Radio User 08.2022_downmagaz.net

NEW Icom’s SHF-P1 concept model GEAR and IC-PW2 linear amplifier August 2022 £5.49 www.radioenthusiast.co.uk TECSUN PL-368 The editor rates this new Maritime Matters portable multi-band which boasts SSB reception and How Digital Selective Enhanced Tuning Mode Calling is used at sea Plus, you can win it! Radio & Wellbeing Broadcasting’s work in boosting mental health HISTORY Essex: Home SCIENCE The Role of Citizen of aWireless Revolution Astronomers & RadioWaves The story of Marconi’s Chelmsford How monitoring meteors, solar flares factory which spawned an empire and cosmic rays complements the hobby Rallies & Events Airshows Round-up Plan your summer days out inside Enjoy the best displays of the 2022 season Displayuntil25thAugust2022

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Index Favourites Reviews Features News Profiles Contents Cover Story ISSN 1748-8117 16 WCTEOPIOENNMLNCT-PTESP3ERHAU6TGOIIN8STEUIR1O9N 16 The Tecsun PL-368 FM (Stereo) LW, MW, SW-SSB Receiver August 2022 Vol. 17 No 8 6 Subscriptions Page The editor checks out what this small portable radio On sale: 28 July 2022 Consider availing yourselves of the advantages of can do, looks at the design philosophy, and technol- taking out a subscription to this magazine; you’ll ogy behind it and reviews its many handy features in Next issue on sale: 25 August 2022 have all the features, reviews, news items, and arti- a variety of scenarios. cles conveniently at your fingertips each month. RadioUser 28 Citizen Astronomers, 7 News and Products Radio and UKRAA Warners Group Publications plc The Maltings, West Street The Perseus22 SDR, McIntosh MR89, SDRConnect, Andrew Thomas, a Trustee of the UK Radio As- Bourne, Lincs PE10 9PH the ICOM SHF-P1 and IC-PW2 at Dayton, and News tronomy Association (UKRAA), returns to RadioUser www.warnersgroup.co.uk from Amphenol and Signal Hound; supply chain prob- to show how you can successfully detect solar flares, Tel: 01778 391000 lems and stories from the world of radio (see also meteors, muons and cosmic rays. pp. 27, 37, 41, 45, and www.radioenthusiast.co.uk). Editor 34 Maritime Matters 12 DRM in Brazil: Georg Wiessala Future or Fata Morgana? Robert Connolly introduces Digital Selective Calling [email protected] (DSC) on the Maritime Bands, updating us on the key Martin Butera meets with the renowned DRM expert technologies and applications of the mode before he Designer Francisco Braccini to ask him about the prospects unlocks some marine number codes. of the DRM format in this vast and populous country Mike Edwards with a significant digital divide. 37 European Private [email protected] Short Wave Stations | News 15 Bookstore | Archive CDs Advertisement Manager Stig Hartvig Nielsen unveils this summer’s main Have you taken a look at our growing online book- privately-owned broadcasters on short wave, and we Kristina Green store lately? You’d be surprised at the range of books offer a curated selection of the very latest news from [email protected] and CDs you can find here, many of which have been the radio world, and beyond. Tel: 01778 392096 reviewed in these pages. 38 Digital Radio Production Manager 20 Airband News Kevin Ryan delves into the development of the prin- Nicola Glossop David Smith draws a comms profile of RAF Milden- cipal Satellite Radio formats of the last few decades [email protected] hall, explores a Scottish Spaceport, admires the 2022 and compiles Part One of his comprehensive glossary Jubilee Flypast, checks the airspace near Ukraine of satellite technology. Production Assistant and reviews emergency airspace control. 42 New Media & International Radio Charlotte Bamford [email protected] Chrissy Brand shares her hints and tips for this sum- mer’s liveliest international music festivals, including Marketing Manager the ways they are covered through various formats of radio, and by a range of stations. Katherine Brown [email protected] Marketing Executive Luke Hider [email protected] Publisher Rob McDonnell [email protected] 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 Send your completed form to: RadioUser Subscriptions Dept Warners Group Publications plc The Maltings, West Street Bourne, Lincs PE10 9PH MAGA ZINE & BROCHURE PR INTER This publication is printed by Warners Midlands PLC WARNERS Telephone: 01778 391000   
SUBSCRIBE TO RADIO USER 22 Airshows 2022 (Part IV) NEW Icom’s SHF-P1 concept model For the latest offer call David Smith unveils the next section of our seasonal GEAR and IC-PW2 linear amplifier RadioUser Guide to airshows, historical flight days, technical demonstrations, celebrations, and similar TECSUN events. 01778 395161PL-368 Plus, you can win it! See page six for details. Rallies & Events Airshows Round-up Save up to 27%. Read on any device, anywhere, anytime at http://bit.ly/raus-mysub22 Keep up to date on Facebook 24 The jetvision Air!Squitter 46 www.facebook.com/radioenthusiasts The editor flies high with the jetvision Air!Squitter Follow us on Twitter ADS-B, MLAT and FLARM live flight tracker, which @REnthusiasts combines high sensitivity with practical functionality, for an unprecedented view of airspace. Sign up to our FREE email newsletter at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk 4 RadioUser August 2022

Editorial Welcome 60 Georg Wiessala In our range of other features this [email protected] month, Martín Butera covers the wider 46 Emerging Issues in Radio international debate about the DRM format, Hello and a warm welcome and Andrew Thomas is back to look at the Chrissy Brand assesses what roles radio stations, to the August edition of role of radio astronomy as a form of citizen broadcasters and podcasters have to play in the con- RadioUser. This issue is science. text of removing the stigma around issues of mental a bit special to me, as it health and general wellbeing. marks five years at the editorial helm In our other regular columns, you can for me. No, I cannot quite believe it learn more about Digital Selective Calling 49 Rallies and Events either – tempus fugit. (DSC) and Satellite Radio, coverage of this summer’s music festivals, mental health Take a look at this season’s many radio rallies, However, I’d really like to take and radio and the G5RV Aerial. enthusiasts’ meetings, Hamfests and similar events this opportunity to thank all our and use our comprehensive guide to plan your visits readers and subscribers, advertisers In our occasional strand on ‘radio- to both UK and international gatherings. and contributors, and the great location(s)’ (pun intended), for Scott team at Warners, for their amazing Caldwell, it’s ‘TOWIE’, as he takes us back 50 Aerials Now cooperation and unstinting support. I to the fascinating history of the Marconi think you will agree that, over the last Factory in Chelmsford, while Kevin Ryan Keith Rawlings explains how to successfully work a five years, RadioUser has changed, critically surveys the development of G5RV Aerial, shares updates on the NEC-5 engine and struck out in new directions and – various Satellite Radio formats over some enjoys hearing about a Spectrum Communications hopefully – improved and widened its decades. (RX SPC) Aerial Tuning Unit. scope. This change is ongoing, and I am looking forward to the next five Plus, we have our usual range of listings, 53 TV and Radio, Past and Present years. concerning international broadcasts and podcasts, European private short wave Keith Hamer and Garry Smith summarise the latest, As far as this issue is concerned, stations, airshows and historical displays, momentous, changes facing the BBC in 2022 before if you are sitting comfortably, we frequencies, and radio rallies. they take a thorough look at the Corporation’s colour- begin with some reviews to whet your ful history throughout the 1990s. appetite. In fact, I can promise you I hope that you will enjoy this issue and some very exciting gear for the rest that we will still be together in five years’ 56 Push-to-Talk: of 2022, just take a look at the News time… Two-Way Communications section. Georg Wiessala Tim Kirby appraises the G7RPG Microhub and its abil- In the home shack this month, I ity to significantly extend the range of contacts you have seen the jetvision Air!Squitter Editor, Radio User Magazine can make before he reports on the latest CB news and move the goalposts of flight tracking, www.radioenthusiast.co.uk a simple ‘Jubilee’ aerial. and I have enjoyed using the new Tecsun PL-368 portable, and Tim 59 Book Review Kirby significantly extends his two- way communications range by In keeping with our BBC-related content this month, reviewing the G7RPG Microhub. David Harris reviews a comprehensive new book on the history and politics of the State Broadcaster in The BBC is a small sub-theme this our time. month, looking ahead to a longer piece on its history later in the year, 60 The Marconi Hall Street Works for which some of our expert authors have collaborated. Keith Hamer Scott Caldwell travels to Chelmsford in Essex to and Garry Smith outline the latest find out more about the humble beginnings of the changes for the Corporation before global Marconi enterprise, in the shape of the famous they go back in time to the 1990s; Marconi Hall Street Works. David Harris, meanwhile, reviews a very special new title on the state broadcaster. Why not visit our new online bookshop at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/store August 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!

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 [email protected] STOP PRESS! SDRplay: What’s New ABrand-New Those familiar with the SDRplay series Perseus SDR of receivers will have, no doubt, used the SDRUno software. The software is very nice The Perseus22 is a 4-channel, direct sampling receiver with continuous frequency coverage to use, but the big snag is that it only runs on from 10kHz to 225MHz and a typical image rejection larger than 70 dB. All channels are Windows machines. Earlier in the year, SDRplay sampled synchronously, by a high-SNR, 14 bits A/D converter, and a software-defined digital announced SDRConnect. What’s SDRConnect? down converter processes them. This is implemented on an FPGA, the outputs of which Well, in short, it’s a cross-platform piece of are routed to the host PC by a USB 3.0 controller, allowing wide-bandwidth IF applications. software to work in conjunction with the SDRplay Frequency coverage is split into 2 groups of channels (two for the VLF-HF frequency range, receivers. Demonstrations have been seen at the the others for VHF), each one capable of ‘diversity’ reception. This can, it is claimed, reduce Dayton Hamvention and also Friedrichshafen, noise in the order of tens of dB. All channels include an analogue RF front end, equipped with where the software was seen running on a Mac attenuators, preselection filters, and amplifiers. The receiver enclosure is machined from solid (OS X) and a Raspberry Pi. There will also be the aluminium and finished with a fine, non-reflecting, black surface treatment. Watch our website option to situate the receiver remote from the for more details. computer running the SDRConnect software. (Source: Microtelecom | SWLing Post) This sounds very exciting. The bad news is that https://www.microtelecom.it/en the software is still in development and a few [email protected] months away from being available. However, last week, Andy Carpenter of SDRplay gave a presentation to the UK’s ‘Ham Radio Network’ on the SDRConnect project and what you might expect. The video is available at the URL below: (Sources: SDRplay | Jon Hudson | via Tim Kirby) https://youtu.be/LsLjrOiTZj4 CRYPTOCURRENCY ACCEPTED: A radio station in the Northeast of England is now accepting cryptocurrency payments for airtime and sponsorship: Frisk Radio, which broadcasts on DAB acrossTyneside, made the move to open up a broader range of payment options to potential advertisers.The station says it is the first in the UK to accept payments in Bitcoin, Ethereum and Cardano. And rather than converting from a pound sterling amount, Frisk has fixed the payment amount in the above cryptocurrencies. Technical director Stuart Landreth said, “ Frisk is leading the way, and we’ll be here when customers are ready!” (Frisk Radio). https://www.friskradio.com RECENT ACTIVITIES AT THE OPEN AIR MUSEUM ARNHEM: On June 12, radio amateurs gave information and demonstrations about ‘Morse code as a Means of Communication’ to the public at the Open Air Museum in Arnhem. The activity was dominated by the idea of Morse code as intangible cultural heritage – a status the code received in the Netherlands in 2014. For this occasion, the grounds of the Open Air Museum were temporarily transformed into an improvised shack and demonstration space. On Sunday 12th June 2022, the many visitors to the farm shack received information about amateur radio in general, and Morse code in particular […] https://www.icqpodcast.com/news. https://tinyurl.com/IARU-Netherlands For the latest news and product reviews, visit www.radioenthusiast.co.uk August 2022 RadioUser 7

News What’s new in the world of radio McIntosh High-End AM/FM Tuner 50 million adults in the UK continue to listen to the radio (Q1 2022, RAJAR). McIntosh has worked diligently to get the best from the much-loved medium with the new MR89 AM/FM Tuner (£6,800). McIntosh’s high-end audio engineers have recently turned their attention to maximising sound quality from AM/FM broadcasts, culminating in the launch of the new MR89 AM/FM Tuner. A thoroughly updated stereo receiver for the modern music lover, the new MR89 benefits from a plethora of advancements including adjustments to the sensitivity, signal-to-noise ratio, harmonic distortion, channel selectivity and stereo separation. The MR89 also features exclusive McIntosh radio frequency (RF) circuitry that can receive both strong FM signals from nearby stations (avoiding the overload and distortion that can plague everyday receivers), while also being able to tune in to weaker FM signals with little to no noise. Set up is easy: the MR89’s advanced signal-quality monitor can display detailed signal, multipath and noise levels (from the incoming radio signal) to help fine-tune the optimal placement of the AM or FM antenna; a RAA2 AM antenna is included. The MR89 benefits from upgraded stereo blending with a ‘High Blend’ option, a ‘Softmute’ feature, to reduce the audio output of lower-quality station inputs, plus a ‘Highcut’ function to reduce high-frequency audio content […]. UK distributor: Fine Sounds UK Tel: +44(0)1592 744710 www.finesounds.uk SHEFFORD AND DISTRICT AMATEUR RADIO to be a great social and financial success as attractive selection of test equipment, including SOCIETY: First Junk Sale since Covid: The the Treasurer Owen G0PHY was to be seen two scopes, a GDO and a pristine Heathkit signal Shefford and District Amateur Radio Society held with a happy grin as he totted up the welcome generator, soon found new homes. SADARS a bumper summer auction of radio equipment dividend to his club coffers! Auctioneers Don will reconvene for weekly meetings at 8 pm on and good quality junk in June to complete their G4LOO and David G8UOD worked hard to clear September 8th at the Community Hall, 54-56 High annual programme, before the holiday closure. tables laden with tempting ‘goodies’, much of Street, Shefford SG17 5AX. A full programme of Although post-Covid attendance had not yet which were sold at bargain prices. A very nice lectures, events and contest activities is planned returned to normal levels, the evening proved communications receiver went for a song and an (www.sadars.co.uk). Enter our competitions at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/competitions 8 RadioUser August 2022

What’s new in the world of radio News STOP PRESS! ICOM SHF-P1 Amphenol and IC-PW2 at the Procom GNSS 2020 Dayton Hamvention The Amphenol Procom GNSS 2020 is a new Icom’s SHF-P1 concept model and the IC-PW2 HF/50 MHz 1kW linear amplifier were shown at active receive antenna for GNSS, covering GPS, the recent Dayton Hamvention, one of the world’s largest amateur radio events held between GLONASS, BEIDOU, and GALILEO. This new May 20th-22nd 2022. The event, which saw it celebrating its 70th anniversary had the Icom antenna is Ideally suited for any GNSS receiving team out in force with new products including the forthcoming IC-T10 dual-band hand-portable system including network synchronisation. and glimpses into these future products. Today’s Global Navigational Satellite Systems The ICOM stand was bustling with many amateur radio operators asking questions about the (GNSS) provide positioning coordinates such SHF-P1 concept project model, part of the development project called the ICOM SHF Project as longitude and latitude but also altitude data. (Super High-Frequency Band Challenge) aimed at developing a new amateur radio for use However, they also play another critical role when in the 2.4GHz and 5.6GHz bands. Visitors were also excited to be getting a good look at the used within wireless communications systems. forthcoming IC-PW2. GNSS timing is used for synchronization between To find out more about these models, you can download the pre-release/concept information base stations within wireless mobile and data distributed at Dayton Hamvention 2022 from the Icom UK website. networks. Each GNSS satellite contains more As to their launch date and pricing, Icom than one atomic clock that provides exact timing UK said, data and positioning data. Precise time data is “We don’t have those details but crucial to keep all of the base stations in perfect rest assured we will publish them synchronisation. This allows mobile handsets to on our website and social media efficiently optimise limited radio spectrum and channels when we have them. We will increase communication data throughput. The be showing them later this year at the GNSS 2020 offers full hemispherical coverage National Hamfest so make a note in for GNSS with a built-in Low Noise Amplifier your diary to come along and see them capable of taking a supply voltage of 3-15V with for yourself on our stand at Newark.” an N-type female connector. Environmental conditions have also been carefully considered. https://tinyurl.com/2myve4jm The shape of the antenna will not allow a build-up https://tinyurl.com/3r2m3yz5 of snow and ice and is protected to IP67 with an https://tinyurl.com/5n6un9j6 operating temperature range of -40 to +70 C. MILITARY USE OF 50MHZ FREQUENCIES: band will be used: 50.200 and 51.075MHz. Radio The key specifications include: IARU Region 1 reports on the planned use of amateurs are therefore asked to keep these two frequencies in the amateur radio 50 MHz frequencies clear or observe them during this • Full hemispherical coverage for GNSS band by the Belgian Military on 18th June 2022. time before transmitting there. The amateur • Built-in high gain, low noise amplifier The Belgian telecommunication authority BIPT radio service has a secondary status in this band, • Input filter for thorough RF-overload protection informs that a military exercise will take place while military radio has a primary status. • Right-hand circular polarization (RHCP) in Elzenborn, near the German-Belgian border, (SOURCE: ICQ Amateur | Colin Butler) • 3 V - 15 V supply voltage during which two frequencies in the 6-metre https://iaru-r1.org • DC supply via RF-connector • Total re-design carried out to make the antenna • Antenna withstands tough environments • Range of accessory mounting brackets. [email protected] https://tinyurl.com/3psdkv5y For the latest news and product reviews, visit www.radioenthusiast.co.uk August 2022 RadioUser 9

News What’s new in the world of radio CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP: Signal Hound, a HD RADIO FOR CANADA: Even though the brand new challenges! Radio 2 told me several developer of highly optimised solutions for RF Canadian government has not officially endorsed months back that they wanted to do something signal test and measurement equipment, has the HD Radio broadcast standard, the number different in the afternoons, and I thought – fair announced the sale of the company to Harrison of digital stations in the country seems to be enough. Let’s give somebody else a go. Scott is a Osbourn. “I couldn’t be more thrilled to be the growing.The website HDRadio.com now lists brilliant and versatile broadcaster; he is the man new owner of Signal Hound.This company about 30 stations that air about 60 HD Radio for the job! And Sara’s an amazing presenter and continually brings value and innovation to the channels, including multicasts. More Canadian a wondrous person. Later this year, fans of the industry. We have a world-class team here that broadcasters seem to be testing the HD Radio afternoon show can go to BBC Sounds to hear has gotten us to a great position in the market. I’m waters. This is notable given the country’s failed a Serious Jockin’ series and I’m also looking looking forward to continuing to build this brand, launch of government-endorsed DAB digital forward to developing and creating some exciting our product offerings, and to serve customers radio in the 1990s. A lack of DAB receivers and new digital programmes and podcasts, which across the RF, test and measurement space,” original content DAB-only stations (broadcasters will feature elements of the afternoon show. I get said Harrison Osbourn, owner and CEO at Signal simulcasted their AM/FM content) resulted so much creative freedom at the BBC; I have no Hound. Osbourn brings a pedigree to his role in Canadians not tuning into DAB, and the complaints.They’ve always been fair and kind to that includes serving as a US Naval Intelligence format was abandoned in Canada in the 2010s. me. We’re not done yet. Afternoons will finish in Officer, time at the Pentagon, an MBA from According to WorldDAB.org, 73 Canadian DAB September, we’ll move onto new programmes and Harvard Business School, and years of growth stations were on the air in 2008. Given the money projects in October, and Love Songs will continue strategy implementation with some of the broadcasters spent on DAB digital radio in every Sunday morning.” As well as continuing his Pacific Northwest’s largest and most respected Canada (and on AM stereo before that), Radio Sunday show, Steve will also front a variety of companies. He is a dynamic leader with a proven World wondered what is motivating Canadian Christmas and Easter specials for Radio 2. Steve track record. His vision for the company is broadcasters to consider HD Radio today. will also present regular Serious Jockin’ shows informed by the foundational values it was built (SOURCE: RADIOWORLD SmartBrief Extra, exclusively for BBC Sounds, with additional on and rooted in the vast potential it possesses. 1 July 2022). broadcasts on Radio 2, kicking off later this year. This new era at Signal Hound comes after Bruce https://tinyurl.com/2mfxkw6e (SOURCE: industry Press | Radio 2 Devine decided to retire. From a small shop in La RadioToday | National Press). Center, Washington, to the impressive facility it SCOTT MILLS IS TO TAKE OVER AS STEVE https://tinyurl.com/2p9yf6t8 now occupies in Battle Ground, the company is WRIGHT STEPS DOWN: After almost 24 years poised for the next level of its development […] of hosting the afternoons on BBC Radio 2, Steve (SOURCES: Signal Hound | via Keith Rawlings) Wright has announced that he is leaving the show https://tinyurl.com/rs5dth2d in September. Steve joined Radio 2 in March https://tinyurl.com/mtchpt75 1996, hosting Steve Wright’s Saturday Show and Steve Wright’s Sunday Love Songs. He took TIM BLACKMORE MBE TALKS ABOUT HIS LIFE over the weekday afternoon show in July 1999, IN RADIO:Tim Blackmore has recorded a special while still hosting the Sunday show, which he will podcast with the Radio Academy following his continue when he steps down from weekdays. announcement that he has an inoperable brain Scott Mills is leaving Radio 1 to host a brand new tumour. Radio Academy MD Sam Bailey visited show each weekday afternoon on Radio 2 from Tim at his Cheltenham home a couple of weeks 2-4 pm, launching in the autumn. Making the ago to reflect onTim’s 60 years in radio.Tim has announcement on his show, Steve Wright said: worked in radio his whole life, was involved in “After nearly 24 years of presenting six shows a the start of Radio 1, was head of programmes at week on Radio 2, onwards and upwards for some Capital, and founded the Sony Awards and the Radio Academy itself. He also co-founded Unique, which kick-started the independent production sector in the UK. In the conversation, you can hear Tim contemplate his legacy, his philosophy in life, and his journey through the radio industry. Tim and Sam speak about Tim’s reflections on the industry as he starts to say his goodbyes.They look back at the founding of The Radio Academy, its initial purpose and mission, andTim shares his views on the current state of the UK radio and audio sector. He describes the incredible reaction to his announcement of ill-health and passes on a farewell message to an industry he has helped nurture for 60 years. For an in-depth look at Tim’s career, listen to his Radio Moments Conversation with David Lloyd, available at the second URL, below: https://tinyurl.com/yf97aj2b https://tinyurl.com/bdzmt7yp Enter our competitions at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/competitions 10 RadioUser August 2022

What’s new in the world of radio News LAST CLASSIC FM SHOW FOR JOHN SUCHET: time after the Covid-19 pandemic, for a belated SUPPLY CHAIN CONSTRAINTS ROCK Presenter John Suchet is stepping down from 50th anniversary last week.The event is so EQUIPMENT SUPPLIERS: COVID-19 and his weekday evening concert programme on integral to English culture that a ‘fallow year’ supply chain woes have plagued broadcasters Classic FM after 12 years on a daily show. He’ll (a year to let the grass grow back) significantly hand in hand for the past two years. But while remain with the station for special shows and impacts the summer economy, so after 3 years the pandemic ebbs and flows, parts shortages a replacement is expected to be announced off, it was well-received by fans, musicians, and seem to continue unabated. Based on what shortly. the economy alike. Radio World has gleaned from interviews with a John hosted mornings on Classic FM for almost Once again, the BBC publicised the event on cross-section of suppliers, the global shortages, 10 years before moving to evenings in 2020. His radio andTV, a partnership that initially began particularly in chips, will not end anytime soon. last regular show will be on Friday 1st July. John back in 1997. Music streaming and event That means broadcasters will wait longer for said: “After a full-time career inTV News, it has coverage have come a long way since the early equipment, which affects timelines for projects, been an utter joy for me to have a second career days, changing the way music is consumed replacements and repairs. Suppliers say fires indulging my lifelong passion for classical music forever. at multiple manufacturing plants, combined on Classic FM. But after 12 years of presenting five Despite music platforms having transformed with a shortage of raw materials, disrupted chip radio shows a week (live!), writing five composer the industry, the continued – and ever-growing – production, which has led to interruptions of biographies, and hosting a 52-part podcast series success of festivals shows there is still plenty of electronic equipment production. on Beethoven – the longest series ever on a single room for live events. The shortage of components also has pushed composer – I have decided it’s time to step away Considering how digital and streaming up prices. Coupled with overall inflation, from the mic […] But I’ll be back later in the year with technologies have reshaped the social, financial, increased demand for electronic gadgets and special programmes on Classic FM.” and even creative dynamics of the music COVID lockdowns, the price of some broadcast (SOURCE: Classic FM | RadioToday) industry, it’s also worth thinking about tradition equipment has jumped significantly. Even the https://tinyurl.com/y9uyatef and legacy when it comes to a sphere as old as Suez Canal blockage last year played a role, time itself. Read about the history of this famous increasing logistics problems and the cost of HOW AUDIO STREAMING REINVENTED LIVE event at the following URL: shipping and transportation globally […]. : MUSIC: Worthy Farm welcomed the world- (SOURCE: RadioToday) (SOURCE: RADIOWORLD, USA) famous Glastonbury Festival back, for the first https://tinyurl.com/356d5t95 https://tinyurl.com/y9xjb7wv For the latest news and product reviews, visit www.radioenthusiast.co.uk August 2022 RadioUser 11

Feature PHOTOGRAPHS: LIGIA KATZE Martín Butera [email protected] T he first digital radio transmis- 1 sion in Brazil was made in 2020, on 11910kHz (in DRM). After The Surprising more than two decades of con- Silence of Brazilian troversies surrounding the format, it DRM Transmissions seemed that digital radio in Brazil was fi- nally taking off. The historic initial transmission was captured successfully in various parts of Brazil, French Guiana, the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, and other countries. However, subsequent DRM broadcasts turned out to be relatively short-lived, and they mysteriously disappeared from the air, with no further news. I will try to unrav- el the mystery of what happened, through an interview with Francisco Braccini, one of the main enthusiasts of digital radio in Brazil (Figs. 1 and 2). Francisco has a military background and a degree in Communications from the Agulhas Negras Military Academy. He has researched DRM technology exten- sively and has been involved in many of the key international fora and conferenc- es on the subject, for example, the DRM Consortium. He shares his enthusiasm and knowl- edge of DRM through the YouTube chan- nel, Francisco Braccini. Here, he presents the weekly program Momento DRM, each and every week https://tinyurl.com/4rrh9zje DRM: Some Context and History Martín Butera interviews South American DRM expert Francisco Braccini, who compares the development of MB: Francisco, what does Digital Radio DRM technology in Brazil and India and explains why Mondiale (DRM) mean, in the context of DRM might make Brazil less unequal in the long term. South America, and Brazil? FB: Well, Brazil went through various de- MB: DRM is not being implemented on a throughout the world. However, the tech- velopments, mainly for political reasons; large scale all over the world, and Brazil nology continued to advance, proving that however, today I can say that Brazil is seems to be lagging behind a little. What the medium is effective. This included closer to DRM because it is the only sys- about the so-called Digital Web Radio, India, which ended up adopting the DRM tem that manages to unite all the bands which uses the Internet and seems to cap- standard, with transmissions mostly on in a single receiver. At first, it was thought italise more on the interests of listeners MW and SW. that DRM was only for Short Wave. It was through its streaming radio broadcasts? in 2007 when the first studies began, FB: Internet and DRM are two very different These could reach thousands of people until mid-2011. In that period, HD Radio things. DRM had a great boom in Europe in who live, often in remote places, through- was working in parallel on AM and FM. the years 2005 to 2012, where there were out the country. In 2016, China joined the However, from the beginning, there was many transmissions on Short and Medium DRM consortium and produced 7 trans- DRM too. Wave. From 2014/15 onwards, there was a mitters manufactured locally, to transmit significant decrease in SW transmissions in various regions of China, in DRM and on MB: So how long has the DRM system Short Wave. been around? FB: Globally, for 24 years, and in Brazil for around 15 years. Why not visit our new online bookshop at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/store 12 RadioUser August 2022

Feature Transmitters and Experiments MB: Who are the world’s leading manufacturers of DRM transmitters today? FB: Today some of the most relevant com- panies in the market are the following: Ampegon, a new company from Switzerland, which bought the old Thomson broadcast transmitters from France and is in charge of them and the rotary antennas. There is also Nautel, which is a Canadian manufacturer of broadcast transmitters. Also on the mar- ket is the old Harris Broadcast (now: called GatesAir). Another traditional company that produces DRM is Continental Electronics. Transmitters are also produced in China, and some other countries, but the aforemen- tioned are the main manufacturers. MB: And how do you get to manufacture a 2 Fig. 1: Francisco Braccini, a specialist on DRM DRM transmitter in the South of Brazil? in Brazil. Fig. 2: Francisco being interviewed for FB: In the south of Brazil, there is BT. Thanks 3 RadioUser. Fig. 3: DRM Radios are few and far to an agreement with another French com- between, in Brazil and elsewhere. pany called Digidia, it is jointly developing a so that people who were not aware of the Fig. 4: Francisco with a rare Gospell GR-220P transmitter. Digidia was in charge of the DRM digital technology would find out. Another (Pocket) DRM Receiver. parts, and the Brazilian company of the rest very important thing was the production of of the transmitter, with the agreement that receivers, for example in cars there are now company throughout Brazil. I am working they could not sell the transmitter, it was ex- already more than 2 million vehicles with towards the production of high numbers of perimental. DRM receivers. receivers so that they can be sold through MB: So I understand that, with more de- a relevant chain of stores, which has more Later, the University of Brasília, in conjunc- mand, the cost of receivers decreases. than 1,000 stores throughout Brazil. tion with the Ministry of Communication of Here in Brazil, what is the reality? Are re- Brazil, decided to begin tests of a low-power ceivers manufactured and how much mon- As to costs, a DRM receiver here (Figs. transmitter of 1kW in DRM. This stimulated ey does a person need to buy a receiver? 3 and 4) may set you back from US$100 to the interest of Radio Amazonia, which later FB: Well, I had looked for a way to take 250, depending on the model. The idea is to lent the antenna array. These tests lasted up this idea in 2018, for example, with lower that cost to between US$50 and 70 about a year. They were on the air for around Motobras. This company manufactures since we already have many receivers in the six months. During the first three months, the radios in Brazil, but they were reluctant to country. However, negotiations in this field antennas were pointed to the North of the make radios when there are no regular DRM continue to evolve at a snail’s pace. country, and for the other three months to transmissions in Brazil. Currently, I act as a the South. Observing the results, the compa- kind of ‘bridge’ between the China Gospell ny EBC Brazil Communications – a conglom- erate of public media in Brazil and responsi- ble for Radio Amazonia – was interested and started the bidding for the purchase of two DRM transmitters of 100kW. BT, which later managed to develop its own DRM modula- tor, was the one who was going to sell these transmitters, but everything came to a halt with the start of the Covid-19 Pandemic in Brazil, and the tenders were suspended. The Dea(r)th of DRM Receivers MB: I understand. But what is the point of those tests, when there were no ordinary people with DRM receivers and all those tests were only in the technical field? FB: Yeah sure, this is an issue. But let me point you to India: This was the first country to massively DRM on a larger scale. To begin with, they acquired more than 50 DRM trans- mitters; in parallel with this, they started with DRM advertising on state television in India, For the latest news and product reviews, visit www.radioenthusiast.co.uk August 2022 RadioUser 13

Feature Digital Standards and Education MB: Is this not all a bit ‘topsy-turvy’ then? Wanting to adopt a standard for which ordinary people to this day after 15 years of development do not have receivers […]? FB: It is an educational matter, in my view. We have previously tried to bring together the Brazilian Ministries of Education, Tourism, and Science and Technology, to integrate the DRM Project directly into education, and tourism promotion activities in Brazil. In this environment, the Ministry of Science and Technology, in particular, was going to be in charge of the dissemination of information on public TV, in schools and universities, in the same way as has demonstrably happened in the large Indian DRM project. The idea was for the state to take charge of distributing receivers to the most isolated peoples of Brazil, such as the peoples of the Amazon. That would have given a very strong incentive to definitively install DRM in Brazil. Unfortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic arrived. Moreover, we are in an election year: In October 2022, there will be elections for the President of the Republic. Therefore, for the moment, the priorities have changed, and I have the feeling that, maybe until 2023, we will not have much ground-breaking news about DRM in Brazil. The Political Context 4 their mobile phones and access podcasts. This is going to continue. According MB: Brazil has two very different the authorities so that they take notice. to data from the Brazilian Ministry of government ideologies: one can be said However, some friends are leaving us Communications, 12 Brazilian cities to be ‘leftist’, with former president Luiz along the way, for example, Prof. Plínio are already fully prepared, in terms of Inácio Lula da Silva (‘Lula’), who will stand Ricardo Ganime Alves, of the Technology infrastructure and legislation, for 5G. for election again; and the current one with Department at the Faculty of Brasília. He Brazil currently has 152 million consumers President Jair Bolsonaro, a politician and a used to be the coordinator of the first Short with Internet access. This is a high number, former Brazilian military man, considered Wave transmission in DRM in Brazil. but access is unequal. to be on the right, who will run for re- election. My question is which of these Furthermore, many people who had been This inequality represents an opportu- two governments, in your opinion, believes involved in the DRM project for Brazil for a nity for DRM. I think that the DRM system more in DRM? long time have now become discouraged has the potential to be a success in Brazil, FB: For the current Government, the over the years. But I am not losing hope in the same way as it is in India, another Covid-19 crisis was a determining point that one day, Brazil will adopt DRM for its country with a huge population and deep to focus on using public resources for broadcast transmissions, bringing together regional inequalities. The DRM process in financial aid, vaccines and everything all the Brazilian people. Brazil has been slow and bureaucratic due related to the pandemic. Regarding the to the indecision of the different govern- previous incumbents, it was not necessarily Conclusion: Digital ments in adopting a definitive norm. the case that they were not interested. or did Quality and Equality not consider the DRM platform. However, This is a pity; in Brazil, due to its very there were many accusations of corruption It is being demonstrated at the moment large territorial extension, Short Wave then, and these brought to a halt any bidding that the Internet is no longer a threat to continues to be fundamental. Where there or purchase projects. more ‘traditional (‘legacy’) forms of radio. is no connection to a network, the only On the contrary, thanks to the web, radio things that arrive are radio waves. MB: Do you think that if the current has gained a new place. In Brazil and Government continues, progress could be elsewhere, fewer and fewer people tune in Therefore, DRM has the potential to made in DRM? to the radio in a conventional way, that is, address both digital quality and inequality. FB: Regardless of who governs Brazil, I using a radio receiver. More now listen on think that we must continue to pressure Why not visit our new online bookshop at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/store 14 RadioUser August 2022

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In the Editor’s Shack Georg Wiessala [email protected] The Tecsun PL-368 is the succes- 1 sor model to the Tecsun PL360/ CountyComm GP-5 DSP and The Tecsun PL-368 Tecsun PL365/ CountyComm FM (Stereo), LW, MW, GP-5 SSB radios. It weighs less than those. SW-SSB, Receiver The PL-368 receiver comes in a small box The new Tecsun PL-368 portable multi-band radio offers with a range of useful accessories, such as – among other features – SSB reception and the new a carrying pouch, earphones, the rotatable Enhanced Tuning Mode (ETM). The editor has given it a test set-top AM aerial, and a USB charging cable whirl and is surprised by the results. (Fig. 1). The unit under review carried serial number PL368BNV2204036. Memories can be scanned, added to and press. Or use the tuning wheel. Check out deleted, individually or en masse. Fig. 2 for the available tuning steps, and Fig. There are 28 (small-ish) pushbuttons at 3 for the available SW and SSB meter bands the front of the PL-368, for frequency en- The VM key makes memories acces- on this radio. try, mode-control and some other essential sible, and VF is for normal (VFO; ‘View- functions. About half the casing is taken by Frequency’) operation; you toggle between Auto-scan surveys the selected band, with the loudspeaker. the two. a hold-time of five seconds; press any key to stop. The charge (5V) port, tuning wheel and Besides the auto-scan, there are auto- volume control are on the left-hand side of storing (ATS) and auto-sorting functions. Enhanced Tuning Mode (ETM+) the unit. They are also used for bandwidth This is great on FM if you are just arriving and time adjustments. somewhere new and exciting and are eas- In my opinion, the reason why most people ing yourself into an unfamiliar local broad- will want to add this radio to their collection There is a (not-too-sturdy) belt clip at the cast landscape. is probably the innovative Enhanced Tuning back, and an internal ferrite bar aerial. Mode (ETM+) feature. Why don’t all radios My first auto-store found 40 FM transmit- have this built-in? On top, you will find the 65-cm, six-el- ters here, with the expected duplicates. I ement, non-jointed telescopic aerial, the reduced the aerial length by three elements In short, ETM+ enables you to set aside socket for an external LW/MW aerial and for this. You can, of course, tune manually, certain frequency banks for specific times the headphone socket. At the back, the using the frequency keys at the front, with of the day. compartment for the Li-ion (3.7V) recharge- no need for an ‘enter’ or ‘confirm’ type of key able battery (BL-5C) has its polarity clearly On LW/ MW, for example, there are six marked. You may also wish to power this with a DC 5V/0.5A power adapter, via the inbuilt USB charge port. The PL-368 covers FM (64-108MHz), LW (153-513), MW (522-1620 | 520-1710kHz), and (seamlessly) SW (1711-29999kHz). Take a look at Fig. 2 for a glance at the full technical specifications of the Tecsun PL-268. Special Features and Characteristics The radio’s small size and eminent portabil- ity belie its many functions and convenient features – many more than you would need, say, for a simple radio to take on your travels (which, nevertheless, I will do!). To begin with, the FM frequency range and MW range/ step can be adjusted, and LW reception can be toggled on or off. Tecsun has upgraded the PL-368 in line with improvements seen in the Tecsun PL- 990x and H-501 radios. This includes ad- justable bandwidths, a feature that also works on SSB. There are 850 (!) memories availa- ble, most of them on Short Wave (300). Sign up to our FREE email newsletter at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk 16 RadioUser August 2022

In the Editor’s Shack ALL PICTURES: GEORG WIESSALA, EXCEPT FIGS. 2 & 3: TECSUN Fig. 1: In and out of the box. 3/6SHFLILFDWLRQV Fig. 2: The technical details for the PL-368 (Source: Manual V050521 30pp.). )UHTXHQF\\UDQJH N+] 1RLVHOLPLWVHQVLWLYLW\\ P9P Fig. 3: The various meter bands available on SW /RQJZDYH/: N+]N+] /RQJZDYH61 G% P9P and SSB on the PL-368. 0HGLXPZDYH0: N+] 0HGLXPZDYH61 G% ȝ9 Fig. 4: Connect the Tecsun PL-368 to an amplified 6KRUWZDYH6: 0+] 6KRUWZDYH61 G% ȝ9 external speaker, for a punchier sound. )0 )061 G%  Fig. 5: More of the old Medium Wave joy with the  Grahn MW2-GS2 ferrite bar connected. )UHTXHQF\\WXQLQJVWHSV N+]N+] 6HOHFWLYLW\\ !G% Fig. 6: Pulling in - and decoding (SeaTTY) - the /RQJZDYH/: N+]N+]+] /RQJZDYH !G% DWD on 7646kHz (or thereabouts) with my $0EURDGFDVW N+]N+]+] 0HGLXPZDYH !G% Wellbrook 1530 active loop aerial. 6LQJOHVLGHEDQG 6KRUWZDYH !G% 6\\QFKURQRXVGHWHFWLRQ )0 ‘time-specific’ memories: “N+] 0HGLXPZDYH0: N+]N+] 6\\QF'HWHFWLRQ/RFN5DQJH 0609 0600 to 0959 N+] N+]N+]+] 1013 1000 to 1359 $0EURDGFDVW N+]N+]+] ,))UHTXHQF\\'63 1417 1400 to 1759 6LQJOHVLGHEDQG )06WHUHRFURVVWDONKHDGSKRQHRXWSXW 1821 1800 to 2159 6\\QFKURQRXVGHWHFWLRQ 6SHDNHU 2201 2200 to 0159, and 6WHUHRKHDGSKRQHLPSHGDQFH 0205 0200 to 0559. N+] N+]N+] 0D[LPXPRXWSXWSRZHU $0N+])0N+] $0EURDGFDVW N+]N+]+] 4XLHVFHQW&XUUHQW G% Therefore, an ETM-Scan, performed at, say, 6LQJOHVLGHEDQG N+]N+]+] 11.35 in the morning falls in the ‘1000 to 6\\QFKURQRXVGHWHFWLRQ ȍ: 1359’ (‘1013’) time slot. Any stations found  N+]N+] ȍ will be stored in ‘ETM Memory 1013’. You 6KRUWZDYH6: N+]N+]+] $SSUR[P: get the gist: Around-the-clock access to $0EURDGFDVW N+]N+]+] P$)00:/: those radio stations which only transmit at 6LQJOHVLGHEDQG P$6: certain times of the day. 6\\QFKURQRXVGHWHFWLRQ 6WDQGE\\FXUUHQW ȝǹ For Short Wave, the ETM+ Memory has, )0 N+]N+] 3RZHUVXSSO\\ 9%/&/LLRQEDWWHU\\ naturally enough, 24 time-specific memory RUH[WHUQDO'&9 banks. In this manner, you can make your 6WDWLRQPHPRULHVH[FO(70  &KDUJLQJH[WHUQDOSRZHU '&9P$ own memories – you can have a particu- /RQJZDYH  lar memory bank for each hour of the day. 0HGLXP:DYH$0  8QLWVL]HZLWKDQWHQQDFRQWUDFWHG [[PP It shows you how many catches you have 6KRUWZDYH  :HLJKWH[FOXGLQJEDWWHU\\ J unearthed too, and you can add/ delete any )0  ETM+ frequencies manually. 66%  6<1& For me, this is the ‘killer-feature’ of the PL-368. I know, propagation changes and   differs and fluctuates, but what flexibility to have in your pocket. 2 I’d buy it for this reason alone. ETM+ on the PL-368 is a feature I will want 6:66%0HWHU%DQG6HOHFWLRQ Yes, I know you can do this ‘manually’, for on all my HF radios now! 4XLFNSUHVV>@RU>!@WRFKDQJH6:RU66%PHWHUEDQGV example, by sorting your frequency banks 6:PHWHUEDQGVPPPPPPPP following some daily time slots. I have or- Basic Operation PPPPPP ganised the memory banks on my AOR 66%PHWHUEDQGVPPPPPPPP AR7030 into several six-hour slots. I fre- Working the Tecsun PL-368 is intuitive, PPP quently structure my listening according to and the radio’s ergonomics have been well the time of day, especially when following thought-through. :25.,1*:,7+67$7,210(025,(6 the listings we publish here, such as Alan 7KLVGHYLFHFDQVWRUHVWDWLRQVSUHVHWVLQWRPHPRU\\HDFKIRU Roe’s Music on Short Wave or Stig Hartvig As opposed to some radios I have seen, )0DQG/:IRU0:$0IRU6:DQGHDFKIRU66%DQG Nielsen’s European Private Short Wave the tuning/ volume thumb-wheels increase 6<1&<RXPD\\FKRRVHDQ\\RIWKHEHORZPHWKRGVWRVWRUHVWDWLRQV Stations. the values when you move them up and de- https://tinyurl.com/bdzyyzfp crease them when you move them down. 6WRULQJ6WDWLRQV0DQXDOO\\ You will have your own schedules and You’ll soon get used to this, and it may be ,Q9)PRGHSUHVVWKH>)067@>0:/:@>@RU>!@EXWWRQWR methods, especially if you travel. more intuitive. VHOHFWWKHIUHTXHQF\\EDQG However, it is much more convenient to 7XQHLQWRWKHQHZUDGLRIUHTXHQF\\WREHVWRUHG have this automated. It just saves time and The keys/ buttons on the PL-368 have a 4XLFNSUHVVWKHPHPRU\\>0@EXWWRQ³35(6(7´ZLOOIODVKLQWKHWRS effort, even if you can computer-programme small but noticeable haptic feedback (‘click’) ULJKWFRUQHURIWKHGLVSOD\\WRLQGLFDWHWKHQH[WDYDLODEOHPHPRU\\ORFDWLRQ your radio. Whether at home or abroad, to them – but you will possibly need your ,IGHVLUHGVHOHFWDGLIIHUHQWPHPRU\\ORFDWLRQE\\XVLQJWKH>781,1*@ glasses on to work them or, better still, use NQRERUWKHQXPHULFNH\\V a rubber stylus. The keys are small; this is 4XLFNSUHVVWKH>0@EXWWRQDJDLQWRFRQILUPWKHORFDWLRQRUZDLWIRU an inevitable compromise, given the radio’s DERXWVHFRQGVWRDXWRPDWLFDOO\\VWRUHWKHVWDWLRQLQWRPHPRU\\ wide range of functionalities, relative to its small form factor.  The keyboard/ of the PL-368 is not back- 3 lit, and there are no markings for visually-im- paired users. However, you’ll soon memo- The Tecsun PL-368 does not offer RDS rise the layout in the dark. (Radio Data System) functionality. FM Radio Performance The sound from the small front speaker is fine for indoors – and for listening to sports I began with FM reception, initiated a few broadcasting outdoors – without ear- more auto-tuning/storage scans and found phones. With earphones or headphones on, from 41 to 45 stations each time, with, once you can enjoy beautiful stereo sound on FM. again, some to-be-expected duplication. Many of them came in without me having Connect an active speaker to the head- to pull out the telescopic aerial at all – nice. phones output and you have a mini sound However, your results will, naturally, depend world in your hotel room or at home (Fig. 4). on your location. Enter our competitions at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/competitions August 2022 RadioUser 17

In the Editor’s Shack The PL-368 did work well with a larger, pas- sive, bhi speaker, with the volume turned up a wee bit more. Listening On HF 4 The external AM aerial (ferrite bar) is a very practical addition, indeed. You’ll get (the more powerful) MW and LW stations without it, but reception is infinitely better with it stuck on. It is fun to use and affords you a basic idea about general propagation conditions and di- rectionality. Compare the dB and SNR meters in the top-right of the display – with or without the external aerial – or put it on and rotate it, and you’ll see the difference it makes. Be care- ful not to knock the unit over when handling the bar aerial, and always operate the radio away from any electrical noise or your com- puter. Now, go outside and do some basic direc- tion-finding on your favourite stations, while observing the meters. And, if you are a SOTA fan, next time you’re Running Up That Hill, take the PL-368 with you and check on the prevailing condi- tions on the broadcast and ham bands. External Aerials 5 it out from its predecessors and other porta- and Hidden Features bles of this size. good, and I experienced no intermodulation You would not necessarily connect another products. SSB enables you to, listen to, for example, external antenna to the LW/ MW socket on amateur radio signals, Morse code, Fax and top of the PL-368, because the unit is just re- You can switch between the internal fer- RTTY, and, possibly, to limit interference and ally handy for being carried around. However, rite rod and the whip on AM (MW & LW), and improve signal audibility. if you do, it can work well. there are some other documented ‘hidden’ features of the Tecsun PL-368, such as con- I was thinking about any future travels I tried my Grahn MW2-GS2 combination trolling the maximum volume level and add- and about what could be monitored with this modular active magnetic ferrite bar (Fig. 5) ing seconds to the clock display. added functionality. and was rewarded with much-increased sig- http://tinyurl.com/2bpvufck nal strength across the board. On HF Voice, I tried VOLMET (RAF SSB Reception 5450kHz), which came in very well indeed, I then linked up to my Wellbrook ALA1530 as did Shannon (5505kHz) and 11253kHz external outdoor loop and expected the PL- The ability to resolve SSB (Single Side Band: (RAF again). 368 to blow up in my face – but it did not. USB and LSB) signals is one of the most Instead, signal strength took another leap, talked-about features of this radio and marks Indoors, I heard all three of those. and many weaker stations were coming in. Beware of interference from any active aerials though. Impressive, this. However, you do not need to do this – un- der normal circumstances, the included lit- tle ferrite bar is more than enough to let this radio shine. But you can experiment a little with aerials if you like. However, I packed my forest of aerials away again and went on to the HF broad- cast bands. I received a good selection of (stronger) daytime stations, using the scan features, for instance, Radio Farda (USA) on 15690kHz and CRI on 17650kHz. Many more, of course, at night, especially above 7,000kHz. Sensitivity and selectivity were Sign up to our FREE email newsletter at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk 18 RadioUser August 2022

In the Editor’s Shack W£O7RT9H.95 Win this Tecsun PL-368 6 Moving around the garden, I quickly found its automatic tuning, scanning and stor- The Tecsun PL-368 FM (Stereo) | LW | MW the ‘sweet spots’. I then re-connected the ing functions. I did like the nicely-automat- | SW-SSB Receiver is the successor to the ‘big-boy-Wellbrook’ – I just cannot resist this ed ETM+ option, the small, eternal ferrite previous Tecsun PL360 ( CountyComm GP-5 – and, hey-presto: brilliant signals, plus good GFWFJWNFQYMJI'ਐFSII'RJYJWX XNLSFQ DSP) and Tecsun PL365 (CountyComm GP-5 audibility. strength and signal-to-noise ratio), and the SSB) models and offers more features and ‘soft’ switch-off routine. convenience. It has a full keyboard at the front I could imagine getting the new Wellbrook and an additional external MW/LW ferrite ‘Flex’ version of the famous loop and hav- In terms of ‘development journeys’, the bar antenna. The radio has 850 memories ing a very capable listening post, both for at makers might consider the inclusion of RDS and sports some sophisticated auto-sort, home or out-and-about. on FM in future models. auto-store and auto-scan functions. Perhaps the most remarkable feature of the PL-368 [We will be reviewing the Wellbrook An in-built one-button recording function is the Enhanced Tuning Mode (ETM+), which FLX1530LN in next month’s issue – Ed.]. would also be a good idea. An angled anten- allows you to store frequencies into time-spe- na would benefit this radio, and the belt clip HN‫ܪ‬HRJRTW^GFSPXFHHTWINSLYT\\MJS^TZW But, once again, there is no real need for is a little fragile. preferred stations are on-air. The PL-368 also fancy externals, the PL-368’s telescopic receives SSB signals. This will be your new, brings in the main utility voice signals and There is no charger included. You will indispensable, travelling companion, secondary more powerful radio amateurs in more than need to have good eyesight and nimble shack radio or general propagation monitor. sufficient quality and selectivity for this size. fingers to operate this radio, and sight-im- paired users will want the keys marked. To be in with a chance of winning this fabulous I could hear both Fax and RTTY transmis- prize worth £79.95, all you need to do is visit sions on just the telescopic aerial; with the I did not find a way to use the auto-scan our website at Wellbrook, it locked on, and I could actually and/or auto-store feature(s) while in SSB www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/competitions resolve and decode an RTTY weather re- mode, to listen to radio amateurs more eas- and correctly answer this question... port from the DWD (Deutscher Wetterdienst ily, for instance. / German Weather Service) in Pinneberg/ How many stations (presets) can the Germany (Fig. 6). Overall, you might want to add the Tecsun Tecsun PL-368 store in its memory banks? PL-368 to your shack, to just enjoy listening, Just goes to show the adage that size and experiment with what it can do; or you a. 580 b. 850 c. 880 d. 980 does not matter. can take this as an additional radio on your DXpedition, to stay entertained, learn about Entry is only via our website. Entries close at midnight on 5th Conclusion directionality, reception and propagation September 2022. To enter you must answer the question conditions. correctly and answers received after the end date will not be This is a very capable and, of course, emi- accepted. The winner will be notified by email by 12th Spetember nently portable radio. It delivered very good For ‘preppers’, this would also make for 2022. Warners Group Publications Plc standard competition results in all areas. an excellent, ultra-portable, emergency radio terms apply, to view visit warners.gr/compterms. For information during a crisis. on how your personal data is processed, secured and your rights, With the addition of some carefully- our Privacy Policy can be viewed here – warners.gr/privacy planned peripherals (external aerials, power In any case, I think you will very much en- or available in hard copy upon request. The winner will also be banks, external loudspeakers) its perfor- joy using this small but surprisingly power- announced in the October 2022 issue of RadioUser. mance may be further enhanced. ful radio. The Tecsun PL-368 can be used in your My thanks go to Nevada Radio, for the re- home shack; however, it is really an ideal view unit, and for making it available for our take-anywhere travel radio, especially given competition this month (right). Enter our competitions at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/competitions August 2022 RadioUser 19

Airband News DAVID SMITH David Smith [email protected] The Royal Jubilee Flypast on 2 June 1 2022 (Fig. 1) involved over 70 indi- vidual aircraft and was a marvel of AI Monitoring, precision timing and superb plan- Emergency Comms, ning. The faster participants gathered over and Spaceport-1 the North Sea to enter holding patterns and eventually formed into line astern under the David Smith comments on the Jubilee Flypast and direction of RAF controllers of 78 Squadron, airborne monitoring of the war in Ukraine. He describes based at the London Area Control Centre at airspace control during emergencies, reports on a Swanwick. spaceport in Scotland and profiles RAF Mildenhall. 9MJT[JW‫ܫ‬NLMYTK'ZHPNSLMFR5FQFHJ relayed to Sigonella for processing. growing importance of sophisticated open- was made at between 1,000 and 1,400ft. XTZWHJNSYJQQNLJSHJNSRNQNYFW^HTS‫ܫ‬NHYX &XXTTSFXYMJ‫^ܫ‬UFXYJSIJIYMJHTSYWTQ- Intelligence Gathering Several unsecured Russian transmissions lers were able to restart normal operations. have been posted online, translated, and In the meantime, London Heathrow and City As described in previous columns, intelli- analysed on social media. For the Ukrainian Airports had suspended operations, with LJSHJ‫ܫ‬NLMYXHTSYNSZJFSJ\\UFWYNHNUFSY army, making sense of intercepted commu- NSGTZSIYWFK‫ܪ‬HNSMTQINSLUFYYJWSXYTYMJ being a US Navy EP-3E Orion callsign XC-12, nications still typically involves human ana- southeast and northwest. ‫^ܫ‬NSLTZYTK(MFSNF(WJYJFSIUFYWTQQNSL lysts working away in a room somewhere, the Moldovan border on 21st May. Another translating messages and interpreting com- The playback facility on Flightradar24 newcomer is a Royal New Zealand Air Force mands. XMT\\XOZXYMT\\JK‫ܪ‬HNJSYQ^YMJFNWHWFKY\\JWJ C-130 using a Kiwi callsign. It has been de- UJJQJITKKYMJXYFHPXNSYMJRTXYJK‫ܪ‬HNJSYTW- ployed to assist international efforts to de- More generally, the past decade has seen der to land at Heathrow (Fig. 1). liver aid to Ukraine and has also visited the XNLSN‫ܪ‬HFSYFI[FSHJXNS&.ѣXHFUFGNQNYNJX UK. around image recognition, speech transcrip- Ukraine-Related Updates tion, translation, and language processing. Radio transmission between several This has been achieved using a network of The NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance Russian soldiers in Ukraine in early March, algorithms that learn from vast amounts of (AGS) Force based at Sigonella in Sicily captured from an unencrypted channel, re- training data. demonstrated a sustained capability to vealed a panicked and confused retreat, conduct Intelligence, Surveillance and FKYJWHTRNSLZSIJWFWYNQQJW^‫ܪ‬WJ&XYMJXTQ- In the face of Russia’s numerical and artil- 7JHTSSFNXXFSHJ .87‫ܫ‬NLMYXIZWNSLQTSL diers spoke, their words were automati- lery advantages, intercepting communica- distance missions along NATO’s eastern cally captured, transcribed, translated, and tions may well be making a difference for ‫ܫ‬FSPFX\\JQQFXYMJ'FQYNH9MJ-NLM&QYNYZIJ FSFQ^XJIZXNSLXJ[JWFQFWYN‫ܪ‬HNFQNSYJQQNLJSHJ Ukrainian troops on the ground. I assume Long-Endurance Aircraft take off from (AI) algorithms developed by Primer, a US that some of the electronic reconnaissance 8NLTSJQQFFSITUJWFYJFYF‫ܫ‬NLMYQJ[JQFGT[J company that provides AI services for intel- aircraft currently patrolling close to the KJJYў\\JQQFGT[JHN[NQNFSFNWYWFK‫ܪ‬H ligence analysts. The use of AI systems to western border of Ukraine are sharing such – over NATO Allies’ territories and interna- monitor Russia’s army in this way shows the information with ground forces. The fact tional waters. The drones collect pictures of what is happening on the Earth’s surface. The AGS Force combines this with other ‘intel- products’ to inform Allies and NATO deci- sion-makers. NATO pilots in the Mission Operations Support Centre at Sigonella con- trol the aircraft along a pre-programmed route of waypoints, determine when to acti- vate the sensors to collect data and check all systems for functionality. On May 15th, an RQ-4D‫ܫ‬J\\FUFWYNHZ- QFWQ^QTSLRNXXNTST[JW‫^ܫ‬NSL‫ܪ‬WXYYMJ'QFHP 8JFFSIYMJSYMJ'FQYNH9MNXRNXXNTSNS- volved the combined planning of airspace by NATO’s two Combined Air Operations Centres at Torrejón, Spain and Uedem (North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany). The system’s sensors use Ground Moving Target Indicator (GMTI) and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) to image facilities and monitor moving vehicles across the area of opera- YNTS9MJIFYFHTQQJHYJIIZWNSLYMJ‫ܫ‬NLMYXNX Sign up to our FREE email newsletter at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk 20 RadioUser August 2022

Airband News DAVID SMITH 0LOLWDU\\$7&3URÞOHV1R0LOGHQKDOO ,&$2&RGH(*81,$7$&RGH$+= Frequencies(MHz) Lakenheath Approach 309.200; 136.500 Lakenheath Departures 250.300; 375.700 Mildenhall Tower 370.250; 122.550 Mildenhall Ground 337.975; 121.800 Mildenhall Dispatcher 308.850; 131.975 Mildenhall Command Post 313.550 2 Mildenhall Metro 284.425 Fig. 1: The Royal Jubilee Flypast, on 2nd June 2022 Swanwick Mil (Initial Contact Frequency) 259.600 (screenshot from ADS-B). Fig. 2: A Dragon Rapide at Hooton Park, Wirral. Arrival and Departure service between FL50 and FL250 that some Russian troops are using unse- ATIS 375.500 cured radio channels has surprised military Mildenhall Information analysts. It seems to be yet another indica- tion of an under-resourced and under-pre- Navaids ILS/DME Runway 11 and 29. TACAN MLD pared operation. Russian troops have also Runways 11 (3423 x 45m) taken to using mobiles, sometimes reveal- 29 (3423 x 45m). ing their location and details of missions, as well as their overall frustrations and low Notes (A-Z) morale. Arresting Systems Runway 11 arrestor gear rigged at 15 minutes’ notice. Handling Emergencies CAT II/III OperationsNil Emergency Controlling Authorities (ECA) Ground MovementNo 180° turns on the runway. Call Tower for engine start clearance. are established throughout the United Kingdom to deal with major emergencies, Helicopter Operations disasters or incidents that might occur any- 3TSJXUJHN‫ܪ‬JI where within the boundaries of the two UK Flight Information Regions. The ECA may Holding ‫ܪ‬SINYSJHJXXFW^KTWYMJXFKJY^TKQNKJFSI Noise Abatement Procedures particularly for the protection of the emer- 3TNXJ&GFYJRJSYFSI6ZNJY-TZWXWJLZQFYNTSXFWJNSKTWHJ&[TNIT[JW‫ܫ‬NLMYTKQTHFQYT\\SXFSI[NQ- gency services engaged in air or surface ac- lages to the maximum extent possible. Jet aircraft multiple approaches to Runway 11 are prohibited. YN[NYNJXYTWJXYWNHY‫ܫ‬NLMYXG^FNWHWFKYT[JWYMJ 4[JW‫ܫ‬NLMYTK*Q^(FYMJIWFQ 2NQIJSMFQQ9&(&37FINFQSR)2*NXYTGJF[TNIJIG^GTYMNSGTZSI area concerned. and outbound aircraft. (Inbound IFR procedure to Runway 11 routes overhead Ely under control of Lakenheath Radar. Aircraft will not be given descent clearance below 2,000ft until clear of Ely). 9MJ‫ܪ‬WXYFHYNTSSTWRFQQ^YFPJS\\NQQGJYMJ establishment of a Temporary Danger Area Operational Hours (TDA) around the scene of the incident. It 0600-2300 Mon-Thu, 0600-1800 Fri-Sun. Air evacuation and special missions may operate outside should be noted that TDAs covering emer- these hours. gency incidents may be established only by the 78 Squadron Swanwick Military Distress Use of Runways and Diversion (D&D) Controller. Runway 29 is the primary instrument and calm wind runway. Runway 29 will be used when the wind XUJJINXQJXXYMFS‫[ܪ‬JPSTYXZSQJXXZXNSL7ZS\\F^FQNLSX2NQIJSMFQQ\\NYMYMJUWJ[FNQNSLYWFK‫ܪ‬H‫ܫ‬T\\ If the TDA fails to achieve the objective, FY1FPJSMJFYMKTWTUJWFYNTSFQJK‫ܪ‬HNJSH^FSIXFKJY^ statutory Restriction of Flying Regulations RFPJNYFSTKKJSHJKTWFSFNWHWFKYYTGJ‫ܫ‬T\\S Warnings in the designated area without the appropri- Instrument Approach Procedures for this aerodrome are established outside controlled airspace. ate permission. These rules can be brought Because of the close proximity of Lakenheath runway operations, visual circuit patterns may be into operation through the establishment of UWTMNGNYJI 3T ‫ܫ‬FU5WFHYNHJ FX^RRJYWNH UFYYJWSX FWJ UWTMNGNYJI 5NQTYX FWJ YT \\FWS9T\\JW NK YMJNW a Restricted Area (Temporary) (RA-T). downwind leg exceeds 4nm from the aerodrome. Details of the TDA and any subsequent Scotland’s Western Isles, is being developed veillance and communication capabilities to 7& 9\\NQQGJSTYN‫ܪ‬JIFXVZNHPQ^FXUTXXN- as an opportunity in support of the UK manage the airspace and launch activities. ble by NOTAM. Under certain circumstanc- LT[JWSRJSYѣXXUFHJ‫ܫ‬NLMYUWTLWFRRJ It is expected that the airspace management es, Restriction of Flying Regulations may be LaunchUK. This project aspires to grow the processes and procedures currently in place brought into operation without the prior es- UK’s market share of the space sector to could be extended to cover Spaceport 1 ac- tablishment of a TDA. 10% by 2030. The site exists beneath Class YN[NYNJX9MJJ]YWF‫ܪ‬QQJYTKFNWXUFHJWJVZNWJI G (uncontrolled) airspace but is only a few around the Spaceport 1 facility will only ANew Scottish Spaceport miles from the MOD and QinetiQ-managed be activated for the short periods around Hebrides Range Danger Areas. rocket launch. Even when operating at full Spaceport 1, a vertical small satellite https://tinyurl.com/2p8v4jf9 capacity, it is unlikely the airspace will be ac- rocket launch site at Scolpaig, North Uist in https://tinyurl.com/bdek86fd tivated more than about three to four times per month. This month’s aircraft photograph Spaceport 1 will utilise any spare capac- shows a Dragon Rapide FY-TTYTS5FWP ity of the Danger Areas managed by QinetiQ, Wirral in a restored World War One hangar. the latter utilising the Hebrides Range sur- Enter our competitions at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/competitions August 2022 RadioUser 21

Airshows Airshows David Smith has compiled the fourth part of our popular Airshow Guide. Don’t forget to take your scanners and cameras, and let us know what you have spotted. July 30th (Saturday) August 11th to 14th August 14th (Sunday) TS8JF*XXJ](43<&KWJJ BATTLE PROMS: Highclere Castle, (Thursday to Sunday) A TIME FOR ESSEX: Stow Maries Aer- airshow with a good mix of aircraft. Newbury RG20 9RN. Another two-hour BRISTOL INTERNATIONAL odrome, Flambirds Chase, Hackmans www.clactonairshow.com/2022 orchestral programme in a stately BALLOON FIESTA: Ashton Court Lane, Purleigh, Essex CM3 6RJ. ‘Living home setting, with appearances by the Estate, Bristol BS8 3TQ. Billed as history’ groups and some air displays. August 26th (Friday) Red Devils Parachute DisplayTeam, Europe’s largest ballooning event, a https://tinyurl.com/3v9vzn4r SIDMOUTH AIR DISPLAY: UQZXF8UNY‫ܪ‬WJ free family event with huge numbers Sidmouth, Devon EX2 4DR. Seafront of balloons getting airborne, as well as August 18th to 21st show which includes the Red Arrows. July 30th and 31st (Saturday and Sunday) night glows. (Thursday to Sunday) https://tinyurl.com/s7hzujrf OLD BUCKENHAM AIR SHOW: Old \\\\\\GWNXYTQGFQQTTS‫ܪ‬JXYFHTZP AIRBOURNE - EASTBOURNE INTER- Buckenham, Norfolk NR17 1PU. An ex- NATIONAL AIRSHOW: Eastbourne, August 27th (Saturday) cellent mix of ‘warbirds’ and civilian air- August 13th and 14th BN21 YT. Seafront air displays through- DUXFORD FLYING EVENING: craft, classic and military vehicles, plus (Saturday and Sunday) out, including the Red Arrows on all Duxford, Cambs CB22 4QR. Featuring many ground-based events. BLACKPOOL AIRSHOW:Tower four days. vintage and classic aircraft. www.oldbuckenhamairshow.com Festival Headland, Blackpool, www.visiteastbourne.com/airshow https://tinyurl.com/5n76rwfw Lancashire FY1 4BJ. Free seaside 01323 415415 July 30th to August 6th airshow centred just to the left of the August 27th (Saturday) (Saturday to Saturday) Northern Victorian pier. August 20th PROMS SPECTACULAR: Three SWANAGE CARNIVAL: Swanage Bay, https://tinyurl.com/2zxsx5bk (Saturday) (TZSYNJX8MT\\LWTZSI2FQ[JWS<7 Dorset BH19 1LD. A week of family ac- PROMS SPECTACULAR: Stansted 3<(QFXXNHFQHTSHJWYUFWFHMZYNSL tivities, which usually includes some August 13th and 14th Park, Rowlands Castle, Hampshire FSI8UNY‫ܪ‬WJINXUQF^ air displays. (Saturday and Sunday) 54)=8UNY‫ܪ‬WJINXUQF^FSIUFWF- https://tinyurl.com/msvb27xm www.swanagecarnival.com COMBINED OPS:-JFIHTWS&NW‫ܪ‬JQI chuting, followed by a live concert and Nr Maidstone, KentTN27 9HX. Mainly ‫ܪ‬WJ\\TWPX August 27th (Saturday) August 1st (Monday) ground displays including static www.belevents.ticketsrv.co.uk/content WINGS AND WHEELS: Henstridge DUXFORD FLYING DAY - ‘YOUNG military vehicles and re-enactment &NW‫ܪ‬JQI-JSXYWNILJ2FWXM8TRJWXJY AVIATORS’: Duxford, Cambs CB22 groups, but there are usually some August 20th BA8 0TA. 4QR. A themed show aimed at foster- ‫^ܫ‬NSLINXUQF^X (Saturday) No air displays but many classic cars ing children’s interest in aviation. https://tinyurl.com/yu3kakxr SHUTTLEWORTH FLYING PROMS: and visiting aircraft. Visitors will be https://tinyurl.com/5cv4bkxh 4QI<FWIJS'NLLQJX\\FIJ'JIKTWI- able to inspect them. August 13th and 14th shire SG18 9EP. An evening air display www.wingsandwheelshenstridge.com August 5th to 14th (Saturday and Sunday) combined with classical music played (Friday to Sunday) ‘ECHOES OF HISTORY’ SHOW: by a full symphony orchestra. August 27th and 28th FALMOUTH WEEK: Falmouth Seafront <MNYJMTZXJ+FWR9MJ1N[NSL https://tinyurl.com/58keker6 (Saturday and Sunday) TR11 3DF.August. Mostly sailing and Memorial, Rettendon, Essex CM38DL. 01767 627927 RHYL AIR SHOW: Rhyl, Denbighshire, onshore events but there would nor- Mainly classic and military vehicles 3TWYM<FQJX11&++WJJXJFKWTSY RFQQ^GJXTRJ‫^ܫ‬NSLTS<JISJXIF^ UQZXWJJSFHYTWX9MJWJMFXGJJS‫^ܫ‬NSL August 21st airshow with military and civil aircraft. falmouthweek.co.uk in the past. (Sunday) www.echoesofhistoryshow.com FOLKESTONE AIR DISPLAY:The August 28th (Sunday) August 6th (Saturday) Leas, Folkestone. A seafront display LITTLE GRANSDEN AIR AND EAST KIRKBY AIRSHOW: Lin- August 13th to 15th which includes the Red Arrows. CAR SHOW: Fullers Hill Farm, Little colnshire Aviation Heritage Centre, (Saturday to Monday) https://tinyurl.com/bdhzk3w5 Gransden, Cambs SG19 3BP. Always East Kirkby, Lincs PE23 4DE.Three WHITBY REGATTA:<MNYG^3TWYM a popular family event with several MTZWXTK‫^ܫ‬NSLUQZX1FSHFXYJWFSI Yorkshire. Red Arrows on the 13th, August 24th to 27th MTZWXTKINXUQF^‫^ܫ‬NSL Mosquito taxying. BBMF Lancaster on the 13th and 14th. (Wednesday to Saturday) www.littlegransdenairshow.co.uk https://tinyurl.com/3htc783r www.whitbyregatta.co.uk PORT OF DARTMOUTH ROYAL RE- TeL: 01790 763207 GATTA: Dartmouth, DevonTQ6 9PS. September 1st to 4th August 13th to 19th Mainly sailing of course but there (Thursday to Sunday) August 7th (Sunday) (Saturday to Friday) should also be some air displays. BOURNEMOUTH AIR FESTIVAL: FAMILY AIRSHOW:4QI<FWIJS'NL- CROMER CARNIVAL: Cromer, https://tinyurl.com/5e5p9xae Bournemouth, Dorset BH1 3AF. Over gleswade, Bedfordshire SG18 9EP. Norfolk NR27 9HP. A week of events the water between Boscombe and Featuring a large number of local and which includes the Red Arrows on the August 25th and 26th Bournemouth Piers. Billed as one of visiting aircraft. 17th. (Thursday and Friday) the biggest free airshows in Europe, https://tinyurl.com/5cbcr3s6 www.cromercarnival.co.uk CLACTON AIR SHOW:<JXY supported by many ground events for 01767 627927 Greensward, Clacton seafront, Clacton- all the family. Sign up to our FREE email newsletter at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk 22 RadioUser August 2022

Airshows PAULA SMITH Fighter line-up at Duxford. From right Mustang, Bearcat and Wildcat. First published in 1986 as Air Band Radio Handbook, David J Smith’s Air In 2021, the Red Arrows performed on pation rarely seen on the mainland. to each branch of the Light Aircraft As- 9WFK‫ܪ‬H(TSYWTQ-FSIGTTP (pictured) each of the four days. www.jerseyairdisplay.org.uk sociation. is now published in its 11th edition. www.bournemouthair.co.uk https://tinyurl.com/2p8h5vw6 From its original publication, the September 8th (Thursday) book was acknowledged as the September 2nd to 4th GUERNSEY AIR DISPLAY: St Peter September 10th and 11th essential reference for ground- (Friday to Sunday) Port, Guernsey, Channel Is. Centred (Saturday and Sunday) based airband listeners, as well CHATSWORTH COUNTRY FAIR: to the east of the harbour, it features BATTLE OF BRITAIN AIR SHOW: as student and private pilots and Chatsworth, Bakewell, Derbyshire many of the same performers as the Duxford Cambs CB22 4QR. A themed YMTXJ\\NYMFSNSYJWJXYNS&NW9WFK‫ܪ‬H DE45 1PP. Mainly extensive ground Jersey show on the same day, includ- 1940s show with ground events re- Control. This new edition has events, but there are usually hot air bal- ing the Red Arrows. membering Duxford’s history and much been fully updated with changes loons and a few aircraft displays, the www.guernseyairdisplay.com else from that era. in procedure, radio frequencies latter on only one of the days not yet https://tinyurl.com/42eebfw8 and call signs, and is illustrated XUJHN‫ܪ‬JI September 9th (Friday) in colour, making the book an https://tinyurl.com/59zcn434 ABINGDON DUSK PHOTOSHOOT: September 10th and 11th incredible source of information &GNSLITS&NW‫ܪ‬JQI4]KTWIXMNWJ4= (Saturday and Sunday) for all those interested in the September 3rd and 4th 6JG. An opportunity to photograph a CAUSEWAY INTERNATIONAL AIR- subject and all those contemplating (Saturday and Sunday) selection of the aircraft taking part in SHOW: Portstewart, Coleraine, North- a career in ATC. Retired Air THE VICTORY SHOW: Foxlands the airshow on the following day. ern Ireland. Viewable from the A2 coast 9WFK‫ܪ‬HHTSYWTQQJW)F[NI/8RNYMѣX Farm, Cosby, Leicestershire LE9 1SG. https://tinyurl.com/3a4yme3p road between Portrush and Portstew- accessible and comprehensive text &YWNGZYJYT<TWQI<FW9\\T\\NYMX art. An extensive programme includes J]UQFNSXYMJNSYWNHFHNJXTKFNWYWFK‫ܪ‬H vehicles, 50 re-enactment groups and September 10th (Saturday) the Red Arrows on Saturday. control and its jargon, enabling the RZHMJQXJ*]UJHYXYFYNHFSI‫^ܫ‬NSL ABINGDON AIR AND COUNTRY https://tinyurl.com/5bapvek7 reader to locate and interpret what classic and modern aircraft. SHOW:&GNSLITS&NW‫ܪ‬JQI4]KTWI- is going on in the airways overhead. www.thevictoryshow.co.uk shire OX13 6JG. Extensive military and September 16th to 18th This fully revised new edition is a civil aircraft participation, plus many (Friday to Sunday) book that no one with an interest in September 4th (Sunday) ground attractions. GOODWOOD REVIVAL: Goodwood, the subject can afford not to have on SHUTTLEWORTH STEAM AND VIN- www.abingdonairandcountry.co.uk <JXY8ZXXJ]545-7JHWJFYNSL his or her shelves . TAGE AIR SHOW:4QI<FWIJS'NL- the early days of motor racing at Good- https://tinyurl.com/37zz78nd gleswade, Bedfordshire SG18 9EP. September 10th (Saturday) \\TTIFQTSL\\NYMXYFYNHFSI‫^ܫ‬NSLINX- Lots of old aircraft performing, plus GATHERING OF MOTHS:4QI<FWIJS plays of pre-1966 aircraft. October 2nd (Sunday) extensive ground attractions with a vin- Biggleswade, Bedfordshire SG18 9EP. https://tinyurl.com/55hy83z9 SHUTTLEWORTH RACE DAY: Old tage theme. Presented by the IJ-F[NQQFSI2TYM <FWIJS'NLLQJX\\FIJ'JIKTWIXMNWJ https://tinyurl.com/2tbshtzu (QZG; F‫^ܫ‬NSWFYMJWYMFSFSFNWXMT\\ September 24th and 25th SG18 9EP. Veteran and vintage car 01767 627927 https://tinyurl.com/m5dutbmn (Saturday and Sunday) XUJJIIJRTSXYWFYNTSXFSIF‫^ܫ‬NSL SYWELL CLASSIC PISTONS AND display, which will include a ‘mock air September 8th (Thursday) September 10th (Saturday) PROPS: Sywell Aerodrome, Northants race’. JERSEY INTERNATIONAL AIR DIS- CORNWALL STRUT FLY-IN: Bodmin NN6 0BN. Classic cars, bikes and air- https://tinyurl.com/2p89vysw PLAY: St Aubins Bay, Jersey, Channel &NW‫ܪ‬JQI(TWS\\FQQ51':3TYFSFNW- craft along with family entertainment. 01767 627927 Is. A coastal event with an impressive show as such, but spectators are wel- www.sywellclassic.co.uk line-up, including much foreign partici- come to attend. Strut is the name given October 8th (Saturday) DUXFORD FLYING FINALE: Duxford, Cambs CB22 4QR.This special end- TKXJFXTS‫^ܫ‬NSLJ[JSYGWNSLXYTLJYMJW favourite acts, old and new, for a day of FJWNFQINXUQF^XT[JWYMJMNXYTWNHFNW‫ܪ‬JQI https://tinyurl.com/4u3tce6w Follow us on Facebook @radioenthusiasts and Twitter @REnthusiasts August 2022 RadioUser 23

In the Editor’s Shack Georg Wiessala [email protected] In the world of aircraft tracking, things have moved on from the ‘dongles’ and ‘pucks’ that many of us used to operate in the shack in years past. Therefore, when John Power at ML&S of- fered me a review unit of the jetvision Air!Squitter (Figs. 1 and 2), I flew at the chance because I wanted to see just what is possible these days, especially in terms of the range of reception of ADS-B signals. Out of the Box 1 jetvision is a brand of Günter Köllner 2 Embedded Development GmbH (N.B.: ‘GmbH’ is ‘Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung’ in The Jetvision German; a limited company). The jetvision Air!Squitter ADS-B, Air!Squitter is sold here in the UK by ML&S MLAT & FLARM Receiver Martin Lynch & Sons Ltd. The editor has been lent the jetvision Air!Squitter, a high- The device aims squarely at those air- performing, ADS-B, MLAT and FLARM live flight tracking craft monitoring hobbyists who would like radio device that will integrate seamlessly into your shack. to replace their simpler ‘Dongle’ solutions with something more classy, professional, Versions and Signals and the registration is included. Over that educational, durable and, above all, reliable. connection, your receiver will not only have The GPS/ ADS-B (white stick OPA-5-GPS ADS-B and FLARM targets but also receive The flight tracker landed here almost be- ADS-B 1090MHz) aerial was easy to mount, MLAT results from jetvision’s server. fore I had put the phone down to ML&S. Its I added it to my portable forest of aerials minimalist yet striking Bauhaus-inspired in no time at all, and I used it both indoors FLARM is an optional 2nd receiver, design will certainly make it stand out in and – much more successfully – outdoors. the device then comes with the high- your shack (Figs. 1 and 2). This combination-aerial is, of course, well performance Active Diapason antenna, protected from the inclement Lancashire which is powered by the Air!Squitter. Why are radios that are not black always weather. so much more pleasing to the eye?This de- ‘FLARM’ is a portmanteau term for pends on your point of view, of course. I was sent the Basic Bundle (ADS-B) the Flight ALARM, aircraft proximity and https://airsquitter.com for this review: In this (ADS-B) version, collision warning system. Using ADS-B, the Air!Squitter is permanently connected this method is, according to our columnist The manual is written in ‘real’, grammati- to the jetvision Flight Tracking Network, David Smith, “used for the specific needs of cal, English, by the way – not the kind of mixed-up Denglisch, I may speak with my wife on a bad day - and which, more seri- ously, you find with so many other devices these days.You’ll be up and running with this in no time at all. The solid, metal-encased, receiver meas- ures 150 x 35 x 125 mm (W x H x D). The OLED display at the front is clear but very small, just 23 x 12 mm; if you are sight- impaired, you might struggle. This is what comes in the box from ML&S as standard: • The Air!Squitter ADS-B / MLAT / FLARM receiver. • A combined 1090MHz ADS-B/GPS aerial (jetvision OPA-5-GPS P/N 67960). • Antenna mounting clamp (1 pc). • Antenna cable 10m (N male to SMA male) (1 pc). • A Power Supply, and a • 5-m LAN cable. Sign up to our FREE email newsletter at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk 24 RadioUser August 2022

In the Editor’s Shack ALL PICTURES: GEORG WIESSALA 34 Fig. 1: The front panel of the Jetvision Air!Squitter ADS-B, MLAT and FLARM Receiver. Fig. 2: Great connectivity at the back. Fig. 3: The Live 2D Open Layers Map view. Fig. 4: Aircraft, seen in the Live 2D Map view. Fig. 5: This is the ATC view. Fig. 6: The reach of the Air!Squitter, illustrated graphically (ADS-B signals only are shown). light aircraft, helicopters and gliders, not for 5 There is an extensive map display on long-range communication, or interaction the web browser, with filter options, status, with Air Traffic Control (ATC)”. Capabilities of range and performance diagrams. the Air!Squitter It is estimated that around 7,000 aircraft You can use the combined ADS-B/ GPS and one-half of the gliders are currently With my curiosity well and truly aroused, I got aerial or two separate aerials, through the fitted with FLARM (Smith, D. 2022: ATC in touch with the makers in Germany. Günter (optional) jetvision ADS-B/GPS splitter Handbook: 30-32). Köllner at jetvision came back to me straight (Mat. No. 71300) or a special version of away to let me know what the firm sees as the Air!Squitter that comes with an external Moreover, in the commercial version this unit’s main strengths. GPS antenna input. Using the latter, it is (activation by key) the data are available easy to connect jetvision’s low-loss cavity on the external interfaces as JSON, Binary, These could be summarised as its filter, in case there are high-power out-of- Port 30003 and ASTERIX, and highly reception range, the number of advanced band transmitters nearby (For example, accurate GPS time stamps. features, and ease of setup. some Air!Squitters are operating on high mountains in the Alps, and are co-located Key Functions The Air!Squitter’s key advantages lie in with TV and FM radio, GSM/LTE and other and Characteristics the device’s range and the high quality of transmitters). the aerial. The manufacturers emphasise, In the company literature, the Air!Squitter is in particular, that the Air!Squitter is The Air!Squitter can be used with the Mac described as the most fully-featured ADS-B extremely sensitive to signals from far OS, Windows, Android, and Lynx platforms. receiver around. ‘ADS-B’, let us remember, away. stands for ‘Automatic Dependent Surveillance http://radarcape-demo.jetvision.de Last but not least no monthly or yearly - Broadcast’. As many of you know, the signal subscription is required when using this from an aircraft’s GPS receiver is sent to a There are no filters, i.e. in both MLAT device. transponder. and ADS-B, you will see whatever there is to be seen. The Air!Squitter supports Setup and Operation This then transmits a code, once a sec- simultaneous multiple users via desktop, ond, containing the aircraft’s ID, altitude tablet or smartphone. The receiver was, indeed, a doddle to set up; and (GPS-derived) position, as well as other you need just the device and the included data, such as rates of climb and descent. If There is no artificially-introduced delay aerial to display aircraft locations – no the aircraft is turning, there is also informa- to the data being received. The system is, in additional cabling, feeder- or other software tion about the direction. fact, designed to minimise delays, utilising for flight tracking networks was needed. the proprietary MLAT network/ server The MLAT (Multilateration) data for the employed. The receiver has Wi-Fi built-in and a Wi- Air!Squitter is provided by the proprietary Fi aerial at the back. It can be configured jetvision Flight Tracking Network. There are A web GUI (General User Interface) is either as a Wi-Fi access point, and you can also feeders for FlightRadar24, FlightAware, built-in, as are feeders for all the currently- link it up to your network, via LAN or USB OpenSky Network, Planeplotter and ADSB known tracking networks; users can share Exchange. Meaning you can use this and combine data on the server, via group- brilliant device to share your live flight view and zone-view features. tracking data, having set up your respective accounts on the relevant websites/ networks beforehand. Enter our competitions at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/competitions August 2022 RadioUser 25

In the Editor’s Shack cable, or as a client into your network. 6 aircraft than I could shake a rubber duckie For some cases, there is also a USB at. airports, airspace- geographies, navigation RNDIS link available that connects the de- aids, and so on. The ‘Live 2D Open Layers For my location in the Northwest, I could vice to the network by nothing more than a Map’ is, in my experience, the most ‘natu- suddenly see traffic all over the coun- Micro-USB cable. ral’ option for aircraft tracking, and I even- try and far out into the North Sea, and to- tually settled on that (Fig. 3). wards The Netherlands (Figs. 3-5). You can share your Air!Squitter with many other users over your network, each The ‘Live 2D Map’ is more topographical This was very impressive. A real ‘wow’ of them with their own maps and filter set- in flavour (Fig. 4), and you can also switch moment. tings. What you will require – other than to a view like the one an air traffic control- what is in the box – is a PC/ laptop/ tablet/ ler would see, with a darker screen back- The unit also allows you to display use- smartphone, and a web browser. ground (Fig. 5). ful information, for example, lists of air- craft, and graphical representations of the The Air!Squitter works (is ‘on’) 24/7 as The maps are living, moving displays, range and performance of the Air!Squitter a stand-alone device, feeding to sharing and it can be very addictive to watch air- (Fig. 6). networks without an additional PC. The craft proceeding along the major UK and power consumption while doing that is Continental and Irish air corridors. Or you There are many more features to ex- less than 5W. can check in and zoom down to your local plore with the Air!Squitter – too many for airport, see the main frequency used for me to include in this brief review. Suffice The OLED display can be moved-on via voice comms and watch aircraft take off it to say that – whether you do live near a small button on the left-hand side of the and land. an airport or not – this will give you many front panel. It scrolls right-to-left in some hours of fun and education in the shack. instances. It is small but clearly readable, Click on any aircraft icon for compre- offering detailed status information about: hensive information about this particular Why not have this running on your tablet SIGNALS Frames per second, as a graph flight, some high-quality pictures (from and check in occasionally, as I did? and number value; the number of aircraft Airspotters.net), and much more. I kept the ‘seen’ from the different sources (This is aerial indoors for a while at first, and even The makers are not exaggerating – This the home page). then I was rewarded with more aircraft is a quality product, ‘Made In Germany’, GNSS (Information about the aerial than I had ever seen with any other kind of and now available at ML&S in the UK. The connection, satellite info, receiver location device or software. performance is truly astonishing and the and height). features are state-of-the-art. STATUS (CPU temperature, up-time, disc Then, I fixed the aerial to my balcony space. railings; and, pardon the excruciating pun, The basic unit is available at ML&S for LAN (The Air!Squitter’s IP address from this is when things really did take off. More £599.50, the FLARM Bundle is £869.50, DHCP server; gateway address) and the Air!Squitter License Key for com- WIFI (Access point SSID; access key and Manual mercial use costs £357, all including VAT. number of connected Wi-Fi clients). https://tinyurl.com/2p85jkkp VERSION (Firmware; Linux kernel version https://tinyurl.com/35y4w7pv Is it too early to think of Christmas? and application version), and You can get more information from ID (LAN name, MAC address and MLAT Jetvision John Power at ML&S. identifier). [email protected] My thanks go to John and the bril- liant team at ML&S for trusting me with In Operation John Power (ML&S) the demonstration model of the jetvision [email protected] Air!Squitter, and for extending the loan pe- I screwed on the Wi-Fi aerial and switched \\\\\\21FSI8HTZP࣢ riod. the unit on, waiting for the short boot se- www.hamradio.co.uk Now, am I going to give them another quence to run its course. call in Germany and mention the name, or not …? Follow the setup instructions in the manual and connect the device to your home network; it is easy. https://tinyurl.com/2p8a2tyu I opted to connect via the mini-USB ca- ble to my PC (or you could use a LAN ca- ble). I connected the device wirelessly to my home network. After this, I went onto my PC’s web browser and typed in the URL suggested in the manual to connect with the jetvi- sion server. Immediately, a fleet of aircraft started appearing on my screen. I played around a bit with the various style of (re-sizeable and draggable) maps, switching the display around a lot to show Sign up to our FREE email newsletter at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk 26 RadioUser August 2022

What’s new in the world of radio News Radio News RADIO USER ATTHE 29TH BRAZILIAN visible.The guidelines reflect that in some GIANT MAGNETIC WAVES DISCOVERED BROADCASTING CONGRESS: Our South countries, local legislation may be more OSCILLATING AROUND EARTH’S CORE: American roving columnist, Martín Butera, constraining, and an annexe will highlight Earth’s interior is far from a quiet place. was recently accredited to participate in the relevant local requirements. The guidelines Deep below our surface activities, the planet 29th Brazilian Broadcasting Congress, whose were presented at WorldDAB Automotive 2022, in rumbles with activity, from plate tectonics to central theme will be Radio andTV: For Everyone, London on 22 June […]. convection currents that circulate through Everywhere.The meeting will take place on (SOURCES: WorldDAB | RadioToday ) the hot magmatic fluids far underneath the November 16th and 17th 2022. The event will also https://tinyurl.com/2p8udp37 crust. Now scientists studying satellite data pay tribute to 100 years of radio in Brazil and https://www.worlddab.org of Earth have identified something inside 60 years of ABERT(Associação Brasileira de https://tinyurl.com/dzx5d4m3 Earth we’ve never seen before: a new type of Emissoras de Rádio eTelevisão).The meeting magnetic wave that sweeps around the surface will be an opportunity to discuss relevant issues REDUCED SPEECH QUOTA FOR LOCAL BBC of our planet’s core, every seven years.This for broadcasting in the context of technological RADIO BREAKFAST: Ofcom is proposing to discovery could offer insight into how Earth’s convergence in Brazil and the rest of the world. reduce the speech quota for Local BBC Radio magnetic field is generated and provide clues This congress is considered the largest radio breakfast from 100% to 75% as part of changes as to our planet’s thermal history and evolution andTV event in Brazil and South America and being made to the BBC’s Operating Licence.The – that is, the gradual cooling of the planetary will be attended by renowned national and regulator has published a series of reports and interior. “Geophysicists have long theorized international personalities, as well as political documents on how it regulates the BBC, opening a over the existence of such waves, but they were and parliamentary authorities. When the time consultation from today. It follows a similar move thought to take place over much longer time comes, Martín will prepare a special article for us, in 2021 on proposed changes that were designed scales than our research has shown,” says with everything that has happened, and this will be to modernise the BBC’s Operating Licence, for geophysicist Nicolas Gillet of the Université available in a forthcoming issue (see MB’s article example by reducing the number of quotas in Grenoble Alpes in France: “Measurements of elsewhere in this issue - Ed). place designed to keep BBC services distinctive. the magnetic field from instruments based on (SOURCE: Martín Butera: Ofcom says it wants to safeguard the delivery of the surface of Earth suggested that there was [email protected]) news and current affairs on the BBC’sTV and radio some kind of wave action, but we needed the https://tinyurl.com/ycn24yh2 services, the distinctiveness of the BBC’s network global coverage offered by measurements from radio services (music quotas for BBC Radio 1 and space to reveal what is going on. We combined DRIVER DISTRACTION OR DRIVER BBC Radio 2; live or specially recorded music for satellite measurements from Swarm, and also DESTRUCTION: New guidelines for digital radio BBC Radio 3 and sports coverage for BBC Radio from the earlier German Champ mission and broadcasters and automotive manufacturers 5 Live), and regional production onTV and radio. Danish Ørsted mission, with a computer model of have been released by WorldDAB to ensure that Ofcom proposes decreasing the breakfast peak the ‘geo-dynamo’ to explain what the ground- visuals and text produced for in-vehicle screens time speech quota on local radio from 100% to based data had thrown up – and this led to our are safe.The new Driver Distraction Guidelines 75% and making news and current affairs quotas discovery.” Earth’s magnetic field is the subject have been produced with expert input from both on network radio annual, rather than daily or of much fascination for scientists. Research to the automotive and broadcast sectors, to ensure weekly while retaining an obligation on the BBC to date suggests that the invisible structure forms displays are safe for drivers while still providing make news available regularly throughout the day a protective ‘bubble’ around our planet, keeping the information listeners expect to see on their […]. Read the full story at the URL, below. harmful radiation out and the atmosphere in, digital radio display.The guidelines cover four key (SOURCES: Radiocentre | RadioToday | Ofcom) thus allowing life to thrive […]. areas for in-vehicle visuals: legibility, relevance, https://tinyurl.com/5bwmr4h2 (SOURCES: sciencealert blog, via SWLing Post) frequency and local legislation. It also offers https://tinyurl.com/bdhp5bs5 https://tinyurl.com/2p88r6wh visuals, showing how the guidelines can be used to design images for the car. Moreover, there are operational considerations to prevent updates and display functionalities from becoming too distracting for drivers. An important section in these guidelines – produced in consultation with vehicle manufacturers – includes the refresh rate for slides set at the industry standard of, “not more frequently than every 20 seconds.” The guidelines highlight the importance of trigger- time to broadcasters, noting that, producing and transmitting visuals is expensive, so commercial broadcasters need to sell visualisation (text and images) of audio advertising to meet their business case. They can only do that if the display of content to drivers is accurately timed and consistently For the latest news and product reviews, visit www.radioenthusiast.co.uk August 2022 RadioUser 27

Feature Andrew Thomas (UKRAA) ALL PICTURES: ANDREW THOMAS, EXCEPT FIG.1: BRAMS PROJECT ©BIRA-IASB. [email protected] Airplanes Echoes In January 2021, the Radio Enthusiast Emitter Frequency website published an article on amateur radio astronomy and the Meteor Echoes United Kingdom Radio Astronomy Association (UKRAA). 1 https://tinyurl.com/2vyf8svj Citizen Astronomers My interest is in astronomy, and – as and Radio Waves this is a radio magazine – my focus will be on using radio and electronic instruments Andrew Thomas makes a welcome return to RadioUser to to record the natural world. There are a explain how meteor observations, monitoring solar flares surprising number of ways that enthusi- and detecting cosmic rays and muons can intersect with, asts can make a real contribution to sci- and complement, the radio hobby. ence, and these can be an interesting addi- tion to our hobby. that fragments of a meteorite had been 100 years, documenting their numbers found in the village of Winchcombe and direction of travel. This research has In my view citizen science projects Gloucestershire. In the interim period, identified annual meteor showers and seem to fall into three broad categories: there had been frantic activity by a group showed how they varied year-on-year, and of amateur observers to identify where over long periods. In the last 10 years, • Examining and classifying. This is ex- the meteor may have landed. Finding low-cost sensitive video cameras have JRUQN‫ܪ‬JIG^YMJZooniverse Project, with the Winchcombe meteorite was not an been adapted to record meteors. If a Chris Lintott as Principal Investigator. accident, there was a plan to identify meteor is captured by several cameras, and find fresh meteor fragments falling providing that the precise time and the • Recording and observing. Here the in the UK. The UK Fireball Alliance is camera location are known, it is possible data is gathered by the participants for a collaboration between professional to calculate the speed, direction and analysis by scientists. The best-known scientists and amateur observers elevation of the meteor, and from that its example in the UK is probably the Big founded in 2018 with the express aim of orbit around the Sun. The more cameras Garden Bird Watch. recovering meteorites. that capture the event, the more accurate www.ukfall.org.uk the calculations become. There are two • Working as an independent researcher it networks of sky cameras. The UK Meteor is possible to participate in science pro- There is a small team coordinating Network (UKMON) is one of them: jects. Here, the focus is on collaborating the work and the Alliance is supported https://ukmeteornetwork.co.uk with other amateurs, or professional sci- by The Natural History Museum and entists, and on sharing observations, as several universities. It has 146 cameras and has been part of a larger investigation. operating since 2012. ANetwork Effort There are a lot of enthusiastic people who Second, NEMETODE, The Network would like to participate in ‘doing’ science. Moreover, amateur astronomers have for Meteor Triangulation and Orbit Amateurs can provide regular observa- systematically recorded meteors for over Determination, was started by a group of tions that professional science does not get funded to carry out. A good example of this is in meteor observation, where all-sky camera networks have allowed im- portant meteor fragments to be recov- ered. I would like to expand on three areas, in which independent investigators are now becoming engaged in genuinely val- uable research: • Meteor observations • Ionospheric research, using Very Low Frequency (VLF) radio, and • Cosmic Ray detection. Meteor Observations A meteor entered Earth’s atmosphere at 09:54 on Sunday 28th February 2021. It was seen by thousands of people and recorded by cameras as it streaked across northwest Europe. On the 8th of March 2021, the news was breaking See our great book and magazine offers at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/store 28 RadioUser August 2022

Feature Fig. 1: Reflections of meteors and aeroplanes year. Here at the UK Radio Astronomy 2 recorded by BRAMS. Fig. 2: Long-term numbers Association, we will be working with the of SIDs follow the Sunspot Cycle. development team to help new observers 3 Fig. 3: Artistic impression of a cosmic ray to establish their own receiving station particle shower. Fig. 4: The Muon detector in an to detect meteors. We are already selling 4 enclosure. Fig. 5: Normal propagation when the a suitable 6m band Moxon type antenna monthly observations until its end around Sun is quiet. Fig. 6: Sine waves showing how in- through our website: 2032. At the minimum of the cycle, SIDs and out-of-phase signals add together. www.ukraa.com. are few and far between, several months Fig. 7: A lower D layer, caused by a solar flare. can pass without a sighting. However, More details of this exciting since the start of 2022, the number and like-minded amateur astronomers, and it development will become available XYWJSLYMTKXTQFW‫ܫ‬FWJXMF[JNSHWJFXJI has 47 cameras. If you are interested and later this year. have a clear view of a reasonably dark For example, on the 30th of April 2022, sky, some practical electronic skills and Observing the Ionosphere I recorded almost continual activity a desire to join, you can contact UKMON or NEMETODE. Except for very bright RadioUser has previously carried ‫ܪ‬WJGFQQXKTWJ]FRUQJFY(MJQ^FGNSXPT[JW articles by our editor Georg, describing Russia in 2013, camera networks will miss the techniques for observing Very Low daytime events. Frequency (VLF) radio signals (See Further Reading box below). These signals Radio Detection are refracted by the ionospheric D layer, which is formed during the day by solar However, as readers of RadioUser, you will UV and X-Ray radiation. When a solar know that meteors can be detected using flare occurs, the burst of high-energy radio and radar techniques. This was X-rays increases the density of the D among the first research carried out by Sir layer; this, in turn, affects the received VLF Bernard Lovell at Jodrell Bank. signals. This is seen as a sudden change in the received signal level, which then (RadioUser, May 2022: 53-55). What slowly returns to its original level. These is more, Belgian astronomers operate disturbances can last from a few minutes BRAMS (Belgian RAdio Meteor Stations), to several hours. The phenomenon is which has a 49.97MHz transmitter and a named for its sudden onset, Sudden network of receiving stations. Ionospheric Disturbance (SID). The www.brams.aeronomie.be physics of how and why SIDs happen is explained in more detail at the end of this For many astronomy projects, gathering article (cf. Table 2). data is the easy part, and analysing and interpreting the vast amount of data is the Observing SIDs biggest challenge. To that end, BRAMS has established the Zooniverse project A group of observers has been recording to engage citizen scientists to classify these disturbances and has amassed the events they recorded. One challenge data going back an impressive 17 years is to sort the meteors from passing (Fig. 2). It is important to record this data aeroplanes. Fig. 1 shows a mix of meteors over a long period so that trends can and aeroplane tracks. To a human, the be identified and quantified. The record difference is clear, but to a computer, started in 2005 during the Solar Cycle it is not. My experience is that this can 23. A Solar Cycle lasts 11 years; we are lead to aeroplanes being counted as now at the start of Cycle 25. Fig. 2 shows multiple meteors which badly distorts the how the number of SIDs follows the WJXZQYX+NLNXY^UNHFQTKYMJWJ‫ܫ‬JHYNTSX solar cycle: The height of each bar is the recorded by BRAMS. total number of SIDs recorded for each category of flare. AUK System Flares are graded ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, ‘M’, and ‘X’, During the recent Covid-19 lockdowns, according to the increasing strength of the a group of UK meteor observers started X-rays produced by them. The numbers to investigate establishing a UK radio of SIDs follow the sunspot count – the meteor system similar to BRAMS, with a more sunspots, the more active the Sun UK radio transmitter and a small network NXFSIYMJRTWJ‫ܫ‬FWJXTHHZW<NYMFS of receiving stations capable of detecting year cycle, it takes dedication and a good meteors and computing their trajectory. group of observers to record enough data Work on this is progressing well, and it is for analysis. A new solar cycle has just planned to begin transmissions later this started, and I will try to submit regular Follow us on Facebook @radioenthusiasts and Twitter @REnthusiasts August 2022 RadioUser 29

Feature as a succession of M and X class 5 HTRUTSJSYXFWJUWJ‫ܪ‬YYJI ‫ܫ‬FWJXJWZUYJI As well as being able to record long- 6 The four (VLF) radio signals I monitor term data of cosmic ray activity the are listed in Table 1. It is interesting to instantaneously but a few hit other atoms detectors can demonstrate the way see that the 20.9kHz SIDs are the inverse and release a secondary shower of particle counts change with altitude of the 22.1kHz SIDs. This is due to the particles (Fig. 3), including some muons, and air pressure. The design uses a difference in the path length between the which survive long enough to reach Perspex block as the scintillator and a transmitter and receiver. The observer’s ground level before decaying. These silicon photo-multiplier chip to detect role is to analyse each day’s data and muons can be detected and counted. YMJ‫ܫ‬FXMTKQNLMYFXFRZTSYWF[JQX report the timing of the events and through the Perspex. their duration to the Radio Astronomy UKRAA is now selling a muon counter Section of the British Astronomy (Fig. 4) developed by the Massachusetts There are many designs on the internet Association (BAA). Institute of Technology (MIT) to teach for cosmic ray detectors using a Geiger- https://tinyurl.com/4yhcffkc XYZIJSYXYTGZNQIFSIZXJFXHNJSYN‫ܪ‬H Muller tube to detect the muons. We instrument. The MIT project is prefer the Cosmic Watch design because At the BAA, the observations are called Cosmic Watch: it does not require a high voltage power collated with other observers to produce http://www.cosmicwatch.lns.mit.edu supply for the Geiger-Muller tube; what a long-term record (Fig. 2). is more, the collecting volume of the The detector allows students to Perspex block (25cm3) is larger than the On the 30th of April 2022, the Sun generate real data for analysis, instead commonly available Geiger-Muller tubes. was almost continually active, and the of working with computer simulations. US National Oceanic and Atmospheric With the support of Prof Spencer Axani, It’s Early Days Administration (NOAA) recorded 15 C one of the project leaders, UKRAA is HQFXX‫ܫ‬FWJXKTZW2HQFXX‫ܫ‬FWJXFSITSJ selling muon detectors either as kits As a citizen-science project, cosmic ray =HQFXX‫ܫ‬FWJ or assembled units. For those who like investigation is in its very early days. https://www.noaa.gov building devices but do not want to solder small surface mount components, My own count was eight SIDs; the we offer a version where the SMD JKKJHYTKXTRJTKYMJXRFQQJW‫ܫ‬FWJXNXQTXY NSYMJ8.)KWTRYMJUWJ[NTZX‫ܫ‬FWJ9MJQFXY 2HQFXX‫ܫ‬FWJUJFPJIFY\\MNHMNX after sunset for these radio signals when the D layer disperses. Observing VLF signals and SIDs is straightforward. You need a simple loop aerial, a receiver and a method of converting an analogue signal for storing on a computer. Once I started observing I learnt some basic electronics and made a start on mastering Python programming. I use Python to automate a lot of observing and data analysis. It also displays the live data online. Overall, a VLF project is a very good way to start in radio astronomy (cf. the book recommendations at the end). Cosmic Rays & the UKRAA Muon Detector Astronomy covers the entire electromagnetic spectrum. At one extreme are the VLF radio waves used to observe SIDs; at the other extreme are some of the most energetic particles in the universe. Cosmic rays are charged particles travelling through the universe at close to the speed of light. When a cosmic ray hits an atom at the top of the Earth’s atmosphere a shower of sub-atomic particles cascades outwards from the site of the collision. Most of these particles decay almost See our great book and magazine offers at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/store 30 RadioUser August 2022

Feature During the day, solar UV and X-ray radiation ionise the upper atmosphere, forming the ionospheric D layer, between 48 and 90km above the Earth. At VLF, the D layer refracts the sky wave back towards the ground (Fig. 5). The sky wave and ground wave are both received by a distant station and both decrease as the distance from the transmitter increases. In addition to refracting the signal, the D layer absorbs radio frequency energy, attenuating the sky wave. The sky and ground waves are summed together in the receiver. If they 7 are in phase, they will add together for a stronger signal, but if they are out of phase Transmitter Frequency Approximate Distance km Bearing from Kent they will subtract to give a weaker signal. Fig. 6 shows in-phase and out-of-phase Anthorn Cumbria UK 19.6kHz 476 331° signals added together. To illustrate the way Sainte-Assise France 20.9kHz 338 150° two sine waves sum together, both signals Skelton Cumbria UK 22.1kHz 446 332° in Fig. 7 are shown with the same amplitude. Ramsloh Germany 23.4kHz 540 64° In reality, the sky and ground waves will exhibit different relative amplitudes, Table 1: Some VLF Frequencies Suitable for Solar Observation. depending on the distance between the transmitter and receiver. Our first step was to produce a batch of The amount that the sky and ground wave detectors for sale. UKRAA now has three Further Reading is out of phase depends on the distance versions of the muon detector for sale: between the transmitter and receiver and • Arnold, S. (2nd. e., 2021) Radio and Radar the height of the D layer. The sky wave • A kit for self-assembly. This involves Astronomy for Beginners (Springer) travels further than the ground wave, the the soldering of small surface- • Lashley, J. (2010) The Radio Sky and How extra distance depending on the height of mounted devices (SMD). to Observe It (Springer). YMJ)QF^JW<MJSFXTQFW‫ܫ‬FWJTHHZWXYMJ increase in X-ray radiation causes the D • A part assembled kit. All the SMD Previously in RadioUser layer to be more ionised and the bottom HTRUTSJSYXFWJUWJ‫ܪ‬YYJIQJF[NSL of the layer to extend closer to the ground. the larger components to be • Aerials for the ELF & VLF Bands This has two effects on the sky wave: soldered and assembled. (January 2022: 51-54; March 2022: 38-40) First, the increased ionisation makes the D • Radio Astronomy for Amateurs layer more absorbent, thus increasing the Ѭ& ‫ܪ‬SNXMJIIJ[NHJ9MNXNXYJXYJI (February 2021: 34 [Andrew Thomas]) attenuation of the sky wave. And second, and working with the operating • Radio in Space and Time: Whistlers, the D Layer forms at a lower height (Fig. 7). software loaded. Sferics & Tweeks (January 2013: 8-13) This decreases the distance travelled by • Signals from Space and the Radio Sun the sky wave changing the phase shift. It is • An extruded aluminium enclosure (February 2014: 54-63) this change in amplitude and phase which suitable for a single device. • Submarines and the Sun on VLF causes the received signal to increase or (November 2016: 33-37) decrease in strength. In the future, it is envisaged that users • VLF, the Sun and the Ionosphere will be able to share their observations (December 2020: 34 (Part 1). YMWTZLMF\\JGXNYJ&XF‫ܪ‬WXYXYJU\\JMF[J opened an online forum for customers to share their experiences and tips for assembly and use of the detectors. Table 2: Explainer – The Physics of SIDs. Please visit our website for more information About the Author www.ukraa.com Last but not least, the projects Andrew Thomas is a Trustee of UKRAA. He says: “I found that my long-standing interest in astronomy mentioned in this article are all open to was re-energised when I discovered amateur radio astronomy. This was a chance encounter at a new participants, and I would encourage business conference with a self-declared ‘amateur radio astronomer’. Before that, I had no idea that anyone with an interest to contact the such things were possible. I enjoy building the instruments needed for making observations and I groups referred to above. encourage others to have a go. I currently observe VLF signals and ionospheric disturbances and Some need more technical knowledge occasionally meteors. My current project is to add a magnetometer to my observatory and observe than others, but they all need a YMJNRUFHYTSYMJ*FWYMѣXRFLSJYNH‫ܪ‬JQITKXTQFW\\NSIFSIHTWTSFQRFXXJOJHYNTSXѧ willingness to think in the longer term. Follow us on Facebook @radioenthusiasts and Twitter @REnthusiasts August 2022 RadioUser 31

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Maritime Matters COURTESY OF SAIL TRAINING INTERNATIONAL Robert Connolly [email protected] This month, I will be looking at Digital Selective Calling (DSC) and at numbers – no, I am not going to give you a maths lesson but an insight into the various numbers as- sociated with shipping that may be confus- ing for some readers, especially the novice starting to listen to maritime communica- tions. It has been several years since I last looked at DSC, and I am only too aware of many newcomers to the hobby who might be unsure regarding the various maritime communication modes. DSC Distress and urgent transmissions are available on the following MF, HF and VHF marine frequencies: 2187.5, 4207.5, 6312, 8414.5, 12577, 16804.5kHz, and 156.525MHz (CH70). These are the most common DSC frequencies monitored. However, there are many other MF/HF frequencies allocated for DSC use. I have detailed them at the end, in Table 1. Decoding Transmissions 1 DSC is a digital transmission mode. It is Digital Selective available for ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore Calling (DSC) communications on both MF/HF and VHF. As it is digital to monitor these signals, Robert Connolly provides an overview of Digital Selective you will require software to decode Calling, looking at the technologies and user scenarios transmissions. behind the mode. He then demystifies some of the number-designations used in shipping. There are several hobby programmes available for decoding DSC signals updates to that software will be produced of the coast stations called for testing are using your computer sound card. I have in the future since its author sadly passed stations that are not equipped with MF/ summarised them in Table 2. Some away. SeaTTY should be registered, and HF radio. Most test replies from coast of these programmes only show the MultiPSK requires registration to run stations are now automatically generated. station Maritime Mobile Service Identity professional modes without restrictions. Some countries have their system (MMSI) number in the decode. You Without registration that section of the designed to acknowledge test signals have to then look up the International software will only run for five minutes that carry a genuine coast station MMSI Telecommunications Union (ITU) database before the programme needs to be re- number. to find the station name associated with started. that number. Certainly, this is the case for the UK https://www.itu.int/en/Pages/default.aspx Messages Types and also Australia. All Spanish DSC transmissions originate from their central I normally use the YADD suite; it has the If you monitor the main MF/HF DSC control located in Madrid. Test signals are station MMSI numbers for coast stations frequencies you will notice that many only transmitted using MF/HF frequencies; included so you can identify the station of the messages received are test test signals on VHF CH70 are prohibited. without any further work. It also shows transmissions, from ships to coast the names of (some) ship stations. I have stations. You might also notice that many There is a target list of received MF/HF not used the COAA DSC Decoder for some DSC coast stations available on the Radio years but, if I remember correctly, it shows the coast station names and also, if you have been using their ShipPlotter software, the ship names from that database. DSC Decoder is free to try for 21 days and then requires to be registered for €25 plus VAT. The YADD package is free to use. However, it is unlikely that any future Sign up to our FREE email newsletter at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk 34 RadioUser August 2022

Maritime Matters ROBERT CONNOLLY Fig.1: The Leader. Fig. 2: The Manxman. Enthusiast website. It is based on the 2 Numbers: IMO, MSI & Co. coast stations I have been able to receive at my location, here in Northern Ireland. System (GMDSS) equipment. The Every registered ship has three groups www.radioenthusiast.co.uk apparatus is required to be powered of numbers and letters; the International from three sources of supply: the ship’s Maritime Organisation (IMO) Other routine DSC signals received will normal generators; the ship’s emergency identification number (for European be Maritime Safety Information (MSI) generator (if fitted); and a dedicated radio inland vessels: European Number of broadcast announcements by coast battery supply. Identification [ENI]); the Maritime Mobile stations, including the frequency for the Service Identity (MMSI) number, and a voice transmission, requests for ships to Moreover, the batteries are required to combination of letters and numbers for contact another ship or coast station on have a capacity to power the equipment the vessel’s radiotelephone licence. a particular frequency and, of course, any for one hour on ships that are equipped DSC distress messages. with an emergency generator or were built The IMO number never changes, before February 1995, and for six hours despite changes of ownership, country Receiving DSC on VHF on ships not fitted with an emergency or port of registry. It is never reassigned. generator or built after February 1995. It consists of three letters currently Marine VHF DSC transmissions are followed by seven digits (This might grow essentially used the same way as for This is to comply completely with to 8 digits in the future). The number is MF/HF. However, there are a couple of the 1980 SOLAS (Safety Of Life At Sea) inserted in the ship’s certificates and is differences: First, when a DSC message regulations of the International Maritime permanently marked on the ship’s hull or is prepared for transmission on MF/HF Organisation (IMO). superstructure where it is clearly visible. there is a delay of a few seconds duration https://tinyurl.com/2p88r6wh The seven digits are a unique six-digit before the message is sent. This allows XJVZJSYNFQSZRGJWKTQQT\\JIG^F࣢HMJHP for the cancellation of the transmission What is more, the batteries must be digit. if required. This is useful if you have charged by an automatic charger; there realised that you have made a mistake, is no requirement for them to be powered The integrity of an IMO number can be or in case circumstances have quickly from the main and emergency generators. verified using its check digit. This is done changed. The transmission of VHF DSC The changeover from mains power to by multiplying each of the first six digits messages is, however, instantaneous and battery supply must be automatic and G^FKFHYTWTK࣢2࣢YT࣢7,࣢HTWWJXUTSINSLYTYMJNW therefore cannot be cancelled as there is operated in such a way that any data held position from right to left. no built-in delay. by the equipment is not corrupted. The rightmost digit of this sum is the The other difference, as I have In addition to these power supply ‘check’ digit. It is key to checking the mentioned earlier is that you will not requirements, commercial vessels must [FQNINY^TKYMJ.24SZRGJW࣢+TWJ]FRUQJ see ‘test’ messages on VHF DSC. DSC carry two independent transceivers if the passenger cruise ship Queen Mary 2 radiotelephone transceivers are equipped equipped with VHF only; but they must has the IMO number 9241061. The last not only for normal voice communications also have two independent MF/HF digit (1) is the check digit. To verify that but also for the transmission of digital transceivers if operating in a sea area this is a genuine IMO number, you do the signals that may be used by shore where the carriage of such equipment is stations to contact ships or a group of mandatory. ships, and for ship-to-ship use requesting communications on a certain frequency with another vessel or group of vessels. This mode may be used in conjunction with the vessel’s onboard Automatic Identification System (AIS) to call an identified vessel. DSC transceivers also are equipped with a button that will issue a distress signal that can be selected from a built-in menu of various potential distress situations, for example, ‘vessel on fire’ or ‘sinking’. For normal DSC communications, the transceiver can store the required contact details of individual ships and shore stations in a similar way to the contacts that you have stored on your mobile telephone. On Commercial Shipping Commercial vessels are required to have certain power supply requirements for Global Maritime Distress and Safety Enter our competitions at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/competitions August 2022 RadioUser 35

Maritime Matters Ship-to-ship DSC • DSC Decoder FSI࣢P-_ www.coaa.co.uk/dscdecoder.htm 8MNUYT8MTWJ)ZUQJ])8((MFSSJQX 8MNU࣢9=࣢8MNU࣢7= • GMDSS Decoder for iPhone / iPad 2189.5 - 2177.0, 4208 - 4219.5, 6312.5 - 6331.0, 8415.0 - 8436.5, 12577.5 - 12657.0, 16805.0 - https://tinyurl.com/bdhd6azu FSI࣢P-_ • MultiMode Cocoa 9FGQJ)NLNYFQ8JQJHYN[J(FQQNSL )8(+WJVZJSHNJX https://tinyurl.com/2p9batws following calculation: (9x7) + (2x6) + (4x5) look up the details of the station concerned • MultiPSK + (1x4) + (0x3) + (6x2) = 111, confirming by visiting this list: https://tinyurl.com/5wabte5j that the check digit equals 1 and the IMO https://tinyurl.com/w5444d3j number is correct. • SeaTTY Finally, a Table of Maritime Identification www.dxsoft.com/en/products/seatty MMSI Identification Digits (MID) may be found at https://tinyurl.com/2p8mvfhf • Yet Another DSC Decoder (YADD) The next significant number you might www.ndblist.info/datamodes.htm come across is the vessel’s Maritime A Failure of Leader-Ship? Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) number. Table 2: Popular Software DSC Decoders. You can think of the MMSI number as The sailing vessel Leader (Fig. 1) is a 105ft, an equivalent of your telephone number, class B, gaff-rigged ketch launched in • 0 Ship group, coast station, or group of complete with the country code. The MMSI 1892, with a displacement of 110 tonnes, coast stations number consists of nine numbers with carrying a total of 3,150 square feet of sail. the first three digits being the Maritime It had often been seen at Tall Ship events. • 1 +TWZXJG^࣢8&7࣢FNWHWFKY Identification Digits (MID). These indicate • 2 to 7 MMSI’s used by individual ships, the country code for the vessel. In the At the end of May 2022, Leader (Fig. 1) case of the Queen Mary 2, the ship has an was operating in the Carlingford Lough beginning with a MID MMSI of 310627000 with 310 being the area on the East Coast of Ireland. The ship • 2 Europe (e.g., UK has MID 232;233, 234, code for Bermuda. MMSI numbers are not had departed the city of Newry for passage exclusively assigned to ships but can be to Ballycastle via the Newry Ship Canal and and 235) assigned to group ship station identities, had entered the river inland of Warrenpoint • 3 North and Central America and coast station identities, group coast docks when it ran aground on a falling tide. station identities, SAR aircraft, navigational Caribbean (e.g. Bermuda 310) aids, and even craft associated with a With no one in immediate danger, • 4 Asia (not the southeast) (e.g. Japan, parent ship. a decision was made to hold off on launching the lifeboats, in order to assist 431) The first digit of an MMSI reveals the until the tide came up again. • 5 4HJFSNF࣢ JL&ZXYWFQNF ship’s identity as listed in Table 3. • 6 Africa (e.g. Eritrea, 625) With the newly rising tide, the vessel • 7 South America (e.g. Peru, 760) Unlike the IMO number, the MMSI began to take on water, and the coastguard • 8 -FSIMJQI;-+YWFSXHJN[JW࣢\\NYM)8( number must be replaced if a vessel is launched an emergency rescue operation. • 9 Devices using a free-form re-registered under a different country’s This involved Kilkeel Inshore Lifeboat, ship registry system. The MMSI number is Clogherhead Lifeboat, Greenore number identity, for instance: allocated when a radio licence is applied Coastguard Rib, and Kilkeel Coastguard. 8&79WFSXUTSIJWX࣢ 2FS for. https://tinyurl.com/3wcz5kwj T[JWGTFWI࣢)8(FSITW&.8IJ[NHJX  https://tinyurl.com/2httjbt9 2-_࣢*RJWLJSH^5TXNYNTS.SINHFYNSL Radio Callsigns 7FINT'JFHTSX *5.7'KNYYJI\\NYMFS&.8 Three RNLI crew members were then transmitter (974), craft associated with a The final set of numbers and letters of transferred onto the ship, along with two UFWJSYXMNU TWSF[NLFYNTSFQFNIX࣢  interest here is the licenced radio callsign lifeboat salvage pumps. The seven crew of the station. This may be used in voice (and one dog) were transferred onto Table 3: The nine global Maritime Mobile Service communications. In the example of Queen their smaller inflatable tender. The latter .IJSYNY^ 228.HFYJLTWNJX Mary 2, this is ZCEF6. Like the MMSI was then safely escorted to Warrenpoint number, the licenced radio callsign must be Harbour by the Clogherhead RNLI all- Warrenpoint under its own power for the replaced if a vessel is re-registered under weather lifeboat. Two more pumps were fishing port of Kilkeel to its slipway, where a different country’s ship registry system. put aboard the vessel; after two and a it was possible to carry out inspections More information on IMO and MMSI half hours of removing the water with below the waterline. numbers may be found by visiting one or the combined effort of the four salvage more of the following websites: pumps, the ship became level with the sea Communications used were CH0 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IMO_number again. (156.000MHz) and CH16 (156.800MHz) https://tinyurl.com/3hkzaht8 between Belfast Coastguard MRCC, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ENI_number Subsequently, a towline was established lifeboat and the Coastguard land team https://tinyurl.com/4ba34wbu with Clougherhead RNLI’s all-weather with CH 4 (156.200/160.800MHz) used lifeboat, and the ship was taken safely into between Greenore Coastguard rib and When you see MMSI numbers in a the channel where it was able to continue Carlingford Coastguard (Dublin MRCC), decoded DSC transmission it is possible to under its own steam to the nearest safe and CH12 (156.600 MHz) between the port at Warrenpoint Harbour, escorted by lifeboats and Warrenpoint port. both lifeboats. Leader subsequently left Finally, this month’s photograph is of the high-speed catamaran Manxman arriving at Liverpool from Douglas, Isle of Man. Until next time, Fair Winds! Sign up to our FREE email newsletter at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk 36 RadioUser August 2022

What’s new in the world of radio News European Private Radio News Shortwave Stations CB/ HAM RADIO USA: About 40 years ago, July 1st 2022 a US Citizens Band (CB) operator named Only legal stations are included. Most stations use low power, but a few use several kW. Note that UTC is used here, Ed Barnat started a loose-knit group called not CET, nor CEST! Abbreviations used: D = Germany, DNK = Denmark, FIN = Finland, NL = Netherlands, NOR = Norway Tri-County Assistance. Its purpose was to F.pl.: future plan, Int’l = International, Irr. = irregular, LT = Local time, 24/7 = twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week detect problems on the roadways and report Mo = Monday, Tu = Tuesday, We = Wednesday, Th = Thursday, Fr = Friday, Sa = Saturday, Su = Sunday. them, in real-time. Ed acted as the central ‘hub’ for information and in turn relayed it to the kHz Country Name Transmitter site Schedule (UTC) proper authorities for action. He also used the Rohrbach Waal Daily 0600-2000 & 2100-0500 information gathered through the Tri-County 3955 D Radio Channel 292 Winsen Daily 1800-2200 net to provide on-the-air traffic reports for local Kall-Krekel Daily 1400-1930 (‘Radio Popexpress’ a.o.) radio stations. Back then, there were no mobile 3975 D Shortwave Radio Weenermoor 24/7 phones and no traffic apps on smartphones. Weenermoor 24/7 CB and broadcast radio were the only sources 3985 D Shortwaveservice Bramming 24/7 of traffic info for commuters. Westdorpe Daily 0400-1800 .SYNRJ*ILTYMNXMFRQNHJSXJў370&ўFSI 3995 D HCJB Hvidovre 24/7 added a 2-meter section to the Tri-County net Hillerød We 2100-2200 […]. The net serves the Capital District of New 5920 D HCJB Virrat 1st Sa of the month 18-20 York, which is nearly at the eastern edge of Kall-Krekel Daily 0800-1600 the state, about 145 miles north of New York 5930 DNK World Music Radio Elburg F.pl. (Fr or Sa 2100-0300) City. On workday mornings, a large number of Elburg Irr. (Su 0600-1500) commuters drive into the three major cities: 5955 NL Sunlite Hillerød Sa-Su 1100-1300 Albany, Schenectady, and Troy, which have a Rohrbach Waal 24/7 population of about 600,000. 5970 DNK Radio208 Kall-Krekel Daily 0700-1700 (‘Radio MiAmigo Int’l’) People commute to state government offices Gera Irr. (1000-1200) (Albany is the capital of the state), colleges, 5980 DNK Radio OZ-Viola Zwolle Irr. universities, and a variety of companies […]. Borculo, NL Irr. (weekends only) You can read the full story behind this amazing 5980 FIN Scandinavian Weekend Radio Datteln Daily 0700-1605 initiative in the US at the URL below. Are there Winsen Daily 1600-2000 any comparable initiatives here in the UK; does 6005 D Shortwaveservice Virrat 1st Sa LT of the month 21-18 & 20-21 anyone know of any examples here? Zwolle Irr. If you do, please do not hesitate to share them 6005 NL Radio Delta International Nijmegen Daily 0730-1200 with RadioUser … Nijmegen Daily 1200-1600 (S OURCE: SWLing Post/ US) 6020 NL Radio Delta International Weenermoor 24/7 https://tinyurl.com/3a2df3sx Zwolle Irr. 6055 DNK Radio OZ-Viola Zwolle Irr. (0800-1800) RADIODAYS EUROPE 2022 IN MALMO: A Rohrbach Waal 24/7 packed 48 hours of radio sessions, questions 6070 D Radio Channel 292 Virrat 1st Sa LT of the month 21-15 & 20-21 and socials took place in Malmo recently, as Virrat 1st Sa of the month 15-20 hundreds gathered for Radiodays Europe. 6085 D Shortwaveservice Randers 24/7 Sunday afternoon kicked off with the brand- Erlangen 24/7 DRM-modulation (‘Funklust’) new podcast sessions and Radiodays Europe 6115 D Radio SE-TA 2 Mårslet, Aarhus 24/7 Women. Sunday evening was all about catching up with 6130 NL Radio Piepzender radio friends you haven’t seen since 2019 and being amazed at home much healthier/older/ 6140 NL Radio Onda, Belgium greyer they look; which brings us to the official start of Radiodays EuropeFYFRўFSIFKYJW 6150 D Europa 24 a performance artist Darin, Paul Robinson (Director of Creative Media Partners) and 6160 D Shortwave Radio Lisa Wall (Host at Swedish Radio) welcomed attendees with a quick Swedish lesson 6170 FIN Scandinavian Weekend Radio before Peter Neigel, the General Manager of Radiodays Europe, took to the stage. Read 6185 NL Radio Piepzender the full story, and more reports about the individual conference sessions, at the URL, 7260 NL Rockpower below: (SOURCE: Radiodays Europe | RadioToday) 7270 NL Rockpower https://tinyurl.com/wy24kt5u 7365 D HCJB 7425 NL Radio Piepzender 7445 NL Radio Piepzender 9670 D Radio Channel 292 11690 FIN Scandinavian Weekend Radio 11720 FIN Scandinavian Weekend Radio 15700 DNK World Music Radio 15785 D BitExpress 25800 DNK World Music Radio This list is published by Hartvig Media ApS TSJFHM‫ܪ‬WXYKZQQIF^TKYMJRTSYMўGFXJITSIJYFNQXXZUUQNJIG^WFINTXYFYNTSXYMJ 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 [email protected]. Follow us on Facebook @radioenthusiasts and Twitter @REnthusiasts August 2022 RadioUser 37

Digital Radio Kevin Ryan [email protected] Readers of a certain age might remember British Satellite Broadcasting (BSB) and their iconic ‘squaerial’. The device was soon replaced by the Sky mini-dish. BSB only broadcast TV and did not last long before merging with Sky in the early 1990s. This was the first attempt to broadcast via satellite directly to people’s homes in the UK. On my (very old) Sky box I can still tune into over 50 digital radio stations, including all 20 of the BBC’s national radio services, RTÉ’s four main radio services, Newstalk from Ireland, most of the UK’s commercial services found on the DAB D1 and SDL national multiplexes, and some 1 religious broadcasters. Freesat accesses the same satellite transponders as Sky Satellite Radio:butisonlyabletooffer38radioservices. There is also Freesat from Sky, which requires a valid Sky viewing card, but not Now and Then a Sky subscription. I use this method to access the free-to-air radio services on the Astra satellite located at 28° East – usually Kevin Ryan remembers satellite radio names and formats abbreviated to ‘28E’. About 10 years (2000) later, satellite of the past, many of which have now been forgotten. radio was launched in the USA when two rival companies Sirius Satellite Radio and He takes us up to the present and finishes by offering a XM Satellite Radio put satellites in orbit. general Primer and Glossary for Satellite Radio fans. XM used two ‘traditional’ geostationary satellites (See Glossary) while Sirius used three geosynchronous satellites, at similar operation in Europe; but this was NHTSNH-NYFHMNWJHJN[JWMJWJ least one of which was always over the at the same time as DAB appeared as an https://tinyurl.com/4uk8v3vx USA. Sirius satellites broadcast within alternative. I don’t think many people other than YMJ࣢8GFSI ,-_FSI=2 WorldSpace used frequencies in the dedicated enthusiasts were even aware of radio use adjacent frequencies (2.3325- L-Band from two satellites (AfriStar and YMNXNSST[FYNTS-T\\J[JW\\MNQJTSMTQNIF^ ,-_SiriusXM is probably the AsiaStar), which were also available for I distinctly remember placing the square most successful broadcaster of digital DAB usage. Reception of the AfriStar antenna (detachable from the radio) on radio via satellite; over the years, it has satellite at 21°E was possible in southern the window sill of the cottage and enjoying replaced the satellites in elliptical orbits England on two frequencies (1488 and noise-free reception of the BBC World with geostationary ones. Sirius places its 2-_ZXNSLQJKYMFSIFSIWNLMY Service all day long. satellites at 96W and 116.15W, while XM MFSIHNWHZQFWUTQFWN_FYNTSWJXUJHYN[JQ^ AEuropean Project continues to use 85W and 115W. These and carried many interesting stations positions are over the continental USA and from Africa, as well as a few from In 2007, WorldSpace produced a plan to way beyond the reach of Europe. Newer Europe and the USA. emulate the success of XM and Sirius in satellites are capable of broadcasting both The West Africa beam covered Belgium, the USA, by broadcasting to mobile us- services. The last launch was in 2021 when 8UFNS+WFSHJ.YFQ^FSI8\\NY_JWQFSIFX ers in Western Europe. The new service SXM-8 successfully reached orbit. \\JQQFXUFWYXTKYMJ:0FSI,JWRFS^ would broadcast 50 radio channels to Italy https://www.siriusxm.com Suitable receivers were made by several initially and grow from there using satel- WorldSpace RFSZKFHYZWJWX.GTZLMYYMJ-NYFHMN0- lite and terrestrial repeaters. It would use WS1 receiver, which came with a square one beam from the satellite (Africa West) At the same time, WorldSpace was starting antenna. I later purchased an L-Band and the technical changes would make all its satellite radio service to Africa and Asia Yagi, and an amplifier that allowed me to existing receivers obsolete in the cover- with plans to extend coverage to South feed the signal to my study. The system age area. The project reached an advanced America. In retrospect, it seems strange was free-to-air but later moved to a XYFLJ\\NYMUQFSXKTWRZQFYJIKTW,JWRFS^ that no enterprising group was planning a subscription model. There is a video of the 8\\NY_JWQFSIFSIYMJ:09MJJ]UFSXNTS Sign up to our FREE email newsletter at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk 38 RadioUser August 2022

Digital Radio ALL PICTURES: KEVIN RYAN 2 Fig. 1: The published footprint of the Hispasat6 satellite is one of the best that I’ve seen. The expected EIRP for the UK is 50dBW. Fig. 2: I have yet to find a website to rival the wealth of information on the Lyngsat pages. Fig. 3: The southern horizon from my patio is cluttered with obstacles. I managed to pick up Hotbird 13E - through a gap in the trees. Fig. 4: A screenshot from the satfinder app showing the azimuth of Eutelsat 5W. plans hid the fact that the company had se- 3 site which also shows every active satellite rious financial difficulties; two years later, and its footprint. it went into administration. The founder ellite broadcasting to Asia. They would be https://www.satbeams.com/satellites bought it back and the project finally failed used as ‘placeholders’ until the companies’ https://www.satbeams.com/footprints in 2010 after 10 years in service. own satellites were launched but this never happened. Both satellites are now in ‘grave- Details of the services are maintained by There is a remnant of the company on the yard’ orbits. active monitors on the Lyngsat website. The \\JGTSYMNXUFLJ https://tinyurl.com/yxzddwbm home page (Fig. 2) splits the satellites into https://tinyurl.com/2p9ewrsp four areas, and each region will have a slight Satellite RadioToday overlap with the other. In the UK, most of the Solaris Mobile satellites of interest are listed under ‘Europe’ The technology is actively used in Europe, but there are a few in the Atlantic region that Just as WorldSpace faded away, Ondas and many people born overseas and resi- have beams covering Western Europe. Media (Spain) and Onde Numérique (France) dents in the UK use satellite dishes to get revived the idea of bringing a SiriusXM- WFINTKWTRYMJNWMTRJQFSIXAstra SES, Lyngsat’s listing contains the satellite type system to Europe with a project titled Eutelsat and Hispasat provide most of the beam used by that transponder. If the beam Solaris Mobile. Solaris Mobile created direct-to-home satellite capacity to Europe. does not put a signal into your region, you a trial network service in Paris, using a Their websites carry a lot of technical infor- have no chance of picking it up with domes- combination of direct satellite and terrestrial mation, including detailed footprints (Fig. 1) tic grade equipment. repeaters to see if the concept would work. for all their active satellites. https://www.lyngsat.com/index.html https://tinyurl.com/3zkmkabj 9MJXYFSIFWIZXJI\\FX);'8-FUFWYTK https://www.eutelsat.com/en/home.html My Portable Equipment DVB. The service was due to be carried on https://www.hispasat.com/en the Eutelsat W2A satellite at 10° East, and Years ago I bought a portable satellite sys- the downlink frequencies were in the S-band Eutelsat has 13 satellites in orbit, span- tem neatly packed away in a hard case. The GJY\\JJSFSI2-_9MJNWQNHJSHJ ning 3°East to 70° East. This latter position kit comprises a 40 cm oval dish and vari- required that the service cover all of Europe. is about the limit of reception for a satellite ous mounting brackets, LNB, Digital Satellite dish in the UK because the elevation is then Receiver and cabling. I have used it on a few -T\\J[JW\\MJSYMJRJYWJINFRJYJW OZXYrўKQFYYTYMJMTWN_TS.YMNSPYMJRTXY occasions and was pleased to find out that S-band dish did not deploy well enough to interesting satellite with powerful beams it still worked. meet the coverage requirements, the project centred on Europe is the Hotbird family (13B, was quickly abandoned. 13C and 13E). These are soon to be joined Similar kits are still available in some G^+FSI,UT\\JWKZQINWJHYYTMTRJXFY specialist shops. Satellite transmissions One FinalAttempt ellites. The launches are delayed until next use a standard similar to Freeview, a year and they will replace the ageing satel- subset of Digital Video Broadcasting Ondas Media began to pursue using L-Band lites currently in orbit. (DVB). The standard is ‘DVB-S’ for fixed 2-_.IJFXFGTZYZXNSLYMJIJ YFWLJYXFSIѢ);'8-ѣKTWRTGNQJYFWLJYX funct WorldSpace equipment and licenses A comprehensive list of past and future such as vehicles. came to nothing. These satellites, now suf- satellites is located on the Satbeams web- fering many faults. They were of limited op- erational use and were purchased, in 2017, for the Silkwave project aiming to revive sat- Enter our competitions at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/competitions August 2022 RadioUser 39

Digital Radio My SatelliteTargets multitude of stations from France and On the web, there are several options and I 'JQLNZR2T[NSLKZWYMJW<JXY^TZHFS can recommend dishpointer (URL below). I have researched the services on the find Hispasat 5 and 6 (50 dBW) with Just by entering your address and picking various satellites theoretically visible from Spanish stations. the satellite from the dropdown menu, R^QTHFYNTS +NL2^MTWN_TSNXGQTHPJI dishpointer produces a direction pointer by two tall trees that limit the view towards After that, there are mainly Intelsat overlayed on a Google Earth map. Zooming the East; over to the West, there is a water communications satellites. in, I could identify my locale and get an YT\\JWRTGNQJUMTSJWJQF^UTNSY FUUWT]NRFYJF_NRZYM Finding the Satellites 2^UTXXNGQJYFWLJYXXYFWY\\NYM 9MJ\\JGXNYJLN[JXYMJYWZJF_NRZYMFX\\JQQ BulgariaSat1 at 19. E (52 decibel Watt Locking onto a satellite can sometimes as the magnetic one and the elevation. There [dBW]). It carries eight radio stations and YFPJXTRJYNRJ-T\\J[JWXTRJGFXNH FWJFQXTFUUXTS,TTLQJ5QF^+TWJ]FRUQJ -TYGNWI* I'<\\NYMSZRJWTZX tools and using a website or app to help Satfinder (Dish Pointer)/ Quick Dish Align broadcasters. There are the Thor align the dish make the job easier. Being does a similar job (Fig. 4); because it uses Constellation at 0.8W (53dBW into interested in Hotbird, I needed to know if I ,58FHTRUFXXNXSTYWJVZNWJI Scandinavia, just 40dBW in the UK) and had a chance of picking it up. In this context, https://www.dishpointer.com Eutelsat 5W (52 dBW), which offers a a dish positioner or aligning site is essential. A Satellite Glossary (Part 1) Azimuth࣢YJQQX^TZ\\MFYINWJHYNTSYTKFHJ.YNXRJFXZWJINS an isotropic antenna that radiates power equally in all directions. IJLWJJX&_NRZYM[FWNJXKWTRrYTr.YXYFWYX\\NYMLJTLWFUMNH An isotropic antenna is meant to distribute power equally north (True North) at 0°. Satellite orbital positions are listed as in all directions – When we channel that power into a single East (0E to 180E) and West (0W to 179W). A compass uses direction and calculate the power it is known as ‘EIRP’ (see entry 2FLSJYNH3TWYM YMNXRZXYGJKFHYTWJINS\\MJSFQNLSNSLFINXM ‘Footprint’). This will be the maximum power emitted by the satellite antenna in the direction with the highest antenna gain. Beam is a term used, instead of ‘footprint’, because a spot beam covers a limited area. The satellite downlink beam coverage Elevation tells you how high up in the sky to look; for good RFUX࣢XMT\\HTSYTZWQNSJX\\MJWJJFHMQNSJWJKJWXYTFUFWYNHZQFW reception, this will be between 20° and 30°. power level from the satellite. The lines are marked with EIRP values like 45 dBW, 44 dBW, 43 dBW, 42dBW, and so on, in Footprint The transponder power, plus the gain of the parabolic descending order from the maximum, normally about in the antenna, constitute the ‘footprint’ of the EIRP (Effective Isotropic middle of the beam. Radiated Power). These are like weather maps, where lines are drawn linking points that should receive the same EIRP. dBW TW࣢IJHNGJQ\\FYY࣢NXFZSNYTKUT\\JWNS࣢YMJIJHNGJQ࣢ I'XHFQJ referenced to 1 Watt (W). The decibel scale is used as a more Magnetic North varies from day to day and from place to place. convenient way to express very large or very small numbers. For Check the web for the offset. example, 53dBW is 199,523W. https://www.magnetic-declination.com https://www.satsig.net/lnb/db-calculator.htm Polarization&SFSYJSSFNXXFNIYTGJ[JWYNHFQQ^UTQFWN_JI QNSJFW DVB-S)NLNYFQ;NIJT'WTFIHFXYNSLў8FYJQQNYJ9MNXNX࣢YMJ when its electric field is perpendicular to the Earth’s surface. An standard for broadcasting a TV signal over the satellite. This J]FRUQJTKF[JWYNHFQFSYJSSFNXFGWTFIHFXYYT\\JWKTW&2WFINT X^XYJRYWFSXRNYXINLNYFQFZINTFSI[NIJTXNLSFQXNSYMJ25*, TWYMJѦ\\MNUѧFSYJSSFTSFSFZYTRTGNQJ-TWN_TSYFQQ^UTQFWN_JI format. DVB-S2 is an enhancement of DVB-S which improves the (linear) antennas have their electric field parallel to the Earth’s sur- efficiency and reliability of the broadcast channels KFHJ0Z'FSIXFYJQQNYJXZXZFQQ^ZXJMTWN_TSYFQTW[JWYNHFQUTQFWN- _FYNTS.SYMJHFXJTKFHNWHZQFWUTQFWN_JI\\F[JYMJJQJHYWNHKNJQI DVB-SH is the name of a mobile broadcast standard designed to describes a helix along the direction of propagation, a bit like the deliver video, audio and data services to small handheld devices threads on a screw. Satellite transmissions using S-Band frequen- such as mobile telephones, and vehicle-mounted devices. The HNJXZXZFQQ^ZXJHNWHZQFWUTQFWN_FYNTSWorldSpace used both Right PJ^KJFYZWJTK);'8-NXYMJKFHYYMFYNYNXFM^GWNIXFYJQQNYJ -FSI(NWHZQFW 7-(FSI1JKY-FSI(NWHZQFW 1-(5TQFWNXFYNTS terrestrial system that will allow the use of a satellite to achieve coverage of large regions or even a whole country. In areas Sky Mini Dish is the most common dish in the UK. The suggested where direct reception of the satellite signal is impaired, and :0RNSNRZRINXMXN_JKTW8P^FSI+WJJXFYNX࣢HR NSYMJ8TZYM for indoor reception, terrestrial repeaters are used to improve and 60cm (in the North). A 45cm Sky mini-dish style satellite dish XJW[NHJF[FNQFGNQNY^.YNXUQFSSJIYTZXJKWJVZJSHNJXGJQT\\,-_ is called a Zone 1 Satellite Dish, and a 60cm one, is a Zone 2. Y^UNHFQQ^8'FSIKWJVZJSHNJXFWTZSI,-_FIOFHJSYYTYMJ,-_ terrestrial frequencies. Transponder The term ‘Satellite Transponder’ refers collectively YT࣢FYWFSXRNYYJWWJHJN[JWXZGX^XYJRTSGTFWIYMJXFYJQQNYJ\\MNHM EIRP I prefer to call this ‘Equivalent Isotropic Radiated Power’ processes, amplifies and retransmits a range of frequencies (the This value is the power transmitted by the satellite referenced to ‘transponder bandwidth’) to an antenna on Earth. Sign up to our FREE email newsletter at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk 40 RadioUser August 2022

Digital Radio Radio News 4 MAUNDER MINIMUM: Every 11 years, the WraggTrust and Hilltop Riding School have number of spots dotting the surface of the allowed us to plan a network with much greater ASatellite Primer Sun increases and decreases like clockwork. reach than we proposed.The coverage map we Astronomers have been tracking the 11-year are publishing today shows the extent of the 2FS^GZYSTYFQQXFYJQQNYJXZXJIKTW sunspot cycle for more than 400 years, using strongest indoor reception. Outdoor coverage broadcasting are in a geostationary orbit it to better understand the chaotic magnetic is even greater. Exeter is a thriving city and above the equator. This means they always field the Sun puts out. (The current solar cycle, one which we’re privileged to serve. We’ll be sit above the same spot relative to the number 25, started in 2019.) providing an affordable way for people to Equator. The term ‘geosynchronous’ or high- The timing of the solar cycle is remarkably broadcast to at least 135,000 people here.” The earth-orbit seems to be used more, instead consistent: Sunspot numbers rise and fall, service is expected to launch this summer […]. of ‘geostationary’ with other orbits classified rise and fall…except for that time that they (SOURCE: ExeDAB | RadioToday) FX2JINZR 2*4TW1T\\*FWYM4WGNY disappeared and weren’t seen again for 70 https://tinyurl.com/2s4h9x4c (LEO). Radio and TV services are uplinked years.That period, from 1645 to 1715, is known to them from satellite dishes called ‘ground as the Maunder Minimum, named after 19th NEW CENTRAL LONDON HOME FOR RADIO stations’. The satellite then frequency- Century British astronomers Edward and Annie ACADEMY FESTIVAL 2022: The Radio converts and amplifies the signal and sends Maunder. Astronomers still don’t understand Academy Festival is back for 2022 at a new it back down to us via the downlink. why the Sun ceased making sunspots for venue in London on Wednesday 7th September 70 years, but a new analysis of more than 5 2022.The annual day of celebration, debate This process happens in electronic decades of measurements of nearby stars has and discussion will be atThe Royal College devices called transponders. The downlink identified one that might be undergoing its own of Physicians – a Grade I listed modernist signal is sent using directional antennas and Maunder-like minimum. building located on the edge of London’s covers an area of reception in either wide The star, HD 166620, could help scientists Regents Park. And, for the first time in a beams (e.g. Western Europe) or spot beams understand this mysteriously quiescent period decade, the Festival will be spread across two (e.g. the British Isles) and these are called of the Sun’s history and unlock clues about auditoriums, offering delegates a choice of two beams or footprints. The maximum power how the solar dynamo functions […]. There is concurrent programmes of talks. is at the centre of the beam and declines a fascinating article on this topic in the latest Festival tickets include lunch and an evening towards the edges. The ITU reserves four issue of the EoS Newsletter: drinks reception, plus 30-day exclusive main bands for satellite broadcasts direct (SOURCE: EoS/ Science News [American online catch-up access, so you can watch any to listeners and viewers. The allocations are Geophysical Union, AGU]; Citation: Cartier, K. sessions you missed online. in pairs with separate bands for the uplink M. S. (2022), ‘Why Did Sunspots Disappear for Details of speakers and guests will be released and the downlink. 70 Years? Nearby Star Holds Clues’: Eos, 103, throughout the summer, and the Academy will 2022) also be running a Bursary Scheme for people 9MJGFSIXFWJFXKTQQT\\X https://doi.org/10.1029/2022EO220271 who feel the Festival will benefit their career, 1GFSI ,-_ https://tinyurl.com/2p88r6wh but who can’t afford to attend. 8GFSI ,-_ (SOURCES: Radio Academy ('FSI ,-_ EXETER DAB PLANS LARGER AREA: The [email protected]) 0Z'FSI ,-_FSI area to be covered by the forthcoming Exeter www.radioacademy.org/festival 0F'FSI ,-_ small-scale digital radio network is to be 50 per https://tinyurl.com/2s3jy825 cent larger than originally proposed. ExeDab, the local consortium chosen by broadcast regulator Ofcom to run the service will now build a three-transmitter network, rather than the two envisaged in its original plans. With transmitters in the city centre at Exeter College to the north of the city at Hilltop Riding School and in East Devon at Cranbrook Educational Campus, the service will reach 135,000 people in the area, up from the 88,000 originally expected – an increase of more than half. It will add community stations Phonic FM and Riviera FM to digital radio for the first time, and upgrade Devon commercial station Radio Exe to a high-quality stereo digital service to complement its FM stereo output. ExeDab chair Dr DavidTreharne said: “The partnerships we have formed with Exeter College, theTed Enter our competitions at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/competitions August 2022 RadioUser 41

New Media and Internet Radio ANDY KNIGHT Chrissy Brand [email protected] Two of the many radio stations 1 that I have been enjoying this summer are Centreforce 88.3 Afrobeat, Cosmic and Cosoro Radio. Both have Culture & Summer provided perfect summer tunes for par- Festival Vibes ties on the beach and in the garden. Chrissy Brand cranks up the volume with a choice of Cosoro Radio can be heard on great radio stations and music festivals that celebrate the Alexa Skills, a dedicated app, on the exciting sounds and sights of summer. station’s website. It is also on FM and DAB, including the Trial Manchester to a studio in Waltham Abbey’s The Other shows have been broadcast DAB+ multiplex, and in Birmingham, Pixel Business Centre. Centreforce from Ibiza, including Andy Manston’s Glasgow, Norwich, Portsmouth and is based in Essex, but listener shout- Filthy Fridays from 1500 to 1700 UTC. other UK cities. The station slogan outs can be as far afield as Ulverston Keith Mac’s Friday Sessions from is ‘addicted to Afrobeat’, but Cosoro and Folkestone, from a driver stuck in 1300 to 1500 UTC will set you up for Radio also covers social issues, as well traffic on the M1 to listeners blissed the weekend. Also known as Funky as all that is good about the Afrobeat out in Maltese sunshine. I listen to Friday Business, it is a constant beat genre of music. There is a good article Centreforce on the Northeast Wales of melodic and uplifting house music, on the website, titled Afrobeat and and West Cheshire DAB+ multiplex – it with informal greetings to an audience Activism. It explains Afrobeat’s roots can, of course, be heard in other ways, around the world. On my most recent and its role in the world, starting in the including online. listen, Keith played his own track, Voices 1960s with Nigerian protests against in My Head, a single from March of Colonialism. Fela Kuti (1938 to 1997) In June, the station also launched this year. Amongst other house music was a multi-instrumentalist, composer, a base for their DJs in the form of a Keith played were Every Day by FDF political activist and Pan Africanist. club in Tenerife. He is the premier Afrobeat pioneer, combining West African music with American funk and jazz. The style of energetic beats and rhythms makes it ideal music to feed the minds and souls of social gatherings, from protests to parties. Tune in to the sound of today’s Afrobeat movers and shakers, such as Oritse Femi, KCee and Frenemies. A couple of stand-out shows to mention are Fridays at 1900 UTC when presenter Tia Adenuga interviews guests and hosts a countdown of the Afrobeat charts; Let’s Talk with Tosin Akintokun airs on Saturdays at 1000 UTC and Wednesday at 1730 UTC. She raises awareness of issues affecting today’s youth, such as knife crime, gang and peer pressure, and drug use. Sunday afternoons from 1600 see DJ Kolex keep the weekend vibe alive with his Afrobeat Palava show. www.cosororadio.com https://tinyurl.com/4ca68vyf Feel the Force Centreforce 88.3 started as a pirate station in the late 1980s. In 2018, it received a licence to broadcast legally. Since then, it has evolved from a broom cupboard in Loughton in 2018 See our great book and magazine offers at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/store 42 RadioUser August 2022

New Media and Internet Radio MONTEREY JAZZ FESTIVAL Fig. 1: Keeping fit in East Sussex this summer, with Maria and More Radio. Fig. 2: California radio stations will cover the 65th Monterey Jazz Festival. Fig. 3: Highlights of the Pori Jazz Festival are on its own YouTube channel. Fig. 4: KSKO: Local public radio from Alaska – online and on short wave. and a 2008 old-school track called No 2 HAYFIELD ON UNSPLASH Favours, by Temper. https://centreforceradio.com 3 [On Jodrell Bank, see Tim Kirby’s article in RadioUser, May 2022: 53-55 – Ed.]. As well as playing top tunes, state capital of Sacramento. Centreforce has held regular charity https://soundcloud.com/mjf Billed as an ‘intergalactic music, events, such as ‘Balls To Cancer’. This science and culture festival’, it took place emphasises how radio stations can play Meanwhile, the 42nd Montreal Jazz over four days in July 2022, with comedy, an important role in the promotion of Festival occurred across ten days in June space camp and stargazing segments attendance at community events, for and July. This Canadian event, like any adding to the festival’s uniqueness. The instance, Fun Runs and Pride Festivals. festival of note, has a dedicated app, accompanying podcast explains all and More Radio, in East Sussex, is a regular plus coverage across all of the major delves into topics throughout the year, sponsor of local events that encourage social media channels. CBC has a playlist as well as at the festival itself: “Music. ‫ܪ‬YSJXXFSIMJFQYM^QN[NSL +NL on its website; however, for copyright Science. Cosmic Culture. This is the reasons, this is not available outside of bluedot podcast. Enjoy in-depth talks and Seasonal Festivals Galore that country. Only CBC coverage, in the panels, mini-documentaries and more, form of articles, is available. Therefore, plus highlights from previous bluedot It is not only radio that can bring people Montreal Jazz Festival’s YouTube channel festivals. Series 1, 2 and 3 of the bluedot together in harmonious ways. Music and is the place to go. podcast are available now on all major spoken-word festivals (arts and literature) www.youtube.com/user/montjazzfest podcast platforms, including Spotify and can perform the same role as good radio: Apple Podcasts. Featuring Plate Up – a whether the weather is sunshine or mud- The week-long Pori Jazz Festival (Fig. 3) special mini-series in association with The inducing, a festival atmosphere and NXF‫ܪ‬WRKF[TZWNYJ\\NYM+NSSXFSIMFXFQXT Vegan Society, featuring Moby and more shared spirit of enjoyment and hedonism been covered by radio stations, including – The Theremin Story in association with are intoxicating. the country’s state broadcaster, YLE, and Moog Music, How To Cure Covid with Alice on specialist podcasts. To relive what Roberts and Dan Davis, and more. Plus Local and national radio stations went down this July, visit the Pori Jazz episodes with some of the biggest names often give coverage of such events, and Festival YouTube channel. from bluedot 2022.” recordings are made of live sets that https://tinyurl.com/mr3thx7d www.discoverthebluedot.com/podcast can be aired for years to come. There is a plethora of podcast content to be Meanwhile, in the UK, one of the most If you are looking for a seaside festival unearthed and stored up as well. innovative festivals has occurred annually in the UK, then the Hidden Beach series of since 2016. The Bluedot Festival takes The Montreux Jazz Festival place under the shadow of Jodrell Bank’s commenced in 1967 in Switzerland, and landmark radio telescopes. this year’s event was held in July. It is one of the most famous of its kind, and festival recordings have been transmitted on the air and made into live albums. BBC Radio 2 is just one of many broadcasters who air recordings from the event. The SORC Radio Network launched in the USA in April and gives coverage of Montreux and other festivals. Its mission is, “to provide the community, the nation and the globe with Jazz CONfusion (Jazz crossover) and Black/Minority small business news.” https://sorcradio.com Sounding similar but a long distance apart, the 65th annual Monterey Jazz Festival (Fig. 2) takes place in September in California. There are some wonderful recordings from past festivals on its SoundcloudHMFSSJQ>TZ\\NQQFQXT‫ܪ‬SI festival interviews conducted by stations KSCO, in Santa Cruz, and KXJZ, in the Follow us on Facebook @radioenthusiasts and Twitter @REnthusiasts August 2022 RadioUser 43

New Media and Internet Radio Date Time (UTC) Station Programme Podcast URL/ Stream/ Frequency Daily 24/7 Genesis FM, Greece Variety of Greek music https://genesisfm.eu Genesis FM app, online Daily News bulletin in English (10 minutes) Google Podcasts and other apps https://tdh.gov.tm/en Weekdays uploaded at 0859 Radio Owaz Turkmenistan Bulgaria Today: a half-hour of news and features https://tinyurl.com/y7nbmnas TDH Turkmenistan News app Weekdays The Late Showgram, Canadian news and social issues https://tinyurl.com/ycx2ewrm Spotify, https://bnr.bg/en Uploaded at 1400 BNR Radio Bulgaria The Mother City Mix with Granville Skippers. 1010kHz, Apple podcasts Tuesday +ZSP&KWT/F__1FYNS/F__࣢࣢ https://tinyurl.com/2p93w29f www.iheartradio.ca/newstalk-1010 Thursdays 0500 to 1000 Talk 1010, Toronto The Musicgasm with Harvey Williamson https://tinyurl.com/mrx7wrnd Thursdays BBC Introducing the South, with Melita Dennett BBC Sounds www.alljazzradio.co.za Saturdays 1800 to 2000 All Jazz Radio, Cape Town The Midnight Café, alternative talk radio www.youtube.com/c/TheMidnightCafe Saturdays 1700 to 1900 Triple M Rocks Footy (Australian Rules) https://tinyurl.com/2s36f6ue DAB, Smart Speaker, Online Radio Box, My Tuner Sundays 1900 to 2100 Lymm Radio Digital Blues with Ashwyn Smyth www.gateway978.com/listen-again www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p001d7kh Sundays 2200 to 2300 BBC Surrey FM, DAB, smart speakers 0700 to 1000 and BBC Sussex 7490 kHz and YouTube 2100 to 2200 WBCQ The Planet 102.3 FM locally, LiSTNER app Triple M Townsville FM, online, app, www.gateway978.com Gateway Radio, Basildon Table 1: Chrissy’s Top Summertime Listening Tips for the Month Ahead. events is worth exploring. One of the brains 4 KSKO behind these is Remi Vibesman. He is from Hendon, of Nigerian descent and a 1990s the past 5 years, we have broadcasted from MATTHEW WARING ON UNSPLASH pioneer of the Trip Hop and Nu Jazz scene. several locations, celebrating the alterna- 7JRNѣX‫ܪ‬WXYXNSLQJWJHJN[JIRZHMFNWUQF^TS tive and working to provide a platform that for this show) and who advised that the Kiss FM and Jazz FM, years ago. over 300 residents can call home – so far programme will be aired at the same time https://tinyurl.com/3yhjumy4 we’ve relied on events, merch, and crowd- for ‘the next few months’ on 5900 kHz. funding from residents to keep things tick- For something a little different, you may Remi is also an organiser of The ing but now we’re asking you, our listeners want to tune in for the next few months on Eastbourne Festival of Disco, an event for support to help make Noods sustainable a Monday: imagine yourself in the small which runs from August 26th to 28th. and grow. From as little as £3 a month, you’ll town of McGrath.” help us cover our bills, create more creative http://bdxc.org.uk In 2020, he played records non-stop for opportunities and keep supporting artists.” 24 hours, to raise money for the A Band of www.noodsradio.com I have been listening online to KSKO Brothers(MFWNY^࣢Hidden Beach’s website https://tinyurl.com/54bxpbx6 (Fig. 4) and enjoying a real local feel. The doesn’t seem to exist, so you will have to www.noodsradio.com/collections programme Undercurrents with Gregg follow them on Facebook for more details. https://noodsradio.com/luvers McVicker occupies the overnight slot (Alaskan time) six nights a week. It can Another musician who is very much in Alaskan Alias be heard online from 0900 to 1200 UTC. A tune with the radio is a Bristolian: Katy J few hours later, the weekday programme Pearson. She is a bright, energetic talent Alaskan station KSKO, in the small town Denali Jam With Ann, is relayed, via who writes insightful lyrics and sets them of McGrath, has been attracting a larger KRFF Fairbanks. to catchy tunes. Katy and her band perform audience than usual this summer. This is www.kskopublicradio.com at many music festivals. due to its programmes being relayed on Short Wave. In his Listening Post column Finally, WNYC is well known for its A second album was released this sum- for BDXC Communication (May 2022), ground-breaking and inclusive program- RJW\\MNQXYFXNSLQJKWTR0FY^ѣX‫ܪ‬WXYFQGZR Alan Roe noted a, “live relay of the KSKO- ming, podcasts and features. I discovered called Take Back The Radio is one of many FM (89.5 MHz) Afternoon Show on 5900 a nod to the past of short wave on their worth watching – on her and others’, social kHz via Spaceline, Bulgaria on 18 April from website the other day: This came in the media channels. 2200-2400 UTC, a pleasant couple of hours. shape of a series of Radio Moscow archive The relay was arranged by Paul Walker (an WJHTWINSLXFSI\\FXFUQJFXFSY‫ܪ‬SI<3>( Katy presented a programme highlight- active DXer, who is also the DJ/Presenter used to rebroadcast Radio Moscow back in NSLXTRJTKMJWRZXNHFQNS‫ܫ‬ZJSHJXTS the 1960s, to try and bridge the cultural dif- Noods Radio in April. Noods Radio is an ferences between the superpowers. independent station based in Bristol. In www.wnyc.org/series/radio-moscow May, the station broadcast several pop-up live shows from Barcelona. They show- cased a range of Barcelona’s musicians, including Ombra Festival and Sunny Graves, and covered an exciting range of musi- cal genres such as jazz, psych, industrial, techno and cosmic. Noods Radio does offer its listeners much more than the average radio station: “3TTIX7FINTNXFHTRRZSNY^TKRNX‫ܪ‬YX dancers, collectors, and selectors dedicat- ed to discovering and sharing music. Over See our great book and magazine offers at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/store 44 RadioUser August 2022

What’s new in the world of radio News Radio News NUMBERS STATIONS PODCAST : A fairly step toward ensuring that our rules work for a clean SPACE WEATHER QUARTERLY : The latest recent podcast (Episode 239) in the Cold War energy economy,” said Commissioner Geoffrey issue (June 2022) of the Space Weather Conversations podcast series focuses on Starks when the notice was released. “Our inquiry Quarterly newsletter is out and contains articles numbers stations. You might remember listening puts us ahead of the game in understanding these of great interest to many radio monitors and to short wave radio during the Cold War and connectivity requirements and makes sure we’ll enthusiasts. These cover topics, such as coming across weird transmissions of metallic have the right framework in place to meet their solar imaging, ionospheric measurements, voices reciting random groups of numbers needs, too. And we correctly seek comment on space weather observation, geo-electric field through the ether. virtually every framework imaginable — licensed disturbances, solar minima, and much more. These are number stations - short wave radio by rule, licensed by site, licensed ‘light,’ by You can access this publication at the URL, stations characterised by broadcasts of geography and even unlicensed — so that we below: formatted numbers, which were being sent to calibrate our approach to each band and the nature (Source: Space Weather Quarterly) spies operating in foreign countries. Number of demand behind it.” Comments can be filed https://tinyurl.com/2wc63k24 stations were used widely during the Cold within the commission’s ECFS database under War.The makers of this podcast speak with Jo the WirelessTelecommunications Bureau Docket AMSAT-EA ENGLISH LANGUAGE Reggelt of ShortwaveNumbers.com. Jo has been 22-204. NEWSLETTER AVAILABLE: Spain’s amateur working with Simon Mason who was a founding (SOURCE: RADIOWORLD Newsletter satellite organisation AMSAT-EA has released member of ENIGMA, launched in the 1980s, after RW Smart Brief | [email protected]) the English language PDF version of their identifying several of these stations. https://tinyurl.com/2httjbt9 newsletter for May 2022 for free download. (SOURCE: SWLing Post | Ulis | Cold War It features contributions on such topics as Conversations Podcast | via Chrissy Brand) S-BAND RADAR OBSERVATIONS AND URESAT-1 Satellite Modules; Calculation of https://tinyurl.com/yffc6p85 WEATHER:The electric field and gamma-ray frequency in a linear LEO sat contact sked; enhancements at the surface of thunderstorm AMSAT-UK at EMF Camp 2022, and Satellite OFFSHORE WIRELESS SPECTRUM USE: In the ground enhancements (TGEs) can be of Frequency Tables. USA, the Federal Communications Commission positive or negative polarity.The cause of (SOURCE: ICQ Amateur Ham Radio Podcast (FCC) is looking for input on offshore wireless these enhancements is known to relate to Colin Butler) spectrum use. The commission has issued a the microphysical processes of cloud and https://tinyurl.com/49hsvhns Notice of Inquiry to begin the process of gathering precipitation particles within these storms.The information on current needs, future needs and mechanisms of the change in polarity, however, MICHAEL BUBLÉ JOINS BAUER: Michael Bublé potential impacts of offshore wireless spectrum are not clear. Williams et al. [2022] use altitude- has joined Magic to present a weekly show every use from offshore projects like wind turbines, resolved S-band radar observations of Graupel Saturday this month playing summer music. The cruise ships and oceanography projects. to demonstrate distinct differences in storm singer hosted his first Michael Bublé’s Summer Increased spectrum access and updated structure linked with ‘positive’ and ‘negative’TGEs BBQ on the 11th of June at 1 pm and will continue spectrum management may help projects such on Mount Aragats in Armenia. Their results show until the 2nd of July. Michael said, “I am thrilled as these, the commission said, and input from that shallow stages of convection are linked with to be back on Magic Radio hosting my own show. the public helps determine the best ways to ‘positive’TGEs, while deep stages of convection I have had great fun choosing the best summer address these needs.The commission is also are linked with ‘negative’TGEs, consistent with songs to play and creating that perfect BBQ looking for information on which spectrum bands the temperature-dependent electric tripole playlist, which I hope brings the sunshine out! I might best meet offshore spectrum needs, how structure of thunderclouds.This study reveals can’t wait to be back touring in the UK this summer to protect active users operating in those bands new insight into high-energy phenomena inside and you never know I might let you into a secret or and examples of successes/failures in other thunderclouds, by combining high-energy two about what I have planned for my shows.” countries. particle, electric-field, and radar observations. The show is part of the Magic 100% Summer Commentators are being asked to share their (SOURCE: Williams, E., Mkrtchyan, H., Mailyan, programming which launched on 1st June thoughts on different spectrum rights models, B., Karapetyan, G., & Hovakimyan, S. (2022).’ and sees a whole host of shows, activities and such as shared, tiered and primary rights Radar Diagnosis of the Thundercloud Electron promotions across the station up until 29th structures. The notice also seeks the public’s Accelerator’. Journal of Geophysical Research: August. opinion on licensing and how different licensing Atmospheres, 127, e2021JD035957). (SOURCES: Bauer | RadioToday) assignment mechanisms might work best. For https://tinyurl.com/2p8hhvxw https://tinyurl.com/59dwdeey operations like wind farms, the FCC is seeking information on how spectrum might be useful for testing, maintenance and communications with ships and other offshore operations. The commission is also interested in the needs of commercial or private maritime as well as aeronautical uses and is asking for information such as how far from land demand exists for wireless operation and how potential wireless infrastructure would be set up. “I support this Notice of Inquiry because it takes an important For the latest news and product reviews, visit www.radioenthusiast.co.uk August 2022 RadioUser 45

Emerging Issues in Radio REFORM RADIO Chrissy Brand [email protected] B ack in the 1990s and Noughties, the (fictional) ‘radio-therapist’, Dr Frasier Crane, would sign off his programme on Seattle sta- tion KACL, wishing listeners, “good mental health.” Today, a Frasier reboot is in the air while, in society as a whole, mental health and well-being are much better under- stood. The associated stigmas have final- ly been removed. This is in no small part thanks to in- creased public awareness, through cul- tural shifts that include ‘political correct- ness’ and people being ‘woke’. People now realise and understand the need to express their emotions and talk about is- sues with friends, colleagues and family, as well as reach out to health profession- als. As a result of this cultural shift, radio stations around the world have, inevita- bly, found an important role to play in as- sessing and supporting a nation’s mental health. UK RadioAdvocates 1 The ‘Mental Health Minute’ was instigated Health-Minutes on a UK-wide basis in May 2018. In a rare & Tech-Wellness partnership between commercial radio, BBC and community radio, the project Chrissy Brand dips into the psyche of some radio broadcasts a one-minute message, “on stations, podcasts and associated projects that the importance of talking about mental promote wellbeing and improved mental health. health issues, reaching out, and listening to each other.” so grateful to radio stations and their loyal been open about her struggles with anxi- listeners for continuing the national con- ety and depression, stating that music The minute was broadcast on over 400 versation on mental health.” saved her. radio stations and reached an estimated 20 million people. A number of celebrities A different event was held on World Matt Smith was a reporter at talk- were invited to take part, to maximise the Mental Health Day in October 2021, when SPORT, who now works for the char- reach and impact of the project. These the UK’s Radio Academy ran a workshop ity betknowmore UK, supporting people included actors Judi Dench and David which examined how to protect the men- who have suffered from gambling-relat- Harewood, Olympian Jessica Ennis-Hill, tal health of people in the radio industry ed harm. Sam Delaney also took part, his and pop star Lady Gaga. itself. expertise coming from hosting a mental health podcast called The Reset Show. This year, at 0959 UTC on May 13th, A handful of radio presenters spoke at hundreds of UK radio stations again took an hour-long webinar, hosted by Swarzy The final speaker was Seani B, a DJ, part. Radiocentre was one of the found- Macaly. She is a familiar voice to listen- BBC Radio 1Xtra presenter and Grammy ers of the event and Lucy Barrett, Client ers to KISS and BBC Radio 1Xtra. Jadie Award-winning producer. The one-hour Director at Radiocentre, explained, “When Swales-Barnes from the Breakfast Show presentation was frank and open, and it is we recorded the very first Mental Minute on Preston’s Beat 103 also spoke. She well worth making time to view. five years ago, it was clear from the start started DJing at the age of 15 and has https://tinyurl.com/RadioAcademyMH just how important this topic was to the millions of people listening. Despite reaching a broad audience, radio has a unique ability to bring people together, and we hope that this year’s message will encourage people to understand that loneliness should not be ignored. We’re Why not visit our new online bookshop at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/store 46 RadioUser August 2022

Emerging Issues in Radio CARE RADIO Fig. 1: Beewell-Being is on Reform Radio for Manchester’s youth. Fig. 2: Care Radio offers support and entertainment to NHS staff and carers. Fig. 3: August Brice aims for technical wellness on the Thriving with Technology podcast. Fig. 4: Farm Radio International has produced many programmes on mental health. Among UK broadcasters, Natasha Devon 2 THRIVING WITH TECHNOLOGY is a leading advocate for mental health and wellbeing. She is one of the very few pro- 3 The Richmond Fellowship is a char- gressive presenters to be heard on LBC. ity that has helped people to recov- Her programme, which is on the air at 1900 physical health, and AM Radio North East er from poor mental health, for over 60 BST on Saturdays, sympathetically and in- strives to let listeners know that they don’t years. The charity produces a podcast telligently covers a wide range of topical is- have to do so alone.” called Radio Sparky and, to mark Mental sues. In recent times she has discussed the Health Awareness Week 2022, Matt Webb, NHS conversion therapy ban, poverty and There was also a podcast series in 2020 Communications and Marketing Officer, its effects, and the lack of education about produced by the station, with presenter chatted with Nicholas Barnes, of Crawley black history. In addition to her LBC show, Becca. The programmes covered suicide Staying Well service. The theme was lone- she appears on podcasts which help people prevention, self-esteem, depression and liness, and how to use lived experience to through various health conditions. These self-help. There have been other podcasts support others. have included Student Space, a campaign to made about anxiety, family mental health, https://tinyurl.com/RadioSparkyMH include mental health in the GCSE curricu- and video gaming and mental health. lum. Natasha has also authored and con- Clearly, the station punches above its Another brilliant initiative comes in the tributed to books on body image and mental small, community-radio-status weight and form of Care Radio. This station produc- health and her first novel, titled Toxic, was is an exemplar of how a radio station can es informative, entertaining and support- published this summer. educate and empower its audience. ive content for NHS staff and both paid https://linktr.ee/NatashaDevon https://anchor.fm/edward-dean and unpaid carers. It was set up last year https://tinyurl.com/4rvy3bpp https://radio.anxiousminds.co.uk in response to the Covid-19 crisis and is a https://studentspace.org.uk CIC (Community Interest Company), a not- In Brighton, the charity Refugee Radio for-profit service, led by experts in the care UKWellbeing Radio does an amazing job to help support refu- sector and radio industry. It can be heard gees, asylum seekers and vulnerable mi- online and also on DAB+ multiplexes in AM Radio North East (in the Northeast grants. The station’s community projects Portsmouth, South London and Surrey. of England) raises awareness of mental use radio and music to address men- health. Its roots come from the founder’s tal health, isolation and social exclusion. An illustration of the need for Care Radio experiences with PTSD, anxiety and Since 2011, Refugee Radio has operated can be illustrated in the following quote depression. When I last listened to the a mental-health support group. Having from the station website, “Living with the station, a programme about coping with unearthed a desperate need for this work risk, impact and restrictions of Covid has flashbacks was streaming. This was through their radio shows, it has become a had a hugely adverse effect on the wellbe- preceded by a song called Years May Come, major focus. ing of so many carers and is likely to be an Years May Go, by a 1960’s band called https://tinyurl.com/RefugeeRadio-MH on-going issue with long-lasting impact for Herman’s Hermits. In the programme, a [NHS staff]. It is currently estimated that calming voice spoke of becoming grounded Reform Radio in Manchester ran a se- one in five front line NHS care staff alone and normality, the ‘54321-Technique, and ries of programmes for Mental Health will need mental health support [each year].” deep breathing. This was all set on a sound Awareness Week in May (Fig. 1). bed of gentle ambient sound. Meanwhile, carers are a huge, usually Alongside this, therapist Dan Owens unpaid and unsung, sector of every soci- AM Radio North East give a useful syn- Cooper’s new show Beewell-Being con- ety. They save governments a fortune that opsis of what the station is all about, “Each nects young people across the city, listen- would otherwise run into billions every week we will be joined by a special guest. ing to their take on issues surrounding year. Inevitably, anyone who is a carer or AM Radio North East is intended to be a safe mental health. space to hear honest and open discussions https://tinyurl.com/ReformRadio-MH about mental health, in the hope listeners https://tinyurl.com/RRBeeWell will feel more empowered to continue the conversation with others. Covering many, many topics that influence mental health, we focus on identity and the sheer weight of be- ing a human in our modern, technology-filled world. Learn about different conditions from first-hand experience, with statistics you can trust, and inspiring guests. Mental health is something to be mindful of just as much as For the latest news and product reviews, visit www.radioenthusiast.co.uk August 2022 RadioUser 47

Emerging Issues in Radio FARM RADIO INTERNATIONAL who needs care will likely struggle with well-being and mental health. Operating on a 24/7 basis, there are many Care Radio programmes to choose from (Fig. 2). On a Wednesday at 1300 BST, I enjoyed Ernie Rowe’s show. She states, “I’ve experienced first-hand the astonishing level of care given by so many remarkable people in our NHS, despite near-impossible circumstances and the lack of pop-star wages”. www.careradio.org WorldWellbeing Radio 4 For further podcasts to explore, check out a list that is advertised by Player FM as Beyond the UK, there are, unsurprisingly, August has undertaken over twenty containing the best current mental health many radio programmes and podcasts that years of study in this area and aims to en- podcasts. These include BBC Radio 4’s All cover the area of mental health. I shall give a able everyone to achieve ‘tech wellness’ in the Mind and a humorous take on the few examples in the English-speaking world. through news and information that is clear, subject matter, called The Hilarious World understandable and fun. of Depression. The latter is hosted by vet- Many public radio broadcasters dedicate https://tinyurl.com/2p9beys8 eran humourist and public radio host, John special programmes to exploring and dis- https://tinyurl.com/mswbsmrk Moe. It is, “a series of frank, moving, and, cussing mental health. Radio New Zealand www.facebook.com/techwellness yes, funny conversations with top comedi- produced audio and video and undertook https://tinyurl.com/43wnwf4k ans who have dealt with this disease.” a lot of research on Together Alone, New https://player.fm/featured/mental-health Zealand’s silent Pasifika mental health crisis. Farm Radio International (Fig. 4) has fea- https://tinyurl.com/576vpk73 tured in RadioUser before. It is an interna- In Australia, ABC’s The Health Report of- www.youtube.com/c/RNZVideo tional, non-profit organisation that uses ra- fers intelligent discussion on all aspects dio as a tool for international development of health. It is hosted by Tegan Taylor and In Delaware, USA, the Mental Health News in rural Africa. As a response to the esti- Dr Norman Swann. Tegan is an ABC health Radio Network offers around seventy dif- mated 300 million people worldwide who and science reporter and co-host of the ferent audio programmes. The project was struggle with depression, the station has ABC’s Coronacast. She also works on the initiated by Kristin Sunanta Walker. A be- covered mental health in its programming podcast, Ockham’s Razor, which is a plat- wildering array of subjects are covered and strategy. Five years ago, on World Mental form for short talks about, “research, indus- include children’s mental health, trauma, Health Day (October 10th), Farm Radio try and policy, from people with something grief, abuse, animal-assisted recovery, eat- International published an informative blog thoughtful to say about science.” Norman ing disorders, PTSD, borderline personal- post detailing its forays into mental health is a producer and broadcaster, whose ca- ity disorder and narcissism. One exam- in Malawi and Tanzania. reer has been, “highlighted by his desire ple of a programme on the Mental Health to keep the Australian public informed of News Radio Network is The Mindshifters The station worked with radio broadcast- health developments as they happen.” Podcast, whose promotional material reads, ers, youth groups, schools, and health care https://tinyurl.com/2p9cb9wk “The Forgiveness Doctor, Dr Michael and providers to produce radio programmes https://tinyurl.com/26r9swk5 Jeanie Ryce are the founder and director of on mental health. One entertaining show HeartLand, a self-healing center in the Ozark it helped devise and produce was from Radio has a key role to help produce a mountains. Michael is a world-renowned lec- Malawi; it was called Depression-free, Life healthier, better-balanced, more well-round- turer and teacher on health and healing, with is Cool. It also produced a radio soap opera ed society. It is reassuring to see that so doctorates in Naturopathic Medicine and in Tanzania, called Positive Mood, which many broadcasters and podcasters around Holistic Philosophy. The focus of his stud- was very popular among secondary school the globe continue to rise to this challenge. ies has been on combining ‘bodymind’ prin- students. ciples, physics and ancient Aramaic stud- https://tinyurl.com/4busvf7f ies into a unique body of pioneering work in the fields of self-healing, healing through relationships, anger and grief resolution, and world peace and the inner process of Forgiveness.” Another programme is called Thriving with Technology, where presenter August Brice enables ‘tech-wellness’ (Fig. 3). She and others share stories and videos about how to use technology in the healthiest way possible, “so that our crazy connected world doesn’t end up making us feel bad!” This in- cludes ways to keep families healthy and making good choices about the technology being used and the food we eat. Why not visit our new online bookshop at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/store 48 RadioUser August 2022

Rallies Rallies & Events Due to the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation, the Rallies calendar remains changeable. All information published here reflects the situation up to and including 18th July 2022. Readers are advised to check with the organisers of any rally or event, before setting out for any visit. The Radio Enthusiast website will have regular rally updates, please check it regularly. To get your event on this list, e-mail full details as early as possible: [email protected] 31 July tion). (L |TS | Indoor and Field Pitches). [JWXNY^ -&: 9+3' (FRUZX(TRRZSNY^(JSYWJ'8)= WILTSHIRE RADIO RALLY & CAR BOOT Tony Baker G3PFM: 07743 475018 Martyn G3UKV https://tinyurl.com/2p986v6t SALE: (Chippenham and District Amateur [email protected] Tel: 01952 255416 Radio Club Rally 2022) Kington Langley www.frars.co.uk http://www.telfordhamfest.org.uk 25-30 September Village Hall and Playing Field, Kington EUROPEAN MICROWAVE WEEK 2022 Langley, Wiltshire SN15 5NJ. 9 am to 3 pm. 21 August 9-11 September (MILAN) Admission free.Traders Welcome (CA | RED ROSE RALLY : Organised by West 67TH WEINHEIM VHF CONFERENCE:The https://tinyurl.com/y49mv8j6 Covid-19 safe). Manchester Radio Club. St Joseph’s Hall, traditional Weinheim VHF Conference has https://www.micomilano.it/en Brian G6HUI Leigh WN7 2PJ.Those requiring tables been organized by committed radio ama- [email protected] UQJFXJHTSYFHY(TQNS ''a(7a+5a28 YJZWX TSFSTSUWT‫ܪ‬YFSI[TQZSYFW^GFXNX 7-9 October Chairman@chippenhamradioclub [email protected] since 1956. It sees itself in its tradition as THE RSGB CONVENTION https://wiltshirespc.org/wp/g3vre/rally www.wmrc.co.uk a meeting place for everyone interested in https://tinyurl.com/265yh44r radio and electronics. amateurs from all 7 August 21 August T[JW*ZWTUJUWJXJSYYMJNWJ]UJWNJSHJXFY 14-15 October BATC CONVENTION FOR AMATEUR TV RUGBY AMATEUR TRANSMITTING SO- this forum, provide information on innova- THE NATIONAL HAMFEST(FRIDAY & 2022 (CAT22) PART1: Midland Air Mu- CIETY RADIO RALLY: Princethorpe Col- tive developments. SATURDAY): George Stephenson Pavil- seum, Rowley Rd, Coventry CV3 4FR. CAT lege, Princethorpe, Rugby CV23 9PY. Open https://tinyurl.com/2httjbt9 NTS3J\\FWP3TYYNSLMFR8MT\\LWTZSI 22 will be a meet-up, show and tell, test and 10 am ('8 Lincoln Rd, Winthorpe, Newark, Notts. ‫]ܪ‬NYFSI'WNSL'Z^J[JSYKWTRFRYT Steve G8LYB: 07956 855816 11 September RG24 2NY (Local and international traders; 4 pm. Full test facilities are available for [email protected] CAISTER LIFEBOAT RADIO RALLY: Cais- ''a'TTPXa('8a(QZGXa78,'a8., 5.6GHz/Portsdown/MiniTiouner/Ryde/ www.rugbyats.co.uk ter Lifeboat Station, Caister on Sea, NR30 http://nationalhamfest.org.uk UT\\JWFRUQN‫ܪ‬JWXUWJFRUX 5DJ.The entrance is via the car park on https://batc.org.uk/events 28 August 'JFHM7TFIFSIFIRNXXNTSNXKWJJKTWYMJ 16 October MILTON KEYNES ARS RALLY:The Irish public. Doors are open from 9 am to 2 pm HORNSEA ARC RALLY:)WNK‫ܪ‬JQI8MT\\ 7 August Centre, Manor Fields, Watling Street, (8 am for sellers). Inside tables £10 each, Ground, YO25 9DW. KING’S LYNN ARC 32NDGREAT EAST- 'QJYHMQJ^20-= 4UUTXNYJDobbies outside £5 each (RF). www.hornseaarc.co.uk ERN RADIO RALLY: Gaywood Community Garden Centre), (FP | CF | D).The entrance Zane M1BFI: 07711 214790. Centre, Gayton Road, King’s Lynn, Norfolk. fee is £3.00. Open to the public from 9:00 RG‫ܪ‬%TZYQTTPHTR 22 October PE30 4EL. NGRTF638203 Open 9 am am. Outdoor pitches and indoor tables ESSEX CW BOOT CAMP/ CW CONVEN- (trade from 7 am). Admission is £ 2.50. available. 11 September TION:WI<NYMFR8HTZY,ZNIJ-67JFW Outdoor pitch £8; indoor £10 per table. Brendan (G8IXK), Vice Chairman RIPON RADIO RALLY: Hugh Ripley Hall, of Spring Lodge Community Centre Pow- ''a(+a+5a98 [email protected] Ripon, North Yorks, HG4 2PT, 100 m west JWX-FQQ*SI<NYMFR*XXJ](2-* [email protected] www.mkars.org.uk TK-NLM8PJQQLFYJYWFK‫ܪ‬HQNLMYX'9WFI- Doors open at 08:30 for registration. 09:00 http://www.klarc.org.uk ers from 7 am to 9.30; tables £10 each. - 16:30. Parking free. Entry is £10, with free 28 August Doors are open at 10 am. £3 per person. IWNSPX5WJWJLNXYJW\\NYM,.'3 12 August TORBAY ANNUAL COMMUNICATIONS 9MJ'WNSLFSI'Z^NXZUXYFNWX)TSFYNTSf Tel: 0745 342 60 87 COCKENZIE & PORT SETON ARC 27TH FAIR: Newton Abbot Racecourse Devon per item to a local charity, sold or not. [email protected] MINI-RALLY NIGHT: Community Centre, TQ12 3AF. Doors open at 10 am, with disa- https://www.g4sjm.co.uk/contact-us Main Hall, Port Seton. 6 pm. Admission bled visitors gaining access at 9.30 am. 30 October NXf9FGQJXTSF‫ܪ‬WXYHTRJ‫ܪ‬WXYXJW[JI .SITTWJ[JSY +5a''a78,'(+ 17 September GALASHIELS RADIO RALLY : Volunteer basis. Pete G4VTO: 01803 864 528 ANGEL OF THE NORTH RADIO RALLY: -FQQ8Y/TMSX8YWJJY,FQFXMNJQX9)/= www.cpsarc.com Mike G1TUU: 01803 557 941. Whitehall Road Methodist Church Hall, 4UJS&2 ''a(7a98 [email protected] 'JSXMFR,FYJXMJFI3*1-)TTWXFWJ http://galaradioclub.co.uk/?cat=7 12-14 August open from 10.30 am till 3 pm.The entrance 19TH INTERNATIONAL EME CONFER- 29 August charge is £3; for those under 16s, it is £1. 6 November ENCE (PRAGUE): Registrations open HUNTINGDONSHIRE ARS (HARS) AN- 9JFTW(TKKJJFSI'FHTS'ZYYNJXf BUSHVALLEY ARC RALLY: Limavady from 1 January 2022. NUAL RALLY: Ernulf Academy, St Neots (FWUFWPNSLNXFY(FJIRTS8HMTTQSJ]Y Football Club. Doors open at 11 am; entry http://www.eme2020.cz PE19 2SH. Gates open forTraders at 7 am door on Whitehall Road.The cost per 6ft ta- is £3 with a door prize ticket. and the public at 9 am. Indoor and outdoor GQJNXf ''a+5 14 August stalls are available.Talk-in on 145.550 Nancy Bone: 07990 760 920 6 November FLIGHT REFUELLING ARS HAMFEST: 2-_TS,=-87 ''a(7a+5 [email protected] HOLSWORTHY RADIO RALLY (HARC): Cobham Sports and Social Club Ground, Malcolm M0OLG: 01480 214282. Amanda Weston: 07787 155 745 Holsworthy Leisure Centre, Well Park, 2JWQJ^SW<NRGTWSJ)TWXJY'-)& [email protected] [email protected] <JXYJWS7TFI-TQX\\TWYM^)J[TS*= Talk in will be on S22.The gates open from www.hunts-hams.co.uk 6DHTraders from 8:00 am; doors open to 10 am to 6 pm; entry will be £4, which in- 25 September the public at 10 am ''a(7a)a98 cludes car parking. No dogs are permitted, 4 September WESTON SUPER MARE RS 7TH RA- [email protected] J]HJUYLZNIJITLX QFSIT\\SJWѣXHTSIN- TELFORD HAMFEST: Harper Adams Uni- DIO & ELECTRONICS RALLY:The https://tinyurl.com/yckypn5v 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 MS Meeting Spaces RF 7FK‫ܫ‬JRSGB (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 August 2022 RadioUser 49

Aerials Now Keith Rawlings [email protected] In my ongoing series on basic aerials, 1 I have mainly covered the dipole, in- cluding a few of its many derivatives. Discovering the Before moving on to vertical aerials, I G5RV Dipole Aerial would like to describe another dipole vari- ant – the G5RV. This must be one of the Keith Rawlings describes the basic characteristics of best-known aerials of all time. It is a good the G5RV Aerial, hears more from a proud owner of a multi-purpose design – simple to make Spectrum Communications (RX SPC) Aerial Tuning Unit and cheap to implement, and it works on and shares updates on the NEC-5 modelling engine. multiple bands. made for the change in the Velocity Factor Construction It can be configured as a conventional of the line, if the low VSWR on 14MHz is and Operation dipole, a sloper or an inverted vee. When to be maintained. The matching section used for transmitting it will effectively should be constructed from an open-wire This matching section is connected to cover all of the amateur bands from line for minimum loss. the centre of the dipole and should be al- 80-10m, and also the 160m band, by lowed to descend vertically for as long a strapping the feeder together and tuning This is because it will always carry a length as possible (ideally full length). It against a good ground. standing wave along with it (incidentally, can then be tied off to a suitable support, due to this fact the actual impedance of HTSSJHYJIYTFHTF]NFQQNSJFSIWZSYT Naturally, it also works for reception the line is not important). the operating position. While the G5RV’s on the HF broadcast bands plus Medium impedance is low at 20m, an AMU will Wave, where it may be tuned in the same The length of the matching section is be needed to use on other frequencies; way as 160m. an electrical half wave on 14.150MHz. a high reactance will be found on some The electrical length will be different bands. Initially described by Louis Varney to the physical length, and this may be G5RV in the July 1958 RSGB Bulletin, and determined by the following formula: It should be noted also that Varney al- updated in the July 1984 RadCom, Varney ways stated that a matching unit should had been using his design since 1946. 1JSLYMNSKJJY\" ];+K 2-_ be used with his design when used on https://tinyurl.com/mw9dnatv Ѣ;+ѣ\"YMJ[JQTHNY^TKYMJRFYHMNSL bands other than 20m. When connected section, which varies on the type of line YTFHTF]NFQQNSJXTRJKTWRTKFHMTPJ The G5RV as originally designed, used). Generally, an open-wire line may should be fitted to prevent current from \\FXFɃHJSYWJKJIQTSL\\NWJTSR have a VF of around 0.95 to 0.97. appearing on the outer of the cable. (14MHz), with a matching section acting A ladder line will have a VF of around as a 1:1 impedance transformer (Figs.1 FSIȹY\\NSQJFIFWTZSI Alternatively, an open-wire line and 2). This enabled the direct use of a :XNSLYMNXKTWRZQF] (including a ribbon feeder) may be used ȹKJJIJWўJNYMJWY\\NSQJFITWHTF]NFQ 2-_\"KYKTWYMJTUJS\\NWJQNSJFSI running back to a balanced AMU. As cable – with a low VSWR on the feeder. 31.3 ft for the slotted line. mentioned previously, this AMU should The G5RV measures up to 102ft overall length. It is fed at the centre with a low- loss, 34ft-long, open-wire matching section. 9MJKTWRZQFKTWYMJɃYTUXJHYNTS is calculated by the formula 492(n-0.05)/ f(MHz), where ‘n’ is equal to the number of half wavelengths of the top section. -JSHJ]2-_\"KY Similarities and Calculations You will soon realise that the G5RV has similarities to the doublet, and also the EDZ type, with a matching section; in reality, this is another variant of the doublet design. When viewing the G5RV as a multi- band aerial, it must be remembered that the matching section was designed to give it a low VSWR on the 14MHz amateur band only. Varney’s original design used a 34 ft length of open-wire line. This may be substituted with Slotted Line. However, an allowance has to be See our great book and magazine offers at www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/store 50 RadioUser August 2022