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LHS Episode #204: Jump Around
23 January 2018 | by 
In this episode, your hosts discuss the monkeyshines at the ARRL, the overwhelming popularity of a certain digital mode, Spectre and Meltdown (of course), WINE 3.0, WSJT-X, twclock, CLLOG, dxSpot and a whole lot more. Thank you for tuning in and hope your 2018 is going well.
73 de The LHS Crew
Russ Woodman, K5TUX, co-hosts the Linux in the Ham Shack podcast which is available for download in both MP3 and OGG audio format. Contact him at [email protected].
ICQ Podcast Episode 258 – Getting Ready for the Six Metre Season
In this episode, Martin M1MRB is joined by, Edmund Spicer M0MNG, Matthew Nassau M0NJX and Bill Barnes N3JIX to discuss the latest Amateur / Ham Radio news. Colin M6BOY rounds up the news in brief, and this episode’s feature is Getting ready for the six-metre season.
We would like to thank Barrie Hull (GD0SFI) and our monthly and annual subscription donors for keeping the podcast advert free. To donate, please visit - http://www.icqpodcast.com/donate
- Battery Powered 'Smart Bags' Raise Safety Concern
- New Technician License Question Pool Released
- Indonesian Pirates on 7 MHz
- WSPR Beacon En Route to Antarctic
- 3D Printed Radio
- FT8 Operating Guide
- D-Star One v1.1 Phoenix
- AX Prefix on Australia's National Day
- Test Equipment at SOTABEAMS
Colin Butler, M6BOY, is the host of the ICQ Podcast, a weekly radio show about Amateur Radio. Contact him at [email protected].
A Better Antenna for Dualband Handhelds
I’m a fan of using a half-wave antenna on a 2m handheld transceiver (HT). These come in a variety of forms but I’ve tended to use the telescoping half-waves that mount on the HT. These include the Halfwave 2 Meter Flex antenna from Smiley and the MFJ-1714 from MJF. One of the disadvantages of these two antennas is that they are designed for 2m operation only. Put it on a dualband HT and you can only use one of the bands.
Now there is a dualband alternative.
During a discussion of various VHF radios and antennas on the SOTA reflector, Phil/G4OBK recommended this antenna: TWAYRDIO RH 770 SMA-Male Dual Band Telescopic Handheld Antenna. I was mildly skeptical in that the antenna looks like cheap lowcost economy stuff from China. However, for $16.55 (free shipping), it seemed like something I should try out.
I’ve since used this antenna on several SOTA activations and have found it to work quite well. Not having to worry about whether I’m operating on 2m or 70 cm is a big plus. I liked the antenna so much, I now have three.
Recently, I wondered how well the antenna is really performing so I did a side-by-side comparison with the Smiley 2m halfwave. Now this kind of comparison is always a bit dicey unless you have a calibrated antenna range. I got on 2m fm with another ham running a home station some distance away such that I was not pegging his S-meter. We did several A/B comparisons between the Smiley and the RH 770. Much to my surprise, the RH 770 performed significantly better than the Smiley. The other ham saw his meter deflect higher with the RH 770. I can’t give that to you in dB but I can say its a little better. I actually thought that the single-band design might be slightly better due to less complexity in the antenna. The opposite was true. Your mileage may vary. No warranty expressed or implied.
The only thing I don’t like about the RH 770 is that the telescoping sections slide up and down really easy. Too easy for my taste. I’d rather have some stickiness to it so that I am sure it will remain fully extended. But I admit this is more of a personal impression than actual problem.
The antenna is available with a male SMA connector, a female SMA connector or a BNC. That should pretty much cover it.
So thanks Phil/G4OBK for pointing out this antenna. I also highly recommend it.
73, Bob K0NR
The post A Better Antenna for Dualband Handhelds appeared first on The KØNR Radio Site.
Bob Witte, KØNR, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from Colorado, USA. Contact him at [email protected].
A fantastic FT8 guide!
Mike Weir, VE9KK, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from New Brunswick, Canada. Contact him at [email protected].
BITX & UBITX resources added.
I have now added a Pages link to my blog titled
BITX & UBITX resources
Access it from the top right handside side of my Blog.This contains known links to groups and support for the BITX and UBITX kits.
I will update this as and when I see new links appear and when I have the time etc..
If you know of any others please drop me a line.
You can also access it via this link below too:
http://g1kqh.blogspot.co.uk/p/blog-page.html
73 Steve
Steve, G1KQH, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from England. Contact him at [email protected].
Amateur Radio Weekly – Issue 190
A note to members from ARRL President Rick Roderick
To those who try to suggest that the Board has abandoned its obligation to the members in favor of the organization — you draw a distinction that doesn’t exist.
ARRL
ARRL CEO to retire
Gallagher, 69, cited recent changes included in the new federal tax law that made it unattractive for him to continue working.
ARRL
ARRL: It’s not just the bylaws that need changin’
To this day, neither Mr. Gallagher nor anyone from the BOD has been willing to answer “Why?”
KL7SB
AO-92 transponder and camera tested, further camera tests planned
The first thirty-six hours of AO-92’s life in orbit have seen a flurry of activity as the AMSAT Engineering and Operations teams walk through an extensive checklist of tests.
AMSAT
DPØGVN WSPR beacon in Antarctica is operational
The multiband receiver of the new permanent WSPR beacon DPØGVN in Antarctica has been put into operation.
Southgate
Anticipating Winter Field Day Jan 27/28
The antenna will be a 100-foot loop 30 feet across 20 feet vertical fed at the bottom with an Icom AH4 tuner. This antenna takes up only 30 linear feet, needs no trees. and was designed to fit the campsite.
N4KGL
[PDF] FT8 Operating Guide
Work the world on HF using the new digital mode.
G4IFB
SSTV with a Baofeng
The Baofeng speaker mic would make the perfect donor for a cable between the radio and audio connection of a computer / smartphone.
Essex Ham
3D-printed radio works, despite having no battery
Called a crystal radio receiver, or sometimes a “cat’s whisker receiver,” this is an incredibly simple type of radio receiver that was popular in the earliest days of radio.
Digital Trends
Video
My first uBitX contact
First contact made with my ubitx transceiver after the initial wiring.
VO1UO
Smith Chart: Z, VSWR, reflection coef and transmission line effects
This video gets into several practical aspects of using a Smith Chart to take care of doing complex calculations involving VSWR, reflection coefficient (gamma and rho), return loss, and the impedance transformations that occur when using transmission line between a source (generator, transmitter, etc.) and the load (antenna, amplifier input, etc.).
W2AEW
Amateur Radio Weekly is curated by Cale Mooth K4HCK. Sign up free to receive ham radio's most relevant news, projects, technology and events by e-mail each week at http://www.hamweekly.com.
Giant Blizzard! Not really, but my antenna is down
We aren't supposed to get this much snow in central NC
How, pray tell did I get the rope attached to the peak of roof 33 feet up in the air you ask, having no tall ladders or Spiderman abilities? I'm glad you asked... Well, the rope is tied inexpertly, using granny knots, to one side of an S-hook. I use a cane-pole fishing rod as an extension with a piece of masking tape on the end lightly holding the S-hook. Then I precariously lean out my 3rd story window eight feet under the eave (don't try this at home) and "fish" the S-hook through a loop at the peak of the eave, that was installed there by my nice painter, many years ago. Once the S-hook is in the loop, I tug on the fishing pole and the masking tape lets loose of the S-hook and the S-hook remains in the loop, holding a few feet of old dacron rope. QRP-indeed !
This incarnation of the antenna was first installed November 2015. In that time an ice storm drug it to the ground, and a tropical storm broke the mooring as well.
Amazing stuff, doorbell wire and old dacron rope.
That gleaming line of ice from right to left in the picture below used to be elevated a bit more
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This antenna is designed to fail gracefully
I wanted to be sure that when the antenna was under stress it would relieve itself at the easiest place to repair. The rope on the long end of offset dipole runs through a pulley attached, with a zip tie, at the top of a set of sturdy, stacked fiberglass tent poles. The rope runs through the zip-tie attached pulley to a long, lightweight, spring (the kind used for a small fence gate) along with the pulley provides the strain relief when it's windy. The zip tie holding the pulley at the top of the pole is intentionally the weak link. When the forces become too much the zip tie breaks and the long, heavy side of the antenna falls across the garden. It's a simple matter to pull a section of the fiberglass pole loose, attach a new zip tie, and Bob's your uncle.So when you design your next wire antenna, plan ahead for easy repair.
Richard Carpenter, AA4OO, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from North Carolina, USA. Contact him at [email protected].
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