VE6AB Technical
On the Surface
The title is making reference to the Microsoft Surface Pro 4 as seen sitting on the console of my mobile.
In this photo I have Google earth and the Navi 2020 software for my Doppler direction finding unit running simultaneously, and needless to say it is child's play for this hybrid computer.
If your not familiar with the Surface Pro 4, this hybrid device is both a laptop and a tablet, as the keyboard cover is removable if you prefer to use it that way.
Now this device is no pretend computer, as it has a i7 processor residing within, and is running Windows 10 Pro making it very capable.
You may be thinking that this device is more capable than what is required for most of my mobile and portable ham radio applications, and you would be right.
Although I will run ham radio applications on it, I actually purchased the Pro 4 to allow myself to load and edit photos in the field, as well as work on my website and blog while away from my desktop computer at home.
For editing my photos, and this first of all requires converting the raw files shot with my cameras, I use both Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop to do any editing required.
Needles to say this requires a computer with the capability to work with large files and the power to make things happen.
The Pro 4 as I have it configured is more than up to the task, and when it comes to the screen it is bar none as good as it gets.
Many photographers up until recently used Macs to do their editing, as a MacBook Pro like all Apple products has a screen that is near perfect when it comes to digital imaging.
However over the past 3 years since Microsoft brought out the Surface, and in particular the Pro 4 (there are variations of the Surface), the resolution of the screen and the sharpness of the images may be better than any comparable computer including a MacBook Pro.
When I began my quest for a new compact computing device, and because I could bring up my website on any of the computers on display in the various computer outlets, and knowing exactly how my photos should display, this advantage gave me a heads-up in making the final decision as to which device to purchase.
Now there is no doubt that the various Mac's are very capable, but where the Surface won me over is the fact that the Surface can be used as either a tablet or a laptop, or as a combination of both at the same time, and yet my Pro 4 has a footprint that measures 8" X 11.5" and is less than a 1/2" in thickness, therefore making it easy to store in one of my camera bags.
The screen size of the Pro 4 measures 12.3" when compared to a 13" laptop for example.
Now the other very cool thing about the Surface is the fact that it has a touch screen, and included with it is a stylus plus applications for writing notes on the screen. In fact I find myself making notations on the screen while editing photos, and saving the photos with the included notes for further reference if required.
With the keyboard attached while editing photos, it has become second nature for me to be using the keyboard and touchpad in combination with the stylus while editing photos.
Needless to say, I don't leave home without my Pro 4.
On another note, and in regards to what's going on in this photo, I am still running tests with the Doppler direction finding unit that I have mounted in my mobile.
The insert photo shows the transmitter that I was using for running tests with the Doppler unit on this day.
The screen of the Pro 4 made it a joy to see the plots being placed on the map by the Navi 2020 software.
Google earth is running in real time, as my smartphone seen to the left of the Icom R5 Communications receiver in the cup holder, is acting as a wifi hotspot for the Surface, allowing it to be connected to the Internet.
The USB cable connected to the right side of the Surface is connected to the Doppler control unit at the top of my radio stack, and the Navi 2020 software loaded on the Surface is using NMEA info being provided by the GPS puck receiver seen to the left of my radio stack on the dash.
