There's something for nearly every ham radio interest in the December 2000 issue of CQ. Whether your passion is HF or VHF, digital or DX, contests or construction, new gear or old, this issue has something for you.

For contest enthusiasts, we start out with results of the 2000 CQ World Wide 160 Meter Contests, plus rules for the 2001 CQ/RTTY Journal RTTY WPX Contest and K1AR on the art of "running" as a contesting strategy.

VHF FM operators will want to read our review of ADI's AR-247 222 MHz mobile rig, plus a look by VE7IJJ at assembling a 220 repeater "From Junkbox to E-Bay" and KD4DSX's important examination of RF safety issues for repeater technical folks working in high-RF commercial environments, such as a rooftop shared with multiple transmitters. Also on the VHF end of the spectrum, N6CL looks at the latest delay in the launch of the Phase 3D satellite, while KC4YER looks at three just-launched satellites and asks, "When is a ham satellite not a ham satellite?"

Have you met MURS? Let us introduce you -- it's a brand new VHF CB service that the FCC quietly created over the summer that could produce the next generation of new hams. W5YI brings you all the details in "Washington Readout," while Editor W2VU looks at the implications for amateur radio in his "Zero Bias" editorial.

If DXing is your "thing," we have a report on a one-man DXpedition to Vietnam (did you work 3W6DK?), plus a 40-meter DXing primer by WB2AMU for newcomers to band, where stateside and DX operators work each other from different groups of frequencies!

QRP enthusiasts will want to see K4TWJ's look at the latest gear for low-power SSB operating. And if the mere mention of the word "Heathkit" brings a smile to your face, you'll definitely want to check out the first installment in WB8VGE's series on "Keeping the Green Flame Burning," a guide to restoring the HW-16, a classic Heathkit Novice rig.

Public service-oriented hams will be interested in KC5RTH's article about using paging (on ham frequencies) and APRS to notify amateurs of weather alerts; and Public Service Editor WA3PZO's look at identifying and working near hazardous materials during emergencies.

And if you just can't remember which issue that article you wanted to reread was in, we also have our 2000 Annual Index to help you find it.

Finally, if you've been a good little ham this year, Santa might just have some electronic goodies in his bag for you. Cover photographer WB2ZPI caught the jolly elf loading up at AES in Orlando, and W8FX and K4TWJ both offer a potpourri of cool items you can use for dropping subtle (or not-so-subtle) hints to the Santa's helper in your household. Plus, of course, our advertisers are happy to share with you the latest and greatest that they have to offer.

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If you operated in last year’s CQ World Wide DX Contest, there’s a good chance you contacted CN8WW in Morocco – because CN8WW worked more stations in more places than any other CQWW competitor in history – on both the phone and CW weekends! The CN8WW ops will be trying to break their own world record in the 2000 CQWW. You can read all about their record-setting station and plans for this year in the November issue of CQ.

The end of October and beginning of November should be busy times for ham radio in space. The all-ham crew of International Space Station Expedition #1 is set to lift off on October 30, and CQ Satellite Editor Phil Chien, KC4YER, tells you all about their space station ham station and how to work them. Plus, late word from Arianespace is that the AMSAT Phase 3D amateur satellite is (finally) scheduled for launch on October 31. See “Ham Radio News” in the November issue and the news page here on the CQ website for the latest information.

Additional features in November’s CQ include the conclusion of “The Coming Revolution in Amateur Radio,” by WA6ITF; a CQ review of Alinco’s lightweight switching power supply by WB2AMU, the “story behind the story” of the return of amateur radio to Bhutan, by VK9NS; and a look at using square feedlines by VE3ERP. Plus, for “top band” enthusiasts, the rules for the 2001 CQ World Wide 160 Meter DX Contest. There’s much more, too, so be sure to get your issue when it reaches newsstands and subscribers’ mailboxes in late October.  

As always, the results of the CQ World Wide DX SSB Contest highlight the September issue of CQ. The 1999 event was the best ever, with over 4000 logs received -- the most ever for any CQWW contest -- and record after record shattered. For example, our single-op high power champ (gotta read the magazine to find out who it was) was the first single-operator ever to make more than 10,000 contacts in the CQWW and he had the highest multiplier total ever of any single-op. Needless to say, he also had the highest score ever in the category. There were also new records in the low-power single op category, the multi-multi category (nearly 23,000 QSOs), and the team contesting category. And I probably missed a few more. Read all about it -- and see how well you did -- in the September issue of CQ.

            Also featured in September are the conclusion of "Uncle Sol's Solar Wind and Earth's Magnificent Magnetosphere;" a blueprint for ham radio in the 21st century, laid out by the FCC's top technical honcho; the 1000th person to achieve the coveted USA-CA All Counties Award (this is for confirmed contacts with all 3076 counties in the United States); and the introduction of our new Digital Wireless editor, Steve Stroh, N8GNJ. Plus, Propagation Editor W3ASK "salts the ionosphere" and we print the rules for the 2000 running of the world's largest radio event -- the CQ World Wide DX Contest.

The solar maximum is here, and while the peak of Cycle 23 isn't quite as intense as most of us had hoped for, there's plenty of excellent DX on both HF and VHF. And CQ helps you make the most of it with a series of articles, starting this month, exploring the complex relationship between Earth and the Sun that makes long-distance radio communication possible. Part 1 of Uncle Sol's Solar Wind and Earth's Magnificent Magnetosphere, by Contributing Editor Karl Thurber, W8FX, takes us on a journey that begins deep inside the Sun and carries us via the solar wind to Earth's magnetic field and, ultimately, to the ionosphere, where most DX happens. Plus, W3ASK's Propagation column helps you figure out where to find the best DX.

Speaking of DX, the first major DXpedition in decades from Bhutan put A5 into the logbooks of thousands of amateurs looking for a new one from a country that only recently decided to allow ham operation at all. You'll find the story of the A52A DXpedition in August CQ.

Another August feature is Part 3 of CQ's Market Survey series, by Contributing Editor Gordon West, WB6NOA, focusing this time on VHF/UHF mobile rigs, plus a handy pull-out guide featuring the comparison charts of our previous installments on handhelds and HF (plus HF/VHF/UHF) transceivers. We've also got two CQ reviews -- Part 2 of our close-up look at the Ten-Tec Pegasus plus the HAL DXP38 modem.

The Phase 3D satellite has now been scheduled for an autumn launch, and Satellite Editor Phil Chien, KC4YER, provides all the details. Radio Classics Editor Joe Veras, N4QB, looks at the history of Hallicrafters, and our other columnists take us to Dayton, QRP conferences, and other fascinating corners of ham radio. Plus, we have revised rules for the CQ WPX Award.

As always, this month's issue of CQ is packed full of great articles by the best authors in ham radio. It will be on newsstands and in subscribers' mailboxes by late July.

Antennas, antennas, antennas! Have we got antenna articles for you in July's CQ magazine! First of all, Antenna Editor Arnie Coro, CO2KK, offers up his innovative Double Diamond Quad antenna design; and Beginner's Editor Pete O'Dell, WB2D, explains the basics of Beams in his July column. This month's feature articles include Global Optimization of Yagis, by Brian Beezley, K6STI; Turn the Tower, Hold the Antennas, by Mike Baker, W8CM; A Half-Square Antenna for 15 Meters, by Paul Carr, N4PC, and Identify That Feedline, by Benson Smith, KA4LBE.

But before you reach any of these great antenna articles, Farrell Winder, W8ZCF, leads off the issue with his report on the return of SSTV from the Mir Space Station. If you've never tried slow-scan TV or space communications, here's a chance to discover two new activities at one time! Contributing Editor Gordon West, WB6NOA, reports on Improved GPS Accuracy -- the government's removal of 'selective availability' makes your Global Positioning System receiver more accurate, but still far from 'spot on.' And Contest Editor John Dorr, K1AR, presents his annual Contest Survey.

In addition, we review the Ten-Tec Pegasus HF transceiver (it looks like a computer but acts like a radio); show you how to use your computer's sound card on the air in Packet User's Notebook; share one ham's successful effort to Fight City Hall; and take you on your choice of an HF Mobiling trip in World of Ideas, or a Microwave Vacation to Hawaii.

And if all that's not enough, we cover the basics of good operating techniques, DX operating procedures, club award and contest guidelines, and show you how to include amateur television in your planning for public service events. There's lots more but we're running short on space … you'll just have to read the issue for yourself!