Your First Pileup: Techniques for Success
Operating from a rare (or semi-rare) location is one of the greatest experiences in Ham radio. Many operators have spent time trying to work a DXpedition and have also dreamed […]
An Amateur Radio Blog by DX Engineering Technical Articles
Technical Articles
Technical Articles
Preventing AM and FM Overload
It’s common to experience interference from a nearby broadcast station, including commercial and public safety transmitters. The usual symptom is a continuous stream of distorted audio on all channels or […]
FT8 / Technical Articles
Top 10 Tips for Succeeding in FT8 Mode
I give many presentations and help a lot of Hams get started with FT8 and FT4. I often get asked, “Why am I having trouble making contacts?” and “What can […]
Technical Articles
Finding Your Calling: When and Where Are You Most Likely to Make QSOs?
One of the most enjoyable parts of the hobby is making contacts with other Hams. Finding operators on the air isn’t necessarily a matter of luck or chance. There are […]
Antenna Tech / Technical Articles
What Is an Antenna System?
“System” is a word that gets thrown around a lot. What does it mean from the perspective of an amateur radio operator? Generally, I think of a system as a […]
Technical Articles
Building a Ham Workbench Table
After struggling for years repositioning radios and test equipment at the workbench, I finally found a simple but elegant solution. In a recent YouTube radio repair video, Stefan Steger, DL7MAJ, […]
Antenna Tech / Technical Articles
Getting Your Antenna in (and on) the Air: Tips for Installing Wire Antennas and Verticals
Mother Nature must like Ham operators. We’ve been provided with an abundance of tall, non-conductive antenna supports—aka trees—which grow and flourish on their own. When it comes to wire antennas, […]
Satellite Operation / Technical Articles
Satellite Basics (Part 6): Operating a Satellite while Roving
In our sixth and final installment of Sean Kutzko’s video series on the Basics of Operating Amateur Radio Satellites, he takes his show on the road to demonstrate one of […]
Antenna Tech / Technical Articles
Directional Antenna Performance without a Beam
For this OnAllBands blog post, we’ve changed our traditional Word of the Day entry to a Question of the Day: What is the best solution available for creating an optimized […]
Satellite Operation / Technical Articles
Satellite Basics (Part 5): Operating Satellites from Your Home Station
Editor’s Note: Welcome to OnAllBands’ new video series on the fun and challenges of making contacts through Amateur Radio satellites! Your host is Sean Kutzko, KX9X, OnAllBands blogger, former AMSAT Volunteer […]
