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Many of you are probably not aware of the differences of blogging with WordPress.com and WordPress.org. Then again, many of you probably don’t care. In any case, I thought I’d share some information and explain why you have not seen new posts here lately.

To put it in simple terms, setting up a WordPress.org based blog requires more work and some out-of-pocket expenses but it also allows for far more control over how the blog is created and managed.

It’s really the best of both worlds. Using the free WordPress.org code offers the advantage of leveraging the years of development by the WordPress team while opening up the ability to homebrew any part of the code base.

As a result I have set up a second domain under my company name  The eHamStore and have been enjoying the freedom of the new format.

The theme of the new blog is a ‘work in progress’ collection of interesting and fun Ham Radio videos and articles I have been collecting from various stops around the net. The Huck Finn article is a great example of the fun and informative information found on various sites. Of course prior to posting articles from other blogs, the author is contacted for reposting approval!

The latest post is a video about Ham Radio operators DXing from various bases around Antarctica. I hope you enjoy your visit to the new blog as much as I have had in putting it together.

If you know of or have interesting or informative articles or videos about Ham Radio you’d like to have posted, feel free to contact me!

cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, the ARISSat-1 satellite aboard the

International Space Station will be on the air using the station’s

external antenna. Transmissions will begin on Monday, April 11, at

14:30 UTC and continue until 10:30 UTC on April 13.

To preserve the satellite’s battery, transmissions will cycle on and

off. ARISSat-1 will transmit for 40 to 60 seconds, and then remain

silent for 2 minutes.

The FM transmissions on 145.950 MHz will alternate between a voice

ID, telemetry values, SSTV images and audio greetings in 15

different languages. One of the transmissions will contain audio of

a conversation between Gagarin and ground controllers that was

recorded during the historic flight.

A CW beacon will be heard on 145.919 MHz cycling between the

ARISSat-1 call sign, telemetry and call signs of individuals

involved in the ARISS program.

BPSK-1000 telemetry transmissions will also take place on 145.920

MHz SSB using the new 1kBPSK protocol developed by Phil Karn, KA9Q.

AMSAT will issue commemorative certificates to listeners who receive

the ARISSat-1 transmissions. Reports can be e-mailed to

Gagarin@arissat1.org or yuri@arrisat1.org. Include your name, call

sign, a description of what you heard and the UTC time you heard it.

Recording the battery voltage telemetry values and the UTC time you

received them will be especially helpful.

You can determine when the International Space Station will be

passing overhead by using the AMSAT-NA online pass prediction tool

at, http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/tools/predict/.

While phone and internet server are available in most parts of the country, the IARU and the JARL has asked that the7.030Mhz frequency be kept clear for emergency use. Other requested frequencies to be kept clear are: 3.525, 7.030, 7.077, 7.087, 7.097, 14.100, 21.200 and 28.200 MHz.

Japan Earthquake March 11, 2011

JA1RL, the JARL HQ station, along with many other amateurs are providing disaster relief operations wherever possible. The less damaged areas are getting their power restored and amateurs in those areas have set up stations and shelters. Other amateurs are using batteries and small generators to provide support to the disaster relief and rescue operations in the areas most affected by the disaster.

For more on how radio amateurs in Japan are providing communications support after earthquake, click here. For information on how US amateurs are helping out, click here. For more on how Japan, Hawaii and the Western US dealt with the immediate aftereffects of the earthquake and tsunami, click here.

Please Help The People Of Japan

Like so many others around the world, I have been following the devastation caused by the earthquake and tsunami. It has affected an untold number of fellow humans in a multifaceted way.

Of course as Ham Radio ops, we immediately think of ways to provide health and welfare traffic. There are many ways to provide assistance when you are in a “hands on” situation, when something happens in one of our local communities.

However, this incredible series of disasters are happening 1/2 way around the world. For most of us, providing any direct assistance is impossible. As Japan continues to be destroyed by continuous aftershocks, fires and potential radiation leaks, perhaps we come together as a world community and help our fellow man anonymously.

Between the earthquake, tsunami, fires, potential nuclear disaster and the inability to get the basics of food, clothing, shelter or medical assistance, the people of Japan are way beyond any condition a human should have to experience. As of today there are 1/2 million people in shelters.

Please consider donating a few dollars to help them in a time of their severe need.

Donate To A Charity Via Google Site

Visit The Google Crisis Response

TEN-TEC R4020 2 Band Transceiver

As an old time QRPer, one of my occasional stops is the TEN-TEC website. This time around I happened to find two new QRP radios they offer. Here is a  bit of information and an excerpt from a review that I read.

Ten-Tec has released two new dual band QRP radios for the fun of QRP operation. Both the R4020 and R4030 are of a simple design and light weight. They can be a friendly companion for camping and hiking or any time the mood strikes you.

Ten-Tec has provided QRP radios since their founding in 1968.  Unlike the upper class of TEN-TEC radios, the R4020 and R4030 radios and not manufactured at the TEN-TEC plant Sevierville, TN.

As one reviewer wrote;  who owns both the R4020 and R4030:

“both work well and I use an external keyer with both. But as another poster noted, you must have your straight key/external keyer plugged in before you turn on the radios. When you do, they work fine. The instructions leave something to be desired.

Performance-wise, for the price, I’m pleased. They are feature-rich for the price. I’m blessed to have good antennas at my QTH and running both rigs on my antennas have produced excellent results. A week after getting the R4020 and connecting it to my 3 element beam for 20 meters, I had worked 20 countries and a dozen and a half states. I just roamed up and down the band and pretty much worked most stations I heard at will. At that rate, no need to even sign QRP! The radios are stable from a cold start, have reasonable selectivity with the built-in filtering, are not overloaded even though mine are connected to good antennas which might overload some lesser QRP rigs. I am told often they sound great on the air. Many ops are not familiar with these rigs since Ten-Tec has done no outside advertising — just on its own website. For the money, they are good values. Loads of fun. Someday I will take them out in the field with my Buddistick antenna.”

I think my favorite feature of all are the LCD readouts which display the full frequency, as well as other info. Some other radios only display the last 2 digits of the frequency you’re on. I don’t like that at all. I know some lament the lack of a built-in ATU that doesn’t doesn’t bother me one.”

For futher information: http://www.tentec.com/index.php?id=193

Sputnik spent 93 days in space, tracked by ham radio operators and backyard astronomers, before burning up in our atmosphere Jan. 4, 1958.

In response to the launch of Sputnik, the U.S. rushed its own rocket with a satellite payload, Vanguard TV3, to the launchpad at Cape Canaveral, Fla.

On Dec. 6, the rocket was ignited, but two seconds after ignition, after rising only four feet, it fell back to the launchpad.

The fuel tanks ruptured and exploded. While the rocket was destroyed and the launchpad was severely damaged, the Vanguard satellite itself was thrown clear, landing a short distance away with its transmitter still beeping away.

The U.S. did eventually put a satellite into orbit. Explorer 1 was launched atop its Jupiter-C rocket Jan. 31, 1958.

It was the first satellite to detect the Van Allen radiation belts surrounding our planet.

 

Read more: http://newsok.com/looking-back-at-historic-events/article/3529004#ixzz1A9ljnaVL

Happy New year everyone! One of the first events out of the gate at the top of the year on Long Island is Ham Radio University. HRU is a day of learning for Ham Radio operators. This year will also be a day for scanner enthusiasts as well.

Located about 40 miles east of New York City, HRU is accessible from all the points on the compass. Come on, you do remember that analog device don’t you? Find the address and directions here: http://www.hamradiouniversity.org

This year looks like it’s going to be the best schedule of guest speakers to date. Guest speakers are there for you to learn from and to  ”pick their brains” for that info you just can’t seem to find elsewhere.

So here’s the line up as I received it. Look it over and make up your schedule for the day. Each moderator is well versed in the area of interest and I am sure all questions will be answered. Imagine, all of this learning and more for only 3 bucks! How can you go wrong?

Schedule:

9:00 – 9:50am
-Scanner Forum: Phil Lichtenberger W2LIE
-Intro to EMCOMM in NYC/LI: Mike Lisenco N2YBB and Jim Mezey W2KFV
-Operating Six Meters during Cycle 24:  Ken Neubeck WB2AMU
-Transmitter Hunting – locating hidden transmitters: Larry Berger
WA2SUH and Andy Kirschenbaum WA2CDL
-Remote Station Operation: Rick Bressler K2RB

10:00 – 10:50am
-Dealing with RF Interference during reception: Bill Lynch AB2UW
-The EMCOMM experience in Haiti: Ron Tom KE2UK
-Intro to DX’ing and contacting distant stations: Long Island DX
Assoc.
-QRP – low power fun: John Meade W2XS
-Ham Radio Deluxe: Bill Dahl W2ANQ

11:00 – 11:50am
-Grounding for the Ham Station: Don Kane WB2BEZ
-Intro to the National Traffic System: Mike Patino N2BMU and Jim
Kettyle KC2LEB
-DX and Ham Radio from Kuwait: Steve Hass N2AJ
-Working Satellites with your handheld transceiver: Peter Portanova
WB2OQQ
-HF Digital Modes: Neil Heft KC2KY

12 Noon
-Keynote Speaker: ARRL President Kay Craigie N3KN

1:30 – 2:20pm
-Antennas – how they work and how to build them: Walter Wenzel KA2RGI

-Wireless History – Friends of Long Island Wireless: Connie Currie
-Contesting: All your questions answered: Mel Granick KS2G
-Emergency Power for your home: Jeff Schneller N2HPO
-D-STAR – digital Amateur Radio operating: Randy Gutentag WA2RMZ
-Volunteer Exam Session – Amateur License testing: VE Team

2:30 – 3:20pm
-Antenna Building Workshop ($10 additional fee): Joe Mielko N2IMF
-Young Ham Forum: Lew Malchick N2RQ
-World Radiosport Team Championship (The Ham Radio Olympics): George
Tranos N2GA
-Software Defined Radios: Dr. Jeffrey Katz AC2BQ
-Internet Linking for Amateur Radio: Jonathan Taylor K1RFD

Here is the list of participating organizations at this year’s event:

ARRL
ARRL NYC/LI Section
American Red Cross ECS
Central Jersey D-Star Group
Civil Air Patrol
Friends of L.I. Wireless
Grumman Amateur Radio Club
Great South Bay ARC
Hall of Science ARC
Kings County Radio Club
Kings County Repeater Association (HRU 2011 Sponsor)
Larkfield ARC
Long Island DX Assoc.
Long Island QRP Club
Long Island Mobile ARC
MetroCor Repeater Coord.
Nassau County ARES
Nassau County CERT
Nassau Amateur Radio Club
Nassau County Police ARC
National Weather Service
New York City ARES
Peconic Amateur Radio Club
QCWA
Radio Central ARC
SATERN
Staten Island Digital Group
Suffolk County Radio Club
Tri-State SKYWARN Group
Wantagh Amateur Radio Club
US Coast Guard Auxiliary
CQ Communications
Briarcliffe College ARC

There are plenty of door prizes provided by:

ARRL
CQ Communications
DX Engineering
ELK Antennas
J&R
MFJ Enterprises
Radio Oasis

And lots of literature provided by:

ARRL
Amateur Electronics Supply
Ham Radio Outlet
ICOM America
Kenwood USA Corporation
Texas Towers
Universal Radio

Be certain to put this on your 2011 calendar!  Don’t miss this event! I expect that this year will top all previous attendance records.

So search around the Ham Shack and gather your loose change together. We all know Ham’s are among the cheapest individuals on the planet but 3 bucks won’t break you, promise!

73 and see you there – ke2yk!

A Ham's Christmas

‘Twas the night before Christmas, And all through 2 meters, Not a signal was keying up Any repeaters.

The antennas reached up From the tower, quite high, To catch the weak signals That bounced from the sky.

The children, Tech-Pluses, Took their H-Ts to bed, And dreamed of the day They’d be Extras instead.

Mom put on her headphones, I plugged in the key, And we tuned 40 meters For that rare ZK3.

When the meter was pegged By a signal with power. It smoked a small diode, And, I swear, shook the tower.

Mom yanked off her phones, And with all she could muster Logged a spot of the signal On the DX PacketCluster.

While I ran to the window And peered up at the sky, To see what could generate RF that high.

It was way in the distance, But the moon made it gleam. A flying sleigh, with an Eight-element beam.

And a little old driver Who looked slightly mean. So I thought for a moment, That it might be Wayne Green.

But no, it was Santa, The Santa of Hams. On a mission, this Christmas, To clean up the bands.

He circled the tower, Then stopped in his track, And he slid down the coax Right into the shack.

While Mom and I hid Behind stacks of CQ, This Santa of hamming Knew just what to do.

He cleared off the shack desk Of paper and parts, And filled out all my late QSLs For a start.

He ran copper braid, Took a steel rod and pounded It into the earth, till The station was grounded.

He tightened loose fittings, Re-soldered connections, Cranked down modulation, Installed lightning protection.

He neutralized tubes  In my linear amp. (Never worked right before; Now it works like a champ).

A new, lowpass filter Cleaned up the TV. He corrected the settings In my TNC.

He repaired the computer That would not compute, And he backed up the hard drive And got it to boot.

Then, he reached really deep In the bag that he brought, And he pulled out a big box.

A new rig? I thought!  A new Kenwood? An Icom? A Yaesu, for me?! (If he thought I’d been bad, it might be QRP!)

Yes! The Ultimate Station! How could I deserve this? Could it be all those hours that I worked Public Service?

He hooked it all up And in record time, quickly Worked 100 countries, All down on 160.

I should have been happy, It was my call he sent. But the cards and the postage Will cost two month’s rent!

He made final adjustments, And left a card by the key: ”To Joe, from Santa Claus. 73.”

Then he grabbed his H-T, Looked me straight in the eye, Punched a code on the pad, And was gone with no good-bye.

I ran back to the station, And the pileup was big, But a card from St. Nick Would be worth my new rig.

Oh, too late, for his final came over the air. It was copied all over. It was heard everywhere.

The Ham’s Santa exclaimed What a ham might expect, ”Merry Xmas to all,And to all, good DX!”

Author: Unknown