AmateurRadio.com

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

AFN: The Biggest Network You’ve Never Heard or Seen
By Richard Fisher KI6SN

Originally begun as Armed Forces Radio Service (AFRS) in 1942 and intended to provide news and entertainment from “back home” to US service personnel stationed in the war zones of World War II, the American Forces Network (AFN) now provides 12 music, news and sports audio services, seven TV services and a program guide to US bases globally. Over the years, AFN’s mission has evolved along with the technology used to deliver the programming. With headquarters in Riverside, California, Richard Fisher took a tour of AFN facilities that produce programming seen only by those in uniform and discovered close connection between AFN and Hollywood.

Ultra-light Radio: Doing more with Less
By Gary Donnelly KC8IQZ

Many shortwave listeners scoff at low-ticket, shirt-pocket sized, no-frills portable radios as inadequate at best for the job of DXing the AM and HF bands. But, a loyal group of adherents to Ultra-light Radios (ULR) are finding that these insignificant seeming radios deserve space in any listening post. Gary shows us the ins and outs of ULR DXing and how these diminutive receivers can deliver surprising results with and without modifications.

MultiPSK: A Digital Diamond in the Rough
By Robert Gulley AK3Q

There are many digital programs available for amateur and shortwave radio listeners, from individual modes to all-in-one packages, but with MultiPSK, Robert has found a real treasure. He calls this a “diamond in the rough” because, for many folks, the initial configuration and program screens seem, at best, awkward. We have become used to very glamorous graphical user interfaces, with ribbon bars and lots of bells and whistles. By comparison, MultiPSK seems rather barren but, Robert tells us, nothing could be further from the truth!

Outernet: Bringing Free, Global, One-way Internet Content to the World via FTA Satellite
By Kenneth Barbi

Calling itself “Humanity’s Public Library,” Outernet is an ambitious public service project designed to provide free access to information to those not served by extensive Internet infrastructure. To do so, Outernet founder, Syed Karim, has implemented a global data delivery system using existing Ku-band geosynchronous satellites. He says, the concept is a repurposing of existing computer and Free-to-Air (FTA) satellite technology—“a mix between modern day shortwave radio and BitTorrrent from space.”

Summer Radios and Some are Not
By Cory GB Sickles WA3UVV

A few new digital-capable 2-meter/70-cm transceivers have made their debut this summer, but Cory finds that there is more than one way to get into digital voice on amateur radio, including a mash up of various low cost digital devices you might already have around the house. He also makes sense of the alphabet of digital voice modes: DMR, LMR, D-STAR, NXDN, NXREF, WIRES-X and the use of DV Dongles.

Scanning America By Dan Veenaman
Maine’s Statewide MSCommNet

Federal Wavelengths By Chris Parris
Navy Enterprise System in the Pacific Northwest

Utility Planet By Hugh Stegman NV6H
This isn’t your Father’s COTHEN

Digital HF: Intercept and Analyze By Mike Chace-Ortiz AB1TZ/G6DHU
Listening in to US Embassies and Consulates on HF Radio

HF Utility Logs By Mike Chace-Ortiz and Hugh Stegman

Amateur Radio Insights By Kirk Kleinschmidt NT0Z
The Great Equalizer

Radio 101 By Ken Reitz KS4ZR
The $80 E-reader/Ham/SWL Decoder, that comes with a Free Camera

Radio Propagation By Tomas Hood NW7US
Let’s Talk about this Hot Sun

The World of Shortwave Listening By Jeff White, General Manager WRMI
Another One Bites the Dust: International Radio Serbia closes its doors for good, but is shortwave really doomed?

The Shortwave Listener By Fred Waterer
Radio Tirana, Radio Serbia Remembered

Amateur Radio Astronomy By Keith Baker KB1SF/VA3KSF
Yet More Flight Opportunities

The Longwave Zone By Kevin O’Hern Carey WB2QMY
Comings and Goings

Adventures in Radio Restoration By Rich Post KB8TAD
A Classic Pair of Heath Hi-Fi Twins Part 2: The AA-151 Amp

The Broadcast Tower By Doug Smith W9WI
More on WOWO; New FMs and Coax

Antenna Connections By Dan Farber AC0LW
Stealthy Green Jolly Loop: At Last

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 August, 2015 issue:

HF Air Monitoring: Understanding NOTAM Information
By Tony Roper

International air-route safety is everyone’s concern, no more so than with those who use the world’s air space daily—military, commercial and civilian aircraft. To help, the world’s aviation authorities make available Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) widely available. These notices tell all pilots what to expect along their regular routes across oceans and continents. But, they also give clues to air monitoring enthusiasts as to what type of aircraft may be in the air and on the air. Tony explains how to unravel NOTAM information to learn when and where to listen.

TSM Reviews: Whistler WS-1080 P-25 Phase I and II Scanner
By Chris Parris

The last few years have been revolutionary for the world scanning radios. In additional to the great technical strides that the manufacturers have pushed to the electronics market, some names in the scanner world have disappeared and new names have come to the forefront. One name new to the world of scanning is Whistler, of Bentonville, Arkansas. Prior to this, Whistler had previously been known for their line of radar detectors, GPS devices and power inverters, but no scanners. Chris takes a close look at this very capable scanner.

Advanced Radio Noise Filtering using DSP
By Geir Laastad LA6LU

Using the signal of a Norwegian Non-directional Aeronautical Beacon (NDB) Geir shows us how it is possible, in some cases, to achieve almost 100 percent noise-free radio reception with advanced use of Digital Signal Processing (DSP) technology. Using a combination of built-in filters and outboard DSP speakers, Geir describes techniques that are most effective for narrow band CW reception, but will also improve the reception of SSB or AM signals.

Digitally Speaking: Digital Voices on HF Part 1
By Cory GB Sickles WA3UVV

When most hams think of digital voice operation, they think of VHF and UHF repeaters. To be sure, that covers where the vast majority of digital voice QSOs take place. While simplex 2-meter and 70-cm activity is out there, in most areas it subsides once one or two repeaters are established in a given area. But, there are plenty of frequencies on HF where proponents of each digital methodology have established a foothold. Cory tells us where those frequencies are and what you need to get on the air.

Multiple Satellite Reception from a Single Ku-Band Dish (Part 2)
By Mike Kohl

Last month Mike walked us through the theory behind multiple feed horns on a stationary Ku-band dish for reception of Free-to-Air satellite signals. In Part 2 he shows how it’s done; crowding as many as 12 feed horns on one 1.8-meter Ku-band satellite dish that can see 12 satellites positioned from 89 degrees West to 119 degrees West. It requires making a custom feed support and takes meticulous adjustment to get it all right, but so worth it!

Scanning America By Dan Veenaman
Scanning Wisconsin; FCC Field Office Shuffle

Federal Wavelengths By Chris Parris
US Navy HYDRA Systems

Utility Planet By Hugh Stegman NV6H
What’s up with SKYKING?

Digital HF: Intercept and Analyze By Mike Chace-Ortiz AB1TZ/G6DHU
Irish Navy HF Operations

HF Utility Logs By Mike Chace-Ortiz and Hugh Stegman

Amateur Radio Insights By Kirk Kleinschmidt NT0Z
Gensets and UPSs: Play it Smart!

Radio 101 By Ken Reitz KS4ZR
2015 Field Day Report and the C64 Today

Radio Propagation By Tomas Hood NW7US
Sunspots Got You Down? You Can Still Work the World

The World of Shortwave Listening By Robert Wagner VK3VBW
Radio Verdad – Small Voice, Big Heart

The Shortwave Listener By Fred Waterer
Kid’s Shows, BBCWS and CRI

Amateur Radio Astronomy By Stan Nelson KB5VL
Noise in Radio Astronomy

The Longwave Zone By Kevin O’Hern Carey WB2QMY
You Have Questions…

Adventures in Radio Restoration By Rich Post KB8TAD
A Classic Pair of Heathkit Hi-Fi Twins
Part 1: the AJ-11 Tuner

The Broadcast Tower By Doug Smith W9WI
What Happened to WOWO

Antenna Connections By Dan Farber AC0LW
Soldiering on after a Microburst

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.

Radio Memories
By Lawrence E. DeMilner W1TA

The benefits of amateur radio would eventually pay lifelong dividends for a 12 year-old boy, sitting for his Novice license exam 62 years ago. After being interviewed on the Today Show as a Boy Scout, he would later spend seven months as an American ham in the USSR at the height of the Cold War. Later still, he would spend three years as one of the scarcest DX calls in the world. It was all because of amateur radio.

XER – King of the Mexican Border Blasters
By John Schneider W9FGH

From its inception, radio has attracted more than its share of schemers and outright con artists. The story of John Brinkley and his questionable medical services, which allowed him to mass a personal fortune, is the story of one man dodging lawsuits and legislation designed to bring him down. But, before that could happen, he had built the most powerful radio station in the Western Hemisphere and turned it into a cash-generating machine.

When Our Vintage Radios Fought in the Air War
By Richard Fisher KI6SN

From post-war radio frenzies, created by a massive military-surplus market, grew a thirst among shortwave listeners and radio amateurs to acquire the gear that served so admirably in the skies—especially during World War II. Most of these receivers, transmitters and their accessories were top performers, and yet they were quite inexpensive on the surplus market. They were golden back then, just as they are today. Richard charts the history of radio and aviation.

Watts Up? Line Voltage for Vintage Radios
By Rich Post KB8TAD

Recently, Rich Post measured the AC voltage in his home electric circuits: 123.5 volts. According to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), that is well within the accepted service range of 114 to 126 volts for line voltage, which is nominally 120 plus or minus 5%; a range hasn’t changed since the original ANSI standard was published in 1954. He asks, “My refrigerator and microwave oven might be happy at 123.5 or even 126 volts, but what about my vintage radios?” Rich shows us how to safely reduce the voltage that our vintage sets work best at.

Multiple Satellite Reception from a Single Ku-Band Dish (Part 1)
By Mike Kohl

Direct Broadcast Satellites, such as DirecTV and DISH Network, are positioned close enough in the Clark Belt to allow several LNBFs mounted on a single dish to receive the satellites that make up their programming lineup of hundreds of channels. But, Free-to-Air satellites are spaced considerably further apart and transmit at considerably less power. Can FTA hobbyists employ this same technique? Mike has been experimenting with this for years and has achieved some pretty amazing results. He tells us how it’s done.

Scanning America By Dan Veenaman
EDACS, Talkgroups and RF Explorer

Federal Wavelengths By Chris Parris
FBI Aircraft in the News

Utility Planet By Hugh Stegman NV6H
U.S. Navy-Marine Corps MARS Closes

Digital HF: Intercept and Analyze
By Mike Chace-Ortiz AB1TZ/G6DHU
Swiss Diplomatic Network undergoes Changes

HF Utility Logs
By Mike Chace-Ortiz and Hugh Stegman

Amateur Radio Insights
By Kirk Kleinschmidt NT0Z
Six Meters: A New Twist on the Old Magic

Radio 101 By Ken Reitz KS4ZR
The Wi-Fi Scanner, SWL Option

Radio Propagation By Tomas Hood NW7US
The 10.7-cm Radio Flux

The World of Shortwave Listening By Keith Perron
Community-based Radio helps Nepal Recover after Earthquake

The Shortwave Listener By Fred Waterer
Sputnik Radio, BBC and the VOA

Maritime Monitoring By Ron Walsh VE3GO
Maritime Station Consolidation

The Longwave Zone By Kevin O’Hern Carey WB2QMY
BBB-4 Wrap-Up

Adventures in Radio Restoration By Rich Post KB8TAD
Powering the Zenith 5K037 “Farm” Set with AC and Forming a Dial Cover

The Broadcast Tower By Doug Smith W9WI
License? I don’t need no stinking license!

Antenna Connections By Dan Farber AC0LW
Round and Round, Part II: Jolly Green Delta Loop

Radio Horizons
Channel Master DVR+ Adds Streaming to OTA-TV

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 June, 2015 issue:

Keeping the Ships Moving on Canada’s Welland Canal
By Ron Walsh VE3GO
Radio communications plays a vital role as up to 32 vessels each day navigate Canada’s Welland Canal. And, with over 24 miles of locks, routing each one through in 11 hours is a study in efficiency. That is particularly important in December when cold weather and the closing of navigation for the winter can make such transits urgent. TSM Maritime Monitoring columnist, Ron Walsh, get a rare inside view.

The Challenge of Over-the-Air TV DX
By Danny Oglethorpe
With the FCC’s spectrum auction and TV-band repacking looming, is Over-the-Air TV DX still possible? The answer is, “Yes!” according to long-time TV and FM DXer, Danny Oglethorpe, who has logged more than 1,100 TV stations since the 1960s. Danny explains the differences between Tropospheric Bending and Sporadic E-skip; the two paths for TVDX to your antenna.

Add CW and SSB to Your Portable SW Receiver the Easy Way
By Richard Fisher KI6SN
One of the serious shortcomings of a large portion of portable, multi-band shortwave receivers and many vintage shortwave radios is their inability to decipher SSB or CW signals. For some SWLers it isn’t that big of a deal. For others, it can put a real damper on the enjoyment of the full spectrum the radio covers. But, there’s a way to add an outboard BFO to any radio on which you would like to copy CW or SSB signals. Richards shows us how.

Digitally Speaking: System Fusion – “The Roar of the Crowd”
By Cory GB Sickles WA3UVV
After using digital voice for an extended period of time, most find analog FM to be “muddy,” “noisy,” and of a lower quality than they previously thought. And, whether you find favor with DMR, D-STAR, NXDN, P25 or System Fusion, Cory urges you to try digital voice for yourself and see what you think, after using it regularly for a few weeks. He believes you’ll be amazed at how your perceptions change. Cory also takes a peek at Yaesu’s new digital 2-meter/70-cm 50-watt mobile transceiver and scanning receiver.

SDRplay RSP Shortwave Receiver
By Thomas Witherspoon K4SWL
He’s back! And, with yet another software defined shortwave receiver; this time it’s the UK-based SDRplay. But, at a fraction of the price of his previously reviewed SDR, could the SDRplay come even close in operation? Find out why Thomas is so impressed by this new SDR.

Scanning America By Dan Veenaman
Scanner Update from Dayton

Federal Wavelengths By Chris Parris
Washington, DC—Scanner Dreamland or Nightmare?

Utility Planet By Hugh Stegman NV6H
US Coast Guard Plans Big HF Comm Changes

Digital HF: Intercept and Analyze By Mike Chace-Ortiz AB1TZ/G6DHU
Decoding the MIL-STD 188-110B 2400 bd HF Modem

HF Utility Logs By Mike Chace-Ortiz and Hugh Stegman

Amateur Radio Insights By Kirk Kleinschmidt NT0Z
Two Meters: The “No Magic” Band?

Radio 101 By Ken Reitz KS4ZR
Meet the New 20-Meter Band (Hint: it’s on VHF)

Radio Propagation By Tomas Hood NW7US
The 10.7-cm Radio Flux

The World of Shortwave Listening By Andrew Yoder
Corsette-Building Project

The Shortwave Listener By Fred Waterer
Shortwave’s Continuing Impact

Amateur Radio Satellites By Keith Baker KB1SF/VA3KSF
From Famine to Feast

The Longwave Zone By Kevin O’Hern Carey WB2QMY
An Easy-to-Build Natural Radio Receiver

Adventures in Radio Restoration By Rich Post KB8TAD
First Look at a Zenith 5K037 “Farm” Set

The Broadcast Tower By Doug Smith W9WI
FCC Fines, Interference and Pot-Talk Flop

Antenna Connections By Dan Farber AC0LW
Round and Round: Loop Antennas

Radio Horizons
International Shortwave Broadcast Guide Summer 2015

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 May, 2015 issue:

DIY: The Home-Brewer’s Primer
By Richard Fisher KI6SN
Building transmitters, shortwave receivers, antennas and station accessories is an art dating to the late 19th Century—the earliest days of radio. Almost every radio operator of the era was a builder, because commercially made radio gear was either nonexistent or, at the least, quite expensive. The term “home-brewer,” those who toiled at the workbench in order to tune in shortwave or get on the ham bands, would become a badge of honor and part of the lexicon of amateur radio. Home-brewing radio equipment is as vital to today’s radio amateurs as ever!

The Newcomers Net: Bringing together Newbies and Old-Timers
By Robert Gulley AK3Q
Like so many things in life, amateur radio is caught just as much as it is taught. Elmers (amateur radio mentors) and Newcomers really do feed off of each other, and excitement tends to generate more excitement. Whether it is trying new things or rediscovering long-lost passions, both newbies and old-timers alike grow from their shared experiences. Robert writes about the second anniversary of The Newcomers and Elmers Net, a weekly, on-air meeting of the OH-KY-IN Amateur Radio Society, geared toward pairing newcomers to the hobby with Elmers willing to offer them advice and the benefit of their experience. What they’ve done can be applied nationwide.

Digitally Speaking: Digital Voice on 220 MHz?
By Cory GB Sickles WA3UVV
Our amateur radio allocation at 222-225 MHz is among those that have been left out of the “Digital Voice Club.” As this is a band exclusive to the Americas, manufacturers are less inclined to invest in producing gear than for UHF. Currency fluctuations and lowered levels of interest limit the potential payoff for commercially produced gear. Cory ponders the question, “What will it take to get digital voice on 220 MHz?”

Southern Amateur Radio Hospitality: N4H and WA4USN Special Event Station
By Ron Walsh VE3GO
Canadian TSM Maritime Monitoring columnist, Ron Walsh, encounters “southern hospitality amateur radio” when he signs up to help man WA4USN aboard the US Navy battleship, the USS North Carolina, based in Wilmington, North Carolina and N4H near the site in South Carolina where the Civil War-era submarine, H. L. Hunley, sank after having been the first such vessel to sink another ship, the USS Housatonic, in battle. Ron had the opportunity to study US Naval history and operate two special event stations during his annual southern winter holiday.

TSM Reviews: TitanSDR
By Thomas Witherspoon K4SWL

After discovering the power of software-defined radios (SDRs) a few years ago, Thomas has been hooked, and now does 95 percent of his home listening and monitoring via various SDRs in his collection. In this issue he turns his attention to a newly released military-grade SDR called the TitanSDR. He’s impressed with its performance, but will this super-sophisticated SDR live up to its military budget price tag?

Scanning America By Dan Veenaman
Allentown, PA, FCC Field Offices and Dayton

Federal Wavelengths By Chris Parris
GAO Report on CBP Radio System Problems

Utility Planet By Hugh Stegman NV6H
U.S. Veterans Department Signs HF Contract

Digital HF: Intercept and Analyze By Mike Chace-Ortiz AB1TZ/G6DHU
Decoding Russian MFA and Intelligence Signals

HF Utility Logs By Mike Chace-Ortiz and Hugh Stegman

Amateur Radio Insights By Kirk Kleinschmidt NT0Z
A Tale of Antennas and Instrumentation

Radio 101 By Ken Reitz KS4ZR
Training your Replacement

Radio Propagation By Tomas Hood NW7US
Sporadic-E—The Magical Summertime Sizzle

The World of Shortwave Listening
By Jeff White, General Manager WRMI and Chairman HFCC
Shortwave Broadcasters Descend Upon Oman: The A15 High Frequency Coordination Conference in Muscat

The Shortwave Listener By Fred Waterer
Monitoring International News via Shortwave

Amateur Radio Astronomy By Stan Nelson KB5VL
Detecting Meteor Activity with Digital TV Carriers

The Longwave Zone By Kevin O’Hern Carey WB2QMY
More on Natural Radio

Adventures in Radio Restoration By Rich Post KB8TAD
Powering the “Real McCoy” 75 watt Novice transmitter

The Broadcast Tower By Doug Smith W9WI
The Big Get-Together

Antenna Connections By Dan Farber AC0LW
Houston, We have a Downlink: Spacecraft Antennas

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 April, 2015 issue:

Scanning North America’s Railroads
By Richard Fisher KI6SN
The good news for the vast majority of railroad scanners is that 95 percent of railroad communication takes place on good ol’ analog FM. So, if you have a scanner capable of covering the railroads’ 96 FCC-assigned VHF channels, you’ve already got everything you need. You’ll be known in the vernacular as a “railfan” – of the radio-operatus specie.

FT-991: Yaesu’s Latest Shack-in-the-Box
By Mark Haverstock K8MSH
The Yaesu FT-991is both a competent rig that has a feature set that will satisfy most hams. Added VHF/UHF capabilities make it a very versatile rig for many applications. Yaesu’s touch screen goes a long way to help demystify menu selections. Find out why Mark thinks the FT-991 is a perfect fit for just about any ham shack, portable and Field Day use.

Digitally Speaking: Battery Considerations for Digital Portables
By Cory Sickles WA3UVV
Digital voice transceivers have more sophistication and complexity going on inside of them than similar analog FM rigs—especially when it comes to portables. That little radio in your hand, and the computer chips driving the extra features needs, additional current to keep everything going.

The Thrift Store Amateur
By Chris Friesen VE4CWF
If money has never been a problem, and you’ve always been able to buy your equipment factory fresh—congratulations—this article is not for you. If however, you have always had difficulty justifying the purchase of a new piece of station equipment, because you need your money to buy groceries, then you might find some encouragement in what Chris is writing about.

2015 Winter SWL Fest Recap
By Thomas Witherspoon K4SWL
Every year at the end of at the first of March for the last 28 years, the North American Shortwave Association (NASWA) has hosted its annual Winter Shortwave Listening Fest. This year saw over 100 devoted SWLers brave severe winter weather to gather in Pennsylvania to share their passion for shortwave.

Scanning America By Dan Veenaman
P25: A Tale of Two Systems

Federal Wavelengths By Chris Parris
Super Bowl XLIX Wrap-up

Utility Planet By Hugh Stegman NV6H
New Use for US Marine Channels?

Digital HF: Intercept and Analyze By Mike Chace-Ortiz AB1TZ/G6DHU
3G Wideband Protocols Are Arriving on HF

HF Utility Logs By Mike Chace-Ortiz and Hugh Stegman

Amateur Radio Insights By Kirk Kleinschmidt NT0Z
My Friend Ferrite: Interference Part 3

Radio 101 By Ken Reitz KS4ZR
The Art and Science of Chasing DX

Radio Propagation By Tomas Hood NW7US
More Sunspot Mysteries Revealed

The World of Shortwave Listening By Rob Wagner VK3BVW
The QSL Card – At What Cost?

The Shortwave Listener By Fred Waterer
Radio, History and Business Today

Maritime Monitoring By Ron Walsh VE3GO
Radio Surprises and Changes

The Longwave Zone By Kevin O’Hern Carey WB2QMY
Tuning in to Natural Radio

Adventures in Radio Restoration By Rich Post KB8TAD
The Real McCoy: A 1957 Novice Transmitter

The Broadcast Tower By Doug Smith W9WI
Stuffing 85 Channels into a 32-Channel Sack

Antenna Connections By Dan Farber AC0LW
Nothing Ventured: Understanding Antenna Gain

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 March, 2015 issue:

Catch the Action in the Air and On the Air
By Brian and Jo Marie Topolski
Once again, Brian and Jo Marie Topolski take us all to the air show with some dazzling photos and the inside scoop about what and where to listen when you take your scanner with you. Brian also has a salute to woman aviation pioneer, Julie Clark, a regular fixture at many air shows, and a look inside his own air show command post.

The Air Show Experience
By Kevin Burke
TSM air show regular contributor, Kevin Burke, shows us his own (and his son’s) photographic touch along with his own experiences at air shows. He also offers a photographic “Study in Blues” as well as a review of the Bearcat BC-125AT at an air show.

Now Try ‘Scanner-less’ Aviation Monitoring!
By Richard Fisher KI6SN
Want to catch all the aviation action but don’t have a scanner or live near an airport? Not to worry, says Richard Fisher, you can enjoy aviation monitoring to the fullest extent possible, and at no cost. Richard shows us how.

TSM Reviews: Teak Publishing’s 2015 Air Show Guide
By Ken Reitz KS4ZR
For many years, readers of Monitoring Times magazine came to rely on the expertise of its military communications columnist and MT assistant editor, Larry Van Horn N5FPW, to provide the very latest in frequencies used by all the top aviation demonstration teams at air shows across North America. And, even though MT closed its doors in December 2013, Larry has since continued to provide these frequencies in the form of an annual Air Show Guide in Kindle format. Here’s a review of his latest Air Show Guide.

TSM Air Show Schedule
US Navy Blue Angels; USAF Thunderbirds; Canadian Snowbirds; Breitling Jet Team; Raiders Flight Demo Team; GEICO Skytypers; Team Oracle’s Sean D. Tucker; John Klatt Air Shows, and Air Combat Command F-16 North American air show schedules.

Scanning America By Dan Veenaman
Hard-Learned Radio Civics Lesson in D.C.

Federal Wavelengths By Chris Parris
Flying with Federal Aviation

Utility Planet By Hugh Stegman NV6H
How to Hear HF Civil Aviation

Digital HF: Intercept and Analyze By Mike Chace-Ortiz AB1TZ/G6DHU
US Coast Guard, Customs & Border Patrol COTHEN Network

HF Utility Logs By Mike Chace-Ortiz and Hugh Stegman

Amateur Radio Insights By Kirk Kleinschmidt NT0Z
RFI Part 2: Finding, Fixing or Fleeing

Radio 101 By Ken Reitz KS4ZR
Intro to FTA Satellite and Advanced Cord-Cutting

Radio Propagation By Tomas Hood NW7US
Space Weather Terms

The World of Shortwave Listening By Keith Perron
Armed Forces Network Taiwan (AFNT)

The Shortwave Listener By Fred Waterer
World Languages via SW Radio Web Sites

Amateur Radio Satellites By Keith Baker KB1SF/VA3KSF
AMSATs: From OSCAR-1 to FOX-1A

The Longwave Zone By Kevin O’Hern Carey WB2QMY
Longwave: A Cradle for High-Tech

Adventures in Radio Restoration By Rich Post KB8TAD
The Admiral Bean-Counter Special: Part II

The Broadcast Tower By Doug Smith W9WI
What Happens to a Dead Radio Station?

Antenna Connections By Dan Farber AC0LW
Got a Match: Methods of Matching Coaxial Cable to Antennas

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.