YB3TD – Rivai

There will be one new flour mill plant on my city, Gresik, East Java. This time a reputable national business group had a plan to build their new flour mill plant here. Situated on Sidorukun, 3 km south east from Gresik town centre, Wilmar group will build it. I think the Wilmar flour mill location will be next to Wilmar palm oil refinery facility. This Wilmar palm oil refinery already going to market with brand name Sania.

Situated on Kapten Darmo Sugondo street, this Wilmar flour mill is the second flour mill on my city. The first is Fugui Flour dan Grain Indonesia, situated on Sukomulyo street. Demand of wheat flour on Indonesia is increase approx 7% every year. So new flour mills builded one plant per year here on Indonesia.

Actually not far from both flour mills, there is another flour mill known as Bogasari flour mill. Situated on Tanjung Perak harbour area, this Bogasari flour mill is having biggest production capacity here on East Java area.

I don’t know what Wilmar group plan to run their flour mill using what type of flour mill machine. The most popular flour machine is from Bohler, Switzerland. But I think flour mills machinery from China also had a good quality to use. I will update it here if I already hear anything from them.

So welcome to Wilmar flour mill and see you on flour market competition on Indonesia.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Newer technology require me to adapt and adopt. Before time, I’m a fanatic user of CT K1EA logging contest software. Then suddenly K1EA stop develop his software. It’s going worst when Windows XP go to market and complicated with no more serial ports (COM ports) and parallel port on newer version of notebooks or laptops. So no more possibility to keep using CT K1EA to help me logging during contest. Bye bye CT.

My head then turn to N1MM logging contest software. The only reason I choose (and only reason why I left CT) is N1MM can key up CW on my radio. N1MM can handle keying CW via serial port and trough serial port that converted from USB ports. As you know, newest notebooks are no longer equipped with serial/COM ports and parallel port. It’s replaced with USB ports, 3-4 ports for each notebook computers. So we have to buy a USB to serial cable adapter to convert our USB port to serial/COM port that compatible with N1MM requirements.

But unfortunately not all USB to serial cable adapter type can be used. Not only with N1MM, I found I can’t used also even with simple program like Hyperterminal. I don’t know why. Driver software was loaded. COM already set to COM8. But still can’t work. Here this the cable I was bought. The cable chipset is USB to serial adapter Semi-tech. This semi-tech usb to serial adapter as you can see on photo, has a white clear plastic cable cover. Inside the plastic cover is aluminium foil as interference shield. USB jack and serial jack DB9 are colored with blue-green clear PVC. This cable is not working to key CW on N1MM and simple loopback with Hyperterminal. I’m not test it with other gadgets.

Then I borrow USB to serial cable adapter from YD0NGA. It’s UMC211 Chipset Technology (Taiwan) but has Prolific chipset inside. The cable color is dark and different model with Semi-tech adapter. And whoala, this UMC 211 is work to key CW with N1MM. And another evidence of old aphorism, Good Thing is Not Cheap, Cheap Thing is Not Good. UMC211 price is US$18 while Semi-tech cable is only US$ 6 here in Surabaya city computer mall.

On N1MM side, some important things to notice:

1. set your COM port between number COM1-COM8. Because N1MM coded to work only on that COM range. N1MM programmer notice for COMs higher than COM8 are already a COM branches, not a root COM anymore. It will give some delay or even error during USB scanning.
2. Set DTR to “CW” while RTS to “always off”.
3. Make sure you USB to serial cable adapter driver is successfully installed.

To set you COM port, you can set it from Ports Device Manager. Klik Advance and you will see a radio button to change you COM setting.

So don’t wrong choosing cable. And happy contesting.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

On 2002, I was signing as YE2R from Karimunjawa island OC-186 along with some ham friends. At that moment, the QSL manager is Fransisco EA7FTR.

I though it would be first and last activation of YE2R callsign. But suddenly I was informed by friend YB2ECG that another team will signing YE2R to join CQWW SSB 2009 contest tomorrow.

It’s okay for me. But please take a notice that YE2R 2002 and YE2R  2009 is different team. So if anyone need QSL card for YE2R 2009, it should be not go to EA7FTR. Fransisco is not the qsl manager for YE2R. I’m not sure who is, but last time I heard, it’s either YB2ECG or EB7DX. Just check at QRZ to avoid confusing. But for you who need QSL card from YE2R 2002 Karimunjawa dxpedition, the QSL manager is still EA7FTR. Direct or buro (via URE).

Good luck YE2R 2009. Contesting is always fun.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites