Thunderbird Calendar won't sync to Google Calendar - fix

I have been using Mozilla's Thunderbird Mail/Calendar program for quite a while now, and faithfully letting it do its updates...normally no problems.

I have the Lightning Add-On for Thunderbird that adds the Calendar sync, but it requires another add-on to access Google Calendars (for read/write). Apparently that add-on Provider for Google Calendar did (or does) not automatically update...you have to manually install the new version.

So if your Thunderbird calendar suddently stops accessing your Google calendar...see if you need to download some new plugins.

OpenVPN tunneling...revisited

A while back I finally got OpenVPN working, mostly it took the installation of version 2 of IPCop as my router software.

I could log into the VPN on my server remotely...but I didn't have access to my network or anything else.

I put that project on the back burner until tonight, when I found out my ObiHai110 was having issues and I was going to remotely admin it...over the VPN...

Very long story with much rebooting and Googling/OpenVPN forums reading...

I was missing a command on my server, the command that tells the OpenVPN software to route my home network traffic actually to the home network. For example, the 192.168.x.x number for a networked security cam should be routed to the home network...and to make networking easier, I have my home non routeable IP address to a hopefully offbeat number...

Anywho, because I am not home, I can't edit the server settings, but I can edit the client. So drumroll please...

...the missing line was

route 192.168.x.0 255.255.255.0

(where x is in the home network IP address...normally they default to "1" as in 'route 192.168.1.0 255.255.255.0' your mileage may vary)

I also have the line '--script-security 2', but I am not sure it is necessary for adding that command.

Now the correct way to do this would to have a 'push' command on the server, so as the client is logging in, this is automatically set (in case you change the numbers on the server at some point)

But this will work for me. I can access all my shared drives, and networked devices now.

As a side note, for some reason Win7 removed the popup bubble tool tips from the taskbar icons...the unintended consequences of that caused the OpenVPN context menu (right click on taskbar icon) to not pop up...that headache took a couple of hours by itself.

the registry setting that cause that is...

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]

"EnableBalloonTips"=dword:00000000

I simply deleted the setting, but apparently you can set it to "2".

Good luck!

A couple of projects, BaoFeng Dual band HT and FCD Convertor

The BaoFeng UV-5R HT is a dual band (70cm-2m) walkie talkie that can be bought new for under $50. Not many extras, but it is small and cheap. I should be getting one in the mail in the next few weeks. I will give my opinion at that time.

...a few weeks later...

The Baofeng radio is nice, small, works great...but  the programming is a serious pain...so I use the computer and even that has a bit of complexity to it...

Here are my instructions...

Second project is a FCD Convertor (sic) made by Tony CT1FFU (Antonio Matias). This connects to the RTL-FCD dongle radio to allow it to receive the HF bands. Now they sell them as completed items...mine was sent as a kit...so it will be a bit before I can test it...also now they have a version 4.1...mine is the 3.1...oh well timing is everything.

Stay tuned...