AmateurRadio.com

Stories you’ll find in our May, 2017 issue:

TSM Reviews: QRP Labs Ultimate 3S Transmitter Kit
By Mark Haverstock K8MSH

It’s the old radio conundrum: Is the band dead or is it that no one is listening? This month Mark looks at a beacon transmitter kit that lets you see just how active the band really is. The QRP Labs Ultimate 3S transmitter uses Weak Signal Propagation Reporter (WSPR) Frequency Shift-Keying (FSK) transmissions in beacon mode that can be received by receivers around the world set up to send back reports on a central reporting site on the Web. Mark puts this kit through its paces.

Tuning Out? History and Legacy of Longwave Broadcasting in Europe
By Georg Wiessala
Longwave broadcasting seems to be a relic from radio’s infancy. While its future is uncertain, during an era of Internet streaming and satellite beaming, it continues to hang on. Georg examines the history of longwave and explains why countries “disinvesting in AM broadcast radio make a shortsighted decision—losing an important channel for media diplomacy and international communications abroad.”

TSM Reviews: DX Engineering HF Portable TW Antennas
By Joe Lynch N6CL
TSM VHF and Above columnist, Joe Lynch N6CL, lives in a very restrictive neighborhood but, as an active ham on HF, that’s not deterred him from enjoying the radio hobby to its fullest. Joe wanted to see how well DX Engineering’s DXE-TW-2010-P 20 through 10 meters portable antenna would work—given his QTH. Find out why he says these antennas are, “worth the cost, considering the practicality they provide.”
DRM—Digital Radio Mondiale Spectrum within a Spectrum
By John Piliounis SV1OCS
Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) has been around since 1998 and has slowly found acceptance on HF as well as the FM band. But, the lack of affordable, capable receivers has hampered its success. John Piliounis takes a look at the technical side of this open-sourced, international digital radio format that can coexist with analog signals broadcast from the same tower.

Results of FCC Incentive Auction and Repacking of US TV Spectrum
By Mike Kohl
The results are in from the FCC’s massive TV band incentive auction and now the 39-month process begins in which some stations will go off the air; others will go off the air but join another station in the market to show up on a sub-channel, while others will move from UHF to VHF TV band. Mike explains it all.

Scanning America
By Dan Veeneman
Charlotte County (FL) and Dallas County (IA)

Federal Wavelengths
By Chris Parris
Shifts in Federal Trunked Radio Systems

Utility Planet
By Hugh Stegman
New Insights into North Korean “Numbers”

Shortwave Utility Logs
By Hugh Stegman and Mike Chace-Ortiz

Digitally Speaking
By Cory GB Sickles WA3UVV
Feeling Like a Kid Again

VHF and Above
By Joe Lynch N6CL
Kenwood’s New TH-D74

Amateur Radio Insights
By Kirk Kleinschmidt NT0Z
The Truth about Lightning: Most of us are Unprepared!

Radio 101
By Ken Reitz KS4ZR
Cord-Cutting Update: Options for you FTA Satellite and OTA-TV Systems

Radio Propagation
By Tomas Hood NW7US
Setting it Straight…

World of Shortwave Listening
By Jeff White
The Shortwave Scene in the Middle East

The Shortwave Listener
By Fred Waterer
Korea (North and South) on SW; New BBC Programming

Amateur Radio Astronomy
By Stan Nelson KB5VL
1420 MHz Band Interference

The Longwave Zone
By Kevin O’Hern Carey WB2QMY
Introducing a New Band: 630 Meters!

Adventures in Radio Restoration
By Rich Post KB8TAD
Philco 48-360: Last of the “Woody” Portables

Antenna Connections
By Dan Farber AC0LW
Balanced Feedline: Ace in the Hole

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.

Ken Reitz, KS4ZR, is publisher and managing editor of The Spectrum Monitor. Contact him at [email protected].

Getting your license at the young age of 14 isn’t all that hard to believe or uncommon anymore. Building a repeater at the age of 16, that is pretty uncommon but with technology the way it is now, again not that hard to believe. Being the chief engineer of a telecommunication company at the age of 17 without a college degree, that is something that you don’t see everyday.

 

In this episode of the Everything Ham Radio Podcast, we talk with Jim Aspenwall, NO1PC. He did this and went onto do so much more. Jim tells us about what the Allstar Link Network is and what it can do. Later in the episode we talk about an Allstar Link Node that he has built that cost him about $100!

We talk about a blog post syndicated on this site by Andrew MØNRD where he tells about his first SOTA activation.

We wrap up the episode with some upcoming events and contests and some upcoming hamfests for the next two weeks.

http://www.everythinghamradio.com/podcast/66

Curtis Mohr, K5CLM, is the author/owner of Everything Ham Radio Blog and Youtube channel. Contact him at [email protected].

courtesy: Chuck Roblin

For U.S. amateurs, the 2200 and 630m bands will soon be a reality and I have no doubt that there will be an accompanying surge in interest among large numbers of homebrewers and low band diehards.



It should be an exciting time as new stations gradually start to populate the band from coast to coast.

High on the 'to do' list will be the planning and building (or modifying) of a suitable antenna system for the band(s) of choice. For most, this will be new territory, but the reality is that there has been a long tradition of operation in the LF and MF bands in the U.S. for many years ... all under the Part 15 'Lowfer' and 'Medfer' service.

Although activity in this category has fallen off over the years due to the availability of the much less-restrictive Part 5 experimental licences, there is still a great legacy of literature and information left behind that is every bit as useful today as it was back in the golden years of Lowfer operations.

Here is one such document from Stephen McGreevy's Natural ELF-VLF Radio website that many newcomers to these bands may find very helpful as it covers a wide variety of LF antenna-related basics in a down-to-earth manner.

An even more detailed treatise on virtually all aspects of LF and MF antenna topics is that found on Rik, ON7YD's website. His antenna pages can be found here. Although originally developed for the 2200m band, the principles are equally applicable to 630m as well.

Hopefully both of these sources will help you decide how to get a working antenna system up and running on the new bands. And as always, much help is available via the Internet on the Lowfer Reflector, the RSGB LF reflector or on the 600MRG Reflector.
Steve McDonald, VE7SL, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from British Columbia, Canada. Contact him at [email protected].

courtesy: Chuck Roblin

For U.S. amateurs, the 2200 and 630m bands will soon be a reality and I have no doubt that there will be an accompanying surge in interest among large numbers of homebrewers and low band diehards.



It should be an exciting time as new stations gradually start to populate the band from coast to coast.

High on the 'to do' list will be the planning and building (or modifying) of a suitable antenna system for the band(s) of choice. For most, this will be new territory, but the reality is that there has been a long tradition of operation in the LF and MF bands in the U.S. for many years ... all under the Part 15 'Lowfer' and 'Medfer' service.

Although activity in this category has fallen off over the years due to the availability of the much less-restrictive Part 5 experimental licences, there is still a great legacy of literature and information left behind that is every bit as useful today as it was back in the golden years of Lowfer operations.

Here is one such document from Stephen McGreevy's Natural ELF-VLF Radio website that many newcomers to these bands may find very helpful as it covers a wide variety of LF antenna-related basics in a down-to-earth manner.

An even more detailed treatise on virtually all aspects of LF and MF antenna topics is that found on Rik, ON7YD's website. His antenna pages can be found here. Although originally developed for the 2200m band, the principles are equally applicable to 630m as well.

Hopefully both of these sources will help you decide how to get a working antenna system up and running on the new bands. And as always, much help is available via the Internet on the Lowfer Reflector, the RSGB LF reflector or on the 600MRG Reflector.
Steve McDonald, VE7SL, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from British Columbia, Canada. Contact him at [email protected].

I'm sure all of us have dealt with great and poor customer service even in the ham world. I have heard it time and time again that it's customer service that will make or break your business. Now having said that I understand there are those out there that no matter what you do for them it's never good enough, that being said I'm the person who wants to inform a business when they fall short but at the same time I want to make sure I inform a business when they have given great customer service. This post has to do with both an Amateur radio business that went above and beyond and another that in my humble opinion fell short. From my last post you all are well aware that I purchased a Chameleon CHA P Loop antenna. The loop was purchased from DX Engineering and it's now time for me to toot my horn regarding above and beyond customer service!

1. I emailed DX Engineering regarding some questions I had about the loop and I was promptly emailed back with an answer. 
2. They did offer free shipping on orders over 99.00 but it was CLEARLY indicated that for orders outside the U.S this did not apply (I'm in Canada). I hate very small print or no print regarding this but DX Engineering had it plainly stated. 
3. I ordered the antenna on a Monday evening and it was shipped Tuesday. 
4. The antenna arrived Wednesday, over the boarder, through customs and to my door. 
5. The price I was given for the antenna and shipping (FedEx) was the TOTAL cost. In the past I have dealt with Amateur radio dealers in the U.S. I pay for the item, it gets shipped and then I get a call from a carriers "broker" who tells me to clear the item it's going to cost "X" amount. Then I'm asked for my credit card number or it goes back. Let me tell you it has never been cheap.

The antenna came with a carry bag which was a big plus but I noticed the zipper on the bag was defective. I attempted to open the bag for the first time to place the antenna in. Here is what happened:

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

I'm sure all of us have dealt with great and poor customer service even in the ham world. I have heard it time and time again that it's customer service that will make or break your business. Now having said that I understand there are those out there that no matter what you do for them it's never good enough, that being said I'm the person who wants to inform a business when they fall short but at the same time I want to make sure I inform a business when they have given great customer service. This post has to do with both an Amateur radio business that went above and beyond and another that in my humble opinion fell short. From my last post you all are well aware that I purchased a Chameleon CHA P Loop antenna. The loop was purchased from DX Engineering and it's now time for me to toot my horn regarding above and beyond customer service!

1. I emailed DX Engineering regarding some questions I had about the loop and I was promptly emailed back with an answer. 
2. They did offer free shipping on orders over 99.00 but it was CLEARLY indicated that for orders outside the U.S this did not apply (I'm in Canada). I hate very small print or no print regarding this but DX Engineering had it plainly stated. 
3. I ordered the antenna on a Monday evening and it was shipped Tuesday. 
4. The antenna arrived Wednesday, over the boarder, through customs and to my door. 
5. The price I was given for the antenna and shipping (FedEx) was the TOTAL cost. In the past I have dealt with Amateur radio dealers in the U.S. I pay for the item, it gets shipped and then I get a call from a carriers "broker" who tells me to clear the item it's going to cost "X" amount. Then I'm asked for my credit card number or it goes back. Let me tell you it has never been cheap.

The antenna came with a carry bag which was a big plus but I noticed the zipper on the bag was defective. I attempted to open the bag for the first time to place the antenna in. Here is what happened:

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

courtesy: https://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/

This past weekend's CLE event was, as is so often the case, perfectly timed with the arrival of poor propagation in most parts of the world. This time around, it was particularly bad.

The 'Co-ordinated Listening Event' might more aptly be called the 'Cursed Listening Event' as once again the same large coronal hole (shown above) that has been present for several solar rotations seems to be more disruptive than ever. The subsequent higher than normal solar wind speeds causing widespread auroral conditions and elevated K indices have pretty much made a mess of MF and HF radio for the past several days.

courtesy: http://www.noaa.gov/

NDB-band recordings made with the Perseus SDR for the three-night event turned up very little activity other than a few strange hot-spots. Both 'OIN' in Kansas and 'CC' in California were strong on all three nights! Nothing from eastern Canada was heard and one of Alaska's strongest signals, 'ELF', was barely detected. Only the following few stations were logged:

23 08:00 341.0    ELF  Cold Bay, ALS
22 06:00 338.0    ZU   Whitecourt, AB, CAN
22 06:00 343.0    YZH  Slave Lake, AB, CAN
22 04:00 344.0    YC   Calgary, AB, CAN
22 12:00 338.0    RYN  Tucson, AZ, USA
22 04:00 344.0    XX   Abbotsford, BC, CAN
22 12:00 335.0    CC   Concord, CA, USA
22 10:00 344.0    FCH  Fresno, CA, USA
22 08:00 341.0    OIN  Oberlin, KS, USA
22 04:00 344.0    BKU  Baker, MT, USA
24 08:00 335.0    BK   Brookings, SD, USA
22 04:00 347.0    PA   Prince Albert, SK, CAN
22 08:00 338.0    K    Port Angeles, WA, USA
22 04:00 348.0    MNC  Shelton, WA, USA
22 05:00 341.0    DB   Burwash, YT, CAN

I suspect the this same coronal hole will be with us for several more rotations ... perhaps it's time fool Ol' Sol and stagger our CLE's 28-day cycle so it doesn't continue go sync-up with poor band conditions but somehow I think that Murphy might not be so easily duped!
Steve McDonald, VE7SL, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from British Columbia, Canada. Contact him at [email protected].