Articles covering topics of interest to the amateur radio community.
Dayton Hamvention remains the single best event in North America to take the pulse of amateur radio. It’s where major manufacturers introduce us to upcoming products, where builders and experimenters compare notes in person, and where operators leave with practical knowledge, and a trunk full of new gear. The theme…
I’ve always felt that the 60-meter ham band was somewhat of an oddity with limited capability and not really worth the effort. Other factors, like channelized operation, low power limits, and secondary status are puzzling and off-putting. But now, a new order from the Federal Communications Commission helps to solidify…
Winter Field Day isn’t a contest in the traditional sense. It’s an operating event, an “experience” if you ask its founders. If you approach it like a sprint for raw QSO counts, you’re missing the point, and worse, you’re missing what Winter Field Day does reward: Versatility, planning, and realistic…
For the Ham Who Builds, Hacks, and Tinkers Finding the perfect gift for a ham radio operator or electronics tinkerer doesn’t have to be a guessing game. This holiday gift guide highlights tools and gadgets that every maker, experimenter, and radio hobbyist will actually use—and love. From soldering stations and…
For a region that’s home to Silicon Valley innovation, it’s surprising and downright embarrassing how far behind the San Francisco Bay Area has fallen in MeshCore deployment and adoption. Across the Pacific Northwest, from Portland to Vancouver, operators are building resilient MeshCore networks that tie communities together with long-range, reliable,…
If you’re like me, you’ve always had a fascination with the way radio signals radiate from a source, travel through space, and induce a usable current in a wire far, far away. Ham radio to me is not just making the contact, but understanding the path, the conditions, the why…
Recently, I’ve been following some groundbreaking research suggesting that WSPRnet, the global network used by hams to log weak signal propagation reports, might have untapped potential as a passive radar tool. This revelation has taken on a particularly poignant dimension in the context of the ongoing search for Malaysia Airlines…
Our beloved ham radio hobby has a rich history spanning over a century, driven by countless technological advancements and the ingenuity of operators worldwide. These innovations have not only shaped the way we communicate but have also influenced the development of global telecommunications. From spark-gap transmitters to advanced digital modes,…
Most amateur radio operators probably think of tracking an object on a map when they hear the term APRS but it’s a whole lot more than that. APRS is the Automated Packet Reporting System and it is a powerful tool for situational awareness, emergency communications, and seamless global messaging. I’ve…
If you’ve ever wanted to access the APRS network directly from your Windows workstation, PinPoint APRS is an incredible tool that lets you do just that. Whether you’re monitoring APRS traffic, sending position reports, or messaging with other stations, PinPoint gives you a full-featured APRS-IS gateway right from your desktop….
