Build a Yagi for 17 and 12 Meters | 36 RigExpert AA-2000 ZOOM 0.1 — 2000 MHz Antenna and Cable Analyzer 2: CSN Technologies S.A.T. Satellite Tracker/Controller Geochron Digital Atlas 2 4K World ClockThe Best of the Best PR ete eR nee ee ae y Abe Pore Oy eee eee eet een eves bic tel Vere Ree eer es ee ees et IE DSP enables Superb Interference Rejection + Built in Real-Time Spectrum Scope Display eens Renee re tee The TO Orne ees coke sea ee ens Seca The World Leading HF Transceiver with Hybrid SDR De eC ae EU | ll Woda COW FAL) leo Prod Dd FTpx101D CeO ¥YAESU Yacsuusa ee ens eon) a Pee eM cee aaa Ser oar Fearne a cg FTDx10 = Pee Seed ee eee Sve eon econ eet Soe eae ee ec ora Se eres eee eed Set aerate eRe ok enon «+ Superior Operating Performance by means of the MPVD"? 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PULL asa em es a aCusheraft’s latest MA-6B gives you 2-elements on six bands! You get solid signal-boosting directivigy ina bantam size and weight Tt mounts on your roof or mast using Jstandard TV hardware. I's perfect for Jexploring exciting DX without the high feost and heavy lifting of installing a large ower and a full-sized array. Its 7 foot 3- finch boom has less than 9 fect of tuning rudius. Contest tough — handles 1500 Watts. “The unique MA-6B is a nivo-element Yagi on 20/17/15/12/10/6 Meters, It Only the best tri-band antennas become DX classies, which is why the Cusheraft World-Ranger AAS, A3S, and A3WS go to the hhead ofthe class. For more than 30 years, these pace-setting per Formers have taken on the worl ‘most demanding operating condi- tions and proven themselves every time. The key to success comes from attention to bases. For example, clement Tength and spacing has been carefully refined aver time, and high-power traps are stil hand-made and individually tuned Using laboratory-grade instruments All this SS ds T: ba attention to detail means low SWR, wide bandwidth, optimum directivity, and high efficiency ~ important performance charae- teristics you rely on to maintain regular schedule, rack up impressive contest scores, and grow your collection of rare QSLs! 80 Meters sede ‘Use fill 1500 Wats SSBICW when the going gets rough to breakthrough Piletps poor bend conditions. Rs per easy to sae, install just about anywhere, and is low prof blends tnconspicuosly ino the back ground in urban and county setings alike. Cusherapt’s world famous R8 now has a big brother! Big Brother RO now includes 75/80 Meters for focal ragchewing and worldwide low band DX rithout radials! ‘One Yagi for Dual-Band FM Radios Small Footprint Big Signal livers solid power-multiplying gain over a dipole on all bands. ou get automatic band switching and a super easy installa tion in a compact 26-pound package. ‘When working DX, what really matters are the interfering signals and noise you don't hear. That's where the MA-6B's impressive side rejection and front-to-back ratio really shines MA-SB, $759.95. Like MA-6B but five bands: 20/17/15/12/10 Meters. 12 and 17, Meters is a single element rapped dipole. ‘See cushcraftamateuncom for gain figures Tt goes without saying that the World-Ranger lineup is also famous for its rugged construction. In fact, the majority ofthese aniennas sold years ago are stil in service today! Conservative Imechanical design, rugged lover-sized components, stainless-steel hardware, and aireraft-grade 6063 make all the difference, ‘The 3-clement A3S/A3WS and 4-element AAS are world-famous for powerhouse gain and super performance. A-SWS, $649.95, 12/17 M. 30440 Meter add-on hits available No Radials,.. 1500W. nam tubing. is double‘ tiple walled ey stress points to handle anything Mother Nature ean dish out 315 foot tall, 25 Ibs. Mounting mast 1.25 to 2 in, Wind surface is 4 square feet. Like R9, less 75/80 M. RSTB, $119.95. Lets you til your ant- ‘enna up/down easily by yourself o work. Ws omnidirectional" Compact Footprint: Insialls in an area’ BGK, $99.9, Three-point guy kit for low angle radiation gives about the size ofa child's sandbox - no high winds, you exciting and easy ground radials to bury ing ot Super Rugged! DX on all 9 bands: With all RF-energized | omy ‘Deaton surfaces safely out of | semua ane ED Meters with aac é low SWR. YD ERSNE,,. Someraston eS ly 0 allestanless ste! hard- = ‘ cy ‘antenna tuner ware and 6063 aicrat- aad titans Bie eee WIBX's famous Ringo antenna has been around ual-bander VHF rigs are the norm these days, so FM base st I ual-band Yagi? Not only wll you eliminate a costly eed Tine, you'll realize extra gain for digital modes like high-speed packet and D- Star! Cusheraft’s A270-6S provides three element per band and the A270- TOS provides five for solid point-fo-point performance. They'te both pre-tuned and assembly isa snap using the fully illustrated manual fora long time and remains unbeaten for solid reliability. The Ringo is broad-banded, lighting protected, extremely rugged, economical, elec- trcally bullet-proof, low-angle, and more ~ but mainly, it just plain works! To discover why hams and commercial two-way installers around the der yours now! Cushcraft_ Pranty bh son nee tet Rate AMEE sy eek alae uehcrarenpated. cogThe perfect combination of analog and graphic information, designed in particular for antenna diagnostics and adjustments while on the roof, tower or in the field! Call or visit your local dealer today! www.natcommgroup.com | 800-962-2611 (ee ee amr UN a Ey adjustment or diagnostic project. CAA*500Markil , remanent ete Fe Mesum The CAA-500Markll combines the simplicity and accuracy of an analog instrument, PLUS...a full color LCD graphic display Resistive (R) and Reactive (X) components of impedance graphed and displayed numerically SWR readings in both graphic and numerical results. Functions: In addition to the display of antenna properties, SWR curves are plotted quickly, easily and accurately! ‘Auto band-sweep function: Switch to the amateur band of choice and press “Sweep Center’. The chosen band is swept and the SWR graphed in seconds! ‘Manual band-sweep function: Select the band, select the center frequency, and select the bandwidth, Manually sweep the chosen frequency range and display the SWR graph. Multiple Manual Band-Sweeps Manually graph the user defined bandwidth ‘multiple times and see the results overlaid in 8 selectable colors! Make antenna lenath, position, height above ground, gamma ‘match adjustments, etc...and graph each adjustment in seconds, in a new color, without losing the previous graph! S Features: (Operatesion 8-16VDC external power, GAAAKaline or NIMH rechargeable calls» Trickle charger built in (only when using NiMH batteries) + Typical battery life: 9 hours of continuous operation + Battery level indicator + Selectable auto power-off time limit preserves battery capacity + S0-239 ‘connector for 1.8-300MHz range + N-female connector for 300-500MHz range + Optional soft cary case sold separately: CAA-SSC @CKMET.DST Contents Q | Second Century eT ats Diversity and Inusion: Driving Amateur Radios Growth Pare Becky R, Schoenfeld W1BXY . aio reser 30) ACompact 630-Meter Active Loop Antenna 0b Lae, HNP Salvatore DeFrancesco, KIRGO Manag Ector Carine Kenney 34. AWi-Fi Antenna Rotator Compass teanna ilewsh Giovanni Carbon, 25PQT eset oe fouonute Poms 12- and 17-Meter Antenna Design perce 36 vetoes s Flick Lindi WME Happannes Product Review trata, WWE 39 ftetwioonieo Frode ow sing FigExpert AA-2000 ZOOM 0.1 -2000 Me Antenna far Cale Anaiaor. CON Tachnoopes SAT ptereeeey Satie rackorCorrolor Geocron Digi Alas iad ison KIRO 24K World Gook Par Endrode EFF 108040 Tak iBone ies Friend EF antenna Borie Mecinny aU Ward Sve WA Dave Caster REDOG 56 Son Jones NOaK” Way to Make DX Contacts Hickam KIGe Joe Guy, KMABFU Ker So KEATS Sruce Dagar AASB 5) Maintaining Privacy in a ites AOE Public Hobby son Stariey KAERO Sourbuing Ears Don Keith, MKC iene Bigom, WOTENT 62 Meetthe Mentor: A Virtual ma Mentorship Program ‘Seta lodocton Superior Don Evans, KSZR Fabel 65 Planning Your First Dxpedition ae A Rovner KTAR ener Toca! Wuststor Janet Roceo,W1JLA 6 | ARRLSecks Nominations for 2022 Awards ‘eventing aes Manager Ties eee eh 2021 ARRL 10 GHz and Up Contest Results pape 76 ocean cin Nace Sates area 7B 2021 ARRL 222 MHz and Up Distance Contest Results een Paul Bourque, NISFE Ftd Organization Supervisor QZ Alook Back: March 1972 4 February 2022Columns. Departments Ask Dave. 51 ARRL Section Managers. 16 Celebrating Our Legacy... 93 Cestficate of Code Classic Radio. 94 Proficiency Recipients 86 Contest Corral 75 Comwention and Hamfest Calender... 85 Correspondence Cn 2h— FeedvaCK. onsen 54 Eclectic Technology ‘55 Field Organization Reports vn 7 Happenings 169 Guide to ARAL Member Benefits 4 Hints & Hacks 53 Ham Ads. 124 How's OX?, 80 Index of Advertisers... 126, 127 Member Spotignt 13 Ofcers, Division Directors, and Staff... 15 Public Service, 73 OST Cover Plaque Award Up Frnt 20 Sen KEYS anes The World Above 50 MH 2 Special Event Stations. 100, 50, and 25 Years Ago. 96 Stays. This Month in QEX. Volunteer Monitor Program Report. Rasigaese W1AW Qualifying Fi Reeatn aliyng Pun. Sere aap shen we get reason aan sees ghowsomatira tomo bend WANS OSL Fite Digital and Mobile Editions ARRL members can aocess the digital eon Via inka wurwarrorgst downioadou Write for QST [OS app fom the Tunes Store, and dawnioad —_wwwarr.orglgstauthor guide ‘our Androl app ftom the Googe PlaySior. ema. qst@arriorg coysaecmeraeatee womens va sey aaa, pao een et Esco = Roan Hee Been sc See eecatim e 2 epee oat Pe Beets ew umompnave maaye Soipionenttrtanute, caTEE Rowen ouasecgere feattinkan tails’ FOR inactamas™ ° nade mearsoo ey ras grameuoceie EURTEe tn. Secuemen tt | Mmemmyme tiie SSMS Eeeakconmane* Seemieccce tw, pehupomimen tra ‘Agresmert #90-0901437. Canada retims to All Other Countries: Membershipin ARAL, "6 USA. tment al ereulation Gar. org or Sereieecuce gt” Meares acc cor Aon Our eae Ean eonae tos, Seat, Soe amen a eneer Ee ee US 6 Possessions: Merecatp AAR. Peerostseetsaueince dure” state" Lats angvamiens Se y mn ‘Rotoneninivaiseatts teen’ Pee ‘rau ado! areropiteredvacomarks Bermiasion@arr.org ‘Saburaks age ard nderindhe Menbermo wiht 2STemalutletone Slte Anerean Pao Legis ine Oetale tour Qin rary oly _eidast icensee ne household may qualfy enmadiais family of a member iving &t Be ARF and QSTin no way warrant the = Sera aemere ey mio emes neta, ASkuceheoneectte wayne py Peet ae eee Se ers ee yim Goememmuunauctonam, , erbaea RRS opment tee rece aero OsTeanratbe separ tras and bank at nagtcble nha US.and eran SB se Prycaly Yandcapped Saaceiese Ssoncennne skoseneryee = See February 2022 5Antenna analyzers Ure Pacnr4 rept elders eel Veckela ae] No calibration is required prior to use Multilingual user friendly interface oe with built-in Helper Bluetooth to communicate with a > Celerant cro) ors Fra cs alate dere) Every job needs the right tool rigexpert.comSOLVED!! Take advantage of Solar Cycle 25 -the best band JstepplR conditions in years are here! : www.steppir.com PLE koreAs} DIAMOND a ANTENNA 8 3 diamondantenna.net y Heavy duty fiberglass radomes < ace f Wer Cn ete cy a act Re eee ce eee ee 8 ON eR ee SiC coon Meer Ng ae SU US CS eae Mees 5 Micon A DIAMOND ANTENNAS help you get the most out Tene Me eee eM CIEy £ Cea oC g For all your base station and repeater needs, S DIAMOND has an antenna that will work for you. S You've tried the rest, now own the best! i] S Here is a small sample of our wide variety of antennas AF oF us AF or 44-174 me CP22E (Alvin a8 FP1BA (Cone Elem 8279004 or NM 8375004 or NM NR7TOH sais 3 7 or NO MRT Series 2 Combo UAE uae X30A / X50A X7O0HNA june UF or HMO tag Cae? eee stDavid A. Minster, NAZAA, ARRL. Chief Executive Offosr, na2aa@arr org Second Century Diversity and Inclusion: Driving Amateur Radio’s Growth My column this month is a collection of thoughts as expressed to members who wrote in with concerns covering diversity, the recruitment of youth, and editorial choices we have made — that | have made over the past year. These are subjects that bring out strong feelings and opinions. Please spend a few moments with me as I cover these topics. Amateur radio, as we know, is a diverse hobby. It provides us, with vast expanses of spectrum, which encourages variety in, ‘our technical investigations and use, We have developed all manner of modes, from CW (my favorite) to voice and data modes that, again, support great variety in our types of oper- ating, The greatest form of diversity our hobby provides, though, is that of the expansive reach of people it includes from across the spectrums of age, gender, ethnicity religion, ‘sexual orientation, and ability. Perhaps this has to do with the fact that most times, our transmissions encourage anyone ‘rom anywhere to answer our call Just as our radio signals know and respect no borders, ne ther does diversity in amateur radio. | recently attended the kick-off session for the IARU Region 1 strategy conference. It was astonishing to see how well the conference was attended from many dozens of countries across the region, spanning Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Just looking at the smiling faces and the eagerness with which the attendees ‘were engaged underscored a fundamental principle of the ‘amateur’ unique abilty to enhance international goodwil” [FCC § 97.1(6)} ‘The first conclusion | can draw from this, is that we need to stop drawing imaginary local, regional, or national boundaries when determining the diversity of our Community. We truly ‘need to think internationally, and this isin our DNAI Since 11925, we have been holding hands as a global community to, protect and expand our radio privileges. To this day the Inter- national Amateur Radio Union, and the role that ARRL plays as its International Secretaria, is rich with diversity, colabora- tion, and inclusion that aids inthe fulfilment ofits mission. | was on a Zoom call recently with some college students and recent college grads. The moderator asked everyone to please rename themselves, f they hadn't already, to show their name, call sign, and pronouns. Yes, their personal pro- nouns (sheer, they/them, heh). The students who hadnt already done s0 apologized for the gaffe, and adjusted their ‘on-soreen names. | sat thinking: how in the world would this| be received by all those hams saying that ARRL needs to bring many more young people into the hobby? The genera- tional culture gaps have never been wider — that | am aware of. This isn't just long hair and outdoor rock concerts. These are fundamental belie systems intended to create an inclu- sive environment. I suspect some Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, ‘and even some Gen Yers may struggle with choosing to relate to this new way to connect with each other. Some may feel they can't, some even may decide they won't. | admit, it isn't easy for everyone. ‘The second conclusion I've reached is that asking for more youth in amateur radio represents a cultural challenge: the ‘young people today are not the young people of your youth. Who they are as people is different. What they are looking for from our hobby is different. The time pressure of being digi- tally connected and always “being on” is aiferent. The real- time nature of how young people consume content is diferent. Even their siting opinions and preferences relating to social media are different from just a year ago! Amateur radio must recognize and embrace these differences — and dynamically adapt to accommodate them! | respect the wide points of view on the matter of diversity lam very aware of how these changes will be met with dis- comfort in the coming years. | hope that as a member, youll hhang in there whenever and wherever they appear within the hobby — including the pages of QST and elsewhere. The final conclusion is that this is a challenge for our radio Clubs and our teachers: you represent the best places and the best people to lead us as a community, with regard to setting the example for engaging youth and embracing diver- sity, We've been busy at ARRL HQ, strengthening our team in Field Services and in Education & Learning. These wil be the principal areas of focus where we move diversity to the top of the agenda and keep it there as we look to grow ama- teur radio and grow ARRL. \Welllbe looking for you at the ARAL National Convention land HamCation in Orlando this month. If you'e there, look ‘around. In what ways could we help attract more people, from ‘across our differences, to our common passion for radio? Be radio active! Be the connector that grows the hobby! And if you have a friend who isn't an ARRL member, encourage them to consider joining, Auk Vivw- ROA David A Minster, NAZAA Chief Executive Officer Fobruary 2022 9Free Catalog/Dealers/Manuals Online - Visit: www.hy-gain.com or call toll-free 800-973-6572 [Tho Fst Chole of Hams Around the World! | hy-gain. Antennas pe AV-680 ate 80-6 Meters hy-gain’s new AV-680 adds i 75/80 Meters with no radials! TET Py R Ly ; iS x fey down continuous for two minutes: Highly Efficient ‘The AV-B80 usEE quar wave stubs On 810,12 find 17 Meters and very ofisent ond ean col and capac hats on 15, 20,90, 40 an 80 Meters no trap. Ending lows eielent operation wih 2 low pote. Resonators ae placed part oth rs wide ow VSWR banawth End oa wth . broadband matching unt. Single coat cable fod ‘Attomatebandewtehing, Sleek and low-profil Low 29.4 7. wind cuaco area. Smal foci for ‘mourang easy on docks, roots ad patos. 26 foo, Teste Built-totast igh wind snl oF 5 ph, Broadband matching Untade rom al Teo nsltog wre. era ‘ually sluminun bing stress ses hava, Iy-gain verte re be best bul, best proming q ‘idea pcadmuband veto slo a. hy-gain® warranty ‘oor ined warn Al replacement para TB.75, $119.95, Ta pasar hy gan AVSenAotD and AL vercas rT ‘AGK.8, $99.95. Guy Ki, bro pit Temeantocive ys 9-9 IMrsenavsu0 ang 62 wre {AV-640, $659.95. 8 bonds: 40,30, 20,17, 15,12 ‘ocomeiers 259%. 175 ‘y.620, $50 ] er 223 me 6 bands: 20,17, 15,92, 10,6 ‘sa, - hh ATT Antennas, Rotators & Towers 308 Industrial Pk Rd, Starkville, MS 39759 USA |. SalesrTech ($62) 323-9538 » FAX: (652) 323-5803 Open 8-430 CST, Mon-FriJo matter the QTH, this Mag Loop Antenna is for you. Quick Setup No Tower (6' is plenty high i ‘i No Radials Required Deploy in Backyard, Balcony, ler No HOA Hassles Very Low Noise Auto Tuned for Best SWR ™ 80m to 10m Models No Compromises Retaining all the great features of our HG3 PRO model, the new HG3 QRO high power (1.5 KW) model (shown here), raises the bar again in magnetic loop antenna (MIA) performance. It covers 80°-10 meters. Adding the jptonal second raatroop (we tue), allows fl power operation on 80, Unrivalad Tuning Capability ‘Shown below is the high Q vacuum capacitor with a 45,000-step resolution stepper motor. This delivers an unprecedented 511 Hz tuning resolution and allows the ‘operator to set his/her band preferences. This is very helpful when making QSOs under non-ideal and HG3QRO | Bae crowded band condone. 1.5 KWPEP | New HG3 plus Controller Draken I itis completely redesigned. It controls both the HGS “Asp eal a 5 PRO and HG3 QRO MLA models and the AR1 Rotator. It Peon erase, ; remotely tunes 3.5-30 MHz with stepper motor precision + Auto assist tuning fnd resolution, RepidTune automaticaly scans each ¢ 40m-10m standard band for the lowest SWR and works with most HF radios. ‘© 80m-30m add-on loop lagnetic.Laop. eect s S Ee IV ear eGo 1s oe ea BX ope nett . eee es(@)) ))) Qi fiver tn these tough times, we're to help you w waitin WHY CRIMP? Quality, Service & Value! Antenna Gear Ultimate ma, Connectors le & Adapters Crimp-Ons Excellent quality, no bargain See Lee RT ately ges oe COLT ecu USA Made Coax ee Cad err USA-240 coax jumpers with your eran yea A ORS TNC & Mini-UHF Connectors. HAMMO-CAN™ Go Box Ready to go, a complete VHF-UHF station in a box. Get them with or without radios installed. | Fits most FM mobiles & several HF radios, too. New Item!! HybridDX™ HF antenna. Get on 80M in less than 80 ft. WWw.qsradio.comLeanna Figlewski, iglewski@orrLorg Member Spot! ight Walter Holmes, K5WH Ever since Walter Holmes, KSWH, ‘earned his license in 1977, mentor- ship has been an important part of his ham radio journey. The guidance he received from several mentors as ‘a new ham inspired him to help other newcomers. A Career in Technology For 36 years, Walter worked as an. infrastructure support engineer for Compaq and HP® (Hewlett-Packard Company). As part of IT management inthe global system suppor areas, he worked with people from countries around the world via video confer- fencing. He believes that ham radio contributed to this success by setting him up forthe ability to communicate with diverse teams. Starting an Online Mentorship Program (Once Walter retired 3 years ago, he noticed that many mentors in his com- munity didn't have the time to teach other hams. In an effort to prevent people from having to wait weeks for the next club meeting to get their questions answered, he decided to utlize his years of experience in video conferencing to elevate the level of mentorship in his community“ just made sense to me that we needed to leverage this type of medium and help the common ham much more dirty ‘and rapidly, before the idea of ham radio or some new operating mode was extinguished from their minds he said When setting up the Zoom® meet ings, Welter wanted to make sure that the sessions were open 24/7 to any ‘and all hams, whether they had ques- tions about trying a new digital made, getting on the a, or just wanted to listen in."I wanted itto be a landing zone for anyone wanting to learn, share, demonstrate, and interact with others” he said. Walter explained that sometimes they create breakout rooms for separate sessions, if there are several hams who want to mentor ‘or who have questions. Common topics discussed include Digital Mobile Radio (DMR), Yaesu ‘System Fusion, Digital Smart Tech- nology for Amateur Radio (O-STAR), HF analog, multiple HF digital modes for data and voice, satelite communi- cations, and antennas. However, all ham radio-related questions are welcomed. Mentorship is a significant part of the ham radio community and could make or break someone's experience with radio."One of the most memorable examples of what roally drives mo to o this, is when someone mentioned a ham that was terribly frustrated when trying to understand how to set up their DM and HF radios, to the point [where their radios] were already listed on eBay! he shared. “After about 1 hour in one of our sessions, we had his radios all set up, including the HF radio programmed with digital mode software. He was making contacts so well that he pulled all the gear off the sale list and has been a very active ham for a couple years now” Although members of local Texas clubs, such as Northwestern Amateur Radio Society (NARS) and Brazos Valley Amateur Radio Ciub, regularly attend these virtual sessions, hams from anywhere in the world can attend. Walter explained that hams ‘rom AMSAT, Tucson Amateur Packet Radio (TAPR), and ARRL members ‘rom all over the US often participate. You can join one of these mentorship sessions any time of day or right, by visiting https:/lus02web.2z00m.us/j/2 1815436502?7pwd=dGZ2VkFGei9LU HBRT1p0V2szaG 10UTO9. ‘Other Mentorship Ventures Mentoring hams virtually isn't the only way that Walter stays active in the amateur radio community, and his Countless efforts helping hams on digital modes and multimode hotspots were part of what eared him the 2020 Ham of the Year award from NARS, as his work created a lot of interestin the club. He also enjoys contacting satellites in low Earth orbit and helping other hams get active in this aspect of the hobby. "With so much interest in the digital modes, | felt we could use ‘some common places to collaborate with DMR, [System Fusion], and D-STARY’he said. So, a few years ‘ago I secured a DMR talkgroup for ANAT (98008), created [System Fusion] Reflector 11689 for US- ‘AMSAT, and AMSAT D-STAR refleo- tors REFSAT, DCSSAT, XRFSAT, and XLXSAT, all using Module C, for crea ting a landing zone for satelite enthu- siasts to catch up before and after the short satelite contacts.” Walter is also involved with the South ‘Texas Balloon Launch Team, which launches several high-altitude and floater balloons throughout the year with mutiple payloads. He enjoys con- tributing to his local amateur radio (groups to keep hams active and engaged. Fobruary 2022 13,ARRL’s mission: To advance the art, science, and enjoyment of Amateur Radio. Guide to Member Benefits ARRL Online | www.arrl.org/myARRL Create an online ARRL Member account, and get access to members-only benefits. Register at www.arrl.orgimyARRL. Already registered? Log in at the top of the ARRL website. *Magazines | www.arrlorg/qst and www.arrl.orgiota, ‘Members in the US receive a choice of print magazine: QST, ARRL's membership journal (12 monthly issues), or On the Air, our new magazine for new and beginner- to-intermediate-level radio amateurs (6 bimonthly issues). All members can access the digital editions of QST, On the Air, QEX, and NCJ from a web browser and apps available for IOS, Android, and Kindle Fire devices. Members need a valid ARRL account to access ARRL's digital magazines, the Archives and Periodicals Search, and the Product Review Archive, Newsletters | www.arrl.org/myARRL Subscribe to the weekly ARRL Letter and a variety of other ARRL e-newsletters and announcements *New! The ARRL Current Email Newsletter Members can elect to receive this monthly email within their online profile. Each issue provides a reminder of the available digital magazine issues and highlights articles from all four digital publications, along with podcast overviews, benefit updates, product and publication specials, and more. *New! ARRL Learning Network wwwaarrl.orgiarri-learning-network This 30-minute webinar series features member- volunteers covering a variety of topics: technology, operating, and public service. Live presentations are recorded for viewing later. "Email Forwarding Service Email sent to your arrl.net address will be forwarded to any email account you specify. Technical Information Service | www.arrlorg/tis Call or email our expert ARRL Technical Information ‘Service specialists for answers to all your technical and operating questions. The American Radio Relay League, Inc. ‘AREA The Nan Acca fr Arse Rac in te Ui Ste: supprts the muaranme ana rth rr aco wee arose Meng Sewer epocram cvs eer mans get Moo pt aye, ‘td gt onthe a, eccuragee ago expereraton aa, vou seb, ‘icteos ado lecrogy snd easton nd opens an van vloos > Sey harcore sro pbc cree ar arargeny conan (Gexals Vso Somer soeptos unary 2010) ‘AREL san nepal, sonar asscetn wha capt sock hare hc ns of Sse of Connect ends an exert organza nde. Sean ot) perma rovs Cr 1 tay we ey ‘errs menoea. Te asco Seed spporisd ye rece 14° February 2022 or Renew Benefits borg/em wm org/benefis Donate Shop wuw.arrl.org, www.arrl.org/shop Advocacy | www.artl.org/regulatory-advocacy ARRL supports legislation and regulatory measures that preserve and protect meaningful access to the radio spectrum, Our ARRL Regulatory Information Branch answers member questions concerning FCC rules and operating practices. ARRL’s Volunteer ‘Counsel and Volunteer Consulting Engineer programs ‘open the door to assistance with antenna regulation and zoning issues. Group Benefits | www.arrl.org/benefits *ARRL Ham Radio Equipment Insurance Plan Liberty Mutual Auto and Home Insurance “us en Find .a License Exam Session | wwwaarrlorglexam ‘a Licensing Class | www.arrl.orgiclass. ‘a Radio Club (ARRL-affiiated) | www.arrl.org/clubs ‘a Hamfest or Convention | www.arrl.org/hamfests Interested in Becoming a Ham? wwwarrlorginewham newham@arr.org | Tel. 1-800-326-3942 (US) Connect with ARRL RRL The National Association for Amateur Radio” 225 Main Street, Newington, CT 06111-1400 USA 1-860-594-0200, Mon. — Fri. 8 AM to 5 PM ET except hats FAX 1-860-594-0259, email hq@arr.org Contact ARRL: www.arrl.orgicontact-arrl GABE Website: wwwarr.org Facebook: @ARRL.org ‘walter: @ar, @wiaw, @arr_ares Instagram and Instagram TV: @arrhg ‘YouTube: ARRLHQ Linkedin: https:fwww linkedin.comicompany! ‘americanadio-relaysoaguel Reedisegeictrnenasipen Soar amet Feceaateutsn be raion anes eo sey of acter ‘Sandonboarern aoe sm ‘Nona eet in Are ao cel exsrlusicaton of ‘anno mma oenren rt feu ato ln ‘mores genset loreed anaous no US. Marsenne rqanen and gents crenordence aut be seared the ‘Sonnareave fndainte ARAL 25 nS, Nwmngon, Cannock Gern-i0USarover org/divsions Officers, Division Directors, and Staff [As an ARRL member, you ela the Director and Vice Director who represent your Divison on ARR policy matters. Ifyou nave a question or comment about ARRL polices, contact your representatives listed below. Officers Founding President 1914-1936 Ham Percy Maxim, WiAW President FRek Roderick, KSUR P.O. Box 1463, ite Rock, AR 72203, 501-988-2507: KSur@arr.org First Vice President Michael N. Raebeck, KITWE* 85 High St Chelmsforg, MAQ1828 978-250-1235, kitwi@ar.org ‘Second Vice President Boo Vaio, WeR'GG {955 shetfetd Ro Casto Vaiey, CA 98545 510-697-6704; wergg@arr.org Intemational Affars Vice President Rodney J Star, WEROD, ‘5158 Shadow Eat an Jose, CA 95135 400-238-4671. wOrod@arrLorg Chief Executive Oficer ‘and Secretary Davis A. Minster, NAZAA" 225 Main St Newington, Gr 06111 ‘860-584-0404: dminster@art.org Treasurer eek Niswander, KTGM Chief Financial Oficer: Bane Middleton, W20LM Staff Director of Operations Bab Nauman, WOU VEC Manager Mara Soma, ABTFM Field Services Manager ‘ike Water, WeeY Radiosport & Regulatory Information ianager Bete, WOU) Laberatory Manager Este, RFT Membership, Marketing, & Eommuniesions rector Katloen Calan, KCIMBY Member Services Manager ‘ote Vine KCTAIM ‘Advertsing Sales Manager doret Rose, WHR Publications & Edtoral Manager Becky & Senoriad, WISXY Education & Learning Manager Sieve Goodgame KS Development Manager Morse Stonmor FATCLO Diroctor of Publ Relations Elnmovaton Bob ncebtsen, NOIR Controlor ‘homos Be, KM Lute Goodwin Human Reseures Manager “Executive Committee Member Allantic Division wwnwatidivorg ‘Tom Abornethy, W3TOM* P.O. Bon 73, Aocokeek, MO 20607 501-257-6228, wtom@areorg Vice Director Robert 8, Fariglio, KIRF P.O, Box®, Neda, PA 12063 610-380-7300; kari@arr.org Central Division \worw.central arrLorg Carl Luetzelschwab, KOLA 1227 Pion Ra. Fort Wayne, IN 46845, 260-697-6088) kSla@arr.org Veco iractor: Brent Walls, NBBA 2151 €. Bomar Ln Green, IN 46140 517-957-7224: ndbag@arr.org Dakota Division wowarridakota.org Bill Lippert, ACOW. 2013 have, SE Austin, MN 5912 507-199-5835; acOw@arr.org Vee Directo: Lynn Nelson, WAND 3204 Witow Ln’ SE, Minot. ND 58701 ‘701-883-1000" wOnd@arri.org Delta Division artdelta.org David A. Noris, KSUZ 907 Evening Suit Cr, Redfield, AR 72132 70513-1006; KSuz@arrLorg Vice Director: Ed B. Hudgens, WE4RHQ 11 Wexford Downs Ln, Nashuile, TN 3721 616-600-2755 whérhg@iarriorg Great Lakes Division art-greatiakes.org Dale Willams, WABEFK” 281'Outer Dry Dundee, Mi 48131 734-528-3253 waBerK@ar.org Vice Director Scott Yonaly, NBSY 268 Valley Hi Or. Lexington, OH 44904 419-512-4445; ndsy@areLorg Hudson Division www-hudson art.org Ria Jara, NOR P.O. Box 7s, Sussex, NY 07401 973-594-6275; nari@arr.org Vice Director Wiliam Huczik, W2UDT 117 Proson Or, Gilet, Nd 07833 906-580-0495; waueti@arrLorg Midwest Division \wowareimidwest org ‘Art Zygiolbaum, KOAIZ {6601 Pecos! Dr. Lincoln, NE 68516 402-421-0840; kDale@ore.org Vice Director Dave Propper, K2DP 747 Od Bontomme Rd, Univorsty Cty, MO 63132, 314-225-5167; Kedp@ar.org How to Contact ARRL Staff ‘To send an email to any ARRL Headquarters ‘aff member, put his or her call sin (oe frst intial an tast name) infront of (@arr.org. For example to send to Ham Maxim, Fst President ofthe ARRL, use ‘whaw@arr.org, or hmaxim@art.org, New England Division hitpssinedivare Fred Kemmerer, ABTOC SoBadvin ts ols, NF 09049 600-419 5400; abtoc@artorg Vice Director: Philip E, Temples, KH! 425 Coolidge Ave, #203, Waterton, MA 03472-2675 617-351-083 kONIGarr.org Northwestern Division worwarinwdv.org ‘Mike Ritz, WIVO ‘33649 Burma Rd, Scappoose, OR 97056 503-087-1288, wivo@art.org Vice Director Mark. J. Tharp, KETHOX 0. Box 2222, Yakima, WA S8007 ‘500-082-5764; KuThe@arrorg Patifie Division pacific arorg ‘kristen Melntyre, KoWwx {900 Golden Whe Park Dr, #85, San Jose, CA (98112, 810-703-4942; Kowx@ar.org Vie Director Anthony Marcin, WM (836 Boulder Canyon St "North Las Vegas, NV 86088 "702-984-0588 wam@ar.org Roanoke Division art-roanoke.com ‘. James Boehner, N2Zz_ 1525 Barnwell Ave NW, Alken, SC 20801-3930 808-581-0940, nlea@arrLorg Vice Director Bil Morine, N2COP_ 401 Windass Dr, Wiimingion, NC 28409 310-452:1770; ndcope@areorg Rocky Mountain Division sworncrockymountaindvision org Set Ryan, KORN 3573 Vado Phy. K2-275 Westmester 60 60081 ‘ea 28e:kom@arLorg Vice Drectr Dan Grady, N2SRK. £8708 Buchanan Way Aurora, CO 80016 20238-7397: n2erk@ar org Southeastern Division ‘wow Facebook.com! ARRLSoutheasternDivision ‘Mickey Baker, NAMB {14768 Blak Bear Ra, West Palm Beach, FL 33418, 561-320-2778; ndmb@earrLorg Vice Dector James Schilling, KG4JSZ 4 Joel Massey Ra, Hanes Cy FLS3844 407-504-2629; kadjsz@ar.org Southwestern Division \worw.kknnetin6aa Richard J, Norton, NEA 21200 Wect Hise Dr, Topanga, CA90290 310-455-1138; néaa@earrtorg Vice Director: Edward Stearns, ATA, ‘OGBE Aster Dr, Scntsdal, AZ BS254 480-352-0256: aafa@art.org West Gulf Division westgulfdivision.org ‘John Robert Stratton, NSAUS™ P.O. Box 2282, usin, TX 78788-2282 ‘512-405-6252 nSaus@nSaus.com Vice Director Lee H. Cooper, WSLHC 2807 Auvoy Or Leander, 1X 78641 512-658-3010, wSIneg@ar org February 2022 15row ort org/sectons ARRL Section Managers ‘The 15 Divisions of ARRL are arranged into 71 administrative Sections, each headed by an elected Section Manager (SM). Your ‘Section Manages the person fo contact when you have news about your actives, or those of your radio clu. you need assistance with a local problem, your Section Manager is your fst pont of contact. He or she can put you in touch with various ARR. volunteers who can help (such as Technical Specialists). Your Section Manager is aso the person to see i you'd Ike to become a Section volunteer. Whatever your license cass, your SM has an appointment avaiable. Visit your Secbon page at wwnw.arrL.org/sections. ‘Seat eae 4655 570.250007 wager org ene DE, EPA, MDC, NNY, SN, WINY, WPA Sere et vege acne e027 ee ere tac ninuea.ameiuenrinn ye851 0808 dgegantor SORES Cas OLE wamtaarkong ONES: Merahowkin. Ni THes38.322' naan org best Peay oe Supe, WSEC, PO. Box 73, als reek, PA ‘co dsaz ovr 3608 wabewart ore ‘ental vgn I Wh ‘iso honas Sous, WHR 9540 Manat Rd, Man, 28566040 Grossi 4242, worydartorg Fee DOT Bion imag ca. NATED Fe AER vase wa, Onern Merete ore bute ee Seen ciate ten stem tec enyosmrces Sacer See SET ceoro onan emcoomnern Date Den AA Bate en AAS Tae wntamed.Sepsn a7 Seinen Be ete aan semen tmor tA Peer Rh om. vn wen ean ~ Tennesse Danan RNY, 20 Ler, Kone, N72 6654540; manyt org {Groat Lokes Division KYM, OH, ‘erica Save Morgan Went, 124 W, 12m St, Owensboro, KY 42301-2975 27a S265 winnaar orp Howe i ,ox27, Gp a7. 517-861-635, woe ‘hi To Sy WBBLCD. 480 Co Mar, Kot OH 4240-280 350. 55-65 vblcder or Hudson Division ENY, NLL, NJ en Ne fr ena Krad KY, 4Nomenskl Ba, Osi, NY {305 40126108, katong Ny tang and dm Nezoy. WAV. 38 AspetoeLn..Care Place, NYGSTE See sie Seats, waxvearors TSE nis wodaantog Midwest Division IA. KS, MO, NE {onan Gmes WRONG eS Fon St, Rois, 1AS25280718 510-215:890 wadulg@eer og S75 S78 kaa oro ~ ‘sour: Cec Mags, ACOMA, 2705 County Rl 220, Hortogo, MO B5668 8403, 417.308607, ethno Novack: Marron Anderson, KADBO4, 14200 NW 8B St, Raymond, NE ete don santas ets taobojem og ‘New England Division CT,EMA, ME, NH, Rl VT, WIA reat Oates hc, RIDES £2 Venn Pall, CT 06062 Serer Rideaerong reas wa sn: Php Dongen NIE. 105 Kansas RA Nib, ME O658:3120, 2075685307 mepdroa ew Hampshire Peer Sher KIPSS, 9 Cadsone St, Concord NH 03801-3130 (336170 ktpjetaret org SOeS582155 wiytedarorg Vernnt Poa Gayet AATGU. 1 Chory St, Esbexucton VTOSKS2 Siro 26 aetetazam ors so Massctucoe: Rayon Laie, ANSE, 245 Leominster Rl, Lunes, MAdiastiaat ore aoSST aneaenony ND, SD. EE, 20 Ach Av. S, Ap. 208, Meneapa, MN S5405 16 February 2022 NNorhwoster Division AK, EWA, 1D, MT, OR, WWA ‘Asse es Son TED 8521 Gls Sept Rage, AK S12 Soratzere inebgar.org [Ease natn Shey KATLLO, P60 222, Yh, WA SHOOT ‘tan. Ban Narr ORE 6585 W. Fatt Ave Bie 163709 ‘botesase WiexBaniog ‘ota Pal tne TSO 27 Desdvond Gr, legs MT 405 ‘9671-7082 ojo org igo ke EAPORO 21760. Larapur ve, Organ Cay, OR STA S164 ‘SRS SU farozoear ong pain, Crain Wom washer ene Srpton WF, PO. Bot 208, Siverise, WASEIE2 ‘oat 7008 wrtt@artorg oie Division EB, NV, PAG, SV, SF SIV, SCV Easy, Patton AIO, P, Box OER, Wu ok CASED, S25 208800 nopoBarorg Nag Bey NTU 0 Palo ros Vs NY 912.267 TET 08 nbmrog oe ne ea Ah 78 opi. te, rey EOD Ste Zioe cnoawariog Senn vy Or haz aD PO, Bo SCs Has CA Sains Seis wpe org Ser anton il enc OG, PO. BoxS15, Sart Rona, CAOSAI2451 ar SoCs nage Sin dani ay ef Lis NZSO, 434 Dols Ra, Sato, CA S207 9595 2003313078 nebo org Se Gir ae NEW, 2048 Paseo Ol Sal San Jon, EB REE AERA oma org Ma era la Hatha We, 20802206, Bone NC 28607 ‘25064-25 watoc@aorg sin Cran Mars ago, AUF, C6 Deer Ran Rack Hi, SC 20732.9256 SSR Er nltpast arg eon: Cat. Certs WCAC, 450 Wak Fors, Porsou RESOSaUA Terese ass esc oeg ie Dan Roge Moroanton te eet eerie Rae PND, Si 20, hands Reh, Suess ede binge TET Sorrow Ro Rance MT24 Sees thes Sse aneaurag Mg el ger TEX, 200 Rand Cnn WY NS SetePota nce Seutoostrn Dhision AL GA, NFL, PR, SFL ML WCE Saris RNS. SO ta i a ase ser ‘Bont at idearamtors Geoge.tnoet ae Siar se sista mebingerorg Poste Re Ree ore W860 So a 4.8 Cal 6 Fas PR BREN OSarcT wmegwrtos earn Poa, Sry Bee ERG 5 Sir At. 25 Wi nde Prog taaer RaW 0 Box S27, Chase, O2-02TS eaarins Is tate Pt eta Ong, aloo, 227 Mle Demo, Wisin at ae ata Scultwesor Division AZ LAK” ORG, SDG, SB See a re SAE Ran azaorss aes Sear heed ‘Peregrine, ox see Pa er Pa, A Sefomees assent ne Seager nomen bi em cae br nrtor NC, 60 Abe, On Ve, CABIN SRE alts Snore IX PO. Sox Sri, CAS208 SEBS aldara Ni uae tv Sie ROS, 1 Corte Ln. Bon Frank, 1X Naat IS eggs Gare er th SE Noman O28 Senses. Sou en Ste N57 Stn, A 218, An, TA 7EE8 Selassie itt toar Dart, HOM, PO. ox BG, TK808 SoBe Seen,LISTEN TO THE WORLD 75 YEARS LEGACY LIVES ON+ Frequency coverage: 100-30,000 KH. includes Shortwave, medlum wave AM broadcast band and iong wave: 76-50, 87-108, + Reception modes: AM, F¥- stereo, Single Sideband (selectable USBILSB), Arcraft + Programsnable memotes: 500 user programmable with alpha labeling plus 1200, User definable Coury memories, for atl of 1700 + Dual conversion super heterodyne cul results a minimized interference trough supetar Selectivity + bgtal Phase Lack Loo (PLL synthesized tuning with DtctDigtal Synthese (ODS) for dtetre trequency sabi an finest tuning resoiution = Tung nas variate ning knob, tect eyo ecuency ey, pioun pushbutton and auto-tuning + Sage sideband synctvonaus AM detector: selectable USBILS® er double sideband tominimize adjacent rquency nerterence and fang distortion of AM signals + Selectable bandwidths: 7.0, 40, 2k for excelent selectivity + Digital splay: ree 57 inch square, 240 x 320 px. dot matix csplay- shows all modes and selectes functions + Display backlighting evenly it bacight enables display viewing uner al ightingconstions + Hig dynamic ange allowing for detection of weak signals nthe presence of strong signals + bua programmable locks with WW AutoSeting + Stereo tne fvel input: allows listening to othe devices such asa CD player trough the elite Saat + Extemal antenna connection forthe adton of auliary antennas. eg. protesionally ‘engineered Shortwave antennas long wre Shertwave antennas specalees AM broaéeast Sand antennas for enthusasts of AM DX'og, FH broadcast band antennas + Separate. continuous bass and web tone controls + Selectable NGC (Rutomatic Gain Control fast and slow mde + Bu.n antenna: telescopic antenna fr AB, FM and Shortwave reception + Power source: 4D batteries not included) or AC adapter (rude) + Leather case wth catsmansticing +3 calor.cd screen + Rado Data System ROS) Beem) Hammacher Schlemmer dio ine d Autho + AMIFM/LW/SW bands + FM with ROS (Radio Data System) + Single sideband (SSB) with +/1 kHz tuning * VHF Aircraft band * Automatic or Manual Digital Tuning + FM stereo/mono selection + Electronic/volume/treble/bass control + Sync detector with selectable sideband * Direct key-in meter band for Sw +700 memory stations + PLL synthesized dual conversion receiver * Local/DX switch * Local/world time zones + Clock/Alarm/Sleep Timer with time backup + Rich orange LCD display + Reset/Lock button + FM telescopic antenna + Power supply: Inclided AC adapter or 4 AA batteries (sold separately) * Leather case with craftsman stitching CAR-TOYS eténUnbelieveable Memory Elite 750 The classic look & style tomatch On every wavelength “+ AM/FM/LW/SW bands «+ Aircraft Band + Set 9/10 KHz AM tuning: set FM tuning range + Single-Side Band (SSB) +360 degree rotate AM antenna + Auto/Manual/Direct frequency key-in and station memory tuning + Auto Tuning Storage function (ATS) for FM/AM/Shortwave +1000 station memories (each band 100 memories, 500 customizable) ‘= Dual alarm clock function + Line in socket (can be used as speaker for MP3) + Line out socket (radio broadcasting can be transferred to other device) + €xternal antenna jacks for both AM/FM + Power source: DC input (6V) power supply included t Radiowerld™ eton thorized Dealers ————____ewrowenen by navusi|THE WORLD Weighted tactile coarse or fine dial-in-dial tuning + AM/FM/SW bands + FM with RDS (Radio Data System) * Dial-in-dial coarse/ narrow digital tuning * Treble/bass control + RF gain control * Wide/narrow bandwidth selection +50 memory stations * Bluetooth® ready + €xternal AM/FM/SW antenna connections * Local/DX switch * Rich orange LCD display + Line-in/line-out and headphone jacks + FM telescopic antenna * Carrying strap + Reset/lock button + Powered by included 7V DC power adapter or AD batteries (sold separately) * Vegan leather case with craftsman stitching (sold separately) hLeeValley PREFERREDLiving Authorized Dealers Access to news - at home or abroad + AM/FM/LW/SW bands * Automatic or manual digital tuning * Auto tuning storage (ATS) function +500 memory stations * Local/world time setting * Sleep timer * Single alarm clock (by radio or buzzer) * Snooze * Rich orange LCD display * Earphone jack (3.5mm) + FM telescopic antenna + Reset/lock function + Power supply: AC adapter or 4 AA Batteries (sold separately) * Elegant leather case with craftsman stitching * DAB+ Internationally Adorama etonut the Muscle! 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I's refreshing to see more diversity in our hobby and to read about how ham radio has been therapeutic to someone with disabilities. | hope their story isthe beginning of creating more gender diversity in ham radio. ‘As a CW operator, never hear the voice, tone, or inflections of the people | chat with, For all| know, the operator ‘on the other end may be incapable of verbal speech. This hobby has so many ‘outlets far inclusion. I look forward to reading more stories about the truly ‘amazing people throughout our hobby! ‘Sean Sanderson, KDEMPY ‘Jacksonville, Vermont Looking Back on Working in the ARRL Lab Reading “A Look Back’ in the August 2021 issue brought back many memo- fies. The summer before the October 1971 issue was published, | was 17 years old and working my dream job in the ARAL Lab. had ihe privilege of working with Doug DeMaw, W1FB; Lew McCoy, WIP; Doug Blakeslee, WIKLK, and Ed Titon, W1HDQ, al of whom are stil revered today. | kept them busy by designing several circuit boards in reverse and creating a fair amount of smoke, but they taught, ‘me well, One memory that | treasure \was learning W1FB's prototyping tech- nique. He would solder all ofa circuits ‘components into a bal, then tur the power on. He always said, “I it works Ike this, it will work on a circuit board” WIFB was unforgettable, as were his projects and his sense of humor. | was assigned the task of filing out the logbook featured on the cover of the aforementioned issue of QST, and included my dad's call sign, W1AFF. When the issue arrived in the mail, it \was one of the neatest presents that 24 February 2022 | could've ever given him: his name on the cover of QST! I's pretty amazing to see where our hobby stands now, some 50 years later. Rick Liftig, WA1ISD West Hartiord, Connecticut Useful DX Contesting Tips The “Contest Season 2021 ~ 2022" special insert in the November issue was very informative. | enjoyed reading about the tips and tools that can help hams with their personal goals and make a contest enjoyable. ‘Although most of the photos in the insert show wellarranged stations, you don't need a big station to successfully ‘operate during a contest. You can do so with a modest 100 W radio, power supply, and a pair of antennas, which is what my station looks like. My goal for big contests isto see how many states/counties | can contact. And most of all, to have fun! If you make some contacts and a lot of stations suc- deniy appear, be sure to thank to the ham who posted you on a DX cluster. Also, try exploring smal international Contests, as they might help you earn ‘the country you need for your DXCC. count. It's a good feeling when the other station thanks you for a new muttiplier. ‘Most importantly, don't forget to send your log. You never know ifyou qualily ‘fora certicate. ‘Angel Santana, WP3GW Twill Alto, Puerto Fico A Program Proposal for Farms ‘Amateur radio offers multiple programs, to get hams out of their shacks and into nature, such as Summits on the Air (SOTA), Parks on the Air® (POTA), Islands On The Air (IOTA), ARAL Field Day, and many others. Most of these programs have an infrastructure, ike @ website, a ist of rules, and awards. My article, “Starting Your Own Parks on the Air Program,” published in the June 2018 issue, talks about the Vermont ‘State Parks on the Air events that fit into the two competing park activation pro- ‘grams: POTA and World Wide Flora & Fauna (WWF). | would like to propose another program, called Farms on the Air (FOTA), Hyoute a ham who owns a farm, get on the air somewhere on your farmland, either in your shack or at a more remote ‘spot. On my farm, I have an antenna, (160 through 10 meters) strung between two trees. run my mobile radio, a Kenwood TS-480, from my car through an Elecraft KPASOO amplifier. Both are run by a Honda generator. From now (on, Ibe operating as a FOTA. ‘The statutes in your state will define a farm. In Vermont, you must have a rin- imum of 25 acres of land. You should ‘ive your farm a name if it doesn't already have one. | have QSL cards ‘made up specially for this program and will send them out if the request comes with a SASE. If other participants vant to do more, thats up to them. There's only one rule: you must actually ‘own a farm. Don't drive onto someone else's land and start transmitting. 'm hoping this program can help to cele- brate farm owners who are also hams, ‘My guess is that's a small number. ‘My intent is for FOTA to be free from excessive rules and not require large ‘amounts of time and money for regula- tions and website developmenticosts, If you make a contact with a farm, ask for a QSL card! ‘Bob Henneberger, KIBIF Colchester, Vermont ‘Sond your ltrs to "Corespandence,” ARRL, 225 Main St, Neningion, CT 0611. You can a0 submit ties by fax at 860-994-0259, of via eal o letters @artorg. We read every eter receive, but we can only publish afew each ‘month. We reserve the right to edt your lett for Clay, and io the avalabie page space. Leters publshedin Corespondence" may also appear Inotmer ARRL moda. 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(5 Minute Read) When | was younger, | spent a lot of time with my uncle who was very much into analog electronics. | would especially look forward to the winter breaks as | would typically spend them with him and my grandmother. One night after he returned home from work, | remember him bringing home a mysterious box full of parts. | was intrigued to say the least! When | asked him what was in the box, he said it’s called a “Crystal Radio Kit”. My mind raced with excitement and | couldn’t wait to crack into the box and begin building whatever it was. What happened next changed my life forever! When we finally finished building the kit, he put the earpiece into my ear, and began turning a dial on the unit. To my amazement | could hear someone's voice. | was stunned, where was this voice coming from? After all, there were no batteries, how could | be hearing anything? What he said next really blew my mind. He said, the voice and the power were coming from radio waves which were invisible to the naked eye. Fun DIY Arduino KIT Not only were those some of the best memories of my life, but from that moment forward, | knew | wanted to study everything | could about electronics. In fact, it led to a successful career as an electrical engineer. Now that I’m rs older and have nieces and nephews of my own, |knew that MWANAWABYefei fe} g BYE} [aYeXeCoyan} | wanted to pass this excitement and knowledge to the next generation. But how? Electronics today are far more complicated than they were when I was starting out decades ago. After a bit of googling, | ran across something called Arduino. It’s a super simple to use electronics platform which allows anyone to build some truly incredible projects. It’s coded in a basic form of a language called C. With the winter months ahead of us, | wanted to get my hands on an Arduino based kit so that | could spend some quality time with my nephew and pass the torch to the next generation. Luckily, | keep all my past issues of OST magazine and happened to see a review of a product called the Dr.Duino Explorer which is an Arduino compatible kit. (January 2021, page 48) After reading this review, | knew that this was exactly what | was looking for. It comes as a DIY style kit, accompanied by a superb set of step-by-step online instructions that teach you about the Arduino as you build it. PLUS, for a limited time, when you order your own Explorer Edition from www.DectorDuino.com, you'll even get access to an Arduino crash course for FREE! It’s perfect for jump starting your Arduino journey, by teaching you what you can and can’t do with Arduino, and ends with you creating your very own Morse code machine! 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It's not t00 late to own an HF legend because we still build them today .=1\ (010) ee, 2 = eaeA Compact 630-Meter Active Loop Antenna Null out local noise for better reception on 472 — 479 kHz. Salvatore DeFrancesco, KIRGO Since the new MF and LF bands became available, | prefer to operate the more practical 630-meter band. | operate CW and QRSS and | am finding challenges with interference, especially fading. | use my home- brew transverter and a Yaesu FTOX-1200 with my loaded 630-meter antenna. For receiving, loose cou- ping my small active E-field probe to the 630-meter loading coil was quite noisy, as is the LF Engineering L-400B's E-field probe alone (see the LF Engineering L-400B Active Gain Antenna specifications sheet at https:/hwww.lfengineering.com/files/pdt/L-400B_ inst.pdf). | needed a better receive antenna for sure. | developed a compact loop for fixed or portable use. | settied on a design using RG-174 coaxial cable with a single gap, which is similar to the method described in The ARAL Antenna Book (24th ed., Section 5.2), but | used a different method of feeding the amplifier, With the spiit-shielded balanced output, I fed an ampli- fier with high impedance (Z) input. The amplifier output matches a 50.9 coax to the receiver. Loop Design Description For the 630-meter band, | calculated the loop size and the approximate resonant point for an intermediate ‘quality factor (Q value). My design had an 8-inch diameter and 12 tums of RG-174 coaxial cable with a inch cut in the center of the outer shield. Any slight variation in the capacitance per foot will affect the reso- ‘nance point, which is adjusted by tuning (as described later) Because this is a balanced loop, | needed a 1:1 balun at the input of the chosen amplifier. | used a 2-channel field-effect transistor (FET) amplifier circuit with a gain 90 February 2022 of 30 dB on a 3 x 1.5-inch circuit board. To power up and couple to the receiver, a simple bias T is all that was required. At the input, T1, | used a three-color (blue, yellow, black) #28 wrapping wire with a trifilar winding on a FT-50A-75 ferrite toroid to create a 1:1 balun atthe preamplifier input, Q1. A J413 junction- gate field-effect transistor (JFET) drives the amplifier, Q2, which is a BS170 metal-oxide—semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET). With the combination ofT2 (abbifiar wound toroidal transformer), Q2 creates a phantom power two-wire feed. A simple bias T requires 12 to 15 V to power the amplifier at 35 to 40 mA. Loop Construction To wind the loop, cut a 26-foot long length of RG-174 coax. At the center (13 feet), cut away a gap in the shield approximately % inch long. Find a mandrel of 8 inches in diameter to wind around, used a tapered plastic pail, marked the 8-inch diam- eter, and put evenly spaced double-backed tape around the periphery. Wind a tight bundle of 12 turns, then tape the turns together at 4 evenly spaced posi-Figure 1 —The ‘mechanical housing and loop mounting forthe antenna. eae cet tions around the periphery of the bundled loop. Align the cut shield to the side opposite of where the coax ‘end leads cross, and seal the shield cut with Goop. ‘When completed, wind a spiral wrap tightly around the loop to secure it.| suggest black polyethylene Y-inch spiral wrap by Alpha Wire. To house the amplifier, | used a small water-tight alu- minum enclosure (Hammond 1590WG). You can use an equivalent box, depending on your amplifier board, but it must be non-magnetic. Remove the front cover, land mark a spot on the upper left side of the box, cen- tered front to back and 0.85 inch from the top edge. ‘There, drill a 29/64-inch hole and cut threads init with ‘a 4&-20NF tap. This will accommodate the Heyco RT7 cable gland (Heyco part number V3444), which will pass the ends of the antenna loop RG-174 coax into the box while keeping moisture out. An alternative to Using the gland is to drill two small holes to pass the ‘coax through, then sealing the holes with Goop. Diill a %inch hole for the BNC connector centered at the bottom. Drill two holes centered offset 1-inch from Oo = Figure 2 — The circuit boar is mounted in the waterproof enclosure each end, using #6 x Y%-inch self-taping screws. Sand- wich in the grommets RG 375-8-3A (or equivalent with a 0.273-inch thickness) and use Goop (see Figure 1). Before installing the loop amplifier, place a 3.25 x 1.5-inch sheet of mylar (or equivalent) insulator between the circuit board and housing. Now you can solder the loop connections to the circuit board. The materials needed for the mounting and housing can be found in Table 1 Testing and Tuning For testing, | used an osciloscope, a signal generator with an 8-inch radiating loop antenna, an analyzer, and an RF milivoltmeter. I connected a 50 © load to the output of the bias T. | then mounted the 630-meter loop 18 inches away from the radiating loop and adjusted various signal levels on the signal generator for evaluation. Tuning was easy. | set the generator to 475 kHz, and | installed SAT (Select At Test) C3 (see Figure 5) for a peak on the oscilloscope. C3 tuned in nicely with 220 pF. A check of the bandwidth proved it to be flat within 1 dB in the 472 to 479 kHz pass band. (On the RF millivotmeter, | found the 1 dB compression point to be 13 dBm, the and maximum linear output February 2022 31Table 1 — Mounting and Housing Parts Yieinch Spiral wrap, 48 inches long Yeinch Schedule 40 PVC coupling socket ‘inch Schedule 40 PVG female adapter ‘inch Schedule 40 PVG male Adaptor Yieinch Schedule 40 PVC pipe, 10 inches long Hammond Manufacturing 3.94 x 1.97 x 0.834inch box Waterproof gland Mouser prv836-3444 YYinch Neoprene grommets RG 375-8-3A, of similar “Tube of Goop « Frequency (2) Figure 3 — The frequency response ofthe loop. The green curve 's the calculated response, and the black dots are the measured response. The pink area indicates the amateur band limits. Was 6 to 7 dBm. On the analyzer, I tried a two-tone IPS test, and | really had to crank up the signal generator to see the third-order blips. | estimated >30 dm for IP, then I did a quick test for nulls. On the scope, 1 could sharply null out the test signal completely. Figure 5 — The loop is shown with handle coupling and the base mount. Loop ‘244, B2neh diameter Roar ™ (3 calact to tne 0475 ke (nominal 220 pF) ast70 a 200 Toop 12 15v i op CORE ON I" To receiver Figure 4 —A schematic diagram ofthe loop and amp. L2—10 mil choke (mousercom) Ri — 100K reaister (mouse com) 2, RS — 680.0 resistor (mouser.com) 3, RA — 1K resistor (mous com) RE — 10 0 resistor (mousercom) 00 0 resistor mouser.com) 200 pF capactor (Og) Key) 63 — 220 pF capactor (DigrKey) 32 February 2022 Cd C4, C8—0.1 UF X7R capacitor (mouser com) 65, C9— 1 pF tantalum capacitor (mouser.com) C6_— 10 pF electroitic capacitor (mouser.com) G7 —000 uF X7R capacitor (mouser.com) Q1—J113 FET (mouser com) Q2—BS170 MOSFET (mouser.com) Ti — 18 tums tiflar wound #28 AWG, on FT-50A-7S core T2— 18 tins biflar wound #28 AWG, on FT-SOA.7S coreFigure 6 —A PC board is available. Contact the author for details ‘A receiver can also be used to tune the loop to center band and either lightly couple to the signal generator set at 475 kHz and tune for a maximum S-meter reading, or tune for maximum noise at this frequency. Operation On the 630-meter band, | compared the loop to two other antennas — my LF L-400B E-field probe and my broadly resonant 6-inch E-field probe lightly coupled to the 630-meter loading coll on my 160-meter inverted V. ‘The result was a pleasant surprise. | had a much lower local noise level that | was able to null out. also noticed the weaker digital mode signals were out of the noise. Both E-field probes were quite noisy and, signals on the L-400B were weaker than with the cou- pled E-field probe. The loop had almost as much signal output as the coupled probe scheme, but it had ‘a much better signal-to-noise ratio. Testing with a few CW contacts, | found that the loop outperformed the E-field probes. The sharp nulls ‘worked nicely on strong noise and interference. The new compact active loop is now my main receiving antenna for 630 meters. The loop can also be used from the AM broadcast band down to 20 kHz. These results showed less sensitivity but had usable signal levels. Hopefully this project can inspire more (CW 630-meter activity ‘Amateur Exra-cass licensee Salvatore DeFrancesco, KIRGO, has been licensed as since 1961. He held postions n microwave Communications, bimedical electronics, RF cablelconnectors MIL specifications testing. He worked in the aerospace industry for 19 years, developing Vibration test instrumentation, and accolerom ters for the F-119 Jet engine, AS missile systom and a multimode ‘monitoring system for Wright Patterson AFB. Sal has writen Various articles and holds tree patents. He founded LF Engi- neering Co. which he sil operates, after retiring from his work with Yale Universi’ physics depariment. Sal can be reached at Hengineering.com. For updates to this article, see the QST Feedback page ede at wwwarrl.orgifeedback. rately {All ARRL members can now enjoy the ‘online edition of QEX as a member benefit. Coming up in the January/ February 2022.and future QEX issues, ‘are articles and technical notes on a range of amateur radio topics. These tre at the top of the queve. Tim Czerwonka, WOU, creates ‘custom keyboards using QMK firmware. "Lynn Hansen, KU7Q, describes auto- mation options for the CTR2 HM. "= Chuck MacCluer, WEMQW, describes sequencing of antenna ‘change-over relays. '=Eric Nichols, KL7AJ, Technical Note on Mesh Analysis. '=Philip Cassady, K7PEC, reveals the effects of height and ground param- eters on a dipole, ‘sin his essay series, Eric Nichols, KL7AJ, describes angular frequency ‘= John Stanley, KAERO, shows that loss on a line with SWR can be lower than on a matched line. ‘=Peter DeNeet, AE7PD, estimates the field power density from a parabolic dish antenna, ‘=Alan Victor, W4AMV, investigates ‘transformer-coupled tuned-impedance transforming circuits. QEX, a forum for the free exchange of ideas among communications exper menters, is edited by Kazimierz “Kar” ‘Siwiak, KE4PT, (ksiwiak@arrl.org) ‘and is published bimonthly. The printed ceition annual subscription rate (six issues per year) for members and non- ‘members in the US is $29. First-class delivery in the US is available at an annual rate of $40. For international ‘subscribers, including those in Canada land Mexico, QEX can be delivered by airmail for $35 annually; see www.artl. orgigex. ‘Would you ike to write for QEX? We pay $50 per published page for full art- les and QEX Technical Notes. Get ‘more information and an Author Guide at wwwarrlorg/gex-author-guide. If you prefer postal mail, send a busi- nese-size self-addressed, stamped (US postage) envelope to: QEX Author Guide, c/o Maty Weinberg, ARRL, 225 Main St,, Newington, CT 06111 February 2022 33