Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
Amateur Radio Weekly – Issue 184
December 9th, 2017 | 
Author: 
This weekend: ARRL 10 meter contest
The objective is for Amateurs worldwide to exchange QSO information with as many stations as possible on the 10 meter band.
ARRL
WSPR Beacon Rocket is launched into near space
I launched a WSPRLite beacon on my hobby rocket at the Dec 2nd rocket launch in Samson, Alabama.
N4KGL
Review: RTL-SDR Blog Multipurpose Dipole Antenna Kit
Four antennas, two mounts, one antenna holder with cable and one more extension cable. Costs $10 on its own.
Radio for Everyone
10 watt moonbounce success
The contact was made using a Yaesu FT-857 @ 10w into a DG7YBN 70-17m 17 element yagi on a frequency of 432.063MHz
Essex Ham
My love for analog FM
C4FM & DMR Repeaters have popped up all over the nation it seems.
K5ACL
Mic amp
I connected my d104 mic to it and hooked it up to the scope and the scope pattern looks good.
awsh.org
Building a WA5VJB cheap Yagi for satellite work
I took a Baofeng UV-5R and built a WA5VJB cheap Yagi which is also used in AMSAT demos at hamfests.
galvanix
EMP protection for the Radio Amateur
What is an EMP, why should you care, and what to do about them?
Off Grid Ham
Reducing SD card writes with Raspbian
A common concern of those running applications on a Raspberry Pi is SD Card exhaustion.
K2DLS
Morse Chrome
Chrome browser extension for Morse Code
Ham Radio QRP
Video
WSJTX & FT8 the easy way with the Icom 7300
For beginners or people who don’t want the work of integrating JTAlert and/or QSORelay and a logbook. The easiest way to make FT8 contacts.
K0PIR
Pakratt PK64 on the Commodore 64 connected to raspberry pi BPQ
Testing connections to my local BBS and another BBS in the area using my commodore 64 and a PK-64 Pakatt TNC connected to a remote raspberry pi bpq over the packet modem.
YouTube
Amateur Radio Weekly – Issue 183
Slow Scan TV from International Space Station Dec 5-6
The MAI-75 SSTV system in the Russian Service Module will be put through some extended testing.
AMSAT UK
What the heck is the ARRL Board thinking?
In effect, this is a gag order on a director if he disagrees with a Board decision.
KB6NU
KX2 firmware upgrade to increase power output
The latest KX2 field-test firmware allows power output to be set as high as 12 watts.
W2LJ
Success with the new AO-91 FM satellite
I did an AO-91 pass at 2 AM Sunday morning with the Kenwood TH-D72A. It was very different. It sounded crystal clear just like a local repeater.
N4KGL
Using a Baofeng transceiver to work Amateur Radio Satellites
I’m a brand new ham as of October 2017, and I had a really fun experience listening to RadFxSat Fox-1B AO-91 yesterday.
friendlyskies.net
Come join the fun with Olivia on HF
Olivia offers keyboard-to-keyboard chatting for when you want to relax, and maybe make a friend.
amateurradio.com
VHF/UHF FM/DSTAR/DMR mobile installation
The setup includes an ICOM ID-4100 running on FM and D-Star on the VHF band, and a Hytera MD-652 running on FM and DMR on the UHF band.
VA2SS`
Icom IC-R7100 and its clicking noise
Every time the squelch opens or closes, it produces a clicking noise.
EA4EOZ
EMCOMM Go Kit – Power Box
All together the power box weighs just under 31.5 lbs.
High on Solder
UK Amateur Radio license stats
Amateur Radio population in the UK has grown by approximately 10% over the past 5 years.
ARRL
Oldest Ham F8IL, SK
Jean Touzot, F8IL, of Albi, France — said to have been the world’s oldest radio amateur — has died.
ARRL
Video
Failed SOTA Activation
Round trip: 10 miles with a 3,900 elevation change.
KB1HQS
Getting Started with Chameleon F-LOOP 2.0 Magloop Antenna
The Chameleon F-LOOP 2.0 is a modular magnetic loop antenna system, which follows the Lego block philosophy often employed by Chameleon Antenna.
OH8STN
Amateur Radio Weekly – Issue 182
Millennials are killing Ham Radio
Maker Movement, digital modes are killing the hobby.
N0SSC
Is the Internet destroying Amateur Radio?
Although there are plenty of “keep the internet out of amateur radio” folks in the hobby, there are many more that have found clever ways to make use of the internet.
K0NR
FT-8: I’m not really feeling the magic
If you’re one of those guys who wants to make contacts, but doesn’t really want to talk to anyone, then this is the mode for you.
KB6NU
Best digital mode…? Not really
I have yet to download the latest WSJT-X release, as I presently have no need, nor see the need to use FT8.
AmateurRadio.com
AO-91 satellite declared open for Amateur use
AO-91 was built as a partnership with Vanderbilt University featuring the Fox-1 style FM U/v repeater with an uplink on 435.250 MHz (67.0 Hz CTCSS) and a downlink on 145.960 MHz.
AMSAT
NASA On the Air for 2018
Club stations at NASA facilities plan to be on the air with special events to celebrate these milestones and we are offering commemorative QSL cards and a special certificate.
NASA On The Air
Bitcoin and weak frequency signals
Two individuals introduced a project which secures consensus proofs with weak signal radio propagation.
Bitcoin.com
Ignored by telecoms, Detroit residents are building their own Internet
40 percent of Detroit residents don’t have any access to internet at all.
Motherboard
Junker: Unfortunate name for a great key
The Junker D.B.G.M. is one of the finest telegraph keys ever manufactured.
Ham Radio QRP
A photographic tour of Universal Radio’s new location
In October, Universal Radio moved from their large Reynoldsburg, Ohio retail store and warehouse to a smaller retail store and warehouse at 651-B Lakeview Plaza, Worthington, Ohio.
The SWLing Post
Video
Amazon Alexa and Amateur Radio
APRS, DMR, learning CW, and more with Amazon Alexa.
Essex Ham
AO-91 RX via Baofeng
YouTube
Tuning 40m in low noise location
I’ve spent a couple of days at a very low noise location. Here’s me tuning 40m in the afternoon.
YouTube
All WX solar powered Amateur Radio field station
The concept for a rapidly deployable, man-portable field station, came to me after the grid down disaster caused by Hurricane Maria.
OH8STN
The Spectrum Monitor — November, 2017
Stories you’ll find in our November, 2017 issue:
TSM Reviews: Yaesu FT-891 All-Mode HF+6 100-Watt Transceiver
By Mark Haverstock K8MSH
This month Mark takes a look at the Yaesu FT-891, one of the least expensive 100-watt, all-mode HF+6-meter radios on the market today. Mark finds that, “Its small size and remote head make it perfect for mobile/portable use, and its small footprint fits even on crowded desktops. The larger display is a welcome change, considerably more readable than the tiny ones on the FT-857D and FT-897D.” Mark also notes, “Those who own or have owned Yaesu radios will be used to the menu system, and will appreciate the attempts to provide easier access to some functions.” But that’s not all the 891 has going for it, as you’ll learn when Mark puts his 891on the air.
TSM Reviews: SpyVerter V2
By Bob Grove W8JHD
The earlier version of SpyVerter got a nod of approval from Bob Grove two years ago. But what would he say about this latest version? Spoiler alert! Bob says, “I’ve never changed my mind about the superiority of the Airspy spectrum-displaying receiver to its competitors. Now, with the addition of the previously-missing lower spectrum—virtually down to zero—this is a current leader in computer accessories for radio hobbyists.” In this month’s review he even tells how to use this device to monitor birds, animals and insects in the audio spectrum as well as the sounds of fish in the sea!
TSM’s Annual Scanner Buyer’s Guide
By Larry Van Horn N5FPW
The radio scanner world has been in flux since it began decades ago. And, while the number of manufacturers has shrunk over the years, the capabilities of these electronic marvels have kept pace with the changes. In this survey of all available scanners, Larry writes that, “bare bones, conventional analog-only scanners will run from just under $100. A good analog-only trunk-tracking scanner can be purchased for less than $200 (street price); however, if you need to monitor an APCO P25 Phase I digital trunked radio system, that price quickly jumps to around $400. Add in additional digital modes such as DMR and/or NXDN and APCO P25 Phase II systems and now you are looking at a sticker price north of $500 in most cases.” But, you may not need the latest technology where you live. Find out which scanner is best for your particular location.
Entry Level HF Transceiver Comparison
By Cory GB Sickles WA3UVV
Are you a Technician class amateur radio licensee, looking to explore what is available in HF transceivers in a price range that won’t break the bank? HF operation requires a little more commitment than VHF/UHF FM gear and, while you can easily pick up a high-quality monoband mobile for under $200 or a dual-band portable in the same price range, HF gear is going to run you a bit more. Considering all that you get in the deal though, it’s still reasonably priced. Cory takes a comparative look at what Alinco, Icom, Kenwood, and Yaesu have in the way of 100-watt, entry-level offerings, with a street price of less than $800. With the need for a 20A power supply and simple antenna, a “Kilobuck” budget should certainly get you on the air or perhaps even less.
Scanning America
By Dan Veeneman
Scanning Midwest Utilities’ DMR Services
Federal Wavelengths
By Chris Parris
New Kennedy Space Center Trunked System
Milcom
By Larry Van Horn N5FPW
Who’s Who in the Milcom Radio Spectrum: Monitoring the HF OR Frequencies
Utility Planet
By Hugh Stegman NV6H
Rethinking HF Emergency Communications
Shortwave Utility Logs
Compiled by Hugh Stegman and Mike Chace-Ortiz
VHF and Above
By Joe Lynch N6CL
The Leonids Meteor Shower
Amateur Radio Insights
By Kirk Kleinschmidt NT0Z
Antenna Tuner Secrets
Radio 101
By Ken Reitz KS4ZR
Cruising the FM Band with a Little Help from the Web
Radio Propagation
By Tomas Hood NW7US
The Sun Blasts a Hole in Earth’s Magnetic Shield
World of Shortwave Listening
By Keith Perron
Rich O’Shea: An American DJ in Asia
The Shortwave Listener
By Fred Waterer
BBC Broadcasts to North Korea; Reach Beyond Australia and Religion on Shortwave
Amateur Radio Astronomy
By Stan Nelson KB5VL
Solar Eclipse VLF Effects
The Longwave Zone
By Kevin O’Hern Cary WB2QMY
2200m/630m: Are You Registered Yet?
Adventures is Radio Restoration
By Rich Post KB8TAD
Putting the Spark back into a Sparks-Withington (Sparton 141X)
Antenna Connections
By Dan Farber AC0LW
Transformations: Getting From X to 50
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 181
The antenna on Rocky Top
The University of Tennessee Amateur Radio club has a set of antennas nestled between the lights at the top of Neyland Stadium in Knoxville. The tower is so high, most of the 102,000+ fans wouldn’t ever notice it. With the lights on, it’s impossible to catch a glimpse.
K4HCK
Portable AllStarLink node
Raspberry Pi 3 + Baofeng BF-888s connecting to a 4G LTE hotspot.
KP4IP
Ham Radio network keeps Capital commuters rolling along
The Capital District Commuter Assistance Network is a group of operators who provide information about travel hazards.
The Record
Thank you for my signal report
Maybe this is a radical idea but for my own operation I will strive to start sending more accurate reports and help the other station truly know how they are being copied.
AA4OO
Building a feedline HF choke
The choke has a resistance of over 1000 ohms on most of the Amateur HF bands, and up to 5000 ohms in the middle bands.
Daniel Estévez
Build an end fed match box
Connected to my end fed inverted L it shows decent SWR on 40 and 20m. My transceiver’s built-in ATU easily matched on both those bands.
marxy’s musing on technology
Video
NVIS event with a fence antenna
I connected to the fence using two alligator clips from the coax, one clipping to the fence and the other clipping to two 33ft radials which ran perpendicular to the fence.
VA3OSO
Antenna made from exterior Christmas lights
W6LG shows the dipole antenna and an instantaneous antenna tuner.
W6LG
USA-135M Cape San Blas lighthouse activation
The Panama City Amateur Radio Club activated USA-135M, the Cape San Blas Lighthouse.
W4RYZ
Rowboat mobile
While on vacation in Maine, I borrow a friends rowboat and go mobile maritime off the coast of Maine. I work a nice pile up and finish the day off with fish and chips.
KB1HQS
Behind the scenes at the Arecibo Radio Telescope
Matt and Tom
Baofeng UV-5R stress test: Receiver and transmitter overload
Open circuit with 5 minutes of RF, short circuit with 5 minutes of RF high power directly on the front end of the receiver.
YouTube
Resin casting tips and tricks
I cover some of the techniques that I use to be efficient when I am resin casting.
resin-casting-tips
Final TX Factor of 2017
Yes, TX Factor episode 19 is now on the air at www.txfactor.co.uk
In part one of our reports from the UK’s Hamfest 2017 we have a sneak preview of the Icom IC-7610 and IC-R8600 rigs.
We meet the new owners of PW Magazine, and Pete tries his hand at the RSGB on-line exam. There’s also an update on the Society’s EMC Committee’s findings.
Bob finds his way back to New Broadcasting House in London where the Director General discovers he has amateurs working for the Corporation. Nevertheless, Lord Hall broadcasts from the shack of the newly resurrected club station G8BBC. And, Laurie Margolis G3UML recounts an historic QSO he had from the early 1980s.
Plus, you can win a mobile linear-amp for your handie in our free-to-enter draw.
Thanks you for your continued support and we hope you continue to watch and enjoy the show in 2018.
TX Factor Team
Amateur Radio Weekly – Issue 180
The ARRL International Grid Chase
The year-long event hopes to build on the success of the highly successful 2016 National Parks on the Air. The objective is to work stations on any band in as many different Maidenhead grid squares as possible.
ARRL
160m FT8 – The end of an era?
If you follow any of the numerous ham radio-related discussion groups then you know that every once in awhile a thread pops up that triggers some extended and often heated chat.
AmateurRadio.com
Become an APRS Weather Alert Station
noaacap uses the NOAA CAP (Common Alerting) protocol and the Atom feeds published by the National Weather Service. Installation is quick and simple if you have a running aprx system.
K2DLS
Flying with lithium batteries
As I made my way through the security line, the battery was naturally flagged for further inspection. Eventually the security folks cleared it, pending approval from the airline.
WB4RFQ
6m J-Pole antenna
The antenna is manufactured from square aluminium tube, welded and with a perspex spacer at the top of the J.
marxy’s musing on technology
Encounters with the dead
All this has gotten me to thinking about how I’d like my websites to be handled once I become an SK.
KB6NU
FA-VA4 antenna analyzer kit
The case is a brushed aluminum with attention to detail such as counter sunk screws for securing case, the LCD and buttons lined up perfectly and a nice touch was not having stick on rubber feet.
VE3WDM
Build a lightning detector
Basic lightning detector schematic.
AWSH.ORG
The Spirit of Knoxville
The Spirit of Knoxville is a high-altitude balloon project run by amateur scientists and University of Tennessee students, with the ultimate goal of successfully sending an unmanned balloon across the Atlantic Ocean.
Wikipedia
How the integrated circuit came to be
It may surprise you that the microchip that we all know and love today was far from an obvious idea.
Hack A Day
Cape San Blas Florida Lighthouse activation
Saturday, Nov. 11, 1500 UTC to 1900 UTC.
Southgate
Video
First look: New Ailunce HD1 dual band DMR radio
This brand new high power dual band DMR radio made specifically for amateurs is about to be released.
YouTube
DX Monster antenna
Even with the current solar cycle as it is, I am making more DX contacts now than I ever have over 25 years. Part of my luck must be given to the new digital mode called FT8, but I am also of the mind that my antenna is doing a fine job.
Radio Hobbyist
