May 2007
Articles from the
May 2007 issue of CQ posted on our
website include:
The May issue of CQ is highlighted by a first-hand report from the first operation in more than a dozen years from Lakshadweep - VU7 - an archipelago in the Arabian Sea off the coast of India and #2 on DXers' "most wanted" list. Gopal Madhavan, VU2GMN, President of the Amateur Radio Society of India, fills us in on the planning and execution of the VU7LD DXpedition, the first of two major operations from Lakshadweep in recent months.
Next, we have results of the 2006 CQ World Wide RTTY (radioteletype) DX Contest, in which a record number of logs were received, despite being at the bottom of the sunspot cycle. And in case you have any doubt that amateur radio contests bring together "real" competitors, you should know that the World Single Op All Band High Power winner was also a member of the Ukraine's 2006 World Cup Soccer Team!
We also have results of the 2006 CQ National Foxhunting Weekend, along with the rules for the 2007 event, complete with a new name to recognize its international appeal - the CQ World Wide Foxhunting Weekend. This is a more "laid-back" event than our other contests, with very flexible rules, since each competition is local and self-contained.
Among our columns this month, we start out with the "Weekender," in which column editor Phil Salas, AD5X, gives us plans for an easy-to-build dummy load and peak detector. It's the first of our antenna-related columns this month. In addition, Irwin Math, WA2NDM, takes a look at SWR bridges and measurements in his "Math's Notes" column; Antennas Editor Kent Britain, WA5VJB, continues his discussion of small loop antennas (part 1 was in the March issue), and Beginner's Editor Wayne Yoshida, KH6WZ, examines antenna tuners.
Dave Ingram, K4TWJ, begins his annual look at unique code keys in his "World of Ideas" column, followed by "Public Service," in which column editor Bob Josuweit, WA3PZO, reports on a variety of events around the U.S., including new questions about the Red Cross's supposedly revised policy on background checks for volunteers. Next, "Washington Readout" editor Fred Maia, W5YI, takes us through the history of volunteer examining in the amateur service, an appropriate topic since it looks like the services of Volunteer Examiners are perhaps in greater demand than ever, as the recent changes in licensing rules have both the number of scheduled exam sessions and the number of people seeking new or upgraded licenses flying off the charts.
May brings warm weather to just about everywhere CQ is read, and that brings with it thoughts of hitting the road on vacation … taking a ham rig along is the topic of this month's Mobiling column by Jeff Reinhardt, AA6JR. In this month's "How it Works," column editor Dave Ingram, K4TWJ, takes us on a "behind the dials" tour of basic transmitters, a companion to an earlier three-part segment Dave did on the innards of receivers. "What's New" editor Karl Thurber, W8FX, takes a look at a software defined receiver and "pan adapter" from RFSPACE, as well as a couple of new antennas from MFJ and the usual variety of goodies to help make our operating more enjoyable.
Awards Editor Ted Melinosky, K1BV, looks at the dozens of awards available to county-hunters - beyond CQ's USA-CA Award - offered by MARAC, the Mobile Amateur Radio Club, as well as a rather comprehensive awards program of Denmark's national ham radio society, the EDR. DX Editor Carl Smith, N4AA, reports on DX-related events at the Charlotte Hamfest and a growing interest in DXing on 60 meters, along with a preview of DX activities at this month's Dayton Hamvention®, and Contesting Editor John Dorr, K1AR, takes time out to remember well-known and well-loved contester Phil Goetz, N6ZZ, who became a Silent Key in February at age 64.
"VHF-Plus" editor Joe Lynch, N6CL, discusses how ham groups can work on projects supported by "Space Grant" consortia in different states, and introduces us to a high school student whose voice will be heard from orbit with a special announcement from South Africa's second satellite, scheduled for launch in June. Finally, Propagation Editor Tomas Hood, NW7US, begins a multi-part series on the "Basics of Space Weather and Radio."
That's a look at the highlights of the May, 2007, issue of CQ, which should be on newsstands and in subscribers' mailboxes by late April. If you're coming to Dayton, be sure to look for "the CQ Gang" at our regular spot in the main arena. And remember, the CQ World Wide Foxhunting Weekend is May 12-13, and the CW Weekend of the 2007 CQ World Wide WPX Contest is May 26-27.
On the Cover:
Alexander
Younts, KC9CYK, and Ben Cotton, KC9FYX, operate from W9YB, the Purdue
Amateur Radio Club, in Lafayette, Indiana.
