Practical Wireless Magazine

12 June 2025

The July 2025 issue of Practical Wireless is now available. Here are some of the highlights: Keylines: Don discusses equipment repair, club social activities and more. Review: Yaesu FTM-510DE: Richard Constantine G3UGF looks at the latest incarnation of the FTM-500, the FTM-510. Getting started with amateur satellites: Tim Kirby GW4VXE explains how starting with amateur satellites need not be difficult. The World of VHF: Tim Kirby GW4VXE has the latest on the 144 & 433 Alive events plus all the month’s other VHF and UHF news. KISS Antennas: Ray Howes G4OWY/G6AUW advocates keeping it simple and homebrew with antennas. Vintage Television & Radio: Keith Hamer and Garry Smith continue the special series looking back at the BBC’s coverage of Coronations since 1937, highlighting the importance of Test Card ‘C’ transmissions. There is also a vintage Coronation advertisement for car ignition interference suppressors. The series highlighting broadcasting events from 100 years ago looks at July 1925. The saga charting the rise and fall of BBC 198kHz transmissions focuses on the war-time role of the Droitwich transmitter. Coverage detailing 60 years of BBC-2 looks at some of the first programmes to be aired. They also continue their series about the development of Swiss Radio and Television since 1922. Take 20: Steve Macdonald G4AQB has an easy-to-build project that satisfies the Take 20 concept. Data Modes: Mike Richards G4WNC sings the praises of GridTracker 2 before giving an update on the latest features in SATSAGEN. HF Highlights: Steve Telenius-Lowe G4JVG has all the latest HF news, including a report of AI being used on HF SSB. The Faces Behind the Calls: Roger Dowling G3NKH meets a couple who are behind the Norfolk Amateur Radio Club, the RSGB’s Tonight@8 and more, David & Tammy Palmer, G7URP & M0TC. Antennas: Keith Rawlings G4MIU continues with the series describing the use of the ever-popular NanoVNA series of Vector Network analysers (VNA’s). The International Amateur Radio Union: This year the IARU celebrates its centenary. Scott Caldwell looks back over its history. M1KE: Joe Chester M1MWD gets all enthusiastic about a new product from SharkRF. Passive WSPR Radar: Is it possible to locate aircraft worldwide using WSPR log data alone? Over two parts, Nils Schiffhauer DK8OK examines this claim in theory and practice. Without formula stuff, with results that can be easily verified by anyone. And surprising insights and prospects. Using MMANA-GAL to design an end-fed CFR Dipole: John McDonald G8PJC looks as designing CFR Dipoles for 70cm, 2m, 4m and 20m. SINAD: Tony Jones G7ETW explores the significance of SINAD measurements. Readers’ Letters: This month’s Letters cover space age radios, W9WNV, component availability and more.