Programming software for ham radios comes down to two main choices these days – CHIRP and RT Systems. Having used both extensively over the years, I can tell you each has its place depending on your needs and experience level. CHIRP gives you a free, open-source option that works with lots of different radio brands. … Read more
Software defined radio, or SDR, really applies to a huge range of products ranging from cheap add-ons for your computer, all the way up to very expensive stand-alone radios with a massive feature set. In this article I will be concentrating on the former. Software defined radio might sound complex, but these little devices pack … Read more
When thinking about getting into digital modes for amateur radio, the DMR vs D-Star vs Fusion debate is front and center. While everyone has their opinion, I wanted to present a more balanced approach, hopefully. Looking at the current state of amateur radio, DMR has quickly become the go-to digital voice mode for many operators. … Read more
I’ve watched digital ham radio grow from a niche interest into something truly amazing over the past 15 years. What started with basic computer connections has evolved into sophisticated systems that let us do things we could only dream about before. Having used both traditional and digital modes extensively, I can tell you that while … Read more
That’s right, Wouxun pays for positive reviews, they tried to pay me for not only a positive review but wanted me to write an advertorial. I know that a lot of you probably already assumed this happened, but I had never had it happen to me, until now. I am not saying I haven’t received … Read more
The BaoFeng BF-888S is a very cool and inexpensive little radio that a lot of people purchase before realizing that there is no way to program the BaoFeng BF-888S radio with just the radio, you have to purchase a programming cable, download the software, and learn what you are doing first. This can be a … Read more
Years ago when I wanted to put up my first real antenna, I looked far and wide to find out what type of antenna cable to use. Is there a difference for distance? How about just receiving instead of transmitting? Different types of cable for different frequencies? How about for the power I would be … Read more
There are a lot of cheap SDR kits out there, so finding the best cheap RTL type SDR kit to get started with can be a daunting task. Fortunately we have played with a lot of them so we can help guide you along the path to finding the one that suits your needs. This … Read more
Finding the best dual-band HT antenna can be a tough job. It seems every time a person gets their license, one of the first questions is what kind of antenna can they upgrade to so their HT radio will work better. Unfortunately, this is not as easy as it may sound. For the purposes of … Read more
I often get asked if the cheap Chinese radios are any good. When you can buy a Baofeng UV-5R off Amazon for $24, I can certainly see both sides of that question. When a nice Yaesu 2 meter handheld can cost $100 or more, that Baofeng sure looks appealing. Then again, can a dual-band radio … Read more