Tabla de contenidos para January 2023 en Practical Wireless

Jan Verduyn G5BBL PA3D, the Director of SDR Kits Limited, told us that simple satellite communications, using LoRa, is a very interesting area. It can be used by licensed radio amateurs, to receive short messages from other amateurs and for the reception of data from remote IoT devices and networks. In this context, the TinyGS is an open network of Ground Stations distributed around the world to receive and operate LoRa satellites, weather probes and other flying objects, using cheap and versatile modules. This project is based on ESP32 boards; currently, it is compatible with sx126x and sx127x LoRa modules but SDR Kits are planning to support more radio modules in the future. (SOURCE: SDR Kits) https://tinygs.com…

practicalwireless@warnersgroup.co.uk When we launched this series a year ago its aim was to demonstrate that radio amateurs are drawn from all walks of life and often have interests and talents that might not always be apparent from a quick QSO on the air. And so it has proved. We have already met a talented organist, a top radio astronomer, a regular BBC broadcaster and a world-renowned novelist. This month we break yet more new ground. I am delighted to have the opportunity of talking to Dave Rowntree M0IEG, Fig. 1, drummer of the globally famous Britpop group Blur, Fig. 2. Dave has had a lifelong fascination for radio, which – as we shall learn – is the inspiration behind his debut solo album Radio Songs, Fig. 3, due to be…

practicalwireless@warnersgroup.co.uk This antenna is quick and easy to make, works well, can be rolled up and put in a pocket, and costs almost nothing – but, for some reason, most licensed amateurs seem never to consider it. I’m always a little surprised when I hear comments such as “Oh yes, my new rig has 4m on it, but I’m not QRV on that band yet because I have no antenna for it”. My usual response is “Well, if you had an antenna, what would you use to connect it to your radio?” The answer, of course, is always “Coaxial cable” … and typically this is followed by “I have a load of that; just no antenna”. In fact, if you have enough 50Ω coaxial feeder cable, you have almost everything…

practicalwireless@warnersgroup.co.uk This month, I have lots to cram in, starting with some VarAC operating tips. I’ll follow this with a look at some new SDR software and finish with Simon Brown’s updated World Map. VarAC Operating Tips In last month’s column, I supplied a detailed, step-by-step installation process to set you up using this excellent HF chat mode. Hopefully, you will have made a few contacts and familiarised yourself with the mode. I’ve been using VarAC and receiving regular updates from Victor G3JNB, a very keen new user. As with all new modes, the initial problem is getting enough active users. Things are improving, but we need more operators, so why not join us? VarAC Beacons One special feature of VarAC is its beacon mode. When activated, this automatically transmits…

teleniuslowe@gmail.com Happy New Year and welcome to the January HF Highlights. There’s plenty to report again this month, so let’s move on. Propagation Neil Clarke G0CAS sent in this report on the 28MHz beacons: As October progressed the main form of propagation was via the F-layer with DX available on most days. Paths to North America improved, with 4U1UN 28200 heard on 17 days of the month. W6WX and the high-latitude beacon VE8AT, both also on 28200, were heard for the first time this sunspot cycle on the 26th. Still on 28200, VK6RBP Australia and RR9O Asiatic Russia were both heard on numerous days. Now to Europe, where Sporadic E continued to take place on some days with most of the openings being to Italy and Spain (IQ8CZ 28230 was…

keith.g4miu@gmail.com Hi everyone and welcome to the new PW ‘antennas’ column. Many of you may know me from RadioUser where I ran the monthly Aerials Now column. For those that don’t, I was first licensed as G8MCK in September 1976. In 1981 I took the then Post Office Morse test to become G4MIU. I have a background in antenna manufacturing and mobile radio systems and have also written various articles and equipment reviews for RadioUser and the World Radio TV Handbook, not to mention book reviews for PW. My main amateur radio interests currently lay in HF operating although, rather ironically, I presently do not have any suitable antennas up for transmitting due to some ongoing tree work in my back garden! I do at least have a couple of…

Send your letters to: Practical Wireless Letters, Warners Group Publications plc West Street, Bourne, Lincs PE10 9PH E-mail: practicalwireless@warnersgroup.co.uk Morse, Revalidation and a Simple Radio Dear Don, Richard G3UGF (December 2022), is absolutely correct with what not to do when first learning CW. “Writing it down comes last”. Shamefully, I fell headlong into that same hole too. Luckily, I didn’t dig the hole too deep. So I was able to climb out easily. Another thing not to do is to begin learning CW in increments. Like 5wpm, then 8wpm and so on, for example. Although there is a temptation to do exactly that, what you should do is to start off at 15wpm or 20wpm but leave bigger gaps between each character, then reduce the gap as you become more…

The team at AN-SOF continue to be busy introducing updates and antenna models for their simulation package. The latest update is V7.8 as reported by AN-SOF. This is what is new: • Quickly view input impedance, VSWR, directivity, gain and efficiency in the new Results tab. • Click the Export Results button on the toolbar to export this data to a spreadsheet. • The wavelength is now displayed in the Frequency panel while entering the operating frequency. • Automatically close all charts when exiting AN-SOF or keep them open to analyse the plots. Go to Tools > Preferences > Options and check ‘Close charts when exiting AN-SOF’. A great strength of AN-SOF is the documentation. Explore the new User Guide on the website. Coming soon: the online Knowledge Base. Recent…

practicalwireless@warnersgroup.co.uk When I first handled this new curve sided radio, its futuristic appearance reminded me of vintage TV series of the 1960s and 70s. Know what I mean? People in white jumpsuits, headsets, low budget scenery and scifi noises from wobbulators and sine/square wave generators. The G-106 definitely isn’t flimsy, it’s reassuringly solid. It’s a little heavier than it looks at 733 grams and measures just 120mm wide x 40mm in height x 135mm deep. It’s smaller than a Yaesu FT-818ND as it has no internal battery and, of course, it’s half the price. The ‘groovy’, stove finish casing is quality steel and extends at each front corner to protect the external controls, very handy when out and about. Out of the Box Unpacking and handling the new Xiegu G106…

g4owy6@gmail.com Isn’t it lovely when it’s getting more summery? There I’ll be waddling about in my garden wearing my old Levi jeans and my Save the Ionosphere tee-shirt on while admiring the Flora, maybe checking out the fruit trees and watching the insect fauna as they dart here and there. And perhaps updating my antennas. I’d swan about feeling like Jack-the-lad just muttering about nothing at all. Well, I might wonder why I’m so OCD? Why a friend of mine insists on calling SDR ‘Silly Defined Radio’? And why my local amateur radio community appears to have packed their bags and left for pastures new? Anyway, as I usually do, I plonk myself down inside my summer house, crack open a can or two of Carlsberg Export and think how…

dk8ok@gmx.net The Global Maritime Distress and Safety System, or GMDSS, is a system of different maritime communications tools on frequencies ranging from as low as 424kHz [NAVTEX] over HF and VHF up to satellite channels in the GHz region. This article focuses on the Black Cat GMDSS decoder (link to free test version below), hence on HF. There, the six main channels (there are some more with only miniscule traffic) range from 2MHz to 16MHz. Reception of both, Coastal Stations and vessels, is from around the world. In this case from Vestmannaeyjar Radio in Iceland to Cape Town Radio in South Africa, and from Valparaiso Playo Ancha Radio in Chile to Taupo Maritime Radio in New Zealand. You may hear vessels of each kind, from small ones for pleasure to…

g4fai@btinternet.com By the 1880s, professional telegraphers In the US were participating in regular Morse speed contests. According to an advertisement for the Tillotson/Greeley ‘Improved’ Victor hand key, the winner of the Telegraphers’ Tournament in New York on 5 April 1885, using the Victor key, sent 500 words in 10 minutes, 32 seconds. This result, the advertisement claimed, was ‘the fastest time in the world’. As American Morse is about 10% faster than International code, his record speed of 47.5 words per minute (wpm) was equivalent to 42.75 wpm in International Morse. This is an approximate figure as American Morse does not have defined dot/dash/spacing similar to the 50-bit PARIS standard, which helps to define wpm in International Morse. George W Conkling Another professional, George Conkling won the Grand National Telegraph…

Keith405625.kh1@gmail.com Garry405625.gs@gmail.com In October 2022, the BBC celebrated their Centenary. The BBC was originally a limited company, formed on 18 October 1922. Initially, the British Broadcasting Company raised funds to begin their service by issuing shares, Fig. 1. Daily broadcasting began from the London 2LO station on 14 November. Several restrictions were imposed upon the BBC by the Postmaster-General. For instance, the source of news items was strictly controlled. The BBC were not allowed to set up a news service of their own, even if the terms of the regular agencies became too onerous. They were also not allowed to broadcast ‘running commentaries’ on ceremonies, gatherings and sports events. The publishing of magazines and books by the BBC was also tightly regulated. When the Company and the well-known publishers, Newnes,…

BUILD YOUR OWN SHACK: Stuart Vanstone M0SGV offers a blow by blow account of how he built a new outdoor shack from scratch REVIEW OF JPC-12 VERTICAL ANTENNA: Richard Constantine G3UGF takes an in-depth look at this range of new portable antennas from China. VALVE & VINTAGE: Dr Bruce Taylor HB9ANY describes a ground-breaking shortwave transistor receiver, the Heathkit Mohican. CAN YOU HEAR A WSPR: Billy McFarland GM6DX describes how he set up a WSPR beacon on the Isle of Man. THE INVERTED LAZY L MULTIBAND EFQW: Roger Wheeler G3MGW builds a multi-band antenna for limited space. There are all your other regular columns too, including HF Highlights, World of VHF, The Morse Mode, On a Budget, What Next and Data Modes as well as your Letters, Latest News and…

ICOM launched its new IC-M510BB at the METS (Marine Equipment Trade Show) in Amsterdam recently. An all-new top-end black box modular transceiver that can be installed out of sight for convenience or where space for electronic equipment is at a premium. Up to three remote control mics (the HM-195GB Commandmic) can fully operate all the features of the IC-M510BB and can be installed up to 18.3m or 60ft away from the main radio unit. The IC-M510BB is supplied as standard with 1x HM-195GB but adding others will allow the user to control the 25W fixed radio from various areas on board such as the helm, chart table, cabin or flybridge. The IC-M510BB adopts many features from ICOM’s market-leading NMEA award-winning IC-M510 VHF marine radio, including an AIS receiver which can…

michael@gb2mop.org Attenuators are very useful tools for testing and construction of radio equipment, something brought home to me since the completion of a home-built signal generator and purchase of the tinySA Spectrum Analyser and NanoVNA Vector Network Analyser. In this article I want to look at design and construction of fixed attenuators, but will take a brief look at variable attenuators at the end. A selection of fixed attenuators for BNC and SMA connections is shown at Fig. 1. Let us first of all take a look at what attenuators do and why you need them. An attenuator takes a signal at its input, and at the output the signal is reduced by a specified number of decibels (dB) without introducing distortion. You might want to use an attenuator to…

practicalwireless@warnersgroup.co.uk Short-wave apparatus is generally characterised by elaborate metal chassis, screens and complicated layouts, for which reason many experimenters are not taking advantage of the enjoyment of short-wave work, thinking that it is complicated or beyond their ability. Actually; of course, this impression is erroneous, and apart from the fact that tuning is slightly more critical and thus has to be carried out more carefully, there is nothing out of the ordinary in short-wave work. To prove that efficient short-wave apparatus may be made, even by the beginner; without elaborate screening or similar devices, the Shortwave Three has been designed and is illustrated and described here. It will be seen that the set is compact (the chassis is only 8in. by 7in. in size); the layout is quite ordinary, and…

practicalwireless@warnersgroup.co.uk One of the nice problems with owning a modern SDR rig is that it’s like being in a proverbial candy shop, ie, so many bands to play with. What antennas to put up next in the limited environment most of us find ourselves in is a problem. If you own a long garden, then you’re fortunate indeed but the rest of us have to make choices on what will the neighbours think and will it fit, all this and keeping the XYL happy that you’re not invading her garden tranquillity. So 10m was a band I had a hankering to try. I don’t really have room for a beam and rotator so the antenna needed to be small, omnidirectional and mounted on a mast that was already being used…

gm6dx@outlook.com One wire antenna that I have found is under used by many amateurs is the full-wave loop antenna. Plenty of people use multiband non resonant loops with a 4:1 balun to help with matching but the monoband resonant full-wave loop just seems to go under the radar with many amateurs. The loop has more gain than a dipole and the radiation pattern can vary depending on how it has been positioned and fed. In order to make this loop antenna you will find it beneficial to use an antenna analyser such as the RigExpert AA55 Zoom or 230 Zoom (or similar). Construction You will need a few components: 1 x dipole centre (allows wire connections to a SO239 connector) 1 x length of 75Ω coax (I use Van Damme…

27 November BISHOP AUCKLAND RAC RALLY: Spennymoor Leisure Centre, High St, Spennymoor DL16 6DB: Radio, old and new, computers & electronics. The rally takes place in a large ground-floor hall. Doors open at 10.30 am (10 am for disabled visitors). Admission is £2 - under 14s free of charge with an adult. (BB | CR | D | FP | TS). 07710 023 916 g4ttf@yahoo.co.uk 29 December (Thursday) YEOVIL ARC RALLY: Davis Hall, Howell Hill, West Camel, Yeovil, Somerset BA22 7QX. Doors open from 9.30 am to 1:00 pm, and admission is £3 (BB | CR | FP | RSGB). 20 tables of traders. 01963 440 167 http://www.yeovil-arc.com/events.php 29 January LINCOLN SHORTWAVE CLUB WINTER RADIO RALLY: The Festival Hall, Caistor Road, Market Rasen, LN8 3HT. Doors open at 10 am…