Here is another video from Randy, K7AGE looking at homebrew and commercial soundcard interfaces for PSK31, RTTY, SSTV and other digital modes.

I’ve been using PSK since 2001/2002 and it is a great digital mode for hams to use. PSK31 was developed by English amateur radio operator Peter Martinez (G3PLX) and introduced to the wider amateur radio community in December 1998.

I posted a video on September 25, 2009 about “PSK-31 Introduction (Receiving)”. You can find it by searching for “PSK” in the search box above, by clicking on the video tab above or go to the Archive page under the “Site” tab.

Source: K7AGE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmsFhz_dyAg

I don’t know anything about these pictures or the car, but thought it is an interesting “mobile” setup! Click on the link below for all the pictures.

Source: Paul Loveless via a website he found – http://jalopnik.com/5428800/ham-radio-car-sale-photos/

Unless you plan to take the Technician class license examination before
July 1, 2010, don’t use study guides based on the question pool that
became effective July 1, 2006. The 2006 pool will be replaced by a
2010 question pool effective July 2010. The 2006 pool and study
materials used for it are useable for Technician exams to be given as
late as Jun 30, 2010.

Beginning July 1, 2010 Tech exams will be based upon the 2010 question
pool. This pool will be available to the public in early January.
People wishing to obtain a printed copy of the pool or a study manual
based on it should watch for announcements in ham publications or on
the web. Of course, www.arrl.org and ARRL bulletins will be a good
source of information on these.

Source: Jim Weaver, K8JE (ARRL Great Lakes Division Director)

Source ARRL

There are several MARS members in our club so I thought I would post this information that came our from the Department of Defense.

—

On Wednesday, December 23, the Department of Defense (DoD) issued an Instruction concerning MARS, effective immediately. This Instruction gives the three MARS services — Army, Air Force and Navy/Marine Corps — a new focus on homeland security and a new name: Military Auxiliary Radio System. The Instruction is the first major revision to MARS since January 26, 1988 — as such, the first revision since the 9/11 attacks and Hurricane Katrina, two major events that changed the way Amateur Radio dealt with emergency communications.

The DoD defines a “military auxiliary” as “an organized body of volunteers prepared to supplement the uniformed services or any designated civilian authorities by provision of specialized autonomous services when called upon or when situations warrant,” and gives the Civil Air Patrol and Coast Guard Auxiliary as examples of auxiliaries.

In the past, MARS had focused primarily on emergency communications and health and welfare support. The DoD’s Instruction now directs the three MARS services to provide “contingency radio communications” to support US government operations, DoD components and “civil authorities at all levels,” providing for national security and emergency preparedness events. MARS units will still continue to provide health and welfare communications support “to military members, civilian employees and contractors of DoD Components, and civil agency employees and contractors, when in remote or isolated areas, in contingencies or whenever appropriate.” MARS must also be capable of operation in “radio only” modes — without landlines or the Internet — and sustainable on emergency power (when public utility power has failed); some MARS stations must be transportable for timely deployment.

Here is the latest (December 27th) weekly audio reports from:

1) Amateur Radio Newsline (12/25)
2) This Week In Amateur Radio (TWIAR) (12/27)

Amateur Radio Newsline

You can also scroll down at the bottom of the audio player for previous weeks reports!

For those that prefer a mp3 download: AMATEUR RADIO NEWSLINE(tm) REPORT

On a PC, right click on the file you want to download. In the drop-down box that appears click on “Save Target As” and when the next box appears select a file destination and click on “Save”.

This Week in Amateur Radio (TWIAR)

Audio here – Streaming

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-354

ANS is a free, weekly, news and information service of AMSAT North
America, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS reports on the
activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an
active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating
through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites.

Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to:
ans-editor@amsat.org

In this edition:

* AMSAT China’s XW-1 Satellite Testing Proceeding Well
* AO-51 Schedule to Support SKN
* January 2010 AMSAT Kid’s Day on AO-51
* Students and Teachers Invited to Fly a File on ARISSAT-1
* NASA Revised EVA Schedule Affects ARISSat
* Satellite Shorts From All Over
* ESA and CNES to Fly Atomic Clock to ISS Columbus Module

Please go to the source for the article: ANS-354 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

This is a video of the K5D Desecheo DXEpedition from February 2009. This was a relatively easy DXEpedition for us to work in the US.

Thanks to the crew that provided us with this DX entity and for PY2MAJ for putting this together!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foBy2Bk_ZYA

Here is the latest (December 13th) weekly audio reports from:

1) Amateur Radio Newsline (12/18)
2) This Week In Amateur Radio (TWIAR) (12/20)
3) ARRL Audio (12/17)

Amateur Radio Newsline

You can also scroll down at the bottom of the audio player for previous weeks reports!

For those that prefer a mp3 download: AMATEUR RADIO NEWSLINE(tm) REPORT

On a PC, right click on the file you want to download. In the drop-down box that appears click on “Save Target As” and when the next box appears select a file destination and click on “Save”.

This Week in Amateur Radio (TWIAR)

Audio here – Streaming

ARRL Audio News

Audio here – Streaming

I’m sure that many of you have seen these direction finding antennas before, but in case you have not and would like to build one here is a set of directions to get you on your way. Just click on the the different steps or download the pdf file (top/right) to your computer.

Radio Direction Finding Antenna for VHF – More DIY How To Projects

This is another step in the right direction! The Senate passed by consent S 1755 which now moves this bill to the House for consideration.

Make sure to contact your representatives and senators to provide your support for this to continue to move forward. Perhaps, someday legislation at the federal level will be able to override the current CCR’s many of us experience in erecting antenna’s on our property.

Thankfully, the ARRL and many amateur radio operators have been working diligently on this effort.

On Monday, December 14, S 1755 — The Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Enhancement Act of 2009 — passed the Senate by unanimous consent; the bill now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration. Sponsored by Senator Joe Lieberman (ID-CT), and Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), S 1755, if passed, would direct the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to undertake a study on emergency communications. S 1755 points out that “There is a strong Federal interest in the effective performance of Amateur Radio Service stations, and that performance must be given — (A) support at all levels of government; and (B) protection against unreasonable regulation and impediments to the provision of the valuable communications provided by such stations.” Read more here.

Source: ARRL