CQ Amateur Radio

CQ is the magazine for active hams, with a focus on the practical. Every article is clearly written and aimed at involving you, the reader...whether it's a story of operating from some exotic location, an article to deepen your understanding of ham radio science and technology, or a fun-to-build project that will have practical use in your ham shack. Join us on our monthly journey through the broad and varied landscape of the world's most fascinating hobby!

ANNOUNCEMENTS

CQ Amateur Radio

HAM RADIO NEWS

ZERO BIAS: A CQ Editorial

NEWS BYTES

Five Watts and a Dipole: My Return to Ham Radio • There is an “invisible” growth area in amateur radio — hams who have maintained their licenses but haven’t been on the air getting active again. WB9HDH is an example, returning not only to ham radio but also to CW and QRP.

QRP FT8 to the Field • Yes, we know that February isn’t outdoor operating time for many of us. So if you don’t live in a warm-winter zone, hold onto this story and read it again when your world begins to thaw out!

QRP Quickies A Great Introduction… • We have once again collected short stories from several QRP enthusiasts about their adventures in low-power operating. Well-known QRPer Steve Galchutt, WGØAT, starts us off with a trip up a nearby mountain to demonstrate low-power Summits on the Air (SOTA) to a newly interested ham. John Paul Keon, AB4PP, keeps fellow members of the Knightlites QRP Society in North Carolina updated on group activities, leading the members to designate him as their “scribemeister.” He shares two such stories with us here. Howard Kraus, K2UD, recalls working the only station he could hear on 10 meters with 5 watts, back at the peak of the last sunspot cycle, despite questions about the call’s authenticity. Mike Dooley, N5BGZ, also got a pleasant surprise on 10 meters; and Gordy Davis, NWØY, proves that a radio doesn’t have to be pretty to make a pretty good contact! – W2VU

35,000 Miles Per Watt Did I Mention It Was Raining?

A Ten-Meter Surprise

The Only Signal on the Band…

“I Think That Would Really Look Strange on a Piece Of Wood…”

QRP: Low-Power Communications • Less is More – for Suppliers as Well!

CQ CLASSIC: The QRP Column Returns

S9OK – São Tomé 2021

On the Cover…

Love Island DXPedition — 4X1ØØAI • It’s February, so we’ll sprinkle in some love stories with the QRP articles! We’ll start on a very small island in the Mediterranean Sea… known locally as Love Island.

The First Marriage Proposals Using Morse Code • The History of Telegraphy at the University of Michigan

2022 WPX Crossword Puzzle

BEHIND THE BYLINES… • … a little bit about some of this month’s authors

Looking Ahead In CQ

Microphones and Audio Speech Processing for SSB • Part 2 – Optimizing Audio for Band-Limited SSB

EMP & Lightning Surge Protection for HF Radios • With Suggested Practices for Grounding Measurements and Station Configuration, Part 2

My CW Academy Journey • Stuck at home due to Covid lockdowns, PA2G took advantage of the isolation to learn Morse code and improve his skills as part of an international group of students working with the CWOps group’s “CW Academy” program.

Sherlock Investigates: Noise • Arcing and poor shielding can be the bane of many a ham shack, with RF interference — either to or from your gear — often being the result. Our intrepid electronics detective takes a look at tracking down and eliminating (or at least reducing) some RFI sources, and puts poor shielding to good use as well. We start with “The Case of the Noisy Power Pole.”

Inexpensive High Speed Pulse Generators

India Will Remain On The Air • Plus, 2022 Will Be the Last Year for the World Radio...