Welcome to The Communicator
Welcome to the September-October 2026 issue of The Communicator. Dive into the latest issue of The SARC Communicator, a bumper edition brimming with technical innovation, operating field reports, and rich radio history for all levels of amateur radio.
A Blend of History and Innovation
This issue opens with a compelling profile of Sir William Stephenson, offering a deep dive into radio history. It then looks forward with "The Future of Morse Code Has a Call Sign," exploring the enduring relevance of CW in the digital age. For those interested in cutting-edge technology, the feature on "FreeDV RADE" introduces a revolutionary new approach to digital voice over HF, leveraging machine learning for robust communication in noisy conditions.
Practical Projects and Operating News
Practical builders will appreciate "SARC's NTP Clock Revisited," which details how to achieve 14 display modes on a single ESP8266, and "Solving the USB charger problem… for good." Operators can benefit from "An Almost Instant Visual Propagation Tool" and new hams will appreciate "Before You Press the PTT." The "Radio Heroes on the International Pacific Highway" provides a historical account of the building of that roadway and the role amateur radio played. The issue also covers the latest in satellite news with "LEO satellite news: AMSAT in Canada" and "LEO.space."
Community and Commentary
Editorial pieces like "Cheap ATV?" and "AI on the Air: Breakthrough, Shortcut, or the Next Tool in the Ham Shack?" provoke thought on the hobby's direction. Community news includes "What’s New at DLARC," "The New-Gen Ham," and a profile of Zero Retries' Steve Stroh N8GNJ. From "Hunting RF Interference" with the EMF Explorer to the return of packet radio with "New Packet Radio," this issue is a comprehensive resource for every ham.
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!
Download the Lower Resolution Issue - 6 Mb
The AI - LLM audio podcast version (EXPERIMENTAL)
(And no, I didn't script this)
Please note that there are active links for additional content when viewed on your device.
~ John VE7TI, Editor
Contents for this issue:
- Profile: Sir William Stephenson 4
- The Future of Morse Code Has a Call Sign 11
- News You Can’t Lose: The Lighter Side of Amateur Radio 13
- News You Can Lose: The Great Latrine Log 13
- FreeDV RADE: A New Approach to Digital Voice over HF 16
- Radio Heroes on the International Pacific Highway 28
- The Smith Chart 31
- SARC's NTP Clock Revisited: 14 Display Modes on a Single ESP8266 32
- Cheap ATV? An Editorial 38
- An Almost Instant Visual Propagation Tool 40
- Solving the USB charger problem… for good 43
- Tsunami Warning! 45
- The New-Gen Ham: Some youth ARE interested 46
- LEO satellite news: AMSAT in Canada 48
- LEO.space 49
- Before You Press the PTT 50
- Whatever happed to our 5-meter band? 53
- What’s New at DLARC 54
- ARRL Year of the Club: What… No Communicator on this list? 57
- Ham Radio Outside the Box: Introducing the 2B2L antenna 58
- The EMF Explorer: Hunting RF Interference 60
- Open-Source Express:LRS Receiver Reaches For Range 65
- Networking, Networking, and More Networking 66
- New Packet Radio: Bringing Packet Radio Back to the Airwaves 71
- Foundations of Amateur Radio: What is an S-unit? 74
- Meshtastic MeshWX Pro is a No-Brainer 77
- Profiles of SARC members: Steve Stroh N8GNJ 82
- SEPAR Report: Summer 2026 88
- HAM LEFTOVERS... 91
- AI on the Air: Breakthrough, Shortcut, or the Next Tool in the Ham Shack? 92
- A look back… The Communicator—September 2016 94
No comments:
Post a Comment
Sorry, but due to spam, only SARC member accounts may comment.
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.