EchoHam.

[sllewk]

Hello to every one, I am trying to start to use EchoHam on my iMac running Ventura 13.3.1 and whilst I can download EchoHam I cannot open it ready for a QSO. Sorry I used ham speak there - QSO for the ones who do not know is ham speak for a contact. I can connect with the server alright but cannot get any further no matter what I click on nothing happens at all. EchoHam is my only chance of using my call sign because at my age ( all most 89) I am very strictly hampered when it comes to stringing antennas high in the air. Also I would be fighting with my neighbours, my wife does not enter the ring now as she resides in a Nursing Home about 9 miles away. That means SWMBO does not enter the stage at all. From past fights I know neighbours can be full of fight on the subject of antennas. Now I have EchoHam on my iMac it is most frustrating to find I cannot open it to talk to anyone. Any advice would be most welcome and I send thanks in anticipation. regards from Keith in Derby England.

 

[IWT]

Hi Rich

Great to see you here again. 89 eh? Not bad. Sorry to hear about your wife being 9 miles away, despite the advantages

I'm not into Ham Radio at all, but until a more savvy person answers, you might wish to browses through some of these links:

EchoHam on my iMac

EchoHam version v2.28 has been released

EchoHam allows Amateur Radio operators to use the Echolink network from their iMac. You must be a licensed Amateur Radio operator to use this software. If you are new to the EchoLink system, after …

www.machamradio.com

EchoHam I cannot open it ready for a QSO.

I know that's a lot of links and no doubt less than helpful in some cases, but there might be a tidbit of info which solves your problem?

All the best

Ian

 

[Slydude]

@sllewk

Glad to see that you are around again. Hopefully, someone more knowledgeable about this program than I am can provide specific assistance. In the meantime a couple of questions occur to me:

1. When was the last macOS version where the EchoHam worked as expected? Perhaps that will give us a clue what is different/what settings may need to be changed.

2. Are you getting any error messages from the program?

 

[sllewk]

Hello Ian, nice to see you again, I hope all is as well as can be accepted at yours. I have tried following your links but nothing seems to work this way. I will just have to put it back in the back of my murky mind. Mavis does not get any better I am sorry to say but with dementia I gather there is not a cure at all. Sadly I am not prepared to get her back home as I recall last year only too easily, been there done that and I have not got any desire to repeat the experience one little bit! Oh I know it sounds awful and self centred But sadly I find it better to visit her than to have her here all the time. The "I need"! goes on day and night which means no proper sleep for months on end, Do not want all that again.
Very best regards from Keith in Derby England.

 

[sllewk]

Ian, Going to get a meal ready now, see you again some time .
regards from Keith in Derby England.

 

[pm-r]

Hello to every one, I am trying to start to use EchoHam on my iMac running Ventura 13.3.1 and whilst I can download EchoHam I cannot open it ready for a QSO.

What version of EchoHam.app are you trying to get working???

Their latest version 2.29 says it "Requires macOS 10.15 or later."

I just thought I would mention that detail just in case... ;-)



- Patrick
=======

 

[sllewk]

Hello Patric, I am trying to start EchoHam using Ventura 13.3.1(a) but do not seem able to get it working at all. After clicking to get it on screen I can connect to the server then nothing else seems to work Repeater Link or Station I get something like a morse key and nothing in any of the boards. To me it seems a complete waste of time.
Keith in Derby England.

 

[pm-r]

Hello Patric, I am trying to start EchoHam using Ventura 13.3.1(a) but do not seem able to get it working at all

My apologies Keith, it seems I was having a brain fart over macOS version numbers and was thinking you were using an older version.

Is EchoHam not the same program you were having some problems with several years ago and quite a lengthy discussion as I vaguely recall with some other ham members on this forum. Jake and others if I remember correctly.

I'm sorry I cannot help, and does EchoHam have any sort of support help you could ask??? I didn't check if they do or not. But it may be minimal as it's offered as a free program I believe.

I had a look at another application, MultiMode Cocoa, but it was not free and I could only get it to work on my El Capitan iMac after finally downloading only the ".sit" version. The other.dmg would not expand or open properly, only the .sit download worked:

MultiMode Download

But it is a little bit on the pricey side it seems to me, and certainly nags enough to pay for it. And I only have a phony call sign that I and my friend used to use, but it seems It's actually legit these days so I just trashed everything to do with MultiMode Cocoa. Besides I don't know how it works anyway.

Sorry, I couldn't help further, but good luck.

And personally I think I would just use Skype these days or some other Messenger type application.

We had a family friend who was an avid HAM operator with a huge antenna on a hill where he lived not too far away from me and who communicated with other operators all over the world, but unfortunately, he passed away, which would be a few years ago now.



- Patrick
=======

 

[Slydude]

Sadly I am not prepared to get her back home as I recall last year only too easily, been there done that and I have not got any desire to repeat the experience one little bit! Oh I know it sounds awful and self centred But sadly I find it better to visit her than to have her here all the time. The "I need"! goes on day and night which means no proper sleep for months on end, Do not want all that again.
Very best regards from Keith in Derby England.

That does not sound awful or selfish to me. It sounds like you are doing what is needed to get Mavis the level of care that she needs even though I'm sure you would prefer to have her at home with you.

You and I are about one generation and a pond apart butI suspect that we were brought up with similar expectations when it comes to the care of loved ones: Unless extended hospitalization brought the prospect of a cure, loved ones were to be taken care of at home. Dementia is forcing a change of that expectation whether we like to or not.

I've seen this change within my own family over the last several years. Both my maternal grandmother and great-grandmother were taken care of at home because their needs could be met by taking care of basic health/safety/medication needs. We didn't really have to worry about them being a danger to themselves or them wandering off unannounced.

We've also had family members experiencing dementia and that presents a completely different set of challenges for everyone (loved ones/caregivers). The symptoms/manifestations vary a bit but often require 24/7 vigilance to prevent them from injuring themselves, getting lost, etc. Unfortunately, the increasing level of care needed often requires some level of assisted/in-patient care just to protect their well-being even though we would prefer having them at home with us.

 

[Alan_B]

FWIW EchoLink is available for iPhone and iPad and in addition the iPad EchoLink app. can be installed on "Silicon" Macs via the App Store and seems to run very well. I haven't used EchoHam for a very long time and had the impression it was no longer supported but maybe I should give it another chance?

 

[sllewk]

Hi, having seen and read all the replies I feel EchoHam is best left alone. It seemed like a good idea at the time but as days go by I begin to wonder if I really need it and the answer is NO I DO NOT. I use uppercase letters to bring it all to the front of my mind. I thank all concerned for their patience and replies, they have been very helpful, thank you one and all.

Keith in Derby England.

 

[pm-r]

I feel EchoHam is best left alone. It seemed like a good idea at the time but as days go by I begin to wonder if I really need it and the answer is NO I DO NOT.

That sounds like an excellent idea, especially if it is not going to work properly for you, and secondly, if you don't really need it, why bother with any of its frustration it may cause you.

BTW: and OT, I Googled your "Derby England" and it seems like a rather nice and interesting place to live.



- Patrick
=======

 

[IWT]

it seems like a rather nice and interesting place to live.

It is. Been there on many occasions, Patrick. Mind you, that was a few years ago..........

Ian

 

[pm-r]

It is. Been there on many occasions, Patrick. Mind you, that was a few years ago..........

Quite a bit busier and more populated and developed than your much more rural Deganwy area I'm sure.



- Patrick
=======

 

[sllewk]

DERBY!!! Hello all who commented on my home city. To the older people who live there and have done so for many years Derby has, like many other places, suffered from the unenlightened "City Fathers". In ' "gay abandonment". Over the years they have torn the Heart of the city
on the excuse 'It will improve things for the inhabitants'. In a number of the so called improvements I say quite possibly but never repeat never in a million years have they improved any thing at all. Apart from 22 years service in the RAF I have lived here all the rest of my life. I can honestly say in the vast majority of improvements there has been nothing but utter stupidity from those who, in the position they hold, shouldlknow better. I do not suppose Derby is alone in this Council's Stupidity. I moan about the loss of lots of sites that have been razed to the ground. ENOUGH YOU SILLY OLD MAN. Keith in Derby England.