Hi Again...
Yes, have been a HAM op, since I was 16 (now 53!) so it's just part of the normal toy cupboard for me
Not that active from home (not enough of the right sort of time!) and since the hand held in the car broke (the RX went deaf) recently not much mobile either.
I have a full 100W HF set in the 4x4, and am trying to get things to the stage, where I can just "plug-n-play" if I want to, when setup in some campsite somewhere. PC wise, I'd like to have something that though I'd not exactly be happy if it broke or got badly damaged, it wont cause me any serious hassle. At the moment, the only decent portable PC I have is the works laptop I'm using now in my lunch break, I definately do not want to damage that, though it does travel with me a lot.
I've used Puppy on/off for the last few years, for odd things, usually getting some old clunker PC to work well enough so someone can play on the web, and it has been very good for that.
It's only because of that "happy time" experience, I thought I'd try to go further, but find just too many dots that are not joined up as it were. Mind you, that seems common in the Linux and open source world overall.
It's Sooooooo frustrating to know what I want to do can be done (I've seen screen shots of *Exactly* what I want to do) but can find no one who seems to know enough to tell me how to do what I want, the right way the first time. In particular, regarding the needed Java Run Time Environment install.
Dot Pup's and dot Pet's are a great idea, and where present install and work well. But if such a file does not exist, it's a show stopper.
As standard Puppy does not seem to support building app's from sources, but I know libraries are available to allow that, but so far the one link I found on another Puppy site is dead.
As to the HAM radio, take the ticket, even the basic Tech/Novice will get you access to air somehow. If not from kit of your own, then via the 'net and other peoples remoteable stations (subject to them letting you!) If you just want to listen, look up the GlobalTuners network (google, you'll find them) no licence needed, and you can listen to real off air stuff via your PC, from anywhere in the world.
Cheers and 73 etc.
Dave.