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 […]
An Amateur Radio Blog by DX Engineering Articles written by: Mark Haverstock, K8MSH
Ham Culture & Entertainment
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 […]
HAM Radio 101
Ham Radio Ops: Feel the Fear
What gives you the heebie-jeebies as a ham radio operator? With Halloween only a few days away, we’re dedicating this post to some scary things that keep us up at […]
Technical Articles
Ham Radio Tech: Propagation Beacons—Finding an Open Path to the World
What are the current propagation conditions like? You can listen closely to the bands, but it takes time. You could look at the theoretical propagation forecasts on the Internet or […]
Technical Articles
Ham Radio Tech: Understanding PEP, ICAS, CCS & Duty Cycle
Next time you browse a ham radio catalog, compare the relative power ratings of some of the accessories. I was interested in replacing some antenna switches, and here’s what I […]
HAM Radio 101
Ham Radio Contesting for Techs? Yes, You Can!
Feeling left out? It’s a fact that most contests take place on the HF bands, but even as a Technician you can participate. For starters, you only need your Technician […]
DC Power
Ham Radio Tech: Choosing a Battery System for Portable Operations
Most new hams start with an HT (handie-talkie) radio. They’re very affordable, portable, and will get you on the air quickly. No one has to think about batteries and chargers—they’re […]
Antennas and Tuners
Ham Radio Review: Cushcraft HV-4E Vertical Antenna
What’s not to love about vertical antennas like the Cushcraft HV-4E? Vertical antennas offer an omnidirectional signal pattern, take up very little space, and are easy to install. They do […]
Technical Articles
The Saltwater Amplifier Effect (& How it Impacts Your Amateur Radio Station Performance)
For Guglielmo Marconi, the great challenge was to transmit wireless signals across the Atlantic and to all the ships at sea. He built stations at Poldhu, England; Glace Bay, Nova […]
