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      February  2010

Articles from the

February 2010 issue
of CQ posted on our

website include:

February is our annual CQ Market Survey issue, and this year, Contributing Editor Gordon West, WB6NOA, covers the marketplace of VHF/UHF FM mobile transceivers. We've also got the results of the 2009 CQ World Wide VHF Contest, which was handicapped by poor band conditions, but DX entries were up by 14%.

There's nothing like a hot soldering iron to warm up those cold winter evenings, so we've got a great project article this month from designer Charles Kitchin, N1TEV, to build your own High-Performance Regenerative Receiver. If building from scratch isn't your thing, Kit-Building Editor Joe Eisenberg, K0NEB, features several kit projects, including a couple based on N1TEV designs.

An issue of major concern among many hams recently has been the FCC's strict new interpretation of the the "pecuniary interest" rules, specifically the restriction on "communications on behalf of an employer." Contributing Editor Gordon West, WB6NOA, offers an Op-Ed this month on a petition that he and two other hams have submitted to the FCC to clarify the rule. CQ magazine publisher CQ Communications, Inc., has submitted its own petition, which is explained by Editor Rich Moseson, W2VU, in this month's "Zero Bias" editorial.

The February issue also includes the rules for this year's CQ World Wide WPX Contest (SSB weekend March 27-28; CW weekend May 29-30). There are changes in the multi-single rule, so if you participate in this category, be sure to read them closely. You can also link directly to the rules right here.

Among our columns this month (see "Kit-Building" note above), "Math's Notes" editor Irwin Math, WA2NDM, offers "An Experimental Transmission Project" for light communication; "Washington Readout" editor Fred Maia, W5YI, explains the FCC's proposal to codify its vanity callsign assignment policies, and to make the reassignment of calls from Silent Keys a more open and transparent process.

Public Service Editor Richard Fisher, KI6SN, shines some sunlight on SKYWARN Recognition Day events around the country; "World of Ideas" editor Dave Ingram, K4TWJ, looks at the international side of ham radio; and Digital Editor Don Rotolo, N2IRZ, connects ham radio and social networking. Mobiling Editor Jeff Reinhardt, AA6JR, takes us on a "first class" trip inside the very impressive mobile setup of Robert Perkins, W0JEE, and we welcome a new co-editor of "Beginner's Corner," Rich Arland, K7SZ, who will alternate every other month with Wayne Yoshida, KH6WZ. Rich starts off this month with a look at various types of batteries used to power our handhelds and various accessories.

QRP Editor Dave Ingram, K4TWJ, takes us "Hoot'n in a Can" (you've got to read this to believe it!) and visits a "buildathon" in the United Kingdom; New Products Editor John Wood, WV5J, focuses this month on power-related items; and "VHF Plus" editor Joe Lynch, N6CL, says anyone inclined to try working moonbounce (EME) should do it now, since conditions are the best they've been in the past nine years and the best they'll be for the next nine years!

Awards Editor Ted Melinosky, K1BV, highlights the amazing accomplishment of Jaclyn Woody, N8RLJ, who recently completed her USA-CA All Counties Award, working all 3077 U.S. counties on 2-meter FM! Her secret? Ahhh… gotta read the article! DX Editor Carl Smith, N4AA, looks forward to a better DXing year in 2010 (sunspots, anyone?); Contesting Editor John Dorr, K1AR, looks at the contesting technique of "running;" and Propagation Editor Tomas Hood, NW7US, reviews conditions in the 2009 CQ WW Contest CW weekend and looks ahead to what we can expect on the bands in February.

Finally, our 65th anniversary celebration continues with the second installment of our ham radio history timeline, covering 1951-1956, and an expanded version of a popular feature from our 60th anniversary, "65 Great Things About Ham Radio."

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

Now available: 2010-2011 CQ Calendars! Order online from our webstore!

Zero Bias
"Communicarions behalf of an employer” – a CQ Proposal

Corrections

Annual
CQ Contest Calendar