by Mark (KB2PIZ) Wow, the magic of Ham radio! As part of my work, I was driving from Tucson, Arizona, to Kanab, Utah. Route 179 passes right through Sedona, so my wife and I decided to take a 5-day mini vacation on the way to Kanab. During this trip, I previously activated Oracle State Park […]
Month: January 2026
Two Wires, Five Watts, and a Cold Afternoon at Carolina Beach State Park
by Thomas (K4SWL) On December 15, during our family’s weeklong vacation together at Carolina Beach, North Carolina, we set out that morning for a day trip to Southport. My hope was to squeeze in an activation of the Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson State Historic Site (US-6834) while we were there. Click here to read about my […]
Luca’s Accidental QRPp experience
by Luca (IW2EPE) Hello, all QRP enthusiasts. What I’m going to tell you about is my experience with HF radio and how great it is to do QRP. One night earlier this month, I planned a short radio activity for my lunch break the following day. I had decided to use my new RHM-7350T antenna […]
Contesting 101: Beyond Copying Call Signs
Why do some of your competitors always seem to know what band to be on? Where do they get those additional QSOs and multipliers from? How come their rate sheet shows an overall better average than yours, hour after hour? How do you move beyond just copying call signs and putting them in the log? […]
How the Field Radio Landscape Has Changed and Why There’s Never Been a Better Time to Jump In!
Over the past few months, I’ve received a steady stream of emails and comments that have all landed in the same place in my mind: just how much the field radio space has changed, especially in the last five or six years. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that field operating […]
Ham Radio Portable Operating Insights: Winter POTA Considerations
As we head into the winter months here in Ohio, I would typically put away my “POTA Hat.” I have always said I am a fair-weather POTA operator. I like going out in the sunshine surrounded by nature and making contacts around the globe. As I get older, winter is just not my jam. This […]
Elecraft KH1 Firmware Version 1.27 Adds SOTAmat Functionality and Morse Audio Feedback
Many thanks to Steve (KV4AN) and Dan (N7CQR) who note that Elecraft has just issued a firmware update that adds new functionality to the Elecraft KH1. Steve notes: Thomas, Elecraft has released Firmware Version 1.27 (see PDF) for the KH1, in case QRPer readers are interested. Attached is the change description. In summary, the updated […]
Ham Radio Youth Insights: Bridging the Gap Between Generations of Operators
It’s no secret that the majority of amateur radio operators fall into one demographic category. This fact prompts questions that fill the forum halls of hamfests and often get asked of the young people who are stepping into the world of amateur radio: How do we get young people interested in the hobby? How do […]
Century 22: Mike’s “Barn Find” Radio!
by Mike (VE3MKX) A ham radio “barn find” is discovering vintage piece of amateur radio gear (transmitters, receivers, test equipment) in barns, garages, attics or closets ! This story isn’t anything out of the norm, just a fluke. It was a regular day at home, surfing the net while having breakfast. I eventually surfed onto […]
Dating Your Vintage Bug Made Easy: A New Tool from W6JSV
Many thanks to Jay (W6JSV), who recently created a useful tool for those of us with vintage bugs. He notes: I also wanted to write you about a website I made that you might find useful: https://www.bug.date/. I got tired of looking up serial numbers on a PDF and figuring out which model I was […]