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July 2015 Issue


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Radio Memories

By Lawrence E. DeMilner W1TA

The benefits of amateur radio would eventually pay lifelong dividends for a 12 year-old boy, sitting for his Novice license exam 62 years ago. After being interviewed on the Today Show as a Boy Scout, he would later spend seven months as an American ham in the USSR at the height of the Cold War. Later still, he would spend three years as one of the scarcest DX calls in the world. It was all because of amateur radio.

 

XER – King of the Mexican Border Blasters

By John Schneider W9FGH

From its inception, radio has attracted more than its share of schemers and outright con artists. The story of John Brinkley and his questionable medical services, which allowed him to mass a personal fortune, is the story of one man dodging lawsuits and legislation designed to bring him down. But, before that could happen, he had built the most powerful radio station in the Western Hemisphere and turned it into a cash-generating machine.  

 

When Our Vintage Radios Fought in the Air War

By Richard Fisher KI6SN

From post-war radio frenzies, created by a massive military-surplus market, grew a thirst among shortwave listeners and radio amateurs to acquire the gear that served so admirably in the skies—especially during World War II. Most of these receivers, transmitters and their accessories were top performers, and yet they were quite inexpensive on the surplus market. They were golden back then, just as they are today. Richard charts the history of radio and aviation.

 

Watts Up? Line Voltage for Vintage Radios

By Rich Post KB8TAD

Recently, Rich Post measured the AC voltage in his home electric circuits: 123.5 volts. According to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), that is well within the accepted service range of 114 to 126 volts for line voltage, which is nominally 120 plus or minus 5%; a range hasn't changed since the original ANSI standard was published in 1954. He asks, “My refrigerator and microwave oven might be happy at 123.5 or even 126 volts, but what about my vintage radios?” Rich shows us how to safely reduce the voltage that our vintage sets work best at.

 

Multiple Satellite Reception from a Single Ku-Band Dish (Part 1)

By Mike Kohl

Direct Broadcast Satellites, such as DirecTV and DISH Network, are positioned close enough in the Clark Belt to allow several LNBFs mounted on a single dish to receive the satellites that make up their programming lineup of hundreds of channels. But, Free-to-Air satellites are spaced considerably further apart and transmit at considerably less power. Can FTA hobbyists employ this same technique? Mike has been experimenting with this for years and has achieved some pretty amazing results. He tells us how it’s done.

 

Scanning America

By Dan Veenaman

EDACS, Talkgroups and RF Explorer


Federal Wavelengths

By Chris Parris

FBI Aircraft in the News

 

Utility Planet

By Hugh Stegman NV6H

U.S. Navy-Marine Corps MARS Closes

 

Digital HF: Intercept and Analyze

By Mike Chace-Ortiz AB1TZ/G6DHU

Swiss Diplomatic Network undergoes Changes

 

HF Utility Logs

By Mike Chace-Ortiz and Hugh Stegman

 

Amateur Radio Insights

By Kirk Kleinschmidt NT0Z

Six Meters: A New Twist on the Old Magic

 

Radio 101

By Ken Reitz KS4ZR

The Wi-Fi Scanner, SWL Option

 

Radio Propagation

By Tomas Hood NW7US

The 10.7-cm Radio Flux

 

The World of Shortwave Listening

By Keith Perron

Community-based Radio helps Nepal Recover after Earthquake

 

The Shortwave Listener

By Fred Waterer

Sputnik Radio, BBC and the VOA

 

Maritime Monitoring

By Ron Walsh VE3GO

Maritime Station Consolidation

 

The Longwave Zone

By Kevin O’Hern Carey WB2QMY

BBB-4 Wrap-Up

 

Adventures in Radio Restoration

By Rich Post KB8TAD

Powering the Zenith 5K037 “Farm” Set with AC and Forming a Dial Cover

 

The Broadcast Tower

By Doug Smith W9WI

License? I don’t need no stinking license!

 

Antenna Connections

By Dan Farber AC0LW

Round and Round, Part II: Jolly Green Delta Loop

 

Radio Horizons

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