What magazines cover amateur radio?
Several Australian magazines cater for the electronics and radio hobbyist. Most are available from well-stocked newsagencies. These include:
Amateur Radio magazine
This is the official organ of the WIA, and is available to members who elect to receive it. AR, as it is known, contains articles and columns on many aspects of amateur radio, such as DX, contesting, VHF/UHF, newcomers' topics, repeaters, Morse code, club news, propagation and much more. Available in some newsagencies so if you ask for it, your newsagent should be able to get it. Covers more facets of amateur radio than any other magazine available in Australia, and has more in-depth articles for the newcomer and experienced amateur operator.
Silicon Chip
This is a general interest hobby electronics magazine which does publish projects and articles from time to time that are of interest to radio amateurs. Silicon Chip tends to provide for the technically-inclined electronics hobbyist.
Overseas magazines
- QST (journal of the ARRL), comes with a membership of the ARRL
- CQ is available at some newsagents - the content is often focussed on contests and US activities but some technical articles will be of interest
- Practical Wireless - from the UK
- Radio Communication (journal of the RSGB) - available to members of the RSGB
- Break-In (journal of the New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters - NZART)
- 73 Amateur Radio Today - published from the 1970s to 2003 - you may find back issues interesting reading though they will probably be a bit out of date these days.
Special interest associations
Some international clubs publish newsletters for members. These used to be in the form of anything from a few stapled sheets, to magazine-style publications from the larger clubs and specialist groups like the CW Operators QRP Club and the Radio Amateur Old Timers Club. These would have been replaced in most cases by email newsletters or discussion forums run by these associations.
Australian Callbook - a useful reference
It's not exactly a magazine, but a valuable source of information is the WIA Australian Amateur Radio Callbook. Not only does it list the callsigns, names and addresses of all Australian amateur, but it includes information such as band plans, accredited examiners, repeaters, VHF-UHF records, TV frequencies, countries, awards programs and contests. Of course, after you get your licence, you have to get the callbook, just to make sure you're in there :-) The Callbook is usually released towards the end of the year and can be purchased through WIA offices, online at the WIA bookshop or radio clubs.
Australian magazines no longer published - Electronics Australia, Radio and Communications
While these are no longer published you may find back issues offered on vkham's classifieds, in the classifieds in Amateur Radio magazine and on Ebay, apart from local libraries, radio clubs and the magazine collections held by individual radio amateurs.
Radio and Communications
This monthly publication was an amalgam of the former Amateur Radio Action and CB Action magazines. R&C contained articles on scanning, shortwave, CB and amateur radio.
Radiomag
This monthly hobby radio publication was launched in 2001 but is no longer published. Back issues may be found as described above.
Electronics Australia
EA tended to emphasise consumer electronics, with a sprinkling of constructional projects. This magazine is no longer produced, but archives and other material can be obtained via the Silicon Chip link above.
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