Practical Wireless Magazine

13 March 2025

The April 2025 issue of Practical Wireless is now available. Here are some of the highlights: Keylines: Don looks back at his journey into the hobby. Amateur Radio on a Budget: Daimon Tilley G4USI reviews the FX4-CR QRPO transceiver and builds a go-box to house it along with accessories. Anytone AT-6666 Pro review: Richard Constantine G3UGF reviews a rig that he describes as HF fun on a budget. A VHF Power Meter: Geoff Theasby G8BMI returns with a budget solution for VHF power measurement. The World of VHF: Tim Kirby GW4VXE has a full column, starting with news of the 6m Firsts listing maintained by Peter G8BCG. Getting Coax into the Shack: Lindsay Pennell GI3KME has a solution to the dilemma of bringing cables into the house without causing damage to the fabric. The Fortress Gibraltar Antenna: Ken Ruiz ZB2MD offers a portable one-element beam ideal for walled cities, castles etc. HF Highlights: Steve Telenius-Lowe G4JVG reports on a recent activity from rare Mt Athos, before bringing readers lots more HF news. Going back to my roots with the two-metre band (Part 1): Richard White G6NFE looks back over his time in the hobby and finds inspiration to try again. What Next: Colin Redwood G6MXL starts by encouraging readers to try SSB on the VHF and UHF bands, focusing on the 2m band, before briefly looking at an update to the UK exam syllabus. Hammer it with MSHV: Billy McFarland GM6DX explains how to get started with MSHV. Antennas: Keith Rawlings G4MIU starts a teach-in on VNAs and their uses. Data Modes: Mike Richards G4WNC has the latest on VarAC as well as news of some free spectrum analyser software. 4m band quad with twin feeder - a universal VHF antenna: Jonathan Hare G1EXG offers a simple VHF antenna that can be made to work on multiple bands. A Useful Voltage Reference: Michael Jones GW7BBY describes an accurate voltage reference for use in the workshop. A tale of Two Power Supplies: Geoff Theasby G8BMI repurposes a couple of power supplies. Readers’ Letters: This month’s Letters cover memories, Dr Shive’s wave machine, QSL cards and more. The Sharing Machine: SDRplay nRSP-ST: Georg Wiessala says “Expand Your Radio Horizons” with the network-capable SDRplay nRSP-ST. Restoring an Icom 290A: Tony Jones G7ETW gets a real ‘oldie’ working again. Vintage Television & Radio: Keith Hamer and Garry Smith continue the special series looking back at the BBC’s coverage of Coronations since 1937, this time highlighting picture synchronisation problems in 1953. There is also a vintage Coronation advertisement from the archives for home correspondence courses to educate budding radio and television engineers. The series highlighting broadcasting events from exactly 100 years ago features the start of radio in Denmark and the Netherlands, together with the transfer of the BBC 2LO transmitter to the rooftop of a well-known department store. The saga charting the rise and fall of BBC 198kHz transmissions focuses on the ‘Transmitter Hall’ at Westerglen in Scotland. Coverage detailing 60 years of BBC-2 includes the saga of drunken trespassers on a ‘live’ news programme. They also continue their series about the development of Swiss Radio and Television since 1922 with the closure of the Sottens transmitter. The Morse Mode: Roger Cooke G3LDI starts with a run-through of good operating procedures before reporting on the latest Essex Bootcamp.