www.monitoringtimes.com Scanning - Shortwave - Ham Radio - Equipment Internet Streaming - Computers - Antique Radio ® Volume 31, No. 9 September 2012 U.S. $6.95 Can. $6.95 Printed in the United States A Publication of Grove Enterprises Amateur Radio in the Classroom In this issue: • W9GRS: From Room 104 to the World! • KC4WQ: Train Your Replacement • School Club Roundup 2012 • MT Reviews: Degen DE321 CONTENTS A Decade of Amateur Radio in the Classroom ...............11 By Buddy Sohl KC4WQ “All great things start with a dream and so does this story,” says Buddy Sohl KC4WQ. The story is about Buddy’s decade long efforts to bring amateur radio to the Vol. 31 No. 9 September 2012 students of St. Aloysius School in Shepardsville, Kentucky. www.monitoringtimes.com From the dream of Buddy’s uncle to have someone in Scanning - Shortwave - Ham Radio - Equipment Internet Streaming - Computers - Antique Radio the family continue the ham tradition, to the reality of ® Volume 31, No. 9 September 2012 Buddy’s philosophy of “Train Your Replacement,” this U.S. $6.95 Can. $6.95 Printed in the United States A Publication of Grove Enterprises story has taken Buddy on an unexpected journey. Amateur Radio in the Classroom 2012 School Club Roundup ............................................13 By Ken Reitz KS4ZR It’s the opposite of what you’ve come to expect from an amateur radio contest: Instead of taking place over a two day weekend, School Club Roundup takes place during school hours on weekdays and you’re not allowed to operate more than 24 hours In this issue: • W9GRS: From Room 104 to the World! for the duration! How is that fun? You’ll be talking • KC4WQ: Train Your Replacement • School Club Roundup 2012 with the future of amateur radio and you may be • MT Reviews: Degen DE321 surprised at how good it sounds. W9GRS: From Room 104 to the World! ..............8 A Quest to Find the Disappearing Sunspots ..................15 By Russ Steele KF6TAR By Troy J. Simpson W9KVR A life-long interest in shortwave listening, careers in the U.S. Air Force and as a con- Troy Simpson had no intention cept developer for aerospace company TRW, led Russ Steele KF6TAR to study amateur of becoming a ham. He thought of himself as a teacher who taught Earth radio astronomy and the solar cycle. Recently his interest in sunspots brought him to a Science at Glenn Raymond School, a technical paper written for the National Solar Observatory (NSO) by William Livingston middle school with some 300 students and Matthew Penn. The paper indicates and extreme minimum in the next solar cycle. in rural southern Illinois. But, his With a trip planned to the Kitt Peak McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope, Russ found himself father-in-law had other ideas. Now on a quest to find out more about the disappearing sunspots. an Extra Class licensee, Volunteer Examiner and Vice-president of the local amateur radio club in Watseka, Opposition and Clandestine Broadcasts Target Sudan Illinois, Troy makes amateur radio part of his students’ daily activities. and Darfur .....................................................................18 In this month’s cover story, Troy By Steven Handler tells the rest of us how he motivates Granted independence from the British in 1955, Sudan has seen little more than war students at an otherwise difficult age since. Now officially two countries, the air waves over Sudan are filled with the voices to enjoy the world of amateur radio. of competing interests on all sides. Steven Handler details the return to shortwave of With the help of the local amateur radio club, Troy’s class is a clear voice the exotic local music and languages from this troubled region. during the semi-annual School Club Roundup. These kids know what they’re doing; the “Morning DX Crew” at the school’s amateur radio station has even REVIEWS achieved DXCC! He tells his students, “The world is just a wave-length away and you never know what part of the Digital Dave’s Delightful Degen DSP Disclosure ............70 world you’ll reach today.” By Dave Schmarder N2DS Dave Schmarder has knocked around the world of radio On Our Cover long enough to recognize a bargain when he sees one. And, at The W9GRS Morning DX Crew from $21 (including shipping!) Dave couldn’t resist the Degen DE321 Room 104 display their DXCC certifi- AM/FM/SW radio. Could anything cheaper than the total cost cate. First row - Amanda Musselman, to return it actually be useful as a radio? Dave dives into the Jake Anderson KC9OQN, Jesse Hurst. Second row - Madi Hebert, Mariah insides of this little radio to find out. Yelenick, Toby Jones, Troy J. Simpson W9KVR science teacher AR5001D Wide Coverage Professional Grade Communications Receiver Discover the next generation in AOR’s legendary line of professional grade The Legend desktop communications receivers. ■ Multimode receives AM, wide and narrow Lives On! 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With its or external storage device popular analog signal meter and large easy-to-read digital spectrum display, ■ Optional AR-I/Q Windows software facilitates the easy storage and playback of the AR5001D is destined to become the choice of federal, state and local law transmissions captured within the selected enforcement agencies, the military, emergency managers, diplomatic service, spectrum in conventional modes, or, signals can be subjected to further analysis news-gathering operations, and home monitoring enthusiasts. ■ Optional GPS board can be used for an accurate time base and for time stamping digital I/Q data ® The Serious Choice in Advanced Technology Receivers AOR U.S.A., Inc. 20655 S. Western Ave., Suite 112 *Cellular blocked for US consumer version. Unblocked Torrance, CA 90501, USA version available to qualified purchasers with Authority On Radio documentation. Specifications subject to change Communications Tel: 310-787-8615 Fax: 310-787-8619 [email protected] • www.aorusa.com without notice or obligation MONITORING TIMES (ISSN: 0889-5341; Publishers Mail Agree- ment #1253492) is TABLE OF CONTENTS published monthly by Grove Enterprises, Inc., Brasstown, North Caro- lina, USA. Departments: Milcom ............................................52 By Larry Van Horn N5FPW Copyright © 2012 Grove Enterprises, Inc. Communications ...............................6 Is the Cold War Really Over? Periodicals postage paid at Brasstown, Letters .............................................74 NC, and additional mailing offices. Short Stock Exchange ................................76 excerpts may be reprinted with appropri- Fed Files ..........................................54 ate credit. Complete articles may not be Advertisers Index .............................76 By Chris Parris reproduced without permission. A Fed Files Radio Safari: Southern Nevada Address: 7540 Highway 64 West, First Departments Boats, Planes, TRAINS .....................56 Brasstown, NC 28902-0098 Getting Started By Ernest Robl Telephone: (828) 837-9200 Stepping Back Fax: (828) 837-2216 (24 hours) Scanning Report ..............................20 By Dan Veeneman Internet Address: www.grove-ent.com or Globalnet .......................................58 www.monitoringtimes.com Adapting an AOR8000 to Change Editorial e-mail: [email protected] By Loyd Van Horn W4LVH Subscriptions: [email protected] Ask Bob ...........................................23 The Future of Internet Radio: Could it come at a cost? By Bob Grove W8JHD Subscription Rates: $32.95 in US; $42.95 Correction and oversight; Horizontal loop Canada; and $58.95 foreign elsewhere, details; Earth SW broadcasts on ISS; Using two Below 500 kHz ................................60 US funds.