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 • March 2025 Vol. 101 No. 3

Keylines

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RF-Kit transfers to RF-Power

Yaesu Releases New Mobile Radios

Anytone AT-D168UV

Klingenfuss Reviewed • Georg Wiessala takes a look at the latest professional radio monitoring books and CDs from the Klingenfuss stable.

The German, French, British? ‘ham radio’ set • Bernard Nock G4BXD gets his hands on a curious relic of WWII.

Paper QSL Cards in Memoriam? • Ray Howes G4OWY uncovers some of the early history of QSL cards.

Revisit the Earth Tuner • Colyn Baillie-Searle GD4EIP revisits a circuit from a 1990 issue of PW.

News Extra

Using an ATX • Tony Jones G7ETW describes how to repurpose an ATX or similar PSU for the shack.

Broadcasting history • 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 ‘Ronette’ crystal microphone. The series highlighting broadcasting events from exactly 100 years ago features the first radio station in Japan and John Logie Baird’s demonstration of his ‘Televisor’. The saga charting the rise and fall of BBC 198kHz transmissions focuses on the original power arrangements at the Westerglen transmitter in Scotland. Coverage detailing 60 years of BBC-2 looks at the first short, ‘warm-up’ programme. We also continue our series about the development of Swiss Radio and Television since 1922 with the festival marking the closure of the Beromünster transmitter.

The BeaconBox • Martin Waller G0PJO builds a unit to visually indicate RBN spots of the NCDXF beacons.

WSJT-X 2.7.0-rc8 Message System • Mike Richards G4WNC starts with the latest release of WSJT before covering the new Windows PC Manager and SDR level measurements.

News Extra

Laurie Margolis G3UML • Roger Dowling G3NKH meets an amateur with quite a track record of ‘scoops’.

Books, QSLs, CDXC & more • Steve Telenius-Lowe G4JVG has quite a cornucopia of news.

A Voltage Stabilised VFO • Once again we dip into the PW archive, this time an article by the once ubiquitous F G Rayer G3OGR, dating from March 1965, 60 years ago.

Plug for Power • Billy McFarland GM6DX solves the problem of using a PC power supply for your transceiver without having to deal with high voltages.

News Extra

An indoor doublet • Keith Rawlings G4MIU creates an indoor doublet as a back-up antenna.

Much ado about meteor scatter! • Tim Kirby GW4VXE has a packed column, starting with news about meteor scatter.

My Tower Saga • Roger Cooke G3LDI narrates the story of his tower collapse and (challenging!) repair.

Adding protection to SMPSUs • Ken Ginn G8NDL describes a suitable protection circuit for general purpose SMPSUs.

Marconi antenna modelled, 110 years on • John Rowlands MW1CFN sheds new light on Marconi’s inverted-L antenna.

Your Letters • Send your letters to: Practical Wireless Letters, Warners Group Publications plc West Street, Bourne, Lincs PE10 9PH E-mail: practicalwireless@warnersgroup.co.uk

Rallies & Events • All information published here reflects the situation up to and including...