Messages

31

Huh? / Latest Radio World rips, 5/23/2025? Sure...

« on: May 23, 2025, 1708 UTC »

https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/business-and-law/sbe-proposes-easing-fccs-fm-interference-rules

and

https://www.radioworld.com/global/the-79th-wrth-is-the-bible-for-dx-listening

and then,

https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/delilahs-kdunam-signs-off

Well, that sucks... THANKS, Boomer!!!

32

SDR - Software Defined Radio / A Custom-Made SDR with RX / TX with YOUR specified features? Could be done?

« on: May 22, 2025, 1818 UTC »

An idea popped in my head this morning, but is it already being done? The idea, Custom-Made SDR TX / RX featuring. Meaning??? YOU, request the spec's and features that you want, and voila, end result is a rig to YOUR spec's, features, and standards. At this point, I figured that AI could calculate and write the software. Yeah, the hardware would have to be custom as well, for FREQ ranges, RX-only, TX / RX capabilities, etc. However, I don't see why it can't be done today. But, is it already??? Case in point... That Xiegu G90 is nice, for what it is, especially at its price range. However, there are features that could be way better, like wide-range AGC control, and not just three settings, wide-range NB setting that actually are effective, audio FREQ range settings, TX / RX EQ settings, compressor range settings, FM deviation and AM MOD MIN / MAX settings, wide-range A/D modulation settings, like FM standard MPX stereo, FM SCA decoding, TV analog MTS stereo, SAP decoding, AM various stereo decoding, C-QUAM, Kahn, Harris, Magnavox, etc., various analog VID decoding, NTSC, PAL, SECAM, digital ATSC 1.0 & 3.0, COFDM. The various print text modes, CW, FT's, AMTOR, RTTY, packet, FAX, etc. Heck, even custom Spread-Spectrum modes. Digital voice modes, of choices, P-25, D-Star, C4FM, DMR. Yeah, KIWI-SDR comes close, and government agencies most likely have these capabilities. And, the abilities to upgrade software & hardware. Oh, then there's Noise Reduction capabilities and various display settings. Today, someone has got to have the ability to put together such a custom type rig at our level. I suspect that I'm late to contemplate this. I wouldn't be good at the setup of such a rig, especially software-wise, but I'd love to be an end-user.

33

Equipment / Mast Mountable J-Pole Antenna, but with decoupling 1/4-wave stub.

« on: May 22, 2025, 1650 UTC »

Boomer found this:     https://www.hamradio.me/antennas/mast-mountable-j-pole-antenna.html    Huh... Well, the other ways that ops have done mast and coax decoupling is to use ferrite clamps, or wind a few turns at feed-point with the coax. I should modify the custom 462 / 467 MHz GMRS repeater J-Pole to this.

34

Software / The people stuck using ancient Windows computers? BBC rip.

« on: May 20, 2025, 1521 UTC »

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250516-the-people-stuck-using-ancient-windows-computers?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us            Yeah... I know... Not really radio related, or is it? I still have many Icom commercial HT's, and mobile rigs, that still need WIN XP to update FREQ's and modify features. Heck, I still have Motorola MAXTRAC's, and a Radius, that require DOS-based programming. My CHIRP works with WIN 8. And, Zara Radio automation runs on WIN XP. VISTA, runs a 20-year-old 8GB Sansa MP3 unit, that I've used to run on-air, and it won't take MAC and Ubuntu. So, I'm still using older Windows for various radio-related gear. And, I suspect that I'm not the only one.

35

Huh? / Possessed Radio??? Well, it wouldn't be the first.

« on: May 19, 2025, 1757 UTC »

https://www.coasttocoastam.com/photo/possessed-radio-photo/       Kind of surprised that WBST, (The Beast), didn't come on that FREQ. (Hi-hi...)   Somehow, I wouldn't worry too much about this, until that green back-lit LED turns to red. Then, I'd probably crap myself.

36

Amateur Radio / Hanvention could make for event travelers communicating and contacts? Sure...

« on: May 14, 2025, 1751 UTC »

A little late to post this, but... With Hanvention in swing this weekend, over in Xenia, OH,    https://hamvention.org/   , one thing that I've noticed living near WV routes 64, 77, and 79, is the convoys of event travelers to & fro the event on FM Simplex FREQ's, like 2M 146.520MHz, 146.550MHz, 146.580MHz, 147.490MHz, and even 446.00MHz, 29.600MHz, and occasionally 52.525MHz. Not heard anyone on 223.500MHz, yet. I've even broken-in and contacted several of these travelers. So, could make for some neat scanner listening and even contacting this weekend. 

37

Part 15 AM and FM Station Operation / D. Develop a Part 15 “Unlicensed AM” category for community broadcast use? CF pr

« on: May 14, 2025, 1719 UTC »

Boomer, linked me to another RW rip from the Common Frequency group. https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/news-makers/common-frequency-is-a-fierce-radio-activist   I wrote to them and ask about their opinion on an LPAM proposal. Well, they have one. https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/10429808002397/1    (Scroll down to,   "D. Develop a Part 15 “Unlicensed AM” category for community broadcast use")  located at the very bottom of the proposal. I congratulate them, but doubt they'll get it with The NAB to fight that tooth & nail. Then again, you just never know.

38

Huh? / Southern California Cities Invest in AM’s TIS? RW rip...

« on: May 13, 2025, 1723 UTC »

https://www.radioworld.com/tech-and-gear/products/southern-california-cities-invest-in-ams-tis   Yeah??? I'd still like to see an LPAM System, to rival the current LPFM system. Still, this shows that someone still believes that AM Radio have viability.

39

Part 15 AM and FM Station Operation / Re: Tunnel Radio: How Signals Reach Drivers Underground? LAX.

« on: May 13, 2025, 1714 UTC »

Well, as long as we're kickin' this subject around, Boomer came across this.   https://www.radioworld.com/columns-and-views/readers-forum/letter-below-ground-antenna-powered-lax-tis

40

Equipment / Radtel RT-880 multi-band, multi-mode HT. Price is certainly right.

« on: May 09, 2025, 1822 UTC »

https://www.radtels.com/products/radtel-rt-880-10w-multi-band-ham-radio-hf-uhf-vhf-with-am-usb-lsb-cw-cb-lw-mw-sw-ssb-1024-channels-cross-band-repeaper?srsltid=AfmBOop2XlWOdMosg8Fuc1DN0fdQ7-6HI_w4HWMgH_0Cy3kEEG9eDNiG&variant=44505552486608  However, where I'd seen this is the eham review.    https://www.eham.net/reviews/view-product/16123      The closest that I have is the Kenwood TH-F6A HT. Doesn't TX on CB, but RX's it. This Radtel doesn't TX on 222MHz. Tell ya what, for around a C-Note, this HT is very tempting. In 2006, my TH-F6A was around $400.00, and I thought that reasonable, for what it does. (I still do, and still have one.) Anyway, this Radtel sounds like it would be good for a Go-Bag. 

41

Part 15 AM and FM Station Operation / Re: Tunnel Radio: How Signals Reach Drivers Underground? ANT tuning?

« on: May 09, 2025, 1744 UTC »

OK... I'll see if I can explain this one. What I mean by tuning is the circuit to tune the compromise of a very short antenna's, very high, impedance. That impedance is not a low one either, but like somewhere around 200k-Ohms, and not 50, or 75 Ohms. As a result, the RF voltage on such a compromised antenna is much, much higher. Going into the Antenna Tuning Unit, (ATU), the RF volts RMS is like around 1V, but RF OUT of the ATU the RF voltage is like over 40V RMS. A low impedance antenna, at MW FREQ's may not see reflections, or absorption, from close-by trees, but having a high impedance antenna does. My close-by apple tree, with full foliage, has something in those leaves, water. So, there's a capacitive effect between my AM1620 antenna, mounted at the apex of a garage, and a close-by apple tree. What do those leaves do? Slightly, lower the impedance of that compromised short antenna. So, I can tweak a sliding inductor, in my ATU, and compensate for the tree's added, near-by, capacitance effect. In late October, I retune the antenna's ATU again, with no leaves on the tree. BTW, when you get any antenna, that comes with matching SWR lowering instructions, what do the directions almost always recommend? Tune your antenna in a wide, open, space, away from objects, buildings, and trees. If you don't, most likely, the antenna will detune in a more open space. Especially, tuning antennas on mobile installations. Now, do I notice a difference in range? Out in my fringes, yes. Not a lot, by any means, but at Part 15 levels, I want to permissibly squeak out as many microwatts of ERP as possible. So, can you imagine the capacitive effects of putting such an antenna setup in a narrow tunnel would do?  Now, why am I using 1620kHz, and not 1700kHz? That would actually, make Part 15 MW broadcasting a bit more efficient, but 1620kHz is a compromise between older radios and newer ones. A boombox, portable, table radio, etc., made before 1990 likely can tune 1620kHz, but not higher than that. There's still a lot of older AM radios out there. So, yet another compromise, between reception range and radios' accessibility. That, and 1620kHz is a free FREQ here in the daytime. Was so, in 2010, when I've decided upon that, and it still is.   Oh BTW, having a well matched antenna system has this benefit, lowering spurs and harmonic emissions.         

42

Part 15 AM and FM Station Operation / Re: Tunnel Radio: How Signals Reach Drivers Underground? A 'Maybe' RSVP.

« on: May 08, 2025, 1756 UTC »

Chris is thinking where I am in the price of a Tunnel Radio setup. However, to answer Tybee's question upon whether an intentional radiator Part 15 AM System, (100mW & 10ft antenna.), would provide enough field strength to be feasible in a fairly narrow underground traffic tunnel? My honest answer there is, 'Je ne sais pas...' , since I really don't know the real answer to this. Now, by physics, mathematics, and general radio wave length theory,  tells me that the answer make me swing to 'NO'. That said, this is an experiment that I have never done myself to see if it's true, but it indeed would be a neat one to try. Boomer, brought up this scenario to me. Putting a compromised 10ft antenna underground, in a narrow tunnel, might be harder to tune to, since the close-by walls of the tunnel may have a capacitive effect with the antenna. As it is, Monday night I retuned the ATU to my AM1620 antenna, since the close-by apple tree now has full foliage, and adds to a capacitive effect of that 10ft radiator. Not a lot, but enough that I do see a difference on that ATU peak meter. So, that's where I am coming from, and Boomer to. So, if you have a means to take a Part 15 100mW & 10ft antenna setup to the middle of an underground tunnel, to see what would happen. By all mean, please let us know what the results are, as it's a test that I suspect that has never been done.   

43

Part 15 AM and FM Station Operation / Re: Tunnel Radio: How Signals Reach Drivers Underground? RW rip...

« on: May 06, 2025, 1611 UTC »

I doubt that a Free Radiator, i.e. antenna Part 15 10ft antenna, would be effective in a tunnel situation. Ever go in a tunnel, or under a bridge, and totally lose an AM station? Same deal, wave length-wise, a tunnel is too small / narrow. It attenuates Medium Wave FREQ's, like a notch filter. Now, if you were in a huge cavern, like Mammoth Caves, then the 100mW / 10ft antenna on the AM Band could work. Actually, in a tunnel, Part 15 FM limits would be more effective, with the 3M wave length could use a tunnel like a wave guide. Now, why Carrier-Current, or even Leaky Cable, can be more effective is that it just needs to radiate like 20-some feet away to the oncoming traffic in each lane. So, a little of RF Theory & Physics involved here. Now, in a long tunnel, UHF would rock, like with 1/2W FRS radios, where UHF would really benefit from the wave guide effect, with such a small wave length. Does any of that make sense to you?

44

Part 15 AM and FM Station Operation / Re: Tunnel Radio: How Signals Reach Drivers Underground? RW rip...

« on: May 05, 2025, 1546 UTC »

Roger Skinner??? The same Roger Skinner that was in with the Pat Murphy interview, with Art Bell, in 1998?   https://archive.org/details/pat-murphy-roger-skinner-interview-on-art-bell-3-1998-edited   If that's so, the German Laugh In soldier says, "Very interesting..." Oh... As part of why the cost of a Tunnel Radio would be so much, I would suspect that the specific 'Leaky Coax Cable' can't be that cheap, due to lack of demand for it, except for that special purpose. I am speculating here, but that is part of it. That, and for a long tunnel, you'd probably would be using several watts, like 10W, or more, and not 100mW. So, an FCC Compliant AM transmitter, with exciter power from the 10W - 20W range, would be perfect for that. Now, could you shave the cost a lot there? Sure, buy used gear. For the Leaky Cables, you could actually roll your own by reversing the Outer Braid and Inner Center Conductor, and still have a terminated resistor at the end. I believe that Ernie Wilson's Carrier Current Techniques book shows that as an option. Anyway... My $0.02 worth, again.   

45

The RF Workbench / Regulators in Use & Misuse by Harry Lythall - SM0VPO. Voltage REG's like LM78XX

« on: May 04, 2025, 1603 UTC »

http://sm0vpo.altervista.org/power/regulator.htm    I seem to remember that I've posted INFO on Voltage Regulators before, but this is a nice write-up on them. I use them on gear from the 60's, 70's, and 80's, with great results. (Thank you Boomer for FWR this to me!)