Folks,
*** Currrently I am out of stock, although I am aware that Martin Lynch has inventory available: http://www.hamradio.co.uk/sdr-software-defined-radio-amsat-uk/funcube/amsat-uk-funcube-dongle-pd-4094.php
*** For UK customers only: please note that from today (30 April 2012) Royal Mail have increased the cost of Special Delivery from £5.45 to £5.90. All other prices remain the same. ***
During your purchase, you will be asked for a contact telephone number: this is solely for Fedex’s use in case they have difficulty in delivering.
You don’t necessarily need a Paypal account to purchase, although we do use Paypal to administer the transaction.
Please take time to check that your delivery address is correct in Paypal!
Please also check your delivery zone!
Please note that Fedex will not ship to PO Boxes!
You will be notified when you press the “Buy now” button if we’re out of stock.
At the moment, the order page doesn’t allow you to enter a quantity of units should you wish to order more than one. This was originally due to the demand far outstripping the supply a couple of months ago.
Now we’re pretty much continually able to maintain stock, I looked at adding a Quantity option, but it’s proving rather more fiddly to implement than I expected due to the way the Paypal button adds shipping charges.
The same applies to non-UK VAT registered companies: if you are registered for VAT within the EU, you’ll need to send me you company anf VAT details.
So, if you wish to order more than one unit, or you are registered for VAT in the European Union (not-UK) feel free to contact me at g6lvb ({at}) amsat.org and I’ll send you a Paypal invoice.
There are now seven zones, please be careful to select the correct zone at the bottom of this post.
To order your FUNcube Dongle Pro, select your delivery location zone appropriate for your Paypal verified delivery address, and then press the “Buy now” button.
Note for EC buyers: prices shown in the list box are exclusive of VAT.
Please note that the following changes have been made to the pricing since initial release:
o Postage updated to reflect the cost experienced with the first batch;
o For the UK/EC, VAT is now added to the postage in line with HMRC notice 700/24
o For UK/EC, please note that from 4 January 2011, VAT has increased to 20%.
o Change to shipping and zones for international time definite delivery.
o EC VAT now added within Paypal transaction.
o Price for Zone 2 updated with fuel surcharge that was missing from earlier calculations.
o Price for Zone 3 was charging £0.35 less than advertised in Paypal, updated.
o UK Special Delivery charge increased by 40p to £5.45 on 4 April 2011.
o UK Special Delivery charge increased (again!) by 45p to £5.90 on 30 April 2012.
Many thanks, Howard
| Country | Zone | Shipping |
| AFGHANISTAN | 7 | £35.19 |
| ALBANIA | 6 | £25.73 |
| ALGERIA | 6 | £25.73 |
| AMERICAN SAMOA | 7 | £35.19 |
| ANDORRA | 2 | £13.16 |
| ANGOLA | 7 | £35.19 |
| ANGUILLA | 7 | £35.19 |
| ANTIGUA | 7 | £35.19 |
| ARGENTINA | 7 | £35.19 |
| ARMENIA | 7 | £35.19 |
| ARUBA | 7 | £35.19 |
| AUSTRALIA | 5 | £23.53 |
| AUSTRIA | 2 | £13.16 |
| AZERBAIJAN | 7 | £35.19 |
| BAHAMAS | 7 | £35.19 |
| BAHRAIN | 6 | £25.73 |
| BANGLADESH | 6 | £25.73 |
| BARBADOS | 7 | £35.19 |
| BELARUS | 6 | £25.73 |
| BELGIUM | 2 | £13.16 |
| BELIZE | 7 | £35.19 |
| BENIN | 7 | £35.19 |
| BERMUDA | 7 | £35.19 |
| BHUTAN | 6 | £25.73 |
| BOLIVIA | 7 | £35.19 |
| BOSNIA | 6 | £25.73 |
| BOTSWANA | 7 | £35.19 |
| BRAZIL | 7 | £35.19 |
| BRITISH VIRGIN IS. | 7 | £35.19 |
| BRUNEI | 6 | £25.73 |
| BULGARIA | 3 | £15.35 |
| BURKINA FASO | 7 | £35.19 |
| BURUNDI | 7 | £35.19 |
| CAMBODIA | 5 | £23.53 |
| CAMEROON | 7 | £35.19 |
| CANADA | 2 | £13.16 |
| CAPE VERDE | 7 | £35.19 |
| CAYMAN ISLANDS | 7 | £35.19 |
| CENT AFR REP | 7 | £35.19 |
| CHAD | 7 | £35.19 |
| CHILE | 7 | £35.19 |
| CHINA | 5 | £23.53 |
| COLOMBIA | 7 | £35.19 |
| CONGO | 7 | £35.19 |
| COOK ISLANDS | 7 | £35.19 |
| COSTA RICA | 7 | £35.19 |
| CROATIA | 6 | £25.73 |
| CYPRUS | 3 | £15.35 |
| CZECH REPUBLIC | 3 | £15.35 |
| DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO | 7 | £35.19 |
| DENMARK | 2 | £13.16 |
| DJIBOUTI | 7 | £35.19 |
| DOMINICA | 7 | £35.19 |
| DOMINICAN REPUBLIC | 7 | £35.19 |
| EAST TIMOR | 5 | £23.53 |
| ECUADOR | 7 | £35.19 |
| EGYPT | 6 | £25.73 |
| EL SALVADOR | 7 | £35.19 |
| EQUATORIAL GUINEA | 7 | £35.19 |
| ERITREA | 7 | £35.19 |
| ESTONIA | 3 | £15.35 |
| ETHIOPIA | 7 | £35.19 |
| FAROE ISLANDS | 2 | £13.16 |
| FIJI | 7 | £35.19 |
| FINLAND | 2 | £13.16 |
| FRANCE | 2 | £13.16 |
| FRENCH GUIANA | 7 | £35.19 |
| FRENCH POLYNESIA | 7 | £35.19 |
| GABON | 7 | £35.19 |
| GAMBIA | 7 | £35.19 |
| GEORGIA | 7 | £35.19 |
| GERMANY | 2 | £13.16 |
| GHANA | 7 | £35.19 |
| GIBRALTAR | 4 | £20.55 |
| GREECE | 2 | £13.16 |
| GREENLAND | 2 | £13.16 |
| GRENADA | 7 | £35.19 |
| GUADELOUPE | 7 | £35.19 |
| GUAM | 7 | £35.19 |
| GUATEMALA | 7 | £35.19 |
| GUINEA | 7 | £35.19 |
| GUINEA BISSAU | 7 | £35.19 |
| GUYANA | 7 | £35.19 |
| HAITI | 7 | £35.19 |
| HONDURAS | 7 | £35.19 |
| HONG KONG | 5 | £23.53 |
| HUNGARY | 3 | £15.35 |
| ICELAND | 4 | £20.55 |
| INDIA | 6 | £25.73 |
| INDONESIA | 5 | £23.53 |
| IRAQ REPUBLIC | 6 | £25.73 |
| IRELAND | 2 | £13.16 |
| ISRAEL | 6 | £25.73 |
| ITALY | 2 | £13.16 |
| IVORY COAST | 7 | £35.19 |
| JAMAICA | 7 | £35.19 |
| JAPAN | 5 | £23.53 |
| JORDAN | 6 | £25.73 |
| KAZAKHSTAN | 7 | £35.19 |
| KENYA | 7 | £35.19 |
| KIRIBATI | 7 | £35.19 |
| KUWAIT | 6 | £25.73 |
| KYRGYZSTAN | 7 | £35.19 |
| LAOS | 5 | £23.53 |
| LATVIA | 3 | £15.35 |
| LEBANON | 6 | £25.73 |
| LESOTHO | 7 | £35.19 |
| LIBERIA | 7 | £35.19 |
| LIBYA | 6 | £25.73 |
| LIECHTENSTEIN | 4 | £20.55 |
| LITHUANIA | 3 | £15.35 |
| LUXEMBOURG | 2 | £13.16 |
| MACAU | 5 | £23.53 |
| MACEDONIA | 6 | £25.73 |
| MADAGASCAR | 7 | £35.19 |
| MALAWI | 7 | £35.19 |
| MALAYSIA | 5 | £23.53 |
| MALDIVES | 7 | £35.19 |
| MALI | 7 | £35.19 |
| MALTA | 3 | £15.35 |
| MARSHALL ISLANDS | 7 | £35.19 |
| MARTINIQUE | 7 | £35.19 |
| MAURITANIA | 7 | £35.19 |
| MAURITIUS | 7 | £35.19 |
| MEXICO | 5 | £23.53 |
| MICRONESIA | 7 | £35.19 |
| MOLDOVA | 6 | £25.73 |
| MONACO | 2 | £13.16 |
| MONGOLIA | 7 | £35.19 |
| MONTENEGRO | 6 | £25.73 |
| MONTSERRAT | 7 | £35.19 |
| MOROCCO | 6 | £25.73 |
| MOZAMBIQUE | 7 | £35.19 |
| MYANMAR | 6 | £25.73 |
| NAMIBIA | 7 | £35.19 |
| NAURU | 7 | £35.19 |
| NEPAL | 6 | £25.73 |
| NETHERLANDS | 2 | £13.16 |
| NEW CALEDONIA | 7 | £35.19 |
| NEW ZEALAND | 5 | £23.53 |
| NICARAGUA | 7 | £35.19 |
| NIGER | 7 | £35.19 |
| NIGERIA | 7 | £35.19 |
| NIUE | 7 | £35.19 |
| NL. ANTILLES | 7 | £35.19 |
| NORWAY | 4 | £20.55 |
| OMAN | 6 | £25.73 |
| PAKISTAN | 6 | £25.73 |
| PALAU | 7 | £35.19 |
| PALESTINE AUTHORITY | 6 | £25.73 |
| PANAMA | 7 | £35.19 |
| PAPUA NEW GUINEA | 7 | £35.19 |
| PARAGUAY | 7 | £35.19 |
| PERU | 7 | £35.19 |
| PHILIPPINES | 5 | £23.53 |
| POLAND | 3 | £15.35 |
| PORTUGAL | 2 | £13.16 |
| PUERTO RICO | 7 | £35.19 |
| QATAR | 6 | £25.73 |
| REUNION ISLAND | 7 | £35.19 |
| ROMANIA | 3 | £15.35 |
| RUSSIA | 6 | £25.73 |
| RWANDA | 7 | £35.19 |
| SAIPAN | 7 | £35.19 |
| SAMOA | 7 | £35.19 |
| SAUDI ARABIA | 6 | £25.73 |
| SENEGAL | 7 | £35.19 |
| SERBIA | 6 | £25.73 |
| SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO | 6 | £25.73 |
| SEYCHELLES | 7 | £35.19 |
| SIERRA LEONE | 7 | £35.19 |
| SINGAPORE | 5 | £23.53 |
| SLOVAK REPUBLIC | 3 | £15.35 |
| SLOVENIA | 3 | £15.35 |
| SOLOMON ISLANDS | 7 | £35.19 |
| SOMALIA | 7 | £35.19 |
| SOUTH AFRICA | 7 | £35.19 |
| SOUTH KOREA | 5 | £23.53 |
| SPAIN | 2 | £13.16 |
| SRI LANKA | 6 | £25.73 |
| ST KITTS & NEVIS | 7 | £35.19 |
| ST. LUCIA | 7 | £35.19 |
| ST. VINCENT | 7 | £35.19 |
| SUDAN | 7 | £35.19 |
| SURINAME | 7 | £35.19 |
| SWAZILAND | 7 | £35.19 |
| SWEDEN | 2 | £13.16 |
| SWITZERLAND | 4 | £20.55 |
| SYRIA | 6 | £25.73 |
| TAIWAN | 5 | £23.53 |
| TANZANIA | 7 | £35.19 |
| THAILAND | 5 | £23.53 |
| TOGO | 7 | £35.19 |
| TONGA | 7 | £35.19 |
| TRINIDAD & TOBAG | 7 | £35.19 |
| TUNISIA | 6 | £25.73 |
| TURKEY | 6 | £25.73 |
| TURKMENISTAN | 7 | £35.19 |
| TURKS & CAICOS I | 7 | £35.19 |
| TUVALU | 7 | £35.19 |
| U.A.E. | 6 | £25.73 |
| UGANDA | 7 | £35.19 |
| UKRAINE | 6 | £25.73 |
| UNITED KINGDOM | 1 | £5.45 |
| UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | 2 | £13.16 |
| URUGUAY | 7 | £35.19 |
| UZBEKISTAN | 7 | £35.19 |
| VANUATU | 7 | £35.19 |
| VATICAN CITY | 2 | £13.16 |
| VENEZUELA | 7 | £35.19 |
| VIETNAM | 5 | £23.53 |
| VIRGIN ISLANDS | 7 | £35.19 |
| WALLIS & FUTUNA | 7 | £35.19 |
| YEMEN | 6 | £25.73 |
| ZAIRE | 7 | £35.19 |
| ZAMBIA | 7 | £35.19 |
| ZIMBABWE | 7 | £35.19 |
It sure didn’t take a long time to sell out. Will there be more available later? If so, when should I check back on the website?
Rob
W7TBE
Hi Rob
Thanks for your note. I start taking orders at 12:00 noon UTC on Sunday 19 December 2010.
Howard
Missed it by a couple of nanoseconds – need to get faster typing my PayPal password. I’ll stay tuned for the next production release. Congratulations of coming up with such a successful product!
Sold out by 22.01 – not happy and need to type quicker.
As I finally cancelled my paypal account due to the wikileaks issue: Is there any chance to pay for later batches via something other than paypal? Otherwiese no FCD for me I guess :-\
Thanks for your note. Much as I personally dislike Paypal myself for all manner of reasons particularly as a seller, realistically they are the only game in town for this type of transaction I’m afraid. My only other option is to try to accept payments from all sorts of different sources such as Google checkout or direct bank transfer, but then we have to spend hours manually monitoring inventory and choosing who paid before who when we could be making FUNcube Dongles. I hope that this makes sense.
Many thanks, Howard
Typical! I have to be away on Sunday at 12:00 – driving to Godalming. When is the second batch scheduled?
Hi Mike
There is another big batch due to be ready mid January, however it is very likely that I will have some more before then, especially as I have next week off from doing my real job.
Howard
There are options like MoneyBookers to avoid your cool project supporting PayPal, that truly doesn’t deserve to be consider a trust worthy company. Im with Hunz, is important we take steps even this little to try to stop the rampage funded on silence or lack of compromise and yes, this might sound OT but it _can’t_ be when things are so tightly connected in todays world.
As you may know if you’ve been following the blog, I had already spent a _lot_ of time investigating payment options before the recent Wikileaks concerns. It took three weeks from beginning to end to set the Paypal merchant account up and be fully functional (ie, I can withdraw funds to make more Dongles without Paypal limits). From my investigations, I don’t see it’ll be any different with MoneyBookers.
As I have already explained several times I do not like Paypal from a seller’s perspective, but it is easy for buyers. Like it or not, it is by far the most popular online payment mechanism. The timing of the Wikileaks/Paypal issue is unfortunate.
Howard
I would not blame Paypal too much for caving in over Wikileaks. With the full might of the US democratic process bearing down on you, “comply or die” tends to take priority.
There might be an argument for AMSAT not allowing dongles to enter the US due to ITAR.
What is Israel considered ?
Europe ? outside europe ?
Thanks Forward
Ronen – 4Z4ZQ
http://www.ronen.org
Hi Ronan.
Israel is outside the EC for tax purposes. The difference is that within the European Community I have to charge VAT, outside I don’t.
Many thanks, Howard
Ready folks?
“Your item has sold out” …bad luck. Maybe next time..
73 Sven
We’re sorry, the following item(s) isn’t available at this time: !!! 🙁
Very sorry, but unbelievebaly my entire stock went in 1 minute 8 seconds. I’ll be concentrating in getting these out tomorrow, but I will have some more later on this week.
Apologies again, Howard
I wondered why paypal was so slow after I clicked the button.
Doh!
Sold out in 60s. I can’t believe it. Have to wait till next time now.
Worked perfectly, lucky me….I got one…thanks Howard!
You were fifteenth!
Ha! I was watching the clock carefully..I waited until about 2 secs after to click the button. Unreal how popular these are and will become, Howard. Thanks for the tremendous efforts on your part to bring this to fruition! My hope is for a successful deployment of ARISSat-1 so that I can use the Dongle in my wife’s 4th grade class to teach them about satellites and space. Now back to bed 😉
Holy smoke! 3 mins after the time and sold out? How many did you sell…5? lol
How soon until the next batch is made available?
I make ordering FUNcube Dongle Pro One kit
“sold out” received at 12:01:27 GMT. Says it all!
We’re sorry, the following item(s) isn’t available at this time: !!!
How many for sale ?, only one? HI, HI, HI… we have to wait a little more…
No luck ! When will be the next release
-Shankar VU2SWG
woo hoo..well one is on its way to Australia..made it through at 1200.24seconds zulu. looking forward to putting it through its paces.
No luck this time. 🙁
I get up early for nothing. 🙂
Suc6 with the next round.
I reckon you could sell thousands of these at this rate! I hope your board manufacture is able to scale up production quickly. I tried buying at 12:00 and no luck. It will be interesting to see where the sales went to – I hope as Paypal are handling the payment that one country isn’t favoured over others!
Regards, Ian G4ZJH.
Managed to be here on time, and snagged one. I knew they would sell fast. Now get back to work building more! Just kidding- thanks for all your efforts on this and congratulations on the resounding response. Bruce Beford, N1RX
Hello all,
I hit the button “Buy Now” at exactly 12:00 UTC, finished the payment and got the confirmation.
Looks I have something to do for the new year and have to update my keplersets in my autotracking system again Hi Hi
73 and hope to hear you all soon, Frank PH2M
I managed to get one just on 12:00…The Paypal account says Item No. 0001 Wonder if this means I was first in the queue!
Yes, you were first, at 12:00:21. You are rewarded with serial #100 (those under 100 are pre production and prototype units).
The 0001 means nothing other than it’s the item number of the FCD. Still, if it makes everyone else fell better, feel free to think that you were all the first!
Howard
I think mine went through ok, can you confirm, I was a couple of seconds past 12, got a payment receipt timed at 35 seconds past but hit the pay button twice in the panic, payment was from a different email account than my email here but same name.
Yes it would be nice when Howard would give a update of the sold FunCube Dongles, but I think he is busy with packing the envelopes Hi Hi
73, Merry Christmas and a Satellite QSO-full 2011
Frank PH2M / JO22HC (Amsat-DL #2225)
Folks
If you payment went through, then you are due a Dongle.
Howard
Andy I don’t have an “Andy” on my list from Paypal I’m afraid. Would you have done it under a different name?
Howard
Hi Howard, It came from my business Paypal account so may only have a company name on it, it would read Nimbus.
All the best,
Andy.
You’re in! Serial #109.
I also hit the order button around 2-3 seconds past 12:00 UTC…the full order process (including Paypal log-in procedure and confirmation within Paypal system) took me around additional 40-45 seconds….
Glad to be among one of the first batch “beta-testers” so to speak…
Thanks Howard for all your great efforts.
73 de Oscar DJ0MY
when is your next production run?
Hopefully some more this week… assuming I don’t have to spend another three days co-ordinating my life around non-existent snowed in flights.
Howard
Wish the people that asked to get notified were actually notified…..
Thanks for your note. There has never been any personal notification procedure I’m afraid. It has always been the case that any ordering or distribution details would be announced on this blog, and that’s what happened.
Howard
You’re right, everyone is able to subscribe to the rss-feed; even with mailclients like thunderbird.
Thanks for your work!
Folks
All those FCDs ordered with cleared funds (there was one echeque, everything else was instant) are now in the post. I have used Special Delivery to the UK/IOM, Airsure to everywhere else that will accept it and International Signed for everywhere else.
Leader board
1 US
2= UK
2= Germany
4 Netherlands
5= Isle of Man
5= Australia
5= Canada
8= New Zealand
8= Italy
8= Slavakia
8= Slovinia
8= Spain
Howard
Were you able to analyse the interest outside those that were successful I wonder?
Only two from the UK of which I’m one (if PayPal has it right!) seems a bit of a sad indication of interest or were us Brits just lazy with the go button!
BTW, is the antenna input DC blocked?
Thanks. Happy Christmas – Ding Dongle Merrily on High. 🙂
David
David
Thanks for your note.
Sorry, this is a Top 10 type rundown. The US has the highest density of FCDs… In fact even before I started selling them, they were equal to the UK (other than the eight test versions I still have).
I can tell you that other than mine, there are ten UK FCDs out there now, most of which went out today as sales.
DC Blocked?… a very, very poignant question!
There is a back/back BAV99 ESD diode right on the SMA input, so don’t even think about churning in 10V. What’s really interesting about this is that while I was doing the HPF rework on all the boards this morning, I was wondering on whether I should just present an inductor to ground. I chose against it. It is still capacitively coupled although it makes the HPF rework more difficult. My thoughts were that if there’s a slight DC offset ground loop, the inductor might fry but the diode would be quite happy.
So the answer’s, yes, it is DC blocked, but still be aware of the ESD diodes.
Howard
A day in the life…
Last night I was up until 02:30 swearing at Paypal to make it print out all the mailing stuff and print the postage. It’s sooo slow!
Then this morning I awoke early and reworked the HPF onto _all_ of the boards, then retested _all_ of them again. That took me until 11:30.
Then I packed them all, labelled the Jiffy bags, with the online Post Office Generated Labels I made last night, and that took me to 15:30. They all went into a big black bin liner which I walked down to the Post Office… where they proceed to _rekey_ everything I did last night. For no apparent reason other than their systems are useless. What is the point of that bar code thing they print on the label? 🙁
Meantime I spent an hour at the same counter looking increasingly uncomfortable during the Christmas postal rush.
Howard
Howard,
I don’t want to be argumentative, but ESD diodes are a shunting function. Your description of the ESD diodes is not what the term “DC BLOCK” means.
ESD shunting diodes would be typically handling very short duration spikes within the pulse capability of the selected diodes. While certainly worth having they do not block DC.
“DC BLOCK” means that any value of DC voltage could be applied to the antenna connection up to that value that would cause a failure of the “DC BLOCKING” device, most typically a capacitor. So if the capacitor had a 50 volt rating, then that would be the maximum limit.
Just my point of view,
73….Bill….WB6BNQ
Hi Bill
I probably didn’t explain very well. The input is ESD diode followed by a 1nF AC coupling (or DC blocking if you like) cap followed by the HPF followed by the LNA.
Howard.
Hello Howard.
What does these numbers mean?
The amount of buyers, only 2 from the UK seems not a lot…
Could you tell me my serial-number?
Best regards, Frank PH2M
Frank
You are #111.
Howard
Hello Howard,
Despite problems with air traffic in (western)Europe, my serial 111 FUNcube Dongle arrived well packed and in good shape today (3 days is very fast for UK NLD postage!!!).
The little program “Windows full-on front end” form the download area seems to work, now I’am just looking for the correct set-up for SpectraVue and other usable programs.
Thanks for the superfast delivery of my “order”, 73 de Frank PH2M
I guess I was the only one in the US to make it? I guess it pays to get up early. 😎
This is a Billboard 100, not the number of dongles. The no.1 destination for the FCD is the US, so there were a lot of people over there wanting to get up early…
Clearly based on per capita, the Isle of Man is a hot bed of SDR 😉
Howard
Okay, I get it now–US was the numer one country for purchases. 🙂 Not bad for 7:00am on a Sunday morning! Now if the SNOW will leave London so our dongles can get on a plane…I expect we’ll be seeing some delays (weather and customs, etc.). Thanks Howard for getting them out so fast!!!
Of course! That makes much more sense now… 😉
I`m looking forward for the dongle i`m 1 of 4 in the netherlands Thanks.
Howard, Is there going to be a software repository for updated code, firmware, etc.? If so, is it “live” yet?
OK, I’m a knucklehead 🙂 Found the DOWNLOAD tab! I don’t remember seeing that before…hi hi. Please ignore my silly question.
I only put it up yesterday. I was hoping to have a new firmware release ready but I’m holding back as the current one is so very stable, although it doesn’t set the gains and filters correctly on device insertion.
The fully-featured front end program sets almost all the settings correctly when you press the “Defaults” button. There is an LNA LPF that’s not set quite right in VHF but it doesn’t stop you using the FCD, but it means its out of band strong signal handling on VHF isn’t what I’d like. You may well find a hardware BPF might help if you encounter a raised noise floor. I found the bug in the firmware a few days ago and have started reworking that along with a dozen other things into the firmware.
One other thing to note, possibly obvious, try to site the antenna away from your computer!
Howard
Dongle safely received this morning.
Dropped you an email direct.
Thanks for the answer to the previous question.
David
Ditto – Thanks.
Hello. I´m also interested in purchasing one FCD Pro. When will be available again?
My project: Netbook + Funcube Dongle Pro + Arrow antenna. For receiving satellite telemetry and ISS APRS I-Gate.
73, Christian EA4EUN
I was one of the ‘lucky’ ones from the Isle of Man 🙂
Logged into paypal before 12:00, so could click the buy link and not have to log in..
Thanks for all your work Howard, I’m really looking forward to playing with this.
I have an almost completed set of rotators for az & el tracking, (LVB firmware of course 🙂 ) that I am hoping to get mounted over the holidays – will be very interesting to see what can be done with this and the Dongle.
Festive greetings to one and all.
73’s
looking forward to getting my dongle down here in Australia. Hopefully the planes start to leave soon..looks like might new year project by the time it gets here to commission it. Wonder how many others in VK are getting one..will have to share experiences via Yahoo funcubedongle group.
Paul – VK3APG
Hi Howard,
I hate to ask, but I’ve searched and can’t see any kind of tracking number for my shipment. Is there a tracking number provided with your method of shipment? If not, no worries…it’s rather like waiting on Santa 🙂
You have mail!
Howard
Hoped I would find a card in the post today to say the postie had tried to deliver whilst I was at work 🙁
No joy as yet, it usually takes a couple of days for ‘Next Day’ from the UK, however the airports in the UK are having a hard time of it and it is still very icy and cold here on the IOM.
Have got hold of an SMA to N connector today, so at least I can work on something for connecting some antennas to play with.
Fingers crossed for tomorrow 🙂
Any Chance that the next sale goes off earlier or later. GMT -8 is really tough. The sale went off at 4am my time, seems I fell a asleep and missed out…
Hello Brian
I guess whenever I do it someone will miss out.
The time was chosen mostly because I was in a position to be able to know I could pack, label and post the batch. I can bring it earlier on in the weekend but if I make it any later it means I don’t have enough time to do the P&P chores.
Howard
You can send the FUNcube Dongle to Russia?
Yes, I will ship to Russia.
Howard
I knew that it was coming out ‘about now’ but didn’t expect it so soon (or to go so quickly….). Bother! I’ll keep a closer eye out for the next batch.
Any idea when the next batch will be and how many will be available?
Thanks,
Ian, G7PHD.
Hi Ian
I am timesharing between making new boards and doing some firmware updates at the moment. I am hoping to have some more ready this week, so probably Sunday will be the day to look out for.
Failing that, I have a big batch coming in in January from a new manufacturer. Assuming they are OK (fingers crossed!), certainly look out for the second week in January.
Howard
That’s very helpful – though I suspect you will be oversubscribed for sometime!
Ian, G7PHD.
It’s here! Can’t believe it already made it to the US, given the holidays and horrible weather at both the UK and the US!! Waiting for it to warm up before I plug it in, since it’s been in the ice cold mailbox all day 🙂 Thanks, Howard.
No worries, glad they are finally making it stateside.
I just spent my entire day making dongles. I am on a role – I am building and testing at the rate of ten each day. Trouble is by the time you finish there’s not much you want to do other than veg in front of the TV!
Howard
Well, we all appreciate your extra effort!! As I sent in the Yahoo group, I have it printing APRS traffic via Spectravue, Virtual Audio Cable, and MixW3 🙂 Neat!
Not so good today, I finally finished another ten today. All except one worked first time. The PCBs are meant to have been through an electrical test, but I found a tiny short where some copper hadn’t dissolved across a supply. Took me two hours to find 🙁 In the process I lifted two of the QFNs suspecting shorts underneath the chips.
Howard
There was one project several years ago, possible from TAPR, in which there was a similar problem with Vcc being shorted to ground through a tiny whisker on the PCB. They discovered it in testing, and rather than go back to the manufacturer, they used a battery to blow the connection. Worked fine.
Doing calisthenics on my order clicking finger for Sunday.
Alan
WA4SCA
Lets hope this manufacturer don’t leave it to the last min to say they can’t do them.
Will they be loading firmware,electrical testing etc. or is that down to you?
best of luck..
Rob
Well they have been asking some sensible questions over the past couple of weeks. They have tried to suggest substituting in some parts that really shouldn’t be, for example the SMA connector, which needs to be of certain dimensions or it won’t fit the PCB lands or will not project far enough out of the case to allow you to fully screw on the plug. I sent them a very specific technical drawaing highlighting the essential measurements.
There was another problem with some inductors they were trying to change too.
It makes me wonder what the purpose of going to all the trouble of producing a detailed BoM with distrbutor inventory numbers is, which they quote on, and then go and substitute!
Loading firmware and testing is down to me. It is likely in a future batch that I’ll be sending factory pre-programmed PICs which will allow them to do electrical tests. I received some pre-programmed samples a few weeks ago that tested perfectly. It doesn’t save an awful lot of time in programming as programming only takes a few seconds, but it will save time if they can do at least some functional testing.
Howard
Any chance of an option to pre-order from the next batch so we can avoid the VAT increase? I know it’s only £2.50 or so but I hate giving the government any more of my money than necessary.
Hi Julian
I feel your pain. The problem I have is that to co-ordinate separate lists or an ordering hierarchy is a substantial overhead for me when I could be making Dongles. I felt that the fairest way without taking money up front was to announce the availability ahead of time and “open the shop” at an advertised time.
I did consider taking money up front, but I felt that this would make the managing of expectations difficult, especially in view of the recent manufacturing problem I encountered, not to mention I am sure that some wouldn’t want to leave their hard earned cash sitting in someone else’s account.
The VAT thing isn’t great I agree, I can only apologise.
Howard
Hi Howard,
Do you think the dongle would work ok for NOAA weather satellite reception? My wife is going to get me one on for my birthday which just happens to be on Sunday the 2nd Jan! (Hope my typing is fast enough)
Cheers
John de VK4JWT
Hello John
Certainly for the 137MHz stuff (I assume that’s still going). Coincidentally last night I was looking up some of the L band specs in the 1.6/1.7GHz region. Certainly it’ll cover the frequency range, I just don’t know the bandwidth or encoding scheme, although I’m assuming it’s probably too wide for the soundcard bandwidth (the FCD is fixed at 96kHz quadrature sampling rate).
Happy birthday for Sunday!
Howard
Hi John yes it will work fine the last few remaining Noaa weather sats, overall RF bandwidth is 34 kHz .Happy Birthday for Sunday.
73
Rob
OK thanks guys, I have built a few softrocks and the Japanese soft-66 sdr’s so will be a good present (beats sox and undies hands down!). 20:00 UTC will actually be Monday morning 6:00am here.
Cheers
John
Hi John
> beats sox and undies hands down!
How did you know what I got for Christmas?
Howard
Switzerland is considered in the EC?
What about VAT ?
Or it would be better for me to order it from my Italy Address?
I hope to be able to ” win ” one on the next batch!
Whe wil, the 3rd batch available – if you know it at now ?
Happy New Year 2011 and 73 de Augusto HB9TZA / I2JJR
Hi Augusto.
Thanks for your message.
If Switzerland is your Paypal verified location that the FCD would be sent to, then you are “Rest of World”: I do not need to add VAT on for Switzerland as it’s not in the EU.
Howard
Just wondering how many will be available this evening? I only need one but would like to know what I am up against!
Cheers,
Ian, G7PHD.
To save time, log into Paypal before 8pm, then click on the buy link – it worked for me 🙂
Saves quite a bit of time, when you’re already logged in to Paypal, will be interesting to see how quickly the 2nd batch go.
I know one or two others on the Isle of Man that are interested in getting one.
I now have a running az/el tracking system – have had a few good days listening to some of the satellites on both 2m & 70cms, fantastic peice of kit 🙂
73’s
Matty
Thanks for the hint Matty! 🙂
Hello. I´m also waiting to purchase the FCD Pro. I´ll try today at 20:00 UTC.
73
HA! Got it this time 🙂 Thank you Howard for such a fine piece of equipment and hope to meet you soon again! 73!
Damn – they went quick – in the time I was putting the payment through it sold out – even quicker than the first batch! ;-(
Looks like I Just got one no problems 6:00am here!
Cheers
John de VK4JWT
Must be my internet connection speed!
Back to bed for you then John 🙂
Please set up a list for orders.
All gone in 1 second.
Or you could double the price.
No idea how many there where this time – must have been another ten? Will just have to pay the extra UNFAIR 2.5% whenever they become widely available.
I think I did too. Transaction is listed as completed on PayPal. I think this bodes well for me. This time I didn’t mess around. I had my clock syn’d with WWV and as soon as I saw the hour change, I hit the buy button.
Hi
Not sure if I got one or not. I saw the page that showed the amount, then I filled in my paypal info, and then it said sold out. Not sure if I got one or not.
Randy
If it said SOLD OUT when you where in Paypal and just about to pay – it had gone! 🙁
Randy,
Same thing happened here. Didn’t go through for me. There must not be a hold put on the item until later in the process. Hope we have better luck next time.
Thanks a lot Mr. Howard. I think I got one!!
Payment confirmed, so it looks like I will get one 😉
What total b.s. !!!
I entered the order, it processed it and I sent a payment then it said it’s sold out and the order disappeared!
That’s not right.
Clicked the button at 20:00:01 and went straight to Pay Pal BUT by the time I got signed in……………………sold out.
I got one ! very slow paypal but all ok….!
Happy New Year to all!
Nacho, EB1GER
Well, congrats to everyone who got in on time. I was in PayPal, but they showed 2 different names for me. By the time I chose one, the window popped up that they were sold out. Had to be within the first 30 seconds. If you could hear me scream right now!!!!!
On Jan 2, 2011 at 20:00 + 2 sec UTC getting sold out from USA, repeated tries still return sold out – is something broken or did they sell out in 2 seconds?
Well, that was a disappointment! Hit the order button about 10 seconds after 2000 UTC, and by the time I entered my PayPal account password it was sold out!! Guess I’ll wait till the next batch and try again.
73,
Ken, W7KKE
It’s a wrap …
73 from a lucky Mike 🙂
congratulations Mike
All gone at 20:00 and a gnats by the time I’d entered my Paypal code (missed Matty’s tip). Any chance of advance orders?
73 Martin G8BHC
Well, I guess In had to do with Speedy Gonzales.
21:00 CET: I did Paypal log in , complete the forms, clicked on the ” Pay now” and he just answered No More FUnCubeDongle available ….
How many items had this second batch? They seems to be vapoured in a few seconds.
My congrats for your success, but , now, a question arises: when and how many items will be the next batch? Is somehow possible in future to order in advance? I stand here half an hour before the term , but this has proven unsuccesful . I fear that in the future it will be alweays worse for me, end user-buyer .
73 es gud 2011 OM !
Augusto HB9TZA / I2JJR
I have to add that I tried many tiomes before the 20:00 UTC in order to be ready to press ” pay now ” as stated elsewhere, but it did not work for me, not at all. So I sincro my clock and waited. At 21:00:00 CET I disd press Buy Now, I had ready all the num,bers here, so quickly went to “pay now” to get a ” sold out ” like others I am not at all sure, I did try some times again, it was so odd for me; but nothing. HI: I hope I have not bought many devices! HI
I intended to buy one only. But it’s not my moment.
Hope in the next batch, let me know when it will be please.
783 again de Augusto
Within 30 seconds the batch from Sunday 2 januari 2011 20:00 UTC was sold-out hopefully I will have more luck next batch.
Hello. I´m very happy now. I got one FCD Pro.
My mobile station will have soon a SDR RX Station.
73! Christian EA4EUN
So not fair! To the guy who said this:
“Not sure if I got one or not. I saw the page that showed the amount, then I filled in my paypal info, and then it said sold out. Not sure if I got one or not.”
I did the *same* thing. I clicked buy, secured my place, and got to the payment page. Selected my my bank info and clicked pay and it went back to the sold out page. Gone.
I’m so disappointed.
Randy, check your transaction history. I got the same window, and I’m not showing a sale taking place today… I feel I was cheated by PP.
Don’t feel alone Will, the same thing happened to me. I don’t see how that happens if the order has already been pushed through initially but whatever…
Ok I missed it by about one second. I got the paypal login and by the time I typed my password, they were sold out. I’d hope that next time you would setup a list; but now I know to log into paypal first before clicking buy now.
Dick
Looks good for me
good New Year to all
73 GM0AKJ
Should have done UK orders only before our VAT went up maybe???
Payment confirmed, so it looks like I will get one 😉
Happy New Year to all.
Cheers.
Exact same thing happened to me: clicked “buy”, got the order page, clicked “pay”, got “sold out”.
I’d be happy to prepay NOW, if I was assured of getting one from the next batch…
I’m one of the lucky one’s, used an “internet coach”, LOL, N8MH, my contribution was to shorten my PayPal login to an “quicker” alphanumeric. I look forward to joining the FCD club as I climb the learning curve.
73 Pete WB2OQQ
The quick and the dongle-less!
Oh well. Nothing shown in my pay pal account. I guess the trick is to pre log into paypal and hit all the buttons as fast as you can. I guess just because I saw the price and the account page only means that I got that far, but not far and fast enough to get my order placed.
Try again next time.
Randy
Even though I had logged in to Paypal when I pressed the “Buy Now” button the load up page just hovered/stalled by which time it was too late.
Clue me in here… How can you be fast enough to get the item, and then have it take away from you while you are paying for it??? Thats just messed up and really quite unfair. All in under 5 seconds?
This would be similar to going to a store, putting an item into your grocery basket and when you get to the counter someone else reaches in, takes it out, tosses some cash on the counter, and walks away.
Paypal sucks.
-Will
It doesn’t seem to order transactions other than by which has paid first 🙁
Or like Staples where they have the cards hanging on the racks, you take a card, go to pay, they go in the back room, and come back and say they don’t have any. Although, they did place an order for me and I had it shipped to my home the next day with free shipping. But the 10 people waiting in the line weren’t too pleased with what was going on.
Randy
Folks
Apologies if you missed out this time.
This batch had 49 devices. That is how many I have fully tested and ready to go. The first batch two weeks ago was 35 units.
I have some more untested or semi finished devices but I need to complete them.
Remember that there is a further batch of 100 coming later on this month also from an assembler. Let’s hope they’re up to scratch!
Howard
So thats about two seconds worth! LOL
Keep up the good work – it will be worth the wait.
Howard,
Like many have asked, can you please find a more fair way to distribute these? Create a waiting list, accept the first X number of people to email you at the start time, or find a way to get paypal to sell them honestly. It’s simply not fair for those of us that don’t know how to manipulate the paypal system to jump place in line.
“used an “internet coach”, LOL, “my contribution was to shorten my PayPal login to an “quicker” alphanumeric” – all sound like ebay tricks to me.
Will… I for one didn’t manipulate the paypal system, as you call it, I just typed fast and logged in, all in time to get my payment confirmed before they were gone.
Learn to type faster, or use the pre-login trick next time, which I consider a good tip for those after one FCD from the next bach 😉
Clubbtraxx, I never said you manipulated the system… But I guess from your reply you are explaining how you did *laugh*
“for one didn’t manipulate the paypal system”
then
“use the pre-login trick next time”
Trick huh. Sounds like manipulation to me 🙂
I didn’t do the pre-login, I had to login but type pretty fast 😉 In fact I only learned about the idea here in the comments from others.
It only saves you maybe 1-2 seconds, depending also on your internet speed of course, but maybe those few seconds is what you needed.
Good luck on the next batch.
I’m guessing demand and available quantities will level out pretty soon
There’s nothing to manipulate. I missed out the first time too because I underestimated the demand and wandered into the site about a minute after ordering began. This time I was prompt, paid using the default source, and even though I had to sign into paypal it looks like I still got one. So there is no way to game the system other than just being quick about it.
Howard,
Set the computer clock to GPS standard, clicked on PAY at 20:00:01, and got one ordered. Seems perfectly fair to me. 😉
73s es TNX for the incredible effort and project.
Alan
WA4SCA
Hello,
I think i was fast enough and get one!
No pre login, just press the button, login and pay…
Thanks a lot Howard!
vy 73
Ralf, DG6EA
This is why I try to teach my children that they can’t have everything in life. I’ve only known about the FCD for ~18 hours, but between bargaining with the XYL and waiting for the 0-hour, PP just wants to make me drink!
Howard, are you still expecting the next batch in 2 weeks or so? How many were available today?
Never mind on the quantities – you beat me to it. (sigh) Will wait for the next batch I guess…
Hello,
I tried to order today at 2001 UTC but the system said the item is sold out!
Also several times later as I tried again it said the same…
What did I made wrong?
Looking forward to hearing from you soon,
73, DE7ALG
Hi,
here is no user that manipulate paypal!
When 49 Dongles sold out, the best way is to wait for the next goods.
When Howard must care a list, then Howard has no time to make new goods or updates for the firmware.
This way, that Howard choosen, is the best way for him.
I have click on the “Button” at 20:00:10 and i must only take my password in paypal and click the button to pay. This is in 3 seconds done.
49 Dongles are many goods… This ist an indication, that the dongle is very interesting and many user will have them.
Uwe
I was also to slow typing the password.
hope i have more luck next time
Just thinking – if they where scheduled on ebay with a quantity then when the counter got to zero it would show as gone. Then people would have time to sort out the Paypal bit. Just add on the cost of the ebay fees to the customer – that would be fairer!
Thank you for changing the sale time, I was fully awake for this one.
Strange Paypal behavior though. I clicked on the website at 20:00 UTC and was taken to the Paypal login site with a Dongle “in my basket” and charges computed at 108 Pounds. I put in my password to pay and then told it was sold out. I have a screen capture with the dongle in my basket.
Strange.
Paypal does not seem to order/sequence transactions -the only order is when the money is transferred from what I can tell. Thats why an ebay system would be fairer as when it says “You have bought this item” you really have!
Folks, I don’t know about some of you, but I get rather uncomfortable reading the posts complaning about the purchase process, or the number of available units, and so on…let’s not forget what Howard *IS* doing, rather than what he might do differently, etc. Gracious—putting them up for grabs to the fastest clickers has to be the most fair way I can think of. My hat’s off to Howard for the tremendous effort he has put forth into brining these to a reality. Maybe he should just put the next batch up for bid on eBay so the highest bidders win them 🙂
That would be “richest finger first” rather than “fastest finger first” but then the richest fingers are also the fastest fingers due to business isp speeds etc – a business or speedy web connection in the USA will always be faster than one in most parts of Africa! I am not knocking Howards sterling work – what he is doing is stunning – (I watched the whole You Tube video btw!) I guess everybody wants to see fairness where the direct payment system with Paypal does not offer it.
Well said Mark,not sure about Ebay. I think once the bigger batch comes, things will get a little better, it did not help that the first manufacture dropping out at the last min, thus leaving this and the last batch being made single handed by Howard.
With ebay the seller just puts in the quantity to be sold and you can for a few pence schedule the sale to start at any given time. Announce on this website time and date and show a link to the item. Then all Howard has to do is sit back and make some more! When they go on sale everyone sees the sale at the same time using the ebay item number and when they are sold out at ebay you know it has gone and you can see the sales history etc. Then when people are able to log into Paypal to conclude the transaction there is no panic – especially when you have to decide which source of payment you are going to use. To me its a no-brainer as they say!
You must have been one of the successful buyers. : )
Sour Grapes, Sour Grapes – no funilly I didn’t! As there was the same discussion after the first batch I just thought a look at the process might be helpful but I am not sure its that welcome!
I just want it known that I fully appreciate what Howard is doing for us and don’t condone his method of sale… It’s just the crazy way PP works that I think got everyone who “lost” so upset. No matter how he sells them (lists, emails, etc.), there will be a backlog and someone is going to miss out on a shipment. Kind of like being outbid on an auction at the last couple of seconds, but this is in reverse!
Keep up the great work Howard; we’re all looking forward to the next selling time!!! 🙂
Well done to the guys who managed to get one ordered, sorry to the guys who didn’t make the purchase.
I don’t think any of us can really blame Paypal for the way things are processed, I’m guessing it will complete the ‘transaction’ when the rest of the Paypal bits have been completed, if someone manages to ‘get in’ and get their transaction completed beforehand, then it looks like that is the one that would take priority.
I can totally understand Howard’s logic towards using Paypal for the sales of them as he has previously discussed, I just hope the guys who have missed out this time will manage to get one of the next batch.
I have never known anything to be as popular as this in amateur radio circles – big congratulations to Howard for producing a product that is showing so much interest from the radio community.
Matty
Matty MD0MAN wrote “I have never known anything to be as popular as this in amateur radio circles – big congratulations to Howard for producing a product that is showing so much interest from the radio community.”
Totally agree there. Howards dongle is one of the most interesting things I have seen in a very long time. And that is why the next sell-out will be finished faster than tonite.
My suggestion to Howard is to check with PP if they have a log of how many different buyers were trying to pay the first 10 seconds. That would probably come as a shock.
Mark, I was also watching this outburst with what amounted to disgust. How many of us would have been prepared or able to do what Howard has done?
No choice of logistics is going to suit everyone. However disappointing it may be to have missed out I would urge a return to an element of decorum.
Perhaps Howard could / should remove these unfortunate comments.
Howard and the project need our support not an avalanche of unrest.
Howards meticulous placing of the SM components under microscope is not un-noticed – the work he is doing is remarkable in everyway. I only hope my suggestions where not taken out of context – I think people are just bemused with the way Paypal works!
It’s definitely not Howard’s fault. There are only so many to go around and there has to be some method of selling them. It was just a bit of a kick in the butt when it gets you excited by telling you that you purchased one then it turns around and yanks it back at the last second. It’s kind of like thinking you won a lotto ticket and realizing you misread the number.
Got mine using my iPhone (I type very fast with it).
Can’t wait to play with it and a CJU antena!
Stay tuned http://eb4dka.laserenadigital.com
Best 73 and happy new year.
Pedro EB4DKA
Hello Pedro. My paypal connection was very slow, but I felt very happy when I saw the confirmation page. The FunCube Dongle will be for me the start of SDR handheld exploration, using an Asus Netbook and a CJU antenna.
73 and Happy new year.
Christian EA4EUN
Reading all the comments,
PP seems to look at those who ACTUALLY PAID FIRST, as the order progresses to the finish.
Thank you for all the hours spent with this project.
i did made it to sucessfully place the paypal payment, actually i even see a 0001 on my invoice, perhaps i was the 1st one on this second bacth..
my problem is, while clicking as fast as possible, i disregard that paypal had my old address as the default shipping address. now im here sending emails and trying to inform Howard of my need to update such infos. I have sent them already via email but got no confirmation so don’t want to take the risk of loosing it cause some spam filter is blocking my emails to howard.
hoping this comment form will help me out, will really hate to miss my key cause of the quick click.
:S
Hello Ad,
NO, 0001 doesn’t mean that you where number ONE (everybody who managed to order a FCD did get this number, me too during the first batch and I have serial #111).
See also: http://www.funcubedongle.com/?page_id=286#comment-509
73 and a happy 2011 to you all,
Frank PH2M
The device is popular. Cool. Maybe it is possible to produce some complete KIT for DIY. Suppose that the price will be a couple of dollars lower or exact same . Those wishing to buy I think there are (I buy exactly)
73! and HNY
First Click Paypal gives a OK.
But on the Payment Confirmation the Sold out Window flashes.
The Money is not running out 🙁
Waiting for the Next Chance 🙂 Second Batch
Greetings from Germany
Is it possible to know the date of the next batch ?
VRY TNX.
Hello Antonio
Around mid January if my new manufacturer’s boards come out OK.
Howard
Hello Howard,
many thanks.
This SDR and this tecnology is very interested, also, for my work.
My best 73.
Folks
If you want to know the worst of it, Paypal oversold by 11 units, so 60 boards were sold in this batch. Luckily I was within a an hour or so of finishing another ten anyway but they hadn’t been tested. I lost my first board (serial #163) on Saturday: when I was replacing the tuner chip (it had bad image rejection) a couple of tracks lifted – pretty much a write off.
So I’ve had to get out a couple of extra boards for the post.
Howard
That’s horrible Howard. Having all of us complain about Paypal as well is just adding to your frustration I’m sure. We do really appreciate your effort in cranking out these things. The work is obviously tedious to making them… and that’s not even considering packing and shipping.
Maybe there is someone amongst the bright people who are customers here that could code, or rework, a web based sales interface so that you could control the sales in a manner that doen’t burden you and keeps all of us desperate buyers happy. With demand outnumbering supply for who knows how long… it seems like everyone would benefit from brainstorming a way to fairly control the future sales. I’m not a coder, but I can’t imagine it would be that hard to write something in javascript that would allow access to a purchase page, count down the available units (without messing it up like paypal), and email those people a link to pay.
I’m sure others may even have better solutions. Just something to think about.
Thanks for slaving over these boards. We do appreciate it.
-will
Oh my…that’s 10 lucky people and one unlucky builder!
Howard–out of curiosity–will batch 2 units ship with firmware v18b or v18c? So far v18c seems just fine on my first batch unit! And it has pretty been running continuously for the last 3 days or so…
Mark
Hello Mark
I am shipping them with v18b: v18c was really an interim release and I hadn’t had enough feedback to be confident enough to install that version. v18b has been around since October and apart from a couple of relatively minor niggles has been rock solid so I took the decision to go with that rather than risk something that’s only been out for a few days.
Howard
Is there also a kit version posible?
SMD resistors or capacitors not included, only the board and other components.
Hi
Sorry, there is no kit for the FCD.
Howard
Hi Howard
I Have The Same Question As ON3PTZ.
Is This Possible?
Robert
Further information for you on the last sale. The first sale completed at 20:00:22 and the 60th at 20:00:47.
Howard
ZAPP !!!
FYI. I got the sold-out message at 20:00:02 while confirming pay. NTP-synced 19:50.
There is a massive interest. I think you will sell more of these than yuo ever imagined. Howard – Good Luck and take care of yourself!
When will there be information regarding the next batch?
Hi Howard,
I asked Simon HB9DRV (HRD and SDR freewares) if he will support the FCD .
He could be interested but he too cannot get one, just like me and others.
May I suggest you to contact him to exchange Infos so he may be able to support FCD in his freewares? I would also suggest to ease him to get one, as that way all other users will get some advantage, I suppose. This is of course my opinion, fwiw .
I believe that this could have been of some interest to you, so I let you know it.
I will wait for the next batch, now, exercising fast-typing and getting quick and short strings for my paypal account……. HI!
Best regards to you Howard, FB!
73 de Augusto HB9TZA / 9H3JR
” … now, exercising fast-typing and getting quick and short strings for my paypal account……. HI! … ”
HI ! Augusto…. It is very dufficult to have the Dongle….
Hi Antonio, you’re right!
The comic is in the times Howard published. I got an answer “sold out” maybe at 20:00:04 – have not watched the clock , I was topo busy! – As somebody wrote here , I guess PayPal is the problem, but this will absolutely not lessen the wonderful One-Man-Crew that Howard is doing!
I will wait for the next batch, but I guess it will be faster thatn ever … But at a certain point, like a gaussian , the slope will begin to become favourable to us, poor UnspeedyGonzales …. That time we will al be satisfied and get endly our FCD and begin the fun . In the meantime, feedback from the first users will grow and we will benefit of some hint on its uses. In the meanwhile we have learned that it works with WRPlus last version, and maybe that time we will also get some support in Simon’s SDR .
Howard, many many thanks for what you are doing !
I wish you all the best and all the success you deserve, dr OM !
73 de Augusto HB9TZA / I2JJR etc.
Hi Howard,
I hope and We hope, that the next batch is sufficient for all . . . without problems of velocity as Speedy Gonzales in PayPal . . .
🙂
I am interested in a dongle please let me know when they are available.
Many thanks
Barry (G3WIS)
Hi Barry,
Thanks for your message. Keep an eye on the site, the date and time of the next time we have availability will be posted a few days before. Assuming the next set of boards arrive as expected and check out OK we’re looking at somewhere around 15/16 January.
Howard
Good Luck.
On the next opportunity to order your FCD visit, http://www.time.gov/, or your favorite time source to make sure your computer clock is accurately set for your next order.
73 and good luck
Pete, WB2OQQ
please notify me when these wonderful radios come up for sale agin please.
respectfully
Perry Chamberlain
ke6anm
Hi Perry,
Thanks for your message. Keep an eye on the site, the date and time of the next time we have availability will be posted a few days before. Assuming the next set of boards arrive as expected and check out OK we’re looking at somewhere around 15/16 January.
Howard
Howard, There is an old Canadian saying about building a better mousetrap and having the world beat a path to your door,eh? I join the many who congradulate you on your enterprise and exceptional Patience with us all and would also love to sign up for one as the process allows. One usually has to be a rare and new island in a glorious pileup in a season of fine sunspots, etc, etc to get this response. In short, please keep up the good work and drop me/us a note as to when such a dongle might become available
73 de Bruce
KJ6CSI
Hi Bruce,
Thanks for your message. Keep an eye on the site, the date and time of the next time we have availability will be posted a few days before. Assuming the next set of boards arrive as expected and check out OK we’re looking at somewhere around 15/16 January.
Howard
Ciao Howard,
how many Dongle are available for the next batch ?
TNX
Hello Antonio.
If all goes to plan, 100.
Howard
Ciao Howard
I hope this will be sufficient to supply demands . . .
Hi Antonio.
This is the first time I have used this manufacturer. I originally ordered from them about five or six weeks ago, before we’d released any production boards, so we still didn’t know at that stage what demand was going to be like.
Before I re-order I need to make sure that the boards from this manufacturer are good.
Howard
Howard,
After all the “fun” you have had with this last batch of boards (e.g. did you consider this batch of boards “good”), are you reordering from this manufaturer?
I have enjoyed matching your video of reworking the boards; but it is a shame that you had to rework so many. What was the final number of boards that required rework out of this last lot?
You efforts are appreciated.
sold out 🙁 how can I reserve one piece for the next production lot?
thanks for Info in advance, 73
Kurt, Hb9xCL
Kurt
somewhere around 15/16 January, keep an eye on this site for ordering information.
There is No Reserve list.
rob
I definitely want to give myself one
For me in France, I therefore need version EC or Rest of World ???
73’s
Sebastian
Hello Seb
For France, it’s the EC.
Howard
Please will you reserve one for me
Phone 01724 782996
Thanks
Wesley G3TYY
Wesley- while it may seem sense to take orders and fulfil them in order received this not how it is being done. You must be available on the right day at the right time on this website and click “BUY” and take pot luck as to wether you get one or not. The first two batches sold out in a matter of seconds. The next batch of 100 is likely to go equally as quick. At some point I guess the demand will fall off and it will be easier to get one. If you happen to be an Internet “Slow Coach” (like me) you are likely to have to wait some time for one. I don’t advise putting your phone number on here either. Good Luck.
Ian, G7PHD.
Good morning Howard.
I have received my FCD five minutes ago. At night I will begin to study how works this handheld sdr station.
73, Christian EA4EUN
definitively I like to give me self one
can order ??
KJ4UFK PLEASE ADD ME TO YOUR ORDER LIST
THANKS …73…EMILIO
Dear Mr. Howard,
I havent Received the Dongle Yet. I ordered it from Germany. I would like to know, If there is usually so much delay. It would very kind of you, if you could provide me some information in this regard.
73s,
KF5HDS / Sanjay Srikanth Nekkanti
Sanjay
You have mail…
Howard
Hi Howard,
i’m still waiting for my Funcubedongle….
Is there a problem?
Please send me your Email Address, then we can better communicate.
Uwe
Sorry, i found your email address on paypal.
I will send you an email …
Uwe
Uwe
You have mail!
Howard
In some parts of the world we are still sleeping at 20:00Z.
Why not rotate the time so that all will have a chance to get one.
Next batch, say, 01:00Z
There is no way I am getting up at 5AM local on the very very small chance I may be successful.
We are waiting for COUNTDOWN ! ! !
I have a FUNCube Dongle … I am HAPPY . . . 🙂
GOT ONE, GREAT!!!!
yay i got one 😉
Again, no joy. Sold out in under 40 seconds.
I’m so haaapy – I got one!!!!!
THX
Alexander, DE7ALG
Didn’t take more than a minute this time 🙂
Yes !! I got one !!!
I have not able to get one – all gone in a few seconds.
Howard, definitively you have to set an order list, this is not the way to go. Too disppointing.
73 – Marco IK1ODO
got one too!!
GOT ONE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Whoopee! 28 seconds and got one! My second effort, an improved time from 54 seconds the last time…
Arrrgggg.
Wrong Credit Card in PayPal… By the time I entered the correct one it was gone…..
At least the website stayed up unlike Sparkfun.com yesterday 😉
Thanks for all your work Howard, hope you have time to make a new batch soon!
missed out yet again..I tried right at 20:00 utc and it was sold out by the time I hit pay now
There’s something wrong with the paypal ordering process. I had one, went to pay, hit “pay now” was told it was sold out. I went back to your order page, and tried to order a few more times, where it told me the item was sold out. After a minute or so, it told me I had one, but again, got sold out when I hit the payment screen. I don’t think paypal is setup to handle this type of mass-ordering of a limited quantity product.
Hi Brian.
Because of the over selling I had from Paypal last time, I limted the number on the first tranche to 80 units. It over sold by “only” seven units so I released another 13 a minute or so later, which it then promptly oversold by four.
Howard
Really fun!
80+7+13+4 -1 damaged ….
So you have only one left ; … may I have it ? “;^))
73 de Augusto 9H3JR I2JJR
The future start for me – sdr – FUNcube.
73 to all from Brazil.
I got one to, an other happy ham radio amateur. It will be my first steps working with a SDR device. Can’t wait to start working with it.
Thanks to everyone who helped with the development of this device.
73 Jan PE0SAT
Got one, pass in paypal from copy-paste not work, i had to print his hands
honestly, this is ridiculous. just set up a waiting list already 🙁 some of us are too old and tired to play this kind of game.
three times i have tried to get this and three times i have failed – item gets into “cart” but there’s no way in hell i can enter my paypal password, select funding source etc. fast enough to compete. logging in beforehand doesn’t help – you still need to enter a password, confirm shipping address, etc.
i appreciate the incredible work you are doing, but honestly, how hard could it be to have a waiting list? i would have no problem *whatsoever* having my money tied up for weeks or even months waiting, if i knew i’d my turn would come eventually. i trust you completely. but this paypal thing is just making me hate the whole business. 🙁
I completely agree. I don’t mind paying now and waiting, so long as I know there’s a wait, what’s the big deal?
I understand, please let me have a think about this. As I have mentioned before, a simple wait list means I have to manually chase up for payment which will be time consuming. On the other hand, a pre-pay means I could be sitting on other people’s money for some time, something I’m not really comfortable with.
In my defence, I really didn’t expect this level of popularity, and I sincerely thank you all for your patience and interest.
Howard
I listened to WWV and clicked buy at 20:00:02.. no dongle for me. Dang you network latency!
YAY 😀
I got one too…
I look forward to showing this dongle off to other jealous HAMS 😉
Thank you 🙂
De 2E0RPT
many thanks to Howard for his hard design and production work -and now sales!
Congratulations on selling them all after only 15 minutes! I missed out so grumble, grumble, grumble 8-D
Hopefully the next batch won’t be too far away.
To “tiredofthis”
If you want, you can have my unit. You are right, younger people (I am 42 and feel like 22 😉 ) have some advantage and this is not fair. I can wait for next lot.
73 JOSE EB5AGV
Howard,
other people offering ham-radio related items in batches have managed waiting lists. I have in my mind G0BBL and the VWNA. He has been very succesful, and waiting lists have been long at times, depending on batch availability. TAPR with HPSDR did the same. I understand that handling a waiting list is time consuming, but in this way you have 100 happy customers for sure, and no idea of how many unsatisfied and upset potential customers. Knowing the real interest figures would help you in deciding the lot size, too.
73 – Marco IK1ODO
Hi Marco,
We met everywhere ;-)!
Did you get one?. I think I had the luck of the first-timer. I panicked a bit when I needed to enter my (long) PayPal password, but I managed to end the transaction in very few seconds (at 20:01 UTC I have already posted here!)
About your comment, I was also in the VNWA list since last June and my unit has just shipped (it could have been sooner, in December, but then I was not ready). I agree with your comment but I also understand Howard’s point of view.
73 JOSE EB5AGV
Hola Jose,
yes, we share many common passions (but you are not on EME – yet, HI).
No, I have not been able to get one, and I hit ENTER at 20:00:00.5 … I have been directed to PayPal, that was already opened, but when I confirmed the transaction iw as already gone. Really too bad; I understand Howard reasons, but still I’m convinced this is not the way to go.
73 – Marco IK1ODO
This time I went home too late …. Here only at 20:12 utc … just in time to read all the comments! I wish the next batch will be soon …. it seems to play lotto this way, but hey this is also part of the fun for us. I doubt that it’s also fun for Howard!
So oncemore my thanks and understanding to Howard.
And to the brave that have “won” a FCD this time, dont forget to let us know your opinions, experioences and trick. Is there somebody wanting to test it with Simon’s SDR Console? Have FUN! 73 de Augusto HB9TZA / I2JJR
Hi Augusto
Tried different Programs yet,
WRPlus , Best Universal for all kind of signals , good Filteroptions , mid FM decode Hard for CPU
SDR Console , very Hard for CPU , mid. class for Audio , superb for Digimodes and nice working Server
Sodira , Best for Broadcast FM , friendly for CPU simple in grafics
All Tests with AMD duo at 2ghz and Win 7 Home
Alf
Thanks Alf, I had not yet read your answer, sorry.
Thanks for the Infos on SDR freeqware by Simon HB9DRV !
I am waiting for my FCD , but helas … paypal has given a wrong address, unconfirmed, and I had no way to correct it; more, I wrote the right shipping adress to Howard, but it seems the FCD has been shipped to the wrong place …
Hope not to have lost more than some time! Paypal did not ask me for shipping address, anyway.
73 de Augusto hb9tza / 9h3jr / i2jjr
Augusto
Your FCD was sent to the address that you emailed me, not the Paypal address. Check the attachment in your email, it has the stamped Post Office copy of the delivery address. It was NOT sent to the Paypal address.
Howard
I think Howard has answered the question regarding Waiting lists,I think it’s unfair to keep bringing this up.
Many Thanks Howard for your Hard Work
Good Luck for the Next Round to all
Hopefully everyone get`s a Cube in 2011
Cheers 🙂
Well, it looks like finally got one at my second try, I’ve read Jan 02 of somebody’s recomendation of be logged into paypal before, so I was logged 2 min before 20:00 and could got one.
First try lost time in logging procedure of paypal account and missed my chance. So probably for those whom have had trouble to get one, next time login to paypal account first, at least worked for me.
73 Bert / xe1fze
There’s got to be a person out there close to you who would be willing to maintain an “ordering list”. You let them accept emails on a first-come, first-served basis (emails received at the same second are alphabetically listed), and as you get a batch in (lets say, 100), they forward you the first 100 off the top. This would let you know what your order base number is, not to mention how popular your product is (which I think your grossly underestimating).
It’s very stressful to wait for the day of the sale, get everything set up for the sale (including altering the day so we’re available for the release time), and then only to have PP tell you it’s sold out right when you hit the PAY button. It has nothing to do with fairness or “cheating” – look how PP oversells items. It’s pure luck since logging in beforehand does not work.
It looks like a great product, however I’m not meant to have one, I guess. Not until they’re readily available. Good luck.
I lost the battle for the FcD this time as well, but I got no bad feelings.
I fully support the way Howard do the sale…. It’s his product and he make the rules. http://www.funcubedongle.com/?p=362
My time for the FcD will come…..(next sale – I’m sure 🙂 )
73 de LA8AW -Odd-Egil
Well, Finally
Click right on 12:00pm (PST) never missed it. I got one 🙂
will fullfill my AMSAT Rotor project.
Hope I can received it soon.
73,
K6XOX
If you don’t want to jump right into an order list, how about a “pre-order” list? Set this up with the understanding that the potential customer is not actually ordering one at this time, but you are showing a level of intrest? This way, you will know how many potential customers are in fact out here wanting one, and also how many to order for the next batch. It also separates the owners from the customers. Set a mailbox up that accepts emails for the weekend, or a full 7 days, then close it. Once you get that customer base identified, you’ll know how many to order. If there’s let’s say, 1,000 potential orders, I would like to think that there wouldn’t be a problem for the customers who are waiting for their FCD to pass testing and shipping out in a month or so. Just a suggestion – you can ignore it if you want…
Hello Larry
I understand, but think about it this way…
Let’s say there are 1,000 interested individuals.
o I have to go out and invest several tens of thousands of $$$s of my own money (which I don’t happen to have lying around by the way).
o We are still some weeks from a reliable volume production process even for relatively small vollumes of 100.
o My current manufacturer can’t deliver any units until the end of February (that’s another problem I just found out about).
o I am now in the process of trying to mitigate against this, but right now it is very likely I will have to be build some more myself again.
o Irrespective, once I have those 1,000 units, we then have to individually contact each person and request payment, manually collate who’s paid and who hasn’t, chase up payment, and deal with spam, outgoing and incoming. Someone has to do that work. I don’t see a big crowd of people with their hands up!
o Packaging 1,000 units alone will take 200 man hours. I have already gained quite some notoriety at the local post office as it is!
The long and the short of it is that I openly admit that we did not anticipate the level of enthusiasm, and this has brought with it its own problems for us.
Once again I wholeheartedly thank everyone for their patience in this while we get the process right. This is a steep learning curve for all of us.
Thank you again, Howard
Good day Howard,
I just want you to know that if there’s any way that I can help you out, please contact me through email. If I lived near you, I would surely offer my time to help you package that thousand up! At the rate you’re selling these, AMSAT-UK will be able to launch a HEO real soon – keep up the great work! Sorry if I was came across as being “grumpy” the other day – I was caught up in the “moment” with dealing with PP. Looking forward to the next batch…
Larry
There’s no problem with your comments, I just wanted to but some perspective on the situation for everyone.
Howard
Hello Howard,
Do you require any volunteers to help with assembly or anything else related to the dongle? I ask because maybe having other people helping would enable batches to be produced quicker.
Or do you need help in finding a supplier that can produce the boards complete and tested?
73
Mark
M1MPW
Hello Mark
We’re actively in the process of trying to sort out the supplier problem, but there is always going to be a lead time.
My biggest help has been my 16 year old nephew who is now my chief dispatch associate and held in high regard by his college mates by dint of an uncharacteristically full wallet these days.
Howard
Can i order ?
Now , I am try to click “BuyNow” but it still show “Your item has sold out”
73’de Wiway/HS3LIQ
50 years experience with analog receivers on VHF,UHF and EHF.
Now I have a Funcubdongle for absolut new experiments.
This time I didn’t even bother to find out when the next sale was – I have already expended too much time trying to secure one of these units. I am a patient person and will give it several months till things calm down. Personally I see no end to the immediate situation of Demand exceeding Supply. The idea is obviously good enough that it could have warranted a professional production line and been produced by a big manufacturer but then this would not have been what the project is about! Fro
a personal point of view I am sad that a waiting list with deposits or something couldn’t have been established because then people would have been confident of acquiring a dongle at some point minus the constant uncertainty and watching for the next “Selfridges Sale”! Keep up the good work Howard – maybe you will have a small stock of them by the Summer!
Now I´m waiting for new experiences.
FUNcube in Brazil -Is there another? If not, Sorry I´m the first!
Paypal information:
Date: 14 Jan 2011
Time: 18:00:41 BRST (20:00:41 – UTC)
Status: Completed
Hi Wilmar,
It looks like you are the only one in Brazil.
There is a table of how many went out to each country hear: http://www.funcubedongle.com/?p=399
Hope you have allot of fun when it arrives.
De Rob 2E0RPT
So I got one, the only one that comes to Mexico, will be very interesting to make test and experiments. I d0n’t have any experience with SDR devices, but looks like this is the path of the future radio. Also I’m becoming in a Sat entusiast, so this will help me a lot.
73’s de Bert / xe1fze
Hi Howard,
when You ship the last group (Jan 14) of Dongle ?
Excuse me.
Tony (Italy)
Hello Tony,
They were mailed yesterday (Monday 17 January), the next working day following the sale.
Howard
Ciao Howard,
many thank You.
I will inform as soon as I receive the Dongle.
Grazie ! 🙂
Really excited about these units.. any idea when the next batch may become available?
Cheers
Kevin vk0kev
Hello Kevin.
Excellent question! I am working with the manufacturers right now to try to get the next date. It is likely at the moment that I will have to make the next batch myself as the lead times from manufacturers is of the order of several weeks at the moment.
Howard
Thanks – hopefully they come up before April. We get one re-supply ship per year, so one chance to order I guess 🙂 Will watch the site carefully. Thanks for the info.
#266 received.
Incredible shipping Speed
many many Thanks!
Greetings from Germany
Hi Howard.
Do you know what´s the stimated time to ship to Brazil???
73 de PU9WIL pse k.
Hello Wilmar
The target for Brazil is six working days. All units from the last batch were shipped on Monday 17 January.
See this.
Many thanks,
Howard
Received mine today nr 301 🙂 thanx
When will be the next batch ready to be sold.
Would you please update the information if possible.
Thanks,
A.Tahir DENGİZ, TA2T,
Ankara, TURKEY
Hi TA2T,
Thanks for your question.
Please see this link.
Howard
Dear Howard
On the exhibition MUBA in Basel / Switzerland from the 4th. to 13th. of february 2011 with more then 300 000 visitors, we will present the public the wide range of HAMRADIO inclusive ARISS, SAT, CUBESAT etc. !
For this exhibition we will have our own event call: HB9MUBA.
I tried now two times to order the regular way a funcubedongle via the online order. No luck ! I kindly asking you to provide a funcubedongle for the exhibition ?
I hope we can find a way for a arrangement without raising hard feelings in the funcubedongle community.
Very nice regards
Rolf Eberhard / Assistant technical Manager
Hi Rolf,
can lend you mine.. sitting here in Zuerich. No need to raise bad feelings in the waiting line..
73s Achim, DH2VA/HB9DUN
Rolf I could always ask the FUNcube yahoo Group if anyone has one to loan,if you need one desperately without raising hard feelings in the funcubedongle community.
Rob
Received mine yesterday, number 293, and spent a happy night installing spectravue with DK3WN’s software :>)
I have to add that the design – in visual appearance – of the dongle is iconic as an expression of über-modern technology, a small black lozenge-shaped plastic interface from a laptop to the cosmos… it just shows the care in which this whole project has been conceived. It is already, will rise as, and be remembered as, a design classic. Thanks, Howard.
can you transmitt or just receive thanks mrs cooper
Hello Mrs Cooper
The FUNcube Dongle is a receive only device.
Howard
Hi,
do you have some sort of mailing list to get notified as soon as the dongle would be available again???
Or do you take preorders (with pre-payment) ?
kind rgards
Steve
Hi Steve
February 5/6 is hopefully the date to keep in mind. there will be a notification on the site when this is confirmed.
I believe that you can set up an RSS feed to this site, it’s not something I’ve done myself I’m afraid.
There’s no pre-pay I’m afraid, although we’re investigating possible options for this in the future.
Howard
Hi Howard.
Unbelivable, it seams that you have created a monster
from just going through the interested individuals you will be
working night and day
With all this interest raise the price to 250.00 or 300.00
too cover costs and your health
I would very much like to get 2 for teaching Radio Astronomy
but the demand that I see, I do not see this happening
You are on a noble project, I hope that all works well
Mark Panko
VA3VSA
Today 11 am arrived FCD n° 231: all ok!
Thanks Howard de Paolo I1VPJ
I am still waiting for mine here in Valencia (Spain) . It should be here soon!
73 JOSE EB5AGV
Jose
You have mail.
An incredible coincidence, I was on your website just this week as my Marconi 2955 comms test set failed. Turned out to be the BU806 line output transistor, I was lucky that it wasn’t the transformer. GBP2 and ten minutes later, fixed!
Back to more mundane issues, there seems to be a delay on all the Spanish destined FCDs, they were all sent on Monday, but none are appearing in the correos.es tracking system yet (they are on the Royal Mail’s tracking site).
Howard
just wanted to drop a note that the fcd arrived tuoday. tried to do some offset operation and this works pretty well with belkin f5l009 (usb emulated over network).
tnx for the engineering of the fcd, lots of fun ahead, 73 de oe6rke
Hi Howard, It is a nightmare trying to order a dongle which are all gone inside a few seconds, so my question is are you going to continue making these up to and after the satellite is launched as I am not able to sit on the Internet waiting for the clock to tick around for the time you release each batch of the dongles? My morphine and other 30 odd daily meds make me sleep at odd times, so will have to wait until everyone finishes their orders and then I will order 1 Pro licensed and 1 academic version so I can teach teenages at the local technical college and may be write a thesis for my open university final course.
Congratualations on making the best selling SDR dongle for satellites, I think you will have to make another 5000 before orders start to ease a little, hence asking if you will continue to make these after the satellite is in orbit?
Best regards Howard,
de Chris GW6KZZ
Hi Howard,
How long does it usually take for these to get delivered to the USA? I bought one in the last batch and haven’t received it yet.
Thanks
Bob
Hi Bob
Target is six working days. If you email me your details I’ll send you your tracking number details.
Howard
I just got mine 10 minutes ago from the second batch. still on the package.
Thank you Howard,
Miguel
KC7IGT
Hi Howard,
My FCD arrived today in NJ. Thanks
Barry
WB2ZXJ
Hello Howard.
What an exciting project you have here.
I was fortunate enough to purchase one in the the January sale, but as I live in Australia I have not received it yet.
Can you please tell me what I need to provide you with and your email address so I might be able to track it.?
Thanks very much.
Greg
Hi Greg… you are not alone. I am in WA and also still waiting but mail from overseas is often a long time here so I am not concerned yet. Next week I might be more concerned…hi
Phil.
sorry for the question …. but when they are available??
I have to pay for first win funcube?
mauro
Mauro, around 4/5/6 Feb Keep an eye on this site, as soon as Howard has a fixed date, he will announce it on here.
best 73
Rob
Hi Howard.
I am not sure what happened to my last email.
Can you please give me a tracking number for my Funcube Pro?
Thanks very much.
73, Greg
Hi Greg
You have mail!
Howard
I got my unit (#245) on Friday 28th (it was in the P.O. since a couple of days earlier) and works really fine. I am still learning things to get the most of it but, for prospective buyers, it is worth EVERY penny.
Thanks Howard!!!
73 JOSE EB5AGV
Sold out in less then a minute again. I think I actually got one this time, however. 🙂
Third purchase try is the charm. Got one this time. By my clock I finished my order in 22 seconds.
Got mine in 30 sec. Tried again and they were all gone ;(
Richard W5SXD
I took one minute and missed it.
I pushed the button 1 second after the syncronized clock struck 22:00
Said it was already sold out!!
Darn!
Very Happy ☺☺☺
dongle 0001 is mine.
tnx Howard
73
IONDL
Hi Dommy i0ndl,
your FunCube Dongle will not be the number 0001, it is a receipt number; mine also had the same 0001 , but the real FCD number is another and you will know it when you will receive it, or if Howard writes it .
Congrats to you and to all who have won!
My order was done in 58″ , very slow “20M 24/7 ” ADSL …. ‘:°(
Have fun! 72 de Augusto i2jjr / hb9tza / 9h3jr
Hi Augusto,
yes yes, true.
Discovered that on the funcube forum……
All have the same number.
The timestamp on my paypal transaction report 23:00:23, anyway, I’m very happy☺, we now need only to wait
Cheers
Dommy I0NDL
Ummm-
I was able to purchase this go around but when I went to paid it said sold out
thats no very good or fair:-(
Got one!!! YESSSSSSS!!!!!!
It was sold out in 35 sec……
That was the time i need to fil out Paypal.
I mist………
Seriously…?
I tried at 21:59 (by my radio controlled clock) got lucky as the checkout let me through, then I had to change payment options and by the time I clicked pay they were sold out.
Anyway I will try again next time.
Keep up the good work Howard.
I guess we made it through ! Eagerly waiting 🙂
73s de Rakesh VU3RGP
It seems that this time it worked for me !
Click on BUY NOW at 22:00:01
very slow responses …. I suppose a big pile up …
RX confirm of the payment at 22:00:58 !!
Hope all is well; anyway , the address where to send was not requested, Howard , I wrote you an email with the right address to your email indicated on the receipt , hope that all is OK; if not , PLEASE before to send write me an email with your correct email.
Ciao, mny tnxs, 72 de Augusto I2JJR / HB9TZA
Third time unlucky !!!! must type faster….. gone in 60sec comes to mind..
73es Peter
After four false starts it “APPEARS” that I have been successful…
Thanks for all of your great work…
now (after the endless wait to come) the FUN begins… 🙂
Peter
N7BMG
Fourth time is the charm… yay! Tnx Howard
it’s a dream, one hour to try to buy a funcube, always impossible????
each minute a click on buy, but always negative answer!
bye bye, i will search other thing
Hi Howard,
any chance to contactyou via e-mail…???
By the way:
I was two hours late…
Sold out again…
Once more waiting for a next batch…
73de
Steve
My 3rd attempt worked – got one.
It is just like ebay- you have to be fast!
Hit BUY IT NOW at 22:00:00 Paypal confirm email at 22:00:45!
Thank you Howard for all your hard work!
I work on some SMD boards from time to time and what you are doing is FANTASTIC!
Fred
VA7UN
http://www.signalhunter.com
Was successful at 22.00.00 UTC from Germany! Great! Can’t wait for the dongle 🙂
Thanks a lot,
vy 73,
Hermann
DL3HVH
Hi
probably just blast for this time , later must go down
of course not normally 45 seconds for try to buy..
GL 73!
Some tips for fast “Paypal Buy Now”-ing:
1) I dunno if pre-login really works. For me, it didn’t work. However, the login name atleast get automatically filled if you are already logged in. May be you can try some Auto Form-filling plugins for your browser.
2) Best way to coach yourselves is to try out the Buy Now option in some other website. Just don’t hit the Pay Now button unless you are sure 🙂
ex. http://www.fotokiss.com/html/buynow.html
3) If you have multiple credit cards in PayPal, making the one you want to use for purchase as the primary card didn’t help. I removed all the other cards except the one I wanted to use, so that I didn’t have to go and change the card. If you can do the same for the shipping address also, you can save valuable time for not changing those values!
4) When the next time slot is about to open, keep refreshing the Buy Now page.. Login quick when it shows and just hit Pay Now. You really wouldn’t have time to change anything else !
It was 3:30AM in India when the last slot opened… and I’d to put matchsticks on my eyelids !! Hope the next slot lasts longer and all the folks are happy !
Cheers,
Rakesh
Got it – confirmed at 220035z. PC synchronized, hit enter at second zero, the web response was VERY slow however, like 10 seconds or so to reload a page.
Again, with due respect to the extraordinary work that Howard does on this project, in my opinion this is not the way to go to sell a very valid product. Probably things will change when it will go in volume production.
73 – Marco IK1ODO
Hi Marco,
Congratulations, you did it :-)!
You will sure enjoy the unit. I wish I had more time to devote to it!
73 JOSE EB5AGV
Hi Marco ik1odo, Congrats!
Mine is still on the way …. with siomething wrong in the address!
After the right address they added another italian city, but the postal code is very correct and it should work anyway… “;^) Murphy allowing it … ‘:°(
Ciao!
Augusto i2jjr ecc
Pre-login did not work for me last time, so I typed my PayPal password in Notepad , highlighted it & hit CTRL-C. I already had a sufficient balance transferred to my PayPal account ahead of time, so when I hit “Buy Now” at the stroke of 22:00, hit CTRL-V to paste my password into the PayPal login page, and clicked “Pay Now”, I was successful. I think the main things are to be able to log in quickly, and to NOT have to select a funding source before hitting “Pay Now”.
Guess I’m going to have to put this in my startup group if I’m ever going to get one (smile)
What a great addition to my SDR-IQ
Hi Howard.
My FunCube arrrived today, thank you very much.
Now to find the time to experiment with it.
Cheers, Greg.
#405 arrived in HB9, thank you and best 73!
Yesterday morning arrived mine
I have just upgraded the firmware to version 18f, all seem to be OK.
Need time to make some test.
Tnx Howard,
Cheers
Dommy
Hi Howard
I have not received the FunCube, if you can please send me the locator.
Thanks and regards
Raul (EA4BCR)
Raul
You have mail!
Howard
Airsure works much better last Batches 🙂
Paypal Sucks 🙁
Seems HB9 is the first outside UK @ the Moment.
Last running 3 Days to me. This one is still on the Air!
Nice Weekend!
I received #388 at noon. Tonight I was able to
make some attempts. Thank you Howard for the excellent work.
73, Michael
Hi how will I know when you are taking orders for / selling the next batch ??
I hope you have some for sale before the end of Feb 2011
David
Hello David
It depends when I receive the next batch from the manufacturers. There were meant to be some on Friday 11th, but now I am told Thursday 17th. I think it’s only safe to present a new date when I actually have the units here and have had a chance to test them. At that point I will be able to indicate whether or not we’ll have some for sale on the weekend of 19/20. Testing 100 units is only half a day’s work, and at that point I’ll be in a position to put them up for sale, but I do need another 1.5 days to perform rework, fix and retest on that volume of units.
So assuming I receive them on Thursday, I be in a position to indicate the time of the next sale within half a day of that.
Howard
I received #432 at yesterday afternoon
Thanks again Howard
just received my own EME signal in QRP mode with my new FunCube, too.
Signal Noise ratio 4..6 dB no problem. Using 4.8m dish and lna on 1296 MHZ. Excellent device!
73, Slawek
Excellent! Hmm… makes we want to actually do some operating rather than be a slave to the soldering iron!
Howard
Howard,
have you any thoughts on taking some units to the MMRT, it is on 17th April this year,..?
thanks
Howard
Howard
If I have any! Still working on the manufacturing side.
Howard
look forward to seeing you there
Howard
received #390 this afternoon. Thanks Howard.
Stephen
Howard,
Funcube arrived in the mail on Tuesday.
My son’s (VK4FMDH) arrived the next day.
Many thanks
David (VK4ZF)
Hi Howard, FCD Serial # 433 arrived right now . Many thanks , today I will find some minute to have a first test with it ! Fun begins…
73 de Augusto i2jjr / hb9tza
PS next week, A.A.W. : II2ANT & II2ANT/p , WAP-030
Hi. Great job with the Fun Cube Dongle.
Any ideas on the final date for next batch to be available?.
Thanks.
Hello Mariano.
Sunday 20 February 2011, 22:00UTC.
Howard
Hi Howard,
FCD # 413 just arrived at my door.
Thanks!
SN-317 arrived in snowy Eastern Pennsylvania, USA on Wednesday Feb. 16
Thanks Howard.
Unit arrived in bootloader mode. and no matter what firmware I use it stays there. This is unde W7/64 and under XP. Looks like the upload works and verifies. Then reset to appmode, shows reset code of 204 and we are back in BootLoader mode. Anyone have a recommendation how to fix this?
Thanks
Stephan
I’ve sent you an email, but I fear you have a DoA from the detail you wrote in your email to me. If you send it back and email me soe form of proof of mailing I will send you a replacement immediately without waiting for the original unit to arrive here.
I am sorry for the problem that you’re having. The unit would have had to have successfully gone through three separate sensitivity tests, so this should be a rare and unfortunate occurance.
Howard
Hello from France
Superb project, I am very interested by by the FUNcube satellite project and the Funcube Dongle but I did not have a Paypal account and do not wish to create one, is there the possibility of another means of payment (checks, international money transfer etc.) .. … than Paypal or credit card ?
I’m looking forward to having my FunCube dongle and plug it into my computer, so how to pay, is it possible to send you a check or one international bank transfer ?
Thank you for your attention to my subject and congratulations for your wonderful Project work, the video production is fantastic 🙂
Yes! Got in on this sale– I’ve been waiting all week to get this. Very much looking forward to trying it out!
I think I succeeded. Tnx for the good work.
me tooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi Howard,
I started my payment exactly at 22:00 UTC, but after I had changed my payment method it was sold out…
It doesn’t take a minute until everything was sold…
Waiting for next batch….
73de DL2SKY aka Steve
Hi Howard,
I tried ordering, on 22:00 UTC, and I got the Sold Out message.
That didn’t take long to sell out, hi.
Please let me know on the next batch.
73 de Brett, PJ2BR
Hi there,
I did it
73 thanks
I received a email from paypal that I have a order.
73, Gose
Hi Howard, 73s!
Finally success at purchase. Now I’m waiting to test the wonderful “pen”!
All the best from Portugal, 73s!
Silvio, ct1bpt
Pen?
Hi Rob, 🙂
force of expression, obviously its wonderful hardware!
73s
5 seconds after 2200 UTC and I was directed to the PayPal login page, by the time that loaded the units were sold out!!
Looks like one needs to be on ADSL and not a satellite link from Antarctica 🙂
I have one!!!!! I am happy !!!!!!!
It is fore my 2.4mtr antenne disk.
I was so happy that I got to the PayPal payment page and right after I changed the payment option, up popped the out of stock message before I completed the transaction. Less than 2 minutes to sold out. Obviously there is a massive market for these receivers.
Hopefully I’ll have better luck next time around.
73
Jim KA0IQT
I managed to buy one this time. It was #0001 unit after 3 seconds of the start of this batch sale.
I hope it will arrive soon to play with. By the way it is the first item which will be delivered to my Country.
TA2T, Tahir
I got the second one i think.
I will wait and see what is in me postbox this week.
Thanks Howard.
It is a nice thing what you have made
73 John PA7JB
John,
It look like that there are 3 PA’s happy.
73, Tjeerd
Any idea of next date ? I was to slow on the Paypal.
ZS5Y
Hello Derek
I am looking at about ten days time.
Howard
i was also to slow, hope that we don’t have to wait to long for the next delivery.
‘ 73 de ON7YU…Luc
Why don’t you just let people pay for their dongle and send it out when they are ready instead of this nonsense about only trying to order in the few seconds after they become available? That way people get their dongle in order of the time they made their order. A lot more sensible.
I’d much rather pay for the dongle knowing at some timne in the future I will receive it, even if that may take weeks or months.
Hello Mike.
I am sorry that you don’t like the way that the FCD is distributed at present. As already documented, it’s no secret that we’ve been completely surprised by the popularity of the FCD.
Your point about taking money up front is understood, and it has also already been addressed here. From a personal perspective, I am not at all keen on taking money up front without being able to confidently give a date to everyone when they will receive a FUNcube Dongle.
Innevitably, if money is taken up front, I will be spending time individually anwering a multitude of questions about when I think individuals can expect their FCD. I am sure some people will also want refunds if I say that they are, hypothetically, one or two months away. That is very time consuming and realistically we are not geared up logisitcally to handle this. As an example, I spoke to a retailer very recently about how they deal with pre-ordering, and it was explained to me that they have a full time employee just managing pre orders.
I thought very, very long and hard about the distribution, and if you read through the many threads and comments on this blog about it, you’ll see that. As I say, we’ve been completely blown away by the response.
Sadly it is not simply a matter of turning on a tap and miraculously thousands of FCDs appear. There is a lot of work to make that happen, getting the processes and QA right, and as time goes on the manufacturing has gradually been ramped up.
As you can see, the time it takes to exhaust a batch is finally taking over a minute, so the pent up demand is already somewhat subsiding.
I hope that this explains the situation, and I thank you for your enquiry.
Howard
That makes too much sense, and removes all the pulse-pounding frustration and anger the builder seems to enjoy foisting upon his would-be buyers.
I’m hoping to buy one second-hand some day when some other buyer gets tired of theirs. I’m sick and tired of playing “beat the clock”. But I want one, and I guess I have no other choice than to play this silly little game.
This reminds me of a classroom bully with 10 pieces of gum and 11 friends. Hmmm….. what can be done to make sure that the one guy who misses out doesn’t get too frustrated and keeps coming back? One of my teachers always told me that if I couldn’t bring enough gum to class for everyone, then I was not entitled to chew gum either. Boy, was that a wasted lesson!
I am very sorry that you don’t like the current distribution arrangements.
I can assure you that it has absolutely nothing to do with “enjoying foisting frustration and anger on would be buyers” and everything to do with attempting to manage something that would otherwise be a logisitcal disaster for a small one man band that, despite twenty years of successful trading, had never before done any retailing or manufacturing until a couple of months ago.
I am sure you must understand that it is neither fair nor ethical to keep hold of individuals’ money for an indefinite amount of time until, at some time in the future, they get to the front of the queue.
Although I accept that the current mechanism isn’t perfect by any means, I am sure that things will innevitably ease off. Again may I remind you that it is no secret that we completely underestimated the demand, and we’ve hardly been lucky with manufacturing either. Either way, manufacturing isn’t like a tap you can simply turn on and off on demand – I’ve learnt that very much the hard way.
Howard
Hi, when will be next batch available for sale ??
73 Ondra OK1CDJ
Please inform me if I orders can be placed.
Regards
rolf
Rolf,
I will place a post on this site when the next FCDs will be available, probably in the next few days.
Howard
Does not work. Server says “sold out”. 🙁
Hi A. K.
That is because we ran out I am afraid. There will be some more in the next couple of weeks.
Howard
Hi
Have the dongles from the Feb 20th sale reached the US yet?
Waiting for my dongle.
According to Murphy and his laws, since I have posted this message it means that to dongle will be sitting in my mailbox tonight.
Randy
K7AGE
Randy,
Someone just posted over in the Yahoo Group, that they got theirs in Ney York today.
I’m in Vermont, and still waiting for mine.
Bruce
KF1Z
Randy & Bruce,
Just an FYI – mine was from the Feb 4 batch. I was seeing people receiving theirs all over the country before I received mine on the East Coast, and after I got that “lost in the mail” feeling. There doesn’t seem to be an even distribution throughout the country (East to West). Wait at least 3 weeks before you get nervous! Also, the tracking information is not the best – mine didn’t update showing that it arrived at the P.O. until the day it was delivered. Hope this helps your nerves a little…
Larry
YUPI ! YUPI ! ….. I como on time tis time !. I’m very happy and excited to reciceive the unit bougth.
Many thanks Howard. And Thanks for you work and brilliant idea.
Regards
Guillermo. From Spain (In fact I’m now in the top a snow mountain in Palencia-Spain)
YES YES YES !!! i have made it, one more for Belgium… :-))
The Paypal account says item N. 0001: I’m happy !!
Now, I will wait all the necessary time for the shipping to Italy.
Thanks Howard, good night 🙂
Paolo R.
Well, it seems now that it is easier to win the lottery than to get a dongle 😉
A new try is scheduled for the next batch 🙂
bye
Steve
Many thanks
I got FUNcube Dongle Pro before thirtyseven minitues
I am very happy today
73 Taka JA1HCB
Hi Howard,
can you confirm you received my updated postal address for shipping dongle ?
Thanks
Florent, F4CWN.
So finally 252 unit has arrived to my QTH after 6 weeks (I think I got the record). Of course I’ve already made first test with a small wire as antenna receiving some broadcast stations with good results, so now gonna get a pigtail to make tests with external antenna. I’m very pleased with this nice little powerfull device. Well done Howard and hope to all that are waiting for their dongle get soon.
PS: Won’t forget to Congrats to all the authors of the guides to config the small wonder. It makes a breeze to make the FUNcube get working very easy for newbees like me.
Hi Howard,
have you received my email about my wrong postal address in paypal when i bought the dongle on 4 March ?
Please i need a reply to know
Hi Florent,
I think we have already your address sorted out – let me know if not.
Howard
I don’t know how to know,
good address is :
Florent METRA
La Planete
32130 LAHAS
FRANCE
Let me know if you have good address.
Florent.
Yes, that is the address.
Howard
Thank you.
Unit # 603 has/is arrived in Belgium, thanks Howard
‘ 73 de ON7YU…… Luc
I Guess they are all out. Tried to order 1 yesterday and today
they were sold-out after 2 minutes on 4 march, you have to be very fast when they become available, it’s a matter of seconds…
Goodluck
’73 Luc
Hello Howard ,
Thanks, this morning, the unit # 659 is arrived: everything ok, very good packaging.
Fantastic, only 5 days from my order !!
Good work to the team.
73 de PR
I tried to roder today (3/11/2011) via PayPal and it stated that it was sold out. Anyone have any idea when they will be available?
Carl
Just updated, next sale is on Wednesday 16 March 22:00 UTC.
Howard
Why is there VAT charged on postage? The price for Special Delivery up to 100g is 5.05 GBP and according to the Royal Mail website is exempt from VAT
Pete
Please read the original post regarding this where it is specifically referred to.
I am not a tax accountant but my accountant is, and it is stipulated in HMRC notice 700/24 that if you are selling goods and add on postage, then you add VAT irrespective of whether it’s exempt.
It is nonsense to me too, but that is the way it works.
Howard
In case you are keeping records of delivery my FCD #577 arrived here in El Paso, Tx,USA on 03/09/2011. Got familiar on the 10th and upgraded the firmware with no hitch. Looks interesting. Thanks
Dave Adams
K5FOB