The NW7US Beacon
RSSPosts tagged with "radio"
This is a demonstration that I created of the digital mode, “JT65A”, which is designed for use on the shortwave (High Frequency, or HF) amateur radio bands. JT65A is a “contact” protocol rather than a conversational protocol. This video shows me making a single contact on shortwave.
Please visit the following website for complete details on the protocol and how to use the mode:
Happy Birthday, Samuel F.B. Morse!
We have a birthday anniversary, today! Samuel Finley Breese Morse (April 27, 1791 – April 2, 1872) was an American contributor to the invention of a single-wire telegraph system based on European telegraphs, co-inventor of the Morse code, and an accomplished painter. Samuel F. B. Morse was born in Charlestown, Massachusetts, the first child of the pastor Jedidiah Morse (1761–1826)—who was also a geographer—and Elizabeth Ann Finley Breese (1766–1828).
Samuel was a student at Yale College. During his time there, he became interested in both painting and electricity (the new area of science that was just emerging on the scene). After Morse graduated in 1810, he concentrated on painting. He become a well-known portrait artist.
In 1825, the city of New York commissioned Morse for $1,000 to paint a portrait of Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, in Washington. While Morse was painting, a horse messenger delivered a letter from his father that read one line, “Your dear wife is convalescent.” Morse immediately left Washington for his home at New Haven, leaving the portrait of Lafayette unfinished. By the time he arrived, his wife had already been buried. Heartbroken in the knowledge that for days he was unaware of his wife’s failing health and her lonely death, he moved on from painting to pursue a means of rapid long distance communication.
On the sea voyage home in 1832, Morse encountered Charles Thomas Jackson of Boston, a man who was well schooled in electromagnetism. Witnessing various experiments with Jackson’s electromagnet, Morse developed the concept of a single-wire telegraph, and The Gallery of the Louvre was set aside. The original Morse telegraph, submitted with his patent application, is part of the collections of the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian Institution. In time the Morse code would become the primary language of telegraphy in the world, and is still the standard for rhythmic transmission of data.
Samuel Morse received a patent for the telegraph in 1847. The “International Morse Code” is now in use by various services, including amateur radio (Ham radio).
More information on Mr. Morse is at the Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Morse
This is an excellent video that shows the Doppler influence on radio propagation via the ionosphere… very informative!
(Source: youtube.com)
Imagine running your QRP (low-power) amateur radio transceiver, powered by this cool technology! This rocks!
(Source: g.nw7us.us)
On 23 January 2012, a magnitude M8.7 (M9-class) X-ray flare erupted in NOAA Active Sunspot Region (AR) 1402. The long-duration flare peaked at 0359 UTC. This flare triggered a proton event, resulting in an S3 (Strong) Radiation (Proton) Storm and a Polar Cap Absorption (PCA) event over the polar regions.
This PCA event caused a complete radio blackout over high-latitude and polar regions. This results in any trans-polar radio paths to become as dead as a rock.
This solar proton radiation storm is the strongest since September, 2005, which was during the last solar sunspot cycle, Solar Cycle 23. An S3-level radiation storm causes airlines to divert air traffic away from the polar regions. This level of a storm could also cause satellite issues, with GPS and communications being affected. Additionally, those living and working in polar regions must take precautions not to be exposed to this radiation.
At the end of the video, you will see the Coronal Mass Ejection that was released by this flare. This is a fast-moving CME and it is expected to arrive at Earth on January 24, 2012, triggering a G1 to G3 level geomagnetic storm.
X-ray flares are huge explosive releases of energy, including X-ray and light energy. This light and X-ray energy reaches Earth at the speed of light—eight minutes later. When it reaches Earth, it causes the ionosphere to become highly energized, so much so that the D-region (the lowest region) absorbs shortwave, and medium wave, frequencies, blocking them from going any further (and being refracted or propagated long distances around the world).
Credit: NASA SDO / AIA / LASCO / STEREO
(Source: youtube.com)
True Visionaries of the Future, in 1922
For what it is worth, there were moments of incredible vision and clarity in the magazine staff of “Radio News”. Here is an example. On the cover of the January 1922 edition, this picture predicts a time in the future when radio will become the “Street Organ of the Future.” Remember the Boom Box craze of the 1980s? And, now, as we have all our personal devices? This was truly visionary, back in 1922.
Amateur Radio Expedition (a DX-pedition) to “Lost” Arctic Islands
In April 2001, a team of amateur radio operators and support team members embarked on a journey to the “Lost Islands of Central Arctic”, an area above Russia, just shy of the permanently-frozen arctic circle. These Islands were at one time never marked on any map, as they were strategic military ‘assets’ of the USSR. Now, they are documented and in this Diary, you get to journey with the expeditionary team. Narration is in English, by Igor Belozerov.
The first Island in this journey was Ushakov Island.
They went from Island to Island, spending time at each, to ‘activate’ the island on the amateur radio bands. This is a fantastic documentary of this expedition (known as a DX-pedition by the amateur radio community), as shared with the radio community Alex, RX3AEX
Islands included in the near hour long movie:
+ RI0B (AS-156) USHAKOVA Island (IOTA New one)
+ RU0B (AS-057) UYEDINENIYA Island
+ RS0B/P(AS-057) ISACHENKO Island
+ RS0B/P(AS-068) MONA Island
+ R3CA/0
Radio team members:
+ RA0BM - Victor
+ UA9OBA - Yuri
+ R3CA - Vladimir
+ RW3GW - Valery
+ RZ9OO - Alexender
+ RV0AR - Pavel
+ UA0BA - Andrey
+ RX9ULT/9 - Andrey
There were also other supporting team members, like Evgeniy and Boris, plus the helicopter crew, including Igor, Leonid, the Mi8 Helicopter crew with Sergey.
More Detail:
Visit this page from the Russian Robinson Club.
(Source: youtube.com)
The DIY Magic of Amateur Radio
So many people still look at ham radio as ancient and obsolete. However, we have our own satellites, we create new and innovative communications protocols, we build and invent new electronic devices, and that’s just a sampling of activity. We’re also not just about emergency communications, though that is a definite service we provide. We are a community of scientists, astronauts, teachers, students, wives, husbands, children, and clubs. Check out this video, and share it around.
This video, “The DIY Magic of Amateur Radio,” is an 8-minute video released by the ARRL 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
From my friend, Bill:
This video took us the last 14 months. It is now available for viewing on YouTube. My personal thanks to everyone involved in its production for making it a reality. You are all listed in the credits (and I pray I didn’t forget anyone). Special thanks to our Director Dave Bell, W6AQ; our Writer Henry Feinberg, K2SSQ and our Principal Cameraman Dave Booth, KC6WFS who freely donated their time and creative talent to this project. We sincerely hope that all of you will enjoy it.
If you are interested and want to ask me about it, feel free to contact me. You can also follow me on Twitter - @NW7US - while I have a set of topics about which I typically tweet, amateur radio is on the top of my list. Just Tweet me your question. I’ll do my best to answer you. - Tomas, NW7US
(Source: nw7us.us)
The FISTS International Morse Code Preservation Society Celebrates 25 Years In 2012
FISTS is an international group of individuals and clubs that support the use, preservation and education of Morse code. Practically speakinking, the club is devoted exclusively to the use of Morse code by way of radio, usually through the mode known as “CW”. CW operators, CW operating and people who are passionate about Morse code are welcome to be members.
FISTS is a well established and recognized Morse code (CW-mode on the radio) organization in the world of amateur radio. Founded in 1987 by Geo Longden, G3ZQS, it now has a membership in the thousands, is world-wide, and growing daily.
What FISTS wants to accomplish:
1. To further the use of CW on the amateur bands.
2. To encourage newcomers to the CW mode.
3. To engender friendship within the membership.
The International Morse Code, sometimes referred to as ‘CW’ in Amateur Radio jargon because a continuous wave is turned on and off with the long and short elements of the morse code characters, is a type of character encoding that transmits telegraphic information using rhythm. Morse code uses a standardized sequence of short and long elements to represent the letters, numerals, punctuation and special characters of a given message. The short and long elements can be formed by sounds, marks, or pulses, in on off keying and are commonly known as “dots” and “dashes” or “dits” and “dahs”. The speed of Morse code is measured in words per minute (WPM) or characters per minute, while fixed-length data forms of telecommunication transmission are usually measured in baud or bps.
Why is it called ‘Morse Code’? This character encoding was devised by Samuel F. B. Morse, the creator of the electric telegraph. This ‘Morse Code’ came in two flavors, in the beginning. One was in use by the railroads of America, and is known as ‘American Morse Code’. And, there was a unified, internationally-used version (adopted by radio operators), now known as the ‘International Morse Code’. Now, when most people refer to ‘Morse Code’ or ‘CW’, they mean, ‘International Morse Code.’
The most popular current use of Morse code is by amateur radio operators, although it is no longer a requirement for amateur licensing in many countries. In the professional field, pilots and air traffic controllers are usually familiar with Morse code and require a basic understanding. Navigational aids in the field of aviation, such as VORs and NDBs, constantly transmit their identity in Morse code. Morse code is designed to be read by humans without a decoding device, making it useful for sending automated digital data in voice channels. For emergency signaling, Morse code can be sent by way of improvised sources that can be easily “keyed” on and off, making Morse code one of the most versatile methods of telecommunication in existence.
More information:
+ My CW / Morse code website - http://cw.hfradio.org/
+ The FISTS Website - http://FISTS.org
Huge ice chunks are falling from a radio tower…
…as people observe, underneath. I’m not sure I would want to be so close to “ground zero”, nor do I think I would be laughing. Perhaps the laughter is just a nervous reaction. Awe and hope that no vehicle is damaged… or that anyone is injured or killed. Oh, wait. A vehicle is damaged. Watch… you’ll see.
(Source: youtube.com)
About The NW7US Beacon
Follow @NW7US
