Beware of Killer Thumb Drives

Posted in The Broadcaster's Desktop Resource

By Barry Mishkind

You may never look at a USB thumb drive or cable the same way after reading this. What was just a precaution that seemed like overkill now may be a warning we need to know. See how this all progressed.

USB devices are so common that most people plug them in without a second thought. But that casual habit carries real risks — from data theft to hardware destruction. Here is why you should think twice before connecting an unknown USB device.

Some years ago, I had the opportunity to visit the office of a fairly well-known Group Chief Engineer. As we talked, I offered him a flash drive with information about a matter about which we had previously spoken and emailed. His response surprised me.

“That will not work. All the USB ports in our computers have been disabled and/or blocked. The only exception is one completely isolated unit in the studio for talk show guests,” he said. “If you want to get that information to me, just send it in an email.”

POLICY OVERKILL?

At first, I was taken aback. Flash drives were the key to the “sneaker network” many of us used all the time.

Getting information from studio to transmitter, for example was much easier when we could put it in our pocket and connect on site. IP and network connections, logins, and directory searches were bypassed in a moment.

But, here, all the USB ports were not only disconnected, many (most?) were actually blocked from accepting the plug at all.

A REASON FOR THE TIME

It only took a few minutes for the group chief to explain why this policy evolved.

Learn More About SDR

The Boston Software Defined Radio User Group, SDR-Boston, is hosting the New England Workshop for Software Defined Radio 2026 (NEWSDR), June 4 - 5, at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in Worcester, Massachusetts.

The primary goal of this workshop is to provide a forum that enables software defined radio (SDR) enthusiasts to get together, collaborate, and introduce SDR concepts to those interested in furthering their knowledge of SDR capabilities and available resources. NEWSDR 2026 welcomes experienced SDR enthusiasts as well as individuals who are interested in getting started with SDR.

John Swoboda, Ph.D., Geospace Research Scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Haystack Observatory, said the two-day event is open to all amateur radio operators who want to learn more about SDR.

“This an opportunity...to explore more opportunities...using SDR, how it works, and the advantages of SDR technology,” said Swoboda. “You don’t have to quit using the tactile touch of tuning a transceiver or give up tubes. SDR still has all of those familiar functions.”

The keynote speaker this year is ARRL Member Gregory Charvat, N8ZRY. A radar expert in his professional life, he operates SSB equipment that he has designed/built from scratch and vintage gear that he has restored. His work has been featured in QST magazine, on Hackaday, and many other publications. Charvat is a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). His YouTube channel is Gregory Charvat - YouTube.

NEWSDR 2026 will be held at WPI, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, Massachusetts. The main event is scheduled for Friday June 5, 2026, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Eastern). Tutorials are scheduled Thursday June 4, 5:00 – 9:00 PM (Eastern). Attendance is free, but advance registration is required. Visit newsdr.org/workshops/newsdr-2026/.

Happy Marconi Day!

No wire. No cable. Just invisible waves sent across a raging Atlantic Ocean.

A 27-year-old Italian kid with a crazy idea proved the entire scientific world wrong.

That moment — that single crackling signal traveling 2,100 miles through a stormy sky — is the reason YOU are a ham radio operator today.

Every QSO you’ve ever made. Every DX contact. Every late-night pile-up. Every friend you’ve met on the bands.

It all traces back to one man. One antenna. One spark.

Today we honor the father of wireless — Guglielmo Marconi — born April 25, 1874.

Without him, there is no ham radio. No satellites. No WiFi. No modern world as we know it.

So today, get on the air. Make a contact. And when you do — tip your hat to the man who started it all. 

Silent Keys

 

World Amateur Radio Day

Every April 18, radio amateurs worldwide take to the airwaves in celebration of World Amateur Radio Day. It was on this day in 1925 that the International Amateur Radio Union was formed in Paris.

Amateur Radio experimenters were the first to discover that the short wave spectrum — far from being a wasteland — could support worldwide propagation. In the rush to use these shorter wavelengths, Amateur Radio was “in grave danger of being pushed aside,” the IARU’s history has noted.  Amateur Radio pioneers created the IARU to support Amateur Radio worldwide.

Just two years later, at the International Radiotelegraph Conference, Amateur Radio gained the allocations still recognized today — 160, 80, 40, 20, and 10 meters.  Since its founding, the IARU has worked tirelessly to defend and expand the frequency allocations for Amateur Radio. Thanks to the support of enlightened administrations in every part of the globe, radio amateurs are now able to experiment and communicate in frequency bands strategically located throughout the radio spectrum.  From the 25 countries that formed the IARU in 1925, the IARU has grown to include 160 member-societies in three regions. IARU Region 1 includes Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Northern Asia. Region 2 covers the Americas, and Region 3 is comprised of Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific island nations, and most of Asia. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has recognized the IARU as representing the interests of Amateur Radio.

Today, Amateur Radio is more popular than ever, with more than 3,000,000 licensed operators around the world.  

World Amateur Radio Day is the day when IARU Member-Societies can show our capabilities to the public and enjoy global friendship with other Amateurs worldwide.

IARU is celebrated its centenary in 2025. Since its founding in Paris, France, IARU has worked tirelessly to promote innovation in amateur radio and to encourage the growth of the service in communities throughout the world.

IARU has represented the Amateur Services at international and regional regulatory bodies by relying on our volunteers who come from many countries and communities. IARU has been a sector member of the ITU since 1932 and the work of our volunteers has continued since that date with unmatched success, as was highlighted with the accomplishments at WRC-23.

We should take time to reflect on the remarkable achievements of radio amateurs over the last 100 or so years. While the Amateur Services have been in operation for over a century, 1924 was the first year that intercontinental amateur communication became more or less commonplace. Since that time radio amateurs have made unparalleled advances in technology related to the Amateur Services that play a critical role today in sustaining world-wide communications and allow us to respond to global emergencies. 

World Amateur Radio Day is an opportunity to reflect on our achievements since 1924. We should celebrate the many advances and innovations amateurs have made as we look forward to celebrating the IARU centenary next year.

HamClock Instructions and Tips for Open HamClock Backend Setup

Here are setup instructions (and more!) for HamClock and tips on how to connect your version of HamClock to Open Hamclock Backend (OHB) which is an open source backend server and the one that I use and recommend.  Just follow this link:

https://ohb.works/open-hamclock-backend-instructions/