Tips on Coming Back to Ham Radio After Years of Inactivity
Have you considered returning to ham radio after a number of years off the air? Like many of us, you started out with a license and then life happened—job, family […]
An Amateur Radio Blog by DX Engineering Articles written by: Mark Haverstock, K8MSH
Technical Articles
Antenna Tech
Ham Radio Tech: Ground Planes, Gains, and Automobiles—Insights on Mounting Mobile Antennas on Your Vehicle
The best mobile antenna money can buy isn’t any better than the ground plane it is mounted over. Remember the basic dipole—it needs two elements to be complete. Your vertical […]
Antenna Tech
Resonant and Non-Resonant Amateur Radio Antennas–Which is Better?
When it comes to ham radio, choosing the right antenna is one of the most important decisions an operator will make. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of varieties: Yagis, […]
HAM Radio 101
Ham Radio 101: The Amateur Radio General Class License—Is It for You?
A General class amateur radio license is the middle level of three amateur radio operator licenses in the United States. It gives you access to most amateur radio bands and […]
Ham Culture & Entertainment
Did Parks on the Air (POTA) Save Ham Radio?
Several months ago I saw a non-ham friend at the park. During our chat, he happened to look at the call sign license plate on my SUV. “Ham radio? Are […]
Antenna Tech
Ham Radio Tech: Guide to Building an Effective Dipole Antenna (& Answers to Common Dipole Questions)
Since the early days of radio, dipoles have been the go-to antennas for hams. They’re effective, inexpensive, and simple to make. But there’s more to building and installing one than […]
HAM Radio 101
Ham Radio 101: What Are the RIT-XIT Functions Used for on Your Transceiver?
As a newly licensed ham, you probably got started in amateur radio with VHF and UHF phone operation. A simple click gave you access to FM simplex channels and repeaters […]
Ham Culture & Entertainment
Ham Radio Insights: Repeaters—the Sounds of Silence
Get on the Air and Make Some Noise—Advice on Increasing Local Repeater Activity Why are VHF and UHF repeaters so quiet much of the time? Where is everybody? When you […]
Cable & Coax Tech
Ham Radio Tech: What Do You Do with Excess Coaxial Cable?
When it comes to coax cable, most hams would agree that too much is better than not enough. Adding more cable on the fly is tough, especially when crawling around […]
Antenna Tech
Ham Radio 101: I Want a New Duck—Tips on Upgrading Your HT’s Antenna
Open the box of a new handheld radio and you’ll find the usual stuff—the radio, battery, charger, belt clip, “rubber duck” antenna, and instruction manual. Looking at rubber ducks from […]
