Trying to get you to buy new? - NOT amateur radio

For some years I have owned an Apple iPod Touch 4g. It runs iOS V6.1.6 and this software is fully up to date for this particular device. I checked only a few hours ago.

Recently, FaceBook is even slower to connect than normal, even though it is almost instant on the PC. It is almost as if Apple is forcing an upgrade. Now, I am not saying this is the case, although that is how it makes me feel.  If software only works properly with a newer OS, which I can only get for newer devices, I think this is wrong.

It seems bizarre that I can no longer get reliable connection (if at all) on my device that has given me good service for years. And, yes, I have tried the old trick of turning the device fully off, then on.

Safari - NOT amateur radio

For no apparent reason, the Safari browser on my iPod Touch 4g has stopped displaying the graph of visitors to the various blogs I do. They appear fine in Firefox on the laptop. This has only recently happened. I used to check visits to the blogs when in bed, but am unable to do so now. I tried a complete reboot, but still the same. It is as if blogger.com has changed something. Anyone else had a similar issue?

Optical NLOS test - next time pack everything!

This evening I set off to my Landwade location where I hoped to check the non line-of-sight (NLOS) signal level from my 481THz, red LED, QRSS3 beacon TXing from home. This time I'd carefully aligned the TX and adjusted the RX optical alignment in daylight, so everything should have been spot on.

481THz RX with iPod Touch 4g running SpectrumView

Then I realised I'd left a vital lead at home that allowed me to connect the optical RX to the laptop. Next time I need a checklist as it is a 10 mile round trip to the test site.

Instead, I tried to copy the signal using the optical RX fed into my iPod Touch with SpectrumView software, but the bandwidth was too wide to allow me to find the weak signal. I hope to repeat the test in the next week (with the laptop and Spectran set to 0.34Hz bandwidth), but this time with EVERYTHING packed for the test.

I was very annoyed with myself for forgetting this audio lead as it prevented a meaningful test being done. I also need to find a different NLOS test site that is less far to drive to but still at about the same distance (3.6km).

The limitations of my cheap tripod are also apparent: I need a much sturdier one that has a compass attached and much smoother pan and tilt.

iPod Touch 4g - resetting

This evening I decided to do a "return to factory reset" on my Apple iPod Touch 4g as I'd run out of storage space on the 8GB machine and the battery life, despite regularly closing open apps, was getting very poor. I'd put this down to the age (2 years) and almost daily use draining the LiIon batteries.

So, I backed up the photos and videos, ensured the apps were safe on the main PC and pressed the "reset". Then I loaded iOS6.0 and all the apps back on the iPod. First impressions are that the battery life has just about doubled and appears to be almost back to what it was 2 years ago. I wasn't expecting this. To be honest, it feels like a brand new machine.

Although I don't buy that many modern gadgets the purchase of the iPod Touch 4g 2 years ago was one of my best ever purchases. It allows me to keep in touch with my emails, BBC, family by Skype and FaceTime video, WSPR spots monitoring, take photos and videos, Facebook, etc wherever there is a WiFi connection.  It slips in my pocket and is an almost constant companion.

My whole family are Apple converts!

iPod Touch external audio - success!

Thanks to some input from Robin G7VKQ I have now managed to get an external mic to work with my iPod Touch 4g. He referred me to http://www.blackcatsystems.com/ipad/iPad_iPhone_iPod_Touch_Microphone_Wiring.html which shows that a resistor to ground is needed to make the device recognise the external mic is in place. In the end I found a couple of ways to make the connection work (shown below).

When used with the Spectrum View app from Oxford Wave Research I was able to connect my lightbeam receiver to my iPod Touch 4g and record QRSS3 and CW transmissions. This is 10wpm CW being received at home between rooms by scatter in broad daylight.

iPod Touch 4g repair video

Ever wondered how one would go about repairing an iPod Touch 4g if one went wrong? I chanced upon this video describing how to disassemble it. This Apple device is quite remarkable as it does so much in such a small space and having seen just how it is constructed inside I am even more impressed. However, even having seen this excellent video I think it is beyond my skills to repair it if it went wrong.

iPod Touch, SpectrumView and external mic input

A few days ago I mentioned SpectrumView as being a very useful package for the iPhone and iPod Touch 4g for audio measurements and spectrum analysis. Well, I've now got a 4 pin jack plug and wired it up (according to the best published data I can find) as an external mic input. To my great disappointment nothing happened and the internal mic was still being selected. I am wondering if something has to be asserted to select the external mic input? Anyone know please? What did I do wrong? The ring nearest the jack body is the mic input and the next ring down is supposed to be the ground. I checked the plug was correctly wired. Help!