Inhaltsverzeichnis für October 2022 in Radio User

The SWR-300 is designed to measure the transmission power and the standing-wave ratio of radios that operate in the frequency range of 120-500MHz. The Moonraker SWR-300 is a compact dual-function test meter to indicate the condition of any antenna system and transmitter with an impedance of 50Ω. At the time of going to press, the main features and specifications of the SWR300 are: Connector: 2 x SO239 • Frequency: 120 - 500MHz • Power: 0.5 - 150W • Impedance: 50 Ω • Weight: 248g • Dimensions: 130mm x 60mm x 35mm. (SOURCE: Moonraker) https://tinyurl.com/y6xaxuxv THE DAY JOHN LENNON BECAME A DISC JOCKEY: It’s not every day that you hear a former member of The Beatles read the weather forecast. But on September 28, 1974, John Lennon did just that, during…

RADIO PULSARS: Some 30 years ago, some astronomers discovered the first ‘exoplanets’, a trio of small rocky planets orbiting a dead star acting as a ‘cosmic lighthouse’. Now, a new survey of hundreds of these lighthouses, or pulsars, revealed that the existence of those planets is the exception rather than the rule. Fewer than 0.5% of pulsars are likely to host Earth-sized or larger exoplanets, which deepens the mystery of how any planets exist in those systems at all. “One of the main things about pulsar planets is we don’t know how to get a planet around a pulsar,” said Iuliana Nițu, a doctoral student at the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom and lead researcher on the new survey. “It’s circular: You need to study the population to…

kevin@radio-digital.co.uk The digital radio standard Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) can be used in broadcast bands up to 240MHz. It overlaps with Band III (used by DAB worldwide) but tends to confine its activities to the AM and FM bands. Both DRM and Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) are versatile digital radio systems but they have never been used to their full potential. Many tests were carried out but broadcasters on DAB opted to ‘squeeze in’ as many stations as possible onto a multiplex, and radio manufacturers built minimum specification receivers. I guess DRM has explored more of the features built into that system because of the lower adoption rate of the technology. DRM had a positive start in Europe but faded somewhat as SW and MW broadcasting declined. At its peak,…

Keith405625.kh1@gmail.com Garry405625.gs@gmail.com The final edition of Last Of The Summer Wine was transmitted on Sunday, August 29th, 2010. This was the 31st series of the very popular BBC-1 programme. The final line was spoken over the closing credits by Peter Sallis (playing Norman Clegg) who said, “Did I lock the door?”. The series had a peak audience figure in the mid-1980s of around 19 million viewers; the final episode had an estimated figure of 5 million. The first edition was transmitted on BBC-1 on January 4th, 1973. Each episode had a unique, ‘tailor-made’ rendition of the well-known theme tune, written by Ronnie Hazlehurst. A lyric written by Bill Owen, who played Compo, was added later. Over the years, the series took on the appearance of a ‘retirement home for well-known…

wiessala@hotmail.co.uk Keith.g4miu@gmail.com Many of our regular RadioUser columnists are also engaged, to varying degrees, in making radios, PCBs, accessories and components. One great example of such activity is our Aerials Now columnist and reviewer Keith Rawlings, the driving force behind the company R.E.C. Electronics Keith has written about Magnetic Long Wire BALUNs here before (e.g. in RadioUser, September 2016: 58-63). Some of Keith’s work has now taken a more concrete shape, and he recently sent me a pre-production model of a new BALUN (Balancing Transformer). This was a cylindrical device (Fig. 2), built to accommodate a simple long-wire aerial. The acronym ‘BALUN’ stands for ‘Balanced-Unbalanced’. These are devices used to couple a balanced impedance, such as an aerial, to an unbalanced transmission line, like a coaxial cable. A BALUN is…

RadioUser STOP PRESS! The FireSpot is a fantastic and affordable way to get access to digital radio covering the most common modes like D-Star, DMR, Fusion, and so on. What is great about the FireSpot, is that it can be used wirelessly, but also can be plugged directly into your router via ethernet cable giving it a very reliable and stable connection to the digital platform. The faster quad-core processor gives a quicker boot-up time compared to the common range of hot spots available. It comes complete in a sturdy 3d printed box and is powered via a micro-USB cable. The FireSpot comes preinstalled, just hook it up to your router (preferred option) for the first setup, enter your details wireless SSID and password, reboot and away you go. The…

Scottandrew.caldwell@yahoo.co.uk On December 12th, 1901, signals from over 2,000 miles away were heard by Guglielmo Marconi (1874-1937) and his assistant George Stephen Kemp (1857-1933). This one singular event would change the course of human history. These weak signals were transmitted from a Poldhu a site that would soon become the Voice of the Empire (Fig. 1). The wireless operators at Poldhu had been issued with strict instructions to transmit signals repeatedly at designated times until they were detected. In order to network the far reaches of the British Empire, Marconi devised a two-way wireless communication system that would systematically bridge the vast Atlantic Ocean. This would facilitate a commercial alternative to the established service provided by the Anglo-American Telegraph Company. To fulfil this business plan Marconi had no option but…

HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH A SUBMARINE: The (US) Navy uses Very Low-Frequency (VLF) radio waves that penetrate the ocean to talk to submarines. Prof Simon Holland explores the subject in this video (cf. URL below) [See picture, right, and some of our previous articles on VLF matters in RadioUser 2020-2022 – Ed.]. (SOURCE: Bob Houlston G4PVB, Volunteer Correspondent). www.tinyurl.com/4r2kcvsu IBC TO PRESENT BBC WITH INTERNATIONAL HONOUR FOR EXCELLENCE: To mark its centenary, the International Broadcasting Convention (IBC) has presented the BBC with its International Honour for Excellence during this year’s show: “Our industry, of course, has been driven forward by innovators and creators from all around the world,” said Michael Crimp, CEO of IBC; “but all of us trace the source back to those cramped rooms in Savoy Hill in…

gi7ivx@btinternet.com Summer DXing of MF/HF frequencies can be challenging due to high levels of static, especially when trying to listen to weak signals. Coupled with this, seasonal propagation conditions can be variable resulting in difficult listening conditions and poor loggings if you are listening by ear. Often this QRN is associated with thunderstorms, and especially lightning. Unfortunately, these storms do not need to be in your locality but can be many miles away (Fig. 1). Fig. 1a shows lightning strikes about 100 nm from my location during a thunderstorm one night in late July. In Fig. 1b, the effect this has on MF/HF radio reception can be observed. You can see that it just wipes out the complete band for a brief period. If you were listening to the audio,…

dj.daviator@btinternet.com One of the major benefits of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) is that it provides radar-like coverage where real radar is unavailable – and often impossible – to provide. Aircraft can be tracked accurately and in real-time. The biggest benefit is over the North Atlantic where it allows controllers to ‘see’ aircraft. This enables the previous very large separations to be drastically reduced, thus freeing up space for ever-increasing volumes of traffic. The ‘B’ stands for ‘Broadcast’: The aircraft continually transmits its precise GPS position, along with other information through a Mode S transponder, to any receiver tuned to it. All very neat, but the big problem in the eyes of many private and commercial aircraft operators is that their aircraft are trackable by just about anyone. An aircraft’s ADS-B…

tim@livingland.wales There is a wide variety of hand held radios available on the market these days. When I was on a video call the other day, someone spotted the array of handheld radios on the shelf behind me and wondered if I had enough! The trouble is, that many of them do something a little bit different and no one unit does it all! This month, I thought I would take a look at the various options that are available to you when buying a handheld, which is, after all, very often a first radio purchase when someone is getting into the hobby. The VHF/UHF handheld market changed massively around 15 years ago when Chinese manufacturers started to make more units available. Before that, VHF/UHF handhelds had been produced by…

A British smartphone maker hopes to steal a march on Apple and Tesla boss Elon Musk with a new satellite-connected handset. If there is no wi-fi or mobile network signal, the idea is the Bullitt phone will automatically link to one of two global satellite networks. Bullitt’s service is due to launch in February 2023 and will initially enable users to send and receive text messages only. (Source: BBC Radio 4 | via Bob Houlston, RU Voluntary Correspondent). https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-62796363…

RadioUser STOP PRESS! Icom announced an exciting industry-first at the Tokyo Hamfair, which opened on 20th August 2022. Based on its SHF project, the IC-905 VHF/UHF/SHF SDR transceiver will not only cover 144, 430, 1,200, 2,400 and 5,600MHz, but 10 GHz* as well. (*Optional CX-10G transverter is required). Icom published a video and pre-release document to coincide with the launch during the show. Also showcased at the Hamfair was the IC-PW2 HF/50MHz 1kW linear amplifier. ICOM said, “as to the launch date and pricing, we don’t have those details but rest assured we will publish them on our website and social media channels when we have them. ICOM will be showing these new products later this year at the National Hamfest; so make a note in your diary to come…

SIMON RIMMER JOINS SCALA RADIO: Sunday Brunch host Simon Rimmer is joining Scala Radio to host a series where he looks at the unique pairing of food and music. Across the Table with Simon Rimmer launches on Sunday 4 September with the further three episodes on air each Sunday from 6 pm – 8 pm. The show will include the best pieces from the classical world and discovering lesser-known tracks that have a connection with food and drink. Simon will be joined by his favourite foodie friends such as Tom Kerridge, Clodagh McKenna, Paul Ainsworth and more. The series will also include conversations around the dinner table, ranging from kitchen hacks and food trends to budgeting and sustainability. On joining Scala Radio, Simon said: “I am excited to be joining…

Philips D2999 Jim Gordon wrote in with the following informative comment: “In the September issue of Radio User (pp. 60-62) you featured the above vintage radio [The Philips D2999, pictured – Ed.] and you mentioned that you thought that “It was Phillip’s only foray into world band radio”. In fact, there was another smaller but popular model the D 2935 Synthesized World Receiver D2935 PLL Radio Philips; Eindhoven (radiomuseum.org). It had a plastic membrane keypad that tended to crack, and replacements are available from several sources. Thank you and your colleagues for your work on Radio User. I too have a collection of vintage shortwave radios. My top three are the Sony ICF 2001D and the Panasonic RF2200 and RF B65. I have featured these and others from my collection…

25 September WESTON SUPER MARE RS 7TH RADIO & ELECTRONICS RALLY: The Campus Community Centre BS24 7DX; 10 am to 2 pm. https://tinyurl.com/2p986v6t 25-30 September EUROPEAN MICROWAVE WEEK 2022 (MILAN) https://tinyurl.com/y49mv8j6 https://www.micomilano.it/en 2 October WELSH RADIO RALLY NEW VENUE: Llanwern High School, Farm Rd, Newport, South Wales NP18 2YE. Doors open at 10 am. (BB | TS). www.gw6gw.co.uk 7-9 October (Friday to Sunday) THE RSGB CONVENTION https://tinyurl.com/265yh44r 14-15 October THE NATIONAL HAMFEST: George Stephenson Pavilion, Newark & Nottingham Showground, Lincoln Rd, Winthorpe, Newark, Notts. RG24 2NY Local and international traders; B&B | Books | CBS | Clubs | RSGB | SIG). Tickets can now be purchased online. 16 October HORNSEA ARC RALLY: Driffield Show Ground, Driffield, East Yorkshire YO25 9DW. www.hornseaarc.co.uk 22 October ESSEX CW BOOT CAMP/CW CONVENTION: 3rd Witham…

Keith.g4miu@gmail.com Verticals have several very attractive attributes that make them popular for listeners and radio amateurs alike. They are often essential for broadcasters, and their vertical radiation pattern has many proven benefits when using the LW and MW bands. Verticals are generally, but not always, omnidirectional. This means that they can be cheap and easy to make, relatively simple to put up, and you do not always need a lot of space for one either. For HF, going ‘up’ can be easier than ‘going’ out, and designs for listeners can be simple and practical, such as, hanging a wire down the side wall of a house or hidden in a tree. Any λ/4 verticals, from around the 40m band upwards, are quite feasible, in terms of their implementation. Gain, Loading…