Radio User September 2022

wiessala@hotmail.com Hello and a warm welcome to the September edition of RadioUser. As we move, ever so slowly, from very hot summer into uncertain autumn, here is another diverse mix of radio-related weather for you to experience. There is, perhaps, a slight flavour of ‘vintage’ in this issue; not because of the age of the editor but on account of both Scott Caldwell and I taking into our sights some amazing gear of the past. You will all know the Lowe HF225, but have you ever come across the Philips D2999 world band radio? What a find. Find out more in the pages that follow. Our main feature this month is a review of the long-awaited new loop aerial from Wellbrook Communications, and Keith Rawlings offers the first UK assessment…

Have you got something new to tell our readers about? If so, then drop a line to wiessala@hotmail.com The RFinder P7 is a hardened tablet Android radio offering 136-174 and 400-490MHz, and DMR/FM. Its main features are currently specified as follows: PTT; POC - push to talk over cellular/Wi-Fi network; Programmable keys Navigation - GPS/BEIDOU/GLONASS Battery type: built-in; 5V3A (fast-charging) Mic Noise Reduction – dual-mic design, effectively suppress environmental noise IP rating: IP67; Sensors: Accelerometer, Geomagnetic, Distance, Light sensor, Gyro (optional) Sensor type: CMOS; Flashlight LED torch NFC; 2W Speaker. You can find out more on both the Moonraker and RFinder websites: https://tinyurl.com/59wz2uuy https://rfinder.shop…

All the winners have been announced at the 2022 British Podcast Awards in London’s Kennington Park. One of the biggest awards of the night, the Podcast Champion, went to You, Me and the Big C. The award honoured the work of Dame Deborah James, Rachel Bland, Lauren Mahon and their entire team, whose podcast has contributed hugely to public awareness and perception of cancer and cancer treatment but has also been a source of solace for so many. The only award voted for by the public, The Listeners’ Choice Award, saw over 60,000 votes cast. The top spot this year was won by RedHanded for a second time. The true-crime podcast offers a weekly dose of murder, wit and ‘WTFs’, hosted by Hannah Maguire and Suruthi Bala. Elis James and…

The AH-730 is a new outdoor-mounted Automatic Antenna Tuner from Icom. The AH-730 covers a wide frequency range from 1.8 to 50MHz, providing amateur radio operators with the opportunity of working on multiple frequency bands. With a 7 m (23 ft) or longer wire element, all band matching is possible from the 1.8MHz (160 m) band to the 50MHz (6 m) band (Ground connection is required). The AH-730 emits only 0.3W of RF output from the antenna during tuning operation. The low power minimises the risk of interference to other stations while matching the antenna. The body of the AH-730 is made up of an IPX4 waterproof, high-strength resin. It can be safely installed in a variety of outdoor locations. Additionally, coaxial and control cables can be connected without opening…

The Tecsun Q3 FM Pocket Radio/Recorder MP3 makes for a great shack accessory. It receives FM between 76-108MHz and works with the MP3 / WMA / WAV music formats. There are ATS and Memory functions, and the Micro-SD card slot supports MP3, WMA and WAV playing functions. A notable feature is direct radio recording, line-in recording and voice recording via a built-in microphone. Link it up to your receiver and catch that elusive RX. Other features of this small and colourful radio include: Max. 128 Kbps MP3 recording format, approx. 15 hours for 1GB memory Use the earphones to monitor the Mic recording, allowing to hear and record at the same time Direct keypad for FM frequency or song selection LED digital display A-B repeat | Line-in jack functions as…

The Stampfl ‘Wave Star’ preselector, for frequencies up to 30MHz, comes as a kit for an 8-speed device. It can be used universally for self-construction projects, inexpensive SDRs or receivers. Development team: Hardware Heinz Stampfl, HB9KOC; Software: Ernst Kirschbaum, DL2EBV, and Rolf Hasler, HB9QN. On the board, there is a low-pass filter for the frequency range up to 41 MHz as well as a switchable LC band and 3rd order low-pass filters for different sub-bands. The filter is selected electronically using buttons on the front panel. The preselector has a bypass function but is only suitable for reception purposes. (SOURCE: Industry Press | Heinz Stampfl). https://www.heinzstampfl.ch/en https://tinyurl.com/5ehxk8wf…