KIX-OnlineLinks to amateur (ham) radio goodies on the web

Sorry for the delay….. the hazy days of summer yield to a LOT of amateur radio and public service events!!!!

Today, we take a trip back in history to the American Signal Corps.  Here is a series I recently stumbled upon with training for the SCR-694.  Interesting radio (kinda like one of the early “go-boxes”.  I am amazed when I see these or similar at hamfests and people just pass them by – they’re interesting.  Maybe I love the history behind our beloved hobby to much…… so I couldn’t resist.

As I’ve stated in the past, I’m fascinated by the use of radio communications by governments for espionage and wartime use.  When I came across this little nugget, I couldn’t resist.  What a joy it will be for those of us that can’t quite make it over to visit Bletchley Park.

The BBC has an article at:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10239623

Bletchley Park (really hard to resist using “BP” for this one…..) has been trying to do this for quite some time.  Dwindling funds, repairs needed for the site have just made this one of those “round to it” projects. Many documents are too fragile to handle at this time and will take awhile to get posted online, but it will indeed make for a fascinating online resource.

I’ve had the pleasure of actually getting my hands on  real, wartime Enigma machine and it was REALLY NEAT!!!  You can read about it, but there is nothing like actually using one to get you even more interested in this topic.  Professor Tom Perera gives a number of great discussions at the New England ARRL Division convention in Boxboro Mass (I spoke to Tom at Dayton and he said there may not be a presentation this year).  His site is a HUGE wealth of information on this topic (and CW keys).  If you ever get the chance to hear him give a presentation – JUMP ON IT!!!!

His website is:

http://chss.montclair.edu/~pererat/telegraph.html

If you want to visit the actual Bletchley Park site and look at the offerings there, check them out at:

http://www.bletchleypark.org.uk/

As mentioned previously, since I was a kid (long before being a radio amateur) I’ve been fascinated by numbers stations.  Every now and then I go on a search online to find more sites to satisfy my curiosities – there’s tons of ‘em out there.

This time, let me take you to the URL of Simon Mason, but he has a disclaimer about the material on his site:

The information presented in this section is for entertainment purposes only and does not disclose any information not already in the public domain. No assassination attempts are required! Thank you.

Rather tongue and cheek, but…… one can never be too sure!

His site looks rather old, but don’t let that discourage you – there is a TON of stuff here (and it’s updated).  Not only are there plenty of pages devoted to various numbers stations, but a plethora of videos and radio shows devoted to the subject.

Simon has written a small book that is freely downloadable on his website called “Secret Signals:  A Euronumbers Mystery” (available in HTML and MS Word format).

I can go on and on about the site, but just go check it out!  If you like this sort of thing, you’ll be there for hours!

http://www.simonmason.karoo.net/page30.html

I recently featured some material available from the Antique Wireless Association and had to go a little deeper.

They have a wealth of information available on their site with some of their journal’s online articles.  Great articles on vacuum tubes and such – but much, much more.

I found a great little article called “Working With Crystal Control: A ‘Part 15′ Broadcast Band Transmitter “, the transmitter setup on the left.  Really neat article (I think I must….want to build one of these)………  The image on the left is from that article – not to difficult to build and learn!!!

As I understand it, you can purchase a CD with back copies of this magazine.  I just might look into that.  Kinda sounds like the enjoyment I get when I receive that little journal from the G-QRP club – SPRAT.  When that hits my mailbox, I know it’s getting stuffed in my backpack for enjoyment down the road.

One important thing to keep in mind with the AWA Archives is how well they not only demonstrate radio history, but how you can recreate it and learn from it.  What a better way is there for a budding QRPer to learn where he’s going, but get a hands on demo from where other hams have been?

Below are only a few examples of the neat articles you’ll find on the AWA website:

Key and Telegraph  by John Casale, W2NI
President Taft’s Telegraph Key

Building a 1929 Style Hartley Transmitter  by Scott M. Freeberg, WA9WFA
Need a transmitter for our 1929 QSO Party? Build it in one week-end!

Breadboarding  by Richard A. Parks
More Adventures With Transistors

The Vacuum Tube  by Ludwell A. Sibley
Tube Bases and the Asbestos Hustle

Restoration of Shellac Finishes on Older Radios  by Lane Upton
Don’t Strip That Old Finish–Save it Instead!

A nostalgia trip for the old-timer; an eye-opener for the newbie.

The Beginnings of Radio Central  by Ralph Williams with Marshall Etter, Bob McGraw and Chris Bacon

Pupin and Armstrong lay an egg–An Antique Radio Gazette reprint.

A Solid-State Filter Choke or Field Coil Replacement

Go ahead and check them out at:

http://www.antiquewireless.org

http://www.antiquewireless.org/otb/archive.htm -  a direct link to the journal archives

Found these in a recent post on Southgate – really neat stuff.

I don’t have much information on the organization, but here is the YouTube Description:

The original brief history of the telegraph key. From French semaphore to modern electronic keying, Bruce kelley lectures on this important part of communications. Part of The AWA legacy series

Their website is:

http://www.antiquewireless.org/