Category Archives: News

Announcements, Kits, News

41dB Step RF Attenuator Kit

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Hendricks QRP Kits has just added a new 41dB step RF attenuator kit to their product line. Read Doug Hendricks announcement, via QRP-L, below:

We have added another test equipment kit to the lineup at Hendricks QRP
Kits. Ken LoCasale has used the step attenuator circuit in the ARRL
Handbook as the basis of a 41dB step attenuator. The kit comes in a custom
case, and is complete with all parts needed to finish, including a
commercial quality double sided, solder masked and silk screened pc board.
The attenuator uses a pi net work of 2W resistors, and will handle 5 W.
Attenuators are great to use to work low power, and are the easiest way to
make very low power contacts. Check out the manual at www.qrpkits.com.
Kits are in stock and ready to ship. The price is $50 plus shipping and
handling. Thanks, Doug

Click here for Hendricks QRP Kits.

Events, News

The Coldest QRP Event of the Year: FYBO

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Get your winter gear on! The FYBO (Freeze Your B___ Off) Winter QRP Sprint, sponsored by the Arizona ScQRPions, is being held Saturday, February 4, 2012, from 1400Z-2400Z.

The rules are simple, and you even get multipliers for your (low) temperatures. Lots of fun, lots of QRP.

Read the full set of rules at the Arizona ScQRPions QRP Club website.

Announcements, News

First photo of the Kenwood TS-990S?

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UPDATE May 8, 2012: Want to see the real photo of the TS-990S? Check out this post.

The image above has been floating around the Internet for a couple of months as the concept for the Kenwood TS-990S. Is it the real thing? No. Absolutely not.

It is, without a doubt, a Photoshopped image. I ran an image error level analysis to see what parts were Photoshopped–see results below and follow this link to the full anaysis.

This analysis shows where Photoshop cuts and pastes were made--notice the areas highlighted in pink.

We will post TS-990S images when they become available from Kenwood. [UPDATE: see our most recent post with photo.]

News, QRP Radios

Update: Ten-Tec should take orders for the Model 539 QRP transceiver at Dayton

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Prototype of the Ten-Tec Model 539 QRP transceiver at the Ten-Tec 2011 Hamfest.

I just received the following from Ten-Tec:

We are progressing along per our schedule for having the 539 ready for orders at Dayton of 2012.

I have a hunch the Ten-Tec booth will be busy at the Hamvention this year.

Morse Code, News, Videos

Morse “encoded” National Guard building in Milan, Illinois

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Dave Mayfield noticed a pattern in the bricks of this Milan, Illinois National Guard building.

(Source: WQAD)

If you have trouble viewing the embedded video above, please click this link to view on WQAD’s website.

Announcements, News

Ham Radio Magazines now also available as a free download

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Image source: VE3WGX

Just after we announced that 73 Magazine was available on archive.org as a free download, Ham Radio Magazine (1968-1990) is also now available. [Thanks to John AE5X (via QRP-L) and Eric WD8RIF for the tip!]

I cannot underscore the treasuretrove of information that you can mine out of these two publications. Both 73 and Ham Radio Mag have numerous articles related to home brewing, antenna design and low power operation.

What are you waiting for???  Christmas is here early! Go grab your copies of Ham Radio Magazine!

[UPDATE: It appears Ham Radio Magazine has been removed from Archive.org. Has anyone noticed if they’re still available somewhere online?  Please comment!]

Be sure to check a full index of article by topic at Bill VE3WGX’s website.

Announcements, News

73 Magazine now available as free download

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Ready for some serious browsing? Archive.org now has every issue of 73 Magazine from 1960 to 2003, available in PDF format for download.

Click here to go to the 73 Magazine page on Archive.org.

Kits, News, QRP Radios, Websites

Black Friday at Hendricks QRP Kits: Free domestic and international shipping

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Wow–a Black Friday event I can certainly get my head around!

From Doug Hendricks via QRP-L:

Friday is known as “Black Friday” because most of the stores have big sales to attract the shoppers on the day after Thanksgiving. I thought about this and decided to do a QRP version. Here is the announcement.

Hendricks QRP Kits will have a Black Friday Sale from 12:01 AM Thursday to Midnight Friday (0801 GMT to 0800 GMT). During this sale, if your order shipped to a US address is $50 or more, you will get free shipping. And, if your order shipped to a DX address is $150 or more, your shipping will be free. All kits are included, nothing is held back. I have all kits in stock and ready to ship. Kits will ship starting Monday, Nov. 28th. When you place your order via paypal, I will refund your postage. If you order via US mail, the order needs to be postmarked Friday, Nov. 25th. Please do not include shipping and handling if you are ordering via mail. I have never had a Black Friday sale, but thought it might be fun to do. This is your opportunity to “Save the Shipping” on your Christmas orders. 72,
Doug

Check out what’s available at Hendricks QRP Kits!

Articles, News

Ham Radio Licenses at an All-Time High

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(Source: Fox News)

The newest trend in American communication isn’t another smartphone from Apple or Google but one of the elder statesmen of communication: Ham radio licenses are at an all time high, with over 700,000 licenses in the United States, according to the Federal Communications Commission.

Ham radio first took the nation by storm nearly a hundred years ago. Last month the FCC logged 700,314 licenses, with nearly 40,000 new ones in the last five years. Compare that with 2005 when only 662,600 people hammed it up and you’ll see why the American Radio Relay League — the authority on all things ham — is calling it a “golden age.”

“Over the last five years we’ve had 20-25,000 new hams a year,” Allen Pitts, a spokesman for the group, told FoxNews.com.

Read the full article at Fox News.

News

W1AW announces new winter schedule

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(Source: ARRL)

With the switch from Daylight Saving Time to Standard Time, W1AW Station Manager Joe Carcia, NJ1Q, has updated the W1AW operating schedule to reflect the change. Your local standard times have not changed, but the UTC times they reference have.

Click here to read full article and winter schedule.