Monitoring the Chinese Manned Space Program
By Larry Van Horn N5FPW
In 2003 China became just the third country to achieve independent human spaceflight when it successfully orbited the crewed Shenzhou-5 spacecraft, followed by two space laboratories—Tiangong 1 and 2 in 2011 and 2016. While the program has been somewhat quiet, that’s about to change in 2021. Larry looks at China’s manned space program and rare opportunities to listen.
VOA: The Voice of Democracy
By Scott A. Caldwell
The Voice of America first took to the airwaves on February 25, 1942, just 79 days after the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. VOA’s mission statement was based on this principle: “The news may be good. The news may be bad. But we shall tell you the truth.” Over the next 79 years VOA fought domestic distrust, the Red Scare and constant budget battles to stay on mission. Scott explains the history of what the New York Times called, “The largest broadcaster that few Americans know about.”
Take Five (MHz): The Allure of 60 Meters
By Cory GB Sickles WA3UVV
One of our HF amateur allocations is not actually a band—at least as far as North American hams are concerned. It exists in sharp contrast to the others as a set of channels in the 5 MHz range and is known as the 60-meter band. Cory explains the unusual, and somewhat confusing, band-plan for 60 meters—what you need to know about operating 60 meters (including power output and antenna gain limits as well as mode operating limits) and what other organizations actually have primary use of the frequencies.
TSM Reviews: tinySA Spectrum Analyzer
By Bob Grove W8JHD
Whether you are a newcomer to the radio hobby or an electronics professional, there is one piece of test equipment that should be part of your shack—a spectrum analyzer. For years, these devices have been laboratory quality and carried hefty price tags, but solid-state microelectronics advances, coupled with an influx of foreign competition has brought an effective but inexpensive alternative to the market. Bob reviews the tinySA spectrum analyzer that comes with an equally small price: $50-60.
Scanning America
By Dan Veeneman
Sumter County (FL), Wallowa County (OR)
Federal Wavelengths
By Chris Parris
Federal Monitoring 2021
Milcom
By Larry Van Horn N5FPW
The World of Strange Military Stations
Utility Planet
By Hugh Stegman
The Strangest Fake “Numbers” Station Ever
Shortwave Utility Logs
By Hugh Stegman and Mike Chace-Ortiz
VHF and Above
By Joe Lynch N6CL
Arecibo Radio Telescope: Lost to the World—Update
Digitally Speaking
By Cory GB Sickles WA3UVV
Original Digital
Amateur Radio Insights
By Kirk Kleinschmidt NT0Z
Does Your Antenna Need a Feed Line Choke? Almost Certainly. Maybe Two!
Radio 101
By Ken Reitz KS4ZR
American High School Radio 2021
The World of Shortwave Listening
By Jeff White, Chairman, HFCC
AWR Wavescan: A Collaborative Effort among Shortwave Listeners and Broadcasters
The Shortwave Listener
By Fred Waterer
New Year’s Shortwave Lineup
Adventures in Radio Restoration
By Rich Post KB8TAD
The Command Receiver: Reviving an ARC-5 and a Navy ARA
Antenna Connections
By Robert Gulley K4PKM
A Look into Antenna Traps