Tonight (05/01/2011) sees the BBC screen the final part of their mini series “Stargazing Live.”
Professor Brian Cox and Dara O Briain have hosted two days of live stargazing featuring epic images from observatories around the globe.
Tonight Brian will be talking to the crew of the International Space Station as they orbit the Earth at 17,500 miles per hour.
We’re very proud to announce that as of 12/12/2010 VORTEX ANTENNA SYSTEMS will be retailing following an initial extended period of R&D.
Vortex is owned and run by IOTA enthusiast Steve Lawman (G0UIH/VK2IAY/3D2FI) and is ably assisted by his XYL ‘Gail’ from an office and workshop near to Peterborough.
In the past the UK has had a limited choice for the radio community when it comes to homeâ€grown HF antenna products (particularly beams etc), so Steve has spent a period sourcing and researching premium quality aluminium and hardware to compliment the new VORTEX product line up.
Initially the lineâ€up will include the ‘Tornado’ range of HF Yagis and the ‘Whirlwind’ range of HF Delta Loops with mono and multiâ€band variants. The mainstay is a heavy duty range, but certain products are also available as a lightweight alternative. A section on 6 and 4m antennas is also included. The product list will expand into 2011 to include Linear Loaded Designs and vertical antennas.
The portfolio also includes a variety of ‘VORTEX’ hardware and accessories which is aimed directly at the home constructor enabling them to purchase genuine VORTEX components and associated high end parts for their own antenna projects.
Commenting on the launch, Steve said that “During the last 18 months I’ve been sourcing materials and liaising with a variety of highâ€end UK manufacturers. We have some good aluminium off the shelf stock available in the UK but the constructor is let down by the lack of suitable wall thicknesses.
Finding premium grade aluminium together with the correct ‘Wall Thicknesses’ that allows secure element telescoping was of paramount importance. Our bespoke stock of UK manufactured metric 6082â€T6 and AA6082â€T6 aluminium element tubes gives us 5 different tube diameters (soon to be 6), and a strength which exceeds that of the high end US 6061â€T6 ‘Aircraft Quality’ aluminium, but still retains excellent corrosion resistance. The element clamps are sourced from the Oil, Gas and Hydraulics industry and the element to boom clamps, Stainless Steel Uâ€Bolts and Saddles are all our own designs. We also use stainless steel fittings throughout. VORTEX now gives the UK radio enthusiast access to premium quality antennas and parts on their own doorstep without having to go out of the countryâ€.
VORTEX hope to be attending some of the UK Rally dates throughout 2011 and to hopefully include some international events into 2012.
Vortex are primarily an onâ€line only retailer. All antennas and accessories can be ordered directly online at www.vortexantennas.co.uk Alternatively, Steve can be contacted at the workshop on 07943 871 893, by email to [email protected]
UPDATE 05/01/2011 @ 12:25
Announced frequencies of DX0DX:
| BAND | CW | SSB | RTTY/PSK31 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 160m | 1.824 | 1.840 | – |
| 80m | 3.504 | 3.780 | 3.582 |
| 40m | 7.004 | 7.084 | 7.035 |
| 30m | 10.104 | – | 10.145 |
| 20m | 14.024 | 14.195 | 14.080 |
| 17m | 18.074 | 18.145 | 18.100 |
| 15m | 21.024 | 21.295 | 21.080 |
| 12m | 24.894 | 24.945 | 24.920 |
| 10m | 28.024 | 28.495 | 28.080 |
| 6m | 50.104 | 50.120 | – |
| 2m | 144.100 | 144.200 | – |
| 70cm | 432.100 | 432.100 | – |
| 23cm | 1296.100 | 1296.100 | – |
Only a few days to go before the scheduled QRV of the multi-operator DXpedition on Thitu Island in the Spratlys 6-24 January 2011 and more substantial progress has been achieved.
The Philippines National Telecommunications Commission has issued the DX0DX licence and DXpedition Team Leader Chris Dimitrijevic VK3FY and DU8/VK3FY confirms that the required documentation is filed with the DXCC Advisory Committee.
Read more…
They will be QRV 15 years, 8 months, 2 days, 3 hours, 54 minutes ago!
UPDATE: All 100 sold out in 1m15s! I missed out on mine. Better luck next time.
Howard has now started taking orders for the FUNcube Dongle.
Visit http://www.funcubedongle.com/?page_id=286 to buy one.
Many amateur radio clubs in the UK are missing out on thousands of pounds in grants because they fail to put in bids for Lottery money.
Although it can take some time to organise a lottery bid, the benefits of doing so can be huge. The Swindon & District Amateur Radio Club (SDARC) are one of many community projects in the United Kingdom to be awarded grants from the Big Lottery Fund.
The fund’s Awards for All programme will see a £9,960 grant handed to SDARC, to buy equipment, enabling it to extend its activities and enable local people to learn about the hobby and to get involved.
SDARC spokesman James Patterson said: “It’s fantastic news, and we are obviously very grateful to the National Lottery for the grant. This is a massive investment, and a big opportunity to promote the hobby, the society, and what we do in the area.
We hope to help educate the young and old in the skills needed to operate radio equipment, skills which are very useful in a number of careers.”
Thanks to the lottery grant, the club will be investing in radio transceivers, accessories and other items to enhance our training, operational and promotional activities.
The Big Lottery Fund distributes funds on behalf of the National Lottery to good causes across the UK,and aims to enable others to make real improvements to communities and the lives of people across the UK. Application information can be found at www.awardsforall.org.uk
The club meets weekly, every Thursday in the Savernake Street community halls. SN1 3LZ from 7pm-10pm. Contact Den on 07810 317750 for details.
Lionel, F1JRD has developed a state of art SSPA for 144 MHz that delivers up to 1300 Watt output with just about 3 Watt input.
Just a single brand-new transistor that was released in November 2011 from freescale is used in this PA. As this transistor costs just below 240 Euro (320 USD, 200 GBP) this results an amazing pwr/money ratio.
The PA is supplied with a cheap surplus 48/50V DC source. Lionel has presented the PA in the latest issue 4/2010 of DUBUS Magazine.
A little holiday cheer from ARVN”s KN4AQ.
From YouTube:
“I wrote the poem back in 1996, and recorded an audio version a few years later. In 2009, my friend Don Mercz WA3AYR recorded a Christmas medley on guitar, and I thought it would make a good background for the poem, so I mixed them.
Then I thought “video” (that”s my business, you know). But what could I use to illustrate the poem? Live action? Too complicated. Animation? Too extensive.
How about December QST covers? Most years they have a holiday theme. I asked the publisher, and he said “sure!”
But the covers didn”t have quite enough material, so I turned to the ads to fill things out (and contacted all the advertisers that were still in business – most were from before 1960).
So here it is. I hope you enjoy it!”
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ailFghtEKsc
The cost of UK amateur radio examinations is to rise by £5 from 1 January 2011.
The new fees will be £27.50 for the Foundation, £32.50 for Intermediate and £37.50 for the Advanced exam. This applies to all exams falling on or after 1 January 2011.
Instructors need to be aware that any requests for exam papers in the last three weeks of December 2010 need to be accompanied by the increased fee.
The 2011 Annual SDARC Construction Contest will be held on March 10th 2011.
We are announcing this event now, in order to give members as much time as possible to build some equipment to enter in the contest.
The contest will have five general categories:-
Homebrew – This will be for equipment built completely by the club member. (If the equipment is a magazine project with a pcb available, then, the pcb may be used.)
Antenna Installations – This will be for special homebrew antenna systems. For this type of contest entry, the member will just need to provide photographs of the antenna together with a specification, a drawing and details of the construction. A list of countries worked with the antenna should also be provided.
Kit – This will be for equipment built from a kit.
Hybrid – This will be for homebrew equipment, which contains one or more kits.
“First Timers†– This will be for club members who have not previously built any equipment.
There will be a total of eight awards allocated to the five categories; the number of awards per category will be up to the judges to decide.
In addition there will be a special award:-
“Professional†– This prize may be awarded to experienced constructors whose work is of an exceptional standard.
The judges’ decisions on all the awards are final.
Items must have been built in the last two years to be accepted as an entry. The entries can be any radio-related equipment, for example, morse oscillator, test unit, QRP rig, computer/radio interface, psu, Tx/Rx, linear, antenna installation.
The most complex equipment may not necessarily win!
CQ CQ CQ contest…
The objective of this contest was for amateurs around the world to contact other amateurs in as many zones and countries as possible. Even M1DST”s daughter, Amelia wanted to have a go.
Hopefully you all had a good time chasing DX. Please post your contest reports on the club forum.