AmateurRadio.com

Stories you’ll find in our April, 2015 issue:

Scanning North America’s Railroads
By Richard Fisher KI6SN
The good news for the vast majority of railroad scanners is that 95 percent of railroad communication takes place on good ol’ analog FM. So, if you have a scanner capable of covering the railroads’ 96 FCC-assigned VHF channels, you’ve already got everything you need. You’ll be known in the vernacular as a “railfan” – of the radio-operatus specie.

FT-991: Yaesu’s Latest Shack-in-the-Box
By Mark Haverstock K8MSH
The Yaesu FT-991is both a competent rig that has a feature set that will satisfy most hams. Added VHF/UHF capabilities make it a very versatile rig for many applications. Yaesu’s touch screen goes a long way to help demystify menu selections. Find out why Mark thinks the FT-991 is a perfect fit for just about any ham shack, portable and Field Day use.

Digitally Speaking: Battery Considerations for Digital Portables
By Cory Sickles WA3UVV
Digital voice transceivers have more sophistication and complexity going on inside of them than similar analog FM rigs—especially when it comes to portables. That little radio in your hand, and the computer chips driving the extra features needs, additional current to keep everything going.

The Thrift Store Amateur
By Chris Friesen VE4CWF
If money has never been a problem, and you’ve always been able to buy your equipment factory fresh—congratulations—this article is not for you. If however, you have always had difficulty justifying the purchase of a new piece of station equipment, because you need your money to buy groceries, then you might find some encouragement in what Chris is writing about.

2015 Winter SWL Fest Recap
By Thomas Witherspoon K4SWL
Every year at the end of at the first of March for the last 28 years, the North American Shortwave Association (NASWA) has hosted its annual Winter Shortwave Listening Fest. This year saw over 100 devoted SWLers brave severe winter weather to gather in Pennsylvania to share their passion for shortwave.

Scanning America By Dan Veenaman
P25: A Tale of Two Systems

Federal Wavelengths By Chris Parris
Super Bowl XLIX Wrap-up

Utility Planet By Hugh Stegman NV6H
New Use for US Marine Channels?

Digital HF: Intercept and Analyze By Mike Chace-Ortiz AB1TZ/G6DHU
3G Wideband Protocols Are Arriving on HF

HF Utility Logs By Mike Chace-Ortiz and Hugh Stegman

Amateur Radio Insights By Kirk Kleinschmidt NT0Z
My Friend Ferrite: Interference Part 3

Radio 101 By Ken Reitz KS4ZR
The Art and Science of Chasing DX

Radio Propagation By Tomas Hood NW7US
More Sunspot Mysteries Revealed

The World of Shortwave Listening By Rob Wagner VK3BVW
The QSL Card – At What Cost?

The Shortwave Listener By Fred Waterer
Radio, History and Business Today

Maritime Monitoring By Ron Walsh VE3GO
Radio Surprises and Changes

The Longwave Zone By Kevin O’Hern Carey WB2QMY
Tuning in to Natural Radio

Adventures in Radio Restoration By Rich Post KB8TAD
The Real McCoy: A 1957 Novice Transmitter

The Broadcast Tower By Doug Smith W9WI
Stuffing 85 Channels into a 32-Channel Sack

Antenna Connections By Dan Farber AC0LW
Nothing Ventured: Understanding Antenna Gain

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 2015 issue) is $24. Individual monthly issues are available for $3 each.