Teen Radio Journey - If you spend a lot of time on HF and like to exchange QSL cards, then you know how expensive they can get even if you print them on your own. Anyone who loves to exchange QSL cards would drool over a box of 1000 Full-Color Photo QSL Cards. The only problem is, you would

HandiHam - Welcome to Handiham World!Update: Larry Huggins, KA0LSG, Handiham Volunteer, holds the Wouxun HT on cover of WorldradioLast week's mention of the Wouxun talking dual band handheld radio created quite a stir, so we are devoting some time to a follow up. I heard from a number of our readers and listeners who said that the PDF online version of the "With the Handihams" article was difficult to read because of the PDF layout. Although the magazine has done a great job making the layout easy to follow for sighted readers, I have heard that there is a need for a more straightforward text version for our blind readers and listeners. I have placed the text of the article on the Handiham website, as well as a link to an audio version of the article read by Bob Zeida, N1BLF, who reads for us and for The Talking Information Center of the Massachusetts Reading network. Since we didn't specify retailers, we also provide you a link to some sources.Those of you who listen to this podcast will hear Bob reading "With the Handihams". Before we get to those resource links, there is word that Wouxun is interested in developing a talking dual-band base/mobile rig. I read about this on a discussion thread on the Blind-Hams mailing list. At this point, they are interesting in learning what accessibility features are most needed, so this may be a rare opportunity for anyone who wants to have a say in the early design of a radio to get their voice heard. To comment on this, you may email Ed at Wouxun: sales@wouxun.us. That is also the address to request a price list and ordering information. The Wouxun.us website states "Due to having minor surgery, I will not be shipping orders between July 26 - Aug 7. During this time I will answer emails and take orders." With this in mind, I would guess that you may need a bit of patience in communicating with Ed, especially if you have questions. I would urge our readers and listeners to keep the questions simple and don't ask a bazillion of them. In fact, the website is easily navigated and you can find the answers to your question there. The pricing is under $110 + shipping, and a variety of accessories are available. Remember that you can get this radio in a dual band version that includes 2 meters and either 70 cm (440 MHz) or 1.25 m (222 MHz.) The pricing is the same for either combination. Please see the Handiham.org website for the story & resource links. Our thanks to CQ Publications and the Blind Hams Mailing List for helping us get the word out about accessible technology. For Handiham World, I'm...Patrick Tice wa0tda@arrl.net

KB6NU - Some purchasers of the latest Apple iPhone have been experiencing reception problems. Apparently, the band around the phone is the phone’s antenna, and when held in a certain way, the antenna doesn’t function as well as it should. Well, doh! Any amateur radio operator could tell you that you probably don’t want to touch your antenna while you’re transmitting and probably not while you’re trying to receive, either. I guess there aren’t many hams on Apple’s engineering staff. For more technical information, listen to this IEEE podcast with antenna engineer Spencer Webb.

VA3QV - Thats right… 24 Days to Maplecon…. Click on the above Logo to go to their site for the most up to date information I’m still planning to get there at least for the Saturday and if the family permits the 3 Days… 73bob

AE5X - There seems to be a lot of interest in personal weather stations among ham radio ops. I started my own a little over a year ago after researching what was out there, equipment wise, and I did so thinking it would be interesting to see trends over time here at my own QTH. What I didn’t realize at the time was how much goes on behind the scenes regarding the data flow of weather info for those stations that are tied to computers with an always-on internet connection. I learned about all that after getting set up and was/am amazed at what occurs without my having to do anything to enable it other than allowing my data to go out into the ether. I’ll describe it in brief here, and provide relevant links to more detailed info for those considering a similar set-up. For the record, I have a Davis Vantage Pro II with a USB connection to my computer. It comes with its own software for local presentation of graphical data, charts, etc on your own computer. But instead of that program, I’m running Virtual Weather Station which provides far more options in how and which data is presented. It also allows me to upload my selected graphs to a page on my website. And it has a free add-on program called VWSaprs that runs in the background and uploads your weather station’s data to the APRS network. If I didn’t have a 24/7 internet connection, I could feed my weather station’s data to a 2m FM radio tuned to 144.390 MHz and get onto the APRS network that way. To control and convert weather data to audio for the 2m rig, I’d use one of these or one of these or something similarly inexpensive. Either method gets your weather data onto the APRS network and that’s where the magic begins. By magic, I mean that you are not only sharing your info but are allowing it to be smoothed, compared, evaluated and rated. This is important for two reasons: it provides you with info regarding the proper siting of your weather station and it provides external weather entities (NOAA, MADIS, Wunderground.com, etc) with an additional source to use for their purposes. Furthermore, each of these users of weather data provides their own way for you to see how your data compares to what they believe is the correct data for your area and time. By data, I’m talking primarily about temperature, barometric pressure, rainfall and dew point/humidity. Here is a diagram of the data flow that results simply from you putting your wx data onto the APRS network using either method mentioned above: The presence of your own station’s dataflow throughout this system can be seen at each step along the way, often accompanied by quality checks and other comparative data derived from other sources. Here’s mine at various steps along the way: FindU - Wx Quality Reporter

WSPRnet - VE5MU has moved from Regina, SK (DO70QK) to Saskatoon, SK DO62QD, also running a new antenna, a large delta Loop approx 350 feet , apex at 4o feet and fed in from one corner with an SGC tuner at the feed point. John VE5MU

KE9V - By now most of us have read the news touting the recent explosive growth in amateur radio. According to the ARRL, last year was very good and the first six months of 2010 even better: “With more than 18,000 new Amateur Radio licenses issued in the first half of this year — 18, 270 to be exact — 2010 is shaping up to be a banner year for Amateur Radio. So far, the number of new licenses issued by the FCC in 2010 is outpacing the January-June 2009 totals by almost 8.5 percent; at this time last year, the FCC had issued 16,844 new licenses”. Good for us! But lost in that good news is one question that deserves an answer: what is bringing them in? Is it renewed vigor in local clubs? Perhaps it has something to do with the newly minted ARRL Web site, or its forays into social media like Twitter or Facebook? Is it a particular book or magazine, a new iPhone app, or maybe a combination of all the above? It certainly seems important to get to the heart of the matter so the hobby/service can keep doing whatever it is that is bringing record numbers of new hams into the fold. I haven’t observed any new television or radio marketing schemes promoting amateur radio. I haven’t kept track, but it certainly feels like ham radio is getting more attention in local newspapers though it may be that we are only recognizing that now thanks to Google. Could it have something to do with that different looking man with the unusual name who sits in the Oval Office? That certainly seemed to ignite the sale of guns and ammunition last year. Has ham radio become a refuge for survivalists and those awaiting a Thunderdome conclusion to life as we know it? What do we know from the data that we do track – have you noticed an uptick in the usage of your local repeater? Are we seeing larger crowds attending hamfests? Has anyone noted a significant increase in the number of radio contesting entrants? I’m simply curious – what is bringing new blood into an old hobby and what are these new operators finding so interesting about it? Enquiring minds want to know. The comment section is wide open, operators are standing by…

DX World of Ham Radio

QRPedia - I am a 27 year old social worker from Alabama, Alberta and on the side run a website for various ebook ressources. I also have a dream of opening a website that is based around freelance art and finding the inner artist in everyone. I hope everyone on here enjoys my articles and will benefit from my knowledge. I also have a site about ecommerce software and email marketing software on my sever too. Check them out if you want to know more about me.

DX World of Ham Radio - A team will operate as 9L5VT in Sierra Leone during the CQWW DX CW contest (November 27/28). The group dedicate this year’s project to Vince K5VT who became a SK recently. QSL via G3SXW. ADXO

DX World of Ham Radio - Alex, UA3DLD will be QRV as RI0FKD from Kunashir Island, Kuril Islands, AS-025 between August 8 to Septemeber 3, 2010. He may be active from other islands within the Kuril group during this period. QSL via UA3DLD. LINK

DX World of Ham Radio - Nikolai RK3RB, Arcady RZ0SB and Igor UA3EDQ with great assistance and participation of their family members plan to activate from 7th to 17th August as R3RRC/0 and Home Calls/0 some references of Baikal Lake for Russian Robinson Club’s awards programs (more details can be found here ). RRA Islands planned to be visited: RR-21-02; 21-07; 21-08, more details [...]

VA3QV - Early this morning while surfing Youtube I came upon this interesting video… …  I found it to be a fantastic example of ARES being taken very seriously by all three levels of goverment.  As the video states the Mobile Command Post was sponsored by various levels of Goverments and it goes anywhere in VE5 as needed… Like I said “FANTASTIC”!!! 73bob

DX World of Ham Radio - Michael, DB5MH plans to be active from Disko Island, NA-134 between July 29 to August 8. This will be a QRP operation only, with Michael using 14310Mhz daily @ 00:00UTC. QSL via DJ9KH.

VA3STL - The off-centre dipole installed on Field Day 2010 (photograph and copyright of Chris Weisner, VA3SM) As I mentioned in the earlier Field Day 2010 report, the CUARC group built two antennas for the event.  In this post I will describe the first one of these, an off-centre fed dipole. The common place for the feed point of the off-centre fed dipole is at a 1/3 : 2/3 split in the arms. This has the advantage of providing low SWR (with a 4:1 balun) at even harmonic frequencies, such as 20m and 10m for an antenna cut for the fundamental frequency of 40m (around 66ft). Whereas a centre-fed dipole will only have the odd harmonics which for a 40m (7MHz) dipole is 15m (21MHz). Rather than use the traditional off-centre length split of 1/3 : 2/3 for our Field Day antenna, it was decided to follow the design proposed by Richard Formato, K1POO, in two technical correspondences published in QST 1,2 and followed up with further article with by Dale Gaudier, 3. In this design the feed point is moved closer to the 1/6 point on the short arm, the advantage being stated in the articles that you should get a 200Ω feedpoint there and so a low SWR on 40m, 20m, 15m and 10m bands when using a 4:1 balun, with no need for an antenna tuner unit.  The emphasis on the 15m band is intentional as a low SWR on that band is not usually possible with an off-centre fed dipole with the feed at 1/3 : 2/3 and a 4:1 balun.  Four bands on one 69 foot wire antenna with no tuner looked very attractive for Field Day. The antenna was cut carefully prior to Field Day and the end insulators were added.  When cutting the antenna the length measurement included the ‘pig-tail’ connections that I have on the 4:1 balun. The diagram below shows the arrangement of the antenna. The off-centre fed dipole for 40m, 20m, 15m and 10m On the day the antenna was installed between two trees at about 35ft off the ground. While the second antenna was being constructed (to be featured in a later post) its SWR was measured with my Autek RF-1 antenna analyzer.  The results were taken by Maria, VA3MMI and Gil, VE3JRY and are tabulated below. _______________________________________________ Band (m)    2:1 VSWR Range (MHz)          Minimum VSWR 40                                                                      3.1 : 1 (at 7.38 MHz) 20                       13.29 – 14.65                            1.4 : 1 15                       21.20 – 22.31                            1.5 : 1 10                      27.78 – 29.25                            1.7 : 1 _______________________________________________

KB6NU - As I’ve often mentioned, many of us started out as shortwave listeners (SWLs). It’s also true that SW broadcasting isn’t what it used to be. Nearly everyone, except the Chinese, have cut back their broadcasting schedules. Heck, the BBC doesn’t even broadcast to North America anymore. So, it’s hard to report bad news concerning a long-time SW broadcaster. The latest is that a court-ordered study in Italy has warned of “important risks” of dying of cancer for people who had resided at least 10 years within a nine-kilometre (5.5-mile) radius of the radio station’s antenna towers near Cesano, about 12 miles north of Rome.A Rome judge ordered the report in 2005 as part of an investigation into a complaint filed in 2001 by Cesano residents who alleged health hazards posed by the electromagnetic waves. “There has been an important, coherent and meaningful correlation between exposure to Vatican Radio’s structures and the risk of leukaemia and lymphoma in children,” the report said, according to the daily La Stampa. The charges are so serious that there’s talk of indicting some Vatican Radio officials on charges of manslaughter. The Vatican, of course, disputes this study, but it’s hard to say who will win the case. To read more, here are a few links: Vatican Radio: Still Making Waves (IEEE Spectrum) Challenge to Vatican Radio Station (ABC News) Vatican Radio Waves Blamed for High Cancer Risk (Telegraph.co.uk)

W2LJ - As always, FOBB taught me a few lessons, 1) Really have to get a Buddipole mast. The plastic insert on my painter's pole can't handle the weight of the Buddistick. Those 10 foot whips add A LOT of weight! It did the job yesterday; but at the end, the antenna was listing pretty badly. 2) Have to finish the Fuchs tuner, so I can play around with an end fed tossed up a tree. 3) It always seems the weather for the major QRP outdoor events will always end up being less than desired. Have to account for all kinds of possibilities. Yesterday's thunder crept up on me very quickly. I was definitely paying too much attention to the radio and not enough to the sky. 4) Have to tear apart the PFR3A and find out why the internal batteries didn't work. One must have gotten jostled out of the battery insert on the trip back from Lake George. 5) Wish I had been able to put in the whole four hours. From what I have been reading on the QRP reflectors, 40 Meters got WAY better during the second half. 72 de Larry W2LJ

2E0HTS - We spent last week relaxing at the Galloway Coastline in the south west of Scotland. We had a very enjoyable stay at The Isle of Whithorn just 7yds from the sea. Our accommodation was excellent on the Harbor row, which was only a stone’s throw away from the historic landing place of St Ninian We visited this area for the first time three years ago when we stayed at the Galloway Astronomy Centre and have been revisiting as regular as we can, ever since. The area has lots of historic sites not to mention the stunning views, large empty beaches and plenty of wild life which for us makes up a great holiday. One of our favorite beaches is at Monreith where there is one of Scotlands best kept secerets The Church of Kirkmaiden hidden away but easily found along with St Medana’s Well. The Church of KirkmaidenSt Medana's beach at Kirkmaiden During our many visits to the beach I was able to get some HF Mobiling done with the trusty Yaesu FT-100 on 20m, 40m and 80m with some great contacts worked with my recently acquired Hustler mono band antenna.I enjoyed the many QSO's and managed to get a few of the stations I worked in my log thanks to my YL Louise (M3TLL). Thanks! to all of you guys that came back to my call. I also took my telescope and I spent some time watching the Buzzards look for their lunch. I tried to catch some pictures so you can see what I was looking at.

WSPRnet - Today I received my first SWL rpt by mail from Frank Hunger from Germany. A nice postcard and a very nice letter with ofcourse the details from his reception report. Thanks for this one Frank and a qsl card is on the way back to you. Greetings Johan, PE9DX.

DX World of Ham Radio - Message from Francisco Jackson, PY1PDF: ZY6Z – Island of Morro de Sao Paulo and Tinharé, SA-080 A team of Radiate will activate the island of Morro de Sao Paulo and Tinharé, SA-080 in the Bay of All Saints, between 3 – 7 September, 2010. Will be operating in the frequency for the operation at IOTA, the bands [...]