KØBJ's Amateur Radio page

Field Day 2003 Photo review

Amateur radio is hobby radio communication with a serious side -- public service in times of emergency. The hobby started just a decade after Marconi's experiments,  in the early 1910s, and has been regulated by the Federal Communications Commission since the 30s. There are many subinterests within amateur radio. My favorites are:

DX - talking with foreign places; the farther away and more exotic, the better. There are 327 radio "countries" or entities and I am still looking for 4 of them. My 1992 trip with N1DX to Desecheo Island is the cover story (p 4-14) in The DX Magazine Jan/Feb 1993(ISSN 1043-4208). I also wrote DXing on Family Vacations, p 59-61 in the July/Aug 1993 issue. W3UR sells an excellent Monday-Friday email DX newsletter called The Daily DX. Check his website for samples and subscription info.

Satellites - using VHF signals - normally line-of-sight, to activate amateur repeaters on satellites which dramatically extends VHF range. AMSAT is our national membership organization.

Ragchewing - getting to know someone better (especially with DX)

Contests - spending part or most of a weekend chasing as many 2 way contacts with as many areas as possible.  I LOVE ARRL's online 'soapbox' and have posted comments for the following contests:

With 800,000 hams in the USA and more than 3 million worldwide, there's always someone new to talk with!

AREA HAM RADIO INFO

I serve on the board of directors of the American Radio Relay League, our national membership organization. I am Vice Director for the Midwest Division of Kansas Nebraska Missouri and Iowa. ARRL's website is a great place to explore this fascinating hobby. I authored Father & Son Satellites, p 51-2 of December 1996 QST, ARRL's monthly journal ISSN:0033-4812. I edited Memories of a Toy Key, p 49 - 50 of July 1998 QST and Pony Express Special Event Station K0ASA for ARRL's web magazine.

Our area club is the Trojan Amateur Radio Club. We operate fm REPEATERS WØWOB on 146.82 (Colby) and 444.65 (Brewster),  APRS node and Colby High School APRS wx station on 144.39.  We also meet Friday noons for 'Ham Lunch'; monitor .82 for that day's location. 

     Some good ham websites:

OH2AQ WebCluster THE way to get spotting info in the boondocks

W0TM Website   lots of info from the K.C./Vail, bear-wrestling vagabond

Today's Narrowband solar images from the SDAC archives great for judging current flare and sunspot activity

MUF/auroral oval/terminator Mercator map Univ. of Lethbridge's online, near- realtime map     unavailable

Sunrise/set times anywhere, any day US Naval Observatory's database

Heavens Above  takes a few moments to customize for your location, but provides tracking and visibility data for amateur and visual satellites, especially Iridium flares, as well as eclipses, etc.

J-Pass      similar to Heavens Above but with different graphical presentation 

Ham Yachtee progress   map of maritime mobile hams and their movements

Smoky Hills PTV UHF translator map a great western KS UHF beacon system

UALR Callbook database this one is frequently updated - FCC calls only

QRZ Callbook database this includes some DX and email addresses

G4NJH page a nice mix of European amateur radio, as well as general British and English midlands info

Listen to a SW rcvr. in VA! Actually control the Drake R8 radio in Reston VA. OR do the same from Sweden!

HAMFILATELIA just the site for collectors of ham stamps & pins. In Spanish, but rich in photos

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