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RadCom
February 2012, Vol. 88, No. 2

RadCom is the Radio Society of Great Britain Members' magazine and is sent free every month to Members of the Radio Society of Great Britain.

RadCom has the largest amateur radio readership in the UK and is respected throughout the world.

Members of the RSGB can read the whole of this edition online, click the cover or follow the Members' Area link.

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Contents RadCom February 2012

Members log-in is required to read the magazine online

• News and Reports

  6 RSGB Matters
  Including Society matters, the IARU Region 1 conference, Diamond Jubilee and Olympics callsigns, guidance on Band Plan changes, New Members and Congratulations
  11 News
  All the amateur radio news
  16 Honour Roll
  The Society salutes those whose Membership spans 50 years or more
  24 Band Plan 2012
  The complete UK amateur band plans from 135.7kHz to 250GHz - with some significant changes
  83 Around Your Region
  Club news and planned events around the country

• Review

  67 LAMCO ATUs
  Steve Nichols, G0KYA examines the DU 1500T and DU 1500L 1.5kW ATUs
  69 Book Review
  The RadCom 2011 CD and Klingenfuss 2012 Frequency Guide reviewed by Giles Read, G1MFG
  75 Ranger RCI-2950DX
  Steve Nichols, G0KYA reports on this new-to-the-UK 10 and 12m all-mode mobile

• Technical Features

  19 Homebrew
  Eamon Skelton, EI9GQ, boxes up his homebrew transceiver and develops a new 200W linear amplifier
  29 Extending the Finningley 80m SDR
  Two extra crystals and a switch greatly extend this budget SDR's reach, writes Andrew Churchley, G4EAQ
  34 Design Notes and Data
  The two columns by Andy Talbot, G4JNT join forces this month for an extended look at integrated quadrature upconverters
  38 CTCSS for the FT-726R and FT-790R
  Carl Langley, G3XGK shows how adding CTCSS to older radios can give them a new lease of life
  52 EMC
  Dr David Lauder, G0SNO, investigates RF noise from DVD players and LED lamps
  58 Cutting Feeder Costs
  Cascaded transmission line transformers can transition from 50Ω unbalanced to 600Ω open feeder and back, explains Tony Preedy, G3LNP

• Features

  30 Distance Learning
  What do you do if there's no Advanced course nearby? Become an 'e-student', suggests Steve Hartley, G0FUW
  42 VHF NFD 2011
  John Simkins, G8IYS reports on an event when good weather tried to make up for the lack of propagation

• Regulars

  54 Antennas, Peter Dodd, G3LDO
  64 GHz, Sam Jewell, G4DDK
  60 HF, Don Field, G3XTT
  41 IOTA, Martin Atherton, G3ZAY
  59 LF, Dave Pick, G3YXM
  82 Propagation, Gwyn Williams, G4KFH
  46 QRP, George Dobbs, G3RJV
  87 Members’ Ads, Rallies and Events, Silent Keys and Special Event stations
  72 Sport Radio, Steve White, G3ZVW
  77 Start Here, Jonathan Constable, M5FUN and Tatiana Mcarthur, MM6TAT
  92 The Last Word
  62 VHF/UHF, David Butler, G4ASR

Information for RadCom readers

Copyright

© 2012 Radio Society of Great Britain. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the Radio Society of Great Britain.

Errors and Omissions

Whilst the Radio Society of Great Britain—the publisher—takes all reasonable care in the production of RadCom, we can accept no responsibility for errors, inaccuracies or omissions contained within the magazine or any subsequent loss arising from any use thereof. Reliance placed on the contents of RadCom is at the reader's own risk. We urge any reader to take all precautions appropriate to avoid any loss or damage to equipment and ensure the personal safety of themselves and others when using material contained in RadCom. It should be also noted that patent or copyright protection may exist in relation to any items within this magazine. The RSGB does not accept any responsibility for failing to identify any such patents, copyright or any other protection.

Readers are also reminded that the use of radio transmission and reception equipment—including scanning—is subject to licensing and the erection of external aerials may be subject to local authority planning regulations.

Advertisements

Although RSGB staff and the staff of Danby Advertising—its Advertising Agent—take reasonable precautions to protect the interests of readers by ensuring as far as practicable that advertisements in the pages of RadCom are bona fide, the magazine and its publisher, the RSGB, cannot accept any undertaking in respect of claims made by advertisers, whether these advertisements are printed as part of the magazine, or are in the form of inserts. Under no circumstances will the magazine accept liability for non-receipt of goods ordered, late delivery, or faults in manufacture. Legal remedies are available in respect of some of these circumstances, and readers who have complaints should address them to the advertiser or should consult a local Trading Standards Office, a Citizens’ Advice Bureau, or their own solicitors. The publishers make no representation, express or implied, that equipment advertised conforms with any legal requirements of the Electromagnetic Compatibility Regulations 1992. Readers should note that prices advertised may not be accurate due to currency exchange rate fluctuatons, or tax changes.