Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
Amateur Radio Weekly – Issue 259
October 29th, 2022 | 
Author: 
If China declares war, these Ham Radio enthusiasts could be crucial
Ham Radio might turn out to be more than just a pleasant pastime.
L.A. Times
Mastodon.Radio: A Twitter alternative for Hams
Mastodon.Radio is a community space for the Amateur Radio community. It’s entirely funded by its users.
Mastodon.Radio
More information about the NOAA-15 failure
The technical aspects of the AVHRR Scan Motor failure.
RTL-SDR.com
Building a local network with LoRaWAN
The core of the build is the LoRaWAN gateway which sits at the top of a tall building to maximize the wireless range.
Hack A Day
Understanding the basics of APRS and how to get started
APRS stands for Automatic Packet Reporting System.
K0PIR
A tour and deep-dive of my SOTA/POTA Backpack
A deep dive into my world of packs, bags, and organization. It’s not for the faint of heart.
QRPer
Building a field expedient Amateur Radio kit
The ability to rapidly move to a remote area and set up reliable multi-band, multi-mode communications in very short order.
On All Bands
History of the 11m Ham band
11m was a legal Ham band in North America from 1947-1958.
PE4BAS
Why I’m keeping my IC-7300
There’s been a lot of hoopla over the new Yaesu Radios.
KK4Z
Video
Hamilton Hamfest walkthrough
A walkthrough of the excellent Hamilton Hamfest.
VE3IPS
Installing FT8, JS8Call, FLDIGI, and Gridtracker on Linux
Let’s get FT8, JS8Call, FLDIGI, and gridtracker installed on the Evolve Maestro laptop running Linux Mint.
KM4ACK
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The Spectrum Monitor — November, 2022
Stories you’ll find in our November, 2022 issue:
LnR Precision MTR-4B V2 QRP Transceiver
By Thomas Witherspoon K4SWL
This little radio first caught Thomas’ attention at a Four Days in May (FDIM) QRP conference over a decade ago. He writes, “A ham friend in the SOTA community proudly showed me a very early version of the Mountain Topper that he built from a kit. The first thing that struck me was how impossibly small and extraordinarily lightweight it was. But when he showed me the 9-volt battery he used to power it––a power supply not only small, but convenient––I was mesmerized.”
Remote Ham Radio Options: Software and Hardware
By Mark Haverstock K8MSH
We’ve all used remote control for decades to operate TV sets. Mark says, “Remote control operation also works for your ham radio hobby. Maybe you live in RFI hell—places where interference from computers, appliances, plasma TVs, and other consumer electronics wreak havoc on your receiver. Or maybe you’re in a lousy location for working DX, or any station for that matter? Then there’s serious portable operation. Imagine working stations from the great outdoors or from a hotel room.” Mark shows how to use software and hardware to make this happen.
Secrets of the End-Fed Half-Wave Antenna
By Cory GB Sickles WA3UVV
As with anything that becomes popular, a certain mythology has developed about the End-Fed Half-Wave (EFHW) antenna, leading one to believe that it is some sort of miracle antenna, capable of gain, never needing a tuner, operating without any sort of counterpoise and extremely broadband in nature, among other amazing (but incorrect) ‘alternative facts.’ Cory says, “While a properly constructed and erected EFHW can be an effective radiator, your understanding and enjoyment of its overall performance characteristics deserves a closer look.”
2022 SDR Buyer’s Guide
By Larry Van Horn N5FPW
Receive-only SDRs continue to grab a major share of the HF shortwave marketplace. With the popularity of Raspberry PI systems, new manufacturers, primarily from outside the US, are now incorporating SDR technologies with portable handheld receivers. Digital radio, and in particular the Software Defined Radios, or SDRs, have quickly become a reality for many of us in our radio shacks. Larry looks at what’s available for 2022.
2022 Scanner Radio Buyer’s Guide
By Larry Van Horn N5FPW
2022 has shaped up to be familiar territory when it comes to selling scanner radios. Larry explains that chip shortages, labor shortages, supply chain irregularities, China Covid lockdown policies and other woes have resulted in “out of stock” notes from various sellers on popular models. Larry looks at products that are available and explains which might be best for you, where you live.
Scanning America
By Dan Veeneman
Scanning Delaware County (PA)
Federal Wavelengths
By Chris Parris
Hurricane Ian Response
Milcom
By Larry Van Horn N5FPW
Monitoring US Coast Guard Aviation Fleet
Utility Planet
By Hugh Stegman
2022 Hurricane Season on HF
Shortwave Utility Logs
By Mike Chace-Ortiz and Hugh Stegman
The World of Shortwave Listening
By Valter Aguiar
Latin American Radio Report
The Shortwave Listener
By Fred Waterer
Fall Shortwave Schedules
Radio 101
By Ken Reitz KS4ZR
21st Century SWL
Amateur Radio Astronomy
By Stan Nelson KB5VL
The ‘Big Ear’ Radio Telescope’s ‘Wow’ Signal
Adventures in Radio Restoration
By Rich Post KB8TAD
The Fearnola: 1920s TRF Three-Dial Set
Digitally Speaking
By Cory GB Sickles WA3UVV
2022 Amateur Radio Digital Voice Guide
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.
Amateur Radio Weekly – Issue 258
US opts to not rebuild Arecibo telescope
The agency issued a solicitation for the creation of a $5 million education center at the site.
Yahoo!
Ham TV to return to the ISS
AMSAT announced the Ham TV unit for the ISS is repaired and on the way to Houston for testing.
AMSAT
Take a long hard look at our community
Im distressed to report that, yet another amateur has been bullied out of our community.
VK6FLAB
Ghosts in the Air Glow
An ionospheric transmission art project using the HAARP Ionospheric Research Instrument transmitting NBTV and SSTV.
Ghosts in the Air Glow
ARRL to offer training for club officers
Webinars will offer training for the skills needed to build and run a successful club.
KB6NU
Make your own solder flux
Lets make a healthier soldering flux using only natural ingredients.
hackaday.io
Log 10 meter CW beacon activity
Some beacon ops will request QSL card reports the old school way via mail.
The SWLing Post
How to build aluminum antennas
Next to wires, antennas made of aluminum tubing and rod are the most common type of amateur radio antenna construction.
OnAllBands
Anatomy of Blockstream Satellite
Blockstream Satellite is a service that broadcasts the Bitcoin blockchain and some additional related data from GEO satellites.
Daniel Estévez
1956 Philips 353A Bakelite vacuum tube radio restoration
The 353A is a reasonably complex mains-powered seven-tube superheterodyne radio receiver.
Adams Vintage Computer Restorations
Crusty leaking battery cells
What has happened here and how can I fix it?
Hack A Day
Video
Internet Archives Digital Library of Amateur Radio & Communications
The Internet Archive is preserving more than 100 years of Amateur Radio knowledge and is looking for your donations of media.
Archive.org
Dollar Store Permeability Tuned Oscillators
Experimenting with PTOs following Farhans use of one in his new Daylight Again transceiver.
SolderSmoke
Arborist throwing line for hanging antennas
How to use an arborist throw line to hang antennas in trees high enough to work properly.
K0PIR
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Amateur Radio Weekly – Issue 257
Internet Archive looking for Amateur Radio materials
DLARC will be a massive online library of materials and collections related to Amateur Radio and early digital communications.
Internet Archive
Shortwave station WRMI damaged by Ian
Here are photos from the tower farm in Okeechobee.
Radio World
The art and design of Ham Radio
The cards reveal a rich typographic expression that is rare in their authenticity—each card a personal reflection of the stations operator.
Print Magazine
The thorny problem of keeping the Internet’s time
An obscure software system synchronizes the network’s clocks. Who will keep it running?
The New Yorker
Maryland firefighter uses his Ham Radio to send rescuers
Firefighter and Ham Radio hobbyist helped rescue a group stranded by Hurricane Ian.
Fox News
EMCOMM in action
Providing communications support for the Pan Ohio Hope Ride.
OnAllBands
The largest commercial communications array ever has just launched
The problem is, it might outshine all stars and planets.
Cosmos
Bicycle Mobile
I wanted to work HF using my bike as a stand. I won’t ride with the HF antenna installed but rather set it up when I stop.
KK4Z
AntRunner is the satellite antenna mount you need to take with you
The rotator itself is an az-el design with a couple of geared stepper motors.
Hack A Day
Video
Raspberry Pi 4 Vs. Evolve Maestro laptop
Comparing the Raspberry Pi with the Evolve laptop.
KM4ACK
The SHELF-17
Nick M0NTV showcases his latest scratch-built SSB transceiver.
M0NTV Homebrewing
RV HF Antennas
Using nerf bars as an antenna.
David Casler
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Amateur Radio Weekly – Issue 256
Hams continue response to Ian
Over 125 specific reports have been filed to the National Hurricane Center.
ARRL
Amateur Radio Satellite from Zimbabwe
Zimbabwes first satellite ZimSat-1, carrying an Amateur Radio APRS digipeater is expected to be be launched to the ISS in October.
Southgate
A cheap amplifier kit off Aliexpress for a few bucks
It worked, but not very well. The input SWR was 5:1.
awsh.org
Hams you should know: Walter Cronkite, KB2GSD
Known among radio enthusiasts as the most trusted Ham in Amateur Radio.
OnAllBands
Build an HF Ham Radio dipole antenna
Use a few simple components at a minimal cost and get great results.
Electronics Notes
Similarities of current Yaesu rigs
Yaesus about-to-be-available FT-710 is a curious specimen.
AE5X
QDX is an excellent digital modes transceiver
What is astonishing is how good the transmit is.
marxys musing on technology
What do VHF and UHF mean?
We toss around these terms quite loosely even though they have precise definitions.
K0NR
BBC announces World Service cutbacks
BBC to end production of radio output in 10 languages.
Guardian
Detecting Starlink Satellites with a portable Raspberry Pi
Starlink beacons typically transmit at around 11.325 GHz.
RTL-SDR.com
Video
Is Your House Bugged?
A current loop microphone can provide audio surveillance at low cost and high fidelity.
Leos Bag of Tricks
Solved: RF interference from light dimmer switches
Quin and Tom explain how to get rid of RF interference.
Ham Radio Perspectives
HF & Shortwave on the RTL SDR
Ive received many questions if this can be done, and the short answer is yes.
Tom the Dilettante
NØVCU boat anchor collection
In the shop he has many Swan transceivers, Collins, Drake and Cubic.
K0PIR
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Amateur Radio Weekly – Issue 255
A four-year program to tackle a fundamental antenna challenge
IARPA hopes to break past an 80-year-old limit on making small radio antennas more effective
IEEE Spectrum
Ham Radio transponder on the Moon
Japan Ham Radio club to implement beacon with ULS launch.
JAXA Ham Radio Club
QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo this weekend
A fully interactive exhibit hall, exhibitor booths, and Amateur Radio presentations.
QSO Today
How the BBC (still) sends audio to transmitter sites
The BBCs national UK FM transmitter chain.
Hack A Day
An inside look into FlightAwares software defined radio
The hardware and software architecture of the software defined radio that powers the FlightAware ADS-B receivers.
FlightAware
ARRL reports significant decline in investment portfolio
ARRL taps fund to cover operations.
CQ Newsroom
One Hams ARRL VHF Contest results
Its been fun to make more contacts on 2 meters. I hope to add more grids during the upcoming meteor showers.
K5ND
Rare Ham Radio exam session to be held in Beijing
For many, up to a 1,500 km journey is required. There is no other choice.
Southgate
Conventional vs. inverter generators
How long one can expect a generator to last is highly speculative.
Off Grid Ham
A Brief Survey of Technological Innovation in Amateur Radio
Ham Radio – thats still around?
SuperPacket
Video
Trombone capacitors and how to expand aluminum cans
Trombone capacitors and how to expand aluminum cans for a magnetic loop antenna design.
North Carolina Prepper
Iowa creek water: WIll it QSO?
Will creek water QSO? Theres only on way to find out.
K0KLB
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Amateur Radio Weekly – Issue 254
Amateur Radio is still a thing. Heres why
Once dismissed as an “old mans hobby,” amateur radio has grown in popularity since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Electronics360
ARRL to grant $500,000 to clubs
ARRL will enable clubs to more easily provide and expand their important services.
ARRL
Chasing weather balloons with Software-Defined Radio
How to hunt for downed radiosonde beacons with a cheap SDR receiver
IEEE Spectrum
BBC Radio 4 Short Cuts: Treetop Antennas
From the forests of North Carolina, USA to the city of Kyiv, Ukraine – two Ham Radio enthusiasts seek each other out.
BBC
9/11 special event
Station WA2NYC will operate as a remembrance of the 21st anniversary on the attack on the World Trade Center in New York City.
Southgate
Amateur Radio Operator to honor broadcast engineers lost on 9/11
New England Ham Radio Repeater to be dedicated to their memory.
RadioWorld
DIY solder fume extractor
A 3D printed enclosure, a motor salvaged from a cheap toy quadcopter, and a custom PCB which uses the ATtiny13 and an AO4406 MOSFET to implement a PWM speed control.
Hack A Day
Boats on the Air
Boats on the Air was created to combine two passions: boating and ham radio!
Boats on the Air
Why dosSome VFOs tune more linearly than others?
For a given amount of VFO frequency dial turn you can get vastly different changes in frequency.
SolderSmoke
Video
DEF CON 30: Ham Radio Village interview
The lowdown on the Ham Radio Village at DEF CON 30.
DEF CON
KYET AM stereo radio station transmitter tour
Tour of AM stereo broadcast radio station.
YouTube
openSPOT 4: Did the best get better?
We take a look at the new cross-mode openSPOT4 from SharkRF.
Tech Minds
Digging to create an efficient under house workshop
This video takes you through the journey, the problems faced and the solutions I came up with to get the most out of the space.
Teaching Tech
Classic Mac running APRS
Macintosh SE/30 receiving APRS packets via a vintage TNC.
YouTube
