Amateur Radio Weekly – Issue 330

Amateur Radio Weekly

The CME has arrived, and it is a big one
The biggest geomagnetic storm in almost 20 years is underway now. It has reached category G5–an extreme event.
SpaceWeather.com

2024 Amateur Radio Software Award announced
OpenWebRX, a project led by Jakob Ketterl DD5JFK, and OpenWebRX+, a project led by Marat Fayzullin KC1TXE, have been selected as the winners.
Amateur Radio Software Award

The Communicator May-June
Articles, projects, profiles, news, tips and how-tos for all levels of the hobby.
Surrey Amateur Radio Communications

First episodes of Prep Comms Podcast
Prep Comms offers real world insight for those in the prepper-sphere regarding communication solutions and best practices.
Ham Radio Network

Allstar Linked Repeaters On The Air
Providing a powerful AllStarLink hub for our Amateur Radio friends to connect each other for nets and emergency communications.
ALROTANETS

My wish list for a perfect HT
What features would make up a 70cm/2m dual-band handheld radio that leaves nothing to be desired?
DK1MI

Comparing transceivers
A personal journey from Yaesu FT-817 to Elecraft KX2 and beyond.
K0PIR

Newfoundland on QO-100?
Newfoundland is just outside the coverage area of QO-100, the elevation at Signal Hill at St. Johns is -0.9°, however, contacts have been made from Indonesia at an elevation as low as -1.3° so there is a chance of success.
AMSAT UK

Digital archive of QSL Cards
Setting up QSL galleries on the Internet Archive in order to help preserve radio history.
SWLing Post

Beyond the social: There is room for us all in Amateur Radio
Why are you getting back into Ham Radio? You dont like talking to people.
QRPer

Video

Unlocking the power of fractal antennas
Diving into the mysterious world of fractals and the Hilberts Curve.
HamJazz

Packet radio BBS node with LinBPQ
After digging into the world of packet radio BBSs over the past few weeks, I’m ready to show you how to setup your own.
ModernHam

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Amateur Radio Weekly is curated by Cale Mooth K4HCK. Sign up free to receive ham radio's most relevant news, projects, technology and events by e-mail each week at http://www.hamweekly.com.

W3HC SK

Unfortunately, a few days after Carl W3HC (ex-W3HCW) celebrated his 100th birthday, he fell ill, declined rapidly, and passed away. We can’t complain as he lived a full life and got to enjoy a beer at his birthday party.

Photo credit: Karen Vibert-Kennedy, Williamsport Sun Gazette

Carl was an avid photographer all his life. The Williamsport Sun Gazette featured an article and video on his time in Berlin during World War II, taking photographs. While in a bombed out home, he found a roll of film which he took home and later developed. He was shocked to discover the photos were taken by a German photographer and even included pictures of Himler, who was the #2 in Germany at the time. Many of his photos are featured on his Flickr site.

I owe my grandfather a lot of gratitude as he’s the one who got me into amateur radio which led to me getting my first two jobs in wireless and communications, and laid the foundation for a rather successful career. I continue to be active in amateur radio, with QRP, field operation, circuit design, open source software development, and homebrewing equipment being my favorite activities.

Carl was first licensed in 1956 as WN3HCW, back when Novice calls had the WN prefix. After upgrading to Technician, the FCC dropped the N and he became W3HCW. Later in the 90s when he upgraded to Extra he shortened his call to W3HC. During my time with him as a youngster and teenager, he operated nearly all HF phone and enjoyed DXing, but he also did a lot of 6 meter AM work in the 60s. He operated theW3HCW QSL Fund which funded QSL cards for DX stations, and he was a QSL manager for about 130 stations over the years.

Carl McDaniel, W3HC, SK at 100 years and 6 days. dit dit

This article was originally published on Radio Artisan.


Anthony, K3NG, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com.

ICQ Podcast Episode 429 – Marconi Day Fun

In this episode, we join Martin Butler M1MRB, Chris Howard (M0TCH), Martin Rothwell (M0SGL), Frank Howell (K4FMH), Bill Barnes (WC3B) and Leslie Butterfields (G0CIB) to discuss the latest Amateur / Ham Radio news. Colin Butler (M6BOY) rounds up the news in brief and the episode's feature is Marconi Day Fun.

We would like to thank our monthly and annual subscription donors for keeping the podcast advert free. To donate, please visit - http://www.icqpodcast.com/donate

  • MFJ Ceasing On-Site Production
  • California Radio Club Faces Homelessness
  • Debate Reopens Over AM Radio's Future In Cars
  • Hams Prepare for SOS Radio Week
  • Updated Spectrum Analyser Software for SDRplay RSPs
  • UK Radio Syllabus v1.6 Published

Colin Butler, M6BOY, is the host of the ICQ Podcast, a weekly radio show about Amateur Radio. Contact him at [email protected].

3G0YA in the log on 20m CW.

 


 The other day I joined the 21st century loaded Ham Alert on my iPhone and set up Easter Island.  On the first attempt to enter 3G0YA into HamAlert, I did not add a CW only and was flooded with digi and SSB spots. I managed to check out some YouTube videos and got that organized. Up to this point, I have been hit and miss using the DXheat cluster with no luck. I have never been able to hear them just the pileup they were working. Well, yesterday morning Ham Alert told me to head over the 20m, I did that and there they were but only at S1. I waited and then they bumped up to S4 and away my call went out onto the waves of opportunity.

In the past, I have been hoping so badly for a DXpedition station to hear me so felt I somehow heard part or all of my call. To only let down that I was not actually in the log once I checked.  Hearing my call was only my ambitious imagination. This time when I dropped my call I was not sure if I heard or maybe imagined I heard my call. As Murphy would have it they went from S4 to S1 with their comeback to me.  I listened and maybe heard again VE9KK 5NN.....so what the heck I tossed out my 5NN TU. 

I continued to listen and wow for a few moments they were S6 or more so I tried again and this time I was sure I made it in the log. They called back "VE9", I tossed my call again and they came back "VE9KK 5NN" The funny thing was when I checked Clublog I found I was in the log the first time and it was not Murphy playing with me.


Mike Weir, VE9KK, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from New Brunswick, Canada. Contact him at [email protected].

So your a chatty Kathy………..Part 2

In part 2 of CW recipes, we are going to take a peek at conversational CW. QSO CW is like Apple pie for our U.S. friends or Peameal bacon for us Canadians. It has been around for a long time and is a staple of the hobbyWhat are the ingredients for CW conversation......for sure an understanding of the code. Getting your code speed to a comfortable speed but hey with this CW foodie, any speed can bag you a QSO. I  would think this recipe calls for a code speed from 10-15wpm and then the sky is yours if you want. Also comfortable at using a key whatever type you choose to learn on. I would suggest a key as to the PC because with QSO CW the conversation can go in many directions if you let it. A  PC can do the trick but then there are your typing skills you have to brush up on...why not spend the time mastering sending code? This recipe calls for spending some time getting the sound of QTH, RST, TU, 73 and so on. Compared to contesting there are more group sounds you have to become familiar with. As you learn the group sounds then head copying these sounds will kick inSure you can still paper and pencil it for the name, QTH and call sign but head copy of the common QSO items puts you ahead of the game sort of speak Accuracy is always nice but it's like sugar, salt and pepper that can be added later on. During a QSO recipe if you mess something up not a big deal....its a matter of dit dit dit and try it again. Over time the rust will be sanded off and your code will be nice and shiny.  Just like when cooking something from a recipe where you have to taste it now and then, take it out of the oven to check on it or add a little more of something it is the same with QSO CW. You may be able to send very fast....faster than you can copy but remember those who do this can get burned as the person on the other end may come back to you at the same speed and you can heat up and get burned.  Also like cooking things can change and you have to add something. Same with QSO CW understand that conditions can change noise level, fading (QSB) or the other person's code is let's say........sour and hard to copy well you can only do your best with what you have and add the salt of your experience to understand the QSO.  Finally just like in cooking when the timer dings the cooking is done and with QSO CW nothing wrong with hearing the timer and calling the QSO done.  With the QSO recipe getting to a speed of 10-15wpm is good, turn the power of your radio to zero and practice sending with our key, get to know the sound of common QSO terms, and remember that dit dit dit fixes most things. Most of all relax and enjoy as we have all have frozen, got lost in receiving code, messed up sending and wished we could just hit the power switch and walk away. It's all part of getting the right QSO recipe mix.  Here is a good links regarding the basic of a CW contact and making a CW contact

Mike Weir, VE9KK, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from New Brunswick, Canada. Contact him at [email protected].

The May-June 2024 SARC Communicator Journal

Heading into summer...

With another big issue. The May-June 2024 Communicator, digital periodical of Surrey Amateur Radio Communications is now available for viewing or download.

Read in over 150 countries, we bring you 120 pages of Amateur Radio content from the Southwest corner of Canada and elsewhere. With less fluff and ads than other Amateur Radio publications, you will find Amateur Radio related articles, projects, profiles, news, tips and how-to's for all levels of the hobby.

You can view or download it as a .PDF file:  



Download the Communicator May-June 2024

Previous Communicator issues are at:

Search for past Communicator issues

and a full index is HERE.  

As always, thank you to our contributors, and your feedback is always welcome. 

The deadline for the next edition is June 15th.

If you have news or events from your club or photos, stories, projects or other items of interest from BC or elsewhere, please contact us at [email protected]

73,

John VE7TI
'The Communicator' Editor








W3HC 100

My grandfather, W3HC (ex-W3HCW), is 100 years old.

Grandson Kevin, Mac W3HC, great-granddaughter Eliza, grandson K3NG.

Grandson Kevin and W3HC having some 807s.

Mac (then W3HCW) in his shack in Williamsport, PA, USA sometime around 1956-57.

My grandmother, Gladys, K3JJN (SK), and my mother, Sherry, who passed away in 2000. Photo from around 1959 or 1960.

Mac in Whales, WWII, 1945.


Anthony, K3NG, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com.

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