Contents - Monitoring Times
Contents - Monitoring Times
Contents - Monitoring Times
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C O N T E N T S<br />
Vol. 31 No. 8 August 2012<br />
www.monitoringtimes.com<br />
Scanning - Shortwave - Ham Radio - Equipment<br />
Internet Streaming - Computers - Antique Radio<br />
A Publication of Grove Enterprises<br />
WX4NHC<br />
Hurricane<br />
Watch<br />
®<br />
Volume 31, No. 8<br />
August 2012<br />
U.S. $6.95<br />
Can. $6.95<br />
Printed in the<br />
United States<br />
In this issue:<br />
• How to Apply for a Low Power FM License<br />
• Radio Zanzibar returns to Shortwave<br />
• Using Pro-Grade Radios as Scanners<br />
• MT Reviews: Bonito 1102s SDR Receiver<br />
WX4NHC: The National<br />
Hurricane Center’s Vital<br />
Radio Link.................. 8<br />
By Ken Reitz KS4ZR<br />
“When all else fails….” That’s<br />
the famous ARRL slogan that refers to<br />
the robust ability of amateur radio to<br />
provide communications when commercial<br />
power, commercial broadcasting<br />
and Internet connections go down.<br />
And, nothing exemplifies that concept<br />
more than the amateur radio station at<br />
the National Hurricane Center (NHC)<br />
in Miami, Florida with the call sign<br />
WX4NHC.<br />
Julio Ripoll WD4R was there 32<br />
years ago when then NHC Director Dr.<br />
Neil Frank sought the ability to contact<br />
weather stations in the Caribbean for<br />
storm data when commercial power<br />
would eventually go out. As an architecture<br />
student and president of the<br />
amateur radio club at the University of<br />
Miami, Ripoll lugged the club’s FT101<br />
transceiver and wire antenna from his<br />
dorm room across the street to NHC<br />
headquarters. In this month’s cover<br />
story Ripoll recalls the many times<br />
everyone listened to 14.325 MHz as<br />
the drama of the latest storm unfolded.<br />
On Our Cover<br />
The roof of the National Hurricane<br />
Center in Miami, Florida bristles with<br />
antennas for everything from satellite<br />
reception to 80 meter amateur radio.<br />
When a storm threatens landfall in Miami,<br />
the building becomes a large, sealed,<br />
self-powered bunker. (Courtesy: National<br />
Hurricane Center)<br />
The Return to Shortwave of Zanzibar Broadcasting.....12<br />
By Eric Bryan<br />
After nearly three years’ silence, Zanzibar Broadcasting<br />
Corporation (formerly Radio Tanzania and the<br />
Voice of Tanzania) has returned to shortwave. Eric<br />
writes, “In the current climate of English program<br />
shutdowns by major international broadcasters,<br />
despite the ZBC only having a sliver of daily English,<br />
the return of this station is something to celebrate<br />
for shortwave DXers; it’s what shortwave listening and DXing are all about.”<br />
Using Pro-Grade Radios as Scanners:<br />
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly...................................14<br />
By Chris Parris<br />
Debate rages on scanner Internet forums and<br />
web sites: Do professional-grade public service radios<br />
make better scanners than hobby scanners available<br />
at your local retailer? Chris Parris, MT’s Fed Files<br />
columnist tackles the question. What he found, after<br />
years of experience with both, is that some pro-grade<br />
receivers might be better receivers, but there are<br />
more than a few drawbacks.<br />
Low Power FM:<br />
Helping your Community Find its Voice.........................16<br />
By Brad Gibson<br />
After years of relentless effort, battling big broadcast interests and FCC recalcitrance,<br />
the Prometheus Radio Project succeeded in overseeing the passage of<br />
the Community Radio Act into law. The FCC has yet to finalize rules for applying,<br />
but when the licensing window opens thousands of groups will compete for the<br />
new Low Power FM (LPFM) tickets. Brad Gibson, a community radio organizer<br />
for Prometheus, tells MT readers how their local groups can apply for an LPFM<br />
license.<br />
R E V I E W S<br />
Bonito 1102s RadioJet Shortwave Receiver<br />
By Bob Grove W8JHD<br />
Software Defined Radios have been<br />
creeping up the radio horizon in the last<br />
few years and this month Bob takes a look<br />
at the Euro-based Bonito 1102s RadioJet<br />
shortwave receiver. Like other similar<br />
models, the RadioJet requires a computer<br />
running Window 7 or XP and an outdoor<br />
antenna for best results. And, at $600, it’s<br />
not cheap. But, its extensive capabilities<br />
(including DRM reception out of the box)<br />
and flexible software make this SDR worth considering.
MONITORING TIMES<br />
(ISSN: 0889-5341;<br />
Publishers Mail Agreement<br />
#1253492) is<br />
published monthly by<br />
Grove Enterprises, Inc.,<br />
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USA.<br />
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excerpts may be reprinted with appropriate<br />
credit. Complete articles may not be<br />
reproduced without permission.<br />
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information it publishes is accurate, it cannot be held<br />
liable for the contents. The reader assumes any risk<br />
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published in <strong>Monitoring</strong> <strong>Times</strong>. Opinion or conclusions<br />
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Owners<br />
Bob and Judy Grove<br />
judy@grove-ent.com<br />
Publisher<br />
Bob Grove, W8JHD<br />
bobgrove@monitoringtimes.com<br />
Managing Editor<br />
Rachel Baughn, KE4OPD<br />
editor@monitoringtimes.com<br />
Assistant and Reviews Editor<br />
Larry Van Horn, N5FPW<br />
larryvanhorn@monitoringtimes.com<br />
Features Editor<br />
Ken Reitz<br />
kenreitz@monitoringtimes.com<br />
Table Of <strong>Contents</strong><br />
Departments<br />
Communications................................6<br />
Letters..............................................74<br />
Stock Exchange.................................76<br />
Advertisers Index..............................76<br />
First Departments<br />
Getting Started<br />
Scanning Report...............................20<br />
By Dan Veeneman<br />
Decoding Digital Data<br />
Ask Bob............................................23<br />
By Bob Grove W8JHD<br />
Stand-off insulators for 450 ohm ladder<br />
line; SDR using Windows Vista; Using CFLs<br />
in a floor lamp; Matching a horizontal loop<br />
antenna; Auto-tuning a PAR End-Fedz antenna;<br />
Ceramic vs monolithic capacitors; Improving<br />
digital reception on a scanner.<br />
Utility World.....................................24<br />
By Hugh Stegman NV6H<br />
Beating the Shortwave Summertime Blues<br />
Digital Digest....................................27<br />
By Mike Chace<br />
Rivet and a new Decoder<br />
On the Ham Bands...........................28<br />
By Kirk Kleinschmidt NT0Z<br />
Of Mics and Men: Transmit Audio Part 2<br />
Beginner’s Corner............................30<br />
By Ken Reitz KS4ZR<br />
The Curious World of HF Pirate Radio<br />
Programming Spotlight.................... 32<br />
By Fred Waterer<br />
Summertime and the Livin’ is Easy<br />
Second Departments<br />
QSL Report.......................................34<br />
By Gayle Van Horn W4GVH<br />
RFA Offers the Olympic Panda<br />
English Language SW Guide............35<br />
MTXtra Shortwave Broadcast Guide .48<br />
Arabic/Chinese<br />
Milcom.............................................52<br />
By Larry Van Horn N5FPW<br />
Naval Region Southwest Radio System<br />
Broadcast Bandscan ........................54<br />
By Doug Smith W9WI<br />
Over-the-Air TV in Canada: Going, Going,<br />
Gone?<br />
Boats, PLANES, Trains.......................56<br />
By Iden Rogers<br />
Aircraft and Altitude<br />
Globalnet ........................................58<br />
By Loyd Van Horn W4LVH<br />
It’s Convention Time<br />
Below 500 kHz.................................60<br />
By Kevin Carey WB2QMY<br />
Allure of Longwave<br />
Technical Departments<br />
Radio Restorations............................62<br />
By Marc Ellis N9EWJ<br />
More on the Midget Arvin and<br />
Sets You Don’t Want to Plug In!<br />
Antenna Topics.................................64<br />
By Dan Farber AC0LW<br />
Antenna, Feedline and Ground:<br />
Linking Our Radios to the Cosmos<br />
Sky Surfing.......................................66<br />
By Keith Baker KB1SF/VA3KSF<br />
A Flock of Other Amateur Radio Satellites<br />
On the Bench...................................68<br />
By David Payne, Sr. KB8NNT<br />
A Camping DXpedition Part 2<br />
First Look .........................................70<br />
By Bob Grove W8JHD<br />
Bonito 1102s RadioJet Shortwave Receiver<br />
C.Crane Twin Coil Ferrite AM Antenna<br />
What’s New.....................................72<br />
By Larry Van Horn N5FPW<br />
Xtal Set Society offers new kit and book;<br />
ARRL Repeater Directory 2012/2013; ARRL<br />
library of new ham-related titles; DX Engineering’s<br />
Tilt Base mounting base; Pacific Radio<br />
Listener Guide.<br />
Art Director<br />
Bill Grove<br />
Advertising Services<br />
Judy Grove<br />
(828) 837-9200<br />
judy@grove-ent.com<br />
You may contact any MT staff writer by email by combining their first and last name @<br />
monitoringtimes.com. By postal mail, you may write them in care of MT Headquarters<br />
in Brasstown. Please enclose a self-adressed, stamped envelope if you wish the columnist<br />
to reply.<br />
4 MONITORING TIMES August 2012
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