urban monitoring: vol. 32 no. 8 august 2013 ® scanning - shortwave - ham radio - equipment internet...
TRANSCRIPT
C O N T E N T S
Vol. 32 No. 8 August 2013
®
Scanning - Shortwave - Ham Radio - Equipment Internet Streaming - Computers - Antique Radio
www.monitoringtimes.com
A Publication of Grove Enterprises
Volume 32, No. 8August 2013
U.S. $6.95Can. $6.95Printed in theUnited States
In this issue:• Dissecting Dayton 2013• Watch International TV on Roku• Trials and Tribulations of Urban Monitoring• MT Reviews: CommRadio CR-1
How to Become an ISS APRS Gateway
R E V I E W S
How to Become an ISS APRS Gateway..8Receiving, Decoding and Uploading APRS Transmis-sions from the ISSBy Christopher Friesen VE4CWF The International Space Station (ISS) is outfitted with amateur radio transceivers as part of the Amateur Radio on the Inter-national Space Station (ARISS) program. The ISS crew always have licensed op-erators onboard, but crew members on the ISS don’t regularly operate these stations. Instead, they use them for making care-fully planned school contacts or, on a few random occasions, they might make direct contact with a handful of lucky hams. But, amateur radio on the ISS offers more opportunities for all radio hobby-ists because, even though crew members don’t use the amateur radio stations very frequently, the equipment is almost always turned on. One such activity involves transmit-ting Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS) packets through the ISS’s on-board APRS digipeater. The problem is that there aren’t enough ground stations listening in on the activity. As a result, much of the North American land mass remains an ARISS radio dead-zone. Christopher shows you how to help by turning your own station into a Gateway for ISS repeater operations.
On Our Cover Back-dropped by Earth’s horizon and the blackness of space, the International Space Sta-tion is featured in this image photographed by an STS-134 crew member on the space shuttle Endeavour after the station and shuttle began their post-undocking relative separation on May 29, 2011. (Photo credit: NASA)
Urban Monitoring: The Trials and Tribulations of a Cliff Dweller .10By John Maikisch K2AZ Until a few years ago, John Maikisch enjoyed the use of a radio shack that included a 75 foot tower hung with beams covering all ham bands from 40 meters to 70 centimeters, with enough property to stretch out an inverted-L with 128 full-sized radials for 160 and 80 meters. Then he moved to a six-story apartment complex with zero property for wires and no room for beams. While many hams might have thrown in the towel, John simply pressed on. He shows us all what it takes to hear and be heard from “the cliff.”
Watch International TV on ROKU...................................12By John Biggs Prior to the advent of Internet streaming, if you wanted to watch international TV programming, you had to set up a C or Ku-band satellite dish, but no longer. If you have a Roku box connected to your TV, you have a portal to television from all over the world. John shows us how, with your existing WiFi connection, you can also gain access to “private channels” and be viewing programming from BBC World Service, Deutsche Welle-TV and many more from just about every corner of the world!
2013 Dayton Hamvention®: A Glimpse into the (Open) Future of Radio ..............................................14By Thomas Witherspoon K4SWL While every Hamvention has common threads; an ac-tive flea market, new product announcements, fascinating forums and, of course, questionable spring weather, this year Dayton presented three distinct themes which might just mark new trends in our ever-evolving radio hobby.
CommRadio CR-1 ...........................................................56By Thomas Witherspoon K4SWL The introduction of a new desktop shortwave radio today is a big deal and Thomas Witherspoon highlights the many attributes of this tough, small, but capable receiver. With longwave, medium wave, shortwave, VHF and UHF coverage (and loads of extras), find out why Thomas says, “The CommRadio CR-1 might just be the perfect radio for DXers who like to travel.”
Photo by John Maikisch K2AZ
Photo by Thomas W
itherspoon K4SWL
Photo by Thomas W
itherspoon K4SW
L
®AOR U.S.A., Inc.20655 S. Western Ave., Suite 112Torrance, CA 90501, USATel: 310-787-8615 Fax: [email protected] • www.aorusa.com
Authority On RadioCommunications
Available in the US only to qualified purchasers with documentation. Specifications subject to change without notice or obligation.
The AR6000 delivers continuous tuning from 40 kilohertz to 6 gigahertz in a wide variety of modes for professional monitoring performance that’s nothing short of amazing in terms of accuracy, sensitivity and speed. Standard modes include AM, FM, WFM, FM Stereo, USB, LSB and CW. An optional module can add the capability to receive APCO25 digital communications plus an optional I/Q output can be added to capture up to one megahertz of bandwidth onto a storage device for later listening or signal analysis.
Designed for the monitoring or technical service professional, there are no interruptions in the AR6000’s tuning range. With exceptional tuning accuracy and sensitivity throughout its tuning range, the AR6000 begins at the floor of the radio spectrum and continues up through microwave frequencies so it can be used for land-based or satellite communications. It works as a measuring receiver for those seeking a reliable frequency and signal strength standard. To support its broad spectrum, the AR6000 has two antenna ports, with the added capability of an optional remote antenna selector from the front panel of the receiver.
With its popular analog signal strength meter and large easy-to-read digital spectrum display, the AR6000 is destined to become the new choice of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, the military, emergency managers, diplomatic service, lab technicians, news-gathering operations and security professionals.
AR6000 Professional Grade 40 kHz ~ 6 GHz Wide Range Receiver
The Serious Choice in Advanced Technology Receivers
Continuous Coverage That Goes Far Beyond!
Continuously amazing, the AR6000 professional grade receiver features:
■ 40 kHz ~ 6 GHz coverage with no interruptions
■ Multimode AM, FM, WFM, FM Stereo, USB, LSB and CW
■ Tuning steps of 1 Hz up to 3.15 GHz; 2 Hz from 3.15 ~ 6 GHz
■ Receiver is programmable and manageable through a USB computer interface
■ Up to 2,000 alphanumeric memory channels
■ Analog S-meter, large tuning dial, front panel power, volume & squelch controls
■ Direct frequency input
■ Fast Fourier Transform algorithms
■ An SD memory card port can be used to store recorded audio
■ Two selectable antenna input ports plus optional remote antenna selector
Add to the capabilities of the AR6000 with:
■ Optional APCO-25 decoder
■ Optional interface unit enables remote control via the internet
■ Optional I/Q output port allows capture of up to 1 MHz onto a computer hard drive or external storage device
Now tunes to 6 GHz
4 MONITORING TIMES August 2013
Letters ...............................................6 Radios on Holiday; Note of Appreciation; FTA vs. Cable and Satellite-TV; Mystery CW Signals
Communications ...............................7 WYFR Family Radio Closes; Greek Gov’t Silences Voice of Greece; Google’s Next Loony Idea; Hazards of Storm Chasing; Big-Time FM Pirate Nabbed; AM Pirate with Great Antenna Nailed.
Scanning Report ..............................16By Dan Veeneman Tourist Scanning Upstate New York
Ask Bob ...........................................19By Bob Grove W8JHD Computer requirements for SDR radio; Birds and RF burns; Did narrowbanding require re-licensing and should I reprogram my scan-ner; Is there a plan for a large, portable, vertical SWL antenna?; Replacing a Grove Scanner Beam balun; Why don’t broadcast journalists carry hand-held scanners?; VHF/UHF hand-held scanner for P25?; Does “reconditioned” have any legal meaning?; What happens to old wide-band police/fire transceivers? Will 1,200 feet of wire draped on the ground be a good antenna?
Utility World ....................................20By Hugh Stegman NV6H Europe: Utility Happy Hunting Ground
Digital Digest ...................................23By Mike Chace JORN Ionospheric Sounder
On the Ham Bands ..........................24By Kirk Kleinschmidt NT0Z Are Small Antennas ‘Good?’
Beginner’s Corner ...........................26By Ken Reitz KS4ZR WWII Radio Heroes and Whatever Hap-pened to 2 Meters?
Programming Spotlight ................... 28By Fred Waterer Cold War Remnants and New SW Voices
Table Of COnTenTs
QSL Report ......................................29By Gayle Van Horn W4GVH QSLs on Parade
English Language SW Guide ...........30
Milcom ............................................42By Larry Van Horn N5FPW New North Atlantic HF Aero Frequencies Added
Broadcast Bandscan ........................44By Doug Smith W9WI The (Possible) Demise of Analog AM
Boats, PLANES, Trains ......................46By Iden Rogers Oceanic Crossings: VHF-HF Transitions
Below 500 kHz ................................48By Kevin Carey WB2QMY Checking Your Station
Radio Restorations ...........................50By Marc Ellis N9EWJ Electrolytic Replacement 101
Amateur Radio Astronomy ..............52By Stan Nelson KB5VL Saving Your Radio Astronomy Data
Amateur Radio Satellites .................54By Keith Baker KB1SF/VA3KSF Amateur Radio Satellite Update
First Look ........................................56By Thomas Witherspoon K4SWL CommRadio CR-1
Global Net .....................................58By Loyd Van Horn Radio Free Apple
What’s New ....................................59By Larry Van Horn N5FPW New MFJ Power Supplies now Available; Free Weather Software Available; The Copper J-Pole Adapter; Hands-On Radio Experiments; Understanding Your Antenna Analyzer; The 2013 WRTH Bargraph Frequency Guide Re-leased.
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