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There’s a new radio hobby magazine in town!
1 June 2014 | by Recently, a number of hobby radio magazines have either retired, or have merged into a digital mix of several. Filling that void is the new The Spectrum Monitor, a creation of Ken Reitz KS4ZR, managing editor for Monitoring Times since 2012, features editor since 2009, columnist and feature writer for the MT magazine since 1988. Ken offers this digital, radio communications magazine monthly. The web site is at http://www.thespectrummonitor.com/
The Spectrum Monitor magazine – get your’s, today.
Ken, a former feature writer and columnist for Satellite Times, Satellite Entertainment Guide, Satellite Orbit magazine, Dish Entertainment Guide and Direct Guide, is also contributing editor on personal electronics for Consumers Digest (2007 to present). He is the author of the Kindle e-books “How to Listen to the World” and “Profiles in Amateur Radio.”
The Spectrum Monitor Writers’ Group consists of former columnists, editors and writers for Monitoring Times, a monthly print and electronic magazine which ceases publication with the December, 2013 issue. Below, in alphabetical order, are the columnists, their amateur radio call signs, the name of their column in The Spectrum Monitor, a brief bio and their websites:
Keith Baker KB1SF/VA3KSF, “Amateur Radio Satellites”
Past president and currently treasurer of the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT). Freelance writer and photographer on amateur space telecommunications since 1993. Columnist and feature writer for Monitoring Times, The Canadian Amateur and the AMSAT Journal. Web site: www.kb1sf.com
Kevin O’Hern Carey WB2QMY, “The Longwave Zone”
Reporting on radio’s lower extremes, where wavelengths can be measured in miles, and extending up to the start of the AM broadcast band. Since 1991, editor of “Below 500 kHz” column forMonitoring Times. Author of Listening to Longwave (http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/books/0024u.html). This link also includes information for ordering his CD, VLF RADIO!, a narrated tour of the longwave band from 0 to 530 kHz, with actual recordings of LW stations.
Mike Chace-Ortiz AB1TZ/G6DHU “Digital HF: Intercept and Analyze”
Author of the Monitoring Times “Digital Digest” column since 1997, which follows the habits of embassies, aid organizations, intelligence and military HF users, the digital data systems they use, and how to decode, breakdown and identify their traffic. Web site: www.chace-ortiz.org/umc
Marc Ellis N9EWJ, “Adventures in Radio Restoration”
Authored a regular monthly column about radio restoration and history since 1986. Originally writing for Gernsback Publications (Hands-On Electronics, Popular Electronics, Electronics Now), he moved his column to Monitoring Times in January 2000. Editor of two publications for the Antique Wireless Association (www.antiquewireless.org): The AWA Journal and the AWA Gateway. The latter is a free on-line magazine targeted at newcomers to the radio collecting and restoration hobbies.
Dan Farber ACØLW, “Antenna Connections”
Monitoring Times antenna columnist 2009-2013. Building ham and SWL antennas for over 40 years.
Tomas Hood NW7US, “Understanding Propagation”
Tomas first discovered radio propagation in the early 1970s as a shortwave listener and, as a member of the Army Signal Corps in 1985, honed his skills in communications, operating and training fellow soldiers. An amateur Extra Class operator, licensed since 1990, you’ll find Tomas on CW (see http://cw.hfradio.org ), digital, and voice modes on any of the HF bands. He is a contributing editor for CQ Amateur Radio (and the late Popular Communications, and CQ VHF magazines), and a contributor to an ARRL publication on QRP communications. He also wrote for Monitoring Times and runs the Space Weather and Radio Propagation Center at http://SunSpotWatch.com. Web site: http://nw7us.us/ Twitter: @NW7US YouTube: https://YouTube.com/NW7US
Kirk Kleinschmidt NTØZ, “Amateur Radio Insight”
Amateur radio operator since 1977 at age 15. Author of Stealth Amateur Radio. Former editor,ARRL Handbook, former QST magazine assistant managing editor, columnist and feature writer for several radio-related magazines, technical editor for Ham Radio for Dummies, wrote “On the Ham Bands” column and numerous feature articles for Monitoring Times since 2009. Web site: www.stealthamateur.com.
Cory Koral K2WV, “Aeronautical Monitoring”
Lifelong air-band monitor, a private pilot since 1968 and a commercial pilot licensee since 1983, amateur radio licensee for more than 40 years. Air-band feature writer for Monitoring Times since 2010.
Stan Nelson KB5VL, “Amateur Radio Astronomy”
Amateur radio operator since 1960. Retired after 40-plus years involved in mobile communications/electronics/computers/automation. Active in radio astronomy for over twenty years, specializing in meteor monitoring. Wrote the “Amateur Radio Astronomy” column for Monitoring Timessince 2010. A member of the Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers (SARA). Web site: www.RoswellMeteor.com.
Chris Parris, “Federal Wavelengths”
Broadcast television engineer, avid scanner and shortwave listener, freelance writer on federal radio communications since 2004, wrote the “Fed Files” column for Monitoring Times.http://thefedfiles.com http://mt-fedfiles.blogspot.com Twitter: @TheFedFiles
Doug Smith W9WI, “The Broadcast Tower”
Broadcast television engineer, casual cyclist and long distance reception enthusiast. “Broadcast Bandscan” columnist for Monitoring Times since 1991. Blog:http://americanbandscan.blogspot.com Web site: http://w9wi.com
Hugh Stegman NV6H, “Utility Planet”
Longtime DXer and writer on non-broadcast shortwave utility radio. Former “Utility World” columnist for Monitoring Times magazine for more than ten years. Web site: www.ominous-valve.com/uteworld.html Blog: http://mt-utility.blogspot.com/ Twitter: @UtilityPlanet YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/UtilityWorld
Dan Veeneman, “Scanning America”
Software developer and satellite communications engineer writing about scanners and public service radio reception for Monitoring Times for 17 years. Web site: www.signalharbor.com
Ron Walsh VE3GO, “Maritime Monitoring”
Retired career teacher, former president of the Canadian Amateur Radio Federation (now the Radio Amateurs of Canada), retired ship’s officer, licensed captain, “Boats” columnist and maritime feature writer for Monitoring Times for eight years. Avid photographer of ships and race cars.
Fred Waterer, “The Shortwave Listener”
Former “Programming Spotlight” columnist for Monitoring Times. Radio addict since 1969, freelance columnist since 1986. Fascinated by radio programming and history. Website: http://www.doghousecharlie.com/
Thomas Witherspoon K4SWL, “World of Shortwave Listening”
Founder and director of the charity Ears To Our World (http://earstoourworld.org), curator of the Shortwave Radio Archive http://shortwavearchive.com and actively blogs about shortwave radio on the SWLing Post (http://swling.com/blog). Former feature writer for Monitoring Times.
5 Responses to “There’s a new radio hobby magazine in town!”
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- Matt W1MST, Managing Editor
I signed up for it when the first announcement of the e-zine was made public.
I’m a couple of issues behind in my reading… there is sooo much info!
Good job to the team at The Spectrum Monitor! What a wonderful resource.
Thanks to all involved!
Good luck in your pursuit. I used to follow Wayne Green religiously. I hope this Spectrum Monitor can fill that void for me thanks.
73
de n8zu
“The Spectrum Monitor” covers not only amateur radio, but other forms of comms. It’s like a super “Monitoring Times” magazine. I highly recommend
it to anyone who holds a Ham ticket or is interested in comms monitoring. Personally I would prefer a print copy, but I understand why that probably
would not work.
73, Joe, W2DRS
I highly recommend this magazine, really great to have it, love reading it in my Ipad. wish in the days to come they will include some book reviews too.
I will also chime in with the praise. Been a subscriber since day one. You can just feel Ken and the author’s passion for the radio hobby as u read it. One cool thing about the digital format is that the lead times are shorter. Some of the articles are very timely – especially those dealing with shortwave listening.