CQ to Introduce MF/LF Column
John Langridge, KB5NJD/WG2XIQ, to be Column Editor
John Langridge, KB5NJD/WG2XIQ, to be Column Editor
(Hicksville,
NY, Feb. 15, 2017) -- As ham radio operators in the United States await final
FCC action to open new amateur bands at 630 meters (472-479 kHz) and 2200
meters (135.7 kHz – 137.8 kHz), CQ magazine is getting a head-start by
introducing a column that will help interested hams get ready to "hit the
ground running" once the FCC issues its final rules. The new column - to
be titled "MF/LF Operating: Life Below the AM Broadcast Band" - will
appear quarterly, starting in the April 2017 issue, and will be edited by John
Langridge, KB5NJD/WG2XIQ.
Licensed as a
high school student in 1989, John's interest in "life below the AM
broadcast band" extends back even further, when, at age 11, he read an
article in Radio-Electronics magazine about the unlicensed 1750-meter band
(160-190 kHz). He had to content himself with operating on 160 meters until the
opportunity arose in 2012 to join the ranks of Part 5 experimental stations
authorized by the FCC to conduct propagation research in preparation for the
new medium frequency (MF) and low frequency (LF) bands at 630 and 2200 meters
respectively. He was granted a construction permit and station license for
WG2XIQ and maintains a regular schedule of beacon transmissions and two-way
contacts on 630 meters. He also shares tips and posts a "grabber," or
bandscope view, of 472 kHz (which updates every 5 minutes) on his website at
<http://njdtechnologies.net/>.
In his column,
John says he plans to cover a variety of topics, including station building,
propagation, news events affecting LF/MF, and operating strategies. "My
goal," he says, "is to market the bands to people who know nothing
about them." The title of his inaugural column in the April issue is
"Ham Radio Below 500 kHz: What is All of This About and Where Should I
Start?"
Professionally,
John is a consultant in broadcast engineering and information technology,
working for a variety of clients. He has a degree in physical chemistry and is
currently working toward his Ph.D. in that field. John and his wife, Paula,
KD5YHI, live with their pets in the Dallas,
Texas, suburbs. John's column
will appear in the January, April, July and October issues of CQ.
"We are
looking forward to sharing John's knowledge and experience with our
readers," says CQ Editor Rich Moseson, W2VU. "CQ has always been a
leader in promoting new bands and modes, and in helping hams use and enjoy
them. We are already seeing a growing interest in our soon-to-come MF and LF
bands and John's column will be here to help our readers get active on them as
soon as they become available for general use."
