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 […]
An Amateur Radio Blog by DX Engineering Articles written by: Mark Haverstock, K8MSH
Technical Articles
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 […]
HAM Radio 101
Ham Radio 101: Everything You Wanted to Know About Coax But Were Afraid to Ask
Coax cable has its roots dating back to the mid-1800s, when engineers developed transatlantic cable communication. These early telegraph cables were made up of a center conductor encased in a […]
Antenna Tech
Ham Radio Tech: RF Ground—The Un-Ground
When it comes to ham radio, there are grounds…and then there are grounds. Here are three types we typically find with radio systems: Safety grounds protect you from a shock […]
HAM Radio 101
Get with the Program & Get More Out of Amateur Radio Club Meetings
We’ve been fortunate to have a hard-working program chair in charge of arranging our club presentations. Even when he’s wintering in Florida, he makes sure everything is ready for the […]
Antenna Tech
Doing a Good Turn: Choosing the Right Rotator for Your Amateur Radio Station
A rotator is a handy device used in ham radio communication systems to change the orientation of an antenna. Rotators have two parts, the rotator unit and the controller. The […]
HAM Radio 101
Ham Radio 101: Understanding Repeater Speak
New hams often wonder what they’ll do or say over the radio after they get their license. All that jargon that hams use can seem like a foreign language to […]
