In June of 1999, I revived an interest from my teenage years in amateur radio. I passed the FCC exam for a Technician Class Amateur Radio Operators Licence, and was issued the callsign KB3DXS. (My lifepartner Gwen—then KB3DVJ, now NG3P—had passed her exam just a month before.)
In February 2000 I passed the written exam for a General Class Licence, and a Morse Code test (for advanced licences one still must demonstrate a rudimentary ability to receive Morse code). On the following April 15, I passed the new Amateur Extra class examination, so I now have the most advanced licence available, under the callsign K3XS. I'm also an ARRL-VEC Volunteer Examiner, an AMSAT Area Coordinator, and a Skywarn weather observer.
Things in "ham radio" have changed quite a bit since those teenage years. I've been enjoying exploring some of the new digital-mode ham applications, especially space operations (involving amateur radio satellites and the International Space Station ), Slow-scan television (really a form of color fax over radio), Packet Radio, and APRS.
Here is a very good overview of Amateur Radio at the How Stuff Works site. There's more good introductory stuff at the ARRL site too.
Here's some of the things I've enjoyed doing in the hobby, and some of the toys that go along with it.
AO-27 was the first satellite I ever made contact through, using the VX-5R and a special antenna
The FT-847 enabled me to start working though more sophisticated satellites, such as the Russian amateur radio satellite,RS-12/13. This satellite used linear transponder technology that allowed it to relay several different conversations at once, making it much easier to use.
AO-40 had a bit of a rough ride, and was finally launched November 16, 2000 aboard an Ariane 5 launcher, after a decade-long development period. It was a very sophisticated spacecraft, with many radios, computers, cameras and other experiments on-board. For a while in December 2000 we though the "bird" was lost; apparently one of the rocket engines on board suffered a mishap and damaged some of the on-board equipment, but on Christmas Day 2000 control of the satellite was regained, and on May 5 I was privileged to be among the first to make voice contacts (listen to MP3 audio) through the new satellite when the transponders were activated for the first public experimental use.
Here are the slides for a presentation I did on AO-40
AO-40 experienced a catastrophic failure of its main batteries in January, 2004, and is now considered inoperable. But if the failed battery should go from shorted to an open circuit (this has happened before on other amateur satellites, it may be possible to switch to the backup battery system and return AO-40 to operation.
NA1SS/RS0ISS is the ham radio station aboard the International Space Station. When the astronaut crew on board (most of whom are licenced radio amateurs) has the time and inclination, they make voice contacts with stations on Earth, including a special emphasis on scheduled contacts with groups of school children.
At other times, the station operates as a digital packet repeater system. I've made many digital contacts though the repeater.
On 4 January 2006 at 2142z, I had a brief voice contact with ISS Commander Bill McArthur, KC5ACR
Phil-Mont had a lot to do with getting me interested in ham radio, especially by operating the W3TKQ station exhibit at the Franklin Institute Science Museum, where I spent a lot of time as a youngster. Gwen and I have been members of Phil-mont for almost as long as we've been hams. For the last few years I've been on the club's Board of Directors, too.
I've been the editor of the PMRC's newletter, The Blurb, since the January 2002 issue. It's quite an honor to have curatorship of a publication that's been published regularly since 1949. I'm the club webmistress, too, and issues of the Blurb under my editorship are archived at the club website in PDF format.
Phil-mont operates a Field day station as W3EM every June, as they have done for decades.
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"On the fourth full weekend each June, radio amateurs from all over the US and Canada, and in other parts of the world as well, take their equipment into the great outdoors to operate away from power mains. The idea is to practice setting up and operating under emergency conditions. Participants set up efficient temporary stations and contact as many other Field Day participants as possible. Although it is a practice effort for future emergency operations, Field Day is, above all, fun; you can't help but enjoy the challenge of working cooperatively with your group to compete against perhaps 100,000 other hams who are also braving the elements to attain the same goal!"
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This is my pride and joy: A Yaesu FT-847, sold under the name "Earthstation", because of special features it has for satellite operation. Usable in most emission modes on most of the available amateur bands, this one just about does it all.
I built an Elecraft K2 low-power HF transceiver from a kit. (Gwen built the add-on module for single-sideband (SSB) voice operation.) It is vey small and light, and runs on its rechargable internal battery or on 12v power from a car cigarette lighter.
Here are the slides for a presentation I did on the K2.
I'm also writing Java software to control this and other amateur radio stations. (Online documentation)
Here's a screenshot:
I've built a steerable antenna array in our backyard that allows me to work directly with spacecraft in orbit (we also have several other antennas for terrestrial use). We call the array "Spiny Norman"(after the hedgehog character from Monty Python's Flying Circus). It will transmit and receive in a fairly tight beam in any direction into the sky on amateur UHF and VHF frequencies, as well as receiving signals on the 13cm S-band at 2.4 GHz
For folks who like the details, the antenna on the left is a 30 element 70cm yagi, with circular polarization (made by Hygain, model 7030SAT). On the right, a 20 element yagi (Cushcraft model A144-20T).Both antennas were purchased used at a hamfest, $60 for the pair. The homemade S-band recive helix antenna and downconverter are visible just to the left of the rotor system in the center, which is a used Yaesu G-5400B
This is an LDG Electronics AT-11MP antenna autotuner. It automatically adjusts the output of my FT-847 to play nicely with whatever antenna system it's connected to for HF frequencies (1800 kHz through 30MHz)
My hand-held radios. On the left, a Yaesu VX-5R, on the right, an Alinco DJ-C5T. The VX-5R goes almost everywhere with me. |
This is a Kantronics All-Mode communications controller--rather like a radio modem with a small computer in it. It can recieve and transmit digital packet radio, radioteletype (RTTY) and Morse Code (CW). It also has a small store-and-forward message memory bulletin-board system (BBS).
I also have an elderly Sony ICF-2010. It's a very capable HF/Air VHF reciever for how old it is. I understand they are still being manufactured.
