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January 2008

Articles from the

January 2008 issue
of CQ posted on our

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Happy 2008!

The January issue of CQ takes us on a virtual DXpedition through the wide and varied world of amateur radio, starting with the cover, featuring OH0JFP in the Åland Islands. We next head to Montenegro, where the Council of Europe's amateur radio club held a special operation last October, operating 4O0CE from the YT6A contest superstation in honor of Montenegro's new membership in the Council. Next, we take you all around the world with the SSB results of the 2007 CQ World Wide WPX Contest, which featured more than 3000 entries from just about everywhere. This month, we also have the rules for February's 2008 CQ WW RTTY WPX Contest (Note: Due to space limitations, the rules for the 2008 WPX SSB and CW Contests will not appear in print until the February issue, but they are already posted online, here on our website.) In addition, we begin our annual nomination period for the CQ Amateur Radio, Contest and DX Halls of Fame (Note: As of this year, the official CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame nomination form will be found only here on our website; you may download it or simply write a letter explaining why you think your nominee ought to be considered. Different rules apply for the Contest and DX Halls of Fame - see the announcement for details).

Moving out of DXpedition mode, CQ Contributing Editor Phil Salas, AD5X, reviews two automatic antenna tuners from MFJ, the high-end MFJ-998 and the more basic MFJ-925. "Washington Readout" editor Fred Maia, W5YI, takes a close look at Motorola's plans to buy Vertex Standard, the parent company of Yaesu, and talks with Vertex Standard's amateur radio sales manager, Dennis Motschenbacher, K7BV.

"Math's Notes" editor Irwin Math, WA2NDM, looks as low-cost test equipment; Public Service Editor Bob Josuweit, WA3PZO, reports on ham radio's role in fighting the California wildfires in late October; "World of Ideas" editor Dave Ingram, K4TWJ, invites readers to join him in "Thinking Outside the Box," as well as celebrating his 25th anniversary as a CQ columnist (Congratulations, Dave!). "Magic in the Sky" editor Jeff Reinhardt, AA6JR, takes us on a tour of a radio manufacturing plant in Japan, and Phil Salas, AD5X, shares plans for an "Automatic Antenna Grounding System for Multiple Feeds and Multiple Receivers" in this month's "The Weekender" column.

January's "How it Works" column, by K4TWJ, focuses on timekeeping and seasons and their relationship with the ham radio world; Antennas Editor Kent Britain, WA5VJB/2E0VJB, reports from England on some amateur radio astronomy antennas while attending a conference there (he also took and passed his exam for a UK intermediate class license in addition to his US license), and "Radio Classics" editor Joe Veras, K9OCO, commits "Boatanchor Heresy" by looking at some early solid-state ham gear.

Beginner's Editor Wayne Yoshida, KH6WZ, introduces newcomers to HF to "The Basics of Making Low-Band Contacts;" New Products Editor Anthony Luscre, K8ZT, takes a look at a new HF transceiver kit, a lightweight portable HF antenna and even a waterproof logbook! "VHF Plus" editor Joe Lynch, N6CL, takes us to near-space with his reporting on the launch and recovery of the ASTRO-7 high-altitude balloon by Oklahoma State University; Awards Editor Ted Melinosky, K1BV, recounts WA2CKP's story of earning the Japan Amateur Radio League's Asian DX Award and, as usual, looks at a host of available radio awards from all over the world. DX Editor Carl Smith, N4AA, lets us know about DXpeditions planned for early 2008 and offers up tips from W3WL for "making lemonade" from the lousy band conditions accompanying the current sunspot minimum.

Finally, Contesting Editor John Dorr, K1AR, talks about how to properly interpret contest rules, and Propagation Editor Tomas Hood, NW7US, starts off the new year by beginning a new series on the basics of electromagnetic radiation and radio wave propagation (along with his regular reports and predictions).

That's a sampling of what's ahead in the January 2008 issue of CQ, which should be on newsstands and in subscribers' mailboxes by late December. Happy New Year from all of us at CQ!!

Remember - The CQ DX Marathon starts anew this month! Everybody starts with a clean slate for the 2008 competition. For details on the 2008 Marathon or on submitting logs/scores for the 22007 Marathon, please go to <https://www.dxmarathon.com>.

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