NEW GEAR The latest products from AOR, Xiegu, Sharman, Auna and much more June 2022 £5.49 www.radioenthusiast.co.uk STARTING IN CB Everything you need to know from equipment to call signs and QSL cards to get you on the air Radio in Ukraine How war has changed the broadcasting landscape Introduction to HD The growth of the format sweeping across America REVIEW Testing Bonito’s HISTORY The story of the AntennaJet AAS-300DP BBC’s Antarctic message The editor tries this active, lossless, dual-powered, RF signal splitter How the World Service puts together its traditional midwinter broadcast Rallies & Events Short Wave Stations Plan your summer days out inside Frequencies for private Euro broadcasters Display until 30th June 2022 PRICE PLEDGE – we aim to be competitive – seen it cheaper then let us know AOR AR-5700D • 10 digital modes - TETRA, P25(Phase 1), DMR, Mototrbo, dPMR, NXDN, D-CR, D-STA T R, Alinco, Ya Y esu. • Covers 9kHz - 3,700MHz • 900kHz wide IQ output £4595 BEARCAT Icom IC-R8600 AOR AR-DV1 Digital Communications Receiver Professional Communications Receiver 100kHz-1300MHz Wide band reception New Firmware - gives TETRA decoding and more! Decodes virtually ALL popular digital modes: DMR, D-STA T R, Ya Y esu Fusion and lots more! Supplied with: 4GB SD Card £1299.95 ANTENNAS • 10kHz-3.0GHz Super Wideband • P25, NXDN™, dPMR ™, D -STA T R Mode • Real-time Spectrum Scope with Waterfall • Software Demodulation by FPGA Processing • Large 4.3 inch TFT colour touch screen display £2499.95 AIRSPY SDRplay NEW NEW £194.99 £199.99 £379.95 £99.99 £299.95 £129.95 £199.99 £119.99 SIRIO Antennas £239.99 NEVADA Power Supplies £69.95 £99.95 2 YEAR £44.95 3 £79.95 £89.95 £89.95 £69.95 £129.95 £49.95 ICOM £119.95 ULTRA LOW LOSS COAX NEW! HEADPHONES £240 £79.95 JIM M75 £399.95 £89.95 SPIDERBEAM MASTS £69.95 www.nevadaradio.co.uk CALL 023 9231 3090 LINES OPEN: MONDAY - FRIDAY 9AM - 5PM CLOSED SATURDAY AOR DV10 nevada FOR A RELIABLE FAST, FRIENDLY SERVICE DIGITAL/ANALOGUE DIGITAL/ANALOGUE SCANNING SCANNING RECEIVER RECEIVER £969.95 sto t ck c ks ! TECSUN ® ® World Radios £89.95 £54.95 £329.95 Latest 2203A Firmware £299.95 £259.95 ICOM ALINCO AOR £44.95 POWEREX NEW LIMITED STOCKS! £349.95 £969.95 BEARCAT £229.95 BEARCAT £69.95 BEARCAT BEARCAT NEW NEW £425 £599.95 £649.95 £249.95 ALBRECHT £779.99 ALBRECHT £479.95 WHISTLER Digital Scanners £419.95 £479.95 £299.95 £99.95 £129.95 Serving our customers for 50 years follow us on twitter: @NevadaRadio follow us on facebook: www.facebook.com/nevadaradio £299.95 • Unit 1 • Fitzherbert Spur • Farlington • Portsmouth • Hampshire • PO6 1TT Index Contents Favourites Reviews Features News Profiles Cover Story 54 Push-to-Talk: Introduction to CB ISSN 1748-8117 Tim Kirby provides a contemporary route into Citizens Band radio, looking at modern equipment and aerials, callsigns and customs, and at the particular attraction of this mode of hobby communication. June 2022 Vol. 17 No 6 On sale: 26 May 2022 Next issue on sale: 30 June 2022 RadioUser Warners Group Publications plc The Maltings, West Street Bourne, Lincs PE10 9PH www.warnersgroup.co.uk Tel: 01778 391000 Editor Georg Wiessala wiessala@hotmail.com Designer Mike Edwards mike.edwards@warnersgroup.co.uk Advertisement Manager Kristina Green kristina.green@warnersgroup.co.uk Tel: 01778 392096 Production Manager Nicola Glossop nicola.glossop@warnersgroup.co.uk Production Assistant Charlotte Bamford charlotte.bamford@warnersgroup.co.uk Marketing Manager Katherine Brown katherine.brown@warnersgroup.co.uk Marketing Executive Luke Hider luke.hider@warnersgroup.co.uk Publisher Rob McDonnell robm@warnersgroup.co.uk Technical Help We regret that replies to technical queries cannot be given over the telephone. Any technical queries by e-mail are very unlikely to receive immediate attention either. So, if you require help with problems relating to topics covered by RU, then please write to the Editorial Offices, we will do our best to help. Book and back issue orders OC & BR HURE PR NE ZI This publication is printed by Warners Midlands PLC Telephone: 01778 391000 R TE IN MA GA Send your completed form to: RadioUser Subscriptions Dept Warners Group Publications plc The Maltings, West Street Bourne, Lincs PE10 9PH WARNERS Midlands PLC SUBSCRIBE TO RADIO USER NEW GEAR The latest products from AOR, Xiegu, Sharman, RAOTA and much more June 2022 £5.49 For the latest offer call www.radioenthusiast.co.uk STARTING IN CB Everything you need to know from equipment to call signs and QSL cards to get you on the air Radio in Ukraine How war has changed the broadcasting landscape Introduction to HD The growth of the format sweeping across America REVIEW Testing Bonito’s AntennaJet AAS-300DP HISTORY The story of the BBC’s Antarctic message The editor tries this active, lossless, dual-powered, RF signal splitter How the World Service puts together its traditional midwinter broadcast 01778 395161 See page six for details. Save up to 27%. Rallies & Events Short Wave Stations Plan your summer days out inside Frequencies for private Euro broadcasters 001 June Front.indd 1 Display until 30th June 2022 13/05/2022 09:05 Read on any device, anywhere, anytime at http://bit.ly/raus-mysub22 28 Feedback 28 7 News and Products Take a look at a remarkable reader’s shack, learn about one radio lady’s amazing hobby tale and see what some of our readers have come up with in their posts to the editor. New AOR DV-10 Software, Xiegu GNR1 Audio Filter, Sharman Aerials, Modelling with AN-SOF7.10, BDXC Broadcasts in English, OTNews, Rails & Radio, and the Global Radio Guide (see also pp. 19, 39, 53, and at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk). 30 Bonito AntennaJet AAS-300DP 14 Book Review 34 Emerging Issues in Radio David Harris discovers a captivating life story authored by a radio presenter; the book blends biography with social history and represents a sympathetic portrayal of mental health issues. Returning to the theme of Ukraine, Chrissy Brand evaluates the changes brought about by the war on the Ukrainian radio landscape, investigating some transmissions both from and to the country. 16 Calling Antarctica 38 The Story of the Marcuse Bench Alan Pennington relates the fascinating backstory of this month’s annual Antarctic Midwinter Broadcast, from the BBC World Service – ‘A Breath of Home Air’ for those working in the Antarctic. RAOTA President David Reynolds, G3ZPF remembers a ‘benchmark’ visit and shows how Gerald Marcuse, G2NM played a part in both amateur radio and the BBC World Service. 20 Airband News 40 Digital Radio | Review David Smith analyses what the war in Ukraine means for European air space, tracks some drones and surveillance planes, explains Warton ATC and has updates on RAF Northolt and Prestwick. Kevin Ryan reviews the Auna IR160 Internet Radio, introduces the HD Radio/ IBOC digital transmission format and describes the best uses of the mediaU portal. The editor takes a look at the Bonito AntennaJet AAS-300DP active, dual-powered, lossless, RF signal splitter and connects this small shack accessory to diverse radios and aerials. 22 Airshows 2022 David Smith then reveals Part Two of our seasonal RadioUser Guide to this summer’s airshows, aircraftthemed occasions, historical tributes, and related meetings and displays. 24 Project Pluto and More Martín Butera profiles the Deep Space Communications Center in Crimea (DSCC), the setting of mankind’s first attempts to send messages to the stars, as well as a valuable scientific asset. 27 Rallies and Events Keep up to date on Facebook www.facebook.com/radioenthusiasts Follow us on Twitter @REnthusiasts Welcome to the UK’s most complete listing of Rallies, Conferences, Buildathlons, Swapmeets and Trade Shows; this is your one-stop shop for planning your visit this summer and autumn. 24 Sign up to our FREE email newsletter at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk 4 RadioUser June 2022 Editorial Welcome From Ukraine to Antarctica 16 44 International Radio & New Media Chrissy Brand asks whether independent blogging by a range of new reporting talent can be seen as a new variety of ‘free radio’ and then calms down with the aid of soothing vibes in her car. 47 TV and Radio, Past and Present Keith Hamer and Garry Smith take a deep dive into the history of the BBC throughout the 1970s, unearthing memories of ground-breaking technological developments and inventive programming. 50 Aerials Now Keith Rawlings works with a simple but ingenious multi-band dipole aerial, testing out its construction, key characteristics and use at home and further afield. 53 European Private Short Wave Stations | News Stig Hartvig Nielsen unveils the latest issue of his compilation of Private European Short Wave Stations, many of which are especially active at weekends. 57 Marconi’s German Heirs Scott Caldwell introduces a lesser-known German trio of radio pioneers: Adolf Karl Heinrich Slaby, Karl Ferdinand Braun and Count Georg von Arco. 60 Maritime Matters Robert Connolly expounds on how radio communications technology can help to fight modern piracy on the high seas, providing an overview of AIR, DGPS, GMDSS, and LRIT transmissions. 60 Georg Wiessala wiessala@hotmail.com H ello and welcome to the June edition of RadioUser. With half the year gone already, there are plenty more radio subjects to be covered in the second half, judging by your responses and the many contributions and article proposals I have already received. But staying with the present, we once again offer a smorgasbord of radio topics, which, I hope, you will find both informative and inspiring. In our features section, Alan Pennington looks at the history and technology behind this month’s Antarctic Midwinter Broadcast from the BBC World Service. Ukraine features a few times this month: Martín Butera introduces a strategic radio astronomy facility in Crimea, while Chrissy Brand outlines the wider Ukrainian radio scene, which is undergoing colossal changes. What is more, David Smith follows the military and aeronautical tracks of the conflict, both in situ and in as far as it impinges on European air space. In terms of reviews, Kevin Ryan has enjoyed using the Auna IR160 Internet Radio, and I have had the opportunity to host the Bonito AntennaJet AAS300DP Aerial Splitter in the editor’s shack; read on about what I linked up to it, and how it all went. Then go on to build the simple multi-band dipole aerial suggested by Keith Rawlings in the Aerials Now column. In our regular sections, Tim Kirby provides an introduction to Citizens Band (CB) radio, bringing the culture and history of the format right up to the present. And Robert Connolly takes a look at how radio can help to combat modern forms of piracy at Sea, covering a range of contemporary radio modes. Elsewhere, you may wish to pick up more on mental health and radio, learn about Project Pluto, discover a bench with a radio legacy and take an in-depth look at the HD Radio format, prevalent across the Pond. The radio history strand this month encompasses Scott Caldwell’s group biography of radio pioneers, one of whom became known as the ‘German Marconi’. Meanwhile, Keith Hamer and Garry Smith use the Tardis to travel to the BBC in the 1970s – I feel certain that you will have heard of some of the programmes remembered here! Last, but by no means least, may I draw your attention to our indispensable ‘breadand-butter items’? Part Two of our 2022 Air Show Guide, the compilations of European Short Wave Stations, our Rallies & Events list, Feedback section and our extra-large News & Products department this month. Have fun with your radio, enjoy this issue and keep sending in those proposals! Georg Wiessala Editor, Radio User Magazine www.radioenthusiast.co.uk Why not visit our new online bookshop at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/store June 2022 RadioUser 5 BEAT THE PRICE RISE Regrettably, to offset the increases in costs of energy, raw materials and postage charges the cover price of RadioUser has increased to £5.49; but you don’t have to pay that! We’ve frozen our subscription prices meaning you can save even more than before when subscribing to RadioUser! SAVE UP TO Emerging Issues in Radio 27% Emerging Issues in Radio ing rather proud of being its temporary owner. However, airport security is rarely much fun, and rather than have to put the Tecsun through the scanner along with my laptop and bag of liquids, I bade it au revoir at the check-in desk. I had taken far larger radios away with me in the past. I remember my first foreign holiday being a family fortnight in Austria when I insisted my parents allow me to pack a 1970’s Fidelity Rad 27. No one was going to stop me this time, either. Appearance This DSP Noice Cancelling In-Line Module Worth £159 Chrissy Brand chrissyLB@hotmail.co.uk December 2021 £4.99 www.radioenthusiast.co.uk TECSUN H-501x We test this highly anticipated receiver to see how practical it is on your travels M y initial impression of the Tecsun H-501x was that it was a larger receiver than I had realised, and a slight panic set in as to how I might take it abroad with me. It is a large portable and I am used to packing small radios on my trips. However, that feeling very quickly subsided. This Tecsun is similar in size to many gadgets that people take on holidays. Larger than a tablet, for instance, but far smaller than a laptop. The radio’s exact dimensions are 277 x 164 x 44 mm. This makes the H-501x of a size that could be transported in a backpack easily enough. It is also a very good size for a radio that could sit in the shack, the office, sitting room or your kitchen. Big is Beautiful Latest Products The quality of sound, the tone and the loudness all ensure that the radio can be placed in any room in the house and be heard clearly and pleasantly, without distortion. It is a case of ‘big is beautiful’ – certain- Pages of new gear from the major manufacturers The Tecsun H-501x Deluxe Shortwave Radio Chrissy Brand puts the highly-anticipated Tecsun H-501x receiver through its paces during a trip to Portugal, appreciating both the technical performance and the unique design philosophy of this new radio. ly in terms of its robustness, the generously sized display read-out, and because of the benefit of having space to accommodate two good speakers. Maybe it is just me, but the tan-coloured, leatherette carry case is reminiscent of a men’s grooming set or women’s vanity case from yesteryear. It has a reassuring look of quality and a touch of luxury, especially when compared to the pouches that come with smaller, cheaper portable radios. The receiver fitted very neatly into the small suitcase I took away with me, wellprotected by rolled up clothes and a beach towel. The case itself would give protection enough on its own though. I did rather want to carry the radio around in Manchester Airport with me, as I was feel- Why not visit our new online bookshop at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/store 14 RadioUser December 2021 Whilst very much being a state-of-the-art contemporary radio, the Tecsun H-501x does also have a reassuring ‘retro’ feel about it. I showed it to product designer Tim Sutton-Brand, who was impressed with the radio’s functionality and design; he also commented that it had a boxy, classic1980s design vibe, appearance-wise. The two speakers, the layout of buttons and dials and the shape all reminded me a little of some of the 1990s Grundig Satellit receivers, and maybe even some of the first short wave receivers that I used, back in the 1980s. I must emphasise, however, that l consider this to be a positive thing. The five control knobs consist of a trio of volume, bass and treble on the left front and side of the receiver. A fine-tuning dial and a larger regular tuning dial sit on the right-hand side. I always wonder if this standard design implementation ever causes problems for left-handed users? The dials give the user an incredibly tactile experience and are made to a high standard. I simply wanted to turn them with my thumbs all the time – such is their ease of use, enticing you to explore just a little further, gliding along whichever band you happen to be on. This is surely a DXer’s delight! The rubberised surface on the side of the two tuning dials enable you to quickly spin along the bands, whilst the more robust, metal, ribbed dials, accessed from the front of the receiver, emphasise that you are in control and are driving this set. Of course, you can enter any frequency by using the keypad, too. The LCD display is of a substantial size, large enough to see from a distance and, when close-up, does not require my middleaged eyes to use reading glasses (which I have to resort to on many radios). The Listening Experience The long wave band is found more easily than on some radios, as it is clearly marked: Just press the medium wave/long wave button and there it is, you ‘zap’ between the two bands. It is also simple to scroll through each of the short wave bands by pressing the + or – keys. You can store station frequencies in the memory to your heart’s content. There are 3150 presets you can use, and which are separated over 25 memory pages. This enables the storage of 100 FM stations, 100 on medium wave, 100 on long wave (not that there are more than 40 or so long wave stations), 250 on short wave, 100 on SSB, and 100 on synchronous detection. The tone can be beautiful, although is slightly dependent on the station heard. This is where the two speakers, bass and treble controls are welcome and enhance the listening experience. The speakers produce a very good timbre, and I found there to be no distortion, even when turned to full volume. I turned the volume up to the maximum while listening to Beatriz Rosario on the local FM station, Radio Portimão (106.5MHz). The singer, who takes the Portuguese musical genre of Fado to a new, alternative level, sounded as if she could have been on the apartment balcony with me. The rap music of Carlão, a middle-aged Angolan singer, had a fresh urgency with all the musicians involved on the track Os Tais, being heard in equally fine voice. As well as music, jingles, news and features all sounded crisp and clear on FM. I even enjoyed listening to advertisements, for once. Short wave was, of course, dependent on propagation. Tuning to 13740kHz at 1845 UTC one evening, I enjoyed a Radio France International broadcast, in French. An all 5 SINPO helped the song Tala n’dile, by Ariel Sheney featuring DJ Arafat, sound great. BBC World Service, from the Woofferton transmitter back in the UK, on 13660kHz at 1800 UTC sounded excellent, and just up the dial, American evangelism was coming in loud and clear from World Christian Broadcasting from the Madagascar transmitter, on 13670kHz. Meanwhile, the medium wave was dominated each night by many powerful Spanish stations. As you would expect of any quality radio, there is a gentle fade away of the signal when you push the red on/off button. This bids a gentle adieu to the singers or presenters you have been engaged with and is always preferable to an abrupt cut-off. For the latest news and product reviews, visit www.radioenthusiast.co.uk 15 December 2021 RadioUser Editor’s Shack Getting to grips with the ATS-20 SI4732 receiver HISTORY Farewell to a Popular Museum DIGITAL We Review The Collingwood Hertitage Collection and how its loss is a sad day for radio history New hybrid radio from Germany with a range of recording options and networking funtionalities the Telstar DIRA M 6i Display until 30th December 2021 2021 Aerial Review ● Coastal Radio Stations ● Moonraker Vertical Antenna ● 9/11 Radio Comms Take out a digital subscription today https://pktmags.com/ru-subs-2022 This DSP Noice Can In-Line Mo celling dule Worth £159 What’s new December TECSUN H-5 01x world of radio News We test this highly anticip to see how ated receiver practical it is on your trav els New Med ia the app 0 UTC progra . 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Rad d .co.uk. ioUser (Source: nts, which were two amendmen use Each and Inte rnet Radi o CITIES AND MEMO RY Late st Products New Nev The Tat ecsunada Radio: DAB-1 19X Pages of new gear from the major manu facturers Telephone lines are open Monday to Friday 8am – 6pm and Saturdays 9am – 5pm Radio N HISTOR For the TI ON UNSPL ASH thewTel us star DIR New hybridon Face A M 6i bo ok with a rang radio from Germ @ any ra di oe nt RadioUser June 2022 ● latest news and pro duct rev 11 SPOLE Editor’s Sha ck Fo llo ● 007 News. indd ZO DIGITAL We Review m The Collingw Collection ood Hertitage and is a sad day how its loss for radio histo ry ● LOREN Getting to grips ATS-20 SI473 with the 2 receiver ews Y Far a Popular ewell to Museu 6 in the Fig. 1: CBC dec has ade aire s; Bob Citie d Quir s McD ks ona its fieldand Mem ld is & Quarks ory the reco Fig. proj for hos ect 3: Trop rdings t. Fig. many add Sey and ing ical che visions musical short 2: The lles Fig. wav outp 4: This Broadca and e to ut. aud Pitt io from explore autumn, sting Cor pora the War hidd en gem da Imra tion. Sun n and day s for on the s at 100 Mad Deu elai tsch ne e Wel broadc BBC Sou 0 and le. 180 nds ast www.radi oenthusia st.co.uk S! ES PR OP ST PREFER PAPER? Have the magazine posted direct to your door each month. To find our latest subscription offers please visit https://bit.ly/ru-sub22 or call 01778 395161 2021 £4.9 9 iews, visit w hu si as ts an d Tw itt er @ RE nt hu si as Colin Butle ts with adop Podcast). r | ICQ Amat ted. eur / Ham Radio ts 21 11/1 1/20 21 11:4 0 What’s new in the world of radio News Radio Currents Have you got something new to tell our readers about? If so, then drop a line to wiessala@hotmail.com OP ST S! ES PR Nevada: AOR DV10 Scanning Receivers Nevada Radio has just received the latest shipment of the AOR DV10 scanning receivers, now with Firmware Version 2203A. This firmware has many improvements over previous versions and +enhances the performance of the radio significantly. Pictured is Gav Clark, who decided to visit Nevada/ Waters & Stanton in person at the Portsmouth warehouse to collect his new radio. www.nevada.co.uk www.nevadaradio.co.uk www.hamradiostore.co.uk www.mahaenergy.co.uk BDXC: Broadcasts in English (A22) Published in May, the BDXC Broadcasts in English guide covers the A22 Schedules. Broadcasts in English is compiled by BDXC’s Dave Kenny. It includes details of all known international broadcasts in English on short wave and medium wave for the current schedule period, as well as selected domestic English-language broadcasts on short wave. The 24-page booklet comes in a handy timeorder throughout and covers all target areas worldwide. Transmitter sites are included, where possible, along with schedules for Media & Mailbag Programmes and Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) services in English. This is compiled by Dave Kenny with thanks also for help from Alan Roe, Rumen Pankov and Tony Rogers. Details: UK £3, Europe £4 or €6, Rest of World £5 or $8. Please send orders (UK cheques/ Postal Orders payable to “British DX Club”) to British DX Club, 19 Park Road, Shoreham-by-Sea, BN43 6PF (payment in cash [$ or €] or PayPal only). All prices above include postage. PayPal payments to: bdxc@bdxc.org.uk Payments are also welcome by bank transfer at no extra cost . Please e-mail for details: (SOURCE: BDXC | Chrissy Brand). http://bdxc.org.uk/bie.html Global Radio Guide (GRG) Summer 2022 The GRG for this summer is now out (4th May 2022). During times of crisis, radio hobbyists turn on their radios and tune to the short wave ‘global’ radio bands for context, perspective, and insight into events from around the globe. With the Russian-Ukrainian war raging on and tensions continuing to rise in other world hotspots, radio hobbyists are still following the latest news from the front lines using short wave broadcasts and other radio services. The world has held its breath during the Russian invasion of Ukraine as images of the human suffering of war have brought back old memories and old fears from years gone by. Just like these events have brought up once buried feelings, it has also brought what many thought to be ‘old’ technology back to the forefront [...] (SOURCE: Teak Publishing, via David Harris). https://www.teakpublishing.com For the latest news and product reviews, visit www.radioenthusiast.co.uk June 2022 RadioUser 7 News What’s new in the world of radio discusses ways to increase the chances of coming across our overseas members on air. Although the association is interested in the history and traditions of amateur radio it is equally involved with the future of the hobby, and it has plenty of members using the latest equipment and modes of transmission. To find out more write to: RAOTA Membership Secretary, 65 Montgomery Street, Hove, East Sussex BN3 5BE. Visit the website at www.raota.org NEWS FROM RAOTA JUST OUT: The Summer 2022 Edition of the quarterly RAOTA magazine (OTNews) has been sent to the printers and the RAOTA audio version reader. The aim is that both printed and audio versions arrive with members at the same time. The issue covers an aerial made by G3ZPF back in 1982 called the Winfield Wonder Wire. This is, basically, an 84ft doublet, named after a roll of Woolworth’s ‘own-brand’ bell-wire. Probably not the best material to use, but it was put up to replace its predecessor, which was overcome by the weather. Despite its ‘uninspiring’ construction, the aerial achieved 5- band DXCC by 1982; and, despite being only 25ft in the air, managed to work ZL on 80m (admittedly, just once). W3WEG continues his ‘Antenna Chronicles’ series, and this 3rd part is entitled The Melted Matchbox. G4GHU continues his series of cartoons, and G3ZPF presents useful weblinks, covering the design and use of baluns/chokes, includin one for the 1937 issue of the Jones Antenna Handbook. Its contents are still relevant today because the laws of physics are unchanged. G3RZP provides an overview of the Reflex Klystron and VK6 and offers an article with the intriguing title of The WS17 Searchlight Radio. GW3XJQ describes a get-together of some of our Welsh members, and G4JCP discusses the impact of computers on our hobby. BTW: Some think that you need to have been licensed for 25 years to join RAOTA, but you do not. Anyone with an active interest in amateur radio is welcome to become a member. There is no need to hold (or be qualified to hold) an amateur radio licence. We have several SWLs in our ranks. RAOTA is based in the UK but has a growing overseas membership now, including one in Tahiti (!) With HF conditions on the rise, G3ZPF RSGB RADCOM TECHNICAL EDITOR: The RSGB is recruiting a RadCom Technical Editor. Reporting to the Managing Editor, the successful candidate will: Commission articles and liaise with authors on their articles; Work closely with the expert volunteers on the RSGB Technical Forum; Subedit copy sent in by contributors and regular columnists; Help to guide the content of RadCom Basics and RadCom Plus supplements with their editors; Be part of the team that puts together GB2RS Answer member queries on technical and licensing matters; Help develop the entire coordinated RadCom portfolio, including exploiting new media opportunities; You must be positive, enthusiastic about technology and have an excellent command of English, possess a good eye for detail and be able to work to exacting standards, often under pressure; A wide range of radio and electronic knowledge is required, including amateur radio. This staff position is based at RSGB headquarters near Bedford, although an element of working from home could be discussed. The salary is negotiable, depending upon relevant qualifications and experience. For more detailed information about the role and how to apply, see the careers page on the RSGB website: www.rsgb.org/careers SIMON MAYO RECEIVES MBE: Broadcaster Simon Mayo was awarded an MBE in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace in May. Mayo received his medal from Prince William, at the Palace yesterday after being included in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list last year for his services to broadcasting and charity. When the award was announced last June, Simon commented: “I have to admit I am gobsmacked. Totally speechless. Which is a poor show for a broadcaster really. I feel very fortunate and privileged to have some of the best and most loyal listeners out there. And all I can promise Greatest Hits Radio and Scala listeners is that we’ll keep the shows coming, that they’ll be as good as ever but now with an extra gong!” (SOURCE: ontheradio) https://tinyurl.com/mt4vpscn XIEGU GNR1: Digital Noise Reductionand Audio Filtering Nevada Radio and Waters & Stanton are pleased to announce a new Digital Audio Filter from XIEGU. The XIEGU GNR1 incorporates both Audio Digital noise reduction and Audio digital filtering. It will effectively reduce background noise, improve the signal-to-noise ratio and make received voice transmissions clearer and more intelligible. The unit will work with both HF and VHF/UHF radios to give a big improvement in reception. The device has independent adjustments of both input and output levels to work with both headphones and an external speaker, giving up to 3W audio output. XIEGU also produce a matching 3W Speaker (model GY03), which is available for the Digital Audio Filter for £39.95. The XIEGU XRN1 sells for £229.95 from Nevada or Waters& Stanton. www.nevadaradio.co.uk www.hamradiostore.co.uk https://tinyurl.com/3apak2ee AN-SOF 7.10: Now available for Download A new, and further improved, version of the AN-SOF antenna simulation software suite is now available. Among the new and improved features, the firm has emphasised the following: Access the input impedance and VSWR easily by going to ‘main menu > Results’. This avoids selecting the segment where the source is located to access the input impedance. NEC designs of antennas over real ground can now be imported directly into AN-SOF, through the ‘GN’ command. The complete real-ground description can also be exported to an NEC file. The ‘GN’ command can be exported to a Scilab .sce file to develop scripts and run bulk simulations. Among these improvements, the makers have also fixed some bugs reported by users. Those subscribed to an ‘update-plan’ will soon receive the link to download AN-SOF 7.10. If you are interested in progressing to the latest AN-SOF release, please do not hesitate to contact the developer to receive a special quote [...]. (SOURCE: Louis Bergman | Keith Rawlings) Enter our competitions at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/competitions 8 RadioUser June 2022 News What’s new in the world of radio OP ST S! ES PR New in @ Moonraker SHARMAN MD-3500 SLIDER 80-6m (3.5-50MHZ) Mobile Antenna The MD-3500 is an excellent choice for temporary field operations covering 80 metres to 6 metres. Handling up to 130W, this antenna is at home with any HF radio for portable operation. The antenna uses a PL259 mount so you can use this on your existing car mount. Resonance is achieved by sliding the antenna for minimum SWR. The technical specifications are as follows: Frequency: 3.5-30/50MHz Band Max. Power Rating: 130W (SSB) Impedance: 50Ω Length: approx. 2.6m (max.) Connector: PL259 Type: 1/4 wave reduced type (HF Band), 1/4 wave (50MHz). SHARMAN HLP-270 Dual Band (2 & 70) Halo Aerial Moonraker are happy to announce a new dual-band Halo aerial is a super lightweight Half Wave Dipole Square Loop Antenna. Its key features and specifications are as follows: High gain, mounted horizontally Frequency: 140 - 150/ 400 - 470 MHz Gain: 4 dB(VHF) / 5 dB(UHF) VSWR: =<1.5 Max. Power: 800 watts Impedance: 50Ω Weight: 0.36kg Connector: SO-239 (UHF) Dimensions: 11 x 11 in (28 x 28 cm). (Source: Moonraker) https://tinyurl.com/2p8k8fvn https://tinyurl.com/2fb8hjun RADIO AMATEURS TO COMMEMORATE AMELIA EARHART’S TRANSATLANTIC FLIGHT: Radio amateurs in Londonderry and Kansas will be on the air to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the transatlantic crossing by pioneering aviator Amelia Earhart. GB0AEL will be active between 13th and 30th May 2022. The North West Group amateur radio club station MN0NWG will host the activation on most dates throughout the event, and will also be active (on the weekend of 21st May 2022) from the field, in which Amelia touched down on her epic flight . https://www.qrz.com/db/GB0AEL KC0VYS will be on the air from the Amelia Earhart Memorial Airport, starting at 1500 CDT (2100 GMT) on May 20th and ending at 1000 CDT (1500 GMT) on the 21st. https://www.qrz.com/db/KC0VYS (SOURCE: ICQ Amateur/ Ham Radio Podcast) THE ARIA AWARDS: BBC, Bauer, and Local Radio Hits Radio has won the UK Station or Network of the Year award at the Audio and Radio Industry Awards 2022. Elsewhere at Bauer, The Dave Berry Breakfast Show won Best Music Breakfast Show; The John Myers Award for Best Local Station of the Year went to Clyde 1. The BBC took home 12 Gold awards in total, with Radio 4 claiming the first spot in six categories – the Today Programme for Best News Coverage; Woman’s Hour’s Emma Barnett for Best Speech Presenter; The Skewer for The Comedy Award; The Nazi Next Door for Best Factual – Single Programme; Little Blue Lines for Best Fictional Storytelling, and Woman’s Hour: Trafficked in Plain Sight for The Impact Award. Other BBC winners included Radio 1Xtra for Best Station Sound, the last Radio 1 Dance Party with Annie Mac for Best Music Entertainment Show, and BBC Three Counties’ Justin Dealey for Best Local Radio Show. News UK took home one Gold award for talkSPORT’s marketing. (SOURCES: Industry Press | Bauer | BBC | RadioToday | ontheradio) admin@radiotoday.co.uk https://tinyurl.com/23ysd2u9 For the latest news and product reviews, visit www.radioenthusiast.co.uk June 2022 RadioUser 9 News What’s new in the world of radio RUSSIAN STRIKE ON KYIV KILLS REPORTER VIRA HYRYCH: A journalist working for Radio Liberty in Ukraine was killed in Russian rocket strikes on Kyiv on Thursday evening, the station has confirmed. Vira Hyrych was at home when a rocket hit the residential building where she lived in the capital, it says. Her body was pulled from the wreckage on Friday. “She will be remembered for her professionalism and dedication to our mission”, the US-funded station says. Kyiv was hit as UN Secretary-General António Guterres was visiting the city. The UN chief – who only a day earlier had held talks in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin – said he was “shocked” by the Russian attack. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused the Kremlin of trying to humiliate the UN, while Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said the Russian leader had shown “his middle finger” to Mr Guterres. Moscow has confirmed it hit Ukrainian targets but has not commented on the strike on the building. “We are deeply saddened by the death of our Ukrainian Service staffer Vira Hyrych in Kyiv overnight” Radio Liberty President Jamie Fly said in a statement. “We are shocked and angered by the senseless nature of her death at home in a country and city she loved. Her memory will inspire our work in Ukraine and beyond for years to come.” Read the full story on the webpages, below: (SOURCE: BBC News | SWLing Post) https://tinyurl.com/2n9hkyyw https://tinyurl.com/ykuwfay5 MOBILE APP AVAILABLE TO NAVIGATE 2022 DAYTON HAMVENTION: Dayton Hamvention® is offering a free mobile app for smartphones and tablets to help attendees navigate the large-scale event, which runs from the 20th to the 22nd of May 2022 at the Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center in Xenia, Ohio. The app, which was introduced in 2019, is offered in a collaborative effort with ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio®. The free ARRL Events app is now available and already includes Hamvention’s full program, so attendees can browse and schedule forums, find affiliated events, and preview the extensive list of exhibitors. During the event, attendees can use other app features to follow the hourly prize drawd populated by the Dayton Hamvention Prize Committee and browse building and site maps. Attendees are also encouraged to tap on the MyProfile icon in the app to add their name and callsign, email address, and any additional information they would like to share with other Hamvention guests. Additionally, the MyBadge icon displays a QR code of your event badge that can be scanned by another attendee or exhibitor using the Scan Badge icon – instantly connecting shared contact information with other hams at the event. The app is available for Apple and Android smart devices; you can also access the web browser version, which is optimised for nearly any browser or other type of mobile device. Visit your app store to download the app (search “ARRL Events”) or access the links available on the ARRL EXPO web page. (SOURCE: Colin Butler | ICQ Amateur / Ham Radio Podcast [info@icqpodcast.com]) https://tinyurl.com/2zypcwcw GOVERNMENT IGNORES RADIO IN NEW BROADCASTING WHITE PAPER: The DCMS is to issue a new Broadcasting White Paper to protect British content on television and online but fails to extend any new rules to radio. Plans have been announced to better protect viewers of video-on-demand services from harmful content, with Ofcom to rule on new content standards, and given new regulatory powers over online content. Radiocentre was expecting the brief to give protection to radio from tech platforms but the commercial radio body says our medium has been ignored. In a statement, the Government said: “TV and radio lovers will enjoy a new golden age of programming as the government updates decades-old broadcasting regulations to give the UK’s vital public service system a deal fit for the streaming age.” In response, Radiocentre commented: “We are incredibly disappointed that the recommendations from the DCMS Digital Radio and Audio Review, and the joint representations that the BBC and the commercial radio sector have made, asking for radio to be protected from tech platforms, have been ignored by the Government. Whilst the White Paper heralds a new golden age of British TV, commercial radio and BBC radio are being left in the cold. It is disappointing that the Government recognises the importance of this legislation for Television but not for Radio, putting the radio industry at a disadvantage over the television industry. We understand that the government has reneged on its commitment to protecting BBC radio and commercial radio broadcasters. We hope that DCMS will now work with the Government to ensure that prominence rules for radio are promptly legislated.” Separately, the government has today published its response to the Digital Radio and Audio Review. DCMS says the government will continue to engage with the radio industry to gain a better understanding of the policies and practices of smart speaker platforms, to ensure the UK has the best possible regime to allow radio to continue to reach its listeners well into the future. The White Paper does mention the future of regulation for commercial radio, saying it is keen to update current rules on where radio is made and what music it has to play. As soon as parliamentary time allows, the government will look at removing the outdated ‘character-ofservice’ requirements, which could bring more networking on-air and offer different ways a station could provide local news. (SOURCE: National and Industry Press | BBC | Radiocentre | RadioToday) https://tinyurl.com/234zkhx6 EXTENDING DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME COULD HURT AM RADIO (USA): The idea of making Daylight Saving Time (DST) a permanent fixture has been broadly discussed before but when the US Senate adopted a bill to make it the law of the land recently, broadcast industry representatives quickly jumped up to protest. The aptly named Sunshine Protection Act would extend DST Time in the United States year-round but could have damaging programming and technical implications for many AM broadcasters. The outlook for the legislation in the U.S. House was unclear, as of early April. For 80 years most Americans have observed the tradition of resetting their clocks in Spring and Autumn. Reverting to Standard Time during winter months has benefitted AM broadcasters operating only during daylight hours and those with restricted night-time coverage. The time shift allows earlier sign-on and full-power operating times. However, a change towards extending DST would impact the critical AM morning drive time on those stations and potentially hurt revenue generated by morning shows. Those stations would benefit from later sign-off times in November, December, January and February, but not enough to offset getting short-changed on the morning drive, according to some AM owners. Read the full story at the URL below: (SOURCE: RADIOWORLD [USA] April 2022) https://tinyurl.com/3r4dt2vy Enter our competitions at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/competitions 10 RadioUser June 2022 What’s new in the world of radio TONGA ERUPTION MADE WAVES IN EARTH’S IONOSPHERE: The volcanic eruption of the South Pacific Ocean’s Hunga Tonga– Hunga Ha‘apai, in January 2022, unleashed a colossal amount of energy—equivalent to around 4–18 megatons of TNT, according to a preliminary estimate by NASA scientists. The underwater volcano’s explosion triggered 15-meter-high tsunami waves that battered the islands of Tonga, causing widespread destruction and at least three deaths. The blast also extended upward—atmospheric waves produced by the eruption rippled through the ionosphere. To track the travelling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs) as they propagated across the planet, Themens et al. analysed data from a network of more than 4,735 Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers. The team detected two large-scale TIDs (LSTIDs) generated from the eruption, with wavelengths greater than 1,600 km (almost 1,000 miles). One had an initial speed of about 950 meters per second, which is nearly 3 times the speed of sound at Earth’s surface and close to the speed of sound in the ionosphere. The LSTIDs exhibited strong directionality—the initial wave was the dominant wave response at Hawaii to the northeast, but it was barely detectable near Australia and to the west […]. (SOURCE: Geophysical Research Letters | EoS) https://tinyurl.com/2p8sdsk4 RADIO STATIONS MUST BE PROTECTED ON SMART SPEAKERS, SAY MPS: A cross-party group of parliamentarians has backed calls for legislation to be introduced to guarantee access to UK radio stations on digital platforms like smart speakers in future. At a reception in the House of Commons on Wednesday 27th April, hosted by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Commercial Radio, news teams from across the UK joined MPs and Peers to discuss the important role that they play in delivering news to the 37 million listeners that tune in to commercial radio every week. The event was hosted by Andy Carter MP, Chair of the APPG on Commercial Radio and former Managing Director of GMG Radio. Attendees included Julia Lopez MP, Minister for Media, Data and Digital Infrastructure, Julian Knight MP, Chair of the DCMS Select Committee, and Baroness Tina Stowell, Chair of the Communications and Digital Committee. Andy Carter MP highlighted a recent report from the APPG on Commercial Radio, The Future of Radio, which provided several recommendations to the Government to secure the future of the industry, including the need to ensure prominence, access and availability of UK radio services online […]. (SOURCE: RadioToday | BBC News) https://tinyurl.com/yc36jmc8 TUNEIN REMOVES UK STATIONS FROM ITS PLATFORM: TuneIn has begun to remove some UK radio stations from its platform over a court ruling about music licensing, including non-music stations. In a recent change, the obligation to confirm the licensing status of individual stations now falls on TuneIn, under a court order. This means a removal notification has been sent to radio stations that are not on a recent database provided by PRS and PPL. Radio stations that do not require licenses from PRS and PPL, such as speech stations, have News also been removed with no further explanation. In an email to stations, TuneIn said: “In the light of that court ruling, and out of an abundance of caution, TuneIn has implemented procedures to prohibit access from within the UK to any broadcast simulcast or Internet-only stations that have not been confirmed to be licensed by PPL and PRS for Music in the UK.” TuneIn further stated that it is working with representatives of copyright owners to confirm the licensing status of individual stations. Those stations for which TuneIn has received confirmed licensed status to transmit in the UK can be made available to TuneIn users in the UK. TuneIn adds that if a station owner believes that its station is fully licensed, then the station owner should contact Warner and Sony or their agents (e.g. PPL) so that they can confirm for TuneIn the licensed status of a station. (SOURCE: 24 hours in radio with Wisebuddah | eRadio with Broadcast Bionics) https://tinyurl.com/3uyzdmz3 https://bionics.co.uk UKRAINE & THE FALKLANDS: On the Invasion of Ukraine, and the strength of Short Wave, check out the Waters and Stanton Video Channel: “We examine the possible advantages of short wave communication when the established communications systems are blown up.” – Furthermore, regarding the Falklands War and SW (1982), see the resource at Waters & Stanton: “Ham Radio Operator hears the invasion new from the Falklands.” (SOURCE: Bob Houlston G4PVB). www.tinyurl.com/2hefu29b www.tinyurl.com/3yts56rd For the latest news and product reviews, visit www.radioenthusiast.co.uk June 2022 RadioUser 11 News What’s new in the world of radio SOFTWARE-DEFINED RADIOS SELECTED : The U.S. Air Force has selected BAE Systems, with support from FlexRadio, to provide software-defined radios for its Airborne High-Frequency Radio Modernization (AHFRM) program. The contract, which has a value of $176 million, provides a secure alternative to satellite communication methods. “Our airborne radios are scalable and designed for open architecture applications, making them a solution that’s ready for the Air Force’s future needs,” said Dave Logan, vice president and general manager of C4ISR Solutions at BAE Systems. “The evolving capabilities of threats in the modern battlefield call for an extensible, modernized anti-jam solution, which our product provides.” The AHFRM solution maintains over-the-horizon communications while defeating jamming from potential threats in a drop-in compatible radio design that maximizes FlexRadio’s commercial off-theshelf technology. Its scalability, modularity, and capacity provisions for future modernization needs and adjacent operational requirements. BAE Systems design manufacture, and supply ‘mission-critical’ communication systems for the U.S. Department of Defense, allied governments, and large defence aircraft manufacturers. The company has secure, battle-proven, communications solutions installed on a broad range of military airborne platforms. AHFRM development will take place at BAE Systems’ state-of-the-art facility in Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA. (SOURCES: BAE: via Keith Rawlings) keith@recelectronics.co.uk I NTERNET ARCHIVE: Internet Archive is a non-profit library of millions of free books, movies, software, music, websites, and more. Visit the link below, scroll down a little to Internet Archive, enter the title of the resource you are interested in e.g. HackSpace Magazine exactly as I have shown; then select the radio button ‘Search metadata’ or ‘Search text contents’ then press ‘GO’. Toggle the F11 key for a full screen view and try experimenting by using the ‘Advanced Search’ option. (SOURCE: Bob Houlston G4PVB) https://archive.org NEW ISSUE OF RAILS AND RADIO: BRARS (the British Railways Amateur Radio Society) is delighted to report that the first issue of its new look Rails and Radio magazine was very well received; the next issue (April 2022) has now been published and posted to every BRARS member. The April issue covers a variety of topics including a tour of Bennerley Viaduct (a prominent railway landmark that survived a Zeppelin raid and railway closures and is now a footpath and cycle path), a visit to three model railway exhibitions, a look at the front cover of the first Newsletter and the start of preparations for the BRARS AGM later this year. As usual, the publication contains features on: President’s Viewpoint, Chairman’s Chat, Secretary’s Scribblings, Membership Secretary’s Topics, and Publicity and Social Media Report. The editorial team is now hard at work preparing the July issue for publication. The team can be contacted at the e-mail address below. Membership of BRARS is open to anyone interested in any aspect of amateur radio (whether licensed or listener) and in any aspect of railways (by which we mean any rail transport including trams, miniature railways, model railways and such like). For more information about BRARS, please contact the membership secretary, Richard Waterman G4KRW, 170 Station Road, Mickleover, Derby, DE3 9FJ. (SOURCE: Ian Brothwell G4EAN) membership@brars.info editor@brars.info www.BRARS.info ‘VERTICAL FREEDOM’: NATE, in collaboration with Storybuilt Media, has created a featurelength documentary titled Vertical Freedom, which highlights the professional and personal lives of six communications infrastructure workers in the United States. Throughout the film, these cellular and broadcast tower climbers share what compels and excites them about their line of work. Plus, “how to overcome everyday danger to connect us all.” Ky Nguyen is just one of the climbers featured in the film. He has worked with RIO Steel and Tower out of Alvarado, Texas for the last 10 years. After the ‘Great Recession’, Nguyen wanted to move away from his job in construction and — while he is skilled at his craft now — he was initially hired onto the tower communication service’s team with zero experience. “I started as a climber and then just kept working my way up,” he said. “Then I became foreman and began project managing. I’m one of those types of guys where, if you want it done a certain way, you have to be with them, showing them, leading by example – so I’m climbing every day.” (SOURCE: RADIOWORLD Engineering Extra, Smart Brief). https://tinyurl.com/2wp7efsc Enter our competitions at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/competitions 12 RadioUser June 2022 News What’s new in the world of radio SHORT WAVE RADIO AUDIO ARCHIVE: The The Shortwave Radio Audio Archive (SRAA) is a collection of short wave radio recordings that you can download or listen to as a podcast. The collection grows every day and includes both historic recordings and current recordings from the short wave radio spectrum. The goal of this site is for short wave radio enthusiasts to have a place to store, archive and share their radio recordings with the world. (SOURCE: Shortwave Radio Audio Archive | ICQ Amateur / Ham Radio Podcast [info@ icqpodcast.com]) https://shortwavearchive.com HANDLEY PAGE VICTOR MEMORIES: Bob Houlston writes, “The picture of the Handley Page Victor, Cold War bomber, from David Smith (RadioUser, April 2022: 20) brought back fond memories for me. As a young boy, I was a pupil at Mandeville Junior School, St Albans which was just a half-mile or so from Handley Page where they would test the engines of the Victor. The noise was so extreme that all lessons had to stop. Later, as a teenager, I joined the Air Training Corps and went to RAF St Athan for a week where the similar delta wing Avro Vulcan was maintained and where the flight refuelling squadron was based. You can see what is seemingly the fight refuelling tube on the top of the Victor (RadioUser, April 2022: 20) We cadets were invited to stand on the flight deck of a stationary Vulcan and experience the vibrations while the staff revved up the engines...wicked! Seemingly, the Victor had the wings high on the fuselage and the Vulcan had the wings low on the fuselage.” Check out this YouTube video: V Bombers - Vulcan, Victor & Valiant - The Last British Bombers: (SOURCE: Bob Houlston G4PVB, Volunteer Correspondent) www.tinyurl.com/2kurdhm6 RADIO 1 HAPPY AND RADIO 2 90S LAUNCHING ON BBC SOUNDS: Twelve new ‘Back-to-Back-Sounds’ are launching on BBC Sounds, including Radio 1 Happy and Radio 2 90s. They will be joined by The Reset, Amplified, Total Rewind, Rap Unlocked, Artist Icons, PreParty, Pop Right Now, Charged Up, Soothing Sleep and Radio 1 Anthems. Launching from today and over the coming weeks, the twelve different Back To Back Sounds are organised by genre, artist, theme or occasion. They feature the latest programmes from across BBC radio stations interwoven with new commissions, hosted by popular artists. At Radio 1 Happy, Katie Thistleton guides listeners through hours of mood-boosting music and topical themes, bringing joy throughout the day. And Radio 2 90s will bring listeners a nostalgia-drenched celebration of the best music and pop culture from the 90s, featuring The Original with Fearne Cotton as well as brand new shows including Alt 90s with Dermot O’Leary […]. 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For the latest news and product reviews, visit www.radioenthusiast.co.uk June 2022 RadioUser 13 Book Review David Harris mydogisfinn@gmail.com On David Harris’s desk, this month is a radio presenter’s autobiography, which is also a sensitive treatment of mental health, and social and historical issues. Justin Webb (b.1961) is a presenter for the BBC Radio 4 Today programme. He joined the BBC as a graduate trainee in 1984 and worked as a foreign correspondent in Europe and the USA. This book is an autobiography covering the first 18 years of his life. It is also a meditation on mental illness, safeguarding children and growing up in a dysfunctional family. Justin was born to Gloria Crocombe who was a single parent. His natural father, with whom Gloria had a brief affair, was the BBC newsreader, Peter Woods (1930 -1995) who took no part in his upbringing. Justin’s grandfather was Leonard Crocombe, the first editor of the Radio Times (from 1923 to 1926). The book is roughly divided into two parts – up to 11 years when the author lived with his mother and step-father in Bath, and 11 -18 when he attends a Quaker boarding school. In 1964, Justin’s mother married Charles, an accountant with severe mental health issues. Charles had a personality disorder and heard voices. However, he was treated with medication and managed to remain at work. Justin relates his step-father’s obsession with the security of his garage: New garage doors were frequently replaced at considerable expense and were secured with enormous padlocks. He also tried to kill himself by overdosing. His mother came from an upper-class background and was also a troubled person. Justin describes her search for meaning in life, in which she embraced many of the fashionable cults of the sixties and seventies such as Maoism, Hippiedom, Quakerism and Marxism. She also worked to promote Amnesty International and the CND. Justin found solace in his early life with “Justin was an only child and he enjoyed listening to Radio 1 and also to Radio 4” Leaping over the Barriers of Loneliness The Gift of a Radio. My Childhood and other Trainwrecks Justin Webb. 2022. Doubleday. 246 pp, Hbk. £16.99. ISBN 9780857527721 www.penguin.co.uk his radio, an ITT Tiny Super KB. This radio was launched in 1971 and offered Long Wave, Medium Wave and FM. It is still well regarded and has been offered on eBay recently for around £20. https://tinyurl.com/238wnz4v The author states that, “Radio connects as nothing else does. It leaps over the barriers of loneliness” (p. 16). Justin was an only child and he enjoyed listening to Radio 1 and also to Radio 4, which may have given him some idea about a future career. The first 11 years of Justin’s life seem relatively normal, given his challenging domestic situation. He went on coach trips with his mother and enjoyed playing with his train set. At the age of 11, his life changed completely when he was sent away to Sidcot Quaker boarding school in Winscombe, Somerset. He remains there until he is 18 and completed his A levels. Justin’s description of life at Sidcot reminded me of Charles Dickens’ novel, Nicholas Nickleby, in which Nicholas is sent to Dotheboys Hall in Yorkshire. This is a school where unwanted children were sent and ill-treated by the owner. Justin experienced some comfort from his radio and enjoyed listening to rock music, especially Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Free. He describes the ‘Victorian’ conditions he lived in, especially the poor food and the lack of safeguarding of children in that era. He mentions that the school had a Caving Club, in which children could go off exploring caves and potholes with no adult supervision. There was also widespread bullying. As Justin got older he became part of the hierarchy in the closed society that is a boarding school. Justin is modest about his academic achievements but he passes 3 “A” Levels which enables him to get a place at the London School of Economics (LSE). He was encouraged to write by his mother and also may have inherited journalism skills from both his natural father and grandfather. He grew up reading The Guardian; his stepfather, who died in 1980, received two copies every day. The book ends with an account of a gap year spent working in a factory, a budget bus trip to Greece which nearly ended in tragedy with a fatal crash and his acceptance at the LSE. Throughout this book, Justin makes some valuable remarks about mental illness and the need to safeguard children. He writes of the 1970s as a period of constant industrial strife, shortages and general squalor. This is at odds with my own memories of this period, which I then saw as one of greater opportunities, tremendous music and liberalisation of what had been a very repressive country. Maybe Justin will want to write the next volume of his autobiography soon – perhaps covering his years at the LSE and the first 20 years of his career at the BBC. See our great book and magazine offers at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/store 14 RadioUser June 2022 Visit our Book Store at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk by pP ubl icat ions , The M altings, West Stre et, B our ne, Lin cs IVE H C R A 1 2 20 ne ed G rs ro u .P E1 0 9 PH W ar RADIO ENTHUSIAST BOOKSHOP Pub lish r 2021 RadioUse and rchive of graphs ly A F D , photo P CD is ful drawings lete ht in all blished on this whole or A comp Copyrig on pu tion in nable informati and reproduc All reaso protected ssly forbidden. User to pre by Radio part is ex ons are taken and data given ot, vice precauti t the ad iable. We cann tha re rel ensu nnot ders is d we ca d to our rea arantee it an s an r, gu it. Price howeve ponsibility for nt in 2021. curre al res se leg pt tho acce on are informati Radi oUs Archive CD 2021 Index er es om me in’ sb nd ed Bri ta t OUR PRICE £47.99 PLUS P&P SUBSCRIBER PRICE £23.99 PLUS P&P se llin gl ist en ing mag azine A d o b e A c ro b a t Read er 7 .0 a n da bo ve re c Regular Columns: Aerials Now (Keith Rawlings) ....................................... 01/53; 02/54; 03/24; 04/60; 05/56; 06/56; 07/52; 08/54; 09/60; 10/60; 11/26; 12/34 Air Shows (David Smith) ..............................................................................08/23; 09/22; 10/11; Airband News (David Smith) ......................................... 01/30; 02/30; 03/28; 04/38; 05/30; 06/30; 07/30; 08/20; 09/20; 10/20; 11/30; 12/42 Book Review (David Harris)......................................................01/18; 03/42; 04/14; 05/14; 06/14; 07/14; 08/18; 09/18;10/12; 11/15; 12/18 Digital Radio (Kevin Ryan) ............................................ 01/56; 02/57; 03/49; 04/47; 05/34; 06/44; 07/44; 08/42; 09/43; 10/41; 11/44; 12/44 Emerging Issues in Radio (Chrissy Brand) .01/20; 02/20; 03/20; 04/53; 05/10; 06/16; 07/16; 08/14; 09/14; 10/34; 11/34; 12/14 European Private Short Wave Stations ........................... 02/28; 03/23; 04/13; 05/17; 06/23; 07/12; (Stig Hartvig Nielsen) ..............................................................08/22; 09/27; 10/53; 11/43; 12/29 International Radio Scene | ........................................... 01/44; 02/46; 03/16; 04/50; 05/22; 06/47; New Media and Internet Radio ....................................... 07/48; 08/46; 09/24; 10/22; 11/20; 12/20 Maritime Matters (Robert Connolly) .............................. 01/50; 02/50; 03/60; 04/34; 05/18; 06/60; 07/60; 08/60; 09/49; 10/56; 11/60; 12/60 Publications and Resources ......................................................................... 09/12; 10/59; 11/25 Push-to-Talk | Two-Way Radio Today (Tim Kirby) ..................................04/16; 08/57; 10/28; 12/56 Radio in History (Scott Caldwell) ..............................................01/48; 02/24; 03/38; 04/40; 05/46; 07/20; 08/50; 09/40; 10/54; 11/52; 12/52 Scanning Scene | Scanning Scene Extra (see below) (Tim Kirby) .......................................... 02/60 Signals from Space (Tim Kirby) ...................................... 01/38; 03/54; 05/42; 07/56; 09/56; 11/56 TV and Radio – Past and Present .................................. 01/60; 02/38; 03/30; 04/28; 05/49; 06/51; (Keith Hamer & Garry Smith) ......................................... 07/41; 08/39; 09/37; 10/38; 11/48; 12/48 Commissioned Features: A Remarkable Feline Operator (David Smith) ....................................................................... 10/26 A Year in the Life of the BBC (Tony Smith) .......................................................................... 12/24 Amateur Radio Distance-Learning in the UK (Steve Hartley) ................................................. 05/26 Broadcasting and the Media in Afghanistan (Martín Butera)................................................. 11/16 Contemporary Brazilian Radio............................................................................................ 01/14 Education and Radio in Brazil (Martín Butera) ..................................................................... 05/60 Emergency Communications at Sea (John Periam & Geoffrey Lee) ...................................... 07/36 Fading (Part 1) (Nils Schiffhauer) ...................................................................................... 07/24 Fading (Part 2) (Nils Schiffhauer) ...................................................................................... 08/24 HMS Collingwood (Keith Rawlings) ................................................................................... 12/30 Hobby Radio in Emergencies (Peter Hyams) ....................................................................... 03/34 Low-Power Long-Range Radio (Daimon Tilley) .................................................................... 01/24 Medium Wave DXing (Scott Caldwell) ................................................................................ 06/20 Meteorological Radio: Resources and Techniques (Ed.)....................................................... 10/45 Noise Cancellations: A Beginners’ Guide (Graham Somerville) ............................................. 09/28 Oliver Lodge (Ed.) ............................................................................................................. 06/34 PanAm Global Radio (Mark Allen) ...................................................................................... 08/34 Portishead Radio Aeronautical Service (Larry Bennett) ........................................................ 01/41 PPE: Observatório Nacional, Brasil (Martín Butera).............................................................. 10/14 Radio Astronomy for Amateurs (Andrew Thomas) ..............................................................02/34 Radio Cardiff (Richard Nosworthy) ....................................................................................09/34 Raiders, Jed Sets, Gibson Girls, and Biscuit Tins (Tony Smith) .............................................05/38 RAJAR: Measuring Radio Audiences (David Harris) .............................................................02/12 Reception Reports & QDLs in the Age of Remote SDRs (Stig Hartvig Nielsen) ....................... 03/58; Scanning Memories (Anne Reed) .......................................................................................06/27 The dependable ‘Angry-9’: Workhorse of the Special Forces (Tony Smith)..............................09/46 The Wonder of the Transistor (Geoffrey Evans) ...................................................................02/42 Time Measurement and Radio (David Reynolds)..................................................................01/34 Ultra-Light DXing (Clint Gouveia) .......................................................................................11/38 Waves and the Virus (Part 1) (Ed.) ...................................................................................... 03/44 Waves and the Virus (Part 2) (Ed.) ...................................................................................... 04/56 Other Contributions A Dedication to Air band (Rick King) ..................................................................................03/12 Annual Listening Handbooks & Frequency Guides (David Harris) ..........................................02/14 Book Review Extra (Robert Connolly) .................................................................................11/14 Book Review Extra (Tim Kirby) ...........................................................................................03/27 Competition: Bhi 5W Amplified In-Line Module ....................................................................12/39 Competition: Inrico T-310 ..................................................................................................10/31 Feedback and Corrections ............................................................................ 05/59; 08/12; 09/53 From Black Cats to Carrier Sleuths (Chris Smolinski) .............................................................3/11 Going VLF with the Reuter RLA (Ed.) ..................................................................................08/28 Inspiring Radio Reading and Radio Books (David Harris) .....................................................12/59 PskovNDB: A Visual Tool for NDB DXers (Ed.) .....................................................................04/10 Radio Officers: A Window in Time (Scott Caldwell & Robert Connolly) ..................................05/16 Scanning Scene Extra: Amateur Radio (Tim Kirby) ...............................................................02/60 UK Airband Frequency Guide (UKAFG) 2021 (Ed.) ................................................................02/49 Where Radio and Space Intersect (Ed.) ..............................................................................03/52 Reviews/ Projects: A Long Wave Receiver for BBC Radio 4 (Roger Thomas) ......................................................04/43 ATS-20 SI4732 Receiver (Ed.) ............................................................................................12/40 Belka DX HF Receiver (Clint Gouveia) .................................................................................06/24 bhi 5W Amplified In-Line Module (Ed.) ...............................................................................12/38 ELAD FDM-S3 Direct Sampling Wideband Receiver (Clint Gouveia) .......................................04/20 Icom IC-M94DE (Robert Connolly) .....................................................................................09/54 Inrico T-310 (Tim Kirby) .....................................................................................................10/28 Moonraker Mini1300 Antenna Analyser (Keith Rawlings) ....................................................05/56 Moonraker X1-HF Vertical Antenna (Ed.) ............................................................................12/12 RFinder B-1 Dual Band DMR 4G/LTE Transceiver (Tim Kirby) ................................................06/40 Sandstrøm Internet Bluetooth DAB Radio (Kevin Ryan) ........................................................06/44 Tecsun H-501x Deluxe Short Wave Radio and Audio Player (Chrissy Brand) ...........................12/14 Tecsun PL-330 (Chrissy Brand) .........................................................................................05/10 Telestar DIRA M 6i (Kevin Ryan) .........................................................................................12/44 Vine Antennas AS-OCF-404-HP (Keith Rawlings) ................................................................06/56 Order at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/store/bookshop or call 01778 395161 June 2022 RadioUser 15 Feature BAS Alan Pennington alan.pennington1@ntlworld.com M idwinter’s Day in Antarctica (Tuesday 21st June 2022) sees the biggest celebration of the year at British Antarctic Survey (BAS) research bases in the British Antarctic Territory (Fig. 1). It is bigger than even Christmas Day. For the staff left overwintering there, it is a day to look forward to and prepare for in the middle of their cold winter isolation. At the main BAS base at Rothera on Adelaide Island south of the Antarctic Circle (Fig. 2), the Sun will not appear above the mountains for many weeks; it will not rise at all between 14th and 28th June. Cherished Midwinter’s Day traditions include the exchange of homemade gifts, the base commanders preparing breakfast, and later a multi-course feast. Some of the traditional entertainment includes watching John Carpenter’s 1982 horror film, The Thing, set on Antarctic bases. And a ritual that continues, alongside modern-day communications, is listening to the BBC World Service’s annual Antarctic Midwinter Broadcast on short wave, produced especially for the BAS. The broadcast is just half an hour in length but packed with recorded messages from families of overwintering BAS staff members at those bases still manned at this time. A record chosen by each base is played, plus there are messages from celebrities (including Sir David Attenborough in 2021). Since 2016, the programme has been hosted by Welsh singer and DJ Cerys Matthews (Fig. 3) and produced by Martin Redfern for Boffin Media. Select Audience and Global Reach The Midwinter Broadcast’s primary audience totalled just 35 in 2021. These were the staff at BAS research bases at Rothera (Adelaide Island, Fig. 2) and King Edward Point and Bird Island (South Georgia). Until 2017, the audience also included around 16 ‘over-winterers’ at the most southerly base, Halley Research Station on the Brunt Ice Shelf. However, this is now unmanned in winter because of a crack in the ice shelf the base is sat upon. The short wave audience is boosted manyfold by SWLs and DXers around the world who eagerly await this short and unique broadcast each year, which is likened to eavesdropping on a private party! 1 Calling the Antarctic Alan Pennington goes far South and takes a look at the history, target audience and practicalities of the BBC World Service’s annual Antarctic Midwinter Broadcast, which will, once again, be transmitted later this month. The BAS has confirmed to me that there will be a Midwinter Broadcast again this year. However, the short wave frequencies are only confirmed a few days before the 21st of June each year. Four shortwave frequencies were used for last year’s broadcast, which was aired at 2130-2200 UTC on 21st June: 6035 kHz (via Dhabbaya UAE), 6170kHz (via Ascension Island), 7305, and 9505kHz (both via Woofferton, UK). These frequencies had been tested a week before to check suitability for reception in Antarctica. In 2021 the BBC also repeated shorter editions of the programme on some World Service streams, and on DAB in the UK. The programme was even plugged as one of ‘Today’s Choices’ in the Radio Times! The frequencies for the upcoming 2022 broadcast will be publicised online once known, including on the British DX Club’s Facebook page and in the diary on their website: http://bdxc.org.uk/diary.html Exploring the Backstory Following the annual BBC Antarctic Midwinter Broadcast last year, I wondered in what year the BBC broadcasts to Antarctica had started. Jerry Berg’s excellent book Why not visit our new online bookshop at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/store 16 RadioUser June 2022 Feature BAS 2 BBC PHOTO BBC Fig. 1: A map of the British Antarctic Territory, showing the British Antarctic Survey bases. Fig. 2: The BAS Rothera research station. Fig. 3: Cerys Matthews, who has presented the Midwinter Broadcast annually, since 2016. Fig. 4: The Radio Times cover of 18th May 1958: Sir Vivian Fuchs - Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition (CTAE). Fig. 5: The Bermuda Reporter dated Jan 19th, 1963: “A BBC Highlight in the Antarctic” Fig. 6: Klaus Dodds’s book is a good introduction to many aspects of Antarctica. Broadcasting on the Short Waves 1945 to Today states (under the entry for 1956), “The BBC broadcast a special weekly program, Calling the Antarctic, for the men of the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition (CTAE), the first successful overland crossing of the continent.” Preparations for the CTAE had begun in 1955 and were led by the British explorer Dr Vivian Fuchs (Fig. 4). The team were to cross the continent by land via the South Pole – the first time this had been done since Amundsen’s and Scott’s expeditions of 1911 and 1912. The Fuchs party left Shackleton Base in the Antarctic summer, on 24th November 1957, successfully reaching Scott base 100 days later on 2nd March 1958: Fuchs was knighted soon after. Moreover, the BBC Year Book for 1959 declares that: “With the whole of the British party, Dr. Fuchs listened clearly to the Christmas Eve edition of ‘Calling the Antarctic’, which included the Duke of Edinburgh’s message”. A BBC correspondent also went on the expedition. The first reference to a BBC broadcast to Antarctica in the World Radio TV Handbook (WRTH, just titled World Radio Handbook then) appeared in the 1957 edition: “SERVICE TO ANTARCTIC 22.15-22.45 (Tues, fortnightly); 31, 3 25 mb (meter band); 16.15-16.45 (Wed, fortnightly); 13 mb”. In the following year’s World Radio Handbook (1958), it was listed as weekly on Tuesdays, as follows: SCE. TO ANTARCTIC; 22.00-22.30 (Tues.); 31, 19 mb. Special Programming The ‘Calling the Antarctic’ broadcasts sometimes included comedy from home: Humphrey Carpenter’s biography of Spike Milligan tells us about preparation for a Goons programme: “For the first time, the scripts were vetted before recording, The edition for Christmas Eve 1956 was to be made ‘with the TransAntarctic Expedition in mind’: it was being carried by the BBC’s General Overseas Service.” – Special editions of the Navy Lark radio comedy were broadcast too: “… Calling the Antarctic, recorded on Dec. 4, 1962, and broadcast on Dec. 25, 1962. This 4 was a special Christmas Overseas Service Broadcast for their ‘frozen friends’ in the Antarctic, the 85 members of the British Antarctic Survey serving on seven bases along the Antarctic Peninsula … ”. Moreover, an episode of The Men from the Ministry comedy show was also included in the 1962 broadcast, and another Navy Lark special for the BBC Antarctic Service was transmitted on 25th December 1965. Familiar Turns of Phrase The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) is the UK’s national polar research institute. It was known as the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS) until 1962. Elizabeth William’s blog, Life in Antarctica, was written after the discovery of a box of papers left by her late father, George Lewis, who worked with FIDS. It confirms that the BBC’s Antarctic Programme started in 1955 and includes this about the BBC’s short wave broadcast: For the latest news and product reviews, visit www.radioenthusiast.co.uk June 2022 RadioUser 17 Feature BERMUDA RECORDER “‘Calling the Antarctic’ was a programme, started in 1955, recorded by the BBC for those members of the Falkland Islands Dependency Survey who, like my father, were overwintering in the Antarctic. “Personal messages from family members were broadcast to a different man each week, as part of the weekly programme, providing a brief sound of home at a time when the Sun did not rise, and the ships could not bring mail. In itself, the carefully-organised pile of correspondence which I found between my grandmother and various members of the BBC was a poignant testimony of how important this contact was for those at home; for three months, arrangements were made for Dad’s family to meet in London to record their two-minute message. “A script was sent in advance, annotated and returned; news had to be carefully chosen, and brevity was essential. Even so, it is noticeable that what everyone tried to preserve were the familiar turns of phrase, which would make this carefully-regulated communication personal. In another pile of letters, I found my dad’s response. When his turn had come to receive a broadcast, he had been unable to hear through static and interruptions in Spanish from South America: ‘All we can do is to record it and play it back again and again each time picking out a bit more.’ The painstaking way in which he tried to recover his message underlines the enormity of the gulf that separated these men from home.” https://tinyurl.com/44cr6jku A Weekly Highlight I also found an article – strangely enough, in the Bermuda Reporter newspaper – dated January 19th, 1963 (Fig. 5). I suspect it may have been extracted from the BBC’s London Calling magazine. Whilst members of the BAS in Antarctica in 2022 now have other means of contact with home (e-mail, video chats, and Royal Mail in the summer), this article underlined the lengths staff used to go, to try hearing Calling the Antarctic and other BBC General Overseas Service programmes on the short waves: “For us at Fossil Bluff, the highlight of the week was the BBC programme Calling the Antarctic. This heartfelt ‘thankyou’ came to the BBC not long ago from Clifford Pearce, who last year was carrying out meteorological observations as a member of the British Antarctic Survey (formerly known as the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey – or more familiarly, the FIDS). Ever since 1955, the BBC has been transmitting a weekly programme from April to September throughout the dark months of the Antarctic winter, especially for the scientists, technicians and others during tours of duty with the Survey. “Mr Pearce not only wrote, but came along to the studios at Bush House in the Strand, headquarters of the BBC External Services, to broadcast a vivid account – in the regular General Overseas Service programme ‘Shortwave Listeners’ Corner’ – of the conditions in which he and his colleagues listened to this special programme for the Antarctic, and some of the General Overseas Service programmes, which are heard by listeners all around the world”. Pedal-Driven Radio At Fossil Bluff, on the eastern coast of Alexander Island, Clifford Pearce, with his colleague Brian Taylor, a geologist, and John Smith, formed the advance party of 14 members of the parent base at Stonington Island 200 miles to the north. Living in a one-roomed hut for eight and a half months – with no sight of the Sun for 12 weeks – Clifford Pearce admitted that they did feel, “a bit cut off”. The diesel engine that powered the radio set was used primarily for transmitting weather messages to Stonington Island. It broke down very early on, so they used a pedal generator. Finding that foot pedalling was “rather like riding a bicycle whilst trying to listen to a Mozart symphony”, they moved the machine from the floor to a table and pedalled by hand. Even so, 10 to 15 minutes pedalling at a time was quite hard enough work, and they became very discriminating about the programmes they tried to receive. They tuned in once a day, Mr Pearce said, to the News and Commentary in the BBC General Overseas Service, and the Listeners’ Choice record programme was another regular programme they liked to hear. But there was no question of ever missing Calling the Antarctic […]. A Breath of Home Air “Every Tuesday evening”, said Mr Pearce, “the three of us would move the paraffin lamps over to the radio corner, and one of us would stand at the generator and pedal away. The other two would each hold a solitary headphone to his ear. For the next 30 minutes, a breath of home air would 5 enter the hut – talks on home news or news about the various expeditions in Antarctica, records and personal messages recorded by our parents and relatives. “You can imagine how pleased we were to hear the voices of our folks coming 9,000 miles to us from Britain.” He was sure that many members of the British Antarctic Survey would join him in thanking the BBC for mounting this special programme for them. Mr Pearce is one of many hundreds of men to whom over the years this programme has bought voices from home while they have been carrying out their important work in the isolated and hard conditions of the Antarctic: on their return, many of them call Bush House to express their warm thanks to the BBC, and the producer Inez Brown. The programme is enjoyed by other listeners too. The whalers often tune into it, and so do the members of scientific expeditions from other countries. A WRTH Record Returning to the World Radio Handbooks on my shelves at home here, in the 1961 edition I find there was still a weekly Tuesday Antarctica service. But two years later, in the 1963 edition, there was no listing of an Antarctic service. Nor in any of the other 1960s WRTHs, until 1969, which did offer this entry: Why not visit our new online bookshop at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/store 18 RadioUser June 2022 Feature OUP 6 Antarctica Sce.; 22.15-22.45; First Tues of month; 9510,11830. In the 1969 WRTH, and throughout the 1970s editions of the handbook, Antarctica was shown, along with Atlantic Islands, as a target area in the BBC WS short wave schedule. But even this disappeared in the 1980 edition. And there was no separate Antarctica service listed after the 1969 edition as far as I can see. Maybe a RadioUser reader has a record in their logbook of BBC broadcasts to Antarctica during the 1980s or 1990s, either every week or through an annual broadcast, as now? I should also add that Radio Australia aired a programme towards its Antarctic bases with a very similar name to the BBC broadcast: ABC’s Calling Antarctica, broadcast until the 1980s, included messages and recordings from relatives, much like the BBC’s Calling the Antarctic did. The Present Day Situation Moving forward to the present, I tried to establish when the first annual Antarctic Midwinter BBC Broadcast had taken place. I first remember one in June 2009. In Glenn Hauser’s DX Listening Digest (June 23rd, 2010)) comments from the Radio Netherlands Media Network blog are quoted, including this from Kai Ludwig: “At least on 21 June 2000 the programme went out on the already established slot 2130-2200 UTC, via Skelton on 7325 kHz and via Rampisham on 9915 plus 11680 kHz”. So the annual broadcasts had begun before the year 2000, maybe without many DXers or SWLs noticing? http://www.w4uvh.net/dxld1025.txt The 2021 programme, as well as the other annual Midwinter Broadcasts dating back to 2015, can still be heard online: https://tinyurl.com/yrweupun Last year’s broadcast also featured in BBC World Service’s Over to You listener feedback show. I recorded a comment for ‘Over to You’, but only a part of it, asking when the broadcast had started, went on air. Martin Redfern, the producer of the Midwinter Broadcast, said that 1955 was the year when BBC broadcasts to Antarctica had started. However, he did not state in which year the current annual midwinter shows had begun. When asked how the BAS ‘over-winterers’ down in Antarctica listened to the broadcast he said: “it is a bit like candles at Christmas: we’ve got electric lights now, but we still light candles. They’ve got internet … but they still love to listen to it on short wave”. The Midwinter celebration down there was also described as “bigger than Christmas Day”. Martin went on to say that, when he took over producing the programme in 2007, it was thought of as “a little bit of favour that we did for the British Antarctic Survey and not of much interest to anybody else, but since then it’s grown and grown”. This edition of BBC WS’s Over to You is also still available online to listen to at: https://tinyurl.com/yu4um57c DXing Antarctica In recent years, Thomas Witherspoon has encouraged DXers to share their recordings of each annual June 21st Midwinter Broadcast in his blog The SWLing Post. For example, off-air recordings of the 2016 broadcast from around the globe are here: https://tinyurl.com/3kd6wk43 More recordings, back to 2013, are on Thomas’s website The Shortwave Radio Audio Archive – just search for “Antarctica”: https://shortwavearchive.com So, on June 21st this year do remember to tune into the Midwinter’s Day Broadcast on short wave and think of the British Antarctic staff who will listen most attentively at their remote bases in the cold Antarctic winter. For more background information about Antarctica, take a look at the short book in Fig. 6. [Alan Pennington edits a column in the BDXC’s magazine, Communication and has written features for the WRTH - Ed.]. CELEBRATING THE CENTENARY OF THE TRANSATLANTIC TESTS: The early 1920s saw the dawn of international amateur radio. A series of significant milestones led over some five years from no amateur transmission ever having been heard on another continent, to intercontinental twoway communications becoming commonplace. The RSGB will commemorate these historic events by encouraging everyone to get on the air to make QSOs – focusing on December 2021 and December 2022. Full details of how you can participate will be published on the RSGB website. The RSGB has also released a video celebrating the Centenary of the 1921 Transatlantic Tests. The Radio Society of Great Britain and the ARRL have long been celebrating the centenary of the Transatlantic Tests. A YouTube video highlights the fantastic exhibition put on by the National Heritage Centre in Saltcoats, the 1921 message re-enactment by the Kilmarnock and Loudoun Amateur Radio Club, and the 160m Transatlantic QSO Party. (SOURCE: RSGB | ICQ Amateur / Ham Radio Podcast [info@icqpodcast.com]) https://tinyurl.com/3kd6wk43 https://tinyurl.com/5va9cv7z HBA LAUNCHES PODCAST PLATFORM: The Hospital Broadcasting Association (HBA) has launched its podcast platform to help its member stations share their podcasts easier. The new HBA Podcast Network uses the Captivate platform to share podcasts from HBA Member stations across all major platform providers. HBA Member stations had to previously sign up to their own provider, in some cases for a substantial fee, but the cost of the HBA platform is covered by the station’s membership fee. Liam Heffernan, HBA’s Digital Team Leader who is behind the project, said: “The HBA exists to support the health and wellbeing of broadcasters across the UK. In recent years, as the audio landscape has evolved and people listen to content in more ways, hospital radio stations have experienced unprecedented challenges. Our members are constantly balancing their ambition against the financial and administrative barriers that come with being a local charity. The HBA Podcast Network is the first network of its kind in the world, specifically designed to remove these barriers. Our members can now launch and run their podcasts at no cost, with all the ongoing expertise and support they need to create amazing content. The response we’ve had so far has been fantastic, and - as the network grows - we hope it will completely transform the future of health and wellbeing broadcasting.” (SOURCE: HBA | RadioToday) https://tinyurl.com/4v4b9cn4 For the latest news and product reviews, visit www.radioenthusiast.co.uk June 2022 RadioUser 19 Airband News DAVID SMITH 1 David Smith dj.daviator@btinternet.com S ince the start of the Ukraine invasion, the options to overfly Europe have become increasingly complicated, especially for aircraft transiting between Western Europe the Middle East and Asia. With winter behind us and Covid restrictions easing, there is now a major upturn in traffic throughout Europe. However, the ongoing closure of Ukrainian airspace is having a drastic effect on traffic flows across the region, especially in airspace south-east of Ukraine, where traffic levels have significantly increased. To the west, re-routes across Poland, together with a huge increase in military traffic, are vastly escalating ATC workloads. This is coupled with a dispute at Warsaw Area Control Centre over pay cuts, staff shortages and revised working contracts. If an agreement is not reached soon, hundreds of flights will have to be re-routed out of Polish airspace and into neighbouring states, chiefly Germany, which may not be able to handle all the extra traffic without severe restrictions on its own capacity. As if this weren’t enough, some of the airspace above France is undergoing a major ATC upgrade, which will result in a 50% de- Airspace Risks and Traffic Jams David Smith assesses the effects on European air traffic of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, spots surveillance aircraft monitoring the conflict, reports on Prestwick and RAF Northolt and profiles Warton ATC. crease in capacity, slowly returning to normal by the end of July. Taking all these factors into account, there are likely to be unprecedented bottlenecks in European airspace. The screenshot (Fig. 1) is from ADS-B Exchange. It shows commercial aircraft keeping well clear of Ukrainian airspace and reveals the standard electronic surveillance track along the Romania-Moldova border. A patrolling B-52 can be seen at the bottom right. New Airspace Risks There have been several incidents in recent weeks involving spillover effects from the Ukraine war. These have put aircraft at risk in nearby Flight Information Regions (busy, open airspace with no navigation warnings). These have included undetected military drone incursions in NATO member airspace as well as extensive GPS interference for aircraft operating across different regions of Europe. On 12 March, a large military drone malfunctioned and left the war zone. It flew undetected through the airspace of Romania and Hungary, before entering Croatia and crash landing on the outskirts of the capital, Zagreb. A further incident occurred on 14 March: a surveillance drone had briefly entered Polish airspace before being shot down by the Ukrainian military as it re-entered their own. Around the same time came news that a Russian surveillance drone had been discovered crashed in a northern Romanian village. Sign up to our FREE email newsletter at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk 20 RadioUser June 2022 Airband News Fig. 1: Southeastern European airspace in May 2022. Furthermore, in four regions near Ukraine, since February, GPS interference has significantly increased. This includes instances of jamming and ‘spoofing’; the latter meaning deliberately introducing errors into the signal so that GPS receivers become inaccurate or erroneous. Erroneous GPS signals can lead to the false triggering of Ground Proximity Warning System alerts, inaccurately displayed information, loss of ADS-B, faults with wind shear and terrain warnings, and failure of aircraft systems that rely on satnav for reference. A complete loss of GPS is immediately noticeable and leads to issues navigating, or carrying out operations that require Required Navigation Performance, especially RNAV approaches. The areas involved are Kaliningrad, the Baltic Sea, and neighbouring states; Eastern Finland; The Black Sea (a portion of which is currently part of a major air corridor between the Middle East and Europe); the Eastern Mediterranean near Cyprus, Turkey, Lebanon, Syria, and Israel. Scotland’s Prestwick Airport and the War in Ukraine Prestwick is proving an important refuelling stopover for US and Canadian military aircraft en route to Poland with troops and weapons. In addition, two Canadian C-130J Hercules have been based at Prestwick transporting aid destined for Ukraine. American Christian charity Samaritan’s Purse has also flown a DC-8 cargo aircraft in and out of the airport every few days in support of the group’s emergency field hospital and three medical clinics in Lviv and southern Ukraine. Yet More Specialist Aircraft to Monitor Ukraine Six US Navy EA-18G Growlers have been operating from Spangdahlem Airbase in Germany to further bolster NATO’s eastern flank. The Growlers are equipped for a variety of missions but specialise in electronic warfare, using a suite of jamming sensors to confuse enemy radars. Boeing advertises its Growler as the world’s most advanced airborne electronic attack aircraft. The deployed aircraft are from VAQ-134 Squadron. RAF Northolt Now More Accessible for Business Aircraft The operating hours at Northolt will be extended from 1 June to include weekends. Saturday 0800-1500hrs and Sunday 1200- RAF and Contractors’ Airfield ATC Profiles No 14 Warton ICAO Code: EGNO IATA Code: WRT Frequencies Warton Approach/Radar Warton Talkdown Warton Tower Warton Fire (non-ATC) ATIS Warton Information Navaids Runways (MHz) 232.200; 129.530 356.050; 129.730 130.085; 369.275; 121.800 121.600 (Fire vehicles attending aircraft on the ground). 121.730 ILS/DME CAT I Runway 25 | TACAN WTN 113.200 NDB WTN 337KHz 07 (2422 x 46m) | 25 (2422 x 46m). NOTES (A-Z) Aprons Northern Apron; Military Training Apron; Southern Apron; Cargo Apron. Circuit Procedures All circuits are to the south of Runway 07/25 at 1000ft. Low-level circuits not below 500ft. Large aircraft circuits will be at 1500 ft. Flying Within 20nm of Warton Aerodrome Pilots flying within 20nm, outside controlled airspace, may wish to maintain a listening watch only on the Warton Radar frequency of 129,530MHz. If they choose to do this, they should select transponder code 3660 to alert ATC to their presence. Pilots squawking 3660 will receive no ATC service. Aircraft displaying the code are not expected to contact ATC under normal circumstances, but remain responsible for their own navigation, separation, and terrain clearance and are expected to remain clear of controlled airspace at all times. When an aircraft ceases to maintain a listening watch or is no longer flying within 20nm of Warton Aerodrome, the pilot will deselect transponder code 3660. Helicopter Operations Helicopters approach the runway in use and hover taxi to either Northern Apron or Cargo apron as required. Military Aerodrome Traffic Zone (MATZ) Surface to 3,000ft. Non-standard rectangle, 20nm x 6nm, aligned with the runway headings 07 and 25 and off-set 1nm to the south. Noise Abatement Westerly departures should avoid overflying the town of Lytham. Easterly departures should avoid remaining low or initiating a full power climb overhead the city of Preston. Operational Hours Winter: Mon - Thurs 0730 - 1900, Fri 0730 - 1700. Summer: Mon - Thurs 0630 - 1800, Fri 0630 - 1600. The aerodrome may operate outside the published hours to support business requirements. Training Priority will be given to test and experimental flying. Civil private pilot licence circuit training is not permitted when fast jet traffic is on the visual circuit. Visual Reference Points Garstang Marina; M6 Junction 30/M61; M6 Junction 32/M55; Southport Pier. Warnings Large concentrations of birds are a year-round hazard to aircraft due to the aerodrome location on a river estuary. Geese activity is present in the vicinity of the airfield from September to April. Skeins range from 10 to 500 birds but can be in significantly larger numbers. Most activity takes place in daylight but the birds may be present at any time of day or night up to 2,000ft. Rotary Hydraulic Arrestor Gear (RHAG) are used on Runway 07/25 to stop military aircraft from overrunning the runway in the event of an emergency. The cables are recessed into the runway and are only raised for military aircraft operations. The final approach tracks to Runway 25 (Warton) and Runway 28 (Blackpool) converge at approximately 2.5nm from the Warton touchdown zone. Pilots should exercise caution when visually identifying Warton. Restricted Area EG R312 and Blackpool Aerodrome Traffic Zone are both located near the airfield. At weekends, when the airfield is closed, a 4m wide, illuminated cross is located at the threshold to indicate the runway is closed. Siting on either 07/25 threshold is dependent on wind conditions. This is a measure to help prevent pilots from misidentifying Warton for Blackpool. 1900hrs. Northolt is the closest business airport to Central London. It has an annual cap of flight movements and, while this has not been exceeded over the past two years, there are occasional days when no airport slots are available. The civilian ground han- dling supplier is Universal Aviation UK. The provider emphasises the fact that because it is an active military airport, it is highly secure, while also offering more privacy and less congestion than other airports in the region. https://tinyurl.com/amn6n5tu Enter our competitions at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/competitions June 2022 RadioUser 21 Airshows Airshows David Smith presents Part Two of our seasonal RadioUser Guide to UK airshows, aerobatic displays and flypasts, including themed events, special days, and commemorative celebrations. May 29th (Sunday) WINGS & WHEELS: Stow Maries Aerodrome, Flambards Chase, Hackman’s Lane, Purleigh, Essex CM3 6RJ. Aircraft & vehicles at this recreated original World War One aerodrome. https://tinyurl.com/497yexra Tel: 01245 429 134 June 2nd (Thursday) QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY FLYPAST: The Mall, London SW1A 2AX. Expected to include the Red Arrows. June 2nd to 4th (Thursday to Saturday) MIDLANDS AIR FESTIVAL: Ragley Hall Estate, Alcester, Warwickshire B49 5NJ. ‘Nightfire’ is expected on Thursday evening, a combination of a night-time aerobatic air display with lighting & pyrotechnics & a ground-based hot air balloon glow. Also expect vintage aircraft, aerobatics & other air displays during the festival. www.midlandsairfestival.com June 2nd to 5th (Thursday to Sunday) 1940S WARTIME WEEKEND: Quorn & Woodhouse Station, Leicestershire LE12 8AG. Commemoration of wartime England, with some flying expected. www.gcrailway.co.uk/wartime June 2nd to 5th (Thursday to Sunday) ENGLISH RIVIERA AIRSHOW: Paignton, Torbay, Devon TQ4 6AG. Over the bay along with supporting ground displays. www.englishrivieraairshow.co.uk June 5th (Sunday) DUXFORD FLYING DAY ‘COMMEMORATING D-DAY’: Duxford, Cambs CB22 4QR. A themed display remembering Duxford’s major role in fighter support for Operation Overlord. Tel: 01223 835 000 https://tinyurl.com/tp8n6s4t June 5th (Sunday) SHUTTLEWORTH JUBILEE FLYING CIRCUS: Old Warden, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire SG18 9EP. Recreating flying events of the 1930s. Tel: 01767 627 927 www.shuttleworth.org/events/airshows June 10th to 12th (Friday to Sunday) GUERNSEY AIR RALLY: Guernsey, Channel Islands. The 48th annual Rally. This event is always well-attended by a variety of aircraft. Tel: 01481 265 267 https://tinyurl.com/2p9x3yws June 11th (Saturday) BLACKBUSHE 80TH ANNIVERSARY FLY-IN: Blackbushe Airport, Camberley, Surrey GU17 9LQ. Not an airshow as such, but many visiting aircraft are expected; plus a static aircraft display & activities for all the family. June 11th (Saturday) MILITARY WINGS & WHEELS DAY: Bodmin Airfield, Bodmin, Cornwall PL30 4BU. Celebrating the 104th anniversary of the RAF’s formation with military vehicles & re-enactors. No landing fees for military marked aircraft for this event. www.bodminairfield.com/events June 11th (Saturday) TEESSIDE AIRSHOW: Teesside International Airport, Darlington DL2 1LU. www.teessideairshow.co.uk June 12th (Sunday) RAF COSFORD AIR SHOW: RAF Cosford, Shropshire TF11 8UP. A major display & the only RAF-organised show. Tel: 01902 377 922 www.cosfordairshow.co.uk June 16th to 18th (Thursday to Saturday) AERO EXPO UK THE UK’S FESTIVAL OF AVIATION: Cotswold Airport, Cirencester, Gloucestershire GL7 6BA. Mainly a trade fair featuring many aircraft types, but the public can attend. www.aeroexpo.co.uk June 17th to 19th (Friday to Sunday) WESTON PARK AIRSHOW INTERNATIONAL: Weston Park, Weston-UnderLizard, Shropshire TF11 8LE. Mostly large flying scale models, but some visiting full-size aircraft. www.airshowinternational.co.uk June 18th (Saturday) HEADCORN ARMED FORCES DAY: Headcorn Airfield, Nr Maidstone, Kent TN27 9HX. Apart from the usual airfield activities which include flying training. There will be some WWII aircraft, plus ground displays. www.headcornevents.co.uk/Events June 18th (Saturday) MILITARY EVENING DRIVE-IN AIRSHOW: Old Warden, Bedfordshire SG18 9EP. From trainers to fighters, from WWI to WWII, in a relaxed sunset setting. Tel: 01767 627 927 https://tinyurl.com/2p9y64j7 June 18th & 19th (Saturday & Sunday) DUXFORD SUMMER AIRSHOW: Duxford, Cambs CB22 4QR. Will feature a wide variety of aircraft, plus numerous ground attractions & free access to the museums. https://tinyurl.com/4fy5d6kd June 23rd to 26th (Thursday to Sunday) FESTIVAL OF SPEED: Goodwood, West Sussex PO18 0PH. Cars & motorcycles but includes some air displays. Tel: 01243 755 055 June 24th to 26th (Friday to Sunday) BATTLE OF BRITAIN AIRSHOW: Headcorn Airfield, Nr Maidstone, Kent TN27 9HX. Displays by aircraft of the Battle of Britain era, plus ground attractions for all the family. https://tinyurl.com/5xdkfpc8 June 25th (Saturday) NATIONAL ARMED FORCES DAY: North & South Bay Beach, Foreshore Road, Scarborough, North Yorkshire YO11 2ES. A major event with both air & ground displays Tel: 01723 232 323 https://tinyurl.com/4ezsmvb3 June 25th (Saturday) ARMED FORCES DAY: Stow Maries Aerodrome, Flambards Chase, Hackmans Lane, Purleigh, Essex CM3 6RJ. Celebrating the armed forces with air & ground displays. June 25th (Saturday) PLYMOUTH ARMED FORCES DAY: Plymouth Hoe, Plymouth PL1 2PA. Air & ground displays. June 25th & 26th (Saturday & Sunday) NORTHEAST LINCOLNSHIRE ARMED FORCES DAY: Cleethorpes DN35 0AR. Ground event with some air displays. https://tinyurl.com/3s7u8bjs June 25th & 26th (Saturday & Sunday) WESTON AIR FESTIVAL & ARMED FORCES WEEKEND: Weston Bay, Wes- ton-Super-Mare, Somerset BS23 1BE. Air displays & ground activities along the seafront. www.westonairfestival.com July 2nd (Saturday) BATTLE PROMS: Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire OX20 1UL. A two-hour orchestral programme in a stately home setting, plus Spitfire display & Red Devils Parachute Team. July 2nd (Saturday) TEIGNMOUTH AIRSHOW: Teignmouth, Devon TQ14 8BB. Participants to be announced shortly. Tel: 07464 750 735 www.teignmouthairshow.co.uk July 2nd (Saturday) WALLOP WINGS & WHEELS: Army Flying Museum, Middle Wallop, Stockbridge, Hampshire SO20 8FB. Tel: 01264 781 086 https://tinyurl.com/2p83yf3y July 2nd & 3rd (Saturday & Sunday) CAPEL MILITARY SHOW: Aldhurst Farm, Capel, near Dorking, Surrey RH5 5HJ. Mainly an extensive ground show, with some helicopter fly-ins. Tel: 07926 925 547 www.capelmilitaryshow.com July 2nd & 3rd (Saturday & Sunday) WALES AIRSHOW: Swansea Bay, Glamorgan SA1 9SA. A seafront display with supporting ground events. Tel: 01792 637 300 www.walesnationalairshow.com July 3rd (Sunday) FLY NAVY: Old Warden, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire SG18 9EP. Features a variety of naval aircraft, including helicopters, plus ground attractions. |Tel: 01767 627 927 www.shuttleworth.org/product/flynavy July 3rd (Sunday) LAA STRUT & BOLKOW FLY-IN: Popham Airfield, Coxford Down, Winchester SO21 3BD. Mainly for Light Aircraft Association members but the general public are welcome too. Tel: 01256 397 733 www.popham-airfield.co.uk July 9th (Saturday) BATTLE PROMS: Burghley House, Stamford, Lincolnshire PE9 3JY. A twohour orchestral programme in a stately home setting, which is expected to include a Red Devils parachute jump & a Spitfire display. https://tinyurl.com/44dhjax8 Sign up to our FREE email newsletter at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk 22 RadioUser June 2022 Airshows July 9th & 10th (Saturday & Sunday) SOUTHPORT AIRSHOW: Southport Seafront, Southport, Merseyside PR8 1RY. Not a free show but always has a full programme of aerial performers. www.visitsouthport.com/airshow July 23rd & 24th (Saturday & Sunday) VINTAGE AIRCRAFT CLUB FLY-IN: Bodmin Airfield, Cornwall PL30 4BU. Cornwall Flying Club is hosting a Fly-In for the VAC (Vintage Aircraft Club). www.bodminairfield.com/events July 15th to 17th (Friday to Sunday) ROYAL INTERNATIONAL AIR TATTOO: RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire GL7 4EG. Billed as the world’s biggest military airshow with around eight hours of flying each day. www.airtattoo.com July 30th (Saturday) BATTLE PROMS: Highclere Castle, Newbury RG20 9RN. Another two-hour orchestral programme in a stately home setting, with appearances by the Red Devils Parachute Display Team. plus a Spitfire. July 16th (Saturday) BATTLE PROMS: Hatfield House, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL9 5NQ. A two-hour orchestral programme, plus a Red Devils parachute jump & a Spitfire display. July 30th & 31st (Saturday & Sunday) OLD BUCKENHAM AIR SHOW: Old Buckenham, Norfolk NR17 1PU. An excellent mix of warbirds & civilian aircraft, classic & military vehicles, plus many ground-based events. www.oldbuckenhamairshow.com July 16th (Saturday) EVENING DRIVE-IN AIRSHOW: Old Warden, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire SG18 9EP. Celebrating the 90th anniversary of Old Warden aerodrome’s opening. Tel: 01767 627 927 https://tinyurl.com/yc423aac July 16th (Saturday) G-GEORGE DAY: Breighton Airfield, Breighton, Selby, East Yorkshire YO8 6DS. Celebrating a Lancaster which flew from here in 1942 & is now preserved in Australia. This is a member event for The Real Aeroplane Club at Breighton, but memberships can be purchased on the day. www.realaero.com/bugle July 16th & 17th (Saturday & Sunday) WINGS & WHEELS: North Coates Airfield, Grimsby DN36 5XU. Organised by North Coates Flying Club. https://tinyurl.com/5n8fnn7j July 18th to 22nd (Monday to Friday) FARNBOROUGH INTERNATIONAL AIRSHOW: Farnborough Aerodrome, Hampshire GU14 6AZ. The first few days are for trade only, but Friday has special features for younger people & is open to the public. www.farnboroughairshow.com July 23rd (Saturday) DUXFORD FLYING DAY - THE AMERICANS: Duxford, Cambs CB22 4QR. A themed display celebrating 25 years since the American Air Museum at Duxford opened. It also commemorates the history of the US Army Air Force fighter unit once based here. https://tinyurl.com/h6cvtsc9 July 30th to August 6th (Sat. to Sat.) SWANAGE CARNIVAL WEEK: Swanage Bay, Dorset BH19 1LD. A week of family activities, which usually includes some air displays. www.swanagecarnival.com August 1st (Monday) DUXFORD FLYING DAY - ‘YOUNG AVIATORS’: Duxford, Cambs CB22 4QR. A themed show aimed at fostering children’s interest in aviation. https://tinyurl.com/5cv4bkxh August 5th to 14th (Friday to Sunday) FALMOUTH WEEK: Falmouth Seafront TR11 3DF.August. Mostly sailing & onshore events but there would normally be some flying on Wednesday. falmouthweek.co.uk August 6th (Saturday) EAST KIRKBY AIRSHOW: Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre, East Kirkby, Lincs PE23 4DE. Three hours of flying, plus Lancaster & Mosquito taxying. https://tinyurl.com/3htc783r 01790 763207 August 7th (Sunday) FAMILY AIRSHOW: Old Warden, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire SG18 9EP. Featuring a large number of resident & visiting aircraft. https://tinyurl.com/5cbcr3s6 01767 627927 August 11th to 14th (Thursday to Sunday) BRISTOL INTERNATIONAL BALLOON FIESTA: Ashton Court Estate, Bristol BS8 3TQ. Billed as Europe’s largest ballooning event, a free family event with huge numbers of balloons getting airborne, as well as ‘night-glows’. www.bristolballoonfiesta.co.uk August 13th & 14th (Saturday & Sunday) BLACKPOOL AIRSHOW: Tower Festival Headland, Blackpool, Lancashire FY1 4BJ. Free seaside airshow centred just to the left of the Northern Victorian pier. https://tinyurl.com/2zxsx5bk August 13th & 14th (Saturday & Sunday) COMBINED OPS: Headcorn Airfield, Nr Maidstone, Kent TN27 9HX. Mainly ground displays including static military vehicles & re-enactment groups, but there are usually some flying displays. https://tinyurl.com/yu3kakxr August 13th & 14th (Saturday & Sunday) ‘ECHOES OF HISTORY’ SHOW: Whitehouse Farm, The Living Memorial, Rettendon, Essex CM38DL. Mainly classic & military vehicles plus re-enactors. There has been flying in the past. usually some flying. www.echoesofhistoryshow.com August 13th to 15th (Saturday to Monday) WHITBY REGATTA: Whitby, North Yorkshire. Red Arrows on the 13th, BBMF Lancaster on the 13th & 14th. www.whitbyregatta.co.uk August 13th to 19th (Saturday to Friday) CROMER CARNIVAL: Cromer, Norfolk NR27 9HP. A week of events which includes the Red Arrows on the 17th. www.cromercarnival.co.uk August 14th (Sunday) A TIME FOR ESSEX: Stow Maries Aerodrome, Flambirds Chase, Hackmans Lane, Purleigh, Essex CM3 6RJ. Living history groups, plus air displays. https://tinyurl.com/3v9vzn4r August 18th to 21st (Thursday to Sunday) AIRBOURNE - EASTBOURNE INTERNATIONAL AIRSHOW: Eastbourne, BN21 YT. Seafront air displays throughout, including the Red Arrows on all four days. www.visiteastbourne.com/airshow 01323 415415 August 20th (Saturday) PROMS SPECTACULAR: Stansted Park, Rowlands Castle, Hampshire PO9 6DX. Spitfire display & parachuting, followed by live concert & fireworks. www.belevents.ticketsrv.co.uk/content August 20th (Saturday) SHUTTLEWORTH FLYING PROMS: Old Warden, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire SG18 9EP. An evening air display combined with classical music played by a full symphony orchestra. https://tinyurl.com/58keker6 01767 627927 August 21st (Sunday) FOLKESTONE AIR DISPLAY: The Leas, Folkestone. A seafront display which includes the Red Arrows. https://tinyurl.com/bdhzk3w5 August 24th to 27th (Wed. to Saturday) PORT OF DARTMOUTH ROYAL REGATTA: Dartmouth, Devon TQ6 9PS. Mainly sailing of course but there should be some air displays. https://tinyurl.com/5e5p9xae August 25th & 26th (Thursday & Friday) CLACTON AIR SHOW: West Greensward, Clacton seafront, Clacton-onSea, Essex CO15 1NW. Free airshow with a good mix of aircraft. www.clactonairshow.com/2022 August 26th (Friday) SIDMOUTH AIR DISPLAY: Sidmouth, Devon EX2 4DR. Seafront show which includes the Red Arrows. https://tinyurl.com/s7hzujrf August 27th (Saturday) DUXFORD FLYING EVENING: Duxford, Cambs CB22 4QR. Featuring vintage & classic aircraft. https://tinyurl.com/5n76rwfw August 27th (Saturday) PROMS SPECTACULAR: Three Counties Showground, Malvern WR13 6NW. Classical concert, parachuting & Spitfire display. https://tinyurl.com/msvb27xm August 27th (Saturday) WINGS & WHEELS: Henstridge Airfield, Henstridge Marsh, Somerset BA8 0TA. No air displays but many classic cars & visiting aircraft. Visitors will be able to inspect them. www.wingsandwheelshenstridge.com August 27th & 28th (Saturday & Sunday) RHYL AIR SHOW: Rhyl, Denbighshire, North Wales LL19 3AF. Free seafront airshow with military & civil aircraft. August 28th (Sunday) LITTLE GRANSDEN AIR & CAR SHOW: Fullers Hill Farm, Little Gransden, Cambs SG19 3BP. Always a popular family event with several hours of display flying. www.littlegransdenairshow.co.uk Follow us on Facebook @radioenthusiasts and Twitter @REnthusiasts June 2022 RadioUser 23 Feature ALL PICTURES: COURTESY VYACHESLAV ARGENBERG, EXCEPT FIG. 5: FACEBOOK Martín Butera martin_butera@yahoo.com.ar S ince Russia invaded Ukraine, on 24th February 2022, many of us have heard more about the Crimean Peninsula. Although the peninsula has changed hands numerous times throughout history, it is true that Crimea recently officially belonged to Ukraine. However, in 2014, history repeated itself, and now the peninsula is de facto in the hands of Russia. It has now been annexed for eight years, and it is a considerable strategic location, owing to its direct access to the Black Sea. But Crimea is not just the base of the Black Sea Fleet, nor are its relevant facilities only those that can be found around the port city of Sevastopol. With the annexation of Crimea, Russia has also seized the former USSR Deep Space Station, which currently belongs to Ukraine. The base is identified by the acronym NSFCTC (National Center for Testing and Control of Space Facilities), located on the peninsula. What many people do not know is that, from that base, located on the quiet peninsula, the first interplanetary radiotelegraph message in history was sent. Therefore, this station has always been shrouded in mysteries and secrets. The facility boasts a deep space communication system of the highest capacity, even on a global scale. Listening is Believing Russians are among the most ardent believers, it appears, in the existence of aliens, according to official data from a large survey conducted by Glocalities, a company based in the Netherlands, which became known for its public opinion polls conducted around the world. A great many Russians, according to the data, support the idea that humans should get in contact with advanced civilizations outside planet Earth. Russia’s interest in communicating with extraterrestrial civilizations is an idea that has been developing since the 1960s. It began during the ‘Space Race’ of the Cold War and it was from the deep space communications base, located in the city of Yevpatoria, on the Crimean Peninsula, that experiments began and curiosity was aroused. This curiosity continues to the present day. The Yevpatoria Facility and Project Pluto Located approximately 145 km north of Sevastopol, is the city of Yevpatoria (Russian: Евпатория; Crimean Tatar: 1 Cosmic Calls from the Crimea Martín Butera outlines the History of an enigmatic Deep Space Communications Center (DSCC) on the Crimean Peninsula, from where the very first radio transmissions to extra-terrestrial civilizations were sent. Kezlev; Ukrainian: Євпаторія; Armenian: Ԏlangelanges - Yevpatoria). The current Deep Space Communications Center (DSCC; Fig. 1) located there has belonged to Ukraine, since 1996, following a decree of the then President of Ukraine, Leonid Kuchma (b. 1938). However, in the Spring of 2014, this location was invaded by the Russian Aerospace Forces, belonging to the Russian Armed Forces. The DSCC has long been a scientific tool, used by astronomers from the former Soviet Union (SU). In this context, the best-known part of it was probably the antenna complex, known by the name of Pluto. The Pluto Project was built in 1960 and consists of at least three antennas (Figs. 2 and 3). Some of them are of the ADU-1000 design, a set of eight reflector antennas, each one 16 meters in diameter. At the North Station, two receiving antennas were built and a transmitter was built 8.5 km away, at the South Station. Each receiving dish has a Cassegrain system (a type of reflecting telescope that uses mirrors), plus sub-reflectors mounted on quadra-pods in front of the dishes. At the time, the dishes of the antennas were welded to the hulls of two submarines and placed in the trusses of railway bridges. The ADU-1000 antennas of the Pluto Project are of considerable size. The Pluto complex was the largest deep space communication system in the world before the Goldstone facility, built by the Americans in California in 1966. Significant Scientific Achievements The Yevpatoria complex contributed with great very significantly and prominently to science, in 1961, operators achieved one of the first radar detections in the world See our great book and magazine offers at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/store 24 RadioUser June 2022 Feature Fig. 1: The gigantic dish of the RT-70 radio telescope. Fig. 2: A view of the antenna field of the Communications Centre. Fig. 3: Two antennas of the Pluto Project, located in the DSCC on the Crimean Peninsula. Fig. 4: An image of the RT-70 radio telescope, located at the DSCC. Fig. 5: A Russian banknote showing the RT-70 radio telescope. of the planet Venus. In June 1962, the world’s first successful radar detection of the planet Mercury was made. Similarly, in February 1963, the facility carried out the radar detection of the planet Mars with excellent results. And last but not least, in September/ October 1963 the antennas carried out the first profitable radar detection of Jupiter. However, the installation became internationally famous when, between 19th and 24th November 1962, the words ‘MIR’, ‘LENIN’ and ‘SSSR’ (abbreviation in Latin: Soviet Union), were sent in the direction of the star HD131336 in the constellation of Libra. These messages were known as The Morse Message of 1962. They became the first radio transmissions for extra-terrestrial civilizations in the history of mankind. The Pluto project antennas supported all the Soviet space programs, until the year 1978 when the Yevpatoria RT-70 radio telescope was built. Subsequently, the Pluto antennas became a backup system for the RT-70. The latter is a radio telescope with a built-in 70 m diameter dish antenna (Fig. 4). It is known that there are also at least two other, identical, radio telescopes in different observatories located in countries of the former Soviet Union. Space Experiments and Cosmic Calls These radio telescopes are fully mobile and are among the world’s largest of this type. They all operate in the frequency range from 5 to 300GHz. In addition to the one located in Yevpatoria, the other two are known to be located at the Ussuriysk Astrophysical Observatory, in Russia, at the coordinates 44 ° 00’57.9 “N 131 ° 45’25.13” E; the other radio telescope is located at the Suffa Observatory, in Uzbekistan, at coordinates 39°37’27.05”N 68°26’51.63”E. The RT-70 has an advantage compared to other large radio telescopes: It includes powerful transmitters, which allow substantial Space-related experiments. Some very powerful electromagnetic beams can be aimed at Space with extreme precision, and then the received signals can be analysed. Therefore, the Yevpatoria 3 2 On one side of the bill appears the Swallow’s Nest castle, which is located to the west of the city of Yalta, and below it can be seen an image from the radio telescope. Today this banknote is one of the most sought after by collectors. Hiding Communications 3 RT-70 radio telescope is one of the few in the world that can transmit messages to extraterrestrial civilizations. This has happened through projects such as Cosmic Calls, Messages of the Adolescent Age or FMEA. For example, in 1999 the project Cosmic Call was transmitted. The Message from the Adolescent Age transmission followed. In 2003, Project Cosmic Call 2 ensued; and in 2008 the radio telescope was used for the project called A Message from the Earth. It is thought that an eventual reply may reach Earth no earlier than the year 2049. Geopolitics and Banknotes A curious fact is that the RT-70 radio telescope was represented on the Russian commemorative 100-ruble (₽ 100) banknote of the year 2015, ‘dedicated’ to the annexation of Crimea (Fig. 5). The Central Bank of Russia has issued some 20 million ₽ 100 notes commemorating the ‘reunification’ of the Crimean Peninsula. Returning to the facility, it is known that, since 2014, in order to hide the true purpose of using the Deep Space Communications Centre, the Russian invaders took some extreme measures, such as the demolition of part of a village that was in the ‘dangerzone’ declared around the antenna. Another very curious fact that emerges from this investigation is that aircraft flights are prohibited in the area, by means of an order from the Russian Ministry of Transport (№ 451, 2016). Finally – and although there is no 100% reliable information to verify this data – it appears that bursts of measurable high-frequency (HF) radiation are emitted from that area. Anyone There? SETI Attempts Of course, the Russians are not the only ones who are obsessed with extraterrestrial life. From at least the second half of the last century onwards the Americans have made various attempts to contact sentient beings outside of this planet. For instance, in the 1970s, NASA began sponsoring the projects of the SETI Institute (SETI = Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence). These schemes search for electromagnetic signals captured by different radio Follow us on Facebook @radioenthusiasts and Twitter @REnthusiasts June 2022 RadioUser 25 Feature 4 telescopes. Enmeshed with those activities, at least US$22 million have been allocated to an Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Programme of the United States Department of Defense. This program aimed to investigate, among other objectives, the existence of extraterrestrial life. The Arecibo Message Last but by no means least, on 16th November 1974, a message was sent to the Star Cluster M13, at a distance of 25,000 lightyears. Notably, a number of very prominent scientists, such as Frank Drake (b. 1930) and Carl Sagan (19341996), participated in this launch. It was coordinated from the Arecibo Radio Telescope, located in the community of the same name in Puerto Rico. The message contained numbers from 1 to 10, information about human DNA, our location in the solar system, and data on humans on the planet. Then, three years later, it was Voyager’s Golden Record, where again scientist Carl Sagan was part of a project that sent a gramophone record to accompany the Voyager space probes, which were launched in 1977 and 1979. This message contained sounds and images that portray the diversity of life and culture on Earth, as well as greetings in 55 languages and music tracks from around the world. The goal of the launch was to make the existence of life on the planet known to some form of intelligent life that could read, understand, and decipher the disk. Another curious message was the one that contained music by the Beatles. On 4th February 2008, NASA launched the song Across The Universe by The Beatles into space 430 lightyears away from the Polaris star. This transmission was made with a radio telescope similar in construction to the Yevpatoria RT-70 in Crimea. It originated from the Deep Space Communication Complex centre in Robledo, near Madrid, Spain. In Conclusion Modern astronomy has developed into an in-depth study of electromagnetic waves and elementary particles emitted by space bodies, as well as gravitational and electromagnetic fields. Many arrays of antennas, radar and radio telescopes provide information about distant worlds, and it is through them that we can observe events that took place billions of years ago. With the help of modern astronomical instruments, we can travel not only in space but also in time. Any ‘extraterrestrial’ life or existence undoubtedly presents deep philosophical, religious, technical and political issues. These are so important to the future of our civilization that they merit extensive discussion. It is known that Russia is strengthening the potential of its military and space complex at the expense of the Ukrainian space infrastructure facilities seized in Crimea. What global threats and risks may arise from it, for now, we do not know. However – just to give you an idea of the importance of the Deep Space Communications Centre – suffice it to say 5 Sources • Association of Reintegration of Crimea: https://arc.construction • Sven Grahn: Yevpatoria - as the USA saw it in the 1960s • Butrica, A.J. (1996): ‘NASA SP-4218: To See the Unseen - A History of Planetary Radar Astronomy’. • CRAF (Comité De Frecuencias De Radioastronomía): http://craf.jive.eu • SETI Institute: https://www.seti.org that in the entire history of deep space study by mankind, only 19 attempts were made (reported to the public) to send information about human existence to neighbouring star systems through radio telescopes, and 16 of them took place from Yevpatoria. [About the photographer: Vyacheslav Argenberg, is an amateur photographer who has been working in travel photography for more than 30 years – Ed.]. See our great book and magazine offers at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/store 26 RadioUser June 2022 Rallies Rallies & Events All information published here reflects the situation up to and including 14th April 2022. Readers are advised to check carefully with the organisers of any rally or event, before setting out for a visit. The Radio Enthusiast website will have updates, please check here regularly. To get your event onto this list, please, e-mail full details as early as possible: wiessala@hotmail.com 20-22 May DAYTON HAMVENTION: World’s largest amateur radio show, now in its 70th year. Big stands from all major manufacturers, numerous smaller traders, a massive flea market, world-class lectures. Strong ARRL and RSGB presence, including bookstall. https://hamvention.org 22 May DUNSTABLE DOWNS RC NATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO CAR BOOT SALE: Stockwood Park, Luton. All the usual facilities will be there, further details on: www.ddrcbootsale.org 5 June SPALDING RADIO RALLY: Holbeach United Youth FC, Pennyhill Road, Holbeach, Lincs PE12 &PR. Doors open at 10 am (disabled 9.30 am), and entry is £3. (CBS | CR | FM | RF | TS) Graham, G8NWC: 07754 619 701 rally2022@sdars.org.uk 11 June ROCHDALE & DISTRICT AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY SUMMER RALLY: St Vincent de Paul’s, Caldershaw Road, off Edenfield Road (A680), Norden, Rochdale OL12 7QR. Doors will be open to the public at 10.15 am; disabled visitors at 10 am. Robert M0NVQ: 0777 811 3333 m0nvq@outlook.com 12 June MENDIPS RALLY: Farrington Gurney Memorial Hall, Church Lane, Farrington Gurney, BS39 6TY. Open 9.30 am (traders 7:30 am). Entrance £3 (FP). Indoor & Field pitches. Tables: £8; outside £5. Luke Kelly, 2E0VHV: 07870 168 197 mendipsrally@hotmail.com 12 June SNADARC JUNCTION 28 RADIO RALLY: Alfreton and District Amateur Radio Club, South Normanton. Alfreton Leisure Centre, DE55 7BD. Tables still £10 and Admission£3. Everything is indoors with a meeting room, bar, refreshments and full Café onsite. Opening at 10:15, traders will have access from 08:00. Alan Jones M0OLT: 01332 679913 secretary@snadarc.com www.snadarc.com 18 June BANGOR & DISTRICT ARS 53RD RALLY : Ballygilbert Presbyterian Church, 376 Bel- fast Road, Ballyrobert, Bangor BT19 1UH. Doors open at 11.30 am. Andrew, MI0OBR: 07980 846 272 19 June EAST SUFFOLK WIRELESS REVIVAL (IPSWICH RALLY): Kirton Recreation Ground, Back Road, Kirton IP10 0PW (just off the A14). Doors open at 9.30 am and the entry fee for visitors is £2. Trade tables are from £10. (BB | CBS | CR | FP | RSGB | SIG | TS | GB4SWR HF station). Kevin G8MXV: 07710 046 846 www.eswr.org.uk 24-26 June HAM RADIO FRIEDRICHSHAFEN: Exhibitors & visitors from 52 countries, large flea market with around 300 stalls. https://tinyurl.com/2p8up2rc 25 June GI-QRP CONVENTION: Tandragee Golf Club, 11 Markethill Road, Tandragee, Craigavon BT62 2ER. The venue has ample parking and disabled access. Doors open at 9 am. Presentations start at 10 am. As well as this being the first-ever QRP convention in GI, there will be an opportunity to work the GQRP Club callsign GI5LOW for the first time in the week leading up to the Convention and the weekend of the Convention. The Convention is being held in association with the GQRP Club. (BA | CR | L | LB | RF | SIG | TS). Philip MI0MSO: 078 4902 5760 r8.giqrp@gmail.com 26 June NEWBURY RADIO RALLY: Newbury Showground, Priors Court Road, Hermitage, Thatcham, Berks. RG18 9QZ. The is organised and run by the Newbury And District Amateur Radio Society (NADARS). https://www.nadars.org.uk/rally.asp http://www.nadars.org.uk 3 July BARFORD NORFOLK ARC RADIO RALLY www.norfolkamateurradio.org 3 July CORNISH RAC RALLY: Penair School, St Clement, Truro, Cornwall TR1 1TN. Doors open at 10 am. Admission is £2. (BB | CR | D TS | Local Club Stands). Ken Tarry G0FIC 01209 821073 pendennis38@btinternet.com www.gx4crc.com 17 July MCMICHAEL AMATEUR RADIO RALLY & CAR BOOT SALE : The McMichael Rally begins at 09:30 am, with car boot setup from 8:30 am. The location is: Reading Rugby Club, Sonning Lane (B4446) Sonning, Berkshire RG4 6ST, NGR SU 753 747. Admission: £3 per person. Car boot sale: £10 per pitch, no booking required. No dogs are allowed, except for assistance dogs (CBS | FP | SIG). https://mcmichaelrally.org.uk rally@radarc.org traders@radarc.org 24 July FINNINGLEY ARS RALLY: Car-boot style rally. Food bar. Near J2 M180, Doncaster. www.g0ghk.com 31 July CHIPPENHAM & DISTRICT ARS. WILTSHIRE RADIO RALLY, ELECTRONICS FAIR & CAR BOOT: Kington Langley Village Hall and Playing Field, Kington Langley, Wiltshire SN15 5NJ. 9 am to 3 pm. Admission free. Traders Welcome (CA). Brian, G6HUI rally@chippenhamradio.club https://wiltshirespc.org/wp/g3vre/rally 7 August BATC CONVENTION FOR AMATEUR TV 2022 (CAT 22) PART 1: Midland Air Museum, Rowley Rd, Coventry CV3 4FR. CAT 22 will be a meet-up, show and tell, test and fix-it, and Bring & Buy event, from 10 am to 4 pm. Full test facilities available for 5.6GHz/Portsdown/MiniTiouner/Ryde/ power amplifiers/preamps. 7 August KING’S LYNN ARC 32ND GREAT EASTERN RADIO RALLY: Gaywood Community Centre, Gayton Road, King’s Lynn PE30 4EL. Open 9 am (trade from 7 am). Admission £2.50. Outdoor pitch £8. Indoor £10 per table. (BB | CF | FP | TS). rally.klarc@gmail.com http://www.klarc.org.u 12-14 August 19TH INTERNATIONAL EME CONFERENCE (PRAGUE): Registrations open from 1 January 2022. http://www.eme2020.cz 12 August COCKENZIE & PORT SETON ARC 27TH MINI-RALLY NIGHT: Community Centre, Main Hall, Port Seton. 6 pm. Admission is £2. Tables on a first-come-first-served basis. www.cpsarc.com 14 August FLIGHT REFUELLING ARS HAMFEST: Cobham Sports and Social Club Ground, Merley, nr Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 3DA. Talk in will be on S22. Open from 10 am to 6 pm; entry £4, includes car parking. No dogs permitted except Guide dogs. (L | TS | Indoor and Field Pitches). Tony Baker G3PFM: 07743 475018 tbaker@tiscali.co.uk www.frars.co.uk 21 August RUGBY AMATEUR TRANSMITTING SOCIETY RADIO RALLY: Princethorpe College, Princethorpe, Rugby CV23 9PY. Open 10:00. Car boot sale. Steve G8LYB: 07956 855816 rally@rugbyats.co.uk www.rugbyats.co.uk 28 August MILTON KEYNES ARS RALLY: The Irish Centre, Manor Fields, Watling Street, Bletchley, MK2 2HX (Opposite Dobbies Garden Centre), which has excellent modern facilities (FP | CF | D). The entrance fee is £3.00. Open to the public from 9:00 am. Outdoor pitches and indoor tables. Brendan G8IXK rally@mkars.org.uk www.mkars.org.uk 28 August TORBAY ANNUAL COMMUNICATIONS FAIR: Newton Abbot Racecourse Devon TQ12 3AF. Doors open at 10 am, with disabled visitors gaining access at 9.30 am. Indoor event (FP | BB | RSGB CF). Pete, G4VTO: 01803 864 528 Mike, G1TUU: 01803 557 941. rally@tars.org.uk 29 August (BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY) HUNTINGDONSHIRE ARS ANNUAL RALLY: Ernulf Academy, St Neots PE19 2SH. Gates open for Traders at 7 am and the public at 9 am. Indoor and outdoor stalls are available. Talk-in on 145.550 MHz on GX0HSR. (BB | CR | FP ) Malcolm, M0OLG Tel: 01480 214282. events@hunts-hams.co.uk www.hunts-hams.co.uk BA Buildathon BB Bring-and-Buy CBS Car Boot Sale CR Catering /Refreshments D Disabled visitors FM Flea Market FP Free Parking LB Licensed Bar L Lectures RF Raffle RSGB (RSGB) Book Stall RU/PW RadioUser/ PW in attendance SIG Special-Interest Groups TI Talk-In (Channel) TS Trade Stalls Wi-Fi (Free) Wi-Fi Follow us on Facebook @radioenthusiasts and Twitter @REnthusiasts June 2022 RadioUser 27 Feedback Readers’ Feedback The editor offers a selection of e-mails, letters and posts received from our readers. One Happy Competition Winner Colin was the lucky winner of our recent competition for the Sangean ATS-909X2 world band radio. He got in touch to say, “ Hi Georg, I have attached a photo of the Sangean in use. Hopefully, it is OK. Have enjoyed using the radio over the weekend. Regards, Colin.” [Colin, I am very pleased that you are getting on with the radio, and it is nice to see it in use. I think it is ideal for DXpeditions, holidays, and so on. Thanks for the photograph, and may the Sangean bring you many happy years of use – Ed.]. Sign up to our FREE email newsletter at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk 28 RadioUser June 2022 Feedback Anne Reed 2E1GKY From Anne Reed, 2E1GKY comes the following correspondence: “I first became interested in radio at a very early age of about ten when I used to visit my Grandfather who had a 1947 Cossor Model 470. This had a walnut veneer plywood cabinet and cost £21-11-6d plus purchase tax!! I would watch him with great interest tuning on the short, medium and long wave bands. My father had a Bush DAC90 in a Bakelite brown case. My first purchase was an Ultra Coronation Twin Model R786 made in 1953 which was a very good radio but alas it got broken in 1961 when moving to Cheltenham. On a visit to the RSGB 1988 Vintage Show at the NEC, I spotted one for sale, but it was nearly one hundred pounds, so I had to withdraw my interest. In 1961 I worked in the motor trade and had dealings with radios and their parts for fitting and although the radios only had the basic FM, MW and LW; this helped a lot in my learning. “My interest moved to short wave and I joined the International Short Wave League (G.20126) and I bought a Sony 2001D (which I still have and would not part with it), also other Sony models including the 7600 range. At one stage I bought a Kenwood R5000 receiver and this was my first introduction to Waters and Stanton. Jeff the director let me bring it back from the NEC to try out and considering this particular model was almost a thousand pounds then, I have always appreciated this. The Tandy shops were a magnet and I purchased various base and handheld scanners. My favourite CB base transceiver was the York 869, and this helped me on my way to transmitting practice I made a very good friend, Roger Provins, who also became a radio amateur (G0RGJ) and helped me with my learning. My main CB antenna was a Delta Loop which looked like a sailing ship and was just a bit noticeable. The heavy-duty brackets to this day now support my 6-metre antenna. “In March 1997 I decided to get cracking towards an Amateur Radio Licence and plucked up the courage to sign on the very last Amateur Radio course held at Gloscat in The Park, Cheltenham from September to May which I found rather a long slog but went every week. The tutor liked all board work and would take up to 30 minutes to explain certain circuits. About nine of us attended this course and some at the back of me regularly fell asleep! I prayed for some practical work as there was an antenna on the roof but only one demo the entire term!! I did have one go at the City and Guilds Radio Amateur Examination but found it too difficult. After a short gap, I decided action was needed so I studied the RSGB Novice paperwork and noticed it was more ‘hands-on’. “ I decided to take the plunge and I wrote to the Gloucester Amateur Radio Society I must say Brian G4CIB’s letter was most welcoming and everyone including Vernon G0HTO gave me some marvellous help. I took the very last Gloscat Novice Examination in a room all on my own and was successful; since then I have continued to enjoy my Amateur Radio Licence to the full. I have been an RSGB member since 1985. I am now an active Committee member of the Gloucester Amateur Radio and Electronics Society (G4AYM), having held the posts of Assistant Treasurer, Treasurer, and Secretary, and now RSGB Examination Secretary, for the club. I also enjoy operating from a local hilltop on Bank Holiday Mondays when the club does not meet.” [Many thanks for your kind e-mail, Anne, there is almost an entire article here; I shall hope to recruit you for a contribution to RadioUser once again, in the not-too-distant future – Ed.]. The Other Man’s Shack The other images on these pages show the magnificent shack of RadioUser’s friend Mac in East Lothian. He wrote in to say he’d just treated himself to the ICOM IC-705 transceiver and to express his thanks for bringing the Long, Medium and Short Wave column back, as, indeed, have many other readers. https://tinyurl.com/yurbznry [Great to hear from you again, Mac, I think I may have ‘shack-envy’ now! And thanks to Scott Caldwell! – It is good to know the new column is being well received. Ed.]. Desmond Walsh, 2E1GKY Desmond Walsh has an interesting query: “I would like to bring to readers’ attention the existence of a band of pulse signals heard usually around 10:00 to 20:00 GMT within the 11-metre broad- cast band. I first noticed these signals as I heard a ‘ticking’ sound like a clock (the old mechanical analogue wind-up ones) across 25.8 to 26.1MHz exactly. I say ‘exactly’, as the transmitted band is rectangular across those frequencies with a rapid fall-off, just like a DRM transmission. How this is achieved with a pulse- transmission is beyond me, and I wonder if it is some form of OTHR (OverThe-Horizon radar)? The pulse rate is about 4 per second, sounding like a ticking clock. Depending on propagation at those frequencies, the signals are heard regularly here in Cork (in the South of Ireland ), and, at a weaker level, on the very useful Twente SDR in the Netherlands. Has anyone any idea just what this is and where it is being transmitted from? This is a mystery to me! I first heard these signals in mid-March.” (SOURCE: https://www.qrz.com/lookup; Callsign: 2E1GKY, 3rd May 2022) [Can anyone help with this enquiry, please? E-mails to the editor please: wiessala@hotmail.com – Ed.]. Enter our competitions at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/competitions June 2022 RadioUser 29 In the Editor’s Shack Georg Wiessala wiessala@hotmail.co.uk I have recently been able to obtain a Bonito AntennaJet AAS-300DP aerial splitter, courtesy of Clint Gouveia, of the Oxford Short Wave Blog and Dennis Walter, of the German radio and aerials firm Bonito. http://oxfordshortwaveblog.blogspot.com https://www.bonito.net/hamradio/en This clever device had long interested me since I never manage to entirely suppress interference when I connect two radios to my aerials. Everything I have tried so far amounted to ‘Heath-Robinson’ style solutions, sadly. By contrast, this splitter, according to Bonito, is frequently sold to professional users. Therefore, with some initial online reviews also sounding positive, I was gratified to have the opportunity to take a look at this small but high-quality device, distributed in the UK by ML&S Martin Lynch and Sons. The specifications of the AAS-300DP are shown in Table 1. Traditional and SDR I figured that, in all likelihood, many of us now have both a Software-Defined Receiver (SDR) as well as a more traditional HF radio, so I tried that scenario first. It worked flawlessly. I hooked up my outdoor Wellbrook ALA 1530 loop to my AOR AR7030 and my SDRplay RSP duo at the same time, I was gratified to see how well this new little shack-friend functioned. If you have both radios on the same frequency, you can get a good first impression of signal strength from the AOR; but it was good to be able to see some more detail, as well as appraise the wider environment of the station you are listening to on the waterfall-display of the SDR. My example was BBC Radio 4 on MW (720kHz), which, for some reason, is always a challenge to receive at my location in the North West. This worked well for hybrid receivers too, such as the ATS-25 SI4731 Chip Radio or the Malahit (RadioUser, February 2022: 5456; May 2022: 28-31), or any combination of legacy, hybrid and SDR setups. VLF to HF Over a misty Lancashire weekend, I tried a variety of aerials linked to the Bonito AntennaJet AAS-300DP, among them two special VLF ferrite bars; since the signal splitter is specified from 9kHz, there was no Bonito AntennaJet AAS-300DP The Bonito AntennaJet AAS-300DP is an active, dualpowered, lossless, RF signal splitter made by Bonito in Germany. It arrived in the editor’s shack last week and was used with diverse receiving equipment. problem in observing, and comparing, signals in the VLF range, from transmissions to submarines to Standard Frequency and Time Signal (SFTS) stations. In this context, I used the Spectrum Lab software suite to see signals. The SDRplay Dual-Tuner RSPduo is specified to go down to a mere 9kHz; so here I had a very nifty setup to evaluate several VLF aerials, routing them through the Bonito unit. You may also wish to compare two radios on, say, two different HF VOLMET frequencies, as I did, or hook up two or three scanners to catch all the action. Or have the Cricket on (198kHz) on one radio, and tune in occasionally, whilst listening to one of Alan Roe’s Music Programmes on Shortwave on another receiver. I know some radios have dual VFOs (like my AOR) - but, in life as in radio, two are much more fun. The Bonito AntennaJet AAS-300DP In Operation There are many ways to use and/ or test two HF receivers at the same time; you may (like me) want to do this just for fun, engage in some serious frequency-drift and signal-travel-time measuring, pursue a spot of comparative signals analysis, or just enjoy some close monitoring for a listening contest, for example. In a device like this – which will often be used by product testers – it is of paramount importance, of course, that the radios connected do not in any way influence one another in any way, to avoid interference. That is its very raison d’être, as it were. And that is achieved perfectly by the AntennaJet, leading to an immediate and substantial improvement in my DXing experience. The photographs on these pages are meant to give you some Sign up to our FREE email newsletter at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk 30 RadioUser June 2022 In the Editor’s Shack • Input frequency range: 9kHz – 300MHz (-1dB) (- 450MHz) • Input connector / Impedance: BNC / 50 Ohms (DC-blocked max. 25V) impression of what I did with this signal splitter in the shack and how it may be used. I feel certain that you can think of many more user scenarios, and possible radio experiments, in your own shacks; with a device like this, your imagination is the only limit. My warm thanks go to Dennis Walter at Bonito in Germany (Herzlichen Dank, Dennis) and to YouTuber and RadioUser contributor Clint Gouveia, of the Oxford Short Wave Log, who has recently reviewed the Bonito AntennaJet AAS300DP on YouTube. https://tinyurl.com/5n7pb22e The Bonito AntennaJet AAS-300DP is available in the UK from ML&S, priced at £259.95: https://tinyurl.com/ycxukvtc • ESD (Electro-static Discharge) input protection: 30KV; max. pulse power 350W (8/20µs) • Maximum allowable input power: 0dBm • Insertion loss: max. 1.5dB typ. • Output connectors / Impedance: BNC / 50 Ohm (DC-blocked max. 25V) • Isolation between the outputs: 70dB typ. <1MHz; 60dB typ. < 30MHz; 50dB typ. <100MHz; 40dB typ. <300MHz • Amplitude difference of the outputs: max. 0.5dB typ. • IP3 Intercept-Point 3rd Order: +35dBm typ. <10MHz; +20dBm typ. >100MHz. Bonito - Dennis Walter Tel: +49 (0)5052 6052 or 6053 dennis.office@bonito.net Table 1: AntennaJet AAS-300DP: Specifications Enter our competitions at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/competitions June 2022 RadioUser 31 www.moonr Shop online Check your email Collect from store THE ONLINE RADIO SUPERSTORE TRX-1E Digital Handheld Scanner We have worked with Whistler to customise a UK band plan for the scanners! This ensures the radios cover UK bands in the correct steps and the correct mode. The TRX-1 will receive both amateur and commercial DMR transmissions as apart from the frequency they are fundamentally the same mode. The radio is supplied with software and users can select mode when writing memories or select auto and it will work out the mode itself! This multi-system adaptive digital trunking scanner supports Motorola P25 Phase I, X2-TDMA, Phase II and DMR. Buy the TRX-1E for just £419.95 UPTO 419 TRX-2E Digital Desktop Scanner WS1065 Desktop Radio Scanner The Whistler WS1065 employs cutting edge technology to bring a high level of performance and innovative features. This model clearly raises the bar in the area of advanced trunking scanners. Frequency coverage is extensive including: 25-54, 108-17, 137-174, 216-512, 764-776, 795-805, 849-869, 896-960 and 1240-1300 MHz. 1800 memories are available and may be dynamically structured to bank sizes you prefer. Plus you can store 21 virtual scanners (so that is a total of 37,800 objects). The large backlit LCD is four lines by 16 characters. The keys are also backlit. Supported trunking systems include Motorola Analog, EDACS, LTR and Digital APCO (9600 bps). 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UPTO 29 Buy the YouLoop for just An affordable high performance alternative to RTL-SDR and other TV dongles for the VHF and UHF bands.The coverage can be extended to the HF bands via the Spyverter up-converter companion.It is 100% compatible with all the existing software. UPTO Buy the HF Plus Discovery for just KEY FEATURES/SPECIFICATIONS Buy the Malachite for just 10 NEW AND IMPROVED FEATURES: • Air band • FM Soft mute • RDS PTY and RT • MENU and INFO setting • Auto Bandwidth Control • Bigger LCD • 3 times the pre-set quantity • Dimmer LCD back light and fade IN/OUT • 10Hz tuning step of SSB • Smart charger (single battery detection) now! UPTO Buy the MINI SDR Receiver for just £119.95 119 £29.99 Visit our website’s product pages to see Mini Clips Emerging Issues in Radio CHRISSY BRAND. Chrissy Brand chrissyLB@hotmail.co.uk R adio stations in Ukraine have, inevitably, taken on a more vital role than ever since the invasion by President Putin. New stations have taken to the airwaves and others have changed format, while parts of the outside world recommenced targeting the country with their radio services. The National Radio Company of Ukraine and commercial stations had a key part to play in the ongoing Russo-Ukraine disputes, which have been worsening ever since 2008 (Fig. 1). It has been a challenge for stations in war zones to stay on the air, due to suffering massive bombing and destruction. Many stations have lost staff, who, understandably, fled Ukraine. At the time of writing, Russia has not taken over the Ukrainian broadcasting network or any stations, which continue to relay news and information about the war from the perspective of the wronglyinvaded. Until a time that Russia does take over the radio network and starts to broadcast its own propaganda, I would personally question the point in international stations, such as the BBC, REE, Vatican Radio and others, increasing their transmissions to Ukraine. Ukrainians can still receive news from their domestic radio and TV stations, plus social media and other parts of the internet. Radio In Ukraine One of the most interesting developments due to the war, radio wise, may well be the Ukrainian station Kraina FM (Fig. 2). This independent station broadcasts from a makeshift office somewhere in the Carpathian Mountains. Writing in The New Yorker magazine, Nicolas Niarchos (‘Ukraine’s Station of National Resistance’, March 18th, 2022) visited the station and wrote how Kraina FM was instigated and operated by Roman Davydov and Bogdan Bolkhovetsky, both in their 40s. Once the station was established, a representative from the National Council of Television and Radio Broadcasting in Ukraine requested that they play a national broadcast. The Kraina FM duo decided to continue with just their own programming, Bogdan Bolkhovetsky explaining how, ‘Everybody else switched to the national station. It was a continuous broadcast of just one programme on TV 1 War and Radio in Ukraine Chrissy Brand looks at how the ongoing war in Ukraine has changed the radio landscape, in Ukraine itself, neighbouring countries and the wider world. stations and everywhere. I mean, you tune in to any station and it is the same What’s the point? Let’s have one which is different.” They see Kraina FM as the ‘station of national resistance’. Programme content coordinates humanitarian logistics and also includes aggressive humour against Russia. This takes the form of patriotic poetry and lesser-known features about Ukrainians. In March, France 24 reported how radio station Lvivska Khvylya (Wave of Lviv) changed its format of music programmes to one of news once the war began. The station was well prepared, being on a war footing, like most of Ukraine, for many years. Damage to transmitter towers during the current conflict has been an issue. Technical Director, 31- year old Vasyl Pakuch, stated, “Even if, God forbid, they destroy a tower, we will climb a tree with an antenna and we will still turn on the radio wherever we are. It’s not a problem.” Why not visit our new online bookshop at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/store 34 RadioUser June 2022 Emerging Issues in Radio KRAINA FM Fig. 1: Anti-war street art in Rome, created by @ laika1954. Fig. 2: Kraina FM, a station of national resistance in the Carpathian Mountains. Fig. 3: How many Ukrainians listen to short wave broadcasts? Fig. 4: Radio Iperbole in Abruzzo: Intelligent Italian discussion about the war. Fig. 5: Capital Radio interviewing NUS Presidential candidate, Radical. Lvivska Khvylya has doubled its audience figures, from what was 300,000 to 400,000 daily, before the war began. Between music and entertainment, and news, the station tries to make jokes about the situation, to boost morale. Euro News also covered this story, quoting 27-year old journalist, Marta Oliyarnyk, “The war affected our work a lot because there is also a psychological factor which, in the beginning, prevented us from working The [military and civilian casualty] figures terrify us, we experience them personally, but we also try to give a lot of positive information such as the human and material losses of the enemy.” In April, The Independent reported how an internet radio station called Radio Ukraine, based in Prague, was up and running. It streams programmes for over 300,000 Ukrainian refugees who have arrived in the Czech Republic. I feel it could have been better named, as there is already at least one Radio Ukraine, and this could cause confusion. Each radio station inevitably has its own agenda and political angles, even if these tend to be mostly the same in times of war. The Prague-based Radio Ukraine is staffed by ten people, some of whom fled Ukraine recently and others who left the country years ago. The editor-in-chief is former Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist, Natalia Churikova. The Independent rounded up the programme content that can be heard on Radio Ukraine, “For 12 hours each weekday, and 11 hours on weekends, Radio Ukraine plays Ukrainian and western music while presenting news of Ukraine and the Czech Republic together with information for refugees every 15 minutes. It includes details about where they can get the documents they need from local authorities, how to get a job or medical treatment, or how to find a place for children at schools. Children can listen to Ukrainian fairy tales.” A similar station was set up in Poland. RMF Ukraina airs information for refugees, in Ukrainian and English on FM (RadioUser, Emerging Issues in Radio, May 2022: 3437). 2 MARKUS SPISKE ON UNSPLASH 3 In terms of issues, President Zelenskiy’s ban on 11 opposition parties in late March was widely reported by numerous organisations, including DW, but not always, arguably, in the most objective manner possible. http://krainafm.com.ua https://tinyurl.com/4fncc8e5 https://tinyurl.com/38uwkxsk https://tinyurl.com/2jhfn2b7 https://tinyurl.com/2p8dj3kb https://tinyurl.com/bdshnbty Broadcasts to Ukraine It is surely a morale boost for Ukrainians to know that most of the world is supporting them in their struggle. However, the news beamed in from outside will offer little For the latest news and product reviews, visit www.radioenthusiast.co.uk June 2022 RadioUser 35 Emerging Issues in Radio CHRISSY BRAND more information than what is already being consumed. Sadly, potential audiences to international broadcasts have been lost, for at least the last generation, when broadcasters left short wave. Although the reasons for deserting the short waves can be seen as valid, the fundamental mistake was that most broadcasters abandoned their language service listeners. They could, and should, have encouraged the loyal listenership to follow the station from short wave to online programming. But, in most cases, this failed to happen. Certain radio broadcasts aimed at Ukraine have been reinstated or added to, and even parts of the radio industry that have long forgotten short wave have run features explaining how short wave radio seems to be making a comeback and can be a useful tool. The one big question is: who still owns a short wave radio? Are Ukrainian people gathering around community elders who are the only ones who still possess this once-dominant technology (Fig. 3)? Those of us who, for the past 20 years, have urged broadcasters and governments to retain a short wave presence, even a skeleton one, take scant consolation in being proven correct. A Short-Wave Revival? There have been some interesting discussions on various radio and DX forums around the world as to whether the war has caused a realistic short wave revival. Writing for Radio World, Keith Perron and Daniel Robinson (Foreign Correspondent for the Voice of America) wrote an article, Why Reviving Shortwave is a Non-Starter. A decade ago, Keith was a familiar voice on short wave with his Taiwanbased PCJ Media. He revived the Radio Netherlands’ Happy Station Show and relayed many other programmes on short wave, including the Canadian-Ukrainian programme, Ukrainian Roots Radio. However, some interesting points are raised in the piece, for instance, “Today, short wave hobbyists assert that there is great value in beaming short wave to Russia where a Putin crackdown closed independent media and pushed western reporters out. But this is like claiming there is a VHS revival, because a few VCRs may still be floating around. At one time, there may have been millions of short wave radios across the region. But no longer, 4 gone are the days of people huddling around radios.” Another point feeds into the wider debate of how public service media should be funded, a debate which has been covered here in RadioUser in recent months. For instance, the authors believe that the BBC instigating broadcasts of four hours a day of English on short wave to Russia and Ukraine is a public relations stunt, “aimed at blunting the drive to do away with the license fee and show the BBC to be still important in times of crisis. In a familiar game in Washington, in times of crisis, the U.S. Agency for Global Media runs to Capitol Hill lobbying lawmakers to increase its budget (over $800 million in Financial Year 2022).” https://tinyurl.com/2p88r6wh Bo Thide, Emeritus Professor at the Swedish Institute of Space Physics, responding to the article, wrote that, “The author does not seem to be aware of the recent rapid development and availability of software-defined radio (SDR) receivers. You do not need the Internet to run an SDR receiver. That’s the whole point! Just connect a piece of wire as an antenna and then you go!” In another Radio World article, WRMI at Heart of SW Broadcasts to Russia, Ukraine (April 4th), James Careless interviewed Jeff White of WRMI. Jeff said WRMI had Why not visit our new online bookshop at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/store 36 RadioUser June 2022 Emerging Issues in Radio CHRISSY BRAND continue to maintain a highly useful Focus on Ukraine list on their website. There are nine different categories, with each one containing numerous links. The categories include radio broadcasts, streaming websites, Kiwi SDRs, independent reports from radio monitors around the world, YouTube channels, and Facebook pages. https://cidxclub.ca/ukraine-v2 One example of how the western world is reporting on Ukraine can be seen in Italian online broadcaster Radio Iperbole, which translates into English as ‘Radio Hyperbole’. The station began in May 2021, tackling a wide range of topics with intelligent debates and a talk radio format. Based at a technical college in the mountain town of Sulmano, in Abruzzo, it is hosted by environmentalist students, and very much aims to be a community radio station. The Ukraine war receives regular coverage, through discussion programmes each Tuesday and Thursday at 1430 UTC. A poster (Fig. 4) states how the station aims to reflect and understand the conflict and build dialogue. https://tinyurl.com/mr48chtc In the UK, domestic radio has given extensive coverage to the war, replacing regular programmes as well as specialist features, such as BBC Radio 4’s Letter From Ukraine. Commercial radio upped its news coverage too, for example, attending protests against the war and interviewing protestors (Fig. 5). www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/m0015hx4 Russian Media 5 received listener reports and thank you e-mails from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, as well as Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania and other parts of Eastern Europe. Jeff stated, “The day after we resumed airing Ukrainian Radio, we got a message on our Facebook page saying: ‘Thank you, from Kharkiv.’ We got a similar message from a listener in Sumy, Ukraine.’ https://tinyurl.com/bdf36cw5 Meanwhile, medium wave has continued to play a role, and presumably, there are more radios in the war zones equipped with medium wave than there are with short wave. For example, the Lithuanian relay of international services (formerly known as Baltic Waves International) carries programmes on 1386kHz. These include an overnight relay of Ukraine Radio’s domestic service (0000 to 0330 UTC). This is followed by NHK World TV in English (from 0330 to 0350 UTC), Polskie Radio in Belarussian (0400 to 0500 UTC), and Ukrainian at 0500 UTC. Polskie Radio in English can be heard for an hour at 1200 UTC. For details, see Ydun’s Medium Wave Info (website post of April 6th). https://mediumwave.info Broadcasts About Ukraine The Canadian International DX Club Radio Sputnik was the replacement for The Voice of Russia many years back. Although mostly an online broadcaster, its programmes are relayed on several radio stations. These included some in the USA, with KCXL in Missouri and WZHFAM in Washington DC receiving criticism for continuing to air Radio Sputnik programmes. Faultlines, with Jarmari Thomas, pursued the pro-Kremlin line about the invasion of Ukraine. https://tinyurl.com/234zkhx6 Internet streams are useful for all, of course, until blocked or banned. The Russian state has tightly controlled what is reported to its citizens. In the UK, I have been unable to access Radio Sputnik output online. RT (Russia Today), which was on Freeview, has been banned from broadcasting in the UK. The station was pro-Russian although did air some innovative programmes and debates not seen elsewhere. For the latest news and product reviews, visit www.radioenthusiast.co.uk June 2022 RadioUser 37 Locations ALL PICTURES: DAVID REYNOLDS G3ZPF, EXCEPT FIG. 3: BOSHAM LIFE MAGAZINE David Reynolds G3ZPF g3zpf@raota.org A nyone who has been in the hobby for a while is probably aware of the role that Gerald Marcuse (G2NM) played in the history of amateur radio and in the creation of what would become the BBC World Service (BBCWS). For those who are not, his biography is available online at the first URL (below). In addition to being a former President of RSGB, and involved in founding RAOTA, he was also Vice-President at the founding of IARU, as described online at the second website here: https://bit.ly/3qgQo7N https://bit.ly/3wt7wZ5 On page 18 of the biography, the author mentions that in the village of Bosham (near Chichester) the churchyard had a teak bench, with a plaque donated by RSGB and RAOTA, and a sundial donated by his wife. The bench was commissioned in 1962, the year following Gerald’s death, and presented to Bosham Council by John Clarricoats (G6CL). A Courtship Location … In late 2018, Peter (G3RZP) mentioned to me that John (G4GWJ) used to sit on the bench while courting his wife but when visiting the village a few weeks earlier he was disappointed to find that, although the sundial was still there, the bench had been removed. He was told that the bench had allegedly been removed for refurbishment, but no one seemed sure. John was concerned that it might never be replaced. It seems that UK authorities sometimes seem uninterested in items of historical significance if they are related to technology. Their local vicar manages several village churches and had only recently been appointed. She was probably unaware of any details, so I searched the web and came across the Bosham Association. Their chairman explained that The Marcuse bench was actually outside the churchyard wall. It is under the control of the Parish Council and was removed because of concerns over its condition. He also said that it was replaced by a hardwood bench incorporating the original Marcuse plaque after the refurbishment of the churchyard wall (Fig. 1). I mentioned this to the RSGB who, along with RAOTA, donated the cost of the replacement. To their credit, the local Council opted for a custom-made replica of the original 1 The Marcuse Memorial Bench & Amberley Museum David Reynolds G3ZPF, the President of the Radio Amateurs Old Timers’ Association (RAOTA), remembers a visit to two significant sites of UK radio history and commemoration in the South of England. which, as you can see in the photo, is a wellcrafted item and incorporates the plaque from the original. A Sit-In with History In 2019, I received an invitation to a gathering at the new bench, organised by Joan Langhorne, the Church archivist. Bosham (pronounced ‘Bozzam’ by the locals) is about 200miles from my QTH so Carol & I decided to travel down the day before and return the day after. This gave us chance to visit Amberley Museum, where there is a replica of G2NM’s shack among all the other exhibits (see below). David Marcuse (Gerald’s son) was there, along with John and Julie Butcher, G4GWJ, and G4HKZ. Elaine Richards and her OM were there too, along with David Fry (G4JSZ) who is working on a book about Gerald Marcuse, in collaboration with the Marcuse family. The working title is Gerald Marcuse, Pioneer of Radio. Seated at the right is David (G4JSZ), with David Marcuse next to him. Behind them, there is Elaine (G4LFM), the former editor of RadCom. Alan (G4HCO) 2 3 See our great book and magazine offers at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/store 38 RadioUser June 2022 Locations 4 Fig. 1: The (replacement) Marcuse Bench, with the (original) commemorative plaque. Fig. 2: The official gathering for the inauguration of the replacement bench. Fig. 3: The sundial from the top. Fig. 4: Some of the exhibits in Amberley Museum. is standing immediately to the right of the bench. Julie (G4HKZ) is to the left of the bench, with her OM John (G4GWJ) behind her. Others present included residents who belong to the Friends of Bosham association, some of whom remembered Gerald Marcuse from their childhood (Fig. 2). A Leg and a Sundial David Marcuse and David Fry (G4JSZ) both gave a short speech and then Joan Langhorne surprised everyone by presenting John & Julie with the remnant of a leg from the original bench, which she noticed had been discarded in a flowerbed, as a memento of their ‘courting’ days. Julie said that she would place it on display at their home, and visitors would be asked if they would ‘like to see her wooden leg’. In addition to the bench, there is also a sundial on the church grounds mentioning some radio ‘firsts’ by Gerald Marcuse. The only photo I had ever seen was the top-down view (Fig. 3) which appears in several places on the web and it looked to be quite large, but the diameter turned out to be rather less than I expected. Amberley Museum The next day the weather was fine, so Carol & I decided to visit Amberley Museum before starting our journey home. Quite by chance, I bumped into David Marcuse, standing next to the replica of his father’s shack. The Amberley Museum (Amberley Museum & Heritage Centre) has a huge collection of vintage radios in a large building, plus plenty of other non-radio exhibits to keep the whole family occupied (e.g. Fig. 4). The rotary-dial telephones in the telecoms hall confused one young lad who did not realise you had to rotate the dial and not just push the numbers, as did the presence of letters when told he could not text. There is an amateur radio station in the museum, using the callsign GB2CPM, full details of which can be found on their QRZ.COM page. For those who find walking any distance hard work, there is a narrow-gauge railway and a tram service to transport you from one part of the site to another. The on-site café serves good food at reasonable prices. https://www.amberleymuseum.co.uk Therefore, if you are ever in the Chichester area I can thoroughly recommend visiting the Amberley Museum Last, but certainly not least, Bosham village is very pretty, with several thatched cottages and even a library in a phone box. https://tinyurl.com/yems9wpe [N.B.: A version of this article was previously published in OT News, the quarterly magazine of RAOTA, the Radio Amateur Old Timers’ Association. Contrary to popular belief you do not need to have been licensed for 25 years to join. You do not even have to hold an amateur transmitting license. Although having a healthy interest in the history of our hobby RAOTA members use modern technology and operating modes. Full details can be found on the website at www.raota.org – Ed.]. COMMUNITY RADIO MANAGERS FORM OXDAB: A group of community radio managers has teamed up to bid for the upcoming Oxford smallscale DAB multiplex licence. They are Martin Steers from NLive, Dean Kavanagh from Switch Radio, and Barry Clack, director of Witney Radio. Martin is a co-founder of the UK Community Radio Network, representing community radio stations. Dean has operated a trial small scale multiplex for the last seven years, has recently won a permanent service, and is also co-director of a software development company building solutions for small-scale DAB. And Barry Clack runs a community radio station covering West Oxfordshire. He commented: “Good local radio is important, Oxford needs a good local service, something which has been lacking since the demise of FOX FM in 2009. When Fox joined a large, networked, radio group, that local identity which listeners enjoyed was lost and never returned. This identity and structure is what has made Witney Radio a success and will become welcomed by the residents of Oxford when we bring back not just local radio, but a collection of local radio stations, broadcast by local people, back to the city of Oxford.” OxDAB stated that it is interested in hearing from prospective local broadcasters who wish to begin broadcasting on DAB. (SOURCE: RadioToday | OxDAB) https://tinyurl.com/2p88r6wh 10 YEARS OF SERVICE: UK-based company Streamerr [sic] is marking its 10th year of providing a service to radio stations. The business says it has almost 50,000 users and created close to 61,000 distinct radio stations. Previously known as SHOUTca.st, Streamerr was founded in 2013 to provide online streaming servers and streaming solutions. The first major milestone – reaching 100 active users – was achieved in February 2014, and just over a year later this grew to 1000. Over the past 10 years, the brand has expanded and experienced significant growth; it now offers broadcasting solutions including stream-hosting, web-hosting, reseller-hosting, video-streaming, and support for those launching stations. Aaron Gregory, Streamerr’s Company Director, said: “We often hear that ‘radio is dead’, but as we approach our 10th birthday, we are solid proof that the saying is far from the truth! It is true, however, that radio has been neglected for a long time, and we are incredibly proud to be giving it the attention and accessibility it deserves. With a true passion for the industry, we are excited to be researching and developing solutions that bring radio into the 21st century and demonstrate the power of this diverse medium.” (SOURCE: RadioToday | Streamerr) https://tinyurl.com/2p8dkwtw Follow us on Facebook @radioenthusiasts and Twitter @REnthusiasts June 2022 RadioUser 39 Digital Radio Kevin Ryan kevin@radio-digital.co.uk H D Radio – or IBOC (In-BandOn-Channel) as it was once known – is the digital radio standard created for the USA. It has spread to Canada and Mexico too and has been adopted by some countries in the rest of the Americas. I have a good understanding of how HD Radio works but I would like to hear it first-hand. It is not currently possible to experience it in the UK, for a number of reasons. This is also true for DRM on FM. I want to find out how the audio of the HD Radio system sounds, using either an online portal or a decoder of some sort. Unlike DRM and DAB, which are open standards, the HD Radio system is proprietary. DTS, the new owner of the IBOC system designed by iBiquity, jealously guards the technical details, and much of the information available has been obtained by reverse-engineering the broadcast signal. That is quite a task when you think about it. AM in the USA and NAB 2022 After a long period of a slow decline in listening to AM radio, a growing number of people believe that HD Radio on AM has a future. AM radio is struggling to stay relevant in today’s digital world. This decline encouraged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to authorize all-digital AM broadcasts from October 2020. More station owners are considering HD Radio, especially if they want to be part of future developments around the car dashboard. Here, they need to employ the MA3 (All Digital) mode. This is a very different approach to the UK and Europe, where the trend is to close down all AM stations up to 30MHz. The upcoming NAB 2022 Show in the USA (23rd to 27th April 2022) featured three distinct conference sessions on HD Radio: https://nabshow.com/2022 • The Future of AM Radio is All Digital (CBS Radio) • Exploring the Effects of Directional Antenna Pattern Bandwidth on MA3 Transmissions […], and 1 An Introduction to HD Radio Kevin Ryan looks at the HD Radio / IBOC digital transmission format in use in North and parts of South America through the mediaU Portal, looks at NAB 2022 and tests the Auna IR160 Internet Radio. • HD Radio Broadcasting. The first paper started with a brief history of the development of all-digital AM and then looked at the advantages of using the all-digital AM (mode MA3). MA3 allows broadcasters to send audio program metadata, such as artists and album cover images, to receivers to give it a similar look and feel as HD Radio on FM. Using MA3 also narrows the overall bandwidth, from around 30 to 20kHz. This promises a significant reduction in adjacent-channel interference compared to analogue services. Looking at an MA3 (20kHz) signal using a remote receiver, it looks similar to a wideband DRM (18kHz) signal (Fig. 1). A closer look shows that the data carriers between 10 and 20kHz from the centre frequency are 20dB lower than those closer in. WWFD & FM Simulcasting The second paper (above) consisted of a technical report from WWFD (820kHz, Frederick MD), the first AM broadcast station to transmit using the HD Radio MA3 all-digital mode full-time. The digital broadcast began on July 16th, 2018, and it is still going. At night, WWFD uses a two-tower directional array that creates a Sign up to our FREE email newsletter at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk 40 RadioUser June 2022 Digital Radio ALL PICTURES: KEVIN RYAN Fig. 1: This waterfall display of WWFD from a KiwiSDR shows the spectrum of the MA3 signal, with outer sidebands at lower power. Fig. 2: The top-level menu of the mediaU radio portal. Fig. 3: The mediaU website player with the audio of Y101 FM in the Philippines. This is, supposedly, a station using HD. Fig. 4: Part of the listings of HD radio stations in Vancouver as shown on the HD Radio website. Fig. 5: The mediaU listing on the portal is different and shows that most of the supplemental channels are relays of local AM stations. Fig. 6: One of the screens from a software decoder showing technical information about an HD broadcast on FM. radiation pattern with one null. The antenna modifications were less effective than WWFD expected, and WWFD hopes that the findings from operational use will help stations in moving to all-digital operation. Finally, the third paper mentioned above introduced a new system to better synchronize analogue FM to HD Radio switchover when the receiver blends from analogue FM to the digital HD-1 audio simulcast. This does not require off-air monitoring to calculate how to adjust audio delays across the two audio streams. The new system overcomes a problem with HD Radio receivers that monitor signals and select audio output: It seems that some receivers never select the HD Radio broadcast and stay tuned to the analogue FM station. Sub Channels, Coding and mediaU I began my explorations with the mediaU portal for internet radios; it offers an ‘HD’ category. I checked whether the NRSC-5 Decoder software projects had made any progress and wanted to see if the KiwiSDR system was of any use for the issue. ‘NRSC’ stands for the National Radio Systems Committee in the USA and NRSC-5-D is the IBOC Digital Radio Broadcasting Standard. https://tinyurl.com/234zkhx6 HD Radio has its own terminology when it comes to broadcasting additional programmes. The technique is only used on the FM band. HD Radio on the AM band has very limited data capacity, and the FCC tends to restrict stations to a single audio channel. Broadcasting more than one audio channel is ‘multicasting’. The station’s usual audio is the main program service (MPS); any other channels are supplemental program service(s) or SPS. A maximum of three of the latter can be broadcast, in addition to the MPS. The MPS channel is often referred to as the ‘HD-1’ channel, and the SPS/multicast channels are known as the ‘HD-2’, ‘HD-3’, and ‘HD-4’ channels. Moreover, HD Radio uses a proprietary codec called High Definition Coding (HDC). This is a variant of HE-AACv1 used by some DAB+ stations in the UK. There is more information on how many SPS channels the two FM modes support on the web, for example, at this URL: https://tinyurl.com/4xzbwvyt The mediaU radio portal is not as wellknown as the bigger alternative, Frontier Silicon. I came across it when I evaluated the Majority Pembroke hybrid radio. This radio provides access to the portal; I was able to link the radio to my favourite station list stored on the portal. Other radios, like the Bush 1810, use the station database anonymously and do not access this list. You can access the portal from your PC or mobile device. By registering, you gain access to the full facilities, including maintaining your own list of stations. https://www.mediayou.net/web Features and the HD Category I covered this portal in some detail when I reviewed the above-mentioned internet receivers and I will just summarise the key features of the portal. The categories and shown in Fig. 2. First, the Genres are very varied; they range from the expected ones (News and Pop) to selected geographical areas (India and the Middle East), some are in a single language (Tamil) and others, like Scanner, feature relays of LiveATC.net channels, containing Air Traffic Control and railroad frequencies mainly from North America. Many were silent but I found a lot of voice traffic on the ATC from Montreal. The Weather genre mainly featured NOAA All Hazard Weather Radio for many locations in the USA, but I also found a few entries for Thai Weather Radio. The Location tab starts at the continental level and then breaks down to countries. Some of the stations will come up as ‘unavailable’; if any of them are a particular favourite of yours, you might have to use another online radio tuner. The DAB category tab only expanded to Africa, Europe, Asia and Oceania/Pacific. That made sense to me until I expanded the Asia group. There was a single entry on China with twelve FM stations listed. The few stations I tried were listed as unavailable. Oceania listed many stations from Australia, but this seemed incomplete, with many ABC services missing. 2 Europe still listed Irish stations, although officially the country closed down its DAB services. Malta was a much better fit, listing all of the local stations that were carried on the two DAB multiplexes, with the small island broken down by regions. Malta is unusual in that a number of stations from other countries, such as Italy and the UK, are available on their multiplexes, presumably due to tourism. The final category tab with lists of stations is the HD one, offering just Asia and North America. The tab lists HD radio stations in the Philippines and Thailand, which is correct. Only one station did launch the mediaU player (Fig. 3) but its website did not mention HD radio. Thailand has TV5 FM94-HD3. This seemed to indicate that it relays the audio from TV5, the Thai Enter our competitions at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/competitions June 2022 RadioUser 41 Digital Radio Royal Army Television station. The listing indicates that the FM service on 94MHz carries the audio on the HD3 sub-channel. HD Radio in the Americas North America is the home of HD with stations listed for the USA, Puerto Rico, Mexico and Canada. After a bit of research on the HD Radio website, I settled on HD Radio stations in Vancouver Canada because of the limited number of broadcast stations to make checking easier. Typically, stations broadcast a mixture of analogue and digital called the ‘hybrid mode’. The analogue carries the FM audio. The digital sub-channels offer the main analogue audio relay on the HD-1 channel and other stations from the same group on the HD-2 to HD-4 ones. I started with the HD Radio website page for Canada; it listed CJAX, CFMI, CHQM, and CHLG as carrying secondary digital channels (Fig. 4). HD Radio files one AM station: CKNW 980kHz, with an HD-2 channel, but the station’s website says that CKNW is on CIFM FM 101MHz on their subchannel HD-2. https://tinyurl.com/4dnp8frm 3 MediaU HD Radio Vancouver CHQM has three digital channels listed as ‘Variety/Soft Rock’: 103.5-1 CHQM FM HD1; Sports TSN 103.5-1 CHQM FM HD2; and Sports TSN 103.5-1 CHQM FM HD3. The data on the HD Radio website is incomplete in my view, and I checked the information on the stations’ websites. The portal presents a different view of the HD Radio situation in Vancouver (Fig. 5). CHQM has the FM audio on HD-1, CKST a comedy oriented station on 1040 kHz on HD-2 and CFTE BNN Bloomberg on 1410 kHz and HD-3. Checking a little further online, I found that CJAX has CKWX City News 1130kHz on HD-2 and CISL Sports 650 Network 650kHz on HD-3. All this digging for information showed that the mediaU website was, in fact, fairly current. This is a common use of HD Radio in the USA and Canada. The secondary digital channels typically relay local AM stations, which are part of the same group. The mediaU portal does not list any relevant technical details like audio codec or bit rates. Auna IR160 Radio and the AirMusic app Armed with better information on HD Radio I wanted to find out how it would sound on a radio device. 4 My test receiver was the Auna IR160 Internet Radio without DAB or FM. https://tinyurl.com/2p8vfauj The first thing to note is that the radio presents the information in a way, different to how it is offered online. The stations are all grouped together either under genres or geographical locations. The IR160 supports the My mediaU function, which accesses a list of favourites on the portal stored under a personal login. Starting from scratch, I enabled the myMedia menu option on the radio to add the icon to the standby menu. Clicking on it brought up a QR code that I found unhelpful. I assumed the code simply took you to the mediaU website, where I already have an account. Connecting a radio to the portal is different to the way a Frontier Silicon receiver works. In that case, the radio provides an access code. A mediaU radio requires the device’s unique MAC address. The result should be the same, with the radio being linked to the portal, which provides you with access to your list of favourite stations. MediaU radios come with their own app like the Frontier Silicon UNDOK one. The app was not necessary because the IR160 ships with a remote control. However, at times it is more convenient to have a graphical view of what is going on. ‘Real’ HD Radio and a Decoder After a few tests I had to conclude that, first, I was not really listening to HD Radio on either the radio or the portal. In fact, I was ‘blind’ because there was no information displayed about the codec in use or the bit rate. Second, the audio stream most likely used the audio from the original station output rather than the HD sub-channel audio carried on the relaying station. Two projects are reverse-engineering the HD Radio system and as far as I know, they both only handle HD Radio on FM. I have used the theori software and played a small test file. There are references on the Sign up to our FREE email newsletter at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk 42 RadioUser June 2022 Digital Radio 5 github website that hint at it also handling AM. The other project is a bit more active but hampered by a lack of test recordings to unpick HD Radio on AM. I found it all very interesting but none of these decoders yet provide a simple .exe file for Windows. https://tinyurl.com/57wtbfvr More details and other screenshots are on the technical repository called GitHub. https://github.com/markjfine/nrsc5-dui https://tinyurl.com/2p9efzek You might wonder why to use a PC to receive HD Radio when receivers are readily available. First of all, you can use a standard SDR dongle; from the screenshots in Fig. 6, you may see that the app extracts and assembles a lot of information that a physical receiver will not display. https://tinyurl.com/jmbh6cuu A second development I have played with seems to be still under development. https://github.com/theori-io/nrsc5 https://www.rtl-sdr.com/tag/nrsc-5/ https://tinyurl.com/39zm4nbz Note that setting up these decoders can be quite complicated and involves the download of quite a few software packages from the internet. KiwiSDR Monitoring The FCC in the USA lets AM stations decide if they want to use the all-digital mode. As the name implies, this does not offer a simulcast of the (analogue) audio. Using USA-based KiwiSDR receivers, I logged WWFD Frederick Maryland on 820kHz and WSRO Ashland Massachusetts 650kHz pushing out a DRM-like sound. By contrast, I was unable to detect WMGG-HD Tampa Florida 1470kHz or WFAS White Plains New York on 1230kHz. In my opinion, it is unlikely that there will be an extension • In the Box: radio, remote control, manual, European PSU, UK adapter that is pushed onto the EU adapter to convert it into a UK 3-pin plug; I noted that it needed a bit of force. The remote control is identical to the one with the Majority Pembroke. • Wi-Fi Connection: My router settings caused me a few headaches because the radio would not connect. I wanted to use the WPS Quick connect and eventually found that it was not enabled. I started with an open network (no security, and not recommended) to prove that the radio was not faulty. Trying various settings on the 2.4 GHz WiFi, I found that WPA Personal worked. The quickest way to set up my mediaU was to create a login on the website. Find the MAC address of the receiver in the System Information and save the details on the portal. Add some stations to the ‘my mediaU’ area. Power-cycle the receiver, and it should pick up whatever you have added online. Repeat the power-cycle if this does not work. 6 in the future to decode HD Radio, mainly because of the bandwidth occupied by the digital sub-carriers on the AM band. For example, the DRM extension cannot decode the All India Radio (AIR) broadcasts using 18kHz, and the HD Radio ones use wider bandwidths than that. However, I think the KiwiSDR system remains the best bet for a software decoder. https://hdradio.com/all-digital-am/ A Disappointing Result Overall, monitoring HD Radio remains a dream for the moment. We can get some idea of what a couple of the sub-channels • On the rear: Line Out, Aux-In, and a USB port connected to play external audio. In standby mode, the radio displays either a clock, weather for your area or financial information. The manual is well written with an expanded menu diagram and is easy to follow. The IR160 cost £69.99 including shipping from Germany, and it arrived within five days. Table 1: Notes on the IR160 Radio. sound like by tuning in stations on the national DAB multiplexes because HDC is a variant of HE-AACv1. LBC News at 32 kbps or Boom Radio at 24 kbps would sound like some HD-2 or HD-3 sub-channels. I could not find any relevant DAB+ matches for the HD-1 channels at either 48 or 64 kbps. Enter our competitions at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/competitions June 2022 RadioUser 43 New Media and Internet Radio SHAUN KEVENEY. Chrissy Brand chrissyLB@hotmail.co.uk O rdinary people’s views and stories are often missing from conflict situations or, at best, only covered fleetingly. Radio, television and the print media concentrate on the dramatic stories, talking to people who have been bombed out of their cities or forced to flee to another country. There are a great number of people, often young, who have built loyal followings as vloggers. Some of those that I follow have been particularly insightful in recent months. I am not alone in obtaining much information on the Ukraine war through the impressions and videos of individuals who are living through or directly affected by the conflict. These vloggers, granted, perhaps do not all qualify under the definition of ‘ordinary people’. The Ukraine war is probably the first in Europe since the inexorable rise of the vlogger; this source of independent media is, therefore, an exciting development and a further useful tool for others to follow the conflict in a way that is overlooked by the daily television and radio news programmes. Anti-War Protests, and More Although ‘vloggers’ (‘video-bloggers’) can be different from the average citizen, with a higher standard of education and better social mobility than the majority of the population. Most come across as ‘ordinary people’. A handful of Russian vloggers have left the country and reported on this on their YouTube channels. Niki Proshin in Saint Petersburg, for example, has been giving the lowdown on everyday life, the cost of living and food, for over a year. His 61,000 subscribers have been entertained with reports that have included topics ranging from growing up in the Noughties to visiting Vladivostok. He recently covered anti-war protests in Saint Petersburg, looked at the effects of sanctions and considered the huge changes in Russia. Another video diary, Natasha’s Adventures, is from Khabarovsk, Far 1 Vloggers: A New Form of Free Radio? Chrissy Brand looks at independent Russian vloggers who shed new light on the country and argues that this new form of media may well be the independent radio of our time. She then extolls the calming virtues of radio use while driving. East Russia. Nearly 300,000 subscribers have followed Natasha since 2018. She has spoken about swimming, exploring abandoned Soviet sites, hiking, history, cinema, and sexism in Russia. Roman is a vlogger with, perhaps, the biggest following amongst the Russians who I follow (Fig. 2). Also known as NFKRZ, he has amassed over one million subscribers to his channel. His down-toearth approach is appealing and makes for great audio-visual commentary. He does have a serious side, though. In April 2022, he fled Russia for Georgia, which has provided Roman and other Russians a safer haven. See our great book and magazine offers at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/store 44 RadioUser June 2022 New Media and Internet Radio NFKRZ 2 ELI FROM RUSSIA 3 A New Form of Media Eli is a vlogger who has remained in Russia (Fig. 3). She talks about new laws that appeared in the country and how sanctions affected access to social media and networks. Finally, I also follow Victoria Terekhina, who escaped with her family to Uzbekistan after the invasion. For me, vloggers like these are the equivalent of independent radio and free radio pioneers. Individuals can bring a unique and valuable perspective to the world, developing sizeable audiences and producing information streams that run parallel to that of the mainstream radio and television world. All of these bloggers also give their thoughts on the impact of the war, sometimes in a coded way, due to the real danger of contravening Russian laws on how the topic is spoken of. Each one has produced their own media channel, in English; many are worthy of any TV or radio network: full of opinion, current affairs, travelogues and creative content. https://youtube.com/c/NikiProshin https://tinyurl.com/y422nb9p www.youtube.com/c/MultiNfz/videos https://tinyurl.com/37ry5w7x https://tinyurl.com/4h4c5vv6 Patreon Patreon has been established for almost a decade now, as a way to raise funds for projects and media content. I first became aware of it in the embryonic days, when PCJ Media in Taiwan was one radio station that I used to enjoy and which raised funds through Patreon. Other small radio stations and programmes also use the channel. Subscribers to Patreon channels make a small payment each month, often around £5 per channel. In return, the subscriber is notified about exclusive content, sometimes behind-the-scenes looks. Subscribers also revive notifications of new content or updates before anyone else. For those that can afford to donate, it is a satisfying, modern-day form of becoming a patron of the arts. Patreon is not only for up-and-coming creators of media content. Some big names avail themselves of the possibilities offered. Late last year, DJ Shaun Keveney decided to leave BBC 6 after 14 years. He took to Patreon to produce a weekly programme, Community Garden Radio. Currently, 2,100 people fund Shaun £4 a month each (Fig. 1). “In each episode of the podcast, Shaun barricades himself into his top room and makes his way through 20 years’ worth of old ideas trapped in notebooks, on old hard drives, scribbled on the backs of beer mats and the like. He then asks creative people of all stripes to do the same and share with us those ideas they themselves have clung to, that never saw the light of day.” In tandem with this, Shaun hosts a comedy podcast called Creative Cul-de-Sac (Fig. 1). https://tinyurl.com/2s26j3t4 On-the-Road Road Radio In the October 2021 issue, I expressed concern over what form the in-car entertainment system in my next car would take, and the fear of the possibility of not having access to medium wave or FM. I need not have worried and am happy to report that my 2017 Citroen C1 radio has FM and medium wave, along with Fig. 1: Former BBC 6 presenter Shaun Keveney now channels his output via Patreon. Fig. 2: Roman, a Russian vlogger who has now fled to Georgia. Fig. 3: Vlogger Eli, one of today’s ‘roving’ Russian reporters. Fig. 4: Radio Art Zone, from the city of Esch in Luxembourg: inspiration, all summer long. Fig. 5: Smooth Chill radio plays soothing music to help ease some of life’s stress. DAB+. I now have access to an almost overwhelming number of radio stations. This increased choice has certainly enhanced my driving experience. I spend quite a lot of time on the road, usually journeying between north-west and southeast England, and the more varied that the radio programme content on offer is, then the better the journey tends to be. It has also been refreshing to pick up some of the Liverpool and North Wales digital multiplexes whilst on the road in Yorkshire. The DAB signal is fine overall but is, surprisingly, non-existent at times: Parts of the M60 motorway, and in several areas of the A259 from Brighton to Folkestone. FM still seems a far more robust technology to me. Perhaps the situation will be improved when-vehicle dashboards come equipped with internet-based infotainment systems. Hybrid radio, combining 5G and infotainment systems like Apple CarPlay or Android Auto is an exciting prospect. In the USA, Fred Jacobs, founder of consulting firm Jacobs Media, has written about how, ”radio has fit into the dash historically and who will dictate its path to the future […]. The idea that some automakers are rethinking their 90-year policy of radios solidly positioned in the Follow us on Facebook @radioenthusiasts and Twitter @REnthusiasts June 2022 RadioUser 45 New Media and Internet Radio Date Time (UTC) Station Programme Podcast URL/ Stream/ Frequency Weekdays 1800 to 2000 Rewind Radio, Alberta and Beach Radio The Charlee Morgan Show https://tinyurl.com/5n8fwdzp https://945rewindradio.ca https://tinyurl.com/yckhv96v Weekdays 0800 to 0900 Radio Poland News, cultural features www.polskieradio.pl/395 Polish Radio app and WRN https://tinyurl.com/2p93c7x9 0000 to 0100 2000 to 2100 Radio Skye The Book Wagon’s Bits and Bobs https://tinyurl.com/bdexe53r https://radioskye.com/shows-schedule and FM 0500 to 0530 BBC Five Live The Big Green Money Show BBC Sounds MW, online www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00162p6 Fridays 1100 to 1300 Baroque and Beyond Radio (numerous US states including OR, MN, NH) Baroque and Beyond with Mikhail Badenov https://tinyurl.com/9jzmv54u GCR Channel 3, and http://baroqueandbeyondradio.com Fridays 1900 to 2100 RTE Lyric RTÉ Lyric Live: National Symphony Orchestra https://tinyurl.com/ycycekps www.rte.ie and FM Wednesdays Thursdays Fridays Folk Club with Lynette Fay BBC Sounds Fridays 2230 to 0000 BBC Radio Ulster Saturdays 1800 to 2000 Unique Radio Australia Eclectic Views With Jen In The Rad https://tinyurl.com/2p8s65ha www.uniqueradio.biz and short wave https://tinyurl.com/3935abcr www.portobelloradio.com https://tinyurl.com/26vru32y 105.9, online www.bishopfm.com First Sunday of the month 1000 to 1100 Portobello Radio Dick O’Dells Adventures In Music: A Generosity Of G Sundays Wednesdays 1800 to 2100 2300 to 0200 Bishop FM 105.9 Gary Grainger’s Blues Show www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0016362 FM, DAB Table 1. Chrissy‘s Top Listening Recommendations for the Month Ahead. RADIO ART ZONE SMOOTH CHILL 4 center of their dashboards, now known as ‘head-units’, should send shockwaves throughout the radio business from Napa to New York.” https://tinyurl.com/2p9xm7ec In the meantime, I have found Smooth Chill (Digital One, DAB+) to be the nearperfect radio station for me while driving (Fig, 5). It has very few advertisements, no news and no presenters. Don’t get me wrong, there is of course a vital place for adverts, news, DJs and presenters: the latter form the very lifeblood of a radio station’s identity. However, sometimes you just need to hear continuous music from a genre that calms you. A radio station that does this, adding a surprise element that your own music playlists can never achieve, is a special thing. Artists on Smooth Chill I had not heard before included LTJ Xperience and Lemon Jelly. These are accompanied by longtime exponents of downbeat and chill-out music, such as Groove Armada, Massive Attack, Deep Forest and French duo, Air. Smooth Chill is an ideal anecdote to the woes of the world and keeps any road rage at bay. https://tinyurl.com/2tjpmwpv There are similar stations on the air in the UK, such as Magic Chilled, and, of course, further afield. These should not be confused with Absolute Chillout, which is an internet station that is separate from the Absolute Radio brand. It is available by saying “Alexa, Play Absolute Chillout on Tunein.” It has been said that, “it’s the stuff that dreams are made of. Put together with the islands in mind, it’s perfect for closing your eyes and relaxing to thoughts of warm nights and sandy beaches.” http://absolutechillout.com Radio Art Zone Last but not least, Radio Art Zone is an innovative radio/ art station, set up as part of the Esch European Capital of Culture 5 2022 events. It will run for 100days on Radio ARA on 87.8 FM and stream online. Radio Art Zone takes to the air from June 18th to September 25th. According to the website, “The Radio Art Zone schedule consists of two daily programmes: newlycommissioned 22-hour radio productions created by more than 100 international and local artists, and 2-hour live shows from kitchens in the community. Additionally, Radio Art Zone offers artist residencies, workshops, youth productions plus interventions in public space, opening up participatory opportunities for residents and visitors to the Capital of Culture region. Save the date and tune in to a zone where radio and art mix freely!” https://radioart.zone https://esch2022.lu/en See our great book and magazine offers at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/store 46 RadioUser June 2022 TV & Radio: Past & Present ALL PICTURES: THE KEITH HAMER+GARRY SMITH BBC COLLECTION, EXCEPT FIG. 3: JOHN ASTON, MANAGER, BBC GRAPHIC DESIGN Keith Hamer Keith405625.kh1@gmail.com Garry Smith Garry405625.gs@gmail.com here were only two new noteworthy television programmes in 1970. These were The Six Wives Of Henry VIII, first transmitted on January 1st, and Doomwatch on February 9th. Doom certainly descended at the BBC on March 2nd when Scenery staff went on an unofficial 1-day strike. This affected only ‘live’ programmes. The Blue Peter studio was completely bare of scenery, including tables and chairs. Two new ‘current affairs’ programmes came to Radio 4 on April 6th. These were The World Tonight and PM. Several new transmitters opened during 1970, following the introduction of colour television the previous year on BBC-1. Waltham began Test Transmissions on Channel 58 on June 24th. Regular broadcasts began on June 30th. Colour transmissions officially began on July 18th. For an overview of new transmitters and new programmes in the 1970s, see Tables 1 and 2. A plethora of local radio stations opened during 1970. These were BBC Radio Bristol (September 4th), BBC Radio Manchester (September 10th), BBC Radio London (October 6th), BBC Radio Oxford (October 29th), and BBC Radio Birmingham (November 9th). December saw the opening of BBC Radio Medway (18th), BBC Radio Solent (31st), and BBC Radio Teesside (also on the 31st). Special historic broadcasts that year included coverage of the total eclipse of the Sun on March 7th, transmitted ‘live’ from Mexico, between 6.29 pm and 6.34 pm UK time; the splashdown on April 17th of the Apollo 13 astronauts, watched by 26-million viewers on BBC-1; the State Opening of Parliament televised in colour for the first time on July 2nd. New BBC-1 on-screen station ID graphics were introduced on July 3rd by BBC Midlands and BBC North. Finally, to mark the first year of colour on the BBC’s first network, a special Globe caption was radiated from November 15th for one week. T The OU Begins and BBC-1 Midlands Goes Colour Three new BBC Local Radio stations opened in 1971: BBC Radio Newcastle (January 2nd), BBC Radio Humberside (February 25th), and BBC Radio Derby. The latter opened on April 29th with its signature tune, The Derby Ram, broadcasting on 96.5MHz with a power of 1 BBC 100 Years: 1970-1979 Keith Hamer and Garry Smith outline the continuous development of the BBC during the 1970s. The decade saw the extension of BBC local radio, the Open University and Ceefax, plus many memorable new programmes. 5.5kW. The image in Fig. 1 shows one of the authors during a ‘live’ interview with the late Colin Bloomfield. Only two new BBC1 transmitters were brought into service. Belmont began local UHF Tests on January 28th using Channel 22. The Sandy Heath UHF transmitter was opened on March 22nd and carried BBC-1 East Anglia programmes on Channel 31. An attempt to raise the UK’s highereducation standards began on January 3rd with the start of Open University programmes on BBC TV and Radio (Fig. 2). Two lighter programmes also took to the airwaves: The Old Grey Whistle Test began on September 21st on BBC-2 (Fig. 3). The unusual title was based on a theory held by some record producers. Before a new record was released, a rough mix would be played to the grey-haired doormen at the various recording studios. If they could whistle the tune after hearing it just once, it passed ‘the old grey whistle test’ and was released. The other new programme was Bruce Forsyth And The Generation Game on BBC-1. One of the multitalented compère’s catch-phrases was, “nice to see you, to see you nice”. Oh, didn’t he do well‽ The year was a busy time for BBC-1 Midlands. Colour transmissions from the new BBC Broadcasting Centre at Pebble Mill, Birmingham, began on June 7th. The regional news opt-out, Midlands Today, was the final programme transmitted from the BBC Midlands Studios in Broad Street. Pebble Mill was officially opened on November 10th. Tests, Eurovision, and an Approaching Menace Before 1972, the Post Office controlled the hours broadcasters could transmit. This somewhat bizarre situation came to an end on January 19th. In February 1972, a new BBC Electronic Colour Test Card was introduced for field trials. This was the forerunner of the well-known Colour Test Card “G” which has been used, with Enter our competitions at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/competitions June 2022 RadioUser 47 TV & Radio: Past & Present modifications, throughout the world (Fig. 4). Meanwhile, BBC-1 Holme Moss (Channel B2) transmitted the monochrome Test Card “C” for just two minutes from 00:23 on February 7th. Television service engineers (and music lovers) were deprived of all BBC2 Trade Test Transmissions from February 10th, due to the government declaring a ‘Power State of Emergency’. However, they resumed on Saturday, March 4th. The BBC had the honour of presenting the 1972 Eurovision Song Contest ‘live’ from Edinburgh on March 25th. The competition was won by Luxembourg with the UK entry Beg, Steal Or Borrow by The New Seekers being placed second. According to (incorrect) official BBC information, the first regular television news programme for children emerged on April 4th, 1972. Initially called Newsround on BBC-1, the programme later became John Craven’s Newsround (Fig. 5). The first news programme for younger viewers started on April 23rd, 1950, and Mastermind began on September 11th. The format of the infamous black chair and intimidating surroundings was inspired by the programme creator, Bill Wright, with his experiences of being interrogated by the Gestapo in World War II. Even the signature tune was entitled Approaching Menace. The show was first presented by Icelandic-born Magnus Magnusson. Last of the Summer Wine, and a Power State of Emergency There was only one celebrated new BBC-1 programme in 1973. Last Of The Summer Wine, which seemed to last a lifetime, first appeared on January 4th. The final programme was transmitted on BBC-1 on Sunday, August 29th, 2010. Having said that, the wine continues to last, not only during the summer but all year round on other channels. Well, with added commercials every 12 minutes, it regularly fills up an hour’s airtime! The opening of BBC Radio Carlisle on November 24th completed the first 20 BBC Local Radio stations. It was later renamed BBC Radio Cumbria. The station is shown in Fig. 6 during a visit by the authors on May 18th, 2010. BBC-2 Trade Test Transmissions were cancelled in 1972, due to a declared “Power State of Emergency”. The situation towards the end of 1973 was even worse. Once again, all BBC-2 Trade Test Transmissions had to be cancelled from December 10th, this time due to the government’s “Power, Coal & Oil State of Emergency”. As one Prime Minister said, in the late Fig. 1: One of the Studios at BBC Radio Derby. The station opened on April 29th, 1971. Fig. 2: Open University (OU) programmes began on January 3rd, 1971. Fig. 3: The first edition of The Old Grey Whistle Test was aired on September 21st, 1971. Fig. 4: The BBC Colour Test Card “G”. Fig. 5: Initially called Newsround from April 4th, 1972, the programme later became John Craven’s Newsround. Fig. 6: BBC Radio Carlisle, which opened on November 24th, 1973, was later renamed BBC Radio Cumbria. Fig. 7: A typical page from the BBC Ceefax service. Regular transmissions began on September 23rd, 1974. 2 Seventies, when stepping off his holiday flight: “Crisis, what crisis‽” Ceefax and ‘Sound-in-Sync’ The only well-known new BBC-1 programme during 1974 was It Ain’t Half Hot Mum. This was first shown on January 3rd. It is unlikely to be shown ever again due to its perceived racial overtones. On March 9th, the Home Office took over responsibility for broadcasting from the Ministry Of Posts And Telecommunications. The latter came into being on October 1st, 1969, due to the Post Office Act 1969. This changed the status of the Post Office from a government department to a public authority. According to Hansard, the dissolution of the Ministry of Posts And Telecommunications (Volume 871) was debated on April 1st, 1974. From an engineering perspective, there were two main developments. In April, BBC engineers won the Queen’s Award to Industry for their work on a Soundin-Sync system, an early form of signal digitalisation. On September 23rd, regular BBC Ceefax transmissions began (Fig. 7). Its basic specifications are still used by most European television services in 2022 and are considered by many to out-perform the current BBC Red Button text service provided by the multi-national concern, Red Bee. Nothing of major importance seemed to have occurred throughout 1975. Our archives only highlight the first edition of Jim’ll Fix It on BBC-1 being shown on May 31st, and a four-day series of experimental radio broadcasts from the House of Commons, which began on June 9th. A Sheepish Year, a Licence Fee Freeze, and an Interview Similarly, for 1976, the only new programme that we could round up was for lovers of sheep and dogs on BBC-2 with the first edition of One Man And His Dog on February 17th. It was, perhaps, not Earth-shattering news in 1977, but in that year the authors 3 BBC-1 (1970) Brighton (September 21st) Darwen (June 1st) Divis (September 19th) Dover (January 3rd) Keighley (April 20th) Mendip (May 11th) Oxford (May 16th) Pontop Pike (July 13th) Tacolneston (October 3rd on Channel 62) Waltham (July 18th) BBC-2 Brighton (September 21st, Colour) Hannington (June 13th, main station) Heathfield (October 17th, Colour) Limavady (April 4th, main station) Rosemarkie (July 11th, Colour) Saddleworth (February 2nd) BBC-Wales Llanelli (June 8th, VHF Wenvoe (April 4th, UHF) Table 1: New Transmitters (A-Z, 1970) were interviewed for the first time about their interest in DX-TV. The interview with the presenter, Alastair Yates, was broadcast on BBC Radio Derby several times on July 18th. It was also transmitted on the BBC Radio 2 programme, the John Dunn Show, Radio 1’s Newsbeat, and the BBC World Service. Possibly, as a result, the licence fee was fixed for one year on July 29th! Some Changes To Radio Output and a BBC Strike There was a dearth of new programmes too, in 1978. The first edition of All Creatures Sign up to our FREE email newsletter at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk 48 RadioUser June 2022 TV & Radio: Past & Present • All Creatures Great And Small (January 8th, 1978) • Bruce Forsyth And The Generation Game (October 2nd, 1971) • Doomwatch (February 9th,1970) • It Ain’t Half Hot Mum (January 3rd, 1974) • Jim’ll Fix It (May 31st, 1975) • Last Of The Summer Wine (January 4th, 1973) • Mastermind (September 11th, 1972) • Newsround (April 4th, 1972) • One Man And His Dog (February 17th, 1976 • Open University (January 3rd, 1971) • PM (April 6th, 1970) • The Dance Band Days (August 27th, 1979) • The Old Grey Whistle Test (September 21st, 1971) • The Six Wives Of Henry VIII (January 1st, 1970) • The World Tonight (April 6th, 1970) • You And The Night And The Music (January 27th, 1979) • Young Musician Of The Year (February 7th, 1978). 4 Table 2: Programme Highlights (A-Z: 1970-1979). Great And Small was shown on January 8th, and the first Young Musician Of The Year was broadcast on February 7th. Originally one of the year’s cultural highlights on BBC-2, it has now been demoted to BBC-4 which, in turn, may be relegated to an online service only. Several changes to radio were made in 1978. Broadcasting hours were extended on April 1st with a 5 am to 2 am schedule. April 3rd saw the start of what must have been, a scintillating regular service featuring radio broadcasts from the House of Commons. Major Long and Medium Wave frequency changes were made on November 23rd, following the 1974/1975 Geneva Conference, which allowed an increase in the number, and power, of transmitters in Europe. On November 23rd, BBC Radio Scotland, the Scottish national radio network, began broadcasting. Moreover, Radio 2 was moved from 1500 metres (200kHz) longwave to 433m (693kHz) and 330m (909kHz) MW to improve national AM reception, and to conform to the Geneva Frequency Plan. At the same time, the Shipping Forecast was transferred from Radio 2 to Radio 4 to enable them to continue being received by mariners on LW. Towards the end of the year, BBC services were hit by strike action. The industrial dispute began with television programmes on December 21st. The action spread to BBC radio services the following day. The BBC were forced to merge their four national radio networks into one combined service from 4 pm. It was called the BBC All-Network Radio Service. 5 6 The dispute was settled later in the day at just before 10 pm. Radio 2 Extended And BBC Ceefax Subtitling Begins The traditional Radio 2 schedule closed down for the final time on January 27th, 1979, but was re-ignited at 5 am to begin regular, continuous 24-hour broadcasting. Night-time hours were filled by a programme called You And The Night And The Music. Lovers of real music were delighted to tune in on August 27th to hear the first edition of The Dance Band Days on BBC Radio 2, presented by Alan Dell. This was followed, after a short news summary, by The Big Band Sound. Some years later, Alan telephoned the authors from Broadcasting House after finishing a ‘live’ programme to arrange for them to play some of their rare BBC Test Card music featuring many West German radio and television orchestras, some of which had already been featured on the programme. Unfortunately, Alan died shortly before a date could be arranged. From an engineering perspective, perhaps the most important achievement in 1979 was on 7 September 2nd with the first programme to be transmitted with BBC Ceefax subtitling. In Conclusion: 1970-1979 The Seventies brought about a somewhat turbulent time for the BBC with strikeaction at Television Centre, which disrupted several programmes. The decade also saw a modest extension to the BBC’s transmitter network. Several ‘live’ programmes of historic significance were broadcast during those ten years of BBC history. Next month, the authors will, once again, delve into their archives to cover events in the 1980s. See you next month! Enter our competitions at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/competitions June 2022 RadioUser 49 Aerials Now ALL PICTURES: KEITH RAWLINGS Keith Rawlings Keith.g4miu@gmail.com A doublet is a useful HF aerial for transmitting amateurs and SWLs alike. Although in the past, a conventional wire dipole may have been commonly known as a ‘doublet’, nowadays this type is recognised as a wire dipole fed with a balanced feeder. This is often known as an Open Wire Line (OWL). It is also called a ‘ladder line’ and ‘balanced feeder’. It is nominally of a 600Ω impedance. However, a 300Ω (or 450Ω) ribbon feeder, which is also known as a ‘window line’, can also be used. Using an AMU (Aerial Matching Unit) will provide a multi-band operation. Unlike a conventional dipole, a doublet is ‘non-resonant’ yet it will radiate effectively over a wide range of frequencies. The top section is typically a minimum of λ / 4 for each section, i.e. a total length across the top of λ /2. Nevertheless, they seem to also work well when shorter than the ideal. The doublet is essentially a balanced system, and each half of the top, along with each wire in the feed line, must be equal in length (Fig. 1). The feeder used with a doublet is the key, as it operates as part of the aerial and is not just used for transferring the power to the dipole elements. The graphs in Figs. 2 and 3 are modelled on my own doublet, demonstrating the high current points. It is of note that OWL is happily operating with high standing waves along its length. The Importance of Feeders A simple dipole is usually made from two lengths of wire and fed with a coaxial cable and a BALUN included at the feed point. The construction of a doublet, while similar in that the top section, is made of two wires like a dipole, the Open Wire Line arrangement (see the previous section) is very different and is worth discussing: A ‘traditional’ doublet uses the OWL model. However, many users have found that ribbon feeders are more convenient; they are readily available, sturdily made and quite often easier to install. The types with ‘slots’ (otherwise known as ‘slotted ribbon feeders’) are preferable to the non-slotted types. I have noticed that the slotted types are less prone to the effects of rain, dampness and frost, which can adversely alter the characteristics of the non-slotted types. 1 The ‘All-Band’ Doublet Continuing with his investigation of some basic aerial types, Keith Rawlings explains the making and main functions of a simple dipole aerial that can be used on multiple bands. The velocity factor (Vf) has been found to vary by some 20% on the non-slotted, translucent, types when they are damp. The ribbon feeder type exhibits a low loss, but well-made OWL has even less. It has been found that, when wellconstructed, OWL (using 2mm diameter conductors) has a loss of 5dB per mile at 30MHz (Source: Moxon G6XN HF Antennas for all Locations, 1993). To achieve this figure, it is important that the conductors used are not made from iron or steel wire, or, indeed, copperplated steel wire, as these materials cause high losses. The impedance of OWL and ribbon feeder varies with the spacing of the conductors and the diameter of the wire used. For example, OWL made from 3mm diameter conductors will have an impedance in the region of 250Ω at 12mm spacing, and 545Ω at 150mm spacing, whereas conductors with 1.5mm diameter have an impedance of 360Ω at 12mm spacing, and 655Ω at 150mm spacing. The velocity factor (Vf) will be in the region of .95. (Typical coaxial cable will have a Vf of .66). I do not presently have any OWL that I can present photos of here, but a quick Google came up with this website that has some reasonable pictures: http://www.w1aex.com/owl/owl.html The image in Fig. 4 Illustrates some balanced feeders. The SOTA Beams website contains some basic details on the construction of a portable doublet at this URL: https://tinyurl.com/mr393z3z One of my first attempts at the construction of OWL used lengths of plastic spine bars intended for clamping A4 sheets together. Lengths of this were cut and holes were drilled into the flat section to take the wire I was using. By its nature, the plastic gripped the wires making it very easy to keep the spacers in place while I applied adhesive to keep them permanently in position. All went well until we had a moderately windy day where the line was blown all over the place. The spacers had far too much wind resistance. I then bought some round plastic rods. I cannot remember the diameter, but it would have been no more than 8mm. One rod was cut to length, drilled to take the wire, and fixed into position by wrapping wire around the line on either side of the spacer. This was an improvement and lasted for quite some while before I bought some cheap translucent 300Ω ribbon feeder to replace it with. This was a structural improvement but, as pointed out earlier, it was affected by rain and dampness. See our great book and magazine offers at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/store 50 RadioUser June 2022 Aerials Now Fig. 1: A doublet layout. Fig. 2: An AN-SOF Simulation of currents on a doublet at 14MHz. Fig. 3: The measurement of Fig. 2 using EZNEC with the NEC 5 Engine. Fig. 4: Left to right: 75Ω twin feeder, good-quality 300Ω ribbon-feeder, cheap 300Ω ribbon-feeder, slotted 300Ω ‘window’feeder, and 450Ω window-feeder. Fig. 5: AN-SOFsimulated current distribution on a doublet, where the sections in red are the high current spots. Figs. 6 a-d: AN-SOF doublet simulated radiation patterns at 7 (a), 14 (b), 21 (c), and 28MHz (d). Fig. 7: A BT ‘twin-lead’, used to form a cheap doublet. It is possible to buy spacers for OWL to make your own runs. Also, with the proliferation of 3D printers, there are now many designs out there to print out on your own; even if you do not have a 3D printer, many of us know someone who does. For outdoor use, ABS or PET-G filament is recommended, but I know of someone who has been using parts made from PLA outdoors for many years, with no apparent degradation. Personally, I prefer to stick with PET-G. OWL, or ribbon feeder for that matter, does not like sharp bends or being run along conductive surfaces, such as down a steel mast. However, some liberties can be taken without causing too many problems especially when it is used as part of a receiving set-up. That OWL has a nominal impedance of 600Ω does not seem to matter when substituting 300/450Ω ribbon feeder on a doublet. Terminating the OWL As already stated, a doublet using OWL makes for a balanced aerial. The aerial inputs of many modern radios are nominally 50Ω (unbalanced) although some have ‘high-impedance’ inputs of around 500Ω, which are intended for connecting ‘end-fed’ or random length wires. ‘UnBalanced’ generally means that one side of the aerial input is grounded; a common connector on HF radios is the SO239 type. This is very convenient when using coaxial cables, but not so for aerials using OWL, since connecting one of the doublets ‘legs’ to the outer of the connector will effectively ‘ground’ it, causing it to become unbalanced. Therefore, we need some method to convert our OWL balanced feeder to the unbalanced input to the receiver. My preferred method for this is to use a truly balanced AMU. By this, I mean 2 an AMU that does not use a BALUN to make the conversion, but one that has a symmetrical input, either to a link-coupled coil or, perhaps, an input circuit that uses a differential capacitor in parallel with a coil. A Z-Match circuit usually satisfies this requirement. Many AMUs have a ‘balanced’ input that is fed to an internal BALUN, often using a toroidal core. Without going into it too deeply here, I am not a fan of this approach as there may be losses incurred that will show themselves as heat when transmitting. The use of a BALUN at the end of the OWL for running coax cable back to the shack can present the same problems. Compromise Solutions It has to be admitted that running OWL or ribbon feeder to the operating position can be problematic, and a compromise may have to be accepted. Coaxial cable may be connected directly to the OWL – and precautions must be taken to prevent common-mode currents from running on the outer of the coax – thus unbalancing the system. This will consist of a common mode choke. There are various approaches to this. A few turns of coax cable formed into a loop can be effective, as can a string of ferrite cores running on the outside of the coax. Running the cable through ferrite rings is another option. I currently use a few turns of RG174 cable wound around an FT24043 core to make an effective common 3 mode choke capable of handling 100W quite easily. This approach will only (hopefully) prevent radiation off of the coax; it will not change the impedance and therefore the VSWR seen on the coax. If this VSWR is high loss, this is caused due to dielectric heating of the cable. The longer the cable, plus the higher the VSWR, and the lower the quality of the cable, the higher the loss. For example, a run of 30ft of RG58, with a modest (in terms of a doublet) VSWR of 10:1 at 30MHz, would incur a loss of around 2.5 dB. This may not sound much; however, for 100W output at the transmitter, you could expect only about 55-60W at the aerial. Better quality cable would reduce these figures. Having said that, I have used a G5RV (which is a doublet) running from 30ft of RG58 for many years. It had a multi- Follow us on Facebook @radioenthusiasts and Twitter @REnthusiasts June 2022 RadioUser 51 Aerials Now 4 5 6a 6b 6c 6d 7 turn loop on the coax and worked well on all bands; however, operators should be aware of the losses when using a coaxial cable with a doublet. On the HF amateur bands, a top length of 130-140ft has been found to work for 80m through to 10m, with the feeder joined together at the tuner end; fed against a good earth, it should radiate on 160m also. Cebik, W4RNL suggests 44ft will work well on 40m and above https://tinyurl.com/59jz89f3 make contacts in the UK and most of Europe using 100W of SSB on this band. On all other HF bands, it also works well, and I have no problems tuning it with the Z Match when using 30 feet of 450Ω windowed ribbon feeder. If you encounter any problems when tuning, try adding or subtracting a length of the OWL and you should find that this cures the problem. In conclusion, the doublet type of aerial is, therefore, an excellent choice for those who wish to use a dipole over a wide range of frequencies. Construction is made simpler when using a slotted ribbon feeder. In the case of reception, direct connection to coaxial cable and the use of a choke balun will certainly give good results. Like a dipole, it can be ‘bent’ to fit into a space; but remember that, unlike a single- My Current Doublet I am presently using a doublet with a 66ft top, tuned by a Z match for my transmitting equipment on HF. It works well on all bands, including 80m, where it is technically too short. I find that I can band dipole – where there is little current on the ends when a doublet is used over a range of frequencies – the points at which there is current will vary along the wire, and it is the maximum current points that we want as high as possible (Fig. 5). It should also be noted that the radiation patterns vary with the doublet becoming multi-lobed higher in frequency (Fig. 6). After explaining to you all about balanced/ribbon/open-wire line, a reception doublet can simply be made from bell wire or preferably, BT Drop wire, which can be found as flat twin lead in grey or black PVC and looks just like a large bell wire. It is high tensile and strong. Split the two conductors into the lengths required for the top, knot them to stop further splitting, as in Fig. 7, and run the rest to your AMU. See our great book and magazine offers at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/store 52 RadioUser June 2022 What’s new in the world of radio News Radio News European Private Shortwave Stations May 1st 2022 Only legal stations are included. Most stations use low power, but a few use several kW. Note that UTC is used here not CET, nor CEST! Abbreviations used: D = Germany, DNK = Denmark, FIN = Finland, NL = Netherlands, NOR = Norway F.pl.: future plan, Int’l = International, Irr. = irregular, LT = Local time, 24/7 = twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week Mo = Monday, Tu = Tuesday, We = Wednesday, Th = Thursday, Fr = Friday, Sa = Saturday, Su = Sunday. kHz Country Name Transmitter site Schedule (UTC) 3955 D Radio Channel 292 Rohrbach Waal Daily 0600-2000 & 2100-0500 3975 D Shortwave Radio Winsen Daily 1700-2200 3985 D Shortwaveservice Kall-Krekel Daily 0700-1930 (‘Radio Popexpress’ a.o.) 3995 D HCJB Weenermoor 24/7 5895 NOR The Sea / Radio Northern Star Bergen Silent 5920 D HCJB Weenermoor 24/7 5930 DNK World Music Radio Bramming 24/7 5940 NL Radio Piepzender Zwolle Irr. (0800-2000) 5955 NL Sunlite Westdorpe From May 13th: 24/7 5970 DNK Radio208 Hvidovre 24/7 5980 DNK Radio OZ-Viola Hillerød We 2100-2200 5980 FIN Scandinavian Weekend Radio Virrat 1st Sa LT of the month (Not in May) 6005 D Shortwaveservice Kall-Krekel Daily 0800-1600 6005 NL Radio Delta International Elburg F.pl. (Fr or Sa 2100-0300) 6020 NL Radio Delta International Elburg Irr. (Su 0600-1500) 6030 D Shortwaveservice Kall-Krekel Alternative to 6085 kHz 6055 DNK Radio OZ-Viola Hillerød Sa-Su 1100-1300 6070 D Radio Channel 292 Rohrbach Waal 24/7 6085 D Shortwaveservice Kall-Krekel Daily 0700-1700 (‘Radio MiAmigo Int’l’) 6115 D Radio SE-TA 2 Gera Irr. (1000-1200) 6140 NL Radio Onda, Belgium Borculo, NL Irr. (weekends only) 6150 D Europa 24 Datteln Irr. (0700-1605) 6160 D Shortwave Radio Winsen Daily 1500-2000 6170 FIN Scandinavian Weekend Radio Virrat 1st Sa of the month (Not in May) 6185 NL Radio Piepzender Zwolle Irr. (0800-1400) 7260 NL Rockpower Nijmegen Daily 0800-1200 7270 NL Rockpower Nijmegen Daily 1200-1600 7365 D HCJB Weenermoor Silent 7425 NL Radio Piepzender Zwolle Irr. 7445 NL Radio Piepzender Zwolle Irr. (0800-1800) 9670 D Radio Channel 292 Rohrbach Waal 24/7 11690 FIN Scandinavian Weekend Radio Virrat 1st Sa of the month (Not in May) 11720 FIN Scandinavian Weekend Radio Virrat 1st Sa LT of the month (Not in May) 15700 DNK World Music Radio Randers Daily 0700-2000 + irr. at other times 15785 D BitExpress Erlangen 24/7 DRM-modulation (‘Funklust’) 25800 DNK World Music Radio Mårslet, Aarhus 24/7 This list is published by Hartvig Media ApS on each first full day of the month – based on details supplied by radio stations, the stations’ websites, monitoring observations, HFCC registrations, and some reasonable presumptions. The list is not copyrighted and may be published everywhere. Subscription by email is free of charge; write to shn@wmr.dk. WORLD WAR II OCEAN BATTLEFIELDS: More than 72,000 Americans who fought during World War II (1939-1945) remain unaccounted for, and more than half of them are ‘presumed lost at sea’. U.S. government entities have investigated WWII sites over the past 70 years to find evidence of those missing in action (MIA) but have faced challenges, particularly when trying to explore strategic locations on the seafloor. Recent advances in radio, autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and underwater imaging technologies are making it possible to search deeper and more challenging parts of the ocean to potentially find some answers in wreckages, a task that has historically fallen upon divers. In March 2022, a U.S. research team, including oceanographers and forensic archaeologists, completed a 2-week mission to search for planes that had crashed in the north-western Pacific Ocean in 1945. The team found two crash sites […]. Read the full story of how this was done at one of the URLs, below: (SOURCE: EoS Science News | AGU | Dacey, J. (2022), ‘Robotic Vehicles Explore World War II Era Ocean Battlefields’, Eos 103). https://doi.org/10.1029/2022EO220184); https://tinyurl.com/bdf36cw5 LIVERPOOL FOOTBALL CLUB-BRANDED RADIO STATIONS SET TO LAUNCH: Liverpool Football Club (LFC) has agreed on a deal with Asia Radio Concepts to roll out new LFC-branded radio stations throughout the Middle East and Asia-Pacific. The multi-year agreement will see the creation of the world’s first football-branded and content-driven LFC Radio stations. LFC stations will also carry LFC content, including match reports, LFC news updates, plus player and coach interviews. ARC director, Guy Dobson explained, “We’re thrilled to be working with one of the greatest football brands in the world on this ground-breaking concept. The broadcast industry is highly competitive, and radio networks are always looking for that winning formula and a point of difference, and that’s where ARC and LFC Radio fits the brief perfectly. ARC will work closely with interested radio groups to re-programme existing radio stations in terms of both music format and content offering, to maximize audience reach in that respective market, and relaunch those stations as ‘LFC Radio’” […]. The roll-out of LFC Radio branded radio stations will have an ‘Asia-Pacific First’ strategy, including the Middle East, before expanding into other territories and regions. (SOURCE: LFC | RadioToday). https://tinyurl.com/bdf36cw5 Follow us on Facebook @radioenthusiasts and Twitter @REnthusiasts June 2022 RadioUser 53 Push to Talk ALL PICTURES: TIM KIRBY, EXCEPT FIG. 1: PIXABAY 1 Tim Kirby tim@livingland.wales A reader asked me recently about how one might get started with CB Radio. As ever, the answer starts with “it all depends”. It depends on what you would like to do. Would you like to speak to people locally? Do you want to use the radio from your home, from the car or perhaps when you are out on the hills? Are you interested, even, in communicating with people overseas? If you are mostly concerned with talking to people locally, then you may consider a simple FM/AM CB set. Bear in mind that there is comparatively little local FM (and AM) activity compared to the CB halcyon days in the early 1980s. There are, however, local activity periods (‘nets’), which you may find worthwhile listening to. Maybe you know someone locally who can advise you about how much local activity there is on CB and whether it is the sort of activity that you would find interesting. It might make a nice project for a group of friends in a town or wider area to communicate on CB radio – in which case, you know that there will be someone to talk to! You will need a CB set capable of FM (most will do AM as well), a 12V power Burners, Superbowl and Donald Duck: Starting on CB This month Tim Kirby has some practical advice on how to get started in CB Radio, evaluating what you will need, advising on where and when to listen in, and offering a few words about callsigns and QSL cards. supply and of course, an aerial and some coaxial cable (coax) to connect the aerial to the set. Setting Up a Station If you are setting up the station at home, the aerial will work better if you can put it up higher. However, remember that most CB aerials are quite long. Therefore, although you can put one up at the top of a large pole – and people do – think about how safe this will be in the wind! You might do better, if you can, to bolt the aerial to a wall rather than a chimney stack – or you may use a guyed pole in the garden, with the aerial on top of the pole. Although many people think of 5/8 wave verticals when it comes to CB base aerials – and these are, indeed, a good option – there are other possibilities. One of our readers, John L from Devon, has built a wire vertical aerial and hung it in a tree at the end of his garden. It works very well! You will need some coaxial cable to run between the aerial and where your set will be situated. It always pays to use better-quality cable, especially if there Sign up to our FREE email newsletter at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk 54 RadioUser June 2022 Push to Talk is a distance of more than perhaps 10m between your set and the aerial. With under 10m, you could use RG-58 type coax, but over that distance, you might consider using the thicker RG-213 type coax, which will mean that you lose less signal, both on transmit and receive. Do not be tempted to use TV coax, which is 75Ω, rather than the 50Ω that your set and aerial are designed for. Legal CB sets can run a maximum of 4W, so you need to get as much of the signal from the set to the aerial as you can! Legal Matters and Further Afield I haven’t talked about legality yet. Legal CB sets can run a maximum of 4W of FM/ AM and 12W of SSB. It is fair to say that many users, particularly those on SSB, may be using output powers well above 12W. Some SSB operators use equipment designed for amateur radio on CB, having had the sets ‘wide-banded’. Nevertheless, this is illegal and could render you liable to prosecution. If you are interested in talking further afield, overseas, then you will very likely want to try SSB. From a legal perspective, you should know that you can only use SSB on the CEPT CB channels, sometimes known as the ‘Mid-Block’. There is plenty of SSB CB operation outside this set of channels and you should know again that this is illegal and it could render you liable to prosecution. Of course, there is nothing to stop you from listening on the ‘illegal’ channels if you do not transmit. There are a variety of multi-mode sets available, which will satisfy these criteria and, particularly in the summertime, you can expect to make some good contacts around Europe on what is known as ‘shortskip’. With increasing sunspots, you will hear people from further afield, in fact from all around the world. Typically, in the morning, you may hear signals from Australia and the Far East; then, as the afternoon starts, you might hear signals from North and South America, with generally, the South American signals being the last to fade in the evening. Avoiding the ‘Donald Duck’ If you have not used an SSB radio before, you will have to get used to the tuning. On FM and AM, all you have to do is to turn the channel dial; if there is a station present, it will be tuned in. On SSB, this may not be the case and you may have to use the clarifier to tune into the station 2 so that the speech sounds natural and not like ‘Donald Duck’! Make sure that your set is configured so that the clarifier works on both transmit and receive so that you are transmitting on the same frequency on which you are receiving. You might sometimes find that an SSB station is transmitting between two of the CEPT channels, but you can usually tune them in, as long as your clarifier has a fairly wide range. If putting up a big aerial at home is not an option for you, then if you have a car, you might consider operating mobile from the top of a hill. A simple multimode CB set, connected to a decent aerial on a magnetic mount, and from a good location, will make some great contacts! Some operators take full-sized aerials, with a mast to the top of a hill and use those – it can work very well indeed. You will note I haven’t mentioned linear amplifiers yet, sometimes known as ‘burners’ or ‘boots’. These units sit between your CB set and your aerial and boost your signal. Units vary from 25W up to in excess of 1000W. You will have probably guessed that these units are illegal, but you may see many of them advertised. Some units have a preamplifier which can be used on receive to increase weak signals. This can be useful in some circumstances, depending on band noise. Using a preamplifier on receive is quite legal. Triple-Five and Superbowl So far, we have only talked about the ‘hardware’ you will need. What else do you need to know? Where to operate and listen? For FM operators, you have Fig. 1: The President Jackson II CB transceiver; is a multi-mode CB set, capable, in the right conditions, of making contacts worldwide. Figs. 2-4: Radio-Art: A collection of vintage American CB QSL cards. the choice of the original UK40 channels and the CEPT allocation. Most modern rigs will allow you to switch between the two sets of channels. Channel 19 on the original UK 40 allocation is a ‘calling channel’, of sorts, but be prepared for some ‘family-unfriendly’ language. Tuning up and down the CEPT band may produce voices from far afield – you are less likely to find other UK stations operating there, generally speaking. If you have an AM set and a reasonable aerial, you may find it interesting to tune to Channel 6, which is the American Superbowl channel. It has nothing to do with American Football or the Superbowl but has everything to do with CB operators trying to outdo each other with power and sometimes, wit! It can be quite entertaining to listen to, but as ever, be prepared for ‘family unfriendly’ language. If nothing else, it is a good indicator to show whether the band is open to the USA. For legal SSB operation, your only option is the CEPT channels, and you should find a fair amount of SSB activity in that band. US operators are often heard. 27.555MHz is a well-used SSB calling frequency, sometimes known as the Triple-Five, but it cannot be legally used in this country for transmission as it is not one of the CEPT channels. Operators often call on 27.555MHz and announce that they are listening on another Enter our competitions at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/competitions June 2022 RadioUser 55 Push to Talk frequency for replies. If you are lucky – sometimes this will be in on one of the CEPT channels. DXing and Callsigns As you become more experienced, you will discover that particular countries favour particular channels. This is all part of the skill of ‘DXing’ – long-distance radio operating: knowing where and when to listen. Sometimes, you may find yourself listening to a conversation between two operators a long way off who have no idea that they are being heard thousands of miles away. It can be fun sometimes, to break in and let them know! Most operators on SSB tend to use a callsign rather than a handle. This generally takes the form of something like 26-CT1233. The ‘26’ is known as the Division – ‘26’ stands for England. Other divisions that you might find useful to know are ‘1’ – Italy, ‘2’- the United States of America, ‘3’- Brazil, ‘29’ – Ireland, ‘68’ – Northern Ireland, ‘108’ – Scotland, ‘163’ – Wales, ‘167’ – Jersey, and ‘169’ – Guernsey. You can see a list of CB Division codes here: https://tinyurl.com/3vn4ekxu The rest of the callsign can be almost anything. Several CB clubs issue callsigns – such as the ‘Charlie Tango’ group. https://charlietangodxgroup. forumotion.com The group issues callsigns with ‘CT’ in then – the number at the end may be sequential or a number that has particular significance to you. You don’t have to be a member of a CB club though, to have a callsign, you could just make something up! Do make sure that the division code that you use indicates which country you are in, as CB operators like to ‘collect’ countries that they make contacts with – so it is good to make it obvious where you are operating from. QSL Cards Galore Some CB operators (and amateur radio/ ‘ham’ operators too) like to exchange QSL cards (Figs. 2-4). Whilst I can partially understand the attraction of this, to commemorate very special contacts, I think the days of swapping QSL cards for each contact should be in the past. Environmentally and cost-wise, this is quite expensive. However, I am also keenly aware that for some people, QSL cards are a major part of the hobby. In my view, though, the days of ‘the final 3 4 courtesy of a QSO is a QSL’ are long gone; so, unless this is part of the hobby you want to explore more, you should not feel compelled to exchange QSL cards with people you have contacted. If you find this interesting, you may find it worthwhile looking through the vintage QSL cards which are available to buy on websites such as eBay. So there we are; that was a bit of a whistle-stop tour of how to get started on CB. I hope it’s given you some ideas and perhaps if you were thinking of trying out CB, it might help you along the path a little. If you have any questions though, please don’t hesitate to get in touch and I will do my best to help. CB Radio On the Air Perhaps to help inspire you a little more, John L from Devon, who uses the callsign 26-OP-222, has been busy on the air and has been making some great contacts since I wrote the last column. John mentions contacts with Brazil, Uruguay, Trinidad, Timor Island, Kuwait, Bali, Venezuela, Thailand, Mongolia, Dominican Republic, French Guyana and Malta. It is an impressive list by any stretch of the imagination. Well done John and keep up the good work. Any other CB operators are welcome to send in details of interesting contacts they have made – I would be delighted to share details in this column. That’s about it for this month – I’ll be back next month with another Signals from Space column, and, in two months, I will offer more on Push to Talk: I will be exploring using hotspots with analogue radios and hopefully, there will be news of a new handheld transceiver from Icom. Sign up to our FREE email newsletter at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk 56 RadioUser June 2022 History Scott Caldwell Scottandrew.caldwell@yahoo.co.uk A dolf Karl Heinrich Slaby (18491913, Fig. 1) is sometimes regarded as the ‘German Marconi’ who introduced the technological wonder of wireless telegraphy to the then German Empire. His work, and that of others, instigated a race to develop a version of the Marconi’s system, intended solely for the commercial and strategic benefit of the German Empire. The Early Years Slaby’s background was humble; his father worked as a bookbinder. At secondary school, Slaby had already developed a passion for mathematics and technology. He pursued this in his further education, and he enrolled to study mathematics and mechanical engineering at Berlin’s Gewerbeakademie (Academy of Commerce). Unlike ‘pure’ academic researchers, Slaby combined theoretical thinking and practical experiments. He campaigned hard to establish the first chair of electrical engineering at the Kӧniglich-Technische Hochschule (Royal Technical University) in Berlin. For the next 30 years, Slaby impressed his contemporaries with a deep-rooted passion for teaching and disseminating knowledge. His practical engineering approach was further emphasised by the publication of his book, Theory of Gas Engines, which contributed to the development of the early form of the combustion engine. Slaby and Marconi Initial experiments by Slaby had been confined to the newly-discovered ‘Hertzian Waves’. However, he had become disillusioned, on account of his lack of success in his wireless telegraphy experiments. This seemed to have been due, largely, to the limited distances that the signals travelled. However, in 1897, the German newspapers reported that the Italian engineer, Guglielmo Marconi (18741937; Fig. 2) had invented a revolutionary new system that could transmit Morse code without the utilisation of a wire. He eagerly attended Marconi’s demonstration with the authorisation of his close acquaintance, Sir William Henry Preece (1834-1917) who headed the English Telegraph Administration. The following extract from Slaby’s research journal reveals his true feelings regarding Marconi’s breakthrough: “When the news of Marconi’s first success ran through the newspapers, I myself was The ‘German Marconi’ & the British-German Battle for Wireless Supremacy Scott Caldwell discusses the life and work of Adolf Slaby and his contemporaries and rivals, against the backdrop of the race to establish an independent wireless telegraphy network in the German Empire. earnestly occupied with similar problems. I had not been able to telegraph more than 100 meters through the air. It was at once clear to me that Marconi must have added something new to what was already known, whereby he had been able to attain lengths measured by kilometres. Quickly making up my mind, I travelled to England. Marconi had made a discovery. He was working with means the entire meaning of which no one before him had recognised. Only in that way can we explain the secret of his success. In the English professional journals, an attempt has been made to deny the novelty of the method of Marconi. It was urged that the production of Hertz rays, their radiation through space, the construction of his electrical eye – all this was known before. True; all this had been known to me also, and yet I never was able to exceed one hundred metres”. Researches and Rivalries This invitation served to fire his passion for wireless telegraphy, and it soon returned to the forefront of his research activities. To carry out a range of experiments, the waters of the Havel River near Potsdam were put at his disposal. Initially, there was outrage in the local area as Slaby’s experiments were conducted utilising sparks that disrupted all telephone connections. In June 1897, Marconi impressed the world again later, sending a signal from a distance of 16km. Marconi would later regret having been ‘forced’ to invite Slaby, resulting in years of commercial competition. This was often bitter, very intense – and often expressed in public – as the following example may show: “The New York Times, Thursday, April 3rd, 1902: “Slaby Replies to Marconi”. Berlin. April 2 – Prof. A. Slaby the electrician has issued a written reply to Signor Marconi’s statement that he (Slaby) learned from Marconi what he knows about wireless telegraphy. The professor says: I have never omitted to mention, and at every opportunity have acknowledged that I participated in the experiments carried on in May 1897, by the English Telegraphy Department under the direction of Sir William Preece, with the Marconi apparatus of that day. But the present system of tuned telegraphy, as Marconi admits, has hardly anything in common with those primitive beginnings of 1897. The Slaby-Arco system is not based on those early experiments. On the contrary, as Marconi well knows, it is founded on discoveries that I published in December 1900, to which Marconi referred in his address before the Society of Arts in these words: ‘I trust that it will not be thought that I desire to minimise in any way the importance of Prof. Slaby’s work. The very conspicuous change in Marconi’s views as contained in his letter published in New York is something I very greatly regret.” Marconi also taunted Slaby over the performance of his wireless system. In an interview in the Corriere Della Sera, he remarked that “Even the officers of the German warships, when they are asked which device they have, reply first: Slaby of course! but then confide: It is a Marconi.” Developments and Personalities Three teams of scientists and engineers (Table 1) subsequently took up the challenge to first replicate, and then improve upon, Marconi’s initial design – all of them are now household names in German scientific history. However, the generous patronage of the last Emperor and King of Prussia, Kaiser Wilhelm II (William II; r. 15 June 1888 until Follow us on Facebook @radioenthusiasts and Twitter @REnthusiasts June 2022 RadioUser 57 History ALL PICTURES: PUBLIC DOMAIN, EXCEPT FIG: 5: RF CAFÉ Fig. 1: Adolf Slaby (1849-1913), the ‘German Marconi’. Fig. 2: Guglielmo Marconi (1874-1937). Fig. 3: A research rival: Karl Ferdinand Braun (1850-1918). Fig. 4: Von Arco on the cover of the October 1930 issue of the US magazine RadioCraft. Fig. 5: An Adolf Slaby Commemorative Birthday Stamp dating back to 1974. his abdication on 9 November 1918), as well as the practical support of the German Navy provided Slaby with a significant advantage over rival researchers and groups. A series of successful experiments in the summer of 1897 led to the order to manufacture wireless equipment. This would circumvent Marconi’s patented designs as they were not granted in Germany. The first two years, 1898 and 1899, of the process that ensued were very prolific as Slaby and his research associates filed a total of five patents, which separated their designs from the Marconi system more clearly. Karl Ferdinand Braun (1850-1918, Fig. 3) was born in Fulda on June 6th, 1850. He studied at the Universities of Marburg and Berlin, where he graduated in 1872. In 1895, he was appointed Director of the Institute of Physics in Strasbourg. Whilst at the institute, he managed to obtain a professorship which enhanced his academic standing; this allowed him to focus on his research passion of cathode rays. He subsequently invented the first cathode-ray oscilloscope, which became universally known as the ‘Braun Tube’. Braun Tubes and Geopolitics The ‘Braun Tube’ would become an essential component in the mass production of television sets in the 1930s. Braun began his wireless telegraphy research within a few months of Slaby. His work was initially confined to the private sector, where he acted as a consultant for three prominent citizens of Strasbourg. The scope of his activities was centred on finding a scientific explanation for the concept of ‘hydro-telegraphy’ which facilitated future research relating to radio waves. Success was universally measured by transmission range and Braun followed Marconi’s lead by utilising longer wavelengths and increasing output power at the transmitter. Braun also addressed the issue of limited antenna capacity, by coupling it inductively to a second, closed, resonance circuit. He subsequently protected his intellectual property rights with a German Patent number 111578, 1898. Further financial investment was obtained from a banker from Giessen and the chocolate manufacturer Ludwig Stollwerck (1857-1922) from Cologne. Together they 2 1 established a wireless technology firm, the Gesellschaft fϋr Drahtlose Telegraphie Professor Braun. Stollwerck was a keen promoter of new technologies, and he developed the first chocolate vending machine. [‘Stollwerck’: it’s what the editor’s childhood memories are made of – Ed.]. To make the venture financially sustainable they attempted to contact shipping and insurance companies. However, the venture soon experienced financial difficulties, and Braun wished to solely focus on his scientific research rather than commercial matters. In 1901, Braun published a series of research papers on wireless telegraphy, under the title Wireless Telegraphy Through Water and Air. The 1909 Nobel Prize in Physics was shared between Marconi and Braun for their contribution to the development of wireless telegraphy. Some historians have questioned the rationale behind this decision by the Swedish Royal Academy of Sciences, claiming that it was based on external geopolitical factors, rather than scientific merit. The historian Riccardo Chiaberge, in his work Wireless, concludes that ‘Undoubtedly, in the eyes of the world that miracle had an Italian name and surname: Guglielmo Marconi. At the same time, it would have been unwise to upset that other William, the Emperor of Germany, a powerful and troublesome neighbour of the Scandinavian rulers’. Telefunken – The Company for Wireless Telegraphy Disagreements between AEG (‘Aus Erfahrung Gut’ = ‘Good from Experience’; Slaby) and 3 Siemens & Halske (Braun) came to a head when Kaiser Wilhelm II personally intervened. Wilhelm II feared a Marconi global monopoly of wireless telegraphy that would put the German Empire at a strategic disadvantage. Slaby’s former research assistant, Georg von Arco was appointed as technical director. The arrangement between AEG and Siemens & Halske called for Telefunken to focus on solving the technical problems and developing the professional invention of components for wireless telegraphy. This strategy would ensure that wireless telegraphy would be commercially and strategically exploited to its fullest potential, networking the growing German Empire. Telefunken also had access to existing supply chains as the devices were manufactured by the parent companies who specialised in the delivery and installation of the wireless equipment. By 1914, Telefunken had developed into a global organisation represented in 39 countries (Table 2). See our great book and magazine offers at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/store 58 RadioUser June 2022 History Lead Scientist Position Research Associates Adolf Slaby Professor of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Technical College of Charlottenburg Georg von Acro Martin Tietz Ferdinand Braun Professor of Experimental Physics – University of Strasbourg Mathias Cantor Jonathan Zenneck Adolf Koepsel Siemens & Halske Carl Rode Table 1: Main German scientific teams at the time. Count Georg von Arco – The Forgotten Radio Pioneer? Court Georg Wilhelm Alexander Hans Graf von Arco (1869-1940; Fig. 4), to give him his full name and title, has largely been forgotten by history. Acro was born into a traditional aristocratic family in Großgorschϋtz (then Upper Silesia, Prussia). From a very early age onwards, he was drawn to machines, and he rejected careers in medicine and the military. The testing of experimental wireless telephony set in 1906, greatly upset Arco as the technicians under his supervision failed to notify him of their research. He even complained that this research was not officially sanctioned work of the laboratory technicians. However, the quality of the voice transmissions and the distances bridged led to him authorising them additional time and resources to optimise the sets. In December 1906, he endorsed a demonstration in front of representatives from the German Post Office. They were the only administration authorised to admit new forms of communication technology into the consumer market for mass production and were, therefore, potential future customers for this revolutionary set. The transmission range was 36km, from the Telefunken-Haus in Berlin and the Telefunken wireless station at Nauen. Nauen is a key location in German radio history and is still remembered by many today, as we will see. Arco had similar talents as his mentor, Slaby, and he was considered a practical electrician who processed extraordinary energy as an inventor. Arguably, Arco’s greatest achievement was the development of a global communications station at Nauen, 20 miles west of Berlin. In 1909, this famous station was upgraded with a quench spark transmitter. This facilitated regular and reliable communication with the African colonies and the High Seas Fleet, making it a vital strategic asset. Arco supervised further technological upgrades in 1912, with the installation of a high-frequency alternator with a magnetic frequency multiplier converter. After the First World War (1914 -1918), Arco pursued philosophical opportunities and he subsequently became the German Monist League chairman, serving from 1921 to 1922. In 1923, Arco jointly founded the Society of Friends of New Russia, causing much controversy within German society. Further Reading • Bischi, M. (2017) ‘Who was Karl Ferdinand Braun?’, Lettera Matematica, 5, pp.253-259. • Blumtritt, O. (2010) ‘On the History of an Experimental Set for Wireless Telephony’, International Journal for History of Engineering and Technology, 80(2), pp. 248-267. • ETHW (Slaby): https://ethw.org/Adolf_K._H._Slaby • Fondazione Marconi (Slaby) https://tinyurl.com/yckt4k8s • Friedewald, M. (2000) ‘The Beginnings of Radio Communication in Germany, 1897-1918, Journal of Radio Studies, 7(2), pp. 441-463. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15506843jrs0702_15 4 Conclusion Slaby was extremely active in both the disciplines of science and engineering. He was a member of the Patent Office and the Chairman of both the German Association of Engineers (VDI; Verein Deutscher Ingenieure) and the Association of German Electrical Engineers (VDE [old name: Verband Deutscher Elekrotechniker]). [In German, ‘Verein’, ‘Verband’ and ‘Vereinigung’ can all mean ‘Association’ – Ed.] Slaby regularly gave lectures on the importance and responsibilities of electrical engineers. A brief obituary for Slaby was published in the New York Times on Monday, April 7th, 1913. It ran as follows: ‘Prof Slaby Dead. Berlin April 6th: Adolf Slaby, the electrical expert, is dead. Prof Slaby was at one time a co-worker with Marconi in experimenting with wireless telegraphy. The German system of wireless telegraphy is based on Prof Slaby’s discoveries. After his death, Slaby was laid to rest in the Luisenkirchhof II cemetery in the Berlin borough of Charlottenburg (of Charlottenburg Castle fame). By this time, the two rival great powers of the era – Britain and Germany – were set on a collision course, in terms of technologies, naval geopolitical manoeuvres, and economic and global dominance. In Germany, many memorials are dedicated to Slaby. In Berlin, for instance, there is a plaque that contains the following inscription: “Here lived from 1885 to 1913 Adolf Slaby 18.4.1849 to 6.1.1913, the pioneer of radio engineering, the first professor of electro-technology at the Technical University Charlottenburg, joint 5 Year Revenue (RM) Net Profit (RM) 1903 195,302 20,000 1904 1,327,318 200,000 1905 2,166,833 240,000 1906 1,797,422 --- 1907 1,501,445 --- 1908 1,831,540 --- 1909 1,620,385 --- 1910 3,036,418 --- 1911 6,219,231 300,000 1912 8,327,912 360,000 1913 9,151,039 750,000 1914 9,508,817 500,000 Table 2: The Increasingly Rapid Commercial Growth of Telefunken (1903-1914; ‘RM’ = ‘Reichsmark’ [Currency]). founder of Telefunken AG”. The memory of Slaby was also depicted on a stamp issued by the Federal Post Office Berlin. The first day of issue marked Slaby’s 125th birthday on April 18th, 1974 (Fig. 5). Later, some roads were named after Slaby in two Berlin districts, Treptow-Köpenick and Marzahn-Hellersdorf. Follow us on Facebook @radioenthusiasts and Twitter @REnthusiasts June 2022 RadioUser 59 Maritime Matters Silent Alarms and Beacons: Anti-Piracy Measures and Radio Robert Connolly looks at counter-piracy measures through the LRIT, AIS and other radio communications services and provides an overview of the technologies behind the DGPS and GMDSS transmissions. Robert Connolly gi7ivx@btinternet.com T his month, I am looking at ship security measures to counter piracy, armed robbery and other potential threats against merchant shipping while at sea. In UK waters, threats to shipping are minimal. However, there are parts of the world where this is a severe active threat to cargo vessels and even cruise ships. There are several things ships do to keep themselves safe. The relevant official bodies have recommended keeping vessels’ Automatic Identification System (AIS) transmissions – CH AIS 1 (161.975MHz) and AIS 2 (162.025MHz) – active at all times. This means that, in the event of pirates taking control of the vessel, it may be easily tracked. By contrast, many captains believe that switching off their VHF AIS helps protect the ship as the pirates cannot identify and obtain the position of a potential target. Unfortunately, with AIS switched off and the vessel being taken over it makes it very difficult for authorities to locate it. https://tinyurl.com/2c3aea2w Long Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT) Although the VHF AIS may be switched off by some ships, their Long Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT) remains active. The LRIT system consists of the following components: the shipborne LRIT information transmitting equipment; the Communication Service Provider(s); the Application Service Provider(s); the Data Centre(s), including any related Vessel Monitoring System(s); the LRIT Data Distribution Plan server; the International LRIT Data Exchange; and LRIT Data Users. LRIT data is transmitted from suitably equipped vessels, via satellite, every six hours to the DC identified by the flag Administration. The information transmitted includes the ship’s GNSS position, time and identification of the shipborne equipment. For more information regarding LRIT, you can visit the website, below. It contains an overview of the system and links to the various related documents. https://tinyurl.com/24mce7cx Vessels that transit through areas at high risk of piracy are equipped with a number of defensive devices to deter pirates from boarding. These devices can include the use of powerful water hoses, enhanced deck lighting at night, and loud acoustic devices like an LRAD (Long Range Acoustic Device). The LRAD can emit a 150-decibel directional beam of sound capable of inducing headaches, panic, and even potential hearing loss. The device is pointed towards those attacking the vessel, in an attempt to force them away and prevent them from boarding the vessel. Some shipping companies employ private maritime security personnel to guard the vessel while it is passing through high-risk areas. Some of these guards may be armed; while this may provide greater security for the ships and their crew it also raises issues as to what constitutes ‘lawful’ use of selfdefence force or ‘homicide’. Transit Corridors Another protection system for vessels operating around high-risk areas such as the Gulf of Aden, Bab Al Mandeb (BaM), Southern Red Sea, and associated waters is the use of the Maritime Security Transit Corridor (MSTC) system. MSTC consists of the internationally recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC), the BAM Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS), the TSS West of the Hanish Islands, and a twoway route directly connecting the IRTC and the BAM TSS. Convoys protected by international naval task-force vessels may be used to escort ships through this area. The Combined Maritime Taskforce website, at the URL below, provides some information on their role in maritime security operations. https://combinedmaritimeforces.com But what happens when things begin to go wrong and pirates or terrorists not only manage to board but take control of a ship? The COSPAS-SARSAT mechanism, with the cooperation of the International Sign up to our FREE email newsletter at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk 60 RadioUser June 2022 Maritime Matters Maritime Organization (IMO), has come up with a project called the Ship Security Alert System (SSAS). https://www.cospas-sarsat.int/en https://www.imo.org The SSAS is a safety measure for strengthening maritime security and subduing acts of piracy and/or terrorism against shipping. The basic idea here is that, in case of an attempted piracy effort, terrorist act, or any other incident which can be defined as a threat to the ship under the maritime security, the ship’s SSAS beacon would be activated. The SSAS is a type of silent ship security alarm system that, when activated, does not issue any audio-visual signal on the ship or to nearby vessels or security forces. The alert, in most cases, is first received by the ship’s owner or an SSAS management third party. It is then passed to the ship’s flag state, and the receivers are obliged to inform the national authorities of the coastal states where the ship is sailing. The flag state decides who will be the initial recipient of the security alerts from the ships. This may be one or more parties designated by the flag state as competent authorities, which may include the company (shipowner) or an SSAS management third party. The silent alarm is activated by the crew of the ship and the signal is received by satellite and sent to a ground receiving station. The ground station then sends it to the operational headquarters of the flag state, the vessel owner and the SSAS provider server. This then passes to the national law enforcement agency, which deploys security assistance to the vessel. In addition to this, many cargo vessels are now equipped with a secure area, located deep within the ship and called a ‘citadel’, where the crew can retreat if boarded by pirates. This area often has the capability of being able to control the main functions of the ship. Enter our competitions at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/competitions June 2022 RadioUser 61 Maritime Matters The Role of NDB Chains For many years, shipping has made use of chains of marine Non-Directional-Beacons (NDB) to assist in their navigation. A chain usually had six beacons, and each one was allocated an individual (one-minute) time slot, in a six-minute cycle. In the mid-1990s, the NDB chain across Europe (and beyond) was largely closed down, with stand-alone NDBs transmitting from key coastal locations, normally located in a lighthouse. Those stand-alone transmitters used a second frequency, normally 500 Hertz higher than the beacon frequency, which was used to transmit Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) data to enhance the location accuracy of Global Positioning System (GPS) transmissions. At that time, the positional accuracy of GPS was deliberately ‘degraded’, as the system was designed for the military. In 2000, most marine NDB stations closed completely, leaving just the DGPS signals transmitting. A couple of years ago, the USA also closed many DGPS transmitters, due to the position data no longer being degraded by the military; therefore, the data correction information provided by DGPS transmissions was no longer required for civil or maritime use. DGPS in the UK Nearer to home, here in the UK, Trinity House launched a consultation exercise to determine the requirement for DGPS transmission in the UK. As a result of that exercise, it was found that all DGPS transmitting stations in the UK and Ireland would close on 31 March 2022. I do not doubt that other countries in Europe will soon follow suit; thus, DGPS transmissions will become a thing of the past. For those amateurs who monitor DGPS signals, this will be a blow. However, for those who monitor NDBs as a hobby, it will open up those frequencies to aeronautical NDBs that operate within that band between 280 and 315kHz. As one door closes another one opens! In a way, it is sad to see another navigation system move to the history books, in the same way as Consol, Loran, Decca and a arnge of hyperbolic technologies. The Dangers of Jamming Unfortunately, the accuracy of GPS signals can be deliberately interfered with, either by the military during a conflict or even exercises, or by third parties using (GPS) signal jammers. The latter might be used illegally by persons driving vehicles that are equipped with GPS trackers, usually so that the company owning the vehicle can see its position at any given time. Some company drivers do not like this, as they feel that this is a ‘spy’ in the vehicle that they are using for work. As a result, some drivers install a GPs jammer to block this live information transmission and prevent the company from knowing what is happening regarding the speed and location of the vehicle. These jammers are low-power devices with a relatively short range. Unfortunately, it has been proven that an active jammer on a ship can cause severe errors to the vessel’s position, something that could place the vessel and its crew in danger. A couple of years ago, several ships in the Black Sea were affected by GPS interference being carried out by a foreign military, believed to have been Russia. Their position on their electronic integrated chart system was showing the vessel as being many miles inland, well away from their true position. As the systems on a ship’s bridge become more integrated, I cannot help wondering what the crew would do if those systems failed, either through a major fault on the vessel or through an external source intent on harm. Integrated Bridge Systems versus Cyber-Attacks There are a few alternative basic navigation systems available in such a case. As the years pass by, a more experienced crew may be retiring and may be replaced by a younger crew. However, many of the latter may not have enough experience with navigation in any form, other than electronic integrated bridge systems. It is easy to take modern navigation and radio communication techniques for granted but occasionally equipment failures do happen for one reason or another. We have all read reports of organisations and businesses being subjected to cyber-attacks and ransomware demands. Shipping companies and their ships are just as vulnerable to these attacks. A report entitled Guidelines on Cyber Security Onboard Ships, published by shipping conglomerates, warned that compromised IT systems caused “a ship with an integrated navigation bridge suffered a failure of nearly all navigation systems at sea, in a high traffic area and reduced visibility.” Unlike land-based systems, maritime vessels face unique challenges due to rotating crews and remote positions. This renders them susceptible to digitally-led hijackings, or ransomware, and the impact can be potentially life-threatening to those on board. The Global Maritime Distress Safety System (GMDSS) For international operational requirements, the Global Maritime Distress Safety System (GMDSS) has divided the world into four subareas. These are four geographical divisions named A1, A2, A3, and A4. Different radio communication systems are required to be carried on board ships, depending on the area of operation of the vessel. The first case is area A1, 20-30 nautical miles from the coast. This falls under the coverage of at least one VHF coast radio station in which continuous DSC alerting is available. In this case, the radio equipment to be used must cover VHF, DSC and NAVTEX. Area A2 should cover up to 400 nm from shore. However, in practice, it extends up to 100 nautical miles offshore but excludes A1 areas. The mandatory equipment to be used here is a DSC radio, a radiotelephone with an MF radio range, plus the equipment required for A1 areas (above). In the A3 areas, and excluding the A1 and A2 ones, coverage is within 70 degrees north and 70 degrees south latitude and is within Inmarsat (geostationary satellite) range; continuous alerting is available. The technology required here consists of an HF radio and/ or Inmarsat, a system of receiving MSI (Maritime Safety Information) data, plus the other remaining systems for A1 and A2 areas. Last but not least area A4. These are the regions outside sea areas of A1, A2 and A3, essentially the Polar Regions North and South of 70 degrees of latitude. The radio kit required here is, once again, an HF radio service plus those required for the other areas described previously. There is a requirement for all the above equipment to be duplicated on the bridge. Ships that have a secure citadel may also have some marine radio communications equipment installed in that secure space from which to communicate with naval rescue assets. The IMO requires two coast stations per ocean region to ensure that all oceans are covered by HF marine radio communications. Today almost all commercial ships are fitted with satellite terminals as per the SOLAS (Safety of Life At Sea) requirements. https://tinyurl.com/bdf36cw5 This month’s photograph is of the Ro-Ro Ferry Campania, of the Società Navigazione Alta Velocità (SNAV). The vessel was formerly known as the Finlandia and is now named Ani. It is here at its berth at Naples. That is all for this month, until next time, “Fair Winds”. Sign up to our FREE email newsletter at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk 62 RadioUser June 2022 Scotland A complete range of Multi purpose Masts The best of Scottish engineering! Tel: 01505 503824 www.tennamast.com sales@tennamast.com Somerset LINDARS RADIOS ʻA Modern Company With Old Fashioned Valuesʼ USED AMATEUR RADIO EQUIPMENT PURCHASED AND SOLD www.AmateurRadioSales.co.uk 01935 474265 South Yorkshire DealerGuide For Sale CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE! Windows 10 ready CAT and programming cables, latest version RTL-SDR USB sticks and other genuine RTL-SDR.com products, replacement microphones, cables and PTTs for studio microphones, linear switching cables and much more. technofix.uk or www.technofix.co.uk Trading TradingPost FOR SALE 17 NEW DENCO COILS Unused – all colours. Sensible offers. Buyer collects. Chris M3JYZ: 01525 406831 SOUTH BEDFORDSHIRE TECSON S-200 COMMUNICATIONS RECEIVER As new boxed with manual. £300.00 New – Accept £145.00 plus postage. David: 01305 261617 DORSET TGM COMMUNICATIONS, MQ-26 2-element 6-band Hybrid Quad Antenna with Enhanced Reflector. Array solutions balun. Tilting Adapt-A-Mast . Yaesu Rotator model G-450XL c/w GS-065 Thrust Bearing. Sensible offers, Purchaser collects. Call Gordon: 01626 853436. g.porter115@btinternet.com HY-GAIN HAM IV ROTATOR SYSTEM Metered Control unit 220VAC, Bell Type rotator, user manual. Photos available. Fully operational, good condition. Can be seen working indoors. Buyer collection only. £225 ono. Peterconway.ndb@talktalk.net EAST SUSSEX Suffolk www.itender.co Monthly communications tenders! Ex Police Service General comms company stock Contact: 07788 498962 Copyright © Warners Group Publications plc. Copyright in all drawings, logos, photographs and articles published in RadioUser is fully protected and reproduction in whole or part is expressly forbidden. All reasonable precautions are taken by Radio User to ensure that the advice and data given to our readers are reliable. We cannot however guarantee it and we cannot accept legal responsibility for it. Prices are those current as we go to press. Published on the second Thursday of each month by Warners Group Publications plc. Printed in England by Warners Midlands plc. Tel: 01778 395100. Distributed by Warners Distribution, West Street, Bourne, Lincs, PE10 9PH. Tel: 01778 391000, Web: www.warnersgroup.co.uk. 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Please help us to help you by preparing your advert carefully. Any advert which contains ?? marks indicates that the advertising dept. could not read/interpret the wording. Advertisements from traders or for equipment that it is illegal to possess, use or which cannot be licensed in the UK, will not be accepted. No responsibility will be taken for errors and no correspondence will be entered into on any decision taken by the Editor on any of these conditions. You should state clearly in your advert whether equipment is professionally built, home-brewed or modified. The Publishers of Radio User also wish to point out that it is the responsibility of the buyer to ascertain the suitability of goods offered for purchase. Commemorating all aspects of this famous chapter of WWII The Blitz in Colour This 132-page special collectors’ magazine – written by Andy Saunders, the former editor of Britain at War and also editor of The Battle of Britain in Colour – covers all| the military and human aspects of the Blitz. Available from all good newsagents or order at militaria.ma/blitzincolour21 or call 01778 392489 63 Martin Lynch & Sons Ltd. www.HamRadio.co.uk SAFE ONLINE SHOPPING. E&OE 0345 2300 599 FOLLOW US ON TWITTER AND FACEBOOK Wessex House, Drake Avenue, Staines, Middlesex TW18 2AP E-mail: sales@hamradio.co.uk Opening Hours: Mon - Fri: 8.30am to 5pm. Sat: 9am to 4.30pm. International Tel: +44 1932 567 333 Have you watched ML&S TV yet? The Survivor DAB rechargeable emergency radio. SANGEAN ATS-909X2 £214.95 The Discover 909X is the perfect world band radio to roam the globe with. SDR RADIO SDRPLAY RSPdx SANGEAN FUSION 600 £269.95 The Fusion 600 is a multipurpose network streamer. The tuner makes it possible to play music files via wired or wireless network. See www.HamRadio.co.uk for our full range of Sangean products UNIDEN UBC-370CLT UNIDEN UBC-355CLT Quality base and mobile scanner in an elegant cabinet. Designed for home and mobile use, with a large speaker for excellent sound. UNIDEN SDS100EDN Handheld Scanner Scanner Receiver (PRE LOADED DMR & NXDN) The SDS100’s digital performance is better than any other scanner in both simulcast and weak-signal environments. ML&S: £649.99 UNIDEN UBC-125CLT Compact 500 channel handheld scanner. Base Scanner. ML&S: £129.95 • Watch, alarm clock & FM broadcast radio. • 12V DC power supply • Telescopic antenna • 500 Channels in 10 banks • FM & broadcast (Store and search up to 30 Preset FM broadcast channels) • CTCSS/DCS (Search and display any tone) • Alarm Clock • USB PC Programmable UNIDEN SDS200E ML&S: £749.95 Desk Top/Mobile Scanner Receiver Activated DMR, NXD, ProVoice monitoring. AR-DV10 ML&S: £969.95 Covers 25-88MHz, 108-174MHz, 225 - 512MHz and 806 - 960MHz. The ULTIMATE all mode digital handheld scanning receiver. ML&S: £139.95 UNIDEN UBCD3600XLT Latest firmware! 100kHz-1300MHz Analogue & New digital TruckTracker V Professional Scanner Receiver. 25-1300MHz wideband frequencies. The TruckTracker V operation allows this scanner to scan APCO 25 Phase 1 and Phase 2, DMR, Motorola, EDACS, LTR Trucked Systems as well as conventional analog and P25 digital channels. SF Screen Protectors For Yaesu, Kenwood and Icom. ONLY £7.95 SDRPLAY RSP1A New Mid-range SDRplay Radio. Complete redesign of the popular mid-range RSP2pro 1kHz–2GHz. receiver. Multiple antenna selection, Improved pre-selection filters, Even more software, Selectable attenuation steps, Special HDR (High Dynamic Range) mode for reception at frequencies below 2MHz. Designed and made in Britain. RSPduo DUAL TUNER wideband 14-BIT SDR Dual-Tuner full feature 14-bit SDR, 1kHz to 2GHz, 10MHz of spectrum visibility. ML&S: £239.95 FREE SHIPPING! Simultaneously monitor 2 separate 2MHz bands of spectrum between 1kHz and 2GHz. 3 software selectable antenna inputs, & clocking features ideally suited to industrial, scientific, Ham & educational applications. Windows 10. ML&S: £4595.95 Earn HNT cryptocurrency by mining Helium and building coverage for The People’s Network using the Nebra HNT Indoor Hotspot Miner. ML&S: £594.00 W-FM) as well as various digital modes. In fact, we know of no other radio in this category that can decode Icom's D-STAR mode, Yaesu's new C4FM mode, Alinco's digital mode, NXDN (note: 6.25kHz only), P25 Phase 1, etc. Plus lots of interesting features! www.HamRadio.co.uk/ardv1 ICOM IC-R8600 ELAD FDM-DUOr A Receive-only Version of the famous FDM-DUO! ML&S: £759.95 10kHz-54MHz Direct Conversion SDR Receiver. SDR receiver that offers the possibility to operate stand-alone like traditional radio or attached to a Personal Computer discovering the possibilities offered by the SDR technologies. Elad Companion Speaker SP1 for FDM-Duo. £134.95 ML&S: £99.95 FREE SHIPPING! Offering a powerful wideband full featured SDR covering 1kHz to 2GHz & up to 10MHz visible bandwidth. Better still, it’s “Built & Designed in Britain”!! FUNcube Dongle Pro+ ML&S: £179.95 Wideband SDR Receiver. 150kHz1.9GHz incl SAW Filters. KerberosSDR HackRF One A Coherent RTL-SDR with 4x Channels. HackRF One from Great Scott Gadgets is a Software Defined Radio peripheral capable of transmission or reception of radio signals from 1MHz to 6GHz. For direction finding, passive radar, beam forming, or just as four RTL-SDRs! ML&S: £249.95 ML&S: £219.95 AOR SA7000 Diamond D-777 Super wide band base aerial system. VHF/UHF air band receiving antenna, not for transmitting. 3.4dB on VHF (120MHz) and 5.5dB UHF (300MHz) with an approximate length of 1.7 metres. The antenna is constructed from fibre glass materials and it is pre-tuned and fully weatherproofed. Mounting components are included. It's fitted with an SO239 connector, so can be connected to a PL-259 without the need of an adaptor. Tuned to receive 108-137.975MHz civilian air band, 225-400MHz military air band. The SA7000 is an ultra-wide range external receiving aerial with a useable frequency coverage of 30 kHz to 2 GHz - short wave / VHF / UHF. The aerial is designed for areas where space is a problem or when an "unobtrusive" installation is essential. ML&S: £209.95 Covers 100kHz to 1300MHz in traditional ML&S: £1249.95 analogue modes (SSB, CW, AM, FM, S-FM, Frequency range 9kHz-3.7GHz. Tuning steps 1Hz-999.999kHz. The RSP1a is a major upgrade to the popular RSP1. ML&S: £194.95 FREE SHIPPING! 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ML&S: £2499.95 Includes an Icom AD-55 PSU worth £49.95! RRP: £83.94 ML&S ONLY: £66.95 AOR DA1500 DA1500 is a multi-purpose wideband antenna that receives 70 to 1500MHz continuous whilst being small in size and lightweight. The antenna is only 92cm high and attaches to any (non-supplied) mast from 25 to 50mm in diameter with the two supplied V-bolts. It is recommended for places where space is limited. ML&S ONLY: £149.95 AOR LA400 Super Discone Antenna covering 100 to 1500MHz for receiving and 144/430/904/1200MHz for transmitting. Rust-free stainless steel is employed in major component parts making the antenna rust resistant and durable with 10m cable included. ML&S ONLY: £81.95 10kHz-500MHz, Receive only Magnetic Loop Since the invention of this revolutionary concept by KOLSTER in 1915, loop antennas, especially of the active type, have also been widely used by the military in the 70s, before becoming very popular among hobby listeners. 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Leave us a review to let others know what you think of Radio User. L ME E IS S UE BATT M M O R AT IV The RAF’s greatest victory commemorated as never before in your 164-page special edition The Men : The Machines : The Battles : The Losses This 164-page special collector’s edition commemorates the 80th Anniversary of the momentous Battle of Britain, making it the perfect gift for any aviation or Battle of Britain enthusiast. 2 Over 170veles original photographs now in colour Qeque veles | Qeque | Qeque veles | Qeque veles | Qeque veles | Qeque THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN IN COLOUR BACKGROUND TO BATTLE Left A Hurricane of 501 Squadron starts-up for an operational sortie at Betheniville, France, May 1940. Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding argued successfully against further wastage of the homebased RAF fighter force by sending yet more fighters to France to bolster a futile defence. Right As the unstoppable juggernaut of German military might advanced across Europe, the deadly Junkers 87 Stuka divebomber came into its own. However, the RAF quickly learned how to deal with the aircraft, and this stood them in good stead when facing the Stuka during the Battle of Britain. Below right Panzer IV tanks roll across France in May 1940. The German advance was rapid and overwhelming, and within six weeks France had collapsed and the BEF were evacuating from Dunkirk. The Battle Looms The Battle of Britain was one of the most iconic battles of the Second World War, embedding itself indelibly into the nation’s consciousness. Earlier, the Battle of France could easily have spelled defeat before the air battles got underway in July 1940. A fter the outbreak of war in September 1939, there followed eight months of what became known as the ‘Phoney War’. However, it was clear that large-scale fighting would ultimately follow, and a British Expeditionary Force was sent to France before the end of that year. As part of that BEF, a large Air Component was supplemented by an Advanced Air Striking Force. In total, these air forces amounted to 25 squadrons, six of which were Hawker Hurricane-equipped fighter squadrons. The remainder of the RAF force in France comprised largely light bombers and Army Co-Operation squadrons. Eventually, however, the ‘Sitzkrieg’ became the ‘Blitzkrieg’. On 10 May 1940, German forces launched their all-out assault on France and the Low Countries and what followed in Belgium, the Netherlands etc. was the complete collapse of those countries under the overwhelming might of German military power. Across France, German forces rolled inexorably onwards towards the English Channel and while the French and British tried desperately to stem the advance, so the situation became ever more hopeless. Predicted Catastrophe When the fighting had broken out in earnest on 10 May 1940, aircraft of the Air Component were in almost constant combat, and losses had to continually E OF B R 6 I IN TA L TT BA sand in an hour-glass’ and he predicted catastrophe if Churchill continued to help the failing ally. Thus, he sent a letter to the Air Minister on 16 May 1940, which may well have saved Fighter Command, and ultimately Britain, in the nation’s darkest hour. He wrote: “I have the honour to refer to the very serious calls which have recently been made upon the Home Defence Fighter Units in an attempt to stem the German invasion on the Continent … I would remind the Air Council that … my strength has now been reduced to the equivalent of 36 Squadrons … I must therefore request that as a matter of paramount urgency the Air Ministry will consider and decide what level of strength is to be left to the Fighter Command for the defence of this country, and will assure me that when this to be called into action, covering the Losses Mounted evacuation from Dunkirk and other level has been reached, not one fighter At around the same time, another will be sent across the Channel however French ports. Inevitably, their losses momentous decision was undertaken insistent the appeals for help may be. mounted. Meanwhile, the battered and by making Lord Beaverbrook Minister of depleted RAF units that had been based “I believe that, if an adequate fighter Aircraft Production. Aircraft production in France were withdrawn to Britain. force is kept in this country, if the fleet had in fact kept pace with fighter losses remains in being, and if the Home Forces Here, they were re-equipped where incurred during the Battle of France. are suitably organised to resist invasion, necessary, and manpower shortages Soon, production would outstrip losses. made good so far as possible. Meanwhile, we should be able to carry on the war Thus, the availability of fighters would single handed for some time, if not RAF Fighter Command readied for what not become a limiting factor in the air indefinitely. But, if the Home Defence was to come. Certainly, the Battle of defence of Britain. France was over. The Battle of Britain was Force is drained away in desperate However, by 1 June 1940, the RAF had attempts to remedy the situation in about to begin. lost 436 fighter aircraft and almost all France, defeat in France will involve the its light bomber force of Fairey Battles, complete and irremediable defeat of this along with a considerable number of its Immensely Powerful By this time, the starter button was the possibility Facing page Pilots of 19 Squadron are were not afraid thatBlenheims. they were However, either liarsRAF Fighter country.”” country. Bristol Dowding had mentioned pushed afterofa invasion thumbs-up fromas the to their dispersal point at RAF a strident It was a hard-hitting letter, but or foolish. However, Command at homejangling continued to operate as early the middle ofdelivered May fitter, who unplugged thethe starter trolley, Duxford ready for operations early one of the telephone could mean Dowding’s words had their effect and over France as theseveral situation worsened. 1940, but by end of that month the clear ofhad the been aircraft. morning during the summer of 1940. things. Sometimes, to intense it Franceensuring it was while the French still asked for more In a matter of sixrelief, weeks, possibility turned into what Unable to communicate over the roar ofIf Hitler Above could send acollapsed messageentirely. to ‘StandNow, Down’ fighter squadrons to be sent to France, it .only remained appeared to be probability. was Their relaxed look perhaps Merlin engine, the his pilot and Other times,for it called toand readiness, concealing the tension, these Hurricane such appeals were rejected. However, Britishpilots forces, some units the of the to impose will onrigger the British people, exchanged thumbs up signals, the rigger pilots of 501 Squadron pose for the camera and then to the heart-pounding order: further squadrons of Hurricanes were French army, to evacuate via Dunkirk then he could apparently only do so slapping hisby pilot on thethe shoulder ‘SCRAMBLE!’ deployed over France, but they remained in what was Operation ‘Dynamo’. RAF crossing EnglishtoChannel andduring the summer of 1940. All of them convey reassurance he Years afterwards, veterans ofatthe Battle sawTo action. Several of them shot down based in the UK. Fighter Command home continued dictatingand his good-luck terms fromasWestminster. leapt from the wing. As he jumped, the of Britain told how they hated the sound enemy aircraft and some of them were aircraft was already rolling, and the rigger of a ringing telephone. killed. dodged out of the way of the tail-plane, On the order to scramble, there 7 was what it was they were intercepting. It buffeted by the slipstream which was a mad rush by pilots to their allotted may have been an instruction along the kicking up dust and grass. Getting out aircraft where the fitter and rigger were lines of: “MITOR Squadron, ANGELS of the way, he was hit by a blast of hot ready and waiting: the rigger on the wing 18, Vector Two-three-zero. Fifty Plus. exhaust gasses. Now, the aircraft gathered ready to help in his pilot, and the fitter BUSTER.” Listening in, the other pilots speed ahead, into wind, bouncing and standing by with the starter plugged in on could interpret these coded instructions: rocking across the grass airfield. Others the starboard side of the engine. Heaving “41 Squadron to climb to 18,000 ft on a careered along around it, in the organised himself into the cockpit, the pilot went heading of 230 degrees. Fifty plus enemy chaos that was a squadron scramble. through a number of tasks: helmet pulled aircraft. Maximum cruising speed.” Getting airborne, the pilots on, oxygen plugged in, radio jack-plug in concentrated on keeping station as its socket, magneto switches ‘on’, Ki-Gas they selected ‘Gear Up’, closing the cylinder priming pump given a couple Mentally and Physically Draining cockpit canopy while listening out of brief strokes and thumb ready on Settling into the climb, the pilots for instructions from the CO or flight the starter. Meanwhile, leaning into the automatically slid into section order commander who was talking to the cockpit, the Fitter helped the pilot with and the preferred squadron formation. Sector Operations Room and garnering his parachute harness straps, then his Meanwhile, the CO or flight commander instructions as to heading, altitude and Sutton seat harness. concentrated on setting course as the M UE COM EM be made good from squadrons based in Britain. The Commander-in-Chief of RAF Fighter Command, Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding, had already stated as early as September 1939, that if he was expected to defend Britain’s skies, then he would need 52 fighter squadrons. At that time, he had only 32 under his command and was told it would be impossible to produce the number he required. However, efforts would be made to provide him with a further eight. During the fighting in France, increasing numbers of fighter squadrons were sent across the Channel, urged on by desperate appeals from the French Prime Minister, Paul Reynaud. Dowding saw his resources ‘slipping away like THE RAF FIGHTER PILOT THE RAF FIGHTER PILOT 19 other pilots concentrated on what was going on in their cockpits: oil temperatures and pressures, fuel state, oxygen contents checked and selected to ‘On’, microphone not on ‘Transmit’ (this could effectively block all other transmissions), straps tight, gun-sight ‘On’ and illuminated, straps tight and canopy firmly shut. A surprising number would carry out a little good luck routine like feeling for a lucky charm, or even crossing themselves. Now, the workload was high, and still they needed to concentrate on formation keeping while permanently keeping a wary eye open for the enemy and quartering the sky in a relentless search. A moment of relapse could litterally spell death. The squadron ‘Weaver’, winding from side to side, kept a rather more wary eye open than the rest, as the squadron got closer by the second to their quarry. Brief instructions might crackle through the headphones: ‘Close up Red 2’ or, on receipt of further instructions from the Fighter Controller: ‘Turning to Port. Go!’ Meanwhile, pilots fiddled with the radio tuner, struggling to tune and retune their wireless sets in a constant battle to receive and properly understand the messages. Sometimes, a squawk of static drowned out everything, sometimes resulting in one section haring off suddenly, upwards or downwards, the rest of the squadron watching in bemusement and puzzled because they received no transmission, or else just couldn’t understand what had been said. Meanwhile, constant juggling of the throttle setting with the left hand, and judicious adjustment of position through the control column and rudder pedal inputs, were all necessary just to keep station. It was incredibly hard work, and mentally and physically draining. By now, the squadron was ‘on oxygen’, masks clamped securely to pilot’s faces as cold began to permeate the cockpits. Now, with all the hard work of take-off, formation flying and getting to altitude, came further nervous tension with realisation that the enemy were near. Then, a tight knot of fear returned as the gunsight was checked and the SAFE and FIRE ring on the gun button turned, ready, to the FIRE position. Goggles pulled down. And then the shout: ‘BANDITS! Ten o’clock, above. Coming down now! Break, break, break….’ Chatter Of Gunfire Suddenly, to avoid the ‘bounce’ of fighters coming out of the sun, the squadron had dispersed in a pre-ordered plan. Now, the enemy fighters were among them. This time, there was no Facing page Although posed for a news cameraman, the squadron telephone orderly shouts instructions for a ‘scramble’ as pilots lounge in the dispersal hut. The smartly dressed officer is Duty Pilot – the pilot rostered for ground admin tasks such as recording take-off and landing times etc. Above It was not unusual for aircraft to return damaged after an engagement and with pilots wounded. This brandnew Spitfire had just been delivered to 602 Squadron at RAF Westhampnett when it was hit by cannon shells from a Messerschmitt 109 in a combat on 18 August 1940. The aircraft was written off and Flight Lieutenant Dunlop Urie wounded in his feet. chance of a well-ordered textbook: ‘Number One Attack’. Instead, it was every man for himself, but with ‘wing men’ desperately trying to maintain station and protect their section leader. Now, the pilots were climbing and hanging on their props, the sun glaring and blinding as they turned, all the while listening out and looking out. Now, there were shouts: “Behind you Blue 3!”, permeated by chattering gunfire. A cacophony of shouts and static made communication unintelligible. One pilot may be drawing a bead on a 21 SS SPECIAL COLLECTOR’S EDITION F BRITA IN CO THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN IN COLOUR EO “Praise where due. This is the best magazine available which I have read - I am very impressed. I thoroughly enjoyed reading each chapter and it was written in such an easy style. It covered every aspect and I was saddened when I reached the end.” ORA IVE I T DOWNLOAD NOW ORDER A PAPER COPY