Practical Wireless Magazine

9 January 2025

The February 2025 issue of Practical Wireless is now available. Here are some of the highlights: Keylines: Don talks about WAB, pirate radio and more. The Discovery of the Ionosphere: 11 December marked exactly 100 years ago that the newly appointed physics professor Edward Victor Appleton, together with his first assistant Miles Barnett, proved the existence of the ionosphere in an epoch-making experiment. A birthday greeting from Nils Schiffhauer DK8OK. Review: Xiegu X6200: Daimon Tilley G4USI takes a critical look at the latest offering from Xiegu. A new antenna for my flat: Tony Jones G7ETW solves the problem of achieving an external antenna in a block of flats. Vintage Television & Radio: Keith Hamer and Garry Smith continue the special series looking back at the BBC’s coverage of Coronations since 1937. There is also a vintage Coronation advertisement from the archives for a ‘televisor’ and radiogram. The series highlighting broadcasting events from exactly 100 years ago features the first radio programme for farmers. The saga charting the rise and fall of BBC 198kHz transmissions focuses on the power arrangements employed at the Westerglen transmitter in Scotland. Coverage detailing 60 years of BBC-2 looks at the ‘Seven Faces’ schedule. They also continue their series about the development of Swiss Radio and Television since 1922. The Morse Mode: Roger Cooke G3LDI spends time discussing the challenges of Morse code for the dyslexic. The Art of building Junk Box projects: Stuart Vanstone M0SGV guides readers through collecting and using old parts for constructional projects. Data Modes: Mike Richards G4WNC discusses protecting that all-important data before mentioning yet another Raspberry Pi case. Amateur Radio on a Budget: Daimon Tilley G4USI looks at whether it’s possible to be active on HF for a budget sum. HF Highlights: As well as the usual HF news, Steve Telenius-Lowe G4JVG introduces a new element, QSLs from yesteryear, to his monthly column. Two-Tone Test Oscillator Upgrade for the Precise 1kHz Tone Generator: Andrew Woodfield ZL2PD describes a useful enhancement to his previous tone generator design. Noise cancelling on a Budget: Richard Constantine G3UGF checks out the latest Bluetooth headphones from regular PW advertiser bhi. Antennas: Keith Rawlings G4MIU discusses some useful material from the AN-SOF stable before returning to the Flower Pot antenna. The World of VHF: Tim Kirby GW4VXE reports on an exceptional 2m QSO, as well as some great propagation on other VHF and UHF bands. A Lab Tutorial: Jeff and Natalie get to grips with the basics of inductors. Filter Fantastic: Billy McFarland GM6DX tackles a simple project for a useful filter. What Next: Colin Redwood G6MXL starts by turning his attention to Brickworks – a scheme from the RSGB designed to encourage newcomers to explore a wide range of aspects of our hobby. He then moves on to look at a useful web-based facility for mapping contacts. Broadcast equipment museum: Geoff Theasby G8BMI and his wife visit a fascinating museum at Hemswell Cliff, Lincolnshire.