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Amateur Radio Weekly – Issue 212
28 July 2018 | by 
Significant changes in store for FT8 and MSK144
Enhanced versions of the MSK144 and FT8 protocols will extend the message payload to 77 bits.
ARRL
ISS SSTV activation July 30-31
The Russian cosmonauts on the International Space Station are expected to activate amateur radio Slow Scan Television (SSTV) transmissions.
AMSAT UK
Why wire diameter is important
The larger the cross-sectional area of the conductor, the more electrons are available to carry the current.
VE7SAR
3D printed Arrow II portable satellite antenna clips
WI9LL has designed clips for use with the Arrow II Portable hand held satellite antenna.
WI9LL
Operating tips for VHF SOTA
I’ve been using VHF and higher frequencies for SOTA exclusively and have activated over 100 summits in Colorado and other states.
K0NR
FCC proposes $18,000 fine for Ham in interference case
“Given his history as a repeat offender, these apparent violations warrant a significant penalty.”
ARRL
A visit to the home of FreeDV and codec2
I knew I was in the right place when the squid pole supporting a corner dipole came in to view.
Marxy
WWFD in AM HD
America’s only AM HD station.
The SWLing Post
Is your repeater ID boring? Try something like this.
If your repeater ID is getting a little stale, perhaps this will give you some ideas on how to freshen it up a bit.
KB6NU
Receiving astronaut Amateur Radio conversations with an RTL-SDR
If you live in an area that can ‘see’ the ISS at the same time as the school then you can easily pick up the downlink.
RTL-SDR.com
Send APRS data/telemetry via Xastir command line
You can do it all via RF if your Xastir setup is already paired to the radio and configured to transmit.
S55MA
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Hunting For NDBs In CLE 234
This coming weekend will see the 'Barn Door' CLE, mentioned in a previous blogspot here. Listeners are required to challenge themselves by listening on a receiver using a wide enough bandwidth that several kHz worth of signals can be heard at once.
The 'immersive' effect this wider bandwidth mode provides is much different than when listening with narrow filters and can make digging out IDs a lot more challenging. Throwing in some mid-summer lightning noise makes it even tougher, but if it were easy, it just wouldn't be much fun!
Many, including myself, will be using homebrew single MOSFET regenerative receivers, often called a '1AD' since they normally use just one active device. I've just finished testing my own version and have been able to hear some night time DX so hopefully the band will be quiet enough to hear some signals during the CLE.
From CLE organizer Brian Keyte, here are the details explained ... and good luck to all participants!
Hi all
It is an opportunity to bring back to life basic kinds of receiver - anything with low selectivity which allows you to hear NDBs on several frequencies simultaneously - leaving the barn door wide open!
Listening with 'back to basics' equipment often gives very satisfying and unexpected results. It can also show us ways of improving our listening when operating more normally.
Our last Barn Door CLE was No. 209 in July two years ago.
Here comes our fifth 'Barn Door' CLE. Between us there will be a great variety of different receiver types in use.
Days: Friday 27 to Monday 30 July 2018
Times: Start at ## 11 a.m. on Friday 27th, your LOCAL time
End at ## 3 p.m. on Monday 30th, your LOCAL time
Frequencies: Centred on 360 kHz (see below)
NDBs: NOT MORE than 100 'normal' NDBs including any UNIDs
(That is not intended to be a target to reach)
We are all asked to listen with NON-SELECTIVE receivers - i.e. with a WIDE
filter or NO filter. Your 'barn door' should be open wide so you could
hear, at the same time, any NDBs 2 kHz away on both sides of your receiver
setting - E.g. NDBs on 348, 349, 350, 351 and 352 kHz with the receiver set
to 350 kHz.
## The extra daytime hours on the first and the last day might help some of
us planning to listen out of doors.
You could listen with:
1. A simple home-made receiver, such as a single transistor set with regen.
(e.g. based on the sets used by Mike, Finbar and others).
2. OR - an Ultralight receiver, maybe one converted to cover the NDB
frequencies with a modified aerial.
3. OR - an 'antique' receiver (e.g. Eddystone, R1155, Scott, etc.)
Perhaps you have something you've not switched on for many years?
4. OR - a normal receiver but with NO filtering, or using a WIDE FILTER,
(not less than about 2 kHz and no selection of an audio filter).
You choose how wide a RANGE of frequencies you will listen in, CENTRED ON
360 kHz. You could choose 350-370 kHz or 330-390 kHz or 260-460 kHz, etc.
(This allows each of us to choose a +/- range with enough NDBs to
match our equipment's capability. It will also allow our loggings to
be compared in the Combined Results, at least around 360 kHz).
Logs should show NOT MORE THAN 100 NDBs please (if more than 100, the
harvester program will 'drop' the loggings furthest from 360 kHz).
There are several extra targets you could set yourself - maybe the wide
bandwidth, the centre frequency of 360 kHz and the 100 loggings limit do not
challenge you enough!
You could listen only in daytime and/or away from home.
Or how about NDBs on 360 +/- 10 kHz or even +/- 5 kHz?
The Twente remote receiver in Holland could be interesting to use for the
whole of your (only) CLE log.
( Go to http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/ and read the advice there:Select AM and 'MAX IN', enter e.g. 354.7 in the frequency box and change the
filter's limits to 2 or 3 kHz from the centre frequency on both sides )
We’ll summarise everyone's equipment on the first page of the combined
results, so please describe:
The RECEIVER/AERIAL you used and the FILTER(s) selected, if any.
If homebrew, please quote: the total number of active devices used – e.g.
1 for a single transistor stage ( 1AD ) - the transistor/valve types,
whether using regen., etc.
All the usual procedures for making logs apply:
Send your CLE log to NDB List, if possible as a plain text email and not in
an attachment.
Please show on EVERY LINE of your log:
# The full date (or Day No.) and UTC (the day changes at 00:00 UTC).
# kHz - the beacon's nominal published frequency, if known.
# The Call Ident.
Show those main items FIRST on each line, before other optional details
such as Location, Distance, etc. Please send your complete log with
CLE234 and FINAL in the Subject line.
Whether you are a first time CLE-er or a regular, make your log interesting
to everyone by showing your own location and your equipment details.
Do feel free to share any comments you have on this unusual event.
Joachim or I will send the usual 'Any More Logs?' email at about 17:00 UTC
on Tuesday 31st so that you can check that your log has been found OK.
Make sure your log has arrived on the List at the very latest by 08:00 UTC
on Wednesday 1 August. We hope to complete making the combined
results a day or so later.
However you choose to take part, we hope you will find your 'back to basics'
listening enjoyable and worthwhile.
P.S. NOT FOR YOU?
Listening without narrow filters is not going to revolutionise our hobby!
But there ARE some unexpected benefits and advantages:
1. Hearing several beacons on a few adjacent frequencies at the same time
becomes easier as you get practice at recognising them by listening to their
very different audio tones. At first, when listening to a random frequency
setting, you may hear just one or two beacons. But after listening for a
little while you realise that there are three - - four, maybe more, all of
them audible without altering any of the receiver controls.
It is a skill that gives satisfaction as you improve.
2. Hearing multiple beacons like that can be useful because, with no extra
tools, you can hear NDBs over a wide frequency range much more quickly than
usual, perhaps spotting the arrival of new UNIDs or the return of occasional
beacons. (To protect your hearing, keep your receiver gain controls fairly
low, except on very quiet frequencies).
3. With normal listening it is easy to miss any NDBs that have abnormal
carrier frequencies or non-standard offsets. With 'Barn Door' listening
they won't escape because everything is let through.
4. When using a wide filter, you may be surprised by hearing some Broadcast
Station signals (e.g. harmonics) among the NDBs and you will be able to
identify them.
With a narrow filter, often you may not recognise an AM signal as audio
- it just sounds like nondescript 'hash' affecting a wide range of
frequencies around the central carrier.
Maybe listeners will report some other good things about their barn door
listening during the CLE - and probably some bad things too!
Do join in if you can.
Brian
----------------------------------------------------------
From: Brian Keyte G3SIA ndbcle'at'gmail.com
Location: Surrey, SE England (CLE coordinator)
----------------------------------------------------------
Don't forget that help and chat regarding NDB DXing can be had on the ndb group list here.
Steve McDonald, VE7SL, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from British Columbia, Canada. Contact him at [email protected].
LHS Episode #238: Open Research Institute Deep Dive
Welcome to Episode 238 of Linux in the Ham Shack. This time around we have an in-depth interview with Steve, AI4QR, and Michelle, W5NYV about Ubuntu Hams and the Open Research Institute. Discussion revolves around the two organizations, their focuses, directions, resources and active projects. Thanks so much to our guests and we hope you enjoy the program.
73 de The LHS Crew
Russ Woodman, K5TUX, co-hosts the Linux in the Ham Shack podcast which is available for download in both MP3 and OGG audio format. Contact him at [email protected].
Weekly Propagation Summary – 2018 Jul 23 16:10 UTC
Here is this week’s space weather and geophysical report, issued 2018 Jul 23 0031 UTC.
Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 16 – 22 July 2018
Solar activity was very low throughout the period. Region 2716 (N16, L=199, class/area=Axx/10 on 21 Jul) was briefly the sole active region with sunspots, but was largely unproductive. No Earth-directed CMEs were observed this period.
No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit.
The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit reached moderate levels on 22 Jul with normal levels observed through the rest of the period.
Geomagnetic field activity was quiet to unsettled on 16-17, 20-21 Jul with generally quiet conditions observed throughout the remainder of the period. The activity on 20-21 Jul was associated with the weak influence of a positive polarity coronal hole high speed stream.
Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 23 July – 18 August 2018
Solar activity is expected to be very low throughout the outlook period.
No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit.
The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to reach high levels on 23-31 Jul and moderate levels are expected on 01-11, and 18 Aug. Normal levels are expected throughout the remainder of the outlook period.
Geomagnetic field activity is likely to reach G1 (Minor) geomagnetic storm levels on 24 Jul due to the influence of a negative polarity coronal hole high speed stream. Active conditions are expected on 23, 25 Jul and 17 Aug due to the influence of multiple, recurrent coronal hole high speed streams. Quiet and quiet to unsettled conditions are expected throughout the remainder of the outlook period.
Don’t forget to visit our live space weather and radio propagation web site, at: http://SunSpotWatch.com/
Live Aurora mapping is at http://aurora.sunspotwatch.com/
If you are on Twitter, please follow these two users: 1. https://Twitter.com/NW7US 2. https://Twitter.com/hfradiospacewx
– – – – – – – – – – – – –
Be sure to subscribe to our space weather and propagation email group, on Groups.io
https://groups.io/g/propagation-and-space-weather
Spread the word!
– – – – – – – – – – – – –
Links of interest:
+ Amazon space weather books: http://g.nw7us.us/fbssw-aSWSC
+ https://Twitter.com/NW7US
+ https://Twitter.com/hfradiospacewx
Space Weather and Ham Radio YouTube Channel News:
I am working on launching a YouTube channel overhaul, that includes series of videos about space weather, radio signal propagation, and more.
Additionally, I am working on improving the educational efforts via the email, Facebook, YouTube, Tumblr, and other activities.
You can help!
Please consider becoming a Patron of these space weather and radio communications services, beginning with the YouTube channel:
https://www.patreon.com/NW7US
The YouTube channel:
https://YouTube.com/NW7US
..
Visit, subscribe: NW7US Radio Communications and Propagation YouTube Channel
ICQ Podcast Episode 272 – World Radio Team Championship 2018 Review
In this episode, Martin M1MRB is joined by Leslie Butterfield G0CIB, Edmund Spicer M0MNG, and Matthew Nassau M0NJX to discuss the latest Amateur / Ham Radio news. Colin M6BOY rounds up the news in brief, and this episode’s feature World Radio Team Championship 2018 Review.
ICQ AMATEUR/HAM RADIO PODCAST DONORS
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
- Sibling Radio Hams Assist in Road Race
- 96% Pass Rate in Cuban Amateur Radio Exam
- JOTA JOTI 2018 Registration Open
- UK SW Radio Listenership Continues Steep Decline
- 88 MHz Trans-Atlantic Signals Heard in Ireland
- Ham Radio Technology Used in Thailand Cave Rescue
- Google Map API Changes Affect Amateur Radio Sites
- Kenwood TS-890S Pricing Announced
Colin Butler, M6BOY, is the host of the ICQ Podcast, a weekly radio show about Amateur Radio. Contact him at [email protected].
6m … Where’d The Magic Go?
This summer's 6m sporadic-E (Es) DX season is now well past the half-way mark and things have been different ... a lot different. For me, the past 40 plus summers of activity on the magic band have always been interesting, if not down right exciting ... particularly when the band opens to Europe from the west coast.
These usually very short-lived paths have been my main interest for the past several years and the bread and butter mode is normally a fast CW exchange, usually taking less than 20 seconds before signals would vanish, as the always quirky west coast path to Europe would jump to another region. But this has all changed dramatically.
I have seen many strong openings involving loud FT8 signals from various parts of North America but when tuning down to the CW/SSB section of the band, found nothing but ghostly silence! Gone are the familiar voices of friends met every summer for decades or the recognition of an old friend's fist on CW ... for me personally, most of the magic was missing this summer. I wonder if this is all part of the natural evolution of amateur radio or does the FT8 revolution signal the long term fate for many of the older conventional modes?
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| Track the pole's movement here. |
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| July 18th courtesy: http://www.on4kst.org/chat/index.php |
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| July 20th courtesy: http://www.on4kst.org/chat/index.php |
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| Overnight decodes July 8-9 |
BM6GJL PL02
HL1BRU PM37
HL2IFR PM37
BG4QNE PM01
VR2VAZ OL72
BV2FB PL05
BV6CC PL03
BV1EK PL05
BM3GFU PL04
Thanks to Paul, K7CW, for doggedly sorting through my all-night decode file which may be viewed in full here.
With just a couple of weeks left in the normal Es season, it will be interesting to see if FT8's extra few db will extend it longer than usual!
Steve McDonald, VE7SL, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from British Columbia, Canada. Contact him at [email protected].
Initial setup of SunSDR2 Pro
The only (as far as I know) software this radio will work with is ExpertSDR software. Having said that I am very happy with the software and questions I have asked on the forum has been answered very promptly. It runs very smoothly on my PC and the waterfall looks great! The next post I will be looking at the ExpertSDR software.
Mike Weir, VE9KK, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from New Brunswick, Canada. Contact him at [email protected].
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