I have an Asus eeePC. It came with Linux but I put XP on it to see if I
could get it to work, and to see if Writelog would run on the eeePC - it
works fine!
My eeePC has a 4GB SSD memory hard drive (for the OS) and a 4GB SD card
(for programs and data) plugged into the SD card slot on the side.
There is no serial or parallel port .... 3 USB, 1 SD card slot and a
monitor plug. G wireless built in and a 10/100 ethernet plug.
For audio there is a mic in and headphone audio out. No Line in or out.
There is also a camera, but I'd never turn that on during a contest!!
My setup with it is:
One USB port gets the USB -> Serial to the radio.
One USB port gets the USB -> serial to the Winkeyer2
One USB port gets the USB keyboard.
I could put a keyboard / mouse splitter, but once it's running WriteLog
there isn't much need for a mouse. If it's needed there is always the
touch pad and it's buttons.
Obviously it's not the biggest screen with the highest resolution, but
you get the log entry, a few lines of logsheet, and a few other windows.
Even with the small portable keyboard and the USB -> Serial adapters, it
is still smaller and lighter than most laptops.
The battery is good for a couple of hours, but the good part is the AC
adapter is a 9V DC wall transformer, so it would be possible to make a
very small box regulator to drop the radio's 12V DC to use with the eeePC.
If you plug one of the small USB hubs in you could add another USB memory
stick for your log.
It's small, it's light, it's cute, the keyboard isn't the best - that's
why the small external keyboard (but I take one of them along no matter
what laptop I'm using for logging!).
Even with all the "attachments" it is still smaller and lighter than a
regular laptop.
While I had Linux on it I checked out several Linux contest loggers and it
appears they are all designed by Hoover. tlf wasn't bad, but nothing I'd
want to use in a real contest. (my opinion and not that of some real Linux
oriented hams!)
73 Hank K8DD
----- Original Message -----
From: "Gary AL9A" <al9a@mtaonline.net>
To: "Writelog" <writelog@contesting.com>
Sent: Wednesday, December 3, 2008 10:38:49 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
Subject: [WriteLog] Net book computers
I've been seeing quite a few folks toting around one of the new small net
book computers recently. The thought has occurred to me that this might be
a really neat device for portable ham operations...IF. The big IF is will
it run WL or other ham related software? I know some come with Linux and
others have WinXP for operating systems. Of course these are highly
stripped down machines with minimal software included, but they appear to
have sufficient memory and hard drive space to run a contest logging
program.
I can't seem to find much about input/output though. I assume they have one
or more USB ports, but I'm not sure about audio out, mike or line inputs,
etc. Anyone have any first hand experience that you could share on the
trials and tribulations that might await someone trying to interface one of
these devices to a ham radio? Not looking for anything exotic, such as
networked multi ops or SO2R configurations, just the ability to interface
with one radio. Comments?
73,
Gary AL9A
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