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By Harold Ort, N2RLL, Editor
* The war on terrorism in Afghanistan - and
around the world - continues. There's plenty you can hear, from
aircraft on shortwave over Afghanistan, to military comms. Check out
"Monitoring Operation Enduring Freedom" by Keith Stein.
* Radio from Afghanistan - is it real, or the
U.S. military? Gerry Dexter answers this question in this month's
Clandestine Communiqué and has lots of late-breaking clandestine
station news from Iran, Iraq and much more, so check it out!
* ACARS - the Aircraft
Communications Addressing And Reporting System sure sounds like a
mouthful, but it's one of the easiest aspects of our radio hobby to
use and enjoy. If you've got a radio and computer, all you need is the
FREEWARE and you're on the road to seeing live, real-time messages to
and from high-flying aircraft. Check out Greg Denson, AE4DC's article for details!
* Joe Cooper's Utility Radio Review is chock full
of your letters - and Joe's answers on utility radio topics. And if
you're after utility radio loggings - check out what your fellow
monitors are catching on the radio - you've come to the right place!
* Is your aging receiver suffering from a common
malady? If those signals seem a little weaker than they used to be,
maybe YOU can fix the problem. Be sure to read Peter Bertini's
"Restoring Imported Mechanical Filters" in this month's Pop'Comm and
learn the possible cause of the problem and how to fix it.
* Fire up that scanner and check out this month's
Overheard column by Ken Reiss. Ken has the latest on monitoring trains
and boats, including the complete AAR and marine frequency lists, as
well as some great tips for hearing rail comms outside the
officialdom.
* Keith Stein's Space Monitor column is something
you can't afford to miss this month; the latest NOAA satellite updates
- WITH frequencies and a load of your monitoring reports. The title
this month, though, is "Airborne Security Surveillance At The Cape"
and that means Keith has the inside scoop on these operations just for
you!
* Looking for a great battery charger - and great
tips on battery charging and use? Make your way to this month's
Technology Showcase by Gordon West, WB6NOA where he reports on the
Maha MH-C777 Plus Universal Charger And Analyzer. It's a super little
smart charger that, as Gordon says, " . . . does a nice job in
supporting lithium ion, nickel metal hydride, and nickel cadmium
battery chemistries from 1.2 volts to 14.4 volts." Visit Maha's
website at <www.mahaenergy.com> for their complete lineup of
battery-related accessories.
* Speaking of batteries, check out Gordon's Radio
Resources this month where you'll get "The Inside Scoop On
Rechargeable Batteries." If you think you're in on the latest when it
comes to new battery technology, think again - lots has changed in the
past couple of years, so to be fully charged on the issue, check out
Gordon's column.
* Well, the loggings this month in Pirate &
Alternative Radio are a little sparse, but that doesn't mean the
pirates aren't out there. On the contrary, they're there as big and
bold as ever. Check out 6295, 6950 and 6955 kHz for pirate action -
THEN report your findings to Ed Teach!
* From Bakelites to Catalins, Peter Bertini's
Wireless Connection column has it covered this month. You'll drool at
the photos - especially the colorful array of Catalins and learn how
to clean that cabinet, bringing it back to life without a lot of
effort.
* Digital Radio Broadcasting is the topic of this
month's Broadcast Technology column by Bruce Conti. Bruce has a
complete list of the DAB stations in Canada and has done an excellent
job of highlighting all the satellite radio news you need to be up to
date in this fascinating aspect of radio.
* Our nation's junkyards are full of old
computers, toasters and yes, radios. But you don't always have to
trash that old CB! Most of the time you'll find that a little
maintenance can save that radio from being canned. This month's
On-The-Go column shows you how, and explores the common cures for
mobile radio noise that many of us overlook.
* Joe Cooper's Computer Assisted Radio Monitoring
column features Part II of "The Computer/Radio Interface" this month -
complete with instructions on how to configure your COM ports making
it easier to avoid hardware conflicts. It's a new column in Pop'Comm,
and one we're sure you'll keep within arm's reach as the face of radio
changes in the 21st Century.
* Those changes we speak of are prevalent
throughout our radio hobby - and ham radio is no exception. This
month, Kirk Kleinschmidt, NT0Z takes you on a tour of PSK 31: "The
Easiest RTTY Ever Is Now Even Easier!" PSK31 is fast becoming the
digital mode of choice for many hams. Best of all, it's not
complicated to use!
* Whatever "normal" is today, it seems our
nation's airspace might be returning to normal. Get the details in
this month's Plane Sense column by Bill Hoefer. Bill also has a good
aviation trivia question, so put on your thinking caps and check out
his column.
* The news on shortwave this month is Radio
Norway's decision to axe shortwave, but there's also good news from
Northern Cyprus. Check out this month's Global Information Guide by
Gerry L. Dexter for the very latest international shortwave news AND
your SW loggings from around the world.
* Laura Quarantiello is right there in DC on top
of the latest radio news coming out of the Beltway! Get the latest on
FCC reallocations, 3G, "Manoverboard" personal EPIRBs, new mobile cell
phone laws, and enforcement in this month's Washington Beat!
* This month we report on FOUR month's worth of
your answers to our survey questions - and reward four lucky readers
with a free one-year subscription (or extension). Some of your
responses were quite unexpected, while others were right on target
with what you tell us at hamfests and in your regular letters. Be sure
to read the results beginning on page 4.
* This month's VIP Spotlight winner is Scott
Hernandez of Louisiana. Scott, KD5PCK gets a free one-year Pop'Comm
subscription for being selected our April VIP winner. Have YOU
submitted your 150-word (or less) story?
* It's all about the transistor! This month's
Loose Connection column by Bill Price, N3AVY is appropriately titled
"It's A Wonderful Life."
Once again, be sure to support YOUR magazine and
the radio hobby by sending in your reception loggings. Thanks for
visiting our website and good listening!
Read this month's editorial
Tuning In - Survey Results: "I'm A
Radio Operator, Not An E-mailer!" |
