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This review has been a long time coming, I wish I had posted it before now, but better late than never, I guess. When I first started this review, there was only 1 version of the Wouxun KG-UV8D radio out, but now there are two. All radios with firmware 1.02 (1.01 was the old number) include the 2.5KHz step when tuning/scanning. As far as I know, that is the only difference between the 2 firmwares. There is no way to upgrade the 1.01 to 1.02, as far as I know. This is how they come from the factory.

Of course I bought one of these radios for myself and have been tinkering with it for the last couple of month. This is a really neat little radio. It has several features that other Chinese radios have yet to implement, but to me the best one is the 999 memory channels. This is unheard-of for an HT, especially a Chinese HT, most of which only support 128 memory channels. But this ultra-huge memory capacity enables me to enter all of my Ham Radio repeaters and simplex frequencies, along with all the FRS/GMRS frequencies, plus some locally used Red Cross frequencies. Even with all of those programmed in, I still have plenty of memory channels left to use. My plan is to create a bank of frequencies for the Galveston, TX area, to which we travel 1-2 times per year. Perhaps I will add some other repeaters also, in other areas.

Yes, this radio also does cross-band repeat. Honestly, I’ve not used it – I don’t really have a situation in which I would need a cross-band repeating HT. I have cross-band repeat setup on my Kenwood TM-741a in my shack at home, so that I can hit the Hurst repeater from an HT inside of my house (I key up a 440 simplex frequency, which keys my TM-741a, and it cross-band repeats to the Hurst repeater). This way I can talk on the repeater from inside my house without always having to walk out to the shack. I suppose cross-band repeating would be useful if you would out in the field somewhere. Maybe assisting on a bike/foot race, or perhaps on a camping trip. Setup the KG-UV8D with an external antenna and use it as a portable repeater. I have not had the need to do this yet, so I haven’t played with that feature.

The backlit LCD screen is certainly a plus. The screen goes off while you are monitoring, but comes back on again when a signal is received. This is to save the battery, I suspect, because the larger screens on today’s smartphones are usually the largest battery draw.

This radio, just like the Anytone AT-3318UV HT, will allow you to move each band independently between VFO and Memory modes. If the top band in is VFO, you can move the bottom band to a memory channel, without changing the top band, and vice-versa. There is a VFO/MR key on the front of this radio, so switching between the 2 options is very easy, unlike some other Chinese HTs. In reality, the VFO/MR button has 4 settings: VFO frequency, Memory channel number, Memory channel name, and Memory Channel Frequency. So when you are programming your repeater settings, it allows you to set a name for each repeater, then page through with the VFO/MR button so the repeater name can be displayed on the LCD instead of the frequency. This is useful if you are looking for a repeater in a certain area or city. And with 999 memory channels, you will probably want to know which repeater is where!

The radio comes with a great extended range antenna, just like the Anytone AT-3318UV.

There is also an extended battery available for this radio. The standard battery that comes with the radio is 1700mAh, and the extended battery is 2600mAh. The extended battery is a bit thicker than the stock battery, so expect the radio to be a bit heavier and bulkier than the stock configuration. However, rest assured that the stock belt clip and stock desktop battery charger are both build in such a way that they will accommodate either battery. No separate charger or belt clip is needed for the 2600mAh battery.

From the factory, the radio only does 400-470 TX range, but with the Frequency Expansion software you can extend the range up to 519MHz. I have not loaded this software yet myself, but I plan to do so next week. This software came from Wouxun, and isn’t a “hack”, it just extends the range of the radio to its maximum capacity.

I love this little HT and have carried it almost exclusively since it arrived. It is a fantastic addition to anyone’s radio collection.

Jason Johnston, KC5HWB, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from Texas, USA. Contact him at [email protected].

Radio frequency interference (RFI) is the bane of a lot of amateur radio operators. Sadly it is becoming a real issue at my QTH.

RFI is referred to as QRM or QRN and I am learning the difference.

QRM means "I being interfered with" and is interference coming from someone using radio equipment. This covers deliberate jamming, people tuning up or just normal operations on a crowded band that causes QRM.

QRN means "I am troubled by static" and technically means interference from a natural noises but has come to refer to interference coming from anything that is not an intentional radio emission and interferes with reception of transmissions. So now covers atmospheric noise, static or the noise generated by electronic devices.

Noise isn't a new issue here as I have posted before. It has tended to be sporadic and bearable but since becoming licensed I have become more sensitised to it. Until now I have tended to focus on the VHF/UHF side mainly contesting venturing only briefly onto HF.

My HF set up is limited at the moment with just a single antenna which isn't optimal for the lower bands. Due to the day job I am largely restricted to evening/night time operation when the upper bands have largely been closed anyway so haven't really attacked HF with much enthusiasm apart from data modes such as JT65 and WSPR which have immunity to noise.

When I have got the chance for some early morning daytime operation or at the weekend I have struggled with noise.  Recent weekends have seen some special event stations operating for the Museums On The Air and the GB1JSS Summer Solstice which have been predominately on the 40M band but I just cannot hear anything on that band due to noise.

I am aware the Sun has been particular active recently producing a number of large flares and CMEs that have caused a number of radio blackouts, but this noise isn't due to atmospherics I am certain it is man made by one of neighbours.

I made this video last weekend


and this video was from the weekend before that


This weekend was the 50MHz Trophy Contest which I was looking forward to, sadly it was also to become a victim of the QRN as this screenshot from my SDR will confirm, for much of the time I was operating I was just listening to noise.



I wasn't operating constantly, just grabbing a few minutes here and there and I did manage to make some decent contacts when the QRN subsided even catching some of the sporadic E opening to get EF7X in Spain.



I have ruled out any noise being generated by myself by powering everything off and running on battery. This leaves me in a bit of a quandary I could go around and locate and confront the culprit or even contact OFCOM but at the same time I don't want to antagonise anyone who could then object to any antennas I might want to put up in the garden.

Rotating the 6M Moxon around at the weekend during the contest as at least pointed me in the direction of one strong noise source. I am also convince that much of my problem is due to an evil PLT device in an adjacent property.

Following on from the weekend last night was the UKAC 50MHz contest and yet again I was troubled with noise leading to mostly local contacts.



I have been looking at some of the noise cancellers that are available from MFJ and others. I have heard conflicting options on their effectiveness but I am willing to try one if I can obtain one cheaply, or even home-brew one from the numerous designs available.

These devices work by using a second antenna which receives just the noise which is then mixed out of phase with the main antenna signal hence nullifying the noise. By all accounts they are tricky to use and often  need constant adjustment but may be my only viable solution at present.
Andrew Garratt, MØNRD, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from East Midlands, England. Contact him at [email protected].

WC - 332KHz White Rock, B.C.

The recent three-night NDB listening event (covering 320-335KHz) was dominated with very high noise levels from the numerous thunderstorms across North America. Although propagation was good, all participants struggled with the lightning noise, as is usually the case when listening on LF during the summer monhts.

source:http://www.spc.noaa.gov

One of the beacons in my log this weekend is pictured above - 'WC' in White Rock, B.C. The beacon is located in a residential neighborhood, with homes on both sides...not a typical NDB location.

Here is my short log, all captured using Perseus:


If you are planning a 630m station, listening for NDB's is a good way to test your system's receive capability as there are hundreds of signals to be heard, many of them very close to our new 472KHz band.

An informative Introduction To Beacon DXing by Alan Gale may be found here. To find the location of any NDB's that have been heard in North America, check the always accurate RNA database by Martin Francis.

Steve McDonald, VE7SL, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from British Columbia, Canada. Contact him at [email protected].

In this episode, we gathered together a small round table to talk about some Linux and ham radio news items, and then discuss the upcoming Field Day, Elmering, and the general joy of amateur radio. Much fun was had by all, and there’s even a cameo appearance by The Richard himself.

73 de The LHS Guys

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].

The digi setup

For some time now I have been thinking of getting back into the digi modes, I do have a setup that offers QRP power levels and a narrow bandwidth antenna which can be perfect for digi modes such as JT65 just for starters. In the past I had the Signalink USB interface but ended up selling it when my mode of choice seemed to be CW. I came across a used Signalink USB unit for a great price so I scooped it up. I am planning on setting up my Elecraft KX3 for digi operations and leaving the Elecraft K3 setup for CW. Last I wanted to make use of a Toshiba net book I have had collecting dust for some time now. The net book runs Windows 7 home addition and after loading a fresh instal of

Discovery soldered jumpers

Windows 7 on the net book it's ready to go. The used Signalink did provide a surprise once I opened it up. Inside the unit you will find some jumper wires that have to be moved around depending on the rig you are using with the interface unit. The unit I purchased was not being used with the Elecraft KX3 so some jumper swapping  was in order. To my surprise the jumper wires were soldered in place! Signalink had designed the jumper positioning as a non solder setup using a 16 pin IC socket, this way you could remove the jumpers and reconfigure just in case you changed out your rig. My plan was to see if I could remove the wires and see the damage to the IC socket. After the wires had been removed, solder sucked out and some melted plastic on the socket removed I decided to just add some fresh jumper wires. It's now time to set up the net book and get it communicating with the Elecraft KX3.

IC socket cleaned up, wires removed

 

Mike Weir, VE9KK, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from New Brunswick, Canada. Contact him at [email protected].

Ever since the dawn of time coding has been a foreign language to me. I pick up bits and pieces but largely it gets forgotten or lost.

Tonights issue is about interrupts and debouncing buttons. What better thing to do whilst listening to the 6m white noise contest (also known as vhf from my qth).

The idea is simple. I made a shack clock from a gps and an arduino. I made it tell the time, tell me the position I’m in (no I don’t mean like that) an calculate the locator square. Now then all I want to do is link these together with a simple button press. Press the button and it changes from one function to the next.

Holy arduino, this isn’t straightforward at all. Buttons need debouncing and interrupts don’t like this or that. I feel a long development time in my future…still there’s not much on 6m and 2 contacts in the first hour isn’t going to win me any awards.

Alex Hill, G7KSE, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from Cumbria, UK. Contact him at [email protected].

Today’s sunspot count is 65 with “normal” 20-30MHz conditions. It looks to me as if the solar activity is now on the slide downwards. This does not mean an end to good conditions. This autumn 15, 12 and 10m should still be in very good shape and it will be a few years before we really see the changes.

There are all sorts of predictions about the next few cycles. The consensus is the next few cycles will be ones with low solar activity. It is still too soon to say if we are really entering another Maunder minimum. Don’t worry: this is a chance to explore HF in different times. There is unlikely to be good (any) E-W F-layer propagation on 12,10 and 6m but N-S propagation will be possible some of the time and openings on Es can be surprisingly distant in all directions at the optimum times of the year.

And there are always VHF, UHF, microwaves and nanowaves to explore!

See the coming months and years as a challenge. We may never see really good conditions again in our lifetimes but there will still be interesting propagation and DX to be worked and heard.

Roger Lapthorn, G3XBM, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from Cambridge, England.