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New GeoChron 4K and Firmware Preview

Discussion in 'Amateur Radio News' started by KG5AHJ, Sep 3, 2021.

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  1. KG5AHJ

    KG5AHJ Ham Member QRZ Page

    Jason from GigaParts shows off the NEW GeoChron 4K and updated Firmware. We go over the all of the new features and menu options in the latest update. So Play That Awesome Video.


     
    KC7ZXY, KA0HCP, N5MTX and 6 others like this.
  2. AB9TX

    AB9TX Premium Subscriber QRZ Page

    I would like a live feed of wspr propagation for my station...I would buy one.
     
    KG5AHJ likes this.
  3. N3OP

    N3OP XML Subscriber QRZ Page

    I would like a live feed of DX spots or PSKReporter. Who needs the number of Covid cases for amateur radio? Add these features and I will purchase it.
     
    AK5B and KG5AHJ like this.
  4. W7UUU

    W7UUU Director, QRZ Forums Lifetime Member 133 QRZ HQ Staff Life Member QRZ Page

    I have one and also really scratched my head about some of the layers you can turn on.... COVID cases seems the oddest. But global temperature, winds, and pollution are also pretty meaningless for amateur radio.

    Would be awesome to "marry" it to DX Maps to allow band-by-band QSO information, mode/QSO information, etc. - stuff that's USEFUL for hams. I'm sure for weather hobbyists and yachtsmen would dig the weather stuff and maybe global travelers the COVID layer - but sure would be nice to have more ham information - since hams are certainly a market it's being sold into. The only layer I turn on that's not just basic stuff is the ISS - kinda fun to see where it is at any moment. And if you're going to have a COVID layer, why not a typhus layer? Cholera layer? There are other diseases in the world travelers are concerned about - not just COVID.

    But overall it's a good product IMO and looks good in my shack on a dedicated 43" UHD monitor on the wall.

    Dave
    W7UUU
     
    AK5B and WB5THT like this.
  5. KG5AHJ

    KG5AHJ Ham Member QRZ Page

    Those Sound like a awesome Overlap to have.
     
  6. WD0BCT

    WD0BCT Ham Member QRZ Page

    The minimum size dedicated UHD display keeps increasing on the GeoChron 4K edition due to the huge size of the displayed data. I recall the relatively small displays utilized by the original mechanical GeoChron models. They have come a long way but the typical ham is deluged with data that does not interest him.

    Do I have the space or desire to provide a large dedicated UHD display for a world clock in my recently downsized apartment? No. But it is a great bells and whistles display for those who like such things!
     
    AK5B and W7UUU like this.
  7. W7UUU

    W7UUU Director, QRZ Forums Lifetime Member 133 QRZ HQ Staff Life Member QRZ Page

    My beef isn't so much needing the UHD display.... it's the underpowered computer they use. It may have had the oomph with the very first revs of the product but it's SUPER sluggish on the current version of software/firmware. It's time to base the system on a more powerful "micro-size" computer.

    I've learned to just not mess with mine much - set it and leave it. The response time to changes is just too sluggish.

    Dave
    W7UUU
     
    EI9IB, AK5B, KE5OFJ and 1 other person like this.
  8. KM5BOR

    KM5BOR Ham Member QRZ Page

    so question........is there a monthly fee for these maps? if so how much for what? if a one time cost what is that? thanks so much.
     
  9. KM5BOR

    KM5BOR Ham Member QRZ Page

    what they should do is just sell software that works on a windows and Mac machine. that would cut cost and give the user more power with higher powered computers.
     
    EI9IB, N3OP, AD5IN and 1 other person like this.
  10. W7UUU

    W7UUU Director, QRZ Forums Lifetime Member 133 QRZ HQ Staff Life Member QRZ Page

    None that I'm aware of. The software has an option to check for updates (which I do frequently) but it has never indicated there is a cost.

    Dave
    W7UUU
     
  11. WT4VV

    WT4VV XML Subscriber QRZ Page

    The only cost is if the user wants to buy premium layers. So far, there are only two: Earthquake ($19.99/year), and the Ham Radio Bundle ($6.99/month or $69.99/year).
     
  12. NQ0S

    NQ0S Premium Subscriber QRZ Page

    While I have always thought these were tremendously cool, I just don't think the cost is reasonable in my budget. I recently spun up the free HamClock (http://clearskyinstitute.com/ham/HamClock/) software using an old raspberry pi and fairly recent high res monitor. Gets me many of the features and it cost me almost nothing. IMG_0833.jpeg
     
    KM5BOR, AA5BK, NR1T and 1 other person like this.
  13. W7UUU

    W7UUU Director, QRZ Forums Lifetime Member 133 QRZ HQ Staff Life Member QRZ Page

    Very cool and the value just cannot be overlooked! I've seen others build a system very similar to yours.

    But I think the "allure and the glory" of the Geochron is the stunningly detailed and beautiful global map in UHD (near 4K). It's absolutely beautiful on a 4k display... I run mine on both a 43" 4K as well as replicating it out to a 75" display (the Man Cave TV - displays Geochron when not watching something).

    Most folks that buy a Geochron system are as much into the "eye candy" aspect as the function.

    YOUR solution is amazing! If you're after a really cool image, and lot of data - you can't beat it for all of that.

    But until you've seen the GC system on a big screen like a Samsung OLED 75" 4K you might not get the appeal they are going after.

    As I said - if they would only provide a more powerful processor to handle the load better.

    Dave
    W7UUU
     
    KD5UVV and AK5B like this.
  14. AK5B

    AK5B XML Subscriber QRZ Page

    I bought mine before realizing that there are also no Ebola, Lyme disease, malaria, Zika or Dengue Fever layers either---perhaps those will be firmware updates once they realize that there's a lot of other stuff going around besides the China virus.

    As for the weather/wind/temperature layers; some VHF/UHF tropo chasers might find them of use to predict openings, I suppose.

    The main reason I finally bought one is the fact that Geochrons are just plain cool! Watching the amateur satellites and ISS move across our globe is something that will aid my re-entry into bird chasing greatly, too. ;)

    73,

    Jeff
     
    W7UUU likes this.
  15. W7UUU

    W7UUU Director, QRZ Forums Lifetime Member 133 QRZ HQ Staff Life Member QRZ Page

    Here's an early view of my major shack rebuild from a few months ago, showing the 43" as well as the 75" view.

    The Geochron box is behind the 43" screen. There's an HDMI routing matrix (not seen in this view) that routes any HDMI signal in the shack to any monitor. The Geochron shows well on ANY screen.

    Dave
    W7UUU

    chron.jpg
     
    KM5BOR, KG5AHJ, W0PV and 4 others like this.

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