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      October 2009

Articles from the

October 2009 issue
of CQ posted on our

website include:

The October issue of CQ starts out with the latest in our series of CQ Interviews, as we sit down this time with Princeton professor, Nobel laureate and WSJT author Joe Taylor, K1JT. Joe talks about his life in academia, the work that won him the Nobel Prize in Physics and how he came to write the ham radio software that revolutionized meteor scatter and moonbounce communications. In fact there was too much good stuff to fit into one article, so we've moved some of what we couldn't fit into a web-only article, "Digging Deeper with Dr. Joe Taylor, K1JT" -- click on the title to link to it.

Next, Roger Cooke, G3LDI, tells us about "The GB2CW Project," which is an effort by the Radio Society of Great Britain to help interested hams learn and use Morse code. We are also announcing a special Worked All Zones award to celebrate the 75th anniversary of one of ham radio's oldest and most prestigious operating awards.

The October issue also highlights the amazing accomplishment of Scott Redd, K0DQ, in winning all six major DX contests as a result of his single-op/low-power worldwide win in the 2008 CQ World Wide DX Contest CW weekend. We believe he is the only person ever to do this. We also have our annual update of the CQ World Wide DX Contest All-Time Records, compiled by Fred Capossela, K6SSS.

Phil Salas, AD5X, reviews the "new" Ameritron ALS-600 amplifier. The "new" is in quotes because the model itself is not new, but it has been so thoroughly upgraded that the inside of today's units bear little resemblance to those of the past. Finally among our features this month, Bill Kearns, WB6JAR, tells us that "Your Next HF Mobile Rig May Be Your Cell Phone!" (gotta read it to see what it's all about!)

Among our October columns, "Math's Notes" editor Irwin Math, WA2NDM, takes a look at "Negative Resistance;" Public Service Editor Richard Fisher, KI6SN, reports on the response of hams in India to the very destructive Cyclone Alia; and "Washington Readout" editor Fred Maia, W5YI, looks at the FCC's new focus on developing a national broadband plan. "World of Ideas" editor Dave Ingram, K4TWJ, begins a multi-part series on one of hams' favorite tubes for construction projects "back in the day" and even today, in "Long Live the 6L6, Part 1."

"Magic in the Sky" columnist Jeff Reinhardt, AA6JR, takes a look at a very special event that took place this past Field Day, and recognizes ham radio's unsung heroes, the members of the ARRL's Volunteer Counsel program. Beginner's Editor Wayne Yoshida, KH6WZ, examines vertical antennas to help get you onto HF from space-limited locations; QRP Editor K4TWJ looks at "Rigs, Keys and Fly Specks;" and New Products Editor Anthony Luscre, K8ZT, introduces us to two new products from DZKit as well as a new receiver from CC Crane and much more.

Digital Editor Don Rotolo, N2IRZ, takes a look at the "Radio Operations Center" software from Creative Services Software; "VHF-Plus" editor Joe Lynch, N6CL, reports on the two newest members of the 48-state club on 2 meters (yes, folks, they've worked all 48 contiguous states on the 2-meter band without using satellites, repeaters or any other relay device; and they told you 2 meters was only good for local contacts!); and Awards Editor Ted Melinosky, K1BV, chills out with several awards for making contacts with Antarctica and various islands below the Antarctic Circle.

DX Editor Carl Smith, N4AA, focuses on the very impressive antenna setup at ZP6CW down in Paraguay; Contesting Editor John Dorr, K1AR, reprises his top 23 contesting tips from the more than 200 he has written since beginning the monthly feature back in 1992; and Propagation Editor Tomas Hood, NW7US, predicts good conditions for the SSB weekend of the CQ World Wide DX Contest on October 24 and 25. Finally, we have a brief report on a talk given at the Huntsville Hamfest by Dr. David Hathaway, NASA's leading expert on space weather and solar cycles.

That's a brief look at what's coming up in the October issue of CQ magazine, which should be on newsstands and in subscribers' mailboxes by late September. For information on becoming a CQ subscriber, click the "Click Here to Subscribe" button at the top of this page.

Coming soon: 2010-2011 CQ Calendars! Order your advance copy now!

Zero Bias

Contesting and the
"DQ Effect

Corrections

Annual
CQ Contest Calendar

Digging Deeper with
Dr. Joe Taylor, K1JT

Announcing:
The CQ Diamond Jubilee Worked\
All Zones Award

September 2009
Contest Calendar

October 2009
Contest Calendar

September 2009
Announcements

October 2009
Announcements
 

On The Cover
Dick Flanagan, K7VC, of Minden, Nevada, with his (cranked down) 72-foot crank-up tower topped by a 5-band Yagi on the bottom, a 6-meter beam in the middle and two elements on 40 meters on top. (Cover photo by Larry Mulvehill, WB2ZPI)