Amateur Radio and Communications News

2012-04-08T03:04:00.001-07:00

Amateur Radio Podcasts

In the old days we had to learn about new equipment and modes from friends in radio clubs or by looking at adverts and articles in radio magazines. As a boy I used to go to our local Amateur Radio club twice a week but things have changed and many clubs have folded as the pressure of modern life does not allow for two nights out every week discussing radio. What a shame!

For a few years I felt that there was a huge gap in my knowledge. I struggled to keep up to date with what was happening in the hobby, but not now. There are many podcasts available in both audio and video and some are better than others. For me, my vote goes to these two wonderful productions.

Ham Nation

Ham Nation is released every week on a Tuesday.

Amateur Logic

Amateur Logic is released on a monthly basis.

If you would like to find further podcasts then simply search the net or go to iTunes and search for Amateur Radio Podcast.

2012-03-18T11:25:00.001-07:00

DX Code Of Conduct

I will listen, and listen, and then listen again before calling.
I will only call if I can copy the DX station properly.
I will not trust the DX cluster and will be sure of the DX station's call sign before calling.
I will not interfere with the DX station nor anyone calling and will never tune up on the DX frequency or in the QSX slot.
I will wait for the DX station to end a contact before I call.
I will always send my full call sign.
I will call and then listen for a reasonable interval. I will not call continuously.
I will not transmit when the DX operator calls another call sign, not mine.
I will not transmit when the DX operator queries a call sign not like mine.
I will not transmit when the DX station requests geographic areas other than mine.
When the DX operator calls me, I will not repeat my call sign unless I think he has copied it incorrectly.
I will be thankful if and when I do make a contact.
I will respect my fellow hams and conduct myself so as to earn their respect.

DX Code of Conduct

2012-03-16T05:20:00.002-07:00

DXCC

When I started my blog I mentioned that there were a number of different aspects to this wonderful hobby. It might be working satellites or building equipment but for me it's DXCC. DXCC is the name given to the ARRL award for working as many different countries on different bands as possible. DXCC Website

In the old days you would set up your station and start making contacts on CW or SSB and then after a wait of about 6 months a nice shiny QSL card would arrive. You would then mark the contact confirmed on a paper chart and once you had reached 100 countries (the minimum for the award) you could submit a verified entry to the ARRL and receive your certificate. Now, in the 21^st century things are much more hi-tech and there are electronic spreadsheets to record country scores along with the ARRL’s “Logbook of the World” where contacts can be confirmed almost immediately. Logbook of the World is not an electronic method of storing QSL cards, it simply confirms that a contact took place and keeps a running total of the number of contacts confirmed electronically.

I find Logbook of the World a tremendous asset to my operations as a Radio Ham and I enjoy dropping by the site to see how the totals have changed. You require a password to log on to the system and there are various security measures in place on the site to ensure that only licensed Radio Amateurs can log on. Full details of how to apply for a password can be found here. Logbook of the World

Although DXCC has been my interest for many years I always concentrated on working stations and didn’t bother too much with checking them all off as separate entities. My PC logging software told me when I worked a new country and logged it appropriately. Over the last year or so I decided it was time to see how well I was doing and having registered on the Logbook of the World site I found that I had enough contacts just from electronic entries to exceed the 100 countries required for a basic certificate. I have now started the process of checking what physical QSL cards I have and marking them off on an electronic spreadsheet. I sourced the spreadsheet here. The DXCC Spreadsheet

I have little doubt that it will take me quite a while to check through all my QSL cards and my records on Logbook of the World but this is a fantastic side of the hobby and where you feel a real sense of achievement. Why not take some time to consider DXCC and some of the other great awards on offer.

2012-03-10T08:53:00.000-08:00

What does an HF Station look like?

I thought that it would be good to look at what an HF Station actually looks like. They come in all shapes and sizes and also vary by cost. Here is a picture of my main HF setup.

The radio is a Yaesu FT-2000D and it puts out 200 watts of power on all HF bands. On the far left is the power supply for the radio, then the radio itself and then the matching speaker. In front of the radio is the matching MD-100 microphone. I also have a Heil Pro Set Elite headset microphone and that gives excellent results. I have both microphones connected via a switch box so I can select the one that I want quickly. The very small keypad allows me to operate memories in the radio where I can send pre-programmed messages by voice or CW. You can see how I keep the PC keyboard very close so that I can enter contacts into my electronic logbook.

To the right of my HF radio is a Vectronics Vector 500 amplifier and above that a MFJ-989D antenna tuner. The Yaesu FT-2000D has a built in automatic antenna tuner but when running the Vector 500 you need an external tuner to handle the increased power. This is heavy duty kit! Note the PC monitor which shows software to computer control my radio. It provides a highly accurate on screen version of the radio and allows quick and easy adjustment of settings.

Now for my favourite bit, my morse keys. I have a few but the two I have connected to my main HF Station are the Hi-Mound HK-808 straight key and the Bencher Twin Paddle key. Sending CW is one of my favourite activities and it's even better when your talking to someone on the other side of the world.

2012-03-10T03:55:00.000-08:00

Harnessing the power of the Internet via Echolink

As well as operating a full HF station I also operate a system called Echolink on VHF.

Echolink allows Radio Hams to connect VHF and UHF radio stations all over the world via the Internet. Why would you want to do that? Well using a VHF or UHF radio might typically provide coverage of some 25 or 30 miles depending on the terrain. Radio Hams have historically installed networks of repeaters to extend the range of their transmissions, particularly when they are operating from their cars or out walking with a handheld radio. With the advent of Echolink multiple radio stations and repeaters can be linked via the Internet providing even greater coverage.

A typical screenshot from Echolink.

Echolink is controlled via the keypad on the front of your handheld radio or from the keypad on your microphone. By transmitting DTMF tones you can send instructions to the Echolink gateway or repeater station. For instance pressing the * key forces the Echolink station to transmit its identification which lets you know that it is on the air and available. Transmitting 01 will connect you to a random station somewhere in the world or if you want to be more specific you can key in the unique identifying number of the radio station or repeater that you want to connect to. It’s that simple.

Echolink can also be downloaded to a desktop or laptop and operate directly from the software with the operator using a headset or microphone just as you would on Skype. This means that if you don't have a radio with you then you can still access Amateur Radio worldwide.

The PC which sits under the bench in my
Radio Shack and runs Echolink. Beside it you
see one of the handheld radios that you can
use to operate on Echolink.

My own Echolink station provides a really good example of the advantages of this system. I stay in a small seaside town which is surrounded by hills. With so many hills any Radio Ham who is operating on VHF or UHF from the town is really going to struggle to get a signal out. I am lucky enough to stay on top of one of the hills and I have a special licence from the Government to provide an Echolink gateway. This means that someone can stand by the beach with a low power handheld radio and communicate with someone on the other side of the world using my radio as a gateway. My unique node number is 293938 and the gateway callsign is MB7INA. Why not give me a call? It’s an amazing experience and this is a classic example of how Amateur Radio links with another technology to improve the hobby. More information can be found at the Echolink Website.

2012-03-10T03:07:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Amateur Radio and Communications News

James Bertram - at home in his Radio Station.

Hello and welcome to my new blog on Amateur Radio and Communications. I first became involved in Ham Radio at the age of 14 and soon had my licence and was on the air, initially as a Class “B” operator using VHF and UHF frequencies and then, after taking my 12 words per minute Morse test (CW), I obtained my Class "A" licence. My callsign is GM0GMN.

I operate on single sideband and CW and communicate with other Radio Hams worldwide. I am also involved in coordinating voluntary emergency communications for the Scottish Government. I also run the "Emergency Services Amateur Radio DX Group" on Facebook.

Amateur Radio is a hobby that changed my life and I know that it has also done that for many others. Through this blog I hope to demonstrate what the hobby is all about and what new modes are available as well as talking about technology in general. Ham Radio is not a standalone hobby. It links to a whole manner of other technologies and sciences.

I hope that you will find the hobby as life changing as I have.