Topics

1

Amateur Radio / ARRL Field Day is June 26-27, 2021.

« on: June 22, 2021, 1900 UTC »

Tis the season.    http://www.arrl.org/Field-Day    Now, can we keep the T-storms away and have lots od Sporadic E? Tropo would be nice, for getting those VHF / UHF points.

2

Huh? / FCC Authorizes Last-Minute Franken FM Experiment?

« on: June 21, 2021, 0619 UTC »

From Radio Survivor, on the remaining analog LPTV Franken-FM stuations.  http://www.radiosurvivor.com/2021/06/16/its-alive-fcc-authorizes-last-minute-franken-fm-experiment/

3

Amateur Radio / WV QSO Party this SAT 6/19/2021!

« on: June 17, 2021, 1859 UTC »

Huh... Only for one day. They didn't want to operate on Happy Pappy Day?   https://www.qsl.net/wvsarc/wvqp/wvqp.html

4

Propagation / The Termination Event?

« on: June 11, 2021, 2040 UTC »

K8RRT FWR this to me.    https://spaceweatherarchive.com/2021/06/11/the-termination-event/

5

Amateur Radio / Oh crap!!! It's this weekend? ARRL VHF sweepsteaks!!!

« on: June 10, 2021, 2030 UTC »

Thought that thus was the weekend afterwards, since it's usually the weekend before ARRL Field Day, but not this year, apparently.      http://www.arrl.org/june-vhf

6

Equipment / The Icom IC-705 SDR HF / VHF / UHF portable hits all marks, except for one.

« on: June 10, 2021, 1856 UTC »

Awh… One big miss here. Just too bad that they couldn’t extend the range of the upper VHF RX from 200MHz limit, up to 225MHz, for for all-mode 222MHz in the 1 1/4M band. Yes, you can get a transverter for that, but still, it just misses that mark. Other than that, the IC-705 is very enticing. Hmmmmm... Makes you wonder if a firmware change can open that up to 222MHz?   https://swling.com/blog/2021/06/the-icom-ic-705-is-this-really-a-new-holy-grail-swl-bcl-receiver/  Yeah... I know... Nit picking to the MAX, but I'd like to see Icom go all-the-way.

7

Part 15 AM and FM Station Operation / New 6V6 Medium Wave AM transmitter.

« on: June 04, 2021, 1830 UTC »

Boomer FWR me this link for this TX:     https://www.ebay.com/itm/184784608562      The Blue Tooth feature wouldn't be a seller for me, but I could see where it would be attractive for others.

8

Propagation / Heatwave could trigger some Tropo VHF / UHF Propagation this 6/ 6/2021 week?

« on: June 04, 2021, 0648 UTC »

Surprised that we are in this see-saw weather, way below normal one week, cooking the next. Well, with this next heatwave coming for most of the Eastern half of USA and Canada, some of these late nights, early mornings, could yield some nice Tropo Propagation on the VHF / UHF bands. I like to use our tax $$$$ funded propagational beacons, a.k.a. the 162MHz, 24/7, Weather Stations. I'll put a scanner, or an HT, on scan on those FREQ's and see if the DX Weather Stations start coming in, besides the two that I normally get. Then again, when a DX station goes over our local 162.400MHz Station, that's a good give-away as well. I think that heatwaves suck, but if it does indeed yield to some nice Tropo Enhanced DX, might as well enjoy that.

9

Amateur Radio / RF Exposure Standards go into effect on May 3, 2021, including Amateur Radio!

« on: May 21, 2021, 2119 UTC »

I find it interesting that this news was not #1 headlines in various Amateur Radio news! Thus, I'm glad that WB8YST has brought the following to attention:

The FCC has announced that rule changes detailed in a lengthy 2019 Report and Order governing RF exposure standards go into effect on May 3, 2021. The new rules do not change existing RF exposure (RFE) limits but do require that stations in all services, including amateur radio, be evaluated against existing limits, unless they are exempted. For stations already in place, that evaluation must be completed by May 3, 2023. After May 3 of this year, any new station, or any existing station modified in a way that’s likely to change its RFE profile – such as different antenna or placement or greater power – will need to conduct an evaluation by the date of activation or change. http://www.arrl.org/news/updated-radio-frequency-exposure-rules-become-effective-on-may-3

 

http://w5rgv.org/new-fcc-rf-exposure-rules/

 

Results - RF Exposure Calculator (hintlink.com)

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65IEvZoXEyo

 

https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-19-126A1.pdf

 

http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Technology/RFsafetyCommittee/28RFSafety.pdf

 

http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Technology/RFsafetyCommittee/RF+Exposure+and+You.pdf

 

The Amateur Service is no longer categorically excluded from certain aspects of the rules, as amended, and licensees can no longer avoid performing an exposure assessment simply because they are transmitting below a given power level.

 

“For most amateurs, the major difference is the removal of the categorical exclusion for amateur radio, which means that ham station owners must determine if they either qualify for an exemption or must perform a routine environmental evaluation,” said Greg Lapin, N9GL, chair of the ARRL RF Safety Committee and a member of the FCC Technological Advisory Council (TAC).

“Ham stations previously excluded from performing environmental evaluations will have until May 3, 2023, to perform these. After May 3, 2021, any new stations or those modified in a way that affects RF exposure must comply before being put into service,” Lapin said.

 

10

Huh? / Comb Stereo on Shortwave? No hair brush required.

« on: May 16, 2021, 1922 UTC »

I'm out, if style gels and moose are required. But, um, yeah... Another SWLing rip here. http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~daz2002/tech/CombStereo/
and   https://swling.com/blog/2021/05/guest-post-listening-to-comb-stereo-on-shortwave/

11

Amateur Radio / Listing of Eastern Hamfests 2021.

« on: May 13, 2021, 1826 UTC »

Courtesy of WB8YST for this info. All subject to possible change:
This is a 2021 COVID version – most confirmed by www “?”

 

?Canceled 2021 | Breeze Shooters Hamfest and Computer Show

 

Canceled 2021 | Manassas Hamfest & Maker Technology Show

 

07/10/2021 | Mansfield InterCity ARC Trunkfest

Location: Mansfield, Ohio -
Type: 2019 ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: InterCity Amateur Radio Club

Website: : http://www.iarc.club

 

07/10/2021 | 37th Annual Firecracker Hamfest (facebook page seems iffy 2021)

Location: Salisbury, NC
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: Rowan Amateur Radio Society
Website: http://www.rowanars.com/events

 

08/07/2021 | (Columbus Hamfest)

Location: Columbus, OH
Type: ARRL Hamfest - Aladdin Shrine Center
Sponsor: Voice of Aladdin ARC http://columbushamfest.com

 

???unknown 08-07-2021 Although not set yet, this should be the Huntington Hamfest

 
08/21&22/2021 | Alabama, Huntsville Hamfest
Location: Huntsville, AL      700 Monroe St SW, Huntsville, AL 35801

Type: ARRL Southeastern Division Convention
Sponsor: Huntsville Hamfest

Saturday Grand Prize,  Yaesu FTdx-10 Sunday Main Prize,  MUST be present to win.

Yaesu FT-991A additional Sunday Main Prize, donated by Shack-in-a-Box
Website: http://www.hamfest.org

 

08/27,28,29/2021 | West Virginia State Convention

Location: Flatwoods, WV - Days Inn
Type: ARRL Convention
Sponsor: WV State Radio Council
Website: http://qsl.net/wvsarc

 
08/28/2021 - Cincinnati Hamfest℠

Location: Owensville, OH
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: Milford ARC
Website: http://CincinnatiHamfest.org

 

SUNDAY AUGUST 29, 2021 SKYVIEW RADIO SOCIETY SWAP N SHOP

Location: New Kensington, PA 2335 Turkey Ridge Road

Type: ARRL Convention

Sponsor: SKYVIEW RADIO SOCIETY

Website: http://www.skyviewradio.net/ham-fests/

 

09/03, 09/04 09/05, /2021 | Shelby HamFest

Location: Shelby, NC
Type: ARRL Convention
Sponsor: Shelby Amateur Radio Club
Website: http://shelbyhamfest.org

 
09/11/2021 - Greater Louisville Hamfest 2021 - 60th Anniversary

Location: Shepherdsville, KY
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: Greater Louisville Hamfest Association
Website: http://LouisvilleHamfest.com
 
09/18/2021 - Richmond Hamfest

Location: Richmond, KY
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: CKARS
Website: http://www.ckars.org/hamfest

 

09/12/2021 | Butler SwapFest

Location: Butler, PA
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: Butler County Amateur Radio Association
Website: http://w3udx.org

 

 

Is this Canceled ?09/19/2021  | Coal Country ARC Hamfest 

Location: Madison, WV
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: Coal Country Amateur Radio Club
Website: http://www.wv8ccc.org/?page_id=118

 

 

09/26/2021 | Cleveland Hamfest and Computer Show

Location: Berea, OH
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: Hamfest Association of Cleveland
Website: http://www.hac.org

 

 

?10/09/2021  | Parkersburg - Wood County Hamfest 

Location: Wood County 4-H Campground
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: Wood County Emergency Communications

Website: http://wc8ec.org

 

11/13-14/2021 | Fort Wayne Hamfest and Computer Expo

Location: Fort Wayne, IN (4000 Parnell Avenue)

Allen County War Memorial Coliseum and Exposition Center

Type: ARRL Convention

Sponsor: Allen County Amateur Radio Technical Society

Website: http://www.fortwaynehamfest.com/clubmain.htm

Went to this hamfest in 2019, I will highly consider going to more

 

12

Amateur Radio / Bill Introduced to Designate April 18, 2022, as National Amateur Radio Operators

« on: May 09, 2021, 2139 UTC »

From ARRL.org,     http://www.arrl.org/news/bill-introduced-to-designate-april-18-2022-as-national-amateur-radio-operators-day    Huh... Wonder why they didn't pick the ARRL Field Day date?

13

Software / DRM for Android? Sounds more practical.

« on: May 09, 2021, 1959 UTC »

I don't have a smartphone, but I do have one of those cheap-ass Polaroid tablets that's Android driven. Hmmmmmm... Wonder if this would work with my RTL-SDR dongle?    https://swling.com/blog/2021/05/starwaves-drm-softradio-app-for-android-now-released/

14

Huh? / Saturday night’s NASA rocket launch may produce high energy auroras? Really???

« on: May 08, 2021, 1857 UTC »

Damn... Gotta' miss this one.    https://www.news4jax.com/weather/2021/05/06/friday-nights-nasa-rocket-launch-may-produce-high-energy-auroras/?fbclid=IwAR2tSLEl4wlAZuXLtDkX6H8oO25vZ2z6wu-df4bLnUcQLpd4ZfUG1p4s2so

15

Equipment / Gary DeBock’s 2021 Ultralight Radio Shootout! Another SWLing rip.

« on: May 07, 2021, 2012 UTC »

Hmmmmmmmmmmm... Looks like Radio Jay Allen has a 'lil competition here. Neat read, fo' sure.      https://swling.com/blog/2021/05/gary-debocks-2021-ultralight-radio-shootout/