# Computing in 2024 Review

At the beginning of the year I wrote the original article[1] with
some goals for the year. 


## Computer

Not long after I wrote the article I did in fact treat myself to the 
proposed HP T620 thin client upgrade. OpenBSD works flawlessly on the
hardware and so I have been very happy with it. The system is
completely silent, which actually took a little getting used to.


## Software development

Some bugs were reported in the quarry[2] gopher search engine and
duly fixed. During this process I noticed an issue where stale
selectors were not being removed. This too has now been fixed,
resulting in faster searches and better search results.

I haven't written any new software of any significance this year. For
the odd small data processing tasks I have used awk. 

A few weeks ago I purchased a clean used copy of 'The Awk Programming
Language', as I happened to see one advertised for a very reasonable
price. 

I will over time absorb the material and hopefully become a more
competent AWK programmer. 


## Solar

I had planned to build a small solar power system to power my
computer and radio gear but I couldn't justify the expense. I ended
up instead spending the money on radio equipment. 


## Radio

I had ambitions to experiment with ham radio data modes. This too
went by the wayside not long after I passed my foundation exam in
February and started actually talking to people on the air. 

I have kept my computer and radio air-gapped and rather than
exploring data modes via computer integration. I have instead been
learning probably the oldest data mode of them all, radio telegraphy.

Learning morse code has been a real challenge and after several
months of persistent effort, I have finally managed to complete the
Koch method of learning morse code. 

To do this I used a website[3] resource supplemented by an android
app called CW Studio.

This past two weeks I have started answering CQ calls of stations
that are going steadily enough to give me a chance of copying them.
It is very challenging and engaging at this point so, I am enjoying
the medium as it requires skill on the part of the operator.

My equipment is, I think, modest. I have a dual band 2m/70cm hand
held transceiver, a dual band 2m/70cm mobile 25w transceiver (which I
use as a base station) and a Xeigu G90 20w transceiver for 10m - 160m
bands. 

Two of my antennas I made, one I was given and one I bought. They
each have their strengths and weaknesses. Combined they give me a
good range of abilities.


## Summary

I really didn't want to commit to spending more time staring at a
computer screen, typing text to communicate with people and build
further dependence on computers. Computers are an impersonal medium.
When you can't see or hear the person you are communicating with,
part of the communication is lost.

Morse code is a skill and a method for data exchange. If you want to
really communicate, then talk.

This has been my year of radio.

[1](gopher://gopher.icu/0/phlog/Computing/Computing-in-2024.md)
[2](gopher://gopher.icu/1/quarry)
[3](https://stendec.io/morse/koch.html)