Ham radio enthusiasts can involve themselves in over 100 different activities that go way beyond simple communication. Most newcomers never find out that amateur radio operators bounce signals off the moon. They participate in competitive “fox hunts” to locate hidden transmitters and build their own high-performance radio kits. These kits operate at just 5 watts … Read more
There are a few full ham radio brands or manufactures, and then there are some who build designs from other people, and then there are some who actually buy radios made by someone else and slap their own stickers on them. The question is, who is doing what, and does it matter? I want to … Read more
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen new hams struggle with poor reception, only to discover they’re using that stock “rubber duck” antenna that came with their radio because they have no idea what the different types of ham radio antennas are. Want to know a simple secret? Swapping that stubby little thing … Read more
Learning how to tune an antenna is important because a poorly tuned antenna can reflect nearly 50% of your radio’s power back into your equipment. This knowledge proves crucial for anyone who uses radio equipment – amateur radio operators, CB communicators, or professionals. Standing Wave Ratio (SWR) measures your antenna’s efficiency. The measurement shows how … Read more
Did you know that hams can receive signals from spacecraft over 15 million kilometers away? I’m not kidding! Back in May 2020, a group of amateur operators pulled off the first true deep-space network X-band reception by capturing signals from Bepi-Colombo at this mind-blowing distance. This really showcases what we can accomplish with ham radio … Read more
You can get into digital mobile radio for very little these days, and talk to people around the world without needing fancy equipment or big outdoor antennas. That’s pretty amazing when you think about it. The European Telecommunications Standards Institute created DMR back in 2005, and it’s completely changed what’s possible with ham radio. I’ve … Read more
I’ve been watching OpenGD77 firmware gain serious traction among ham radio operators lately. It’s not surprising – this custom firmware is turning into the first choice for folks looking to get more out of their DMR radios. With tutorial views numbering over 12,000, it’s clear I’m not the only one noticing the surge in popularity. … Read more
The Baofeng UV-25 and UV-25 Pro are bit radios, as in really big. The only Baofeng radio I have ever worked with this big was the AR-152. Does that large size and huge antenna make for a better radio? Let’s find out!
You can build a DMR hotspot for as little as $50.00. This is a big deal as it means that commercial options cost $160 or more. Building your own MMDVM hotspot makes sense for radio enthusiasts. The Multi-Mode Digital Voice Modem (MMDVM) technology lets you access digital voice modes of all types – DMR, DStar, … Read more
Meshtastic enables encrypted communications over distances of 11 kilometers with uninterrupted line of sight. Setting up this powerful technology is surprisingly simple. A LILYGO® TTGO Meshtastic T-Beam board costs just $30 and ships with pre-installed software. The devices are equipped with AES256 encryption to ensure secure communications between authorized radios. A single 18650 battery powers … Read more