Hi. My name is Rick Blythe, and I am the owner/operator and Author here. I received my amateur radio license in 1992 in Canada and hold the highest level of license one can attain (advanced with Morse code). You may have come across my YouTube channel: The Radio Hobbyist, with over 9,000 subscribers. You can find my QRZ page at: https://www.qrz.com/db/VE3CNU
Radio-Hobbyist is a personal blog, offering approachable guides, easy-to-understand tips and tutorials, and equipment reviews for ham radio beginners, shortwave listeners, and scanning enthusiasts. The site focuses on practical, easy-to-understand explanations of radios, antennas, shortwave listening, scanning techniques, and licensing basics, written in my personal voice.
My Story
Early Years
I got my start in Shortwave Listening in the early 1970s, using a portable radio my Mom bought from Sears. I remember picking up HCJB, Deutsche Welle, and the BBC, and listening to news and music that I had never heard before. As a teen, this was my first exposure to world views that were not US-centric. I listened to Radio Habana Cuba. I listened to Russian broadcasts. It was eye-opening to say the least.
Formative Years
During my High School and College years, I became interested in radio propagation and the possibility that I might be able to transmit radio. I got my CB license. My callsign was XM-434188, a Canadian designation. I had a Lafayette tube base station, the Comstat-19. I modified the radio to put out more power. I was seriously into electronics.
Working Adult
Of course, becoming an adult means working for a living, leaving home, and priorities change (girls!). The hobby took a hiatus for a decade or more.
Retired Adult
I now have a lot of time on my hands and more resources. I started the RadioHobbyist YouTube channel.
The Radio Hobbyist blog began as a Blogspot blog, as the platform was free and popular at the time. I have recently moved it to its new home here at Radio-Hobbyist.com. This location has been in operation since November 2020, and I continue to this day to add content to the site, although I have many other interests, and they take up my time.
Since August 2000, I have enjoyed building websites as a side hustle to my daytime job in IT.
Look me up on:
The Radio Hobbyist YouTube Channel follows me as I test various gear out in different situations, comparing one radio against another, or making recommendations for radio equipment and methods. Videos range from Ham Radio to shortwave and action-band scanning, with a little Utility DXing thrown in, too. Lots of exclusive stuff, and the occasional cat.
The Radio-Hobbist differentiates itself by focusing on beginner-friendly, practical radio hobby content authored by an experienced operator (me), offering a personal, trustworthy voice in a niche often filled with technical jargon. However, the differentiation is implicit rather than explicitly communicated through dedicated pages or comparison features.
Other Websites I Own & Author-
- ItsFridaysoWine.com
- Radio-Hobbyist.com
- RadiumDial.com
- Solar-Watches.com
- TritiumLume.com
- UraniumWare.com
- My sister’s website: SallySunshine.ca (fitness programs for Seniors)
Amateur radio, also known as ham radio, is a hobby that allows individuals to communicate with each other using radio frequencies. Some of the benefits of ham radio include the ability to communicate with others locally and around the world, the opportunity to learn about electronics and radio technology, and the ability to provide a valuable public service during emergencies when other forms of communication may be unavailable. Ham radio can also be a fun and social hobby, allowing individuals to meet and connect with others who share their interests.
