Find on this site... Site Index  ·Classes ·Exams ·Clubs ·Hamfests ·Addresses    Search site:    Call sign search:   ARRL Member Login... Username:   Password:    Register    Forgot userid/password?  Quick Links... ·Join or Renew ·Catalog & Store ·ARRL Courses ·Classifieds ·Getting Started

Operating Activities Licensing News/Bulletins Services Education Public Service Support Donate to ARRL ARRL Info Text-only

Current Feature Articles   Nov 20 The Amateur Radio Crossword Puzzler   Nov 20 Adventure in the Arctic: VO2A Expedition to Labrador   Nov 20 Surfin': More Radio Piracy on the High Seas   Nov 16 Youth@HamRadio.Fun: Fall Magic   Nov 13 Surfin': The Real Pirate Radio   Nov 06 Surfin': Homebrewing Today   Nov 05 DX the Hard Way   Nov 02 ARRL In Action: What Have We Been Up to Lately?   Nov 01 It Seems to Us: It Doesn't Just Happen   Oct 30 Surfin': Mapping Up ARRL Products: Instructor Support (More) Understanding Signals -- This Stamps in Class guide shows you how to generate, view and measure a variety of wave forms with the Parallax USB Oscilloscope and BASIC Stamp-controlled circuits. Boe-Bot Robot Kit -- The new USB Boe-Bot is a reprogrammable robot built on a high-quality brushed aluminum chassis. What's a Microcontroller? Parts Kit and Text -- Incorporates a variety of fun and engaging experiments using motion, light, and sound. Parallax USB Oscilloscope -- This portable two-channel digital storage oscilloscope is a handy and affordable tool for both hobbyist and student! Modulation and Wave Fundamentals Board -- Now Shipping! -- This board is an instructional ready resource designed to support lesson presentations in wave fundamentals and modulation. This handy tool can be used in connection with Amateur Radio licensing instruction or with any classroom instruction of the basics of radio wave modulation fundamentals.

Previous: ARRL/TAPR Digital Communications Conference: "Pretty Interesting!"

Next: The K7RA Solar Update

This week's Surfin' considers Web sites where Amateur Television (ATV) is going digital.

What Exactly Is 8-Vsb Anyway? answers many of your questions concerning digital television.

If you watched television during the past months, you could not miss the barrage of announcements concerning the switch from analog to digital broadcasting over the airwaves that will occur next year on February 17. If you use an analog television to receive broadcast signals over the air and not from a satellite, cable, or telephone company, then you will need a converter to receive broadcasts after Presidents' Day 2009.

David Sparano has written an excellent article, "What Exactly Is 8-Vsb Anyway?", that according to Nick Sayer, N6QQQ, has the best and most accessible description of 8VSB (8-level vestigial sideband modulation) that he has ever found.

Nick is working on setting up an 8VSB transmitter. His goal is to get as close to an ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee)-compatible ATV station as he can get. He recommends the article to anyone who wants to get started in digital ATV.

By the way, Nick has a Web page and a blog where you can read about his adventures in ATV.

Another by the way -- if you search the Internet for digital ATV information, you will find European Web sites dedicated to the topic, but note that Europeans use DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting) Standards that North American television receivers cannot demodulate.

Until next time, keep on surfin'!

Editor's note: Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU, wonders if program content will also improve on February 17. To communicate with Stan, send him e-mail or add comments to his blog. By the way, every installment of Surfin' is indexed here, so go look it up.

Previous: ARRL/TAPR Digital Communications Conference: "Pretty Interesting!"

Next: The K7RA Solar Update