RadCom April 2014, Vol. 90, No. 4

| March 19, 2014

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Cover of April 2014 RadCom - The International Space Station has amateur radio and ATV equipment on board. Image: NASA

News and Reports

6 RSGB Matters
Including the RSGB AGM Calling Notice, New President, Regional Club of the Year winners, QSL Matters, Congratulations and Newcomers
10 Regional Manager Elections
Four Regional Managers elected unopposed
11 Centenary Station
A reflection on the year by John Gould, G3WKL
36 RSGB Annual Report
Directors’ report and audited financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2013
42 AGM Resolutions, Board and Regional Elections
The five Resolutions for this year’s AGM—and how to register your vote online or in person
84 Around Your Region
Club news and planned events around the country

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Features

14 WPX SSB from W6
Steve White, G3ZVW/AF6SU relates his personal experiences of operating in a major contest from California
20 Museums on the Air
International Museums Weekend spans two weekends in June to celebrate museums around the globe
32 SDR for the DXer and Contester
Steve Ireland, VK6VZ with a personal view of using software defined radios to get a competitive edge, plus review of the Woodbox Tmate2 console

Reviews

58 The Walford Berrow
A QRP transceiver kit for the experienced constructor to try, writes Ron Stone, GW3YDX
79 Book Review
The RSGB Prefix Guide plus The Radio Officer’s War

Technical Features

16 EMC
Dr David Lauder, G0SNO continues his look at solar photovoltaic systems on both domestic and commercial scales
22 Animated MPEG video test card
Originally designed to help with the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station, yet equally useful at home explains Mark Atherton, ZL3JVX
24 Getting Started In… Microwaves
You may think that the higher bands are only for line of sight contacts but Sam Jewell, G4DDK and John Worsnop, G4BAO explain how the most common microwave propagation modes can cover much of Europe
46 Homebrew
The carrier oscillator and SSB exciter units for the low bands transceiver by Eamon Skelton, EI9GQ
54 Data
Andy Talbot, G4JNT reports the latest on Opera and newly-developed ‘QSO mode’ for LF, WSQ
74 Design Notes
A look at some interesting ICs with Andy Talbot, G4JNT
80 The ins and outs of the ZS6BKW Antenna
Brian Austin, G0GSF (ex-ZS6BKW) revisits his versatile multiband HF wire antenna
82 Moving On
John Welsh, G0NVZ looks at the use of wood in electronic construction and describes a versatile crystal set

Regulars

91 Advertisers index
56 Antennas, Peter Dodd, G3LDO
70 GHz, Dr John Worsnop, G4BAO
63 HF, Martin Atherton, G3ZAY
60 LF, Dave Pick, G3YXM
95 Propagation, Gwyn Williams, G4KFH
24 QRP, Rev George Dobbs, G3RJV
92 Members’ Ads, Rallies & Events,
Silent Keys and Special Event stations
76 Sport Radio, Steve White, G3ZVW
96 The Last Word
66 VHF/UHF, Richard Staples, G4HGI

Category: RadCom