I’m on a lot of amateur radio mailing lists, so I get a flood of information every morning. Here are three items I found amusing in this morning’s email…..Dan
Free antenna booklet
Jukka Siitari, OH2AXE/SV9RMU, has just published Amateur Radio Antenna Systems, and it is available as a free PDF. This 62 page guide was written for beginners, but more seasoned radio amateurs will find useful information, too. For example, I found the chapter on selecting and locating an antenna interesting.
This illustrated guide is available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, German, and Greek. Should you need versions in any of these languages, please get in touch with SRAL office by email: [email protected].
HF Signals releases the zBitx v2
According to Ashar Farhan, the zBitx v2 is finally here! He writes:
The zbitx v2 is two things : it is an upgrade of the original zBitx radio and it is also a new zBitx software that fixes almost all the issues reported by the users.e to the supply problems around the display and the raspberry pi zero 2W and increased freight and duties all around, our price to be be increased. the zBitx v2 now retails for $269 (including shipping).
This does look like a nice update to this very small rig. For more information, visit the HF Signals website.
Redditor asks for help getting back into the hobby
Redditor Cold-Description-586 writes:
An old teacher of mine that became a friend had an interest in ham radio. He gained his technician license, bought a radio, antenna, power supply, and wired everything into a shed. It was fun and enjoyable enough that I became interested in it and passed my technician test while he got his general and started transmitting 10 meters. I found this to be really interesting, however, he passed way and my enjoyment of the hobby ended. I’m curious how I could rekindle my enjoyment for the hobby being I have no immediate friends that like amateur radio and have forgotten many techniques of the art.
Here are some of the replies:
- Get into POTA!
- If you still have some gear, just turn it on and start listening. Make a few contacts. If you don’t have any radios, tune around on a WebSDR and listen. See if that interest is still there.
- Identify which part(s) of [the hobby] intrigue you, and focus on those.
What suggestions would you have for Cold-Description-586?