RadCom April 2024, Vol. 100, No. 4

www.rsgbshop.org Radio Society of Great Britain 3 Abbey Court, Priory Business Park, Bedford, MK44 3WH. Tel: 01234 832700 RSGB SHOP RSGB Outdoors Mini DXpeditions for Everyone By Billy McFarland, GM6DX Many regard DXpeditions as complex events that may involve getting a shipping container of equipment to a Pacific Island or getting visas for a country with little of no amateur radio activity. However, it doesn’t need to be like that, and this book shows ‘you can do this!’ alongside the fun that can be had on a shoestring with a few friends or on your own. So, what is a mini-DXpedition ? DXpeditions are expedition to a particular place for the purpose of operating DX (long-distance radio contacts) on amateur radio. A mini-DXpedition is of course simply a smaller-scale event - maybe a trip from the UK to Europe with 5 or less operators or a trip to a local island or beach. Not surprisingly such trips require you to have, an understanding of various antenna properties, which antennas are practical, good operating practices and RFI problem solving. Mini DXpeditions for Everyone shows that everyone can organise a DXpedition and most importantly the fun that can be had doing so. This book is thoroughly recommended reading for absolutely everyone who has ever wondered about portable operation through to enjoying the challenge of operating from an unfamiliar station with a few friends. Size: 176x240mm, 128 Pages, ISBN: 9781 9139 9520 1 Non Members’ Price £12.99 , RSGB MEMBERS’ PRICE £11.04 Also available Sota Explained By Jamie Davies, MM0JMI Summits on the Air (SOTA), is one of fastest developing award schemes that have come into existence in recent years. For the active hillwalker and the home based chaser of summits alike, this programme offers endless fascination. SOTA Explained sets out to provide the essential guide to this programme, hilltop radio and much more besides. Taking a portable radio station into the hills and operating from a summit is a fascinating and rewarding way to combine the very best aspects of walking and of amateur radio. SOTA activity is also inexpensive providing the opportunity to achieve a great deal in amateur radio. Many appreciate the freedom this sort of operation offers and the benefits of having a high radio station far from urban electrical interference. At altitude even modest sets can deliver astonishing performance: communication across the country and across the continent is routinely available and on many days mountain-to-mountain conversations flow across the world. The book is not just for those new to SOTA but the more experienced operator will find much of use too. SOTA Explained provides the ideal guide to the SOTA scheme. Size: 174 x 240mm, 160 pages, ISBN: 9781 9101 9336 5 Non Members’ Price £12.99 , RSGB MEMBERS’ PRICE £11.04 Also available ARRL Parks On The Air The Parks on the Air (POTA) program has rapidly built one of the most vibrant on-air communities in contemporary amateur radio. ‘Park hunters’ comb the airwaves for ‘activators’ operating from the lawns of sprawling public mansions, urban historic sites, forest glades, rocky mountaintops, seaside beaches and many other parks spread across the USA and the rest of the World. Written for both activators and hunters this ARRL Parks on the Air Book gives you a look at the setups and processes of 14 operators from a variety of skill levels and backgrounds and offers advice and motivation for taking your radio out to a park. Each chapter includes a detailed gear list so you can see exactly what your fellow operators are using, whether they’re leaders of the pack like Kerri Wright, KB3WAV, and Clint Sprott, W9AV, or those just getting started with Parks on the Air. Setups cover satellite operating, QRP, urban backpack portable, activating tailgate-style, wire antennas for POTA, and more. Whether you just want to hunt activators from the comfort of your home or plan a multistate rove, toss a wire into a tree at a nearby park, the ARRL Parks on the Air Book provides insight and expertise in a beautiful, full-colour format. It is brimming with photos that celebrate amateur radio and the wonderful, shared resource of state and national parks. Size: 184x229mm, 144 pages, ISBN: 9781 6259 5174 8 Non Members’ Price £31.99 , RSGB MEMBERS’ PRICE £27.19