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Showing posts from May, 2023

Constructing a J-Pole Antenna: A Guide for Ham Radio Operators

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The J-pole antenna is a type of end-fed antenna that is popular among ham radio operators for 2m and 70 cm operations. It consists of two parallel conductors, with the top section being a half-wave element and the bottom section being a quarter-wave matching stub. The name "J-pole" comes from the shape of the antenna, which looks like the letter "J" when it is bent at the bottom. One of the key features of the J-pole antenna is its omnidirectional radiation pattern. This means that the antenna can transmit and receive signals equally well in all directions, making it a great choice for general communication purposes. Another advantage of the J-pole antenna is that it does not require any radials or ground plane, which reduces the wind resistance and simplifies the installation process. To construct a J-pole antenna, we first need to determine the length of the half-wave element. This can be calculated using the formula: Length = 468 / frequency in MHz For example, i

PySDR: The Ultimate Guide to Software-Defined Radio and Digital Signal Processing

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Hi everyone, I'm excited to share with you a new textbook that I just finished reading: PySDR: A Guide to SDR and DSP using Python. This book is an absolute must-read for anyone interested in learning about software-defined radio (SDR) and digital signal processing (DSP). PySDR is written by Dr. Marc Lichtman, a well-known expert in the field of SDR. He brings his extensive knowledge and experience to the book, and it shows. The book is packed with information, but it's written in a clear and engaging style that makes it easy to read and understand. One of the things that I really liked about PySDR is that it covers a wide range of topics. From the basics of SDR and DSP to more advanced concepts such as modulation and demodulation, filtering, and spectrum analysis, PySDR has it all. I learned a lot from this book, and I'm sure you will too. Another thing that I really liked about PySDR is that it's very hands-on. The book includes numerous exercises that allow you to ap