The Role of Wireless in the Titanic Disaster
By Scott A. Caldwell
This is a look through the lens of history at the roles of the RMS Carpathia and the SS Californian on the fateful night when the Titanic went down. Scott examines the effort (and lack of effort) on the part of the wireless operators and the equipment they used aboard the ships that found themselves in a sea of ice in mid-April 1912. The lives of so many were in the hands of ships’ officers who may not have had enough experience or hadn’t followed protocol as they perhaps were supposed to.
The Misunderstood Off-Center-Fed Antenna
By Mark Haverstock K8MSH
The off-center-fed (OCF) antenna—also called a Windom by many—has mixed reviews among amateur radio operators. Although thousands of hams use and love this multi-band antenna, it seems some people, including some well-known antenna experts, view it as a harmonic generator, a common mode current generator or even an outdoor dummy load. But, if built properly, the OCF is a multi-band antenna, fitting the needs of thousands of hams—especially those with limited space. Mark delves into the history of this easy-to-build antenna and shows you just how to do it.
Dialing-in eBay for a Different Kind of Radio Experience
By Richard Fisher KI6SN
Communications hobbyists hold a special place in the hearts and revenue streams of the people who run online auction sites. There may be other choices, but across the online landscape, eBay emerges as by far the most popular. Millions upon millions of shortwave listeners, radio amateurs, satellite chasers, VHF/UHF monitors, vintage gear hounds, homebrewers and the like have been buying and selling, wheeling and dealing on eBay since its launch in 1995. Richard looks at the process of this popular service and has some important advice from the point of view of both seller and buyer.
Slow-Scan TV Beginnings
By Cory GB Sickles WA3UVV
Depending on the content, a picture may be worth many times more than a thousand words. Television, a series of pictures appearing at the rate of 30 or 24 frames per second, communicates information at a rate that the spoken work alone simply cannot match. Cory traces the history of amateur radio television from its crude mechanical beginnings to today’s software driven methodology that’s as easy as clicking on a mouse. He also explores its use in emergency operations.
Scanning America
By Dan Veeneman
Scanning Utah and the National Emergency Communications Plan
Federal Wavelengths
By Chris Parris
Federal Highway Administration
Milcom
By Larry Van Horn N5FPW
Monitoring the Weather, the Old-Fashioned Way
Utility Planet
By Hugh Stegman
HF Steps Up in Dorian Response
Shortwave Utility Logs
By Hugh Stegman and Mike Chace-Ortiz
VHF and Above
By Joe Lynch N6CL
Icom’s IC-705: A Preliminary Look
Digitally Speaking
Cory GB Sickles WA3UVV
Back to Basics
Radio 101
By Ken Reitz KS4ZR
Getting the Most out of Your OTA-TV Reception
Radio Propagation
By Tomas Hood NW7US
That Pesky Solar Wind
The World of Shortwave Listening
By Andrew Yoder
More Exploring the Mysteries of the 11-Meter Band
The Shortwave Listener
By Fred Waterer
NHK World on Local TV; Canadian Election Coverage; BBC Radio Fare
Maritime Monitoring
By Ron Walsh VE3GO
Weather, Wind, Waves, Watches and Warnings
Adventures in Radio Restorations
By Rich Post KB8TAD
Rescuing Another Gonset Communicator IV