My poor ten month old daughter is home under the weather today. It’s nothing too serious but I knew her teachers would send her home and a day with the baby is still a good day even if she’s feeling a bit puny. While she was napping after lunch, I managed to work eleven POTA […]
A portable SWR meter can save us from the extra weight and bulk of an antenna analyzer and the heartbreak of blown finals.
Hans Summers’s QRP Labs transceivers are incredible pieces of equipment. I’ve built several and below details my build of his newest offering: the QMX for 20 through 10 meters. I won’t reiterate all the details of the radio which you can find on his website. Instead, I’ll offer all the photos and limited commentary of […]
I’ve built a vertical antenna for 10m, 12m, 15m, 17m, and 20m. This is accomplished through a series of links which create a resonant quarter wave for each desired band.
As a ground plane, I have put down sixteen 10ft radials. These radials come out to just over two wavelengths on 20m, the lowest band of operation for this antenna.
This dummy load, designed by Dave Cripe NM0S and offered by the Four States QRP Group, is an easy foray into the world of kit building with SMD components. It will handle 10 watts and incorporates a basic power meter as well. At just over $15 shipped, it is a deal that’s hard to pass up.
This basic homebrewing tool kit will allow you to build kits, experiment with antennas, and dip your toes into scratch building your own radios from schematics.
Ottawa State Fishing Lake, or as it is known to everyone around here, Lake Bennington, is a nice green wooded spot among miles and miles of wheat, sorghum, corn, and cattle. From time to time, I like to drive out here just for the woods that remind me of home. And there’s free primitive camping, […]
In Part One, I wrote about the interaction between portability and capability with a focus on the radio transceiver itself. This time around, I would like to discuss how to pair a battery to your chosen radio. Again, portability and capability are paramount. Batteries are among the heaviest and bulkiest elements of any portable radio […]
POTA, or Parks on the Air, has to be one of the best ways to liven up your ham radio experience. It combines the thrill of making contacts with the refreshment of being outside. I can’t recommend it enough for hams, both new and experienced. Chances are, there’s a park close to you. Choose your […]
All amateur radio stations have the same five basic elements: a transceiver, an antenna, a power supply, a transmitting interface like a key or microphone, and a reception interface like headphones or a speaker. And of course, cables which connect all the aforementioned elements to the radio. There you have it! A complete amateur radio […]
Amateur Radio Station WB0ISG 