Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
Amateur Radio Weekly – Issue 153
April 8th, 2017 | 
Author: 
First transceiver with built-in FreeDV
“All Ham Band” RS-918SSB HF SDR Transceiver offers FreeDV as an operating mode.
marxy.org
Digital Amateur Television from the International Space Station
In principle, the HamVideo DATV transmitter is permanently transmitting from Columbus, the European ISS module.
AMSAT-ON
Same-band “Dueling CQs” now prohibited in all ARRL Contests
ARRL has clarified its contest rules to clearly prohibit the practice of interleaved CQs.
ARRL
Keeping New Radio Hams
Crucially, the Camb-Hams have no committee, no finances (so no subscription), and any amateur who wants to call him/herself a ‘Camb-Ham’ is automatically a member.
Southgate
Irony
The FCC is requiring radio amateurs be at least 1 km from electric power transmission lines using Power Line Carrier (PLC) systems on those bands.
Radio Artisan
RF Propagation Analytics
See which bands are open now.
The University of Alabama
GNU Radio decoder for AO-73
The modulation that the FUNcube satellites use is DBPSK at 1200baud. The coding is based on a CCSDS concatenated code with a convolutional code and Reed-Solomon, but it makes extensive use of interleaving to combat the fading caused by the spin of the spacecraft.
destevez.net
Video
Decapsulating a ceramic integrated circuit
Decapsulation (decapping) a ceramic integrated circuit to get at the die is easy with MAP gas.
YouTube
Standing Inside a broadcast transmitter while it’s on
See inside a Gates BC-250-GY broadcast transmitter from the 40’s era.
Mr. Carlson’s Lab
The Spectrum Monitor — April, 2017
Stories you’ll find in our April, 2017 issue:
Going Portable with Amateur Radio Satellites
By Keith Baker KB1SF/VA3KSF
Low solar cycle productivity and plummeting propagation got you down? Keith tells us that the sky’s the limit when you start operating the amateur radio satellites. It’s a low-power mode that is also versatile. But, don’t worry, working the AMSATs doesn’t require a lot of room at home, can be fairly inexpensive to set up and you can take this part of the hobby on the road too!
Community Emergency Response Teams: Are You Ready for a Disaster?
By Alan M. Vigeant N6HPO
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is a nationwide volunteer program supported by FEMA that educates people about disaster preparedness for natural and man-made hazards that may impact their lives when least expected. CERT classes are offered free to the public and go hand in hand with amateur radio training. Alan tells us how effective CERT is and how we can all help.
Outernet Update: Free, One-Way Internet Now Via L-Band Satellite
By Kenneth Barbi
Outernet is the low cost, one-way Internet service that delivers radio and news feeds to nearly the entire planet for free via L-band satellite. Designed to meet the minimal needs of those without modern infrastructure (grid power and Internet access), all you need to start taking advantage of this service is a $79 kit that includes antenna, LNA, SDR radio and CHIP single-board computer. Kenneth Barbi has the latest update on this evolving service.
Computers and Ham Radio: Part 010
By Cory GB Sickles WA3UVV
From the Radio Shack TRS-80 to the Apple II, to IBM’s first PC and the inevitable first PC clone, personal computing started out as an expensive device with very limited capability. From its initially slow start in the 1970s, Cory takes us through the fits and starts of the second phase of this fledgling industry that would change the radio hobby forever.
Motorized Ku-Band Satellite Reception
By Mike Kohl
There are dozens of Ku-band satellites in the skies over every part of the world. And, while Free-to-Air satellite TV systems are very inexpensive, you miss most of the action by not being able to steer your dish from satellite to satellite. But, not all small dish motors are the same. Mike shows us the best way to motorize your own FTA satellite system.
Scanning America
By Dan Veeneman
Marin County (CA), North Dakota and Radio Shack Bankruptcy (Again)
Federal Wavelenghts
By Chris Parris
Federal Aviation Administration
Utility Planet
By Hugh Stegman
New Life Evolves on MARS
Shortwave Utility Logs
By Hugh Stegman and Mike Chace-Ortiz
Digitally Speaking
By Cory GB Sickles WA3UVV
The Ground We Talk On
VHF and Above
By Joe Lynch N6CL
New Radios and Antennas for VHF and Above
Amateur Radio Insights
By Kirk Kleinschmidt NT0Z
Morse Code: The Original Digital Mode is Still Hanging On
Radio 101
By Ken Reitz KS4ZR
Baseball on the Radio: 1921 and 2017
Radio Propagation
By Tomas Hood NW7US
An Ice Age and Disappearing Sunspots?
World of Shortwave Listening
By Rob Wagner VK3VBW
Radio Australia: A Possible Return?
The Shortwave Listener
By Fred Waterer
VOA at 75; WBCQ, RRI, and RNZI
Maritime Monitoring
By Ron Walsh VE3GO
A System for a System
The Longwave Zone
By Kevin O’Hern Carey WB2QMY
Turning the Tables: Reverse Beacon Network
Adventures in Radio Restoration
By Rich Post KB8TAD
Philco 46-350: The “Tambour Door” Portable
Antenna Connections
By Dan Farber AC0LW
HF Antenna “Comfort Zone”
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 152
New Bands! FCC Issues Rules for 630 & 2,200 Meters
The FCC on March 28 adopted rules that will allow secondary Amateur Radio access to 472-479 kHz (630 meters) and to 135.7-137.8 kHz (2,200 meters).
ARRL
Three killed after storm chasers crash while pursuing tornado
A few miles west of Spur, Tex., three storm chasers died while tracking a tornado when their two vehicles collided at a rural intersection on Tuesday afternoon.
Washington Post
Global HF Pirate Weekend: March 30-April 2
The SWLing Post
Getting Started In Amateur Radio Data Modes
We will discuss the rationale for operating amateur radio data modes, the pros and cons as they apply to the off grid ham, and factors to consider before getting started.
Off Grid Ham
Review: Bioenno Power LiFePo4 Batteries
I’ve been using Bioenno’s 9aH LiFePO4 (Lithium Iron Phosphate) for over a year now with great success – even to power my 100 watt rig.
K5ACL
New power distribution kit build
I would highly recommend this power distribution center kit to anyone interested in learning what goes into making one and as a side benefit save a bit of money.
The Real Rich Hand
Make a 2.4 GHz Yagi with paper clips and popsicle sticks
It’s more like a 2.4 GHz field strength meter. The board on the antenna beam is a SparkFun ESP8266 Thing, which includes an Arduino-compatible microcontroller and a WiFi interface.
KB6NU
Video
Add an On The Air LED to Kenwood MC60 Desktop Mic
toddfun.com
Documentary: The DXer and the Technician
This true story is about two amateur radio operators who have been friends for over 35 years.
VA2PV
Essex 2 meter activity afternoon
Much of the activity is in FM and via the GB3DA repeater at Danbury. However there is also activity using CW, SSB, SSTV and other digital modes.
YouTube
CW (Morse Code) QSO on 30m
The key is an old Navy Flameproof straight key.
YouTube
SDR receivers and transceivers
There is a real gap in my knowledge as I have never once tried an SDR based receiver or transceiver. SDR dongles are very low cost, so I really have no excuse.
On the Southgate site I read news of a new SDR 5W transceiver.
Pipit – 15m QRP CW transceiver
Many years ago I designed and built the Pipit, an 800mW CW transceiver with a direct conversion receiver. It really worked and for some time was my main rig. Used with a low dipole it worked some decent DX. The design was published in GQRP “SPRAT” many years ago.
Sadly, the rig was dismantled some years later. I regret this!
Amateur Radio Weekly – Issue 151
ARRL publishes 60 Second Century videos
CEO Tom Gallagher, NY2RF, supplements monthly QST editorial with video.
ARRL
80/40 Meter Loaded Dipole Antenna
The plan for this antenna was to build a lightweight 80/40 meter antenna for field use (as part of my Go Kit).
High on solder
Experimenting with my first remote antenna tuner
The transmitter doesn’t “see” an SWR at all — only an impedance resulting from the SWR.
K5ACL
The Doctor is In: Remote antenna tuners
Not every antenna tuner needs to be inside your station. Some do an even better job outdoors!
The Doctor is In
Would a membership survey help your club?
The goal is to make the club as relevant as it can be.
KB6NU
Monitoring NextGen ATC (on the cheap!)
A key component of next generation air traffic control is Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B).
K2DLS
First Meteor Scatter Contact
It’s not exactly ground-breaking in the Amateur Radio world, but I’m pleased to have made my first “meteor scatter” contact.
AA6E
Adventures in Science: Arduino Programming Syntax
This week, we look at what constitutes syntax in a programming language and how to employ it when writing code in Arduino.
SparkFun Electronics
Video
How To Build A Powerpole Polarity Tester
I show you how to build a simple red/green LED Powerpole polarity tester. Along with a bit of Ohm’s law.
K7AGE
Logging with AppleScript
We setup RUMLogNG, Fldigi and an AppleScript so Fldigi will log QSO’s into RUMLogNG.
K0PIR
Amateur Radio Weekly – Issue 150
Motorola sues Hytera over DMR
“Motorola Solutions believes that Hytera is intentionally infringing its intellectual property and misappropriating its trade secrets…”
ARRL
DIY 137 MHz WX SAT V-dipole antenna
The center of the dipole is made of Choc Block terminals where the aluminum rods are secured.
LNA for All
Comparison: ADS-B Antennas under $50
I tested every antenna against the FlightAware 26 inch, which in my batch of tests served as my watermark due to it’s performance.
Radio for Everyone
What the Heck is UHF Anyway?
Many times being loose with terminology doesn’t matter but there are times when using the right words can make a difference.
Ham Radio School
Testing FreeDV 700C
One of my goals is to develop a HF DV system that is competitive with analog SSB.
Rowetel
Setting up an APRS RX only iGate using a Raspberry Pi, RTL-SDR
The entire process detailed here should take less than half an hour to complete.
QSO365
The day I sold my HF radios
I’m hearing of hams that are giving up on HF, or even ham radio entirely due to the band conditions.
AmateurRadio.com
Download: The VHF/UHF DX Book
I have heard this book mentioned in hushed reverence as the definitive guide to DXing on the VHF/UHF bands.
M0JCQ’s Ham Blog
Diamond CP22E Antenna Review
The CP22E is a 2-meter monoband, 2-5/8 wavelength groundplane antenna, optimized for the U.S. amateur band.
Ham Radio . Magnum Experimentum
Video
Installing & Setting up Remote Control for your IC-7300
Our friends at the TX Factor have produced a video that goes through the step-by-step process of remote controlling an Icom.
Icom
Review: MFJ USB Radio Interface
This is a great device and is compatible with almost every radio.
Ham Radio Concepts
ARRL International DX Contest – Making a few contacts
Loads of fun! Thanks to everyone who participated, the bands were very active!
K5ACL
