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BOOKSHELF QRP is alive & well! QRP Classics, edited by Bob Schetgen. Published 1990 by the American Radio Relay League, Newington, Connecticut, USA. 278 pages, soft covers, 276 x 211mm. ISBN 0 87259 316 9. Price $24.00. Over the last few years, it would seem that the art of experimenting in amateur radio was a dying one. The number of ready built Japanese “appliances” around these days would HF Antennas For All Locations HF Antennas For All Locations, by Les Moxon, G6XN. 2nd edition, published 1993 by the Radio Society of Great Britain. 322 pages, soft covers, 245 x 186mm. ISBN 1 872309 15 1. Price $45.00. Antenna theory has often been regarded as a black art and something that only a learned few understand in any depth. This book from respected British author and amateur Les Moxon combines much of the theory of HF antennas into one handy volume. It is full of diagrams, tables and examples of practical antennas suitable for just about all conditions and terrains. The book is divided into two parts. Chapters 1-9 explain the theory behind how antennas work, while chapters 10-20 put that the- seem to suggest that Amateur Radio is just an excuse to spend lots of money on the most powerful receivers and transmitters you can get. So it was a breath of fresh air when this book lobbed into the office and gave this writer hope that Amateur Radio isn’t dead yet. QRP Classics is a compilation of low-power (QRP) lowcost projects from QST magazine and the ARRL handbook. As you would expect, it is chock-full of practical circuits from oscilla­tors to receivers, transmitters and active audio filters. The good thing about many of these circuits is that they invite the reader to pull out the trusty soldering iron and start experimenting. What’s more, the writers encourage readers to substitute different components to see what happens – which is good to see! There are nine chapters, starting with an introduction to QRP ideas and then following on with Construction Practises, Receivers, Transmitters, Transceivers, Antennas, Accessories, Power Supplies and Design Hints. ory into practice. Some readers may find the theory a little heavy going but the author has kept the mathematics to a minimum and used lots of diagrams to illustrate the topics. The first nine chapter head­ings are: (1) Taking a New Look at HF Antennas; (2) Waves and Fields; (3) Gains and Losses; (4) Feeding the Antenna; (5) Close-Spaced Beams; (6) Arrays, Long Wires and Ground Reflections; (7) Multiband Antennas; (8) Bandwidth; and (9) Antennas for Recep­tion. The remaining 10 chapters are as follows: (10) The Antenna and Its Environment; (11) Single Element Antennas; (12) Horizon­tal Beams; (13) Vertical Beams; (14) Large Arrays; (15) Invisible Antennas; (16) Mobile and Portable Antennas; (17) Small Antennas; (18) Making the Antenna Work; (19) Antenna Con- The circuits in this book use clever design rather than brute force to get the most out of a signal and help dispel the myth that you need something the size of the Snowy Mountains Scheme to make big noises on the air. There are also theory articles scattered throughout the book which give the novice help on such topics as getting crystal oscillators going and how to get the best out of your antenna. The circuits range from a tiny 1-transistor CW oscilla­tor/transmitter up to a 3W PEP transceiver for six metres, so there is something for both beginners and experienced construc­ tors alike. Many of the transistors used are American 2N-series types but, for most circuits, it should be easy to substitute locally-available parts. Overall, this book is a mine of information and ideas to get even the most diehard appliance operator digging around for that soldering iron. Our review copy came from Daycom Pty Ltd, 44 Stafford St, Huntingdale Vic. Phone (03) 543 3733. (D.B.Y). struction and Erec­tion; (20) What Kind of Antenna. In summary, this text is one of the best and most complete sources on HF antennas available and deserves a space on any amateur radio shelf. Our copy came from Daycom Pty Ltd and you can contact them on (03) 543 3733. (D.B.Y). May 1994  79