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Another Successful Window-Eyes Customer
by Jeremy Curry on Friday, January 8 2010All of us at GW Micro are very committed to what we do. We love our jobs, and a big portion of why we love what we do is because we get to help make people successful through the use of our products. It goes as no surprise that we love to hear stories about how Window-Eyes and our other products help people become successful in whatever they want to do. This morning, I was pleased to find an email message in my inbox from Mike Deerfield, CEO of Deerfield.com, about a mutual customer. If you are unfamiliar with Deerfield, they distribute 3CX IP PBX, Kerio Products, IceWarp Mail Server, VisNetic MailFlow, AntiVirus, and the DNS2Go dynamic DNS service. Mike passed on a blog entry about a great story about a Window-Eyes customer who is using Window-Eyes with DNS2Go (www.dns2go.com) for his ham radio operation. With Deerfield's permission, I am re-posting the blog entry that Mike sent. You can find the original post at http://www.dynamicdnsblog.com/2010/01/dns2go-helps-blind-man-see-world.html: *Begin re-post of blog* DNS2Go Helps a Blind Man “See the World” Through Ham Radio In my search to find unique and cool uses for Dynamic DNS, I have to admit that this story has touched my heart. The more I learned about it – the more it hit home to me how much of an amazing story it really is! A story about how technology can be used to improved the quality of life for those who may not have been born with the gifts that most of us take for granted. Nicci Nasser, my co-worker here at Deerfield is responsible for helping me uncover one of the best Dynamic DNS stories of the decade. In a nutshell, Roy McCutcheon, a professional artist and musician that has been blind from birth - and a longtime Ham Radio Operator moved to an 8th floor apartment which prevented him from having an outside antenna for his radio. Without an outdoor antenna – it was not practical for Roy to continue his hobby at home. Tom Brew, his friend and fellow Ham enthusiast jumped into action and set up a remotely located radio for Roy to use, and access via DNS2Go. Roy can now control it as his own, and it has enabled him to continue his hobby and passion as a Ham Radio operator. Please take a moment, sit back and enjoy this great story about two gentlemen that met by chance through the common bond of Ham (Amateur) Radio and solved a problem using dynamic DNS, along with other tools. 20070117_WhiteBkgnd “Hello. My name is Roy McCutcheon (Ham call sign: W3TKR) and I thought I'd write to you about the unique way I use DNS2Go. I am totally blind and live in an 8th floor apartment in Reading, Pennsylvania. Music is my profession--I'm a piano player and singer. I lived in Nashville for ten years and played piano and sang backup for Alan Jackson, Travis Tritt, Randy Travis and Tanya Tucker." Because I'm in an apartment I cannot put up any outside antennas. Being a ham radio operator that is not a good thing. But with the help of my friend, Tom Brew K3WS, and DNS2GO, I can still be on the air. Using Tom's Remote Base ham radio setup in College Park, Maryland, DNS2GO, and software called Ham Radio Deluxe, I can get on the air from not only my apartment but anywhere in the world through the internet. DNS2GO allows for a static domain name so I can connect with - and control the radio through Ham Radio Deluxe. I can do anything with the radio that I could do if I were operating it in person. I can change frequencies, power level, modes of operation, anything through this connection. Audio is delivered to and from the radio using Skype. You might wonder how I can operate the computer being that I am (and have always been) totally blind. I use a screen-reading program called Window-Eyes and a Braille display. Text is converted into Braille on my display and I can operate that way. Isn't technology wonderful? If you have any further questions you can contact me on www.qrz.com - lookup W3TKR I understand that Tom, K3WS has more than one remote base operation on the air and plans to add more so others may enjoy the hobby of ham radio. Data will be posted on K3WS.com in the near future.” Tom Brew is the man responsible for helping Roy stay connected to the Ham Radio world. His story is quite interesting as well. Read what Tom has to say: “Hello Mike, My history would bore you to tears but I have done every thing from US defense related contract manufacturing starting with multiplexed satellite downlinkTom data transmissions over fiber optics in 1983 to surface mount technology building anything from TOMAHAWK Missile Launch Systems to Bradley Tank wiring harnesses. I have been involved in computers and networking since the 8088 and good old token ring :-) I have always been a "it can be done" type of person even when technology might not be there yet. Simply, I love ham radio and only became licensed just over two years ago. I past all three levels of testing in only two test sessions and have achieved an extra class license. Currently I own/manage two HF remote base operations, a 2 meter repeater K3WS Repeater 147.070 in Carrollton PA, host an echolink (www.echolink.org) station connected to another 2 meter repeater in Johnstown, PA under Call Sign K3WS-L and now with DNS2Go I will be adding an echolink station to the 147.060 K3WS repeater using call sign K3WS-R and yet another HF remote base station at the 147.060 repeater site serving back up emergency communications for the East Coast to Mid West of the United States. Visit www.k3ws.com for updates. Frankly I do a lot and to be able to access all of this from a PC anywhere is important to me. I work in Washington DC during the week and commute home on the weekends. I can not have connections going down because of dynamic IP address changes, and I can not lose control of my widely spread equipment. Simply DNS2Go gives me access to a reliable realization of my "current" IP address allowing Skype and Ham Radio Deluxe http://www.ham-radio-deluxe.com/ to find my host radio when requested by the remote terminal/radio. I also use a Kenwood developed radio control software on my 2nd remote base that simply looks for the host radio/PC IP address when called for. Ham Radio Deluxe is the rig control and MUCH more while Skype is the TX and RX voice interface. HRD also has it's own Remote Operation Server. Cool stuff - should look the guy up. Personally I do what I do to help others have fun and enjoy communications in the time of peace and be ready to serve the community in the time of need. I did not know Roy until I met him on the air. On the other hand, I talk to Dave (G0EVY) almost nightly on 3.786 LSB using a piece of wire and 100 Watts, Dam this is fun!!! Oh yeah he is G0EVY DAVE STROBEL Near Bromsgrove, England! Tom Brew K3WS K3WS.com” *End re-post of blog* If you have other success stories using Window-Eyes or other GW Micro products, we would love to hear them. Feel free to drop me a line at jeremy@gwmicro.com. Have a great weekend everyone!
