Innehållsförteckning för July 2022 från Radio User

STOP PRESS! The Moonraker AMPRO mobile antenna range is well established thought the UK and the world offering low cost, high-quality single band HF mobile solutions. Moonraker has now added cut down versions of the 20/40/80m models. These new HF Mini Mobile Whip Antennas are designed to let you mount an HF antenna with just a small magnet mount. There is no need to drill holes or make special hard mounts on your car to get on HF. Put on a simple magnet mount or boot lip mount and you are ready to go HF mobile! In stock at Moonraker from just £19.95. Just search ‘AMPRO’ on: www.moonrakeronline.com For the latest news and product reviews, visit www.radioenthusiast.co.uk…

The INSPIRE Project is an educational initiative run by NASA and includes aspects of VLF radio. The 2022 edition of The INSPIRE Journal is jam-packed with inspiring student-led STEM endeavours, VLF receiver observations, updates on NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, plus eclipse photos and information in anticipation of the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse. There is also a very interesting article on ‘A VLF-3 Station in an RFI Environment: Promoting Radio Astronomy for Education.’ You can order an INSPIRE VLF-3 (Kit) VLF Receiver from the e-mail address, below. We have featured this receiver in RadioUser before (October 2018). (Source: Eva Kloostra | INSPIRE Project) https://theinspireproject.org customerservice@theinspireproject.org…

mydogisfinn@gmail.com Laser 558: All Europe Radio Hans Knot (2022) All Europe Radio – Laser 558 World of Radio. 181 pp. Pbk. 2022. £22.50 (first published by SMC, Netherlands 2011) ISBN 9781900401302 www.worldofradio.co.uk David Harris takes an in-depth look at a new publication about the history of the former pirate radio station Laser 558 and unearths problems, ground-breaking female pioneers, and a spot of ‘Payola’ Hans Knot is a Dutch academic who specialises in writing about Offshore radio. He produces the excellent, quarterly (and free) International Radio Report: https://hansknot.com Back in 2016, Paul Rusling authored and published, Radio Adventures of the MV Communicator (see my review in RadioUser, January 2017: 36). This title was followed, in 2017, by Laser Radio Programming (RadioUser, June 2017: 54). The first of these books is…

RED ROSE RADIO: Former Rock FM presenter Rob Charles is planning on using the Red Rose Radio name for a new radio station in Central Lancashire. Rob said he wants to launch a new station on the small-scale DAB multiplex licence which has just been awarded to cover the Preston area. Red Rose Radio launched in 1982 and split into Red Rose Gold and Red Rose Rock FM in 1990, but Red Rose Gold became Magic/RockFM2/GHR and Red Rose Rock FM changed to Rock FM. “It’s a dream come true”, said Rob. ”I’ve always wanted my own station, but until recently, unless you were one of the big companies it wasn’t possible.” Red Rose Radio will be aimed at people who used to listen to Rob’s Rock FM shows in…

Garry405625.gs@gmail.com Keith405625.kh1@gmail.com Two new, long-running, programmes began in 1980. The first edition of Newsnight on BBC- 2 appeared on January 30th. The behind-the-scenes dubious activities of fictional government departments and top civil servants were all exposed in the classic comedy programme, Yes Minister. The first episode appeared on February 25th. Although a comedy, the general antics were so accurate that Margaret Thatcher, watched it to see what her reallife colleagues may have been plotting. BBC Radio Norfolk opened on September 11th. This was the first of a new wave of BBC Local Radio stations. November 21st saw the launch of a new major appeal on BBC Television called Children In Need. Since then, the annual shows have raised millions of pounds to help children. Long-Running Comedy and BBC Test Cards…

Regrettably, to offset the increases in costs of energy, raw materials and postage charges the cover price of RadioUser has increased to £5.49; but you don’t have to pay that! We’ve frozen our subscription prices meaning you can save even more than before when subscribing to RadioUser! Take out a digital subscription today https://pktmags.com/ru-subs-2022 PREFER PAPER? Have the magazine posted direct to your door each month. To find our latest subscription offers please visit https://bit.ly/ru-sub22 or call 01778 395161 Telephone lines are open Monday to Friday 8am – 6pm and Saturdays 9am – 5pm…

On August 31, 2019, Icom announced the IC-PW2 1kW Linear Amplifier at its booth at the Ham Fair 2019. It has a full-power/full-duty specification that uses LDMOS for the final output and 1kW output, even for long-term transmission. The device is equipped with an antenna selector that can connect two exciters and six antennas. It is said to be effective in contests and multiband operation. The price and release date are currently undecided. Final price and availability TBA. https://icomuk.co.uk…

The SV4401A is a handheld Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) with a frequency range of 50kHz - 4.4GHz. It can be used for S11 and S21 measurements. The S21 dynamic range of SV4401A is 75 dB, while the S11 dynamic range is 50 dB. SV4401A is suitable for antenna testing of MF/HF/VHF/UHF bands, such as shortwave antennas, ISM band antennas, Wi-Fi antennas, Bluetooth antennas, GPS antennas, and so on. It can be used to measure filters, amplifiers, attenuators, cables, power dividers, couplers, duplexers and other RF components. SV4401A supports a variety of display formats: Log Mag, Linear Mag, Phase, Smith R+jX, Smith R+L/C, VSWR, Polar, Group delay, Resistance, Reactance, and so on. In addition, SV4401A supports the TDR Function, which is useful for cable length measurement. The SV4401A is designed with…

wiessala@hotmail.co.uk There have been several new noise-cancelling products of late, aiming for both the professional and amateur markets. From within the latter segment, many radio amateurs are known to use some kind of filter or noise suppressing device, to improve the clarity of speech and audio resolution. I have still got the old ERA BP34 in my shack as a simple general audio filter. It was high time for something new. Therefore, when the new Xiegu GNR1 Digital Audio Noise Filter (Figs. 1 and 2) from Nevada Radio arrived here in the editor’s ‘man-cave’ I was keen to put it to use. https://www.nevadaradio.co.uk I have done so, not with a ham radio perspective in mind, but from the point of view of an HF broadcast radio listener or DXer, with…

mallen@panamradio.world It’s 2022, and the debate still rolls on: Is high-frequency (HF) radio still a medium suitable for critical aviation communications? The author regularly sees references, in both trade publications and during meetings, claiming that HF radio as a medium is ‘dead’! However, nothing could be further from the truth; and in some circles, there is even a renaissance of HF activity. HF radio is a mature technology, which is now being improved by the utilization of modern engineering techniques. These can provide a spectrum of service and reliability unavailable with any other service. For several decades, there has been discussion among aviators and communicators, concerning the practical use of HF radio in air traffic control and utility communications for aircraft, both inflight and on the ground. At least twice…

kevin@radio-digital.co.uk The BBC broadcast DRM tests during April from the short wave station at Woofferton, using the retired BBC Hereford and Worcester MW transmitter on 1584kHz. My monitoring of the signal either found it in AM or pure DRM. Reports indicated that some tests might use a simulcast mode but I didn’t detect it. WINB, in Red Lion Pennsylvania (USA), use a simulcast mode allocating 5kHz for DRM and 5kHz for audio on short wave. The transmitter was too far away to monitor the signal here in Reading, and the nearest KiwiSDR I could use was in Rosson-Wye. Unfortunately, the modulation mode used was 16/64 QAM, and that requires a Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) higher than the 12-14 dB SNR usually delivered by the SDR. One afternoon, it peaked at nearly…

chrissyLB@hotmail.co.uk In a strictly ‘non-scientific’ piece of research, we conducted a straw poll of 40 friends, to ascertain their current radio listening habits. Respondents were aged between 24 and 85 years old and did not describe themselves as ‘DXers’ or ‘radio enthusiasts’. Of those that listened regularly to the radio, the preferred ways of listening represented a broad mix. In order of popularity, these methods were: via apps (using tablets or smartphones); live through television (Freeview); smart speakers; on-demand through radio station streaming; or car radio (AM, FM or DAB). Only a quarter owned or used a conventional radio inside the house, with FM and DAB. I think it is safe to predict that by 2042, those that listen to linear radio in the UK on an AM, FM or…

tim@livingland.wales Last time in Signals from Space (RadioUser, May 2022: 53-55), I introduced the iconic radio telescope near Manchester at Jodrell Bank. This time, I am taking a look at the history of another iconic site associated with space communication. Goonhilly Downs is located in the southernmost part of Cornwall. The main use of the site is evolving to meet changing needs and take heed of the advancing nature of space communications. A commemorative event on July 23rd, 2022, will celebrate the 60th Anniversary of Goonhilly Earth Station: Entitled Goonhilly 60 it aims to offer a rare and exciting opportunity to set foot on the historic site to enjoy an ‘interstellar’ programme of curated music, talks and educational workshops. A Press Release of 16th March 2022 and the official website…

STOP PRESS! The AIR1SQUITTER ADS-B | MLAT | FLARM receiver comes as a bundle with a combined ADS-B/GPS antenna, 10m antenna cable and mounting kits. No monthly or yearly subscription is required. The AIR!SQUITTER is an integrated device, with all the features for problem-free ADS-B and MLAT reception. OLED display with the most important operating parameters. MLAT (Multilateration) is provided within the Jetvision Flight Tracking Network. Feeders for FlightRadar24, FlightAware, OpenSky Network, Planeplotter, and ADSB Exchange. Connection is over WIFI or LAN. Supports simultaneously multiple users via desktop, tablet or smartphone. There is an extensive map display on the web browser, with filter options, status, range and performance diagrams. With the integrated combined ADS-B/GPS antenna only one antenna cable is required. The AIR!SQUITTER is accessible on the Mac OS, Windows, Android,…

REVIEWED ON PAGE 12 Nevada now has the new Tecsun DEGEN DAB119x portable radio in stock. This radio covers both DAB+, FM stereo (with RDS display), Medium Wave, Shortwave and Bluetooth 4.0 capability. The radio will automatically tune and store stations into memory and has an alarm clock, date/time display and a built-in charging function. The radio’s short wave coverage ranges from 2300 to 26100kHz with an extra-large LCD to aid tuning and an external antenna input for DX reception. Bluetooth 4.0 enables linking to other Bluetooth-enabled devices for streaming music or other material through the radio. The radio can be charged from the included mains charger or through the USB socket on the radio. The radio will sell for £139.95. (Source: Nevada Radio) https://www.nevadaradio.co.uk…

wiessala@hotmail.co.uk When this little parcel arrived from Nevada Radio, I was keen to open it straight away, attracted by the stylish looks of this unit. Occasionally, I still think of the German term first, and I did so here: the word Alleskönner came to my mind – a ‘multitalent’, or ‘all-rounder’ – and so it proved to be. ‘Degen’ is the name for this brandline; the manufacturer of this radio is Tecsun. The Tecsun Degen DAB119X offers everything modern radio can throw at you. It covers DAB and DAB+ (Channels 5A to 13F), FM (with RDS), Medium- and Short Wave (120m to 11m). There is no Long Wave coverage, and this is not an Internet Radio. However, the Degen DAB119X offers a Line-In socket for external sound sources (MP3 Player,…

dj.daviator@btinternet.com The Ukraine war continues to have a severe effect on flight patterns, especially for those operators banned from Russian and Belarusian airspace. The extra flight time on long haul routes has led to some airlines cancelling connections. For example, Finnair has stopped flights from Helsinki to Beijing, and SAS has ceased flying from Copenhagen to Tokyo. Frankfurt is sufficiently far south that there is no additional flying to reach destinations in India and South-East Asia. Warnings have been issued about several potential hazards to civilian aircraft. Most serious are errors of civil aircraft identification by ground military forces and airborne assets outside the conflict zone. As shown by previous wars, misidentification is easy in confused arenas of warfare. Added to this is the likelihood of the jamming of electronic…

JUBILEE FLYPAST IMAGES: A Line-Up Above the Palace: This screenshot, courtesy of our Airband News columnist David Smith shows the line-up of aircraft before the Jubilee Flypast during the Jubilee Bank Holiday Weekend. The helicopters were in a bunch at the head of the flypast, being the slowest. The other images, taken in Essex, are courtesy of our Aerials Now columnist, Keith Rawlings. (SOURCES: David Smith | Keith Rawlings) BBC REVIEW: STAFF DIVERSITY AND MARKET IMPACT: The DCMS has launched a BBC review into compliance with editorial standards, staff diversity and market impact on other industries. It comes as the Culture Secretary issues new legal direction to the BBC to promote opportunities for people from workingclass backgrounds. The first Mid-Term Review – launched at the halfway point of the BBC’s…

chrissyLB@hotmail.co.uk Have you heard of the acronym ‘GOAT’, often used in the fields of radio and music? It stands for the “greatest of all time” and is in common usage. I most recently saw GOAT used in a promotion for a New Zealand station, Radio Hauraki. When it first took the airwaves, in 1966, Radio Hauraki was an innovative and law-bending station. It was the first private commercial radio station in New Zealand and needed to operate illegally for four years, in order to break the monopoly held by the state-owned New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation. Based in Auckland, it went on to become part of the legal, mainstream rock music radio scene and is now part of the global iHeart radio brand. Making Great Radio In May, Radio Hauraki ran…

Keith.g4miu@gmail.com This month has seen several relevant updates to the most popular aerial modelling software suites. First off, AutoEZ, the Excel application that can automate tasks with EZNEC, has been revised to Version. 2.0.27, dated 11th March 2022, thus superseding the previous release from January this year. https://ac6la.com/autoez.html Next, the team at AN-SOF have been busy improving their simulation software. The latest version is now V7.1. Improvements include a more convenient way to access Input Impedance results. Previously, the user had to navigate to and select the segment where the source was placed, then right-click on this to bring up a menu to access Input Impedance results. Now, once a simulation is run, the user simply selects ‘Results’ then ‘List Input Impedances’ and a task box appears. From here, they…

THE MOST SIGNIFICANT TECHNOLOGY OF WORLD WAR TWO: It wasn’t the Spitfire, the V2 or even the U-boat; it was the radio – at least in Matthew Hill and Landon Johnson’s film Resistance 1942 (right), available now for digital download. Set in war-torn France, this interesting drama looks at the inspirational radio broadcasters who defied Nazi occupation to produce unauthorised programmes and announcements and the personal sacrifices they made to inspire resistance. Resistance 1942 is also known as Burning At Both Ends and under that title is free to view. (SOURCE: Royal Signals ARS, via Bob Houlston, RU Volunteer Correspondent). https://tinyurl.com/5ybrj9ym https://tinyurl.com/yt7ychea AUDIO PRODUCTION CENSUS 2022: Trade association AudioUK launched its latest Audio Production Census. It aims to capture the state of the audio production sector through the activity of…