Here’s a closeup of Orlando Hamcation 2012. The podcast is courtesy of Ham Radio Now.

Gary (KN4AQ) of Ham Radio Now takes a walk through the Orlando hamfest and chats with a few vendors.

Gary looks at a military 6 Meter HT, which is roughly a 1950′s model. He also inspects The World’s Most Portable Ham Radio Tower… which is inflatable! The commercial exhibits were also visited, including a DVAP distributor.

Over and out.

Talk-In
W4DRC/R
145.230 — Dalton area repeaters all use the 141.3 tone when activated.

Scanner Frequencies
Whitfield County, GA (Radio Reference)

Map
Mapquest

Hamfest Directions
From I-75 South:  Take exit 336 turn right onto 41 South. Go 2.6 miles (7th traffic light) turn right onto Glenwood Ave. Go .4 miles (3rd traffic light) turn left onto Legion Dr. Go .3 miles turn right into the east gate entrance of the North Ga. Fairgrounds.

From I-75 North:  Take exit 336 stay right merge onto 41 South. Go 2.4 miles (6th traffic light) turn right onto Glenwood Ave. Go .4 miles (3rd traffic light) turn left onto Legion Dr. Go .3 miles turn right into the east gate entrance of the North Ga. Fairgrounds.

Location
NORTH GEORGIA FAIRGROUNDS
500 LEGION DR. DALTON, GA.

Latitude: 34.789152°
Longitude: -84.957014°

When
Saturday February 25, 2012
Opens — 8:00 A. M.

Dalton Weather
AccuWeather

Website Info
Dalton Hamfest

As posted on the ARRL website, the new new rules for 5 MHz (60 Meters) will go into effect on March 5, 2012.

In summarizing the new rules, the FCC explained that the new rules amend the current rules to facilitate more efficient and effective use by the Amateur Radio Service of five channels in the 5330.5-5406.4 kHz band (the 60 meter band): “Specifically, and consistent with our proposals in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in this proceeding, the Commission replaces one of the channels with a less encumbered one, increases the maximum authorized power amateur stations may transmit in this band and authorizes amateur stations to transmit three additional emission designators. The Commission also adopts an additional operational rule that prohibits the use of automatically controlled digital stations and makes editorial revisions to the relevant portions of the Table of Frequency Allocations and our service rules.”

The Amateur Radio Service in the United States has a secondary allocation on 60 meters. Only those amateurs who hold General, Advanced or Amateur Extra class licenses may operate on this band. Amateur stations must not cause harmful interference to — and must accept interference from — stations authorized by any administration in the fixed service, as well as mobile (except aeronautical mobile) stations authorized by the administrations of other countries.

The maximum allowed power level will be 100 Watts PEP. As the article reads, amateur operators with General, Advanced or Amateur Extra class licenses may operate on this band.

For more information about the sixty meter band, you can click on the link provided.

The 60 Meter Channels:

Channel 1 — 5330.5
Channel 2 — 5346.5
Channel 3 — 5357.0
Channel 4 — 5371.5
Channel 5 — 5403.5

Voice USB Only
Do not interfere with other services traffic. Use USB to monitor all other modes and services. Use LBT Listen- Before- Transmit.

The World Radio TV Handbook, or WRTH is now in its 66th year. It is the most accurate and complete guide to the world of radio on LW, MW, SW and FM, available in any form.

If you are an amateur radio operator, you most likely have a good idea about the receiving frequencies on your HF transceiver. If you are like many shortwave listening newbies, you probably do not know where to find the shortwave  frequencies on your radio, along with other relevant information.

Any shortwave listening fan will want to add this to their library. Well, you might argue that there are shortwave frequency lists on the internet. This would be true. However, with this SWL guide placed on your coffee table you have the convenience of browsing the pages throughout the day.

The World Radio TV Handbook includes: Features, National Radio, International Radio, Frequency Lists, Television, and Reference.

You do not need any type of license to be a shortwave listener. You will need a AM/FM-Stereo/Shortwave/Aircraft Band Radio with SSB. You can listen to AM, FM , Shortwave with SSB and aircraft band frequencies, and you can program in up to 100 of your favorites for each band. You can also connect your MP3 player for even more listening choices. The ETON Satellite 750 AM/FM Band Radio (Black) is a radio worth looking at.

The Sony ICF-SW7600GR AM/FM Shortwave World Band Receiver with Single Side Band Reception, plus External Plug-in Antenna is another excellent choice.

Want a great way to beat the winter blahs or the summertime blues? It’s time to get your tech on! There is no need to be bored. Get a hobby and stick with it.

Happy DXing!

Entrenched in the state West Virginia lies Pendleton County. As of 2000, the population was 8,196. The county has a total area of 698 square miles.

Pendleton County was pro-Confederate during the American Civil War. The county became  part of West Virginia even though the residents didn’t want it forced upon them.

In 1758, near 60 settlers were massacred by Shawnee and Delaware native Americans. It was the attack of Fort Seybert, which is located in Pendleton County.

There is a remote sight in Pendleton County that is located near a small, quaint town of Franklin. It’s called Sugar Grove, or commonly called “the Grove”. The cost of living is low and the place is very laid back. The Grove is about an hour and a half drive from Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Hidden in the mountains of Sugar Grove there is the largest “eye” or “ear” if you prefer, on the east coast, where the NSA has set up shop. It is operated by the U.S. Navy and the US Air Force.

The location is part of an area called the  U.S. National Radio Quiet Zone [NRQZ].

The task of the station in 1991 became “to maintain and operate an ECHELON site” [Cyber-rights.org].

On December 29, 2005, Navy Security Group Activity Command was disestablished. Navy Information Operations Command, Sugar Grove was established as part of the integration of NAVSECGRU functions into Naval Network Warfare Command. The SECGRU Service Cryptologic element responsibilities have been performed by the Information Operations Directorate of NETWARCOM ever since [Source: NIOC].

The NSA has the capability to scan e-mails, faxes, instant messages, web searches, text messaging, and  phone calls, including cell phones and landlines. Originally designed to spy on other countries during the Cold War, it is believed that the U.S. government is now spying, or has the option to do it, on all American citizens.

The USA PATRIOT Act was enacted into legislation by George W. Bush during his presidency on October 26, 2001. This controversial act reduced restrictions on law enforcement agencies’ ability to search telephone, e-mail communications, medical, financial, and other records.

Just before the midnight deadline on May 26, 2011, President Barack Obama signed a 4-year extension of three key provisions in the USA Patriot Act. Opponents argue that this act is unconstitutional.

NATIONAL RADIO QUIET ZONE COORDINATION REQUIREMENT

* Amateur Radio — NRQZ coordination is required for all new or modifed, permanent, fixed, licensed transmitters inside the NRQZ, as specified for federal transmitters by NTIA manual section 8.3.9 and for non-federal transmitters by the FCC in 47 CFR section 1.924. [NRAO]

ON AIR — Hosts: Bob Heil, K9EID, and Gordan West, WB6NOA. A special guest is Larry Junstrom, who is the bassist of American rock band 38 Special.

Larry Junstrom, an avid ham radio operator, he has the call letters K4EB, which translates to: known for electric bass. Larry gives some tips about about D-Star.

Another musician by the name of Joe Walsh (WB6ACU) wrote and played the Ham Nation theme. Ever heard of this ham operator?

HAM Nation is the new TWIT show about ham radio. Bob Heil, with various co-hosts and guests will cover the excitement and importance of ham radio – from tossing an antenna wire in a tree allowing you to talk to the world, to the importance of ham radio operators in time of disasters. HAM Nation airs live each Tuesday at 6:00 PT/ 9:00ET on Twit TV [http://live.twit.tv].

160 Meters
1.800-2.000 MHz

80 Meters
3.600-4.000 MHz

60 Meters
5332, 5348, 5368, 5373, 5405 kHz Channels
5330.5, 5346.5, 5366.5, 5371.5, 5403.5 kHz Tuning

40 Meters
7.125-7.300 MHz

30 Meters
10.100 -10.150 MHz CW, RTTY, Data

20 Meters
14.150 -14.350 MHz

17 Meters
18.110-18.168 MHz

15 Meters
21.200-21.450 MHz

12 Meters
24.930-24.990 MHz

10 Meters
28.300-29.700 MHz

The top US license class is Amateur Extra Class. Those with Amateur Extra licenses are granted all privileges on all US amateur bands.

Frequency Allocations: ARRL

You haven’t fully utilized your ham radio capacity until you’ve tried to construct a dipole.

A simple wire dipole is center-fed as the driven element. The dipole was invented by Heinrich Hertz around 1886.

The dipole is one of the most popular antennas and one of the most practical. It is easy to design and easy to install. In fact, the set of rabbit ears we used for the TV is an example of a dipole antenna.

Any ham radio enthusiast will know that to formulate the magic number for the dipole, one would divide 468 by the frequency. This would give us the full length of the wire. And of course each half or leg, would be half of that number.

For example, say we want to cut a dipole for the 40 meter band, we would want to find a frequency that we often talk on. Let’s use 7.150 MHz. Dividing 468 by 7.15 we get 65.4 feet. We call this a half-wave dipole. Each leg would be 32.7 feet in length, which is called the quarter-wave.

So, I took a piece of insulated copper wire, 12 gauge solid to be specific, measured it and cut it. No big deal at all.

I ordered a center piece to attach both legs to, which is called a center insulator. The center insulator can be purchased at your favorite place that you buy amateur radio gear. My center insulator was around 14 dollars. It had two opposite ends to attach the wire to using bolts.

Simply wrap the wire around the bolt and tighten with a wrench. I used an adjustable wrench and a pair of needle-nose pliers. That’s it. I had some rope on hand.

The store-bought center insulator worked magnificently. This obviously gives you something to attach the wire legs to and allows you to pull tightly on the wire. You want to take the slack out of the wire to get the best height you can muster. I forgot to wrap the wire around the ears of the center insulator before connecting it to the bolts and I quickly found out that was a no-no.

I also purchased what is called dog bones for the ends of the wire. These are small plastic pieces that have holes on each end, for a place to attach the wire and rope. The dog bones or insulators, cost around 50 cents apiece and they work very well.

So the next thing I tried to figure out was which dipole was more suitable, the flat-top dipole or the inverted vee dipole. It required a lot of work but I wanted to know which design I liked the best. I tried both designs and found out that both versions work well. The flat-top is ran straight across, while the inverted vee is an upside down v, naturally.

The flat-top version seemed to be more broad in nature and generally more versatile, but I’ve heard many inverted vees on the air that sounded absolutely fantastic.

Either way will work fine. I personally liked the flat-top version better. Based on the information that I found online, the flat-top offers a little more gain. Probably not much more gain though.

I had originally cut the wire dipole a little long on purpose, so it wasn’t tuning properly on the upper portion of the band. I went back and cut six inches off both ends and it was resonant. Well, it tuned clear across the 40 meter band. I never have to tune on 40 meters, but my HF radio does have an internal tuner if I need it. I use it as little as possible. I think a resonant antenna works the best. That’s just my opinion.

I use no balun or 450 ladder line; just the wire fed with 75-ohm coax. A good match with a low SWR reading. I get a 1:1 SWR reading with this setup. No problems at all.

The 40 meter dipole was and still is a big winner. I ran mine from north to south. The first weekend I worked over 12 stations in Europe on the wire. Boy was I a happy camper. I’ve worked all over the U.S.

Since I ran it north and south, I am just a little weak to the deep south below me, or so it seems. Guess I’ll have to run another wire east and west. However, a dipole will be omnidirectional if hung at low levels.

Would I recommend this to another ham? You betcha. My wire is only about 25 feet off the ground. I get nothing but great audio reports. Personally, I prefer the monoband antenna. The 40 meter dipole is a good antenna and a very practical choice. Good luck on your antenna projects. What kind are you using?

Happy DXing.

Image Credit:

Image: Rob Wiltshire / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

160 Meters
1.800-2.000 MHz

80 Meters
3.800-4.000 MHz

60 Meters
5332, 5348, 5368, 5373, 5405 kHz Channels
5330.5, 5346.5, 5366.5, 5371.5, 5403.5 kHz Tuning

40 Meters
7.175-7.300 MHz

30 Meters
10.100 -10.150 MHz CW, RTTY, Data

20 Meters
14.225 -14.350 MHz

17 Meters
18.110-18.168 MHz

15 Meters
21.275-21.450 MHz

12 Meters
24.930-24.990 MHz

10 Meters
28.300-29.700 MHz

General class operators have privileges on portions of all amateur bands, and have access to over 83% of all amateur HF bandwidth, however the DX windows on most bands are not included.

On 160, 30, 17, 12, and 10 meters, a General Class license
holder is granted all amateur frequency privileges.

Frequency Allocations:  ARRL

My two way contact with Doug Wheelock on the International Space Station (ISS) from Robb Kunz on Vimeo.

Colonel Doug Wheelock has made it safely back to his home on earth since this video was captured. But in 2010 he was aboard the International Space Station (ISS). This is an integrated video by N0KGM, as he makes a contact with NA1SS. The download frequency which transmits from the ISS is 145.800 MHz. To talk to the ISS you must transmit on 144.490 MHz.

Some fabulous pictures can be viewed @Astro_Wheels on TwitPic.

Many thanks to Colonel Wheelock for his dedication to ham radio. This video was presented on the ISS Fan Club.

Get in touch with the International Space Station!