Practical Wireless

Practical Wireless is aimed at the licensed radio amateur and caters for the amateur radio hobby. Practical Wireless is a ‘doing’ magazine focusing on the practical and constructional side of amateur radio and appeals to all ages. Written by expert authors and contributors, Practical Wireless reflects developments in the technology, participants, activities and licensing framework of the hobby.

Practical Wireless • February 2025 Vol. 101 No. 2

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Newsdesk • Have you got something to tell our readers about? If so, then email practicalwireless@warnersgroup.co.uk

The discovery of the ionosphere • 11 December marked exactly 100 years ago that the newly appointed physics professor Edward Victor Appleton, together with his first assistant Miles Barnett, proved the existence of the ionosphere in an epoch-making experiment. A birthday greeting from Nils Schiffhauer DK8OK.

References

News

The Xiegu X6200 • Daimon Tilley G4USI takes a critical look at the latest offering from Xiegu.

A new antenna for my flat • Tony Jones G7ETW solves the problem of achieving an external antenna in a block of flats.

BBC coronations Part XXII • Keith Hamer and Garry Smith continue the special series looking back at the BBC’s coverage of Coronations since 1937. There is also a vintage Coronation advertisement from the archives for a ‘televisor’ and radiogram. The series highlighting broadcasting events from exactly 100 years ago features the first radio programme for farmers. The saga charting the rise and fall of BBC 198kHz transmissions focuses on the power arrangements employed at the Westerglen transmitter in Scotland. Coverage detailing 60 years of BBC-2 looks at the ‘Seven Faces’ schedule. We also continue our series about the development of Swiss Radio and Television since 1922.

I can’t learn CW - I’m dyslexic • Roger Cooke G3LDI spends time discussing the challenges of Morse code for the dyslexic.

News

The Art of building Junk Box projects • Stuart Vanstone M0SGV guide2s readers through collecting and using old parts for constructional projects.

Protecting data files • Mike Richards G4WNC discusses protecting that all-important data before mentioning yet another Raspberry Pi case.

Multimode HF transceivers for under £100? • Daimon Tilley G4USI looks at whether it’s possible to be active on HF for a budget sum.

QSLs from Yesteryear • As well as the usual HF news, Steve Telenius-Lowe G4JVG introduces a new element to his monthly column.

Two-Tone Test Oscillator Upgrade for the Precise 1kHz Tone Generator • Andrew Woodfield ZL2PD describes a useful enhancement to his previous tone generator design.

Noise cancelling on a Budget • Richard Constantine G3UGF checks out the latest Bluetooth headphones from regular PW advertiser bhi.

EMF Compliance and more on the Flower Pot • Keith Rawlings G4MIU discusses some useful material from the AN-SOF stable before returning to the Flower Pot antenna.

DX on 144MHz! • Tim Kirby GW4VXE reports on an exceptional 2m QSO, as well as some great propagation on other VHF and UHF bands.

Inductors • Jeff and Natalie get to grips with the basics of inductors.

Filter Fantastic • Billy McFarland GM6DX tackles a simple but useful filter project.

RSGB Brickworks & Mapping • Colin Redwood G6MXL starts by turning his attention to Brickworks – a scheme from the RSGB designed to encourage newcomers to explore a wide range of aspects of our hobby. He then moves on to look at a useful web-based facility for mapping contacts.

Broadcast equipment museum • Geoff Theasby G8BMI and his wife visit a fascinating museum at Hemswell Cliff, Lincolnshire.

Rallies & Events •...