After reading the August 2005 QST article by Chris Ormsby, K0CAO, and Bob Witte, K0NR, I thought what fun a HF low power (QRP) operation from a Colorado 14er (A mountain over 14,000 feet high.) would be. The “carrot” would be that an out-of-state 14er to 14er HF contact had yet to be made.1 After [...]
On July 28, the FCC approved a modification that expands the ARRL’s 500 kHz experimental license WD2XSH. According to Experiment Coordinator Fritz Raab, W1FR, the expansion allows for more frequencies, more stations and portable operations.
No sunspot activity this week, and if no sunspot appears today, July 31, the average sunspot number for July will be 5.1; this is down from June’s average of 6.6. The monthly average of the daily sunspot number, January-July 2009, is 2.8, 2.5, 0.8, 1.3, 4, 6.6 and 5.1. The three-month averages for October 2008-June [...]
This week, Surfin’ further explores the possibilities and practicalities of getting electricity from your own resources.
On the afternoon of July 16, ARRL Elko County (Nevada) Emergency Coordinator Greg Barker, K7CWL, was making his way home from Eureka on Nevada Highway 278 when a van sped past him. About 60 miles into his trip, he saw the van slow down and pull over to the side of the road. Barker, a [...]
On July 28, the FCC issued a Citation to Hobby Lobby International (HLI) for marketing non-compliant radio frequency devices. According to the Commission, these devices were in violation of the Communications Act of 1934, As Amended and the Commission’s Rules, as well as United States Customs and Border Patrol regulations.
The space shuttle Endeavour is due to land Friday, August 31, but before it leaves orbit it will deploy four student-built satellites, all with telemetry downlinks in the 2 meter, or 70 cm, amateur bands.
On Friday, July 23 at 2 PM, Sacramento City CERT activated Sacramento City Fire CERT and Sacramento County ARES® for a large natural gas leak in South Sacramento. According to ARRL Sacramento Valley Section DEC and CERT Communications Manager Frank Reshke, N6SNO, a two block area was evacuated due to the leak. “Around 30 people [...]
When you live on a remote island with numerous mountains and valleys, communications can be tricky. Add interference that blocks the main communications frequency used by the local emergency rescue squad and you’ve got a disaster waiting to happen. That’s what responders and residents on St John in the US Virgin Islands recently found themselves [...]
AMSAT-UK has announced a new amateur satellite project — FUNcube — an educational single cubesat project that features a 435-145 MHz linear transponder for SSB/CW operation. According to AMSAT-UK, FUNcube will "enthuse and educate" young people about radio, space, physics and electronics. "The idea of FUNcube is to combine an educational project to excite young [...]
Registration remains open through Sunday, August 23, 2009, for these online course sessions beginning on Friday, September 4, 2009: Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level 1; Antenna Modeling; Radio Frequency Interference; Antenna Design and Construction; Ham Radio (Technician) License Course; Propagation; Analog Electronics, and Digital Electronics.
On Friday, July 24, the Senate confirmed the nominations of Meredith Attwell Baker and Mignon Clyburn as FCC Commissioners. Both nominees appeared before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on July 15 to be vetted by the 25 members of the committee. Baker and Attwell were nominated by President Barack Obama on June [...]
The June 2009 event wasn’t my first Field Day. Several years ago the members of the St Charles Amateur Radio Club invited me out to their site. I accepted and spent several hours wandering around taking pictures, poking my nose into tents, and tripping over things. Since I didn’t do anything, I counted that as [...]
Ham Radio operators enjoing RVing caravaning and camping
Operating Modes/EMEComparison of some popular 432 MHz EME antennas by DF9CY