The ARRL’s “The DIY Magic of Amateur Radio” on YouTube

Just in case you haven’t seen a link for this great video yet:

ARRL’s new video, “The DIY Magic of Amateur Radio,” is an 8-minute video that follows some of the innovative, imaginative and fun ways “hams” use radio technology in new and creative ways. The presentation is directed toward the DIY (do it yourself) movement, which is inspiring a new generation of creators, hackers and innovators. The message should be helpful for existing members to shape the ways they understand and talk about ham radio. For more information and related resources, visit http://www.arrl.org/wedothat-radio-org.

Enjoy!

73

Steve
K9ZW

Make: Online – Catching satellites on ham radio

Another great MAKE: Magazine/Blog/Online article – this one on Satellite Operations:

Catching Satellites On Ham Radio

My favorite ham activity is making contacts via satellites. Not only is there the romantic notion of sending messages into outer space, but you have to trace the orbit of the satellite with your antenna while tuning the radio, to compensate for the Doppler effect.

The satellites AO-51, SO-50, and AO-27 orbit the Earth acting as repeaters. Repeaters are automated relay stations that allow hams to send signals over a greater distance using low-power hand held transceivers. The satellites allow hams to relay messages from Earth to space and back to other hams somewhere on the planet. The International Space Station (ISS) also has a repeater, but occasionally, if you’re lucky, the astronauts turn on their radios to make contact directly with hams on the ground.

The following instructions will get you started listening to birds (satellites) on FM, which can be done with a simple VHF/UHF FM radio with a whip antenna, without the need of a ham license. For better coverage, you can use a Yagi antenna (like the one pictured above) connected to a mutli-mode radio and a license (if you want to transmit). A Yagi antenna can also be used to improve the signal of your hand held radio.

via Make: Online » Catching satellites on ham radio.

Have to get back at my duplexer & antenna project, and work those birds!

Oh, did I mention the article is by YL Diana Eng KC2UHB?

Enjoy!

73

Steve
K9ZW

Show and Tell Video – How to set up an HF portable radio while hiking by Diana KC2UHB

Make:Magazine is a personal favorite, and I had missed this great Youtube when it first posted:

“Fall is the perfect time for hiking, it’s not too hot and not too cold. Last weekend I took a day trip to hike up High Mountain in New Jersey and activate SOTA summit W2/NJ008. It’s really easy to set up an HF portable radio and not a whole lot to carry up the mountain. This video shows how to get set up including how to hang the antenna in a cluster of trees and making contact with Italy.”

]

http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2009/10/how_to_set_up_an_hf_portable_radio.html

(SOTA is Summits on the Air (SOTA) is an award scheme for radio amateurs and shortwave listeners that encourages portable operation in mountainous areas. SOTA has been carefully designed to make participation possible for everyone – this is not just for mountaineers! There are awards for activators (those who ascend to the summits) and chasers (who either operate from home, a local hilltop or are even Activators on other summits).

SOTA is now fully operational in many countries across the world. Each country has its own Association which defines the recognised SOTA summits within that Association. Each summit earns the activators and chasers a score which is related to the height of the summit. Certificates are available for various scores, leading to the prestigious “Mountain Goat” and “Shack Sloth” trophies. An Honour Roll for Activators and Chasers is maintained at the SOTA online database.) – http://www.sota.org.uk/

Thank you to Make:Magazine and Diana Eng KC2UHB for the fine work!

73

Steve
K9ZW

Diana Eng KC2UHB reports from Mass QRP Convention

Diana Eng KC2UHB does a short video report on Masscon – the QRP Convention spearheaded by Scot NE1RD

More at Make Magazine’s Blog: http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/03/massachusetts_qrp_convention.html

(You may remember Diana KC2UHB from A Visual Demo of How a Yagi Antenna Works – MAKE Magazine )

Masscon has posted a whole bunch of post-event items at: http://www.masscon.org/

73

Steve
K9ZW

A Visual Demo of How a Yagi Antenna Works – MAKE Magazine

Diana Eng KC2UHB visually shows how a Yagi Antenna works in a video at MAKE: Magazine

http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/02/seeing_radio_waves_with_a_light_bul.html

This is so easy to understand when you can visualize it this way!

Using a low power amateur radio transmitter and a simple light bulb receiver circuit, we see how radio waves and electromagnetic induction transmit energy and signals wirelessly through the air. We also see how dipole and Yagi antennas radiate their energy in different patterns. Read on to build your own dipole receiving antenna!

73

Steve
K9ZW