentation and a little bit of show and tell.  It doesn't need to be anything formal.  It doesn't need to be a certain amount of time.  Just show up on time and tell the group what you know about a particular subject.  Currently we are looking for somebody with experience working amateur satellites to do a presentation on getting started with that aspect of the hobby.  This is yet another way to get involved and give back to the ECR.

Is there a topic that interests you that you would like to learn more about?  Let me know by sending an email to k2shf(at)arrl(dot)net and I'll make a note of it and see if we can find someone willing to teach us all about it.



NEXT QSO TODAY VIRTUAL HAM EXPO SET FOR MID-MARCH
Taken from the ARRL Newsletter dated January 27, 2022

What's become a regular March event, the next QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo will be held live from March 12-13, and then on demand for 30 days afterward. More than 60 speakers will deliver presentations on their subject areas. "There's content for everyone whether a newly licensed ham looking for next steps to using that license or a 30+ year experienced ham looking for new projects," the QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo organizers promise.

Presentations will include "Core HF Communication Concepts: Fundamentals of Shortwave Propagation;" "Deep Dive of an FPGA DVB-S2 Implementation;" "Fun With the NanoVNA," and "Helically Wound Vertical for 160 Meters. The complete list of presentations is available from the Virtual Ham Expo home page.

Virtual visitors may watch as many presentations as they want and return any time within 30 days to view speakers and presentations they may have miss as well as explore exhibitor offerings.

This Virtual Ham Expo will debut new technology that, organizers say, will "further improve the live video interaction experience with exhibitors and fellow operators." ARRL The national association for Amateur Radio®, is a QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo Partner. Early bird tickets go on sale on February 1. Tickets are $10 through March 6.



RESEARCH ON ANCIENT MASSIVE SOLAR STORMS SUGGESTS A NEED TO PREPARE FOR THE NEXT ONES
Taken from the ARRL Letter dated February 3, 2022

Numerous powerful X-class solar flares occurred last fall as Solar Cycle 25 activity picked up. Jon Jones, N0JK, covered the event in his QST column, "The World Above 50 MHz," in the February issue, and he pointed out, "More powerful flares than these have taken place, such as the Carrington Event of 1859, during which aurora was seen in the South Pacific and in Cuba, and it sparked electrical fires."

Similar events took place in the 20th century, but, as Jones notes, scientists are researching spectacular solar storms that took place as early as 7176 BC and in 5259 BC. The huge solar flare some 9,200 years ago has convinced researchers that we are not ready for the next one, and our modern technology would take a major hit.

"Also worrisome is that Earth may have narrowly dodged a 'Carrington-level event' in 2012," Jones said. Daniel Baker of the University of Colorado -- speaking at a NOAA Space Weather Workshop -- said, "If it had hit, we would still be picking up the pieces."

Jones said his reading has led him to conclude that these solar superstorms occur more frequently than people think. "As more ice cores and tree rings are sampled, scientists are finding there have been more of these [major solar storms]," he said.

In his February column, Jones cited a 2013 Royal Academy of Engineering report that discussed the risks of a Carrington-level event.

"An extreme space weather event, or solar superstorm, is one of a number of potentially high-impact, but low-probability natural hazards," said Paul Cannon, a Royal Academy of Engineering fellow and chair of the study working group that developed the report. "Extreme space weather [can have] impacts on engineered systems and infrastructure."

Cannon said the hazard and risks of extreme space weather on the electricity grid, satellites, and air passenger safety had not previously been critically assessed. His group's report attempts to address that omission.

The Live Science article, "Ancient solar storm smashed Earth at the wrong part of the sun's cycle -- and scientists are concerned," cites a study, "Cosmogenic radionuclides reveal an extreme solar particle storm near a solar minimum 9125 years BP." Study co-author Raimund Muscheler, a geology researcher at Lund University in Sweden, said, "These enormous storms are currently not sufficiently included in risk assessments. It is of the utmost importance to analyze what these events could mean for today's technology and how we can protect ourselves."

"A Carrington Event taking place today could destroy orbiting satellites, disrupt GPS, and damage undersea cables and internet infrastructure on the ground," Jones said in his QST column. "An event in 775 AD was believed to have been 100 times stronger than the Carrington Event."



NO NEWSLETTER NEXT WEEK

Due to HamCation next weekend, there will be no newsletter next week.  The next newsletter will be published on Monday, February 21st.  In the mean time, keep sending those articles in to k2shf(at)arrl(dot)net.  See you all then!




FACILITATORS
Dick  WB2JPQ
Henry  WB4IVB
Emil  WA2UPK
Bob  KB3SNM
Tony  W2KJV
Kevin  VE3BZ
Paul  W4END
David  KB4FXC
Kevin  KE7K
Joe  KO4FRR
Mike  K2CMT
Michael  K2SHF
Steven  K2EJ
Keynon  KB5GLC

ECR ACCESS
IRLP  9050
AllStar  27339, 45192, 45225
Echolink 57780, 375103
DMR Brandmeister 3129973
DMR TGIF 9050
System Fusion 44444, 92805
DStar XLX892, XLX237
HamShack Hotline 94049

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