Solar-Powered, Self-Powered AM/FM, NOAA Weather Portable Radio with Flashlight and Cell Phone Charger – The Eton Microlink is a great portable radio to have around when things are just fine. It performs even better in emergencies. The Microlink is a portable radio and survival device that is ideal to have on hand when you’re roughing it. It also makes a great addition to any emergency-preparedness kit. No plugs or wires are required. Instead, turn the hand crank to power the Microl (more…)

Hi, I am a shortwave listener and like to make myself my receivers. This is my home-made short wave radio receiver. It is a superheterodyne circuit based on IC TEA5570 w/ FET pre-selector on antenna input. Here I was receiving a 40 meter Radio Ham conversation. This receiver covers a contiuous band from 3.3mhz to 14.6mhz. Eu sou um radio escuta e construo meus receptores. Este é meu receptor de ondas curtas que construi para explorar ondas curtas. O circuito é um superheterodino baseado no IC TEA5570 com pre-seletor a FET na entrada de antena. Aqui eu estava recebendo conversação entre Radio Amadores na faixa de 40 metros. Este receptor cobre a faixa continua de 3.3mhz to 14.6mhz.

TAPR President Emeritus Dr David Toth, VE3GYQ (SK)

Dr David Toth, VE3GYQ — President Emeritus of Tucson Amateur Packet Radio (TAPR) — passed away Friday, February 26after a long battle with cancer. He was 55. A resident of Spencerville, Ohio, Toth served as a Director and Executive Vice President of TAPR in the 1980s and was elected President of the organization in September 2005. With his advancing illness, he decided not to stand for re-election last October and was instead named President Emeritus with Steve Bible, N7HPR, taking the reins as TAPR President.

Hawaii Hams Spurred to Action by Chilean Earthquake

On Saturday, February 27, 60 Amateur Radio operators participated in a tsunami radio net that operated throughout the island State of Hawaii. More than 25 real-time reports from observers around the state were relayed simultaneously to the State Emergency Operating Center (EOC) and the four county EOCs, providing timely information via Amateur Radio on sea level changes to emergency management officials.

Radio Club de Chile Active after Earthquake

Earlier today, IARU Region 2 President Reinaldo Leandro, YV5AMH, spoke via telephone with Radio Club de Chile (RCCH) President Dr Galdino Besomi, CE3PG. “He informed me that soon after the earthquake, an Emergency Net was activated in the whole country– first on VHF and then on HF. All the RCCH Board and club members are actively working in close coordination with civil and military authorities,” Leandro posted to the IARU Region 2 e-mail reflector. “Three days after the earthquake, the requests for news about people in the affected areas is one of the main activities occupying the Chilean radio amateurs.”

good mix-burn for you

Homemade Shortwave Magnetic Loop KTWR Guam and Radio Australia received In Scotland The idea to build this loop came from KR1ST website.. it takes a little time to build but the results are worth it Also the antenna only cost £15 to build

Surfin’: Hamming Your Way to Fame

This week, Surfin’ visits museums and the halls of fame of the baseball and ham radio variety.

The K7RA Solar Update

Two new sunspot groups — 1050 and 1051 — appeared on February 23 and 24. We’ve now seen 38 continuous days with sunspots (including today); the last time there were no sunspots for two or more days in a row was back on November 23-December 8 when we saw 16 days with no sunspots. If sunspots continue through Sunday (they will!), February will be the first calendar month since January 2007 with sunspots every day. Sunspot numbers for February 18-24 were 17, 23, 19, 17, 14, 31 and 40, with a mean of 23. The 10.7 cm flux was 85, 83.7, 83.8, 83.5, 83.7, 84.2 and 82.6, with a mean of 83.8. The estimated planetary A indices were 4, 3, 1, 1, 4, 2 and 3, with a mean of 2.6. The estimated mid-latitude A indices were 2, 3, 0, 3, 3, 2 and 2, with a mean of 2.1.

IARU Region 2 and Radio Club de Chile Request Amateurs to Keep Emergency Frequencies Clear

A massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake hit Chile today at 0634 UTC, triggering a potential tsunami. IARU Region 2 and the Red Chilena Nor Austral de Servicio (RECNA) have suggested Amateur Radio operators monitor the following emergency communications frequencies for traffic pertaining to the earthquake and tsunami: 3.738, 3.750, 7.050, 7.100, 14.200, 14.350, 21.200, 21.350, 28.300 and 28.500 MHz. IARU Region 2 Area Emergency Coordinator Jorge Sierra, LU1AS, reports that there is now traffic at frequencies of 40 meters from people seeking information from people in Chile: “We would appreciate if amateurs would leave free the frequencies used by RECNA, as well as the usual IARU Region 2 frequencies on in 20, 40, and 80 meters.” In addition to the above frequencies, you may also want to listen to the worldwide emergency communication Center of Activity frequencies: 14.300, 18.160 and 21.360 MHz. Other suggested monitoring frequencies are 3.720, 7.045 and 7.060 MHz. Hawaiian Amateur Radio operators on the lookout for a possible tsunami are monitoring 7.088 and 3.888 MHz.  — Thanks to Radio Club de Chile’s (RCC) Emergency Coordinator Aldo Oppici, CE3WAD, and W2VU, KI6SN, K3ZO, PY2ZX, PY5YA and El Grupo Argentino de Radiotelegrafia for the information.

During the early 1980’s I used to borrow my mum’s Philips radio. It was the only radio in our house to have the Shortwave band on it, and I enjoyed very slowly scanning the airwaves from left to right of the dial. EVERY time no matter what time of day or which day, along towards the extreme right of the dial I would pick up the voice of a fast talking woman. She always sounded agitated/angry/ as if she was arguing with someone and determined to put her point accross. You could never hear the response from the other person (mind you, they’d barely manage to get a word in edgeways , so it may well have been a radio ham? She’d speak endlessly and went on and on and on and on and on. As I say, always gauranteed to be heard at any time, and from memory, I listened to her over a period of I’d say, 3-4 years. Luckily I have found a recording I made of this, though it is only a short segment. Hopefully one day I will find a longer recording. I haven’t listened to shortwave for many years, so perhaps this woman’s voice can still be heard now?!

listening on a short wave radio need help on how 2 opperate radio & what antenna or long wire 2 use

FCC Allows Robotic Device in Amateur Band

In January 2008, a company called ReconRobotics filed a request with the FCC for a waiver of Part 90 of the Commission’s Rules with respect to the Recon Scout — a remote-controlled, maneuverable surveillance robot designed for use in areas that may be too hazardous for human entry. A waiver is required to permit licensing of the Recon Scout because the device operates in the 430-448 MHz band, which is allocated to the Federal Government Radiolocation service on a primary basis, as well as the Amateur Radio Service and certain non-federal radiolocation systems on a secondary basis. More than two years later, the FCC granted the waiver request in the form of an Order (WP Docket No 08-63), subject to certain conditions.

ARDF Update: Foxes, Fitness and Fun in 2010

There are radio transmitters to find and medals to be won at ARDF events around the nation and the world. Make this your year to get involved!

Launch of New ARRL Web Site Delayed to “Get it Right”

After meeting with ARRL staff on February 23 — two days before the new ARRL Web site was to launch — ARRL Chief Operating Officer Harold Kramer, WJ1B, made the decision to delay the unveiling of the Web site until late March. “Work on the new ARRL Web site has progressed at a frantic pace but there are still some potential ‘bugs’ that could affect members. We need to be sure we get it right,” Kramer said. “Our members’ security, information and ability to actually use of all the options on the new site outweigh any rush to meet an artificial deadline. It’s just good customer service.”

ARRL Continuing Education Online Course Registration

Registration remains open through Sunday, March 21, 2010, for these online course sessions beginning on Friday, April 2, 2010: Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level 1; Antenna Modeling; Radio Frequency Interference; Antenna Design and Construction; Ham Radio (Technician) License Course; Propagation; Analog Electronics, and Digital Electronics.