Scanning - Shortwave - Ham Radio Equipment - Computers - Antique Radio Volume 26, No. 5 May 2007 U.S. $5.95 A Publication of Grove Enterprises Printed in the United States Storm Chasing with Amateur Radio In this issue: • Exploring 10 Meter Beacons • Start Your Own SW Station! • Make a Hard-Hat Antenna • Head-to-Head: Four Mid-Priced Portables WiNRADiO... not just great radios! WiNRADiO not only makes award-winning radios, but also all the accessories to go with them to provide you with the best possible reception. Here is just a small selection: Antennas Accessories WR-LWA-0130 Long-wire balun WR-AX-71C All-purpose VHF/UHF scanning antenna WR-LNA-3500 VHF/UHF low-noise amplifier WR-AX-06B WR-BT-3500 Telescopic VHF/UHF VHF/UHF antenna power injector (bias "T") WR-CMC-30 HF/VHF common-mode choke WR-AX-81S High intercept point active HF antenna WR-SP-30 Surge protector WR-AX-37E Directional UHF log-periodic For more information about these products, please visit: antenna www.winradio.com ...the future of radio.TM CONTENTS Vol. 26 No. 5 May 2007 New Heights for Amateur Radio ..................................... 12 By Bill Brown Scanning - Shortwave - Ham Radio Equipment - Computers - Antique Radio “The higher the better” is the mantra hams use whenever they talk Volume 26, No. 5 May 2007 about their antennas. Some hams take that concept to the extreme by U.S. $5.95 ���������������������������������� Printed in the United States launching satellites. Others like Bill Brown dabble with transmissions from Storm Chasing Near Space by means of Amateur Radio High Altitude Balloons (ARHAB). The “payload” may be a simple transmitter or it may be combined with with other experiments. Tracking the balloon to retrieve the payload requires Amateur Radio skill in direction-finding and using FAA winds aloft data to predict the landing zone. Turn to page 12 to see the one that almost landed in MT’s back yard! In this issue: • Exploring 10 Meter Beacons • Start Your Own SW Station! Exploring the World of 10 Meter Beacons ...................... 14 • Make a Hard-Hat Antenna • Head-to-Head: Four Mid-Priced Portables By Ken Reitz How can you tell if a band is dead if no one is talking? Dozens of 10- meter aficionados have made sure that’s not a problem on their watch: Lead Story The 10 meter band is populated with low-powered beacons which transmit their signals day and night, year after year. Tune in to a few of the most Storm Chasing popular frequencies and you can quickly tell whether the band is open or By Seth Price not. Over time, you can learn a lot about propagation, you can test your equipment, and you can make maximum use of your time on the air. It’s nothing like the movies, says Seth Price: Dodging fly- ing cows isn’t usually a factor The Electronics Industry Goes Green .............................. 17 in storm chasing, but bad food By Gregory Smith and boredom certainly are. You may wax nostalgic about the smell of smoking flux and burned wire Amateur radio is a real gift on insulation, but solder as we know it is changing. The tin-lead composition two counts: visiting with hams which has served the electronics industry so well is being phased out for around the country during inac- non-critical applications, due to concerns over hazardous waste. Trouble tive periods helps pass the time is, the new alloys have a higher failure rate for a variety of reasons. and provides a service for hams You can still can use the old leaded alloys in construction projects, but looking to make a contact with we thought you’d like to know what may be behind increased equipment often sparsely-populated coun- failures in modern electronics. When you say “they don’t make them like ties, but amateur radio is also they used to,” you’re right. But it’s for a good reason. a vital link in the SKYWARN nets that provide ground-truth information to the National Weather Service during severe weather. For a taste of what storm Reviews chasing is really like, and infor- Lately we’ve been reviewing several low scanners, and the BCD396T and BR-330T mation on how to get trained as and mid-priced portables. This month a new handheld scanners. The nearly full-featured an amateur radio operator and player gets into the game. Todd Van Gelder head allows increased options for mounting a weather spotter, turn to the compares four of the more popular portables your scanner in a vehicle, and easy removal article on page 8. together – the Grundig G4000A, Kaito 1103, to prevent theft. See page 69 for the full Grundig G5, and the Sony ICF-SW7600GR. review. Cover photo courtesy NOAA Photo We think you’ll find the overview quite useful Mac users, listen up! John Catalano has Library, NOAA Central Library; (page 66) been temporarily forced to use an Apple OAR/ERL/National Severe Storms Uniden has released the BC-RH96 Macintosh computer, and you are the benefi- Laboratory (NSSL) remote control head which works with the ciaries. This month you can read about five Uniden BCD996T and BCT15 base/mobile noteworthy radio programs which operate on the Mac computer (see page 72). MONITORING TIMES (ISSN: 0889-5341; Publishers Mail Agree- ment #1253492) is published monthly by Grove Enterprises, Inc., Brasstown, North TABLE OF CONTENTS Carolina, USA. Copyright © 2007 Grove Enterprises, Inc. Periodicals postage paid at Brasstown, Departments: Second Departments NC, and additional mailing offices. Short Letters .................................................. 4 Milcom ............................................... 52 excerpts may be reprinted with appropri- Communications .................................. 6 HF Comms Alive and Well ate credit. Complete articles may not be Stock Exchange ................................... 75 The Fed Files ...................................... 54 reproduced without permission. Advertisers Index ................................. 75 A Super Week in Miami Address: 7540 Highway 64 West, Boats, PLANES, Trains ......................... 56 Airport Information for Listeners Brasstown, NC 28902-0098 First Departments Telephone: (828) 837-9200 Getting Started Below 500 kHz ................................... 58 DX Destinations Fax: (828) 837-2216 (24 hours) Beginners Corner ................................ 20 Outer Limits ........................................ 59 Internet Address: www.grove-ent.com or Start Your Own SW Station www.monitoringtimes.com Ask Bob .............................................. 22 Pirate Radio and the Media On the Ham Bands ............................. 60 Editorial e-mail: [email protected] The MT Help Desk .............................. 23 Subscriptions: [email protected] An Island with a Mountain with a Light- house Subscription Rates: $28.95 in US; $39.50 Scanning Report ................................. 24 Canada; and $58.50 foreign elsewhere, Crossing the Digital Divide US funds. Label indicates number of is- Utility World ........................................ 28 Technical Departments sues left. Renewal notice is cover sheet 3 CHU Stays Put! Antenna Topics ................................... 62 months before expiration. See page 76 Digital Digest ...................................... 31 A Pedestrian-Mobile Antenna for subscription information. Digital Alligators on HF? Radio Restorations .............................. 64 Introducing the BC-348 Postmaster: Send address changes to Monitoring Times, Global Forum ..................................... 32 MT Review .......................................... 66 7540 Highway 64 West, Brasstown, NC Missionaries in Micronesia Grundig G4000A, G5, Kaito 1103, 28902-0098. Broadcast Logs ................................... 35 Sony ICF-SW7600GR Programming Spotlight ....................... 36 First Look ............................................ 69 Disclaimer: Spotlight on R Netherlands Uniden BC-RH96 Remote Head While Monitoring Times makes an effort The QSL Report .................................. 38 On the Bench ..................................... 70 to ensure the information it publishes is Getting That Rig Back on the Air accurate, it cannot be held liable for the 75 Million QSOs and Growing contents. The reader assumes any risk for Computers & Radio ............................. 72 performing modification or construction English Language SW Guide ............... 39 Mac Radio Programs projects published in Monitoring Times. What’s New ........................................ 74 Opinion or conclusions expressed are not necessarily the view of Monitoring Times or Grove Enterprises. Unsolicited manuscripts are accepted. SASE if material is to be returned. EDITORIAL STAFF Email fi[email protected] Owners TJ “Skip” Arey .......... On the Ham Bands Clem Small ............. Antenna Topics Bob and Judy Grove Rachel Baughn ........ Communications Doug Smith ............. American Bandscan [email protected] ............................... Letters to the Editor Hugh Stegman ........ Utility World ............................... What’s New? Ernest Robl .............. Trains Publisher Kevin Carey ............ Below 500 kHz Gayle Van Horn ...... Frequency Manager Bob Grove, W8JHD John Catalano ........ Computers & Radio ............................... Broadcast Logs [email protected] Mike Chace ............. Digital Digest ............................... QSL Corner Managing Editor Jim Clarke .............. First Look Larry Van Horn ........ Milcom Rachel Baughn, KE4OPD Marc Ellis ................ Radio Restorations ............................... First Look