RadCom July 2014, Vol. 90, No. 7

| June 20, 2014

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Cover of July 2014 RadCom - New British 144MHz ARDF Champion Andrew Soltysik, G4KWQ receives the 144MHz Salver from RSGB President John Gould, G3WKL. Photo: David Williams

News and Reports

6 RSGB Matters
Including the opportunity of 146-147MHz, consultations, appointments and vacancies, Club of the Year presentation, Hamvention visitors, QSL matters and congratulations
10 News
All the amateur radio news
26 New Products
The latest devices to emerge into the amateur market
95 RSGB Contacts
Who does what, and how to contact them—from the Chairman onwards
82 Around Your Region
Our regular round-up of club diaries and news reports

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Reviews

24 M0CVO HW-42HP
Steve Nichols, G0KYA examines a new 40m to 6m off centre fed dipole
34 Sienna transceiver kit
It takes a bit over 50 hours to construct this compact 10W HF transceiver, writes Michael Taylor, N7RKC
59 Book review
Giles Read, G1MFG is impressed by Building a Transceiver and ARRL Circuit Simulation and Analysis

Features

40 IOTA Convention
Roger Balister, G3KMA describes what’s going to happen at IOTA’s 50th birthday celebrations on 4-6 July—and it’s not too late to join in
47 International Marconi Day
Stories from four clubs that helped make this year’s International Marconi Day event light up the bands
55 Mills on the Air
Water, wind and tide mills all went on the air for this celebration in May
60 National Hamfest and RSGB Convention
A look ahead to the two big amateur radio events this autumn
68 Maritime Mobile
Andrew Work, PA8NPT/G8NPT braves the wind and waves to work 70cm from the North Sea
76 Alpine DXing
Going by ski into the mountains gives a near zero noise level and lovely radio conditions, writes Stephen Warrilow, M0CYT/VK3SN

Technical Features

13 The Sky-Painter
Ian Thompson, GM0URD describes his highly portable self-supporting 40m dipole antenna system that packs up neatly into the boot of a small car
18 Homebrew
Local oscillator options for the LF/MF transceiver by Eamon Skelton, EI9GQ
27 Getting started in mobile operation
The second and final part of the introductory article by Richard Marshall, G4ERP
32 Electrolytic capacitor failure
A rather dry story by Mark Atherton, ZL3JVX, which investigates a common failure mode and some some equipment as a result
38 Moving On
John Welsh, G0NVZ looks at the history of the humble microphone
42 Red Star ATU
A visually striking project with a Soviet space theme by Jos van den Helm, PA1ZP
56 Design Notes
Andy Talbot, G4JNT explains how to drive (coaxial) relays from less than half their rated supply voltage

Regulars

91 Advertisers’ index
36 Antennas, Peter Dodd, G3LDO
74 ARDF, Bob Titterington, G3ORY
70 AT V, Dave Mann, G8ADM
66 GHz Bands, Dr John Worsnop, G4BAO
62 HF, Martin Atherton, G3ZAY
22 IOTA , Col McGowan, MM0NDX
92 Members’ Ads, Rallies and Events, Silent Keys, Special Event Stations
78 Propagation, Gwyn Williams, G4KFH
72 Sport Radio, Steve White, G3ZVW
96 The Last Word
64 VHF/UHF, Richard Staples, G4HGI

Category: RadCom