CQ Amateur Radio - March 2016

116 Pages·2012·22.32 MB·English

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http://www.cq-amateur-radio.com
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MARCH 2016
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s IRONDALE, ALABAMA — The Birmingham Amateur Radio Club will hold the EDITORIAL STAFF
BirmingHAMfest 2016Friday, March 4 and Saturday, March 5 at the Zamora Temple. Contact
t Jeff Drew, N4JDU, P.O. Box 10464, Birmingham, AL 35203. Email: <birminghamfest@ Richard S. Moseson, W2VU, Editor
n w4cue.com>. Website: <http://www.w4cue.com>. Jason Feldman, KD2IWM, Associate Editor
CAVE CITY, KENTUCKY — The Mammoth Cave Amateur Radio Clubwill hold the Cave Susan Moseson, Editorial Consultant
City HamfestSaturday, March 5 at the Cave City Convention Center. Contact: Larry Brumett,
e KN4IV, 108 Withers Drive, Glascow, KY 42141. Phone: (270) 651-2363. Email: CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
<[email protected]>. Website: <http://www.ky4x.org>. Talk-in 146.34+. Kent Britain, WA5VJB, Antennas
IRVING, TEXAS — The Irving Amateur Radio Club Inc. will hold its 14thAnnual Hamfest Gerry L. Dexter,The Listening Post
m Saturday, March 5 at the Betcha Bingo Hall. Contact: Ken Hansen, N2VIP. Email: <ham- Joe Eisenberg, KØNEB, Kit-Building
[email protected]>. Website: <http://www.irvingarc.org>. Talk-in 146.72- (PL 110.9). VE Tony Emanuele, WA8RJF, VHF
exams.
Tomas Hood, NW7US,Propagation
PUNTA GORDA, FLORIDA — The Peace River Radio Associationwill hold its Spring
Dennis Lazar, W4DNN, QRP
e HamfestSaturday, March 5 at The Punta Gorda Boat Club. Contact: Dave Beck, WB4GVZ.
Irwin Math, WA2NDM,Math’s Notes
Email: <[email protected]>. Website: <http://www.prra.club>. Talk-in 147.255+ or
442.925+. VE exams. Ted Melinosky, K1BV,Awards
c PUYALLUP, WASHINGTON — The Mike & Key Amateur Radio Clubwill hold the 35th Joe Moell, KØOV,Homing In
Annual Mike & Key ARC Electronics Show & Fleamarket Saturday, March 5 at the Ron Ochu, KOØZ,Learning Curve
Washington State Fairgrounds. Contact: Diane Dinkelman, N7WA, [phone]. Email: Jeff Reinhardt, AA6JR, Mobile/Radio Magic
n <[email protected]> or <[email protected]>. Talk-in 146.82- (PL 103.5). VE exams. Don Rotolo, N2IRZ, Digital
RUSSELLVILLE, ARKANSAS — The Arkansas River Valley Amateur Radio Rob de Santos, K8RKD,Communications Horizons
Foundation Inc. will hold the 24thAnnual Russellville HamfestSaturday, March 5 at the Cory GBSickles, WA3UVV,
u Hughes Community Center. Website: <http://www.arvaf.org>. Emergency Communications, Off the Air
ELYRIA, OHIO — The Northern Ohio Amateur Radio Societywill hold NOARS Winter
Bob Schenck, N2OO, DX
Hamfest & Computer ShowSunday, March 6 at the VFW Post 1079. Contact: Dee Dee,
o David Siddall, K3ZJ, Contesting
KA8VTS, [phone] (before 11 p.m.). Email: <[email protected]>. Website:
Tom Smerk, AA6TS, International
<http://www.noars.net>. Talk-in 146.700 (PL 110.9).
STERLING, ILLINOIS — The Sterling Rock Falls Amateur Radio Societywill hold its Dan Srebnick, K2DLS,RFBits
n 56thHamfestSunday, March 6 at Challand Middle School. Contact: Paula Portner, KC9FQK, Jason Togyer, KB3CNM,Spurious Signals
1302 W. 2nd Street, Dixon, IL 61021. Phone: [phone]. Email: <pportner@ Gordon West, WB6NOA, Short Circuits
n comcast.net>. Website: <http://w9mep.org>. VE exams. Wayne Yoshida, KH6WZ, The Ham Notebook
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, NEW JERSEY — The Bergen Amateur Radio
AWARD MANAGEMENT
Associationwill hold its Annual AuctionSunday, March at Westwood Regional High School.
a Contact: Jim Joyce, K2ZO, (201) 664-6725. Email: <[email protected]>. Website: John Bergman, KC5LK,WAZ Award
<http://www.bara.net>. Talk-in 146.19+ (PL 141.3). Steve Bolia, N8BJQ, WPX Award
CONCORD, NORTH CAROLINA — The Mecklenburg Amateur Radio Societywill hold Keith Gilbertson, KØKG,CQ DX Award
the Charlotte HamfestFriday, March 11 and Saturday, March 12 at the Cabarrus Arena & Ted Melinosky, K1BV, USA-CA Award
Events Center. Phone: [phone]. Email: <[email protected]>. Website:
CONTEST MANAGEMENT
<http://www.charlottehamfest.org>. Talk-in 146.655 or 146.940 (PL 118.8). VE exams.
RAYNE, LOUISIANA — The Acadiana Amateur Radio Associationwill hold the 56th Andy Blank, N2NT, CQ 160 Meter Contest
Acadiana Hamfestand 2016 ARRL Louisiana State ConventionFriday, March 11 and Steve Bolia, N8BJQ,CQ VHF Contest
Saturday, March 12 at the Civic Center. Contact: Glen Thibodeaux, KF5FNP, [phone]. Ed Muns, WØYK, CQRTTY Contest
Email: <[email protected]>. Website: <http://www.w5ddl.org>. Talk-in 146.820 (PL 103.5). VE John Sweeney, K9EL, CQDX Marathon
exams and card checking. Randy Thompson, K5ZD, CQ WW DX Contest
ANNANDALE, NEW JERSEY — The Cherryville Repeater Association IIwill hold the
Terry Zivney, N4TZ, CQ WW WPX Contest
Cherryville Hamfest and Technology ExpoSaturday, March 12 at North Hunterdon Regional
High School. Contact: Tony Ploski, W2HWW, [phone]. Email: <[email protected]>. BUSINESS STAFF
Website: <http://www.qsl.net/w2cra/hamfest.htm>. Talk-in 147.375+ (PL 151.4). VE exams. Richard A. Ross, K2MGA, Publisher
BUFFALO, MINNESOTA — The Maple Grove Radio Clubwill hold the 34thAnnual
Charlie Payne, Advertising Director
Midwinter MadnessSaturday, March 12 at the Buffalo Civic Center. Contact: KØLTC, P.O.
Emily Leary, Sales Coordinator
Box 22613, Minneapolis, MN 55422. Email: <[email protected]>. Website: <http://k0ltc.org>.
Doris Watts, Accounting Department
Talk-in 147.000+. VE exams.
DEL REY OAKS, CALIFORNIA — The Naval Postgraduate School Amateur Radio Club CIRCULATION STAFF
will hold Radio Festand the 2016 ARRL Santa Clara Valley Section ConventionSaturday,
Cheryl DiLorenzo, Customer Service Manager
March 12 at the Monterey Moose Family Center. Contact: Sal De Franco, N6SPD, <sal@spda-
vanti.com>. Website: <http://www.n6spd.com>. Talk-in 146.970- (PL 94.8). VE exams. PRODUCTION STAFF
GEORGETOWN, TEXAS — The Williamson County Amateur Radio Clubwill hold the
Elizabeth Ryan,Art Director
WCARC SwapfestSaturday, March 12 at the Community Center San Gabriel Park. Contact:
Dorothy Kehrwieder, Production Director
WCARC, P.O. Box 1644, Georgetown, TX 78627. Phone: [phone]. Email:
Emily Leary,Production Manager
<[email protected]>. Website: <http://www.wcarc.com>. Talk-in 146.64 (PL 162.2). VE exams.
LOOMIS, CALIFORNIA — The Sierra Foothills Amateur Radio Clubwill hold its 2016 Hal Keith, Illustrator
HamfestSaturday, March 12 at the Historic Loomis Train Depot. Website: <http://www. Larry Mulvehill, WB2ZPI,Staff Photographer
w6ek.org>. Talk-in 145.46 (PL 162.2) or 223.86 (PL 162.2). Rod Somera,Webmaster
PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA — The Palm Springs Hamfestwill be held Saturday,
March 12 at the Palm Springs Pavilion. Website: <http://www.palmspringshamfest.com>. Talk-
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in 146.94- (PL 107.2). VE exams.
BRAZIL, INDIANA — The Wabash Valley Amateur Radio Association Inc. will hod the CQ Communications, Inc.
2016 Terra Haute Hamfest & Computer ExpoSaturday, March 12 at the Clay County 4-H 17 West John Street
Fairgrounds. Contact WVARA Inc., P.O. Box 10081, Terra Haute, IN 47801-0081. Website: Hicksville, NY 11801 USA.
<http://www.w9uuu.org>. Talk-in 146.685 (PL 151.4).
TULLAHOMA, TENNESSEE — The Middle Tennessee Amateur Radio Clubwill hold CQ Amateur Radio (ISSN0007-893X) Volume 72, No. 3.
the MTARS Tullahoma HamfestSaturday, March 12 at the First Methodist Church. Contact: Published monthly by CQCommunications, Inc., 17 West John
Street, Hicksville, NY 11801, Telephone [phone]. E-mail:
Michael Glennon, KB4JHU, 302 Twelve Oaks Road, Tullahoma, TN 37388. Phone: (931) 588-
[email protected]. Fax [phone]. Web site:
0302. Email: <[email protected]>. Website: <http://www.mtars-ham.org>. Talk-in 146.7000- www.cq-amateur-radio.com. Periodicals Postage Paid at
(PL 114.8). Hicksville, NY 11801 and at additional mailing offices.
FORT WALTON BEACH, FLORIDA — The Playground Amateur Radio Clubwill hold Subscription prices (all in U.S. dollars): Domestic-one year
the PARC/Fort Walton Beach 2016 HamfestFriday, March 18 and Saturday, March 19 at $38.95, two years $70.95, three years $102.95; Canada/
the C.H. “Bull” Rigdon Fairgrounds and Recreation Complex. Contact: W4ZBB/Hamfest, P.O. Mexico-one year $51.95, two years $96.95, three years
Box 873, Ft. Walton Beach, FL 32549. Email: <[email protected]>. Website: $138.95: Foreign Air Post-one year $63.95, two years $120.95,
<http://www.w4zbb.org>. Talk-in 146.79- (PL 100). VE exams. three years $177.95. U.S. Government Agencies:Sub-
ROSENBERG, TEXAS — The Brazos Valley Amateur Radio Clubwill hold the Greater scriptions to CQare available to agencies of the United States
government including military services, only on a cash with
Houston Hamfestand 2016 ARRL South Texas ConventionFriday, March 18 and Saturday,
order basis. Requests for quotations, bids, contracts., etc. will
March 19 at the Fort Bend County Fairgrounds. Contact: Rich Hiller, W5RH, [phone]. be refused and will not be returned or processed. Entire con-
Website: <http://houstonhamfest.org>. VE exams. tents copyrighted 2016 by CQCommunications, Inc. CQdoes
DAYVILLE, CONNECTICUT — The Eastern Connecticut Amateur Radio Association not assume responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts. Allow six
will hold its Amateur Radio Flea MarketSaturday, March 19 at St. Joseph’s Church Hall. weeks for change of address.
Contact: Peter, K1NLX, [phone]. Email: <[email protected]>. Website: <http://www.
ecara.net>. Talk-in 147.225 (PL 156.7). VE exams. Printed in the U.S.A.
FREDERICK, MARYLAND — The Frederick Amateur Radio Club Inc. will hold Fredfest POSTMASTER: Send address changes to:
Saturday, March 19 at the Independent Hose Fire Station. Contact: Jeff Fishman, KB3FIO, CQ Amateur Radio, 17 W. John Street., Hicksville, NY 11801
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2 • CQ • March 2016 Visit Our Web Site
h
Changes at the Top at ARRL In related news, the ARRL Board of Directors in Jan-
The ARRL Board of Directors in January elected a new uary approved creating an ad hoc Legislative Advisory a
president for the organization and hired a new Chief Committee to coordinate strategies for securing pas-
Executive Officer. Rick Roderick, K5UR, of Little Rock, sage of the Amateur Radio Parity Act, oversee lobbying m
Arkansas, is the League(cid:182)s new president, succeeding efforts on behalf of the bill and make recommendations
Kay Craigie, N3KN, who did not seek re-election to a regarding future legislative goals and strategies.
fourth two-year term. Roderick had been First Vice

President prior to his election to the top spot. Ten-Tec Now Part of Dishtronix
r
In addition, the board voted to hire Tom Gallagher, Amateur radio amplifier manufacturer Dishtronix has
a
NY2RF, of West Palm Beach, Florida and New York City, purchased the assets of Ten-Tec from RKR Designs,
to be the ARRL(cid:182)s new Chief Executive Officer. He will which had acquired the company just last year.
succeed Dave Sumner, K1ZZ, who is retiring in April According to the (cid:33)(cid:50)(cid:50)(cid:44)฀(cid:44)(cid:69)(cid:84)(cid:84)(cid:69)(cid:82), Dishtronix owner Mike d
after more than four decades on the ARRL staff. Dishop, N8WFF, says his plans for the company are
Gallagher is an investment banker and financial services (cid:179)strictly long-term,(cid:180) and that Ten-Tec production will i
executive, according to the League(cid:182)s announcement. remain in Sevierville, Tennessee. His early plans for the o
He has been a ham since 1966 and calls himself (cid:179)an Ten-Tec product line include firmware upgrades for var-
incurable HF DXer and inveterate tinkerer.(cid:180) ious models and to start up manufacture of updated
Finally, former ARRL/VEC Manager Bart Jahnke, Omni VII+ transceivers. Dishop also instituted a mini- n
W9JJ, is returning to the League staff as Contest Branch mum $140 fee to troubleshoot a radio returned for ser-
Manager. He fills a vacancy created last year by the res- vice, noting that it was necessary in order to (cid:179)bring Ten- e
ignation of Matt Wilhelm, W1MSW. Tec back to a sustainable state.(cid:180)
Still to come: A successor to ARRL Chief Operating
w
Officer Harold Kramer, WJ1B, who is retiring as of Bad Weather and Iceberg Interrupt VP8
March 1. DXpedition
The operators of a DXpedition to Southern Thule s
ARRL Seeks to Shrink 75-Meter Phone Band
(VP8STI) and South Georgia (VP8SGI) Islands had to
The ARRL has filed a petition for rule making with the cut short the first part of their operation in late January
FCC to move the bottom end of the 75-meter phone band after a severe storm caused a large ice floe on Southern
from 3600 kHz to 3650 kHz in order to free up more Thule to break away and threaten to block access to the
space for RTTY and data communications. According to bay where they were camped. The ARRL reported that
the (cid:33)(cid:50)(cid:50)(cid:44)฀(cid:44)(cid:69)(cid:84)(cid:84)(cid:69)(cid:82), the petition represents a (cid:179)minimal but the captain of their transport vessel declared an emer-
necessary change(cid:180) intended to correct an FCC error gency on January 25 and ordered everyone back on
made when it expanded the 75-meter phone band a board the ship. The crew was able to secure the station
decade ago. The petition also calls for moving the auto- equipment from the island the next day before setting
matically-controlled data subband to 3600-3615 kHz sail for the second part of the operation on South
from its current 3585- to 3600-kHz allocation, and for Georgia. The ops logged more than 50,000 QSOs from
allowing Novices and Technicians to operate CW (but VP8STI before being forced to shut down.
not RTTY or data modes) in the expanded General Class
CW/RTTY/data subband. EmComm: Hams Pitch in for Floods, Blizzard,
and Water Emergencies
Congressman Prods FCC Chair on QRM
Hams in Washington State and Missouri provided
New York Congressman Peter King has written to FCC emergency communications during floods in Decem-
Chairman Tom Wheeler, urging him to take enforcement ber, while amateurs on the east coast stood by to help
action against a jammer (cid:179)well-known to your Enforcement during a massive blizzard in January and hams in Ohio
Bureau(cid:180) who is allegedly responsible for ongoing inter- put down their radios to help distribute water to a town
ference problems on various repeaters in the New York in need.
City and Long Island area, as well as a prison frequency According to the ARRL, 75 ARES members deployed
and an NBC radio network remote pickup frequency. The after massive rains in early December caused flooding
letter followed a meeting between King (cid:178)a longtime sup- in the Centralia area of Washington State. They drove
porter of amateur radio (cid:178) and ARRL Hudson Division to selected high-water points and reported in on how
Director Mike Liscenco, N2YBB, and General Counsel rapidly the water was rising. In late December, some
Chris Imlay, W3KD. According to Liscenco, repeated two dozen St. Louis area hams worked with the
requests through normal channels for enforcement action American Red Cross in serving meals and helping to
(cid:179)have consistently fallen on deaf ears.(cid:180) relocate people who were displaced by floods in south-
western Missouri and central Illiinois. Amateurs up and
Progress on Amateur Radio Parity Act down the east coast were on standby to provide com-
The House Subcommittee on Communications and munications during January(cid:182)s big blizzard, but thank-
Technology held a hearing in January on HR 1301, the fully, all normal communication systems remained
bill that would hold homeowners associations to the same operational.
standard of (cid:179)reasonable accommodation(cid:180) of amateur In addition, ARES members in Ohio joined other vol-
radio antennas that currently applies to state and munic- unteers in late January in distributing clean water to more
ipal governments. According to the (cid:33)(cid:50)(cid:50)(cid:44)฀(cid:44)(cid:69)(cid:84)(cid:84)(cid:69)(cid:82), both than 8,000 families in Sebring, which had problems with
subcommittee chairman Greg Walden (R-OR), W7EQI, elevated levels of lead in drinking water. No radio com-
and bill sponsor Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) testified in favor munication was needed, but the ARRL says the ARES
of the bill. The report did not indicate whether there was members(cid:182)efforts to help move and distribute water were
any testimony in opposition, or whether any action was greatly appreciated by emergency management and
taken on the bill at the conclusion of the hearing. Red Cross officials.
www.cq-amateur-radio.com March 2016 • CQ • 3
VOLUME 72 NUMBER 3
MARCH 2016
CONTENTS
FEATURES
10 USING A DRONE TO TRACK DOWN REPEATER
INTERFERENCE
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12 (cid:35)(cid:49)REPORTS: IEEE GLOBECOM 2015
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14 TRAVELS WITH (cid:35)(cid:49): KJI ELECTRONICS CUSTOMER
APPRECIATION WEEKEND
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17 RESULTS OF THE 2015 CQ WW RTTY DX CONTEST
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24 N9Q: CELEBRATING THE 73RD ANNIVERSARY OF THE
CUBICAL QUAD ANTENNA
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(cid:120)(cid:211) 27 THE QUIET REBIRTH OF MARS – PART 1: At Age 90,
Restoring Partnership With ARRL
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32 AN INTRODUCTION TO MICROCONTROLLERS, PART V
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40 MATH’SNOTES: Dropping Voltages Inexpensively
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42 THELISTENINGPOST: ISISon the Air
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52 CQWORLDWIDE: Floods and Typhoons in Asia; Good
News for Kosovo
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56 KIT-BUILDING: Finishing the RockMite ][
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60 THE HAM NOTEBOOK: Meet New People, Renew Friendships,
Learn New Things — It’s a Technical Conference
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66 OFFTHEAIR: Continuing Education
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68 DIGITALCONNECTION: WA4DSY and the GRAPES
56k-Baud Packet Modem
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(cid:120)(cid:110) (cid:199)(cid:123) 72 GORDO’S SHORTCIRCUITS:Mind Your Traps
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74 LEARNINGCURVE: Space Weather: What It Is and Why You
Should Care (cid:34)(cid:89)฀(cid:50)(cid:79)(cid:78)฀(cid:47)(cid:67)(cid:72)(cid:85)(cid:12)฀(cid:43)(cid:47)Ø(cid:58)
DEPARTMENTS
46 EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS: “Supermarket Sweep”
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81 VHF PLUS: Spotlight on the 1.25-Meter Band
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84 AWARDS: Single Awards From Small Countries
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88 DX: Club Log’s Newest Feature (cid:34)(cid:89)฀(cid:34)(cid:79)(cid:66)฀(cid:51)(cid:67)(cid:72)(cid:69)(cid:78)(cid:67)(cid:75)(cid:12)฀(cid:46)(cid:18)(cid:47)(cid:47)
(cid:199)(cid:211) 94 CONTESTING: A New Radiosport Book, Contest Activities at
this Year’s Dayton Hamvention®, and March Contests
(cid:34)(cid:89)฀(cid:36)(cid:65)(cid:86)(cid:73)(cid:68)฀(cid:51)(cid:73)(cid:68)(cid:68)(cid:65)(cid:76)(cid:76)(cid:12)฀(cid:43)(cid:19)(cid:58)(cid:42)
98 PROPAGATION: Gray-line Propagation
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On the Cover:GPS-guided and camera-equipped drones, or unmanned aeri-
al vehicles (UAVs), seem to be everywhere nowadays and hams are finding 2 ANNOUNCEMENTS 86 SPURIOUSSIGNALS
good uses for them, from assessing damage at disaster scenes where it may 3 HAM RADIO NEWS 87 OURREADERSSAY...
not be safe to go in person to tracking down jammers or “stuck mics” causing 8 ZERO BIAS 110 HAMSHOP
interference on repeaters. The latter is the focus of this month’s cover story, on
page 10. (cid:8)(cid:35)(cid:79)(cid:86)(cid:69)(cid:82)฀(cid:80)(cid:72)(cid:79)(cid:84)(cid:79)(cid:83)฀(cid:66)(cid:89)฀(cid:39)(cid:79)(cid:82)(cid:68)(cid:79)(cid:78)฀(cid:55)(cid:69)(cid:83)(cid:84)(cid:12)฀(cid:55)(cid:34)(cid:22)(cid:46)(cid:47)(cid:33)(cid:9)
AARR--DDVV11
MMuullttii--mmooddee DDiiggiittaallll VVooiiccee RReecceeiivveerr
The AR-DV1 can
It’s the FIRST multi-mode digital voice receiver to receive
be used with
and decode virtually ALL popular digital modes including:
or without a
MOTOTRBOTM, DMR, dPMRTM, APCO P25, NXDNTM, Icom D-StarTM, computer.
Digital CR, Yaesu, Kenwood®, and Alinco EJ-47U as well as It features:
conventional analog signals. ■ wide band coverage
from 100kHz to
1300MHz*
With this breakthrough development, AOR offers the
■ computer control for
monitoring community a powerful new tool that receives
easier programming
multiple digital formats in addition to traditional analog and monitoring
operation
operations in a compact receiver built for high sensitivity
■ a micro USB computer
and selectivity.
interface
■ built-in SD/SDHC
card reader for
audio recording
■ higher 1st IF frequency
1705 MHz provides
higher image rejections
■ CSV memory data
capability for frequency
uploads/ downloads
and firmware updates
■ 2000 memory channels
(50 channels X 40
banks)
■ alpha-numeric
channel labels
Available in a professional version or in a U.S.A. consumer* version, in addition
■ offset reception
to its multiple digital mode capabilities, the AR-DV1 also receives analog modes
and priority channel
including AM, wide and narrow FM, upper and lower sideband and CW. selection
Giving monitoring operators the ability to receive a wide variety of digital ■ auto-notch filter
and analog frequencies, the AR-DV1 can be used by military, federal, state and
■ noise reduction
local law enforcement agencies, emergency managers, diplomatic services,
news-gathering operations, and home monitoring enthusiasts in areas where ■ voice inverter
government, law enforcement, amateur radio operators and public safety
■ discriminator output
agencies use different digital formats.
® The Serious Choice in Advanced Technology Receivers
AOR U.S.A., Inc.
20655 S. Western Ave., Suite 112 Product and brand names are used for identification purposes
Authority On Radio Torrance, CA 90501, USA only. All trademarks remain the property of their respective
Communications Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] owners. Specifications subject to change without notice or
(cid:136)(cid:152)(cid:118)(cid:156)(cid:74)(cid:62)(cid:156)(cid:192)(cid:213)(cid:195)(cid:62)(cid:176)(cid:86)(cid:156)(cid:147)(cid:202)(cid:85)(cid:202)(cid:220)(cid:220)(cid:220)(cid:176)(cid:62)(cid:156)(cid:192)(cid:213)(cid:195)(cid:62)(cid:176)(cid:86)(cid:156)(cid:147)
obligation. *Cellular frequencies blocked in US.

(cid:47)(cid:133)(cid:156)(cid:195)(cid:105)(cid:202)(cid:47)(cid:133)(cid:192)(cid:105)(cid:105)(cid:202)(cid:29)(cid:136)(cid:204)(cid:204)(cid:143)(cid:105)(cid:202)(cid:55)(cid:156)(cid:192)(cid:96)(cid:195)(cid:202)(cid:176)(cid:176)(cid:176)
al U
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2
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o * There are three little words that far too many of us Your ham radio license is the key to many doors of great
N, are afraid to say, and not saying them can often knowledge. Just ask Mike Bloomberg (even if he can(cid:182)t
t O hold us back. No, this isn(cid:182)t a relationships maga- remember what his call was!). And all it takes to get start-
di ES zine, so it isn(cid:182)t (cid:84)(cid:72)(cid:79)(cid:83)(cid:69)three little words, but rather, these: ed are those three little words: (cid:41)฀(cid:68)(cid:79)(cid:78)(cid:182)(cid:84)฀(cid:75)(cid:78)(cid:79)(cid:87).
OS (cid:41)฀(cid:68)(cid:79)(cid:78)(cid:182)(cid:84)฀(cid:75)(cid:78)(cid:79)(cid:87)(cid:14)
e M Good friend and longtime (cid:35)(cid:49)author Ted Cohen, N4XX, What Goes Around (and Around) …
H recently shared a transcript he(cid:182)d discovered of a 2012 For decades, radio-controlled (R/C) airplanes, heli-
Q C NPR interview with then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg of copters, and boats have been a niche within a niche in
C BY RI NIrae wF lYaotorwk C thitay.t Ihne it ,h Baldo oomncbee rbge teonld a (cid:179) Shcaimen rcaed Fiori doapye(cid:180)rahtoosrt, hoanm 6 mraedtieor (sd soe yto aus eidvee fno kr nRo/wC ?th).a St uthdedreen alyre, tfhreoquugehn, cRie/Cs
although he couldn(cid:182)t remember what his callsign had craft seem to be all over the news in the form of drones,
been. Apparently, his time in the hobby was cut short by or UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) with onboard GPS
a a non-technical problem, as he explained to Flatow, (cid:179)I guidance and first-person view (FPV) cameras that let
was OK with the code, but I can(cid:182)t spell and for Morse you see what the drone is seeing.
code, that(cid:182)s a big problem.(cid:180) Hams, of course, are quickly finding ways to incorpo-
– As interesting as it was to learn that the former mayor rate these craft into our activities, beyond just having
is a former ham, that wasn(cid:182)t what really caught my eye fun. We(cid:182)ve reported in the past on amateur radio emer-
s in reading the transcript. A little later in the interview, gency groups using drones to fly over unsafe disaster
Flatow and Bloomberg were talking about the need to areas to send back video damage assessments, or to
a
trust science and the fact that too many people today provide an aerial feed along a parade route.
adopt ideas without understanding what they(cid:182)re about In this issue, W6APZ adds a new ham use for drones
i or trying to find out more about them. (cid:178)tracking down the source of repeater interference. This
b (cid:179)One of the things that(cid:182)s always annoyed me,(cid:180) said can be one more tool for a local interference committee
Bloomberg, (cid:179)people always talk about the XYZ, (cid:181)Well, and/or radio direction-finding (foxhunting) group, and can
we(cid:182)ve got to do the XYZ,(cid:182)and you say, (cid:181)What is XYZ?(cid:182) be useful beyond the borders of the ham bands, such as
o (And they respond,) (cid:181)Oh, I don(cid:182)t know.(cid:182) People don(cid:182)t helping a local public safety agency track down interfer-
stop to ask questions.(cid:180) ence on its frequencies. Just remember that the FAA now
r pe(cid:179)oPpeleo pulen daerres taafnradi dth taot tahseky,(cid:180) dhoen (cid:182)ct oknntoinwu. eAdn, d(cid:179) aifn ydo uto j ulestt roeuqt uthiree sla atell sdt rrounleess aton db ep rroecgeisdtuerreesd ,b seofo bree tsaukreeo tfof! check
e said, (cid:181)I don(cid:182)t understand it,(cid:182)you(cid:182)ll find that nobody else
in the room understood it, either. You were the only one Learning From the Past
z with the courage to stand up.(cid:180) Sometimes, knowing something(cid:182)s origins can help us to
This is an affliction that sometimes affects us hams as chart its future. Other times, it(cid:182)s just plain fascinating to
well ... people think they(cid:182)ll look foolish if they admit they
find out how certain devices and organizations came to
don(cid:182)t already know something and, as a result, never
be developed. For example, did you know that the cubi-
ask and never learn. This is really too bad, since ham
cal quad antenna was developed 73 years ago by a mis-
radio is a hobby that practically demands that we learn
sionary ham in Ecuador to solve the problem of giant
new things and improve our skills in order to keep cur-
sparks shooting out of the ends of the Yagi antenna at
rent with advancements in technology. shortwave broadcaster HCJB? Read Doug Weber(cid:182)s arti-
Luckily, we have the antidote for this affliction, and
cle on page 24 to learn more.
you(cid:182)re holding it in your hands (or reading it on your You(cid:182)ve probably heard of MARS, the Military Auxiliary
screen). Helping you to learn more about all the differ-
Radio System, but did you know that it was started by
ent activities that make up ham radio is what (cid:35)(cid:49)is all
the Army 90 years ago in an effort to create a nation-
about, keeping in mind that even someone who is a lead-
wide emergency radio network despite budget cuts to
ing expert in one aspect of our hobby may be a com-
the Signal Corps after the end of World War I? Or that
plete novice in another. it has a new role as part of our military(cid:182)s cyberdefense
This is one of those issues that didn(cid:182)t start out with a
efforts? Former Army MARS Public Information Officer
particular focus but built one for itself as it came togeth-
Bill Sexton, N1IN, starts a three-part series on the past
er. That focus, if you haven(cid:182)t already figured it out from (cid:178)and future (cid:178)of MARS on page 27.
the theme of this editorial so far, is lifelong learning.
We(cid:182)ve got two articles on the benefits of attending tech-
Looking Ahead to Spring …
nical conferences (both inside and outside ham radio),
WA3UVV(cid:182)s (cid:179)Off the Air(cid:180) column this month is on I(cid:182)m writing this in late January, just a few days after one
(cid:179)Continuing Education(cid:180) and various stages of knowl- of the biggest blizzards on record dropped from two to
edge, and (cid:179)Learning Curve(cid:180)covers the basics of space three feet of snow on the New York City area (there are
weather and its impact on radio wave propagation (with payloaders outside my house right now, clearing the
additional info in our Propagation column). mountains of snow from the street), so I definitely have
But we don(cid:182)t always know what you don(cid:182)t know (see thoughts of spring bouncing through my brain. As you
(cid:179)Off the Air(cid:180)for more on knowing or not knowing what read this, spring will be much closer to being a reality
you do and don(cid:182)t know), and in many cases, it will be up than a distant dream. So it(cid:182)s time to wrap up your win-
to you to ask. Your local club is always a good resource ter building and antenna projects and get ready to hit the
and there are plenty of excellent groups on the Internet airwaves as equinoctial propagation conditions (anoth-
and Facebook where you can ask questions without fear er chance to learn something if you don(cid:182)t know what that
of being made to feel stupid for not already knowing. The means (cid:178)start in our Propagation column on page 98)
(cid:179)100 Watts and a Wire(cid:180)group on Facebook is among promise some of the year(cid:182)s best DX on HF. We also
the best. Lots of people who actually know stuff and are encourage you, as the weather gets warmer, to think
happy to share can be found there. But the bottom line about taking your station (cid:179)to the field(cid:180)and getting some
is that there are plenty of resources available in our lit- exercise and fresh air while you operate.
tle corner of the world for learning all sorts of new things. (cid:177)(cid:40)(cid:65)(cid:80)(cid:80)(cid:89)฀฀(cid:51)(cid:80)(cid:82)(cid:73)(cid:78)(cid:71)(cid:1)฀(cid:23)(cid:19)(cid:12)฀(cid:55)(cid:18)(cid:54)(cid:53)
8 • CQ • March 2016 Visit Our Web Site