Stumbled across an interesting program on the computer couple of month back called EQSO Client for PMR Radio http://palmbeach.dynalias.com/gateway.htm
and before I go any further in the description of the program I can hear those of you dedicated DX'ers out there getting all wound up about “He’s cheating, that’s not real radio etc, etc, etc.

Let me tell you, “damn it operates on UHF Citizen Band Radio here in Australia” should have had some readers collapse by now, but for the rest of you brave dare devils read on. Essentially it’s a program that receives radio signals (uhf radio connected to the internet) to other computers again connected to radio thence to mobile/portables and visa versa. No it’s not a repeater but similar as it’s all done as simplex operation.

Some very dedicated operators out there have set up these “gateways” to the world via UHF and the internet, and so can you. An added advantage is also that you don’t need to have a UHF rig in the shack but it helps, any one can down load the client version on to there computer and talk world wide in the comfort of the shack, I guess the best comparison is the amateur radio’s “Echo Links” but with out all the bull-shit protocols. And believe me the world is defiantly getting smaller I personally a couple nights ago spoke with a station in 68 division whom I had had a contact and exchanged qsl cards with back in 2002 and no I did not include this latest contact in my log book I did how ever note it in another log as a contact on the Eqso system.

Now I could in time of difficult propagation use the Eqso system to assist in making a contact on the Hf radio, similar to what is and has happened on Dk Cluster for years, so cheating I think not. More and more operators are coming on line and calling into the gateways from mobiles around the world all very interesting but as in any radio operation on nearly any band at present, there are dick head who’s only interest in 10/4ing there bull-shit on the air, these are thankfully few in number and generally most on the system ignore there antics. So to rest whom I havn’t yet bored shitless already give it a try, you may just be surprised if you are not as usual don’t complain you are in control turn it off.

73's,

Jon
Melbourne Radio 511