AmateurRadio.com

Bear Hunting: Tracking Russian Air Force Flights via CW and SSB
By Tony Roper

When Tony Roper talks about bear hunting, he’s not referring to tracking furry creatures around the countryside using sophisticated radio devices as aides. He’s referring to monitoring the Russian Air Force Strategic Bomber networks on HF. The Bear networks use both CW and USB for communication; CW is Duplex with ground stations on one frequency and the aircraft on another; while in USB mode, the networks are simplex. Tony shows you when, how and where to find these bears of the air.

Free-to-Air C and Ku-band Satellite Signals in North America
By Ken Reitz KS4ZR

As the current solar cycle continues its fade and international shortwave broadcasters continue chiseling away at their budgets and on-air schedules, wouldn’t it be great to have a radio that picks up the latest English broadcasts from around the world in full fidelity audio, without fading, static and other atmospheric problems and cost less than $200 with no monthly fees or Internet connection? And, what if this same system could tune in dozens more TV and radio signals? That’s the advantage of Free-to-Air C and Ku-band satellite monitoring in North America.

The Summer of ’42 Radio
By Rich Post KB8TAD

Rich Post had promised a fellow ham, to whom he owed several favors, that he would look at an old radio that he would like to have working again. Rich had just opened the front door as two friends were carrying a small console radio up the sidewalk to his house when he glimpsed the back of the cabinet and immediately recognized the Philco from a distance. “It’s a Summer of ’42 special,” he yelled out. The radio was a Philco model A-361, first sold in April 1942. His friends understandably looked a bit puzzled at his comment, so he proceeded to explain the history behind the set’s existence.

Pirate Radio Superlatives
By Andrew Yoder

Over the years, radio listeners have asked Andrew, “Who was the first pirate?” or, “Who was the first pirate to broadcast from a ship?” Unlike Major League Baseball, which has kept meticulous records for more than a century, pirate radio is a largely empty record book, with few dots to connect. But this article isn’t cast in bronze, like the plaques at the Baseball Hall of Fame. It’s more like the senior superlatives from your old high school yearbook. Andrew has been researching old loggings, newsletters, magazines, and books for information and here are a few of the things he’s found.

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 (12 issues, beginning with the January 2014 issue) is $24. Individual monthly issues are available for $3 each.

I’ve used AutoCAD for a while (because I had a work licence) but since being promoted I didn’t need CAD software…boooo (I also had an inventor licence but that wasn’t used as much). Anyway, back to the point.

I made a couple of front and rear panels for the QRPLabs ultimate 3 WSPR transmitter and thought that someone else might like to make one. Well if you do the dxf files are below. You can modify them easily in Draftsight (A free 2D bit of CAD software) that accepts AutoCAD files. The file shows the parts embedded on a sheet that can be used for laser cutting and your local FabLab or similar.

Anyway enjoy

AutoCAD Files

I had a few minutes to play in the RSGB 70MHz activity contest this evening. Although I was still only using the vertical antenna which is not ideal for such activity it proved a useful session.

Neil G4BRK my nearest 70MHz neighbour was on and going well. His signal was well over S9 and it is a compliment to his signal and to the NR4SC’s receiver than he was gone within about 4khz either side, which I was quite happy with. M1PRO, a little further off were also rattling the s-meter and easy to lose a few khz either side.

Most distant signal heard was from Keith G4ODA in IO92/Spalding.

A 70MHz HB9CV antenna arrived today, so I’ll put that together at the weekend and see what can be done.

I had a few minutes to play in the RSGB 70MHz activity contest this evening. Although I was still only using the vertical antenna which is not ideal for such activity it proved a useful session.

Neil G4BRK my nearest 70MHz neighbour was on and going well. His signal was well over S9 and it is a compliment to his signal and to the NR4SC’s receiver than he was gone within about 4khz either side, which I was quite happy with. M1PRO, a little further off were also rattling the s-meter and easy to lose a few khz either side.

Most distant signal heard was from Keith G4ODA in IO92/Spalding.

A 70MHz HB9CV antenna arrived today, so I’ll put that together at the weekend and see what can be done.

With the temperature in the shack finally down to a more comfortable level I decided to get ready for the winter season and set up my medium/long wave outfit. The PA0RDT mini-whip was put in the mast, the Jackson Harbor Press long wave converter installed and all cables checked. I have been DXing NDBs on and off since my teenage years, and Steve’s (VE7SL) inviting announcement about the CLE186 made for a good excuse to check the whole setup with some NDB DXing.

Of course, there were a couple of snags. When I hooked up the mini-whip I remembered why I didn’t really like the original version: too much signal coming in resulting in some overloading and intermodulation products; LORAN C could be heard all over the place. Last year I made the alternative version of off PA0NHC’s hand, which performed much better. Alas, it fell a few storeys down from the balcony, which is not good for the health of electronics. I will have to build a new one these days. But after reviewing all the documentation on these whips I had my “duh” moment: I hadn’t filtered the coax and my ground connection was in the shack, not outside. Half a pound of ferrite clamps later and things sounded a lot better, although not perfect.

The other snag was the receiver. Originally I wanted to use my KX3 to free up my IC-7200. With both the mini-whip and the 12 meter vertical connected to the long wave converter reception was very disappointing. The IC-7200 did do a lot better, although not as good as what I remembered from using my TS-440S. The IC-7200 also did a good job without the converter, so I used both configurations.

But when Saturday came I was ready to do some serious listening and check out which NDBs could be heard. CLE186 focused on 350 to 369.9 kHz, but only a few stations were heard there. I found that conditions weren’t that great. Here is my entry:

0800 357.0 LU TWN Keelung S3
0802 362.0 HL TWN Houlong S5
0834 363.0 LA ? ? S4 1x ID then 7 sec pause
1139 369.0 ZF CHN Helou S3

I checked the whole long wave band and found plenty of other signals and I compared with my log of last year. Couple of new unidentified stations and two heard for the first time, the others being regulars. Our powerhouse NDB AP on 250 kHz was strong on Saturday, but off air on Sunday. I also heard TEST being keyed on 290 kHz instead of the regular BM from Makong, so I suspect there are some changes going on in the Taiwanese beacon scene.

Lots of fun and my focus for the coming weeks is clear: get better reception by building an improved mini-whip and improve my filtering. Who knows, maybe this season I will be able to receive some Japanese NDBs or radio amateurs on 2200 meters.

For the last few weeks, the IC-740 which was sitting quietly under the bench had been niggling at me. I had no HF rig on the operating bench, other than the FT-847 which gets used on VHF mostly. I’d taken the FT1000MP off the bench a while ago and didn’t feel that excited about using it. In fact, I’d thought about selling it – though haven’t really thought that through yet.

But the IC-740. There was an appeal to getting it out and going again. It was my HF rig when I first got on the air back in 1983. I knew it worked ok as I’d had a handful of contacts on it a few months back. Chasing DX, no, that wasn’t really wanted to do. Perhaps some CW – just run of the mill stuff – there have been times when I’ve found working around the UK on 7MHz CW good fun. Maybe something like that?

Finding a few minutes this afternoon, I hooked it up – plugged an aerial and a paddle in. It puts out the 85W or so that it always did. Tuned around 28MHz and quickly made a few QSOs across Europe, Asia, Africa and North America (not great conditions, but good). I listened to my old pal G3TXF doling out the QSOs as ZD9XF. Although it would be lovely to work Nigel, I don’t really feel the need to play pileups.

So maybe you’ll even hear me and the old IC740 (31 years old) around 7030 playing low power. Who knows! It’s nice to be reunited with my old friend!

For the last few weeks, the IC-740 which was sitting quietly under the bench had been niggling at me. I had no HF rig on the operating bench, other than the FT-847 which gets used on VHF mostly. I’d taken the FT1000MP off the bench a while ago and didn’t feel that excited about using it. In fact, I’d thought about selling it – though haven’t really thought that through yet.

But the IC-740. There was an appeal to getting it out and going again. It was my HF rig when I first got on the air back in 1983. I knew it worked ok as I’d had a handful of contacts on it a few months back. Chasing DX, no, that wasn’t really wanted to do. Perhaps some CW – just run of the mill stuff – there have been times when I’ve found working around the UK on 7MHz CW good fun. Maybe something like that?

Finding a few minutes this afternoon, I hooked it up – plugged an aerial and a paddle in. It puts out the 85W or so that it always did. Tuned around 28MHz and quickly made a few QSOs across Europe, Asia, Africa and North America (not great conditions, but good). I listened to my old pal G3TXF doling out the QSOs as ZD9XF. Although it would be lovely to work Nigel, I don’t really feel the need to play pileups.

So maybe you’ll even hear me and the old IC740 (31 years old) around 7030 playing low power. Who knows! It’s nice to be reunited with my old friend!