KB6NU's Ham Radio Blog

KB6NU's Ham Radio Blog

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ICQPodcast Episode 479 – Baofeng UV-5R Mini

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ICQ Podcast logo.In this episode, I join Martin Butler M1MRB, Caryn Eve Murray KD2GUT, Edmund Spicer M0MNG and Ed Durrant DD5LP to discuss the latest Amateur / Ham Radio news, including:

Colin, M6BOY, also reports on the following:

This month’s feature is a report on the new Baofeng UV-5R Mini.

Stuff I’ve been meaning to read/watch: The Divided Dial, portable antennas, head copy

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Here are three things that I’ve had open tabs for in my browser for a week or more…….Dan

WNYC: Tuning into The Divided Dial

The Divided Dial is a podcast whose second season discusses the current state of the shortwave bands. This video is a look behind the scenes and a recap of the season.

Portable-Antennas.Com

portable-antennas.com is a non-commercial collection of easy-to-use online tools to develop and analyze wire antennas that are especially suitable for portable use. The tools were developed by Rob, DM1CM. I haven’t used many of the tools yet, but I’m certainly going to be analyzing my 66-ft. doublet with the tools on this site.

Antenna pattern diagrams.
Here are a couple of antenna patterns generated by the tools on portable-antennas.com

Head Copy CW, An Alternative Method: “Phonic Copy”

To copy Morse Code at speeds above 18-20 words per minute, you have to be able to copy code in your head. Most people simply can’t write faster than that. So, the question is how does one learn how to head copy?

In this article, Paul, N6EV, proposes the “phonic copy” method.  He writes:

Code is an aural representation of a phonic sound.” Each Morse Code element represents the phonic sound of a corresponding letter, not the letter itself.  This means, as elements (letters / numbers) are received, they are phonically pronounced in the speech / aural portion of the mind (the auditory cortex) rather than visualized graphically as letters or  whole words in the written / visual portion of the mind (the visual cortex).

I like this approach. I think it most closely represents the process that I use.

Videos: POTA with 1930s gear,

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Think you need modern gear to do POTA? Think again.

Rattlegram: Text over FM

Send text via an FM radio using an app on your Android or iPhone.

Go to https://www.aicodix.de/cofdmtv/rattlegram/ for more info.

Hallicrafters: The Amazing World of Shortwave Radio

This isn’t a video, per se. It’s a video made from an audio recording originally released on a 45 rpm vinyl record. It gives you a taste of what shortwave broadcasting used to be.

Challenge will test your decoding skills

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I’ve written about numbers stations before. They’re fascinating to me. And, although I haven’t heard one in a while, sometimes they even pop up on 30 meters. Supposedly, these transmissions are nearly un-crackable coded messages to secret agents in foreign countries.

Well, if you’ve ever wanted to pretend that you were a secret agent, you’ll want to make sure to participate in this challenge from the Maritime Radio Historical Society. Their web page says,

On January 20 2024, KPH will transmit a coded message consisting of 5-digit groups. The message will be encrypted using typical Cold War numbers station cryptographic procedures. All KPH listeners are invited to try their hand at receiving and decrypting the message.  Certificates will be awarded to those who successful decode the message.  Additionally, a special certificate will be awarded to the first person to decode it.

…

For helpful instructions on decoding numbers messages and related one-time pad procedures, please visit the Mission Critical Information page.

The secret transmissions will emanate from KPH on the U.S. west coast on a variety of frequencies. The CW transmissions will start at 2100Z. RTTY transmissions will follow. Let’s hope for good radio conditions that day.

 

ICQ Podcast Episode 416 – Amateur Radio Someone Else’s Problem

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In this episode, I join Martin Butler M1MRB, Caryn Eve Murray KD2GUT, Edmund Spicer M0MNG, and Ed Durrant DD5LP to discuss the latest Amateur / Ham Radio news, including:

This episode’s feature is Amateur Radio, Someone Else’s Problem. In this feature, Martin, M1MRB, and Colin, M6BOY, discuss what rank-and-file amateurs to help amateur radio grow and prosper.

Random thoughts: Listening to pirate radio, unused parts, operating W1AW/8

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I like listening to pirate radio. Some of the shows can be very creative. This evening, for example, Thunder Chicken Radio broadcast some Halloween music and Orson Welles’ War of the Worlds. And, in addition to that, they sent some SSTV images as well. How cool is that?

HF Underground

For some reason, pirates love to broadcast during Halloween season, so this really is the time to listen. As to what frequencies to listen to, pirates seem to favor a small band just below the 40-meter amateur band. Pirate radio aficionados often spot stations when they hear them on the HF Underground Bulletin Board.

Thunder Chicken Radio was on 6935 kHz tonight. Last night, I heard WENO on 6930 kHz. Thunder Chicken was broadcasting USB, WENO LSB.

Now that I have a radio with two receivers, I can watch for pirates as I operate on the amateur radio bands. I’ve learned several things about how to manipulate the two receivers and the bandscope by listening to pirate radio stations.

Unused parts

Like many hams, I have a stock of parts that I’ve acquired over the years. They often come in handy, but it seems that more often than not, I don’t have to exact thing that I need, so end up buying even more.

It’s too bad that experimenters couldn’t have some kind of clearinghouse where we could share parts amongst ourselves. Unless it was a local kind of thing, though, I guess shipping charges would negate any advantages accrued by sharing.

Operating W1AW/8

This week, I operated W1AW/8 on 40-meter CW for a total of 100 minutes as part of the Volunteers on the Air effort. I managed to work 48 stations. I thought that there might be more activity, as I was operating in the evening, but perhaps at this point of the year, VOTA isn’t such a big deal.

At any rate, if you contacted me, thanks for the Q!

ICQ Podcast Episode 412 – More Workshop Tips

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In this episode, I joined Martin Butler M1MRB, Caryn Eve Murray KD2GUT, Edmund Spicer M0MNG and Ed Durrant DD5LP, and we discussed

This episode’s feature is More Workshop Tips.

ICQ Podcast #399 – Hamzilla 2023

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In this episode, I joined Martin Butler M1MRB, Caryn Eve Murray KD2GUT and Edmund Spicer M0MNG and discussed the following topics:

The episode’s feature is about Hamzilla 2023, a hamfest in the U.K.

Hams actually listen to us?

I’m always pleasantly surprised when I run across hams who say that they listen to the podcast. Mostly, it just seems like we’re babbling when we record the podcast, but when people say that they enjoy listening to it, it makes doing it all worthwhile.

Last week, at the HamSCI Workshop, I introduced myself to a fellow who said, “I know who you are. I recognized your voice from the podcast.” We proceeded to have a really nice conversation about the workshop.

Last night, I worked someone on 30 meters, and my being on the podcast made it possible. He emailed me after contact saying, “I’m a new CW operator and I heard your call tonight and recognized it from podcast fame, so I answered. I appreciated that you slowed down right away, but I immediately regretted my decision when you sent more than RST and state.” That is to say that he probably wouldn’t have answered my CQ if he hadn’t recognized my call sign.

I replied, “I could tell that were a bit unaccustomed to ragchewing, but kudos to you for trying!” I went on to say that I hoped that he should feel free to call me anytime. The only way to get better, after all, is to make contacts. I hope that I get to work him many times in the months ahead.

I’ll extend that invitation to all of you. If you ever hear me on the air, or see me at an amateur radio event, please feel free to say hi.

ICQ Podcast Episode 395 – Workshop Experiments

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In this episode, I join Martin Butler M1MRB, Edmund Spicer M0MNG and Ed Durrant DD5LP to discuss the latest amateur / ham radio news. In this episode, we discuss:

Amateur radio in the news: Club bands together during pandemic, club disbands but fund will continue to promote amateur radio, quirky world of internet radio

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Amateur Radio Club bands together during pandemic

BARRIE, ON, CANADA — As the pandemic picks up speed once again and people are advised to limit their in-person social interactions, a small group of people are reaching out across the airwaves from Barrie to connect with others in a much different way.The Barrie Amateur Radio Club has been one of the few activities that has thrived during the now two-year COVID crisis.

…read more

Keep this in mind should your club decide to cease operations…..Dan

SAARA SK.

SAARA’s goal will continue through fund

SALEM (OH) — The Salem Area Amateur Radio Association (SAARA) may have signed off for good, but the group’s mission to promote ham radio communications in the Salem area will continue. That’s because the members chose to establish a Salem Area Amateur Radio Association Fund through the Salem Community Foundation with their remaining cash after disbanding.

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Delving into Quirky, Compelling Corners of the Internet Radio Universe

From a radio station that streams from underwater to a station composed of stream-of-consciousness thoughts from a New Yorker calling exclusively from payphones, there is a wealth of unique, charming, niche and bizarre internet radio stations out there online.

Radio World spoke with Peter Skiera, the creator and author of the “Recommended Stations”website that uncovers and highlights stations that listeners might not be able to uncover on their own. “Given that there’s over 61,000 internet radio stations from around the world, people understandably get overwhelmed trying to find stations, and they never discover many really good stations,” he told Radio World. “I figured it was time somebody sifted through all of these stations and made recommendations.”

…read more