Get on the Air with HF Digital

I received my "Get on the Air with HF Digital" today. Lots of great info.

100 Years of Amateur Radio

December 13, 2012 marks the centennial anniversary of perhaps the the most important event in amateur radio history in the USA. The Radio Law of 1912, passed in August 1912 became effective on December 13, 1912. Radio schools at naval yards and army posts were crowded with amateurs of all levels of experience to get a license from the Department of Commerce.

Irving Vermilya, 1HAA, later W1ZE, became the first licensed amateur in the USA being issued Certificate of Skill #1 and is known for all time as Amateur Number One. A number of other amateurs followed suit and rather than seeing amateur radio die out as the Law's authors obviously intended, amateur radio began to flourish with a combination of adopting new technology (Edwin H. Armstrong invented the regenerative receiver in September 1912) for reception and later transmitting (CW emissions became feasible after the World War) along with organizing message relay routes. Amateurs led the way finding that the wavelengths shorter than 200 meters were not useless through the new technologies and, by the early 1920s, a declining solar cycle that enabled communications not only for transcontinental paths, but intercontinental as well.

A century later we enjoy this hobby of amateur radio precisely due to the unintended consequence of a law designed to kill amateur radio that did not state its intention exactly and instead allowed it to live and thrive for 15 years! In 1927 more comprehensive radio legislation was enacted and in 1934 the Communications Act created the FCC that we know today.

For more information visit the United States Early Radio History site by Thomas H. White. Thomas' site is not limited to amateur radio, however, and is quite comprehensive on a lot of radio topics. The ARRL publication, 200 Meters and Down by Clinton B. Desoto documents much of the early amateur radio history. An article by David Newkirk, ex WJ1Z, now W9VES, The Coming of The Law (available to ARRL members), published in the November 1993 issue of QST also documents the forces behind the enactment of the Radio Law of 1912 and how radio amateurs responded to it. The December 2012 issue of CQ has The Radio Act of 1912: A Century of Radio Regulation and Licensing by Rich Moseson, W2VU, providing another perspective on this red letter day. Certainly, more articles on this topic have been published over the years and make for good reading.

As of December 13, 2012 amateur radio will officially be 100 years old complete with examinations and licenses. Happy anniversary!

http://forums.qrz.com/showthread.php?371663-A-century-of-amateur-radio-licensing-December-13-2012&highlight=1912

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SWPC Product Announcement

New Experimental Products Available:

Two new, experimental forecast products are now available, the 3-Day Forecast and the Forecast Discussion, both produced twice daily at 0030 and 1230 UTC.  The 3-Day Forecast is a concise, one-page summary using NOAA Space Weather Scale terminology and the Forecast Discussion provides detailed information covering observations and forecast rationale tailored for the user requiring in-depth, scientific information.
 
These products are available in the Data and Products section of the website at http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/ftpdir/latest/three_day_forecast.txt and http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/ftpdir/latest/forecast_discussion.txt, respectively.  Users can also subscribe to these products in the Product Subscription Service under the Forecasts and Summaries product category.
  
Feedback on these products is welcomed through January 11th.  Please submit feedback to: www.nws.noaa.gov/survey/nws-survey.php?code=3DSWF (3-Day Forecast) and www.nws.noaa.gov/survey/nws-survey.php?code=SWFD (Forecast Discussion). 

These two products will supplement the existing product suite and no current products will be discontinued at this time.

73

"The best number is 73. Why? 73 is the 21st prime number. Its mirror (37) is the 12th and its mirror (21) is the product of multiplying, 7 and 3. In binary, 73 is a palindrome, 1001001 which backwards is 1001001." Amateur Radio Operators often use the number 73 as an abbreviation for "best regards", typically when ending a QSO (a conversation with another Amateur Radio Operator).

I got a New/Used Book this Morning

My wife found this book at a yard sale this morning.
Shortwave Receivers Past & Present: Communications Receivers 1942-1997 [Paperback]
VOA is heard by more than 93 million people in more than fifty languages. This book is an "insider´s story", reflecting the transformation of VOA from a propaganda organ to a more respected source of information, from shortwave in World War II to multimedia in the twenty-first century.
The author, Alan L. Heil, worked at the VOA as foreign correspondent, senior manager, and deputy director from 1962 until his retirement in 1998.
Buy this Book Today!
or read more about it...

A new book about Space Weather

I got a new book yesterday.

Space Weather: Physics and Effects Click Here (Amazon)
by; Volker Bothmer (Author) and Ioannis A. Daglis (Author)
Published in November of 2006

Volker Bothmer (Author)

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From the reviews:

"The volume surveys the broad expanse of space weather through 14 chapters contributed by 20 expert practitioners. … its extensive reference lists at the end of each chapter are extremely valuable. I believe the book functions best by sitting on the library reference shelf where it can be readily consulted as needed." (Thomas J. Bogdan, Physics Today, December 2007)

"Space Weather: Physics and Effects is an attempt to summarize the entire field of space weather. … It is generally well produced, includes an exhaustive table of contents and has nearly 40 pages of prefatory materials including a four-page list of acronyms, and what seems like an adequate index." (W. Jeffrey Hughes, EOS, March, 2009)

Book Description

The editors present a state-of-the-art overview on the Physics of Space Weather and its effects on technological and biological systems on the ground and in space. It opens with a general introduction on the subject, followed by a historical review on the major developments in the field of solar terrestrial relationships leading to its development into the up-to-date field of space weather. Specific emphasis is placed on the technological effects that have impacted society in the past century at times of major solar activity. Chapter 2 summarizes key milestones, starting from the base of solar observations with classic telescopes up to recent space observations and new mission developments with EUV and X-ray telescopes (e.g., STEREO), yielding an unprecedented view of the sun-earth system. Chapter 3 provides a scientific summary of the present understanding of the physics of the sun-earth system based on the latest results from spacecraft designed to observe the Sun, the interplanetary medium and geospace. Chapter 4 describes how the plasma and magnetic field structure of the earth's magnetosphere is impacted by the variation of the solar and interplanetary conditions, providing the necessary science and technology background for missions in low and near earth's orbit. Chapter 5 elaborates the physics of the layer of the earth's upper atmosphere that is the cause of disruptions in radio-wave communications and GPS (Global Positioning System) errors, which is of crucial importance for projects like Galileo. In Chapters 6-10, the impacts of technology used up to now in space, on earth and on life are reviewed.

H.A.M.

While researching a topic for discussion on the local 2 meter net I thought I would share this.

What does the HAM stand for in HAM radio?

There are several theories, but the most widely accepted is that H.A.M. is an acronym paying homage to three great radio pioneers: Heinrich Hertz (demonstrated existence of electromagnetic waves), Edwin Armstrong (invented modern FM radio), and Guglielmo Marconi (developed wireless telegraphy).

I have seen this theory many times before.
In preparation I discovered that Guglielmo(Guglielmo Marconi) is a difficult first name to pronounce. I am thankful for you tube. I found this an interesting short video and it also provided me with the pronunciation of Marconi's first name.

Amateur Radio Beacons

I was talking to some friends today about beacons and the MFJ-890 DX Beacon Monitor.
I know of three Amateurs that have the MFJ-890. They all say it is a great conversation piece and also make the shack look cool.
My friend Bryce sent this e-mail to me.

The Northern California DX Foundation (NCDXF)operates eighteen beacons on five continents which transmit in successive one-minute intervals on 14.100, 18.110, 21.150, 24.930 and 28.200 MHz.

The NCDXF beacon call sign and the first dash is sent at 100Watts. The remaining dashes are sent at 10Watts, 1 Watt and 0.1 Watts. Very handy info for QRPers!

Almost all ten meter beacons transmit between 28.190 MHz and 28.300 MHz. You will find a comprehensive list at this URL

TEN METER PROPAGATION BEACONS

Six meter beacons are mostly found between 50.0 MHz and 50.1 MHz, with a concentration between 50.06 MHz and 50.08 MHz.

One example is W4CLM/B transmitting 30 Watts continuously into a vertical on 50.065 MHz (+/-) from location EM74 (Atlanta, GA.).

A Great Book about Amateur Radio

I got a book from a friend a few months ago and I just finished reading it. I am a discouraged with myself for letting this incredible book sit on my desk untouched for so long.
The book,
The World of Ham Radio, 1901-1950: A Social History
by Richard A. Barlett

During the first fifty years of the twentieth century, ham radio went from being an experiment to virtually an art form. Because of the few government restrictions and the low monetary investment required, the concept of ham radio appealed to various people. More than just a simple hobby, however, ham radio required its operators to understand radio theory, be able to trace a schematic and know how to build a transmitter and receiver with whatever material they might have available. With the advent of World War II and the increased need for cutting-edge communications, the United States government drew upon the considerable knowledge and skill of these amateur ham radio operators, validating the fact that ham radio was here to stay.

This book explores the history of ham radio operators, emphasizing their social history and their many contributions to the technological development of worldwide communications. It traces the concept of relays, including the American Radio Relay League, from contacts as close as 25 miles apart to operators anywhere in the world. The book highlights the part played by ham radio in many of the headlined events of the half century, especially exploration and aviation "firsts". The ways in which these primarily amateur operators assisted in times of disaster including such events as the sinking of the Titanic and the 1937 Ohio River flood, are also examined.

How to Use MUF

Maximum Usable Frequency (MUF) describes, in radio transmission, using reflection from the regular ionized layers of the ionosphere, the upper frequency limit that can be used for transmission between two points at a specified time. This index is especially useful in regards to shortwave transmissions.

Note: MUF is a median frequency applicable to 50% of the days of a month, as opposed to 90% cited for the lowest usable high frequency (LUF) and the optimum traffic frequency (FOT).

Operating near the MUF often gives excellent results because of absorption is lowest just below the MUF. Low takeoff angles also raise the MUF because the signals will need less bending to complete a hop. Here are two examples;
*If the MUF over a certain path is 19MHz, the best band for that path is 17 meters.
*If the MUF over a certain path is 25MHz, the best band for that path is 12 meters.

source used; Federal Standard 1037C, titled Telecommunications

Amateur Radio Vendors & Sales

I have updated my Amateur Radio Vendors and Sales section at the bottom this page. Feel free to contact me if a site is not linking or out of business.
If you have a link you wish to be added please send me an e-mail. I will check out the site and if it meets my status I will post a link there.

Thanks for the e-mails and visits.
73,
de KD8BIG

Amateur Radio Antennas and Radiation

My neighbors’ family members asked me about my antennas. After I explained that they are Amateur Radio Antennas I could see the fear in their eyes.
The very first question I was asked about was, “Will the antennas cause cancer and our hair to fall out?”

If there is a word guaranteed to cause apprehension, it is “radiation”. Amateur Radio uses the word in a much broader sense--radiation pattern, feed line radiation, antennas radiate--and that can be confusing to the layman. It is true that radio frequency energy is a form of radiation, but it is far different from the radiation used for cancer treatment or emitted by radio active materials.
Radiation from antennas is not the same as ionizing radiation from radioactivity. Radio frequencies are not nearly high enough for a photon of radio energy to cause an electron to leave the atom (ionize) as discussed when talking about ionospheric propagation. That is the difference between ionizing and non-ionizing radiation of which radios waves are the latter type.
Before radio ways can be considered ionizing, their frequency would have to be increased far beyond microwaves, through visible light and on the upper reaches of the ultraviolet and x-ray spectrum. The radiation from radioactivity is carried by atomic particles such as the nucleus of a helium atom (alpha radiation), an electron (beta radiation), neutrons, or gamma-ray photons with frequencies even higher than ex-rays. These are billions of time more energetic than the radio waves cause by Amateur Radio Operators.
Biologic (athermal) effects such as genetic damage have never been observed at amateur frequencies and power levels. That requires the energy of ionizing radiation. The only demonstrating hazard from exposure to RF energy is heating (thermal effects) and that occurs only in very strong fields. RF “burns” are caused by touching conducting surfaces that have a high RF voltage present and are a very localized instance of heating that carries no more risk than thermal burns from hot objects.

So, if you are ever approached by a neighbor or some local authority this would be your best explanation to give.
Not only is it true but they will walk away scratching their heads.

BETA ANGLE

I was on a net and we were talking about Satellites, ISS and the Space Shuttle. The topic came up about the Beta Angle Cutout. Here is some info.
The beta angle is a value that is used most notably in spaceflight. The beta angle determines the percentage of time an object such as a spacecraft in low Earth orbit (LEO) spends in direct sunlight, absorbing solar energy. Beta angle is defined as the angle between the orbit plane and the vector from the sun (which direction the sun is shining from).The beta angle is the smaller angle (there are two angles) between the sun vector (where the sun is shining from in the sky) and the plane of the object's orbit. Note that the beta angle does not define a unique orbit plane; all satellites in orbit with a given beta angle at a given altitude have the same exposure to the sun, even though they may be orbiting in completely different planes around the Earth.The beta angle varies between +90° and -90°, and the direction the satellite revolves around the body it orbits determines whether the beta angle sign is positive or negative. An imaginary observer standing on the sun defines a beta angle as positive if the satellite in question orbits in a counter clockwise direction and negative if it revolves clockwise. The maximum amount of time that a satellite in a normal low Earth orbit mission can spend in the Earth's shadow occurs at a beta angle of zero. In such an orbit, the satellite is in sunlight no less than 59% of the time.

Launch window is a term used in spaceflight to describe a time period in which a particular launch vehicle (rocket, Space Shuttle, etc.) must be launched. If the rocket does not launch within the "window", it has to wait for the next window.^[1]

For trips into largely arbitrary Earth orbits, almost any time will do. But if the spacecraft intends to rendezvous with a space station (such as the International Space Station) or another vehicle already in an orbit, the launch must be carefully timed to occur around the times that the target vehicle's orbital plane intersects the launch site.

For launches above low Earth orbit (LEO), the actual launch time can be somewhat flexible if a parking orbit is used, because the inclination and time the spacecraft initially spends in the parking orbit can be varied. See the launch window used by the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft to the planet Mars at [1].

To go to another planet using the simple low-energy Hohmann transfer orbit, if eccentricity of orbits is not a factor, launch windows are periodic according to the synodic period; for example, in the case of Mars the period is 2.135 years, i.e. 780 days. In more complex cases, including the use of gravitational slingshots, launch windows are irregular. Sometimes rare opportunities arise such as when Voyager 2 took advantage of 175 year planetary alignment (launch window) to visit Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. When such an opportunity is missed, another target may be selected. For example, the Rosetta mission of ESA was originally intended for comet 46P/Wirtanen, but a launcher problem delayed it and a new target had to be selected (comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko).

Launch windows are often calculated from porkchop plots that show the delta-v needed to achieve the mission, plotted against the launch time.

NASA's Humanoid Robot Gets Ready for Launch

NASA: ISS Beta Angle

International Space Station

Low Earth Orbit

Collision avoidance

Delta-v budget

Interplanetary travel

Oberth effect

Ham Radio's Technical Culture

Wow, what a cool read. I got this book the other day from a friend who found it while hitting the yard sales. This book is available on E-Bay and at Amazon.com.

Author; Kristen Haring

Table of Contents and Sample Chapters

Decades before the Internet, ham radio provided instantaneous, global, person-to-person communication. Hundreds of thousands of amateur radio operators—a predominantly male, middle- and upper-class group known as "hams"—built and operated two-way radios for recreation in mid twentieth century America. In Ham Radio's Technical Culture, Kristen Haring examines why so many men adopted the technical hobby of ham radio from the 1930s through 1970s and how the pastime helped them form identity and community.

Ham radio required solitary tinkering with sophisticated electronics equipment, often isolated from domestic activities in a "radio shack," yet the hobby thrived on fraternal interaction. Conversations on the air grew into friendships, and hams gathered in clubs or met informally for "eyeball contacts." Within this community, hobbyists developed distinct values and practices with regard to radio, creating a particular "technical culture." Outsiders viewed amateur radio operators with a mixture of awe and suspicion, impressed by hams' mastery of powerful technology but uneasy about their contact with foreigners, especially during periods of political tension.

Drawing on a wealth of personal accounts found in radio magazines and newsletters and from technical manuals, trade journals, and government documents, Haring describes how ham radio culture rippled through hobbyists' lives. She explains why hi-tech employers recruited hams and why electronics manufacturers catered to these specialty customers. She discusses hams' position within the military and civil defense during World War II and the Cold War as well as the effect of the hobby on family dynamics. By considering ham radio in the context of other technical hobbies—model building, photography, high-fidelity audio, and similar leisure pursuits—Haring highlights the shared experiences of technical hobbyists. She shows that tinkerers influenced attitudes toward technology beyond hobby communities, enriching the general technical culture by posing a vital counterpoint.