Welcome to The Communicator
Welcome to the July-August 2026 issue of The Communicator. As summer hits its peak, this bumper edition is packed with the perfect blend of technical innovation, operating field reports, and rich radio history to keep you company during those long, warm evenings.
Inside, we dive straight into our summer operations with a full wrap-up and twin perspectives on Field Day 2026 and the RAC Canada Day contest. On the technical bench, we feature some incredible homebrew projects, including a deep dive into building an NTP Dual Clock (plus an intriguing alternative design), a True RMS to DC Converter for your DVM, antenna ideas from John VA3KOT and an Arduino NANO automation mod for the Yaesu FH-2. If you are looking to experiment, check out our pieces on reviving Teletext, expanded bandwidth with eSSB, automated FT8 with MSHV, or tracking the Pico balloon VE7NFR-15.
For history buffs, we explore the legacy of SSB pioneer Nicolaas Kooman and unpack the mystery of the secret Lagercrantz suitcase radio. Top it off with crucial operating advice—like how to avoid bricking your Quansheng UV-K5— Amateur Radio Goes Hollywood, and a classic club Taco Salad recipe, and there is something here for every shack.
So power up, tune in, and turn the page—The Communicator has something for every communicator, now reaching 165+ countries.
73, and enjoy the read!
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(And no, I didn't script this)
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~ John VE7TI, Editor
Contents for this issue:
- Nicolaas Kooman - Single-Sideband Pioneer 4
- Trials and Errors - Bringing Down the Duke 8
- A SARC/SEPAR Field Day Summary 12
- The Lighter Side of Amateur Radio 13
- Radio Ramblings - The Grab Bag 16
- The RMS Field Gateway v1.0 28
- Building Precision Timekeeping: The NTP Dual Clock 32
- An An Alternative NTP Dual Clock 35
- Tips For Searching the Communicator’s Online Index 40
- Hamilton Radio Programmer 43
- iCOM 7300, 7610, 9700 Special Interest Group 44
- A True RMS to DC Converter for your DVM 48
- A review of Amateur Radio operations at the ISS 50
- Amateur Radio Goes Hollywood (…ish): 52
- Wider Sideband SSB? 56
- Reviving Teletext for Ham Radio 58
- Pico balloon VE7NFR-15 59
- Johan Heijboer: ‘Warm Electronics’ 62
- Spy Tech: A Quiet Radio For Spies 64
- Using a Quansheng? Don’t Brick Your UV-K5! 65
- FT8 Automation With the MSHV Program 66
- Automating the Yaesu FH-2 with an Arduino NANO 71
- Modulated light: An Experiment in Communications 75
- Outside the box: What to do when the bands suck? 76
- VPD Amateur Radio Group 79
- Zero Retries 80
- Foundations of Amateur Radio: What does amateur radio bring to your life? 86
- Our RF Communications High School Semester Course 88
- The Secret Lagercrantz Suitcase Radio 93
- Andy’s Ham Radio Linux: A laptop or Pi to support your station on the air 94
- No-ham Recipes: Taco Salad 95
- Profiles of SARC members: Bill Dorfmann VE7WDO 98
- SARC General Meeting minutes May 13, 2026 102
- SARC 2026 Annual General Meeting minutes June 10, 2026 105
- SARC General Meeting minutes June 10, 2026 108
- FD 2026 Two perspectives 114
- Has Ham Radio Lost Its Soul VK9DX had some thoughts…
- so have I 116
- HAM LEFTOVERS... 119
- A look back at The Communicator—June 2016 120
