Tag Archives: Amateur Radio

Video: Professor Joe Taylor K1JT talks FT-8 and WSJT-X

Work the World with WSJT-X

Video of the talk given by Professor Joe Taylor K1JT about the FT-8 and WSPR modes at the 2018 MicroHAMS Digital Conference on March 24

Budd Churchward WB7FHC writes:

Dr. Joe Taylor, K1JT, author of many of the weak signal digital modes and co-author of the very popular FT-8 mode presented: “Work the World with WSJT-X” at the 2018 MicroHAMS Digital Conference in Redmond, Washington about the WSJT-X Digital Software Suite for Amatuer Radio.

Dr. Taylor gives a detailed description of both the FT-8 and WSPR modes that so may Hams are using all over the world.

Watch Work the World with WSJT-X – Dr. Joe Taylor

Click here to view on YouTube.

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Wired: Hunting Radiosondes

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Image source: NOAA

(Source: Wired via David Korchin)

SOME RETIREES TAKE up fly fishing. Others pick up golf. But when Roland—or “F5ZV,” as he’s known on ham radio—left his job in Belfort, France a decade ago, he devoted his newfound leisure to a far more peculiar hobby: hunting radiosondes.

The white plastic boxes contain instruments to measure things like wind, temperature and humidity; meteorologists send them skywards on balloons, and they transmit data back over radio waves. But somewhere around 100,000 feet, the balloons burst, and the radiosondes parachute back to earth.

Roland began using a radio receiver and antenna to track them to the rooftops, parking lots, and random cow pastures where they land. “He was completely obsessed with radiosondes,” says Swiss photographer Vincent Levrat, who documents the chase in his quirky series Catch Me If You Can. “He would wake up at night just to hunt.”

By Roland’s own estimation, there are hundreds of other radiosonde hunters across Europe who monitor launch schedules for weather station balloons. They begin each hunt by using software called Balloon Track to predict the general area where a radiosonde might land; Balloon Track calculates the trajectory based on wind speed and burst altitude.[…]

Click here to read the full article on Wired.

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ARRL Requests HF Privileges for Technician Licensees

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(Source: ARRL via Ron)

ARRL has asked the FCC to expand HF privileges for Technician licensees to include limited phone privileges on 75, 40, and 15 meters, plus RTTY and digital mode privileges on 80, 40, 15, and 10 meters. The FCC has not yet invited public comment on the proposals, which stem from recommendations put forth by the ARRL Board of Directors’ Entry-Level License Committee, which explored various initiatives and gauged member opinions in 2016 and 2017.

“This action will enhance the available license operating privileges in what has become the principal entry-level license class in the Amateur Service,” ARRL said in its Petition. “It will attract more newcomers to Amateur Radio, it will result in increased retention of licensees who hold Technician Class licenses, and it will provide an improved incentive for entry-level licensees to increase technical self-training and pursue higher license class achievement and development of communications skills.”

Specifically, ARRL proposes to provide Technician licensees, present and future, with phone privileges at 3.900 to 4.000 MHz, 7.225 to 7.300 MHz, and 21.350 to 21.450 MHz, plus RTTY and digital privileges in current Technician allocations on 80, 40, 15, and 10 meters.[…]

Click here to read the full article via the ARRL.

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NBC: “Hawaii’s communication breakdown and how going ham could save us”

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Curtis, who shares the following video from NBC Left Field:

Hawaii’s recent false nuclear missile alert showed us how reliant we are on cell phones and modern technology—and how unprepared we are if they become inaccessible. But in case the unexpected happens, an unlikely group of hobbyists—ham radio operators—are standing at the ready and may save us all.

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TX Factor Episode 20

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(Source TX Factor)

Welcome to our 20th episode! In this revamped show we conclude our look at innovative amateur radio products from Hamfest 2017, and Bob goes back to basics with an overview of setting up an inexpensive SDR dongle.

We have two great prizes to give away in our free-to-enter draw. An RSP1A SDR receiver from SDRplay and a copy of the best-selling book ‘SDR’ from the RSGB. Plus we look back at the past four years of topics covered by the TX Factor team. We hope you enjoy it!
http://www.txfactor.co.uk

Click here to view Episode 20 on TX Factor’s website, or click here to watch on YouTube.

Thanks for yet another excellent and informative episode, TX Factor!

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Video: TX Factor Episode 19

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(Source: TX Factor)

In this show we kick off with part one of our reports from Hamfest 2017 with a preview of the Icom IC-7610 and IC-R8600 rigs. We meet the new owners of PW Magazine, and Pete tries his hand at the RSGB on-line exam. There’s also an update on the RSGB’s EMC Committee’s findings.

Bob finds his way back to New Broadcasting House in London where the Director General discovers he has amateurs working for the BBC.

And, you can win a mobile linear-amp for your handie in our next free-to-enter draw .

Click here to view Episode 18 on TX Factor’s website, or click here to watch on YouTube.

Thanks for yet another excellent and informative episode, TX Factor!

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Changes to Iceland’s ham radio call sign configuration

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(Source: Southgate ARC)

Iceland plans to end ham radio call sign discrimination

On November 9, 2017 Iceland’s Ministry of Transport and Local Government has published draft changes to the Radio Regulations for comment

The national society, Icelandic Radio Amateurs (IRA), had proposed ending the practice of highlighting amateurs who had Novice call signs, an N was added to their call sign. In addition the IRA proposed ending another discriminatory practice where Icelandic call signs reflected the geographic call area where a station is located.

The Post and Telecom Administration’s new draft Radio Regulations incorporate the IRA’s requests and the frequency allocation table has been updated to include the 630m and 60m bands.

Read the Icelandic Radio Amateur article in Google English at
http://tinyurl.com/IcelandIRA

Draft amendment with new frequency table
https://www.stjornarradid.is/lisalib/getfile.aspx?itemid=a0bf8794-c538-11e7-941e-005056bc4d74

The old frequency table is at
https://www.reglugerd.is/reglugerdir/allar/nr/348-2004