Ham and Shortwave Radio
Amateur radio, commonly known as ham radio, is a regulated pursuit and public service in which licensed individuals use allocated radio frequencies to connect with fellow operators worldwide.
This is achieved via methods such as voice transmission, Morse code, digital protocols, or even satellite relays, primarily for recreational purposes, technological innovation, critical emergency support, and honing expertise in radio operations.
Put another way, Ham radio (or amateur radio) is a licensed hobby and service of using designated radio frequency bands to communicate with other enthusiasts worldwide through voice, Morse code, digital modes, or satellite, often for fun, experimentation, emergency communications, and technical skill-building.
The factory setting for the Contour control in these radios is ok, but I prefer to turn the adjustment from being a frequency muter to being a frequency booster. It really makes it difficult to copy audio pop out from the noise. I find 2500 Hz to be the sweet spot to boost. This applies … Read more
I’ve been getting a little bored with the same old FT8 on HF in the last few weeks, so I thought maybe I should do something on the higher VHF/UHF bands. I generally do not inhabit those bands as I’m not active in the local ham community (my bad). What is APRS again? APRS stands … Read more
Often referred to as a Long Wire Balun (or an Unun), this device is used to match the impedance of a long wire HF antenna to a 50-ohm input impedance of a receiver. Such impedance matching usually results in a significant signal strength increase (up to 17 dB in some cases, and approximately 5 dB on average), … Read more
The Youkits FG-01 Antenna Analyzer is a portable, compact device designed for ham radio operators to easily analyze and tune HF antennas. Functioning as a 1-60MHz automatic analyzer, it measures antenna performance metrics like impedance and standing wave ratio (SWR). It features a small color display that provides detailed information, and its simple, button-based operation … Read more
Are you wondering whether you can use HRD Deluxe with a Flex Radio? Read on to find out everything you need to know about using these two technologies together. HRD Deluxe with a Flex Radio HRD Deluxe works well Ham Radio Deluxe (HRD) is an amateur radio software suite that includes five ham radio apps. … Read more