Archive for the ‘dx’ Category

VP2V/K0NR: Another Slacker DXpedition

Operating from countries outside the US can be a lot of fun. I just completed another Slacker DXpedition, this time to the British Virgin Islands. The formula for this type of operation is simple: identify an interesting vacation spot that is also considered DX, travel there with friends and family, take along some compact radio gear, and get on the air. Photo from VP2V operating position for K0NR and K0JJW.A key point is not to overdo the radio operating, or the friends and family will veto any radio activity on future trips. This was not a super-gonzo turbo-charged DXpedition. I just worked in some radio action in between snorkeling and exploring the island. This is referred to as a “holiday style” DXpedition, or maybe it’s just the slacker approach.

VP2V British Virgin Islands

The idea for this trip originated with a group of friends who often travel together to fun places, often an island in the Caribbean. BVI had been on our list for a while, and we had a trip planned back in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic caused us to cancel it at the last minute. It has taken us some time to get a plan back together, but here we are doing the trip five years later.

When a travel opportunity like this surfaces, I check out the implications of amateur radio licensing for that country. For a US radio amateur (and probably most other countries), getting a radio license for VP2V is easy. The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) website has clear instructions on how to apply. Joyce/K0JJW and I filled out a form, provided copies of our passports and FCC licenses, and paid a $20 license fee. This did require a trip to a notary public to have these documents notarized. My friend, Paul/KF9EY was on the trip so he also obtained his VP2V license.

Location

We rented a fantastic house (Ana Capri Estate) on the north side of the island of Tortola. This house has a great view out over the water. Tortola is the main island of the BVI, and international flights are available at the airport on the east end.

location of ana capri on Tortola
Ana Capri is located on the northeast side of BVI, on Tortola Island.

The Ham Station

Joyce VP2V/K0JJW is working on a pileup on SSB.

We took along our usual portable ham station, with a few updates. Our Yaesu FT-991 has served us well for POTA, SOTA, and island activations in the past, so it is our go-to radio for this sort of operation. The key features include a 100-watt RF output, a built-in sound card for digital modes, an internal antenna tuner, and a small enough size. This radio has HF plus 6m, 2m, and 70cm, which can be handy. Add a compact Samlex switching power supply, and we are ready. Recently, we have moved away from using End-fed Halfwave (EFHW) antennas and started using an End-Fed-Random Wire (EFRW), also called an End-Fed Long Wire (EFLW). The difference is subtle but important. The EFRW uses a wire length that is intentionally not resonant on any band, fed by 9:1 UNUN matching device. This setup radiates well over a range of frequencies but does require an antenna tuner because it is not a consistent 50-ohm impedance on all bands. I’ve found this to be a reasonable tradeoff between quick-changing band coverage and performance.

The Palomar Engineering Bullet-9 (9:1 UNUN) provides matching at the end of the wire antenna.

For this trip, we used the Palomar Engineers Bullet-9 UNUN, rated for 500 watts PEP. A variety of wire lengths can be used with this approach, with longer wires supporting lower frequencies. The 34-foot wire element supports operating on all bands from 40m to 6m, supported by the SOTABeams Travel Mast. The Travel Mast compacts to just 26.5 inches and extends to 32 feet. Actually, I modified the top of the mast to make it stronger, so the net height is closer to 29 feet. The end-fed wire antenna is almost vertical when deployed in this manner.

In past portable efforts, I’ve encountered issues with inconsistent antenna match and RF getting back into the FT-991. I checked this out carefully before the trip and adopted some mitigation practices that seem to help. First, I made sure the wire antenna could be supported almost vertically. This is not a strict requirement but it seems to help with getting a good match across all bands. I don’t use a counterpoise, but I do have 50 feet of RG-8X coax lying on the ground, which provides a bit of counterpoise. This length of coax also lets me keep the antenna separated from the transceiver by a reasonable distance, reducing the opportunity for RF to get back into the transceiver. Finally, I use a short USB cable, with ferrite cores on both ends, to connect my notebook PC to the FT-911. In the past, the USB connection between my PC and radio sometimes quit. These precautions appear to have paid off, as the station worked without any issues.

The SOTABeams Travel Mast does a great job supporting the endfed wire antenna.

Operating

We set up the station outdoors under a covered patio to enjoy the fantastic view and (mostly) great weather while operating. This was not optimal, as we did get chased inside a few times when rain squalls moved in. They never lasted long, so I think the tradeoff was worth it.

The propagation on the HF bands has been quite good lately, and we continued to enjoy that while in BVI. We did not have much of an operating plan (“slacker style”) but intended to operate on the higher HF bands, mostly 20m and higher, using SSB, FT8, and FT4. Bob/W0BV pointed out that VP2V is somewhat rare, showing up at number 114 on the ClubLog Most Wanted List. Sure enough, whenever we called CQ, we were greeted with a nice pileup.

Paul VP2V/KF9EY working stations on digital (FT8, FT4).

My VP2V/K0NR log has 1030 contacts, including 61 DXCC entities and 23 CQ Zones. I focused mostly on keeping the run rate up and just making contacts. About half of the Qs were with the US. The logs of VP2V/K0JJW and VP2V/KF9EY are not included in these numbers. I tended to stay on the higher bands as they were working quite well.

VP2V/K0NR Log
Band Phone Dig Total  %
30       0  79    79  8
20       0  46    46  4
17       0  90    90  9
15       0 161   161 16
12      44 349   393 38
10       0 260   260 25
 2       1   0     1  0
--    ---- ---   --- --
Total   45 985 1,030 100

As you can see from the numbers above, I made a lot of digital contacts (FT8/FT4). I found FT8 to be slow, and the normal FT8 frequency became crowded. There was much less congestion on FT4, and the run rate was better, so I found that to be effective. I enjoyed the SSB pileups for a while but found it to be a challenge to manage them. While I can work CW, I did not try to manage a pileup on that mode.

I found a 2m repeater on the island 146.73 MHz (—offset, no tone) and made a few calls on it, but I did not receive a reply.

QSLs will be via Logbook of The World only. I won’t be printing cards for this effort but the logs for VP2V/K0NR and VP2V/K0JJW are already loaded into LoTW. Thanks to everyone that worked us!

British Virgin Islands

BVI was a fantastic place to vacation. During our ten days there, we enjoyed the beaches, snorkeling, and sailing excursions. If you are interested in that, there are many online tourism sites to explore.

Bob/K0NR and Joyce/K0JJW are walking one of the many beautiful beaches in BVI.

Thanks for stopping by.

73 Bob VP2V/K0NR

The post VP2V/K0NR: Another Slacker DXpedition appeared first on The KØNR Radio Site.

Nice DX to welcome in 2025

 

 Beginning the year with a little plate of DX. On Friday while I was practicing with a CW contesting program I also had running in the background DX Heat. I saw E29TGW from Thailand spotted on 20m from a U.S. station. A lot of the time when I see and check out these spots I am met with static. I turned on the radio and spun the VFO to his frequency. He was there but weak and now and then he popped up to an S3. The best thing was he was calling CQ and no one was there to answer him. I dropped my call a few times and he came back to me and I was in the log. 


Next I saw 7Q2T from Malawi Africa who was spotted on 10m and so I dialed him up and this signal was strong and operating simplex. He was in the log in no time and so within 15 minutes I had 2 ATNO's  in the log. It was now time to get back to CW contest practicing.

Should I Submit A Log?

Lately, I’ve been getting questions about whether a ham needs to log radio contacts, whether they need to submit a log, and how to do it. Logging is a complex topic that can require a long and detailed explanation, but I am going to focus on the questions I’ve been hearing lately. I’ll also provide some links for further investigation. For starters, the ARRL has a good introduction to logging.

A paper ham radio log

Why Keep A Log?

The FCC does not require you to log your amateur radio contacts. Many radio amateurs, especially if they just operate casually on 2m and 70 cm, don’t bother to keep a log. Probably the most common reason for having a log is to have a record of your radio contacts, in terms of stations worked, on what band and what conditions. This might be just for your own personal satisfaction or you might want to keep track of these contacts so you can get credit for an award, such as the ARRL Worked All States award.

Paper or Electronic?

The Old School way of keeping a log is on paper as shown in the figure above. This approach is simple and reliable technology but is quite limited in the information age. These days, most hams that record log information store it electronically. Imagine that you log thousands of contacts over time and then want to find a particular callsign or location. Much better to do this electronically. There are many good software programs available, too many to list here. I currently use Amateur Contact Log from N3FPJ. The good news is that there is a standard file format for storing and moving ham radio contact information: Amateur Data Interchange Format (ADIF). If you want to change logging software, you export an ADIF file and import into the new program.

I Worked a Contest Station, Do I Have to Submit a Log?

Sometimes radio ham works a few stations that are active in a particular contest and they wonder if they must submit a log to the contest authority for these these stations to get credit for the contacts. The almost universal answer to this is: No. Don’t worry about submitting a contest log if you aren’t really “in the contest.” The stations you work still get credit for your contact with them. (This is true for all major contests…I am still looking for a contest where this is an issue.) Contests are designed to encourage activity, so they want everyone to join in, even if they aren’t all that serious about contesting. (The contest sponsors will appreciate any and all logs submitted, so consider that.)

If I Am Actively Working a Contest, What Do I do?

If you are actively participating in a contest, you should use a logging program that is tuned for that particular contest. This is important because the contest logging software knows about the scoring for the contest and lets you know if you have already worked a station you hear. The most popular logging software for contesting is the N1MM Plus software. There are other programs you can consider. Typically, you would use N1MM during the contest and then export the info into an ADIF file, which is imported into your “main” logging program.

What is a Cabrillo File?

While the ADIF file format is most universal in ham radio logging, there is another file format used for contesting. This is the Cabrillo file format. Your contest logging software can generate a Cabrillo file for submitting to the contest sponsor. You may also want to generate an ADIF file for your normal logging program.

I Worked a POTA Station, Do I Have to Submit a Log?

Parks On The Air (POTA) is set up such that only the activator station submits a log. If you are working an activator station, you are a hunter station. The POTA scores are all based on the activator logs and hunters cannot submit a log. What you can do is register on the POTA website to see the contacts that the activators have submitted for you.

I Worked a SOTA Station, Do I Have to Submit a Log?

Summits On The Air (SOTA) is set up so that both activators and chasers submit logs to the SOTA website. However, the SOTA system operates on the honor system, so an activator can claim a contact with you without you submitting a log. So if you hear a SOTA station, go ahead and work them. You don’t have to submit a log. On the other hand, if you want credit for chasing a summit, you need to submit a log. So that activator is fine not having you submit a log but you may want to do that to get credit for you.

How Do I Get Credit For Working A Country?

The gold standard for chasing countries, I mean entities, is DX Century Club (DXCC). If you are interested in DX, you should register with Logbook of The World (LoTW) with the ARRL. To get credit for working an entity (country), you need to submit your log and it must match the log submitted by the DX station. This is a higher level of confirmation because both parties must submit the log info and it must match within reasonable error limits.

There are other award systems for working countries, offered by QRZ, eQSL, etc.

How Do I Get Credit For Working a Grid on VHF/UHF?

The VHF UHF Century Club (VUCC) is the VHF/UHF equivalent to DXCC. Here the emphasis is on working maidenhead grid locators on the bands above 50 MHz. Again, Logbook of The World is the database that authenticates confirmed contacts on these bands. Both parties must submit the log info and it must match within reasonable error limits.

What If Someone Needs My Log Submitted?

Most of the time, us normal hams are not considered DX. That is, that other station in the Cayman Islands doesn’t really need our contact confirmed. But there are exceptions. You might be in a state the other station needs confirmed. Or maybe it’s your county they need. In such a case, you might want to make a special effort to provide your log information to the right database. It will depend on what the other station needs…if they are going for an ARRL award, then Logbook of The World is the right place to upload your log. But they might be after a QRZ award or eQSL award, it which case you would need to provide your log to those websites.

Wrap Up

These are some of the questions I’ve been hearing.
What did I miss?
Anything else to add?

73 Bob K0NR

The post Should I Submit A Log? appeared first on The KØNR Radio Site.

Livestream: Space WX, Propagation, Amateur Radio – Sundays

Join us, every Sunday at 21:15 UTC (5:15 PM, Eastern Daylight Time, 4:15 PM Standard), for an informal livestream chat session about:
– current space weather — the Sun/Earth connection — including sunspot activity, solar x-ray flares, and geomagnetic activity, as well as,
– current radio signal propagation conditions on the shortwave (high-frequency, or HF) radio spectrum. We also discuss,
– amateur (ham) radio, shortwave radio, and other related topics such as HF antennas (dipoles, doublets, Yagi antennas, and so on).
You can ask questions, and we will discuss some of them now, and some of them in upcoming videos.
Join us every Sunday for Livestream at 21:15 UTC

Join us every Sunday for Livestream at 21:15 UTC

Don’t forget to click ‘Subscribe’, ‘Join’, then, set the Alert Bell to “All” – so you don’t miss any session! You can ask your questions early, on this post.
Every livestream is posted here, so bookmark this link:  https://www.youtube.com/@nw7us/streams
See you there!

Finding Your Best Crystal Radio ‘DX Diode’


Over the past few weeks I’ve had time to examine many dozens of diodes, mostly germanium, in my crystal radio diode collection. Many of them were removed from equipment built in the '50s and '60s (old diode matrix boards), some are vintage NIB 1N34As while others are modern SMD Schottky style diodes.

 
There are numerous excellent websites such as this one by Dick Kleijer or  SV3ORA's site  ... all describing elaborate ways to determine which diode is ‘the best one’ (the holy grail diode!) for crystal radio work. Most methods use a vigorous, somewhat complex test procedure plus a lot of math, most of which is well beyond my old brain, in attempts to flesh out each diode’s inherent characteristics ... as the sites referenced above illustrate, the simple appearance of a crystal diode belies its complexity and determining  diode behaviours can be more challenging than one might suspect.

My testing procedures were much more basic, and in the end, may hopefully reveal the best diode in my collection. I think one needs to undertake this with the understanding that there really is no overall ‘best' crystal radio diode but rather, only a diode that is best for your particular system and what works best in my system may not necessarily be the best one in yours.
 
My plan was to measure a few diode behaviors, shrink the list of candidates and then compare them against each other in my system's high-Q tank circuit.
 



My first step was to measure Vf or the forward voltage needed to ‘turn the diode on’. This can usually be determined to reasonable accuracy by using the diode test function on most digital multimeters. I’ve always supposed that the diode with the lowest Vf  turn-on threshold would probably be the most sensitive, but is it the only factor? Hopefully my tests would indicate if anything else is in play.
 
The next task was to determine the minimum signal level of a 1000 Hz modulated carrier on 1400 kHz that could be detected by each candidate diode. An RF probe was used to measure the level of signal capacitively coupled into my crystal radio’s antenna tuning stage which was then lightly coupled  into the detector stage, using the diode under test. No importance was given to the actual base level of this signal other than to note the level at which it could first be detected by ear (using sound powered phones) and making sure the coupling distance between stages remained the same for all diodes under test. This allowed me to compare weak-signal diode ‘sensitivity’ to the diode’s previously measured turn-on point or Vf value. Would the diode with the lowest Vf also be the most sensitive when used in a detector circuit composed of complex impedance, resistance, reactance and capacitance values that the test diode would be looking into?
 
The RF signal coupling was adjusted so the injected carrier could be varied between 0 and 10mV as measured on the RF probe. For each diode, the signal level was slowly increased from ‘0’ until the 1400kHz tone-modulated AM signal could first be detected.
 
The lowest 'first detected' signal level was .6mV while the highest level required 3.4mV, representing a pretty good range of diode behaviours. There were 49 different diodes in the test pool.
 
Four of the 49 diodes detected the .6mV signal, six detected the signal at .7mV, and nine first detected the signal at .8mV. The remainder required a still higher level of injected signal. The average level of first detection was 1.2 mV.
 
Of the four .6mV ‘best detectors’, their turn-on Vf values ranged from .15V to .38V while the .7mV and .8mV detectors had a Vf between .181V and .40V!
 
It seemed, not surprisingly, that generally the higher the Vf turn-on threshold, the greater was the level of signal injection needed for first detection … but evidently using the Vf value alone to determine the ‘best diode’ was not the hard axiom I had always assumed it to be!
 
Since a low Vf was not necessarily needed for good sensitivity, would there by any other tests that might indicate best performance?
 
The next trial was to measure actual diode currents in my hi-Q detector while receiving a lightly-coupled constant level input signal (1400kHz) to see how this value related to Vf. Measured diode currents (Id) varied from 9uA to 14uA for the same level of input signal, with the diode having the lowest Vf also producing the lowest current level ... hhhm! There was more to this than I expected, but generally, the lower valued Vf diodes tended to produce the most current and consequently the louder headphone signal … but not always! Some diodes with a Vf as high as .46V yielded high currents!
 
This now begged the question, “Does the higher current diode with a higher turn on (Vf) prove to be a better overall performer than the diode that turns-on early but produces a weaker signal?” What is the relationship between diode current and weak signal detection?
 
The next step was to express the relationship mathematically by calculating the ratio between the diode’s Vf and the level of diode current  (Id) measured in the previous test (Id / Vf). Each diode could then be assigned a number (Vdx) that might possibly indicate it’s true performance potential in my own system.

The diodes with the highest Vdx values would then be A-B tested under real receive conditions to see if any (or just one!) particular winner(s) might emerge … and if Vf was as critical as initially believed.
 

The Vdx values proved most interesting and seemed to account for some of the anomalies noted in earlier measurements with some of the higher Vdx values coming from diodes not necessarily with a low Vf. I’m hoping that this sorting concept properly takes into account both turn-on level (Vf) and current level (Id), since a higher level in either number will compensate for a lower level in the other. Vdx values ranged from 23 to 66, with seven diodes in the higher 53-66 range.



Click Image For Larger View


All of the 49 diode's test parameters were put onto a spreadsheet and listed in order of their Vdx value.


Click Image For Diode Spreadsheet Data


The highest Vdx assignment of 66 went to my 40-year junkbox resident, a JHS Sylvania 1N3655A microwave mixer diode. It will be interesting to see if it really is the best of the lot! Although it did not produce the loudest signal (Id) compared with others, its Vf turn-on was an impressive .181V and its weak-signal detection level was good although not the lowest. A couple of the UHF diodes exhibited the interesting behaviour of picking up the UHF data stream 'clicks' from my nearby wifi booster. The 1N3655A was one of them.
 
1N3655A Vf = .181V Id = 12uA Vdx = 66
   

Diode #2, with a Vdx of 62, is a mystery diode with a very low Vf of .197V. It was slightly louder and oddly enough, dug down slightly further than the 1N3655A, which had a slightly lower Vf. Although I don’t recall specifically, I suspect the diode may have been removed from a VCR front end many years ago.
 

Mystery diode  Vf =.197V  Id = 12.2uA Vdx = 62
 

Diode #3 with a Vdx of 61 is a modern SMS7630 Schottky microwave detector diode in an SMD package. Although it did not produce a competitive level of loudness (Id) in the diode current test, its shockingly low Vf turn-on of .147V and weak-signal detection threshold were the best of all diodes tested. Before testing, all SMD diodes were mounted on small PC boards in order to attach leads.
 

SMS7630 Schottky  Vf = .147V  Id = 9uA Vdx = 61


Diode #4 (Vdx of 60) is an ISS98, another modern Schottky microwave detector. I recall seeing this diode recommended for good performance in an FM crystal radio detector. Its sensitivity level was excellent.
 

ISS98 Schottky Vf = .211V  Id = 12.5uA Vdx = 60


Diode #5 (also with a Vdx of 60) appears to be a normal germanium of unknown type. I suspect it was used as an RF mixer since it was found on a small printed circuit board with three others, connected in a diode ring configuration typically seen in balanced RF mixers. It produced high current as well as good weak signal capability. 
 

Mystery diode Vf = .22  Id = 13.2uA Vdx = 60


Diode #6 (Vdx of 55) also looks like a germanium of unknown type with a body striping of gray-white-green-gray. If the last band is ignored, this could be a 1N895, a UHF germanium diode. It shows the typical internal cat-whisker type of junction often seen on the 1N34 germaniums.
 

Mystery diode Vf = .238V  Id = 13uA Vdx = 55


Diode #7 with a Vdx of 53 is marked as a ‘95481’ on a green body. It had excellent sensitivity and produced a strong signal (Id), elevating it to the top tier to be looked at more closely.


'95481'  Vf = .246V  Id = 13uA Vdx = 53


Diode #8, another germanium mystery, earned a Vdx of 49 due to its fairly high Id level.



Black 'T'. Vf = .258V  Id = 12.5uA  Vdx = 49


The rather beat-up looking Diode #9 is marked with what appear to be house numbers, '1846' and '6628'. I believe this was pulled from an old portable radio's FM section many years ago. Interestingly, like some of the UHF mixer diodes, '1846 / 6628' detects my high speed modem data stream clicks. Additionally, this tortured specimen produced the highest level of signal among all 49 diodes, with an Id of 14uA.


Vf = .294V  Vdx = 48 Vdx = 14 (Schottky?)


Diode #10 appears to be the brother of Diode #8 with a Vdx of 48. Although it has a lower turn-on point and was a better weak signal detector, it did not produce as much Id as its sibling, dropping it one notch lower on the list. Like its brother, it also has the mystery 'T' marking. Both are most likely unmarked 1N34As.

Vf = .252V  Id = 12 Vdx = 48


As well, three other diodes garnered my interest. Although they ranked lower than I expected, all had previously been found to be good detectors in my system. Their lower ranking may be a hint that my system of grading is not a valid method of determining best performance. All three will be given a harder look in the upcoming elimination tests.

The first is the germanium FO-215. Often touted as 'the holy grail' crystal radio diode but I have never found it to be particularly outstanding. Maybe my system has a lower Q than it really needs in order to show its stuff. This diode is shown on the bar graph above as #11. During testing, it appeared much less capable of weak signal detection than most others but its low Vf and high Id elevated its overall ranking.

Vf = .272V  Id = 13uA  Vdx = 48


The second diode is the Soviet-era D18, a military-grade germanium in a glass '50s-style package. I have previously found it to be a very good detector but its high turn-on level lowered its ranking. The D18 appears on the bar graph as #12.



Vf = .366V  Id = 12.2uA Vdx = 33


The third diode is a vintage Sylvania 1N34 from the 50s and likely one of the first 1N34s to be manufactured. Although it produces a loud signal, its Vf was higher than expected. As I recall, it was salvaged from an old parted-out Heathkit.  It appears on the bar graph as #13.


Vf = .335V  Id = 13uA  Vdx = 39


As mentioned earlier, one can measure and calculate a large amount of data for crystal diodes while they sit passively on the bench but they really need to be mounted, tested and compared in the actual system in which they will be used. Comparing diodes 'A-B' style in real time with weak signals may be better than any measurements made on a diode being bench-tested. 

Will a new ‘holy-grail’ emerge from the pile? This type of testing requires a lot of careful listening so time will tell. 

Testing will be ongoing over the summer / fall months ... stay tuned for the final results, hopefully in time for the fall DX season!

Exploring Shortwave Radio Signals: A Peek into Non-Local Communications

Curious about what you can hear on shortwave ham radio? This video is a brief survey of the diverse world of communications on the shortwave spectrum. Expand your radio horizons and enhance your emergency communication preparedness by tuning in to the world of shortwave ham radio.

If you’ve started delving into radio communications beyond local stations and channels, like VHF and UHF, you’re in for a treat. Shortwave radio opens up a whole new realm of signals to explore, including emergency communications vital during natural disasters.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIVesUzNP2U[/embedyt]

Shortwave radio covers a range of radio frequencies from 3 kHz to 30 MHz. This spectrum is home to a diverse array of radio signals that cater to various communication needs, making it a hub of activity and connectivity.

Within these high frequencies, you can tune in to a multitude of transmissions, from transoceanic air traffic control communications to the chatter of ships navigating the vast seas. Imagine hearing the voices of fishermen, much like those on your favorite reality TV shows about high-seas fishing adventures, along with military communications and the vibrant world of amateur radio enthusiasts.

One of the remarkable features of high-frequency (HF) radio is its ability to propagate signals over long distances, transcending line-of-sight limitations. This means that HF radio enables communication between different regions and even continents, fostering connectivity across vast distances.

During times of crisis and natural disasters, shortwave frequencies become invaluable for emergency communications. When local infrastructure falters or is disrupted, shortwave radio serves as a vital lifeline, facilitating critical two-way communications in and out of disaster-stricken areas.

Explore the fascinating realm of shortwave radio, where distant voices blend with essential information, bridging gaps and connecting communities in times of need. Uncover the power of HF radio to transcend boundaries and provide lifelines when they are needed most.

In this video, I give you a glimpse of the voice and data transmissions I pick up on my high-frequency amateur radio transceiver (in this video, an Icom IC-7000). In later videos, I will dive deeper into specific types of HF communications, such as aeronautical trans-oceanic signals.

Go Back In Time – Vintage Film

Turning back time to virtually witness a critical historic method of shortwave communication using the fundamental mode of continuous wave modulation. This is a film from 1944, teaching the basics of Morse code, for military comms.

What is the proper (and most efficient) technique for creating Morse code by hand, using a manual Morse code key? Ham radio operators find Morse code (and the ‘CW’ mode, or ‘Continuous Wave’ keying mode) very useful, even though Morse code is no longer required as part of the licensing process. Morse code is highly effective in weak-signal radio work. And, preppers love Morse code because it is the most efficient way to communicate when there is a major disaster that could wipe out the communications infrastructure.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmg1MlstxWM[/embedyt]

While this military film is antique, the vintage information is timeless, as the material is applicable to Morse code, even today.

Credits: National Archives and Records Administration

Department of Defense. Department of the Army. Office of the Chief Signal Officer. (09/18/1947 – 02/28/1964)

ARC Identifier 36813 / Local Identifier 111-TF-3697. PRINCIPLES AND BASIC TECHNIQUE FOR GOOD, RHYTHMIC SENDING 0F MORSE CODE BY OPERATING THE HAND KEY.

Made possible by a donation from Mary Neff.


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