Topics

271

Amateur Radio / FCC to Require E-mail Addresses for Amateur Radio Licensing?

« on: December 04, 2020, 2254 UTC »

Huh... Not everyone has an E-mail address out there. Especially, those that are off-grid.    http://www.arrl.org/w1aw-bulletins-archive/ARLB038/2020

272

MW Loggings / EDM on 1580kHz?

« on: December 03, 2020, 2006 UTC »

Propagation just sucked on lower HF bands last night, so DX'ed MW. Surprised to hear a progressive EDM format on 1580AM, booming in at S+20/9. The only promo that I heard was, "CD 92-9". No doubt, (Minus Gwen Steffani.), a dump-off from an FM station. But, which one??? Heard this best at 07:30UTC, 12/3/2020. Any clues??? Neat to hear this format on the AM band, with a format not unlike the 'ol mystery pirate WMPR.

273

Huh? / WBCQ programs now using Archive.org.

« on: December 01, 2020, 2019 UTC »

COOL!!!! Kindda' sucked that I couldn't download Allan Weiner Wide-Wide and Radio Timtron as well. However, looks like they've moved over to Arichive.org,   https://archive.org/details/@splatterbox3200    Plenty of other WBCQ programs there as well. (YEA!!!!)

274

Amateur Radio / Santa Nets are back. Tis the season.

« on: November 30, 2020, 1748 UTC »

They're back! The Santa Nets on 3916Khz,   https://www.cqsanta.com/  It's neat listening to them coordinate those.

275

Amateur Radio / Test your RX DX'ing in the unofficial 3799kHz Euro DX Window.

« on: November 28, 2020, 1950 UTC »

Since I don't get home from work now, until stupid o'clock, (Like around 7:00UTC), I miss a lot of Amateur Radio activity, or do I? More and more, I hear the FREQ of 3799Khz being used as the LSB 75M DX Window to Europe. A good test for my Windom, as I can seem to copy 90% of what's trying to shoot over here. So, from about 1AM - 4AM EST on the East Coast, the Europeans are trying to shoot over here. The Big-Guns are the ones with 75M beams up over 100ft and running over 400W, but 100W, dipoled, stations have been heard over here. So, test your RX on that FREQ and find out what you can hear. Most stations report what power and antennas they are using, so even if you never intend to QSO on 3799kHz, it's certainly worth testing your RX capabilities there.

276

Amateur Radio / Winter Field Day 2021!

« on: November 23, 2020, 1920 UTC »

Not too early to start looking at this,    https://www.winterfieldday.com/   

277

Huh? / Well, this sucks! NSF begins planning for decommissioning of Arecibo Observatory

« on: November 19, 2020, 2144 UTC »

NSF begins planning for decommissioning of Arecibo Observatory’s 305-meter telescope due to safety concerns,   https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=301674     Bye-bye ultimate DX.

278

Amateur Radio / Last day to file re: FCC $50 proposed Fee on applications?

« on: November 16, 2020, 1858 UTC »

I was reminded of the following:

This is a reminder that today is the last day to file comments about the FCC increasing "application fees" to 50.00 each application.
A new ham could possibly up to $200.00 (50 for Tech, 50 for General, 50 Extra, and 50 if you'd like a Vanity Call.) and this does not include the VE charges to take the test(s).

Please make your filling today

PS forward this to anyone you think that hasn't entered their comment..

-  -  -  -  -  -
Amendment of the Schedule of Application Fees Set Forth in Sections 1.1102 through 1.1109 of the Commission's Rules
https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filings/express
Docket 20-270
 
Comments can be viewed at:
https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/search/filings?proceedings_name=20-270&q=amateur%20radio%20fees&sort=date_received,DESC

279

Software / Will Net Radio Data Base Reciva go bye-bye? Alternatives? And UPDATE!

« on: November 11, 2020, 2024 UTC »

Looks like Reciva, the company that has been the data base for Net and wi-fi radios for over 15 years, will be calling it quits. https://radios.reciva.com/   That will really suck for those of us that use these radios. the C-Crane co., had this to say about that:

"Yes, Reciva is closing. Grace Digital offers a WiFi Radio that uses another database if you'd like to take a look at the Grace Mondo Eilite Radio. I'm including the link below to the radio on our site as well as the link to Grace if you'd like to check them out. We do expect to come out with another WiFi Radio in the future, that could take 6-12 months as an estimate. At this time that is all the information we have available regarding Reciva.

https://ccrane.com/gracedigital-mondo-elite-wifi-internet-radio-alarm-clock-with-bluetooth-iheartradio-npr-and-radio-com/

https://gracedigital.com/    "

So, we'll see. I love my Net Only Radios, since they free up computers for streams and automatically reset the stream connection when the stream breaks. That, and the D/A converters just sound better in them.


UPDATE: The bad news is that Net Only Radios that use Reciva as the data base will be pretty much paperweights after 1/31/2021. (Yeah... I'm pretty pissed about that too.) So, some saving grace is Grace Digital,  https://gracedigital.com/      Hit the CHAT icon and ask if you can get a 20% discount on a new Grace Digital based Net Only Radio. Well, that's something, anyway. At least, as far as customer COMM's go, they've already been X1,000 % better than Reciva.

280

Propagation / ANOTHER BIG SUNSPOT?

« on: November 03, 2020, 1846 UTC »

Here comes another one. Is Cycle 25 ramping up?     https://www.spaceweather.com/?s=03

281

Part 15 AM and FM Station Operation / WLCR-AM Carrier Current Lewisburg / White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia

« on: November 01, 2020, 0638 UTC »

I'd forgotten about this being a neat read,   http://johnbrashear.tripod.com/wlcr.html

282

MW Loggings / DX Test This Sat Night/Sun Morn WNJC 1360?

« on: October 23, 2020, 1910 UTC »

Ripped from The FRN:

Just got an email with the following info:

DX Test This Saturday Night/Sunday Morning-- WNJC 1360, Washington Township, NJ

Heard from several active and retired engineers who are interested in DX Tests. Thought you professionals might enjoy hearing about a DX Test coming up tomorrow night. Here are the details from WNJC 1360 in Washington Township, NJ. They will be conducting a DX Test tomorrow night into Sunday morning for our clubs:

WNJC 1360 DX TEST-- SATURDAY OCTOBER 17 INTO SUNDAY MORNING OCTOBER 18

"04:00 UTC-Midnight Eastern- WNJC will conduct the DX audio test using Morse Code and sweep tones continuing on our nighttime pattern.

At 0500 UTC- 1 AM Eastern I will be switching to our daytime pattern at 5kw using 4 towers directional to SSE with the DX audio test concluding at 0600 UTC. From 0600 - 1000 UTC I will be leaving the transmitter in daytime mode
but be playing a mix of 80s - 2010 pop, rock, dance, country and whatever else I grew up listening to and feel like playing.

Listen for the sweepers between songs of movie & tv show clips along with our voice-over guy."

WNJC has tested previously and been heard as far away as the West Coast of the United States and Canada. Their test signals have also been received in the UK, Norway, and Spain. Listen for their signal if you get the chance.

73,
Les Rayburn, N1LF

Also another person added:

From what I found on the web, WNJC has been running DX tests quite often during September and October. They have even sent some FT-8.

I can remember when DX tests were quite common and well publicized by the radio clubs. It was quite common on a Sunday morning when a high power station would go off the air for transmitter maintenance and then the lower power stations on the same frequency could be heard and would have special dx tests.

Don't see this happening much anymore.

73
Bill

283

Amateur Radio / CQ World Wide DX Contest this weekend!

« on: October 22, 2020, 1849 UTC »

With that cold snap coming through this weekend in the northern states, this might be worth checking out,     https://www.cqww.com/rules.htm

284

The RF Workbench / Tecsun PL-990X/PL-330 New Hidden Feature

« on: October 09, 2020, 1907 UTC »

Did anyone else know about this?     https://radiojayallen.com/2020/10/09/tecsun-pl-990x-pl-330-new-hidden-feature/

285

MW Loggings / WGN 720AM, from inside a sheet metal building, booming in.

« on: October 02, 2020, 1650 UTC »

The talk station that I wanted to listen too last night suddenly went off-air just after 4PM. So, pissed with sports radio, until dark. Then, tuned around on a cheap POS QFX portable that I have there. To my surprise, Chicago's WGN just boomed right in for the last 2hrs of work. And, that's inside a steel building, where my AM RX'ing is very limited. So is my FM. I've heard folks say that AM DX'ing seems to be much better now, and I guess so. However, Cleveland's 1100WTAM has been a hard catch at night, lately. Must be too close at 300 miles away, where as WGN is about 500 miles from me.