December 2003
Articles from the
December 2003 issue of CQ posted on our
website include:
If you've got ham radio holiday goodies in mind, the December issue of CQ is chock-full of ideas for you, with at least three of our columns taking a look at what's new and cool in the marketplace. We start with W8FX's "What' New" column, followed by K4TWJ's "World of Ideas" and "QRP" columns. Dave also has a full review of the new ICOM IC-703 go-anywhere QRP radio. Plus, of course, we have pages and pages of ads for just about anything you could want to find under your tree or on top of your tower.
Our December issue also takes you back in time to "When Radios Had Names," or "There Once was an Ocean Hopper," by Scott Freeberg, WA9WFA. Looking to the future, our "Op Ed" column presents a "master plan" for amateur radio's future from the National Council of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators, or NCVEC. (Please note that our publication of NCVEC's views and proposals does not necessarily mean that we agree with or endorse them.)
On less controversial matters, we've got plans for a short vertical antenna for 160 meters, called the "Conix Class 160," designed by Dave Jacobs, KK7DP, who's using one with great success from the top-band "black hole" of Montana. And speaking of top-band, the results are in for the 2003 CQ World Wide 160 Meter Contests ... in the December issue of CQ, that is. Plus, as we do every December, we have our annual index of articles from the past 12 months.
Looking at our other columns this month, Public Service Editor Bob Josuweit, WA3PZO, looks at ham radio public service around the world; "Math's Notes" Editor Irwin Math, WA2NDM, reviews some of the newer components available for experimenters, and Digital Editor Don Rotolo, N2IRZ, examines software that might put packet e-mail back on the map -- on HF, using familiar mail readers such as Outlook or Eudora.
In the "Beginner's Corner" this month, editor Wayne Yoshida, KH6WZ discusses "a successful failure" -- the lessons he learned from an ill-fated beginner's effort last summer in the ARRL 10 GHz Contest (Note: we're all beginners at something sometime- Wayne has been a ham for over 25 years, but this was his first attempt at microwave contesting. You're never too old to be a "newbie"!). Remembering those days of being a "newbie" was this month's topic for "Radio Classics" Editor Joe Veras, N4QB, following up his September column on his own early experiences with letters from readers reminiscing about their own starts in ham radio, using what is now considered classic gear.
"VHF-Plus" Editor Joe Lynch, N6CL, talks about the importance of inspiring young people to get interested in ham radio, and he previews the fall issue of CQ VHF magazine, which should be on its way to subscribers' mailboxes by the time you read this.
DX Editor Carl Smith, N4AA, previews an upcoming DXpedition to Peter I Island, and reports on the forced early ending of the Annobon Island DXpedition (with an update in News); Awards Editor Ted Melinosky, K1BV, wants you to know when opportunity is calling; Contesting Editor John Dorr, K1AR, discusses the importance of timing, and Propagation Editor Tomas Hook, NW7US, beings us some interesting reports on 60-meter propagation -- we've still got a lot to learn about how signals behave at 5 MHz.
That's a preview of the December 2003 issue of CQ, which should be on newsstands and in subscribers' mailboxes by late November.
Happy Holidays to everyone from all of us at CQ!
2003 CQ
Annual Index
Bob Beaudet, W1YRC, of Cumberland, Rhode Island