Learn CW Online

A new website to learn and practice Morse telegraphy has been launched: http://lcwo.net/ - Learn CW Online

There are already hundreds of training programs, MP3/CD courses and practice aids available, but LCWO follows a radically different concept: While sticking to well-proven methods for learning and practice, all you need for using LCWO is a web browser!

This gives the user the liberty to practice CW wherever an internet connection is available, always retaining the personal settings, scores and statistics.

Currently the site, which is available in 17 languages offers a complete Koch method Morse course, code group practice, callsign- and plain text training modes and also allows to convert random text to Morse MP3s.

A high score list is available to compare results with other users, personal statistics help to track training progress.

LCWO.net is a non-commercial project. Creating a free account only takes a few seconds, and you can start practicing CW right away!

Fabian Kurz, DJ1YFK

DXpedition to Desecheo Island

Visit the WEB site

SolderSmoke NUMBER 100

SPECIAL CENTENARY EDITION
A look back to the beginning
Rome Travelogue: Palatine Hill
Fixing my old freq counter: Trials and Tribulations
Empire of the Air:
More great history, but more tech faux pas
"The radio art"
An historical precedent for our GONG
Lake DeForest?
A. Frederick Collins
Understanding Beta Independence
Understanding Feedback and Distortion
SPRAT 137: Minimalist Radio:
The FETer/ET-1: "Haiku from Solder"
Regens: Not for the faint of heart

ARRL: Bird's Eye Viewing

Go to the ARRLWeb's FCC License Data Search page and lookup the address of an Amateur Radio station you want to check out (type the station's call sign in the call sign field, then click on the "Submit Query" button).

When the search engine comes back with the results, copy the address to your computer's clipboard (select the address with your computer's mouse, then press the Ctrl-C keys).

Go to Microsoft's Live Search Maps page, paste the address in the Live Search field (press the Ctrl-V keys) then press the magnifying glass button.

More at http://www.arrl.org/news/features/2009/01/30/10601/

100 MOST NEEDED COUNTRIES

THE 2008 DX MAGAZINE 100 MOST NEEDED COUNTRIES SURVEY was conducted in September and October 2008.

Get it at http://dxpub.com/dx_news.html

World Radio Online - Magazine

World Radio Magazine, purchased by CQ Magazine a short time ago is now online at http://www.cq-amateur-radio.com/WorldRadio.html. It looks just like a magazine that you would buy off the news stand. And, it's free!

This first issue is in full color and forty pages long, so it does take some time to download. It's a .pdf file over 12Mb long. It may not be long before the rest of the magazines go online.

VE5ISS ARISS Amateur Radio on International Space Station contact with King George School.

CQ to accept eQSL confirmations for award credit

CQ magazine will accept contact confirmations made on
the eQSL.cc electronic confirmation system for its operating awards effective immediately, CQ Editor Rich Moseson, W2VU, and eQSL Founder and Webmaster Dave Morris, N5UP, announced Tuesday.

More at http://www.southgatearc.org/news/january2009/cq_to_accept_eqsls.htm

KD1JV's Surface Mount Video

OK SolderSmoke fans, here's a video for YOU! Steve "Melt Solder" Weber has put out his first video. It is about surface mount soldering. It is all very interesting, and some actual solder smoke is released, but I was a bit disturbed when Steve put the PC board on an electric stove and then started using this purple thing that looked and sounded like a hair dryer. Made me yearn for my Weller soldering gun. Great video Steve, thanks!

TX5C Clipperton 2008 Part 2/2

TX5C Clipperton 2008 Part 1/2

SolderSmoke 98

Sunday, January 4, 2009

New Year's in Rome, Fireworks, Abruzzo snow trip.
AA1TJ and the compact fluorescent bulb rig; "Michael the red-nosed Rainey, you'll go down in history!"
Billy's Asus eeePC : Amazin' piece of gear.
The Lure of Logic: Fixing my old Global Specialties counter (chip needed).
The Joy of Troubleshooting.
N3ZI's FB counter.
Balsa boxes.
Todd, VE7BPO, also getting logical.
Hans, G0UPL, back on 30 meter QRSS from London.
Lawrence, KL1X grabbing VK QRSS sigs in N. China.
My sigs steady in ON5EX grabber.
Dan's deals.
Book of the week: "Empire of the Air." Armstrong as a teenage ham.
MAILBAG:
Todd K5TAK on new name for Knack (no!)
Rick KC0PET has new 'scope, analyzer, Elsie
Bill N8ET Kanga USA getting going again.
Alan WA9IRS on Pete Millet's free online tech books
Wayne VA7AT on SDR
Frank VK2AKG is NOT the solenoid musician
Bill N3HQB was in Ade Weiss's summer camp ham class!
Roger K7RXV on shaving resistors
Dino KL0S on other free books on-line
Gareth G1DRG on BBC Digital Planet Podcast
Tim Walford's FB ham construction magazine
A word about words from our sponsors

Get it at http://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2009/01/soldersmoke-98.html