"Firefox","Prototype of a Digital Biopsy Device - Mozilla Firefox","05/19/2009  9:45a","05/19/2009  9:45a","766ms","0.0"
"Firefox","Dual-Channel Mobile Surface Electromyograph - Mozilla Firefox","05/19/2009  9:46a","05/19/2009  9:46a","797ms","0.0"
"Windows Explorer","","03/24/2008  9:30a","05/19/2009  9:48a","49d 6h 9m","20.7"
"Windows Explorer","09_04_07_RA_SA_AV","05/19/2009  8:48a","05/19/2009  8:48a","1.0s","0.0"
"Windows Explorer","Image003.jpg - Windows Picture and Fax Viewer","05/18/2009  4:03p","05/18/2009  4:03p","1.2s","0.0"

I have a 13mb file containing lines like this which I parse, condense, analyze, re-parse, and graph with a Python script I just wrote. Briefly it finds the first and last entry time and creates a dictionary object whose keys are the hours between the 1st and last log lines, parses the log, determines which time block each entry belongs to, and increments the integer (value of the dictionary) for its respective key. Something similar is repeated, but with respect to days rather than hours. The result is:

I’d like to thank Python, Numpy, and of course my all-time-favorite software in the world, MatPlotLib. The code I used to generate the graph above is here:

# This script analyzes data exported from "TimeTrack" (a free computer usage
# monitoring program for windows) and graphs the data visually.
import time, pylab, datetime, numpy

# This is my computer usage data.  Generate yours however you want.
allHours = ['2008_10_29 0', '2009_03_11 5', '2009_04_09 5', '2008_07_04 10',
'2008_12_18 9', '2009_01_30 12', '2008_09_04 7', '2008_05_17 1',
'2008_05_11 5', '2008_11_03 3', '2008_05_21 3', '2009_02_19 11',
'2008_08_15 13', '2008_04_02 4', '2008_07_16 5', '2008_09_16 8',
'2008_04_10 5', '2009_05_10 1', '2008_12_30 4', '2008_06_07 2',
'2008_11_23 0', '2008_08_03 0', '2008_04_30 4', '2008_07_28 9',
'2008_05_19 0', '2009_03_30 7', '2008_06_19 3', '2009_01_24 3',
'2008_08_23 6', '2008_12_01 0', '2009_02_23 6', '2008_11_27 0',
'2008_05_02 5', '2008_10_20 13', '2008_03_27 5', '2009_04_02 9',
'2009_02_21 0', '2008_09_13 1', '2008_12_13 0', '2009_04_14 11',
'2009_01_31 7', '2008_11_04 10', '2008_07_09 6', '2008_10_24 10',
'2009_02_22 0', '2008_09_25 12', '2008_12_25 0', '2008_05_26 4',
'2009_05_01 10', '2009_04_26 11', '2008_08_10 8', '2008_11_08 6',
'2008_07_21 12', '2009_04_21 3', '2009_05_13 8', '2009_02_02 8',
'2008_10_07 2', '2008_06_10 6', '2008_09_21 0', '2009_03_17 9',
'2008_08_30 7', '2008_11_28 4', '2009_02_14 0', '2009_01_22 6',
'2008_10_11 0', '2008_06_22 8', '2008_12_04 0', '2008_03_28 0',
'2009_04_07 2', '2008_09_10 0', '2008_05_15 5', '2008_08_18 12',
'2008_10_31 5', '2009_03_09 7', '2009_02_25 8', '2008_07_02 4',
'2008_12_16 7', '2008_09_06 2', '2009_01_26 5', '2009_04_19 0',
'2008_07_14 13', '2008_11_01 5', '2009_01_18 0', '2009_05_04 0',
'2008_08_13 10', '2009_02_27 3', '2009_01_16 12', '2008_09_18 8',
'2009_02_03 7', '2008_06_01 0', '2008_12_28 0', '2008_07_26 0',
'2008_11_21 1', '2008_08_01 8', '2008_04_28 3', '2009_05_16 0',
'2008_06_13 5', '2008_10_02 11', '2009_03_28 6', '2008_08_21 7',
'2009_01_13 6', '2008_11_25 4', '2008_06_25 1', '2008_10_22 11',
'2008_03_25 6', '2009_02_07 6', '2008_12_11 4', '2009_01_01 4',
'2008_09_15 2', '2009_02_05 12', '2008_07_07 9', '2009_04_12 0',
'2008_04_11 5', '2008_10_26 4', '2008_05_28 3', '2008_09_27 14',
'2009_05_03 0', '2008_12_23 5', '2009_05_12 10', '2008_11_14 3',
'2008_07_19 0', '2009_04_24 8', '2008_04_07 1', '2008_08_08 11',
'2008_06_04 0', '2009_05_15 12', '2009_03_23 13', '2009_02_01 10',
'2008_09_23 11', '2009_02_08 3', '2008_08_28 4', '2008_11_18 9',
'2008_07_31 7', '2008_10_13 0', '2008_06_16 9', '2009_03_27 6',
'2008_12_02 0', '2008_05_01 7', '2009_04_05 1', '2008_08_16 9',
'2009_03_15 0', '2008_04_16 6', '2008_10_17 4', '2008_06_28 5',
'2009_01_28 10', '2008_04_18 0', '2008_12_14 0', '2008_11_07 6',
'2009_04_17 7', '2008_04_14 7', '2008_07_12 0', '2009_01_15 7',
'2009_05_06 8', '2008_12_26 0', '2008_06_03 7', '2008_09_28 0',
'2008_05_25 4', '2008_08_07 8', '2008_04_26 7', '2008_07_24 1',
'2008_04_20 0', '2008_11_11 4', '2009_04_29 0', '2008_10_04 0',
'2009_05_18 9', '2009_03_18 4', '2008_06_15 8', '2009_02_13 6',
'2008_05_04 5', '2009_03_04 2', '2009_03_06 3', '2008_05_06 0',
'2008_08_27 11', '2008_04_22 0', '2009_03_26 6', '2008_03_31 9',
'2008_06_27 5', '2008_10_08 4', '2008_09_09 4', '2008_12_09 3',
'2008_05_10 0', '2008_05_14 5', '2009_04_10 0', '2009_01_11 0',
'2008_07_05 8', '2009_01_05 7', '2008_10_28 0', '2009_02_18 11',
'2009_03_10 7', '2008_05_30 3', '2008_09_05 7', '2008_12_21 6',
'2009_03_02 6', '2008_08_14 5', '2008_11_12 5', '2008_07_17 8',
'2008_04_05 6', '2009_04_22 11', '2009_05_09 0', '2008_06_06 0',
'2009_01_03 0', '2008_09_17 6', '2009_03_21 3', '2009_02_10 7',
'2008_05_08 4', '2008_08_02 0', '2008_11_16 0', '2008_07_29 12',
'2008_10_15 5', '2008_06_18 5', '2009_03_25 2', '2009_01_10 0',
'2009_04_03 5', '2008_08_22 7', '2009_03_13 11', '2008_10_19 0',
'2008_06_30 8', '2008_09_02 9', '2008_05_23 4', '2008_12_12 7',
'2008_07_10 11', '2008_11_05 8', '2008_04_12 4', '2009_04_15 7',
'2008_12_24 1', '2008_09_30 0', '2008_05_27 2', '2008_08_05 10',
'2008_04_24 6', '2009_04_27 6', '2008_07_22 3', '2008_11_09 1',
'2008_06_09 6', '2008_10_06 14', '2009_03_16 7', '2008_05_22 5',
'2009_01_29 12', '2008_11_29 4', '2008_04_09 7', '2008_08_25 12',
'2009_02_15 0', '2008_03_29 7', '2008_06_21 7', '2008_10_10 9',
'2008_05_12 6', '2009_02_16 10', '2008_09_11 11', '2008_12_07 0',
'2008_07_03 6', '2009_04_08 3', '2009_01_23 7', '2009_01_27 5',
'2008_10_30 0', '2009_03_08 0', '2009_01_21 8', '2008_12_19 0',
'2008_05_16 2', '2009_01_25 1', '2009_02_26 5', '2008_09_07 2',
'2008_04_03 1', '2008_08_12 6', '2008_04_13 10', '2008_11_02 0',
'2008_07_15 0', '2009_04_20 3', '2009_02_24 10', '2009_05_11 8',
'2008_12_31 8', '2008_04_15 7', '2008_09_19 10', '2009_01_19 0',
'2008_11_22 3', '2008_07_27 2', '2009_02_04 7', '2009_03_31 1',
'2008_05_24 3', '2008_10_01 8', '2008_06_12 6', '2009_01_12 11',
'2008_11_26 8', '2009_04_01 10', '2009_02_28 0', '2008_08_20 6',
'2008_10_21 10', '2008_06_24 4', '2008_03_26 4', '2008_12_10 0',
'2008_09_12 0', '2008_05_09 7', '2009_02_17 7', '2008_07_08 6',
'2008_10_25 5', '2009_04_13 9', '2009_05_02 0', '2008_12_22 8',
'2008_09_24 9', '2009_01_20 5', '2008_11_15 6', '2009_04_25 10',
'2008_08_11 9', '2008_04_06 8', '2008_07_20 1', '2009_03_22 3',
'2008_06_11 6', '2008_09_20 3', '2009_05_14 10', '2008_11_19 0',
'2008_08_31 2', '2009_02_09 8', '2008_10_12 0', '2008_04_25 5',
'2008_06_23 4', '2009_01_07 8', '2008_08_19 0', '2008_12_05 2',
'2008_07_01 8', '2008_10_16 6', '2009_04_06 3', '2009_03_14 5',
'2008_09_01 2', '2008_12_17 14', '2008_05_18 7', '2008_04_01 2',
'2009_04_18 0', '2008_04_17 0', '2008_07_13 0', '2008_06_02 10',
'2008_09_29 6', '2008_12_29 0', '2009_05_05 8', '2008_04_19 0',
'2009_04_30 8', '2008_08_06 4', '2008_11_20 0', '2008_07_25 6',
'2009_02_06 6', '2009_03_29 3', '2009_05_17 0', '2009_03_19 7',
'2008_10_03 1', '2008_06_14 3', '2008_05_07 5', '2008_08_26 3',
'2008_11_24 9', '2008_04_21 8', '2008_04_23 4', '2008_10_23 11',
'2008_06_26 4', '2008_03_24 8', '2008_12_08 5', '2008_09_14 2',
'2009_01_02 6', '2008_04_08 0', '2008_10_27 6', '2009_04_11 0',
'2008_07_06 0', '2008_12_20 3', '2009_04_23 6', '2008_09_26 9',
'2008_05_31 0', '2008_07_18 4', '2008_11_13 6', '2008_08_09 2',
'2008_04_04 0', '2009_03_20 5', '2008_09_22 7', '2009_05_08 9',
'2008_06_05 7', '2008_07_30 7', '2008_11_17 10', '2008_05_03 0',
'2008_08_29 3', '2009_02_11 12', '2009_01_08 8', '2008_06_17 0',
'2008_10_14 7', '2009_03_24 11', '2008_08_17 6', '2008_12_03 0',
'2009_01_09 4', '2008_05_29 5', '2008_06_29 9', '2008_10_18 5',
'2009_04_04 0', '2008_12_15 10', '2009_03_12 0', '2009_03_05 7',
'2008_05_20 4', '2008_09_03 7', '2009_03_07 8', '2009_01_14 6',
'2008_05_05 5', '2008_11_06 7', '2008_07_11 6', '2009_04_16 9',
'2009_02_20 0', '2008_12_27 0', '2009_01_17 0', '2009_05_07 7',
'2008_11_10 5', '2008_07_23 11', '2009_04_28 0', '2008_04_27 2',
'2008_08_04 0', '2009_03_01 11', '2008_10_05 0', '2008_06_08 8',
'2009_05_19 5', '2008_04_29 4', '2008_11_30 0', '2009_01_06 8',
'2009_02_12 3', '2008_08_24 2', '2009_03_03 10', '2008_10_09 6',
'2008_06_20 2', '2008_05_13 10', '2008_12_06 0', '2008_03_30 7']

def genTimes():
    ## opens  exported timetrack data (CSV) and re-saves a compressed version.
    print "ANALYZING..."
    f=open('timetrack.txt')
    raw=f.readlines()
    f.close()
    times=["05/15/2009 12:00am"] #start time
    for line in raw[1:]:
        if not line.count('","') == 5: continue
        test = line.strip("n")[1:-1].split('","')[-3].replace("  "," ")+"m"
        test = test.replace(" 0:"," 12:")
        times.append(test) #end time
        test = line.strip("n")[1:-1].split('","')[-4].replace("  "," ")+"m"
        test = test.replace(" 0:"," 12:")
        times.append(test) #start time

    times.sort()
    print "WRITING..."
    f=open('times.txt','w')
    f.write(str(times))
    f.close()

def loadTimes():
    ## loads the times from the compressed file.
    f=open("times.txt")
    times = eval(f.read())
    newtimes=[]
    f.close()
    for i in range(len(times)):
        if "s" in times[i]: print times[i]
        newtimes.append(datetime.datetime(*time.strptime(times[i],
                                        "%m/%d/%Y %I:%M%p")[0:5]))
        #if i>1000: break #for debugging
    newtimes.sort()
    return newtimes

def linearize(times):
    ## does all the big math to calculate hours per day.
    for i in range(len(times)):
        times[i]=times[i]-datetime.timedelta(minutes=times[i].minute,
                                             seconds=times[i].second)
    hr = datetime.timedelta(hours=1)
    pos = times[0]-hr
    counts = {}
    days = {}
    lasthr=pos
    lastday=None
    while pos1:counts[pos]=1 #flatten
        if not daypos in days: days[daypos]=0
        if not lasthr == pos:
            if counts[pos]>0:
                days[daypos]=days[daypos]+1
                lasthr=pos
        pos+=hr
    return days #[counts,days]

def genHours(days):
    ## outputs the hours per day as a file.
    out=""
    for day in days:
        print day
        out+="%s %in"%(day.strftime("%Y_%m_%d"),days[day])
    f=open('hours.txt','w')
    f.write(out)
    f.close()
    return

def smoothListGaussian(list,degree=7):
    ## (from an article I wrote) - Google "linear data smoothing with python".
    firstlen=len(list)
    window=degree*2-1
    weight=numpy.array([1.0]*window)
    weightGauss=[]
    for i in range(window):
     i=i-degree+1
     frac=i/float(window)
     gauss=1/(numpy.exp((4*(frac))**2))
     weightGauss.append(gauss)
    weight=numpy.array(weightGauss)*weight
    smoothed=[0.0]*(len(list)-window)
    for i in range(len(smoothed)):
     smoothed[i]=sum(numpy.array(list[i:i+window])*weight)/sum(weight)
    pad_before = [smoothed[0]]*((firstlen-len(smoothed))/2)
    pad_after  = [smoothed[-1]]*((firstlen-len(smoothed))/2+1)
    return pad_before+smoothed+pad_after

### IF YOU USE MY DATA, YOU ONLY USE THE FOLLOWING CODE ###

def graphIt():
    ## Graph the data!
    #f=open('hours.txt')
    #data=f.readlines()
    data=allHours
    data.sort()
    f.close()
    days,hours=[],[]
    for i in range(len(data)):
        day = data[i].split(" ")
        if int(day[1])<4: continue
        days.append(datetime.datetime.strptime(day[0], "%Y_%m_%d"))
        hours.append(int(day[1]))
    fig=pylab.figure(figsize=(14,5))
    pylab.plot(days,smoothListGaussian(hours,1),'.',color='.5',label="single day")
    pylab.plot(days,smoothListGaussian(hours,1),'-',color='.8')
    pylab.plot(days,smoothListGaussian(hours,7),color='b',label="7-day gausian average")
    pylab.axhline(8,color='k',ls=":")
    pylab.title("Computer Usage at Work")
    pylab.ylabel("hours (rounded)")
    pylab.legend()
    pylab.show()
    return

#times = genTimes()
#genHours(linearize(loadTimes()))
graphIt()

In other news, I managed to locate the patent for the Nintendo 64 Video Game Console – how funny is that?

Here, take a look at what I’m working on [snapps screenshot]. I had to blur the content for intellectual property protection and to avoid possible future copyright violations. The light bubbles on the right are deletions. The dark bubbles on the right are comments. The red text is insertions/modifications I made. Pretty intense, huh? Pages and pages of this. And, upon successful completion of a manuscript, my reward is to begin working on another one! Luckily we’re almost caught-up on manuscripts… but that means we get to start writing grants… I’m starting to grasp the daunting amount of time a scientist must spend writing in the laboratory as opposed to performing actual experiments or even doing literature research.

Last night I assembled a Pixie II circuit similar to the one pictured here. I must say that I’m a little disappointed with the information available on the internet regarding simple RF theory in relation to transceiver circuits. I’m probably just not looking in the right places though. (Yes, I know about the ARRL handbook.) The thing is that I’m just now starting to get into RF circuitry and the concept looking at solid-state circuits and imagining a combination of AC and DC flowing through it is warping my brain. I have everything I need to build an ultra-simple Pixie II transceiver (which is supposedly capable of morse code transmissions over 300 miles, and QRSS applications over 3,000 miles) but I refuse to use it. No, it’s not because of moral obligations preventing me from powering it up before I get a general class radio license (shhhh). It’s because building something is useless unless you understand what you’re building.

I’m trying to break this circuit down into its primary components. I understand the role of the lowpass pi filter (before antenna). I understand the role of the 1st transistor and related circuitry in amplifying the output of the oscillator (left side). I totally get the audio amplifier circuitry (bottom). It’s that center transistor (which supposedly handles signal amplification, receiving, and mixing) that I can’t get my mind around. Every time I think figure it out for one mode (sending or receiving), I lose the other one, and visa versa. It has me very frustrated (and a little depressed about the whole thing) because this should be much easier than I’m making it. There’s no thourough documentation on this circuit! I selected it because it was extremely simple and I assumed I’d be smart enough to figure it out. I guess I was wrong. I wish I had an oscilloscope so I could probe the RF passing through various stages of this circuit [sigh]. Back to the ARRL handbook. Maybe if I read chapters 5-11 a couple more times I’ll magically understand it.

I’m counting the days until I’ve fulfilled my thesis requirements and have graduated. I cannot wait! Why? Am I excited because I’ll finally have a masters degree? no. Am I excited because a lot of the academic pressures in my life will be temporarily relieved? no. Am I excited because I, having graduated in 19 months will have set the new department record (the current fastest thesis-track molecular biology masters graduate took 22 months)? no. Well why then, why are you so excited about finishing. BECAUSE IT GIVES ME TIME TO WORK ON MY PROJECTS! I have a huge list of projects I’ve wanted to work on but couldn’t (or decided not to) because I wanted to devote all of my time to graduating. I can’t wait! First and foremost, I’ve definitely decided I want to dip my toe into the field of amateur radio (AR). I know what you’re picturing – a bunch of old guys sitting around wooden desks with 50’s style microphones and headphones jabbering about little things over the airwaves (like how good Catfish Cory’s is, or how some guy is in a fight with his cable company over his service, or why gator tail tastes so much like chicken). For the most part, your image is probably correct. However, why not get into it? I’ve done the comptuer thing. I’ve done the linux thing. I’ve done the computer programming thing. Heck, I’ve even done the microchip programming thing. But radio? There’s something I know absolutely nothing about, and I can’t stand it! I don’t feel the need to be a crazy obsessed expert, but I definitely want to have an advanced working knowledge of the concepts.

From my [very limited, internet-based] research I have discovered that there’s far more to AR than just talking to random local folks. Yeah, you can use satellites to connect with people far, far away, and you can even talk to members of the space shuttle or international space station but I don’t think it’s conversation that will ever satisfy me. I’m not much of a conversationalist. I much enjoy making/hacking things. I’m really wanting to get into QRSS, or simple-low power slow speed data transmitting circuits with the potential to broadcast signals around the world! I think it will be fun to combine my microcontroller programming knowledge with these simple circuits. Sure, I don’t have any data that I necessarily want to have transmitted, but that’s not important. I just want to be able to smile knowing that I sent it =o)

Last night I built a makeshift antenna for my balcony. (pictured above) The antenna (theory/plans) are good, but I kind of hacked it together at the last minute. The basic design measurements were obtained from “this online calculator:http://www.qsl.net/wrav/2mjpole.htm but the surprising thing is that I purchased the copper/connectors/pvc without knowing the plans. That’s right! I was initially going to find some 300Ohm TV antenna runner wire to “assemble a ghetto 2m jpole antenna” but when I couldn’t find the correct wire at WalMart, and 100FT of it at RadioSh*t was almost $20! Not cool. So I went to Lowes hoping to find the wire but they didn’t have it either. I walked by the plumbing section, saw the huge copper pipes (for about 1$) and remembered the copper jpoles I saw on the web earlier that day. I didn’t have any plans with me, so I didn’t know what I needed. I closed my eyes in the isle, pictured the Google image searches, and decided to go to town and buy as much as I could remember. I totally lucked out too! After getting a ton of random copper and PVC pipes and connectors (mostly Ts, couldn’t find copper elbows of the right size) I took it all home, looked at the measurements I needed, and I had everything!

Haray! I quickly assembled my makeshift antenna with the parts I [blindly] purchased. I’m sure that it requires tuning for maximal efficiency (and to decrease the possibility of damaging a future transmitter I attach to it), but I don’t have the equipment I need to tune it. Perhaps after I get my radio in, get my license, and start making some local contacts, I’ll find someone who will help me tune it. Oh! I haven’t written about that yet. A couple days ago I purchased some cheap Chinese electronics that (fingers-crossed) will work decently. I went cheapest of the cheapest and got a 5W 2m (VHF, ~144MHz) handheld – the Puxing-777! I figure it’ll help me establish some local contacts and get used the the whole AR scene. Why do I see myself taking it apart for some who-knows reason? I freaked out the other day and almost went psycho on my frequency scanner when I discovered that it was controlled by two boards (likely a logic board and a radio board), which were only connected by ~12 pins. It was the perfect reverse-engineering / hardware hacking project, and the perfect excuse to build my own logic analyzer to intercept the data being communicated. Bah! Anyway, I backed off the project, even though (if I had more time) I would have loved to do it. (Imagine how cool it would be to turn old cheap scanners into software-defined radios!?)

I completely forgot where I was going so I’ll just end this rant. Goodbye, so long, farewell, and I love you, oh sweet blog of mine. I’m sorry I neglect you so, but I promise that I will return to you shortly and garnish your sweet pages with beautiful words. Until then, I have a thesis to write!