A copy of The Magic Bands - a guide to 6m and 4m Amateur Radio landed recently on the operating desk here. It is written by the editor of Practical Wireless, Don G3XTT and published by the RSGB. It runs to 224 pages and aims to appeal to all six and four-metre enthusiasts whetherthey are newcomers or 'old-hands'. The book is a reworking of Don's 'Six Metre Handbook' which was first published 12 years ago. This is an extensive revision, and significantly, in my view, incorporates useful information on 'digital operating techniques' as well as more traditional operating. Justin GOKSC has contributed two new antenna designs (one for each band) to the book, which will be of great interest to many. The propagation chapter is comprehensive, and I was pleased to read a section on Short-Path Summer Solstice Propagation (SSSP) which has only really been recognised in the last 15 years and is responsible, from Europe on 6m, forthe early-morning-openings into Japan and the Far East, as well as the afternoon openings into the West Coast of the USA.
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