4 Welcome to my "new" personal home page.
6 At the end of August, 2012, I retired from my long-held position as
7 [HP](http://hp.com) Open Source & Linux Chief Technologist. In September of
8 2013, I started working part-time for [Samsung](http://samsung.com) as
9 Senior Adviser to the Open Source Group that is part of Samsung Research
12 I serve on the boards of the [Linux Foundation](http://linuxfoundation.org)
13 and the [FreedomBox Foundation](http://freedomboxfoundation.org), and as
14 President of [Software in the Public Interest](http://spi-inc.org).
16 I remain actively involved in the [Debian](http://debian.org) project,
17 where I continue to maintain various
18 [packages](http://qa.debian.org/developer.php?login=bdale@gag.com),
20 [Debian Technical Committee](http://www.debian.org/devel/tech-ctte)
22 My "spare nanoseconds" are mostly consumed playing with
23 [rockets](http://gag.com/rockets), which includes managing
24 [Altus Metrum, LLC](http://altusmetrum.org) along with partner
25 [Keith Packard](http://keithp.org).
27 I think the web is way too picture-oriented these days, but if you're really
28 curious, there are some pictures of me on my
29 [bio page](bio/), and associated with the
30 [Wikipedia page about me](http://wikipedia.org/wiki/Bdale_Garbee). If you're
31 a close friend or family member, email me for credentials to
32 enter our [gallery](http://gallery.gag.com)..
34 I'm most comfortable when there are lots of electrons flowing nearby, mostly
35 in high-end computer equipment. There are only a few carbohydrates I've met in
36 my life that I didn't like, I have very eclectic tastes in music, enjoy old
37 movies, and I have this "German metal habit"... Porsche flavored.
38 My most recent such toy was a 1987 Porsche 944S, black with beige interior,
39 that was unfortunate completely destroyed when our home burned in June of 2013.
41 Over the years, I've spent a lot of my "spare time" on various facets of
42 [Amateur Radio](rf/). KB0G is my current callsign, previously I was N3EUA
43 and before that I was KA3ORU. I'm a life member of
44 [AMSAT](http://amsat.org/),
45 President of [CODE](http://gag.com/code/),
46 a former Vice-President of [TAPR](http://tapr.org/),
47 a past Chairman and member of the Technical Committee of
49 [Pikes Peak FM Association](http://www.ppfma.org),
51 [ARRL](http://www.arrl.org).
52 Perhaps my best-known contribution to the hobby is the silly little mail
53 program I wrote for KA9Q's NOS networking software, called
54 [BM](ftp://ftp.ucsd.edu/hamradio/packet/tcpip/mailers),
55 though I suppose I'm more proud of my role as integrator and documentation
56 author for the package prior to April 1989. I helped instigate N6GN's work on
57 [10Ghz packet links](http://www.sonic.net/~n6gn/uwavelink/uwv.html),
58 and continue to have a strong interest in data transmission over RF
59 links. I was the project leader for the
60 [GPS receiver](http://www.amsat.org/amsat/sats/phase3d/gps)
62 on the AMSAT Phase-3D satellite, which launched in November 2000,
63 after which it was known as
64 [AO-40](href="http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/satellites/sat_summary/ao40.php).
65 I was also one of the developers of the RUDAK
66 digital communications processor. My primary focus on the RUDAK team was
67 communication with the other experiment modules that RUDAK talks to over the
68 CAN bus... SCOPE, MONITOR, CEDEX, and the thermistor SmartNode boards. I am
69 pleased to now be working on the IHU design for the AMSAT-NA Fox microsat
72 If you want to find me "on the air" for a QSO, about the only chance
73 right now is to catch us
74 [roving](http://gag.com/code/rover/) in a VHF/Microwave contest...
76 While I was "born and raised" in the era of 4.1BSD, shared a Vax 11/750
77 with Eric Crane at CMU, and have run some flavor of BSD on at least one
78 machine ever since (the Symmetric S/375, a uVax2, BSD/OS, and NetBSD on a
80 I have become a strong supporter of
81 Linux particularly the
82 [Debian GNU/Linux](http://www.debian.org)
83 distribution, because of the emphasis on perpetual free availability of
84 all of the source code to the system. I've contributed a few packages to
85 the Debian effort, and now maintain a signficant number,
86 including some that are essential packages in the base distribution,
87 and some that are "big hairy monsters". At least it keeps me off the streets
90 Not sure how to pronounce "Linux"? Why not let Linus himself
91 [tell you](ftp://ftp.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/SillySounds/english.au)...
93 In recent years, my son and I have become very active building and flying
94 small and large model [rockets](http://www.gag.com/rockets). I now hold a
95 "Level 3 certification", and am a federally-licensed user of
96 low explosives, which means I'm authorized to buy, store, and fly the largest
97 motors currently available in the rocket hobby. My personal confirmed
98 flight altitude record is 21,654 feet above ground, my highest recorded
99 acceleration is 86 g, and I've flown a rocket to beyond Mach 2.2. I served
100 on the committee that defined the [Tripoli Mentoring Program](http://www.tripoli.org/Certifications/TripoliMentoringProgram/tabid/322/Default.aspx), and am
101 proud that my son aced the test to become one of the earliest TMP
102 participants. My current focus combines rocketry with my electronics
103 background and strong
104 interest in radio, see the [Altus Metrum](http://altusmetrum.org)
105 community web site for more details...
107 * [Bdale's blog](blog)
108 * [Bdale's biographical information](bio)
109 * [Garbee Gallery](http://gallery.gag.com)
110 * [Quotations](quotes.html)
111 * [Talks Bdale has Given](talks/)
113 Cool Stuff on the Web
114 ---------------------
116 * [Cabell Garbee](http://www.garbee.net/~cabell), Bdale's brother, restores
117 neat old vehicles as a hobby.
118 * [Allen B. Loyd](href="http://sites.google.com/site/allenloyd/Home),
119 one of Bdale's first cousins, has a site documenting his theatrical set
120 designs, paintings, and other fun stuff.
121 * [Space Machine & Engineering Corp](http://space-machine.com),
122 operated by another of Bdale's first cousins. It's kind of cool
123 having a waveguide company in the family!
124 * [Graves Mountain Lodge](http://www.gravesmountain.com),
125 owned and operated by "my extended family" in Virginia. We used to
126 visit often... and still get back once in a while!
127 * >Visit the <a href="http://www.rf.org/">Radio Farm</a>... a most
129 * [Colorado Satellite Services](http://www.coloradosatellite.com)
130 Jim and I worked closely together on AO-40 RUDAK, and he's definitely
131 "one of the good guys". The EyasSAT educational satellite system
132 linked to from his page is neat stuff.
135 [maternal grandfater](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_D._Barksdale),
136 who was a prominent individual in his time. While my father is the serious
137 genealogist in our family, every once in a while I go do a web search on
138 various family names. These are some references to Grandaddy that I have
142 [Wikipedia page](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_D._Barksdale)!
143 * A [phote](http://www1.vmi.edu/archivephotos/Details.asp?ACCNUM=2631) of him
144 from 1919, in uniform.
145 * He was a [Judge of the United States Court](http://air.fjc.gov/servlet/uGetInfo?jid=97)
146 * Many of his papers were gifted to the
147 [University of Virginia Library](http://ead.lib.virginia.edu/vivaead/published/uva-sc/vivadoc.pl?file=viu00129.xml)
148 * There are scholarships in his name at
149 [VMI](http://www.vmiaa.org/AA/Alumni%20Association/Scholar.html) and
150 [Hollins](http://www.hollins.edu/admissions/scholarship/need_based.htm)
153 I've been asked from time to time if I'm any relation to the Barksdale for whom
154 [Barksdale Air Force Base](http://www.barksdale.af.mil) was named. My parents
156 [Eugene Hoy Barksdale](http://www.barksdale.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=4409) was my third cousin twice removed.
158 Encrypting email is good. My currently preferred public key is
160 pub 4096R/C095D941 2009-07-26
161 Key fingerprint = 8470 F20B 0625 9218 7CBA 7BB3 3A93 6196 C095 D941
162 uid Bdale Garbee <bdale@gag.com>
163 uid Bdale Garbee <bdale@hp.com>
164 uid Bdale Garbee <bdale@debian.org>
165 sub 4096R/166755FB 2009-07-26
167 You should be able to fetch that key from any of the major keyservers.