Category Archives: Freedom

Airmail3 with Bluetooth running on Mac OS X

Posted on Wednesday September 14th, 2011 by dafdaf

As I’m trying to stay 100% Windows-free also when under sail, I previously used Linux and Wine to communicate via HAMradio. Now I’ve got the time to try around using Mac OS X and have managed to get everything in working order. Which means, you can use Airmail3 more or less natively under OS X without a seperate Windows installation or partition. Here’s how I did it:

Install in that order: PlayonMac, XQuartz, Wine. The last two components can be installed directly from PlayonMac. Once that is complete, get Airmail3 and install it by double-clicking it’s icon. It should be started/installed via PlayonMac. I’m using the version 3.3.081 which also includes the drivers for the Pactor modem. Install those drivers during the initial installation of Airmail3. If you want to get the propagation automagically from inside Airmail, you’ve got to install the (seperate) propagation programm: Open PlayonMac and run a ‘exe-File’ in the same virtual drive, you’ve installed Airmail in ! It has to be the same drive because otherwise Airmail will not be able to find that software.

Now that everything is installed, it’s time to configure the connection Bluetooth-Modem Wine. First the modem has to be paired with OS X. This is done using the Bluetooth-Assistant. The only thing of importance here: Use a ‘user-defined’ pairing-string ! It’s the last eight letters of your modem’s serial number which can be found on the underside of it. Be sure to use the correct upper/lowercase spelling – otherwise it won’t work. Once the Bluetooth-pairing is done, the connection can be tested by opening a Terminal-window (to be found in Applications -> Utilities) and typing the command: cat /dev/tty.SCSPTC-IIusb-COM1
After a short delay, the init-string of the modem should be printed. Now you can close that Terminal window. Attention: If you’ve played around with your Bluetooth-Setup and/or re-installed that modem or whatever… The name of the device can be slightly different. Use ‘/dev/tty.SCSPTC-IIusb-COM1-1′ of whatever is your correct device name.

Now you have to create a COM-port for use in Wine: Start PlayonMac, enter the Configuration and use the Button ‘open a shell’ in the tab ‘Miscellaneous’. A little shell-window will open, in which you have to type the following commandos:

cd ../dosdevices
ln -s /dev/tty.SCSPTC-IIusb-COM1 com1

This will create the needed COM-port for Wine. Now you can close PlayonMac and start Airmail3. Beside your usual settings, only one thing is really important: The Bluetooth-connection seems to be a bit sluggish and therefore Airmail will not be able to communicate correctly with your modem. You can solve this by going to Tools -> Options… Connection -> Advanced Settings and enable the option named ‘Ignore com-port CTS Signal’. If you now start the Terminal, the init-string of the modem should show after about 20 seconds.

Success !! You’ve got Airmail3 running under OSX with a working Bluetooth connection. Yay !

Posted in Amateur Radio, Apple, Freedom, Linux, Sailing | 1 Comment

Ready to leave

Posted on Sunday June 26th, 2011 by dafdaf

Today the west wind gives a break and we’ll use the calmity to leave Glowe and the island of Ruegen after a stay of two weeks. We’ll try to get to Gedser (Denmark) from where we will hopefully have a good start towards Flensburg, where we would like to go Monday/Tuesday.

Compared to our planned route we’re a bit delayed but that is of no concern. We’ve used the additional time here in Ruegen to improve and repair things on the Rancho Relaxo of the Seas and despite the harsh weather (and Gui’s hospital stay) we had a really good time here.

Ah ! – And for the first time we’ve met another austrian Vessel. You can see it parked belong ours in the photo.

Posted in Freedom, Kids, LosLocos, Pics, Rancho Relaxo, Sailing | 3 Comments

Our first day underway

Posted on Thursday June 2nd, 2011 by dafdaf

After so much time preparing and planning – today we finally cut the lines and left Berlin !!
After so much chaos in the last days we really had the most wonderful start into our adventure. With us is our friend Wolfgang who helped us soooo much in the last weeks that without him, we probably would still be in Berlin for another few weeks.
So we left the Marina Lanke at 06:35h in the morning and had breakfast somewhere between Spandau Lock and Lehnitz Lock.

The day was wonderful with the most beautiful weather and a fast travel without much waiting at the locks. Another sight was of course the ‘Schiffshebewerk Niederfinow’ which lifts ships travelling from Berlin to the Baltic sea about 36 meters !

We arrived in Marina Oderberg at 19:50h and finished our first day with argentinian steak and a Septima Malbec 2009. Perfect !!

Posted in Berlin, Freedom, LosLocos, Pics, Rancho Relaxo, Sailing | Comments Off

1st of May: My first day without work

Posted on Sunday May 1st, 2011 by dafdaf

Huh ? What’s that nice and cosy feeling ? Ah it’s the worker’s day ! And I for one will NOT drive to the office tomorrow – and that’s a first after 22 years !! But instead of starting my day with a long and nice breakfast, I’ll drive to our ship and start doing the new cabeling. Ayayay ! Well but still better than doing taxes.  – Which I also still haven’t finished. :-/ But there’s still four weeks left – so what’s the rush ?

And of course a few pics from my last day in the office. – The bounty invasion on my desk and lots of beer in the backyard. That was followed by even more beer in the Prater Garten and finished off with a few SG&Ts in the Klub der Republik. Mmmmh. What a beautiful last day at work…

Posted in Berlin, Freedom, Pics, Work | 4 Comments

USA: The war on truth ?

Posted on Thursday December 2nd, 2010 by dafdaf

After the very successfull ‘War on Drugs’ and the ever popular ‘War on Terror’ – are we now ready for the ultimate fight ? Maybe Sarah Palin would like to start a ‘War on Truth‘ ? Comment on FB: “Why was he not pursued with the same urgency we pursue al-Qaeda and Taliban leaders?”

And one other thing that really confuses me about that last wiki-leak: The whole world seems to be discussing Julian Assange’s problems with two swedish girls and whether it is good/bad/illegal/whatever that wikileaks does… When will people start discussing the CONTENT of the leak ?

I’ve just donated 50€ to wikileaks.org ! Go, Julian Assange, go !!

Update 4.12.2010, 15:15h:

Wikileaks.org is offline – the webspace at amazon is cancelled, the Website in Switzerland wikileaks.ch is partly inaccessible… What’s next ? An US drone bombing the suspected H.Q. of wikileaks ?

Here another excellent article – from Reporters without borders !!

Update 4.12.2010, 22:37h:

Very interesting story on Slashdot about the shutdown of wikileak’s PayPal Account
The story comes with plenty of very insightful comments. Here’s a good one:

Re:Rather symbolic isn’t it? (Score:5, Insightful)
by lexidation (1825996) writes: Alter Relationship   on 04.12.2010 18:21 (#34444302)

I spent ten years of my life as a “real” journalist in several major US media markets. The primary difference between the news “we” presented and what’s being presented via Wikileaks is precisely that Wikileaks allows more or less unfiltered access to the source material. Ask yourself: do you really want someone else selecting what’s fit for you to read? Trust me, having unfettered access to original sources, so that you can independently develop your own take on what’s happening, is infinitely better for you — and better for society — than having the news dished out to you by a “professional” like me in my former incarnation.

What’s happening to Wikileaks is astounding and should be scaring the living shit out of each and every one of you. They have been transformed into a “criminal” organization in the eyes of many members of the public and many members of the mainstream media inside of a week. From the beside-the-point rape case involving Julian Assange to the loss of hosting, DNS services and, now, the possibility to gain funding. That’s how easy it was to get the job done.

I’ve been an observer of political life, professional and otherwise, for more than forty years. Never have I seen an assault on free speech like this one. It doesn’t matter what your personal view is on the wisdom of exposing the day-to-day minutiae of realpolitik. Free speech — and your right as citizens to live under an open government — are under attack. I can only hope people will speak up to defend them.

Posted in Freedom, Links, Net, News | 1 Comment

Co-Skipperin mit Segelschein !

Posted on Saturday August 28th, 2010 by dafdaf

Seit heute Mittag ist Gui im Besitz eines Segelscheines ! Gestern war Theorie angesagt, heute der Praxisteil der Pruefung. Nun, ja. Ein paar Seemeilen (>1000) hatte meine Co-Skipperin ja schon runter, aber nun darf sie auch ganz offiziell ein Segel- oder Motorboot ueber die Meere steuern ! Yay !!

Posted in Freedom, LosLocos, Sailing | Comments Off

Erster Toern mit der ‘Rancho Relaxo of the Seas’

Posted on Friday June 4th, 2010 by dafdaf

Am 23.5.2010 starten Gunner und ich nach Travemuende zum ersten Toern mit der Rancho Relaxo. Leider beginnt das Wochenende erst einmal mit einem massivem Service des Aussenboarders, der nach einem halben Tag Arbeit dann aber wirklich laeuft !

Anreise mit der Maquina Aussenboarder - Service am Pfingstsonntag Endlich fertig mit Arbeit

Montag morgen kommen Florian, Sven und Peter mit dem Zug nach und die Reise startet nach ein paar Uebungsrunden unter Motor mit einem kleinen Schlag  von 22sm nach Groemitz. Am Dienstag geht es dann mit Sturmwarnung fuer Ostsee und teilweise mit drittem Reff in Richtung Daenemark. Wegen des doch recht miesen Wetters und weil wir mal wieder zu spaet aufgestanden sind, entschliessen wir aber letzten Endes doch, die Marina Burgtiefe auf Fehmarn anzulaufen. Keine Schlechte Entscheidung, denn am naechsten Tag koennen wir bei feinem Wetter und gut genaehrt nach Nysted in See stechen. Kurz vor der daenischen Kueste queren wir einen dezenten Windpark. Nysted selbst ist ein sehr idyllisches, verschlafenes Oertchen und wir bedauern, dass wir leider nur einen Tag in Daenemark bleiben koennen.

Gegen Wind und Welle Nach Nysted Windpark Nysted um 23h

Am Donnerstag geht’s gen Sued nach Warnemuende, wo wir bei leichtem Wind eine gemuetliche Kaffefahrt unter Blister einlegen. Zum ersten mal steigen die Temperaturen auch mal ueber den (gefuehlten) Nullpunkt. Mann – warum ist’s auf der Ostsee nur immer so kalt ? In Schleswig-Holstein war fuer die vergangene Nacht sogar BODENFROST angesagt. WTF ?!?

Daf mit Blister ‘Passatbesegelung’ auf der Ostsee Hehehehe Kaffefahrt - von oben

Nach einem netten Abend “Heute hauen wir aber mal ordentlich auf die Kacke !” in Warnemuende geht’s am Freitag weiter Rtg. Insel Poel. – Denn es war ja Ostwind angesagt. – Tja, der Wetterfreund von DP07 hat sich hier aber wohl getaeuscht, denn wir haben feinsten West-Wind und kreuzen langsam richtung Timmendorf. Wo wir dann Abends bei ~5Bft anlegen und die Kite-Surfer am gegenueberliegenden (tollen !!) Sandstrand bewundern koennen. Hierher komme ich im Sommer sicher nochmal. – Aber hoffentlich bei Badewetter.

Warnemuende - ’schwangere Auster + Leuchtturm’ Timmendorf auf Poel Leuchtturm Timmendorf auf Poel

Am Samstag geht’s in einem letzten Schlag zurueck nach Travemuende. Die letzten Meilen mangels Wind auch unter Motor.

Wie immer waere man nun nach einer Woche auf See nun endlich im Richtigen Tempo angekommen, aber der Urlaub ist schon wieder zu Ende. Tja.

Kurz zusammengefasst: die Rancho Relaxo hat sich bewaehrt – kleine Maengel wurden unterwegs behoben (O-Ton Sven: “Es ist kein Stahlschiff, sondern ein Stahl-Gaffertape-Schiff”. Dank einer ausgezeichneten Crew haben wir auch die 7Bft am zweiten Tag ohne Schaden und recht entspannt ueberstanden und schafften trotz der kurzen Reisezeit von Montag-Samstag doch repektable 186sm. Der Blister ist Toll, und ueberhaupt wuerde ich am liebsten sofort wieder in See stechen.

Naechster Toern-Termin: Ende Juni  – mit Kind, Kegel und Michael Keith als Gast-Star. (und Co-Skipper. ;-)

Posted in Freedom, Pics, Rancho Relaxo, Sailing, Travel | Comments Off

Bilder vom Traumtoern in Kroatien

Posted on Thursday July 31st, 2008 by dafdaf

Puh ! Auch endlich geschafft. – Hier also nun ein kleiner Ausflug nach Kroatien, wo wir mit hochmotivierter Besatzung (abgesehen von kleinen Ausrutschern, wie Kaffee als Sundowner) einen aufregenden aber auch sehr entspannenden Toern erlebten.

Mit ungebremster sportlicher Begeisterung und mit hochmotiviertem Skipper am Ruder blies uns der Yugo mit bis zu 50kn Wind in die naechste Bucht. Dort bei knapp 30 Grad – der lange ersehnte Augenblick: der Eichwal !

Bilder vom Toern

- Ah – und hier noch ein Actionshot:

im Yugo zwischen Korcula und Brac

Posted in Freedom, LosLocos, Pics | Comments Off

Unsere Baugruppe im Fernsehen

Posted on Wednesday October 24th, 2007 by dafdaf

…zu sehen in der Sendung WAS! am Montag, dem 22.10.2007 um 20:15 Uhr. Mit dabei: einige Bauherren der Baugruppe Lichtblick, das Architekturbuero BHZ, die Baugruppe Johannistal…

Gute Werbung nicht nur fuer unsere sondern hoffentlich fuer alle Baugruppen in Berlin !

Download: BG Lichtblick auf RBB

Posted in Freedom, LosLocos | Comments Off

Another Linux distro down

Posted on Tuesday October 23rd, 2007 by dafdaf

First it was Novell, Xandros and Linspire. Now TurboLinux also signed a contract with  Microsoft. Not sure what Microsoft or it’s ‘partners’ are up to yet, but I’d rather stay away from those distributions for now…

Posted in Freedom, Linux, News | Comments Off

Pictures from the sailingtrip in Croatia

Posted on Friday October 19th, 2007 by dafdaf

Uploaded a bunch of pics from our great sailingtrip in Croatia. Hava a look -> here

What else to say ? Well. The weather was amazing, the food was plenty, we had really nice wind, lots of fun and I promise to be back there soon !

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Posted in Freedom, Pics | Comments Off

OOXML erst mal noch kein ISO Standard

Posted on Wednesday September 5th, 2007 by dafdaf

Tja. Manchmal helfen auch die miesesten Tricks und die meiste Kohle nix. ;-)

Ein grosser Tag fuer alle freien Standards ! Und ab wann unterstuetzt eigentlich Apple’s Pages endlich ODF ? Oder hat Jobs Angst, dass dann BillG boese wird ?

Posted in Freedom, Net | Comments Off