CQ 2017-12

TECHNOLOGY SPECIAL!
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COMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
DECEMBER 2017
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announcements
EDITORIAL STAFF
DECEMBER Richard S. Moseson, W2VU, Editor
Jason Feldman, KD2IWM, Associate Editor
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND — The Amateur Radio Club of the National Electronics Museum will air
Susan Moseson, Editorial Consultant
special event station, W2W, from 1300-2200 UTC Saturday, December 2 and 1300-2200 UTC Sunday,
December 3. Additional operations from December 4-10 possible. Frequencies include 7.041, 7.241, 14.041, CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
14.241 MHz. Website: <http://ww-2.us>. Kent Britain, WA5VJB, Antennas
MESA, ARIZONA — The Superstition Amateur Radio Club will hold the Superstition SuperFest 2017
Gerry L. Dexter, The Listening Post
on Saturday, December 2 at Mesa Community College, 1833 W. Southern Avenue. Email: <info@supersti-
tionsuperfest.org>. Website: <www.superstitionsuperfest.org>. Talk-in 448.275- (PL 100), or 449.600- (PL Joe Eisenberg, KØNEB, Kit-Building
100). VE exams, ARRL card checking, special event station: K7A, GOTA station, and fox hunt. Tony Emanuele, K8ZR, VHF
OCALA, FLORIDA — The Silver Springs Radio Club will hold its Hamfest 2017 on Saturday, December Tomas Hood, NW7US, Propagation
2 at 2232 NE Jacksonville Road. Website: <http://k4gso.us/hamfest>. Talk-in 146.610 (PL 123). VE exams, John Langridge, KB5NJD, MF/LF Operating
DXCC / WAS / VUCC card checking. Irwin Math, WA2NDM, Math’s Notes
MADISON HEIGHTS, MICHIGAN — The L’Anse Creuse Amateur Radio Club will hold its 45th Annual Ted Melinosky, K1BV, Awards
Swap & Shop on Sunday, December 3 at Madison Place, 876 Horace Brown Drive. Contact: Dale McGorman, Joe Moell, KØOV, Homing In
K8RO, 2855 Norton Lawn, Rochester Hills, MI 48307. Email: <k8ro@arrl.net>. Website: <www.n8lc.org>. Talk- Ron Ochu, KOØZ, Learning Curve
in 147.08+ (PL 100). VE exams. Jeff Reinhardt, AA6JR, Mobile/Radio Magic
PLANT CITY, FLORIDA — The Florida Gulf Coast Amateur Radio Council will hold the 42nd Annual
Scott Rought, KA8SMA, QRP
Tampa Bay Hamfest and Electronics Show and 2017 ARRL West Central Florida Section Convention
on Friday, December 8 and Saturday, December 9 at the Strawberry Festival Grounds-Expo Building, inter- Don Rotolo, N2IRZ, Digital
section of Lemon Street and W. Palmetto Avenue. Website: <www.tampabayhamfest.org>. Talk-in 145.410- Rob de Santos, K8RKD, Communications Horizons
(PL 131.8). VE exams, DXCC / WAS / IARU / VUCC card checking. Walt Palmer, W4ALT, Emergency Communications
CHELTENHAM, MARYLAND — The Prince George County ARES will hold the Second Annual Bob Schenck, N2OO, DX
American Legion PGCERA SantaFest on Saturday, December 9 at the American Legion Youth Camp, 9201 David Siddall, K3ZJ, Contesting
Surratts Road. Email: <selbynet@hotmail.com>. Website: <http://pgares.org/santafest>. Talk-in 145.230 (PL Tom Smerk, AA6TS, International
110.9). VE exams. Jason Togyer, KB3CNM, Spurious Signals
MINDEN, LOUISIANA — The Minden Amateur Radio Association will hold the MARA Christmas Ham- Gordon West, WB6NOA, Short Circuits
fest on Saturday, December 16 at the Minden Civic Center, 520 Broadway. Website: <http://n5rd.org>. Talk- Wayne Yoshida, KH6WZ, The Ham Notebook
in 147.300. VE exams.
PERALATA, NEW MEXICO — The Valencia County Amateur Radio Association will air a special event AWARD MANAGEMENT
station from 1500 UTC, Saturday, December 16 through 2359 UTC, Saturday, December 23 celebrating the John Bergman, KC5LK, WAZ Award
Christmas season in Bethlehem, New Mexico. Frequencies include 7.183, 14.283, 21.283, and 28.383 MHz.
Steve Bolia, N8BJQ, WPX Award
QSL a SASE to VCARA, P.O. Box 283, Peralta, NM 87042.
Keith Gilbertson, KØKG, CQ DX Award
JANUARY 2018 Ted Melinosky, K1BV, USA-CA Award
BROOKVILLE, NEW YORK — The Ham Radio University Amateur Radio Club, Radio Central Amateur
CONTEST MANAGEMENT
Radio Club, and WCWP will hold the 19th Annual Ham Radio University and 2018 ARRL New York City Andy Blank, N2NT, CQ 160 Meter Contest
/ Long Island Section Convention on Saturday, January 6 at the Hillwood Commons Student Center, 720 Steve Bolia, N8BJQ, CQ VHF Contest
Northern Boulevard. Email: <info@hamradiouniversity.org>. Website: <http://hamradiouniversity.org>. Talk- Ed Muns, WØYK, CQ RTTY Contest
in 146.85- (PL 136.5). VE exams, special event station: W2HRU. John Sweeney, K9EL, CQ DX Marathon
WAUKESHA, WISCONSIN — The West Allis Radio Amateur Club will hold the 46th Annual Midwinter Terry Zivney, N4TZ, CQWW WPX Contest
Swapfest on Saturday, January 6 at the Waukesha County Expo Arena, 1000 Northview Road. Contact: Erwin, Douglas Zwiebel, KR2Q, CQWW DX Contest
WI9EV, (262) 271-0630. Email: <wi9ev@wi.rr.com>. Website: <www.warac.org>. VE exams.
WHITE PLAINS, TENNESSEE — The Lakeway Amateur Radio Club will hold its 26th Annual Hamfest BUSINESS STAFF
and “Builders Fest” on Saturday, January 6 at the Walters State Great Smokey Mountains Expo Center, Richard A. Ross, K2MGA, Publisher
1615 Pavilion Drive. Email: <lakewayarcboard@gmail.com> or <gapritikin4128@aol.com>. Website: Frank Perry, Advertising Director
<www.morristownhamfest.com>. VE exams. Emily Leary, Sales Coordinator
GREENWOOD, SOUTH CAROLINA — The Greenwood Amateur Radio Society will hold the Greenwood Doris Watts, Accounting Department
Hamfest on Saturday, January 13 at Piedmont Technical College-James Medford Family Event Center, 620
North Emerald Road. Contact: Tedd Davasion, AI4WN, <ai4wn@arrl.net> or <wj4x@arrl.net>. Website: CIRCULATION STAFF
<www.w4gwd.org>. Talk-in 147.165+ (PL 107.2) or 443.900+ (PL 107.2). VE exams. Cheryl DiLorenzo, Customer Service Manager
PHOENIX, ARIZONA — The Thunderbird Amateur Radio Club will hold the Thunderbird Hamfest 2018
on Saturday, January 13 at the Northwest Community Church, 16615 N. 43rd Avenue. Email: <hamfest@ PRODUCTION STAFF
w7tbc.org>. Website: <www.w7tbc.org>. Talk-in 146.700-+ (PL 162.2) or 446.150- (PL 100). VE exams, DXCC Elizabeth Ryan, Art Director
card checking.
Dorothy Kehrwieder, Production Director
SCHERTZ, TEXAS — The San Antonio Radio Club will hold the 2018 San Antonio Radio Fiesta on
Saturday, January 13 at the Schertz Civic Center, 1400 Schertz Parkway. Contact: J.C. Smith, N5RXS, (210)
Emily Leary, Production Manager
522-6167. Email: <n5rxs@gmail.com>. Website: <http://w5sc.org>. VE exams, card checking. Hal Keith, Illustrator
NELSONVILLE, OHIO — The Sunday Creek Amateur Radio Federation will hold its 22nd Annual Larry Mulvehill, WB2ZPI, Staff Photographer
Hamfest on Sunday, January 14 at the Tri-County Career Center, 15676 State Route 691. Contact: Jeramy Rod Somera, Webmaster
Duncan, KC8QDQ, (740) 767-2554. Email: <duncan30@yahoo.com>. Website: <www.qrz.com/db/kc8aav>.
Talk-in 147.150+. VE exams. A publication of
FOREST HILL, TEXAS — The Cowtown Amateur Radio Club will hold the 10th Annual Cowtown Ham- CQ Communications, Inc.
fest and 2018 ARRL North Texas Section Convention on Friday, January 19 and Saturday, January 20 at 17 West John Street
the Forest Hill Civic & Convention Center, 6901 Wichita Street. Phone: (605) 269-8696. Email: <info@cow-
townhamfest.com>. Website: <www.cowtownhamfest.com>. Talk-in 146.94 (PL 110.9). VE exams.
Hicksville, NY 11801 USA.
FORT MEYERS, FLORIDA — The Fort Myers Amateur Radio Club will hold the Southwest Florida (ISSN 0007-893X) Volume 73, No. 12. Published monthly by CQ
Hamfest 2018 on Friday, January 19 and Saturday, January 20 at Riverside Church, 8660 Daniels Parkway. Communications, Inc., 17 W. John Street, Hicksville, NY 11801,
Contact: FMARC, P.O. Box 061183, Fort Myers, FL 33906-1183. Email: <pio@fmarc.net>. Website: Telephone 516-681-2922. Periodical postage paid at Hicksville,
<www.swflhamfest.info>. Talk-in 147.345 (PL 136.5). VE exams, ARRL card checking. NY 11801 and additional offices. Statement of Ownership,
HAMMOND, LOUISIANA — The Southeast Louisiana Amateur Radio Club will hold the 37th Annual Management and Circulation, October 26, 2017. 17 W. John
Hammond Hamfest on Saturday, January 20 at the Pennington Student Activity Center, 1350 North General Street, Hicksville, NY 11801. Publication #0007-893X. Issued
Pershing Street. Contact: Tyrone Burns, N5XES, <n5xes@arrl.net>. Website: <www.selarc.org>. Talk-in monthly, subscription price $38.95 per year (12 issues).
Publisher: Richard A. Ross; Editor: Richard S. Moseson: owned
147.000- (PL 107.2), 145.130- (PL 107.2), or 444.250+ (PL 107.2). VE exams.
by CQ Communications, Inc. Stockholders: Richard A. Ross.
QUARTZSITE, ARIZONA — The 21st Annual QuartzFest will be held from Sunday, January 21 through
Circulation (Average of Preceding 12 Months): Net Press Run
Saturday, January 27 at Bureau of Land Management property off Highway 95. Website: <www.quartzfest.org>. 20,711, Mail Subscriptions 17,723 Sales Through Dealers and
VE exams. News Agents 2050, Other Classes Mailed 355, Total Paid
ST. CHARLES, ILLINOIS — The Wheaton Community Radio Amateurs will hold the WRCA 51st Annual 20,128 Free Distribution 200, Total Distribution 20,328, Copies
Mid-Winter Hamfest on Sunday, January 21 at the Kane County Fairgrounds Expo Center, 525 S. Randall Not Distributed 383, Total 20,711. Paid Electronic Copies
Road. Contact: WCRA, P.O. Box QSL, Wheaton, IL 60187-1055. Phone: (630) 923-5447. Email: 8,989, Total Paid Print Copies + Paid Electronic Copies 29,117,
<info@w9ccu.org>. Website: <www.w9ccu.org>. Talk-in 145.31- (PL 107.2). VE exams. Total Print Distribution + Paid Electronic Copies 29,317.
JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI — The Jackson Amateur Radio Club will hold the Capital City Hamfest and Circulation (single issue nearest filing date): 20,408, Mail
2018 ARRL Delta Division Convention on Friday, January 26 and Saturday, January 27 at the Jackson MS Subscriptions 17,440, Sales Through Dealers and News Agents
Trademart, 1207 Mississippi Street. Contact: Gary Young, K5GYC, <k5gyc@att.net> or <hamfest@ 2,050 Other Classes Mailed 312, Total Paid 19,802, Free
msham.org>. Website: <http://hamfest.msham.org>. Talk-in 146.16+ or 146.34+. VE exams, DXCC / WAS / Distribution 200, Total Distribution 20,002, Copies Not
VUCC card checking. Distributed 406, Total 20,408.Paid Electronic Copies 9,012,
COLLINSVILLE, ILLINOIS — The St. Louis & Suburban Radio Club will hold Winterfest 2018 on Sat- Total Paid Print Copies + Paid Electronic Copies 28,814, Total
urday, January 27 at the Gateway Center, One Gateway Drive. Contact: Rebecca Carroll, KC9CIJ, (314) 496- Print Distribution + Paid Electronic Copies 29,014. s/Dorothy
Kehrwieder, Business Manager. Entire contents copyrighted
7271. Email: <kc9cij@slsrc.org>. Website: <http://winterfest.slsrc.org>. Talk-in 146.970 (PL 141.3). VE exams,
2017 by CQ Communications, Inc.
DXCC / WAS/ VUCC card checking.
Printed in the U.S.A.
(Continued on page 64) POSTMASTER: Send address changes to:
CQ Amateur Radio, 17 W. John Street., Hicksville, NY 11801
2 • CQ • December 2017 Visit Our Web Site

New Ham Bands Occupied and Busy The vote was 52-41, with most of the “no” votes based
ham radio news

The two newest ham radio bands — 2200 and 630 on Pai’s opposition to so-called “net neutrality” rules. Pai
meters — are open for general amateur use and are is also a strong proponent of broadcast radio.
already being well-used. It appears that the first approval The Senate also confirmed David Trachtenberg,
letters from the Utilities Technology Council (UTC) — N4WWL, as Principal Undersecretary of Defense for
which must sign off on notices that individual hams intend Policy. According to the ARRL Letter, Trachtenberg is
to use the bands — arrived on October 13, and some also National Planning Coordinator and Northeast
stations immediately got on the air. Amateurs wishing to Division Director for U.S. Air Force MARS, and an active
use these bands must notify UTC and wait until an member of the Pentagon Amateur Radio Club. He owns
approval letter is received or until 30 days go by with no a national security consulting firm called “Shortwaver
response before getting on the air. Consulting,” whose website — which says the compa-
CQ MF/LF Editor John Langridge, KB5NJD, reports ny is “currently dormant” — explains that the name
that a record-setting 630-meter QSO of just over 7,457 comes from Trachtenberg’s early interest in shortwave
miles (12,002 kilometers) was completed on October 17 broadcasting, which led him to his career in national
between Larry Molitor, W7IUV, in Quincy, Washington, security matters.
and Roger Crofts, VK4YB, of Queensland, Australia
using the JT9 digital mode. John says the previous Milestones: N4AA, G3IOR, Silent Keys
record was 7,333 miles (11,802 kilometers), set in 2016 CQ DX Hall of Fame member and former CQ magazine
between VK4YB and Steve McDonald, VE7SL, in DX Editor Carl Smith, N4AA, became a Silent Key in
Mayne, British Columbia (630 meters has been autho- October at age 77. Carl was also the owner of DX
rized in Canada for several years). Publishing and publisher of QRZ DX and DX Magazine
Meanwhile, the ARRL Letter reports that some denial and one of the co-founders of the W4DXCC Convention
letters have been received as well, including at least two (which happens to be featured in this month’s DX col-
amateurs who had been operating on the new bands umn, beginning on page 89).
under experimental licenses without reports of interfer- Amateur satellite pioneer Patrick J.A. Gowen, G3IOR,
ence to power line carrier (PLC) systems, which share became a Silent Key over the summer. He was 85.
these frequencies in some locations. The FCC rule According to the AMSAT News Service, Pat was a co-
granting U.S. amateurs access to these bands prohibits founder of AMSAT-UK, served as a board member of
operation within 1 kilometer of power transmission lines AMSAT-NA and was a longtime satellite columnist for
on which PLC is in use. independent British ham magazine Practical Wireless.
On a related note, the ARRL says updated amateur Gowen was also the first person to work 100 DX entities
frequency charts showing the new bands are now avail- via satellite (although he was 4th to get all the confirma-
able for download, in several formats, from <http:// tions to secure the satellite DXCC award); he and W2RS
bit.ly/2xhkUjF>. made the first transatlantic handheld-to-handheld QSO
— via satellite, of course — and it was Pat who discov-
ARRL Completes Mission in Puerto Rico; ered that AMSAT OSCAR-7 had come back to life in
Vice President Pence Visits Hams 2002 after decades of silence.
The nearly two dozen radio amateurs sent by the ARRL
to help re-establish communications in hurricane- HamSCI Workshop in the UK
wracked Puerto Rico completed their mission there in The first HamSCI, or Ham Radio Science Citizen
mid-October and returned home after about three weeks Investigation, meeting outside the United States was
of deployment on the island. According to the ARRL held in October in the United Kingdom. The workshop,
Letter, the hams’ initial mission was to collect outbound which brought together both hams and professional sci-
health and welfare reports and feed them into the entists from the U.S. and Europe, was held just before
American Red Cross’s “Safe and Well” system, but the Radio Society of Great Britain’s annual convention.
when they arrived, they found the communications infra- The sessions focused on collaboration between hams
structure in such bad shape that they were redeployed and scientists, using amateur radio-gathered data in
to provide communications for hospitals while other vol- scientific studies and ham radio uses of space science
unteers handled the Safe and Well messages. instrumentation. U.S. participants included Lead
On October 6, the hams working at the Puerto Rico HamSCI Organizer Nathaniel Frissell, W2NAF; former
Emergency Operations Center — which had been set up WorldRadio Online columnist Carl Luetzelschwab,
at the San Juan Convention Center — got a visit and a K9LA; and MIT Haystack Observatory Atmospheric
pep talk from Vice President Mike Pence. CQ Emergency Sciences Group Leader Phil Erickson, W1PJE.
Communications Editor Walt Palmer, W4ALT, provides a
comprehensive report on amateur radio hurricane relief IARU, SARL Look to Ham Radio’s Future
activities throughout the Caribbean and U.S. Gulf Coast The president of the International Amateur Radio Union
in his column in this issue, which begins on page 65. In (IARU) told delegates to the association’s Region 1 gen-
addition, we are posting audio of Walt’s interviews with eral conference in September that amateur radio must
two major players in the emergency response on our web- broaden its scope in order to appeal to the next gener-
site at <www.cq-amateur-radio.com>. See this issue’s ation of prospective hams, and the South African Radio
highlights page for direct links. League (SARL) has offered some specific recommen-
dations.
Milestones: Senate Confirms Pai, According to the ARRL Letter, IARU President Tim
Trachtenberg Ellam, VE6SH/G4HUA, told the group representing
The U.S. Senate has confirmed FCC Chairman Ajit Pai amateur radio societies in Europe, Africa, and the Middle
for a second term as a commissioner, retroactive to last East that his personal observation is that many younger
July, when his previous term technically expired. Had amateurs are interested in ham radio primarily as an
the Senate not acted on the nomination, he would have
had to leave the Commission at the end of December. (Continued on page 78)
www.cq-amateur-radio.com December 2017 • CQ • 3

VOLUME 73 NUMBER 12
DECEMBER 2017
CONTENTS
Technology Special:
FEATURES
10 LOW-BAND WSPR PROPAGATION DURING THE 2017
SOLAR ECLIPSE By Jay Taft, K1EHZ, et al.
18 USING GPS TO SET YOUR COMPUTER CLOCK IN
THE FIELD By Gene Hinkle, K5PA
24 NARROWBANDING — AMATEUR RADIO STYLE
By Alfred T. Yerger, II, K2ATY
28 CQ REVIEWS: BUDDIPOLE POWERMINI
By R. Scott Rought, KA8SMA
31 CQ REVIEWS: POWERFILM SOLAR FOLDABLE SOLAR
SOLAR PANELS AND THE LIGHTSAVER PORTABLE
SOLAR CHARGER By R. Scott Rought, KA8SMA
50 36
50
SCHEMATIX By Konstantinos Giannopolous, SV3ORA
SHERLOCK INVESTIGATES: 9-VOLT BATTERY
FAILURES By Paul Signorelli, WØRW
52 ANNOUNCING: 2018 CQ World Wide RTTY WPX Contest

53 ANNOUNCING: 2018 Nominations Open for the CQ Amateur
Radio, DX, and Contest Halls of Fame
COLUMNS
54 MATH’S NOTES: You Can’t go Home Again (Maybe?)
By Irwin Math, WA2NDM
62 THE LISTENING POST: Australian Senate Nixes ABC’s
Return to Shortwave By Gerry Dexter
70 CQ WORLD WIDE: Hams Respond to Hurricane Maria’s
Devastation in Puerto Rico By Tom Smerk, AA6TS
65
73 LEARNING CURVE: Year’s End
By Ron Ochu, KOØZ
76 KIT-BUILDING: Practice Makes Perfect
By Joe Eisenberg, KØNEB
79 ANTENNAS: An Effective 10- to 20-Meter DX Antenna for
Space-Limited Locations By Bob Houf, K7ZB
81 QRP: LOW-POWER COMMUNICATIONS:
Low-Band QRP — Winter’s Delight
By R. Scott Rought, KA8SMA
102 FOOD FOR THOUGHT: A Manifesto on Sustaining and
Growing Amateur Radio Clubs
By Edward J. Efchak, WX2R
DEPARTMENTS
65 EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS: Ham Radio Weathers the
Storms By Walt Palmer, W4ALT
84 VHF PLUS: KB7Q Rare Grid and EME DXpeditions
By Tony Emanuele, K8ZR
87 AWARDS: KFF: County Hunting Meets NPOTA Meets WWFF
76
By Ted Melinosky, K1BV
84 89 DX: The W4DXCC Convention

By Bob Schenck, N2OO
95 CONTESTING: ARRL 10- and 160-Meter Contests Keep the
2 ANNOUNCEMENTS 23 SPURIOUS SIGNALS December RF Paths Open By David Siddall, K3ZJ
3 HAM RADIO NEWS 105 CQ ANNUAL INDEX 98 PROPAGATION: Cycle 24: A Last Hurrah?
8 ZERO BIAS 110 HAM SHOP By Tomas Hood, NW7US
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ARRL: Circling the Wagons
zero bias – a CQ editorial BY RICH MOSESON,* W2VU
ust what is the ARRL is afraid of? The League’s allegedly failing to disclose a conflict of interest, but that
J top leadership appears to be continuing and

expanding its efforts to centralize decision-making
in Newington and to closely control the flow of informa-
when he asked for specifics about that supposed con-
flict, his requests were ignored. In addition, he request-
ed a hearing by the full board on the disqualification —
tion about the organization and its activities. In doing so, as he is allowed to do under the ARRL by-laws — but
it is changing the nature of the organization and depriv- his request was denied. To the best of our knowledge,
ing members in certain divisions the opportunity to he has not yet been told what the alleged conflict was
choose their representatives. that prompted his disqualification.
Historically, ARRL leadership volunteers around the Finally, as Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria ravaged
country have been given a significant amount of auton- various parts of the Caribbean and U.S. coasts, local
omy in how they carry out their roles and in the rela- ARRL Public Information Officers were essentially told
tionships they build with local and regional leaders of not to talk with the media about ham radio activities but
served agencies. The staff in Newington served pri- rather to direct all media inquiries to ARRL Headquarters
marily as a resource, offering assistance as needed and (which, at the time, was without a media relations man-
guidance as requested. This made a lot of sense, as ager). In addition, headquarters shut down the League’s
needs varied in different areas and a “one-size-fits-all” public relations reflector, which had been a very useful
approach would not be effective. tool for PIOs to compare notes and for Newington to pro-
Over the last year-and-half, though, that model of vide guidance in their dealings with the media.
decentralized decision-making has been changing, as the The impression one gets here is of an organization that
League’s new leadership has worked consistently to con- perceives itself to be under siege and is circling the wag-
solidate power and stifle dissent. It started in June of 2016, ons to more effectively defend itself. But from whom? Who
when the ARRL’s executive committee removed the is the enemy? Its members? Its leadership volunteers who
Eastern Area Chair of the National Traffic System from have devoted thousands of hours of personal time and
both that post and his elected position as Eastern more to carrying out their assigned roles? Its own elect-
Pennsylvania Section Manager, allegedly for communi- ed officials who might not agree with actions taken by the
cating with officials of the Federal Emergency Man- majority of their colleagues? People seeking elected office
agement Agency (FEMA) on behalf of NTS and making who might disagree with the top leaders?
commitments on behalf of ARRL without authority. Just who is the enemy and what are the folks in
League headquarters followed up by “temporarily” Newington and on the board’s executive committee so
assuming direct control of making leadership appoint- afraid of? And why all the secrecy? These are questions
ments in NTS, whose top staff had traditionally chosen that League members need to ask themselves and their
their own leaders. Many of those top-level traffic handlers elected representatives; and they need to make sure
then resigned in protest and formed a new organization they are not denied the right to vote for who those elect-
for passing long-haul traffic outside of ARRL auspices. ed representatives will be. It’s happened twice in the
A few months later, the League board’s Elections and past year and a half; it’s likely to happen again. How
Ethics Committee disqualified a sitting director from long will the members allow it to continue?
seeking re-election, apparently based on actions taken
after the ballots were already in the mail. Rather than Technology Special
cancelling the election and putting out a new call for If it’s December, it must be time for our annual Technology
nominations, however, the League simply declared that Special, and as usual, we examine some of the most inter-
the director’s opponent — a former director who had esting and innovative ideas in amateur radio technology
been defeated two years earlier for re-election — had today. We start with the use of WSPR — K1JT’s Weak
been declared elected, although it was never clear just Signal Propagation Reporter software — to analyze
who elected him. Members in that division were never changes in HF propagation during last summer’s total
informed that their incumbent director had been dis- solar eclipse. We tell you how to use GPS satellites to set
qualified, or why. It is noteworthy that this director was your computer clock during portable operations (espe-
a strong proponent of greater openness in League deci- cially important for some digital modes and for contest log-
sion-making; and the actions taken to keep him from ging). And we introduce a program that will let you trans-
seeking re-election were taken in secret. mit a complete schematic diagram over the air, using
This past January, the ARRL board codified that virtually any mode of transmission, even CW!
secrecy when it adopted a new “Policy on Board There’s more, of course, along with a comprehensive
Governance and Conduct of Members…” This new pol- review of the ham radio response to the summer’s hur-
icy required that directors and vice directors publicly ricanes in Texas, along the Gulf Coast and in the
support all actions taken by the board — even if they Caribbean, including first-person reports from Puerto
opposed those actions prior to their adoption — and pro- Rico and Dominica.
hibited them from disclosing any individual director’s
vote on a matter — even their own vote — without Happy Holidays
express board permission. As always, we hope that your holiday celebrations at
Next, this summer, the Elections and Ethics Com- this time of year bring added light to your days as we
mittee was at it again, this time disqualifying a sitting pass through the darkness of the winter solstice, along
vice director from running for director and again not with good DX on our wintertime bands, which now
telling the division’s membership. Rather, there was include 630 and 2200 meters. [By the way, in case you
only a cryptic statement in a news release that the don’t think DX is doable on these bands, check out our
incumbent director had “qualified for re-election.” We news page for a report of a 12,000-kilometer (7,450-
have learned that the vice director was disqualified for mile) two-way QSO on 630 meters between Washington
State and New Zealand!]
*Email: <w2vu@cq-amateur-radio.com> – 73 and Happy Holidays, Rich, W2VU

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Technology Special
A team of ham researchers across a wide geographic area used WSPR
spots to analyze the impact of last summer’s total solar eclipse on
low-band propagation. Here are their preliminary results.
Low-Band WSPR Propagation

During the 2017 Solar Eclipse
BY JAY TAFT, K1EHZ*; MICHAEL HAUAN, ACØG; BILL HARISON, KK4XO; JIM POLL, WB5WPA;
DAVID WHITE, NVØO; ROBERT WILHITE, AJ5E; DAVID BENZEL, KD6RF; MIKE MILLER, W1EAA;
AND CONARD MURRAY, WS4S
adio amateurs are curious and collaborative by nature.
R The total solar eclipse on August 21, 2017 (Photo A)

presented a perfect opportunity to exercise those qual-
ities and we seized it. HamSCI, the Ham Radio Science Citizen
Investigation group (HamSCI.org), encouraged ham partici-
pation to collect data about the effects of radio wave propa-
gation during the eclipse. Eclipses have stimulated curiosity
from the first published measurements of eclipse temperature
changes in Boston, Massachusetts in 1834 up to modern mea-
surements of ionospheric total electron content (TEC)1,2,3.
Even after many eclipses have been studied, we remain curi-
ous about what ionization processes occur in the atmosphere,
how long they last, and how they affect propagation4,5,6,7,8.
We were curious enough to collaborate by collecting data
before, during, and after the event. We were not sure what,
if anything, we would observe or whether it would help the
larger scientific study, so we decided just to gather data from
WSPRnet.org (Weak Signal Propagation Reporter Network)
on several bands from 630 meters to 40 meters. Our geo-
graphic distribution also provides different perspectives on
the event (Figure 1). Six stations were located within the path
of totality: ACØG and NVØO in Missouri, KK4XO and AJ5E
in South Carolina, and WS4S and WA4UCE in Tennessee.
Four stations peripheral to the eclipse are WB5WPA and Photo A. Total solar eclipse, August 21, 2017. (Photo by ACØG)
KD6RF in Texas, south of the totality axis, and W1EAA and
K1EHZ in New Hampshire, north of the axis.
WSPR, or Weak Signal Propagation Reporter, is a very 2. Where should we focus our attention, because equip-
low-power beaconing mode developed by WSJT author Joe ment is limited and diverse across our stations?
Taylor, K1JT (see October 2017 “Zero Bias” for more on K1JT 3. How much baseline data would we need before and after
–ed). Stations using WSPR transmit brief digital messages the eclipse to identify propagation changes?
on a regular basis while alternately listening for similar sig- 4. Are there ground wave and skywave effects that could
nals from other stations. Received “spots” are gathered on mask eclipse effects?
the internet, at WSPRnet.org, and plotted on a map that 5. How strong and long-lasting might eclipse effects be?
shows band openings at any given time, along with the 6. How is propagation affected along and across the axis
strength of the received signals. of totality?
7. How large is the area affected?
Questions 8. What propagation mechanisms might be related to an
Although we did not know exactly what the data might show, eclipse?
previous eclipse studies stimulated several questions:
1. Which amateur bands might be affected by propagation Approach
changes? We decided to focus WSPR activity on 630, 160, 80, and 40
* 5 Parker Lane, Bedford, NH 03110 meters. Some of us had been using WSPR for a while so we
email: <k1ehz@arrl.net> had baseline data before the eclipse. We were coordinating

observations on WSPR before the (Figure 3A) in the path of totality had Ten different stations were heard at
eclipse and we collected data for sev- clear propagation enhancements. Be- ACØG and NVØO, which are 195 kilo-
eral days afterwards. The study area is cause daytime propagation on 160 is so meters (121 miles) apart. Five of 10 sta-
bounded by our stations and the sta- limited, it is easy to identify any extend- tions were heard at both ACØG and
tions we heard on WSPR. It covers ed propagation during the eclipse. We NVØO. The stations heard have
approximately the eastern half of the focused initially on the spots heard at azimuths between 55° and 283° from
United States, with overlap into south- ACØG and NVØO in Missouri because the listening stations. Distances from
ern Canada. Data are biased neces- their location had the potential to hear listening stations varied between 486
sarily by WSPR station locations, which stations from 360° whereas stations and 1157 kilometers (291 and 719
are not uniformly distributed. nearer the coast were limited to land- miles, respectively). These results indi-
Our concept for eclipse propagation ward azimuths. cate no preference for a particular tra-
is based on conventional understand-
ing that D-layer absorption during the
day inhibits skywave propagation on
160 and 80 meters. The D layer absorbs
40-meter signals at low angles, but
high-angle signals may pass through to
the E and F layers. For example, Figure
2 compares WSPR signals on 160, 80,
and 40 meters with sun elevation rela-
tive to the horizon on August 20th, the
day before the eclipse. Signals on 160
meters decreased rapidly at dawn and
80-meter signals were not heard after
about 25° sun elevation, whereas 40-
meter signals were heard throughout
the day. When the eclipse disrupts the
D layer, propagation on 160 and 80
meters should be enhanced.
There are at least two major differ-
ences between normal day-night-day
transitions and eclipse light-dark-light
transitions. Normally, there are gradual
changes in energy impacting the ionos-
phere and in solar noise during dawn
and dusk on a hemispheric scale.
During an eclipse, more abrupt energy
and solar noise transitions are focused
on a small band as the moon passes
between the Earth and sun. D, E, and
F layers are all affected to varying
degrees and at varying radio frequen-
cies due to the effects of photochem- Figure 1. NASA eclipse map (https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/4518) showing relative
istry and ionizing radiation6, 7. locations of stations. White indicates collaborating stations. Yellow indicates
additional WSPR stations from which we drew specific information.
Data
We downloaded more than 179,000
receiving spots from WSPRNet.org as
the basic data set to explore our ques-
tions. This article addresses what we
heard. We also generated more than
157,000 WSPR transmissions, most of
which are yet to be analyzed. With so
many data points, we needed an effi-
cient way to screen for eclipse effects.
We used graphs of signal/noise against
time of day for screening. The 160-
meter band seemed like a priority can-
didate for eclipse effects so we started
our analyses on 160, followed by the
other bands.
160 Meters Along the Axis of

Totality
Data on 160 meters are shown in Figure Figure 2. Sun angle compared to signal/noise on 8/20/2017. Shaded area
3. Data at ACØG, NVØO and KK4XO approximates eclipse period on the following day.

jectory along or across the axis of totality, nor a preference the response time of propagation to the eclipse is illustrated
for a particular skip distance, at WSPR low-power outputs. clearly. Peak darkness occurred at 18:30 UTC in Nashville,
What does stand out is the timing of all eclipse spots Tennessee, near WS4S. Referring to Figure 3D, the lower
between 18:16 and 18:40 UTC at NVØO and between 18:32 green dot is 18:26 UTC and the upper one is 18:34. Peak
and 18:52 UTC at ACØG. Seven of nine eclipse spots at signal/noise occurred at the next several orange dots, cor-
KK4XO were heard between 18:26 and 18:34 UTC. Eclipse responding to 18:38, 18:42, and 18:46 UTC, respectively. By
totality across the area occurred between 18:09 and 18:45 19:06, the signal/noise peak had passed and signal/noise
UTC. Therefore, the eclipse propagation observed at these decreased thereafter. Propagation enhancement lasted for
three stations was timed closely to maximum darkness. 20 minutes, from 18:38 to 18:58 UTC, which is comparable
These results for 160 meters formed a framework that guid- to the 20-minute duration at ACØG and 24 minutes at NVØO.
ed our approach to examining data for other stations on 160
and on other bands. 80 Meters
We took a similar approach with 80-meter propagation,
160 Meters Across the Axis of Totality except that the distance filter was moved out to 600 kilome-
The 160-meter spots heard at other stations were filtered ters (373 miles) to exceed typical ground wave and NVIS
according to the parameters determined at ACØG and propagation distances. Eclipse-related spots were heard at
NVØO. Stations within 400 kilometers (248 miles) were ACØG in the path of totality (Figure 4A). Eclipse spots were
removed to leave only stations beyond typical ground wave also heard at KD6RF, WB5WPA (Figure 4B) and W1EAA
and NVIS (Near Vertical Incidence Skywave) propagation (Figure 4C) peripheral to totality. The eclipse spots stand out
range. The time window for data assignment to the eclipse as stronger signal/noise levels, but there are still low-level
category was adjusted to 18:00 to 19:00 UTC. Eclipse prop- spots observed on the other days during 18:00 to 19:00 UTC.
agation then became clear, as shown in Figure 3B for No spots were heard at K1EHZ (Figure 4D), only 2 kilome-
WB5WPA and KD6RF, peripheral to totality in Texas. No ters (1.2 miles) from W1EAA, which is puzzling because
eclipse enhancement was observed at K1EHZ (Figure 3C) K1EHZ heard many spots at other times of day.
at 65% totality in New Hampshire.
WS4S was heard by W3PM on 160 during daylight hours Signal-to-Noise Variability and Patchiness
with a marked enhancement during the eclipse as shown in S/N differences between spots received at two stations simul-
Figure 3D. WSPR tracks time to within a few seconds, and taneously could help characterize propagation variability and
Figure 3. Results on 160 meters. Shaded area approximates eclipse period. A: Spots heard by ACØG, NVØO, and KK4XO
within the path of totality. B: Spots heard by WB5WPA and KD6RF south of the path of totality with 80% eclipse coverage.
C: Spots heard by K1EHZ north of totality with 65% eclipse coverage. No spots heard during the eclipse. D: Spots in which
WS4S was heard at W3PM, 202 kilometers away in Alabama, on August 21, 2017.

patchiness in the ionosphere. For discussion here, we dis- pattern at three stations on 40 meters, but no spots indicat-
tinguish between variability and patchiness. Imagine cubes ing eclipse enhancement or interference. Although we
of ionosphere 10 kilometers on a side. Variability is change thought it important to make observations on 40, routine daily
within a cube and patchiness is the difference between propagation on 40 meters does not usually involve D-layer
cubes. WSPR data do not distinguish between the two, but absorption except at shallow incidence angles. Data from
such differences probably exist. 152 kilometers to 3,535 kilometers (94 to 2,196 miles) on
We compared 101 spots of skywaves heard at two pairs 630 meters (Figure 6B) do not show eclipse enhancement,
of stations simultaneously before the eclipse. W1EAA and either. One spot at 19:06 UTC from 150 kilometers (93 miles)
K1EHZ are 2 kilometers apart, and WB5WPA and KD6RF is intriguing but not definitive.
are 162 kilometers apart. The data in Figure 5 suggest two
things: WSPR’s Benefits and Limitations
First, the y-intercept of the regression line could represent WSPR is a digital mode with very low RF output power that
systematic differences between the two stations. If so, there detects signals down to -30dB signal/noise. WSPR software
seem to be systematic differences in sensitivity with W1EAA allows the percentage of time transmitting to be varied, with
being about 4 dB more sensitive than K1EHZ, and KD6RF a default of 20%. A random factor exists, so — when set to
being about 6 dB more sensitive than WB5WPA. This is like- 20% — transmitting occurs for 2 minutes out of 10 minutes
ly due to equipment and terrain differences and other fac- on average. However, the window for hearing 160-meter
tors that are fairly consistent. eclipse spots at ACØG, NVØO, and WS4S was 20 to 24 min-
Second, the distribution pattern of data points around the utes. At KK4XO, 7 of 9 eclipse signals were heard during 8
regression lines and the correlation coefficients, R2, illustrate minutes. Therefore, transmitting only 20% of the time can be
propagation variability and patchiness. The range of sig- quite limiting compared to the event time scale. A solution
nal/noise is greater between the stations 162 kilometers for studies of short-term events in the future would be to have
apart than between the stations 2 kilometers apart, as might dedicated radios transmitting at 100% and some radios
be expected. This amount of variability and patchiness receiving at 100% to generate more frequent data.
before an eclipse could also be present during an eclipse. WSPR signals are reported as signal-to-noise ratio, which
means the result could change when either the signal level
630 Meters and 40 Meters or the noise level changes. Solar noise decreased during the
We analyzed 48,000 spots on 630 meters and 68,000 spots eclipses in 1991 on 145.8MHz and in 1994 on 436.5MHz5.
on 40 meters. Figure 6A shows an interesting propagation During the 1999 UK eclipse, signal strength from a 600-watt
Figure 4. Results on 80 meters. Shaded area approximates eclipse period. A: Spots heard by ACØG in the path of
totality. B: Spots heard by WB5WPA and KD6RF on the periphery in 80% of totality. C: Spots heard by W1EAA on the
periphery in 65% totality. D: Spots heard by K1EHZ on the periphery at 65% totality and 2 kilometers from W1EAA.

Figure 5. Signal/Noise compared for 80-meter spots heard at two stations simultaneously on August 20, 2017. A: W1EAA
and K1EHZ (2 kilometers apart). B: KD6RF and WB5WPA (162 kilometers apart).
Figure 6. A: Spots of AJ5E on 40 meters, illustrating variable propagation patterns but no eclipse enhancement along the
axis of totality (ACØG) or on the south (KD6RF) or north (K1EHZ) periphery. B: 630-meter spots at KK4XO did not show
eclipse enhancement except for one intriguing data point at 19:06 UTC on 8/21 that is not definitive. Shaded area approx-
imates eclipse period.
beacon decreased and noise moderated slightly on addition to D-layer disruption, during the 1999 UK eclipse, crit-
7.0125MHz8. However, in the case of WSPR, software author ical frequencies decreased in the E and F layers10.
Joe Taylor, K1JT, says eclipse-induced changes in solar The over-simplified sketch in Figure 8 illustrates the moon’s
noise contributing to background noise level will be negligi- shadow cast at an angle to the Earth’s surface. The angle is
ble at HF. Any difference in signal-to-noise ratio can safely equal to the sun’s elevation angle, which depends on lati-
be ascribed to changes in signal level9. tude. Therefore, the affected portions of the D, E, and F lay-
On the day of the eclipse, connections to the WSPR servers may be offset according to latitude so they are not aligned
er timed out many times, perhaps due to a large number of directly above one another. Importantly, D, E and F really are
users. It is not clear whether some spots heard at receiving layers with significant depths of ionized molecules that reflect,
stations may have been lost because they were not uploaded scatter, and absorb energy in complex patterns.
on the first attempt. In this example, a transmitter outside the path of totality and
roughly perpendicular to it sends a signal through the D layer
Conventional Model that reflects off the E (green line) or F layer (blue line) between
Our data are consistent with the conventional explanation that it and a receiver. Therefore, the D-layer gap could extend
the D layer collapses quickly during the eclipse, allowing E- from the transmitter to the receiver. The D layer could absorb
layer or F-layer skip during the darkest period. The D layer a signal on the way up or on the way down (red line). Few
then reforms as the eclipse passes. As shown in Figure 7, in natural phenomena are homogeneous. Propagation vari-

2017_09_QST_Fusion_US_ENG_AD_CS5ol.pdf 1 2017/09/11 10:36
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
ability and patchiness occur regularly, as we have all which can be taken as a rough estimate of the diameter of
observed while operating. an eclipse gap in the D layer centered on the axis of totality.
If the distance between stations on the opposite outer edges
Propagation Area of propagation is 1,670 kilometers, then the D layer gap needs
The data encouraged us to estimate the size of the affected to be at least 1,670 kilometers, which we round to 1,600 kilo-
area. The distance from ACØG within totality to W8AC to the meters (approximately 1,000 miles) because it is an approx-
northeast of totality is 969 kilometers (602 miles). The data imation. The D-layer gap may be as wide as the outer edges
also show 744 kilometers (462 miles) from NVØO within total- of 80% to 85% eclipse totality.
ity to K5KJ to the southwest of totality. Both W8AC and K5KJ The length of the propagation gap in the D layer along the
are in regions of about 80% eclipse totality. The distance axis of totality can also be estimated from the data. NVØO
between W8AC and K5KJ is 1,670 kilometers (1,037 miles), heard W4WCC near totality in Tennessee, 1,063 kilometers
(660 miles) away. Both ACØG and NVØO heard WS4S at
633 kilometers (393 miles) and 830 kilometers (516 miles),
respectively. All stations heard were southeast, along or near
the axis. These distances for axial propagation are roughly
comparable to the distances for perpendicular propagation
from the axis to the periphery. The total axial propagation
diameter should be twice the distance between stations,
assuming axial propagation operates similarly to the north-
west of ACØG and NVØO as it did to the southeast.
For simplicity, our estimate of the D layer gap is a circle
about 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) in diameter, centered
on the eclipse axis and moving at about 2,400 to 2,700 kilo-
meters per hour (1,490-1,675 mph) from northwest to south-
east. The shadow covers an area of about 5,000 km2 (1,930
mi2) at any particular moment. At 2,400 kph, the shadow dark-
ens 1.5 gap diameters/hr or 7,500 km2/hr (2,896 mi2/hr).
On 80 meters, W1EAA in New Hampshire — at about 65%
eclipse totality — heard spots from 603 to 1,470 kilometers
(375-913 miles). Several spots were heard towards the end
of the event, between 19:00 and 20:00 UTC. These obser-
vations suggest a D-layer gap for 80 meters that may be wider
or patchier than for 160 meters.
Figure 7. Digisonde plot of critical frequencies (highest fre-
quencies at which radio waves reflect off the ionosphere and Responses to Our Original Questions
above which they pass through) from path of totality during 1. Based on normal day-to-night differences in propagation,
1999 UK eclipse7. (Courtesy of Dr. Ruth Bamford.) we thought the low bands would be most affected, so we
Figure 8. Over-simplified conceptual model for propagation during solar eclipse 2017 based on general understanding.
160-meter and 80-meter signals are usually absorbed by the D layer during the day. Forty-meter signals may be attenu-
ated but are less affected. D-layer disruption by eclipse darkening permits temporary E- or F-skip. The D layer may absorb
signals on the way up or on the way down. Maximum skip distance is about 1,600 kilometers, or just under 1,000 miles.

operated on 630, 160, 80, and 40
meters. The results show the bands
most affected by the eclipse were 160
and 80 meters. Our data did not show
effects on 40 meters, although 40-
meter increases and decreases were
found during the 1999 UK solar eclipse.
The 630-meter band was not affected,
according to our observations.
2. We used our regular gear, which
was diverse across collaborators. All
data analyzed had a common limit of
signal/noise sensitivity at about -30 dB.
Local differences in other factors such
as terrain, antenna height, and anten-
na orientation can cause signal/noise to
vary between receiving stations.
3. Although we did not begin collabo-
rating until August 19th, the WSPR
database retained our pre-eclipse
baseline data back into July. We con-
tinued operating for several days after
the eclipse to add baseline data.
4. The 160-meter and 80-meter data
contained ground wave and NVIS data,
as well as low-angle skywave data.
Except for the WS4S signals heard by
W3PM, we filtered out ground wave and
NVIS by excluding data at distances less
than 400 kilometers on 160 meters and
less than 600 kilometers on 80 meters.
5. The results on 160 and 80 were
stronger signal/noise during the time of
the eclipse than on other days at the
same time of day. The stronger signals
lasted for 8 to 24 minutes, even though
eclipse darkening lasted longer.
6. Our observations show that en-
and other hams report their findings, it new interpretations of previous infor-
hanced propagation extended from the
will be interesting to see how our rough mation. We are curious about the out-
area of totality out to about 80% of total-
estimates correspond to those made come, just as that anonymous observ-
ity on 160 meters. The gap seemed
with more sophisticated techniques. er must have been in 1834, when
wider or patchier on 80 meters out to
Perhaps the conventional model will be recording and reporting eclipse tem-
65% totality.
updated with new information, or with perature changes for the first time.
7. The data within our study area for
160 meters suggest the D layer gap is
about 1,600 kilometers in diameter, Notes:
occupying an area of about 5,000 km2 1. Alpin KL, Scott CJ and Gray SL. 2016. “Atmospheric Changes from Solar
at any given moment. For 80 meters, the Eclipses.” Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A. <http://bit.ly/2y34YVa>
D layer gap may be wider or patchier. 2. Hoque MM, Wenzel D, Jakowski N, Gerzen T, Berdermann J, et al. 2016.
8. Our observations are consistent “Ionospheric Response Over Europe During the Solar Eclipse of March 20, 2015.”
with a conventional propagation model. J. Space Weather Space Clim., 6, A36, 2016, DOI: 10.1051/swsc/2016032.
Darkening during an eclipse briefly dis- 3. Kumar S, Singh AK, Singh RP. 2013. “Ionospheric Response to Total Solar
rupts D-layer absorption, creating gaps Eclipse of 22 July 2009 in Different Indian Regions.” Am. Geophys., 31, 1549-1558.
or patches that allow radio waves to be <http://bit.ly/2yK1Evy>
reflected from the E or F layers where 4. Hunsucker, RD. 1965. “Radio Studies of High-Latitude Ionosphere During the
critical frequencies are also affected. Solar Eclipse of 20 July 1963.” Radio Science Journal of Research NBS/USNC-
It is worth noting that the observations URSI. 69:267-272.
reported here are based primarily on 5. Emerson D. “Radio Observations of Two Solar Eclipses.” QST, February 1995.
WSPR spots received at our stations. 6. Poole I. “Radio Waves and the Ionosphere.” QST, November 1999.
We are still in the process of analyzing 7. Oler C and Cohen TJ. N4XX. “The 160-Meter Band: An Enigma Shrouded in
the data that resulted from the WSPR Mystery.” CQ, March and April 1998.
transmissions that we made, and will 8. Roels G. ON1DHT. <http://bit.ly/2z17kCm>.
provide an update if those data show 9. Joe Taylor, K1JT, personal communication
anything significantly different than 10. Bamford R. 2000. “Radio and the 1999 UK total solar eclipse.” Project final
what we observed on receive. report. Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. <https://arxiv.org/abs/1703.01491>
Finally, as scientists from HamSCI

Technology Special
An accurate computer clock is important for certain digital modes and for
contest logging. How can you automatically keep it correct when you aren’t
connected to the internet? K5PA says the answer is over your head…
Using GPS to Set Your

Computer Clock in the Field
BY GENE HINKLE,* K5PA
t is important to have time set correctly
I on computer platforms so that ama-

teur radio digital mode applications
such as WSJT-X are synchronized with-
in a second or better of each other and
to allow logging programs to save the
correct UTC (Coordinated Universal
Time) time for contacts. Many solutions
exist when connected to network infra-
structures. Indeed, Windows®-based
platforms can use network time servers
to gather and set the computer’s time
automatically.
When operating away from your
shack, however, it is a different story.
How can you automatically set time
when your computer is not connected
to the Internet? This is a situation com-
monly faced when operating ham radio
in the field or on DXpeditions to remote
areas where the internet time is unavail-
able or unreliable.
You can manually set the time using
shortwave time broadcasts, such as
WWV or CHU, where reception is avail- Figure 1. With a simple receiver and inexpensive software, you can use GPS
able. However, there are few alterna- satellites to keep your computer clock accurate from any place where you can
tives other than highly accurate clock see the sky.
standards. I was looking for a better
solution that could be used at home, in
the field, or during a DXpedition, and
that would be automatic and foolproof.
The solution I found is to use the
Global Positioning System, or GPS
(Figure 1). There are readily available
and inexpensive ($30 class) “hockey
puck”-style GPS receivers with inte-
grated L-band antennas available from
Amazon, eBay, and other vendors on
the internet. These GPS receivers have
USB serial data interfaces and power is
provided through the data cable. Just
by adding the GPS receiver to the com-
puter’s USB port, it is possible to read
Photo A. GlobalSat Model BU-353-S4 USB GPS receiver and Type A male-to-
* email: <k5pa@arrl.net> female extension cable (10 feet).

position and time information from the
What is GPS?
constellation of GPS satellites. An
The NAVSTAR Global Positioning System (GPS) consists of a constellation of example of one GPS “hockey puck”
satellites that circle the Earth twice each day and include a precise set of clocks style unit that I use is the GlobalSat BU-
that are synchronized by a command and control center operated by the U.S. 353-S4 USB GPS receiver (black)
Air Force. Each GPS satellite transmits a unique pseudorandom code at UHF shown in Photo A (a full materials list is
frequencies that allow receivers to measure precise distance and time. By using provided in Table 1 at the end of this
multiple satellites simultaneously, receivers can measure latitude, longitude, alti- article). This receiver has 48-channel
tude, velocity, and time. Although these satellites are used by the military for all-in-view tracking, built-in L-band
precise navigation and timing, civilian use has grown exponentially since the antenna, an SiRF Star IV GPS Chipset
first launch in 1978. and WAAS/EGNOS support (see
GPS technology is now fully integrated into our personal technology such as References). These features are sim-
smartphones, personal mapping, automobiles, time-keeping, etc. The technol- ply phenomenal for the money.
ogy has advanced so much that the Federal Aviation Administration now allows The puck-style design has a magnet
GPS to be used in airplane navigation under certain circumstances. under the module, making it easy to
The Russian GLONASS Constellation is an alternate Global Navigation stick to any ferromagnetic material. It
Satellite Systems that provides end-users with additional space-based needs to be mounted so that the mag-
resources. Many GPS receivers today can use either GPS or GLONASS sys- net is at the bottom and the antenna is
tem based on signal availability to provide accurate and rapid location and time pointed upward. The GPS receiver
information. must always have a view of the sky in
There is also a European system known as EGNOS, the European Geo- order to see line-of-sight to the GPS
stationary Navigation Overlay Service. constellation. The satellites are con-
stantly moving so, as one or more leave
Table 1. Materials and Sources

Item Brand / Description / Part No. / Model Vendor URL Price Class
1 GlobalSat / GPS Receiver Module / <https://www.amazon.com/> $30
P/N BU-353-S4 USB GPS Receiver (Black) /
Model # 05-BU-353-S4
2 Cable Matters / SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Type A <https://www.amazon.com/> $7
Male to Female Extension Cable in Black 10 Feet /
P/N 200008-BLACK-10
3 VisualGPS, LLC / NMEATime2 - PC <http://bit.ly/2wOrFZW> $20
Time Synchronization software / Version 1.3.5
Figure 2. NMEATime panel showing satellite tracking information.

the field of view, others are emerging. er decodes these signals and uses them played by offsetting the UTC time based
Due to mounting restrictions at my to create accurate time messages in the on the local time zone. When GPS
home QTH, I only have a partial view form of preformatted text strings. Each receivers are initially turned on, they may
of the sky but have found the GPS still text string message serves a specific not indicate the corrected time because
performs adequately. purpose, such as location information the UTC correction signal message has
The USB connection on the GPS and time. not yet been decoded from the satellite.
module can be extended with a USB One signal message from the GPS On a new GPS receiver, it may require
port extension also shown Photo A. I satellite includes the difference between up to 12 minutes to receive the correc-
have mounted the GPS modules out- true GPS time and UTC time. GPS time tion messages before UTC time is accu-
side my home, approximately 15 feet was purposely synchronized to UTC rately calculated. Afterwards, synchro-
away from my computer’s USB ports, time on January 6, 1980. Leap seconds nization can appear within a minute
without problems. [The maximum dis- are added to UTC time to account for the or two.
tance specification for the USB2 stan- Earth’s rotation period variations over
dard is 5 meters (16.4 feet), based on time. But leap second adjustments are Software to Auto-Set
signal delay through the cable.] There never added to the GPS system. Since Computer Time
are also longer extensions available 1980, the leap seconds create a time off- With the addition of the GPS receiver to
with active electronics contained within set between the two systems. For exam- a computer system, a method to read
the cable. ple, after the 2016 UTC leap second the GPS time information and automat-
adjustment, GPS time was 18 seconds ically set the computer clock is needed.
GPS Versus UTC Time ahead of UTC. (See Q&A sidebar for This can be accomplished using readi-
GPS receivers demodulate L-band more on this) ly available computer applications such
microwave frequency radio signals from GPS receivers use the correction sig- as i h, available from VisualGPS, LLC.
the constellation of satellites to calculate nal message to calculate UTC time from There is other software available, such
geo-location and time. The GPS receiv- the GPS time. Local time can also be disas BktTimeSyn, but I have focused on
NMEATime2, based on my experi-
ences using these applications.
NMEATime2 implements a different
approach for GPS time synchroniza-
tion. The program’s creator, Monte
Variakojis (KE6GQO), informed me that
he takes the GPS serial data message
string, characterizes it, and uses it as a
short-term timing reference. He does
this by time-tagging the incoming mes-
sage to the PC clock. He then uses dig-
ital filters and his software algorithms to
create an error signal to discipline the
PC clock to the incoming filtered signal.
His approach gives a long-term com-
puter clock accuracy of about 1mS.
The download path to the program
Figure 3. NMEATime panel status tab showing time synchronization information. is at <http://bit.ly/2wOrFZW>. The pro-
Figure 4. NMEATime panel status tab showing feedback loop information.

gram can be evaluated free of charge view of where each SVN is located in
for 30 days after installation. This allows the sky. These SVN locations will move
enough time to evaluate the capabili- over time as the satellites move in their
ties and suitability to your application orbits and eventually move below the
prior to purchase. horizon and disappear from the chart.
Figure 2 shows the NMEATime Figure 3 shows the NMEATime Panel
Properties Panel that is used to moni- Status tab that provides time of day
tor the constellation of satellites during (LOCAL or UTC based on the GPS
operation. The blue columns show the receiver) that is used to monitor time
signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio (at the top of synchronization status including the
the blue column) for the numbered GPS estimated time error each second
Space Vehicle Number (SVN at the bot- (lower portion of green area).
tom of the column), the gray columns Figure 4 shows the NMEATime
are satellites tracked but not used for Properties Panel that is used to moni-
navigation or timing and the green col- tor Loop Status for the Time Difference
umn shows SBAS/WAAS satellites. and the feedback Control Counter val-
Sometimes the blue columns are red, ues. Ideally, the Time Difference is dri-
indicating they are Russian GLONASS ven to zero over the course of time, typ-
satellites. There is also information on ically to within milliseconds.
the Lat/Long/Alt of the GPS receiver Figure 5 shows the NMEATime status
and, at the lower right, a local overhead panel that is used to display the time,
Q&A
Q1. How much time error can the digital modes, such as WSJT-X modes, tol-
erate?
A1. This is a good question. Joe Taylor, K1JT, the creator of the various modes
used in WSJT-X suite of digital mode software, has stated in the WSJT-X User
Manual (Section 2.0, System Requirements) that the computer time should syn-
chronized within + 1 second of UTC. Practically speaking, using GPS for time
synchronization provides more than enough accuracy (less than +1 second) and
convenience to the radio operator.
Note about DT: There is a differential time (DT) heading in the WSJT-X mes-
sage window showing the difference time error between your station and your
QSO partner’s station. The error measured is the propagation delay between
stations, transmit delay (Tx Delay setting in the WSJT-X program setup), and
equipment delays. Radio waves travel in free space at the speed of light (3x105
km/S, so 1,000 miles is equivalent to 5.3 mS). It is not uncommon to see DT val-
ues in the tens of milliseconds to several seconds depending on where on Earth
(or the Moon for the case of EME) you are located and your equipment config-
uration. The moon bounce, 2-way delay is about 2.56 seconds, on average.
Q2. What is the difference between GPS time and UTC time?
A2. The GPS navigation message includes the difference between GPS time
and UTC. As of December 2016, GPS time is 18 seconds ahead of UTC because
of leap-second adjustments made to UTC but not to GPS time. GPS receivers
subtract (or add as appropriate) this offset from GPS time to calculate UTC and
local time based on specific time zone values. New GPS units may not show the
correct UTC time until after receiving the UTC offset message. The GPS-UTC
offset field (8 bits) can accommodate 255 leap seconds. GPS time is theoreti-
cally accurate to about 14 nS. However, most receivers lose accuracy in the
interpretation of the signals and are only accurate to 100 nS. The Global
Positioning System (GPS) epoch was set on January 6, 1980 and was then syn-
chronized to UTC. True GPS Time is NOT adjusted for leap-seconds.
Q3. Does using a USB port GPS interface affect time accuracy?
A3. A serial port and USB port are both serial device interfaces with a differ-
ence in hardware implementation. The bit rate is still set by the driver software
and is more than accurate enough for logging purposes. If you were trying to get
down to sub-microsecond accuracy, then you would need to use a GPS with 1
pulse per second (pps) output and synchronize to it. But for time synchroniza-
tion, the GPS messages contain the time-of-day information that is used to set
the clocks. This is adequate for logging programs. The NMEATime2 software
provides additional accuracy by providing a closed loop-tracking algorithm to
force the error towards zero. Practically speaking, the time error is about a mil-
lisecond and that is more than adequate.

what’s new date, locked status, and the 1 sigma error estimate based on
the time error tracking graph in the NMEATime Panel. The sig-
nificance of the 1 sigma error is that this defines the one stan-
dard deviation for the cumulative errors over time. This pro-
vides a quality metric of how well the program is controlling
the PC time clock (e.g., the smaller the better).
Monte Variakojis explains the significance of the 1 sigma
value as follows:
The 1 sigma value only starts to calculate after 7200 con-
secutive seconds of time lock and it’s there to show the long
term accuracy average (one sigma). The time synchroniza-
tion will be within this value (+) about 95% of the time.
The Estimated Time Error is the red line on the Time Dif-
ference plot. This is the actual filtered value that NMEATime
uses as an input to the control loop. The blue line on the Time
Difference plot is the actual unfiltered time difference
between the GPS NMEA string and the PC clock.
NMEATime2 Setup Procedures

The software program is extremely easy to set up once the
USB com port number is known and entered. A step-by-step
procedure follows:
Morse Express 2017 Christmas Key 1. When the program first starts, the USB port used by the
Continuing a tradition that spans the millennium so far, GPS is probably not set for the program to communicate with
Morse Express has introduced The Morse Express 2017 the attached GPS receiver. Therefore, the Tools - GPS -
Christmas Key, which is the seventeenth in the series. This Setup Communications tab should be selected so you can
year’s key combines a traditional camelback lever with a enter the com port assigned to the GPS receiver.
translucent red knob and a walnut base.
The camelback provides for an elegant level transition
down to the contacts but it also adds mass to the lever, giv-
ing it a smoother “feel.” That and the added leverage that
you get with the trunnion at the rear of the key make it excel-
lent for sending code.
The wires from the miniature binding posts are traced into
the base and covered with a felt pad so the key will be less
likely to slip, and won’t mar the table. The hardware is solid
brass, highly polished and, gold plated so that it will not tar-
nish or corrode. Contact spacing and spring tension are both
controlled by the single adjusting screw just forward of the
trunnion. The 2017 Christmas key weighs 2.25 ounces (60g)
and measures 2-3/8 x 1-5/8 inches (60 x 40 millimeters) at
the base.
The Morse Express 2017 Christmas Key is a limited edi-
tion, with a retail price of $89.95 plus shipping and handling.
Each key has a label with “Christmas 2017” and a unique
serial number. For more information, visit the Morse Express
website <www.morseexpress.com> or call (800) 238-8205
or (303) 752-3382. Figure 5. NMEATime calculated 1 sigma time error (see text
for discussion).
Don’t Forget to
Shop Our
Holiday Gift
Catalog!
Located on pages 56 to 61 Figure 6. Dialog for Com port settings of the GPS receiver.

2. From the dialog box, select the Port number for the GPS
connected to the computer. In my case, the port number was
identified as COM6 - Prolific USB-to-Serial Comm Port.
3. Next select the Baud for the GPS receiver. All receivers
I have used have a communication speed of 4800. My set-
tings are shown in Figure 6. I selected Port to COM6 and set
the Baud to 4800.
4. If all goes as planned, the Status screen should indicate
either searching for the satellites or time lock as shown in
Figure 7.
5. The status of the program can be followed by mouse
clicking on your computer tray located at the lower right por-
tion of your computer’s screen and looking for the satellite
icon image. The color of the image gives the program status
as listed in Figure 8. The black area with computer icons is
dependent on other programs your computer is running and
your operating system. By using the color-coded icons, you
can determine the program’s status.
Summary
If your hamming takes you out of internet range and you use
modes or take part in activities that require a very accurate
computer clock, the GPS satellite system and about $60 in
hardware and software can keep your clock updated almost
anywhere you go.
Figure 8. System tray program status indication using color- Figure 7. NMEATime panel status tab showing a locked
coded satellite icons. condition.
Internet Link References

GlobalSat GPS receiver (price class $30 online): < http://www.globalsat.com.tw/>
NMEATime2 software, sets time on PC from GPS receiver (price class $20 online with a free 30-day trial period):
< http://bit.ly/2yej0S2>
NMEATime2 tested GPS receivers that have been tested with the program: <http://bit.ly/2gvV1q2>
Leap Second Time Information: <http://bit.ly/2g3p1IV>
Time Systems and Dates - GPS Time: <http://bit.ly/2gctUDw>
BKtTimeSyn Software - Another application for setting time from GPS receivers: <http://bit.ly/2xzALcF>
Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) Information: <http://bit.ly/2yghXmS>
Space Based Augmentation System (SBAS) Information: <http://bit.ly/2g3pLOn>
European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) information: <http://bit.ly/2gcAAkM>

Technology Special
Repeaters using new digital voice technologies such as DMR, D-STAR or
System Fusion are much more spectrum-efficient than their analog FM cousins.
But integrating narrower-bandwidth repeaters into existing band plans is a
challenge. K2ATY has studied the issue and proposes one solution.
Narrowbanding – Amateur Radio Style

BY ALFRED T. YERGER, II,* K2ATY
s demand for spectrum increases, particularly on the which amateur radio adopted for FM repeaters between 146
A higher frequencies, the trend in land mobile radio

(LMR) has been toward narrowbanding. The purpose
of narrowbanding is to utilize less radio spectrum per QSO
and 148 MHz.
Today, the majority of the commercial VHF high band has
been split again to 7.5-kHz channels. To accommodate this
or, looking at it another way, more QSOs per MHz. This con- even narrower spacing, conventional FM is being replaced
cept is far from new. In the early days of FM communica- with various digital modulation techniques, the goal being to
tions, channels were spaced 60 kHz apart and there was no achieve the equivalent of 7.5-kHz bandwidth per conversa-
real specification for how far from the center frequency the tion. The UHF land mobile band has seen channel spacing
FM carrier could be deviated or modulated. Things eventu- split from 25 kHz to 12.5 kHz and now down to 6.25 kHz.
ally settled down and FM deviation was standardized at ±15 When the commercial channels are split, it is usually done
kHz. This might be considered the first narrowbanding of VHF in a manner that permits current users of the channels to
land mobile radio. As the use of FM grew, the next phase of maintain their channel center frequency but requires them
narrowbanding came when the FM deviation was reduced to adopt a new, narrower, technology. This creates addi-
from ±15 kHz to ±5 kHz. In addition, channel spacing on the tional channels in between the existing channel centers.
commercial VHF low band (30-50 MHz) was reduced from Figure 1 illustrates the commercial migration to narrower
60 kHz to 20 kHz, a three to one split: And the channel spac- channels in which 25-kHz channels are each split into two
ing on most of the high VHF band (150 to 173 MHz) was 12.5-kHz channels.
reduced to 30 kHz. As activity continued to increase, the For this to work properly and maintain relatively interference-
channels on VHF high band were split again to 15 kHz in free operation, all of the current users need to adopt narrow-
some areas. VHF high band was utilized by various services band technologies prior to the “new” channels being assigned.
and each had its own frequency plan. Today, this results in Figure 2 shows what might happen if some of the incumbent
a mix of channel spacing schemes. However, for a long time, users fail to adopt the new technology prior to the new sys-
the majority of the band utilized 15-kHz channel spacing, tems becoming operational on the split (or splinter) channels.
The user on the original center channel, having adopted
narrowband technology, should continue to enjoy relatively
* 1312 Union Ave., Newburgh, NY 12550 interference-free operation. However, the two new narrow-
email: <k2aty@arrl.net> band users, along with the existing systems that have not
Figure 1. Commercial migration to narrow channel spacing.

changes in regulations requiring sys-
tems to implement a new technology by
a certain date1. Now this doesn’t hap-
pen without some pain and anguish, but
there is nothing like a deadline to get
things done. In amateur radio, we have
a different motivation. Our change to
narrow bandwidth technologies is driven
by our desire to experiment with new
technologies, accommodate more sys-
tems, reduce interference, and take
advantage of new features offered by
the new modes. Yes, the commercial
users have some of these same desires
but hams lack the extra push created by
Figure 2. New narrowband systems before existing stations convert. Note changes in FCC rules. In fact, FCC rules
potential for interference between narrow and wideband repeaters. often hold us back while we wait for new
emissions to be approved for use in the
amateur bands.
adopted the new technology, will now by one FM signal. Currently in the FM All of this means that our migration
experience interference due to the over- portion of the 70-centimeter amateur from one technology to another will be
lap of their signals. UHF band, repeaters are spaced 25 slower and that not everyone will want
kHz apart. DMR stations, on the other to adopt the new modulation. As such,
Amateur Radio hand, can be spaced 12.5 kHz apart. while supporting and encouraging the
Narrowbanding In addition to the narrow bandwidth of new, we need to be considerate of both
DMR, through the use of time division the old and the new in our band plans.
Amateur radio is also experiencing its
multiple access (TDMA), each station
own form of narrowbanding. With the
can also support two simultaneous Amateur UHF Band Migration
advent of digital mobile radio (DMR)
QSOs. This results in a 400% increase For the purposes of this discussion we
under names like MotoTRBO, D-STAR,
in spectrum utilization, giving us the will use the 70-centimeter amateur UHF
System Fusion, etc., we are seeing a
equivalent of a 6.25-kHz channel band- band as an example (2 meters has
rapid growth of new systems on the
width. In other words, one DMR QSO some other issues that we will address
VHF and UHF bands that occupy sig-
for every 6.25 kHz of spectrum as com- later). As indicated above, repeater fre-
nificantly less spectrum than existing
pared to one FM QSO for every 25 kHz quencies at 440 are generally 25 kHz
analog FM systems. DMR (which we’re
of spectrum. apart. In most metropolitan areas, there
using generically in this article) con-
serves spectrum in two ways. are very few open channels to accom-
First, each station occupies half the Amateur Narrowbanding modate new systems, so when a DMR
bandwidth of conventional FM. Figure Issues repeater is constructed, it is often replac-
3 illustrates how two DMR signals can In commercial systems, the move to nar- ing an existing FM system. The FM sys-
exist in the space previously occupied rowband technology is usually driven by tem likely operates on a frequency that
Figure 3. Analog FM vs. DMR spectrum utilization.

has been coordinated by the local coor- as a 4-slot TDMA, that also has 6.25-kHz repeaters with reverse splits. In the com-
dination council and it is logical that the equivalent spectrum utilization but their mercial world, UHF repeaters transmit on
DMR users would want to utilize the footprint around X.0250 MHz or X.0750 the lower of the two frequencies in a pair
same channel center frequency. In MHz might remain unchanged. For and receive on the higher frequency, for
Figure 4, we show three hypothetical fre- DMR to be effective in increasing spec- example 452.000 MHz TX and 457.000
quencies with 25-kHz spacing. The X trum efficiency, we need a way to recov- MHz RX. When the problems of amateur
represents the MHz portion of the fre- er the extra space. frequency coordination were originally
quency. For this example, the value of X The extra space between the DMR addressed back in the 1970s, there was
is not really important. The diagram illus- signal and the existing FM signals can a disagreement about whether amateur
trates the channel utilization when the be recovered by offsetting the DMR sig- repeaters should transmit low or transmit
repeater on X.0500 MHz (the middle nal by 6.250 kHz, either up or down, high. Eventually, in a compromise deal,
channel) changes from FM to DMR. within the original 25-kHz channel. This repeaters on exact 50-kHz channel spac-
When the repeater on X.0500 changes makes space for a second DMR sys- ings would transmit low and repeaters on
from FM to DMR, additional spectrum is tem. Figure 5 illustrates two DMR sig- the 25-kHz channels in between would
made available on either side. The prob- nals, one at X.04375 MHz and the other transmit high. Those of us who disagreed
lem is that the space on either side is too at X.05625 MHz, in the 25-kHz channel with this arrangement pointed out that
small for another DMR repeater and way formerly utilized by the FM repeater on this placed every repeater receiver in
too small for an FM system. If we contin- X.0500 MHz. between two repeater transmitters. How-
ue to follow this “commercial” type migra- ever, democracy being what it is, the
tion plan, we will run into the same prob- One More Issue compromise prevailed and I have to
lems described above and illustrated in In the 70-centimeter ham band, we have admit that there have not been a tremen-
Figure 2. While this sometimes happens one more issue that our commercial dous number of problems over the years,
in commercial migrations, it is eventual- friends do not. This is the presence of until now. This concept of every other
ly resolved once everyone is onboard
with the new technology. In amateur
radio, on the other hand, there is no guar-
antee that the systems on X.0250 MHz
and X.0750 MHz will adopt a narrowband
technology. This doesn’t make them bad
people. They may stay on FM or even-
tually adopt a different technology, such
By Franz Langner, DJ9ZB
Known throughout the

DX and DXpedition
world as a meticulous
and tireless operator,
Franz Langner, DJ9ZB, Figure 4. Initial amateur migration from FM to DMR, based on 25-kHz wide
is also noted as one channels.
of the most knowledgeable
individuals in Amateur Radio
in terms of documenting DXCC
entities. This is the third edition in his
series of books bearing the title
DX World Guide, first published in
Germany in 1988, and then in a
second edition, also in Germany in
1997. This edition is the first to use color
throughout, and includes information on
well over 300 DX entities. Whether used
as a desk reference for the DXer of any
level of proficiency or as a “wish book”
for DXers just starting his or her DXCC
journey, the new DX World Guide is a
worthy and pleasant companion.
6 X 9 Paperback $42.95 $39.00

CD Version $22.95 $20.00
Buy both for only $60.95 $58.00
CQ Communications, Inc.
17 West John St., Hicksville, NY 11801
FAX 516 681-2926
http://store.cq-amateur-radio.com Figure 5. Amateur DMR offset migration; see text for discussion.

KX2 80-10 Meters
SSB/CW/Data/AM,
up to 10 W TX
KX3 160-6 Meters
SSB/CW/Data/AM/FM,
up to 15 W TX
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adjustable operating angle, the ultra-compact KX3 is equally at home on your desktop, in a vehicle, or in remote field locations.
The Elecraft® KX2 is the ultimate trail-friendly, grab-n-go radio. It’s also the only complete HF station that will fit in a stocking,
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repeater pair being inverted all but forces us to avoid the com- migrate to DMR. However, once two adjacent channels
mercial migration plan and adopt the offset migration plan are utilized for DMR on the current 15-kHz centers, both
shown in Figure 5. If we try to keep the current channel cen- channels could move frequency slightly and allow for a third
ter frequencies for existing repeater frequencies being migrat- DMR system.
ed to DMR, the interference shown in Figure 2 will be extreme-
ly bad. In the commercial plan, even if this interference occurs, Summary and Recommendations
we would be looking at repeater outputs competing with each In the 70-centimeter amateur UHF band, the best plan for
other. With the amateur inverted frequency plan, we would be migrating to narrowband DMR is the offset plan in which DMR
looking at repeater outputs from superior sites splashing into repeaters are spaced either 6.25 kHz below or 6.25 kHz
the receive passband of other repeaters, also at superior sites. above the existing FM channel center frequency. On the 2-
This would create a totally unmanageable situation. meter band, current 20-kHz channels should be split into two
10-kHz channels using the same offset-type migration as on
Amateur 2-Meter Migration UHF, except that — in this case — the new channel centers
Earlier we said that the 2-meter band had different issues. will be 5 kHz above and 5 kHz below the old channel cen-
In many parts of the country, the FM repeater frequencies ter. The current 15 kHz channels should remain on their exist-
above 146 MHz are spaced at 15 kHz (other regions have ing channel centers until enough systems have migrated to
20-kHz separation, which is not a problem in this regard). DMR to allow adjacent pairs of channels to be split into three
The 15-kHz spacing is actually a little too narrow for 5-kHz 10-kHz DMR channels. While we can’t force amateurs to do
deviation FM but it has worked out OK in the long run. Now…if anything, I would strongly recommend that all new DMR
you split the 15-kHz channels you get two 7.5-kHz channels, repeaters adopt these plans when first activated and that
which are also too narrow for DMR. I don’t know what is hap- existing DMR systems move to these plans as soon as prac-
pening everywhere in the country (or world), but in New tical. This will reduce the problem of requiring all of the users
England, repeater coordinators are having good success of the new systems to reprogram their radios when the
with 10-kHz channel spacing on the lower end of the band inevitable frequency changes take place.
from 145.000 to 145.600 MHz, with the traditional 600-kHz
transmit-to-receive offset, and between 146.000 and Acknowledgement:
146.500 MHz with a 1-MHz transmit-to-receive offset. I would like to thank Bill Barber, NE1B, for his assistance in
With regard to the channels in the upper portion of the preparing this article and all of his good work promoting ama-
band that are currently utilizing 15-kHz channel spacing, teur DMR.
the best plan seems to be to maintain the existing 15-kHz
channel centers. Two adjacent 15-kHz channels would split Note:
nicely into three 10-kHz DMR channels but that would 1. FCC mandatory narrowbanding Report and Order for com-
require the existing users of both channels to agree to pliance Jan.1, 2013.

Technology Special
Buddipole’s POWERmini is a highly portable all-in-one DC power
management system and solar controller that’s a great accessory for the
QRP operator or anyone operating in the great outdoors.
CQ Reviews:
Buddipole POWERmini
Portable Power Management System
BY R. SCOTT ROUGHT,* KA8SMA
arlier this year, Buddipole, Inc. introduced the
E POWERmini, a compact, highly portable, 12-volt direct

current power management system with a built-in solar
charger. This device can charge a 12-volt battery via solar
power, monitor voltage and current to a load (i.e. transceiv-
er, station accessory, etc.), track voltage and current input
from a solar panel, and can be used independently of a solar
panel as a power distribution and battery management sys-
tem. (See following review of PowerFilm Solar’s foldable
solar panels. – ed)
The POWERmini can handle a load current up to 25 amps,
a solar panel output of 10 amps, and is programmable for
use with either lead acid or lithium ion batteries. Weighing
just over six ounces and measuring 4.5 inches wide, 3.2 inch-
es deep and 1.3 inches high, Buddipole has packed a lot of
beef into a package that fits easily in your hand.
As a dedicated QRP operator who operates exclusively via
battery power, I was excited to review this recent addition to
the amateur radio market.
Basic Features and Layout Photo A. The Buddipole POWERmini … A lot of ingenuity
in a small box!
The POWERmini is packed with easy-to-use features that
enable the user to comfortably monitor a variety of functions
with a simple press of a button and glimpse at the display. to the System Report page and pressing it a second time
The unit is well laid out with an organic light-emitting diode selects the User Settings page. The up and down arrows
(OLED) display centered on top (Photo A). (located to the right and left of the SEL button, respectively)
The battery, solar panel and up to two loads are connect- allow the user to change default settings on the User Settings
ed to the unit via Anderson Powerpole® connectors that are page after the SEL button is held down for a few seconds.
located on the left (battery and solar panel connections) and The Main page (Photo B) provides important system infor-
right (12-volt outputs) sides of the unit. Each connector loca- mation displayed in two columns. The left column contains
tion is clearly marked on top and the connectors are color- general battery information including voltage, load current,
coded (blue/black for the battery, yellow/black for the solar and the amount of current that has been provided by the bat-
panel, and red/black for the two loads) to help ensure prop- tery to the load since power has been applied. Two vertical
er polarity when making connections to the unit. A thick rub- bars to the right of the digital readout provide a graphical rep-
ber boot (approximately one-quarter-inch thick) is wrapped resentation of the battery’s voltage (left bar) and the amount
around each side of the unit. The band provides a comfort- of current drawn by the load (right bar). The vertical bars pro-
able grip and adds a bit of ruggedness. vide an easy way to determine battery status with a glance
A Select (SEL) button that allows switching between three at the display. The right column provides information regard-
display pages (Main, System Report, and User Settings) is ing the solar panel including output voltage, output current,
located beneath the OLED display. The POWERmini auto- and the total charge delivered by the solar panel to the bat-
matically defaults to the Main page each time the unit is pow- tery (after connecting the solar panel). A fourth line indicates
ered on. Pressing the SEL button once switches the display whether the battery is in charge or float mode. The
POWERmini charges the battery to capacity then automati-
* CQ QRP Editor cally switches to float (maintenance) mode to keep the bat-
email: <wa8sma@cq-amateur-radio.com> tery fully charged without overcharging.

located to the right of the display. Under
normal working conditions, the LED is
green (or flashing green when the dis-
play is off), but if the unit detects a fault
(i.e. high or low battery voltage), the
LED emits a steady or flashing red. An
audible alarm can also be enabled to
warn of a fault.
The POWERmini is equipped with a
sensor that will automatically discon-
nect the load if excess load current is
detected (output overload). Addi-
tionally, the unit is equipped with an
internal fuse in the event the load is
short-circuited. Step-by-step proce-
dures are included in the instructions for
resetting the unit in the event of excess
current draw and/or a short circuit at the
load. Reverse polarity protection is pro-
Photo B. Main Display Page. vided for both the solar panel and bat-
tery inputs, so no worries if you make a
mistake plugging in these connectors.
The solar controller can handle an
input up to 10 amps (120-watt solar
panel). If an input greater than 10 amps
is detected, the solar charger is auto-
matically disconnected. The controller
uses Pulse-Width-Modulation (PWM)
technology, which helps extend the life
of the battery and ensures efficient bat-
tery charging. The controller does not
support Maximum Point Power Tracking
(MPPT), which is a technique to maxi-
mize the amount of current entering the
battery from the solar panel. MPPT tech-
nology is generally used with solar panel
outputs of 200 watts or more.
POWERmini On the Go!

I took the POWERmini on several field
Photo C. System Display Page. adventures during the review period.
Prior to hitting the trail, I did a dry run in
The System Report page (Photo C) the appropriate battery type has been the ham shack and connected it to a 12-
contains information about the system selected the first time, the unit will volt 9-ampere-hour gel-cell battery and
since it was powered on and erases default to this setting each time it is pow- plugged in my Yaesu FT-817. I did not
itself each time the unit is disconnect- ered on. This page also includes an connect a solar panel as it was nighttime
ed from the battery/solar charger. This “auto off” feature that can be enabled/ and I used the POWERmini strictly as a
page indicates how long the unit has disabled to shut off the system if battery battery management/power distribution
been operating, the peak wattage from voltage has fallen below the battery’s system. As soon as I turned on the FT-
the solar panel and how many watts low voltage limit. This will prevent the 817, I checked the Main menu on the
were produced from the solar panel. It battery from being fully discharged POWERmini. Battery voltage was 12.5
also displays the difference between while operating and reducing the bat- volts and current draw was 0.38 amps.
the amount of battery charge used by tery’s life (been there, done that!). The As I fiddled with the volume control on
the load and charge replaced by the instructions provide guidance on select- the FT-817 I watched the readout for the
solar panel. This is a neat feature when ing an appropriate low-voltage limit for load current move up and down as the
operating in the field for determining your choice of battery. Another useful radio pulled more or less current. I then
how much battery life is left. feature is the high-voltage limit, which transmitted a carrier and watched the
The User Settings page (Photo D) allows the user to set the maximum volt- load current increase. After making a
provides the option to select battery age delivered to the load. Buddipole few contacts, I checked the System
type (lithium ion or lead-acid). This is an indicates this adjustment is intended to Report page. Sure enough, the
important setting and should be pro- prevent damage to radio equipment. POWERmini recorded the unit had been
grammed when the unit is first powered This setting is your “belt and sus- on for 1.6 hours…how time flies when
on. The instructions do a fine job penders” to ensure high voltage is never you are having fun.
explaining the characteristics of each introduced to the equipment — thank My first field adventure with the
battery type and recommended charge you, Buddipole. POWERmini was at a local park where
and discharge voltages for each. After An LED that serves two functions is I set up my FT-817, gel-cell and other

hear any RFI from the POWERmini on my FT-817 or any of
my other QRP rigs. This is a big deal as you cannot have fun
if you’re combatting RFI.
The LED (lit green when everything is functioning proper-
ly and red if there is a fault) is very bright and can be a bit
annoying if using the unit in the shack at night when lights
are dimmed (as I do); however, I realized the merit of a bright
LED when working portable outdoors under sunny skies. If
the LED were any less bright, I would not be able to see it.
To reduce the intensity of the LED when using the unit
indoors, I partially cover it with a small piece of electrical tape
and all is well!
I like the OLED display! My vision is not what it used to be
and after seeing the small size of the unit, I was concerned
Photo D. User Settings Page (user selectable) that I may not be able to easily read the display. The char-
acters are clear, crisp and easy to see. No eye strain like I
often have when viewing other displays of similar size…good
items to make a complete portable station (Photo E). I also job, Buddipole.
took a 30-watt PowerFilm foldable solar panel to plug into the My only wish for the POWERmini is that it had screw ter-
unit. The built-in Powerpole connectors made setup quick minals for cable connectors in addition to the Powerpole con-
and easy and, for once, I felt that I had a “complete” portable nectors. As a ham who has been slow to make the transition
station where I could monitor battery voltage, current draw, from 12-volt cigarette-style plugs and screw terminals to the
and had comfort in knowing I would not run low on battery now commonly-accepted Powerpole connectors, I was dis-
juice. After making several contacts, I noted the “Battery Use” appointed that I could not connect the battery and other equip-
readout (located on the System Report page) indicated I was ment directly to the unit via screw terminals. However, after
nearly par for power consumption and power replenishment making a few cables fitted with Powerpole connectors and
from the solar panel. In other words, the amount of power using them in concert with the unit, it is obvious (to me) that
consumed from the battery by the FT-817 had been nearly Buddipole wanted a connector with a reliable mechanical and
replenished by the solar charger and foldable solar panel electrical connection that was easy to plug in and disconnect.
(thank you, Mr. Sun). Although I do like the old-fashioned screw terminals, it is prob-
I should note that although my testing of this product was ably time I adopted the new standard for 12-volt DC power
with a 12-volt 9-amp-hour gel-cell battery and QRP equipment in the amateur community.
(pulling less than 2 amps on transmit), the POWERmini can
be used with any lead-acid or lithium ion battery-powered sta- Final Thoughts
tion that has a current consumption of 25 amps or less. Without a doubt, the Buddipole POWERmini is the cat’s
meow for anyone in the market for an “all-in-one” solar con-
My Likes and a Wish troller, battery management system, and power distribution
One concern I had prior to powering up the POWERmini is and monitoring device. My old solar controller has been per-
whether I would hear any radio frequency interference (RFI) manently retired to a box in the corner of my ham shack for
on my FT-817. I have a solar controller I purchased several use as spare parts. The POWERmini retails for $139 U.S.
years ago from a popular store that sells tools by the “freight Additional information and product ordering is available via
load” and it generates noise. Based on my past experience, Buddipole’s website <www.buddipole.com/powermini.html>
I did not know what to expect. I am happy to say I could not or by phone at (503) 591-8001.
Photo E. Working portable at a local park with the POWERmini, a PowerFilm Solar 30-watt foldable panel and my QRP
setup. (See accompanying review of the PowerFilm Solar panel.)

Technology Special
Portable power for operating in the field usually means a battery, but
charging can sometimes become an issue. One solution: foldable solar
panels. KA8SMA looks at a set from PowerFilm Solar, which he tested in
conjunction with the Buddipole POWERmini power management system.
CQ Reviews:
PowerFilm Solar Foldable Solar Panels
and the LightSaver Portable Solar Charger
ecently, I had the opportunity to try several products al types of rollable panels for consumer purchase. For this
R offered by PowerFilm Solar. Inc. of Ames, Iowa, a

manufacturer of thin-film, flexible solar panels and
accessories. Their products are designed to be used by any-
review, I focused only on the foldable varieties. Table 1 pro-
vides the measurements for each foldable panel in unfolded
and folded positions, along with their weight and power rating.
one with a desire to harness and maximize the sun’s ener- Photo A shows several solar panels unfolded and Photo B
gy in an easy and efficient manner. PowerFilm Solar has a shows the 120-watt and 30-watt panels in their folded position.
long history of providing solutions and manufacturing equip- All of PowerFilm Solar’s panels are manufactured in the
ment for military, industrial, and commercial solar applica- United States. The solar panels are made by overlaying a
tions and has taken a step into the amateur radio communi- metal contact with six layers of amorphous silicon onto a roll
ty. If you have attended the Dayton Hamvention® in recent of plastic that is 30 microns thick. A layer of transparent mate-
years, you may have seen their booth with a variety of prod- rial that acts as a conductor is then applied over the amor-
ucts geared toward consumer and amateur use. phous silicon with a copper strip attached to the edge of the
What makes PowerFilm Solar unique and sets its solar pan- plastic roll. The roll is then cut into individual modules that
els apart from those of competitors is their thin construction, are placed onto fabric (heavy-duty canvas) and soldered
ultra-light weight, and ability to be folded or rolled (depend- together using flexible stranded wire. A laminating process
ing on the type of panel purchased). Since I regularly tap into is then completed to fuse the entire package together. Each
Ol’ Sol for help in charging and maintaining my array of 12- panel is finished by adding a top piece of fabric, sewing the
volt sealed lead acid (gel-cell) batteries, I was anxious to try modules and top/bottom layers of fabric together, and adding
these products. a waterproof Delphi automotive power connector. Grommets
are also installed along the perimeter of the fabric (Photo C).
Let’s Talk Foldable Solar Panels Each panel undergoes a series of quality checks during
PowerFilm Solar manufactures a variety of sizes of foldable assembly and is tested when finished to ensure it
solar panels (120, 90, 60, 30, 20, 10, and 5 watts) and sever- meets specifications. A video highlighting the construction
process is contained on PowerFilm Solar’s website <www.
* CQ QRP Editor powerfilmsolar.com>. All solar panels manufactured by
email: <wa8sma@cq-amateur-radio.com> PowerFilm Solar have an operating voltage of 15.4 volts
Table 1: Foldable Solar Panel Characteristics

Power Rating / Current Dimensions Dimensions Weight
(Unfolded) (Folded)
120 Watt / 7.2 Amps 55" x 87" 14" x 14" 6.5 pounds
90 Watt / 5.4 Amps 55" x 68" 11" x 14" 5 pounds
30 Watt / 1.8 Amps 47" x 25.5" 13" x 7" 1.8 pounds
10 Watt / 0.6 Amps 21" x 22" 10.5" x 4" 0.75 pounds
5 Watt / 0.3 Amps 24.5" x 10.5" 3.3" x 10.5" 0.5 pounds
Note: Current value is typical and may vary due to light spectrum, temperature and other effects.

(under sunlit conditions), which can charge a 12-volt gel cell fold the panel inward (so the solar cells are facing each other),
or similar battery type (a charge controller is recommended fold the panel inward again so there is one row of squares
when charging batteries). Amorphous silicon is used as the (row with exposed flap), then fold each square on top on of
solar absorbent material because it has several attributes one another downward to the flap. The fold lines remove any
that allow the panels to be lightweight, flexible, temperature- guesswork on how to fold the panel. When finished, the flap
resistant, and generally collect more solar energy in lower is wrapped around the panel and secured in place with Velcro
light situations than other technologies (i.e. crystalline pan- that is sewn onto the panel (Photo D). Setup and take down
els). This is very beneficial when working under partly sunny could not be any easier or faster.
skies and aids in portability. I have used large crystalline solar panels in the past that
The foldable panels are mounted on heavy-duty canvas need to be fastened together, set up on tripods and then ori-
that is double stitched, and in some locations, triple stitched ented toward the sun for maximum efficiency — a venture
(Photo C again). My XYL (a long-time quilter who is very par- that takes a good 10 or 15 minutes to complete, not to men-
ticular about stitches) inspected the stitching and gave it a tion the burden of transporting the panels to your destina-
“thumbs-up.” The canvas is divided into squares with each tion. The PowerFilm Solar panels are designed to be placed
square containing a solar module. The squares are pre-fold- flat on the ground or any other surface you see fit, such as
ed, making the whole panel easy to fold and unfold. Unfolding the top of a canopy, tent, or other (nearly flat) surface with-
the panel is accomplished in a matter of seconds. It took me out the need to orient it toward the sun for maximum effi-
approximately 30 seconds to unfold the 120-watt size panel, ciency. As an experiment, I hung the PowerFilm Solar 30-
situate it on the ground, and plug in the included power cable watt panel vertically in my southern exposure, second-story
to run a portable station. ham shack window and connected it to a Buddipole
Folding the panel takes less than one minute. To fold the POWERmini (see accompanying review –ed) to charge a 12-
solar panel, you disconnect the power cable from the plug, volt, 9-amp-hour gel cell battery that I use to run my Yaesu
Photo A. PowerFilm Solar Foldable Panels (clockwise: 30-watt, 60-watt, 120-watt, 20-watt, 10-watt, and LightSaver).
Photo B. 120-watt and 60-watt panels (folded).

FT-817. For one week, I operated each float status. I should note my experi-
night for two hours and let the solar ment was conducted in August when
panel recharge my battery the following more sunlight was available during the
day. Each day (including days that were day than at other times of the year.
partly cloudy), the panel recharged the Trying to charge a battery using this
battery to its full potential. I admit I was setup in January may render a different
surprised that enough sunlight was cap- result. Each foldable panel is equipped
tured each day to sufficiently charge the with a built-in blocking diode that allows
battery and put the charger controller in you to leave the panel connected to a
Photo D. Velcro on panel flap and

Photo C. Close-up of grommet, fabric, and stitching on the panel. power plug.

venture outdoors in January. PowerFilm Solar’s line of rol-
lable panels is designed to be waterproof and used in the
marine industry or in wet environments.
Accessories and Other Items

Each solar panel comes with a power cord equipped with a
plug to insert the cord directly into the unit and a female power
port adapter (cigarette lighter socket) on the opposite end.
The female power port adapter allows you to plug in to the
unit (using a male cigarette lighter plug) and customize your
own connectors for connection to equipment. A variety of
optional cables that are pre-wired to specific types of con-
nectors (i.e. alligator clips, O-rings, Power Pole connectors,
etc.) are available from PowerFilm Solar. Also available is a
15-foot extension cord for longer runs and a daisy chain for
connecting two solar panels together in parallel to produce
more current output (up to 20 amps).
Probably the most interesting (to me) product line available
from PowerFilm Solar is its OEM modules. The OEM mod-
ules are available in a variety of sizes, shapes and configu-
rations and are designed for the do-it-yourselfer (DIY) who
Photo E. A 3.6-volt, 0.18-watt OEM module for the do-it-
wants to design and construct his/her own solar-powered
yourselfer.
charger for a particular application. The modules are durable
and can be soldered on their ends for attaching positive and
battery-operated system without concern that the panels negative wire terminals (Photo E). A black film overlays a
might drain the battery during periods of low or no light. copper strip on each end of the module. The film can be
PowerFilm Solar recommends using its foldable panels scraped away with a sharp knife or removed with the tip of a
under dry conditions; however, if a panel is subject to light hot soldering iron. I suspect a DIY ham could find a variety
drizzle or brief rain shower, the panel can reportedly be wiped of uses for these modules.
dry with a clean cloth. It is not recommended the panel be
submerged or left outdoors on a permanent basis where it The Best for Last – Per My XYL
will be subject to precipitation. The foldable solar panel is As I unpacked the box of solar panels and accessories sent
designed to withstand temperatures below freezing, so from PowerFilm Solar, my XYL had one eye on her smart-
Winter Field Day is not a problem for those hardy enough to phone and the other on the box I was unloading. To my sur-
Photo F. LightSaver Portable Solar

Charger. Photo G. XYL, smartphone, and the LightSaver – Inseparable.

bhi Get rid of noise & interference..
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prise, PowerFilm Solar had added an unexpected item … the To me, it is like comparing a Ford Escort (the car I had 25
LightSaver Portable Solar Charger (Photos F and G), an all- years ago) to my current vehicle, a Ford F-150 pickup truck
in-one solar charger/power bank equipped with a rollable solar — there is no comparison as far as function and durability.
panel, 3,200 milliamp hour battery pack and a USB output (1 The weight of the foldable panel also makes it a cinch to
amp) for charging today’s popular electronic devices, includ- transport and its size allows it to be tucked into my backpack
ing smartphones. As soon as I finished explaining to my XYL with room to spare for other equipment. These are important
what the LightSaver did, she claimed it for her personal test- features and a must for working portable when solar power
ing. Since my wife drains her smartphone battery daily, she is a consideration.
seemed like the logical person to test this product. I can state I like that each panel comes self-contained with a flap that
without question that she put this gadget through numerous wraps around the folded unit for protection instead of hav-
charging cycles during the trial period with no issues. ing to slip it into a separate tote bag. If you have ever tried
Charge time for the LightSaver’s internal battery pack is to stuff a tent back into its storage bag after a camping excur-
approximately six hours (under full sun) and with a full charge sion, you know how difficult it can be. It would be nice if the
it provided ample power for charging her Samsung Galaxy S6 foldable panels had a built-in carrying strap. Although they
smartphone. After charging her smartphone, she would place take up little room in a backpack, a carrying strap would allow
the LightSaver in her purse (with whatever battery power the panels to be slung over a shoulder and toted up a trail
remained) and pull it out later for another round of smartphone alongside a backpack full of radio gear and other necessi-
charging. It is important to note that the LightSaver can also ties for a successful outing.
be charged via a wall wart (charging time is around three The LightSaver Portable Solar Charger receives a huge
hours) when sufficient sunlight may not be available. like. Need I say more...my XYL (and family) love this device.
The LightSaver is approximately 7.5 inches long by 1.5
inches in diameter and weighs 4.9 ounces. It easily fits in my Final Comments
pocket and my XYL carried it in her purse. This gadget has PowerFilm Solar has a real winner with its foldable solar
created a little jealousy at the QTH as my two daughters often panels. American ingenuity with top-notch construction and
ask to borrow the LightSaver when they leave the craftsmanship tucked in a small, lightweight package that
house…they are smartphone fanatics too. can charge a 12-volt battery system and power electronic
devices in a portable setting — amazing. Although I was
Likes and Dislikes only able to get out for a few field adventures with the fold-
I really like the durability and ruggedness of the foldable pan- able panels, I truly believe these panels will stand the test
els. Unlike the crystalline solar panels I have used in the past, of time and offer the amateur radio community a solid source
the foldable panels can be dragged over rough surfaces, set for solar power. Additional information and product order-
on rocky outcrops, and if necessary, easily hung or sus- ing is available via PowerFilm Solar’s website <www.
pended without the worries of breaking or scratching a panel. powerfilmsolar.com> or phone at (888) 354-7773.

Technology Special
Here’s a unique program from SV3ORA to permit hams to easily draw
schematics and other diagrams and then exchange them over the air in
virtually any transmission mode.
Schematix
BY KONSTANTINOS GIANNOPOLOUS,* SV3ORA
uring my HF RF experiments, I usually find myself in editor, without the need for special installed tools or compil-
D situations where I need to draw my designed schemat-

ics. In fact, at the time I develop my circuits, I draw
them block-by-block and then I test each one. If a block fails,
ers on your computer.
Radio amateurs are encouraged to take the code, modify

I discard it; if it works satisfactorily, I keep it and move ahead. it, and create something even more useful to the ham com-
Schematix is a program I have developed to help me in this munity. The way Schematix operates, is not limited to
aspect of the ham radio hobby1. I could use freely available schematics, so simple PCB drawings and diagrams can be
CAD (computer-aided design) programs, but most of them, added.
while quite capable, are also quite complex to learn. My inten-
tion was to produce software that would be straightforward Why Use Schematix?
to use, even for a child with basic electronics knowledge. I There are not many ways one can send a schematic over
mostly thought about older hams, though, who quite often the air today, using the low bandwidth required on HF. The
find it very difficult to learn how to use a complex CAD pro- most obvious way is to export the schematic generated by a
gram. Complexity is a disadvantage if you want to do a sim- CAD program as an image and then use SSTV, digital SSTV,
ple thing. radio-FAX or another image-based mode that allows for
When the basic drawing part of the program had been writ- image conversion to audio tones. Then transmit these audio
ten, I thought it would be nice if one could use this program tones using your SSB, FM, or AM transceiver. While this is
to send his schematics to his ham friends through radio OK, there are several problems with this approach:
around the world. So, a quite complex mechanism for being
able to do this simply was developed. • Unnecessary data is being transmitted, so data efficien-
The “Schematix” software is intended for use by radio cy is low. Using such modes, you transmit the same amount
amateurs to draw simple schematics, PCB layouts, and dia- of data (so it takes up the same amount of time), whether
grams quickly and easily, and to efficiently send these to you transmit a full-color or black & white image, or even a
other hams via Morse code, voice using a phonetic alpha- blank image. There is no distinction between such things.
bet, or any text mode. • A voice (SSB/AM/FM) transmitter is required (usually
Apart from drawing, there is a variety of ways in which these expensive to buy or complex to build). CW or any other on/off
schematics can be exported or imported. Schematix has keying mode is just out of question.
been designed with simplicity in mind, so anyone with basic • Bandwidth efficiency is low, since an SSB/AM/FM trans-
electronics knowledge can immediately use it, without much mitter is used and audio tones that occupy most of the band-
effort or documentation reading. width are sometimes also used (SSTV).
Schematix is written in HTML and Javascript, which has • Data is very prone to errors, since analog tones are all
several advantages: that is sent. Since they are of infinite state, a decoder can-
not distinguish between an error and the actual data.
• It can run live from a webpage, without any need to down- • An error in one area of the schematic image requires a
load, or as an offline standalone application when down- request to retransmit the whole image, for the error to be
loaded to your computer. corrected.
• It is multi-platform, meaning that it can run on any oper- • None of these modes are human-oriented; a computer is
ating system (Windows, Linux, etc.) as long as there is a always needed for sending and receiving schematics.
Javascript-enabled browser installed (Firefox preferred).
• It is widely open-source, since the code is immediately Most of these problems arise because an image is supposed
available to anyone. Any distribution of the application auto- to be sent, which can be a picture of a schematic or any other
matically distributes the source code, since it is the actual photo. Schematix restricts the type of data to be sent to let-
source that is distributed, no binaries, no executables, no ters and numbers only; you cannot send an image with it.
installation to your PC. Although the end result is an image, no actual image is sent.
• The application can be modified easily using a simple text There are also some rules about size and the way you draw
your schematic and label the components. However,
Schematix has significant advantages over other modes:
* sv3ora@qrp.gr
This article is adapted from a more detailed version on the • A voice (SSB/AM/FM) transmitter is not required. Any
author’s website, <www.qrp.gr> on/off keying mode, including CW, can be used. This allows

Figure 1. The basic Schematix drawing screen. Commonly used schematic symbols are at the upper left, with options at
the upper right for accessing less common symbols. The lower part of the screen is the table in which your schematic
will be drawn.
• Received errors can be easily detect-

ed, since they are presented in the
received schematic as blank compo-
nents, broken components, wrong com-
ponents, or duplicated components.
• An error in one area of the schemat-
ic does not require a request for retrans-
mission of the whole schematic, but just
the specific area where the error is.
• Errors can be corrected by the user
in some cases, without asking for re-
transmission, by looking at the received
schematic consistency. It is analogous
Figure 2. When you click on a component from the menu, it appears at the top to (but not the same as) the Feld-Hell
of the table. You then click your mouse over the cell where the component should mode, in which errors can be corrected
go and it will drop into place. by the human brain, without the need
for retransmission.
sending schematics over the air, using sent. This is not limited by the total • Finally, it is human-oriented. A com-
cheap homebrew transceivers or pow- schematic size, but only by the number puter is not necessary for drawing,
erful, but cheap and power-efficient of components on it. Also, when you sending, or receiving schematics. CW
switching-mode amplifiers (Class-E). use CW, the more common compo- or a phonetic alphabet can be easily
• Bandwidth efficiency can also be nents in the schematic are assigned to used, in combination with encoding/
high if CW, PSK, or similar modes are shorter Morse code characters, so the decoding printout tables.
used, since these modes occupy mini- efficiency is maximized.
mum bandwidth. • Data is not so prone to errors, Basic Operation
• Data efficiency is high, as only because it is digital and it is presented To try Schematix, go to my website,
usable symbols are sent, not blank by finite states of audio tones, carrier- <www.qrp.gr>, click on the Schematix
spaces. Also, the fewer components switching or phase-shifting (depending link and select the option to test the pro-
your schematic has, the less data is on which mode you use). gram online. Alternatively, you can

To experiment, proceed to place
some resistors or capacitors or what-
ever you want in your circuit. Now comes
the process of hooking them up. In other
programs, you just start drawing in wires.
In Schematix, you have to place the
wires as though they were symbols. In
the table of symbols, you will find straight
wires, elbows, tees, and one kind of
cross.
Figure 4. Schematix treats wires and To draw a straight wire that crosses
junctions like components. You select more than one cell, you have to place
Figure 3. The program has fixed cell and drop in segments of straight lines, a straight-line symbol in each cell.
sizes and lead locations so that every- bent lines and different types of When you want to turn a corner, you
thing lines up with components and junctions. select the appropriate elbow and place
wires in adjacent boxes. it. If you need a tee, just select it and
place it. These wires connect the mid-
download the program to your PC, the symbol in the table that you have dle of the sides of the cells (Figure 4).
unzip it, and run the file “index.html” clicked. The component symbols are also
inside the program folder. This will open If it doesn’t work, try a few more times. designed so they connect to the middle
up your browser and run the Schematix If you can’t make it work, you might need of the sides of the cells, so the wires
application (Figure 1). to enable Javascript. If it just absolute- and the components automatically line
As the program loads, you will see the ly refuses to obey, you may need to up. This auto-alignment of components
symbols in the top frame clunk in. Once upgrade your browser. is useful for older people with vision
it has fully loaded, you should see a Now that you have selected the sym- problems, but it has also been proven
table of available symbols at the top of bol you want, you can place it anywhere very quick and effective when drawing.
the page, with the currently chosen in the drawing area below the table of When you place a symbol that you
symbol displayed above it. There is also symbols. Put the mouse pointer where don’t want by mistake, you can erase it
an option for selecting different func- you want the symbol to be placed and by selecting the blank symbol in the
tions. You will also notice a blank area click. The symbol should drop into that upper left corner of the table and click-
at the bottom of the page, which is spot. ing onto the symbol you don’t want.
indexed by letters. This is where your The drawing area is a table. You can Also, if you want to change a symbol to
diagram will be drawn. If your browser place only one symbol in each cell of a different one, just select the desired
pops-up any messages related to the table. For convenience, the drawing symbol in the table and click on the pre-
blocked content, you must choose to area is indexed into lines and columns vious one to replace it.
allow this blocked content in order for (A-Z), so that you know in which cell a Additional symbols appear in row 4 of
Schematix to run correctly. component is placed. The alignment of the symbol table. To get the extra sym-
The first thing to do to draw a schemat- the components in the table is auto- bols to appear in row 4, click on the
ic is to select the symbol that you want matic and the size of the table cells is appropriate component type in the
from the top table. Put the mouse point- fixed. You can’t place a symbol halfway “More components” table on the right.
er over any of the symbols in the table between one cell and another. This is For example, if you want to draw with
and click it (Figure 2). The symbol that’s why, when you place a symbol, it seems vacuum tubes, click on the “Tube” key-
isolated above the table (currently to magically line up with the other sym- word. Symbols for a diode, triode,
selected component) should change to bols in the drawing (Figure 3). tetrode, and pentode will appear in row

4. You can now select these symbols and place them just functions have been correctly used. Please ensure there are
as you would any other symbol. no markers left in your schematic prior to clicking “Utilities”
The components labeled “LABEL” and “MARKER” are or any save function. You may erase a marker just as you
used for two special functions. The “LABEL” is used for label- would any other component.
ing your components (more on this later) and the “MARK-
ER” symbol is used twice between one or more components
you have previously drawn, to select them. Then copy/cut Hints on Schematic Drawing
and paste them in a different location. Please read the doc- Note that if your screen resolution is not very high, not all
umentation inside the program, if you want to learn how to lines or columns (A-Z) may appear in the drawing area. If
use the MARKER symbol. This function is useful if you want you draw small schematics, this may not be a problem, but
to copy, move or delete large areas within a schematic. if you draw larger ones, it might be. If not all columns appear
It is important to note that markers are not symbols that in the drawing area, you can make them show by horizon-
must be exported or saved. They exist only to be used by tally resizing your browser window. If not all lines appear in
the copy/cut/paste functions and they disappear after these the drawing area, you can make them show by resizing the
Figure 5. If your screen resolution is low, it’s possible to increase the display area of the schematic table by dragging up
the boundary with the top menu area (which will then be smaller). Note the double arrow circled in red that appears
when you are changing a window boundary.
Figure 6. After you’ve drawn your circuit and inserted the word “LABEL” next to each component, you then use the boxes
at the top of the UTILITIES screen to enter the value for each label. The boxes are identified by the location on the grid
of each LABEL that you’ve inserted.

Figure 7. When the schematic is finished and you click on Export data, a window will appear that either shows you the
encoded data or highlights errors and tells you how to fix them.
bottom drawing area frame. Note that this will reduce the size bility, please read the documentation, where it is explained
of the top symbols frame (Figure 5). more thoroughly. The Utilities function leads you to anoth-
If you still can’t make all lines and columns appear, you can er page, where you can enter components’ values, import/
zoom out your browser’s window view. In many browsers, a export your schematics for exchanging them over the air,
quick way to zoom in/out is to hold down the left CTRL key and more.
on the keyboard while simultaneously scrolling the middle For your convenience, there is a little help symbol “[?]” right
wheel of the mouse. If this can’t change the zoom level, you next to each function. If you click that, you are redirected to
can zoom in/out from the browser preferences. See your web the relevant section of the documentation that explains the
browser’s documentation on how to change the zoom level. current function.
Controls Labeling Components

The controls area contains different functions which are use- Drawing a schematic in Schematix is a two-step process.
ful when drawing your schematic. I will only briefly describe First, you complete the drawing of your full schematic, as
their operation here. For more extensive information, please described above, and only then do you enter the components’
read the documentation inside Schematix. labels. You cannot enter labels as you draw your schemat-
The Left, Up, Right, and Down functions move the whole ic, only when you fully complete its drawing. Also, you can-
schematic in these directions. Take care not to move the not come back and edit a schematic once you have entered
schematic to positions exceeding the boundaries of the draw- component labels.
ing area, because you may lose drawn components. The If you click the “LABEL” icon in the components table, you
Copy, Cut, and Paste functions are used in conjunction with should be able to place the word LABEL in the drawing area
the MARKER symbol explained above. The Clear function next to the component you want. You must do this for each
deletes the whole schematic. The Save and Recall functions component in your schematic that you want to label.
constitute a simple way of temporarily saving your schemat- The actual labels (component values) will be added later
ic (in a cookie) or recalling a previously saved one. You can on, using the “UTILITIES” function. This function replaces the
think of this as an “undo” function, but you have to manually LABEL words next to your components with the actual val-
save your schematic when you want it. The List function ues that you will enter.
allows you to save or recall your schematic in a text list, which
is useful for saving it as a text file. The Display function sim- Utilities
ply displays your current schematic in a new window. Then After you have finished editing your schematic, click Save or
you can print-screen it or save it as an HTML file. The Charts save it to a list, then click the UTILITIES function. This will
link leads you to useful tables and documents, which you can cause the symbols table to disappear and the utilities frame
use to draw/encode/decode schematics without the use of a to appear in the top frame. The schematic should still be in
computer. For those of you who are interested in this capa- the bottom frame.

The most useful functions on the Utilities page are: Import data” function. The rules are simple, but must be followed.
data, Export data, Display, Generate html, and compo- Labels must be:
nent labeling, which is described below.
The labels (component values) are entered in the form fields • Greater than 2 and no more than 6 characters; or if they
provided in the top utilities frame (Figure 6). Again, labels are only two characters, at least one of them must be a digit.
may be assigned to components only after completion of a • Single character labels or empty labels are not allowed.
schematic drawing and before using the “Generate html,” • Special characters (such as “+”) are not allowed; only let-
“Display,” or “Export data” functions. ters or numbers without spaces between them.
Schematix restricts the way in which labels are entered in
the form fields. This is done for compatibility with the “Export Also, to be compatible with the Export data function, labels
Figure 8. The schematic recreated at the receiving end, after pasting the received text into the box at the top of the
screen and clicking on Import data.
Figure 9. Here is a schematic diagram drawn using Schematix that will be transmitted using various modes and speeds
in order to compare results.

a letter pair “fm” before a label input field
would place the text you type into that
input field in the cell at the junction of line
“F” and column “M” in the lower table.
For your convenience, note that the
schematic is scanned for LABEL sym-
bols, starting at the top left of each line
and proceeding to the right. When it
gets to the right margin it moves down
and does the next line of symbols. Thus,
the order of the label input fields follows
this pattern.
Display Labeled Schematic

The Display function displays your
schematic, including your labels, in a
new window, to check if everything is
OK, before exporting it.
Generate HTML (Including

Labels)
Figure 10. The circuit in Figure 9 encoded to text using the author’s DataText The Generate HTML function gener-
program. It generates more than 75,000 characters and would take hours to ates HTML code for your schematic,
days to transmit if sent with CW. including its labels. It can be used as an
alternative method to save your sche-
matics, but your saved schematics
with decimal values are automatically The number of label input fields, which must be inside the Schematix folder in
converted to non-decimal values. For are displayed for you to enter data, is HTML form.
example 4.7K is automatically convert- automatically adjusted to match the
ed to 4k7. So keep these things in mind number of LABEL images in your
when assigning label values, but do not schematic. Before each label input field, Exporting Schematics (Export
worry too much, because the program its line and column letters are displayed, Data Function)
automatically warns you of any errors, so that you know which label in the The Export data function is used to
and allows you to correct them. schematic you are editing. For example, export a schematic and its labels in a
Figure 11. Here, the same circuit has been encoded using the Schematix program and has only 750 characters, making it
much more practical to transmit over the air. In this screen shot, the data is being sent via 25 word-per-minute CW and
would take a little over 5 minutes to transmit.

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Figure 12. Sending the same data using BPSK-31 (with only a tiny bit more
bandwidth) reduces transmission time to just over 2-1/2 minutes. Using BPSK-
63 cuts the transmit time to less than a minute and a half, while still using
minimal bandwidth.
Collins KWM-2
Two disc set, 236 minutes total form that is efficient for sending this box using the Clear form link and past-
Order No. C-KWM $89.95 schematic over the air to other hams. ing your data text into the box again.
With the schematic displayed in the bot- Figure 8 shows the Import page and
tom frame and all its labels filled in on some data that has been pasted into the
the form fields in the top frame, click form. This data “reveals” the schemat-
Export data to export the schematic ic at the bottom frame when the Import
(Figure 7). If there is an error in the data link is clicked.
labels, a pop-up window will be dis-
played, telling you where the error is and Error Detection and Correction
how to correct it. If there are no label In Schematix, some form of error detec-
Collins 75S-3/32S-3 errors, a new window will open, con- tion — and in some cases, correction —
Two disc set, 226 minutes total taining the exported data text. (This is can be performed without data retrans-
Order No. C-75S $89.95 text, not a diagram.) mission or additional data overhead.
Select all text in that window and copy Humans can be used to correct the data
it. Then paste the copied text inside your to some extent. Error detection is done
favorite sending program, to send it automatically, as well as by humans.
over the air, using your favorite mode. The error detection is partially due to
Figure 7 shows the Utilities page with the rules of component labeling. Addi-
the form filled in, and the popup window tionally, it depends on the available
with the code generated, after clicking components in the Schematix library, as
the Export data function. well as schematic inconsistency that
can only be noticed by the user. I will
Collins 30L-1 Importing Schematics (Import use some examples below to illustrate.
Single Disc 61 minutes total Data Function) If a word is less than four characters
The Import data function is used to long, the program knows an error has
Order No. C-30L $39.95
import a schematic and its labels, that occurred, but it does not know if the
has previously been transmitted to you error is in the part of the word that refers
Shipping & Handling: US & Possessions-add $7 for the over the air by another ham. to the position of the component or the
first item, $3.50 for the second and $2 for each additional By clicking Import data (Figure 8), a part that refers to the component/label,
item. Foreign-calculated by order weight and destination text box is displayed in the top frame. so the symbol is ignored. These errors
and added to your credit card charge.
Copy the text you have received from are shown as blank blocks in the
your favorite receiving program and schematic and in some cases they can
CQ Communications, Inc. paste it into this text box. Then click be spotted by the user when looking at
17 W. John Street, Hicksville, NY 11801 Import data on that page. The import- the overall schematic for inconsisten-
ed schematic will appear in the bottom cies (e.g., blank blocks where they
www.cq-amateur-radio.com
frame. shouldn’t exist).
800-853-9797 You can repeat this process as many In some cases, the user can guess the
FAX us at 516 681-2926 times as you like, by clearing the text component behind the error and correct

it without asking for a resend. For exam- 1(:1(:1(:
ple, if a continuous straight wire is bro- :HVWRFNWKHQHZUXJJHG)5((6&$/(.:WUDQVLVWRUDQG
SDUWVIRUWKH0DQG-0+]DPSOLILHUGHVLJQV
ken at some point, the user can easily
guess that this point should be a wire
connected to the rest of the wire.
Another example may be a label with a &2$;:,5(
COAX WIRE
+)%URDGEDQG RF Transformers
value of “1k” and no nearby component. 5)7UDQVIRUPHUV
7&-7&-
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It’s reasonable to assume that a resis- WR0+] 7&-
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2 to 300MHz
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that the blank cell is where it should be. :HVWRFNWKHFRPSOHWHSDUWVOLVW &RPPXQLFDWLRQ HF Power
DQG3&ERDUGVIRUWKH0RWRUROD
In another example, when the first two DPSOLILHUGHVLJQVIHDWXUHGLQ &RQFHSWV,QF 6SOLWWHU&RPELQHUV
WR0+]
WKHLU$SSOLFDWLRQ1RWHVDQG
0LOOVWRQH'ULYH%HDYHUFUHHN2+-
characters of a word appear to contain (QJLQHHULQJ%XOOHWLQV
(PDLOFFLGD\WRQ#SRER[FRP 3RUW
36&-/:3(3
at least a number, the program knows $1/: $1: ZZZFRPPXQLFDWLRQ-FRQFHSWVFRP 36&-+:3(3
an error has occurred and the current $1+:
$1:
$5:
$5:
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)$;-
component/label is ignored. This error (%$: (%: 36&-+:3(3
(%$: $5: In Business for 37 Years 36&-+:3(3
is also shown as a blank space in the
schematic and it is again up to the user
to spot and correct it.
Let us now consider an example in
which a word that has been received, is
four or more characters long and its first
two characters do not contain numbers.
Based on the Schematix labeling rules,
the word consistency is correct. In this
case, the first two letters of the word rep-
resent the line and the column of the
component/label in the table and the
remaining characters represent either
the component or the label value.
However, there is no way to check
whether an error has occurred in the
actual component types or label values.
Despite this, there are two things that
can be done to spot an error.
One is by the user doing manual error
checking/correcting, by looking at the
overall schematic for inconsistencies,
as described above. The other is done
automatically by the program and it
refers to the special case in which a
component is received which does not
exist in the Schematix library. In this
case, it is certain that an error has been
received and the missing component is
shown in the table as a broken image.
Another example is if, due to an error
in location data, two components are
placed in the same cell. The program
will put them both there, leaving it up to
the user to try to correct, the error. In
some cases, by looking at the schemat-
ic, the user might be able to decide
which of the two components better
matches the current cell. (You will also
need to figure out where the other com-
ponent belongs, but there’s a good
chance that cell will be blank. – ed.)
Keep in mind that error detection is dif-
ferent from error correction. In the cur-
rent version of Schematix, there is no
automatic data error correction imple-
mented. This has been done on pur-
pose, to minimize the data that has to
be transferred over the air. However, as
noted above, there may be cases in
which you might be able to correct an

Figure 13. Using 50-baud RTTY to send the schematic would take 2 minutes and 21 seconds.
error by simply looking at the schemat- Schematix allows drawing, sending exchanging schematics without a com-
ic for inconsistencies. and receiving schematics, PCBs and puter is more time-consuming, it can be
In case the user (or the program) diagrams even without the help of a done with a little patience. Note that you
spots an error in an imported schemat- computer, as it has been designed to be can only use CW or phonetic alphabet
ic that cannot be corrected by either of human-oriented. This is a unique fea- modes, if you do not have a computer
them, you can ask for retransmission of ture that is possible because of the with you, since these are the only
data from your ham friend. However, design of the drawing and the exchang- human-oriented operating modes. If
you do not need to ask for retransmis- ing mechanisms. Although drawing and you are interested in this nice feature,
sion of the full schematic. Due to the
way Schematix is made, you can
instead request retransmission of data
for specific cells. Just let your ham friend
know which cells you have not received
correctly (line and column letter of the
cell on the grid), in order to retransmit
them to you.
Drawing and Exchanging

Schematics Without a
Computer
There may be various reasons why one
may not have a computer available. For
example, some might consider the cost,
although this is not a big issue for com-
puters today, as nearly everyone
already has one. Another reason may
be the extra weight and size, but more
importantly the power requirements, if
one has to carry a computer along when
operating outdoors. While a simple
homemade transceiver might draw a
few tens or hundreds of milliwatts, a lap-
top would draw a few watts. Another
reason may be the need for weather- Figure 14. Sending the schematic as an image using slow-scan TV is problem-
proof equipment, and a computer usu- atic. In the B/W8 mode shown here, transmission time is only 8 seconds, but the
ally isn’t. resolution is very low and the image is severely cropped.

please read the details in the Schematix via Morse code or any other mode. The From MILLIWATTS
KILOWATTS
documentation. text that is being sent over the air is
To
SM
encoded, but not encrypted. This is an
important distinction.
A Note About Using Schematix
More Watts per Dollar
SM
An operator may listen to the CW
On-Air stream and write down the decoded let-
Schematix is intended for use by radio
amateurs to efficiently send their previ-
ously drawn schematics to other hams
ters, but they will mean nothing to him,
so they may appear to be encrypted. But
this is not the case. Unless the operator
Transmitting &
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Immediate Shipment from Stock
3CPX800A7 4CX1000A 810

3CPX1500A7 4CX1500B 811A
Figure 15. Sending the image with the commonly-used Martin1 SSTV mode takes 3CX400A7 4CX3500A 812A
just under two minutes but still results in a low-resolution cropped image. 3CX800A7 4CX5000A 833A
3CX1200A7 4CX7500A 833C
3CX1200D7 4CX10000A 845
3CX1200Z7 4CX15000A 6146B
3CX1500A7 4CX20000B 3-500ZG
3CX3000A7 4CX20000C 3-1000Z
3CX6000A7 4CX20000D 4-400A
3CX10000A7 4X150A 4-1000A
3CX15000A7 572B 4PR400A
3CX20000A7 805 4PR1000A
4CX250B 807 ...and more!
Se Habla Español • We Export
Phone: 760-744-0700
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888-744-1943
Email: rfp@rfparts.com
Figure 16. The higher-resolution PD290 mode takes nearly five minutes to send
the image and it still needs to be scaled and cropped.

knows how to interpret this data to ed using Schematix” or even including a This schematic has been exported as
have meaning for him (i.e., translated link to my website, <www.qrp.gr>. This an image, using the print screen button
to a schematic), he does not know will also help new hams to correctly iden- and pasting into Paint, then saving as a
whether this data is encrypted or tify and decode this data. low-quality JPG file. The size of the
encoded. However, by just looking at image file is 53 Kb.
the data, he may notice that some of it Comparison to Other If this file was to be encoded to text
makes sense (for example 2n2222). Programs/Modes (Figure 10) and then sent using the
This is a way to notice that this data is The easiest way to see why using DataText program I have developed
Schematix data. Schematix may be superior when send- (available on my website), 75093 char-
However, to be compliant with FCC ing schematics over the air is to con- acters would have to be sent on the air.
rules2 and “just in case,” I would advise sider an example and compare it with It would probably take hours or even
you to include some text at the beginning other modes/programs. Let’s consider days to send this via CW and even the
or/and the end of your transmissions a schematic that has been drawn using slightest error would make the data cor-
along the lines of “the data can be decod- the Schematix editor (Figure 9). rupt, so that retransmission would be
needed.
However, if Schematix is used (Figure
Young Ladies’ Radio League, Inc. 11), the number of characters is
reduced to about 750, including the
Since 1939 spaces between words. An error any-
where in the characters would result in
For 75 years the Young Ladies’ Radio League, Inc.
corruption of a specific part of the
(YLRL) has helped women find their voice in schematic, not the whole schematic.
Amateur Radio with members of all ages and Sending the 750 characters at 25 wpm
interests. CW would take about 5 minutes and 18
The YLRL sponsors a number of certificates seconds. Of course, the time will vary
for both YLs and OMs. Members can earn based on your sending speed.
special YL Certificates. If we send the same data using BPSK-
YL-Harmonics is our bi-monthly publication highlighting what 31 (Figure 12), without sacrificing any
women are doing in Amateur Radio. bandwidth compared to CW, it will take
YLRL gives out scholarships to YLs each year. 2 minutes and 37 seconds. Using
BPSK-63, again without sacrificing any
For more information on the YLRL, the current dues amounts,
bandwidth compared to CW, will take 1
weekly YL Net locations or how to join please go to our website at minute and 19 seconds.
www.ylrl.org or contact the Publicity Chairwoman, If we sacrifice the bandwidth a bit and
Cheryl Muhr, NØWBV at n0wbv@earthlink.net. All Officer use RTTY-50 (Figure 13), the same num-
information is also listed both on the website and in ber of characters can be send in about 2
each edition of the magazine and you may minutes and 21 seconds. Again, time
contact any Officer as well. relates to the speed of sending, so if using
With thanks to the OMs who encourage and support us. RTTY-75, this can be even faster.
Comparing Schematix to SSTV is also
Visit us at www.ylrl.org interesting. Of course, I have not tested
all the SSTV modes, but I have chosen
between the extreme ends, the fastest
but lower-resolution mode (B/W8), a
commonly used one (Martin1) and the
slowest but higher-resolution FD290.
Using B/W8 to send the same image
(Figure 14) would take only 8 seconds,
but the resolution is only 160x120 and
the image is severely cropped. Trying
to scale the image down to 160x120
results in severe loss of schematic
information.
Using Martin1 to send the image
(Figure 15) would take 1 minute and
54 seconds, but the resolution is only
320x256 and the image is still
cropped. Trying to scale the image
down to 320x256 again results in loss
of the schematic information.
Using PD290 to send the same image
(Figure 16) would take 4 minutes and
50 seconds, and the 800x616 resolu-
tion is still not adequate to fit in the whole
image without scaling, so the image is
cropped again. Trying to scale the

“Schematix is intended to add a new feature
that had been missing from the radio amateur
community until now.” WE HAVE YOUR
image down to 800x616 results in an image that is distorted,
CITY COVERED
but the schematic information can be distinguished. Total reliability provided with
However, given the noise on reception, which directly affects Communications Equipment!
the received image quality, all the image information might
not be able to be recovered.
Comparing Schematix to Wefax (most commonly used for
Portable Wattmeters
Measure forward and reflected power.
sending weather faxes) is interesting as well. Using
WEFAX576, the same image has been sent in 6 minutes
and 24 seconds. This is a relatively broad signal and is still
susceptible to corruption from noise, QRM, or changes in
propagation. Antenna Testers
To summarize, the same schematic has been sent in dif- Determine quality
ferent ways with the following results (listing mode, trans- of mobile and
mission time and notes): base station antennas.
• Datatext: Days, very bandwidth efficient (CW/PSK), not
tolerant of errors, not practical.
• Schematix via CW 25 wpm: 5:18, very bandwidth efficient,
quite tolerant of errors.
• Schematix via BPSK31: 2:37, very bandwidth efficient, Digital Power Meter
quite tolerant of errors. Take power
• Schematix via BPSK63: 1:19, very bandwidth efficient, measurements anywhere.
quite tolerant of errors.
• Schematix via RTTY-50: 2:21, bandwidth efficient, quite
tolerant of errors.
• SSTV B/W8: 8 sec, bandwidth inefficient, cropped image,
not practical, not very tolerant of errors.
• SSTV Martin1: 1:54, bandwidth inefficient, cropped image,
not practical, not very tolerant of errors.
• SSTV PD290: 4:50, bandwidth inefficient, cropped image,
short of OK when scaling, not very tolerant of errors.
• WEFAX576: 6:24, bandwidth inefficient, not very tolerant
of errors.
Conclusions
This idea is something never tried before, as far as I am
aware, at least not in this way. In that sense, I would greatly
appreciate your comments, positive or negative, so as to
improve the program and make it more usable.
Apart from the documentation and the current article, a
short video has been created at <http://users.sch.gr/
giannopk/Schematix.mp4> where the basic operation of the
program is demonstrated.
I would love to see hams use the program on air and com-
ment to me. I would encourage you to try it with members of
your local clubs as well. Either way, Schematix is intended
to add a new feature that had been missing from the radio www.birdrf.com
amateur community until now.
Notes: www.birdrf.com
1. Schematix has been developed by the author, based on ® sales@birdrf.com
a previous program written by Jim Osburn, WD9EYB. 440.248.1200
2. FCC rules restrict transmission of messages “in codes The RF Experts +01 866.695.4569
and ciphers intended to obscure the meaning thereof…” ©
2017 Bird. Bird Technologies, BirdRF, are registered trademarks of Bird. All rights reserved.
[§97.113(a)(3)]. Since there is no intention to obscure the

meaning of the data, this restriction does not apply in this
case. However, it is advisable to include some plain text as
the author suggests, in order to remove any doubts. – ed. 'LVWULEXWLQJ&RPPXQLFDWLRQV(TXLSPHQW6LQFH
www.henryradio.com
henryradio@earthlink.net
For a brief video demonstration of Schematix in use, visit
800-877-7979 or 310-820-1234
<http://users.sch.gr/giannopk/Schematix.mp4>.

Technology Special
Changes in the internal construction of some 9-volt batteries are making
them more susceptible to failure when stacked together in series to
generate higher voltages for older portable transceivers. Our intrepid
failure detective looks into causes and solutions.
Sherlock Investigates:
9-Volt Battery Failures
BY PAUL SIGNORELLI,* WØRW
ine-volt batteries (the rectangular type) are the main- Pike’s Peak (elevation 14,115 feet). Cold temperatures and
N stay for operating older portable radio equipment. The

original high-voltage batteries for old military radios
are now unobtainable. The replacement batteries are usu-
high altitude were suspected to be contributors to the failure.
Similar failures have been seen in the BC-611 walkie-talkie
(WWII), which uses 12 9-volt batteries all soldered in series
ally made up of 9-volt batteries that are soldered together in for the high voltage. My PRC-6 has 11 batteries in series.
series (Photo A). Some high-tech switching power sources
are available as an alternative, but batteries still prevail. Cracking the Case
During a recent test of the PRC-6 military radio (banana- Back at the Baker Street Failure Analysis Lab, internal
shaped 6-meter handheld) from the Korean War, there was inspection revealed that one of the batteries had failed. It had
a catastrophic failure. The radio just quit working on top of an open connection. The manufacturer had recently changed
the internal construction of these batteries and now they have
crimped terminal connections, which can cause open con-
* email: <w0rw1@msn.com> nections to the internal cells. Soldering to the battery termi-
Photo A. Batteries in equipment.

nals to wire them in series has been the normal practice, but use these new cells in a stack is to connect to them with sock-
with this new construction, it can cause an open circuit. Nine- ets; do not solder to the terminals.
volt batteries have been soldered together for years without The new “MN1604B4” (package marking) battery con-
these kinds of failures. The older MN1604 batteries had six struction technique found in the failed battery used six flat
small cylindrical cells (AAAA) in a cordwood stack and the cells that were stacked and encased in a plastic sleeve. The
lead wires were spot-welded to the top terminals (Photo B). flat lead ribbons used to connect the flat cells are welded to
They could withstand soldering very well. the back and top plates, but not welded to the top terminals.
Using 9-volt battery sockets is one way to prevent these The connection there is just a press-fit crimp. Other battery
terminal failures but it adds two more crimps, two more snap manufacturers (e.g.: p/n 23-853) are also using the same flat
connections and more solder joints per battery. It also makes cells with crimped terminals. The good news is that the
the battery a big jumble of wires. But the only reliable way to Durecell “copper/red” Quantum battery (QU1604B) has six
cylindrical cells and spot-welds. It will be good for soldering.
Tubular or Flat?
It is easy to find out which cells are in your battery; just peel
the top edge of the case at the fold (Photo C) and you will
see either flat cells or tubular cells. Then press the case back
together and you can still use it.
One special battery assembly technique used was made by
cutting the case off the battery, cutting the lead ribbons off and
then soldering fly wires to the face plates of the battery stack
(Photo D). This makes a smaller and more reliable battery.
Analysis of which cell style (cylindrical/flat) is best is still
ongoing. There have been a lot of reports on the web about
this battery exploding, but that did not happen in this case.
There are small LiIon cells (Case size 14500, 14-milime-
Photo B. Six cylindrical cells used in old-style batteries. ters diameter and 50-milimeters long) available that could
replace these alkaline batteries. A stack of 25 LiIon cells in
series would give 100 volts. I have six of them in my KX1.
That is going to be my next battery build.
DITS and DAHS

A B C
The ._ _... _._.’s of Morse Code Operating
BY ED TOBIAS, KR3E
This small but solid guide is

the perfect read for those
Photo C. Close-up of crimp at the terminal of a flat-cell interested in learning or
battery. improving CW operating
techniques!
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• The secret of becoming a
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NEW!
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Photo D. New flat cells after removal from case being
reassembled into a smaller high voltage battery by soldering. 516-681-2922
http://store.cq-amateur-radio.com

Announcing:
2018 CQ World Wide WPX RTTY Contest
February 10-11
Starts 0000 UTC Saturday; Ends 2359 UTC Sunday
Log Submission Deadline: February 16, 2018
Join more than 15,000 participants from over 200 DX entities around
the world.
he CQ World Wide WPX RTTY Contest (CQ WPX RTTY) for 3.5 MHz and another one for 7 MHz. Another example is a
T offers 48 hours of non-stop DX chasing fun. Whether you

are competing for awards, looking for a few new band-
countries, or simply filling the logbook, the CQ WPX RTTY
single-element, multi-band vertical antenna for all 5 bands or a
fan dipole of single element dipoles for each band using a sin-
gle feedline.
Contest has something for everyone. Check out the Rookie Overlay – Open only to operators who were first
Tribander/Single Element and Rookie Overlay Categories for licensed as radio amateurs less than three (3) years before the
even more chances to win a certificate. date of the contest. Indicate date licensed in the soapbox field
of your log.
Contest Basics
Working stations is easy. Exchange and log signal report and Multi-Operator – More than one person is involved in oper-
a progressive serial number beginning with ‘001’, e.g., DL1ABC ating the station.
599 123 123. Single-Transmitter: This category allows one transmitter to
Contacts are only valid on the 3.5-, 7-, 14-, 21-, and 28-MHz work any station. It may change bands as many as 8 times per
amateur bands (no WARC bands), and may only be made using hour. Note: A second transmitter may be used to work multipli-
45.45-baud, 170-Hz shift Baudot RTTY (no PSK or other keyers only. This category has some very specific restrictions so
board modes). please read the full rules carefully.
• High power: Up to 1,500 watts
Scoring • Low power: 100 watts or less
Final score is based on QSO points earned for each contact
times the number of multipliers worked. Two-Transmitter: Allows the use of two transmitted signals
Multipliers are each unique callsign prefix, which is the let- on two bands. Each station may change bands as many as 8
ter/numeral combination forming the first part of the callsign. This times per hour.
prefix multiplier is counted once per log, not on each band. Multi-Transmitter: Allows the use of one transmitted signal
Contacts with other continents count three points each. on each band.
Contacts with the same continent, but different country, count
two points. Same-country contacts count one point. In addition, Awards
these contact points are doubled for contacts made on the 3.5- Electronic certificates will be made available for everyone who
or 7-MHz bands. submits an entry. Handsome plaques may be sponsored for the
Don’t worry about calculating your score; the contest log- top finishers in each category. Unsponsored plaques may be
checking program will do that for you when you submit a log. purchased by contacting the contest director.
Entry Categories Submitting Your Log

The competition is divided into Single Operator and Multi- Electronic logs should be in the Cabrillo format. Upload your
Operator categories. All entry categories may use QSO alert- log on the Web at <www.cqwpx.com/logcheck/>. The website
ing, i.e., all entries are “Assisted” whether QSO alerting is used also includes a utility to convert your ADIF format log file if need-
or not. Single Operator categories also offer two additional ed. See full rules for instructions regarding paper logs.
Overlay categories, which may be entered IN ADDITION TO the All entries must be sent WITHIN FIVE (5) DAYS after the end
normal Single Operator category. of the contest: No later than 2359 UTC February 16, 2018.
Single Operator (all bands or any single band) – only the Resubmitting an entry after the deadline will result in it being
one operator finds, makes, and logs all contacts. considered as a late log.
Only one entry is permitted for each callsign. Any log submis-
• High power: Up to 1,500 watts sion will replace any previous submissions.
• Low power: 100 watts or less
• QRP: 5 watts or less Full Rules
The complete rules of the CQ WPX RTTY Contest are avail-
Tribander/Single Element Overlay – Allows the use of a able in different languages on the Web at <www.cqwpxrtty.
multi-band, multi-element antenna with one feedline for the 14-, com/rules.htm> and in English on the CQ magazine website at
21-, and 28-MHz bands, plus a single element antenna for each of the <http://www.cq-amateur-radio.com>. Please review the rules and
3.5- and 7-MHz bands. One example is a 3-element tri-band the frequently asked questions before the contest. Questions may
antenna for 14, 21, and 28 MHz plus an Inverted-V wire dipole be submitted by email to <questions@cqwpxrtty.com>.

ay Gift
Announcing: A Great Holid
h e S W L is tener!
2018 Nominations Open for the fo r t
CQ Amateur Radio, DX, and NEW 8th Edition!
Contest Halls of Fame

ach year CQ recognizes those who have made significant contributions to
E amateur radio in general, and to DXing and contesting in particular, creat-

ing three categories of awards. Nominations for all three Halls of Fame open
on January 1, 2018 and will close on March 1, 2018.
by John Figliozzi
Edition!
NEW 8th
CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame

Amateur radio operators have been responsible for many advances in commu-
nications technology, and entire industries have been built on the foundation of
amateur radio experimentation and activity. In an effort to recognize outstanding by John A.
Figliozzi
amateurs and their achievements, and help the public appreciate the far-reach-
ing and longstanding value of amateur radio in our society, we have established ma nd s
Po dc as
t s Te rre
str ial s
WiF i
l s Int ern
et
s On -De s Dig ita
An alo g
the CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame. Nominations for the 2018 “class” are now “LI VE ”
AM s FM
s Sh ort wa ve s
open. Members of the 2017 “class” were announced last May and appeared in
the July issue of CQ.
TUNE-IN
The CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame honors those whose technical or other USING ALL
LISTENING
OF TODAY’S
FORMATS
accomplishments have helped propel amateur radio forward, or whose achieve- Includes a
guide to
comprehensi
prog ramming
America –
ve
for Nor th
ments in other areas of life have helped improve ham radio’s reputation simply wha t
how, whe
can be heard
n, and whe
re.
through association. Nominees for the CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame will be
judged on the basis of qualifying in one of two broad areas: Those individuals —
whether licensed amateurs or not — who have made significant contributions to
the amateur radio hobby; and those radio amateurs who have made significant The new, expanded 8th Edition of
contributions to society in general. Nominees must have made significant contri-
butions of nationwide or worldwide impact.
John Figliozzi’s Worldwide Listening
Nominations for the Amateur Radio Hall of Fame may be made by clubs, orga- Guide includes completely updated
nizations, or individuals. State your candidate’s name, where to contact him/her listings of popular radio programs
if still living, for which category you are nominating him/her, and a brief one- to that can be heard using traditional
two-paragraph description of this person’s accomplishments. Please include your shortwave receivers, as well as
name and contact information as well. Email to <hall-of-fame@cq-amateur- today’s newer listening technolo-
radio.com> or mail to CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame, 17 W. John St., Hicksville, gies. Program listings are classi-
NY 11801. The official nomination form is on the CQ website <www.cq-amateur- fied by genre and tell you the time
radio.com>. Please indicate in your email subject line for which hall of fame the of day and day of the week they are
nomination is being submitted. on-the-air, and how to find them on
your shortwave r e c e iver, WiFi
CQ DX and Contest Halls of Fame
radio, computer, and other listening
Nominations for the CQ DX Hall of Fame and the CQ Contest Hall of Fame rec-
devices.
ognize those amateurs who have made major contributions to DXing and con-
testing, respectively. The activities and accomplishments that qualify one for mem- This new edition updates and reviews
bership in these elite groups involve considerable personal sacrifice and can all of the ways programs can be
usually be described by the phrase “above and beyond the call of duty.” heard– “live,” on-demand, WiFi, pod-
Nominations for the Contest and DX Halls of Fame may be made by clubs, orga-
nizations, or individuals, and must be submitted by March 1 of each year to be
cast, satellite, internet, digital and, of
considered. course, analog AM, FM and SW.
A maximum of two (2) people may be inducted into each hall of fame (DX and Spiral-bound to open in a flat, easy-
Contest) each year. Nominations for the CQ Contest and DX Halls of Fame should
to-use format.
be directed to CQ DX Hall of Fame or CQ Contest Hall of Fame, 17 W. John St.,
AVAILABLE NOW!
Hicksville, NY 11801; or via email to <hall-of-fame@cq-amateur-radio.com>.
Please indicate in your email subject line for which hall of fame the nomination is
DAY!
being submitted. ORDER YOURS TO
If you feel someone has earned this recognition, please submit a nomination.
Please don’t assume that someone else will nominate the person you may have
in mind. Nominations from past years will not automatically be carried over.
192 pages – $29.95 + shipping
We will announce this year’s selections at the Dayton Hamvention® in May. The W5YI Group
Please help us recognize these “ham radio heroes” whose contributions have
helped shape our hobby, our nation, or our world. Remember, the nomination 1-800-669-9594
deadline for all three CQ Halls of Fame is March 1, 2018. www.w5yi.org
CQ 1-18

BY IRWIN MATH,* WA2NDM
math’s notes You Can’t go Home Again
(Maybe?)
homas Wolfe’s novel, You Can’t go Home you could almost understand how they worked.
T Again, which was published in 1940,

described, among other things, the chang-
ing American society. While I do not plan to go
Components such as resistors and capacitors were
easy to see, handle and work with, and most other
components were easily recognized as to what
into a discussion of his novel, I would like to para- their function was. Since there was no internet, any
phrase the title to “Maybe You Can go Home education I had came from books (some of which
Again” as it relates to amateur radio. Since the I mentioned in a previous column this year), radio
novel was published in the 1940s and I became and electronics magazines which were quite pop-
interested in electronics and radio roughly in the ular at the time and, of course, extensive hands-
1950s, I think the time element is close enough on “playing around.”
to make some comparisons. Anyone who has looked at books such as the
When I started experimenting with a few #6 dry Radio Amateur’s Handbook from the ’40s, ’50s and
cells obtained from a friendly burglar alarm ser- ’60s, and similar magazines of the time, will see
viceman (who replaced them monthly in my multitudes of projects from very simple ones to the
father’s small grocery store as was the method more complex units that were designed, built, and
used then), I was quickly taken in by the “fun” I had operated by amateurs. The influx of store-bought
lighting small lamps, configuring toggle switch puz- equipment had not started to any great degree yet
zles and becoming familiar and enchanted with and there were many more actual builders than so-
electricity. I wrote about some of this in several past called “appliance operators.” All kinds of unique
columns and actually had some books on the sub- housings and construction methods were in use
ject published in the 1980s. I also started collect- from a simple “chassis” made of orange box con-
ing components from the many radios that were struction (two 2 x 4 side legs and two 1 x 2 x 8 com-
discarded at the time in favor of newer, smaller ponent mounting strips spaced so that a tube sock-
“tabletop” models that were making their appear- et would fit as shown in Figure 1) to breadboards
ance. There were no transistors, integrated cir- made of brass wire brads hammered into a piece
cuits, or printed circuits in those days, but vacuum of wood as shown in Figure 2 to which components
tubes such as the type 30, 44, 80 and other simi- were then soldered. The wooden base was prob-
lar ones with large 4-, 5-, and 6-pin bases and ably cut from an actual wooden board that was
matching sockets were commonplace. You could used then to knead flour when making bread
easily see the inside of many of them and actual- (hence the term “breadboard’). Yes, those were
ly recognize their filaments, grids, and plates. In the days!
fact, just by looking through the glass envelope, Things began to change as time went on. With
the huge amount of surplus components left over
from World War II, companies such as Heathkit and
*c/o CQ magazine
Eico began to offer kits of components to assem-
ble all sorts of electronic projects, many aimed at
the growing amateur radio market. This made it
easy for homebrewers to build more sophisticated
equipment and the amount of “almost” homebrew
equipment swelled. These kits were good in the
sense that, in many cases, their instructions clear-
ly explained what you were building and how it
worked. True ingenuity, however, suffered to some
degree as everything was provided from chassis
to components (sometimes even hook-up wire and
hardware), fully-screened front and rear panels
and enclosures, but nevertheless, you still built
something. I clearly remember, and will probably
never forget, the thrill of contacting someone with
equipment I had built, cutting my fingers on the tin
can shields I needed and the many burns from I
got from my Weller soldering gun.
As the end of the century was approaching, how-
ever, many in the amateur community had become
Figure 1. Orange Box Type Construction. or were on the verge of becoming appliance oper-

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technology and what we know now (with

respect to today’s technology) is prob-
ably fairly similar. Will we go back to
being homebrewers? A good question
since the growing “Makers Movement”
seems to encourage the building of
things by amateurs, and not just in the
amateur radio field. In fact, I understand
that booths teaching soldering at the
various “Maker Faires” are quite popu-
lar, so this is encouraging. Just how this
will ultimately compete with a tiny cell
phone that can enable one to commu-
nicate with (and actually see) almost
anyone on the planet is hard to predict.
The excitement of communicating with
someone unknown and with something
you have built with your own two hands,
Figure 2. Old Fashioned Bread-board Type Fixture however, cannot ever be equaled, in my
opinion, with equipment that has been
built by others, no matter how clever.
ators. True, there were some who con- published questions, but sometimes I Now that it is the end of another year,
tinued the hands-on portion of the wonder. I want to wish all of my readers the very
hobby (and still do), but the majority Can we ever go back to those days best for a happy and healthy New Year.
these days do not and from some of my again? Because of the complexity and In these troubled times, I still believe
experience and discussions with fellow constantly changing nature of today’s that amateur radio can go a long way
amateurs, there are many who have no technology, the quick answer is proba- toward helping promote understanding
real idea of how it all works (or care?) bly no. However, if you look at where between peoples with widely varying
as well. Supposedly, they did pass their we are now compared to where we were lifestyles but with common hopes of
license exams legitimately, without just then, the difference between what we peace and prosperity.
memorizing the answers to the pre- knew then with respect to the state of – 73, Irwin, WA2NDM

The Short Vertical Antenna Sloper Antennas W6SAI HF Antenna Handbook
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the listening post
BY GERRY DEXTER*
Australian Senate Nixes ABC’s
Return to Shortwave
Let’s shovel out a few shortwave-lets which ~ The BBC World service has added several new
have fallen recently: languages including: Afan Oromo, Amharic,
Gujarati, Igbo, Korean, Marathi, Pidgin, Punjabi,
~ The Australian Senate has rejected a proposal Serbian, Telegu, Tigrinyam and Youruba. Some of
to restore shortwave services at the Australian those should trigger your MS Word spell-check.
Broadcasting Company (ABC), which calls to mind
LeRoy Jethro Gibbs’ (on TV’s N.C.I.S.) and his ~ That unidentified on 5940 we had a month or
Rule 51: “Sometimes you’re wrong.” so back turned out to be the new, official station of
the Ethiopian Somali State called Radio
~ WRMI apparently suffered some damage dur- Deegaanka Itoobiya (DDSI). It’s been noted in
ing Hurricane Irma. All of its frequencies were down Ethiopian Somali from 0400-0510, 1300-1500, and
at least briefly, with 9955 kHz being the last fre- 1810-2000 UTC.
quency to return to service. The Kashi (China) and
Nobeljas (Spain) sites have also been dealing with ~ A new German shortwave broadcaster is the
technical problems, although those were not storm- European Shortwave Radio Service from Winsen
related issues. in Lower Saxony, running tests as follows: 1200-
1400, 1600-1800, and 2000-2200 UTC on 3975;
~ Need to log Armenia? A good opportunity might 1000-1200, 1400-1600, 1800-2000 UTC on 6160.
be Radio Mi Amigo, which now airs via Yerevan No transmission language noted. The station can
from 1700-1900 UTC on 11845. be emailed at <3975@shortwaveradio.de> or
<6160@shortwaveradio.de>.
~ It seems that China’s Xizang PBS (Tibet) has
been off the air for a couple of months. At least the ~ KTWR in Guam celebrates 40 years of broad-
60-meter outlets have been down for maintenance. casting with a new QSL card, which should be avail-
China National Radio’s Network 17 (the Kazakh able now.
Service) has returned to activity after a long silent
period. It’s kind of surprising, considering the extent ~ KBS Radio has replaced 7125 with 9880 for
of China’s extensive broadcasting operation, that English at 1400-1600 UTC and 9785, 9835.
there aren’t more such cases of downtime.
~ Ralph Perry notes a possible new Bolivian sta-
tion on 5935. I’m uncertain as to the time but it’s
*c/o CQ magazine likely audible in the evening or early morning.
~ I’m seeing reports of greatly improved modu-

lation out of Radio Havana Cuba and Radio
Rebelde. Hmm…RHC, while you’re working on
your audio, why not look into whatever it is that’s
causing those “sonic attacks?” Is someone there
aiming at our diplomatic people?
~ Mongolian Radio has reactivated 4895.
The Sked Shed

The Voice of Turkey in English for the A-17 broad-
cast season:
0300-0400 on 6165, 9515
1630-1730 on 15520
1830-1930 on 9785
2030-2130 on 9620
2200-2300 on 9830
Leading Logs
Your shortwave broadcast station logs are always
welcome. Please be sure to double- or triple-space
John Cooper got this QSL from the Voice of the between the items, list each logging according to
Report of the Week. The QSL is about as large as the station’s home country and include your last
the name is long. name and state abbreviation after each. Also need-

INDIA—Athmik Yatra Radio, 15235
via Nauen with man speaking in (l)
Lepcha. (Brossell, WI)
INDONESIA—Voice of Indonesia,
9525 at 1948-2009. Surprisingly heard
at this hour. Pops and snippits of
English; into French at top-of-the-hour.
(Delibert, MA)
Radio Republik Indonesia, Palang-
karaya (Kalimantan), 3325 with Indo
pops. RRI ID at 1257. (Sellers, BC)
MALI—Raduiodiffusion du Mali, 5995-
Bamako at 2200 with man speaking in
Arabic, instrumentals in bg, music inter-
lude and station ID, woman’s vocals and
woman reading the station ID, another
French ID at 2230. (Cooper, PA)
MYANMAR—Myanmar Radio, 5985
with a drama in Burmese at 1306, a cou-
The Voice of Turkey verified Cooper’s logging on 12025. ple of love (?) songs at 1315. (Sellers,
BC)
Thazin Radio, Phin Oolwin (p) 6165
at 1209 in Burmese with female
announcer. Usually it’s CNR-6 here.
(Taylor, WI)
PAPUA NEW GUINEA—NBC-
Madang, 3250 at 1145 with female
announcer speaking in Tok Pisin.
(Sellers, BC)
NBC-Bougainville, 3260 with music
and female announcer at 1159 with
announcements, then back to music.
(Sellers, BC)
PERU—Radio Tarma, Tarma, 4775
at 1995 with lively song, male DJ talks
about the selections. (Cooper, PA)
Radio Logos, (p) Chazuta, 4810 at
1025 with man talking in Spanish, song
with several male singers. Quite a bit of
OTH QRM. Needed LSB mode.
(Cooper, PA)
The Voice of Vietnam also replied to Cooper with this beach scene QSL. SOLOMON ISLANDS—SIBC, at
1145 with a pop song, Bible devotion at
1153. Off suddenly in mid-hymn at
ed are spare QSLs, station schedules, Cochabamba, 3310 at 1005 with song 1157, another day off at 1157, midway
brochures, pennants, station photos in Spanish, female DJ, later male. through a Christian devotional. Too bad
and any other SWBC material you think Recheck at 1100 had man giving long they haven’t adjusted their timing.
would be of interest. The same holds monologue. (Cooper, PA) (Sellers, BC)
for you amateur radio operators who Emisora Pio XII, Siglo Viente, 5952 at ZANZIBAR—ZBC, 11735 at 2013
also listen to shortwave broadcasts. 0227 with man speaking in Spanish with woman speaking in Swahili.
You, too, are also most welcome to talking over instrumental, possible (Brossell, WI)
contribute! anthem at sign off. (KB2DMD, PA)
Here are this month’s logs. All times ETHIOPIA—Amahara State Radio, For more logs go to:
are in UTC. If no language is mentioned Addis Ababa, 6090 at 0250 with O/C, <http://cqpluslisteningpost.blogspot.com>
English is assumed. After you’ve read Amharic announcements at 0300.
the printed logs, you will find more (Strawman, IA) 0317-0342 with instru- Who Goes There?
online at <http://cqpluslisteningpost. mentals rising above the noise floor. I’m hearing LA music on 5049.2 at
blogspot.com>. Caribbean Beacon not there. Man/ 2250, possible ID at 2254. Some of the
woman speaking in Amharic, but even- music sounded Andean, (Delibert, MD)
ARMENIA—Radio Mi Amigo relay, tually losing the noise floor battle. It appears now that this one may be
1845 via Gavar at 1740 with many rock (D’Angelo, PA) Radio Yura in Potosi, formally using
songs, RMI jingle at 1812 and a male Voice of the Tigray Revolution, 5950- 4717, now reactivated.–GLD
DJ. Off at 1900 with brief IS. (Cooper, Addis Ababa at 0322 with deep-voiced I’m hearing an unid at 0325 on 5927
PA) male announcer and usually great HOA (sandwiched between Gene Scott on
BOLIVIA—Radio Mosoj Chaski, music. (KB2DMD, PA) 5930 and WHRI on 5920) with 2 men

BIG FLATS, NEW YORK — The KA2LIM Contest Site will hold its Winter Hamfest
announcing (from pg. 2) on Saturday, February 24 at the Big Flats American Legion, 45 Olcott Road S. Phone: (607)
739-7305. Website: <www.ka2lim.com>. VE exams.
ODENTON, MARYLAND — The Maryland Mobileers Amateur Radio Club will hold MARCH
the MMARC 2018 Post Holiday Hamfest on Sunday, January 28 at the Odenton Volunteer
Fire Department, 1425 Annapolis Road. Contact: Frank, N3SEO, (410) 647-3335. Email: CAVE CITY, KENTUCKY — The Mammoth Cave Amateur Radio Club will hold the
<n3seo@aol.com>. Website: <http://bit.ly/2y4rX3w>. Talk-in 146.805- (PL 107.2). VE 42nd Annual Cave City Hamfest on Saturday, March 3 at the Cave City Convention Center,
exams, card checking. 502 Mammoth Cave Street. Contact: Larry Brumett, KN4IV, 108 Withers Street, Glasgow,
KY 42141. Phone: (270) 651-2363. Email: <lbrumett@glasgow-ky.com>. Website:
FEBRUARY <www.ky4x.org>. Talk-in 146.34+. VE exams.
CONCORD, NORTH CAROLINA — The Mecklenburg Amateur Radio Society will
NEGAUNEE, MICHIGAN — The Hiawatha Amateur Radio Association will hold its hold the Charlotte Hamfest on Friday, March 9 and Saturday, March 10 at the Cabarrus
annual Swap Meet on Saturday, February 3 at the Negaunee Township Hall, 42 Highway Arena & Events Center, 4551 Old Airport Road. Contact: Charlotte Hamfest, 2425 Park
M-35. Contact: John Veight (906) 458-1708. Email: <carczar52@gmail.com>. Talk-in Road, Room 023, Charlotte, NC 28203. Phone: (704) 948-7373. Email: <info@charlotte-
147.27 (PL 100). hamfest.org>. Website: <http://charlottehamfest.org>. Talk-in 146.655 or 146.940 (PL
NORTH CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA — The Charleston Amateur Radio 118.8). VE exams, card checking.
Society will hold the 45th Annual Charleston Hamfest and 2018 ARRL South Carolina PUYULLUP, WASHINGTON — The Mike & Key Amateur Radio Club will hold its 37th
State Convention on Saturday, February 3 at the Armory Park Community Center, 5000 Annual Electronics Show & Fleamarket on Saturday, March 10 at the Washington State
Lackawanna Boulevard. Contact: Steven Lamendola, KE4THX, (336) 740-4382. Email: Fair Grounds-Pavilion Exhibition Hall, 1110 9th Avenue SW. Phone: (253) 631-3756. Email:
<steven.lamendola@gmail.com>. Talk-in 146.790-. VE exams. <ddmdink@gmail.com> or <n7wa@arrl.net>. Talk-in 146.82- (PL 103.5). VE exams.
WORLDWIDE — The 2018 AM Rally is scheduled for 0000 UTC, Saturday, February TULLAHOMA, TENNESSEE — The Middle Tennessee Amateur Radio Society will
3 through 0700 UTC, Monday February 5. Website: <www.amrally.com>. hold its Hamfest on Saturday, March 10 at the First Methodist Church, 208 West Lauderdale
ORLANDO, FLORIDA — The Orlando Amateur Radio Club will hold the Orlando Street. Contact: Michael Gelnnon, KB4JHU, 302 Twelve Oaks Road, Tullahoma, TN 37388.
HamCation and 2018 ARRL Florida State Convention from February 9 through Sunday, Phone: (931) 588-0302. Email: <kb4jhu@arrl.net>. Website: <www.mtars-ham.org>. Talk-
February 11 at the Central Florida Fairgrounds, 4603 West Colonial Drive. Phone: (407) in 146.700- (PL 114.8). VE exams.
841-0874 or (800) 214-7541. Email: <info@hamcation.com>. Website: <www.hamca- YOUNGSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA — The BSA, Venture Crew 73 will hold the Warren
tion.com>. Talk-in 146.760- (PL 103.5), 146.820- (D-STAR), or 145.015- (PL 103.5). VE County Hamfest 2018 on Sunday, March 11 at the Youngsville Vol. Fire Department, 222
exams, special event station: K1AA. East Main Street. Contact: Russ Bush, N3YD, (814) 564-9202. Email: <n3yd@usa.com>.
YUMA, ARIZONA — The Yuma Amateur Radio Hamfest Organization will hold the Talk-in 145.110 (PL 186.2). VE exams, ARRL card checking.
Yuma Hamfest and 2018 ARRL Arizona State Convention on Friday, February 16 and GEORGETOWN, TEXAS — The Williamson County Amateur Radio Club will hold
Saturday, February 17 at the Yuma County Fairgrounds, 2520 East 32nd Street. Email: the WCARC Swapfest on Saturday, March 17 at the San Gabriel Park Community Center,
<info@yumahamfest.org>. Website: <www.yumahamfest.org>. Talk-in 146.780- (PL 455 E. Morrow Street. Website: <http://wcarc.com>. Talk-in 146.64 (PL 162.2). VE exams.
103.5). VE exams, DXCC card checking, transmitter hunt. BUFFALO, MINNESOTA — The Maple Grove Radio Club will hold the 35th Annual
BRIGHTON, COLORADO — The Aurora Repeater Association, the Cherry Creek Midwinter Madness Hobby Electronics Show on Saturday, March 24 at the Buffalo Civic
Young Amateur Radio Club and Rocky Mountain Ham Radio will hold the ARA Swapfest Center, 1306 County Road 134. Email: <swap@k0ltc.org>. Website: <www.k0ltc.org>.
on Sunday, February 18 at the Adams County Fairgrounds, 9755 Henderson Road. Contact: Talk-in 147.000+. VE exams, card checking.
Wayne Heinen, NØPOH, (303) 699-6335. Email: <info@n0ara.org>. Website: <http:// CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA — The Kanawha Amateur Radio Club will hold the
n0ara.org>. Talk-in 147.15+ (PL 100). VE exams. 34th Annual Charleston Area Hamfest on Saturday, March 24 at the Charleston Civic
LIVONIA, MICHIGAN — The Livonia Amateur Radio Club will hold its 48th Annual Center, 200 Civic Center Drive. Contact: Rich Cummings, WV8RC, (304) 610-6404. Email:
Swap-N-Shop on Sunday, February 18 at the Civic Park Senior Center, 15218 Farmington <rickwv8rc@gmail.com>. Talk-in 145.35. VE exams, DCXX / WAS / VUCC card checking.
Road. Contact: Livonia ARC, P.O. Box 51532, Livonia, MI 48151-0532. Phone: (734) 941- RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA — The Raleigh Amateur Radio Society will hold
5043. Email: <k8uns@arrl.net>. Website: <www.livoniaarc.com>. Talk-in 145.35 (PL 100). RARSfest and 2018 ARRL North Carolina State Convention on Saturday, March 31 at
WINTERHAVEN, FLORIDA — The ARRL West Central Florida Section will hold its the Jim Graham Building – North Carolina State Fairgrounds, 1025 Blue Ridge Road.
4th Annual TECHCON on Friday, February 23 and Saturday, February 24 at the Polk Contact: Jeff Wittich, AC4ZO, (919) 362-4787. Email: <jwittich@nc.rr.com>. Website:
County Emergency Operations Center on County Road 540. Website: <http://arrlwcf.org>. <www.rars.org>. Talk-in 146.64 or 146.88. VE exams, ARRL & CQ card checking, fox hunt.
speaking in presumed Arabic. Off at WBCQ in Maine. John also received February 18, 1981, scheduled in Russian
bottom of the hour. (KB2DMD, PA) replies from The Voice of Turkey on from 2100 to 2155. The “Voice of Israel”
9830, RAE, Argentina via WRMI, and abandoned shortwave in 2008 (except
QSL Quests the Voice of Vietnam on 7315. for a short-lived service in Farsi.)
John C. Cooper reports replies from
The Voice of the Report of the Week Back in the Day Just Sayin’
(thankfully abbreviated to VORW) via Kol Israel, Tel Aviv, 9800 at 2058 on Here I go … griping again. But I swear
the next time I have a waiter who loves
to say “no problem” in response to my
every order or request, I’m going to
warn him or her that, for every use of
that phrase at my table, I’m going to
deduct 10 cents from his/her tip. Fair
warning!
Thank You
High fives, back slaps, man hugs and
salutes to all of you who checked in with
logs and info this time. The good guys
include: William Hassig, Mt. Pleasant, IL;
Jerry Strawman, Des Moines, Iowa;
Harold Sellers, Vernon, BC; Art Delibert,
North Bethesda, MD; KB2DMD, Richard
Parker, Pennsburg, PA; Steven C.
Wood, Harwich, MA; Bob Brossell,
Pewaukee, WI; Ralph Perry, Wheaton,
IL; John C. Cooper, Lebanon, PA; and
Mark Taylor, Madison, WI. Thanks to all
The “new” Argentinean RAE confirmed for Cooper its new relay site via of you! Until next month…73 and…Keep
Okeechobee, Florida. on keepin’ on and celebrate shortwave!

emergency communications
BY WALT PALMER,* W4ALT
Ham Radio Weathers the Storms
Beginning with this issue of CQ magazine, we times the daily discharge of the Mississippi River,
are proud to announce a new podcast feature by far the most of any tropical system ever record-
available via the internet. EmComm Overtime will ed, reports Texas state climatologist John Nielsen-
feature interviews with amateur radio newsmak- Gammon. Hurricane Harvey caused 90 deaths as
ers. Visit <INSERT WEB ADDRESS HERE> to of this writing, as well as an economic loss of $70
download these in-depth and informative to $200 billion, with a large portion of the losses
interviews. sustained by uninsured homeowners.
A number of amateur radio nets began daily oper-
ations, tracking the storm and relaying information
he power of Mother Nature proved to be as
T awesome as ever the past few months. The

Caribbean Basin was pummeled by not one,
but three major hurricanes; the West Coast suf-
and health and welfare messages. In the United
States, amateur radio played an important role dur-
ing Harvey by providing reliable emergency com-
munications to the various served agencies with
fered devastating fires and amateur radio was at which ham groups work. Interoperability gave the
the ready and on-the-air. hams an advantage by permitting them to move
from one operating area to another and, through
Hurricane Harvey relatively simple programming, allowing them to
On August 25, 2017, Hurricane Harvey came join the local network.
ashore along the eastern Texas coast as a cate- Using lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina,
gory 4 hurricane. With no significant steering cur- emergency management, served agencies, and
rents, the storm sat along the coast, dumping rain local infrastructure have hardened their resources
of biblical proportions in major Gulf Coast cities. to make them more immune to failure in the wake
Ground Zero for Harvey was the coastal town of of major storms. This hardening may have dimin-
Rockport, Texas, just northeast of Corpus Christi. ished the role of amateur radio during Harvey in
But due to the sheer size of the storm, its outer the more populated affected areas. Mike Urich,
bands were felt in Houston, 150 miles away. Bands KA5CVH, a public information officer for the
of heavy rain trained ashore (In meteorology, train Amateur Radio Emergency Service in Harris
denotes repeated areas of rain, typically associat- County, Texas, reports the majority of traffic con-
ed with thunderstorms and hurricanes), delivering sisted of health and welfare messages.
a U.S. record 60.58 inches of rain with winds top-
ping 130 miles per hour (Source: National Weather Hurricane Irma
Service). Hurricane Irma was an extremely powerful and cat-
Harvey’s total rainfall concentrated over a astrophic hurricane, the strongest observed in the
20,000-square-mile area represents nearly 19 Atlantic since Wilma in 2005 in terms of maximum
sustained winds. It was the first Category 5 hurri-
* email: <w4alt@cq-amateur-radio.com> cane to strike the Leeward Islands, followed by
Photo A. A small
sampling of the
property damage
caused in Key
West, Florida by
Hurricane Irma.
(Photo by and
courtesy of
Gary W. Elk)

Ham radio operators who remained in place were the first
to provide “ground truth” and situational reports.
Hurricane Maria
Hurricane Maria was regarded as the worst natural disaster
ever in Dominica (Figure 1) and caused catastrophic dam-
age and a major humanitarian crisis in Puerto Rico, as well
as being the tenth-most intense Atlantic hurricane on record.
As of October 10, at least 93 people are known to have been
killed by the hurricane: 48 in Puerto Rico, 30 in Dominica, 5
in the Dominican Republic, 4 in the contiguous United States,
3 in Haiti, 2 in Guadeloupe, and 1 in the United States Virgin
Islands. Maria wrought catastrophic damage to the entirety
of Dominica, which suffered an island-wide communication
blackout.
We have detailed reports from both Puerto Rico and
Dominica, along with summaries of activity by SATERN
(Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network) and the
Hurricane Watch Net.
Figure 1. Dominica (J73) is a tiny island in the eastern Puerto Rico

Caribbean that was virtually destroyed by Hurricane Maria. Following a glancing blow by Hurricane Irma just two weeks
(CIA World Factbook maps) prior, Hurricane Maria made landfall on Puerto Rico on
Wednesday, September 20. Sustained winds of 64 mph with
gusts to 113 mph were reported in San Juan, immediately
Hurricane Maria only two weeks later. It was also the most prior to the hurricane making landfall on the island. The storm
intense Atlantic hurricane to strike the United States since surge brought floods throughout the island and many struc-
Katrina in 2005, and the first major hurricane to make land- tures lost roofs. Virtually the entire Puerto Rican power grid
fall in Florida since Wilma. was damaged or destroyed and the entire island was with-
Irma took aim at islands in the Caribbean, producing hur- out power for weeks. Authorities expect total restoration of
ricane-strength winds on many islands and making a brief electric power to take several months.
landfall on Cuba before heading to the U.S. mainland. Florida With a near total loss of communications, both on and off
officials called for the mandatory evacuation of millions of island, the American Red Cross (ARC) put out a call for vol-
people in her path. The first landfall in the continental U.S. unteers to travel to the American territory to establish and
came to the Florida Keys. A storm surge of 12-15 feet and assist in the massive relief endeavor. Mario Bruno, KB1DAV,
winds of 130 mph swept the islands. Key West suffered is the regional CEO of the American Red Cross Con-
severe damage (Photo A). The storm then wobbled to final- necticut/Rhode Island Section. He traveled to San Juan rep-
ly make a second landfall near San Marco Island as a cate- resenting the ARC, along with members of the American
gory 3 with winds sustained at 115 mph. Radio Relay League emergency communication team. They

arrived to find conditions primitive. Mario told CQ it was vir-
tually impossible to get information from many areas in Puerto
Rico. Health and welfare requests were moving through sev-
eral hurricane and SATERN nets. The ARRL provided equip-
ment and volunteers to begin gathering local ground truth,
assist strike and task forces, local electric power authorities
and Red Cross distribution and recon teams (Photo B). To
hear the entire interview with Mario Bruno, visit <INSERT
WEB LINK HERE>.
Dominica
Following the destruction of thousands of homes, most super-
markets, the water supply system and communications sys-
tems, many of Dominica’s residents were in dire need of food,
water, and shelter for days in Maria’s wake.
U.S. ham Brian Machesney, K1LI, and his wife, Michelle
Guernard, had a personal relationship with the people of
Dominica. They took it upon themselves to establish a coor-
dinated response to gather and deliver much-needed ham
radios and support equipment to the island nation.
Contributions in the amount of $30,000 through a GoFundMe
campaign as well as donations from several companies
including radios, antennas, solar chargers and batteries,
Photo B. Radio room in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where hams were flown to Dominica and distributed to the island’s ham
dispatched by the ARRL helped Red Cross teams commu- radio operators (see Photos C-F).
nicate across the island. (Courtesy of Mario Bruno, KB1DAV, Three cheers to the Yasme Foundation, Yaesu USA,
American Red Cross) Foundation for Amateur International Radio Service (FAIRS),
Dominica Airlift — Angels to Eden, Hurricane Maria Dominica
Amateur Radio Communications Facebook Page and the
Caribbean Emergency and Weather Net for their participa-
tion. To hear the entire interview with Brian Machesney, visit
our EmComm Overtime site at <INSERT WEB ADDRESS
HERE>. Also, visit <http://bit.ly/2yvMjC1> on Facebook to
learn more about Dominica Amateur Radio Communications
(DARCI).
SATERN
The Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network
(SATERN) has been very busy on the air. The following report
is from Ken Gilliand, AV6SV:
Photo C. Brian Machesney, K1LI (L), and pilot Dave Bridgham

load a plane full of ham gear and other supplies to be flown
to Dominica to help restore communications with the outside Photo D. Oscar, J72OS, operates from Dominica’s emer-
world. (Photos C-F courtesy of Michelle Guenard) gency operations center.

SATERN first activated for Hurricane Harvey & then Irma. SATERN activation since hurricane Katrina, 22 days &
Following right after Irma, hurricane Maria struck the approximately 200 hours of on-the-air monitoring.
Caribbean & then Nate pounded the Gulf States. SATERN The International SATERN SSB Net was activated as
activated the International SATERN 20-meter SSB Net for Hurricane Maria approached many of the same Caribbean
Maria, in the DELTA II mode, on Monday, September 18 & islands that had been devastated the week before by
operated from 1400 Zulu (UTC) to 2300 Zulu every day until Hurricane Irma and, to some extent, by Hurricane Harvey the
September 29. week before that. Although Hurricane Maria was only a cate-
After 10 days, most of the outgoing messages occurred in gory 1 storm the day before the net was activated, it rapidly
the afternoon. So SATERN switched to an abbreviated acti- intensified to a category 3 by the time of activation, becoming
vation from 2000 Zulu to 2400 Zulu which started on a monster category 5 hurricane by the end of that day.
September 30th. SATERN continued to receive health & wel- As is known now, Hurricane Maria had a devastating impact
fare messages from Puerto Rico. SATERN’s activation was on numerous Caribbean nation islands such as Dominica,
discontinued on October 10. This has been the longest as well as the U.S. Virgin Islands & Puerto Rico. Both
Dominica & Puerto Rico lost all electrical power & commu-
nications capabilities as Maria rampaged through them.
Message Traffic: On Wednesday, 20 September, both the
International SATERN Net & the Hurricane Watch Net began
to receive damage & situation reports from the U.S. Virgin
Islands & Puerto Rico.
Although the U.S. Virgin Islands were heavily damaged, it
was apparent that they had some limited communications
capabilities & other resources. All of the Puerto Rican oper-
ators, however, reported that there was an island-wide power
& communications blackout. It was reported that amateur
radio seemed to be the only communications that were oper-
ational & that was somewhat limited.
The SATERN Net also began to handle numerous outbound
Health & Welfare messages with the help of many opera-
tors who came on frequency to assist. SATERN received
information that amateur radio operators on Dominica
planned to operate an email service to handle health & wel-
fare messages as soon as they could get their radios set up.
All of this information was forwarded throughout the day to
both the Eastern Territory & National Headquarters (NHQ).
NHQ, in turn, forwarded this information to (FEMA’s National
Response Coordination Center or NRCC) which, according
to National Disaster Services Specialist, recognized the
Photo E. Gordon, J73GAR, receives situation reports from contributions of The Salvation Army & SATERN in its
around Dominica. situation reports.
SATERN Net Controls and the many relay stations have
passed many health & welfare messages from the Caribbean
back to families and friends in the United States. Several of
us who have relayed messages to loved ones in the U.S.
have heard the called party break down and cry. Another
lady said the news that she received was the first word she
had heard from her family in five days. Another relay station
had the privilege of notifying a family who was overjoyed to
hear that just after hurricane Maria had passed, they got word
of a new baby boy (grandchild), that was born in Puerto Rico
and that the parents were doing well. SATERN has made
many people in Puerto Rico, the other Caribbean islands,
and their relatives in the U.S. very happy.
ARRL and the Red Cross: On September 24th, the American
Red Cross asked the ARRL for assistance with relief efforts
in Puerto Rico. Fifty radio amateurs were deployed to Puerto
Rico, along with 20 ICOM IC-7200s, external antenna tuners,
wire antennas, batteries, and some 20 handhelds, all con-
tained in waterproof cases. ARRL supplied all of the equip-
ment. Its purpose was to help record, enter, & submit disas-
ter-survivor information into the Red Cross Safe & Well
system. In the nearly 75-year relationship between ARRL
and the American Red Cross, this is the first time such a
request for assistance on this scale has been made.
These Red Cross-deployed hams are sending messages
Photo F. Marlon Marie, J73MP, listens to a local repeater on back into the United States using WinLink HF transmis-
his handheld at the Dominica EOC. sions to various Radio Mail Server (RMS) sites. As a back-

up, SATERN provides an SSB link it may activate the net for tropical storms busy making other plans,” –Allen
back to the U.S. for the deployed Red or hurricanes before they reach the 300- Saunders. – 73 de W4ALT
Cross teams. mile zone if requested by the National
The SATERN Team: With each of the Hurricane Center. As a storm approach- P.S.
activations, we have only about a day to es land, and at landfall, the net collects Kudos to the American Radio Relay
setup a schedule of net controls. To min- ground truth observations of wind League and the American Red Cross
imize the burden on any one individual, speed, direction, wind gusts, baromet- for springing into action by deploying
net controls are asked to spend no more ric pressure, flooding from storm surge equipment and manpower to the peo-
than one hour a day running the net. This and any other information that might ple of Puerto Rico. Additional kudos to
has required a large group of volunteer assist the forecasters of the National Brian Machesney, K1LI, and his wife,
net controls on very short notice. To get Hurricane Center get a better picture of Michelle Guenard, for their efforts to
these volunteers, SATERN, ARRL, the storm. gather and deliver desperately-needed
MARS, Hurricane Watch Net, Maritime These are just but a few of many sto- communications equipment to the peo-
Mobile Service Net, & several ARES ries coming from a very busy Atlantic ple of Dominica. These actions support
groups broadcast a request to their hurricane season. the humanitarian side of amateur radio.
members. We finally received a pool of “Life is what happens when you are –W4ALT
about 50 volunteers, some seasoned
professionals and some with very little
experience. All have performed very
well, have always showed up on time,
and handled many messages. I am very
proud of this diverse group of “profes-
sional” (not amateur) radio operators.
The net controls are assisted by perhaps
a hundred or more relay stations from all
over the United States, Canada, and a
couple of south-of-the-border hams. It
was these dedicated relay stations that
generally picked up and passed the traf-
fic from the Caribbean. Most of the mes-
sages were received by stations in
Florida, Georgia, Arkansas, Texas, New
York, and even in California. On two dif-
ferent evenings, Puerto Rico was
received locally (Northern California) at
S9 +10 dB. We have also managed to “FIRST AND THE BEST “
recruit several hams who speak EFHW-8010-1K
Spanish, so our calls into Puerto Rico eight-band EFHW antenna
and the rest of the Caribbean are often in the world!
broadcast in two languages.
SATERN has received many com-
ments from individuals and other ama-
teur radio operators, expressing what a
professional and beneficial operation
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BY TOM SMERK,* AA6TS
cq world wide Hams Respond to Hurricane
Maria’s Devastation in Puerto Rico
Plus … Bangladesh Holds Exams After Four Years;
Diplomacy Between Russia and India, Ukraine and
China; Hams Pitch in to Help with Earthquake and
Monsoon; CCARC Celebrates 60 Years; Canada
Looking to Upgrade 60-Meter Allocation
Puerto Rico Hurricane Aftermath years. Originally, plans called for having an exam
When Hurricane Maria ravaged Puerto Rico in every month beginning in 2008. The 2013 exam
early October, amateur radio operators were drew 160 hopefuls with 147 passing the exam.
called in from many different areas to assist in More than 250 candidates participated in this
many ways. Although the storm is now long gone, year’s exam — the most in the history of the
the destruction and need for assistance are still Bangladesh Amateur Radio League (BARL). Re-
present. Volunteers have been asked to stay on sults weren’t available as of presstime, but BARL
as long as they can because there is still so much anticipated an approximately 95% pass rate.
work to be done. The Bangladeshi government has only allowed
Many of the amateur radio operators were sent ham radio operations since 1991, although there
to nine hospital locations, which included a team of have been provisions in the past to obtain special
volunteers from the American Red Cross with local permission to operate during natural disasters.
radio amateurs covering the gaps.
Local hams have successfully passed much of Net Activated to Handle Mexico
the traffic to net control, which is responsible for for- Earthquake Traffic
warding the information to the right agencies. Much The FMRE National Emergency Net (Red Nacional
of the traffic concerned urgent requests such as de Emergencia) on 7.060 MHz was activated due
ensuring that the necessary inventory at each of to a magnitude 7.1 earthquake centered 75 miles
the hospitals is kept up and servicing the power and southeast of Mexico City in mid-September. In addi-
water utility requests. tion, 3.690 and 14.120 MHz, IRLP reflector 9200
Other hams provided assistance in a number of channel 08, and EchoLink were also available for
areas, such as relocating resources around the ham volunteers working with disaster relief.
island to better meet communications needs, After receiving information from FMRE President
installing repeaters, collecting and entering Red Al Tomez, XE2O, the ARRL News reports that par-
Cross “Safe and Well” data, acting as navigators, ticipation from Mexican radio amateurs has been
reunification workers, and anything else that is excellent. FMRE is Mexico’s national amateur
needed. radio association. One of its representatives was
Help came in from all over, including the Garden stationed in the emergency operations center in
School’s Amateur Radio Club, K2GSG, in New Mexico City. A mobile communications center was
York City, which has been taking radiogram mes- established south of Mexico City where communi-
sages to send to New Yorkers’ family members in cations were disrupted, and a second mobile com-
Puerto Rico. The club of approximately 20 mem- munication unit was deployed to serve the outlying
bers is led by its faculty advisor, John Hale, communities. Tomez said that most of the traffic
KD2LPM, who was trained in emergency messag- involved missing persons.
ing this summer and had a chance to put his new The quake occurred on the exact 32nd anniver-
skills to good use. (See this issue’s Emergency sary of the 1985 Mexico City earthquake that killed
Communications column for more on the amateur approximately 10,000 people. The September
radio response in Puerto Rico and Dominica. – ed.) 2017 earthquake occurred just two hours after a
[ARRL News, Southgate Amateur Radio News] national earthquake drill was held to commemorate
the 1985 quake.
Bangladesh Amateur Radio Exams – [ABC News, ARRL News, Wikipedia]
First in Four Years
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Emergency Response to Monsoons
Commission (BTRC) recently conducted amateur in India
radio service licensing exams for the first time in four
While Hurricane Harvey was pounding Texas, one
of the worst monsoons in decades was moving into
*17986 Highway 94, Dulzura, CA 91917 India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, eventual-
Email: <aa6ts@cq-amateur-radio.com> ly causing over 1,000 deaths. One of the hardest-

So many people showed up to take Bangladesh’s first amateur radio exam in four years that it took three photos to display
the whole group! (Courtesy of BARL)

hit areas was Mumbai, India, where flooding brought trans- CCARC also provides analog and digital voice plus ATV
portation to a halt and electricity was cut off. Teams of ama- repeaters covering 6 meters to 23 centimeters.
teur radio operators under the direction of Jayu S. Bhide, [Amateur Radio Newsline and CCARC website]
VU2JAU, assisted not only with emergency communications,
but also pitched in to help in any way they could, such as Cooperation Between Countries Produces New
bringing food and resources to those stranded by the flood. Communications Satellite
Shelters were so overcrowded that many residents offered
The Iskra-5 CubeSat 1-U, a small satellite developed by
shelter in their homes.
cooperation between Russian and Indian students, was set
Although the region frequently deals with monsoons dur-
to be transported to the International Space Station and then
ing the season from June to September, the flooding this year
deployed by a Russian cosmonaut performing a space walk.
was unusually severe.
The satellite is designed to provide amateur radio communi-
[USA Today and Amateur Radio Newsline]
cations, including SSTV (slow-scan television) that will cap-
ture and transmit images from space.
CCARC Celebrates 60th Anniversary The Iskra-5 CubeSat 1-U was built by a program known as
The Central Coast Amateur Radio Club (CCARC - VK2AFY, Space Kidz India, consisting of 20 students from the Moscow
VK2EH, and VK2WFD), located in New South Wales, Aviation Institute in collaboration with nine youngsters from
Australia celebrated its 60th anniversary in October. The inau- various cities in India. Indian students designed the outer
gural meeting in 1957 was attended by 37 people. The club cube of the satellite while the Russian team concentrated on
conducts license classes and exams, is involved in contests, the subsystems. A ground station in Russia will keep track
supports Australia’s WICEN emergency communications of the relevant data while orbiting for a period of three to five
group, and the annual Scout and Guides Jamboree On The months after its launch.
Air (JOTA) held in October. CCARC is also affiliated with the The project marks the 70th anniversary of diplomatic rela-
Wireless Institute of Australia and Amateur Radio NSW. tions between the two countries.
CCARC sponsors the largest gathering of hams in the [Times of India]
southern hemisphere, the Wyong Field Day, which is not
actually a Field Day as some of us are used to, but is very Youth from Ukraine and China Develop Ties
similar to the Dayton Hamvention®.
at Ham Camp
A resort in a well-forested area north of Kiev, Ukraine, was
home to young hams from Ukraine and China, including 55
youngsters from the South China Province of Guangdong,
while they participated in an amateur radio direction-finding
event. The 10-day event for young hams kicked off with a
welcoming ceremony at the Chinese Embassy in Ukraine’s
capital city of Kyiv (Kiev).
To overcome the language barrier between China and
Ukraine, all participants were to communicate in English. The
summer camp was the first of its kind for the two countries.
[Amateur Radio Newsline]
Canada Looking to Add to 60-Meter Allocation
World Radio TV Handbook is Canada has proposed adding the international allocation of
the bestselling directory of 5351.5 to 5366.5 kHz - based on proceedings from the 2015
global broadcasting. World Radiocommunication Conference – to the existing five
WRTH contains a full-color “U.S. compatible” 60-meter band “channels” currently being
section of articles and used that were allocated by the Canadian regulator Industry
reviews as well as Canada in 2014.
comprehensive listings of As of presstime, Canadian regulators were seeking com-
broadcasts and ment on the proposed changes. The responses would then
be tabulated over a 60-day period, and the amateur radio
broadcasters on the
regulations would have to be updated before any changes
LW, MW, SW & FM radio take effect. Keep reading this column for further updates.
bands. WRTH continues to [Amateur Radio Newsline]
set radio hobby standards and remains
among the most respected and authorative In Closing
radio reference book in the world. Besides receiving your news and photos for this column, I
have also been enjoying your personal emails just to say hi!
Shipping & Handling: U.S–add $7 $49.95 If you have no news to report this month, just send an email
CN/MX– $15 • All Other Countries–$25 plus s/h to say hello and let me know you’re enjoying the column.
Who knows, I might hear you calling CQ (not the magazine!)
someday and it would be great to recognize your callsign
from your email contacts. Thanks again for all your support.
Spread the word at your next club or organization meeting,
and get everyone involved to include CQ magazine in your
news releases. Send your stories, news, photos, and sug-
gestions to <aa6ts@cq-amateur-radio.com>.
– 73 de AA6TS

learning curve
BY RON OCHU,* KOØZ
Year’s End
his month, I am going to wax philosophical. map gives a sense of direction and purpose.
T I’m not trying to be preachy, but last January

I urged readers to resolve to undertake
something new in amateur radio. I offered some
Otherwise, operating without some type of a plan
is like being a jellyfish and going where the cur-
rents take you, or like a wind vane that points in
ideas throughout the year. Now that 2017 is com- the direction of the prevailing wind. This is fine, if
ing to an end, I’m curious if you made the resolu- that’s your plan; namely, a “laissez-faire” ap-
tion to try something new and, more importantly, proach to our hobby. My main concern with this
did you accomplish it? approach is that it’s all too easy to lose enthusi-
asm and stagnate while being left behind in the
Where Do I Wish to Go? fast currents of technological advancements.
I rhetorically ask this question because I feel suc-
cess is the byproduct of having a plan. The plan’s Get Busy Living
details are dictated by the amount of enthusiasm, I am reminded of the powerful quote from the
time, and funds that can be devoted to it. As with movie, “The Shawshank Redemption,” in which
any good plan, there should be a map or chart to the character Andy is telling Red about his dream
indicate progress. Knowing your location on the of going to Mexico. Red reminds Andy that he’s
here (prison) and Mexico is there. Andy responds
*Email: <ko0z@cq-amateur-radio.com> by telling Red that life comes down to two simple
Figure 1. Bi-State Amateur Radio Society is based in St. Louis, Missouri. (All photos by KOØZ)
Photo A. BARS members from left to right: Debbie Ochu, KC9ULA; Mike Ragouzis, NØOBI; Harry
Haeusser, WAØCNS; Bob Sluder, NØIS; and Herber Ullmann, AF4JF.

is having fun while learning from its fail-
ures and celebrating its successes.
BARS
One such ham radio group having fun is
a small, but dedicated St. Louis club of
VHF, UHF and microwave enthusiasts
called BARS (Bi-State Amateur Radio
Society) (Figure 1). BARS exists to
share ideas, test benches, and skills to
improve the members’ ham radio knowl-
edge and on-air practices<http://bit.ly/
2x3aeFn>. Although, this group (Photo
A) is primarily interested in microwaves,
it became apparent that the higher costs
associated with the equipment dis-
suades many hams, even those with a
strong interest, from getting into the
“nosebleed” bands. In addition, there
aren’t any commercially made “off-the-
shelf” rigs available for purchase.
Some DIY (do it yourself) is required
Photo B. From left to right is: Paul Wade, W1GHZ; and Zack Widup, W9SZ.
to get on these bands. Okay, well,
maybe more than just “some” DIY, but
choices, “Get busy living or get busy ers? Perhaps your goal is to read a ham that’s the challenge. Fortunately, Paul
dying.” Andy’s point is to have a goal radio book from cover to cover and Wade, W1GHZ (Photo B), developed
and then take steps, however mea- become more acquainted with the topic. and released a low cost 10-GHz trans-
sured and small, towards accomplish- Getting busy living doesn’t have to be verter board (Photo C) to get more
ing that goal. about trying a new mode. It could also hams involved by making the micro-
A personal goal in amateur radio could mean becoming more active with the wave bands more affordable and
take a while, such as earning top spot on amateur radio community. Participating accessible <http://bit.ly/2gpvwK8>.
the DXCC Honor Roll, working 5-band in ARES and public service events BARS members decided to purchase
DXCC, Worked All Zones, or getting comes to mind. Even better, how about four of these boards, build them over
involved with OSCARs (Orbiting Sat- getting others more involved with the the winter months, test them, and make
ellites Carrying Amateur Radio). It could hobby or helping them earn their licens- them available to others for MAD
mean trying digital radio, WinLink, grid es? That kind of effort is called leader- (microwave activity days) and contests.
hunting, or upgrading your license. What ship and it’s contagious. Finding like- A basic handheld connected to the
is the status of your work bench and test minded folks working towards the same transverter along with a simple 10-GHz
gear? Have you tried any of the new dig- thing is exciting. Best of all, that excite- horn antenna (Photo D) will produce a
ital oscilloscopes or spectrum analyz- ment breeds success when the group 10-GHz FM signal. BARS hopes to
Photo C. W1GHZ’s low-cost, 10-GHz transverter board

that he designed to be an inexpensive way to use the Photo D. A simple 10-GHz horn antenna will significantly
microwave band. extend the range of a low-level microwave signal.

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H+DPQHWUHYLHZV
ϲϲϱ
RXWRIVWDUV
VWDU ϲϰϱ
VWDU ϭϳ
VWDU Ϯ
VWDU ϭ
VWDU Ϭ
* as of November 2017
dŚĞďĞƐƚƐƚƵĚǇŵĞƚŚŽĚ͕ĐƵƐƚŽŵĞƌƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ͕
ĂŶĚŐƵĂƌĂŶƚĞĞŝŶƚŚĞŝŶĚƵƐƚƌǇ͊
www.hamtestonline.com
Photo E. From left to right are Herbert Ullmann, AF4JF, and Zack Widup, W9SZ,
key BARS members who lend their talents and knowledge to others.
Mobile Power
introduce other hams to the fun and what was your score? I never wish to be with PowerPoleTM
excitement of the microwave bands one of those folks who doesn’t practice 12V DC/120V AC
without breaking the bank. These “loan- what he preaches, so your editor tried 9 12 22 amp hr
er rigs” will whet the appetites of others two new digital modes, MSK144 and
interested in this aspect of the hobby. FT8, and I am glad that I did. e
Will these rigs perform as well as the I also read a new book on grounding
transverters produced by Down East by Ward Silver, NØAX (great informa- 831-427-8197 KC6QLB
Microwave or Kuhne Electronics? No, tive book, by the way) and a book on www.powerportstore.com
but W1GHZ didn’t intend for his boards oscilloscopes. After reading that book,
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So…after reviewing last year’s activity, – 73 de Ron, KOØZ 75 Gold Finch Way
Capon Bridge, WV 26711

kit-building
Practice Makes Perfect
BY JOE EISENBERG,* KØNEB

The KD1JV Code Trainer Kit
often get a new kit to try out and see if it is “ready The KD1JV Code Trainer from QRPGuys is differ-
I for prime time.” This month’s new kit was ready

to go when I got it. There have been so many
simple code practice oscillator kits over the years
ent from most code practice kits. The Code Trainer
is just that. It is useful not only with a straight key,
but is also able to be used with a paddle as a keyer.
that another one might make your eyes roll. But this Note that it is not able to be connected to a radio for
Code Trainer kit designed by Steve Weber, KD1JV, keying the radio. Rather, this kit is both a simple
is definitely different. Steve is well-known for his straight key oscillator and an iambic keyer that can
Mountain Topper kits and for such great kits as the be used with a paddle to learn how to send and
Weber Tribander and the KD1JV Survivor 75M receive code with either a straight key or a paddle.
SSB transceiver kit. Yes, receive!
The Code Trainer has a function that sends ran-
dom characters that include letters, numbers, and
*7133 Yosemite Drive, Lincoln, NE 68507 punctuation. The speed at which they are sent is
e-mail: <k0neb@cq-amateur-radio.com> adjustable, as is the speed that can be sent with a
The KD1JV Code Trainer parts. A low parts count makes this a great beginner’s kit!

paddle. There is an included LED that is <www.qrpguys.com>. While you are $50. It is a thermostatically-controlled
optional to install on the board that indi- waiting for your kit to arrive, be sure to variable-temperature soldering station
cates keying. This can be used to help pick up a CR2032 battery so you are with lots of extras. The 3020-XTS holds
teach code to people who are hard of ready to test your kit! its temperature steady to ±2° Celsius.
hearing or serve as a visual reinforce- This makes it ideal for kit-builders as it
ment to the sounds of the code. The rea- Kits for the Holidays keeps delivering the correct amount of
son the LED is an option is that it increas- With the holidays at hand, here are a heat without overheating or cooling too
es the current draw from the battery, couple of gift-giving suggestions for much to make a good connection. The
shortening its life. A single CR2032 3- your favorite kit builder (if that’s you, you digital display shows the set tempera-
volt lithium coin type battery common to can just leave the magazine open to this ture as well as the progress towards that
most car remotes powers the Code page in some conspicuous spot!): setting. There is an automatic sleep
Trainer. The battery is not included in the The X-Tronic 3020-XTS Soldering mode that cools the tip until it is being
kit as shipped, so you will need to get Station is an amazing bargain for under used again if left idle for an extended
one before assembling this kit.
Assembly of this kit is fast for experi-
enced builders, and most beginning
builders can complete it in an hour or so.
The low parts count makes for quick
assembly and the directions are quite
clear. There are only five capacitors in
the kit, and they are all of the same value,
so there is little problem getting them
installed. Only two resistors, one glass
diode and one LED make up the rest of
the wire-leaded parts. The three buttons,
two jacks, trimpot, and battery holder
round out the kit, along with the IC, main
power switch and jumper pins. A set of
four stick-on rubber feet serves as the
base for the unit. The heart of the Code
Trainer is an 8-pin preprogrammed
processor. This IC is very easy to install.
Just ensure the little dot on the IC match-
es up with the “1” on the board which sig-
nifies where Pin 1 on the IC belongs.
I found the assembly to go quite quick-
ly, and the Code Trainer fired up right
away, sending an “S” when it boots up The completed Code Trainer, ready to test.
with a straight key connected and a “P”
if a paddle or no key is connected. Similar
to other QRPGuys kits such as the SOTA
paddles and keyers, the Code Trainer
has the basic operating instructions print-
ed on the bottom of the PC board along
with markings on the top of the board for
jumper placement and power switch sta-
tus, as well as key and headphone jack
identification. I used earbuds with my kit,
but any stereo headset with a standard
1/8-inch, 3-conductor stereo plug will
work. If you would like a much louder
sound for use with a group, you can use
a 1/8-inch stereo cable to connect the
audio output into an amplified speaker.
Many inexpensive small Bluetooth
speakers have a 1/8-inch input jack for
directly connecting a non-Bluetooth
device to the amplifier’s input. This
arrangement is ideal for a group code
class. There is a trimpot on the board for
adjusting the volume level for earbuds or
headphones or for adjusting the drive
level to the amplified speaker.
A bonus with this kit is its very low
price! The Steve Weber-designed kit is The bottom of the Code Trainer board reveals operating instructions printed on
only $15 and can be ordered from the board (before I cleaned the excess flux!).

ham news (from page 3)
adjunct to other, possibly unrelated, interests — rather than its
traditional aspects — but urged member societies to “embrace
these individuals in their activities and … promote amateur radio
as meeting their needs, rather than promoting the historical view
of what amateur radio has to offer.”
The South African Radio League, responding in a commen-
tary in its online SARL News, said amateur radio “needs a renais-
sance (and) the first step is to break away from this hobby atti-
tude and to realize that it is an amateur radio science with which
to experiment, research, and pioneer. Secondly, the amateur
radio service should broaden its field and include radio astron-
omy for future space communications,” adding that a “wider
radio field enhanced by the latest radio technology will be more
exciting, attractive, and have a far greater appeal to the new gen-
erations with their open and inquiring minds.” This change in
approach, the SARL concluded, “could extend the lifespan of
amateur radio … for another 100 years.”
ARRL Foundation Accepting Scholarship

Applications
The application window for scholarships administered by the The X-Tronic 3020-XTS Soldering Station.
ARRL Foundation is now open, with a deadline of January 31,
2018. The foundation administers several dozen scholarships
and adds five new ones this year, according to the ARRL Letter.
All applicants must be licensed amateurs and some scholarships
have other specific requirements. For more information, see the
ARRL Foundation’s scholarship webpage at <www.arrl.org/
scholarship-program>.
Satellite Roundup
AMSAT’s Fox-1B satellite, also known as RadFxSat, was sched-
uled for launch by NASA on November 10 (well after this issue’s
deadline). The ARRL reports that it is one of four cubesats trav-
eling as secondary payloads aboard the Joint Polar Satellite
System-1 mission launch. It carries a 435/145-MHz FM
transponder.
The AMSAT News Service is cautioning users of high-duty
cycle digital modes — such as FT8 or MSK144 — to be very
careful of power levels used on transmissions made via satel- Ideal Stripmaster (this sample was used and purchased at
lites, as a high-power signal can affect all other users of a satel- a ham flea market).
lite transponder. AMSAT suggests possibly avoiding the use
of these modes on satellites due to problems encountered by
other users. period. A solder roll holder is included as are two different
The SSB/CW linear transponders on China’s CAS-4A and methods of tip cleaning. Check Amazon as well as the eBay
CAS-4B satellites were turned on in mid-October, according to store for ordering.
the AMSAT News Service. Uplink frequencies are 435.220 MHz A tool I picked up as a surplus item at a recent flea market
for CAS-4A and 435.280 for CAS-4B. Corresponding downlink is the Ideal Stripmaster 45-092. This tool allows you to pre-
frequencies are 145.870 and 145.925 MHz. Each has a 20-kHz cisely strip wires of various gauges to a uniform length. It is
passband. fast and easy to use. You simply place the wire over the open-
ing corresponding to the wire gauge and squeeze the han-
Ham Radio Industry Notes dles. The tool pinches the end, cuts the insulation and pulls
CQ welcomes Frank Perry as its new Advertising Manager. it back, revealing the bare wire. I found this tool to be a time
Frank has worked for many years selling advertising to the adver- saver when stripping a number of wires in assembling kits.
tising industry, so he is up to date on all the latest trends and It makes a very nice clean cut without nicking the stranded
techniques. wire inside. There is a variety of models of this tool available,
The ARRL has a new Communications Manager. Dave Isgur covering different ranges of wire size. The best version for
will handle the League’s media relations efforts. He was previ- electronics builders would be the ones that cover the small-
ously director of media relations for the University of Hartford, er wire gauges. I have also found this tool at Home Depot as
according to the ARRL Letter. well as other hardware and home improvement and electri-
Finally, Universal Radio has a new home. The ham and short- cal supply stores.
wave radio dealer moved in mid-October from its Reynoldsburg, Note: Due to a delay in getting all of the kits needed to work
Ohio, location to a new and “more efficient” facility at 651 on the SB-200 featured last month, the continuation of the
Lakeview Plaza Blvd., Suite B, in nearby Worthington, Ohio. The series on the Harbach kits for restoring and improving that
company advises that its web and email addresses, phone num-
amplifier will resume next month. Enjoy the holidays and 73
ber, and store hours all remain the same.
to you and yours! – 73 DE KØNEB

BY KENT BRITAIN, WA5VJB
antennas
An Effective 10- to 20-Meter DX
Antenna for Space-Limited
Locations
BY BOB HOUF,* K7ZB, GUEST COLUMNIST
A heavy workload at his day job kept WA5VJB to ensure a good match for the amp, and in cases
from being able to finish his column for this issue. where I run barefoot without the amp, I can still use
Filling in this month is guest columnist Bob Houf, the ATU to assist the transceiver’s tuner in ensur-
K7ZB, who has contributed other antenna articles ing a good match. In this way, everything is
in the past. – W2VU matched for maximum power output: From the
transceiver to the amp, and amp to the antenna.
And, even though the SWR is high at the feedline
he simple 15-foot vertical antenna shown and the antenna, it doesn’t matter because the sys-
T mounted on the railing of our second-floor

deck (Photo A) has produced nearly 200
countries worked around the world, including VQ9s
tem is matched with the ATU. (Well, actually, it
does matter in terms of overall signal output but
the matching network assures that the transmitter
“sees” a 50-ohm load and continues to put out full
in Chagos and 3B8s on Mauritius in the Indian
Ocean; TXØDX on Chesterfield Reef; VKØMM on power. –ed)
Macquarie Island in the Antarctic region; BQ9P on Photo B shows the center conductor of the verti-
Pratas Island off Taiwan; ZM7ZB on Chatham cal connected to an SO-239 female coax connec-
Island in the South Pacific, along with FOØAAA on
Clipperton, 9MØOO on Spratly Island in the South
China Sea, JT1CO in Mongolia and, well, you get
the idea. What I hear, I can usually work with this
little wonder and its small size and profile make it
feasible for use in many deed-restricted neighbor-
hoods or other limited-space settings.
A radio amateur friend and antenna designer
came up with a simple design for a 10-meter ver-
tical, which another friend and I modified to make
work for the 14-, 18-, 21-, 24- and 28-MHz ham
bands. Its performance surprised us — and per-
haps you, too — if you are looking for a simple,
inexpensive DX antenna that really performs well.
The basic concept is to put up a piece of aluminum
tubing with a telescopic section held by a small hose
clamp to adjust the height. By attaching the center
conductor of a coax feed line to the tubing, and the
shield of the coax to a couple of radials from the
base of the tubing, you can load the vertical across
quite a broad range of frequencies.
Of course, with a vertical element of approxi-
mately 15 feet this is a non-resonant antenna for
the bands of intended operation. I did some basic
EZNEC modeling and chose this length to allow
the system to be tuned to resonance with an anten-
na tuner (ATU). Since the SWR in an antenna sys-
tem of this type will be relatively high, an antenna
tuner unit will definitely be required. You may need
an external ATU if the one in your transceiver can’t
handle the impedance mismatches involved.
I drive my transceiver (which has a built-in ATU)
through a 500-watt amplifier, which then drives a
high-power ATU to the antenna. I put the
SWR/power meter between the amplifier and ATU
* 3664 S. Winter Lane, #103 Photo A. A low-profile but effective antenna for the
Gilbert, AZ 85297 upper HF bands can be mounted to a deck or
email: <k7zbob@gmail.com> similar location.

leave a little to be desired at the high
SWR of this system. After driving this
vertical with 500 watts at high SWR in
the middle of one of the DX contests, I
punched through the insulation, thus
discovering the original 10-meter
antenna design was intended for lower
power and lower SWR! This problem
was solved by wrapping the neoprene
sleeve with several layers of Teflon®
tape (the kind you buy for plumbing
work at the hardware store). I also
added a couple of layers of electrical
tape (600-volt rating) for an additional
margin of insulation.
These modifications are shown in
Photo C with the vertical tubing re-
moved — you simply add the tape over
the sleeve. The vertical element is then
secured to the bracket by a pair of hose
clamps of suitable size.
A construction detail shown in Photo
C is the solid aluminum rod that fits
inside the lower 14 inches of the main
8-foot length of tubing. The solid rod is
inserted at the bottom to ensure a good
tight connection for the sleeve. This rod
end can be drilled with a blind hole for
a self-tapping sheet-metal screw to
Photo D. Final assembly with the hose secure the solid copper wire from the
Photo B. Details of the RF connections clamps over the insulating sleeve and center conductor coming from the SO-
to the vertical. See text for discussion. the vertical element in place. 239. The tubing is secured to the rod
with a hose clamp just above the top of
the bracket.
tor. I used two pieces of insulated #14 A tip for ensuring good clamping force
AWG solid copper wire to provide a stiff with hose-clamps and hollow tubing is
means of attaching the connector to the to slit the tubing about two inches up
metal bracket. Note that there is no true from the bottom on opposing sides with
earth ground connection to this anten- a hacksaw. This will allow the clamps to
na. The ground side of the coax con- grip tightly enough to prevent slippage.
nector simply connects to the hardware Also, insert a solid piece of rod about 8
bracket, to which the two radials are con- inches long inside the smaller-diameter
nected. The bracket looks like a simple telescoping tube at the top of the verti-
piece of offset metal used to mount a cal to prevent that tube from collapsing.
small flagpole or the like. The upper telescoping tube is adjusted
The base of this vertical is 14 feet to 15 feet in overall length to give prop-
above ground, so this antenna effec- er loading across all bands.
tively behaves like an elevated ground Photo D shows the completed vertical
plane antenna. Return currents for the attached to the railing with the coax
vertical flow in the two radials and the looped about six times to give some
conductivity of the soil at the antenna measure of RF choke action to keep RF
location is less of a factor in its opera- from returning to the shack on the braid.
tion than if it were ground-mounted. I secured the coax loops to the railing
The two 15-foot radial wires are held support with plastic wire ties to provide
to the bracket with a large sheet-metal stress relief for the connector.
screw, so the bracket is connected to the You can also see the tubing and small
coax shield. Electrical isolation from the hose clamp just above the neoprene
center conductor of the coax connected sleeve along with the two larger hose
to the vertical element is provided by an clamps gripping the sleeve and rod to
insulating rubber sleeve. This is a piece the bracket.
of neoprene fuel line chosen because It is quite easy to remove the vertical
the dimensions fit the aluminum rod tubing element and stow it when you are
inserted into the lower 14 inches of the not operating, thus fulfilling the need for
aluminum tubing (more on that later). an unobtrusive HF antenna. All in all, a
Photo C. The solid aluminum support However, we found the electrical iso- cheap and effective radiator for the
rod and insulation system. lation properties of neoprene fuel line higher HF bands.

qrp: low-power communications
Low Band QRP – Winter’s Delight
elcome to the December QRP column.
W December marks the beginning of winter

— that time of year when I stash my back-
pack, walking stick, and portable antenna in the
Winter brings the low bands (40, 80,
and 160 meters) to life, providing
nighttime entertainment and fun into
the wee hours of the morning.
rear of my closet for safekeeping until spring when
warmer weather returns. Winter also brings the low
bands (40, 80, and 160 meters) to life, providing
nighttime entertainment and fun into the wee hours DX on 160 meters is not for the faint of heart and
of the morning. This month we focus on 40, 80, and is the ultimate challenge — in my opinion — for the
160 meters, three bands often overlooked by the QRP operator. Be prepared to put in some time
QRP operator for chasing DX, contesting or good and effort, but the feeling of accomplishment after
ol’ fashioned ragchewing. QRP operators often shy snagging DX with a few watts on 160 meters is
away from the low bands due to excessive static worth the effort. Also, count on losing some snooze
(atmospheric noise) and a belief that an amplifier time as late nights and early morning wake-up calls
is necessary to work DX; however, with a little are part of the equation for chasing DX on Topband.
knowledge of when to operate and some general One-sixty is not a band to be overlooked during
antenna information, the QRP operator can have contests. Those who work contests know multipli-
a great deal of success and even earn CQ’s ers are worth more than individual contacts and
Worked All Zones (WAZ) and/or ARRL’s DXCC can mean the difference between winning or los-
award on one or all the low bands. ing. Contacts made on 160 meters during major
contests are like bonus points, since many QRPers
Low Band Propagation and Quirks do not operate on or have an antenna for Topband.
Atmospheric noise presents the greatest challenge Eighty meters, like 160, has significant D-layer
to operating on the low bands, whether operating absorption during the daylight hours. However, at
low or high power. During spring, summer, and night, when the D layer dissipates, the band opens
early fall, thunderstorms generate noise (static and allows low-power stations equipped with a suit-
crashes) that sometimes make these bands inop- able antenna to add DX stations to their logbooks.
erable (at least for me). I learned early on (soon I have had good DX on 80 meters (CW and SSB)
after I was licensed as a Novice in the early 1980s) using a 380-foot diameter horizontal skyloop that
not to operate 40 and 80 meters when thunder- varies from 30 to 80 feet above ground. During
storms had been forecast in my region of the coun- recent CQWW DX contests, I worked several large
try. The static crashes that pulsed through my contest stations in Europe on 80 meters and
Drake 2-B receiver’s speaker were as loud and attribute part of my success to the monster anten-
annoying as the chattering of the “Russian na arrays, high-end transceivers, and patience of
Woodpecker” that would suddenly appear on my the radio operators on the other end of the contact.
frequency. Since thunderstorms are not common It sometimes takes a few tries to make the
during winter months (especially in northern lati- exchange and successfully log the contact, but it
tudes), the lower bands provide a quiet, static-free is worth the effort.
nighttime playground for operating QRP. Eighty Forty meters is a popular band for many hams
meters, and even more so 160 meters, are so quiet as it is nearly always open somewhere, day or
during winter nighttime hours it is a bit eerie. If you night. The level of atmospheric noise heard on 80
have not experienced how quiet these bands are and 160 meters during the summer months is gen-
in the winter, you owe it to yourself to do so. erally less on 40, allowing DX stations to better hear
The 160-meter band, referred to by many hams QRP signals at this time of year. DX is plentiful on
as “Topband,” is nestled just above the AM broad- 40 meters during winter nighttime hours and is the
cast band at 1.8-2.0 MHz and is a true nighttime band of choice for the QRP operator not experi-
band. During daytime hours, the ionosphere (more enced in low-band DX. Be sure to include this band
specifically the D layer) is highly energized with during contests as loud DX stations work all night
electrons from Ol’ Sol that prevent radio waves at on 40 meters.
low frequencies from passing through to the high-
er F layers (F1 and F2) that are necessary for long- Low Band Antennas
distance propagation. This is known as D-layer Erecting an effective antenna for use on “Top
absorption. As a result, 160 meters is strictly a local Band,” much less 80 and 40 meters, can be a chal-
band by day and comes to life (for DX) after sun- lenge simply due to the physical size of the anten-
set. For the QRP operator, the best opportunities na required. A half-wave dipole cut for the 160-
for DX contacts are between midnight and sunrise, meter band is roughly 260 feet in length (130 feet
after the D layer has lost its electron intensity and for each leg). My residential lot is 100 feet by 180
becomes a weak layer (no absorption). Working feet, making it impossible for me to erect a dipole
for 160 meters (at least without asking permission
* <ka8sma@cq-amateur-radio.com> from one of my neighbors to run wires over their

property). Another factor is antenna Inverted-L functions as a bent vertical have a 40-foot tree that supports the
height, as it is difficult to achieve a and consists of a wire that is supported vertical portion (wire) of my Inverted-L
height of a half wavelength or more on as high as possible (perpendicular to antenna. The wire bends at the top of
40, 80, or 160 meters for best perfor- the ground) before it is bent and run par- the tree where it runs 90 feet (parallel
mance. My multi-band horizontal sky- allel to the ground surface. A tree, tower to the ground) away from the tree. The
loop does a fine job on 40 and 80 or other high object can be used to sup- end of the wire is fastened to a rope and
meters, but lacks the length and height port the wire. The vertical run of wire secured to a second tree to keep it par-
to be an effective radiator on 160 should be hung as high as possible. The allel to the ground.
meters. formula 234/frequency (in megahertz) A ground system (radials) is an impor-
One of the simplest antennas to erect is used to determine the length of the tant element of this antenna and as
for low-band operation, especially for wire. This will equate to approximately many radials as possible should be
160, is the Inverted-L (Figure 1). The 130 feet for 160 meters. At my QTH, I installed. The radials are connected to
the outer braid of the feed line (50-ohm
coaxial cable) and should be one-quar-
ter wavelength long; however, radials of
random length also work. My radial sys-
tem is modest due to lack of space. I
use No. 14 insulated wire for radials and
have two 130-foot radials that snake
around the yard and six additional radi-
als that range between 20 and 40 feet
in length. I bury all my radials just below
the ground surface.
A variation of the Inverted-L is the T-
Vertical (Figure 2). Like the Inverted-L,
a wire is raised vertically as high as pos-
sible but instead of one wire bending
away from the antenna, two wires of
equal length form a “T” at the top of the
antenna and run parallel to the ground
away from the antenna in opposite
directions. The two wires at the top of
the antenna need to be the same length,
each equaling one-half the length of the
total length of the wire minus the verti-
cal length. For example, a 130-foot
length of wire (for 160 meters) raised
Figure 1. The Inverted-L antenna vertically 40 feet in the air would have
two wires 45 feet in length (130 - 40 =
90; 90/2 = 45) attached to the top of the
antenna and run parallel to the ground
opposite of one another, forming a “T.”
A radial system also needs to be em-
ployed with this antenna.
A longwire antenna can provide good
results if sufficient real estate is avail-
able for running a long run of wire. To
be effective, longwires must be at least
one wavelength long. If space is tight,
the wire can be placed in a zig-zag pat-
tern (“Z” configuration) to spread the
wire across the lot. An antenna tuner is
also necessary to provide a match
between the antenna and transmitter.
The longwire should be strung as high as
possible and away from other objects.
An 80-meter dipole fed with open-wire
line (i.e. ladder line, window line, or twin
lead) in concert with an antenna tuner can
be used as a multi-band antenna cover-
ing 80-10 meters. If space is a consider-
ation and there is only room to hang one
antenna, the 80-meter half-wave dipole
may be the ticket. This antenna has
Figure 2. The T-Vertical antenna. The two equal-length horizontal wires and the length and height issues that limit its use
vertical wire are all soldered together at the center point. as an effective radiator on 160 meters;

however, I know some hams who suc- KEEP IT SIMPLE
cessfully use inverted-V dipoles for QRP &
on 160. They have squeezed these
antennas onto their lots by getting the
center point as high as possible and let
the legs droop to the ground. Where
there’s a will, there’s a way!
Separate TX/RX Antennas

One important note regarding antennas
for Topband: Hams who regularly oper-
ate this band often have separate trans-
mit and receive antennas. Separate
antennas for transmit (a vertical) and
receive (a Beverage) can provide the
extra “umph” needed to make a contact.
Some hams have multiple Beverages to
facilitate weak-signal reception in more
than one direction. If you have not spent
a great deal of time on the low bands,
my suggestion is to first try one anten-
na for transmit/receive (such as the
Inverted-L) prior to spending time and
money (we QRPers are frugal) to erect
Beverages, 4-Squares or other types of
antennas specifically designed for the
low bands. Although these types of
antennas help work DX, they are not a
necessity for low-band operation.
ELECTRIC RADIO MAGAZINE
Bringing it Home Real Hams Do Code In circulation over 26 years, ER is
Learn code with hypnosis today. a monthly publication celebrating
QRP on higher HF bands (10, 15, and classic equipment that was the
20 meters) is a lot of fun when sunspots Download Now! pride of our shacks just a few
are plentiful and conditions are good, www.success-is-easy.com years ago. Send $1 for a sample:
but do not short-change yourself the fun ER, PO Box 242
561-302-7731 Bailey, CO 80421-0242
of working wintertime QRP on the low Success Easy
720-924-0171
bands. The quietness of these bands 568 SE Maple Terrace, Port St. Lucie, FL 34983
during winter coupled with DX is a WWW.ERMAG.COM
dream. With a good antenna and little
persistence, you may turn you into a
low-band QRP junkie.
For those who are up for a Topband
challenge this winter, the CQ World
Wide 160-Meter CW contest is the last
full weekend in January and SSB is the
last full weekend in February. These
weekends are prime time (dead of win-
ter) for operating on 160 meters. Both
contests also have a QRP-only catego-
ry! (See announcement in November
issue and complete rules on the CQ
website or cq160.com.)
Finally, for those who cannot wait for
spring to return to get out of the shack
and work portable, Winter Field Day is
January 27 and 28, 2018. I am planning
to pull my backpack and portable anten-
na from the closet, trade my walking
stick for snowshoes, and get outdoors
to enjoy some wintertime operat-
ing…QRP-style, of course. This event
is sponsored by the Winter Field Day
Association. Visit <www.winterfield-
day.com> for more information.
Until February, stay warm and 73

vhf plus
BY TONY EMANUELE,* K8ZR
KB7Q Rare Grid and
EME DXpeditions
VHF Plus Calendar
Geminids Meteor shower Predicted peak December 13th/14th
Quadrantids Meteor shower January 3rd & 4th 2018
ARRL January VHF Contest January 20th – 22nd
DUBUS EME Contest 144MHz/432MHz February 24th & 25th
144 MHz Spring Sprint April 9th from 7-11 p.m. local
222 MHz Spring Sprint April 17th from 7-11 p.m. local
Lyrids Meteor shower Predicted peak April 22nd & 23rd
432 MHz: Spring Sprint April 25th 7-11 p.m. local
or the past several summer Sporadic-E many rare grids near his home QTH in Montana and
F seasons, Gene Shea, KB7Q, of Bozeman,

Montana, has been activating rare grids on 6
meters in the western U.S., delighting many FFMA1
across the border in Canada.
Gene’s one-man effort necessitates that he keeps
it simple. Over time, Gene has assembled a small
chasers. He expanded his capabilities to include 2- but effective portable 2-meter EME station that is
meter and 70-centimeter EME (earth-moon-earth) easy to assemble and has proven to be very reli-
and has been active from Hawaii, South Dakota, able for portable moonbounce. The equipment
Iowa, Nevada, Wyoming, and Alaska, as well as includes an Elecraft K3 transceiver with internal
transverter, a W6PQL solid-state power amplifier
(SSPA) at 800 watts, and a pair of 9-element Yagis
c/o CQ magazine with a low noise preamp, all powered by a 2-kilo-
email: <k8zr@cq-amateur-radio.com> watt generator. It takes less than an hour to set up
the two Yagis with manual elevation/azimuth con-
trol. On 70 centimeters, the EME station is a 500-
watt SSPA to a single Yagi.
The operating locations he chooses are almost
always rare, attracting lots of callers. As Gene
says, “It is good to be DX.” Experience has shown
him that, eventually, periods of unfavorable
Faraday will change for those willing to wait and,
when he can operate at a location for multiple
moon passes, Faraday rotation becomes even
less of a factor2. During two trips earlier this year
to Yellowstone Park, DN44lw, Gene worked 57
stations on 2-meter EME and 17 stations on 70-
centimeter EME over a combined 12-hour period
— a very efficient operation!
Over the past few years, Gene has helped a num-
ber of stations achieve the Worked All States award,
noting that “nothing is more fun for me then hearing
I’ve just completed a contact with someone for his
50th state for the 2-meter WAS award.” He went
onto to add that he and his wife, Joyce, seek out
interesting and scenic places to camp along the
way, which just adds to the enjoyment.
Gene’s blog contains a section on Portable EME
Tips and Techniques – 6M/2M/70-centimeter moon-
bounce from the field using KISS techniques. See
<http://portableeme.blogspot.com/>. He offers ex-
cellent advice regarding AC power solutions, meth-
ods of supporting the antennas, sequencing, and
preamp protection.
So … if you have thought about 2-meter or 70-cen-
timeter EME but have yet to give it a try, take a page
or two out of Gene’s book. No need to travel to a far
off or rare state, as plenty of fun can be had from your
driveway, backyard or patio. Look for Gene in
Figure 1. APRS Map 13 October 2017.

Photo A. KB7Q in DN46 waiting for moonrise. (Photos courtesy of KB7Q)
February, not taking his own advice, as

he will be QRV from Curacao in the
Caribbean as PJ2T on 2-meter EME.
On the Bands
Although scientists do not know the
underlying reasons, the equinoxes are
a time of an increased solar activity,
resulting in increased chances of auro-
ra in September and October as well as
March and April. Data collected over the
past 75 years suggest that the geo-
magnetic disturbances that cause
auroras are almost twice as likely to
occur in spring and fall compared with
winter and summer3. An X9.3 flare, the
largest in the past 10 years and of cur-
rent solar cycle 24, occurred on
September 6th just prior to the ARRL
September VHF Contest. Despite that
the Kp index was at 6 or higher for sev-
eral periods, the event produced little
AU on 50 MHz and above.
Fall weather patterns often result in
tropo openings and such was the case
in mid-October when the “red blob4,” as Photo B. KB7Q on his 2016 2m/70cm DXpedition to Hawaii. The bird belongs
it is affectionately called, was evident in to Gene’s host, KH6LC.
the Midwest and South and later along
the East Coast (see Figure 1). A sam- EN72ur at 1,109 kilometers/689 miles mode on 50 MHz and now VHFers are
ple of what was worked on 2 meters in and W8MIL, EN74ic, worked KF4WE in taking advantage of the mode on 2
the Midwest/South included: KE8FD, EM56nl at 901 kilometers / 560 miles. meters, 222 MHz, and 70 centimeters.
EM64jv, worked W9VHF in EN71lf at The increased level of activity has start-
730 kilometers/453 miles; N4OGW, FT8 and Band Planning ed the discussion as to what frequencies
EM53nk reported copying the W8MQW This summer saw the overwhelming are best for use as FT8 calling frequen-
beacon (144.288 MHz) located in acceptance of the new WSJT-X FT8 cies on those bands. The challenge with

50th Anniversary
Reproduction
Order your
copy today!
6 X 9 Paperback
Only $27.95
plus shipping *
Whether an "old-timer," a newcomer, or a

prospective DXer, this handbook will surely
prove useful in your pursuit of DXing! Originally
published in 1968, the author compiled and
presented critical information found in no other
single volume. This reproduction provides a
"look back" and presents W9WNV's invaluable
DXing insight.
After receiving many requests from Hams
world-wide, the author has given us permission
Photo C. KB7Q operating position.
to create this 50th Anniversary reproduction and
offer it to you today!
any VHF and above band plan has always been formulating
Here's a look at the Table of Contents a plan given the wide geographical area in question with its
of this Classic : disparity in regional activity and practices.
Two meters presents the biggest challenge since the bot-
• DX Propagation tom end (144.000 to 144.100 MHz) is allocated for CW only,
• Amateur Frequencies and the DXer. with EME and meteor scatter conducted in the next 50 kHz
• The DXer: International Factors and Local of the band. On the East Coast during a contest, SSB/CW
Regulations QSOs can be found anywhere between 144.150 and 144.240
• The DX Station MHz and sometimes higher. The microwave ops, particular-
• Working DX From the Home Station ly the 10-GHz ops, have used 144.260 MHz for liaison, and
• Mobile DXing the beacon band begins at 144.275 MHz. Two things are for
• DXing From Rare Locations sure in 2018: FT8 activity will continue to increase on 2 meters
• QSLing and whatever band plan is decided upon — “officially” or oth-
• The SWL DXer erwise — someone or some group will disapprove.
• DX Contests – 73 and CU on the bands, Tony, K8ZR
• DX Awards Notes:
• DX Clubs 1. The Fred Fish Memorial Award is issued in memory of W5FF,
• Great Circle Bearing Charts . . . and much more! the first amateur to have worked and confirmed all 488
Maidenhead grid squares in the 48 contiguous United States on
6 meters.
* Shipping & Handling: U.S. & Possessions $5; 2. Faraday rotation causes linearly-polarized signals (e.g., hor-
CN/MX $8; All Other Countries $15. izontal or vertical) to change polarization as they travel through
the ionosphere.
CQ Communications 3. The historical records were analyzed by solar physicist David
Hathaway of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama.
Phone 516-681-2922 • FAX 516-681-2926 <http://bit.ly/2x5jWGV>
http://store.cq-amateur-radio.com 4. APRS Map see: <http://bit.ly/2xPtTNe>

BY TED MELINOSKY,* K1BV
awards
KFF: County Hunting Meets NPOTA
Meets WWFF
Special Honor Roll: All 3077 Counties USA-CA Honor Roll
Jesse R. Larsen KA7ICF USA-CA #1261 500 2000
September 18, 2017 NØRQV....................3727 KA7ICF....................1578
KA7ICF....................3728 2500
1000 KA2LHO ..................1463
KA7ICF....................1890 KA7ICF....................1464
he ARRL’s National Parks On The Air (NPOTA)
T program created a good deal of interest in 2016

by partnering with the U.S. National Park sys-
tem to celebrate its 100th anniversary. This created
1500
KA7ICF....................1890
3000
KA7ICF................... 1286
The total number of counties for credit for the United States of America Counties
Award is 3077. The basic award fee for subscribers is $6.00. For nonsubscribers
a large group of participants who became familiar with it is $12.00. To qualify for the special subscriber rate, please send a recent CQ
mailing label with your application. Initial application may be submitted by a PC-
the large number of nature parks and historical sites printed computer listing which is in alphabetical order by state and county within
that are located in the United States. the state. To be eligible for the USA-CA Award, applicants must comply with the
rules of the program as set forth in the revised USA-CA Rules and Program dated
When the program ended at the end of 2016, there June 1, 2000. A complete copy of the rules may be obtained by sending an SASE
were still stations looking for and finding activators to Ted Melinosky, K1BV, 12 Wells Woods Road, Columbia, CT 06237 USA. DX
stations must include extra postage for airmail reply.
of national parks. County hunters soon recognized
that contacts could be increased if they combined
the county identity with parks, especially if a cross-
reference could be made to provide location infor- You may have heard participants on 14044 and
mation that could give credits towards both pro- 14022 kHz. In recent years, WWFF’s programs and
grams. Thanks to the efforts of KA2LHO, K2MF, and influence have led to 49 affiliated countries, princi-
about 10 other county hunters, they produced a web- pally in Europe, but also including Israel,
site that does address this need <http://bit.ly/ Madagascar, Algeria, Japan, Argentina, Brazil,
2xKg6HI>, along with a new award program, the KFF Kazakhstan, Canada, Australia, India, Indonesia,
County awards. Venezuela, and New Zealand. Now, the U.S. has
This list helps the activator and chaser of nation- joined the WWFF program with a program called
al parks, historic parks, Antarctic sta-
tions, national wildlife refuges, wildlife
management areas, waterfowl produc-
tion areas, wetland management dis-
tricts, natural areas, national rivers, eco-
logical preserves, national seashores,
national memorials, and much more.
The scope of the program boggles the
imagination. There are approximately
4,400 such “entities” on the list. These
are locations where park and counties
are found together. There are also
parks/ preserves located in the middle
of the Pacific Ocean, or at the South
Pole, but not associated with counties
of any kind, since there are no roads (or
people) there.
American WWFF Award:

Parks on the Air (KFF)
There has long been an organized
group in Europe, the World Wide Flora
& Fauna, which has developed a loose-
ly centralized program that promotes
ecological- and nature-friendly awards.
*12 Wells Woods Rd., The KFF States Award is based on how many states that con-
Columbia, CT 06237 tain national parks you have contacted. This certificate is sent
E-Mail: <k1bv12@charter.net> when you reach 35.

An amalgam of the county hunters and NPOTA led to Are you a night owl? Then this Late Shift certificate is up
almost 4,400 entities to contact for the KFF-County Award. your alley.
Here is certificate for 500. A list of entities is available here
<http://bit.ly/2xKg6HI>. tacts literally in your backyard. You may not be a new coun-
try, but there’s definitely the chance that you may be running
small pile-ups.
National Parks on the Air (KFF) under the leadership of
Jason Johnston, W3AAX. URL for the USA KFF website: <https://wwff-kff.com/>
How does it work? The WWFF maintains a database, sim- URL for the WWFF website: <http://wwff.co/about/>
ilar to LoTW (Logbook of the World), except that the data it
stores is composed entirely of the accumulated logs of acti- The Basic Awards for KFF :
vators, who make contacts with parks and nature preserves
in member countries scattered all over the world. In order to Name of Award # of different
earn awards, you need to make contacts, register as a user, reference areas
and receive a password for access. There is no charge,
although voluntary contributions are welcomed. When you Bronze Award 10
receive your password, you will then receive QSO informa- Silver Award 20
tion, and you will know that your applications are based on Gold Award 30
facts from the group’s official data <http://bit.ly/2yuRkdI>. Platinum Award 40
Most of the awards offered by WWFF and members are dig- Diamond Award 50
ital images, and have no cost. Some offer to mail printed cer- Sapphire Award 75
tificates but charge for the non-digital awards/postage. Arizona Agave Award 100
Finally, the best part of the story is that you can become Enrubio Award 200
an activator driving in your own state, and making rare con- Ouachita Mountain Goldenrod 300
Stenogyne Kanehoana Award 400
Howell’s Thelypody Award 500
Texas Wild Rice Award 600
Wiggin’s Acalypha Award 700
Georgia Aster Award 800
Rafflesia Flower Award 900
Western Prairie Fringed Orchid 1000
The Amateur Radio DX HANDBOOK NEW! KFF States Awards

This award requires you to have hunted or activated a spec-
50th Anniversary Reproduction ified numbers of states. The award levels are: 7, 14, 21, 28,
by Don Miller, W9WNV 35, 42, and all 50 states.
Whether an "old-timer," a newcomer, or a
prospective DXer, this handbook will surely prove Late Shift Awards
useful in your pursuit of DXing! Originally A novelty award, requiring that an activator has submitted
published in 1968, the author compiled and proof of having 10 KFF activations with at least 10 QSOs
presented critical information found in no other between 00:00z and 12:00z or that a Hunter has submitted
single volume. This reproduction provides a "look 6 X 9 Paperback
back" and presents W9WNV's invaluable DXing Only $27.95* proof of having made any 50 QSOs from any KFF entity
insight. between 00:00z and 12:00z.
After receiving many requests from Hams world-wide,
the author has given us permission to create this We’re always looking for tips on new and interesting
50th Anniversary edition and offer it to you today! awards. If you run into any, please use my email address:
*Special shipping rate! USA: $5; CN/MX: $8; FN: $15. <k1bv12@charter.net>.

BY BOB SCHENCK, N2OO
dx
The W4DXCC Convention
A report on a wonderful DX Convention in the
land of Dollywood!
his past September, I was pleased to attend they are all about with a focus on Pigeon Forge.
T the W4DXCC DX and Contest Convention in

Pigeon Forge, Tennessee (Photo A). This
was my third visit to W4DXCC. If you haven’t gone
There are more pictures this month than text! They
tell the story better than words!
Over the years, I have occasionally gone to DX
to a DX convention, here is a little overview of what conventions. I have been to W9DXCC outside of
Chicago twice, and the International DX Con-
vention in Visalia, California, once. Although there
*Email: <n2oo@comcast.net> is always a strong presence of DXers at the Dayton
Hamvention®, I wouldn’t consider it a true “DX”
convention because that isn’t its prime focus. A DX
Convention is usually all about DX. Sometimes it
will also cater to contesters since there is usually
Photo C. DXpeditioner Bob Allphin, K4UEE,

wearing his “winter gear,” gives a talk on the
Photo A. DX Editor N2OO at the W4DXCC upcoming 3YØZ Bouvet DXpedition. (Courtesy of
Convention. (N2OO photo) K4SV/W4DXCC)
Photo B. Four local

high school
students visited the
convention and
were greeted by
Lynn Lamb, W4NL
(center). Students,
from left, are Elijah,
Aidan (KM4ZCP),
Zack and Ben.
Aidan was a
graduate of the
previous year’s VE
session. (Courtesy
of K4SV/W4DXCC)

2018-2019 CQ Amateur Radio
Calendar
In this year’s
calendar you’ll find
the usual array of
interesting and Photo D. Rob Lindsay, W8MRL, and
diverse Amateur
Radio Operator’s
Joe Pater, W8GEX, gave a great pre-
shacks from sentation on JT65 and FT8! (N2OO
various locations across the country, along photo)
with some special event pictures.
As in the past, this year’s 15-month calendar
(January 2018 through March 2019) includes a strong carryover between both groups.
dates of important Ham Radio events, major But the main focus is always DX.
contests and other operating events, meteor
showers, plus important and popular holidays. W4DXCC is a little unique in that it has
also been successfully running a “Ham
Only $12.95 + s/h Radio Bootcamp” on Fridays for the
(USA $3; CN/MX $5; All Other Countries $10)
past few years. The day-long programs Photo E. There was a “homebrew”
center on general topics about DXing, table with a variety of homebrew pro-
DITS and DAHS QSLing, contesting, digital modes, etc., jects displayed. Here is a multiband HF
The ABC’s of Morse
Code Operating
all having to do with “active” ham radio transceiver by Vlado Karamitrov,
By Ed Tobias, KR3E
with a slant towards DXing. The spon- N3CZ. (N2OO photo)
This small but solid
guide is the perfect
read for those interested in
learning or improving CW
The WPX Program
operating techniques!
CW 1100: KS4Q. 1200: JM1GHT. 1300: K6UM. 1400: JG5DHX,
Within its pages you’ll find: NH6T/W4. 1500: IZØFUW. 1600: K8YAH. 2100: W6XK. 3500: AB1J.
• The secret of becoming a proficient 3826 . . . . . . . . . . . . Z33RW 3829 . . . . . . . . . . . . . W6XK
CW Operator 3827 . . . . . . . . . . . . IN3FCK 3830 . . . . . . . . . . . SP3MKS Digital: 350: KO8V, WSØI, AK7DB, KØSDW, K6DLB, ZL2DD,
• Where and how to practice, practice 3828 . . . . . . . . . . . JM1GHT 3831 . . . . . . . . . . . . . I8DKR WA9ONY. 400: VE2SYQ, YDØMAT. 450: WV9L. 500: KD8ZWG,
• Straight Key or Paddle? SV1RZE. 550: WR7X, IZØFUW. 600: VK3LDB, KC9UNL. 1050:
• Adjusting your Straight Key or Paddle SSB K8YAH, W6XK.
• Contests, Events, DXing . . . and more! 4067 . . . . . . . . . . . . EA3IAA 4070 . . . . . . . . . . . . . N9JTB
4068. . . . . . . . . . . . VK2AAH 4071 . . . . . . . . . . . . . W6XK 160 Meters: WV9L
6 X 9 Paperback - Only $15.95 + s/h 4069 . . . . . . . . . . . JM1GHT 4072 . . . . . . . . . . . . . I8DKR 80 Meters: W6XK
40 Meters: NK9O, WR7X, W6XK, I8DKR
Mixed 30 Meters: K6UM
20 Meters: NK9O, EA3IAA, VK3LDB, K6DLB, VK9VKL, W6XK,
The Amateur Radio WA2WAP
3462 . . . . . . . . . . . WA3TLT 3471 . . . . . . . . . . . . . ZL2DD
DX Handbook 3463 . . . . . . . . . . . . EA3IAA 3472 . . . . . . . . . . . SV4RRK
15 Meters: YDØMAT, JM1GHT, W6XK
10 Meters: W6XK
By Don Miller, W9WNV 3463. . . . . . . . . . . . . . WSØI 3473. . . . . . . . . . . . . G4HCC
3465 . . . . . . . . . . . . IK1TTD 3474 . . . . . . . . . . . YDØMAT
Whether an “old-timer,” 3466 . . . . . . . . . . . . . F5VHQ 3475 . . . . . . . . . . . JM1GHT Africa: K8YAH, W6XK
a newcomer, or a 3467. . . . . . . . . . . . . AK7DB 3476 . . . . . . . . . . . . . W6XK Asia: EA3IAA, VK3LDB, ZL2DD, YDØMAT, VK9VKL, JM1GHT, W6XK,
prospective DXer, this 3468 . . . . . . . . . . . GM7NYB 3477 . . . . . . . . . . . . . LZ2RR LZ2RR
50th Anniversary 3469 . . . . . . . . . . . . KØSDW 3478. . . . . . . . . . . WA2WAP Europe: EA3IAA, IK1TTD, GM7NYB, VK3LDB, VE2SYQ, IN3FCK,
Reproduction will surely 3470 . . . . . . . . . . . . . K6DLB G4HCC, YDØMAT, VK9VKL, JM1GHT, N9JTB, W6XK, LZ2RR,
prove useful in your pursuit of WA2WAP, I8DKR
Digital Oceania: YDØMAT, JM1GHT, W6XK
DXing! Originally published in 1968, this
reproduction provides a “look back” and offers 659. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NK9O 668 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ZL2DD North America: NK9O, KO8V, KD8ZWG, AK7DB, K6DLB, WA9ONY,
W9WNV’s invaluable DXing insight. 660 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . KO8V 669 . . . . . . . . . . . . WA9ONY JM1GHT, N9JTB, W6XK, WA2WAP
661 . . . . . . . . . . . . KD8ZWG 670. . . . . . . . . . . . . . AG7AG South America: HA9PP, W6XK
Here’s a look inside this classic: 662. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WSØI 671 . . . . . . . . . . . . WA6MBL
• Amateur Frequencies and the DXer 663 . . . . . . . . . . . . . SV1RZE 672 . . . . . . . . . . . . YDØMAT Award of Excellence: W6XK
• The DX Station 664 . . . . . . . . . . . . YDØSDD 673 . . . . . . . . . . . . . VK9VKL 30M Bar: K6UM
665 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . W8VK 674 . . . . . . . . . . . . JM1GHT Digital Bar: NH6T/W4, W6XK
• Working DX From the Home Station 666 . . . . . . . . . . . . . KØSDW 675 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . W6XK
• Mobile DXing 667 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . K6DLB 676 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LZ2RR Complete rules and application forms may be obtained by sending a
• DXing From Rare Locations
business-size, self-addressed, stamped envelope (foreign stations
• QSLing
CW: 500: IN3FCK. 550: JM1GHT. 800: SP3MKS. 900: NH6T/W4. send extra postage for airmail) to "CQ WPX Awards," P.O. Box 355,
• DX Contests . . . and more! New Carlisle, OH 45344 USA. Note: WPX will now accept prefix-
1100: W6XK. 2700: HA9PP.
6 X 9 Paperback - Only $27.95 + s/h es/calls which have been confirmed by eQSL.cc. and the ARRL
SSB: 350: N9JTB. 500: NK9O, DJ3BO, EA3IAA. 650: WA2WAP. 700: Logbook of The World (LoTW).
EW1KV, NH6T/W4. 800: W6XK. 900: F5VHQ.
*Please Note: The price of the 160, 30, 17, 12, 6, and Digital bars for
CQ Communications, Inc. Mixed: 450: WA3TLT, KØSDW, VE2SYQ, YDØMAT. 500: KD8ZWG, the Award of Excellence are $6.50 each.
17 West John St., Hicksville, NY 11801 WSØI, VK9VKL, I8DKR. 550: IK1TTD. 600: PG9HF, WV9L, VK3LDB,
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IN3FCK. 800: KC9UNL. 850: K4AFE. 950: DL4HBF. 1000: F5VHQ.
http://store.cq-amateur-radio.com

sors even host some local high school
5 Band WAZ kids who come to take their license
As of October 15, 2017 exams at a VE session (Photo B).
1961 stations have attained at least the 150 Zone level,
and Generally, Friday is for the basics. But
966 stations have attained the 200 Zone level. I must say that most of the old timers
As of October 15, 2017
enjoy the presentations, too! I know I
The top contenders for 5 Band WAZ (Zones needed on did. On Saturday, the prime focus is on
80 or other if indicated): the more serious topics of any DXer’s
CHANGES shown in BOLD
interest such as DXpeditions (Photo C), NEVER ACCEPT SECOND BEST
Callsign Zones Zones Callsign Zones Zones
contest strategies, low-band antennas, FOR YOUR TOWER PROJECT!
and so on. The digital modes fell into
Needed Needed GO WITH THE ORIGINAL -
DK8MCT 199 1 W4DC 199 24 more than one of the presentations with
EA7GF 199 1 W4LI 199 26
a strong emphasis this year on the new DESIGNED & MANUFACTURED
H44MS 199 34 W6DN 199 17
FT8 mode (Photo D). IN THE USA
HA5AGS 199 1 W9XY 199 22
But most of all, conventions provide a
WWW.ROHNNET.COM
I5REA 199 31 9A5I 198 1, 16
IKØFVC 199 1 AK8A 198 17, 22
IK1AOD 199 1
chance to make some new friends as
IK8BQE 199 31
DK2LO
DM5EE
198
198
2, 19
1,31 well as to hang out with old friends from DISTRIBUTORS ON
IZ3ZNR 199 1 EA5BCX 198 27, 39 years past. There is ample time between THE WEB SITE
JA1CMD 199 2
SALES@ROHNNET.COM
F5NBU 198 19, 31 programs to wander into the vendor
JA5IU 199 2 G3KDG 198 1, 12
JA7XBG 199 2 G3KMQ 198 1, 27 area and check out the latest gear — or
JH7CFX 199 2 JA1DM 198 2, 40 maybe something homebrew (Photo E)
JK1BSM 199 2 JA3GN 198 2 on 80 & 40
K1LI 199 24
or vintage (Photo F), or head down to
K2EP 198 23, 24
K4XP 199 23 K2TK 198 23, 24 the lobby and socialize. Some atten-
K7UR 199 34 K3JGJ 198 24, 26 dees bring along their wives, who gath- N8XJK
K9KU 199 22 K4HB 198 24, 26 er in groups and wander the land of
KZ4V 199 26 K4JLD 198 18, 24 Boosters
N3UN 199 18 Pigeon Forge, which includes a multi-
N4NX 199 26
K5FUV
K6FG
198
198
18,23
17, 18 tude of shops, entertainment and, of TG Electronics Regulators
N4WW 199 26 KBØEO 198 22, 23
N4XR 199 27
course, “Dollywood.” Plus, if I might
KZ2I 198 24, 26
N8AA 199 23 N2QT 198 23, 24 add, some ridiculously good food as
RA6AX 199 6 on 10M N4GG 198 18, 24 well (Photo G).
RU3DX 199 6 OK1DWC 198 6, 31
RWØLT 199 2 on 40M UA4LY 198 6 & 2 on 10
RX4HZ 199 13 US7MM 198 2, 6
RZ3EC 199 1 on 40M
S58Q 199 31
W4UM
W5CWQ
198
198
18, 23
17, 18
The WAZ Program
SM7BIP 199 31 W6OUL 198 37, 40 Boost 9 Volts up to 15 Volts DC!
VE2TZT 199 23 W9RN 198 26, 19 on 40 ALL BAND WAZ Boost, Filter and Regulate your DC Power!
VO1FB 199 19 WA2BCK 198 23, 24
Mixed Custom Boosters and options are available!
W1FJ 199 24 WC5N 198 22, 26
W1FZ 199 26
We have units to supply 30 Amps up to 120 Amps!
WL7E 198 34, 37 9395 ......................HB9BNQ 9396........................W4RKC
W2LK 199 23 WO7R 198 21,22 Check out: www.tgelectronics.org
W3NO 199 26 ZL2AL 198 36, 37 Call Tim @906 370-5031
SSB
Email: timig@email.com
5359 .......................DL4FAP Made in the USA
The following have qualified for the basic 5 Band
WAZ Award:
CW
5BWAZ # Callsign Date # Zones 841 ...........................EA7JB
None
EME
Updates to the 5BWAZ list of stations:
17 ..............HB9Q, 40 Zones
5BWAZ # Callsign # Zones
None
SINGLE BAND WAZ
New recipients of 5 Band WAZ with all 200 Zones
confirmed: 6 Meter
5BWAZ # Callsign Date All 200 # 127 ........JE1BMJ, 40 Zones
None
17 Meter CW
*Please note: Cost of the 5 Band WAZ Plaque is $100 119........................SP2BMX
shipped within the U.S.; $120 all foreign (sent airmail).
160 Meter Authorized Yaesu Dealer Since 2015

Rules and applications for the WAZ program may be ob- 490 .........IKØFVC, 31 Zones
tained by sending a large SAE with two units of postage
or an address label and $1.00 to: WAZ Award Manager,
John Bergman, KC5LK, 125 Deer Trail, Brandon, MS Rules and applications for the WAZ program may be ob-
39042-9409. The processing fee for the 5BWAZ award tained by sending a large SAE with two units of postage
is $10.00 for subscribers (please include your most recent or an address label and $1.00 to: WAZ Award Manager,
CQ mailing label or a copy) and $15.00 for nonsub- John Bergman, KC5LK, 125 Deer Trail, Brandon, MS
scribers. An endorsement fee of $2.00 for subscribers and 39042-9409. The processing fee for all CQ awards is
$5.00 for nonsubscribers is charged for each additional $6.00 for subscribers (please include your most recent
10 zones confirmed. Please make all checks payable to CQ mailing label or a copy) and $12.00 for nonsub-
John Bergman. Applicants sending QSL cards to a CQ scribers. Please make all checks payable to John
checkpoint or the Award Manager must include return Bergman. Applicants sending QSL cards to a CQ check-
postage. KC5LK may also be reached via e-mail: point or the Award Manager must include return postage.
<kc5lk@cq-amateur-radio.com>. KC5LK may also be reached via e-mail: <kc5lk@cq-
amateur-radio.com>.

CQ DX Awards Program
New Awards SSB
WØUHL ................2649
Endorsements SSB
F4GYM ...................200
The basic award fee for subscribers to CQ is $6. For non-
subscribers, it is $12. In order to qualify for the reduced
subscriber rate, please enclose your latest CQ mailing
label with your application. Endorsement stickers are
$1.00 each plus SASE. Updates not involving the is-
suance of a sticker are free. All updates and correspon-
dence must include an SASE. Rules and application
forms for the CQ DX Awards may be found on the
<www.cq-amateur-radio.com> website, or may be
obtained by sending a business-size, self-addressed,
stamped envelope to CQ DX Awards Manager, Please
make checks payable to the Award Manager, Keith
Gilbertson. Mail all updates to Keith Gilbertson, KØKG,
21688 Sandy Beach Lane, Rochert, MN 56578-9604
USA. We recognize 341 active countries. Please make
all checks payable to the award manager. Photocopies
of documentation issued by recognized national Amateur
Radio associations that sponsor international awards
may be acceptable for CQ DX award credit in lieu of hav-
ing QSL cards checked. Documentation must list (item-
ize) countries that have been credited to an applicant.
Screen printouts from eQSL.cc that list countries con-
firmed through their system are also acceptable. Screen
printouts listing countries credited to an applicant through
an electronic logging system offered by a national
Amateur Radio organization also may be acceptable.
Contact the CQ DX Award Manager for specific details. Photo F. Blue Lightning by Hal Kennedy, N4GG, a homebrew 500-watt spark
transmitter, was on display and functioning. A work of art! (N2OO photo)
what’s new
SOTABeams Click2Tune for ICOM
If you use an ICOM HF radio with an antenna tuner or amplifier,
you may have noticed the lack of any straightforward way to send
a low power carrier for tuning. This can be a big problem if you use
a narrow-band antenna such as a magnetic loop that needs
frequent re-tuning. SOTABeams has a solution with its new
Click2Tune for ICOM system that provides you with complete and
reliable control. It transmits a low-power carrier (user selectable
level on some radios), without any need to change the mode, and
for as long as you press the button.
Photo G. N2OO; John Sawina, NA2R, and Stephen Molo,

KI4KWR, hit Huck Finn’s Restaurant on Thursday night for
all-you-can-eat fried chicken and catfish! (N2OO photo)
On Friday night, a huge DX gathering descends on

Calhoun’s Restaurant, which is a local rib and BBQ restau-
rant, for dinner and DX socializing. On Saturday evening
there is always a big buffet banquet dinner with some great
food from Calhoun’s. This year’s keynote speaker was Martin
SOTABeams said it engineered the unit to fit nicely in your hand
and even trialed three types of buttons before finding one that had Jue, K5FLU, of MFJ Enterprises, who gave an eloquent
the right size and feel. Click2Tune for ICOM works with any radio speech detailing his humble beginnings creating MFJ (Photo
that supports their auto-tuner. Tested on: IC-7300, IC-7600 (ant. H). It was an eye-opening and most interesting introduction
1), IC-7100, IC-730, IC-746 (ant. 1), IC-9100 (ant. 1), IC-706 (all into how Martin started and grew MFJ into what it is today.
variants), IC-703, and 746. And no convention would be complete without DOOR
The Click2Tune for ICOM is available as a kit or ready built with PRIZES. There were plenty to go around. It seems that the
a suggested retail price of $10.64 (Europe) or $8.86 (worldwide). major manufacturers understand that DXers are active hams,
For more information, contact SOTABEAMS, 2nd Floor, Paradise and as such, always get asked for information about an
Mill, Park Lane, Macclesfield, SK11 6TL UK. Phone: +44 (0) 7795 assortment of amateur radio products. As a result, there were
517513. Website: <www.sotabeams.co.uk>.

several major prizes available at W4DXCC. First, as a sur-
prise, Martin, K5FLU, donated a HyGain BOLP 1013 Log
Periodic beam as the door prize for the banquet. There were
four different raffles for equipment donated by ICOM (IC-
7300), Yaesu (FTDX-1200), Elecraft (KX3), and Flex Radio
($500 off coupon). These tickets were pulled at the end of
the banquet, so it was pretty suspenseful waiting to see who
won. Well, guess what? N2OO won the Yaesu FTDX-1200
(Photo I)! YES! I did my HAPPY DANCE!
The raffles create a pot of funds that are then used to sup-
port appropriate DX and contest activities. INDEXA, NCDXF,
the N1DG Baker Island DXpedition, the 3YØZ Bouvet DX-
pedition, the Tennessee Contest Group, and the ARRL
Frequency Defense Fund were presented with funds this year.
Other DX Conventions
Many of the DX conventions follow similar formats. I don’t
expect all of you to go to the W4DXCC Convention in Pigeon
Forge, Tennessee. But if you ever get a chance to go to one
in your neck of the woods, I highly recommend doing it. Here
are just a few to check out.
Photo H. MFJ Founder and President Martin Jue, K5FLU, • The International DX Convention in Visalia, California is
holding an award congratulating him on the 45th anniversary sponsored by either the Northern California DX Club or the
of MFJ Enterprises. (Courtesy of K4SV/W4DXCC) Southern California DX Club (they alternate years). See
CQ DX Honor Roll
The CQ DX Honor Roll recognizes those DXers who have submitted proof of confirmation with 275 or more ACTIVE countries. With few exceptions, the ARRL
DXCC Countries List is used as the country standard. The CQ DX Award currently recognizes 340 countries. Honor Roll listing is automatic when an application
is received and approved for 275 or more active countries. Deleted countries do not count and all totals are adjusted as deletions occur. To remain on the CQ DX
Honor Roll, annual updates are required. All updates must be accompanied by an SASE if confirmation of total is required. The fee for endorsement stickers is
$1.00 each plus SASE. (Stickers for the 340 level and Honor Roll are available.) Please make checks payable to the Award Manager, Keith Gilbertson. Mail all
updates to Keith Gilbertson, KØKG, 21688 Sandy Beach Lane, Rochert, MN 56578-9604 USA.
CW
DL3DXX .......339 K3UA............339 N5ZM ...........339 WØJLC.........339 F6HMJ..........334 K6LEB ..........331 N7W0...........324 RA1AOB .......313 YU1YO .........295
HB9DDZ .......339 K4CN............339 N7FU ............339 YU1AB..........339 K1FK ............334 N7WO ..........331 YT1VM .........322 WA4DOU......312 WA2VQV ......290
K4IQJ ...........339 K4JLD ..........339 N7RO ...........339 K8LJG ..........338 K9OW ..........334 K6YK ............329 4Z5SG ..........321 YO9HP .........312 K7CU............282
K9MM ..........339 K4MQG ........339 NØFW ..........339 KA7T ............338 PY2YP..........334 W9IL ............329 N2LM ...........321 W6WF ..........309 PP7LL .........282
N4MM ..........339 K5RT ............339 OK1MP.........339 WA5VGI .......338 WG5G/ IKØADY ........328 ON4CAS .......321 KT2C ........... 307 WR7Q ..........282
WB4UBD ......339 K7LAY ..........339 W3GH ..........339 W1DF ...........338 QRPp........334 OZ5UR .........328 HB9DAX/ W4ABW........306 N2VW...........280
WS9V...........339 K7VV ............339 W4OEL.........339 W9RPM........338 WD9DZV ......334 AB4IQ ..........326 QRPp.........319 K7ZM ...........305 K4EQ ............280
EA2IA ...........339 K8SIX...........339 W5BOS ........339 G3KMQ ........337 K2OWE.........333 K6CU............326 HA1ZH..........318 K8IHQ ..........301 WB5STV.......277
F3TH ............339 N4AH............339 W7CNL.........339 W7IIT ...........337 K5UO............333 KE3A ............326 N6PEQ..........318 HA5LQ..........301 YO6HSU.......275
K2FL............ 339 N4CH............339 W7OM..........339 K8ME ...........336 N6AW...........333 EA5BY ..........325 W6YQ ..........318 RN3AKK .......300
K2TQC..........339 N4JF.............339 W8XD...........339 W6OUL ........336 W4MPY........333 KA3S ............325 CT1YH..........316 WA9PIE........298
K3JGJ ..........339 N4NX............339 WK3N...........339 JA7XBG........335 KØKG ...........332 N3RC............324 EA3ALV ........315 K4IE .............295
SSB
AB4IQ...........340 K5TVC ..........340 VE3MR.........340 K3UA............338 F6HMJ..........335 WD9DZV ......333 AE9DX..........327 IV3GOW .......312 F5MSB .........293
DJ9ZB ..........340 K6YRA..........340 VE3MRS.......340 K7LAY ..........338 HB9DQD.......335 AA1VX..........332 K7HG............327 N8SHZ..........312 W9ACE.........291
DL3DXX .......340 K7VV ............340 VE3XN..........340 K9HQM ........338 IKØAZG ........335 KE3A ............332 K6GFJ ..........326 KU4BP..........310 N3KV............289
DU9RG.........340 K8SIX...........340 W3AZD.........340 N4NX............338 IW3YGW ......335 N2VW...........332 KE4SCY........326 W6NW..........310 W6MAC........289
EA2IA ..........340 K9MM ..........340 W3GH ..........340 W4UNP ........338 OE2EGL........335 N5YY............332 KF4NEF ........325 I3ZSX ...........309 K7CU............287
EA4DO..........340 KE5K ............340 W4ABW........340 W9RPM........338 VK2HV..........335 K5UO............331 W6WF ..........325 G3KMQ ........308 IZ1JLG .........282
HB9DDZ .......340 KZ2P ............340 W5BOS ........340 YU1AB..........338 W4WX..........335 SV3AQR .......331 W9GD ..........325 KA1LMR.......308 WA9PIE........282
I8KCI ............340 N4CH............340 W6BCQ ........340 4Z4DX ..........338 WB3D...........335 WØROB........331 VE7EDZ ........324 RA1AOB .......308 WD8EOL ......281
IK1GPG ........340 N4JF.............340 W6DPD ........340 K1UO............338 AA4S ............334 W6OUL ........331 F6BFI............323 XE1MEX .......308 IWØHOU ......277
IN3DEI..........340 N4MM ..........340 W7BJN.........340 K8LJG ..........338 EA5BY ..........334 XE1MEX .......331 ON4CAS .......323 IK5ZUK.........307 N5KAE..........276
K2FL.............340 N5ZM ...........340 W7OM..........340 N7WR ..........338 K9OW...........334 KD5ZD..........330 W5GT...........323 IØYKN ..........306 WA5UA ........276
K2TQC..........340 N7BK............340 W8ILC ..........340 WA5VGI .......338 PY2YP..........334 WA4WTG .....330 N6PEQ..........322 XE1MW ........305 NØAZZ..........275
K3JGJ ..........340 N7RO ..........340 W9SS...........340 W2CC...........338 VK4LC ..........334 WØYDB ........330 VE6MRT.......322 K4IE .............304 SQ7B............275
K4CN............340 NØFW...........340 WB4UBD ......340 W2FKF..........338 W8AXI..........334 ZL1BOQ........330 W4MPY........322 K4ZZR ..........304
K4IQJ ...........340 OK1MP.........340 WK3N...........340 W7FP ...........338 XE1J.............334 AD7J ............329 K8IHQ ..........321 K7ZM ..........303
K4JLD ..........340 OZ3SK..........340 WS9V...........340 W9IL ............338 CT3BM .........333 N3RC ...........329 KW3W..........320 4Z5FL/M.......302
K4MQG ........340 OZ5EV ..........340 XE1AE ..........340 IØZV.............336 IK8CNT.........333 VE7SMP.......329 TI8II .............320 K7SAM.........301
K4MZU.........340 VE1YX ..........340 YU3AA..........340 K3LC ............336 K8LJG ........333 CT1AHU .......328 YO9HP .........320 KA8YYZ........301
K5OVC..........340 VE2GHZ........340 JA7XBG........339 K8ME ...........336 N6AW...........333 N1ALR..........328 W1DF ...........318 4X6DK..........298
K5RT ............340 VE2PJ ..........340 KØKG ...........339 EA3BMT .......335 OE3WWB .....333 N2LM ...........328 XE1RBV........317 K2HJB ..........295
RTTY
NI4H. . . . . . . 338 WK3N. . . . . . 338 OK1MP . . . . 337 K8SIX. . . . . . 333 K3UA . . . . . . 332 K4WW . . . . . 323 K4IQJ . . . . . . 290 IN3YGW . . . . 275
WB4UBD . . . 338 N5ZM . . . . . . 338 K4CN . . . . . . 334 W3GH . . . . . 333 W9RPM . . . . 330 AB4IQ . . . . . 317 K8ME . . . . . . 278 N4MM . . . . . 275

DX & Contest Convention
Photo I. N2OO is awarded the Yaesu FTDX1200 by George

Wagner, K5KG! (Courtesy of K4SV/W4DXCC)
<www.dxconvention.org/>. It works out having Visalia locat-

ed somewhat in central California so the venue remains the
same (Visalia). This is the granddaddy of DX conventions in
my honest opinion. It draws a huge crowd from all around the
globe. Every DXer should try to go at least one time. It is held
in April every year.
• The W9DXCC DX Convention, <http://w9dxcc.com/>, is
held in Schaumburg, Illinois just outside of Chicago every
September. This has become a very popular DX convention
over the years. I attended this one two times and hope to
return again some time. It draws a big crowd of DXers from
all over the country, especially the Midwest.
• The Pacific NW DX Convention moves around to differ-
ent locations each year. This year’s will be held in Vancouver,
BC Canada. See <http://pacificnwdxconvention.com/>.
• Also check out the Asia Pacific DX Convention (Japan) at
<www.apdxc.org/>.
Other worthwhile “conventions” that have a fairly serious
DX component include:
• The Dayton Hamvention <www.hamvention.org>. DXers

and contesters usually stay at the Crowne Plaza Hotel down-
town, where the contest dinner is held; or the Dayton Marriott
where the DX dinner is held.
• The Boxboro Amateur Radio Convention in Boxborough,
Massachusetts <www.boxboro.org> has a DX/contest din-
ner and appropriate forums.
• Hamcom <www.hamcom.org> is held in Irving, Texas in
June and has a good contest and DX representation.
• And last but not least, there is Friedrichshafen in Germany
<http://bit.ly/2uQeAOQ>, the biggest ham radio convention
in Europe. I have never been there but have heard wonder-
ful things about it. It is now held in early June and it must
have a pretty decent DX contingent as well.
There are probably more worthwhile DX and/or contest-
related conventions around the globe to check out. I’ll glad-
ly provide more info if passed along to me in the future.
So, enjoy the pileups! But if you have never been to a DX
Convention, think about giving one a try! For sure, Visalia,
W9DXCC, and, of course, W4DXCC are my favorites.
– See ya’ll in the pileups! de N2OO

contesting
BY DAVID SIDDALL,* K3ZJ
ARRL 10- and 160-Meter Contests
Keep the December RF Paths Open
Plus … ARRL general contest rules changes; CQWW 160
CW Contest update; WRTC 2018 announces final teams
s the openings on 20 meters shorten with the band operation. The 10-meter contest is not so
A days, contesters pile up the firewood and

turn to the low bands for DX activity. Single-
band contests provide an opportunity for all-band
active at this point in the sunspot cycle, but never-
theless offers an opportunity to learn about “bent
path” propagation to Europe (over Africa) and paths
capable stations to spend the weekend concen- open to South America and the Pacific that often are
trating on a specific band of interest. As the there no matter the sunspot count. The openings are
sunspots continue to decline, more wires and just shorter and more erratic during the low point of
receiving verticals are being deployed on 160 the cycle. For both contests, we note below some
meters in the quest to increase contest QSOs. applicable rules changes, particularly with regard to
This month’s 160-meter contest provides an a new ARRL 5-day log submission deadline.
entire weekend of activity perfect for trying out Below we also reprise a package of changes to
improvements that may have been made for low- the ARRL’s general contest rules. These were
announced in September QST and comprise sig-
nificant changes in addition to the shortened log
email: <k3zj@cq-amateur-radio.com> submission deadline.
Calendar of Events
All year CQ DX Marathon http://bit.ly/vEKMWD
Nov. 25-26 CQ WW DX CW Contest www.cqww.com/rules.htm
Nov. 29 UKEICC 80 Meter Contest CW http://bit.ly/2cv97YF
Dec. 1-3 ARRL 160M Contest www.arrl.org/160-meter
Dec. 2-3 Tops Activity Contest http://bit.ly/2fOnITU
Dec. 2-3 EPC Ukraine DX Contest http://bit.ly/2xmMbBJ
Dec. 3 SARL Digital Contest http://bit.ly/H0IqQf
Dec. 3 Ten-Meter RTTY Contest http://bit.ly/1JjqkIH
Dec. 7 QRP ARCI Top Band Sprint www.qrparci.org/contests
Dec. 9-10 AWA Bruce Kelley 1929 Memorial QSO Party http://bit.ly/1NFY07h
Dec. 9-10 ARRL 10M Contest www.arrl.org/10-meter
Dec. 10 CQC great Colorado Snowshoe Run http://bit.ly/2xTpzfQ
Dec. 10 QRP ARCI Holiday Spirits Homebrew Sprint www.qrparci.org/contests
Dec. 15 AGB Party Contest http://bit.ly/2foFwze
Dec. 16-17 OK DX RTTY Contest www.crk.cz/ENG/DXCONTE
Dec 16-17 AWA Bruce Kelley 1929 Memorial QSO Party http://bit.ly/1NFY07h
Dec. 16-17 Croatian CW Contest http://bit.ly/2y5Ebz8
Dec. 17 ARRL Rookie Roundup, CW www.arrl.org/rookie-roundup
Dec. 24 RAEM Contest http://raem.srr.ru/en/main/
Dec. 26 DARC Christmas Contest www.darc.de/?id=820
Dec. 30 RAC Winter Contest http://bit.ly/2y5j5KC
Dec. 30-31 Original QRP Contest www.qrpcc.de/contestrules/index.html
Dec. 30-31 Stew Perry Topband Challenge www.kkn.net/stew/stew.rules.txt
Jan. 1 QRP ARCI New Year’s Day Sprint www.qrparci.org/contests
Jan. 1 SARTG New Year RTTY Contest www.sartg.com/
Jan. 1 AGCW Happy New Year Contest http://bit.ly/1v6x2N1
Jan. 3 UKEICC 80 Meter Contest SSB http://bit.ly/2cv97YF
Jan. 3-4 AWA Linc Cundall Memorial Contest http://bit.ly/1DEIKTK
Jan. 6-7 ARRL RTTY Roundup www.arrl.org/rtty-roundup
Jan. 6-7 EUCW 160m Contest www.eucw.org/eu160.html
Jan. 6-7 AWA Linc Cundall Memorial Contest http://bit.ly/1DEIKTK
Jan. 13-14 YB DX Contest SSB http://ybdxcontest.com/dx-station-rules/
Jan. 13-14 North American CW QSO Party http://ncjweb.com/naqp/
Jan. 14 DARC 10-Meter Contest www.darc.de/home/
Jan. 14 NRAU – Baltic SSB Contest http://bit.ly/2imlh8Q
Jan. 14 NRAU – Baltic CW Contest http://bit.ly/2imlh8Q
Jan. 19 LZ Open 80/40 Contest www.lzopen.com/index.htm
Jan. 20-21 ARRL January VHF Contest www.arrl.org/january-vhf
Jan. 20-21 Hungarian DX Contest www.ha-dx.com/HADX/
Jan. 20-21 North American SSB QSO Party http://ncjweb.com/naqp/
Jan. 26-28 CQWW 160M CW Contest http://cq160.com/rules.htm
This information also appears monthly on the CQ website.

The CQWW 160 CW contest follows at the end of January. year, about 70% of all QSOs reported occurred on Saturday.
The CQ contest is more DX-oriented and attracts many inter- But one never knows — it might be Sunday this year. Part of
national competitors. One change this year is that paper logs the fun.
no longer will be accepted for scoring. Only electronic Cabrillo
logs will be accepted. Paper and electronic formats other than New ARRL Contest Rules
Cabrillo will be accepted as check logs. Please submit your In September QST (p. 91), ARRL Contest Branch Manager
CQ 160 Cabrillo logs by email to <160CW@cq160.com> or Bart Jahnke, W9JJ, announced changes to rules that apply
<160SSB@cq160.com>, as appropriate. generally to ARRL contests. These include the 160- and 10-
Finally, we look at the final WRTC 2018 team selections meter contests discussed above.
announced on October 1. The selections for the three youth It is necessary to understand that the ARRL rules applica-
teams are especially impressive. Watch the video linked ble to any single contest consist of three different sets of rules:
below and see if you can copy as well as YO8TTT! We look General rules, rules for contests below 30 MHz, and rules
forward to seeing these teams in Germany in July. applicable to the specific contest. Above we link to the con-
test-specific rules, but certain aspects of each ARRL contest
ARRL 160-Meter Contest are governed by either of two additional rules sets. General
The ARRL 160-Meter Contest comes at an ideal time prop- rules applicable to all contests are at <http://bit.ly/1UFyeUq>.
agation-wise. While forecasts never can be relied upon, bar- Rules applicable to all HF (30 MHz and below) contests are
ring some unforeseen solar event, this year is expected to at <http://bit.ly/1Oz2oE2>.
offer much better than average propagation on the band. The Effective in September, the ARRL made the following
ARRL contest enjoys intense participation from North changes to the rules generally applicable to all contests.
American competitors, but operators in other areas are also
invited and provide some interesting opportunities. European • Logs are to be submitted online. The email submission of
openings should be longer than during recent events. logs will be eliminated at some future date. The online sub-
The ARRL 160 contest is CW-only and starts at 2200 UTC mission tool is found at: <http://bit.ly/1ObqDOj>.
(5 p.m. EST) on Friday, December 1. It runs until 1600 UTC • Log submission deadline generally is five (5) days after
(11 a.m. EST) on Sunday, December 3. Activity almost the end of the contest. Extensions for good cause may be
always starts off with a bang. At least on the U.S. East Coast, requested from the manager of the ARRL Contest Branch
breaking the 100/hour mark in the first hours is not unusual. any time before the deadline.
The contest ending on Sunday morning allows for some fam- • Submitted logs will be made public.
ily or private time after the event. • Paper logs will continue to be accepted, but are eligible
This year, logs are due five days from the end of the con- for awards only at the discretion of the Contest Branch
test. This is a new ARRL rule that applies generally to all Manager.
ARRL contests. The rules specific to this year’s event are • Logs may be withdrawn up to ten (10) days following the
found at: <www.arrl.org/160-meter>. The full (expanded) log deadline.
results for last year’s running is at: <http://bit.ly/2ySSXmJ>. • Entrants competing for awards are “encouraged” to
include the frequency for each QSO.
ARRL 10-Meter Contest • Operators of remote stations in the U.S. must have an
Serious competitors and 10-meter aficionados will be on the appropriate FCC license.
band for the ARRL’s annual 10-meter contest, held the week- • Multiple CQing within the same band is prohibited, regard-
end after the ARRL 160-meter contest. It will run from 0000 less of mode. (Only one CQ frequency permitted in the IARU
UTC December 9 until 2400 UTC on December 10. and 10-meter contests even though they are multi-mode
At this time of the sunspot cycle, conditions on 10 meters contests.)
are not expected to be record-making. However, much of the • U.S. operators in Canada are reminded that the portable
U.S. and Canada usually can be worked, and signals from callsign places the location prefix after the callsign, that is,
the deep south — Argentina and Brazil in particular — almost K3ZJ/VE1 (not VE1/K3ZJ). Same with regard to Canadian
always make it through. More challenging is working a cou- stations operating in the United States, the U.S. identifier
ple of Europeans while beaming Africa and maybe a couple must follow the Canadian callsign.
of stations in the Pacific around 1800-2000 UTC (from the • Sweepstakes Exchange: “the callsign must be sent as
U.S. East Coast). While not exactly a VHF contest in nature part of the exchange, i.e. ‘W1AW, number 123, alpha, W9JJ,
— the skip is more reliable and longer than on 6 meters — 79, CT.”
much of the time the band can sound like six. Also, the open- • Club competition: Clubs must submit eligibility lists before
ings are widely variable as to what areas are being heard and the contest to have their club results included in the results.
can be quite short in duration. Calculation of club scores will be based exclusively on the
CW and phone both are allowed in this contest. Enter CW club list submitted. (Clubs should refer to <http://bit.ly/
only, phone only, or mixed. However, this year for the first 2ySVLQz>.
time, dual CQs are PROHIBITED. One no longer is permit-
ted to alternate CQs on CW and then SSB as a result of the CQWW 160 CW Contest
new general rules adopted by ARRL, discussed below. Of The CQWW 160 contests are great opportunities to tweak
course, traditional SO2R is still permitted — calling CQ on 160-meter antennas and equipment. This is of increasing
one mode and while listening/working on the other mode. importance to all-band operators. As the sunspots decline,
Also, note that the new log submission deadline is 5 days. contact and multiplier totals move upward on the 80 and 160
Complete rules specific to this contest are at <www.arrl.org/ meter bands. The 2018 CQ 160-Meter CW Contest will be
10-meter>. held from 2200 UTC Friday, January 26 until 2200 UTC
The 2016 contest’s expanded results give a good idea of Sunday, January 28. The SSB running will be from 2200 UTC
what to expect this year. See <http://bit.ly/2yTO8cW>. Last Friday, February 23 until 2200 UTC Sunday, February 25.

Stateside operators should note that was introduced to CW contesting from
stations in ITU Region 1 (Europe, stateside during his visit to NR4M dur-
Africa, and North Asia) generally are ing the CQ WPX CW contest this past
prohibited from operating below 1810 May. Coincidentally, WRTC veteran
kHz. So if you are calling CQ when the YO3JR also spent the contest at the
band is open to Region 1, PLEASE call NR4M multi-multi station. The NR4M
above 1810! This will avoid a lot of frus- team outscored all other stations in
tration on both sides of the Atlantic and North America.
possible disqualification for the Region Alex, YO8TTT, is very active in a vari-
1 operator if he calls you. In my experi- ety of contests and often worked as
ence, most stations capable of cross- YR8D. He also is a VERY high-speed
ing the Atlantic with good signals know competitor in the High Speed Tele-
it, and know the likely times for band graphy (HST) competitions in Europe
openings as well. (IARU Region 1). A video is available
One change to the rules this year: on YouTube that depicts him demon-
Only Cabrillo logs in electronic format strating approximately 60 wpm using a
will be accepted for scoring. Paper logs simulator. Alex demonstrated HST dur-
and other electronic log formats will be rejoined his WRTC 2014 teammate, ing one of his trips to LY4A for a con-
accepted only as check logs. The dead- DJ5MW. test and a video of his demonstration
line remains five (5) days after the con- Three other qualifiers appear to not has been posted to YouTube. It can be
test. For CW, the deadline is 2200 UTC have applied. Runner-up 4X6FR gained viewed at <http://bit.ly/2kYGMP1>.
on Friday, February 3, 2018. For SSB, the team leader slot that 5B4AGN Needless to say, I don’t think he will
the deadline is 2200 UTC on Friday, won, and runner-up JH5GHM gained have trouble copying your callsign at
March 3, 2018. Email Cabrillo logs to JH4UYB’s slot. Finally, N4TZ was any speed!
<160CW@cq160.com> for CW and awarded the slot won by W9RE. We Tomi, HA8RT (also HA9T), has par-
<160SSB@cq160.com> for SSB. should also note, at least in passing, that ticipated successfully in the European
Complete rules for the 2018 CQ 160 several other team leader slots were not HST championships in addition to being
contest, both CW and SSB, are at awarded to the area’s high-scorer due an avid contester. He is very active in
<www.cq160.com/rules.htm>. to the operators being disqualified in one Youth on the Air (YOTA) activities and
of the underlying contests. has participated in several of the sum-
WRTC 2018 Names Competing As one would expect, the list of team mer YOTA camps. He also has operat-
Teams leaders and the partners that they ed at 9A1A multiple times during the
chose is full of callsigns that every Youth Contest Program (YCP). There
Precisely on schedule on October 1, the
active contester will recognize. Among are two pictures of him in this column
WRTC 2018 Organizing Committee
the selected teams is the returning for August 2016, on pages 85 and 86,
announced the 63 teams that will be
father/son team of Jeff, VY2ZM, and with the other YCP operators at 9A1A.
competing in Germany next summer.
Pat, KK6ZM. They will be joined by the It is noteworthy that the youth contest
There are four more teams than com-
father/daughter team of Holger, ZL3IO, teams bring superb CW skills to the
peted at WRTC 2014 in Boston. The
and Xenia, ZL4YL. This father/daugh- table at a time when some are lament-
complete list of WRTC 2018 competi-
ter team was pictured in this column in ing a perceived demise in CW operat-
tors, including both team leaders and
October 2016, on page 101. By the way, ing. I don’t know one way or the other,
the partners that they selected, is at
Holger lived in the area of Germany but it is clear that these kids know CW
<http://bit.ly/2ytjGp6>.
where the competition is being staged better than most of us! Try copying the
My quick review of the list found 19 of
before moving to New Zealand. I also CW in the above-referenced video if
Boston’s 59 teams returning intact, and
spotted two YLs in addition to Holger’s you don’t believe me.
a total of 51 of the 126 participants who
daughter, Xenia: Sandy, DL1QQ, and The five wild card slots were awarded
competed in Boston returning. Several
Irina, DL8DYL, competed as a team in to UN9LW, 9A7DX, ZL3CW, YV1DIG,
more of the 2018 competitors competed
Boston and will be competing again in and K1DG. UN9LW missed qualifying
at championships before Boston. (Note:
Wittenberg, albeit with different part- outright by a mere 24 points during the
These numbers may be slightly off since
ners this time. 2-year qualification process. Similarly,
they are based merely on my quick
To complete the list of 63 teams, 9A7DX was just 94 points from the qual-
review, and do not include any competi-
WRTC 2018 also named the youth and ifying score in his competitive region.
tors who may have changed callsigns in
wild card teams on October 1. The orga- ZL3CW was selected for having “the
the years after WRTC 2014.)
nizers reported receiving seven appli- cleanest log of high scorers.” YV1DIG
In our August 2017 column, we pub-
cations for youth teams, defined as was recognized based upon his excel-
lished the list of those qualified to be
competitors who will be under the age lent scores behind all the DXpeditions
team leaders based upon the WRTC
of 25 years at the time of competition. that visit CQ zone 9. Finally, K1DG was
2018 qualifying scores and ranked by
The youth team slots went to the three selected in thanks for his leadership of
the organizing committee. Two team
applicants with the highest qualifying WRTC 2014 in Boston and, not coinci-
leader qualifiers selected another qual-
scores during the WRTC qualifying dentally, as champion at the first WRTC
ifier as a teammate, opening up two
period. These were CE2MVF (9,107 in 1990 in Seattle.
slots for the next-high scorer. This
points), YO8TTT (7,254 points) and We look forward to seeing these and
resulted in SM5AJV qualifying in place
HA8RT (5,056 points). all the other teams in Germany next
of LY4L, who rejoined WRTC 2014
All three of these youngsters are im- summer.
teammate LY9A. Similarly, DL4NAC
qualified in place of DL1IAO, who also pressive contesters. Matthias, CE2MVF, –Until next month, 73, Dave, K3ZJ

propagation
Cycle 24: A Last Hurrah?
BY TOMAS HOOD,* NW7US
A Quick Look at Current One Year Ago: A Quick Look at
Cycle 24 Conditions Solar Cycle Conditions
(Data rounded to nearest whole number) (Data rounded to nearest whole number)
Sunspots: Sunspots:
Observed Monthly, September 2017: 26 Observed Monthly, September 2016: 27
12-month smoothed, March 2017: 16 12-month smoothed, March 2016: 30
10.7 cm Flux (current): 10.7 cm Flux (current):

12-month smoothed, March 2017: 79 12-month smoothed, March 2016: 97
Ap Index: Ap Index:
Twelve-month smoothed, March 2017: 12 Twelve-month smoothed, March 2016: 12
here’s no dispute: The current sunspot cycle, You can see the result in this month’s reported
T Cycle 24, is much weaker than Cycle 23. There

have been a few very powerful flares, mea-
suring at least X1.0 on the NOAA scale where an X-
monthly Planetary-A Index, which is much higher
than the previous month.
class is the strongest category. The number of X- December HF Propagation

class flares in Cycle 24, so far, are significantly fewer The autumn DX season is in full swing. Listeners
than what occurred in Cycle 23. throughout the northern hemisphere are actively
Early in September 2017, we witnessed a large chasing medium wave (MW, also referred to as MF,
active sunspot region grow into one of the biggest medium frequency) DX of AM broadcast stations
regions of Cycle 24. This sunspot group spawned a from all over North, Central, and South America, as
series of M- and X-class flares. Active region (AR) well as from Europe and Asia. Amateur radio oper-
2673 emitted a series of flares including: An M5.5 ators are taking advantage of MF and HF DX, too.
on 4 September, an X2.2 and an X9.3 on 6 This is the season when it is easier to catch such
September, an M7.3 and an X1.3 on 7 September,
an M8.1 on 8 September, and an X8.2 on 10
September 2017. Many of these included coronal LAST-MINUTE FORECAST
mass ejections, some of which were Earth-directed. Day-to-Day Conditions Expected for December 2017
Radio blackouts occurred with each of these
Expected Signal Quality
flares. The X-class flares caused the most immedi- Propagation Index (4) (3) (2) (1)
ate and severe radio blackouts (Remember: a flare’s Above Normal: A A B C
1-4,11-17,25,28-31
impact reaches Earth when the energy of the flare High Normal:
makes the eight-minute trip at the speed of light), 10,20,22-24, 26-27 A B C C-D
Low Normal:
but these Sudden Ionospheric Disturbances (or 21 B C-B C-D D-E
SIDs) only last if the flare continues producing that Below Normal:
5-6,8-9 C C-D D-E E
energy. Once the flare is over, the ionosphere Disturbed:
returns to normal. 7,18-19 C-D D E E
On the other hand, coronal mass ejections Where expected signal quality is:
(CMEs), which take anywhere from one to three A--Excellent opening, exceptionally strong, steady signals greater than S9
B--Good opening, moderately strong signals varying between S6 and S9,
days to reach Earth, impact shortwave communi- with little fading or noise.
cations by causing geomagnetic disturbances that, C--Fair opening, signals between moderately strong and weak, varying
between S3 and S6, with some fading and noise.
in turn, cause a degradation of propagation via the D--Poor opening, with weak signals varying between S1 and S3, with con-
ionosphere. siderable fading and noise.
E--No opening expected.
The first couple of weeks in September were
plagued with many geomagnetic storms and distur- HOW TO USE THIS FORECAST
bances. While the active regions raised the sunspot 1. Find the propagation index associated with the particular path opening
count and increased the ionospheric Maximum from the Propagation Charts appearing in The New Shortwave Propagation
Handbook by George Jacobs, W3ASK; Theodore J. Cohen, N4XX; and Robert
Usable Frequency (MUF) over most propagation B. Rose, K6GKU.
paths, the geomagnetic storms degraded ionos- 2. With the propagation index, use the above table to find the expected signal
quality associated with the path opening for any given day of the month. For
pheric propagation, countering the benefits of hav- example, an opening shown in the Propagation Charts with a propagation index
ing the sunspot activity. What’s worse is the pres- of 2 will be good on December 1 through December 4, poor or with no openings
on December 5 through December 9, then fair on December 10, and so forth.
ence of recurring coronal holes during September. 3. Alternatively, the Last Minute Forecast may be used as a general guide to
space weather and geomagnetic conditions through the month. When conditions
are Above Normal, for example, the geomagnetic field should be quiet, and space
* P.O. Box 27654 weather should be mild. On the other hand, days marked as "Disturbed" will be
riddled with geomagnetic storms. Propagation of radio signals in the HF spec-
Omaha, NE 68127 trum will be affected by these conditions. In general, when conditions are High
Email: <nw7us@nw7us.us> Normal to Above Normal, signals will be more reliable on a given path, when
@NW7US the path is supported ionospherically.
@hfradiospacewx

difficult signals because it is when con-
ditions are most favorable to the prop-
agation of this spectrum of the radio fre-
quencies. HF DX is hot, especially on
the mid- to low-HF bands from early
evening until late at night, and then
again from early morning through noon.
December 21 at 16:28 UTC marks the
start of winter, with the Sun sitting at its
yearly southernmost point in the sky.
This is the Winter Solstice, the day with
the shortest daylight period of the year
for observers situated north of the equa-
tor (see <http://bit.ly/28NqzTn>).
Long hours of darkness make for a less-
energized ionosphere. Since the lowest
D-layer is less ionized during the winter,
there is less absorption of medium wave
and lower shortwave frequencies by the
D-layer than during the summer.
Because of this, medium-wave frequen-
cies are propagated better by the E- and
F-layers during the winter. Additionally,
the seasonal decrease in weather-relat-
ed noise makes it easier to hear weaker
DX signals on lower frequencies. With
wintertime thunderstorms being few and
far between, there is a lot less storm-
related static and noise. Figure 1. The sun erupted with an X8 solar flare, one of the largest of the current
Geomagnetic activity also tends to solar cycle, on Sept. 10, 2017. Its source was the same sunspot region that pro-
quiet down during the winter months. The duced an X9 flare the week before. We show this in two wavelengths of extreme
most active geomagnetic seasons are ultraviolet light at the same time and each reveals different features. Both are
centered on the two equinoxes, in the colorized to identify which wavelength was observed. The coils of loops after the
spring and autumn. We are also flare are the magnetic field lines reorganizing themselves after the eruption.
approaching the bottom of the current (Courtesy of Solar Dynamics Observatory, NASA)
solar cycle, and that means very few
flares occur, and therefore, very few if any
SIDs (we used to call these shortwave or another through the day until early For short-skip openings during De-
fadeouts). The seasonal quieting and the evening. cember, SWLers should try 90 through
approach of the solar cycle minimum When conditions are good (days with 41 meters during the day for paths less
period results in more stable and reliable low geomagnetic activity, and higher than 250 miles, and 90 down to 120
propagation on the shortwave spectrum, solar sunspot activity), 20 through 15 meters at night for these distances. This
especially on the lower frequencies. meters are likely to remain open equates to 80 through 40 meters for the
December is well enough past the towards the south and west from early amateur radio operator.
autumnal equinox and its associated evening until about midnight. For openings between 250 and 750
peak of auroral activity to support trans- The best band for around-the-clock miles, try 40 meters during the day, and
polar propagation. With this overall DX will be 30 meters. For the SWLer, both 90 and 120 at night. For distances
reduction of geomagnetic activity and the 25 meters continues to be an excellent between 750 and 1,300 miles, 30
decrease of radio signal absorption band for medium distance (500 to 1,500 meters through 20 meters should pro-
comes more stable high-latitude propa- miles) reception during the daylight vide daytime openings, while 40 down
gation. Medium-wave DXers enjoy hours, with longer distance reception to 80 will be open for these distances
catching broadcast station transmissions (up to 3,000 miles) possible for an hour from sunset to midnight. After midnight,
from over the North Pole. Shortwave or two after local sunrise, in the late 80 meters will remain open out to 1,300
DXing over high-latitude paths becomes afternoon and early evening. miles until sunrise.
exciting, even if the higher frequency From midnight to sunrise, 40 through Try 30 and 40 meters again for about
bands might be dead. This is true on the 30 meters promise some of the hottest an hour or so after sunrise. For con-
amateur radio HF bands, too. nighttime DX during December. The tacts between 1,300 and 2,300 miles,
Fairly good DX openings are expect- first DX openings should be toward look for openings to occur on 20 through
ed on 20 to 15 meters, remaining open Europe and the east during the late 17 meters, with fewer on higher bands,
towards the west during the early afternoon, then move across the south during the daylight hours. From sun-
evening. Seventeen meters will be open through the hours of darkness, while down to midnight, check 40 through 20
at times, but the hottest daytime band remaining open into most parts of the meters for these long-distance open-
will be 20 meters. Expect early morning world. Just after sunrise, openings will ings, and then check 40 down to 80
openings in all directions until about an be more in a westerly direction. Low meters from midnight until sunrise. Try
hour or two after sunrise and then the seasonal noise will make DXing a plea- 40 and 30 meters again for an hour or
band should remain open into one place surable endeavor. so after sunrise.

DX openings on 160 and 80 meters
during the hours of darkness and into
the sunrise period, with considerably
decreased static levels, are a sure bet
during the longer hours of darkness in
the northern latitudes.
Look for openings toward Europe and
the south from the eastern half of the
United States and towards the south,
the Far East, Australasia, and the South
Pacific from the western half of the
country. Eighty meters should peak
towards Europe and in an easterly
direction around midnight and then
open in a western direction with a peak
just after sunrise. The band should
remain open towards the south through-
out most of the night.
MF, LF, and VLF DX Season

This time of year is also when we expe-
rience an improvement of radio wave
propagation below 500 kHz and the
medium-wave broadcast band. The MF
broadcast band refers to the frequen-
cies between 530 kHz and 1750 kHz.
The low-frequency (LF) spectrum is
the band of frequencies between 30 kHz
and 300 kHz. Very low frequencies (VLF)
are those ranging between 3 kHz and 30
kHz, though the practical lower edge of
the VLF band starts at 10 kHz. Medium
frequencies (MF) range from 300 kHz to
3,000 kHz. Our two newest amateur
bands here in the United States are at
135 kHz (LF) and 472 kHz (MF).
Radio waves in the low- and very-low-
frequency (LF and VLF) spectrum prop-
agate differently than those of the MF
and above.
Between 300 kHz and 520 kHz, the
lowest part of the MF spectrum and just
below the MF broadcast band, the char-
acteristic of propagation is a mix
Figure 2. A large sunspot was the

source of a powerful solar flare (an
X9.3, possibly the most intense of
Sunspot Cycle 24) and a coronal mass
ejection in September. The flare was
the largest solar flare of the last decade.
Data from the SOHO spacecraft shows
the large cloud of particles blasting into
space just after the flare. Note: the
bright vertical line and the other rays
with barred lines are aberrations in our
instruments caused by the bright flash
of the flare. The first image is a com-
posite of three wavelength images (all
in Extreme Ultraviolet, and artificially
colored for our viewing), 304, 211, and
171 Angstroms. The second image is
a composite of 94, 335, and 193
Angstroms. (Courtesy of Solar Dyna-
mics Observatory, NASA)

between those of the lower HF spectrum and those of LF. rate typically reaches 80. However, this year, we are expect-
We typically refer to the VLF and LF bands as the longwave ing as many as 120 per hour at the peak.
(one word) band. During the winter, we can hear medium- Geminids is a great shower for those trying the meteor-
frequency transmissions over much greater distances than scatter mode of propagation since one doesn’t have to wait
during the summer season. until after midnight to catch this shower. The radiant rises
When is the best time to look for MF DX? The general rule early, but the best operating time will still be after midnight
is to start in the early evening and to continue through the local time. This shower also boasts a broad maximum, last-
night and into the early daylight hours. As sunset approaching nearly one whole day, so no matter where you live, you
es, the ionosphere starts to change. Distant propagation is stand a decent chance of working some VHF/UHF signals
more likely when the D-layer recombines and signals begin off a meteor trail. For a complete list of meteor showers in
to punch through to the E- and F-layers. Most broadcast sta- December, visit <www.imo.net/calendar>.
tions in the United States change from high power to low A secondary seasonal peak in sporadic-E ionization should
power after their local sunset. also result in some short-skip openings on low VHF between
If you listen to the signals from broadcasting stations just distances of about 800 and 1,300 miles. A rare occurrence of
before their local sunset time, their higher power will propa- aurora during days of stormy geomagnetic activity is possible,
gate well because of the characteristics of nighttime ioniza- providing some unusual short-skip openings on low VHF.
tion. Thus, the idea is to maximize the degree of darkness at There is considerably less likelihood for transequatorial
the station (and consequently, along with the signal path from (TE) VHF openings during December but look for a possible
them to you) while they’re on daytime power and pattern. The opening between the southern states and locations deep in
exception to this would be those cases where the power dif- South America. The best time to look for these is between
ference is small or none, but the nighttime pattern is more about 8 and 11 p.m. local time.
favorable to you.
At the same time, any station to the west that has a favor- Current Solar Cycle Progress
able nighttime signal in your direction (in other words, they The Royal Observatory of Belgium, the world’s official keep-
have significant night power and no deep null antenna pater of sunspot records, reports a monthly mean sunspot num-
tern aimed at you) is a potential sunrise target. D-layer ber of 26.2 for September, significantly higher than the 19.9
absorption increases rapidly when in direct sunlight, and east for August 2017. The mean value for September results in a
of you begins to ionize, while the west is still dark and free of 12-month running smoothed sunspot number of 15.5 cen-
D-layer ionization. tered on March 2017. Following the curve of the 13-month
For a period around your local sunrise, the relative strength running smoothed values, a smoothed sunspot level of 18 is
of stations to the west of you increases, while eastern sta- expected for December 2017, plus or minus 14 points.
tions will start to fade, allowing the western stations to emerge Canada’s Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory at
from underneath. On rare and exciting occasions, this peri- Penticton, British Columbia reports a 10.7-cm observed
od will last long enough for some western stations to go to monthly mean solar flux of 92.0 for September 2017, much
their higher power and daytime pattern. Here, as with sun- higher than 77.9 for August 2017. The 12-month smoothed
set, the time of the month can also be critical, as the more 10.7-cm flux centered on March 2017 is 78.6. A smoothed
darkness on the path, the better. 10.7-cm solar flux of about 77 is predicted for December 2017.
As sunrise times get later in the fall, the end of the month The geomagnetic activity as measured by the Planetary-A
is preferable. In the spring, the beginning of the month is bet- index (Ap) for September is 19, a small jump up from 12 in
ter. The longest hours of darkness fall toward the end of August 2017. The 12-month smoothed Ap index centered on
December on the 21st. March 2017 is 11.5. Geomagnetic activity this month should
However, the shortest day of the year is not the day when stay level at about the same activity as seen in November
the sunrise is latest and the sunset earliest. The latest sun- 2017. Refer to the Last-Minute Forecast for the outlook on
rise times at mid-latitudes are right around December 30th, what days we might witness degraded propagation (remem-
while the earliest sunset times are usually between ber that you can get an up-to-the-day Last-Minute Forecast
December 5th and 10th. This means that December can be at <http://SunSpotWatch.com> on the main page).
viewed as an “autumn” month regarding sunrise DX, but Don’t forget to check out this columnist’s educational tweets
should be considered more like January for sunset DX. on Twitter.com; you can follow @hfradiospacewx <https://
All of these characteristics exist on even lower frequencies, Twitter.com/hfradiospacewx> for hourly updates that include
down into the VLF range. With the new U.S. amateur radio the K index numbers, as well as @NW7US <https://
bands down in this territory, we will discover more about the Twitter.com/nw7us> which will provide the daily dose of edu-
propagation characteristics that occur in each of the seasons cational tidbits about the Sun and propagation. You can also
of the year. check <http://SunSpotWatch.com> for the latest numbers.
Additional educational material is at <http://SunSpot
Propagation on VHF and Above Watch.com/swc>.
We expect quite a bit of meteor shower activity this month, I welcome your thoughts, questions, and experiences regard-
and this meteor activity should create improved conditions ing this fascinating science of propagation. You may email me,
for meteor-scatter openings on the VHF bands for distances write me a letter, or catch me on the HF amateur bands.
up to about 1,000 miles. When a meteor burns up in the If you are on Facebook, check out <www.facebook.com/
atmosphere, its intense heat creates an ionized trail, making spacewx.hfradio> and <www.facebook.com/NW7US>.
it possible for radio signals to propagate off the ionized trail Speaking of Facebook — check out and follow the CQ
much like they would off the ionosphere. The annual Amateur Radio Magazine fan page at <www.facebook.com/
Geminids meteor shower, which will appear from December CQMag>.
4th to December 17th, will peak on the night of December I will be keeping my ears to the radio, hoping to hear you
13th and the morning of December 14th. The maximum hourly on the air. Happy DX! –73, Tomas, NW7US

Food for Thought:
Is your radio club growing? If not, take a close look at the prescriptions
offered by this longtime ham and marketing pro who’s helped double
the size of his own radio club in the past three years.
A Manifesto on Sustaining and

Growing Amateur Radio Clubs
BY EDWARD J. EFCHAK,* WX2R
n 1995, Robert Putnam wrote a seminal work on civic and
I community participation. Bowling Alone analyzed how

America had become disconnected from social organiza-
tions that previously had created a healthy civic structure.
“The needs of the seekers are different from
those of the believers.”
in New Jersey, just outside of New York City) numbered
While the number of people who participated in activities
about 60 members in 2015 and has increased in size to
(such as bowling) had grown in overall numbers, the num-
about 130 as of this writing.
ber of people who took part in organized clubs (or bowling
Is there a formula for success? I believe that there may be
leagues) had decreased in both size, influence, social inter-
a secret sauce and these seem to be the ingredients:
action, and civic discussion.
This trend in declining organized group membership has
• It’s all about marketing. If you really want to grow, you
continued. America is a far different place than it was in the
have to go to the market. Create the story of your club that
latter part of the last century. Today, “membership” has con-
both your members and your prospective members will
tinued to morph into digital social networks or differing forms
believe in. Identify the types of people who are relevant to
of social interaction such as the Maker Movement.
what your club does well. Don’t wait for new members to
From what I have learned from anecdotal evidence, mem-
come to you. Engage new members and prospects with pro-
bership in amateur radio clubs has continually fallen over time
grams, content, and activities.
and the average amateur club member has grown older even
• A club may be (usually) a non-profit organization; but it is
while the overall licensed amateur population has increased
a business nonetheless. Treat it like one. The fact that you
(although far from the rate of overall population growth). The
have a balance sheet and a membership number that could
gap in new hams converted to members of local clubs has fall-
go to zero by maintaining the status quo should be a call to
en victim to interest attrition (get a license and do nothing with
action. Struggling clubs often overlook this. The guillotine
it), internet community alternatives, the decline in inter-per-
does indeed focus the mind.
sonal social interaction, a decline in direct mentoring and guid-
• A growing club requires a strong leader who can manage
ance, and a lack of a focus on the types of people who might
the group’s activities, has a “vision” for what needs to be done
become more engaged hams and club members.
and has a plan (see below) to get it done. Build a team around
Why has this happened? Considering that most clubs are
that leadership. As Godin says, “The secret of leadership is
fraternal organizations, they behave much like tribes. The
simple: Do what you believe in. Paint a picture of the future.
marketer Seth Godin has pointed out that tribes are stuck.
Go there. People will follow.”
“They embrace the status quo...create little of value...and
• It’s having a plan — both for marketing and the business.
are sort of boring.” So it’s not surprising that many clubs
That’s putting the direction in writing, speaking with data and
are failing.
communicating it to the membership. Each January, our club
Changing the Status Quo does a member survey that asks about personal interests,
club direction, and the willingness to participate. We have used
Yet there is evidence that clubs can continue to grow. I that data to plot our growth, direct monthly programs, create
have been part of a “legacy” amateur radio club founded activities and content that (hopefully) engage the membership
over 60 years ago that has doubled in size over the last — especially new members — to build early camaraderie and
three years. The Fair Lawn Amateur Radio Club (located later retention. Considering that finding new members can
often be difficult, member retention is critical. The lifetime value
of a member to your club, both in member activity as well as
* email: <eefchak@gmail.com>
its financial impact, will absolutely surprise you.
The author is president of Customers by Design, a mar-
• While we’re on planning, plan to grow. Start a movement
keting intelligence company
today to become remarkable. Too many clubs are resigned
<www.customersbydesign.com/>; and ARRL NNJ Section
to growing smaller over the next few years or in just being
Public Information Coordinator.
satisfied with the status quo. Marketing done well is about all

CQCommsContra2018_CQMagContra2015 19/10/2017 17:08 Page 1
WORLD RADIO TV HANDBOOK
WRTH2018
We are very pleased to announce
the publication of the 2018 edition
S O M E C O M M E N T S O N W RT H 2 0 1 7
I am delighted to learn that the latest edition of the

of World Radio TV Handbook, the WRTH will soon be off the presses and on the tables
bestselling directory of global of DX enthusiasts everywhere. Your continuing effort
broadcasting on LW, MW, SW & FM on this most critical publication is very much appreci-
ated – Bill Matthews, USA
The Features section for this 72nd edition
contains articles on an Anipodean Journey, Thank you for your amazing book. This is my second
Receiving Noise, Radio Romania year as a DXer and the second edition of the WRTH
International, A New Voice of Hope, and I've purchased. I'll be buying the new volume every
Radio Voices from the South Seas, as well as year from now on! – John P. Zavacki, USA
equipment reviews and other articles of inter-
est to radio amateurs and DXers I am an SWL and wanted to congratulate your entire
team for publishing the fantastic edition of WRTH
The remaining pages are, as usual, full of 2017 which I have received today – Anirudh Sharma,
information on: India
l National and International broadcasts and
broadcasters by country with frequencies, I just finalized the order for my copy of WRTH 2017.
powers, languages, contacts, and more, I've being purchasing WRTH for the last 20 years
and I always found it a very useful tool for an old
including Clandestine and other target SWL like me – Alessandro Roscini, Italy
broadcasters
l MW frequency This year's 71st edition continues WRTH’s reputation
listings by region. as a comprehensive exemplary reference book for
International and the radio listening audience. It remains the very best,
domestic SW fre- most authoritative reference book for the radio and
television hobbyist – Gayle Van Horn W4GVH, Teak
quency listings, and Publishing, USA
DRM listings
l International SW Please keep up the good work with the Book. Many
broadcasts in SWLs are waiting every year for WRTH. I make sure
English, French, I have a copy one way or another. Flicking through
German, Portuguese the pages of WRTH, when I hear a shortwave or
mediumwave station, still thrills me – Dimitrios
& Spanish.
l Reference section
Valaris, Greece
with Transmitter Thanks for the incredible things you do to help the
locations, DX clubs, world listen to each other – Melvin Calvert, USA
Internet Resources, and much more
Another brilliant edition for 2017. The handbook is
Available December 2017 superb as always – Steve Rawdon, New Zealand
www.wrth.com I like WRTH as it is – John Komdat, USA

about growth. It’s about the future. If your (DIGO Brands). “Brands need to change this year who had first participated in
club belief system is that you are small because the target audience changes, the event back in 1935 (he is 95). He
in size and with limited geographic reach and new ones need to be born every noted that it hadn’t really changed. Stop
(“this little hobby club in East Podunk”) time. Success with one generation can and think about that from the market-
believe me, that is what you will remain actually make it harder to create success ing/publicity perspective. It hasn’t
and that is what you will become. with a new generation.” Substitute the changed in over 80 years. Radio has
• When recruiting potential new mem- word “brands” with “clubs” and you get changed. Those who come into the
bers always remember that the needs of the picture. Learning what your potential hobby today are different. Maybe it is
the seekers are different from those of members really want rather than time to blow up Field Day in the story
the believers. It is true for churches and retelling the tale of what got you inter- you tell to visitors if your club is still
it is true for amateur radio clubs. “What ested in the hobby may not be the eas- focused on the rules rather than on
worked in connecting with your dad is ier path but, in all probability, will be the appearance and opportunity.
exactly the opposite of what will work more successful one. • Since we are looking to attract those
with you,” says Mark DiMassimo, CEO • Be contemporary, exciting, and rel- who are seeking our “product,” we need
of ad agency DiMassimo Goldstein evant. Our club had a visitor at Field Day to also remember that it’s always about
being externally facing. Too many clubs
remain insular, focusing on themselves
and not projecting the wider opportuni-
For 50 years ty that our hobby has to offer. This is
hard for many clubs because it goes
our volunteers have against the grain of what clubs usually
do. Outreach matters. There is no
endured long hours excuse in getting a message out. In

today’s digital environment, every orga-
nization is a media company. Look to
and tough leverage that advantage.
• Be a part of your “community.” Talk
working conditions to other organizations like Kiwanis,
Lions, school groups, etc. Show up at
for no pay. street fairs. Be part of Maker Faires.

Reach out to other groups and look for
synergies. Tell your story and build rela-
tionships. It’s not just about public ser-
vice in the traditional sense, it’s all about
community relationships and providing
the most good to a community beyond
our usual boundaries and comfort lev-
els. Participate in local activities that are
highly visible (not behind the scenes),
so when people come up and ask about
ham radio with the usual “I can’t believe
that you still do that ...” you can say “yes
we do ... and here is why it is better than
ever before.”
Finally, remember nothing is perma-
nent. In order to be successful, clubs
must be constantly nurtured and fed to
And 9 out of 10 continue to grow. As Godin noted, “you
don’t have enough time to be unhappy
would do it again. or mediocre ... it’s pointless and painful.”
Growing a club is hard work and life
is short for both clubs and ourselves.
But let’s get started.
TO FIND OUT WHY
contact “Food for Thought” articles represent
REACT International, Inc. the opinions of their writers on topics

of interest and/or importance to
the ham community, and do not
(301) 316-2900 • (866) REACT-9-9 necessarily reflect the views of CQ
magazine. They are published in the
P.O. Box 21064, Glendale, CA 91221 interest of promoting discussion
of pertinent topics. Reasonable
REACT.HQ@REACTintl.org reader responses are encouraged
and will be gladly considered for
www.REACTintl.org publication.

CQ Index for 2017
ANTENNAS CLASSIC RADIO GEAR & NOSTALGIA
20-Meter Extended Double Zepp Antenna – With Enhancements, A, America’s DXCC History: Former Possessions, Former Prefixes,
Houf (K7ZB), Feb, p. 58 Richmond (W4YO), Feb, p. 42
Antennas: An effective 10- to 20-Meter DX Antenna for Space-Limited DXing from the Horn of Africa: Colonial Era to Modern Day, Richmond
Locations, Houf (K7ZB), Dec, p. 79 (W4YO), Apr, p. 32
Antennas: E-Field or Active Antennas, Britain (WA5VJB), Oct, p. 82 More Clandestine Radios of World War II – A Sequel, Kato (AH6CY),
Antennas: Offset Feed Dishes, Britain (WA5VJB), Aug, p. 66 Jan, p. 30
Antennas: Online Antenna Calculators – Convenient But Be Cautious, Question of DX Rarity, The, Richmond (W4YO), Jan, p. 10
Britain (WA5VJB), Feb, p. 87 Two Plus One Equals Super-Rare: Bygone DX Entities on the Indian
Antennas: Radio Waves and Physics, Britain (WA5VJB), Jun, p. 83 Subcontinent, Richmond (W4YO), Nov, p. 27
Antennas: Why Your Half-Wave Dipole is NOT a Half Wavelength Long, Voices from the T-Layer, Scipione (AA2AV), Jan, p. 25
Britain (WA5VJB), Apr, p. 66 Where in the World is Ifni? And What Ever Happened to Rio de Oro?
Build a Bucket Variometer to Resonate Your Vertical or End-Fed Wire Richmond (W4YO), Mar, p. 10
Antenna, Molnar (WA3ETD), Sep, p. 32
Build the SWR Sweeper, Bayles (KA7FTP) and Titus (KZ1G), Aug, COMPUTERS & INTERNET
p. 28 Antennas: Online Antenna Calculators – Convenient But Be Cautious,
Comparing NVIS Dipoles for ARES Operations, Taft (K1EHZ), Oct, Britain (WA5VJB), Feb, p. 87
p. 31 Digital Connection: Raspberry Pies and PiGates, Rotolo (N2IRZ), May,
Emergency Communications: In the Loop With DV and … Loops, Sickles p. 49
(WA3UVV), Aug, p. 45 Learning Curve: Morse Runner, Ochu (KOØZ), Mar, p. 66
Gordo’s Short Circuits: In the Loop With HOA Regs, West (WB6NOA), Using GPS to Set Your Computer Clock in the Field, Hinkle (K5PA),
Mar, p. 61 Dec, p. 18.
Learning Curve: Failing Your Way to Success (plus Antenna Resonance
and Bandwidth), Ochu (KOØZ), Sep, p. 53 CONSTRUCTION
Math’s Notes: Passive Antennas Revisited, Math (WA2NDM), Jan, Build the SWR Sweeper, Bayles (KA7FTP) and Titus (KZ1G), Aug,
p. 44 p. 28
MF/LF Operating: A Few Successful Approaches to Transmitting Experimental Shortwave Receiver, An, Colton (WA1SXW), Jan, p. 34
Antennas for MF and LF, Langridge (KB5NJD), Jul, p. 66 Froggie – A Very Low Cost QRP 40-Meter Transceiver Kit, Weisman
Phantom of the Attic: A Modified Indoor 6-Band Hex Beam, Morgan (W1VIV), Feb, p. 32
(K6RAH), Mar, p. 32 Ham Notebook: Makers as Fixers and Money Savers, Yoshida
QRP: Practical Antennas and Tips for the QRP Operator … and for (KH6WZ), Nov, p. 57
Being Heard, Rought (KA8SMA), Apr, p. 62 Ham Notebook: Projects for Maker Faire: Multiple Out-of-the-Box
QRP: Quenching the QRPer’s Thirst for Antenna Height, Rought Experiences, Yoshida (KH6WZ), Jul, p. 48
(KA8SMA), Oct, p. 78 Ham Notebook: Workbench Helpers, Yoshida (KH6WZ), May, p. 67
QRP: The All-in-One … A Portable Antenna Tuner for the QRP Kit-Building: A Crystalplexer, and a Buzz Filter! Eisenberg (KØNEB),
Enthusiast, Rought (KA8SMA), Aug, p. 70 Jul, p. 46
Simple Six-Meter Loop Antenna, A, Booth (N5LB), Mar, p. 28 Kit-Building: A Second Dip and a Filter, Eisenberg (KØNEB), May,
Using a WARC-Band Dipole as a Low-Band Receiving Antenna, p. 59
McCook (W6YA), Sep, p. 29 Kit-Building: AC Noise Hits a BUZZ-KILL, Eisenberg (KØNEB), Oct,
VHF Plus: A Comparison of Feedlines – Part II, Emanuele (WA8RJF), p. 76
Mar, p. 81 Kit-Building: Am I Going to the Dark Side? Eisenberg (KØNEB), Nov,
VHF Plus: Upgrading Your VHF Station? A Comparison of Feedlines, p. 50
Emanuele (WA8RJF), Feb, p. 88 Kit-Building: Another Great Classic Kit: The MFJ-8100 World Band
Wire Antennas: A Primer, Shrader (W6BNB-SK), Feb, p. 50 Shortwave Receiver, Eisenberg (KØNEB), Sep, p. 50
Kit-Building: Born on the Bayou: A Modern-Day Paraset, Eisenberg
BEGINNERS/NEWCOMERS (KØNEB), Mar, p. 53
DXing for Duffers, Gooch (NA3V), Jan, p. 13 Kit-Building: Building a “Cricket” in the Ozarks, Eisenberg (KØNEB),
Learning Curve: EmComm: What’s My Role? Ochu (KOØZ), Oct, p. 58 Jun, p. 64
Learning Curve: Enveloped in Excellence (and Radio, of Course), Ochu Kit-Building: Dayton Becomes Crystal Clear (But It’s Not the Same Old
(KOØZ), Aug, p. 53 Grind…), Eisenberg (KØNEB), Aug, p. 59
Learning Curve: Failing Your Way to Success (plus Antenna Resonance Kit-Building: Fixing a Fluke, Eisenberg (KØNEB), Jan, p. 66
and Bandwidth), Ochu (KOØZ), Sep, p. 53 Kit-Building: Practice Makes Perfect, The KD1JV Code Trainer Kit,
Learning Curve: In the Dark! (Ham Radio and Next Month’s Total Solar Eisenberg (KØNEB), Dec, p. 76
Eclipse), Ochu (KOØZ), Jul, p. 70 Kit-Building: Taking a Dip, Eisenberg (KØNEB), Apr, p. 54
Learning Curve: Measuring Inductance and Capacitance With the LC- Kit-Building: The NS-40+, Plus a New Soldering Source, Eisenberg
100A Meter, Ochu (KOØZ), May, p. 63 (KØNEB), Feb, p. 76
Learning Curve: Meteor Scatter with MSK144, Ochu (KOØZ), Apr, Minimalist 40-Meter QRP CW Transceiver Kits From China, Kato
p. 68 (AH6CY), Feb, p. 28
Learning Curve: Morse Runner, Ochu (KOØZ), Mar, p. 66
Learning Curve: Propagation, Eggs and Beacons, Ochu (KOØZ), Feb, CONTESTS & AWARDS
p. 82 About the CQ DX Award, Jan, p. 17
Learning Curve: Public Service Events Offer EmComm Training, Ochu Announcing: 2017 Inductees, CQ Amateur Radio, Contest, and DX Halls
(KOØZ), Nov, p. 52 of Fame, Jul, p. 30
Learning Curve: Radio Youth: Ham Radio Makes Friends, Ochu Announcing: 2018 Nominations Open for the CQ Amateur Radio, DX,
(KOØZ), Jun, p. 72 and Contest Halls of Fame, Dec, p. 53
Learning Curve: See You on the Radio! – Introduction to Slow Scan TV, Announcing: The 2017 CQ World Wide DX Contest, Aug, p. 39
Ochu (KOØZ), Jan, p. 70 Announcing: The 2017 CQ World Wide VHF Contest, May, p. 34
Learning Curve: Year’s End, (Ochu, KØOZ), Dec, p. 73 Announcing: The 2017 CQ World Wide WPX Contest, Jan, p. 109
Announcing: The 2017 CQWW RTTY DX Contest, Jul, p. 89
BROADCASTING (AM/FM/TV) Announcing: The 2018 CQ DX Marathon, Nov, p. 30
Communications Horizons: Knowing Your (Audience) Sample, de Announcing: The 2018 CQWW 160-Meter Contest, Nov, p. 49
Santos (K8RKD), Jun, p. 85 Awards: Amber, Museums and More, Melinosky (K1BV), Aug, p. 88

Awards: Award Programs Using CQ’s WAZ Zones, Melinosky (K1BV), DIGITAL/PACKET
Feb, p. 92 Awards: Digital Awards Around the World, Melinosky (K1BV), Jun,
Awards: Brazilian Awards Program Now Offers Free Certificates, p. 87
Melinosky (K1BV), Nov, p. 77 Digital Connection: AirGig and 5G, Rotolo (N2IRZ), Jul, p. 54
Awards: County Hunting Q&A, Melinosky (K1BV), Jan, p. 90 Digital Connection: Getting Started in DMR: Digital Mobile Radio – Part
Awards: Digital Awards Around the World, Melinosky (K1BV), Jun, 2, Rotolo (N2IRZ), Nov, p. 63
p. 87 Digital Connection: Mesh Networking and AREDN, Rotolo (N2IRZ), Jan,
Awards: Eastern European Castles and Forts to Chase After, Melinosky p. 54
(K1BV), Oct, p. 94 Digital Connection: Raspberry Pies and PiGates, Rotolo (N2IRZ), May,
Awards: KFF: County Hunting Meets NPOTA Meets WWFF, Melinosky p. 49
(K1BV), Dec, p. 87 Digital Connection: Setting Up a TARPN Node, Rotolo (N2IRZ), Mar,
Awards: The Almaty Radio Amateur League Series of Awards, p. 69
Melinosky (K1BV), Apr, p. 78 Digital Connection: The Year of DMR – Part 1, Rotolo (N2IRZ), Sep,
Awards: The Amateur Radio Lighthouse Society Awards Series, p. 62
Learning Curve: Meteor Scatter with MSK144, Ochu (KOØZ), Apr,
Melinosky (K1BV), Jul, p. 78
p. 68
Awards: The I’s Have Awards, Melinosky (K1BV), Sep, p. 71
Schematix, Giannoplous (SV3ORA), Dec, p. 36
Awards: The Russian Districts Award: Just Like USA-CA, but for Russia,
VHF Plus: New FT8 Mode Taking VHF By Storm, Emanuele (WA8RJF),
Melinosky (K1BV), May, p. 81 Sep, p. 74
Awards: YLs Take Center Stage, Melinosky (K1BV), Mar, p. 84 VHF Plus: Pinging the “Roxs” with MSK144, Emanuele (WA8RJF), Apr,
Contesting: ARRL 10- and 160-Meter Contests Keep the December RF p. 74
Paths Open, Siddall (K3ZJ), Dec, p. 95 VHF Plus: Will MSK144 Change VHF Contesting? Emanuele
Contesting: Contest Season Swings into Full Gear, Siddall (K3ZJ), Oct, (WA8RJF), Jun, p. 90
p. 101
Contesting: CQWW CW and ARRL Sweepstakes Headline November DX & OPERATING
Contests, Siddall (K3ZJ), Nov, p. 84 Adventures in KP2 Paradise, Wagner (K5KG), Jun, p. 47
Contesting: HFTA and You: How High Frequency Terrain Analysis Can America’s DXCC History: Former Possessions, Former Prefixes,
Help Your Station, Siddall (K3ZJ), Jan, p. 98 Richmond (W4YO), Feb, p. 42
Contesting: IARU HF Championship Headlines Mid-Summer Calling the Far Side of the World From a Tent! Houf (K7ZB), Jun, p. 52
Contesting Events, Siddall (K3ZJ), Jun, p. 94 Club Puts a New Twist on Anniversary Trip to the Islands, Joyner
Contesting: Latte Summer Contests, Siddall (K3ZJ), Aug, p. 85 (W4YBV), Jun, p. 18
Contesting: Major Contests Dominate the February Competition DX: Attention QSL Managers (and Their Friends): Make a Plan for
Calendar, Siddall (K3ZJ), Feb, p. 102 Continuity, Schenck (N2OO), Apr, p. 81
Contesting: March “Major” and Upcoming Conventions, Siddall (K3ZJ), DX: DXpeditioner’s Focus … and … Give an IOTA! Schenck (N2OO),
Mar, p. 94 Jul, p. 80
Contesting: Midsummer Contesting: VHF, Islands, and Europe, Siddall DX: Flash! DX News! Schenck (N2OO), May, p. 83
(K3ZJ), Jul, p. 86 DX: Ham Radio Adventures on Palmyra Atoll, Schenck (N2OO), Aug,
Contesting: Spring Contests and a WRTC2022 Proposal Being Vetted p. 91
in Italy, Siddall (K3ZJ), Apr, p. 85 DX: How to Work Them All, Schenck (N2OO), Mar, p. 88
Contesting: Tips for the CQ World Wide WPX CW Contest, Siddall DX: International Goodwill Through Amateur Radio DX, Schenck
(K3ZJ), May, p. 88 (N2OO), Jun, p. 98
Contesting: World Wide DX Contest is Around the Corner, Siddall DX: Old QSLs … and What to Do With Them, Schenck (N2OO), Nov,
(K3ZJ), Sep, p. 80 p. 89
CQ World Wide DX Contest All-Time Records, Capossela (K6SSS), DX: Ready, Set … Go or No Go? Schenck (N2OO), Jan, p. 93
Oct, p. 46 DX: The NCDXC Elmering Project, Schenck (N2OO), Oct, p. 96
DX: The Rarest of the Rare, Schenck (N2OO), Feb, p. 95
Easter in October: Impromptu CQWW Contesting from CEØY, Misztal
DX: The W4DXCC Convention, Schenck (N2OO), Dec, p. 89
(NO9E), Oct, p. 10
DX: Two QSL Managers’ Bermuda Mini-DXpedition to VP9GE, Schenck
Homing In: ARDF Enthusiasts Win Medals in the Buckeye State, Moell
(N2OO), Sep, p. 85
(KØOV), Nov, p. 69 DXing for Duffers, Gooch (NA3V), Jan, p. 13
Homing In: New Tools for 80-Meter Foxhunting, Moell (KØOV), Aug, DXing from the Horn of Africa: Colonial Era to Modern Day, Richmond
p. 62 (W4YO), Apr, p. 32
Homing In: Radio Foxhunting Season Has Arrived (Announcing the 20th E31A DXpedition to Eritrea, Muangamphan (E21EIC), Nov, p. 12
Annual CQ World Wide Foxhunting Weekend), Moell (KØOV), Apr, p. 20 Easter in October: Impromptu CQWW Contesting from CEØY, Misztal
Homing In: Results of the 2016 CQ World Wide Foxhunting Weekend, (NO9E), Oct, p. 10
Moell (KØOV), Feb, p. 37 Food for Thought: SSTV Reports Using the P Scale, Peterson (WA9TT),
Homing In: Scouts Hunt Transmitters to Earn Radio Merit Badge, Moell Jan, p. 76
(KØOV), May, p. 52 Go Untethered! Operate Your Station with a Wireless Headset, Millner
Results of the 2016 CQ DX Marathon, Sweeney (K9EL/VA3CDX), Jun, (WB2REM) and Hinkle (K5PA), Sep, p. 22
p. 26 Learning Curve: See You on the Radio! – Introduction to Slow Scan TV,
Results of the 2016 CQ World Wide DX CW Contest, Zwiebel (KR2Q), Ochu (KOØZ), Jan, p. 70
May, p. 18 Question of DX Rarity, The, Richmond (W4YO), Jan, p. 10
Results of the 2016 CQ World Wide DX SSB Contest, Naumann Using GPS to Set Your Computer Clock in the Field, Hinkle (K5PA),
(W5OV), Apr, p. 13 Dec, p. 18.
Results of the 2016 CQ World Wide RTTY DX Contest, Muns (WØYK),
Mar, p. 16 HUMOR
Results of the 2016 CQ World Wide VHF Contest, Bolia (N8BJQ), Jan, FCC to Deny Petition for Exclusive Amateur Band at 474 THz, A CQ
p. 18 Exclusive, Heisseluft, Apr, p. 36
Results of the 2017 CQ World Wide 160-Meter Contest, Blank (N2NT), Math’s Notes: Exploring the Unknown, Math (WA2NDM), Apr, p. 40
Aug, p. 17 Standard Shift Contesting, Hart (AD1B), Apr, p. 25
Results of the 2017 CQ World Wide RTTY WPX Contest, Muns (WØYK),
Jul, p. 17 INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Results of the 2017 CQ WW WPX SSB Contest, Zivney (N4TZ), Sep, CQ World Wide: “Thinking Day on the Air” and more, Smerk (AA6TS),
p. 14 Jun, p. 78
Results of the 2017 CQWW WPX CW Contest, Zivney (N4TZ), Nov, CQ World Wide: A Busy Ham Radio Summer in Europe, Smerk
p. 18 (AA6TS), Oct, p. 72
VHF Plus: New FT8 Mode Taking VHF By Storm, Emanuele (WA8RJF), CQ World Wide: A Month for Acronyms: YOTA, SARL, NIAR, NRAU,
Sep, p. 74 BFRA, Smerk (AA6TS), Nov, p. 46

CQ World Wide: A Novel Role for Hams in India, Smerk (AA6TS), Aug, Magic in the Sky: What I Did Last Summer, Reinhardt (AA6JR), Oct,
p. 49 p. 68
CQ World Wide: A Round-the-World Bike Tour Comes to an End, Smerk Math’s Notes: The Future Will Not Necessarily Be What We Think It Will
(AA6TS), Jan, p. 80 Be (Part 2), Math (WA2NDM), Nov, p. 36
CQ World Wide: Amateur Radio in Algeria at Risk, Smerk (AA6TS), Apr, News Bytes: Hara on the Block, Rediscovering HF Radio and … TV
p. 51 Antennas! Oct, p. 44
CQ World Wide: Australia Dominates the Headlines, Smerk (AA6TS), Off the Air: Final Thoughts, Sickles (WA3UVV), Sep, p. 66
Feb, p. 65 Off the Air: Some Possibilities for Growing Ham Radio, Sickles
CQ World Wide: Belize Scouts Get a Crash Course in Ham Radio, Smerk (WA3UVV), Mar, p. 74
(AA6TS), May, p. 57 Off the Air: Youth is Where You Find It (But Don’t Ignore the Grown-
CQ World Wide: Hams Fight Fires in South Africa, Smerk (AA6TS), Sep, ups!), Sickles (WA3UVV), Jun, p. 81
p. 46 Travels With CQ: Friedrichshafen Ham Radio 2017 Siddall (K3ZJ), Oct,
CQ World Wide: Hams Heed the Call as Natural Disasters Strike p. 38
Worldwide, Smerk (AA6TS), Jul, p. 43 Travels With CQ: Hamvention 2017 – Making the Xenia Connection,
CQ World Wide: Hams Respond to Hurricane Maria’s Devastation in Eisenberg (KØNEB), Moseson (W2VU) and Roscoe (K8CX), Aug, p. 10
Puerto Rico, Smerk (AA6TS), Dec, p. 70 Using GPS to Set Your Computer Clock in the Field, Hinkle (K5PA),
CQ World Wide: John Moyle Memorial Field Day in Australia, Smerk Dec, p. 18.
(AA6TS), Mar, p. 78 Voices from the T-Layer, Scipione (AA2AV), Jan, p. 25
Young Hams Are Focus of Conference in India, Perry (WB2MGP), Mar,
p. 13 MOBILE
Mobiling: Hybrid Mania, Reinhardt (AA6JR), Aug, p. 75
Mobiling: It’s Almost Spring, Reinhardt (AA6JR), Feb, p. 80
KEYS & KEYERS, CW
Mobiling: Think BIG! Reinhardt (AA6JR), Nov, p. 74
Kit-Building: Practice Makes Perfect, The KD1JV Code Trainer Kit,
Mobiling: Worries About New Car and New California Law, Reinhardt
Eisenberg (KØNEB), Dec, p. 76
(AA6JR), May, p. 73
VHF Plus: The Michigan Ham Van, Hessler (K8JH), Nov, p. 79
LEGAL & REGULATORY
Details of the FCC’s Report and Order Establishing Ham Bands at 630 OPINION/COMMENTARY
and 2200 Meters, Moseson (W2VU), Jun, p. 20 Food for Thought: 55555 … End of the Line for 5-9-9? Elias (N3AIU),
Food for Thought: Follow-Up on The Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2017 Jan, p. 39
(H.R. 555/S. 1534), Oct., p. 43 Food for Thought: A Manifesto on Sustaining and Growing Amateur
Food for Thought: Why H.R. 555 is Not Good (Enough) for Hams, Talens Radio Clubs, Efchak (WX2R), Dec, p. 102
(N3JT), Aug, p. 24 Food for Thought: Addicted to the Pileup, Ridolfo (WB1EEU), Aug,
Gordo’s Short Circuits: In the Loop With HOA Regs, West (WB6NOA), p. 36
Mar, p. 61 Food for Thought: Don’t Do Away With 5-9-9, Marandos (K1LGQ), Mar,
Ham Towers and (Other People’s) Property Values, Moseson (W2VU), p. 9
Feb, p. 49 Food for Thought: Growing Ham Radio: Are We Placing the Emphasis
New Federal Regulations Affect Healthcare Providers and Amateur on the Wrong Objective? Milliman (K8HSY), Jan, p. 42
Radio, Mariotti (WB9RER), Jul, p. 24 Food for Thought: SSTV Reports Using the P Scale, Peterson (WA9TT),
New MF/LF Ham Bands Now Open, CQ Staff, Nov, p. 10 Jan, p. 76
Part 95 Rewrite: FCC Set to Legalize CB “Skip,” Add FRS Channels and Food for Thought: Why H.R. 555 is Not Good (Enough) for Hams, Talens
Allow Texting on GMRS, Moseson (W2VU), Jul, p. 26 (N3JT), Aug, p. 24
Remote Radios and the Law, Millner (WB2REM) and Hinkle (K5PA), Zero Bias: “All the Faces Are Ham Faces,” Moseson (W2VU), Jul, p. 8
May, p. 36 Zero Bias: ARRL: Circling the Wagons, Moseson (W2VU), Dec, p. 8
Zero Bias: Blazing New Trails With EELS, Moseson (W2VU), Apr, p. 8
LOW/MEDIUM FREQUENCY Zero Bias: Disrupters, Moseson (W2VU), Nov, p. 8
630 Meters for the QRPer, Signorelli (WØRW), Feb, p. 26 Zero Bias: Dit…Dit…Dit…Dah… Ten Years of Code-Free Licensing,
Build a Bucket Variometer to Resonate Your Vertical or End-Fed Wire Moseson (W2VU), Feb, p. 8
Antenna, Molnar (WA3ETD), Sep, p. 32 Zero Bias: Harvey, Walt, Marty, and Our Future, Moseson (W2VU), Oct,
Details of the FCC’s Report and Order Establishing Ham Bands at 630 p. 8
and 2200 Meters, Moseson (W2VU), Jun, p. 20 Zero Bias: “It’s More Fun When You Make It,” Moseson (W2VU), May,
MF/LF Operating: A Few Successful Approaches to Transmitting p. 8
Antennas for MF and LF, Langridge (KB5NJD), Jul, p. 66 Zero Bias: Looking Back Into the Future, Moseson (W2VU), Jan, p. 8
MF/LF Operating: Ham Radio Below 500 kHz, Langridge (KB5NJD), Zero Bias: Science, Democracy, and Disrepute, Moseson (W2VU), Mar,
Apr, p. 45 p. 8
Zero Bias: Taking it to the Kids (Or Not?), Moseson (W2VU), Jun, p. 8
MF/LF Operating: Some Options for Generating a Signal at Useful Power
Zero Bias: The Hidden Value of Field Day, Moseson (W2VU), Aug,
Levels at MF and LF, Langridge (KB5NJD), Oct, p. 86
p. 8
New MF/LF Ham Bands Now Open, CQ Staff, Nov, p. 10
Zero Bias: The Genius of Joe Taylor, Moseson (W2VU), Sep, p. 8
MISCELLANEOUS PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS
Communications Horizons: Is There Something New in Your Living Part 95 Rewrite: FCC Set to Legalize CB “Skip,” Add FRS Channels and
Room? de Santos (K8RKD), Sep, p. 68 Allow Texting on GMRS, Moseson (W2VU), Jul, p. 26
Communications Horizons: Trends in 2017, de Santos (K8RKD), Apr,
p. 57 POWER SUPPLIES & BATTERIES
Dayton Youth Forum: Three Decades of Showcasing Young Hams, Battery Test Methods – From Basic Voltage to Electrochemical
Perry (WB2MGP), Sep, p. 10 Impedance Spectroscopy, Buchmann, Jul, p. 32
Field Day 1918, Averill (K4EOR), Jun, p. 43 Build a Portable Power System, Glennon (KQ4TQ), Oct, p. 16
Ham Notebook: Springtime Shopping, Yoshida (KH6WZ), Mar, p. 57 CQ Reviews: Buddipole POWERmini, Portable Powe Management
Hamvention’s New Home: “X (as in Xenia) Marks the Spot,” Eisenberg System, Rought (KA8SMA), Dec, p. 28
(KØNEB), Apr, p. 10 CQ Reviews: PowerFilm Solar Foldable Solar Panels and the LightSaver
Jim Doyle, W3CKU – From Radio Spy to CW Enthusiast, Paul (KD6JUI), Portable Solar Charger, Rought (KA8SMA), Dec, p.31
Apr, p. 28 Ham Notebook: Where’s the Power? Yoshida (KH6WZ), Sep, p. 57
Long Path: Connecting a Yaesu Radio to the Pilgrims, Henry VIII, and Sherlock Investigates: 9-Volt Battery Failures, Signorelli (WØRW), Dec,
the Shipwreck of De Liefde, Fordham (KD9LA), May, p. 10 p. 50
Magic in the Sky: The Farm Team, Reinhardt (AA6JR), Jan, p. 84
Magic in the Sky: The Ham’s (April) Wish List, Reinhardt (AA6JR), Apr, PRODUCT REVIEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
p. 60 CQ Mini-Review: RM Italy HLA-305V Amplifier, Lazar (W4DNN), Feb,
Magic in the Sky: Undiscovered Talent, Reinhardt (AA6JR), Jul, p. 58 p. 24

CQ Reviews: Buddipole POWERmini, Portable Powe Management CQ World Wide: Hams Fight Fires in South Africa, Smerk (AA6TS),
System, Rought (KA8SMA), Dec, p.28 Sep, p. 46
CQ Reviews: PowerFilm Solar Foldable Solar Panels and the CQ World Wide: Hams Heed the Call as Natural Disasters Strike
LightSaver Portable Solar Charger, Rought (KA8SMA), Dec, p.31 Worldwide, Smerk (AA6TS), Jul, p. 43
Fishing for Information on a Marine Radio – Standard Horizon HX-300, CQ World Wide: Hams Respond to Hurricane Maria’s Devastation in
Feldman (KD2IWM), Aug, p. 34 Puerto Rico, Smerk (AA6TS), Dec, p. 70
Homing In: New Tools for 80-Meter Foxhunting, Moell (KØOV), Aug, Digital Connection: Mesh Networking and AREDN, Rotolo (N2IRZ), Jan,
p. 62 p. 54
What’s New: bhi Audio Equalizer, Buddipole POWERmini, Ameritron EmComm on the ‘Net, Pearce (KN4AQ), Oct, p. 36
ALS-606 amplifier, Feldman (KD2IWM), Aug, p. 48, 77, 90 Emergency Communications: “Mise en Scène – Mise en Place,” Sickles
What’s New: Bridgecom Releases Product Pipeline, DX Engineering (WA3UVV), May, p. 45
Offers Premade Coax Assemblies, Feldman (KD2IWM), Apr, p. 79, 109 Emergency Communications: Amateur Radio Is Still Relevant In
What’s New: ICOM IC-R8600 Receiver, Expert Linears 1.5K-FA, ARRL Emergency Communications, Palmer (W4ALT), Nov, p. 42
Adds to its Library, Feldman (KD2IWM), Oct, p. 22, 30, 81 Emergency Communications: Back to Basics: Are You Really Ready?
What’s New: International SW Broadcast Guide, New Models in FLEX- Palmer (W4ALT), Oct, p. 54
6000 Line, Feldman (KD2IWM), Jul, p. 56, 92 Emergency Communications: Christmas in June, Sickles (WA3UVV),
What’s New: MFJ EFHW Wire Antenna for 80-10m, SteppIR “Urban Jun, p. 62
Beam,” SOTABeams USB Electronic Load Kit, Expert ColibriNANO SDR, Emergency Communications: Ham radio weathers the Storms, Palmer
Feldman (KD2IWM), May, p. 80, 86, (W4ALT), Dec, p. 65
What’s New: N3FJP Amateur Contact Log 6.0, ICOM F7010/F7510 Emergency Communications: In the Loop With DV and … Loops,
Land Mobile Radios, Feldman (KD2IWM), Nov, p. 40, 62 Sickles (WA3UVV), Aug, p. 45
What’s New: NTE Regulated Power Supplies, 3 Companies Form Emergency Communications: New Opportunities – New Vision, Sickles
International Ham Stores Group, ARRL Handbook & Operating Manual, (WA3UVV), Sep, p. 43
Feldman (KD2IWM), Feb, p. 30, 33, 57 Emergency Communications: Taking Inventory … of Equipment, Skills
What’s New: Radiohaus/America CallSight, Vibroplex US Distributor for and People, Sickles (WA3UVV), Mar, p. 50
4O3A Products, MFJ/Innovantennas Partnership, N3FJP Amateur Emergency Communications: The Number You’ve Dialed … is Not in
Contact Log Update, New AD1C Country List, Feldman (KD2IWM), Mar, Service, Sickles (WA3UVV), Jan, p. 50
p. 36, 73 Emergency Communications: The Tools You Carry, Sickles (WA3UVV),
Feb, p. 68
What’s New: Repeater Mapbook, Bridgecom BCD Duplexers, Universal
Emergency Communications: The Undiscovered County, Sickles
Radio Catalog, SOTABeams WSPRlite, NTE Light Strips, Feldman
(WA3UVV), Jul, p. 40
(KD2IWM), Jan, p. 53, 64, 104, 107
Emergency Communications: World of Ideas – Go-Kit Edition, Sickles
Whats New: SOTABeams Click2Tune for ICOM, Feldman (KD2IWM),
(WA3UVV), Apr, p. 48
Dec, p. 22
Gordo’s Short Circuits: MAYDAY! Will FirstNet Squash Ham Radio
What’s New: SOTABeams Wire Spacers, New “Dits and Dahs” Book
Responders? West (WB6NOA), Oct, p. 64
From CQ, DX Engineering Exclusive Hamplus Dealer, QORVO High-
Learning Curve: EmComm: What’s My Role? Ochu (KOØZ), Oct, p. 58
Power Microwave Transistor, Feldman (KD2IWM), Jun, p. 24, 82, 86, 88
Learning Curve: Public Service Events Offer EmComm Training, Ochu
(KOØZ), Nov, p. 52
PROPAGATION The Ham-Pod: A New Kind of Go-Kit, Otlowski (W2WCC), Feb, p. 46
Gordo’s Short Circuits: Cut the Squelch! Tropo Time is Here! West Video Conferencing Over HF? Peterson (WA6NUT), Oct, p. 24
(WB6NOA), Jul, p. 62
Learning Curve: Propagation, Eggs and Beacons, Ochu (KOØZ), Feb, QRP (LOW POWER)
p. 82 630 Meters for the QRPer, Signorelli (WØRW), Feb, p. 26
Low-Band WSPR Propagation During the 2017 Solar Eclipse, Taft Froggie – A Very Low Cost QRP 40-Meter Transceiver Kit, Weisman
(K1EHZ) et al., Dec, p.10 (W1VIV), Feb, p. 32
Ocean Wave Height as a Variable in Predicting HF Propagation, Day GAB: A QRP Paradigm for the Coming Sunspot Minimum, Lazar
(N1DAY), Jul, p. 10 (W4DNN), Feb, p. 20
Propagation: Aurora: Expect a Light – and Radio – Show This Spring, Guerilla QRP Portable, Kovaceski (Z35M), Feb, p. 16
Hood (NW7US), Apr, p. 89 K9 QRP: Fun With Ruff Radio, Friedrichs(AC7ZL), Jun, p. 10
Propagation: Cycle 24: A Last Hurrah?, Hood (NW7US), Dec, p. 98 Minimalist 40-Meter QRP CW Transceiver Kits From China, Kato
Propagation: Does Weather Affect HF Propagation? Hood (NW7US), (AH6CY), Feb, p. 28
Jul, p. 90 QRP Backpacking Adventure in the High Sierra Wilderness, A,
Propagation: Good Conditions for 2017 … On the Low Bands, Hood Weidinger (K6MTS), Feb, p. 10
(NW7US), Jan, p. 105 QRP: Keeping QRP’s Flare When Ol’ Sol Takes a Nap, Rought
Propagation: Good Conditions Predicted for 2017 CQWW DX SSB (KA8SMA), Feb, p. 72
Contest, Hood (NW7US), Oct, p. 106 QRP: Low Band QRP – Winter’s Delight, Rought (KA8SMA), Dec,
Propagation: Is HF Propagation Reciprocal? Hood (NW7US), Sep, p. 81
p. 91 QRP: Practical Antennas and Tips for the QRP Operator … and for
Propagation: Looking for DX? Stay Centered, Hood (NW7US), May, Being Heard, Rought (KA8SMA), Apr, p. 62
p. 91 QRP: QRP on the Go! Rought (KA8SMA), Jun, p. 68
Propagation: November Surprise: CQWW CW Contest Conditions QRP: Quenching the QRPer’s Thirst for Antenna Height, Rought
Much Better Than Predicted, Hood (NW7US), Feb, p. 106 (KA8SMA), Oct, p. 78
Propagation: Poor to Fair Conditions Predicted for 2017 CQWW DX QRP: The All-in-One … A Portable Antenna Tuner for the QRP
CW Contest, Hood (NW7US), Nov, p. 95 Enthusiast, Rought (KA8SMA), Aug, p. 70
Propagation: Shhh! Hood (NW7US), Mar, p. 98 Turning a Scrap Radio into Field-Friendly QRP Gold, Signorelli
Propagation: The 10.7-Centimeter Radio Flux, Hood (NW7US), Jun, (WØRW), Jun, p. 34
p. 104
Propagation: The Summer Anomaly, Hood (NW7US), Aug, p. 98 SHORTWAVE LISTENING
QRP: Low Band QRP – Winter’s Delight, Rought (KA8SMA), Dec, Experimental Shortwave Receiver, An, Colton (WA1SXW), Jan, p. 34
p. 81 Kit-Building: Another Great Classic Kit: The MFJ-8100 World Band
VHF Plus: Airplane Scatter, Emanuele (WA8RJF), Jul, p. 74 Shortwave Receiver, Eisenberg (KØNEB), Sep, p. 50
Listening Post: Aussies Officially Pull the Plug on Radio Australia’s
PUBLIC SERVICE & EMERGENCY Shortwave Service, Dexter, Mar, p. 46
Army MARS at 91: Another Milestone Reached, Sexton (AAR1FP), Apr, Listening Post: Australian Sebate Nixes ABC’s Return to Shortwave,
p. 26 Dexter, Dec, p. 62
Comparing NVIS Dipoles for ARES Operations, Taft (K1EHZ), Oct, Listening Post: Despite ABC’s Absence, Australian Shortwave Stations
p. 31 Heat Up, Dexter, Oct, p. 50

Listening Post: Listen to North Korea as the Nuclear Crisis Unfolds,
Dexter, Nov, p. 38
Listening Post: New Australian Station Coming Soon, Dexter, Aug,
p. 42
Listening Post: New Year, Same Challenges, Dexter, Jan, p. 46
Listening Post: Radio Afghanistan Makes Brief Appearance in Europe,
Dexter, Feb, p. 62
Listening Post: Radio Kuwait Returns to the Airwaves … and Radio
Tirana is NOT Dead! Dexter, Jul, p. 36
Listening Post: Radio Television Afghanistan is No Longer a Myth,
Dexter, Apr, p. 42
Listening Post: Radio Tirana Bites the Dust, Dexter, Jun, p. 58
Amateur Radio
Listening Post: Rumors Circulating of New Massive Religious
Broadcaster, Dexter, May, p. 42
Listening Post: The Shortwave Community Mourns the Loss of Hank
Bennett, Dexter, Sep, p. 40
CQ is available in both print and
TECHNICAL DATA digital editions! The choice is yours!
Contesting: HFTA and You: How High Frequency Terrain Analysis Can
Help Your Station, Siddall (K3ZJ), Jan, p. 98
CQ is the magazine for active hams,
Ham Notebook: Innovation and the Eye of the Beholder, Yoshida
(KH6WZ), Jan, p. 59
with a focus on the practical. Every
Math’s Notes: A “Spark” of an Idea, Math (WA2NDM), Mar, p. 44 article is clearly written and aimed at
Math’s Notes: A Suggested Reading List, Math (WA2NDM), Feb, p. 61 involving you, the reader... whether it’s
Math’s Notes: AM, FM or Both? Math (WA2NDM), May, p. 40 a story of operating from some exotic
Math’s Notes: Did You Turn Off That Light? Math (WA2NDM), Sep, location, an article to deepen your
p. 38 understanding of ham radio science
Math’s Notes: Exploring the Unknown, Math (WA2NDM), Apr, p. 40 and technology, or a fun-to-build pro-
Math’s Notes: Old But Certainly Not Forgotten, Math (WA2NDM), Jun, ject that will have practical use in
p. 56 your ham shack.
Math’s Notes: Passive Antennas Revisited, Math (WA2NDM), Jan,
p. 44 Join us on our monthly journey through the broad
Math’s Notes: Seeing the Light (Dimly): Controlling COB LED Lamps, and varied landscape of the world’s most fascinating
Math (WA2NDM), Jul, p. 34 hobby. SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
Math’s Notes: The Benefits of Old-Time Timers, Math (WA2NDM), Aug,
p. 40
Math’s Notes: The Pluses and Minuses of Converting DC Voltages, Math Available in Print and Digital Editions
(WA2NDM), Oct, p. 48 Buy BOTH and SAVE!!!!
Math’s Notes: You Can’t go Home Again (Maybe?), Math (WA2NDM),
Dec, p. 54
USA Print Digital Both
RF Filters for Field Day or Other Multi-Transmitter Operations, Campbell 12 issues $36.95 $25.00 $53.95
(N1CWR), Jun, p. 38 24 issues $66.95 $48.00 $98.95
Schematix, Giannoplous (SV3ORA), Dec, p. 36 36 issues $96.95 $71.00 $142.95
Sherlock Investigates: “A Case of (Transmitter) Identity, Signorelli
(WØRW), May, p. 32 DIGITAL ONLY!
Video Conferencing Over HF? Peterson (WA6NUT), Oct, p. 24 12 issues $25.00 24 issues $48.00
When Was the Battery Invented? Buchmann, Mar, p. 38 36 issues $71.00
VHF
Learning Curve: Meteor Scatter with MSK144, Ochu (KOØZ), Apr, p. 68 View a FREE digital issue immediately
Narrowbanding — Amateur Radio Style, Yerger (K2ATY), Dec, p. 24 at www.cq-amateur-radio.com
Propagation: Aurora: Expect a Light – and Radio – Show This Spring,
Hood (NW7US), Apr, p. 89
Simple Six-Meter Loop Antenna, A, Booth (N5LB), Mar, p. 28
Six-Meter Moonbounce From Iowa, Lind (KCØSKM), Mar, p. 24 Looking Ahead in
VHF Plus: 2017 Central States VHF Society Conference, Emanuele Here are some of the articles we’re working
(WA8RJF), Oct, p. 90 on for upcoming issues of CQ:
VHF Plus: A Comparison of Feedlines – Part II, Emanuele (WA8RJF),
Mar, p. 81 Morse Code Mini-Special in January!
VHF Plus: Airplane Scatter, Emanuele (WA8RJF), Jul, p. 74 • A Novel Way to Hear Weak CW Signals
VHF Plus: Exploring the 9-Centimeter (3300-3500 MHz) Band,
Emanuele (WA8RJF), Jan, p. 86
• The $10 Keyer
VHF Plus: KB7Q Rare Grid and EME Dxpeditions, Emanuele (K8ZR), • A Code Key for Radio Silence!
Dec, p. 84.
VHF Plus: New FT8 Mode Taking VHF By Storm, Emanuele (WA8RJF),
Plus…
Sep, p. 74 • Results, 2017 CQ World Wide VHF Contest
VHF Plus: Pinging the “Roxs” with MSK144, Emanuele (WA8RJF), Apr,
p. 74 Upcoming Special Issues
VHF Plus: Station Improvements: Relays and Sequencers, Emanuele February: QRP
(WA8RJF), May, p. 75 June: Take it to the Field
VHF Plus: The Michigan Ham Van, Hessler (K8JH), Nov, p. 79 October: Emergency Communications
VHF Plus: Upgrading Your VHF Station? A Comparison of Feedlines, December: Technology
Emanuele (WA8RJF), Feb, p. 88
VHF Plus: Will MSK144 Change VHF Contesting? Emanuele
(WA8RJF), Jun, p. 90 Do you have a hobby radio story to tell? Something for one
VHF Plus: Worldwide DX on the Magic Band, Emanuele (WA8RJF), of our specials? CQ now covers the entire radio hobby.
Aug, p. 79 See our writers’ guidelines on the CQ website at <http://
bit.ly/2qBFOdU>.

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reports, QSL Information, Awards, DX news, technical articles,
the law for you as we are an IRS 501(c)(3) charity in our 33rd fier calculations. WB9OQM, http://mathison.freeshell.org
and more. Send $3.00 for sample/rates. DX Publishing, Inc.,
year of service. It is always easier to donate and usually more
P.O. Box DX, Leicester, NC 28748-0249. Phone/Fax: 828-683-
financially rewarding, BUT MOST IMPORTANT your gift will Wanna ham in the CAYMAN ISLANDS?” Go to <www.
0709; e-mail: <DX@dxpub. com>; <http://www.dxpub.com>.
mean a whole new world of educational opportunity for children martykaiser.com/24a.htm>.
nationwide. Radios you can write off; kids you can’t. Make 2017
At www.HamRadioExpress.com we know you can’t afford to
the year to help a child and yourself. Write, phone, or FAX the www.SecondHandRadio.com
waste time looking for Ham Radio Antennas & Accessories.
WB2JKJ “22 Crew” today: The RC of JHS 22, P.O. Box 1052,
With over 3,000 products in our four warehouses, you can
New York, NY 10002. Twenty-four hours call 516-674-4072; fax HF Mobile or Fixed Virtual X Antenna Patent: For Sale or
rely on Ham Radio Express to have the parts you need, in
516-674-9600; or e-mail <crew@wb2jkj.org>. Join us on the License. Request Free Power Point Presentation file. Shows
stock, especially those special, hard-to-find parts, fixed station
WB2JKJ Classroom Net, 7.238 MHz, 1200–1330 UTC daily and design details, pictures, prototype tests. Design applies to a
antennas, baluns, mobile antennas, mobile antenna mounts,
21.395 MHz from 1400 to 2000 UTC. broad frequency range for mant antenna arrays/beams/verti-
accessories, and RF connectors. Custom Built Cable
Assemblies for your Packet TNC/KPC to radio interface cals. <lgslay@sbcglobal.net>. Larry Slay, K5WUL
devices. We stock interface cables for all amateur radio makes “World of Keys – Keys III” book features highly detailed views
and models: AEA, Kantronics, MFJ, PacComm, and more and photos of keys, bugs, and paddles like few people have FOR SALE: Samlex Power Supply Model SEC 1223, 13.8V
Packet Controllers. All cables are in stock or can be built in ever seen ($18)!. Also still available, “Keys II” ($16) and “QRP @ 25 amps. Not working. Includes operating manual and
one day. All cable assemblies are double-checked before they Romps!” ($18), plus “Your Guide to HF Fun” ($16). Available schematic. Price $50 or best offer. Contact Harry, W9HRQ, at
are shipped. Toll-Free Order Lines: M–F 9 AM to 4 PM: 1-800- from dealers nationwide. <harrygraziano@gmail.com> or phone 1-773-334-4492.
726-2919 or 1-866-300-1969; Fax 1-434-525-4919. Help and
Tech Support: Not sure what model you need? At PACKET RADIO AND MORE! Join TAPR, connect with the YAESU FT-840, has FM-747 FM unit, YF-112A 6 kHz AM fil-
www.HamRadioExpress.com our Technical Support staff (1- largest amateur radio digital group in the U.S. Creators of the ter and manual. Problem with main tuning, otherwise good
434-632-7028, 9 AM to 4 PM weekdays) can help you decide TNC-2 standard, working on Software Defined Radio technol- $150. FC-800 1.8-30 MHz 150W remote ATU for FT-840 or
what you need, and all available for same-day shipment. On- ogy. Benefits: newsletter, software, discounts on kits and pub- FT-890. wotking with cables and manual, $125. Shipping
line visit: www.HamRadioExpress.com lications. For membership prices see the TAPR website: additinal. KB2DMD, (215) 541-1099.
<http://www.tapr.org>).
REAL HAMS DO CODE: Move up to CW with CW Mental Lee Shaklee W6BH (Shaklee products) passed away in 2013.
Block Buster III. Succeed with hypnosis and NLP. Includes www.isotronantennas.com FOR HF. CHECK IT OUT! Call: His 20 acre RADIO RANCH mountain top remote operation
two (2) CDs and Manual. Only $29.95 plus $7.00 s/h US. FL 719-687-0650; <wd0eja@isotronantennas. com> located in southern California is for sale. Contact Ted Halter
add $2.14 tax. Success Easy, 568 SE Maple Terrace, Port St. at (951) 316-6777 for further information.
Lucie, FL 34983, phone 561-302-7731, <www.success-is- SMART BATTERY CHARGERS: 5A model for larger deep
easy.com>. cycle down to 1/4A model for smaller QRP lead acid batteries. ANTENNA & TOWER HARDWARE: Aluminum plates:Boom
<www.a-aengineering.com> to elements, boom to mast, GP/ Vertical antennaground plates,
TWO NEW NOVELS involving ham radio: Full Circle, and Rohn 25/45 to cross arms plates, Hexabeam / spiderbeam
Frozen in Time, by N4XX. Visit <http://www.theodore-cohen- HONDURAS DX VACATION: K3, Alpha 86, SteppIR, Meals, Hubs, Moxon hubs, U bolts with sadles. All info at: e78WW@
novels.com/>. Private Facilities. HR2J, (206) 259-9688. yahoo.com or at e-bay store: stores.ebay.com/yz4izØ

advertisers’ index
including phone numbers and website addresses
AOR U.S.A., Inc....................................5 310-787-8615 www.aorusa.com

Advanced Specialties Inc....................75 201-VHF-2067 www.advancedspecialties.net
Air Boss — Innovative Tech................91 252-249-1196 www.kr4loairboss.com
Alinco ..................................................37 209-900-1296 www.alinco.com
Amateur Radio DX Handbook, The ....86 516-681-2922 http://store.cq-amateur-radio.com
Amateur Radio Roundtable ................48 901-570-2188 www.W5KUB.com
Arlan Communications........................17 805-504-3944 www.arlancommunications.com
bhi .......................................................35 www.bhi-ltd.com
Bird .....................................................49 800-877-7979 www.birdrf.com
Buddipole Antennas............................55 503-591-8001 www.buddipole.com
CQ Holiday Gift Ideas..56-61,112,Cov III 516-681-2922 http://store.cq-amateur-radio.com
CW Easy/Success Easy .....................83 561-302-7731 www.success-is-easy.com
Communications Concepts, Inc. .........45 937-426-8600 www.communication-concepts.com
Cutting Edge Enterprises....................75 831-427-8197 www.powerportstore.com
DITS and DAHS..................................51 516-681-2922 http://store.cq-amateur-radio.com
EZ Hang..............................................75 540-286-0176 www.ezhang.com
Elecraft................................................27 831-763-4211 www.elecraft.com
Electric Radio Magazine .....................83 720-924-0171 www.ermag.com
Expert Linears America, LLC..............21 281-259-7877 www.expertlinears.com
FlexRadio Systems...............................1 512-535-4713 www.flexradio.com
GAP Antenna Products.......................83 772-571-9922 www.gapantenna.com
HamTestOnline ...................................75 888-857-6164 www.hamtestonline.com
KJI Electronics ....................................91 973-571-1930 www.kjielectronics.com
Kenwood U.S.A. Corp...................Cov. II 310-639-4200 www.kenwoodusa.com
MyAntennas.com ................................69 www.MyAntennas.com
NSI Communications, Inc. ..................39 800-977-0448 www.nsiradio.com
PowerPort ...........................................75 831-427-8197 www.powerportstore.com
QCWA.................................................83 352-425-1097 www.qcwa.org
RF Parts..............................................47 800-737-2787 www.rfparts.com
RT Systems ...................................33,45 800-921-4834 www.rtsystems.com
Radio City .............................................9 800-426-2891 www.radioinc.com
REACT Int’l .......................................104 301-316-2900 www.REACTintl.org
ROHN Products LLC ..........................91 800-727-7646 www.rohnnet.com
TG Electronics ....................................91 906-370-5031 www.tgelectronics.org
W2IHY Technologies ..........................69 845-889-4253 www.w2ihy.com
W5YI Group, The................................53 800-669-9594 www.w5yi.org
World Radio TV Handbook ...............103 www.wrth.com
YLRL...................................................48 www.ylrl.org
Yaesu ................................6,7,15,Cov IV 714-827-7600 www.yaesu.com
Let CQ help you get the most for your advertising dollar!
Contact Frank Perry at 516-681-2922 x112or
via email at frank@cq-amateur-radio.com
Sloper Antennas The Quad Antenna Reflections III
by Juergen A. Weigl, OE5CWL by Bob Haviland, W4MB by Walt Maxwell, W2DU
Single- and Multi-Element Comprehensive guide to All the info in
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this book shows which Circular-Loop & Arrays, 424-page
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The Amateur Radio DX HANDBOOK

50th Anniversary Reproduction NEW!
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Whether an "old-timer," a newcomer, or a prospective DXer,
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DITS and DAHS

The ._A _...
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Using GPS to Set Your

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Table 1. Materials and Sources

Figure 2. NMEATime panel showing satellite tracking information.

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Figure 4. NMEATime panel status tab showing feedback loop information.

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NMEATime2 Setup Procedures

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Narrowbanding – Amateur Radio Style

A higher frequencies, the trend in land mobile radio

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