Category Archives: Ham Radio

Completing the 2010 Trip Around the Sun

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As the year 2010 comes to an end, I feel compelled to write something really insightful and meaningful as we log another trip around the sun. Perhaps some brilliant insights for the coming year? Or predictions of future technology breakthroughs?

Instead, I am writing this.

This is a mishmash of my thoughts about amateur radio at the start of 2011:

  • Tech License Class: One of the most fun and rewarding ham radio things I did this year was help teach a couple of Technician License Classes. There is nothing like engaging with newbies to the hobby to give you a new perspective on how cool amateur radio really is! I have a great set of teammates that made this class fun and successful: Stu W0STU, Paul AA0K and Joyce K0JJW.
  • Next Challenge: The challenge we see right now is helping these newly licensed Techs get engaged with amateur radio, so they don’t drop out. My belief is that the Technician License is a beginners permit that only enables a person to get started in the hobby. We are cooking up some fun activities to keep them going.
  • Public Service: We have a good thing going with the local fire district and the RACES group in our county in terms of real engagement on emergency communications. This is fun, rewarding and a good thing for our local community.
  • Dayton Hamvention: I am going to skip Dayton (again) this year. Instead, I’ll attend the International Wireless Communications Expo (IWCE), a trade show centered on land mobile and mobile wireless communications. For me, it has an interesting mix of emergency communications, land mobile, data/voice convergence and test & measurement topics. Oh, did I mention that it is in Las Vegas?  I suspect that it will be a better venue than Hara Arena 🙂
  • ICOM IC-9100: I have been patiently waiting for this rig to move from vaporware status to reality. Maybe it will happen this year?
  • Keep On Writing: I find that writing is good therapy, so I will keep that on the list for 2011. Mostly it will be this blog and the FM column for CQ VHF magazine.
  • Operating: It seems I don’t actually get on the air as often as I’d like, certainly not for the casual ragchewing QSO. Operating events seem to be a good way for me to get some air time: VHF Contests, Colorado 14er event, Colorado QSO Party, maybe an HF contest or two.
  • D-STAR: I haven’t been spending much time with D-STAR lately and I want to increase the focus on it. D-STAR falls into that dorking around with new technology category where experimenting with it and learning about it is the main activity.  The technology continues to grow in adoption…arguably slow in real terms as the analog modes have such a huge installed base.
  • APRS: Oddly enough, I have been messing around with APRS again, mostly thinking of it as a tracking tool for hiking and other outdoor activities. Maybe we need to look at bridging APRS with D-STAR location data?

Amateur radio is clearly my #1 hobby interest, and by a wide margin. But it is primarily a hobby (yes, with a public service hook to it…at least for me). It is important to keep it in perspective and not let it turn into another job. I already have one of those.

What are you going to be doing in 2011?

73, Bob K0NR

Playing Around with APRS

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In the past few weeks, I started playing around with APRS again. Interest in APRS seems to come and go for me over time. It has the technical intrigue of figuring out how it works and the fun of exploring radio propagation paths. (If you are not familiar with APRS, K9DCI has a good introduction to it.)

The web site aprs.fi has some interesting hooks built into it that maps the location of APRS stations. I embedded a map here on my weblog page that shows my home station position (K0NR) and other stations in the vicinity. I intentionally blocked stations that only exist via the internet (no RF).

This map is dynamic in that it will update to show the latest APRS activity. It is fun to try select different map styles (courtesy of Google maps). Also, you may want to look at the html code to see how this is done.

73, Bob K0NR


TSA Travel Tips

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I just completed my last business trip of the year. As I was standing in the line for the security screening I was pondering the various techniques I have adopted to smooth the process. Actually, I was just daydreaming since the line was moving pretty slow. It was the family of 5 in front of me that seemed to be clogging the system.

For the infrequent traveler, the most important thing is to read and follow the instructions from the TSA. The other day I saw a guy trying to take 6 quarts of bottled water through security. Then there was the guy with the GIANT belt buckle and a HUGE set of keys in his pocket. Not good.

Here are my tips for making it through TSA screening as easily as possible:

  • Before you enter the security line (or while you are waiting in line), clear your pockets of all things metal and put them into your carry on. Don’t dump all this stuff into the little bowls they have at the x-ray machine as it just slows you down.
  • Keep an eye on the various screening lines to see which ones are getting hosed up. In particular, look for infrequent travelers that don’t seem to know what they are doing and stay away from their line.
  • If you can, stay away from the new body scanners and steer towards the lines that have metal detectors. Be aware that the body scanners require you to take everything out of your pockets, not just metal objects.
  • If you have a jacket with you, there are two options: 1) before you get in line, stuff the jacket into your carry-on bag (one less thing to mess with) or 2) hang onto your jacket but put your metal items into a pocket (best if you have a zipper or other closure on the pocket so things don’t spill out). If you are really hardcore, check out the SCOTTEVEST products with a gazillion pockets.
  • Slip-on shoes are a little faster to get on and off.
  • The x-ray machines have a roller tray that feed carry-on items into the machines. Don’t be too quick to put your luggage onto this tray. First  focus on getting the special items into the tubs they provide. That is, pull your notebook computer, your 1 quart bag of fluids, your shoes, etc. and put them into a tub. Then, as you approach the x-ray machine plop your carry-on bag(s) onto the tray. This avoids juggling a cargo train of luggage on the tray.
  • What about ham radio gear you are carrying? (Yes, this is a ham radio blog.) Handheld transceivers are not much of an issue these days, since they look so much like mobile phones. Sometimes I will pull them out and put them in a tub for screening. For larger radios, treat them like a notebook computer….pull them out of the bag and put it in a tub so it is visible and can be easily x-ray’d.

Those are my thoughts….what do you say?

73, Bob K0NR

NASA Amateur Radio Video from ISS

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Well, this one has actually been out on the web for several weeks, but I finally got around to viewing it. Col. Doug Wheeler Wheelock (KF5BOC) gives a short tour of the ISS and then demonstrates amateur radio operating (2 Meter FM) from the ISS. Col. Wheeler Wheelock was very active on the ham radio and I heard him on many passes but was not able to work him.

This is one of the best NASA videos concerning amateur radio on board the ISS, so don’t miss it!

This Spewed Out of the Internet #17

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Just catching up on some of the fine information spewing forth from the Internetz.

I saw this video about a flying car. Yeah, I think I might need one, but only if I’m the only one. I don’t want the crummy drivers I see on the road flying around in the air.

See what happens when Hitler finds out he worked rare DX but did not show up in the log.

Here’s a higher quality ham radio video by my friend Steve, WG0AT. See Peanut, Rooster and the Alpha Goat operate from the summit of Mount Herman. It sounds like this may be the last Goathiker video for a while, so enjoy it.

Not to be left out, NASA posted this excellent video from the International Space Station (ISS). Colonel Doug Wheelock gives a fine explanation of what it is like on his end when working the earthbound pileup. Don’t miss this one!

Recreational Equipment Incorporated (REI) has updated the Ten Essentials for wilderness travel. Whether you use the old ones or the new ones, give this some thought.

The ICOM IC-9100 inches its way towards being available for sale in the US. At least, I think it is. A fairly detailed product brochure is available on ab4oj.com. The latest word is that the radio will be available “soon”.

Yawn, wake me when it shows up.

Electronic Design magazine has a good tutorial on digital communications, including bandwidth, data rate and various forms of modulation.

73, Bob K0NR

Has Amateur Radio Missed Out on Instant Messaging?

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Earlier today, I was examining the various mobile phone service plans and “smart phones.” This caused me to reflect on how text messaging has become such a big deal in the mobile wireless world. Text messaging, more properly called  SMS (Short Message Service), supports simple text messages up to 160 characters. Even with a limited text length, much information gets passed using SMS, with usage rates exploding in recent years.

Twitter created a messaging system based on these short messages (actually limited to 140 characters to  fit into SMS with some margin). It wasn’t clear at first what the purpose of this system is, but people have figured out how to make use of it.

Other social networking systems, such as Facebook, have included SMS into their system, including sending status updates out via text messages. It turns out that you can do a lot with just 160 characters of plain text.

Ironically, amateur radio had the basic technology for a simple messaging system decades ago. This technology is packet radio or AX.25, a narrowband digital communications format that is ideal for sending short messages. This was a hot technology during the 1980’s and into the 1990’s. Later it faded into the background as the Internet delivered much faster digital pipes.  APRS (Amateur Packet Reporting System) revived interest in the mode in the past decade but remains a niche application in ham radio.

The APRS community has tried to take APRS main stream as a ubiquitous messaging system, but this has not gained wide adoption. Bob Bruninga WB4APR documented the Universal Text Messaging initiative on his web site. This is a nice piece of work. Bob argues correctly that we have quite a few different messaging formats that need to be tied together so they can be more effective.

What is standing in the way of a robust amateur radio messaging system? I think it  it is quite simple: the lack of a compelling mobile device for text messaging. While both Kenwood and Yaesu have incorporated APRS into their handheld radios (TH-D72, VX-8GR),  the emphasis seems to be on position reporting (GPS) and simple status messages. Neither of them have done anything innovative in the text message area, such as including a QWERTY keyboard or a touch screen user interface. Imagine a handheld radio based on the Android operating system…an open system that can be programmed by the amateur community. Being inherently digital, ICOM’s D-STAR radios had the opportunity to really nail this type of use but they have missed it so far.

There has been some fine work done using D-STAR to provide Instant Messaging (IM) capability. Most notably, the D-RATS software by Dan Smith KK7DS does a super job of integrating IM and email, using the ham bands along with the Internet. (D-RATS has many other features, too.) But to run D-RATS you need a computer attached to the radio….appropriate in some applications but missing the portability associated with the conventional HT or mobile phone.

A valid question is whether this really matters at all. Do we even need a ham radio instant messaging system? If we did, what would we use it for?  Applications that come to mind are: position reports, event announcements, DX spots, emergency pages, callsign lookup, repeater directory and, of course, casual chatting.  I suspect that once the capability is available the software gurus among us would apply it to applications that are beyond our current thinking. Actually, we know what hams like to “tweet” about…just monitor the high level of ham activity on Twitter. To really make this work, we’ll need some action from the equipment manufacturers.

That’s my thinking….what do you say?

73, Bob K0NR

QST Announcement of January VHF Contest

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While I was traveling on business, I started getting emails about my photo in QST. When I got home I took a look and found this announcement for the upcoming January VHF Contest.

I had posted this photo in my soapbox comments for the 2010 contest. Sean KX9X dropped me an email a few months ago asking if they could use it for publication. Of course, I said “sure!”

See you on the air in January!

73, Bob K0NR

CQ VHF Magazine

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CQ VHFMy radio interests have always been peaked on the VHF and higher bands, so that is one reason why I really enjoy  CQ VHF magazine. CQ VHF is published once a quarter and contains a variety of fun content on radio operating above 50 MHz.

With the >50 MHz focus, it is a great fit for for new Technician licensees, but it is also technical enough for more experienced hams. Take a look at the most recent table of contents here.

I like the magazine so much that I an a contributing editor for it, writing the FM/Repeater column. (No, it is not so lucrative that I have quit my day job….this is in the labor-of-love category.)

Right now, CQ VHF is running a holiday subscription special of $24/year.

Check it out.

73, Bob K0NR

Another Excellent Tech Class

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Today we finished up the second day of our Two Day Technician License Class. This is a formula that we have found be to effective….a bit of a cram to get it done in two days but still able to cover the material.

The class was typical of what we have been seeing….about 1/3 are connected to the local Boy Scout Troop (Scouts and Parents), about 1/3 are in the category of “I always wanted to do this but never got around to it” and 1/3 are connected to public service organizations (fire, search and rescue, etc.).

We registered 24 student but 3 of them dropped out for one reason or another. Today, 21 students attempted the Technician Class Exam and 18 of them were successful (86% pass rate).

Thanks to Stu W0STU, Paul AA0K and Joyce K0JJW for helping to make this happen.

73, Bob K0NR

Yet Another Callsign Hat

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On his blog, W2LG mentioned that he got a new hat with his callsign on it from Astrid’s Embroidery and Quilts. I took a look at their web site and was impressed by the options offered (lots of color and graphics choices).

I also came across 3 Reasons Why Should Buy A Callsign Hat by W1MST, which also referenced the same vendor, run by Todd W8MC.

Of course, if you look in my closet, you’ll find that I am already equipped with several different styles of callsign hats…and a huge pile of other hats. So some people might say I really don’t need another hat.

But I ordered one anyway. It arrived in just a few days and it looks great.

– 73, Bob K0NR

2010 Fall TechFest

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Here is an excellent opportunity to build your ham radio knowledge and skill. The 285 TechConnect Radio Club (www.na0tc.org ) is once again sponsoring the Fall TechFest (Saturday November 6th). This educational event is aimed at the Tech advancing to General, with a good selection of workshop topics.

I often get new Technician licensees (or not so new licensees) asking for help on learning more about amateur radio. The 285 TechConnect Radio Club has taken this on and has created a super environment for technical training.

I will be presenting the VHF workshop for this event. I presented on a different topic last year and it was loads of fun, so I am looking forward to doing it again!

Schedule of Workshops
(order and topic may vary)
Time Topics
9:00 – 9:50 Contesting Using Wire Antennas and 100 Watt Rigs
10:00 – 10:50 DXing Using Wire Antennas and 100 watt Rigs
11:00 – 11:50 The Fun Of Using Classic Radios
12:00 – 12:50 Lunch (on your own) Question and Answer Session for those who stay to eat
1:00 – 1:50 QRP – Make Contacts Like the Big Boys with 5 Watts
2:00 – 2:50 VHF/UHF – Beyond FM
3:00 – 3:50 Audio Processing – Make That Difficult Contact

Registration
Space is limited! Please pre-register.
Cost $10.00 (cash only at the door).

Where
The Inter Canyon Fire Department Station #1. The address is 7939 South Turkey Creek Road, Morrison, Colorado OR check our website – www.na0tc.org.

NAØTC – 285 TechConnect Radio Club
2010 Fall TechFest
November 6, 2010

Be sure to visit the NA0TC web site for complete information.

73, Bob K0NR

Our First GeoFox Rally

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Our local radio club (W0TLM) has been able to help a number of Scouts from the local Boy Scout troop get their Technician Class radio license. (See Results from the Second Technician Class.) The boys are having a lot of fun talking to each other on 2 Meters and using ham radio to support their troop activities.

We started thinking about some other fun activities we could do with them. Somehow the notion of combining some GPS (geocaching) work with transmitter (fox) hunting emerged. It turns out that we are not the first group to have this idea. The North Bay Amateur Radio Club in California had already tried this and named it GeoFox.

Our version of GeoFox,  crafted by Stu W0STU, resulted in a course that had three hidden transmitters  and three checkpoints defined by latitude/longitude, for a total of 6 checkpoints. The total course length was about 3.6 miles.

Using this as a learning opportunity, the Scouts built their own “tape measure” yagi antennas for use in direction finding.

The course was set up in a portion of Pike National Forest, near Woodland Park, Colorado. The Scout troop combined the GeoFox event with a weekend campout. The Scouts worked in teams of 4, with at least one licensed radio operator and a GPS operator. Each team started at 20 minute intervals with instructions to get them to the first checkpoint. At each checkpoint, they found the instructions that would get them to the next checkpoint. In addition to GPS and radio operating, the instructions required the use of some basic Morse code and traditional map/compass. The event crew was in radio contact with the teams as we tracked their progress throughout the course.

The Scouts plan their attack at the start of the course.

The course turned out to be more difficult than planned. Some of the teams got off track into difficult terrain (for one reason or another) and took a while to recover. A few of the teams did not finish the course in time.  Everyone left the event quite exhausted but full of stories to tell about their fun day.

A GeoFox team leaves the starting point, headed for the first transmitter

I think we have the start of a really fun activity for all ages that we will refine over time.

– 73, Bob K0NR

This Spewed Out of the Internet #17

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The summer is flying by and it has been difficult to keep up with the blog. Here are a few things that just spewed out of the internet.

This week there is a nasty wildfire burning west of Boulder which has already consumed 92 structures. (Take a look at some of the photos here.) We have gotten used to the occasional wildfire in the west, some big, some small. This one seems to have spread rapidly and damaged many homes in a short time. And its not over yet. And yes, the local amateur radio community is actively helping out.

K3NG writes about a situation concerning a public service event. He makes some really good points about the amateur radio role in such events. Sometimes I see radio amateurs working events and not really providing much value. This gives us some on-the-air practice but that may not be enough to justify participating.

The Southgate ARC has an item about keeping the AM mode alive. To me, AM definitely means ancient modulation, clearly approaching the Duty-To-Die phase. Please end the life support on this mode and let it slip away. It really will be better for everyone.  (OK, I suppose these guys are just having fun…hard to knock that. But they could do it with half the bandwidth. )

Back to the future with a reworked Commodore 64. I could see getting one of these PCs.

Here’s a good article from unplggd on emergency preparedness from a tech point of view (but not necessarily amateur radio). It’s worth a read.

Those Compact Florescent Light (CFL) bulbs are gaining in popularity. I believe they are an ecological time bomb because of their mercury content. See this article for more information. Oh, and if they aren’t designed well, they tend to radiate radio frequency interference.

73, Bob K0NR

Ham Radio Two-Day License Class – October 16 & 23

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Amateur Radio Technician License Class

Monument, Colorado
Saturday Oct 16 and Saturday Oct 23 (8 AM to 5 PM)
Location: Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Station 1
Sponsored by the Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Radio Association

The Technician license is your gateway to the world-wide excitement of Amateur Radio …

  • Earn your ham radio Technician class radio privileges
  • Pass your FCC amateur radio license exam right in class on the second day
  • Multiple-choice exam, No Morse Code Required
  • Live equipment demonstrations
  • Learn to operate on the ham bands, 10 Meters and higher
  • Learn to use the many VHF/UHF FM repeaters in Colorado
  • Find out how to participate in emergency communications

There is no cost for the class (donations accepted)

However, students must have the required study guide:

Gordon West Technician Class guide, 7th Edition $20.95

And pay the FCC Exam Fee: $15.00

Advance registration is required (no later than Oct 10th, earlier is better!)

To register for the class, contact: Bob Witte KØNR

For more information on amateur (ham) radio visit www.arrl.org or www.wedothat-radio.org

Updated Web Site at CQ VHF

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CQ COMMUNICATIONS, INC. PRESS RELEASE. Richard Moseson, W2VU, Editorial Director, sent out the following dated Tuesday, August 10th:

“CQ VHF Magazine Launches Streamlined Website — Continuing its company-wide update of its magazine websites, CQ Communications, Inc. today announced the launch of a new and easier-to-navigate website for CQ VHF magazine. Like the recently updated sites for WorldRadio Online and Popular Communications, the new CQ VHF site features a cleaner look and a streamlined user interface to make it quicker and easier for visitors to find what they are looking for. The CQ VHF update coincides with posting of the highlights for the Summer 2010 issue.

Current issue highlights include sample pages in full-color layout, to give prospective readers the ability to see what the magazine itself looks like in print. Highlights of previous issues reaching back to 2006 are available on the website with easier access than in the past. One new feature is a ‘Current Events’ page, which provides readers with access to information on upcoming events and activities that is more up-to-date than possible with a quarterly publication.

The site also includes links to clubs, ham radio reference sites, contact information for editors and columnists, direct links to advertisers’ websites and to other CQ Communications publications. In addition, a link to the magazine’s Facebook page makes it simple for readers to provide feedback and connect with other hobbyists.

CQ VHF is a quarterly magazine devoted to ‘Ham Radio Above 50 MHz.’ First published in 1996, it combines articles designed for newcomers with historical and technical features best appreciated by more experienced VHF operators. It is edited by Joe Lynch, N6CL, who is also the long-time ‘VHF-Plus’ editor of parent magazine CQ Amateur Radio.

CQ VHF is published by CQ Communications, Inc., which also publishes CQ Amateur Radio, Popular Communications and WorldRadio Online magazines. The new CQ VHF website may be accessed at: <http://www.cq-vhf.com>.”

CQ WW VHF – Just Another Day of Sporadic-E

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You just have to love VHF contesting….hours of boredom punctuated by the excitement of band openings. Unlike HF contests, you never really know what you are going to get in terms of propagation.

So it was with the CQ Worldwide VHF Contest this weekend. It started out really slow on Saturday. I mean really, really, really slow. There were not many local stations on the air, so it was tough sledding on both 2 Meters and 6 Meters. (Yes, the CQ WW VHF Test is two bands only: 2 Meters and 6 Meters…and those are my favorite bands to work anyway.)

Then later in the afternoon, I hear Louisiana stations coming in on 6 Meters. Then the magic sporadic-e clouds shift and I am working the east coast, all the way up into the New England states. Later the propagation shifts to the midwest and it was Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Iowa and Kansas. I was working them as fast as I could and had quite a pileup into DM78 Colorado. The band stayed open till about 9 PM local…just when I thought it was done, another station would come booming in.

Sunday started out slow but during the morning I worked the Pacific northwest on 50 MHz, including several contacts into Canada. This opening was not as strong, but it kept me busy until the afternoon. Then it was picking up everyone I could on 2 Meters. Again, local participation was surprisingly light…not sure what’s up with that.

Band  Mode  QSOs   Pts  Grd
50     CW     1      1    1
50    USB   259    259  112
144    CW     1      2    1
144   USB    14     28    7
Total Both  275    290  121

Score : 35,090

All in all, a great time was had by me.

73, Bob K0NR

FCC Adopts Changes to 97.113

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The FCC has adopted rule changes to Part 97.113, allowing employees to communicate on behalf of an employer during emergency preparedness drills.

I’ve posted several times about this topic, see EmComm Trouble, Time to Change the Rules,  FCC Moving Ahead on the topic.

The new version of the rules are listed here:

§ 97.113 Prohibited transmissions.  
 
(a) * * *
(3) Communications in which the station licensee or control operator has a pecuniary interest, including communications on behalf of an employer, with the following exceptions:
 
(i) A station licensee or control station operator may participate on behalf of an employer in an emergency preparedness or disaster readiness test or drill, limited to the duration and scope of such test or drill, and operational testing immediately prior to such test or drill. Tests or drills that are not government-sponsored are limited to a total time of one hour per week; except that no more than twice in any calendar year, they may be conducted for a period not to exceed 72 hours.
 
(ii) An amateur operator may notify other amateur operators of the availability for sale or trade of apparatus normally used in an amateur station, provided that such activity is not conducted on a regular basis.
 
(iii) A control operator may accept compensation as an incident of a teaching position during periods of time when an amateur station is used by that teacher as a part of classroom instruction at an educational institution.
 
(iv) The control operator of a club station may accept compensation for the periods of time when the station is transmitting telegraphy practice or information bulletins, provided that the station transmits such telegraphy practice and bulletins for at least 40 hours per week; schedules operations on at least six amateur service MF and HF bands using reasonable measures to maximize coverage; where the schedule of normal operating times and frequencies is published at least 30 days in advance of the actual transmissions; and where the control operator does not accept any direct or indirect compensation for any other service as a control operator.

 

The FCC does allow for drills that are not government sponsored, but did include some time limits on these exercises. At first glance, these rules look reasonable to me. What do you think?

        73, Bob K0NR

2010 Colorado 14er Event

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The Colorado 14er Event will be held on August 8 this year. This is the premier mountaintopping event for amateur radio. The basic idea is to have fun making ham radio contacts from the 14,000 foot peaks in Colorado.

Actually, we’ve started to see some of the 14,000 ft peaks in California on the air, too! Very cool. Rumor has it that some of the New Mexico hams might be active on the highest summits in that state (none are above 14,000 feet though). I don’t know whether the Kansas folks are going to brave the extreme conditions on Mount Sunflower this year or not. (That’s the highest spot in Kansas.)

Some of these stations will be on HF, activating Summits On The Air (SOTA) peaks.

For more information see:

The 14er Event Web Site

The Ham14er Yahoo group

I hope to work you during the event.

73, Bob K0NR

Here Come the Chinese Radios

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I happened to be in Hong Kong on business and wandered around the Kowloon area looking for electronic gadgets. I started noticing several different models of handheld transceivers, some of them marketed as ham radios. I counted at least 10 different brands of equipment, all made in China.

A Wouxun radio caught my eye, as I recalled some discussion about these radios being available at Dayton for a very reasonable price. I took a look at it and was pleased with the look of the radio. The price was right, too…less than $100 US.

This Wouxun KG-UVD1P is a very capable dualband 146 MHz/ 446 MHz radio. The whole idea of such a low cost radio had me hooked…I basically wanted to know if the radio was any good….so I bought one. (I have to confess that I forgot to negotiate a lower price which is common in these Hong Kong shops.)

I took the radio home and have been playing with it. So far, I am very impressed. I’d like to find some time to check out the performance with my test equipment, but that will have to wait. I’ve also noticed that there are some reviews and mentions of this rig on the internet: eham.net, W2LJ,  Wouxun web site and hamradioshop.it .   The N9EWO has quite a bit of detailed information about the radio on his website. He points out that this radio is not really a full dualband transceiver…the VHF and UHF receiver share some circuitry such that you can’t actually receive two signals simultaneously.

So here come the Chinese radios. Not a big surprise as many low cost electronic devices are manufactured in China. However, the Big Three (Yaesu, Kenwood and Icom) are Japanese companies and as far as I can tell have kept most of their manufacturing in Japan.

Amateur radio transceivers are a mature technology, so expect to see more of these Chinese radios showing up in the US.

Your Mileage May Vary, All Disclaimers Apply.

– 73, Bob K0NR

Update 10 July 2010 : there is a Yahoo group for discussing the wouxun radios.

Update 18 July 2010: Wouxun US website: http://www.wouxun.us/