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<font face="Arial">I have now retired the Via micro-ITX-based
computer system that has been powering the WA8LMF ham
"SuperServer" combination HF/VHF APRS digipeater-igate-webserver.
Over Saturday night/Sunday morning, I cut the system over to an
all-new setup based on the Acer 756 Netbook reviewed here on my
website:<br>
<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://wa8lmf.net/netbook"><http://wa8lmf.net/netbook></a><br>
<br>
This 1.3 GHz 64-bit dual-core Pentium 4 machine has about 5-10
times the raw "horsepower" of the previous machine. It
effortlessly runs three sound systems with a total of FIVE audio
inputs. As a result, I have now phased out multiple
hardware-based TNCs in favor of multiple instances of the
excellent UZ7HO "Soundmodem" soundcard-based "soft TNC". The two
copies of the Soundmodem are running on a pair of Behringer
UCA202 USB external soundcards reviewed here on my website:<br>
<br>
<</font><font face="Arial"><font face="Arial"><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://wa8lmf.net/ham/uca202.htm">http://wa8lmf.net/ham/uca202.htm</a>><br>
<br>
</font>The Acer netbook-based server is currently running 3
instances of UIview, two instances of the Precision Mapping Server
9, two copies of the UZ7HO sound modem soft TNC for a total of 4
AX.25 ports, UI-Webserver, and APRS Messenger. <br>
<br>
In addition, the added "horsepower" of the new CPU allows me to
run more add-ons and plug-ins to the main programs. In the next
few weeks, I will adding/restoring my Echolink node and the "APRN"
combination SSTV-APRS system to the system , using the
motherboard's original Realtek sound system. <br>
<br>
The major differences you will see at:<br>
<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://wa8lmf.net/map"><http://wa8lmf.net/map></a><br>
<br>
are:<br>
<br>
</font>
<ul>
<li><font face="Arial">Faster response. The previous CPU was
running at 85-95% CPU use, even before the server was hit for
a map. The new machine is running nearly twice as much stuff
and CPU use is loafing at around 25-30%.</font><font
face="Arial"><br>
<br>
</font></li>
<li><font face="Arial">Due to the far greater CPU horsepower, I
can now enable the multiple audio "receiver" options in both
the UZ7HO Soundmodem for AX.25 APRS and in APRS Messenger for
PKS63 APRS, allowing off-frequency stations on HF in both
modes to be copied far more reliably. <br>
</font> <font face="Arial"><br>
</font></li>
<li><font face="Arial">US National Weather Service radar images,
generated by the NWSget 2.91 plugin for UIview, are now
underlaid on both the North American 30M HF map, and on the
Michigan regional VHF map. This is in addition the the NWS
warning zone overlays generated by the UI-NWS feature built
into UI-View. <br>
<br>
NOTE: As I write this, a major winter storm is blasting it's
way across Lake Michigan from the Chicago area toward
Michigan. The VHF map looks especially spectacular at the
moment.<br>
<br>
</font></li>
<li><font face="Arial">The Michigan-area VHF map now shows
regional weather radar, PHG range circles courtesy of the
UI-PHG plug-in for UIview, and the Aloha range-limit circle
centered on my QTH in Haslett, MI where the igate/server
system is located.<br>
<br>
</font></li>
<li><font face="Arial">New shape for the maps. The Acer netbook
has a 16:9 1366x768-pixel "720p" wide-format screen, compared
to the 4:3 1024x768 XGA screen of the old system. As a
result, the map images captured by UIview's capture utility
are now wider. <br>
<br>
</font></li>
</ul>
<font face="Arial"><br>
</font><br>
<font face="Arial"><font face="Arial"><br>
</font>
<font face="Arial">This announcement is being posted to FOUR
mailing lists. The real test of the new server will now happen
when it gets "Slashdotted" by this announcement......<br>
<br>
</font> <br>
<br>
</font>
<hr width="100%" size="2"><font face="Arial"><br>
--<br>
<br>
Stephen H. Smith wa8lmf (at) aol.com <br>
Skype: WA8LMF<br>
Home Page: <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://wa8lmf.net">http://wa8lmf.net</a><br>
<br>
High Performance Sound Systems for Soundcard Apps<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://wa8lmf.net/ham/imic.htm">http://wa8lmf.net/ham/imic.htm</a><br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://wa8lmf.net/ham/uca202.htm">http://wa8lmf.net/ham/uca202.htm</a><br>
<br>
Vista & Win7 Install Issues for UI-View and Precision Mapping<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://wa8lmf.net/aprs/UIview_Notes.htm#VistaWin7">http://wa8lmf.net/aprs/UIview_Notes.htm#VistaWin7</a><br>
<br>
"APRS 101" Explanation of APRS Path Selection & Digipeating <br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://wa8lmf.net/DigiPaths">http://wa8lmf.net/DigiPaths</a> <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
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