By Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU
Contributing Editor

This week, Surfin’ tries out a new app on the iPod Touch and revisits a blog of historic proportions.

Distance and Bearing App

Tommy Sullivan, W1AUV, created DBHam, an app for the Apple iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad to calculate distance and bearing between six-digit Maidenhead locations. It is free at Apple’s App Store.

DBHam is useful for any ham; however, it is very helpful for hams who operate in VHF, UHF and beyond -- and is especially helpful for Microwave contest enthusiasts like W1AUV, who needs its information out in the field during a contest and can have it on hand without bringing along a laptop computer.

I downloaded DBHam to my iPod Touch and gave it a quick test. I dialed in the Maidenhead locations of the source (FN31mp) and the target (FN31pr) and the app instantly displayed the distance (22.8 km) and bearing (forward [65.9 degrees] and reverse [246.0 degrees]) between WA1LOU and W1AW.

Keep On Sleuthing

Ham radio, DX, geography and history -- all some of my favorite subjects -- do mix, and I have enjoyed reading the weekly posts of Rich Holoch, KY6R, on The DXCC Sleuth. So far, Rich has written about Amsterdam and the St Paul Islands, Auckland and Campbell Island, Bouvet Island, Eritrea, Heard Island, Kingman Reef, Market Reef, Mount Athos, Navassa Island, South Sandwich Islands and Tromelin Island as they relate to DXCC.

As you may recall, Rich inquired here back in July if someone would write an in-depth account of the history of the DXCC program. I referred him to a few things online, but Rich wanted more and decided to do it himself, and The DXCC Sleuth is the result.

The DXCC Sleuth is a good read and I highly recommend it.

Until next time, keep on surfin’!

Editor’s note: Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU, seeks the unusual in radio. To contact Stan, send e-mail or add comments to the WA1LOU blog.