Many thanks to Dean (KG7WGX) who recently shared a couple of interesting microphone alternatives for voice/SSB ops who use the Elecraft KX2 or KX3—especially in portable or pedestrian mobile setups. Dean mentioned that while the stock Elecraft MH3 mic is excellent, it can feel a bit bulky for field use, especially when packing light for […]
What’s the Best Way to Study for the Ham Radio Test?
Whether you’re interested in emergency communication, electronics, or just want to talk to people worldwide, passing the ham radio test is the first step. To get licensed, you need to demonstrate an understanding of FCC regulations as well as knowledge of radio station operation and safety considerations by taking a written test. When was the […]
Post-Hamvention POTA: A Challenging but Relaxing Activation with Friends in Dayton
Sunday, May 18, 2025, was the final day of Hamvention. It’s typically the slowest day, and I’ve even been known to skip it in favor of doing POTA with friends instead. This particular Sunday, though, my dear friend Vince (VE6LK) was giving a mid-morning presentation about building go-boxes, so Eric (WD8RIF), Miles (KD8KNC), Len (W8VQ), […]
Special Event Spotlight: Museum Ships Weekend 2025—Honoring Those Who Served
Make Contact with Museum Ships in the U.S. and Around the World on June 7-8, 2025 June 6 marks the 81st anniversary of the Allied forces joint naval, air and land assault on Nazi-occupied France, better known as D-Day. Such a massive operation, the largest in history, required expert precision, iron-man-like resilience, and constant communication—typically […]
How “No Fly Zone” Clothing Changed My POTA Activations
By Conrad Trautmann (N2YCH) QRPer.com is a great resource for all of us field activators. Thomas (K4SWL) posts about all kinds of nifty tools and things to help us while doing our field activations. He recently posted a story about Red Oxx bags (I think I need one), also a recent post about insect repellents, […]
Youth Ham Radio Insights: Making Friends Through Amateur Radio
Being someone many of my peers would consider to be “a nerd,” I don’t have an extravagantly large friend group at my small high school. A few months ago during the ARRL School Club Roundup event, I was on the air with my physics class. When some of my friends from the Youth On The […]
James’ first POTA activation with the IC-705
Many thanks to James (KI5OEB) who shares the following field report: My First POTA Activation with a New Radio by James (KI5OEB) I decided, thanks to the influence of many people, mainly Thomas K4SWL and Steve KM9G, to purchase my first-ever new transceiver. I purchased an ICOM IC-705 from a retailer that had an open […]
A Guide to June 2025 Ham Radio Contests—Field Day Edition
Also, 13 Colonies is less than a month away. Are you ready for a clean sweep? Is ARRL Field Day a contest? Technically yes, but those who have spent decades lugging gear and setting up temporary stations in the summer heat know there’s a higher purpose behind the QSOs and friendly competition. The contesting aspect […]
Scott Compares the FTX-1 and IC-705
If you’re curious about the new Yaesu FTX-1 field radio and how it compares to the Icom IC-705, Scott (KK4Z) has been doing a deep-dive series over on his blog. So far, he’s taken a look at form factor, connectivity, and power requirements, but he will add more. You can check out all of Scott’s […]
It’s All in the Cards! QSL Cards from Top Ten Most Wanted DXCC Entities – Part 3
In our overview of the rarest of the rare DXCC entities, today we’ll be looking at number six on the Most Wanted List per Clublog: Johnston Island. OnAllBands asked the team at DX Engineering to scour their QSL card collections for contacts made with this seldomly activated location—and they delivered. With years of DXing conquests […]