Practical Wireless Magazine

10 July 2025

The August 2025 issue of Practical Wireless is now available. Here are some of the highlights: Keylines: Don focuses this month on operating away from home. Review - The Alinco DJ-X100T/E: Georg Wiessala looks at a rig that offers scanning with GPS, ACARS and AIS. What Next: Colin Redwood G6MXL has the first part of a plain man’s guide to radio propagation. Hedy Lamarr: Tony Jones G7ETW relates the story of Hedy Lamarr, inventor of frequency hopping. The World of VHF: Tim Kirby GW4VXE starts this month’s column with news of the next 145 Alive (and 433 and 1296 Alive) events. Hamming Up with my Pacemaker: Tom Morgan ZT1T was fitted with a pacemaker and investigated how it might be affected in a typical radio amateur station. Service history of an IC-706 Mk II G: Jonathan Hare G1EXG is determined to keep his IC-706 working (and succeeds). A 5-element Yagi for 70 cm FM, using copper foil tape and cardboard: Rich French M7GET builds a basic but effective Yagi for the 433 Alive event. Data Modes: Mike Richards G4WNC continues his examination of GridTracker 2 to support FT8/4 operation, as well as AI-assisted programming and a new satellite software package. HF Highlights: Steve Telenius-Lowe G4JVG reports that due to solar flares, HF band conditions have been poor to awful in recent weeks. Amateur Radio on a Budget: Daimon Tilley G4USI revisits a rig that was first reviewed in PW in 1982 but still has its attractions. Antennas: Keith Rawlings G4MIU completes his look at VNA’s, starting with a discussion of the Smith Chart. My Way to Panel Lettering: Alpar Cseley HA8KT offers a number of alternatives for panel lettering. A Lab Tutorial: Jeff helps Natalie to understand reactance. Antenna Resurrection: Tom Tierney G0JSV tackles the challenge of replacing aged antennas. The Morse Mode: Roger Cooke G3LDI tackles the thorny subject of learning Morse when you have a disability. Vintage Television & Radio: Keith Hamer and Garry Smith conclude their special series looking back at the BBC’s coverage of Coronations since 1937. There is also a vintage Coronation advertisement from the archives with a reminder from Mullard Limited to test valves in time for the 1953 Coronation. The series highlighting broadcasting events from exactly 100 years ago looks at August 1925. The saga charting the rise and fall of BBC 198kHz transmissions once again focuses on the war-time role of the Droitwich transmitter. Coverage detailing 60 years of BBC-2 gives a PW reader’s account of early electronic line-standard converters. They also continue their series about the development of Swiss Radio and Television since 1922. Passive WSPR Radar? (Pt II): Nils Schiffhauer DK8OK completes his look at the likelihood of WSPR data being able to locate aircraft. Readers’ Letters: This month’s Letters cover receivers, SINAD, new rigs and more.