AmateurRadio.com

Stories you’ll find in our May, 2017 issue:

TSM Reviews: QRP Labs Ultimate 3S Transmitter Kit
By Mark Haverstock K8MSH

It’s the old radio conundrum: Is the band dead or is it that no one is listening? This month Mark looks at a beacon transmitter kit that lets you see just how active the band really is. The QRP Labs Ultimate 3S transmitter uses Weak Signal Propagation Reporter (WSPR) Frequency Shift-Keying (FSK) transmissions in beacon mode that can be received by receivers around the world set up to send back reports on a central reporting site on the Web. Mark puts this kit through its paces.

Tuning Out? History and Legacy of Longwave Broadcasting in Europe
By Georg Wiessala
Longwave broadcasting seems to be a relic from radio’s infancy. While its future is uncertain, during an era of Internet streaming and satellite beaming, it continues to hang on. Georg examines the history of longwave and explains why countries “disinvesting in AM broadcast radio make a shortsighted decision—losing an important channel for media diplomacy and international communications abroad.”

TSM Reviews: DX Engineering HF Portable TW Antennas
By Joe Lynch N6CL
TSM VHF and Above columnist, Joe Lynch N6CL, lives in a very restrictive neighborhood but, as an active ham on HF, that’s not deterred him from enjoying the radio hobby to its fullest. Joe wanted to see how well DX Engineering’s DXE-TW-2010-P 20 through 10 meters portable antenna would work—given his QTH. Find out why he says these antennas are, “worth the cost, considering the practicality they provide.”
DRM—Digital Radio Mondiale Spectrum within a Spectrum
By John Piliounis SV1OCS
Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) has been around since 1998 and has slowly found acceptance on HF as well as the FM band. But, the lack of affordable, capable receivers has hampered its success. John Piliounis takes a look at the technical side of this open-sourced, international digital radio format that can coexist with analog signals broadcast from the same tower.

Results of FCC Incentive Auction and Repacking of US TV Spectrum
By Mike Kohl
The results are in from the FCC’s massive TV band incentive auction and now the 39-month process begins in which some stations will go off the air; others will go off the air but join another station in the market to show up on a sub-channel, while others will move from UHF to VHF TV band. Mike explains it all.

Scanning America
By Dan Veeneman
Charlotte County (FL) and Dallas County (IA)

Federal Wavelengths
By Chris Parris
Shifts in Federal Trunked Radio Systems

Utility Planet
By Hugh Stegman
New Insights into North Korean “Numbers”

Shortwave Utility Logs
By Hugh Stegman and Mike Chace-Ortiz

Digitally Speaking
By Cory GB Sickles WA3UVV
Feeling Like a Kid Again

VHF and Above
By Joe Lynch N6CL
Kenwood’s New TH-D74

Amateur Radio Insights
By Kirk Kleinschmidt NT0Z
The Truth about Lightning: Most of us are Unprepared!

Radio 101
By Ken Reitz KS4ZR
Cord-Cutting Update: Options for you FTA Satellite and OTA-TV Systems

Radio Propagation
By Tomas Hood NW7US
Setting it Straight…

World of Shortwave Listening
By Jeff White
The Shortwave Scene in the Middle East

The Shortwave Listener
By Fred Waterer
Korea (North and South) on SW; New BBC Programming

Amateur Radio Astronomy
By Stan Nelson KB5VL
1420 MHz Band Interference

The Longwave Zone
By Kevin O’Hern Carey WB2QMY
Introducing a New Band: 630 Meters!

Adventures in Radio Restoration
By Rich Post KB8TAD
Philco 48-360: Last of the “Woody” Portables

Antenna Connections
By Dan Farber AC0LW
Balanced Feedline: Ace in the Hole

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

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