Issue 187 December 30th, 2017

For this last issue of the year, I pulled the most popular links from each issue and complied the top 10
as a 'look back' on the world of Amateur Radio in 2017. Enjoy! –Cale K4HCK

End Fed Antennas – Where's the other half?
I was shocked to say the least, a guy that's been a ham for 20 years that's never heard of the End-Fed antenna?
K5ACL (Issue 147)

What pushed Radio Shack into bankruptcy?
After two years of unsuccessful turnaround efforts, RadioShack filed for its second bankruptcy, citing poor mobile sales.
The Christian Science Monitor (Issue 149)

FT8
I was actually flabbergasted by the amount of signals I already received at the 20m FT8 frequency. Within a few moments I already worked HA6NN and A92AA.
PE4BAS (Issue 165)

Teardown Tuesday: Baofeng UV-5R
This display driver has been around since the late 80s.
All About Circuits (Issue 148)

A better way to put a PL-259 on RG-58 coax
This soldering technique simplifies assembly of PL-259s with RG-58 cable.
KB6NU (Issue 155)

The future of Amateur Radio is not in the numbers
In truth, anyone of any age is a potential good candidate to ensure the future of amateur radio.
Off Grid Ham (Issue 170)

First transceiver with built-in FreeDV
Chinese Ham Radio gear for HF with built-in FreeDV digital voice mode.
marxy.org (Issue 153)

Millennials are killing Ham Radio
Despite being clickbait, the title isn’t wrong. Millennials are definitely killing ham radio, just like they’re killing everything else.
N0SSC (Issue 182)

80/40 Meter Loaded Dipole Antenna
The plan for this antenna was to build a lightweight 80/40 meter antenna for field use (as part of my Go Kit) that wouldn't overload my 21 foot telescoping fiberglass mast.
High on Solder (Issue 151)

FCC revisions will affect GMRS, FRS, CB, other Part 95 devices
CBers will be allowed to contact stations outside of the FCC-imposed — but widely disregarded — 155.3 mile distance limit.
ARRL (Issue 156)

µBITX general coverage HF SSB/CW transceiver kit
It works from 3 MHz to 30 MHz, with up to 10 watts on SSB and CW with a very sensitive receiver.
HF Signals (Issue 185)

The "Slick Six" 6 meter horizontal dipole
This antenna is small, only about 9 feet 4 inches from end to end and is easy to adjust.
hamuniverse.com (Issue 145)

Thank you for reading.
73