AmateurRadio.com

Stories you’ll find in our April, 2016 issue:

Let Portable Antennas give you a Noise-Free Vacation
By Keith Baker KB1SF/VA3KSF

An increasing cacophony of mostly man-made RF noise on our HF bands makes it ever more difficult to hear particularly weak incoming stations, sometimes to the point of making reception of favorite shortwave or ham DX stations all but impossible at home. Keith shows us how you can take a break from noise using portable antennas that really work.

What You Should Know before Investing in an Antenna
By Richard Fisher KI6SN

Whether you are a relative newcomer to amateur radio, SWLing, TV DXing or VHF-UHF scanning, or are a seasoned card-carrying veteran, only you will know the antenna parameters best suited for your amateur station or listening post. Your own passions, needs, capabilities, real estate, budget and a jillion other factors inform your antenna choices. Richard helps sort out the options and explains how to get the most S-units per dollar spent in pursuit of DX.

Wi-Fi Radio Primer Part 1
By Thomas Witherspoon K4SWL

Always a hard-core shortwave radio listener, Thomas likes the tactile experience of turning the knobs of the shortwave, tuning in stations across the globe. So, when online listening became popular, it never occurred to him to give it a try. Then, at the 2012 Winter SWL Fest, an excellent presentation on the merits and technologies behind Wi-Fi radio intrigued him. After downloading and installing the Pro version of the TuneIn radio app, he had to admit, it was a pretty powerful listening experience…one he could easily get used to.

Piggy-Bank Ham Radio Part 1
By Cory GB Sickles WA3UVV

After hearing someone bemoan the “high cost” of amateur radio and how such a “prohibitive expense” was preventing many from becoming hams, his knee jerk reaction was, “Really?” Sure, if you’re referring to a super-mega-über contest station, then he might agree, but just to get started, you don’t need deep pockets—just some preparation and some well-placed effort. Cory outlines a “cheap and dirty” way to start enjoying HF—with the basic Technician class license. Just as ham radio itself has no barriers as to age, the ideas he shares can work for anyone, whether you’re a student, retiree or somewhere in between.

Multiple FTA Satellite Reception Techniques Revisited
By Mike Kohl

The most cost effective way to get into Free-to-Air satellite reception is with 75 to 90-cm antennas for most Ku-band reception because they’re cheaper and shipping costs are less. But needing to monitor multiple FTA satellites forces a decision about whether to use multiple Ku-band antennas linked together with a DiSEqC switch, or to motorize one or more antennas. Which Ku-band satellites do we actually watch on a regular basis? After the busy Galaxy 19 satellite at 97 degrees West, what satellites do we need continuous access from on a 24 hour basis? Mike shows us how to properly set up a motorized Ku-band dish or use a DiSEqC switch.

Scanning America
By Dan Veenaman
Growing Acceptance of TETRA

Federal Wavelengths
By Chris Parris
The 2016 Political Season

Utility Planet
By Hugh Stegman NV6H
Uncovering U-2s on HF

Digital HF: Intercept and Analyze
By Mike Chace-Ortiz AB1TZ/G6DHU
US ALE Smorgasbord

HF Utility Logs
By Mike Chace-Ortiz and Hugh Stegman

Digitally Speaking
By Cory Sickles WA3UVV
Digital Destinations

VHF and Above
By Joe Lynch N6CL
The Meteor Shower Nobody Saw—Revisited—Again

Amateur Radio Insights
By Kirk Kleinschmidt NT0Z
Home-Brewing and Kit Building Isn’t What It Used To Be—But It’s Almost What It Will Be!

Radio 101
By Ken Reitz KS4ZR
Last of the Standalone DRM Portable Radios?

Radio Propagation
By Tomas Hood NW7US
Season of Lights (Aurora)

The World of Shortwave Listening
By Rob Wagner VK3BVW
Clandestine Stations Alive and Well

The Shortwave Listener
By Fred Waterer
The Queen’s Birthday, KBC Cutback and VOA Tibet

Maritime Monitoring
By Ron Walsh VE3GO
Radio Action on the Great Lakes Returns

The Longwave Zone
By Kevin O’Hern Carey WB2QMY
Spring Remedies

Adventures in Radio Restoration
By Rich Post KB8TAD
Sound and Light: The Mitchell Lumitone 1260

Antenna Connections
By Dan Farber AC0LW
Multi-banding a Single Antenna: Several Routes Beckon

The Spectrum Monitor is available in PDF format which can be read on any desktop, laptop, iPad®, Kindle® Fire, or other device capable of opening a PDF file. Annual subscription is $24. Individual monthly issues are available for $3 each.

Stories you’ll find in our March, 2016 issue:

2016 TSM Air Show Special
By Brian and Jo Marie Topolski

Monitoring the action in the air at any of North America’s many air shows can be daunting. You have to know where to listen and when to listen to fully enjoy the spectacle. Veteran air show attendees and TSM contributors, Brian and Jo Marie Topolski, give us some valuable hints about air show action. Don’t forget to bring your scanner, camera and ear protection—it’s going to get really loud!

Flying with Fat Albert and Sean D. Tucker
By Kevin Burke

Longtime air show attendee, photographer and veteran air-band monitor, Kevin Burke, has found himself in several uncomfortable situations, all in pursuit of a great shot of some of the world’s most advanced aircraft in action. Whether it’s a nausea-inducing ride in a C-130 doing aerobatic maneuvers or hanging from a seatbelt in a support plane watching Sean D. Tucker tear up the skies in his 400-horsepower biplane, Kevin is in the game!

How to Track Military and Civilian Aircraft on your Home Computer
By Larry Van Horn N5FPW

Monitoring military and civilian aircraft activities via your scanner has come a long way. Not too long ago it was the domain of well-heeled hobbyists with highly honed technical skills. Now, thanks to off-the-shelf receivers and readily available software, you can personally keep track of almost anything that flies, almost anywhere in the world. Veteran milcom monitor, Larry Van Horn, shows us how it’s done.

A Beginner’s Guide to Monitoring Aviation
By Dave Kelly

Air comms in the sky aren’t just for private and commercial aviation; the military provides some of the more interesting action you can hear. And, it’s not just VHF and UHF frequencies you need to monitor. Dave walks us through the basics of aviation monitoring with tips on where and when to tune in. And, here’s a hint, you don’t have to live near a major airport or military base to hear something interesting.

2016 TSM Air Show Guide

From March through November the best precision aircraft and skydiving teams will be in the air at an airbase near. Here are the 2016 schedules for the US Air Force Thunderbirds; the US Navy Blue Angels; the Canadian Forces Snowbirds; US Army Golden Knights; Breitling Jet Team; Team Oracle Presents Sean D. Tucker, and GEICO Skytypers as provided by each team.

Scanning America
By Dan Veenaman
Michigan Interoperability System; Rebanding Progress

Federal Wavelengths
By Chris Parris
Federal Monitoring at Super Bowl 50

Utility Planet
By Hugh Stegman NV6H
ALE: The Mode that Linked the World

Digital HF: Intercept and Analyze
By Mike Chace-Ortiz AB1TZ/G6DHU
Is an Egyptian HF Diplomatic Network Overhaul Underway?

HF Utility Logs
By Mike Chace-Ortiz and Hugh Stegman

Digitally Speaking
By Cory Sickles WA3UVV
What Else Can You Do With It?

VHF and Above
By Joe Lynch N6CL
The History of the VUCC Award

Amateur Radio Insights
By Kirk Kleinschmidt NT0Z
Forgotten Antenna Fundamentals and Other Curious Tidbits—Part 3

Radio 101
By Ken Reitz KS4ZR
The Goodwill Radio Connection

Radio Propagation
By Tomas Hood NW7US
The Somersaulting Sun

The World of Shortwave Listening
By Keith Perro​​n​
Radio Netherlands: Archiving Shortwave Radio History

The Shortwave Listener
By Fred Waterer
DJs, The Bard, and “My Favorite Country”

Amateur Radio Satellites
By Keith Baker KB1SF/VA3KSF
AMSATs Then and Now

The Longwave Zone
By Kevin O’Hern Carey WB2QMY
News, Mail, and Updates

Adventures in Radio Restoration
By Rich Post KB8TAD
Another Lafayette Radio: New Life for an HA-230

Antenna Connections
By Dan Farber AC0LW
Antenna Stealth: A Working Philosophy

Radio Horizons
Teak Air Show Guide 2016 17th Edition by Larry Van Horn N5FPW

The Spectrum Monitor is available in PDF format which can be read on any desktop, laptop, iPad®, Kindle® Fire, or other device capable of opening a PDF file. Annual subscription is $24. Individual monthly issues are available for $3 each.

Stories you’ll find in our February, 2016 issue:

​D​iscovering Vintage Transistor Radios
By Michael Jack

Although today’s chips may house billions of transistors, the average consumer is not familiar with the term ‘transistor’ any longer. And, while all of our devices depend on transistors to this day, the pocket transistor radio was the first ubiquitous device to introduce the world to solid-state technology. Michael Jack takes us on a visual tour of the history of the transistor radio through beautiful examples of the art of transistor radio production. He also tells us how to spot potential finds and restore these solid-state gems.

Monitoring Joint Warrior 15/2 and Russian Air and Sea Activity
By Tony Roper

In October 2015 there was the second of the large-scale exercises that take place every year off the north and west coasts of Scotland under the exercise “Joint Warrior” name, as well as exercises involving ballistic missile defense ships that took part in Joint Warrior and which took place in the danger areas at sea, off the west coast of Scotland. Tony shows how to monitor these twice-yearly exercises as well as how to keep track of Russian air and sea activity involved in their activities in Syria, much of which is found on HF frequencies in SSB and CW.

RTL-SDR Dongle: Your Eye to the Wireless World
By Mario Filippi N2HUN

The RTL-SDR dongle has garnered much popularity over the last several years as an inexpensive and effective broadband receiver for the radio enthusiast. Now Mario shows us how the RTL-SDR can be pressed into serving in other ways: as a rudimentary piece of test equipment to explore those countless wireless devices that power our world and make life convenient. You can use it when restoring vintage radios, doing frequency analysis, antenna analysis and a host of troubleshooting activities you may never have thought of.

ATSC Off-Air Local TV: Doing it Right
By Mike Kohl

Part of his continuing series on cord-cutting, Mike shows us how to use online tools to find out what’s available in your area for Over-the-Air (OTA) TV reception; what antennas work best; when to use and not use antenna amplifiers and how to configure your OTA-TV system without needing to use an antenna rotator. What are the TV reception limits in the area in which you live? You can learn how to get the most out of OTA signals wherever you live without having to spend a fortune on equipment or for cable and satellite-TV subscriptions.

VHF and Above: Aurora Propagation
By Joe Lynch N6CL

If you have spent any time on HF you are somewhat familiar with the effects of aurora, particularly on 10 meters. Those watery sounding signals you may have heard are signals affected by aurora. However, those funny-sounding signals are only one small aspect of auroral propagation. This month Joe shows us how to anticipate aurora propagation by monitoring WWV broadcasts. He also takes a look at the interesting world of High Altitude Ballooning. Joe says, “There is nothing more exhilarating than watching a helium-filled balloon take off and then chasing it using the signals being transmitted from its payload!”

Scanning America
By Dan Veenaman
Fulton County, Georgia, and Riverside, California

Federal Wavelengths
By Chris Parris
The Challenges of Federal Monitoring

Utility Planet
By Hugh Stegman NV6H
New Life for Operation SECURE?

Digital HF: Intercept and Analyze
By Mike Chace-Ortiz AB1TZ/G6DHU
The Russian Navy T600 “Bee” Modem

HF Utility Logs
By Mike Chace-Ortiz and Hugh Stegman

Digitally Speaking
By Cory Sickles WA3UVV
Avoiding Mixed-Mode Mix-Ups

Amateur Radio Insights
By Kirk Kleinschmidt NT0Z
Forgotten Antenna Fundamentals and Other Curious Tidbits—Part 2

Radio 101
By Ken Reitz KS4ZR
The Case for Satellite Radio

Radio Propagation
By Tomas Hood NW7US
The Ionosonde

The World of Shortwave Listening
By Andrew Yoder
HF Pirates Roam 41 and 90-meter Bands

The Shortwave Listener
By Fred Waterer
RCI’s Broadcast Legacy and You Too can be a Shortwave Radio Broadcaster!

Amateur Radio Astronomy
By Stan Nelson KB5VL
WWVB and other Fun Stuff

The Longwave Zone
By Kevin O’Hern Carey WB2QMY
Up and Running with SDR!

Adventures in Radio Restoration
By Rich Post KB8TAD
The Saga of the Philips BX490A: Beauty and the Geek

Antenna Connections
By Dan Farber AC0LW
Single File, Please: Understanding SWR

Radio Horizons
The Worldwide Listening Guide 7th Edition by John Figliozz​i

The Spectrum Monitor is available in PDF format which can be read on any desktop, laptop, iPad®, Kindle® Fire, or other device capable of opening a PDF file. Annual subscription is $24. Individual monthly issues are available for $3 each.

Stories you’ll find in our January, 2016 issue:

Building Solar-Powered Amateur Radio Beacons for 630 and 10-Meters
By Geir Laastad LA6LU

In the August 2015 issue of TSM, Geir wrote about “Advanced Radio Noise Filtering Using DSP Technologies.” This time Geir puts his electronics know-how to work while he shows us how he built two amateur radio beacons for opposite ends of the amateur HF spectrum: the 630 and 10-meter bands. The site for his beacons is his remote cabin in the woods—far away from everything, which is why his beacons are also powered off the grid. Using QRP Labs Ultimate3 QRSS/WSPR kits, these beacons have to be very rugged to take the abuse Norway’s winters can dish out.

TSM Reviews: AOR DV-1 Wideband Receiver
By Chris Parris

AOR is a brand well known to monitoring enthusiasts. They have a long history of making high-end receivers featuring advanced technology capable of wideband reception from longwave to the high side of UHF. “Federal Wavelengths” columnist, Chris Parris, puts this pedigreed receiver through its paces and finds some welcome pluses and a few disappointing minuses. He especially liked this radio’s ability to seek out weaker digital signals that other radios missed and he found ways to overcome the radio’s anemic audio.

Retro Radio: Finding, Storing and Savoring Vintage Amateur Radio Gear
By Richard Fisher KI6SN

Knowledgeable radio amateurs describe “vintage” transmitters, receivers and transceivers as being somewhat relative—only you know it when you see it. That’s because each of us have our own radio experiences, some dating to decades ago and others more recent. Nostalgia is a many splendored thing. Last month he looked at broadcast-band and shortwave receivers of a rich, bygone era. In this second part, his focus is on collecting, restoring and enjoying commercially manufactured vintage amateur radio equipment. As Richard shows us, restoring these ham band workhorses requires more than just a fondness for days gone buy.

VHF and Above: Sporadic-E Propagation
By Joe Lynch N6CL

From late November to early January, and again in the middle of May through the end of July, sporadic-E propagation appears more often on VHF and above frequencies in the Northern Hemisphere. This type of propagation occurs when there is a sporadic ionization of the E-layer that appears in the late morning and late afternoon local time during those months. But, working meteor-scatter Sporadic-E is not for slow hands, Joe shows you how to work fast to successfully log QSOs using this ephemeral mode. And, for once, it’s not about expensive esoteric antennas!

ATSC Off-Air Local Television: The Programming
By Mike Kohl                                                     

The Golden Age of Television is really here. Never before has there been such an abundance of choices in TV entertainment for the home. Last month, Mike hinted at multiple delivery methods being used to deliver signals. This month he looks at the content provided by local television broadcasters to their local Over-the-Air (OTA) viewers in representative regions of North America. Mike continues to show us all how to “cut the cord,” this month looking at OTA programming rewards. You might be surprised at just how many OTA channels you can find where you live.

Scanning America
By Dan Veenaman
Pensacola’s APCO P-25 Phase 2 and Whistler’s New Scanners

Federal Wavelengths
By Chris Parris
DMR, APCO-25, MotoTRBO, and the IRS

Utility Planet
By Hugh Stegman NV6H
Mexican Military Returns to HF ALE

Digital HF: Intercept and Analyze
By Mike Chace-Ortiz AB1TZ/G6DHU
The US Navy HF Broadcast System Revisited

HF Utility Logs
By Mike Chace-Ortiz and Hugh Stegman

Digitally Speaking
By Cory Sickles WA3UVV
Digital Voice on the HF Bands

Amateur Radio Insights
By Kirk Kleinschmidt NT0Z
DVB Dongles: Beef Up your $20 SDR

Radio 101
By Ken Reitz KS4ZR
WorldSpace, WRN, WXFAX and More

Radio Propagation
By Tomas Hood NW7UST
Catching Those Winter Mediumwave DX Signals

The World of Shortwave Listening
By Jeff White
A South Pacific Radio Odyssey

The Shortwave Listener
By Fred Waterer
RNZI, BBC, RFI, WHRI and VOA

Maritime Monitoring
By Ron Walsh VE3GO
CMB: Continuous Marine Broadcasts

The Longwave Zone
By Kevin O’Hern Carey WB2QMY
SDR: I’m a Believer!

Adventures in Radio Restoration
By Rich Post KB8TAD
In Command Again Part 2: Experiments in Powering the Command Transmitters

Antenna Connections
By Dan Farber AC0LW
Stealthy Green Jolly Loop Revisited: On the Low Down

The Spectrum Monitor is available in PDF format which can be read on any desktop, laptop, iPad®, Kindle® Fire, or other device capable of opening a PDF file. Annual subscription is $24. Individual monthly issues are available for $3 each.

Stories you’ll find in our December, 2015 issue:

A Virtual Tour of WEAF in 1927
By John F. Schneider W9FGH

The iconic radio station WEAF in New York City began in 1922 as a grand experiment by the Western Electric Company, a subsidiary of AT&T. Western Electric was interested in exploiting its collection of radio patents, which it believed would allow it to corner the market in the exploding field of radio broadcasting. The station went on the air August 16 of that year from an antenna atop the eleven-story Western Electric Building at 463 West Street. WEAF was initially conceived by AT&T as a “toll broadcaster,” a radio-station-for-hire, with blocks of program time that would be leased to anyone that wanted to broadcast. Later, WEAF began broadcasting from a new transmitter site located in more rural surroundings on Maple Avenue in Bellmore, Long Island, 28 miles East of New York. John gives us a tour of this historic radio station.

Variacs 101: Answering those Questions
By Rich Post KB8TAD

One of the most useful tools for vintage radio repair and restoration is the Variac. All it does is vary the line voltage from zero to full and, depending on its connections, beyond full line voltage. It can be found in the chemistry lab, in older hotels and theaters for varying the lighting levels, as noise-free dimmers in recording studios, and as a way to gently warm up guitar amps from a cold start. It has been used to control the heating of soldering irons, to carefully adjust coffee roasters, and to increase the life of older incandescent Christmas lighting. And, of course, for radio restoration, it allows an older radio to be powered-up gently and at reduced voltage.

Retro Radio: Antique Radio Classics and the People Who Love Them
By Richard Fisher KI6SN

The dulcet tones of Dinah Washington, Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, The Andrews Sisters and Etta James no longer float through the air from the more than 2,500 radios consuming Barry Dagestino’s three-car garage and a nearby 1,000 square foot storage unit. The singers may be gone, but many of the radios that brought their voices to bygone generations are very much alive today—dusted off, rewired, restored and glowing from side tables and mantel pieces around the world. This first of the two-part TSM “Retro” series on Antique and Vintage Radio opens a window on broadcast band and shortwave receiver collectors, calling on the advice of experts to tell us how to get started in this fascinating niche of hobbyist communications.

Cutting the Cord: Part 1
By Mike Kohl

Much has been written in the mainstream press during the past several years about the subject of cord-cutting, which is the act of dropping cable-TV and other subscription services for less costly and sometimes totally free alternatives. This article is a primer on the options now available to most consumers, with future articles going into how-to details that will attempt to compare those options so that one can form an opinion about how to save money on home entertainment delivery.

Digitally Speaking By Cory GB Sickles WA3UVV
P-25 Networking: Staying Digital

Scanning America By Dan Veenaman
Scanning the Mall of America and DFW Airport

Federal Wavelengths By Chris Parris
Year End Wrap Up; Reader’s Submissions

Utility Planet By Hugh Stegman NV6H
Big Month for Russian Military Monitoring

Radio Intrigue By Don Schimmel
Old FAPSI Intercepts

Digital HF: Intercept and Analyze By Mike Chace-Ortiz AB1TZ/G6DHU
More on US Government 5-Letter Network

HF Utility Logs By Mike Chace-Ortiz and Hugh Stegman

Amateur Radio Insights By Kirk Kleinschmidt NT0Z
Forgotten Antenna Fundamentals and other Curious Tidbits: Part 1

Radio 101 By Ken Reitz KS4ZR
Timely News with a Global Perspective and some Great Music

Radio Propagation By Tomas Hood NW7US
NASA’s Solar Fleet Peers Into Coronal Cavities

The World of Shortwave Listening By Rob Wagner VK3BVW
Preparing for your next DXpedition

The Shortwave Listener By Fred Waterer
Christmas Radio Around the World

Amateur Radio Satellites By Keith Baker KB1SF/VA3KSF
A Whole Host of New Satellites

The Longwave Zone By Kevin O’Hern Carey WB2QMY
Miscou 2015 Recap

Adventures in Radio Restoration By Rich Post KB8TAD
In Command again, a pair of ARC-5 and SCR-274N aircraft transmitters: Part 1

The Broadcast Tower By Doug Smith W9WI
Going out with a Bang!

Antenna Connections By Dan Farber AC0LW
Year-End Quiz: Test Your Antenna Knowledge!

The Spectrum Monitor is available in PDF format which can be read on any desktop, laptop, iPad®, Kindle® Fire, or other device capable of opening a PDF file. Annual subscription  is $24. Individual monthly issues are available for $3 each.

Stories you’ll find in our November, 2015 issue:

TSM Reviews: Electraft K3s—Another Step Forward
By Mark Haverstock K8MSH

If you already have a K3, you know you have one of the best, full-featured rigs around. It will serve you well for years to come. But many of us have the urge to keep up with the latest and greatest. Is it time to upgrade? A longtime kit builder and ham, Mark tells us why an Elecraft K3s should be in our future.

Current and Future Trends in Scanning Radio
By Chris Parris

The current models of digital scanners are now starting to resemble – no, they actually are small, self-contained computer systems, complete with networking, USB ports, removable media, built-in audio recording and updatable operating firmware. Some even offer the ability to remotely access and control these scanners over the Internet. Chris tells us which scanners are best for your local scanning situation.

TSM Reviews: EZ-Scan WS1095—Whistler’s Digital Scanning Receiver
By Chris Parris

With the introduction of the WS-1095, we get a look at a scanner design that was apparently conceived at GRE, but did not see the light of day until Whistler made it so. Now, Chris puts this multi-talented scanner through real-world paces. He notes, “Performance of the WS-1095 scanner in most respects matches the other radios in the GRE/Whistler line.”

TSM Reviews: Airspy SDR Receiver System
By Bob Grove W8JHD

In electronic communications, software defined radio (SDR) is becoming dominant. For radio hobbyists, a niche product is gaining momentum: the SDR dongle. Only slightly larger than a memory stick, when plugged into a USB port, it converts your computer into a flexible, wide-frequency-coverage receiver. Is this just another SDR dongle? Bob, tells us what really sets this diminutive receiver apart from the rest.

Digital Amateur Radio Roundup
By Cory Sickles WA3UVV

In the spirit of this month’s Radio Buyers’ Guide, Cory reviews the growing list of transceivers available for the digitally inclined ham. If you haven’t already transitioned into the digital domain, or you are looking for an additional model or methodology to try out, you will find this overview of use to you.

Toward a Glorious and Uncertain Future!
By Kirk Kleinschmidt NT0Z

With all evidence to date, the phenomenon we call amateur radio will have been born, matured, evolved and “died,” in a 150-250 year period. Period! Kirk shows us that there’s still hope for the future.

FTA Satellite-TV: The Heir to Shortwave Radio
By Ken Reitz KS4ZR

Originally, countries turned to shortwave to serve two specific purposes: promote their own cultural and political ideas worldwide and serve the expatriate community abroad. As shortwave declined throughout the 1980s to the present, many of those same broadcasters began appearing on geostationary satellites doing exactly the same thing, only this time with pictures (and now in HDTV format) as well as words and sound.

Scanning America
By Dan Veenaman

Tennessee Advanced Communications Network

Federal Wavelengths By Chris Parris
CBP OAM Changes

Utility Planet By Hugh Stegman NV6H
Goodbye HF911, Hello UrgentLink

Digital HF: Intercept and Analyze By Mike Chace-Ortiz AB1TZ/G6DHU
All About NAVTEX

HF Utility Logs By Mike Chace-Ortiz and Hugh Stegman

Amateur Radio Insights By Kirk Kleinschmidt NT0Z
Ham Radio on the Big Screen(s)

Radio 101 By Ken Reitz KS4ZR
License-Free Two-Way Radio: CB/FRS/GMRS/MURS

Radio Propagation By Tomas Hood NW7UST
The Sun Part 2: Coronas, Sunspots and SIDs

The World of Shortwave Listening By Thomas Witherspoon W4SWL
Buyer’s Guide to Shortwave Radios

The Shortwave Listener By Fred Waterer
Shortwave Listening via Internet Archives

Amateur Radio Astronomy By Stan Nelson KB5VL
Continuum Monitoring Using an SDR R820T Dongle

The Longwave Zone By Kevin O’Hern Carey WB2QMY
Miscou DXpedition and LF Resources

Adventures in Radio Restoration By Rich Post KB8TAD
Powering and Testing the Zenith Trans-oceanic G-500

The Broadcast Tower By Doug Smith W9WI
Why is that Tower where it is?

Antenna Connections By Dan Farber AC0LW
MFJ: Our Friend in the Radio Business

Radio Horizons
DXtreme Reception Log (V. 10,0); Klingenfuss 2016 Shortwave Frequency Guide

The Spectrum Monitor is available in PDF format which can be read on any desktop, laptop, iPad®, Kindle® Fire, or other device capable of opening a PDF file. Annual subscription (12 issues, beginning with the January 2015 issue) is $24. Individual monthly issues are available for $3 each.

Stories you’ll find in our October, 2015 issue:

It Can Still Be Done! Kit Building is Alive and Well
By Kevin O’Hern Carey WB2QMY

Kit building is as old as amateur radio and as popular as ever. The attraction to kit building comes from the learning experience of building an electronic project, the pride of knowing how components work and the money saved by doing it yourself. A longtime kit builder himself, Kevin shows us that kits for all kinds of radio projects are readily available today, but that it’s also a fun experience to do with your children or grandchildren.

Digitally Speaking: The Original Digital Conversation
By Cory GB Sickles WA3UVV

This month our digital guru goes old school as he examines the original digital conversation: Morse code. The attraction of CW is multilevel: it’s a mode available to all license classes, an efficient use of bandwidth, and a natural for low power DIY ham stations. Furthermore, savvy CW operators can put together a small, capable station at a fraction of the cost of voice mode stations. Despite the fact that the Morse requirement for amateur licenses was dropped in early 2007, CW operating is a popular as ever.

Build a Rugged, Copper Pipe J-Antenna for VHF-UHF
By Richard Fisher KI6SN

Explore the myths and magic of the J-antenna and get yourself “de-polarized.” Richard explains that some of the things you thought you knew about the J-antenna just aren’t right. And, that with a quick trip to your nearest home-improvement store, you can find all the parts and all the tools you need to build one of the most popular VHF-UHF antennas for scanning or amateur radio applications. You’ll even find out how to put this antenna on your bike for some on-road and off-road bicycle/mobile fun.

TSM Reviews: Manhattan DJ-1997 FTA Satellite Receiver
By Ken Reitz KS4ZR

The new Manhattan DJ-1997 receiver is smaller and less expensive than its predecessor and yet more capable. It goes a long way toward blurring the lines between traditional cable and satellite TV services and the new direction consumers are inevitably migrating toward: Over the Top TV. We’ve seen similar activity with services offered by new TV sets: direct access through apps to Netflix, Hulu, Pandora and a host of other non-cable/satellite video and audio services, including direct access to Web content. This is disruptive technology in the best sense of the word.

The Norden Broadcasts: America’s Ace in the Hole
By J. Wandres

While British forces in WWII had mounted successful radio-based propaganda campaigns, the US had no such program until 1942 when the US Office of Naval Intelligence put together an unlikely trio, which included a doctor, a lawyer and a Hungarian émigré. They created a fictitious character named Commander Norden and broadcast what they said was the truth in German aimed at German warships. But, how successful was the program?

Scanning America By Dan Veenaman
Counties Weigh a Combination of Radio System Options

Federal Wavelengths By Chris Parris
Programming Federal Interoperability Channels

Utility Planet By Hugh Stegman NV6H
US Coast Guard Consolidates HF Services

Digital HF: Intercept and Analyze
By Mike Chace-Ortiz AB1TZ/G6DHU
A Few Easy Digital Catches for the Beginner

HF Utility Logs
By Mike Chace-Ortiz and Hugh Stegman

Amateur Radio Insights By Kirk Kleinschmidt NT0Z
Are You Up for the Challenge of 60 Meters?

Radio 101 By Ken Reitz KS4ZR
Ramsey AM Broadcast Transmitter Kit: $45 of Pure Radio Fun

Radio Propagation By Tomas Hood NW7US
The Chromosphere (Continuing our Look at the Sun)

The World of Shortwave Listening By Andrew Yoder
Tales of Pirate Radio Woe and Intrigue

The Shortwave Listener By Fred Waterer
Spy Stations, Canadian Elections, Central European Crisis and More

Maritime Monitoring By Ron Walsh VE3GO
Marine Radio Technology Sails On

The Longwave Zone By Kevin O’Hern Carey WB2QMY
Adventures in Through-Ground Radio

Adventures in Radio Restoration By Rich Post KB8TAD
From Aristocrat to Royalty: First Look at a Zenith Trans-Oceanic G-500

The Broadcast Tower By Doug Smith W9WI
Go West, Young Man!

Antenna Connections By Dan Farber AC0LW
The Modern Underground: Stealth

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