There are a lot of exciting things happening on the DX Engineering Facebook page and DX Engineering YouTube channel. Make sure to check in from time to time for product reviews, ham radio news, overviews of the latest equipment, and interviews put together by DX Engineering for the benefit of the ham radio community.

One of the most popular shows is the Manufacturer’s Showcase hosted by Tim Duffy, K3LR, CEO of DX Engineering. Tim has interviewed dozens of representatives from the manufacturers whose products you’ll find available at DXEngineering.com. You can listen to these insightful interviews live and send questions in real-time Thursdays at 2:30 pm ET or visit YouTube to watch the archived videos, along with hundreds of other videos from DX Engineering—everything from instructional presentations on weatherproofing coaxial connectors to FM satellite etiquette.

Also, don’t miss Tim’s Weekend Special on Facebook Fridays at 4 pm ET, featuring interviews with hams on rare DXpeditions, innovators in the amateur radio community, youth operators, and more.

Today, we’re excited to feature K3LR’s interview with Ray Novak, N9JA, senior sales manager at Icom America.

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Here are some of the highlights:

• Details about the upgraded Icom ID-52A PLUS VHF/UHF Multi-Function D-STAR Handheld Transceiver with enhanced Bluetooth, dual operation of terminal mode and simplex/repeater operations, and updated USB-C charging/data port for faster connections and charging.
• News about the very cool 60^th Anniversary Limited Edition model of the ID-52A PLUS with metallic-colored body, exclusive embossed hand strap, and commemorative box.

(Please check on the availability of the ID-52A PLUS and Limited Edition model at DXEngineering.com.)

• The plug-and-play reliability of the IC-905 VHF/UHF/SHF All Mode Base/Portable Transceiver for super high frequency operating and all the fun you can have on the microwave bands, POTA activations included. You can watch a great overview by Michael, KI8R, of the IC-905 on the DX Engineering YouTube channel.
• IC-905 accessories: 2.4 GHz, 5.6 GHz, and 10 GHz colinear antennas; and 10 GHz parabolic antenna

Visit DXEngineering.com for the full lineup of Icom products, including the IC-705 HF/50/144/430 MHz All Mode Portable Transceiver, AH-705 Antenna Tuner, SP-38 Base Station Speaker, and more.

The post Icom USA’s Ray Novak, N9JA, Discusses an Upgraded Icom HT and the Fun of the IC-905 (Video) appeared first on OnAllBands.

The Big Kansas Coil is a lightweight, portable, and durable base loaded vertical antenna system that when paired with a telescoping whip operates on the 6 through 80 meter ham radio bands. This coil offers some innovative features, including: 3D printed construction out of engineering grade materials, integrated coil scale, easy to use adjustment collar, and a wider diameter coil than anything else on the market.

The Big Kansas Coil: https://bigkansascoil.com/
HF Manpack Collapsible 7 Element Whip Antenna: https://amzn.to/4epr3zh
MFJ-1979 telescoping whip antenna: https://amzn.to/3Vv6Dfv

So what makes the big Kansas Coil different than other base loaded coils? First off is the construction. This coil is entirely 3D printed out of engineering grade Glass and Carbon Fiber filled Nylon material. This coil is lightweight and durable. The material is weather and heat resistant so this antenna is rated for up to 100 watts digital modes with a 50% duty cycle.

The second is its size, or diameter of the coil. This coil is wider than anything else on the market. In building loading or inductance coils, the diameter of the coil will affect the Q or quality factor. Narrow coils will have a very high Q and extremely sharp bandwidth on the lower bands. If you make the coil wider, the Q is reduced and you end up with more bandwidth. I’ll demonstrate what that means a bit later in this video.

As a bonus, patrons can view the unedited phone contacts for this POTA activation. Visit my page on Patreon for details: https://www.patreon.com/kb9vbrantennas

Links may be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This does not affect the price you pay.

The post Is bigger better? The Big Kansas Coil Vertical Antenna System appeared first on KB9VBR Antennas.

Having the KX3 out and in operation for a few days this week was a bad idea. Using it always reminds me of how good it is and how it could so easily anchor my ham shack. And it’s not even the best Elecraft radio I own. That title belongs to my old Elecraft K2, number 524 that I built and put into service in 1999. Yeah, it’s the finest receiver I own and I don’t mean to offend you and your new Yaesu, but I’ve found nothing that can carry its jock strap.

Let me qualify that a bit, it’s super power is as a simple CW transceiver.

It doesn’t have two-hundred knobs and buttons and a hundred selection deep menu system. The K2 doesn’t have multiple ways of connecting to a computer, and it doesn’t have a built-in sound card. Mine is the original 15 watt version. It no longer appears regularly in all the major contest stations and DXpeditions.

But for the CW purist without need of a million creature features, it contains the sweetest receiver this side of heaven. My family have strict instructions that I am to be buried with my K2 just in case heaven doesn’t yet have anything that sweet.

It doesn’t occupy the central position in my shack because of the desire for BRE (big rig energy), vanity, and knee-deep levels of marketing bullshit from various vendors compounded with amplified nonsense from Sherwood and as my buddy calls them, “these young guys with beards who look like they drink only craft beers with ham radio YouTube channels…”

I bring this up because using the KX3 created crazy notions of ordering a K4 and continuing the Elecraft tradition spinning in my head. I have owned and built everything they offered right up to the K3 and I’ve tried to own a few more, but grew weary waiting for them to deliver. Now I see they have the shipping time for the K4 down to around a week. I could order one today and be on the air sometime late next week. A recent announcement from Eric says prices are going up in October so no pressure, but a quick decision could save me some money.

That same announcement also said, “KX2 and KH1 wait times have also rapidly decreased and we hope to be shipping them within 1-10 business days after order in several weeks” which should make long-suffering fans happy.

If I buy anything new it will replace my IC-7610. That transceiver has performed well, but is getting a little long in the tooth especially now that ICOM has released an upgraded version of it making ‘right now’ the peak re-sale value season for the 7610. If I order anything I will be forced to unload at least $10k worth of other equipment or build onto the house. Unused gear is stacking up so high around here it will take a year or more to sell, box, and ship it all.

Is that a possibility? Maybe. A definite maybe.

Today I wanted to share a homebrewer's work that hits the "Triple Crown" Triple C (Craftsmanship, Creativity and Cool) mark. We are talking about Mike, KG7TR

Combo Transmitter and Receiver using Octal Tubes

Mike's front panels are something not often seen with homebrew radios including solid state -- but just think behind that panel is a whole array of shack warming vacuum tubes.

The rig below looks like a military radio -- how cool is that?

KG7TR has replicated some work of the past like Anthony Vitale's W2EWL seminal converted ARC-5 phasing transmitter.

This transceiver below uses the famous McCoy 9 MHz Crystal Filter for LSB on 75M, all built into a Tektronix Scope case.

The "wow' factor about Mike's work is how amazing the finished work shows. All of his work has the form, fit and finish of something coming off a Collins production line.  The other aspect is certainly a one of a kind in that all are tube radios and, in some cases, all octal tubes. 

A Tip of the Cap to KG7TR.

11am Meet in the “Dungeon” in the Lowndes Emergency Services Annex of the Court House. Go to the 911 office door and press the 911 call button and tell them you are there for the HAM radio club meeting. Once in go left downstairs then to the right at the end of the hall. See Y’all There! 

The following have been notified, but always check details are correct before going far.

• Saturday September 21st - East Midlands and Electronics Rally, Doncaster, DN10 4FX. Contact www.g0raf.co,uk/rally . Please note this is a 1 day event, not 2. The location is actually nearer Gainsborough.
• Sunday September 22nd - Weston super Mare Radio Society 9th Radio and Electronics Rally, Worle, Weston super Mare,  BS24 7DX. Contact westonradiosociety@gmail.com .

Interesting how many radio rallies have broadened their appeal to include a wider audience than in the past.

 Just 13 spots of me by EA8BFK (2880km) in the Canary Islands, presumably via F2. 

I've decided to make the 4States QRP Group 4S-Tuner the official tuner of the W2LJ QMX Portable Ops bag. So I ordered another one for the shack for when I use the HW-8.  This way, I don't have to keep transferring the one I have back and forth between car and shack.

I really, really like the function of the two LEDs.  Great design feature by David Wayne Cripe NM0S!

When the red one is bright and the green one is out, the SWR is too high. When the two LEDs are of equal brightness, you have a 2:1 SWR. When the green LED is at max brightness, and the red LED is at minimum brightness or out altogether, your SWR is around 1:1.

I already know it works well with my KM4CFT EFRW antenna. This weekend, time and weather permitting, I'd like to see how it handles the AX1 from our patio tabletop - a simulated POTA activation. Have to practice, just like the astronauts did! HI HI !

Onto another subject, with all the CMEs and solar flares that have been occurring the past few weeks, I saw this photo on Facebook, taken just yesterday, from the 1,000 Islands region in Upstate NY.

 Michael AG5VG finished this receiver last weekend.  He hopes to build a CW transmitter using an output of the Si5351.  Obviously I defer to Pete on that one.  Good going Michael.  I think it sounds great and looks even better.  

I see online discussion of specification bending radius for coax cables, and their application to ferrite cored common mode chokes.

A low Insertion VSWR high Zcm Guanella 1:1 balun for HF and follow on articles described a balun with focus on InsertionLoss.

Let’s remind ourselves of the internal layout of the uncompensated balun.

The coax is quality RG58A/U with solid polythene dielectric. The coax is wound with a bending radius of about 10mm, way less than Belden’s specified minimum bending radius of 50mm.

So, the question is does this cause significant centre conductor migration that will ruin the characteristic impedance:

• when it was first constructed; and
• through life.

Note the pigtails at each coax connector, they are a departure from Zo of the coax and the N type connectors. They can be seen as short sections of transmission line with Zo perhaps 200Ω or more. The effect of these is to transform impedance and so cause the input VSWR to depart from ideal.

When first constructed

Above is a chart from the original construction articles. InsertionVSWR @ 30MHz is about 1.15.

Note the pigtails at each coax connector, they are a departure from Zo of the coax and connectors. They can be seen as short sections of transmission line with Zo perhaps 200Ω or more. The effect of these is to transform impedance and so cause the input VSWR to depart from ideal.

After 5 years of service

This article presents measurement of the balun 5 years after it was made, 5 years in use, but not operated at temperatures above datasheet maximum.

As mentioned, the pigtails are the main contribution to InsertionVSWR. The balun was compensated using 10pF shunt capacitors at both coax connectors. (Possible compensation solutions were discussed at A low Insertion VSWR high Zcm Guanella 1:1 balun for HF – more detail #3).

Above is a NanoVNA screenshot of measurement of the compensated balun using the calibration LOAD, a couple of SMA(F)-N(M) adapters and a short SMA(M)-SMA(M) cable. Edelay is set to set the reference plane to the balun input connector.

InsertionVSWR @ 1MHz is 1.01, 1.02 @ 31MHz, both at the limits of accuracy with this equipment.

The InsertionVSWR is not significantly affected by the quite small bending radius.

Voltage withstand

Does tight bending of this cable degrade voltage withstand of the balun?

Experience Hipot testing lots of baluns with this type of coax winding shows that the voltage withstand weakness is over the surface of the dielectric from braid to centre conductor, and pigtails of less than 15mm will flash over before internal flashover.

Alternative coax types

Coax with a solid PTFE dielectric is more suitable as the dielectric is harder and withstands higher temperatures before deformation.

Foamed dielectric cables are much more prone to migration of the centre conductor on tight bends, even at room temperature and are probably unsuitable for tight wraps.

Small diameter cables might seem the obvious answer, but they are higher in loss and will run at higher temperature.

Conclusions

Though the coax bend radius is substantially smaller than specification minimum bend radius:

• when first constructed, there was little evidence that the coax characteristic impedance was altered by the winding radius, and that the pigtails were the main contribution to InsertionVSWR; and
• after five years of service, the InsertionVSWR of the compensated balun is excellent, at the limits of accuracy of the test equipment and again, little evidence that the coax characteristic impedance was altered by the winding radius.

Solid dielectric coax may be quite satisfactory at static tight bend radius, subject to the temperature of operation and applied forces.