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ICQPodcast

ICQ Podcast Episode 387 – Three Mini Ham Hardware Reviews

October 11, 2022 By Dan KB6NU Leave a Comment

In this episode, I joined Martin M1MRB, Caryn Eve Murray KD2GUT, Edmund Spicer M0MNG, Ed Durrant DD5LP and Leslie Butterfield G0CIB to discuss the following:

  • New ‘5-Year Rule’ for Deorbiting Satellites to Address Growing Risk of Orbital Debris

  • University Students Learn about Amateur Radio Satellites

  • 16 New Radio Amateurs in Cyprus

  • Radio Science 2.0: Ham Radio Activities for Kids in Romania

  • ITU Elects Ham from US as New Secretary General

  • Swiss Ban on the Sale of Anytone Transceiver (HT)

The episode’s feature consists of three mini-reviews of  some new ham hardware.

Filed Under: Podcasts Tagged With: ICQPodcast

ICQ Podcast Episode 373 – Hamzilla 2022

March 31, 2022 By Dan KB6NU Leave a Comment

In this episode, I joined Colin Butler, M6BOY; Edmund Spicer, M0MNG; Ed Durrant DD5LP; and Leslie Butterfield, G0CIB to discuss the latest Amateur / Ham Radio news. The news items included:

  • ARRL Teachers Institute to Offer Four Sessions this Summer

  • Russia and Belarus Suspended from CEPT membership

  • Australian Radio Hams Help out after Floods

  • AMSAT Receives a Grant From ARDC

The episode’s feature was on Hamzilla 2022.

Filed Under: ARRL, Emergency Communications / Public Service, ICQ Podcast Tagged With: AMSAT, ARDC, ARRL, Australia, ICQPodcast, Ukraine

ICQ Podcast Episode 353 – Parks on the Air and Xiegu G90 SDR Transceiver Review

June 21, 2021 By Dan KB6NU Leave a Comment

On this episode, I joined Martin M1MRB, Leslie Butterfield G0CIB, and Edmund Spicer M0MNG to discuss:
  • Fly Me to the Moon. An amusing story about the first Bitcoin transaction using EME communications.

  • WIA Seeks Review of Amateur Radio Exam System

  • International Space Station to be in Cross-Band Repeater Mode for Field Day. Get out the satellite antenna for Field Day!

  • Aluminium-Ion Battery Development. Scientists in Australia have developed a graphene aluminium-ion battery that they claim has up to three times the capacity of a lithium-ion battery and can charge up to sixty times faster. Now, we just have to wait and see if this battery can be manufactured in quantity at a reasonable price.

  • IARU Workshop Future of Amateur Radio – Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. A good first step in understand where we are and the challenges that amateur radio will have to confront in the future.

The features for this episode include coverage of Parks on the Air (POTA) by Bill Barnes WC3B, and review of the Xiegu G90 SDR Transceiver by Ed Durrant DD5LP.

Filed Under: Podcasts Tagged With: ICQPodcast, POTA, Xiegu

ICQ Podcast Episode 351 – New RSGB President discusses IARU/RSGB Survey

May 24, 2021 By Dan KB6NU Leave a Comment

On this episode, I joined Martin M1MRB, Leslie Butterfield G0CIB, and Edmund Spicer M0MNG, and we discussed the following: 
  • CANWARN Online Training 2021

  • Amateur radio on BBC Essex Breakfast Show

  • IRTS AGM Rejects New Licence Level Proposal

  • Congress Seeks to Designate National Amateur Radio Operators Day

  • Amateur Radio Software Award Goes to KN4CRD for JS8CALL

This episode’s feature is a discussion of the RSGB Survey with the new RSGB President.

As always, we get off on some tangents. For example, in the discussion of the IRTS (the Irish equivalent of the ARRL) rejection of the new license level, we ended up discussing how smaller countries regulate amateur radio. In the discussion of amateur radio on the BBC Essex Breakfast Show, Martin mentioned that he knew the YL who called in to discuss ham radio, and how she was just a great operator.  I opined that some hams are just born operators, while others are not.

Anyway, I hope that you’ll find this episode interesting.

Filed Under: Podcasts Tagged With: ICQPodcast

ICQ Podcast Episode 349: The Not So Simple Dipole

April 27, 2021 By Dan KB6NU Leave a Comment

For this episode, I joined Martin M1MRB, Chris Howard M0TCH, and Edmund Spicer M0MNG, and we discussed:
  • Updated Radio Frequency Exposure Rules Become Effective on 3rd May 2021

  • New 122GHz DX Record

  • Amateur Radio has a New Census

  • Radio Amateur Helps Rescuers to Locate Lost Hiker

This episode’s feature is “The not-so simple dipole.”

Filed Under: ICQ Podcast, Podcasts Tagged With: ICQPodcast

ICQ Podcast Episode 345: Progressive Changes at ARRL

February 28, 2021 By Dan KB6NU 4 Comments

In this episode, Martin (M1MRB), Leslie Butterfield G0CIB, and Edmund Spicer M0MNG to discuss the latest Amateur / Ham Radio news. We discussed:
  • Concord Student Wins Congressional App Challenge

  • ARRL Reject Additional VEC’s

  • ARRL to consider covering young members license fee

  • German Radio Hams Tackling RF Noise Pollution

  • UK Amateur Radio Operator Celebrates 100th Birthday

This episode’s features is in an interview with ARRL David Minster NA2AA, and the President, Rick Roderick K5UR as they discuss changes for the ARRL with Frank Howell K4FMH.

Perhaps the most interesting thing I found in the interview was NA2AA’s statement about changing the culture at the ARRL. He mentioned “dialing up the energy” at the ARRL and becoming a culture of “yes” instead of being so negative all the time. Of course, the previous CEO talked a good game at first and raised expectations, but then failed to deliver. Overall, though, I’m optimistic.

Filed Under: ARRL, Podcasts Tagged With: ICQPodcast

ICQ Podcast Episode 343: FCC reminds users not to use radios when committing crimes

January 31, 2021 By Dan KB6NU 4 Comments

In episode #343 of the ICQPodcast, I joined Martin M1MRB and Edmund Spicer M0MNG to discuss the latest Amateur / Ham Radio news. We discussed the following:

  • FCC – Radio Users Reminded Not to Use Radios in Crimes.
    We also discussed the ARRL’s response to this Enforcement Advisory, “ARRL on the Purpose of Amateur Radio.”

  • 3,500 German Radio Interference Complaints in 2020
    3,500 seems like quite a lot. Anyone know how many interference complaints are filed here in the U.S. or where I could find that information? I searched around the FCC website a bit, but didn’t find any data.

  • JARL Wants to Increase Youngsters Amateur Radio Experience Opportunities
    Information on this was a bit vague, but the press release says that they have requested “regulation changes to facilitate the use of amateur radio by elementary and junior high school students.”

  • Sweden’s Oldest Radio Ham on TV
    Our “feel good” story of the episode.

  • City Antenna Law Upturned By FCC Ruling
    TL;DR: You can have a satellite dish antenna, but not a CB or ham radio antenna. Martin suggests modifying a dish antenna by cutting a slot in it for operation on 2m.

Filed Under: Podcasts Tagged With: ICQPodcast

ICQ Podcast Episode 339 – Tiny Spectrum Analyser – Any Good?

December 6, 2020 By Dan KB6NU Leave a Comment

For episode #339, I joined  Martin M1MRB, Leslie G0CIB, and Edmund M0MNG to discuss the latest Amateur / Ham Radio news. We discussed the following stories:

  • Pella Amateur Radio Club APRS Balloon Spans the Globe

  • Arecibo Dish to be Decommissioned

  • National Amateur Radio Day resolution Introduced into Congress

  • Radio Communications Regulations (General User Radio Licence for Short Range Devices) Notice 2020 in force

  • 144Mhz TEP Openings

  • Sunspot Cycle 25 to Set Records?

This episode’s features is “TinySA: Is it any good?” It starts at the 59:00 mark.

Filed Under: Podcasts Tagged With: ICQPodcast

ICQ Podcast #337: Optical links for space comms, new guidelines for multi-op contest stations

November 9, 2020 By Dan KB6NU Leave a Comment

In Episode #337 of the ICQPodcast, I joined Martin M1MRB, Leslie G0CIB, Edmund M0MNG, and Matthew M0NJX to discuss the following topics:

  • New Optical Communications Station
  • Developer Expresses Puzzlement over FT8 Contest Use
  • ARRL Urges Members to Strongly Oppose FCC’s Application Fees Proposal
  • Guidelines Issued for ARRL DX Contest Multi Operator Stations
  • Oldest Known US Radio Amateur, Cliff Kayhart, W4KKP, SK

This episode also has a couple of interesting news items:

  • Successful Mine Rescue Special Event – XR33M
  • Historic Radio Books Available for Download

As a side note, I’ve run into a couple of listeners on the air in the past couple of weeks. I’m on 30 meters, 40 meters, and 80 meters almost every day. If you ever hear me on the air, I hope that you’ll give me a call.

Filed Under: Podcasts Tagged With: ICQPodcast

ICQ Podcast Episode 331: 8-meter band, Arecibo damage, ARRL bandplan proposal

August 17, 2020 By Dan KB6NU Leave a Comment

In episode #331, Martin M1MRB, Leslie Butterfield G0CIB, Edmund Spicer M0MNG, and I discuss the latest ham radio news, including:

  • FT8 Experiment on 40 MHz – 1st to 15th August 2020
  • Why Hobby Electronics is a great thing to take up?
  • Broken Cable Damages Arecibo Observatory
  • ARRL HF Band Plan Committee submits final recommendation

After the roundtable, Colin M6BOY rounds up the news in brief, and this episode’s feature is Launch Portable Operations Challenge.

Filed Under: Podcasts Tagged With: Arecibo, band plan, ICQPodcast

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