Practical Wireless - January 2025 UK

www.mymagazinesub.co.
uk/practical-wireless
NOW INCORPORATING
JANUARY 2025 THE UK’S NUMBER ONE AMATEUR RADIO MAGAZINE
IN THE A pair of easy-to-build magnetic loop

LOOP antenna projects for you to try at home
Boost your radio club

Great ideas to help increase
your local group’s membership
DIGIFILTER
PROJECT Faces behind the calls
Meet RSGB stalwarts Don and
Hilary at their Shropshire QTH
In-line digital audio filtering and more!
PRACTICAL A portable ADVICE How to get good DX

80m AM Class E transmitter results on the 80 & 160m bands
GW8LJJ returns with a novel design for How the principle of the Marconi ‘T’ Antenna
a class E (high-efficiency) transmitter for 160m does the job at minimum height
CONTEST RESULTS YOUR SAY

Full details of the 16th PW 70MHz competition Letters from our readers Display until 9th January 2025
Keylines
A
Incorporating s they say, ‘the best laid plans of mice and
men’ and all that. I had to return early from
January 2025 Vol. 101 No. 1
On sale: 12th December 2024
Uganda due to a family emergency, so I was
Next issue on sale: 9th January 2025 unable to take part in the CQWW CW Contest from
ISSN 0141-0857 there. I managed just a short play on the 10m band
from home, but it was fun to see the high levels
Practical Wireless
Warners Group Publications plc of activity and worldwide propagation. Let’s hope
The Maltings, West Street this enhanced propagation stays with us during
Bourne, Lincs PE10 9PH
www.warnersgroup.co.uk 2025. I have probably said before, but I recall
Tel 01778 391000 one writer in Short Wave Magazine calling 10m a
Editor ‘gimmick band’ because you can work round the
Don Field G3XTT
[email protected] world with minimal power and a wet noodle as an
Designer antenna when conditions are so good. If that’s a
Mike Edwards
[email protected] ‘gimmick’, let’s have more of it – it’s fun. Apropos
Advertisement Manager of which, I recall in the mid-60s, shortly before I
Kristina Green was licensed, listening on 10m on the AR88 that
01778 392096
[email protected] we had for the Air Cadets, with US stations calling
Marketing Manager CQ on AM and tuning low to high (or vice versa)
Sophie Thornton for calls, just as many of us will remember from
[email protected]
Marketing Assistant 2m days. Times change and these days, of course,
Rebecca Abbott even when propagation is marginal, the modern decided there was still scope for something
[email protected]
Production Manager data modes (FT8 in particular) allow us to make different and started the Northampton Radio
Kay Cotterill contacts when other modes wouldn’t suffice. Social Club, meeting once a month in a local
01778 395065
[email protected] And that is doubly true on the VHF bands. On hostelry. This featured occasional presentations
Publisher 6m we have discovered propagation paths that (I recall a visit and demo by ‘Bandit’ Bill Lowe
Claire Ingram
[email protected] we never even knew existed in days gone by and I of Lowe Electronics – a name that will resonate
see that CT3 is being worked regularly on the 2m with many readers of a certain age), but also
Photocopies & Back Issues
We can supply back issues, but we only keep them band nowadays. Quite amazing. But we should sandwiches and a pint or two. It was a formula
for three months. If you are looking for an article also be pleased that we finally have some F2 that worked well and quickly attracted a large and
or review that you missed first time around, we can
still help. If we don’t have the actual issue we can propagation on 6m – I had great fun on the band enthusiastic membership. There is no ‘one size
always supply a photocopy or PDF file of the article. around the turn of the Millennium, but the more fits all’.
Technical Help recent sunspot cycle failed to give us (here in the
We regret that due to Editorial timescales, replies UK at least) any F2 on 6m, which was frustrating. This issue
to technical queries cannot be given over the
telephone. Any technical queries are unlikely to Whereas recently I worked several VU (India) and Once again, I am spoiled for material and have had
receive immediate attention so, if you require 4S (Sri Lanka) stations as well as XV (Vietnam) on to carry over some significant articles including
help with problems relating to topics covered in
PW, please either contact the author of the article
the band via F2, which was nice. a couple of reviews that will feature next month.
directly or write or send an email to the Editor and I do hope you enjoy what we have for you – I
we’ll do our best to reply as soon as we can. Clubs occasionally get criticised that a particular issue
ZI
NE
& BROCHURE
PR
This publication is printed I promised last month that we would run a feature had ‘nothing of interest for me’. Actually, I’d like to
IN
GA
TE
MA
this month on clubs and their benefits. Sadly, the think that every issue has something of interest,
by Warners Midlands PLC
WARNERS Telephone: 01778 391000
membership of too many clubs tend to grow old even if not directly relevant to your own particular

together without managing to attract new blood. I niche within the hobby, but over the course of a
don’t know the answer, but alternative models can year I’d like to think we cover most bases. If you
sometimes generate new enthusiasm. The Camb- feel there is any topic that isn’t getting sufficient
Hams are a good example, with a fairly informal attention, do drop me a line (and, ideally, suggest
structure but lots of activities for the members to who might be called upon to write on it!).
participate in, as well as a regular Pye and Pints
evening (no, that’s not a misspelling!). When I was 2025
a relatively new amateur, in Northampton, there So we embark on 2025. Let’s try to forget all the
were three existing radio clubs, the Northampton horrors over which we have no control and enjoy
Radio Club (with a room, station and antennas our hobby which, I’ve always found, transcends
on the top floor of a local community centre), nationality, colour, class and creed in a way that
the British Timken radio club with its own station few avocations do.
Keep up to date on Facebook (British Timken manufactured bearings) and
www.facebook.com/practicalwireless
the Painton Resistors radio club, also with its
Follow us on Twitter/X own station. All welcomed any local amateur as Don Field G3XTT
@PracWireless a member or visitor. But some local amateurs Editor, Practical Wireless Magazine
Buy back issues and archive CDs at www.mymagazinesub.co.uk/practical-wireless

January 2025 PRACTICAL WIRELESS 3
Contents
53
34 The Faces behind the Calls

Roger Dowling G3NKH meetsђ)TS'JFYYNJ,'/
and-NQFW^(QF^YTSXRNYM,/08at their Shrop-
shire QTH.
15 38 Portable 80m AM Class E

Transmitter
*WNH*I\FWIX,<1//returns with a novel design
20 ;NSYFLJ9JQJ[NXNTS 7FINT for a class E (high-efficiency) transmitter.
Keith Hamer and ,FWW^8RNYM continue the special
series looking back at the BBC’s coverage of 43 <M^)T.3JJI9T/TNS&(QZG$
Coronations since 1937. There is also a vintage Chris Colclough G1VDP has some excellent
Coronation advertisement from the archives for advice on how to promote and revive your club.
a television construction kit. A new series begins
chronicling events in broadcasting 100 years ago 48 HF Highlights
this month. The series charting the rise and fall of 8YJ[J9JQJSNZX1T\J,/;,looks back at his
BBC 198kHz transmissions focuses on the mast visit to the RSGB Convention before diving in to
and aerial arrangement employed at the Wester- bring readers the latest HF news.
glen transmitter in Scotland. Coverage detailing
60 years of BBC-2 looks at some of the technical 50 The World of VHF
20 problems encountered by engineers. They also Tim Kirby GW4VXE reports on a great month for
continue our series about the development of VHF/UHF DX, especially the F2 openings on Six.
6 News Swiss Radio and Television since 1922, with the
PW’s monthly roundup of news from the UK and opening of several new radio stations. 53 Marconi ‘T’ Antenna for 160m
internationally, including new products, club Vince Lear G3TKN discusses how to achieve
news and recent events. 22 Antennas good DX results on the 80 and 160m bands with
Keith Rawlings G4MIU continues on the theme of minimum height.
10 A Magnetic Loop Antenna ‘Controlled Feeder Radiation’ (CFR) antennas.
/TMS5NथYPT\XPF;TTLMY2<(+3offers an 56 9MJ8N]YJJSYM5WFHYNHFQ<NWJQJXX
easy-to-build loop antenna suitable for indoor 26 Take 20 2-_(TSYJXY7JXZQYX
or outdoor use. 8YJ[J2FHITSFQI,&6'has another handy and Colin Redwood G6MXL presents the results of the
cheap project for the shack, a simple Arduino Nano 2024 contest.
14 A compact ultra lightweight Morse Beacon.
magnetic loop antenna 59 Readers’ Letters
/TMS,ZJXY,,43builds a small loop for QRP 28 Data Modes This month’s Letters cover Exams, Home Con-
operation. Mike Richards G4WNC has lots to cover this struction, the Matchbox Transmitter and more.
month, starting with a follow-up on the new
15 The DigiFilter Web-888 SDR receiver, a new touch display for the 62 Rallies
7TS9F^QTW,,=4describes a filter that offers Raspberry Pi and an excellent case for Pi radio Locate a rally or event near you; we have our usual
In-Line Digital Audio Filtering and More! projects. comprehensive list.
Sign up to our FREE email newsletter at www.mymagazinesub.co.uk/practical-wireless

4 PRACTICAL WIRELESS January 2025
Get ready for
CHRISTMAS!
www.moonrakeronline.com
call 01908 281705 email [email protected]
News
Newsdesk
Have you got something to tell our readers about? If so, then email [email protected]
Icom
News
Icom Announces a 60th Anniversary Special
Edition of the IC-7760 Transceiver ‘The
Signature Edition’:
https://tinyurl.com/47wmr2rf
Icom UK are pleased to share details

about the 2024 ICOM/JARL-Authorised
International D-STAR QSO Party. The global
event will take place over the holiday period
beginning at 0000UTC on 27 December 2024
and continuing until 2359UTC on 5 January
2025.
As in previous years, the aim is to encourage
D-STAR operators to communicate with as
many other operators worldwide but also to
encourage the use of the picture-sending
function found in the latest D-STAR radios.
For every 30 points gained, those who enter
will get into the draw for one of the prizes.
In addition, all operators who submit an
approved log will be given a D-STAR Party
Certificate (PDF) for participating.
To learn more about the event including rules
and how to submit your log, visit:
www.icomjapan.com/event/dqp2024
The D-STAR QSO Party is open to all licensed
amateur radio operators, regardless of their
D-STAR experience level. Whether you’re
a seasoned D-STAR expert or a newcomer
eager to explore this technology, this will be a
fun way to ring in the New Year!
Introducing the ID-52E PLUS Dual-Band
D-STAR Digital Transceiver
Icom UK is pleased to announce the pricing
and availability for the new ID-52E PLUS dual-
band D-STAR digital transceiver. The ID-52E
PLUS replaces the ID-52E and retains all the • A new Bluetooth module allowing wireless functions of the ID-52E, including share
features of its popular predecessor and more. connection to a smartphone (RS-MS3A for picture function, V/V, U/U, V/U dualwatch,
The ID-52E has been a popular VHF/UHF Terminal Mode/Access Point modes, faster band scope with waterfall display and much
dual band transceiver with D-STAR and FM picture transmission by the ST-4001I). more.
dual-mode functions allowing long-distance • Dual operation of Terminal mode and The ID-52E PLUS has a recommended retail
communication worldwide through the Simplex/Repeater operations. price of £559.99. Please note that there are
D-STAR network. • USB Type-C connector (replacing the Type-B small quantities of the 60th anniversary
Upgraded Functions and Features of the connector). edition of this model still available from
ID-52E PLUS: • Offers the same features modes and Authorised Icom UK Amateur Radio Dealers.

News
KW DAYS 2025: KW Days is now an annual event and will

be with us once again in the New Year
Many young amateurs cut their radio teeth on the KW-160
AM Topbander in the late 1950’s and early 60’s. The KW-
Atlanta boasting 500W PEP SSB input transceiver was the
last of the line in the late 1970’s, following on the heels of
the famous of all ‘must-have’ KW2000 series transceivers.
ERC-Duo Interface Kent-made equipment will be on the air across the UK and
overseas on the founders weekend of 5/6 January 2025.
for Antenna Rotator

The GB8KW multi-operator station will again be very active
from Cray Valley radio club’s HQ in Eltham, showcasing
a whole range of equipment and accessories for visitor
ERC-DUO USB Interface for Yaesu Rotators like the Yaesu GS-232A/GS-232B interface. inspection 10am-4pm.
is a compact interface designed in This makes this interface compatible More GB-KW (0-9) calls will be active across the UK during
Germany for connecting compatible Yaesu with almost all rotor control and logging January than ever before as the events popularity grows
rotator controllers to a computer via USB. software programs on the market. A key and more equipment is once again rediscovered and
ERC-DUO can connect to all Yaesu rotator difference and advantage compared to restored. Such is the interest that many will be operating
controllers that have an ‘Ext. Control’ others is the ERC-DUO Interface is powered throughout January, calling CQ-KW on the hour/half hour
connector. ERC-DUO includes a 6-pin via the PC USB port, so it is easy to use for when active. The
mini-DIN cable for the Yaesu DXA series either Base or Portable Satellite operations [email protected]
controllers. A suitable 8-pin DIN (not mini- because it does not require an external is an active group of collectors and ex-employees
DIN) cable must be purchased separately power supply. Also included is the USB providing help and support to those undertaking
for use with Yaesu Azimuth-Elevation A to USB B cable for the PC connection. restorations. An extensive archive of manuals, circuits,
models G-5500DC or previous G-5500. The Install the USB driver before connecting the and associated material continues to be curated.
ERC-DUO offers connection options for up ERC-DUO, a simple download from the FTDI Vintage KW, AM & CW equipment will be found on VMARS
to two rotors simultaneously to support website: or FISTS frequencies.
satellite antenna systems with azimuth and https://ftdichip.com/drivers/vcp-drivers Classic SSB equipment, in tribute to the famous KW77 Rx,
elevation motors. The ERC-DUO interface £99.95 from Moonraker. will be using Non-WARC frequencies ending in 77kHz ±
uses the Yaesu rotor control protocol, just https://moonrakeronline.com QRM. – Primarily 1.877/1977MHz. 3.77MHz. 7.177MHz
14.177 & 14.277MHz. 21.277MHz & 28.377MHz ±QRM.

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News
AM QSO PARTY: The Amplitude Modulation

Amateur Radio Society and the AM Amateur Radio
Europe Facebook Group invite you to take part in the
Winter 2025 AM QSO Party, running from 0001UTC
on Saturday 18 January until 1200UTC on Sunday
19 January.
So turn on your vintage rig, tune up your military
gear, switch to the AM mode on your shiny modern
transceiver or build your own AM transmitter and
join us on the HF bands for friendly QSOs around
Europe and far beyond on all the permitted HF
Bands! Full details of the event rules can be found at
the following website:
https://amqsoparty.wixsite.com/mysite
or email Simon Taylor MW0NWM at m3set@yahoo.
co.uk for details.
MERRY CHRISTMAS: The Humber fortress DX

amateur radio club will once again be running the
special callsign of GB0MC (Merry Christmas) from did not know how many were just listening as we also connected with fellow Scouts and radio
1 to 26 December. We will also be live streaming on promoted Rotary International and the Bill Gates amateurs on HF and 2m bands making over 400
our YouTube Channel: Foundation over the airwaves. We did not use this contacts in 57 countries. The QO-100 satellite
https://tinyurl.com/yh9thz8z as a fundraising activity, but we did have a web was used extensively for both narrowband and TV,
Humber Fortress DX Radio Club is made up of presence, which directed anyone who wished to exchanging stories and learning about technologies
like-minded amateurs, who love nothing more than donate any money to the Polio website. and diverse cultures.
to get on the radio. The club is very active and takes On the day our small group of UK Rotarian hams Adding a unique dimension to this year’s JOTA,
part in a wide range of events, including contests. had grown and there were operators located a fully operational TV studio was set up on site,
The clubhouse also runs regular training sessions in Canterbury, Minehead, Stapleton, Hertford, transmitting live broadcasts via the QO-100
and undertakes antenna, balun, coil builds, plus Norwich and Grays. satellite. Scouts took turns in front of the camera,
much more. If you hear us on the bands or we have Reflecting upon the day we had several thousand presenting the weather in real-time using green
a qso, plz feel free to sign the club website guest communications around the world. Many screen technology, giving many their first taste of
book and we will get back to you. Website link is on comments were received, thanking Rotary for on-air broadcasting.
the main banner, right hand side. 73 for now, and running the station and telling people about the “We’re thrilled with the Scouts’ enthusiasm and
good DXing horrendous disease, others reflected on their own active participation in this year’s JOTA event,” said
experiences. Frank Heritage M0AEU. “It’s always inspiring to
CQ CQ THIS GB4WPD (WORLD POLIO DAY): For The group is now looking at the future events. We watch these young people connect with others
several years, a group of Rotarians who are licensed are looking at digital transmissions, the use of Q100 across borders, learn new skills, and embrace the
radio amateurs have been meeting weekly on the (geostationary satellite) the international space spirit of global friendship. While this event offers
airwaves. The chair of this group is a Rotarian station together with other modes of transmission. an incredible introduction to amateur radio, it’s also
located just outside Brisbaine Australia. If anyone is interested in finding out more about about building confidence, teamwork, and curiosity.
In July this year three UK based Rotarians who the amateur radio hobby, please contact us at In fact, one participant has already begun studying
are also hams, Lindsay Pearson, Bob Frost and [email protected]. for his Foundation licence!”
Nicholas Wilkinson, were looking at the projects Through the hands-on activities and real-time radio
their respective clubs had completed that year. OVER 120 YOUNG SCOUTS GATHER FOR and television connections, the Jamboree on the Air
Lindsay is with the Mid Suffolk Rotary club, Bob SUCCESSFUL JAMBOREE ON THE AIR AT offered young Scouts a unique opportunity to dive
the Hertford Shires club and Nick with the Grays GILWELL PARK (GB2GP): More than 120 Scouts into amateur radio while developing friendships
Thurrock club. The idea was to run a special event from across the South of England gathered at the that transcend geographic boundaries. Participants
amateur radio station on ‘World Polio Day’ with a Scout headquarters at Gilwell Park in Essex over returned home not only with new skills but with
dedicated callsign GB4WPD. the weekend of 19/20 October for the Jamboree memories and connections that will last a lifetime.
Originally the thought was that we would run the on the Air (JOTA), an exciting annual event that
event in the UK. However, when we mentioned the connects young people with fellow Scouts and
project to our Rotarian ham colleagues in Australia,
they said they would join us so the activity grew.
radio enthusiasts around the world. Through
radio, electronics, and live broadcasting, this Help Wanted
Before long we had Rotarians based in the UK plus event gave Scouts hands-on experience in global Stolen - a Yaesu FT-8900R dual-band
our Rotarian friends in Australia, New Zealand, communication, electronics, and broadcasting transceiver and microphone. Removed
Spain and America. technology. from its original box whilst in courier
As we got closer to 24 October (World Polio Day) we The weekend was filled with interactive activities transit between Nottingham and West
saw our small project grow and realised we had the designed to teach Scouts valuable technical and Yorkshire, package re-sealed. Serial
ability to have a global awareness day. Wikipedia communication skills. Among the highlights number ending in 324. Any information
states that there are in the region of three million was the chance to build electronic kits that please contact G3UGF. Email available
amateurs so we had a very large audience although they could take home, fostering creativity and at QRZ.com or callbook.
we would only talk to a small percentage, but we an understanding of technology. Participants

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350 pages. 12,800 entries with all broadcast and professional utility stations worldwide. Latest
schedules for 2025. Clearly arranged and really user-friendly. 29th edition!
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Read more radio news and reviews at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/news

Feature
John Rowlands MW1CFN

[email protected]
H
ave you ever wanted to try a magnetic
loop antenna? If so, you’ll probably have
been shocked at the price of commercial
models, currently ranging from £520 to £1500!
The alternative is to build a loop. But in my case, I
was initially so put off by the mystique that seems
to surround these small antennas, that I thought
it beyond my ability to create. Which is a bit odd
because, in essence, a magnetic loop antenna is
just a metal ring – it can be circular, hexagonal,
square or something not quite any of those – with
a capacitor between the ends, Fig. 1. You can think
of it as an antenna that is physically small, made
electrically long by the energy-storing action of the
capacitor.
If you visit internet forums, you’ll soon find the
term ‘dummy load’ ranged against magnetic loops.
As I’ll show with some real, bias-free results later,
this is a load of codswallop! Made reasonably
carefully and placed in a good environment, a
magnetic loop is every bit as good an antenna as a
full-sized wire.
‘Efficiency’ is also a term you will come across
in relation to magloops, with some claiming that
the term ‘inefficient’ is more appropriate. Again,
rubbish! While you need to use modestly wide
bore tubing, for the bands down to 80m, there
really is no need to use anything wider than ¾in
(22mm) copper tube. If you are adept at some
cold temperature aluminium welding, you can
use that to create somewhat wider bore loops,
saving yourself money and weight. A good site to
visit for perimeter, tube diameter and efficiency
calculations is found by searching for ‘66Pacific
small transmitting loop’.
Note that there has been a long, often bitter
debate about the efficiency of magnetic loops
between the general ham community and
1
Professor Mike Underhill, who wrote an exhaustive
A Magnetic Loop
and fascinating account about loops, which you
can read in the International Antenna Collection
book (ARRL/RSGB.) The argument rumbles on, but
Antenna
I prefer the Professor’s conclusions to the angry
forum assertions.
The next, supposedly insurmountable problem
the naysayers lob towards the magloop-curious
is: ‘impossible to tune’. Sensitive to small tuning -RKQ3LçWNRZVND9RRJKW0:&)1offers an easy-to-
changes, certainly, but nowhere near impossible; build loop antenna suitable for indoor or outdoor use.
I’ve done it quite easily by hand with my early loops,
but a PWM motor is certainly a big advantage – as separate receive antennas, and for sensitive fine for this frequency range. You can use 15mm
more on that later. SWLing. tube for a loop limited to 10-17MHz use, while
And, of course, the sensitivity to tuning is in fact So, having blown away the mists of mystery maintaining high efficiency (93-99% for that range.)
a bonus because magloops are ‘high-Q’ antennas, that surround this antenna type, let’s look at the If you’re only interested in 14MHz and above, you
meaning that the frequency range over which basics of building one. You need the following bits can use 10mm microbore tube (97-100% efficient).
the antenna demonstrates a usable match (‘low and bobs for my particular take on this excellent • 4 x presoldered 90° elbows (for the easiest-to-
SWR’) when tuned is extremely narrow, Fig. 2. That antenna, which I am basing on a model that should build, square form)
means a magloop is very good at rejecting strong cover 60-20m, perhaps a band higher and/or lower, • A small pot of plumber’s soldering flux (caution:
signals either side of the desired frequency – a depending on environment. this is very corrosive – wear gloves to apply, but not
very desirable trait that often sees magloops used • 2 x 3m lengths of copper tube; 22-28mm is to solder.)
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Feature
2
Capacitor
6:1 Drive
Reducer
Nylon
Rod
3 Flexible Shaft
Coupler
• ~50cm of wide copper braid, or moderately
thin brass sheet/shim for the connections to the
capacitor, and some spade connectors to allow
connections to be made and unmade easily.
The perimeter of the loop, regardless of the 3 rpm
shape you choose, should be about 4.8m or so, or
1.2m on a side for a loop that can be tuned from
12v DC
~40m to 20m. You may achieve 60m as well, but it motor
depends on the environment and the capacitor you
use. The general rule is that every loop’s perimeter
should be a bit less than a quarter wavelength at
the highest operating frequency. You can make 4
them smaller than this, but the efficiency will fall
rapidly, and you’ll need a capacitor with a different, connections to the capacitor. Fig. 1: A square magloop antenna
higher range. You can add pre-soldered end stops to your loop Fig 2. Magloops have very sharp tuning – ideal
The general arrangement is shown in Fig. 3. if you will use it outdoors permanently. If you do, for rejecting adjacent signal interference.
Cut four lengths of copper tube of 1.2m and make sure you first drill a small vent hole in the Fig. 3: Magloop schematic.
solder them together using the 90° elbows. If bottom tube of the loop, because when you add the Fig. 4: Tuning arrangement showing the soldered
you’re less than familiar with soldering plumbing last cap, the heat will produce so much pressure connections. Weatherproof the capacitor and
tubes, there are many online videos that will guide within the tube that it will cause hot solder to motor with thick plastic sheet of some kind, fixed
you. sputter dangerously and make a poor joint. with screws and mastic.
The top of the loop has a gap of about 15cm Alternatively, use a short length of PVC tube to
where the connection to the capacitor is made. plug the ends and keep them rigidly apart, to avoid alongside the main loop, which can make
It’s easier to solder an entire loop first, then cut a capacitance changes in the system. Plastic tube matching very frustrating and unreliable.
suitably-sized piece out of the centre of the top clips are also useful to secure the top and bottom Instead, I advise you use a ‘pseudo-gamma’
tube. Use a proprietary tube cutter to make the of the loop. match system. Simply add a large crocodile clip
job easier. Solder some copper braid, thick wire Now all we need to finish the loop itself is to to the end of some thickish wire – I tend to use
or metal strip near each end, and attach whatever provide a feed mechanism. Most people still try 10mm2 earth wire – and for the time being attach
fittings match the connections to the capacitor. and use a small ‘Faraday’ loop to feed the radiating the clip roughly two thirds of the way up one side
Automotive spade connectors are ideal for this, loop. My advice is to avoid these, because they of the loop. Run this wire pretty much parallel with
as you can then experiment with different loops tend to be mechanically unstable, and can also and touching the loop, fixing it periodically with
without having to make and remake permanent be unduly sensitive to shape and positioning cable ties or tape, down to the centre of the lower

Feature
Fig. 5: The controller. Fig. 6: WSPR signal comparison planning issues. Magloops work well indoors,
with a friend who has a 40m longwire antenna. but of course will couple to metal appliances
and indoor wiring, which will change the tuning
All these mechanical connections tend to characteristics, but are usually still very usable.
have a bit of misalignment, even if you’ve put it For best performance, like any other antenna,
together carefully. I allowed for this by attaching you need to position the loop outdoors and as
my capacitor to a plastic sheet housing, which high as you can manage safely, and in as good an
is secured to the central spine by one, not-quite- environment as possible. A loop trying to radiate
tightened screw near the top. This allows the from a dense housing development will not work
housing and the capacitor to ‘give’ a little where as well as one placed on a clear hilltop, or by the
required. See Fig. 4 for the general arrangement. sea. A magloop of this size, while neighbours
The only thing that remains is the tuning motor might not like it much, is unlikely to find itself the
control system. Happily, you simply buy this for subject of planning enforcement, especially if, as
about £6 online. If you enter the following term into is easy to do, you can fold it or bring it down when
your favourite online auction site, you’ll find the not in use. But check with your local authority, if
6 exact model required: ‘6V-24V 3A DC Motor Speed in doubt.
Control Controller PWM Regulator Reversible I tested this loop design for a long period,
tube, where it will connect to a 4:1 balun (you can Switch’. You could use stepper motors and so on, positioned outdoors, alongside the house, but
also try a 1:1, or even a 2:1). Solder a much shorter but this controller, Fig. 5, is perhaps the easiest to with a clear view for 270°, at a height of only about
wire slightly off the middle of the lower tube, which put into action. 3m to the bottom tube. The results are very good,
goes to the other output of the balun. Once you’ve got this, it’s just a case of and confirm that a magnetic loop antenna, in a
You’ll need to fashion a central timber or other connecting the two motor wires and a 12V good environment, works as well as a full-sized
insulating spine to support your loop and to which supply. I tidied my controller up with a palm-sized wire antenna. It also demonstrates directivity,
you will attach your capacitor and motor drive. equipment box. Banana sockets provide the 12V radiating vertically polarised radiation strongly
The capacitor should be 10-350pF, or a 10-500pF, input, a BNC socket the PWM output. along the plane of the loop, and equally strong
depending on what’s available online – there’s Connect the loop to your stand, and make the RF horizontal radiation perpendicular to it. Using FT8,
often a lot of competition for these capacitors, so and motor control connections. It’s a good idea I’ve managed plenty of QSOs with Japan and other
the price can become a little silly at times. to add some ferrites to choke any current trying such long-haul DX, using just 20W output when
I used a 12V, 3 RPM motor as the basic turning to make it down the controller’s cable. Using an operating from the coast.
mechanism. Its casing has two side lugs, which I antenna analyser, or just an SWR meter, find where The graph, Fig. 6, is a 14MHz WSPR comparison
used to attach the motor to two pieces of wood to the crocodile clip connection gives the best match. run between June 10 and 12, 2018, and shows how
secure it to the central spine. Plastic is better for Try it again at other frequencies, to check the loop the magloop compares extremely favourably with
permanent outdoor use. I then used a flexible shaft can be tuned on those as well. If it doesn’t work, the reach of G8LIK, who was running a ‘skywire’
coupler – plastic and metal types are available – keep trying until you find that ‘sweet spot’, and horizontal loop of ~40m long. Indeed, the magloop
to add an insulating piece of nylon rod, and then solder the wire, covering it with self-amalgamating significantly outperforms the wire antenna during
another shaft coupler to connect the other end tape when cool. the late evening and early morning periods.
of the rod to a 6:1 drive reducer. My reducer just A magloop, rather evidently, is not a ‘dummy
inserted into the capacitor shaft, but you may Testing load’, and it is, as I hope I’ve shown you, not
need to adapt yours with another shaft coupler, Two of the main reasons for considering a difficult to make one for pocket money that
depending on what type you have. magnetic loop antenna are lack of space or operates efficiently and effectively. PW

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Feature
Martin Guest G4GON

[email protected]
T
he recent stormy weather blew down
my end-fed antenna and this led me
to think about an alternative antenna,
if possible, without the need to go outside
until the weather improved. For indoor use
this would mean some form of magnetic loop
(‘small transmitting loop’) antenna. Hence this
project.
The antenna would:
• be made from materials readily available
and inexpensive
• be simple to construct
• cover the 20, 30 and 40m amateur bands
• be able to handle 5 watts
• fold up into a small pouch for portable use
• be an effective replacement for my end-fed
wire antenna
With this in mind I scoured the internet
for ideas and found that the most popular
material for homemade HF loop antennas was
copper pipe (30 to 50mm circumference) and 1
1
the most popular form was a circle about 1m
A compact ultra lightweight

diameter (3m circumference) with soldered
joints. " Thsi Magazine Only on S o f t a r c h
i v e . i s " Commercial antennas tended to
magnetic loop antenna

use the copper braid sheath of coaxial cable
(eg RG213 with a sheath circumference of
about 30mm) or Heliax cable. The Wonder
Loop from Moonraker uses a self-supporting
solid copper wire loop less than a metre in John Guest G4GON builds a small loop for QRP operation.
diameter.
Although my theoretical knowledge of for portability, then either an aluminium strip plastic strip and a second strip of foil to the
magnetic loop antennae is limited I have or a plastic strip covered with aluminium foil other side of the plastic strip. This is a fiddly
:learned
• the bestcertain important
material facts
for the radiating conductor would be more convenient than a tube; but procedure as the tape is extremely sticky! I
is copper; however, aluminium is almost as would it radiate as well? considered it important however that each
good, cheaper and more widely available. I decided to construct the loop as follows: side of the plastic was covered by a single
• the skin effect of RF current means that unbroken strip of the foil. A hole was punched
only the very outer layer of the radiating Materials in either end which would fit over the binding
conductor is used; this means • plastic electrical trunking 0.7mm thick, posts of the capacitor box.
• that the conductor can be as thin as 30 2000mm long, trimmed to make a plastic · The feeder (‘Faraday’) loop is made in the
microns at 7MHz and still radiate effectively. strip 40mm wide same way as the main loop and is 20% of its
• the surface area of the radiating conductor • adhesive backed aluminium foil tape 30 length – in this case 40cm. One end is fixed
should be large. microns thick, 50mm wide in a roll of 40m to the braid of the RG58 coax and the other
• the optimal circumference of the loop • various plastic tubes to make a support for to the central core.
should be about 10% of the wavelength. the antenna · It is very difficult to solder aluminium foil; so
• the ohmic resistance of the conductor must • an air spaced capacitor (from an old radio) all connections to the foil must be as firm as
be kept to an absolute minimum; this means 50 to 405pF with a reduction drive, in a box possible to keep the ohmic resistance to a
that joints should be as few as possible and • two solid brass binding posts minimum.
soldered. • a length of RG58 coax cable to connect the · The feeder loop should be in contact with
I was curious to know why virtually all Faraday loop to my HB1B transceiver the main loop for several centimetres
references to loop construction showed a • various BNC plugs and sockets separated by some sort of insulation (eg
three-dimensional tubular radiator, whether • a QRP SWR Resistive Bridge/LED Indicator gaffa tape). So, the surface area of the foil
solid copper pipe or coax braid sheath, rather (Kanga Products) for tuning in this loop is 1600cm2 (compared with
than a two-dimensional metal strip with the Photo 1 shows the materials ready for the 600cm2 of copper braid in an RG213 coax
same surface area, which would be easier and build. loop of the same size).
cheaper to make: • The whole antenna including the support
If the radiating conductor was to be foldable Construction weighs 800gm (excluding the SWR Bridge
The main loop was made by applying a
Photo 1: The parts needed. single strip of foil tape to one side of the 2m Continued on page: 18

Practical
The DigiFilter
Ron Taylor G4GXO
[email protected]
T
he best one-line description I can come
up with for this project is that it is an In-Line Digital Audio Filtering and More!
‘Audio Swiss Army Knife’. It offers
‘brick wall’ audio filtering with independently the processor’s ADC mid-range by operational The digital and analogue supplies are derived
adjustable corner frequencies, an effective auto- amplifier (op amp) IC1. The op amp also ensures from two TO92 3v3 regulators, IC2 and IC3.
notch capable of reducing a CW pile up to a faint that the ADC is driven from a low enough Generous decoupling is used to prevent digital
rattle of key clicks, an adjustable Denoiser for impedance for correct operation. The audio is noise finding its way into the analogue circuits.
reducing background mush and Binaural outputs sampled at around 11kHz and formatted into
for presenting CW signals as spatially separated 16-bit signed values. These are filtered and, Audio filter
signals. In addition, up to eight filter settings depending upon audio path selection, passed The adjustable audio bandpass filter employs
may be saved and recalled as presets. Finally, to the other software modules for further a long Finite Impulse Response (FIR) filter. This
it ‘talks’ to you in Morse code, not with a harsh processing before being converted back to workhorse of the digital filter world is capable
rasping keyed square or triangular wave but with analogue form by the DAC. The DAC Left and of near vertical sides and impressive stopband
a pure, smooth, raised cosine modulated sine Right output channels are buffered by a dual attenuation without throwing up any surprises.
wave. All this from a project with just 35 parts op amp (IC5) to produce the Line Outputs. In The FIR filter code is surprisingly brief, around
(less optional sockets and headers) and a build all modes except Binaural, the left and right a dozen lines of assembler instructions, but its
cost of less than £20! channels are identical. Either may be used as a versatility lies within the filter kernel, a block of
single-ended audio output. data that defines the filter frequency, amplitude
The circuit Control is by a rotary encoder and a dual LED and phase response.
A block diagram of the DigiFilter is shown in indicates input signal level. The 4-pin ‘PRESET’ The general configuration of an FIR filter is
Fig. 2 and the schematic is given in Fig. 1. header allows up to eight pre-set filter settings shown in Fig. 3. A delay line, in this case 101
At the heart of the circuit is the Microchip [2] to be saved and recalled. Menu actions are taps long, stores samples which after every
dsPIC33FJ128GP806 16-bit microprocessor, IC4. announced in Morse code at 12wpm with a shift are multiplied by the associated constants
This device is a little unconventional in that as raised cosine keyed sine wave. held in the ‘filter kernel’. After all the samples
well as the usual Analogue-to-Digital Converter For convenience, the processor programming have been multiplied the results are summed
(ADC) it also features a stereo 16-bit Digital-to- lines are brought out onto a 6-pin header for In to produce the filter output. One new sample
Analogue Converter (DAC), greatly simplifying Circuit Serial Programming (ICSP). The ICSP in, one filtered sample out. The delay lines
digital audio projects. header pin out follows that of Microchip’s PICkit are actually circular with the longest delayed
Audio at the AF input is buffered and biased to 3 and similar serial programmers. sample being overwritten by the newest. A linear

Practical
Fig. 1: DigiFilter schematic.

Fig. 2: Block diagram of DigiFilter.
representation is used here for clarity with the

longest delayed sample disappearing off the end of
the delay line in a puff of smoke.
In the DigiFilter with each change of bandwidth
the kernel is calculated from scratch by a fast
assembler function. The filter’s upper and lower
corner frequencies are independently adjustable
in 50Hz steps with the upper limit at 5kHz and the 2
lower at 100Hz. The minimum filter bandwidth is
50Hz. audio input the tones are be cancelled removing releasing the encoder toggles between delay
them from the audio passband. A couple of other (Morse ‘T’ for Time) and Left and Right channel
Denoiser and autonotch parameters determine how quickly the filter balance (‘Q’ for equilibrium). Upon initial entry
Two relatively short FIR filters form the Denoiser responds to a coherent signal, allowing the filter to channel balance is set to 0dB, i.e. both channels
and the Autonotch. Unlike the audio filter, which discriminate between speech and fixed frequency are at the same gain.
employs a static fixed kernel, these are ‘adaptive tones.
filters’ whose kernels are generated on the fly by Preset pins
a simple piece of code called the ‘Normalised Binaural output The four preset pins comprise of a ground pin
Least Mean Squares (NLMS) Algorithm’. With each An interesting effect, which at first sounds quite and three inputs. If a 4-way rotary switch is
new audio sample, this algorithm compares the startling, is the pseudo stereo binaural output. If connected with rotor to ground, three terminals
filter input and output signals and uses a simple listening to a congested group of CW signals with to the input pins and one terminal unconnected,
equation to modify each of the adaptive filter binaural enabled, the signals will appear spread out then four preset memories may be selected. (If
kernel’s coefficients. The algorithm causes the in front of you arranged in ascending or descending all combinations of the three inputs were to be
filter to ‘track’ coherent signals such as tones or frequency order. The brain is very adept at used then this would increase to eight memories.)
speech. isolating and listening to an individual signal when The Preset menu option allows the current filter
There are a couple of minor differences between presented this way, sometimes politely referred settings to be stored against the selected memory.
the algorithms that determine whether the filter to as ‘The Cocktail Party Effect’… or perhaps more The filter will be recalled whenever the preset is
behaves as a Denoiser or an Autonotch, the chief succinctly as ‘eavesdropping’? A simple adjustable selected.
one being where the audio output is taken from. delay produces the binaural effect. For best results
In the Denoiser, audio is taken directly from the in binaural mode, use a wide filter bandwidth to The design files
filter output that carries the filtered speech. In the accommodate a broad audio spectrum. The schematic and board were designed with
Autonotch, the filter output will carry the filtered On entry into Binaural mode, turning the encoder KiCAD [4] and project files are included on my
unwanted tone(s) so by subtracting this from the will adjust the binaural delay. Pressing and GitHub repository [3]. Also included is the compiled

Practical
3 4
Fig. 3: General configuration of an FIR filter.

Fig. 4: KiCAD generated image of the PCB layout.
Fig. 5: CNC board and commercially made version.
Fig. 6: The DigiFilter connected to a PICkit 3
software hex file for loading into the processor. The

source code is not available.
Construction
A KiCAD generated image of the PCB layout is
shown in Fig. 4. Layout is not critical although for
the best noise performance a good ground plane
is recommended. To attract the widest constructor
base, the PCB design uses standard 0.1in pitch
parts throughout to simplify assembly, (so those
of you who use ‘SMD’ as an excuse not to switch
on the soldering iron have no excuse!). The PCB
could be hand made or ordered commercially
using the project files. For those fortunate to have
a mini-CNC, milling the layout is also an option, 5
Fig. 5. Alternatively, the printed PCB layout can be
used as an overlay for drilling and countersinking noise reaching the analogue rail. Suitable options About 100mV RMS will ensure correct operation.
a single-sided piece of PCB laminate to carry the are several turns of wire on a ferrite bead, an axial The DigiFilter output is passed to a suitable audio
components on the copper ‘ground’ side with RF choke of a few tens of microhenrys or, as I amplifier, which could be that of the host receiver.
connections being made on the underside. have used, a 43 Type ferrite with about 20 turns of If binaural operation is required, a stereo amplifier
A suitable programmer, such as the PicKit 3 0.3mm enamelled wire – once again, it was what I is required. Left and Right channel balance may be
or similar, is required to load the hex file into had to hand. performed by the DigiFilter, (see earlier) or by the
the processor, either by using the In Circuit The processor’s analogue decoupling capacitor, amplifier’s balance control.
Programming header or a dedicated device C7, must have a low Equivalent Series Resistance If the encoder is held pressed during switch-on,
programmer with a Zero Insertion Force (ZIF) (ESR). I have found that most modern electrolytics the unit will announce its software version in Morse
socket. Fig. 6 shows the DigiFilter connected to a will work fine here. However, should you experience at 12wpm before configuring itself into either a
PICkit 3 programmer. problems with programming, then this capacitor is default pass through mode of 100Hz to 5.0kHz
the most likely culprit. Replace it with a new, good or, if a preset is selected, the bandwidth settings
Component choice quality part. stored against it. If the unit is powered up without
With the exception of the processor, most of the A low cost Bournes rotary encoder with integral the encoder being pressed, it will go directly into
parts are non critical and in the case of the Op push switch and 24 pulses per revolution (PPR) operating mode.
Amps there are many choices with the only criteria is used for the control in the prototype, lower PPR The receiver AF gain is adjusted until the
being a minimum operating voltage of at least 3V, versions such as the 16 or 20 PPR types will be DigiFilter signal LED shows a steady green with the
a matching pin-out and a rail-to-rail signal range. absolutely fine. occasional amber flash. When the signal amplitude
I used what I had to hand, in this case an MCP616 is close to clipping the LED will show red and the
and an MCP6002. Operation audio may become noticeably distorted.
Choke L1 is used to decouple the analogue The DigiFilter AF input is taken from the receiver The rotary encoder has three actions: turn,
regulator input from the supply to reduce digital output, usually the headphone output will be fine. momentary press/release and press/hold. All

Practical
Morse Function Continued from page: 14

di di dah dit F Filter – Press/Rel to enter in Upper Passband Mode
di di dah U Upper Passband Mode (Press/Rel for lower)
di dah di dit L Lower Passband Mode (Press/Rel for upper)
di dah A Autonotch – Press/Rel to toggle on/off
dah di dit D Denoiser – Press/Rel to toggle on/off
dah di di dit B Binaural – Press/Rel to toggle on/off
dah dah di da Q Balance adjust (Press/Rel Delay)
dah T Delay adjust (Press/Rel Balance)
di dah dah dit P Save filter against selected preset
dah da dit G Tone Gain – Press/Rel to enter (Press/hold to save)
Notifications
dit E Adjustment Step
di di dit S Limit reached, High pitch= upper, low pitch= lower
dah di dah K Preset storage success
dah dah M Top Menu Navigation
Table 1: Controls Summary. Bold letters are main menu options. Highlighted blocks show associated sub-menu options.
actions (with the exception of rotary ones in some

menus) are acknowledged by confirmation tones.
The general operation is that turning the encoder 2
changes the menu option, pressing and releasing
the encoder enters a menu for further actions or
toggles a function on or off. Once inside certain
menus, such as filter, gain etc, the encoder is
turned to change a value.
Morse identifiers
The position in the operating menu is announced in
Morse. Table 1 shows the single letter codes, their 3
meanings and the actions they relate to.
The signal processing menu is supplemented by Photo 2: The assembled loop.
additional tones and options. The Tone Gain (‘G’) 6 Photo 3: RBN spots on the 20m band.
allows the level of the Morse identifiers and general
tones to be set and saved. The Preset (‘P’) option gain of the DigiFilter is 0dB so the existing AF Gain • Indicator); the loop has a circumference of 2m
stores the current filter settings against a grounded control will set the receiver volume as normal. and a diameter of aproximately 65cm.
Preset pin (or binary combination of pins). A ‘K’ The output audio is taken from either Line Output The completed antenna is shown at Photo 2.
confirms that the setting is saved. Selecting a pin channel to the receiver’s audio amplifier.
combination at some later point loads the stored Ensure that a good, low impedance ground Results
filter setting held against those pin(s). connection exists between the DigiFilter and the Using maximum noise and the LED Indicator
When making adjustments, an ‘E’ confirms each audio amplifier. This has been found to prevent Bridge the loop tuned up easily on the 20, 30 and
encoder step. An upper range limit is marked by audio switching ‘clicks’ during operation. 40m bands. As to be expected the tuning was
a high pitched ‘S’ (for Stop), a lower limit by a low If the rotary encoder is operating unreliably, it is sharp and needed resetting after about 10kHz to
pitched ‘S’. probably due to excessive contact bounce. Placing maintain a minimum SWR. The reduction drive
Finally, anywhere in the menu system, you 10nF capacitors from each encoder channel to the was useful.
can exit a function and return to the main menu central common pin and across the switch pins The loop was on my desk, near a window
navigation by pressing and holding the encoder should fix this. facing 280° (so the plane of the loop was 280
until a menu identifier is heard. Rotating the - 100°) on the first floor in a stone house. I do
encoder resumes top level menu navigation. Acknowledgements not have an antenna analyser, relying instead
My thanks to Brian G4LUL for his support in testing on Reverse Beacon Network (RBN) spots and
Application notes the DigiFilter and to Don G4TKR for producing a amateur contacts. The RBN showed many spots
The DigiFilter may be built into an existing radio or batch of commercially made boards. predominantly towards the east on both 20m and
used as a stand-alone device in conjunction with I hope that you find the DigiFilter a useful 40m, Photo 3. Using low power (5 watts), my slow
a suitable audio amplifier. The operating voltage accessory. Morse speed (I struggle at more than 18wpm) and
is from 5V to 16V although to keep the regulators the fact that the antenna is indoors all increase
cool a supply towards the lower voltage range is References the challenge. However, spending not more than
preferred. [1] Digital Signal Processing, Steven W Smith an hour a day, in the first month or so of use I have
In a receiver the DigiFilter should be inserted (Available as a free online book) made 25 contacts with RST reports averaging just
into the audio chain after the AF Gain control. This [2] www.microchip.com under 579 on both 20 and 40m in 12 countries
will allow the audio input level to be adjusted to [3] https://github.com/G4GXO/DigiFilter in Europe. This performance compares very
compensate for any signal variation. The through [4] www.kicad.org favourably with my external end-fed antenna. PW

Vintage Television & Radio
BBC coronations Part XXI

1
Keith Hamer and Garry Smith continue the special series

looking back at the BBC’s coverage of Coronations since
1937. There is also a vintage Coronation advertisement from
the archives for a television construction kit. A new series
begins chronicling events in broadcasting 100 years ago this
month. The series charting the rise and fall of BBC 198kHz
transmissions focuses on the mast and aerial arrangement
employed at the Westerglen transmitter in Scotland. Coverage
detailing 60 years of BBC-2 looks at some of the technical
problems encountered by engineers. We also continue our
series about the development of Swiss Radio and Television
since 1922, with the opening of several new radio stations.
ELECTRONIC PRECISION EQUIPMENT LTD
THE SUPERIOR 15” Keith Hamer published so that would-be experimenters could
• 15” up to the minute Television for only £35, including [email protected] attempt to construct a television set in time for
Cossor Tube. Garry Smith the Coronation.
• H.P. Terms if required, i.e., send only £11/14/- deposit,
then 12 monthly repayments of £2/7/- [email protected] The text has been left in its original format to
• Working models demonstrated at both our Fleet Street and reflect the spelling, grammar and punctuation
T
Ruislip branches. he radio commentators covering the of the time. This is the full description for
You will have noticed that the modem trend is towards
larger pictures, in fact the 12in. tube is fast going the way
Coronation on 2 June 1953 used lip The Superior 15” television receiver. The
of the 9in. and 10in. tubes for few manufacturers are using ribbon microphones. This particular advertisement appeared in the June 1953 issue
them in their latest models. However, you can be right type enabled them to work quite close to of PW’s companion journal, Practical Television.
up to date for we are now commencing delivery of a new each other (about 4ft 6in apart) without any
constructor set using the Cossor 15in. tube type 85K. All the
parts to build the set (as illustrated) will cost you only £35, audio interaction problems and there was 100 years ago this month:
including tube, and contrary to what might be expected, no necessity for soundproof commentary January 1925
to get down to this very low price we have not sacrificed boxes. They wore headphones, which could In this new series, we’ll be featuring events,
quality in any way, in fact, interlace, sensitivity and
definition, are equal to the best commercial standards. The be switched either to the home programme technical achievements and personalities
chassis provided is of generous proportions and will allow or to the programmes they themselves were associated with the world of broadcasting from
the inclusion of a Radio unit if one is wanted. handling. exactly 100 years ago this month.
The whole has been so arranged as to be particularly
Each commentator was associated with a The first ‘radio film’ to be screened in this
suitable for our popular Coronation Console cabinet, but
there is no reason whatever why it cannot be fitted into any particular control engineer in the control room. country was Chariot’s Revue which, in January
well-made T.V. cabinet. The engineer could speak to the commentator 1925, was simultaneously enacted at the Prince
Technical features : by telephone or he could give cues by means of of Wales Theatre in London, and screened at
A. Superhet circuit fed by R.F. amplifier.
B. Particularly carefully dimensioned Video stage. red and green signalling lights. Shepherd’s Bush Pavilion, the music being
C. Diode damped interlace network. The BBC recording department was kept broadcast by the BBC.
D. Line and frame blocking oscillators. very busy during the day’s proceedings. The first official radio station in Sweden began
*+Q^GFHPਤਧਬ
F. Optional voltage doubler for aluminisation effect.
They made recordings of the entire home broadcasting at 10:55am on 1 January 1925. AB
DATA. Full constructional data price 7/6, post free, is programme including, of course, the ceremony Radiotjänst was founded on 21 March 1924, and
available on approval (if you decide not to make the set and at Westminster Abbey, and the individual was owned by the Swedish press, a news agency
return the data within 7 days 7/- will be refunded). commentaries by almost 40 overseas called Tidningarnas Telegrambyrå (known today
DEMONSTRATION. A made up chassis can be seen at
Fleet Street, or Ruislip, and if you arrange to call during commentators. At the same time, they handled simply as TT), and stakeholders in the radio
BBC transmission times, we will gladly demonstrate the items coming in from all over the world for industry. AB Radiotjänst’s first programme, a
excellent interlace and other qualities of which we are the evening programme, which preceded the church service from the Telegrafverket Studio
particularly proud.
HOW TO ORDER. All parts are available and total cost is Queen’s speech. Altogether, the engineers at Malmskillnadsgatan 24 in Stockholm, was
£35, which includes 15in tube, 18 valves, prepared metal used some 3,600 discs and about 85 miles of announced by Sven Jerring. AB Radiotjänst
chassis, in fact everything needed except cabinet and mask. magnetic recording tape on 192 reels! was the forerunner of today’s national public
Order form and parts list is included with the 7/6 data.
Swedish radio service, Sveriges Radio.
H.P. Terms are available. Non-callers add £1 for carr. and
ins. Vintage coronation One of the world’s longest-running radio
ELECTRONIC PRECISION EQUIPMENT LTD television equipment programmes for children was broadcast on
Post orders to Dept. 5, ELPREQ HOUSE, HIGH STREET, This month’s meander through vintage copies Swedish radio from 14 January. Presented by
WEALDSTONE, MIDDX.
Personal Shoppers must call at either: of deserted newspapers and magazines has Sven Jerring, who was known by children as
42-46 WINDMILL HILL, RUISLIP, MIDDX. discovered an advertisement by Electronic Farbror Sven (‘Uncle Sven’), Barnens brevlåda
Phone: RUISLIP 5780 (Half-day, Wednesday), Precision Equipment Ltd for their ‘constructor (Children’s Postbox) ran for 1,785 editions until
152-153 FLEET STREET, E.C. 4.
Phone: CENTRAL 2833 (Half-day, Saturday) set using the Cossor 15in. tube, type 85K’, Fig. 1972.
1. The advertisement dates from 1953 and was On a different topic, the design of condensers

Vintage Television & Radio
had improved dramatically since wireless first

began. By January 1925, radios with ‘anti-
capacity dials’, ball-bearing movements with 3
‘Vernier attachments’, and ‘square law design’
had been accepted. Transformers had also foot of the mast. The building contained the Fig. 1: An advertisement from June 1953 by
been improved. In 1922, the low-frequency high-frequency circuits necessary to transfer Electronic Precision Equipment Ltd for their
stages of most receivers provided the the energy from the incoming high-frequency ‘constructor set using the Cossor 15in. tube,
loudspeakers with a type of noise which BBC feeder lines to the aerial. type 85K’.
engineers described as “a veritable nightmare”! Fig. 2: An internal view of the Electronic
Australia’s second oldest surviving 60 years of BBC-2: Part X Standards Converter, developed by the BBC
radio station, 2HD, began broadcasting in Long before BBC-2 could go on-air, technical Engineering Department, showing the 625-line
Newcastle, New South Wales on 27 January problems had to be taken into account such input (top) and the 405-line output (bottom).
1925. as the behaviour of propagation at UHF, the Fig. 3: A TSR Télévision Suisse HD Outside
design of special aerials, and the development Broadcast van discovered by the authors during
The rise and fall of of new Electronic Standards Converters, Fig. a visit to Lausanne in August, 2011.
198kHz: Part XIV 2. The converters were essential to permit
When the BBC’s Westerglen transmitter in the satisfactory interchange of programmes create the music platform, Mx3. The new outlet
Scotland was envisaged, engineers adopted between BBC-2 (625-lines, UHF) and BBC-1 (405 gave artists the opportunity to broadcast their
the cheapest mast arrangement consistent lines, VHF), and also the Eurovision Network. music free of charge over the Internet to a wide
with efficient working conditions. A series of Added to all this was the most intensive audience.
experiments were carried out to determine the investigation into colour television and the In November 2007, DRS 4 News and World
suitability of a type of ‘umbrella’ aerial system. several systems proposed for it. Radio Switzerland (WRS) took to the airwaves.
The experiments were successful and this type Apart from the start of BBC-2, engineers 3 December saw the début of HD suisse, one
of aerial was subsequently installed. also had to cope with the new Welsh television of the first public-service television channels
The installation consisted of two guyed, programme and the steady growth of BBC-1. It in Europe to broadcast in high-definition. The
triangular, steel lattice masts, each 502ft took approximately 800 engineering staff to put authors photographed the TSR Télévision
high and visible over an extensive area. Each BBC-2 on the air with an estimated two million Suisse HD Outside Broadcast van shown in Fig.
mast supported three radiating conductors manhours. Around 1,200 technical personnel 3 during a visit to Lausanne in 2011.
suspended from the top at equal distances in were recruited and trained to work specifically
the form of an umbrella. on BBC-2. Stay tuned!
The masts were secured at ground level The photos are once again from Keith and
by anchors attached to concrete blocks Service information, Garry’s collection. Please send archive
approximately 150ft from the base of the Switzerland: Part XXIII photographs, information or suggestions for
mast. The three conductors were combined The stations DRS-3, Couleur-3, Rete Tre, Virus future topics via the email addresses shown at
in an aerial transformer house located at the and Radio Rumantsch joined forces in 2006 to the top of this column. PW

Antennas
Keith Rawlings G4MIU

[email protected]
More on CFR
This month Keith Rawlings G4MIU continues on the
S
o far, we have discussed the G2HCG CFR
INUTQJFSIFHTZUQJTKѢ+QT\JW5TYѣɃ
theme of ‘Controlled Feeder Radiation’ (CFR) antennas.
designs for air band use, both civilian
and military. The latter were constructed using .JSYJWJIȹFXYMJWJVZNWJIWJFHYFSHJFSI
dimensions from an online calculator, which of 127.5 as the frequency and this gave me a
course can be used to design an antenna for any required inductance of 1.25μH. Again, taking
band. It was found that antennas constructed to the easy way out I used an online calculator to
the dimensions given in the calculator were close calculate the coil needed. RG58 has a diameter
enough in frequency to be put directly into use of about 5mm and the calculator told me that for
without adjustment as both air bands are wide in 1.25μh over a former of 25mm I would need 11
terms of frequency. turns and a 55mm winding length. Incidentally, a
Two of each band were made, with one enclosed choke of 20 turns over the same former should
in PVC tube and the other left ‘open’ with no give an increased XL TKȹ
enclosure, they require no radials and readers are I calculated that I would need 98mm of cable
referred to the November and December issues of for each turn of the choke so with 11 turns this
PW for more details. required 1078mm of cable. My preferred method
In the February and March 2019 RadCom of construction is to leave a ‘tail’ of cable long
Antennas column Mike Parkin G0JMI described enough to attach a connector to.
the design and construction of a CFR antenna for I measured a length of 560.5mm of coax plus
the 20m band and the following month one for 5mm for the lower section, plus 1078 for the
6m. In these interesting presentations Mike gave choke and then another 150mm for the tail to the
the equation needed to calculate the length of the connector. The additional 5mm is to allow for
dipole, the equation to work out the inductance of cutting back the braid to expose the inner so that I
the choke, and also how to calculate the reactive can solder the single wire for the top section.
impedance of the choke (also known as a Common I marked the start and end point of the choke
Mode Choke (CMC)). 3 section with tape and then proceeded to wind
The latter is important as too low a value here will the choke over the 3D-printed sleeves, which had
allow current to flow back along the coaxial feeder, This means we need two sections of 560.5mm holes positioned to cater for 11 turns. Once this
which can cause noise pickup on reception and RF to form the VHF antenna. RG58 cable will be was done, I cut a 560.5mm length of stranded PVC
feedback on transmit. used for the lower section and the choke. Some wire, soldered this to the top of the bottom section
Mike’s designs were for a horizontal CFR for 20m constructors use a single length of coaxial cable and then trimmed to ensure the length was indeed
and a vertical CFR for 6m. Here I will attempt to for the whole antenna by stripping away the outer no more than 560.5mm.
build vertical designs for the civilian and military braid, I will use a length of PVC-coated stranded After soldering a BNC socket to the tail it was
air bands using Mike’s method and see how the wire for the top section. time to hang the antenna up and make an SWR
dimensions compare with the web calculator That is the easy bit. Next, we need to calculate sweep – this may be seen in Fig. 2. Taking the
models from last month. the choke, and to do this we first need to calculate 3:1 VSWR points the antenna had a bandwidth
As with last month, I will take the air bands as the required Reactive Impedance XL. As I said of 114.1-131.6MHz with a minimum of 1.16:1
being 118-137MHz and 230-390MHz with centre previously, this value needs to be high enough at 122.5MHz. Clearly this was lower than the
frequencies of 127.5 and 305MHz and to repeat to choke off currents flowing on the outer of the target frequency of 127.5MHz and no doubt some
myself, I know this latter frequency should be coax. It seems to be generally accepted that, on trimming could bring the antenna to the required
310MHz but 305MHz is close to a frequency of -+FYQJFXYPȹNXYMJRNSNRZRWJVZNWJIFSI frequency.
interest to me. really the more the better! In Fig. 3 we can see a sweep on the antenna
The general layout of the flower pot antenna can For his 6m design Mike used a coil of 15 turns enclosed in some 20mm conduit. This has brought
be seen in Fig. 1 and for construction I would again over a 50mm former with a winding length of the resonant frequency down to 121.3MHz and an
use 20mm conduit for the case and a 3D-printed 75mm, which was calculated to give 7.4μh of overall 3:1 VSWR bandwidth of 114.9-130.6MHz
former 25mm in diameter for the choke section, NSIZHYFSHJFSIKWTRYMJJVZFYNTSɅK1LF[JFS with a reading of 5.7:1 at the top end of the band
which will also double up as a coupler for the XL TKȹ FQYMTZLMR^HFQHZQFYNTSXRFIJYMNX at 137MHz. So, this version would require some
20mm conduit. ȹ trimming to keep the antenna centred on the band.
9MJ;0?4.RKQT\JWUTYMFXFHTNQTKYZWSX See Fig. 4 for the completed VHF Air Band
VHF Air Band over a former diameter of 25mm and a coil length Flower Pot.
9MJJVZFYNTSKTWYMJQJSLYMTKYMJɃINUTQJ of 45mm, this equates to an XL TKȹXTFGNY
NXLN[JSFX1 R"K9MNXLN[JXFST[JWFQQ QJXXYMFYYMJȹWJHTRRJSIJI.\TZQIFNRFY Military Air Band
length of the antenna for 127.5MHz as 1.121m. ȹKTWRNSJ\MNHMXMTZQIGJ40JXUJHNFQQ^FX The procedure used for this model was identical
4SJYMNSLYTSTYJNXYMFY2NPJZXJXFɃQJSLYM I am only intending reception. to that used with the VHF version.
for each section of the dipole, that is, the coaxial Now it was time to find the XL required for For the mil air antenna centred on 305MHz
outer section and the plain wire section form to 127.5MHz and here I took the easy way out and an overall radiator length of 0.469m would be
RFPJFɃ9MNXINKKJWXKWTRYMJ;0?4.FSI\JG used AN-SOF’s online calculator: required, each of the two sections would be
calculator designs where the top section is slightly https://tinyurl.com/3xv3y42c 234.5mm long and it was calculated that 0.5μH
longer than the lower section. :SIJWѢ7JFHYFSHJYT.SIZHYFSHJ(FUFHNYFSHJѣ was needed for the choke to give an XL = ȹ

Antennas
Fig. 1: Flower pot diagram. Fig. 2: Civil Air VSWR

plot without any covering. Fig. 3: Civil Air VSWR plot
enclosed. Fig. 4: Civil Air version under test outside.
Fig. 5: Mil Air VSWR plot non enclosed. Fig. 6: Mil
Air VSWR plot enclosed. Fig. 7: Expected radiation
pattern of a half wave vertical.
which equated to 6 turns on the same sized

former. (An increase to 2000 XL required 1μH of
inductance with 9.5 turns on the choke.)
Again, using 98mm as the length of coax needed
for one turn, I allowed 588mm for the choke
winding. This version was then checked for VSWR
in the same manner as the civilian version. Fig. 5
shows the VSWR sweep of a non-enclosed model
from 200 to 450MHz. The differences to the
antenna made from the web calculator last month
are quite stark. With these, both the open and
enclosed versions had a single dip with the open
having a minimum at 299.9MHz and the enclosed
303.1MHz so they were quite close to the target of 2
305MHz. Fig. 5 shows a response which is quite
off the mark with dips at 248.4 and 275.6MHz.
Fig. 6 depicts the sweep of the enclosed version,
which is similar to Fig. 5.
Readers will note that I ran the sweep up to
450MHz. This was to evaluate whether the
antenna could be used on the UHF PMR bands but
as can be seen it is not quite suitable.
Having a low VSWR only gives an indication
that the antenna’s matching to the receiver will
be acceptable and is not the whole story. The
radiation pattern is important. These verticals
will give good omnidirectional reception and will
have a low angle of radiation. This should result
in good reception out to the horizon, which may
well be suitable for aircraft at low levels with
respect to that horizon, and also for reception of
ground ATC transmissions. This does result in
a null directionally above the antenna however,
but in saying that, transmissions from aircraft
should still be easily received due to their relative
closeness to the antenna. 3
Last month I compared the flower pots against
my attic-mounted discone with the antennas improvement in the Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) The Mil version was tried in the same way and
mounted outside at 3m high. This time round I when switched to the flower pot. to be honest results were not good. It did work
hung them in the attic at the same height as the Biggin Hill is about 43 miles from here and I can but the band is wide and the antenna’s bandwidth
discone separated by about 3m. Using an SDRplay just hear its ATIS (137.6750) on the flower pot, on narrow and the discone was found to provide
RSPdx receiver and with the flower pot and the the discone I can hear it is there, but not a lot else. much better results overall. Last month’s design
discone connected to antenna ports A and B Stansted ATIS (11 miles) is just under S9 on was a better bet and it would be possible to mount
respectively it was easy to switch between the two both antennas but the flower pot has about 4dB two or three trimmed to cover the band and switch
to make comparisons. Regular readers will likely better SNR. Stansted tower is clearer on the flower between them if the desire to use a flower pot is
know what I am going to say next, even on VHF air pot as is North Weald information on 123.530MHz overwhelming!
band I suffer from high levels of interference! The some 19 miles away. It appears that the flower pots described
overall noise floor between 118-137MHz is S7 on Overall reception of aircraft themselves is last month using the web based calculator
the discone although it does periodically ‘pulse’ impressive too despite attic mounting not being were closer to the design frequency than those
between S5-7. The flower pot returned a noise ideal. described here. The equations given this month
floor of S4 so a worthwhile improvement. So, the VHF version worked very well (as did the for calculating the dipole length are based on the
Signal levels between the two antennas when model made last month). It certainly is a good ѢXYFSIFWIѣKKTWINRJSXNTSXNSKJJYFSIK
receiving the London Volmet ground stations I choice for VHF air band having a reasonable for dimensions in metres. These are certainly
can receive here on 126.6, 128.6 and 135.382MHz 3:1 VSWR match over most of the band and that good as a starting point at HF and probably low
are broadly similar but there was an impressive should keep every receiver happy! VHF.

Antennas
I have in my documents somewhere a revised

formula for VHF dipoles (and above), which
YFPJXNSYTFHHTZSYYMJQJSLYMINFRJYJWWFYNTTK
the element. Of course, I can’t find them at the
moment but they may have provided figures
nearer to those required for a decent match.
Something I would like to do when I get time is to
make actual measurements of the impedance of
the chokes and also to check to see what losses,
if any, are caused by the tight winding of the
coaxial cable.
EMF compliance
Readers may remember that a few months
ago I reported on part one of a document by
Tony Golden of AN-SOF Antenna Simulator for
evaluating EMF compliance and that Part 2 was
promised to follow. 6
• Part Two has now been released.
• Entitled Evaluating EMF Compliance – Part 2:
Using Near-Field Calculations to Determine
Exclusion Zones it may be found here.
https://tinyurl.com/5bra6sm7
Unfortunately, I have run out of room in
this month’s column to give a run-though
of the document, but I can say that it is very
comprehensive. It will be of use to amateur and
commercial users alike and I will give it a full
overview next month.
See you then. PW
ɃINUTQJ R" KTWɃ"K

.SIZHYFSHJ"1 w-" )9 )
1
Where D = Diameter of coil, T = Turns
and L = Length of winding.
.SIZHYN[J7JFHYFSHJ=1"ɅK1
Where f = frequency (MHz) and L (μH) = Inductance
Table One: Equations for this month’s antennas. 7

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Take 20
Steve Macdonald G4AQB

[email protected]
A
rduino Nano Projects for amateur radio are
fun and simple to build. They can make ideal
‘Take 20’ projects as the modules cost less
than £20 and there are only a few components.
While looking around for another project I came
across an easy to build Morse Code Beacon to
use with a transceiver. My idea was to use it with
a Pixie 40m QRP transceiver and Reverse Beacon
to see how far my signals were going. This could
also be a nice project to use when operating on the
microwave bands to help peak up beam headings
during contests or calling CQ on HF.
Circuit
The circuit is an Arduino Nano along with a
simple switching circuit to control the key on the
transceiver, Fig. 1. I built this first, but then added
an OLED later to display the text being sent. The 1
microcontroller is an Arduino Nano ATmega328P
Simple Arduino Nano

and the display a 0.96in OLED SSD. The PTT
switching is a 2N2222 transistor, which receives
a signal from D13 of the Nano to close the Morse
Morse Beacon
key input in the transceiver. An LED on the Arduino
Nano flashes with the Morse being sent.
Construction
The circuit is built onto a piece of single-sided Steve Macdonald G4AQB has another handy and cheap
copper clad board 9cm x 7cm. I used an Arduino project for the shack.
Nano Breakout Board for the Nano Microcontroller
and some small pillars to mount it along with the to drive the OLED display. If you do not want a beacon message, this is right at the bottom of the
OLED. The switching circuit is constructed onto the display, then simply leave out the OLED and use Sketch. This is how I changed the Sketch for my
top of a Mono Jack Socket. DuPont connectors are the original Sketch. callsign and locator.
used to wire the modules. First, you will need to have installed a copy of
void loop()
The Nano Breakout Board is very easy to use. Arduino IDE and libraries on your computer.
{ sendmsg(“CQ”) ;
Simply plug the Arduino Nano into the socket You can find it here:
{ sendmsg(“G4AQB”) ;
ensuring that it is in correctly, check the pin labels www.arduino.cc/en/software
{ sendmsg(“IO83TN”) ;
on the Nano with that of the board. Each Data and Arduino IDE is used to upload the software that
delay(3000) ; }
Analogue pin comes out onto yellow 3-pin plugs you need to the Arduino Nano.
marked G (Ground), V (+5V) and S (Signal). The If you are using Arduino IDE for the first time, When you are ready, select ‘Sketch’, ‘Verify /
S pins are used to connect to while G and V give you may need to install the necessary libraries, Compile’, the code will now be compiled and show
plenty of access to Ground and +5V as required. including those for the OLED display if required. up any errors. This may take a few minutes.
The board also has a socket to connect to an To do this, look at the Sketch with #include at the Once compiled, connect a suitable USB lead from
external 9 – 12V instead of using the Nano USB beginning of each line. Search for these using your computer to the Arduino Nano board USB
socket. If using an OLED, the four pins SCL, SDA, ‘Tools’, ‘Manage Libraries’ in Arduino IDE and socket.
5V and GND are on a separate yellow socket and download each one. Go to ‘Tools’ and select ‘Ports’, choose the port
can be connected directly to the OLED display, You will also need to select the Arduino Nano that you are using. If you are not sure which port is
Fig. 2. library of boards. To do this, start up Arduino IDE in use, disconnect the USB lead and look again at
and select ‘Tools’, ‘Boards’, ‘Arduino AVR Boards’. the listed ports. The active port will not show, plug
Programming You will then see a list of boards, select ‘Arduino the USB in again and it will appear.
The original software Sketch is available at: Nano’. Go to ‘Sketch’ and ‘Upload’ (This will take a few
https://tinyurl.com/5n7xyuvy Now go to ‘Tools’, ‘Processor’ and select minutes to first compile again and then upload).
Copy and Paste the text into a text editor such as ‘ATmega328P (Old Bootloader). If you get errors If everything is correct, the Nano LED will start to
NotePad and save it as a .ino file. after compiling, then go back and select just flash as the Beacon Message is sent.
The Morse Code is generated within the software ‘ATmega328P’ and compile again.
and all you need to do is change a couple of lines You now need to open the Sketch that you have Adding an OLED
on the Sketch to add your Morse Beacon message. saved on your computer into Arduino IDE. The Note that this is optional, the Beacon will work fine
As I mentioned before, I have added an OLED to Sketch file is the one ending with .ino. without a display being fitted.
display this message. To do this you will need to Now that the sketch is loaded you will want to When I first built this project, I thought it would be
modify the Sketch to include libraries and code make some changes to the code to input your nice to have a display of some kind. A small OLED

Take 20
Fig. 1: Circuit diagram. Fig. 2: Layout showing

Breakout Board and OLED. Fig. 3: OLED #include
2 libraries Fig. 4: Additional OLED code to insert in
Sketch. Fig. 5: Connected to my Pixie transmitter.
but this can be changed in the Sketch to a faster or

slower speed if you want.
Conclusions
This is a very simple and easy to build project that
could be useful in the shack. As well as a beacon it
could be used as a repeating CQ call, or to put out a
test transmission while making some adjustments
to equipment or comparing antennas. I have found
it useful on the microwave bands for sending out
a signal while the receiving station peaks up the
antenna. Other uses such as Airplane Scatter or
Meteor Scatter can also be useful. The project is
small and can easily be mounted in a project box.
References
Starting with Arduino
5 https://tinyurl.com/3r366wad
Brainwagon
display that shows the beacon message would be Testing https://tinyurl.com/5n7xyuvy
fine. To do this, you need to add some more code Once you have added your beacon message, the Using an Arduino Nano and Breakout Shield
to the Sketch. I used the Sketch of another project circuit can be tested. First, connect the jack socket https://tinyurl.com/3u2xtkay
to copy and paste the sections of code needed for to the key socket of your transceiver or Morse
the OLED. First, the #include libraries and second oscillator. To power the Arduino Nano, you can
the display code. The additional #include libraries
are added at the very beginning of the present
either use the USB or power externally using the
socket on the breakout board, a 9V battery will
Parts List
Sketch just after the introduction, Fig. 3. work fine. At power-up the Nano will immediately • ATmega328P Arduino Nano
The OLED code then needs to be added into start to send Morse to the switching circuit and • Arduino Nano Breakout Board
the Set-up part of the present Sketch just before operate the key. An LED on the Nano will show the • SSD 0.96in OLED (Optional)
the very last section where you put your beacon Morse code being sent. If you have an OLED, this • 2N2222 Transistor
message, Fig. 4. will also be displayed. I have used this to key a Ѭȹ7JXNXYTW
Now change or add your beacon message into 40m Pixie transmitter to send out a beacon signal • 10μF Capacitor
the display part of code so that it will display on and then used Reverse Beacon to see how far my • Mono / Stereo Jack Socket
the OLED. If you have made any changes to the transmissions have travelled, Fig. 5. Note that if • 10cm DuPont Connectors
Sketch, select ‘Sketch’, ‘Verify / Compile’ to test you use Reverse Beacon your beacon message will • 9x7cm SS Copper Clad Board.
and make sure that there are no errors. Upload the need to have one of the keywords required, this • Small mounting pillars
modified Sketch to the Arduino Nano. can be ‘TEST’ or ‘CQ’. The speed is set at 12wpm,

Data Modes
Mike Richards G4WNC

[email protected]
A
s mentioned briefly last month, the
Web-888, Fig. 1 is a new receiver based
on the RX-888 series of direct down
conversion SDRs. The RF front end of the RX-888
has been preserved with its digital attenuator and
LNA (Low Noise Amplifier) but with an improved
60MHz low pass filter that provides a sharper
cutoff. The VHF/UHF tuner of the RX-888 has been
abandoned and replaced with a powerful Zilinx
ZYNQ XC7Z010 FPGA (Field Programmable Gate
Array). This FPGA also includes a dual-core ARM
processor, making a powerful combination. The
primary purpose of the FPGA and processor is to
manage the high-speed data output from the ADC
(Analogue-to-Digital Converter) and provide lower-
speed IQ and audio streams for web access. To
offer some limited VHF coverage, the Web-888
has a separate VHF antenna input that employs a
118-145MHz bandpass filter followed by an LNA
to provide VHF coverage using the second Nyquist
zone of the ADC.
To maintain accurate timekeeping and tuning
accuracy, the Web-888 uses NTP (Network Time
Protocol) web servers but also has an integrated
GPS receiver. All you need to add is an active GPS
antenna, and the Web-888’s frequency and timings
become GPS-disciplined.
The Web-888 SDR is usually accessed via its
built-in Ethernet connection. However, you can add
a USB Wi-Fi dongle for Wi-Fi access. Those who
may have accessed a KiwiSDR will immediately
recognise the interface as it’s almost identical
to the KiwiSDR, Fig. 2. This is because the Web- 1
More on Web-888
888 developers have been collaborating with the
KiwiSDR team. To simplify web access, the Web-
888 complies with the Multicast DNS protocol.
This lets you access the receiver using web-888.
local:8073 instead of having to use a specific
IP address. In this example, 8073 is the port Mike Richards G4WNC has lots to cover this month, starting with
number used to access the Web-888 interface. a follow-up on the new Web-888 SDR receiver, a new touch display
In addition to the operational page, the Web-888 for the Raspberry Pi and an excellent case for Pi radio projects.
has an admin page with multiple tabs where you
can change how the receiver is accessed and SDR is remarkably compact. On the front panel are The fan on my model is acceptably quiet, but I’ve
operated. connections for the HF, VHF and GPS antennas, noticed that it has been getting slightly noisier
plus an external clock input/output for those with lately. Others in the group have also seen this, and
Web-888 in practice an accurate 10MHz clock available in the shack. a popular fix is to remove the factory-fitted fan and
I’ve been using mine for a few weeks, so I thought Interestingly, you can use this port to output a install a high-quality unit such as the Noctua NF-
I’d run through my experiences. The first point is programmable reference frequency. The rear panel A4x10 5V. I’ve yet to do this mod, but I bought a fan
that this is a developing project, so don’t expect houses the Ethernet jack plus the USB-C that’s used in anticipation.
it to be perfect. Supplier support will be limited to to supply power and one other that can be used to Before you can start using the Web-888, you need
the replacement of a clearly faulty-on-arrival unit. add peripheral devices such as a Wi-Fi dongle. The to download the firmware and transfer it to a low-
This is essentially a working project that a few final connection is a multi-pin input/output (I/O) speed SD card. They call it a TF card, but that’s just
talented enthusiasts have put together. Having socket that can be used for antenna switching or the old name for an SD card. The Web-888 SD card
said all that, it’s great to have access to such an other switching requirements. On the top panel is interface doesn’t support the latest high-speed SD
advanced and capable receiver for just over £200! a small 40mm fan that runs continuously to keep cards, so a basic Class 4 or 10 card is ideal. The
Support, including the latest developments, is the electronics at a comfortable temperature. In firmware is a 107MB zip download that expands to
available from the authors and other users via the my shack, with an ambient temperature of around around 135MB, so you only need a small SD card.
NextGenSDRs group on groups.io. 18°C, the FPGA/processor was maintained at To transfer the firmware onto the SD card, unzip
As you can see from the photos, the Web-888 around 35°C, even when running multiple receivers. the download and copy it to the SD card. The Web-

Data Modes
Fig. 1: Web-888 SDR receiver.

Fig. 2: Web-888 SDR web interface.
Fig. 3: Web-888 Admin panel.
Fig. 4: Web-888 WSPR configuration with
multiple receivers.
888 requires a quiet 5V 2A power supply, and many

users have reported that the official Raspberry Pi
5 power supply is excellent. I’m also using one and
can confirm that it is very quiet.
Once the firmware is installed and the Web-888 is
running, you can access the receiver over your local
network using this URL: http://web-888.local/8073.
This will return the main receiver panel shown in
Fig. 2. Most of the tuning can be done with the
mouse, and a click on the waterfall will tune to that
frequency. The displayed spectrum can be shifted 3
with left click hold and drag, while the mouse
wheel zooms the spectrum. You can also enter
the desired frequency in the box in the receiver
panel. For moving between bands, the Web-888
has a handy drop-down box that lists all the popular
broadcast, amateur, marine, air and time services.
Before settling with the receiver, you should
access the Admin page to configure the receiver
and enter callsign and location details. The admin
page is accessed using http://web-888.local:8073/
admin. This will return a multi-tab page, as
shown in Fig. 3. The Status page shows receiver
activity and lists the status of all the receivers.
It is a helpful activity check. The Control page
switches between HF and VHF coverage and sets
the bandwidth. The next important tab is the web
page. Here, you can enter your station details and
personalise the appearance of your Web-888. 4

Data Modes
Fig. 5: Raspberry Pi WSJT-X display.

Fig. 6: Raspberry Pi 4 mounted on the new
display.
Fig. 7: KKSB Raspberry Pi 5 case.
Fig. 8: KKSB case internal view.
Using a powerful FPGA and processor chip,

the Web-888 can include sophisticated extras.
One of the headlines is the number of concurrent
receivers that can run. If you restrict the coverage
to 0-32MHz, the Web-888 will support 13
receivers. These can be tuned to any frequency
and mode in the 0-32MHz range. If you extend
the frequency range to 64MHz, the receivers drop
to 12. This was introduced in a recent firmware 5
change (4/11/24) because some systems became
unstable with 13 receivers and 64MHz bandwidth.
In addition to providing so many receivers, the
Web-888 includes decoders for FT8, FT4, WSPR,
weather FAX, time signals and more. You’ll find
the configuration details for each mode in the
Extensions menu. When setting up for FT8 and
WSPR, you will note that you have all the receivers
available, Fig. 4. You can simultaneously provide
WSPR or FT8 reports on 12 separate bands. There
were problems in the early firmware with WSPR
reports being allocated to the wrong band, which
seems to be fixed in the latest firmware.
In addition to its use as a personal receiver,
the Web-888 can be shared with the internet by
enabling port forwarding on your router. You will
also need to complete the Public tab in the Admin 6
panel. When the settings are correctly configured,
your receiver will be visible on the rx-888 website
here:
https://www.rx-888.com/web/rx.htm
The Web-888 project continues to develop, and
the firmware is regularly updated to fix bugs and
add new features. For just over £200, the Web-888
is a remarkable receiver that is well worth a look
at. If you want to buy one, they are available on
AliExpress, and I purchased mine from Suogoest
Store for £207 with free postage. I shall have
mine online shortly, so you will be able to share
my receiver and many others located around the
world.
Raspberry Pi touch display 7 8

At the time of writing, Raspberry Pi have just
launched their new Touch Display 2 for the Pi 3, 4 will be great for bespoke applications but not for Raspberry Pi case
and 5. The new display is a 7in unit with full five- popular Data Modes software. As with the previous I’m always looking for good cases for my Raspberry
finger touch control and an increased resolution display, the Raspberry Pi can be mounted on the Pi, and the latest to attract my attention is the
of 720 x 1280 pixels. This increased resolution rear of the display, Fig. 6. Only two connections are KKSB Raspberry Pi case with space for HATs and
is critical for radio applications because the required: A ribbon cable to the DSI port and a power the ActiveCooler, See Fig. 7. The case is all steel
previous screen couldn’t correctly display WSJT-X feed from the GPIO port. The Pi also includes construction with plenty of internal space for add-on
or FLDIGI software, limiting its usefulness as a drivers for an on-screen keyboard, so you could boards and accessories, Fig. 8. The case also has
portable workstation for data modes. I’ve just ditch the keyboard and mouse. Although it still good ventilation slots on both sides. As a bonus, the
received my new screen and unfortunately the new offers a 7in diagonal similar to the previous screen, side ventilation bars can be removed to make space
resolution is still not sufficient to properly display the new model will not fit the existing display for external connections. The completed case is
WSJT-X; see Fig. 5. I also found that the higher cases. I’m sure plenty of third-party cases will be very sturdy and provides excellent protection and
resolution made touch control tricky as the screen on the market soon. The new screen is available screening. This case is available from PiHut for just
characters are very small. I’m sure the display from authorised Pi dealers at around £55. £17, including VAT. PW

The Faces behind the Calls
Roger Dowling G3NKH

[email protected]
Stalwarts of the RSGB
I
t seems to be a characteristic of most radio
amateurs to accumulate gear. We persuade Roger Dowling G3NKH meets Don Beattie G3BJ and
ourselves that it’s good to have two or three Hilary Claytonsmith G4JKS at their Shropshire QTH.
‘spare’ transceivers in case the main rig packs in;
we probably have a few ancient transmitters and School. “My father had a passing interest in short “I persuaded my mother that a pole lashed to the
receivers, which we retain for nostalgic reasons; wave radio”, recalled Don. “He had what I later chimney would enhance the beauty of the house
and we accumulate various bits of equipment we realised was an ex-Government No. 18 wireless set and I had a long wire aerial stretching down to a
couldn’t resist acquiring at the last rally or club screwed on the wall, with a wire aerial going down 70ft tree at the bottom of the garden.”
meeting. the garden. My father would also occasionally Don’s first receiver was a CR100 but he was
But this month we visit a station which in bring me home old broadcast radios – I particularly soon aware of its limitations. Fortunately,
equipment terms is just the opposite: a fairly remember a Philco with lots of RF and IF stages”. his supportive mother, keen to encourage his
minimalist shack with just two transceivers, But it was mainly at school that Don developed interest in radio, made the funds available
associated linears and control systems, his interest in radio, stimulated by the chance for him to visit the shop of Norman Birkett in
dedicated to the specific interests of contesting overhearing of a radio amateur down the road on Derby to purchase an Eddystone 888A, which
and organising DXpeditions to exotic locations 40m coming through on the family radiogram. he proudly brought home on the train. “I still
around the world. But, as we shall see, outside the Intrigued, Don joined the Nottingham Amateur think the 888A was one of the most beautifully
shack is a truly extensive antenna farm that helps Radio Club which met at a community centre, a designed receivers ever produced,” said Don.
to explain the contesting success of its operators few minutes’ walk from his home. “They had a
over many years. I am delighted to visit the superb lecturer there and he got me through the A corporate career
Shropshire home of two very well-known figures RAE”, said Don. “Then Terry Kirk G3OMK gave me By this time Don had taken up a place at
in the RSGB: Don Beattie G3BJ and his partner Morse lessons and I became G3OZF in 1961”. Imperial College to study electrical engineering,
Hilary Claytonsmith G4JKS. Don’s first rig was a magnificently-built 10W electronics and communications. From there,
80m/160m AM/CW transmitter loaned by a fellow he joined Marconi at Chelmsford, working in due
How it all started club member. He then built his own 10W crystal- course in the radio communications division.
Don was brought up in Nottingham and owes controlled 20m transmitter. Don also became After a few years he became a training officer
his initial interest in radio partly to his father interested in 160m DX. “We were lucky enough in the personnel (HR) division, after which he
and partly to his education at Nottingham High to have a garden about 300ft long”, he recalled. decided to broaden his experience by moving to

the Special Computers division of Honeywell at

Hemel Hempstead.
This then led to an invitation to take up a
position as group personnel manager of the
customer engineering division of ICL based in
Stevenage. In due course he became Personnel
Director of ICL at Putney, a position he held for
11 years.
From there Don took up his final position of
Chief Executive, Personnel, at BOC plc based at
Windlesham, Surrey. He retired in 2000, at which
point he and Hilary took the opportunity to move
to their present home in Shropshire.
Hilary takes up the story

I was keen to know more about how Doncaster-
born Hilary became involved in amateur radio
2
and wondered if she had a technical background.
In fact, she was an Art and French secondary
school teacher, but she had developed an early
interest in radio as a youngster as a result of
living next door to a radio amateur and hearing
the noises coming out of his garden shed. Her
father taught her the Morse Code when she
was about nine, but it was some years before
she eventually took the RAE and Morse test and
became G4JKS in 1980. She became a member,
and later chairman, of the Verulam Radio Club
at St Albans and is proud of her CW teaching
system using phonetics and shapes that enabled
her to get 45 members of the club through their
Morse tests successfully.
9
G3OZF becomes G3BJ
I asked Don about the origin of his present call
Fig. 1: Hilary G4JKS and Don G3BJ in their ‘shack’. Fig. 2: To the left of the pair of FTdx101 transceivers
G3BJ, and he explained that he had never really
are (top) a controller for the receive antennas; a band output filter selector for receive antennas;
liked the call G3OZF. “Try it in CW and you’ll
(middle): SteppIR controller; antenna control box; (bottom): ACOM 2000A linear; pair of HyGain antenna
know what I mean!” he said. Around 1999, he
rotators. Figs 3 to 8: see overleaf. Fig. 9: Don has operated on many DXpeditions all over the world.
noticed a piece in RadCom in which a German
radio amateur sought information about a ‘John
free from man-made electrical noise. There are also three receive-only antennas:
Weaver G3BJ’. " Thsi Magazine Only on S o f t
The station, Figs 1 & 2, has two high-end Yaesu a K9AY 80m/160m directional receiving loop
a r c h i v e . i s " Don was intrigued, as Weaver
FTdx101 transceivers, with bandpass filters array and two long Beverage receiving antennas
was his mother’s maiden name and his mother
to allow simultaneous operation on different arranged in quadrature.
had mentioned years before that she had a
bands without mutual interference. Each of
cousin with a ‘wonderful’ radio station in
the transceivers has a linear amplifier, and the Expeditions and contests
Hendon, north London. Further investigation
‘Single Operator Two Radios’ (SO2R) mode is Don’s busy life as a senior executive inevitably
revealed that there was indeed a family
facilitated by a MicroHAM u2R SO2R-Station left little time for leisurely amateur radio
connection with ‘J. Weaver, 29 Park Mansions,
controller. Win-Test or DX Log are used for activities, leading him to concentrate on
NW4’ and on this basis Ofcom very kindly
contest logging, and normal station logging uses expeditions and contests that could be squeezed
allowed Don to take over the historic call.
Logger32. into a hectic schedule. After retirement it
Don has also used numerous other calls over
Don and Hilary have taken full advantage became possible to develop these interests
the years when operating expedition stations;
of their elevated site by installing an enviable further, leading to many expeditions to remote
these have included FO/G3BJ, ZK2BJ, T32BJ
range of high-performance antennas, Figs 3-8. outposts all over the world, Fig. 9.
. and KF6FCD
The main HF antenna is a superb Force 12 Yagi The interest in expeditions began at Imperial
by Tom Schiller N6BT on an 80ft Versatower, College when Don and three other members of
G3BJ/G4JKS today
which works on 10m/15m/20m/40m. A second the Radio Club organised a hugely satisfying
Don and Hilary could scarcely have a better Versatower at 60ft supports a 10m-20m SteppIR little trip to the Isles of Scilly. The interest then
location for amateur radio than their QTH in the Yagi. A third Yagi is a fixed 10m/15m/20m remained latent for some years until one day in
hill-top South Shropshire village of Woolston (ZXMHWFKYINWJHYJIYT\FWIX8*ђ&XNF&9NYFSJ] 1994 Steve Telenius-Lowe G4JVG, well known
near the Welsh border. The four-acre site, some titanium 27m vertical is used for 80m and Top to PW readers, suggested entering the Islands on
1,000ft above sea level, provides an excellent Band. the Air (IOTA) contest. Don and Steve went to a
take-off point for amateur radio signals, and its
relative remoteness results in its being virtually
4 5
3 6 7
Fig. 3: Force 12
10m/15m/20m/40mYagi on an 80ft
Versatower.
Fig. 4: SteppIR 10m/15m beam on
60 ft Versatower.
Fig. 5: Fixed Cushcraft
10m/15m/20m Yagi directed towards
SE Asia.
Fig. 6: Titanex 80m/160m 90ft
titanium vertical.
Fig. 7: K9AY 80m/160m directional
receiving loop array.
Fig. 8: One of two long Beverage
receiving antennas arranged in
quadrature. 8

11
Fig. 11: Some of the many notable Europe placings in the CQ 160,
CQ WW and CQWPX contests over the years.
10
Fig. 10: G3BJ operating from the Austral

Islands in the South Pacific, using an
Elecraft K3 with KPA500 amplifier.
Fig. 12: The G5W Winner’s Certificate

for the 2018 CQ WW contest.
12 Fig. 13: Don at his Hauptverk organ. 13
tiny outcrop of rock called Les Minquiers, south the RSGB in 1999 and Don in 2000-1, and they The new home at Woolston was ideal in this
of Jersey and had a great time operating GJ3OZF, are both now Life Vice-Presidents. Don was a respect, located not too far from St Laurence’s
achieving second place. This success, followed member of the RSGB board again from 2010-13 Church, Ludlow which has a 1764 Snetzler organ
a few years later by Don’s retirement, led to many and acting General Manager from 2011-12. that is considered to be one of the finest parish
other expeditions to distant venues, including Don was also active on the international church organs in England. “It’s a fabulous organ”,
the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, the stage. For six years he was Secretary of the Don said. “I played it regularly for several years
Comoros Islands off Madagascar, Rodrigues off .&7:ђ7JLNTS *ZWTUJ2NIIQJ*FXYFSI&KWNHF after we moved up here until other commitments
Mauritius, and numerous others in the Pacific North Asia) and President from 2014-21. started to get in the way.”
(Fig. 10). -JMFXFQXTGJJS5WJXNIJSYTK()=(YMJ:0ђ)= Fortunately, modern technology has now made
The late Neville Cheadle G3NUG was the Foundation, UK’s premier amateur radio DX it possible to play the organ without the need
driving force behind the setting up of the ‘Five Foundation, with over 700 members, dedicated to step outside one’s home, and Don proudly
Stars DXers Association’. “We developed a way of to encouraging excellence in long distance radio demonstrated his own Hauptwerk ‘virtual’ organ,
organising expeditions using a shipping container communications. Fig. 13. Marketed by the Florida-based Milan
rather than having to squeeze kit into aircraft Hilary has always taken a particular interest Digital Audio, the Hauptwerk uses software
overhead lockers,” said Don. “This worked very in Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) issues. that facilitates the playback of pipe organ audio
well on the Comoros Islands expedition (for which She was a prominent member of the RSGB and samples taken from real and historic pipe organs
we had two teams of 20 split over four weeks) and IARU EMC Committees and founded and for around the world. I was greatly impressed by the
many subsequent expeditions.” Later, the Five Star many years contributed to the monthly EMC sound, which was ‘virtually’ indistinguishable
DXers gave way to a new expedition group, the column in RadCom. from the original instrument, though Don
SixG’s, of which Hilary was also a member. Outside the world of amateur radio, Hilary has lamented that his system really needed much
Beyond IOTA, Don has been very actively also found time to serve on South Shropshire bigger loudspeakers - an observation which,
involved in other contesting activities using his District Council and Church Stretton Town perhaps wisely, was made out of earshot of his
contest call G5W, often with a team of friends. He Council. long-suffering partner.
has participated for over 20 years in the annual
(6<TWQI<NIJ)= (6ђ<<YMJ(6<5=FSI(6 Beyond amateur radio The future of amateur radio
160 contests, mainly on CW. A selection of his Don has enjoyed playing the organ since his The future of our hobby is a common topic of
many high placings is shown in Fig. 11; Don is schooldays and continued to play occasionally conversation these days in clubs and in the
particularly pleased that G5W won the European at Chelmsford Cathedral while he was with pages of PW and RadCom. Don and Hilary
section of CQ 160 contest in 2018, Fig. 12. Marconi. Work pressures then left little time are confident that amateur radio can both
for music but on retirement and seeking a new survive and prosper - but only if people are
RSGB and Internation Amateur home, one of the criteria - beyond having plenty prepared to volunteer to work for its growth and
Radio Union (IARU) of space for antennas - was that it should be development.
Don and Hilary have worked selflessly for the within easy reach of a church with a good pipe Beyond doubt, they have set a particularly fine
RSGB over many years. Hilary was President of organ. example over a great many years. PW

Feature
Eric Edwards GW8LJJ

[email protected]
T
ime to get out portable or use QRP in
the shack with this high efficiency AM
transmitter for the 80m band. It is VFO
controlled and with the one described in this
project is tuneable from 3.600MHz to 3.700MHz
to cover the two main UK AM frequencies,
3.615MHz and 3.625MHz. The VFO is very
stable and accurate as it uses a DDS module
(AD9850), albeit now getting expensive, and an
8-pin PIC (12F675) to control it. Any other stable
80m VFO can be used. The full peak modulated
power is 10W when using 13.8V and the total
current peaks to 2A but the average is much
lower making it ideal for portable use.
VFO
The block diagram of the VFO is shown in Fig.
1. This is a PIC (12F675) controlling a DDS
module (AD9850) and is the design of Terry
VK5TM. The original VFO as seen on his website 1
(see ref section) is for 5.00MHz to 5.5MHz
but Terry shows how it can be adapted for any
frequency within the capabilities of the DDS Portable 80m AM
Class E Transmitter
module. It has been adapted in this project to
tune between 3.600MHz and 3.700MHz. There
are three steps for tuning, 100kHz for quick
change, 10kHz for slower tuning and 100Hz for
fine tuning, achieved by momentarily pressing Eric Edwards GW8LJJ returns with a novel design for a
the rotary control push button. The tuning is by class E (high-efficiency) transmitter.
means of a coded rotary switch with each ‘click’
of the control setting the frequency lower or not have been noticed before the introduction are supplied with complementary pair square
higher depending on the direction. This is not of SDR receivers where it can be seen very waves from the comparator (LT1016) to provide
a ‘spin the control’ for tuning so will need slow obviously as one sideband being much lower opposite and equal signals. The output power is
positive turning of the rotary control to change than the other. Those of you that are familiar governed by the PA voltage and not by applying
the frequency. The PIC can only perform one with Arduino types can use that as well for the different levels of drive as in conventional power
function at a time and needs time to do them so VFO. amplifiers to provide different RF output levels.
a slow, ‘one click at a time’ to set the required As this is designed as a portable transmitter
frequency is the form. Once the frequency has Modulation the power supply is 12V (13.8V) but if it were
been selected, the next time it is used after The microphone is connected to a module that used in the shack, a higher voltage, say 24V,
power down, the last frequency used will be uses a MAX9814 integrated circuit and has AGC can be used to provide four times the output
available without retuning. The PIC used for this (Automatic Gain Control) and a good (wide) power of the 12V supply (twice voltage is also
project can be obtained from the parts list pre- frequency response. It has a bias resistor for use twice current = four times power = square law).
programmed or a HEX code can be supplied for of an electret type microphone. The module AGC The same VFO is used to provide 10W or 40W.
you to program your own. and levels have been pre-set in this project and The main limitation is the voltage input to the
plug into sockets on the main PCB. The output regulator. The TDA2050 modulator will handle
Other VFOs connects to a conventional modulator in series the higher voltage along with the IRF640s, which
Any stable VFO for the 80m band can be used. with the PA supply. The modulator circuit is a are capable of handling 50V DC when used as an
However, it must be stable as variations in the TDA2020 followed by a TIP41 used as the output RF amplifier, which is within the limit of peak RF
frequency can cause asymmetric (uneven) to drive the PA. voltage (220V).
sidebands. The usual LC (inductor/capacitor)
VFO can be used but as with all these types Power amplifier (PA) PA output tuning
of oscillators, there will be drifting of the This PA is a Class E type. A good explanation (Summarised from the S9plus website)
frequency. This may have not been a problem is found at www.s9plus.com where a higher Class E amplifiers achieve high efficiency due
many years ago but with SDR receivers it will power class E PA is available as a kit. The to the fact that when ideally tuned there is no
be very noticeable. A crystal oscillator can output in this project is in push-pull with two appreciable time overlap between the above-
be used providing you have a crystal for the FETs (IRF640s) as the output devices, one on zero voltage applied to the FET drain and the
required frequency. A ceramic resonator circuit each side. They are switched with FET drivers above-zero current flowing through it. Obviously,
can be used but check that it does not create (TC4422A) and it must be emphasised that both there must be volts for current to flow – the
asymmetric sidebands which again, would devices must be branded types. The FET drivers flywheel effect of the PA tuning produces this.

Feature
Fig. 1: Block diagram. Fig. 2: Circuit diagram.
The point is that when the FET changes state

from on to off or vice versa, the source-drain
voltage is almost zero, so no appreciable power
is lost as heat as the FET switches. To achieve
this, the PA is tuned for the required phase
relationship between voltage and current. There
must be a reactive element present to achieve
this, so conventional resonance tuning resulting
in a purely resistive impedance transformation
won’t work.
The circuit
The circuit is shown in Fig. 2. The voltage for
all the circuit is supplied by a 12V battery for
portable use. This can be a typical rechargeable
7A block type as the circuit draws about
150mA in stand-by at 13.8V and just about 1A The microphone is connected to the module and is connected to a precision comparator
unmodulated and peaks to about 2A when fully (MAX9814), which connects to the modulator (LT1016) via a 100nF capacitor. This provides
modulated. This is low and ideal for portable use. (TDA2050) and the driver (TIP41). The output true complementary pair of square waves from
The PA efficiency works out at over 90% when (emitter) from the TIP41 supplies the PA voltage the VFO at the base frequency, so no need to
HTWWJHYQ^YZSJIFSIRFYHMJINSYTȹ supply via a ‘flying lead’. There is a tag on the use a VFO at twice frequency as found in other
The circuit is complete from the microphone PCB by the TIP41 emitter connection and a Class E designs. These are fed to the FET drivers
input to the antenna output. The PA tuning and a 100nF at 250V is also connected across this (TCA4422) to provide the correct switching
low pass filter (LPF) is off the PCB along with the voltage to ground to decouple the modulated voltage for the IRF640s. The outputs of the PA
VFO. All other parts from the microphone module audio at RF. The VFO module is connected via an FETs are connected via solder tabs on the drains
to the output FETS are on board. SMA lead (for convenience) to the main board of each to the PA transformers.

Feature
4 5
1 2 3 4 5
800pF 3.8uH 1500pF 3.8uH 800pF
3
Fig. 3: The PA transformer. Fig. 4: Winding of

the ferrite core. Fig. 5: LPF characteristic. Fig.
6: Filter circuit. Fig. 7: The filter constructed on
tag board. Fig. 8: Mounting of the power devices.
Fig. 9: PA waveform. Fig. 10: PA modulated with
a single tone. Fig. 11: Viewed on an SDR receiver.
Fig. 12: PA test setup. 6
Fig. 13: Power output measurement.
PA transformer
The PA (RF) transformer is actually two separate
transformers. Each transformer primary is
driven by one IRF640 FET. As the FETs are
driven in anti-phase the primary windings are
in anti-phase. The transformer secondaries are
connected in series so that the outputs combine
in-phase.
The ferrite cores used for the transformers
are type 7427005 (RS stock 124-1537) and
are axial core of 4W620 material, ideal for this
application. They are used to phase the two 7
push-pull PA halves into a single secondary in a
space-efficient manner. The type of wire used type such as a Silvered Mica. The other end of
should be capable of carrying the current (2A) the capacitor connects to a (loading) trimmer.
to reduce any losses. Standard mains lighting The trimmer is a ‘postage stamp’ size type and
cable (1.2mm²) is also suitable. The photo, Fig. has a maximum capacitance of 1000pF (1nF).
3, shows the two windings through the core. This is paralleled with a fixed (250pF) silvered
Class E achieves high efficiency by minimising mica type connected to ground to produce the
FET switching loss. This is done by adjusting the correct waveform at the drains of the FETs, which
PA tuning such that when the FETs switch, the should look like the waveform in Fig. 9 (only one 8
voltage across them is close to zero. Because drain waveform shown). The fixed capacitor
of this requirement a different tuning method may need to be changed to suit the PA but 250pF (1.0mm or larger) and pass the wires through
must be adopted compared to the usual method across a 1nF trimmer provides the correct Class E the cores making one turn i.e. one pass through
with other PA types, and monitoring the FET waveform at the IRF640 drains in the test setup. the core. Loop the wires through the core a
drain waveform shape is essential when initially second time making two turns i.e. two passes
setting up. The PA tuning coil uses a T100-2 Winding it through the core (Fig. 4). The GREEN leads of
core, which is an Iron Dust type. 21 turns (approx The PA transformer needs a bit of explanation. both transformers go to one each of the tabs on
1.2m length of wire) of 1.0mm diameter (or The two transformers are identical. They are the drain of each FET. The joined (WHITE) leads
near) enamelled copper wire produces 4μH wound separately then joined together. Each on the same side of the FET leads should be
(tuning coil), which is required for 80m. One consists of two turns bifilar wound, i.e. two insulated. The joined (GREEN) leads are taken to
end of the coil is connected to the output of passes through the core with primary and the tag strip 12V PA supply (Fig. 3). One of the
the transformer and the other end has a 470pF secondary wires twisted together to ensure white leads is taken to ground and the other is
capacitor connected to it in series, which should good coupling. Getting the transformers right connected to the T100-2 coil. I used green and
be a low ESR (Equivalent Series resistance) is essential. Twist together two pairs of wire white 1.2mm solid core wire.

Feature
and the aluminium strip. A spring washer and

a nut secure the device to the board. Fitting the
IRF640 is a bit different as a tag is also used for
attaching the PA transformer. A flat washer is
fed onto an M3 x 12mm bolt (longer to allow for
the solder tag) followed by a plastic turret and
these are passed through the underside of the
PCB and through the hole of the IRF640. A spring
washer is fitted and secured with an M3 nut. A
solder tag is placed on the screw and a second
9 10 nut placed to secure it. The 7808 regulator and
the TDA2020 do not need any insulating because
the tabs are connected to the 0V centre pin. An
M3 x 8mm screw will be fine for fixing these to
the PCB. The aluminium strip is the only heatsink
required because of the high efficiency of the
power amplifier. When the devices have been
secured and checked for any short circuits to
ground, they can be soldered and checked again
for any short circuits to ground.
Tuning it
11 12 The PA needs to be ‘tuned’ to produce the
correct waveform on the drains of the FETs and
end to ground. In series with the capacitor is is the Class E part of the transmitter. Connect
a coil (3.8μH), which is 28 turns of 0.5mm (or the 12V to provide voltage for the VFO and the
near gauge) enamel covered copper wire. The TC4422A drivers. Do not connect the PA ‘flying’
other end of the coil is connected to a 1500pF lead from the modulator to the PA. If a separate
capacitor with the other end of it connected to variable voltage power supply is available
ground. The series components continue with with its own voltage and ammeters, or use
another 3.8μH coil and the output has an 800pF separate analogue types, connect it to the PA
capacitor connected to ground the same as the ‘HT’ on the transformers (where the mod 12V
input. would normally connect). With no modulator
connected to the PA, start with, say, 6V for the
13 The main PCB PA voltage on the centre tap of the transformer
(mechanical mounting) marked PA 12V in Fig. 3 (green wires). Make
Filter it The PCB is commercially made (China) and sure the VFO and the rest of the circuit has 12V
Any self-respecting radio amateur will use a is double-sided to maintain good RF grounds and connect the antenna output to a power
LPF between the transmitter and the antenna. that are on both sides. The pads are tinned and meter and a dummy load that can handle up to
Even with a low power transmitter and matched plated-through so that where applicable, the 20W to have some headroom. Connect a scope
antenna, it is good practice to use one. As ground plane on the bottom is connected to with an X10 probe to any one of the FET drains,
the power output stage is in push-pull there the top ground plane. Mounting of the power set the scope Y amplitude to 10V per division
is no need real need for a filter to attenuate devices is shown at Fig. 8. The holes at the top and the X timebase to 50nS per division. Apply
the second (even) harmonic as that is a have been drilled 4mm to allow good clearance the PTT and the waveform should look as in Fig.
characteristic of a push-pull stage but there is of the insulated turrets. Before the devices 9. The lagging part of the waveform has a wider
a need to greatly reduce (attenuate) the odd (IRF640, FET drivers, TDA2050, TIP41 and the slope. The trimmer across the PA loading along
harmonics. The filter used in this project is a 7808 regulator) are fitted, a 120mm length of with the fixed capacitor should be set to achieve
simple 5-pole stage (five components used) and angle aluminium with 12mm sides is drilled with the waveform shown.
is more than adequate for the purpose as the 4.5mm holes to match the PCB holes and fitted The values in the circuit diagram should
filter falls away at 4MHz and with the vertical as shown on the top side of the PCB. There is be suitable but if using your own, then the
divisions at 10dB it can be seen in Fig. 5 that it is also another same size angle aluminium length waveform must be correct before applying
negative 10dB (-10dB) at 5MHz, -20dB at about fitted by a pair of nuts and bolts to the one on the any increased voltage. If the waveform is
6MHz and almost -30dB at 7MHz. Each division PCB so that it can be screwed down to a chassis symmetrical (both sides equally spaced) there
on the spectrum analyser is 10dB. This design or base of the casing it is to be fitted into. is too much capacitance. Too little capacitance
uses two toroids, iron dust mix type (carbonyl The method of fixing the power devices is with will bring a notch near the bottom of the lagging
‘HP’) T50-2, which is 0.5in (12.7mm) diameter a mica insulator and feedthrough black plastic edge or further up the trace, which is not
and has a high ‘Q’ for 2MHz to 30MHz with a turret attached with nuts and M3 x 10mm bolts. acceptable. In both cases, the PA will be running
power rating of 49 Watts. The filter circuit is When fitting the TIP41 and the two TCA4422s in almost linear mode and will be drawing more
shown at Fig. 6. The filter is built on a tag strip a plain washer, then the plastic turret is fed current and can result in damaged FETs. Once
so no special PCB is needed. through the holes of the devices that have been the waveform looks as in the photo (also check
The filter Fig. 7 is made up on a tag strip with positioned in the PCB but not soldered and then the other FET drain waveform) you can increase
an 800pF capacitor at the input with the other the mica insulator is placed between the device the PA voltage to 12V or even 13.8V. The

Feature
Fig. 14: A suitable relay changeover system.
scope’s Y amplitude can be increased to 20V per

division. The power output will be 10W or about
15W depending on the actual PA voltage. Final
tweaking of the PA tuning and monitoring the
output power along with closely monitoring the
input power current can be carried out to obtain
the best efficiency.
When the correct waveform (on both FETs)
is seen on the scope and maximum efficiency
achieved, the modulator can be connected by
removing the variable voltage and connecting
the 12V from the TIP41A emitter to the PA
transformer. Set both presets anticlockwise
and apply power to the transmitter. Monitor the
DC voltage at the PA using an analogue meter
as a digital meter may give false readings by
‘picking up’ some RF. Set the carrier preset so 14
that there is 6V (max) at the PA if using 12V
supply or 6.9V (max) if 13.8V is used. This sets sidebands that vary in amplitude with the voice output power by the input power and multiplying
the main carrier to 25% of the full modulated and provides the peak 100% transmitted output the result by 100 will provide the efficiency. Using
envelope waveform power. With a microphone power. the figures from the PA test setup the efficiency
connected adjust the mod preset to show the is 19/20.8 = 0.91 x 100 = 91% (91.34%). When
peak modulation waveform on the scope with Efficiency testing at full PA power with no modulator
the probe set at X10 connected to the antenna If you measure the power input to the PA (volts × connected the power output will be higher than
output of the transmitter. Fig. 10 shows a single amps) at full PA voltage with no modulator link when the (series) modulator is connected and is
frequency (tone) as the modulation medium fitted as described in the previous paragraph, peak modulated.
and Fig. 11 show the results on an SDR receiver. you can work out the PA efficiency. My test
This is the transmitter’s full power and with setup used 13.0V as the PA voltage and it was Antenna change-over (example)
100% modulation. When modulating, the carrier drawing 1.6A (Fig. 12). The input power is There is a need to have a method for changing
remains at 25% full output (observed on an 20.8W (13 × 1.6). The output power seen on from transmit to receive if a local receiver is to be
SDR receiver), and the modulation produces the power meter is 19W (Fig. 13). Dividing the used sharing the same antenna. There are several
10W AM Class E PA (Main Board) Parts List Ferrite Cores................Type 7427005 RS no. 124-1537 ..................................2
Iron Dust Core..............T100-2 PA Tuning ......................................................1
Component Type Quantity PCB ............................Commercially Made ..................................................1
22μF ...........................Electrolytic Capacitor ................................................2 MICA KITS ...................For Power semiconductors ........................................5
100nF .........................Ceramic Capacitor ....................................................7 Screw kits ...................For Power semiconductors and Reg (M3 + 10mm) .......5
47μF ...........................Electrolytic Capacitor ................................................1 Screws kits ..................For IRF640s (M3 + 12mm) + solder tags ......................2
10μF ...........................Electrolytic Capacitor ................................................1 DIL Socket ...................8-pin DIL for LT1016 ..................................................1
470pF .........................1kV Capacitor ...........................................................2 Trimmer ......................‘Postage Stamp’ Trimmer Capacitor 1nF .....................1
470pF .........................Silvered Mica Capacitor .............................................1 Terminal .....................PCB ‘test point’ LINK for 12V to PA on PCB ..................1
470nF .........................Capacitor .................................................................2 HEX ............................HEX code if wanted to program your own PIC ..............1
4μ7F ...........................Electrolytic Capacitor ................................................2 250pF .........................Silver Mica loading capacitor across trimmer ..............1
470μF .........................Electrolytic Capacitor ................................................1 Tags ...........................8-Way and 4-Way Tag Strip .........................................1
100nF .........................250V Capacitor .........................................................1
Pȹ ...........................1/4W Resistors .......................................................10 VFO Parts List
Pȹ .............................1/4W Resistor ...........................................................1 Pȹ ...........................Resistor ...................................................................3
Pȹ ...........................1/4W Resistor ...........................................................1 4.7nF ..........................Capacitor .................................................................3
ȹ............................1/4W Resistor ...........................................................1 100nF .........................Capacitor .................................................................2
Pȹ ...........................Preset Potentiometer ................................................2 7805 ...........................Voltage Regulator .....................................................1
1N4148 .......................Diodes .....................................................................3 PIC12F675 ..................PIC ..........................................................................1
Relay...........................VK19F-DC12V ...........................................................1 AD9850 .......................DDS Module..............................................................1
7808 ...........................8V Regulator .............................................................1 Switch.........................Rotary (grey code) Switch ..........................................1
78L05 .........................5V Regulator .............................................................1 ȹ ..............................Zero OHM Resistors (links) ........................................2
SWITCH ......................SPST (PTT)...............................................................1 Sockets ......................In line PCB sockets for AD9850 Module ...................Set
TCA4422 .....................FET Driver (BRANDED) ...............................................2 DIL Socket ...................8-Way holder for PIC ..................................................1
IRF640 ........................FET (BRANDED) ........................................................2 Pins ............................In line PCB Connectors for 0V and 12V ....................Pair
LT1016 ........................Precision Comparator ...............................................1 PCB ............................Commercially Made ..................................................1
MAX9814 ....................MIC MODULE with AGC ..............................................1
TDA2050 .....................Modulator IC.............................................................1 LP Filter Parts List
TIP41 ..........................Modulator O/P Transistor ..........................................1 800pF .........................Silvered Mica Capacitor ...........................................2
SMA Socket .................VFO I/P ....................................................................1 1500pF .......................Silvered Mica Capacitor ............................................1
PCB Sockets ................MIC module Plug-in PCB Sockets ............................ set Toroids .......................T50-2 Iron Dust Toroid ...............................................2
PCB PINS ....................External Connections ................................................2 Tags ...........................Tag Strip (7 Tags) ......................................................1

Feature
ways and you may have a suitable system. Fig.

14 shows a suitable relay changeover system,
which operates the changing of transmit to re-
ceive antenna changeover and the PTT control.
This has been designed with relays for simplic-
ity. Other types such as TROPIC (See ref section)
or any other suitable means of operating the PTT
and TX/RX antenna changeover can be used. The
switching sequence is for the antenna to change
from RX to TX before the PTT is operated and
then on release of the PTT the PTT relay is re-
quired to operate before the antenna is changed
from TX to RX otherwise RF can get into the re-
ceiver. A delay is needed, well two actually, one to
delay the PTT while the antenna is being changed
from RX to TX and another to delay the antenna
changing back to receive when releasing the PTT.
How it works
Looking at the circuit of Fig. 14, the remote (new)
PTT operates a double-pole, single-throw (DPST)
relay by placing one end of the coil to ground.
This closes the two relay contacts with one set to
control another relay via a turn-on delay (2N3904
YWFSXNXYTW&UTYJSYNFQIN[NIJW\NYMWJXNXYTWXPȹ
YT;FSIȹYTLWTZSINXHTSSJHYJIYTF
3.3V Zener diode and provides a bias voltage for 1
Why should I need

the transistor 2N3904. When the relay closes, it
grounds the transistor’s emitter and the transistor
would normally conduct, but there is an electro-
lytic capacitor connected between the base and
to join a club?
emitter acting as a short circuit at that moment
and charging after a short delay, providing the
base voltage and the transistor conducts. This
ground connection to the relay at the collector of
the transistor closes the relay contacts and ap-
plies a ground connection to the main board PTT.
The remote PTT (new PTT on the circuit) relay Chris Colclough G1VDP has some excellent advice on
also grounds the antenna changeover relay and it how to promote and revive your club.
switches immediately and before the main board
PTT relay. When the remote PTT is released the Chris Colclough G1VDP operate. Equipment was out of the reach of some
main board PTT relay opens and the antenna re- [email protected] youngsters who had recently gained their licence,
lay closes after a delay caused by the 1000μF or they were away at university and a local, or even
R
electrolytic capacitor connected across the re- ecently, well over the past few years to the university, radio club was the only place they
lay’s coil. PW be exact, I have been talking with friends could get an RF fix.
and asking why radio clubs are dying out. Then as the years moved on, they became the
Not just local to myself here in the Midlands but place to go and take classes to pass the exam
References all over the country. I am not just talking about
new clubs either, but some of the old big clubs
– this was how I got mine with Mexborough
& District Amateur Radio Society (which I am
• VFO Software: Terry VK5TM. Website... VK5TM
that used to always appear in the club pages pleased to say is still alive and well) and their tutor
Simple DDS VFO
• Filter Design software: ELSIE of magazines or were in the top five scores of Eric Rogers G3MWN. This put me in good stead to
• Filter coil winding: Amidon Toroid Calculator (Iron contests such as the RSGB UKAC, and Field days take my exam at Doncaster College and pass the
Powder) (changpuak.ch) – not just VHF but also CW and SSB HF Field Days. RAE. Back then this was run by the City & Guilds of
• Acknowledgement is made to Dave GW4GTE Many of these clubs had a members’ roster into London Institute. A Morse class was also offered
(S9Plus) for his pioneering work on Class E with the
low-cost devices. the 60 or 70’s, with some boasting over 100 paid although for some reason I could not get past
• Thanks to Cess GW3OAJ for several off-air tests. up members. So, what has happened to them and 8wpm.
• Class E PA, TROPIC and other AM projects: www. why the decline? After the exams we all still attended, well maybe
s9plus.com one or two did drop off, and used it as a social
• Class E PA information: Days of Old club on Friday evenings. Swapping stories of
https://tinyurl.com/4rm393pj
• A picking list is available from me at my email ad- Back in the early years of our hobby and when what had been heard or worked on the bands.
dress. clubs started forming, many were the only place Discussing the latest bit of kit, or upcoming mode.
where you could turn up on an evening and actually Field Days were always attended by a majority of

Feature
“The time has come for

clubs to now look within
themselves and maybe
change what they offer.”
the club members who lived locally. Some clubs

had members in far off lands or other parts of
the country – I now live in the Midlands but have
always kept up my membership of MADARS
and go to a club night most months when up in
Yorkshire visiting family.
Other events were also laid on, talks on club
nights not just about radio related topics but on
other subjects the members were interested in.
Guest speakers were invited along to give a talk, or
there would be a junk sale where members brought
their unused ‘junk’ from their shack – one man’s 2
trash is another man’s treasure. At Christmas there
would be a party where each member brought
some food along to share, I think this is one
reason I don’t like mince pies. A club build project
was another one that springs to mind. Special
event stations to commemorate an event locally,
there weren’t as many special event stations on
back then. And usually at the end of the evening
members disappeared to a local hostelry for a beer
or two.
Then as we get to recent years, we had the big
lockdown of 2020. Many clubs folded in this
period because they couldn’t adapt to the new
way of meeting. Many clubs started to have
online meetings using Zoom or other platforms.
Still having talks and presentations, I know as I
did a few as the Beyond Exams Coordinator for
the RSGB, having club nets on the air and trying
other online activities. There were even some new
‘virtual’ clubs formed where people from around 3
the country and wider joined, held meetings as
above, and now occasionally have a face to face at Photo 1: Mike G6OES demonstrating antennas and how to check them for resonance. Photo 2: Building
a rally or other radio event. 6m beam VHF Field Day 2024 (L to R: Rob M0RVD, Tony G7FSD, Brian G6MUW). Photo 3: Operating 2m
VHF Field Day (L to R: Dave G1VNB, Mike G6OES). Photo 4: Cez 2E0HUP giving a talk on FT8 at the club
So,what happened? (every member has at least one talk in them). Photo 5: HARES Chairman Ady G6AD about to stake out
In recent years it is easily explained as to the drop the mast HF Field Day 2022.
off in membership, the Covid effect and online
exams and training. Don’t get me wrong, this is like mingling with people and making the effort to to see. Have the committee arrange a night where
not a bad thing for the hobby as it has boosted visit a cold community centre or club house? Or is members can come and openly voice what they
the numbers and kept it alive and well. BUT it has it that clubs are not relevant? think is wrong within the club if there are faults
also killed off some clubs that lost the training and From the conversations there are some that we cannot see, away from the AGM but can
influx of new members from the classrooms. And interesting points that come up, some we have all be actioned and then introduced within the AGM
the demographic of the members’ age has also experienced. I have had the privilege of visiting agenda to be voted on. Have regular talks, maybe
taken its toll. other clubs over the years, not just my local ones, invite someone from the local area who is a bit of
But what about the gradual decline of and have seen the major factor people are put off a celebrity to do a talk, or even set up an over-the-
membership over the years preceding Covid? joining or visiting more than once, which we will internet talk (Zoom, Teams, etc) on any subject
Other than the old timers passing away and come onto later. you like. HARES have used this many times in the
becoming Silent Keys, what has happened to the past, all you need to do is ask the person for a date
big clubs? Is it the fact that people no longer think What do we need to do? which is convenient for them that falls on a club
the local radio club is relevant? If so, why? Are the The time has come for clubs to now look within night and they very rarely say no. If they do, move
surviving clubs not offering the same as in days themselves and maybe change what they offer. on to the next one.
of yore? Or is it that we now as a society just don’t Speak to members and ask what they would like Why not get the club to set up a special event

Feature
Chairperson, Treasurer, or Secretary decides their

time has come to an end, then put your name for-
ward. None of these officers’ positions are easy,
but then in this day and age they are important to
keep the club afloat. A regular committee meeting
is important, monthly online using teams/Zoom/
etc are entertaining as committee members will be
at home and relaxed so will be chatty or have them
as open meetings once a month on a club night or
if the venue has multiple rooms have them in there
to go over club business. BUT always keep the
members informed on what is happening.
Is the current venue suitable? We at Hinckley
have now moved to a school where we have some
permanent antennas up for VHF/UHF, and we can
set up HF antennas easily in the playground and
grassed area for a night on the air. We also assist
members with their station setup and antenna
erecting, all we use is the good old bacon buttie
and tea/coffee as currency. Regular talks from
members and others take part in the hall we rent,
it even has its own projector and screen we can
4 use. Have a look around at what is available locally
if you feel your venue is not the best or speak to
station (SES) that celebrates a date of significance
to the local area, or for a national event. No better “It’s no good other members and get their opinion. Speak with
the committee and have that suggestion brought
way of getting over being microphone shy and commenting ‘the club up in one of their meetings to discuss.
operating under the pressures of a pile up. Have
a trip out to a rally or site of interest, Bletchley never does anything’ Encouraging new members
Park and the NRC is a good one. HARES paid a
visit to Jodrell Bank radio telescope last year with
when you yourself can’t Not all of us are wanting to be part of a club, and I
have a few friends who are like that, and don’t want
everyone who went commenting on how much be bothered to suggest a to be committed to going every week. They don’t
fun it was. We hired a mini coach a split the cost
between those who went on the trip.
project or talk.” feel that it benefits them even though they have
never been to the local club. I personally think that
But then for this to happen we come to the you get from a club what you are prepared to put in
major problem within clubs with current members, initial get up in front of people who you know. as has been said before.
apathy or “it’s the committee’s job”. Personally, We are all interested in different facets of the So, what was that comment that I made earlier
I have the view that you can only get out of a hobby, which is diverse and far reaching, so how about putting people off joining? When a potential
club what you are prepared to put in. No good about each member specialise in the facet of the new member comes through the door are they
commenting “the club never does anything” when hobby that most interests them, and offer talks or made to feel welcome? I have been to clubs
you yourself cannot be bothered to suggest a advice to other club members? If every member where I thought I had two heads the way that
project or talk, or even a visit to somewhere. Yes, did that, what an amazing club you could have! regular members looked at me. No one coming
the committee are there to guide the club along Politics within the club are also another reason up and saying hello, ignoring me when I have said
and make sure it runs right, but we as members that clubs fail. I know of a few where one member hello, and I know this just isn’t me! I have had this
are the ones who can help them with what to do. has a fall out with another so attempts to start comment from others who have been away from
Again, using Hinckley as an example, I arranged - a new club and poach the old club’s members. home and thought they would visit the local club
even though I am not a committee member - a talk Not everyone gets on with each other, a sad but to say hello and make new friends, only to be
by the founder of the Royal International Air Tattoo true fact of life in general, and they may have completely blanked when they walk into the venue.
to come and do a talk on the history of RIAT. OK, an issue with a person who is running the club Imagine how this feels to someone who has heard
I have inside info being a volunteer at RIAT each or on the committee. I have seen it where at the about the hobby and is wanting to find out more,
year but that is no excuse for not doing research AGM an officer’s position has been changed and which does happen. A newly licensed (Foundation)
and asking people. I also think that EVERY club within weeks the old officer is back in the position beginner in the hobby walked in to a club and was
member has at least one presentation in them, not because the person who took it over didn’t realise told “we don’t need your kind as members” by an
just on radio related topics but on their interest how much work was involved. Personality clashes old timer. Now that club has lost one of the best
outside of radio. One of the most interesting I also happen, or a stalwart of the club becomes assets they could have had as he is an excellent
remember from back in the 80’s at MADARS was a Silent Key and so it falls apart. Again, I say it is operator and specialises in low power operating
one by an old member called Tony on his interest what you put in as to what you get out. If there is a and making his own kit – he has progressed to
in Railways, and most recently at HARES by John conflict, try to resolve it, mediate and find out what Full licence now. Straight away they have been
G0SKR, who did a presentation on the Emily Moor the issue actually is as to why the conflict. There is alienated and made to feel unwelcome simply
TV Transmitter site in Yorkshire. Not everyone can always a solution. because they didn’t do their licence through the
stand up and speak in front of strangers, but this Step up and take on the role of a committee club but did the online course and exam.
does get easier as you do more, it just needs that member, you never know you may enjoy it and if the All it needs is one person, maybe the club

Feature
Don? (We don’t have space for club listings, Chris,

but are happy to include Club news and significant
upcoming activities – see our News pages last
month as a good example – ed.)
But the most obvious is on social media. Almost
everyone now uses Facebook, Twitter (X), Tik-Tok,
Instagram or whatever the latest one is so have
a presence on there. Open a page so that anyone
can view it. Include photos and descriptions of the
activities that are happening and have happened.
Celebrate the club and make it friendly. Ask for
feedback from attendees to the events and look to
improve on the next one.
Over to you
Now it’s over to you as readers to make local
clubs the best. There used to be a ‘Club of the
Year’ contest run by the RSGB, but looking at
the website it looks as though that has been
suspended since Covid – maybe time to resurrect
it? Go and visit the club near you, most are
affiliated to the RSGB and can be found on the
website [4]. If you live an area without a club,
then why not get together with some friends
and start one. Again, on the RSGB website they
give you tools and direction to start a club with a
5
constitution and standards for a committee. You
may find it fun to get together with friends and
chairperson or secretary, to say hello and ask “When a potential new have a go at activities together.
them who they are then introduce them to other
members. Have a chat with them, get them a cup
member comes through And it is for club committees to look within
themselves, approach locals by speaking on air or
of tea/coffee and make them feel welcome. This the door are they made emailing them. Look on QRZ.com [5] and search
is the number one factor that club membership is
declining.
to feel welcome?” for the postcode area where you would search for
a callsign, this should bring up a list of licensed
The RSGB have in place an excellent tool for amateurs in your area. Then mailshot or email
clubs to use called Beyond Exams, with the club similar with their “Thinking Day on the Air” [2] [3]. from the details if they have entered them. Or look
section called Brickworks. Administered by Mark There are many more events that can be in the callbook, again it will take some work, but
Burrows [1] 2E0SBM and his team it gives the organised to introduce people to this wonderful it may be worth it in the long run. Why not look at
club ideas to carry out through the year. All radio- hobby of ours. Is there a carnival in the local area old membership lists and invite them back, have
based and relevant to getting members active, that has events on a field after the parade? Maybe an evening that welcomes them through the doors
not just for newbies but for old timers to have a go set up an SES at this event. This is not all that can with free food and drink. Maybe see if there is an
at something new. Yes, for the newly licensed it be done. It just needs a little thought and planning, archive of photos of old club activities and see if
shows how diverse the hobby is and gives the old a few volunteers (this is where the apathy comes in an older member can put names to the faces for
timers the chance to share their experience with again) and it can be made to be fun for all. some kind of presentation? It is easy now to scan
them and other members. Ask Mark nicely and I This is all well and good if you have a thriving images onto computers to put together a slide
am sure he will happily come along or set up an membership but how do you get the new members show.
over-the-internet meeting with you to give to the through the door? On-air activities are the first In previous paragraphs I have mentioned
club one evening. thought to come to mind. Invite anyone who outreach programmes to local libraries or youth
can hear your club net to join you, not just club organisations in the area, it just takes a little
Promoting the club members but open it up to anyone that can hear research and groundwork to get the details of
Go out to the local library and set up a table in your signal. Ask your members to invite their them. Maybe you have children or grandchildren
there one weekend to introduce the locals to the friends along one evening and have an ‘open’ night that are members of these groups, a foot in
hobby. Or contact the local Scout groups and pay where the members speak with any visitors, but the door for the club so to speak. Just use your
a visit to them to introduce the hobby, they have a please do make them feel welcome when they imagination and get the club back up and running
weekend in October just for this to give the Cubs walk through the door. Ask old club members to to as it was when there wasn’t the apathy of today.
and Scouts a chance to gain their communications come and visit again, especially if you are having
badge. Don’t just look at the troop in the immediate something special happen at the ‘club house’. References
area but look at the district within the Club’s area. Advertise in the local paper, RadCom, or even [1] [email protected]
From this I have known some youngsters to come Practical Wireless. I remember there was a club [2] www.jotajoti.info
into the hobby and go on to be DXpeditioners and page section in Short Wave Magazine (sadly now [3] https://tinyurl.com/4xur5v3p
attend some of the biggest contest stations in no longer published), which could be introduced [4] https://rsgb.org/main/clubs/club-finder
the UK or world. The guides also have something as a regular feature in PW now – your thoughts [5] www.qrz.com

HF Highlights
Steve Telenius-Lowe G4JVG

[email protected]
H
appy New Year to all readers and welcome to
the first HF Highlights of 2025.
Immediately after the deadline for last
month’s column had passed I went to the RSGB
Convention, held in Milton Keynes from 11 to
13 October. The presentations I attended were
enlightening but it was also a great social event and
I was able to meet many readers of this column who
I didn’t know before. I am grateful to those regular
contributors who send reports in to the column
either every month or from time to time, but I know
there are very many HF operators who read HF
Highlights but who we never hear from. If you are
an active amateur or listener what were your ‘HF
highlights’ during the last month? Did Santa bring
you a new transceiver, or do you have plans for a
new antenna system? Are you planning a special
event station or perhaps a portable activity or 1
DXpedition later in the year? Also, photos of your
Solar Maximum?
station, antennas or maybe just you in the shack
are particularly welcome. I look forward to hearing
from you.
Convention time Steve Telenius-Lowe G4JVG looks back at his visit to the RSGB
Other than the Torbay Amateur Radio Society’s Convention before diving in to bring readers the latest HF news.
annual rally in August (see HFH November 2024),
having lived abroad since 2005 the Convention was visited the stations. Also present were members possible forthcoming changes to the DXCC
the first UK amateur radio event I had been to in 20 of the Goyder family. The original QSO on 80m CW program: “The last major change to DXCC was in
years and it was good to catch up with many friends was re-enacted on each of six days. 2000. Changes have been at a glacial pace, some
I had not seen for so long. Regular readers of this citing an old guard unwilling to ‘move the bar’ of
column will certainly remember Victor Brand G3JNB Solar maximum ‘period’ arrives achievement. Next year, the ARRL Programs and
(see photo in last month’s Convention report), who In last month’s HFH we highlighted the high Services Committee will be undertaking ‘DXCC
sent reports in to this column for many years until level of solar activity that took place in early 2025’ to examine the program with the DX Advisory
his ‘retirement’ from DX operating (see HFH March October culminating in the widespread aurora Committee, potentially to make changes to keep up
2023). Now in his 90s, Victor has been on the air for that occurred on the night of the 10/11th. Then, with the changing technologies and environments.”
an incredible 70 years. It was a pleasure to meet him on 15 October, boffins from NASA, the National There was no indication of what sort of changes
again after two decades and to learn that he is still Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), are envisaged, but David added “What changes
active on the air, mainly using QRP CW. and the international Solar Cycle Prediction Panel do you want to see to DXCC?”, suggesting
Also at the Convention, Don Beattie G3BJ gave announced that “the Sun has reached its solar that individual ARRL members’ views will be
a presentation, Spanning the Globe – the story of maximum period, which could continue for the next considered.
the beginning of global radiocommunication, Fig. 1, year.” Elsayed Talaat, director of space weather And further to the report in last month’s HFH,
which told the story of the first trans-global radio operations at NOAA, added “This announcement on 23 October the ARRL stated: “The ARRL DXCC®
communication between the UK and New Zealand doesn’t mean that this is the peak of solar activity System has been returned to service, and our staff
in 1924 (see HFH October 2024). The centenary we’ll see this solar cycle... While the Sun has is again processing applications for credit toward
celebrations of this event of world-wide importance reached the solar maximum period, the month that DXCC awards. The queue includes nearly 3000
reached a successful conclusion on 18 October, solar activity peaks on the Sun will not be identified award applications submitted via Logbook of
when G2SZ and GB2NZ were active from Mill Hill for months or years.” That’s because the precise The World® (LoTW®) accounts and mailed paper
School, London, the site of the UK end of the original timing of the peak is only determined well after applications... For now, the online DXCC application
contact exactly 100 years earlier. it has occurred, following analysis of the decline will remain offline. Any new award applications we
Commenting on the centenary, Don said “it was in sunspot number and solar flux units. Fig. 2 is receive will experience significant delays as we
great to be able to recognise the achievements of a clip of a 15-second video on the NASA website work through the backlog...”
Cecil Goyder and Frank Bell at the very location showing the difference between solar minimum
where history was made in 1924. Mill Hill School and maximum. World Wide Award 2025
provided great support to our activities and the tinyurl.com/2phnuks8 The World Wide Award (WWA), Fig. 4, is a month-
students took an active part in the day. I am hopeful long operating event that first took place in January
that the centenary celebrations may lead to the DXCC news
creation of a radio club at the school.” The school In the November issue of QST, the ARRL members’ Fig. 1: Don Beattie G3BJ giving his presentation
laid on special sessions for pupils focused around magazine, the League’s Chief Executive Officer ‘Spanning the Globe – the story of the beginning
radio communications and groups of students David A Minster NA2AA (Fig. 3) wrote about of global radiocommunication’.

HF Highlights
3
Fig. 2: Clip from NASA video showing the sun at solar minimum and maximum
2 (credit: NASA/SDO). Fig. 3: ARRL CEO David A Minster NA2AA. Fig. 4: The
4 5 PJ4DX 2024 World Wide Award certificate.
2024. It was such a success that a second WWA

will take place now in January 2025. Writing on the
CDXC members’ email reflector, Nick Totterdell
G4FAL of the RSGB Contest Club said that last year
28 UK WWA special event station operators made
over 109,000 contacts and world-wide over 1.7
million WWA QSOs were made! This year GB2WWA,
GB4WWA, GB6WWA and GB8WWA will be on the air
from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
respectively, with the possibility of stations in the
Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey also joining in.
Full details can be found at:
https://hamaward.cloud/wwa
The month on the air

The German PX0FF DXpedition was active from
Fernando de Noronha between 6 and 21 October
and made nearly 160,000 contacts.
Another German team was active as C21MM from
Nauru between 10 and 28 October, making over
95,000 QSOs. On 9 November team member Werner
DJ9KH said that all C21MM QSOs with UK stations
had been uploaded to LoTW (the ARRL’s Logbook 6
of The World), thanks to CDXC’s sponsorship of the Fig. 5: Etienne OS8D became the first person to activate 400 Belgian castles.
DXpedition. Fig. 6: A Belgian Park On The Air activated by OS8D/P on 28 October.
c21mm.mydx.de
An international team organised by the Cocos (Keeling) Islands and operated as VK9YG Islands between 12 and 27 January. Special TX-
Mediterraneo DX Club operated as XT2MD from and AX9YG. There have been many DXpeditions prefix callsigns will also be used during contests.
Burkina Faso from 31 October to 11 November, there since, the most recent being VK9CV, operated
making around 75,000 contacts. It could have by a team from the Czech and Slovak Republics, Readers’ news
been many more but unfortunately, due to a power supported by Grant VK5GR. VK9CV was active First on parade this month and this year is our
blackout and then a problem with the back-up from 1 November and by the deadline date of this regular contributor Etienne Vrebos OS8D. He wrote
generator, XT2MD was off the air altogether for column they had made over 85,000 QSOs. They are that he “Finally reached the 400 activated unique
three days in early November. scheduled to stay until the 15th. castles in Belgium in 22 months” (see Fig. 5).
www.mdxc.support/xt2md https://vk9cv.com However, now he is also chasing US Parks On The
The mainly Norwegian V55LA team was active Air: “Started this month with US POTAs: reached
from Namibia between 1 and 10 November, making What to look for in January 42 states. They mostly work low power (maximum
about 35,000 QSOs. Members of the F6KJS radio club, plus guests from 100W) and most of them are surprised to hear
ardxpeditions.com/dxpeditions/v55la Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Poland, plan Belgium (not always knowing where Belgium could
Way back in 1988, I was lucky enough to visit the activity as TX7N from Hiva Oa in the Marquesas be on a world map!). Of course I continue my castles

HF Highlights
28MHz beacons
Neil Clarke G0CAS, our regular 28MHz
‘beaconologist’, apologises that he has been
unable to produce a report this month. He recently
moved from Devon back to his home county
of Yorkshire but, just before the move, he had
computer problems which he was unable to fix in
time. However, Neil reported from his new QTH
that he is now back in business and he promises a
report on the 28MHz beacons logged in November
in next month’s HF Highlights.
Band highlights
In order to give these band reports more meaning,
the two letters in brackets following the reporter’s
callsign mean the following:
• “Q”: Most or all QSOs were made using QRP
power levels (<20W);
• “M”: Most or all QSO made with Medium power
(20 – 100W);
• “H”: Most or all QSOs made with High power
(>100W).
• “S”: Single-element antennas (vertical, dipole,
end-fed etc) used on all bands;
• “B”: Beam used on 14 to 28MHz bands (Yagi,
quad, Hexbeam etc, anything with two or more
elements).
Etienne OS8D (HB): 14MHz SSB: 8P5KM,
UN6LWZ, VK1AO, VK3YV, VP9NR. 18MHz SSB:
PX0FF. 21MHz SSB: 6Y5HM, JJ2JQF/1. 24MHz
7 SSB: PX0FF, YI1YY. 28MHz SSB: 5K6MZL, HJ3ESF,
KP3RE, KP4YAT, PX0FF, YF9CPN.
Fig. 7: The 2E0HPI/P Mad Dog Coil vertical on the As usual for this time of the year the activity band Jim PA3FDR (MS): 7MHz FT8: BG5BAA, RN9AJ,
North Yorkshire Coast. window of WSJT was on most days well filled with V31MA. 10MHz FT4: 9H1ZZ. 10MHz FT8: 4J3DJ,
Japanese stations; on the 26th during a space of K8CW. 14MHz FT8: VK2LAW, W4IMD. 18MHz
activity, I also tried Belgian POTAs (Fig. 6) and of 20 minutes I completed QSOs with 11 consecutive FT4: CU8AI. 18MHz FT8: 4L4DX, AA9RR, BG8TFN,
course ONFF [Belgian Flora and Fauna sites – Ed], Japanese stations.” JA1FFB, K0MLD, KP4ADT, PY2DPM, UA9MA,
not to forget BOTA – our bunkers, where I achieved Now to the UK, where Carl Gorse 2E0HPI VA2RC, VK1OO, VK2NN, VK3HU, ZL1BQD, ZL3TX.
some nice awards for activating and hunting. reported on his activity on 28MHz SSB, using a 21MHz FT4: JA1FON, JE2GEG, RA0WHE, UN7CBY.
“Amazing how being at the ‘right’ side of the Yaesu FT-891 at 80W to a ‘Mad Dog Coil’ vertical 21MHz FT8: K9KU, PU2VDV, PY5QW, RK9UN,
antenna / microphone is enriching. I’m sure a lot of on the North Yorkshire Coast, Fig. 7. Carl worked a UN7IDW, VE6CV. 24MHz FT4: DS3HWS, JA1JAN,
people get a smile when they hear activations from string of North American stations including some RA0ANB. 24MHz FT8: N5IF, RA0AF, PY7ZC.
castles, parks and so on, especially as I always fill in in USA call districts 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 0. Carl says 28MHz FT4: BG2KAJ, HL5BLI, JA3BFL, JA9LX,
the agenda the day before – some people really stay that in addition to 10m SSB he looks forward to JH8SIT, UA9ZBK. 28MHz FT8: BG4UCZ, JH1FNU,
at home to catch an activity. I mostly (99%) activate doing more on 15m and 12m in future. JH2HIW, RW0IM.
on weekdays, at weekends too many contests fill Owen Williams G0PHY said that “There was Carl 2E0HPI/P (MS): 28MHz SSB: 4Z4DX, KN7D,
up the bands. My activations are always with the plenty to chase this month with the PX0FF N0AIE, VA3LG, VE9EZ, W5H, YB3RPS.
Yaesu FT-710 at 70W and the dipole for 40m at 8m DXpedition to start with then the CQWW Phone Owen G0PHY (HS): 7MHz SSB: S01WS, TO5A,
high. On the POTA activities I met several times Carl contest and ending with more DXpeditions to chase. V26B, V47T, W3LPL. 14MHz SSB: 7Q1, D4C,
2E0HPI/P – we always mention PW.” A third of the contacts I made in the CQWW contest FM5KC, HK1T, IH9/OK1M, K3LR, NP2X, PJ2T,
In addition to his portable activity, Etienne is also were with stations in zones 8 and 9, with 21MHz PX0FF, TI1I, TO5A, V55LA, VP5M, VU2XE, XT2MD,
active from his home station. This month he made being the busiest band. Highlights in the contest YJ0CA. 18MHz SSB: PX0FF, XT2MD. 21MHz SSB:
900 contacts while portable and 540 from home: included working both 7Q1 and VU2XE first call. 8P5A, CN3A, D4C, FY5KE, HI3T, K1LZ, TO5A, TO7K,
“If I would have to make a choice about home or The highlight of the month was working YJ0CA V26B, V47T, VE3KG, VO2AC, XT2MD, ZF5T. 24MHz
outside activity, I would go for WCA, BOTA, POTA, on 14MHz for a new DXCC. I had varying degrees SSB: XT2MD. 28MHz SSB: 5R8WE, FM5KC, K5GN,
WWFF as it gives me the most satisfaction. It is of success with the DXpeditions at the end of the LU8DPM, ZF1A.
sharing pleasure to activate and be hunted.” month. XT2MD yielded four contacts and there were
From Belgium to the Netherlands and Jim Bovill one apiece with 5R8WE and V55LA. VK9CV has Signing off
PA3FDR, who writes: “Another month with good been heard on both 28 and 14MHz but has not made Thanks to all contributors. Please send all input
propagation for DX, although no new or otherwise it into the log yet. It was disappointing to see on for this column to [email protected] by
spectacular QSOs. I did manage another contact ClubLog Livestream that at one stage C21MM had the 11th of each month. For the March issue the
with Alaska (KL5DY), which for me is quite a rarity. three stations on FT8 and one on CW but no SSB.” deadline is 11 January. 73, Steve G4JVG. PW

The World of VHF
Tim Kirby GW4VXE

[email protected]
O
n 15 October, NOAA and NASA made a joint
announcement that the sun had reached the
Solar Maximum Period in Cycle 25. You can
read the press release at:
https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14683
or if you prefer to watch rather than read, there’s a
YouTube link too:
https://tinyurl.com/fxfac5hd
Certainly, there’s no mistaking that conditions
on the higher HF and lower VHF bands have been
exceptional. Six metre enthusiasts, in particular,
have had a great time. There was a period of around
ten days in late October when it seemed that
the band was open to Australia every day! Other
openings out to the east have included Japan,
China, Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam and Asiatic
Russia. Of course, there have been the more ‘usual’ 1
African and South American openings but it has
been good to work into North and Central America
via F2 propagation. At least one of the North
American openings lasted for a marathon five
hours! Most openings to North America have been
Peak fun!
around the eastern seaboard, but there have been Tim Kirby GW4VXE reports on a great month for VHF/UHF
one or two openings to central and southern USA as DX, especially the F2 openings on 6.
well as a smaller number of contacts into the west
coast. It’s been great fun! At the time of writing the delighted to see ZS3/V51PJ, ZR1ADI, IK0RMR and Keith was operating on FT8 using a squalo
solar flux has dropped back a bit and things have 9K2YM. Jim said he couldn’t believe what he was antenna.
slowed up, but hopefully there is more to come. See seeing! Stewart Wilkinson G0LGS (Cheltenham)
the band reports for more details. Paul Farley G7PUV (Sussex) operating on the made an outstanding contact on the morning
band as G9PUV writes, “40MHz activity continues of 27 October when he worked VK2IR at around
Next 145 Alive event announced to grow and two more countries now have access 0710UTC using FT8. The distance was 17089km
Mark Savage M0XIC has announced that the next to the band. Mexico has been active this week and it was Stewart’s first contact with Australia
145 Alive event will be held on 26 January. At the and I worked XE1KK, Denmark has started issuing on 6m. VK2IR also worked PA3GCV, PA0O and
time of writing, 29 nets are planned in 20 squares licences for 40MHz but with a single TX frequency PC5C in the same opening. Stewart says that the
across the UK, so there should be great activity, of 40.600MHz although the licence holders are following day, some UK and European stations
although perhaps, being January, there may be aware of the current 40.680MHz centre of activity made SSB contacts with VK6 and that on Tuesday
fewer portables than we have seen in the summer so monitor both frequencies for split and simplex 29th, DU6/PE1NSQ was seen and worked on
months. The event will run between 12 and 3pm QSOs. FT8 by a number of stations in the UK. Stewart
local time – note the earlier finish time to take “ZL2WHO has activated a new beacon on mentions that around lunchtime on the 28th, he
account of the day length in January. 40.6805MHz, ZL28M in RE79VR. It’s running 10W to was able to see both VK6 and VO stations coming
a 3-element Yagi beaming to VK4, which puts it on through on 6m. " Thsi Magazine Only on S o f t a
433 Alive in February the path to central and eastern Europe. r c h i v e . i s " Stewart caught the aurora on 10
Dave Ackrill G0DJA has announced that the next “Another new monitor is AD6D in Arizona who October, working F4VPC, GW1YBB/P, GM4CXM
433 Alive event will take place on 22 February, is now listening to 8m and has been receiving and GM4JTJ all on SSB. He found US openings on
running from 12 to 3pm. This will be another chance European signals every afternoon this last week, he’s 31 October, 2, 6 and 11 November – with KG6DX
to see what can be worked on a band which is quite the only station active as an SWL between Texas and (Guam) worked on 5 November. 9K2GS and
often quiet – so hopefully, the more concentrated California and is a welcome addition to the 8m band. 4S7AB were worked on 9 November and several
activity will result in some interesting contacts. “This last month the conditions on Low VHF have VU stations along with 9G5AF on 13 November.
You can read more about 433 Alive on G0DJA’s QRZ matched what I remember from when I started DXing Jef VanRaepenbusch ON8NT (Aalter) reports
page. this part of the spectrum back in the late 1980s and working ZS6WN (KG46) on FT8 on 7 October and
for a couple of weeks at the end of October I heard then N1BUG (FN55) and VE9XX (FN77), both on
The 8m band North American mobile radio comms up to 50MHz to . SSB, on 2 November
Roger Lapthorn G3XBM (Cambridge) says that his North America, including California Highway Patrol Phil Oakley G0BVD (Great Torrington) saw a
2.5W of FT8 has been widely spotted and he has bases on 42MHz.” single decode from the VK9CV (Cocos Keeling)
worked ZR1ADI. expedition but was not able to work them. A
Jim Lee G4AEH (Nuneaton) says that after he The 6m band number of UK stations, including Paul G4RRA
read the last column and saw what was being Keith Watkins G8IXN (Redruth) was monitoring on Devon), did manage to work VK9CV.)
heard on the band, he decided to try monitoring 19 October and was delighted to hear VP8LP, along Nevertheless, Phil enjoyed making some good 6m
40.680MHz using his 80 -10m fan dipole and was with stations from Brazil, Ecuador and Reunion. QSOs, including K0TT, NE9U, KC0CF, K5XI, N0TB,
W0PR and N0AKC all on FT8 on 6 November and
he
The World of VHF
worked UN3M and UN7LZ from Kazakhstan on 5 Fig. 1: The JA pileup on 6m received by Roger
November. EI8KN on 3 November. Fig. 2: Endaf MW1BQO
Opening his email, Roger Greengrass EI8KN makes a 2m/70cm FM QSO across Cardigan Bay to
(Co Waterford) says “where to start!” and says GW4VXE in Pembrokeshire.
that there’s been almost daily DX. One of the more
interesting openings was on 3 November, when in Devon, G0DJA/P in Derbyshire and on Friday 15
Roger suddenly had a pipeline into Japan, Fig. November was very surprised to be called by Chris
1, and says that stations were calling so fast, he GU3TUX on Alderney with 559 reports both ways.
couldn’t keep up. He worked six stations before Ken uses his IC-9700 on the band with a 12-element
the opening moved away. Roger’s log is extensive LFA.
and it’s hard to do justice to it, but some of the Steve G4ALG says that during the 8 November
highlights include UN1L (MO12), RK9UT (NO35), 70cm CW Friday session, he worked G4KKU
UN9LEI (MO22), UN7LZ (MO13), DU6/PE1NSQ (Bristol), GU3TUX (Alderney) and G0SDD (Bream).
(PK10), 4S7AB (NJ07) and V48K (FK87) who were The following week on 15 November, Steve worked
all worked on 29 October. BA4RF (OM92), 4G1G GU3TUX using 5W once more and then, increased
(PK03), VU2GRM (MK82), VU2RPS(MK82) and power to 20W to work G4RHR in Felixstowe over a
RW3TY (LO26) were all worked on 5 November. 6 distance of 264km.
November was another good day with 4L, OD, 4X, 2 Steve says, “Some may say that this short list
5B, 9K, HC and K/W worked along with UT1FG/MM of contacts is but nothing when compared to the
(FM86). YB5QZ (OJ00) was worked on 7 November. runs an Icom IC-9700 and a 9-element LFA Yagi on dozens of contacts made during a contest, or via
Operating the BBC club station, G8BBC, Jim the band. automated data modes. But each one of these
G4AEH worked a number of US stations on 2 Roger EI8KN made plenty of QSOs during the memorable CW contacts has value and meaning to
November. tropo at the end of October, with the highlights me. Each is significant in some way. I enjoy having a
Roger G3XBM says that his QRP FT8 to an omni- being OE5KE (JN78), DC1NNN (JO50), SP6SYU ‘proper’ QSO; getting to know the other operator; and
vertical has been heard in ZS, VU and VK9! (JO71) along with many stations in JO/JN 4x line. even have a natter. No one is urging me to re-join a
Ian Bontoft G4ELW (Bridgwater) runs 25W of Steve Rawlings G4ALG (Lydney) says that feeding frenzy. I am just having fun communicating
FT8 to an HB9CV in the loft and on 6 November, he he prefers to run QRP when conditions permit, on the wireless, via Morse code”.
worked VE2XK (FN08) and was spotted by several but using 40W to a home-made 7-element Yagi Roger EI8KN made the most of the tropo at the
North American stations. during the tropo opening on 3 November, he was end of October, with the highlights being DL3YEE
Here at GW4VXE (Goodwick) it’s been an very pleased to work DF7KF (JO03) on CW over (JO50), OE5VRL (JN78), DO3BST (JO51), OK1VUM
interesting (sometimes frustrating) month on the a distance of 645km, a new ‘best DX’ for Steve (JN79), DK2AN (JO51) and OE3DSB (JN78).
band. Highlights include UT1FG/MM (IM36) on 28 on 2m. Steve says there is still plenty of activity Stewart G0LGS made a number of contacts on
October; UN7LZ (MO13) on 29 October; TG9AJR during the Two Metre Tuesdays. During the session 70cm during the tropo on 15 November, with the
(EK44) on 30 October; UN7AM (LN53), UN3M on12 November, Steve worked G4KKU (Bristol), best DX being OK1VUM (JN79).
(LO61) and XT2MD (IK92) on 1 November; UA9MA G4OGW (Hereford), G4RHR (Felixstowe), 2E0IHM/P Having worked MW1BQO/P on 2m FM across
(MO64) on 3 November; EK/RX3DPK (LN20) and (Nr Salisbury), M0GSX (Dudley), and G3TYB Cardigan Bay, we tried on 70cm FM and were
UN1L (MO12) on 4 November; Lots of W9/W0 on 6 (Sittingbourne). delighted to find we could have an easy QSO. Endaf
November; VO2AC (FO93) on 7 November; Lots of Ian G4ELW found the band open to the east on used a 5W handheld to an Elk LPDA and I used a 5W
VE1, VE3, W1, W2, W3 and W4 on 11 November. All 31 October, working ON6AA (JO11) and DC1NNN handheld to a rubber duck. Next time Endaf visits, it
stations were worked on FT8, although I did go onto (JO50). Ian found it interesting that PSK reporter would be fun to try 23cm over the same path.
CW to work Dave VE3KG on 2 November. showed him strongly in Belgium and in JO50, but
not in between! A great example of ducting, by the The 23cm band
The 2m band sounds of it! On 14 November, Ian worked DF1NP Roger EI8KN was delighted to work Rudi OE5VRL
Jef ON8NT worked GW0GEI (IO72) on 18 October (JN58) via tropo. Ian says he often sees good using FT8 on the band on 3 November and was
and then on 31 October; F1NZC (JN15), DK1FG decodes from stations in Holland and Germany, but surprised to learn from Rudi that it was the
(JN59), EI8KN (IO62), DM5TI (JN68), DF1NP only for one period and wonders if these are as a first 23cm QSO between Ireland and Austria.
(JN58), GI4SNA (IO64), DL1RL (JN59) and EI3KD result of aircraft scatter from planes over London – Congratulations both!
(IO51) all on FT8. During the Marconi Memorial almost certainly, I would think!
CW contest on 2/3 November, Jef worked F6ETI/P It was a pleasure for me to work Endaf N6UTC, Satellites
(JN15), OL7M (JO80), OM3KII (JO88), DR7C operating as MW1BQO/P from Criccieth in North Jef ON8NT monitored the ARISS contact with the
(JO50), DK0NA (JO50), OE1W (JN77), DM5D Wales on 2m FM. I took a simple IC-E92 to the top UK Girlguiding group on 5 October as did a number
(JO61), OL4N (JO60), SN6E (JO71), OK5P (JO70). of Garn Fawr (213m) in IO72LA for a nice QSO of stations, including myself here at GW4VXE. One
During the opening on 3 November Jef also worked across Cardigan Bay, Fig. 2, over a distance of of the benefits of being out west is that you hear
OK1NYD (JN69) and DL2AKT (JO50) on FT8. around 120km. the ISS quite a bit sooner than stations to the east,
Jef runs 25W to a 5-element LPDA – so the CW so it was a bit nail-biting hearing Sunni Williams
contacts are particularly good. The 70cm band calling GB4GGB for a little while before contact
Ken Backhouse G4RHR (Felixstowe) writes that Jef ON8NT worked F1NZC (JN15), GI6ATZ (IO74), was established. It was a great contact and by all
he has been enjoying the 2m CW Tuesdays for GI4SNA and EI3KD (IO51) on 31 October and then accounts a great bit of amateur radio outreach into
some time now and has had many QSOs with Steve on 3 November, F5LMG (IN88) and F1NZC (JN15) the Girlguiding community. Many congratulations
G4ALG in Gloucestershire. He has also worked – all on FT8. to Ciaran M0XTD and all the team involved in
many other stations, including John G3TYB in Ken G4RHR has also been enjoying the 70cm making this happen.
Sittingbourne and Simon 2E0JVT in Hertford. Ken Fridays and says that he has worked G4ALG, G4RRA Jef ON8NT reports FT4 contacts on four different

The World of VHF
Fig. 3: QSL card and mission patches received

by Patrick WD9EWK following his recent QSO
with astronaut Matthew Dominick KC0TOR on the
International Space Station. Fig. 4: FM DX received
by Simon Evans in Gloucestershire over the period
of 1-8 November 2024. Fig. 5: DAB DX received by
Simon Evans in Gloucestershire over the period of
1-8 November 2024.
satellites; RS-44 where he worked HB9FVL (JN36),

DL1EMA (JO31), I3BUI (JN55), ON2ACP (JO11),
N2YZH (FN22) and EA3TA (JN11); MO-122 EA3EA
(JN01); JO-97 EA3EA (JN01) and ON2ACO (JO11)
and XW-2B ON2ACO (JO11).
Patrick Stoddard WD9EWK (Phoenix) writes,
“After the demise of GreenCube, satellite operators
have been going back to AO-7, RS-44, and - for those 3
in its footprint - QO-100.
“AO-7 and RS-44 may not be the same as
GreenCube in terms of footprint, but there is still DX
to be worked via satellite.
“SSTV has been active from the ISS, with lots of
pictures of the ISS crews and others supporting
ARISS. The current week-long event is hopefully
making it easier for listeners to copy the 12 images
that are being sent down.
“In early- to mid-October, ISS crewmember
Matthew Dominick KC0TOR had been spending
time on the ISS cross-band repeater, making random
QSOs with stations on the ground. I had the surprise
- and pleasure – of hearing him on 16 October, during
a pass over the southwestern USA. At first, I thought 4
it was a station on the ground calling for NA1SS, but
quickly realized it was a crewmember looking to talk 4
to hams. After some unsuccessful transmissions,

I was able to make a quick contact with Matthew,
and then listened to six other stations in the
southwestern USA and Mexico make contacts. After
that, I sent off for an NA1SS QSL card, along with
ordering patches for the ISS expeditions Matthew
was a part of, along with a patch for the SpaceX
Crew-8 mission (Fig. 3).”
Here at GW4VXE I was pleased to work MW1BQO
(IO72) via the ISS crossband repeater along with
CN8JQ (IM64), EA8CAZ (IL17), IV3DXW (JN65),
EA5EX (IM98), G6YTZ (IO80) and PE1ECL (JO21).
FM DX
Paul Logan (Lisnaskea) writes, “There was an
exceptional FM band SpE opening on 10 November 5
for about an hour between here (Northern Ireland)
and Spain, Portugal, Azores, Canary Islands and them on 42MHz since 2001 and has never heard Merry Christmas
Western Sahara. The last two were most likely due them on 44/45MHz. and Happy New Year
to a link-up between E skip and Tropo at the far end. Simon Evans (Twyning, Gloucestershire) writes, That’s it for this month! What an amazing variety
This was the first time I’ve ever seen this happen “The first week of November was particularly of VHF/UHF activity we are experiencing at the
outside the normal Es season- with distances out to overcast and dull here with a major tropo opening moment. This is the last World of VHF column you’ll
3050km. For the Spanish and Portuguese stations, well into Europe. I had several German DAB read before Christmas 2024, so please let me wish
the MUF was at least 108MHz with some incredibly ensembles. This year I have received broadcast FM all readers a happy and peaceful time, wherever you
strong signals”. from 38 ITU countries which is there up on last year are and of course, all good wishes for 2025. Thank
Paul also reports hearing the California Highway (Fig. 4). For DAB this year I have received signals you to everyone who has supported the column
Patrol on 39, 42 and 44/45MHz for a few days over from one extra country leaving my total as six (Fig. this year – it is very much appreciated. See you in
the Halloween period. He says that he hasn’t heard 5)”. 2025! PW

Feature
Vince Lear G3TKN

[email protected] Catenary of Marconi aerials
I
t is not often that one can trace an aerial’s
design and use to over 100 years ago, but Catenary curve of downleads
the Marconi ‘T’ Antenna is one such aerial.
Probably one of the most famous ships of all
time, RMS Titanic, used such an aerial. Much
has been written about Titanic and of course a
number of films have been made; probably the
most ambitious being James Cameron’s film
titled Titanic made in 1997. The Titanic struck an
iceberg on her maiden voyage in April 1912 and 1
sank with great loss of life. As most people will
Marconi ‘T’ Antenna for 160m

know, she was not carrying enough lifeboats for
the number of passengers. However, if it had not
been for the fact she was equipped with ‘Wireless’
(as it was commonly known in those days) even
more people would have been lost in the cold Vince Lear G3TKN discusses how to achieve good DX
waters of the North Atlantic. results on the 80 and 160m bands with minimum height.
Like everything about the Titanic, her wireless
equipment and aerials were state of the art for the would be in the region of 130ft! This is most favours more local working such as inter-G and
time. Her spark gap transmitter was capable of certainly beyond the scope of most amateurs. Europe if operating from the UK.
a power of 5kW while her aerial system was very A full-sized quarter wave vertical on 80m would The other advantage of the inverted-L is that the
large and extremely well engineered. be about 65ft, which is more practical although horizontal (sloping) top section only needs one
A detailed description of Titanic’s wireless and still a considerable height if used in a suburban support to secure it to.
aerial system can be found at: environment. However, if we wish to have an antenna that
dougkerr.net/Pumpkin/articles/Titanic_wireless.pdf This is where the inverted-L comes in, as it is transmits a low angle lobe with virtually no high
In addition to its maritime heritage, the Marconi composed of a vertical section with a horizontal angle component, then the Marconi T is the
‘T’ antenna has been used in both Long Wave and (or sloping) wire such that the total lengths of antenna of choice. The reason that the Marconi
Medium Wave broadcasting where the height of a both come to a quarter wavelength. T transmits only vertical polarisation is that each
straight vertical at those low wavelengths would Let us suppose that we want an inverted-L for half of the top loading wire is out of phase with
be impractical. 160m but only have a 40ft support. We would then the other and this results in virtually no horizontal
run up 40ft of vertical and make this length up to component being transmitted. This antenna will
What is the Marconi ‘T’ antenna? a quarter wavelength on 160m by adding 90ft of have only vertical polarisation.
The Marconi ‘T’ antenna is composed of a vertical horizontal wire. If we do not have the space for Although at first sight this might seem as if it
connected to the centre of a horizontal wire; the a 90ft top section, then this can always be bent is an advantage on receive since such an aerial
latter of which adds top loading to the vertical around to fit in the space we have available. will reduce the strength of the more local high
and allows it to resonate at a lower frequency. An 80m inverted-L, using the same 40ft vertical angle signals, the reality is that most verticals
Now in the commercial world, Marconi ‘T’ section, would only need another 25ft of wire tend to be quite noisy when used in a suburban
antennas are made up of a cage of wires both adding to its vertical section to make it resonant environment. However, if such an aerial is used
in the vertical and horizontal sections. This will on 80m. In fact, such an antenna would be very out in a country location away from noise, then it
widen the bandwidth of the aerial as well as keep efficient since the 40ft vertical section is 61.5% might prove a useful advantage.
losses down. of the full sized vertical. It is worth noting that as the apex angle of
However, for amateur use a cage of wires Top loading a vertical in this way is more the two sloping wires reduces, the resonant
is generally not practical as it would place efficient than using coil loading and it also results frequency of the Marconi T will go higher. In
extra strain on the supports for the horizontal in a wider bandwidth. addition, the impedance will decrease.
section of the aerial. In addition, it would add However, the inverted-L will have both a Ideally the Marconi T should have a completely
considerably to the visual impact, which would horizontal and vertical component to its radiation. horizontal top section but generally speaking this
probably not go down well with neighbours if one The larger the vertical section is in relation to is unlikely to be practical. Normally an apex angle
lived in a suburban environment. Hence, I will the horizontal section, then the more the vertical of 120° is acceptable but certainly no less than
only be dealing with a simplified design of the component will predominate. If the horizontal 90° between the two top loading wires.
Marconi ‘T’ that uses just single wires in both the section is a major part of the antenna, then it EZNEC modelling of both the inverted-L and
horizontal and vertical section. is likely that it will have a more predominant Marconi T shows that with the inverted-L some
horizontal radiation pattern. enhancement occurs in the direction away
Analysis of the Marconi T and The inverted-L has both advantages and from the horizontal (or sloping) top section.
Inverted L disadvantages as we will see. There are The Marconi T gives a very near (but not quite)
To understand the principle of the Marconi T it is a occasions when transmitting both horizontal and omnidirectional low angle pattern. The very slight
good idea to start with the well-known inverted-L vertical polarisation can be useful depending on enhancement with the Marconi T is in the plane of
aerial. The inverted-L is probably one of the most the arrival angle of signals. An inverted-L can be a the horizontal (or sloping) top section.
popular low angle DX antennas used on 160m useful all-round antenna since the low angle part If one wanted a perfect omni directional pattern
since a full-sized quarter wave vertical for 160m favours the DX and the higher angle component with the Marconi T, then three top loading wires

Feature
2 3
Fig. 1: Diagram of Titanic’s Marconi T antenna. Fig. 2: Vertical section of 160m Marconi T blowing in
wind with VHF/UHF antennas on top of tower. Fig. 3: 1:4 step down UNUN using two stacked FT240-31
ferrite cores. Fig. 4: Loading coil for reduced sized 160m Marconi T Fig. 5: SWR curve for the full
sized 160m Marconi T resonated at low end of band. Fig. 6: SWR curve for the reduced sized 160m
Marconi ‘T’’ resonated at the SSB end of the band. Fig. 7: The blue plot shows the broad elevation
pattern of a Marconi inverted-L with some enhancement away from the sloping top section. The black
plot is for a Marconi T with complete absence of high angle lobes. Fig. 8: Full sized 160m Marconi T
with matching 1:4 step down UNUN. Fig. 9: Reduced sized 160m Marconi T with loading coil at top of
vertical section: 47 turns 18swg close wound on 40mm dia PVC pipe. The same 1:4 step up UNUN is
used on this antenna as on the full sized one.
would have to be used spaced at 120° around the of a bifilar winding consisting of 12 turns of
vertical wire. This supposes of course that the 18swg enamelled copper wire on a pair of FT240-
aerial is erected out in the clear and one has the 31 ferrite cores. This appears to handle the new
space to do this. higher power limits of up to 1kW in the permitted
part of topband.
A Marconi T antenna for 160m I also used a standard 1:1 RF choke in the coax
In 2022 I erected a Marconi T with a 15.24m (very line after the 1:4 UNUN. This was made up of 11
near) vertical section pulled slightly away from turns of RG58 coax on a single FT240-31 ferrite 4
the tower with two sloping 15.24m wires with ring. The whole system was fed with double-
an apex angle of approximately 120°. I adjusted screened Ecoflex 10 coax.
the lengths of the top loading wires such that I did find my Wellbrook active loop to be a great
the aerial came to resonance around 1840kHz. DX results on 160m advantage for receiving.
I used a RigExpert AA55zoom antenna analyser with the Marconi T
to measure the resistive component of the During the winter of 2022 I had FT8 contacts into A reduced size 160m Marconi T
NRUJIFSHJ\MNHMYZWSJITZYYTGJȹ Japan and North America on 160m running a I decided to go for a height limitation of 9.14m
The earth/radial system is quite reasonable power of 100W, as well as receiving reports from for the reduced sized version of the 160m
being composed of some 60 buried radials Singapore, South Africa and the South Island of Marconi T. However, this height would require
of various lengths plus the galvanised tower New Zealand via PSK Reporter. Despite its low some inductive loading to keep the top loading
ground post, which goes into the earth for 6ft. angle of radiation, it appeared to still put out a wires to a reasonable length.
The ground is composed of very wet and damp good signal around the UK and Europe. I allowed the loading wires to have an apex
clay, which helps when it comes to using vertical During daytime I could copy myself on the Hack angle of 120°; each was 7.62m in length. There
aerials at this particular QTH. Green SDR in Cheshire from the South Coast. is no reason why these loading wires could
However, the resistive impedance was too low As with any vertical antenna it did prove quite not be bent inwards if there was not sufficient
YTRFYHMNSYTȹHTF]XT.HTSXYWZHYJIFXNRUQJ noisy on receive although FT8 operation didn’t horizontal space available. However, this would
1:4 UNUN (Unbalanced-to-Unbalanced) ‘step seem to cause any problems when it came to probably pull the resonance slightly higher and
up’ transformer, which resulted in providing an receive. lower the impedance.
FQRTXYNIJFQRFYHMYTȹHTF].YNXHTRUTXJI Working SSB and CW around the UK and Europe To bring the antenna to resonance on 160m,

Feature

5 6
I had to use a loading coil at the top of the

vertical section. A coil consisting of 47 turns
of 18swg enamelled copper wire, close wound
on a 40mm dia former made from PVC piping
produced a resonance on 1946kHz with a
WJXNXYN[JNRUJIFSHJTKȹ
I made use of the same 1:4 step up UNUN that
I had used on the larger version of this aerial to
TGYFNSFRFYHMYTȹ9MJGFSI\NIYMGJY\JJS
the 2:1 SWR points was 39kHz but the internal
tuner in the transceiver was able to find a 1:1
SWR for the PA stage to ‘see’ such that it would
deliver full power a little outside of these limits.
My advice would be to let the top loading
wires be each a little longer than the length
stated to start with and then trim them down for
resonance on the desired portion of 160m.
When dealing with any short loaded antenna
like this, an antenna analyser is very useful. 7
Results from the loaded Marconi T

The loaded version of the Marconi T was tested
out during summer conditions in 2024, which
15.2 7.6
4m 4m 2m 2m
15.2 7.6
of course is not ideal for 160m DX. However, L

as expected, the antenna put out a very L = 47 turns 18 swg close wound
respectable local signal and during the evening 15.24 m
on on 40 mm PVC former
I was able to monitor my signal on the Hack 50 Ω

9.14 m
50 Ω
Green SDR in Cheshire which is over some 200
miles north of my QTH in Hampshire. The signal 12 turns 18 swg biffilar winding
varied in QSB from S7 up to S9, which for such a

on 2 x FT240-31 ferrite cores,
connected as an UNUN
small antenna was encouraging.
Summary 1.4 step up UNUN

Although the main advantage of the Marconi T
would only seem to be on 160m and 80m where 8 9
the height of a full-sized vertical is prohibitive,
it could still be of use if scaled down for 60m, while on both 40m and 30m one also gets a low One way to achieve this would be to use relay-
40m and 30m for those who wish to keep their angle pattern but this is broadside to the plane switched separate matching networks for the
vertical antenna as short as possible while still of the wire. bands required. Another, but more expensive
maintaining a high degree of efficiency. This indicates that the 160m Marconi T would option, would be to use a remote auto tuner
I modelled the larger version of the Marconi function as a low angle radiator on the bands at the feedpoint to match it between 160m
T on EZNEC to see what its elevation pattern between 80m and 30m also if suitable matching and 30m. Although I have not tried any of this
would be on some other bands. On 60m, a low took place at its feedpoint for the different myself, I felt it was worth mentioning for those
angle very near omni directional pattern results, bands. who want to experiment further. PW

Contest
Colin Redwood G6MXL

[email protected]
R
ain, low cloud and mist greeted those who
ventured out portable for the 16th Practical
Wireless 70MHz Contest on Sunday 22
September 2024. Compared with 2023, entries in-
creased by 60%, with the 37 entrants (23 in 2023)
making a total of 716 (400) contacts with 115 (76)
different stations in 20 (15) different squares, Fig.
2. Many entrants decided to operate from home and
keep dry.
Low Power Section Winner

Wayne Dabrowski MW0LKX/P operated from
IO82KL and won the low power section for the
second time using a Yaesu FTdx10 transceiver and a
6-element PowAbeam antenna, Fig. 1.
Open Section Winner

Pauline and Chris Kirby G8HQW/P were the 1
The 16th PW 70MHz

winners of the high-power section. They used a
Yaesu FTdx10 transceiver with a Gemini 4 amplifier
feeding a 7-element Yagi antenna. Full details of the
results can be found in the tables in this article.
Atrocious weather
Several stations commented on the weather,
perhaps the only favourable aspect of which was
Contest: Results 2024
the lack of strong winds! Max Townend G4SDX/P Colin Redwood G6MXL presents the results of the 2024 contest.
said, “The contest this year was quite a struggle for Description Name/Team Callsign
me, as it was also last year due to atrocious weather. Low-Power Winner Wayne Dabrowski Hereford ARS MW0LKX/P
The autumn equinox is often rather turbulent up here Open Winner Pauline And Chris Kirby G8HQW/P
on the hilltops of the Pennine Ridge, and so it proved Leading Single Operator Dave Butler G4ASR
at my location near the summit of Cupwith Hill, on Leading Multi-Operator Pauline And Chris Kirby G8HQW/P
Marsden Moor, near Huddersfield IO93AP. My station Leading English Station Pauline And Chris Kirby G8HQW/P
was set up at an altitude of around 350m ASL, but Leading Welsh Station Wayne Dabrowski Hereford ARS MW0LKX/P
on Sunday 14th the heavy cloud base was down to Leading Scotish Station Brian Howie GM4DIJ
200m, and it began raining heavily just before the Leading Channel Island Station Chris Rees GU3TUX
start of the contest”. Leading EI/GI Station Roger Greengrass EI8KN
Gary Dean M0XAC, submitted the log for Table 1: Leading stations
Gloucester Amateur Radio & Electronics Society
G2HX/P. He said that, “It rained most of the day but GB3ANG beacon in Dundee (about 190 miles away), out for the email, which will be sent to the email
our gazebo didn’t try to take off this time as the wind on 70.020MHz, but as the weather worsened, it address you entered into the contest website.
was low (Fig. 3). Activity seemed low to us and we faded out.
struggled for QSO’s later in the contest. Rain stopped 2025
for pack up time which helped”. Equipment Several entrants requested a change of date for
Richard Constantine G3UGF/P asked, “Where did Increasingly, stations are using transceivers future contests in the hope of better weather.
my 25-mile view go? Visibility was around 20 yards at that incorporate the 4m band rather than using a Finding a date that doesn’t clash with other
best all day. Mist and rain were the order of the day. separate transverter with a 10m or 2m transceiver. contests and major rallies and conventions is
Thankfully there was little wind for a change and I proving difficult, but I’m therefore proposing to
was able to get the mast up to full height. I needed Logging bring forward the contest by two weeks to Sunday
it and 50 watts to get anywhere. I tried initially with Logging accuracy was generally good with just 14 September 2025. I’d appreciate feedback from
10W PEP but couldn’t make stations hear me - it was a few points deducted during adjudication. One entrants on this date. I am expecting the rules to
so bad. The attenuation by the precipitation was station lost several points for failing to record appear in the September 2025 issue due in the
really great. It was hard going to get 20 contacts. serial numbers received from the stations that they shops mid-August 2025. Let’s hope for better
Stations in the South just don’t seem to turn North worked. Several CW contacts were noted in the weather in 2025!
much”. logs this year.
Congratulations & thanks
Conditions Certificates Congratulations to the 2024 winners and on
Max Townsend G4SDX/P thought the band This year certificates will be sent as a pdf file to all behalf of all entrants a big “Thank You” to all
conditions might have been OK, as he heard the entrants by email - not just to leading stations. Look stations that participated. PW

Contest
Fig. 1: The antenna in the mist at the site of the station of Wayne Dabrowski MW0LKX/P. Fig. 2: Map
showing locator squares of stations that entered (in dark blue) and other stations worked (in light blue).
Fig. 3: The Gloucester Amateur Radio & Electronics Society G2HX/P team kept dry under their gazebo.
Square Name Call No. entries

IN89 Chris Rees GU3TUX 1
IO62 Roger Greengrass EI8KN 1
IO63 Owen O’Reilly EI4GGB 2
IO75 Roy Kavanagh GM5LOW/P 1
IO81 David Butler G4ASR 4
IO82 Wayne Dabrowski, Hereford ARS MW0LKX/P 3
IO83 Tony Pugh GW8ASD 4
IO84 Pauline And Chris Kirby G8HQW/P 1
IO85 Brian Howie GM4DIJ 1
IO90 Andrew Vare G4XZL 1
IO91 Charlie Mitchell G0SKA 10
IO92 John Cockrill / Northampton RC G8LED/P 3
IO93 Dave Shaw G5TO/P 3
IO94 David Mappin G4EDR 1
JO02 Fred Handscombe G4BWP 1
Table 2: Leading stations in each square. 2 3
Pos Call Name QSOs Squares Score Locator Transceiver Antenna Ht. m asl
1 MW0LKX/P Wayne Dabrowski Hereford ARS 58 17 986 IO82KL Yaesu FTdx10 6-ele PowAbeam @ 8m 476
2 G0WRS/P Warrington Amateur Radio Club 27 9 243 IO83XG Icom IC-7300 3-ele Yagi 460
3 G4HLX/P Neill Taylor 24 9 216 IO91GN Icom IC-705 + Spectrum TVTR 4-ele Yagi 220
4 G8ZAX Robert Rees (Guildford And District RS) 13 7 91 IO91RF Elecraft K3S + Trans4M 4-ele Yagi 87
4 2E0RWR William Rees (Guildford And District RS) 13 7 91 IO91RF Icom IC-7300 3-ele Yagi 94
6 G4BZI Roger Bracey 11 7 77 IO83SB Yaesu FT-817, MM TVTR HB9CV 70
7 G4IDF Malvern Hills Radio Amateurs Club 8 4 32 IO82VE Elecraft K3 + G4DDK TVTR 5-ele 68
8 EI4GGB Owen O’Reilly 5 5 25 IO63IK Yaesu FT-991A + UT5JCW TR-70 TVTR HB 6-4m 4-ele beam 115
9 G0EIY Simon Pryce 7 3 21 IO82OR Kenwood TS2000 + Ukrainian TVTR HB 5-ele LFWA with Pawsey stub 70
10 GU3TUX Chris Rees 3 3 9 IN89VR Yaesu FT-710 Not stated 5
11 GM5LOW/P Roy Kavanagh 4 2 8 IO75QN Yaesu FT-817ND + Spectrum TVTR Not stated 46
12 G4FKI/M David Thorpe 7 1 7 IO81VU Icom IC-7100 Quarter wave vertical 98
13 EI5IN Keith Nolan 1 1 1 IO63GM Icom IC-7300 Moxon 120
Table 3: PW 70MHz low power results table
Pos Call Name QSOs Squares Score Locator Transceiver Antenna Ht. m asl
1 G8HQW/P Pauline And Chris Kirby 64 17 1088 IO84WK Yaesu FTdx10 + Gemini amplifier 7-ele Yagi 672
2 G4ASR David Butler 60 18 1080 IO81MX Icom IC-7300 + TE Systems solid state PA 7-ele DK7ZB Yagi 233
3 G0SKA Charlie Mitchell 42 15 630 IO91OQ Icom IC-7300 + H/B linear 7-ele PowAbeam Yagi. 215
4 G4BWP Fred Handscombe 32 14 448 JO02FH Icom FTdx101d + PA 7-ele 18
5 G8LED/P John Cockrill / Northampton Radio Club 34 12 408 IO92LH Icom IC-7300 6 ele LFA 150
6 G2HX/P Gloucester Amateur Radio & Electronics Soc. 41 8 328 IO81WU Icom IC-7300. Gemini 4 Amplifier. 5-ele Quad Yagi. 273
7 GW8ASD Tony Pugh 29 11 319 IO83LB Icom IC-7300 8-elee Yagi 110
8 G0XDI/P Chesham Club 31 10 310 IO91QS Elecraft K3S + Beko HLv 650 4-ele Dual 722
9 G4YPC Peter Croucher (Guildford & District RS) 25 10 250 IO91RH Icom IC-7300 4-elee Jaybeam 26
10 G5TO/P Dave Shaw 25 9 225 IO93FL Icom IC-7100 4 element homebrew 310
10 G0NZI Carl Peake 25 9 225 IO92GM Icom IC-705 + EA7HG TVTR HB Halo 94
12 G4CIZ Tony Wallbank 21 9 189 IO91FG Homebrew single conversion* 4-ele Yagi 125
13 G3UGF/P Richard J Constantine 21 8 168 IO93AS Icom IC-7300 4-ele Yagi 412
14 G8GNI Andrew Thomas 14 7 98 IO91JV Icom IC-7300 + Gemini 4 Linear Amp 5-ele 5
15 GW4RWR Rhys Thomas 12 7 84 IO83HE HB TRX 10.7 IF and 14.8MHz x 4 VXO. HB antenna 7-ele DK7ZB 70
16 G8FCQ Alex ListerR 11 6 66 IO92KO Icom IC-7300 dual pa5070-11 6 bg 75
16 G4XZL Andrew Vare 11 6 66 IO90IU Yaesu FTdx10 3-ele Yagi 60
18 G4SDX/P Halifax & District ARS 9 7 63 IO93AP Yaesu FT-710 & Wouxun KG-UV980PL. HB DK7ZB 2-ele Yagi + EFHW 360
19 EI8KN Roger Greengrass 8 7 56 IO62IE Yaesu FTdx101MP 6-ele Yagi (Dual 6&4m). 80
20 GM4DIJ Brian Howie 5 5 25 IO85IW Icom IC-7300 +SSPA 6-ele Yagi 89
21 G8IBL Huw Hallybone 8 3 24 IO91QE Elecraft K3S + HB TVTR and PA 6-ele Yagi 90
22 M0HPI James Wilhelm 5 1 5 IO91QG Icom IC-7300 Dipole 60
23 G4EDR David Mappin 1 1 1 IO94UF Icom IC-7300 Folded dipole in the loft 40
23 G7CSM Gloucester Amateur Radio & Electronics Soc. Rob Knight 1 1 1 IO81VU Yaesu FT-710 vertical 3
*Homebrew single conversion dating from 1980s + recent separate DDS local oscillator. BF981 front end and BLF177 PA
Table 4: PW 70MHz open section results table

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Letters
Your Letters
Send your letters to: Practical Wireless Letters, Warners Group Publications plc West Street, Bourne, Lincs PE10 9PH
E-mail: [email protected]
Amateur Radio Exams Practical tests were discontinued as they were

– the RSGB responds seen as a major obstacle to candidates sitting
Dear Don, their exams as in many areas of the country there Keylines
I am sorry to read of the Halifax and District were little or no clubs providing them. As an Exam Incorporating
November 2024 Vol. 100 No. 11

H
ere I am writing an editorial for the
November issue of PW – it’s starting
to feel as though the year is drawing
Amateur Radio Society’s ‘surprise and dismay’ in Secretary myself, I used to receive requests from
On sale: 10th October 2024
Next issue on sale: 14th November 2024 to a close although, in fairness, it’s still only
ISSN 0141-0857 September. I’ve recently had a play in the
Scandinavian Activity Contest (always a good
Practical Wireless
one from the UK – the skip favours us on most
the December 2024 edition of PW. The concerns various parts of Scotland as candidates could not
Warners Group Publications plc
The Maltings, West Street of the HF bands and the Scandinavian amateurs
Bourne, Lincs PE10 9PH
www.warnersgroup.co.uk tend to be excellent operators). I am also looking
Tel 01778 391000 forward to some great expeditions coming up
raised by Max Townsend G4SDX do not appear to find a club locally willing to do them.
Editor later in the autumn.
Don Field G3XTT
[email protected] Of course, going on expeditions isn’t always
Designer straightforward and news has just come out that
Mike Edwards
[email protected] the 6O3T (Somaliland) expeditioners have left
be echoed by the vast majority of exam candidates I do not recognise the description of the Advertisement Manager in a hurry without getting active, having suffered
Kristina Green what they describe as ‘traumatic experiences’
01778 392096
[email protected] in the country. They have promised more
information when they are safely back in Europe.
themselves who have voted with their keyboards transition to syllabus V1.6 as ‘disorganised and
Marketing Manager
Sophie Thornton Thankfully not all overseas operations have
[email protected]
Marketing Executive to face such experiences – I plan to return to
Charlotte Bamford Uganda for the CQWW CW Contest at the end of
[email protected]
by a margin of 97% to 3% in favour of doing their chaotic’ given that Ofcom published the changes
Production Manager November, this time with my own callsign (last
Kay Cotterill time I shared Alan G3XAQ’s). The problem with school (his parents were both radio amateurs),
01778 395065
[email protected] Uganda is that getting an amateur licence is a went on to feature on the BBC when he worked
Publisher protracted process, something that seems to be King Hussein JY1, and later found notoriety when
exams online despite having the option to do a in licence conditions without giving the RSGB
Claire Ingram
[email protected] common to most African countries. It’s taken me he was one of the first to gain knowledge of the
since May. In contrast, when I visited Bermuda Argentinian invasion of the Falklands, again
Photocopies & Back Issues
We can supply back issues, but we only keep them some years ago, on business but with a weekend through the medium of amateur radio – he had
for three months. If you are looking for an article free which happened to coincide with the RSGB’s the information before even the Foreign Office!
traditional paper-based exams if they had wished. advanced warning. The licence changes not only
or review that you missed first time around, we can
still help. If we don’t have the actual issue we can Commonwealth Contest, the licensing office
always supply a photocopy or PDF file of the article. took less than 20 minutes to issue my licence Conventions
Technical Help and apologised that it had taken so long (their I decided for several reasons that I would have
The intention to end the routine availability of required a change to the Syllabus, but also a
We regret that due to Editorial timescales, replies computer system was playing up). It turned out to give Newark a miss this year, but our intrepid
to technical queries cannot be given over the
telephone. Any technical queries are unlikely to that they were used to American cruise ship Designer Mike Edwards was planning to be there
receive immediate attention so, if you require passengers coming ashore, getting a licence and to take some photos for our News pages. I will,
help with problems relating to topics covered in
‘working’ each other on their handhelds, in order though, as previously mentioned, be at the RSGB
paper-based exams was reported in RadCom review of the entire question bank to check they
PW, please either contact the author of the article
directly or write or send an email to the Editor and to say they had operated from Bermuda! Convention in October and have had my arm
we’ll do our best to reply as soon as we can. Mind you, that also reminds me of when my twisted to give a talk entitled ’92 Years of PW and
This publication is printed brother – an ardent birdwatcher – was on an my 12 years at the Helm’. So, that’s one not to be
and the RSGB’s social media with few dissenters reflected the licence changes. Members of the
Antarctic cruise. He commented to one of the missed!!
by Warners Midlands PLC
Telephone: 01778 391000
guides that they must find birdwatchers rather Apropos of which, in starting to prepare my
odd, rushing ashore at every destination with presentation, I dropped a line to past editor Rob
their tick lists, to check off what birds they could Mannion G3XFD, who many of you will remember.
making their voice heard. It was also featured Exams and Syllabus Review Group who carry out
see in the time available. The guide agreed but As well as helping me with material and ideas,
said they had an even stranger type of passenger Rob told me he has just been declared clear of
sometimes, who wanted to rush ashore with cancer, which is very good news indeed. He is
a radio set and make contacts to say they had also due to be fitted with a new ‘bionic’ (!) arm,
in the RSGB Club Newsletter, which is sent to all this work are unpaid and carry out their work in
SUBSCRIBE TO PRACTICAL
TICAL WIRELESS ‘activated’ a new country. My brother wisely didn’t courtesy of the NHS. I’m sure we all wish him
See page 37 for details of our mention that he had one of those in the family! well.
latest special subscription offer
Incidentally, Rob too has a King Hussein
ForBEST
furt
further details call 01778 395161
RSGB GUIDES
Laurie Margolis G3UML
Club Secretaries who have signed up to receive it, their spare time.
connection, which not all readers may be aware
Read on any device, anywhere, anytime
at www.bit.ly/pawi_subs24
I have known Laurie G3UML for very many of, in that his wife, before they married, was
years – we have contested together, been on Governess to two of the King’s children, and
Keep up to date on Facebook expeditions together, etc. So, I was pleased to therefore already knew about amateur radio.
giving clubs an opportunity to discuss it and make Len Paget GM0ONX

www.facebook.com/practicalwireless
see that his recent retirement from a lifetime at
Follow us on Twitter/X the BBC got a mention in several of the national Don Field G3XTT
@PracWireless newspapers. Laurie was licensed while still at Editor, Practical Wireless Magazine
representation if they wished. RSGB Boad Director and Exam Secretary for Buy back issues and archive CDs at www.mymagazinesub.co.uk/practical-wireless
With the vast majority of the over 2500 Kilmarnock and Loudoun ARC
November 2024 PRACTICAL WIRELESS 3
candidates taking their exams this year so far

choosing to sit their exams online it does not Matchbox Transmitter
suggest that the level of IT knowledge required November Keylines Dear Don,
to sit the exam online is a hurdle as suggested Dear Don, I would like to say how much I enjoyed building
by Max. Online exam invigilators contact the Just to say thanks for resurrecting memories of the low-cost matchbox transmitter design
candidate prior to the exam to ensure that the my contact with King Hussein JY1 and his wife published in the June edition of PW as part of
candidate is comfortable with the process. Una JY2 (ref Laurie Margolis G3UML) way back G4USI’s ‘Build one, Buy one!’ article.
Internet data rates required for the exams in the 1960s when I was working in East Africa. I wonder if Daimon has built a ‘match’-ing
are modest and can be resourced by most I was with a fellow radio ham in sight of Mount receiver (pardon the pun please Mr. Tilley) that
smartphones capable of receiving a mobile phone Kilimanjaro (can’t for the life of me remember my may be the subject of a yet-to-be-published
signal if no fixed internet connection is available. friend’s callsign now), who contacted JY1, but I article?
The requirement for two cameras for remember King Hussein saying “greetings to John Even better would be a third article covering
Intermediate and Full exams is usually resourced in the shack there”. Made my day! a suitable Transmit/Receive changeover
by using the one found on most computers During the contact he didn’t mention anything circuit to link the two. As this would need to
and the other on a smartphone. USB Webcams about ‘King’, he said “the handle here is Hussein, be incorporated with both the Transmitter
are available from eBay for under £7 for that’s h u s s e i n, Hussein”! Ha ha, those were the and Receiver, I’d even consider upgrading the
those computers without them. There are no days. 87 now and deaf as a post but still enjoy enclosure to a larger ‘kitchen match’ box to
requirements for cameras for club-based exams Practical Wireless magazine as it is now called. incorporate the whole transceiver! I know Daimon
as these exams are invigilated by club invigilators Don’t need ears to see! is a bright spark, and hope this suggestion strikes
in the same way as paper-based exams. Paper- Incidentally, I have a full set of RadioUser minus a light for future contributions!
based exams will also continue on a case-by-case one month (lent it to a friend and never got it back Can I also request that you aim to include as
basis for those that have a genuine need to retain after he died). Also Monitoring Monthly for years much information as possible in such articles
them. 2006 to 2008 inc., if you know anyone who might about sourcing the required components.
With an exam question pool of thousands like them, maybe for a little museum or something Following the demise of Maplin and before that
of questions across all levels the odd exam (?). They would have to collect of course as independent local radio component retailers, it’s
question error is regrettably inevitable and there they are totally very heavy. I am in Stroud, no longer possible to go and browse the shelves
are processes to ensure that the candidate is not Gloucestershire, GL5 1NU. for suitable-looking parts! I find trying to find the
disadvantaged should any error be identified. The Thanks again for bringing back those happy right component from the huge online catalogues
RSGB Exam Standards Review Group is currently memories. of major parts suppliers quite bewildering and
undertaking a review of the question bank with a John Kench G8JTQ incredibly time-consuming; finding when an order
view to reducing it to a more manageable size. Stroud arrives I sometimes have the wrong item, often

Letters
the right value but wrong physical size to match and shorting. Even new old stock transistors
PCB placement. A proper BOM (Bill Of Materials) will suffer. It’s probably not worth the trouble.
alongside construction articles, listing UK So, the project took a back bench again. But
supplier part numbers, would be a great boon recently after the success of getting members of
- particularly for a Practical magazine where SEMARC to try new things I decided to revisit the
readers are strongly encouraged to reproduce FET RX. The RFC was damaged, the main variable
then experiment with a design. capacitor had bent vanes but replacements were
Daimon’s article was largely helpful in this obtained. The concern was about the ‘notorious’
regard, giving several options for PA transistor germanium transistors, so after a quick check of
Q2. However, even though I am a member I could some basic parameters, the AF stage was tested
find no mention of the G-QRP Club PA transistor and worked. The detector stage needed a new
on their Club Sales web page. It was only by RFC and the board was damaged. A new board
‘happy accident’ that I was able to source these, was made and the result was a working 1971 PW
as another local G-QRP club member had some FET RX. It’s a bit of a reminder of my father too.
and said they were available to G-QRP members PW has been a regular subscription and read of
for free but only as an ‘under-the-counter’ mine since the early 1970s and, just as the FET
component on special request! RX set me on my SWL path, so then in 1974/5 Bill
Mark Riley M5BOP Bond G3XGP and his 2m series provided me with
Ipswich my first 2m FM TX, which I coupled with my only
piece of commercial gear, the Lowe Electronics
(Daimon G4USI replies: Thanks for the kind 6-channel 2m monitor receiver. I still have both
comments Mark, and glad you enjoyed the and am about to devise an Arduino based VFO
TX. I have been thinking of some ‘matching that will drive that 1 watt TX.
accessories’ - maybe now Winter is here I can Thanks to all who contribute articles and
get around to that. As for parts, for run of the mill comments to PW and all who are trying to
parts, I highly recommend Bitsbox. They are well promote this great hobby.
priced, fair postage and quick. You can find them Graham Smith G4NMD
here: Guildford
https://www.bitsboxuk.com
Home Brewing
Thanks to PW (a need or for nostalgia)
Dear Don, Dear Don,
Just thought I would say how I continue to enjoy It has often been quoted by many hams that
PW and how it has been part of my reading for home-brewing is on the decline. There are
nearly 55 years. arguments for and against this but maybe we
I first became interested in things radio in have to rethink about home brewing or the
the late 60s through the milk marketing board’s reasons for it.
project club books. Particularly the crystal set the chassis using scrap clear Perspex, which he As I am sure we all agree, ham radio has
and transistor radio book. Old radiograms came cut, drilled and tapped to be put together with BA changed over many decades and is continually
my way and strange sounds on the SW bands led screws. The set was built …. And it worked and evolving. To the newcomer to this hobby, using
me to amateur radio. was brilliant! A new world of listening opened SDR radios and the internet is how ham radio is
My parents bought me a Sony 7R-33L radio to me and I learned to operate a regenerative and should be. To the older hams it is a different
and I listened to stations all over the world receiver and also learned about hand capacity world. Listening to a station one at a time by
but could not quite work out the ‘Donald Duck’ through the Perspex box. I only discovered the turning the dial seems so archaic now as there
sounds. I made out a call of G3HDO and through ‘radiating’ side of such receivers when I visited is available a complete band spectrum to view
a callbook went and knocked on the door another nearby ham (an ex-RN sparker) to give using SDR. Even the SWL does not have to have
(safeguarding??) and gave my SWL report to the him a QSL. He warmly received me showed me specialised receivers to ‘pick up’ stations on
said G3HDO. It was real DX of about 0.3 miles! his shack; he then asked about my receiver. As any band and can even monitor several bands at
SSB was explained to me and the need for a I told him what I listened on he said, “So it’s you one time. All that is needed is a PC, iPad or other
BFO. PW, which I was advised to get regularly, that sticks a carrier on my frequency!” device connected to the internet.
carried adverts for SW receivers quite out of About ten years ago my father (who had got The Earlier Years: In past years that predate
our league as a family. Then in July 1971 PW licensed to share my interest) and I decided the birth of some of the newly licensed hams
published the FET Receiver by G3OGR. Over to try to re-box the FET set as we called it. Dad home brewing was more of a necessity than
the summer components were bought from made a chassis out of PCB material and I was of a general interest because radio equipment
REP Electronics in Coventry city centre. They left to rewire. Well moves, work and family etc was expensive or not readily available. There
were all put in small paper bags by chaps in got in the way and it suffered from not being were, however, many ex war department stores
shopkeeper’s overcoats/overalls with advice boxed. My father sadly died in 2020 and I in several of the big towns that sold all types
about substitutions. The Denco coils came in thought I really must do something with that set. of electronic equipment surplus from the war
their unique cans. However, the item we could Talking with amateur friends many asked years. There were receivers, transmitters and
not easily get, and thought expensive, was the “are you sure it ever worked?” Some said those transceivers that could be used on-air by adding
metal chassis. My father managed to replicate transistors are notorious for growing whiskers a set of batteries or a suitable mains power

Letters
Rallies & Events

29 December
SPARKFORD RADIO RALLY: Davis Hall, Howell
Hill, West Camel, Nr Yeovil, BA22 7QX. Doors Open
9.30am (traders from 7.30am), Admission £2, Free
Parking, Refreshments
Information published here reflects the situation up to and including 25th November 2024. Readers are
Tel: 07870 168197
advised to always check with the organisers of any event before setting out for a visit. To get your event
Email: [email protected]
on this list, email the full details, as early as possible, to: [email protected]
26 January
LINCOLN SHORT WAVE CLUB, WINTER RADIO
RALLY: The Festival Hall, Caistor Road, Market
Rasen, LN8 3HT. Doors open at 10.00, Admission
£3.00, Indoor event ample free car parking, Hot
refreshments including our famous bacon butties.
Tables £10.
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 07777699069
7-9 February
ORLANDO HAMCATION: Central Florida
Fairgrounds & Expo Park.
www.hamcation.com
9 February
MID CHESHIRE AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY
RADIOACTIVE RALLY: Nantwich Civic Hall, Market
Street, Nantwich, Cheshire, CW5 5DG. Doors Open
FRYTUR&IRNXXNTSf(FXMTWHFWI7FK‫ܫ‬J
prizes. Hot food and refreshments available. Free car
parking behind the Civic Hall. Traders from 7.30am.
Contact Patrick 2E0VGF Rallies are a great opportunity to buy and sell kit as well as meeting fellow enthusiasts!
[email protected]
been for a number of years, £10 per table. 0HL. Sunday March 23rd 10:00 – 14:00. Entrance fee
23 February Enquiries: [email protected] £3. Tea, coffee and bacon rolls available onsite. Tables
RED ROSE WINTER RALLY: Mather Hall, Mather http://www.wmrc.co.uk are £15 each, maximum 2 tables per vendor. Bring and
Lane, Leigh, Lancs. WN7 2PJ. Open: 10:00 (Exhibition buy at the rally. Let us sell it for you, 10% of the sale
opens at 08:30) Please note that maximum number 23 March price goes to the club. Table bookings and latest news
of 5ft tables per trader has had to be reduced from DOVER AMATEUR RADIO CLUB 2025 RALLY: St via website:
6 to 5. On a brighter note, the price remains as it has Radigunds Community Centre, Poulton Close, Dover CT17 darc.online/rally
supply. Many SWLs gained their grounding in satisfaction in the end results. It is also a very but then wrap them in brown paper for posting.
ham radio by listening to the local hams with good means of learning about the subject. At Old fashioned but that should take the tape
army surplus equipment. Some even practised one time most of the new licensees already had adhesive OK, and is still available by the roll. If
transmitting with, er, dummy load antennas! some radio or electrical knowledge as most you can find some gummed paper tape to use,
Dedicated home brewers: There are hams were employed in those fields. The hams of then so much the better! If the cardboard has
that still pride themselves on building their today are from various working backgrounds weakened, then a new box will be needed to
own equipment. Complete stations are built by and do not have the advantages of the electronic withstand the rigours of posting though.
many with the satisfaction of using home-made groundings so it has to be gained, and building Alan Messenger G0TLK
transmitters and transceivers on air. Whilst SSB electronic equipment is a good way of achieving
and SDR transceivers are built and used there is that.
also a following of the older modes such as CW Eric Edwards GW8LJJ Early morning chats
and AM. There is good evidence that a home- Barry, Wales Dear Don,
made high efficiency AM transmitter is better Now, that is a good point, that “it used to be
than available commercially and is also cost- (Editor’s comment: Thanks Eric and thank you too quite normal for folk to chat on 2m while en route
effective to make. Other ancillary equipment, for contributing regular constructional articles to and from work” (December 2024). However,
such as microphone processors, sequential to PW and making available the otherwise hard- it also used to be the case that putting out a
(antenna change-over) switchers etc can also to-get parts. This month’s article about an AM CQ on 145.500MHz (S20) would, most times,
be made at low cost. One main advantage is transmitter is a great example, of course.) bring forth a response. But just like those
that home-made equipment is made to do what early morning chats with my fellow ham radio
the constructor wants it to do and not what the operators on their way to their respective ‘salt-
commercial manufacturer dictates. Packaging/Cardboard Boxes mines’ long ago, S20 activity has sunk below the
Self Satisfaction: Whether a simple direct- Dear Don, waves as well. That’s progress, I guess.
conversion or regenerative receiver is made or With respect to last month’s letter from Ian When I was first licensed and let loose on
a complete station is built there is great self- G3WRT, dry them out in the house for a day or so the VHF bands - before the advent of D-STAR,

Letters
is organised 2m activity - not spontaneous

unorganised everyday type activity on 2m.
Anyhow, there have always been organised 2m
local nets ever since VHF operation became
popular. The crucial difference is that when I was
first licensed back in the 1980’s, 2m nets were
just as commonplace as 2m mobile activity. Fast
forward to 2024, that isn’t the case.
We can argue until the cows come home about
why activity on 2m SSB or VHF is lamentable,
and although Alistair suggests that we “switch
those radios on and push the buttons”, you can
lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink.
Oh, thinking about Georg Wiessala’s
excellent article about the Eiffel Tower’s radio
broadcasting exploits, I wonder whether QSL
reception cards were sent out?
Ray Howes G4OWY/G6AUW
Weymouth
Auto ATU
Daimon G4USI's ATU-100 kit. Kit building is an ideal way to avoid problems with component sourcing. Dear Don,
In G4USI’s article about the N7DDC auto-ATU kit,
Digipeaters and so on, I’d honed my on-air don’t offer the same opportunities as an on- which would have had me ordering one, had I not
operations courtesy of those early morning air contact. Probably never will. There again, just bought back a very dinky manual QRP tuner
conversations with mobile ham stations. From generally speaking, when technology changes it from a friend, there is a slight confusion. In the
7am to 9am Monday to Friday in my area, there tends to change people’s habits too. Ham radio third paragraph on page 35, Daimon talks about
were so many mobiles chatting through the is no different in that regard. So maybe that’s the a ‘good’ match, associating that with a VSWR
local repeater networks, that it was sometimes simple answer why the activity on many repeaters above 1.3.
difficult to get a word in edgewise. Nowadays, is so sparse? It matters not; we all know what was meant.
it’s as different as chalk and cheese. As 2E1AJB’s comments about 2m activity on The Thanks to Daimon for an excellent article.
Don points out, it could be “that they are all Isle of Thanet, Kent, is not really comparing apples Tony Jones G7ETW
working from home!”. And yes, cellphones with apples, because what Alistair describes Southampton

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JANUARY 2025 THE UK’S NUMBER ONE AMATEUR RADIO MAGAZINE

IN THE A pair of easy-to-build magnetic loop

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PRACTICAL A portable ADVICE How to get good DX

CONTEST RESULTS YOUR SAY

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34 The Faces behind the Calls

15 38 Portable 80m AM Class E

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Icom UK are pleased to share details

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KW DAYS 2025: KW Days is now an annual event and will

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AM QSO PARTY: The Amplitude Modulation

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Icom ID-52E Plus Base Station Antennas

Martin Guest G4GON

A compact ultra lightweight

magnetic loop antenna

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Fig. 1: DigiFilter schematic.

representation is used here for clarity with the

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Fig. 3: General configuration of an FIR filter.

software hex file for loading into the processor. The

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Morse Function Continued from page: 14

actions (with the exception of rotary ones in some

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BBC coronations Part XXI

Keith Hamer and Garry Smith continue the special series

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had improved dramatically since wireless first

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Keith Rawlings G4MIU

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Fig. 1: Flower pot diagram. Fig. 2: Civil Air VSWR

which equated to 6 turns on the same sized

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I have in my documents somewhere a revised

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Table One: Equations for this month’s antennas. 7

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Steve Macdonald G4AQB

Simple Arduino Nano

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Fig. 1: Circuit diagram. Fig. 2: Layout showing

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