RadCom August 2014, Vol. 90, No. 8

| July 22, 2014

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Cover of August 2014 RadCom - Cover image: Remembering the efforts of radio amateurs in World War One. Photo: Alex Sergieiev (iStock)

News and Reports

6 RSGB Matters
Bringing new blood into the hobby, RSGB Club Relay 2015, RCF, EC volunteer and Board vacancies, RSGB Annual Construction Competition, G5RV equipment donation, GB4FUN callsign plans, QSL Matters, Congratulations and IOTA’s 50th
12 News
All the amateur radio news including crossing the Atlantic on 2m
18 New Products
Exciting new amateur radio items we’ve heard about this month
39 Visitors to Friedrichshafen
Callsigns of those who signed in at the RSGB stand this year
83 Around Your Region
Club news and planned events around the country

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Features

20 Commonwealth Contest 2013
A rundown on the 77th BERU contest by Mike Franklin, G3VYI
55 Lest We Forget
How radio amateurs made a difference in World War One and how it is being commemorated
58 National Hamfest and RSGB Convention
Looking forward to the two must-see amateur radio events this autumn

Reviews

32 RIGblaster Blue
Mike Richards, G4WNC looks at an innovative, wireless, Bluetooth-based radio to computer interface that even supports a Bluetooth headset
38 Wouxun KG-UV8D
Dual band multi-function duplex cross band handheld with two-colour LCD reviewed by Richard Staples, G4HGI
70 Book Review
Giles Read, G1MFG considers Your First Amateur Radio HF Station, the Pegasus Amateur Call Book CD and the RSGB Rig Guide

Technical Features

15 DIY MPT1327
Paul Banks, M3OSL makes his own trunked radio controller from scratch
24 Getting started in… terminating coax
Long-time antenna guru Peter Dodd, G3LDO explains how to deal with the other end of the coax: put a plug on it.
30 Lies to students
Sometimes you can only tell a beginner part of the truth without confusing them, explains Barry Priestly, ex-G3JGO
40 A light weight 4-ele 4m/6m quad
John M. Tonks, GW4MBN describes his design that performs well and has some novel touches
44 Homebrew
The final modules for the low bands transceiver by Eamon Skelton, EI9GQ
48 Data
Andy Talbot, G4JNT takes a look at spread spectrum working from an Amateur Service perspective and isn’t convinced it’s workable
62 Moving On
Very slow Morse can be rather useful, explains John Welsh, G0NVZ
72 Design Notes
Andy Talbot, G4JNT takes a good look at filters
78 Bandwidth, Q-factor and resonance
Anthony Steadman, G3LAA shows that the capacitance in a tuned circuit does not affect its bandwidth
80 EMC
Noise from sources including wind farms examined by Dr David Lauder, G0SNO

Regulars

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

Category: Front Page News, RadCom