Articles written by: Mark Haverstock, K8MSH

MMDVM block diagram
Technical Articles

What You Need to Know About MMDVM Hotspots

D-STAR, DMR, YSF—amateur radio always seems to have a strange affinity for acronyms. Here’s a new one to add to the alphabet soup: MMDVM. It’s what helps you connect to […]

HAM Radio 101

DX Files: Tales of the Radio Paranormal

Halloween is here, and you’re in for a treat! Skip Longpath, custodian of the archives, has hand-picked several of the DX Files for your enjoyment–ones usually not available to the […]

HAM Radio 101

222 MHz: Is Anybody There?

“W8XYZ listening 223.500.” Whether you get a response or silence could depend on where you’re located. Calls in some locations in the United States—major metro areas in states like New […]

Technical Articles

Family-Friendly GMRS Radios

The General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) today is what CB radio was originally intended to be–a group of frequencies shared by individuals who maintained a civil environment on the air, […]

Beverage On Ground BOG diagram
Antenna Tech / Technical Articles

BOGged Down: Receive Antennas on the Ground

Many hams I know who are serious 160 and 80 meter operators use Beverage antennas to optimize HF reception. These antennas often make the difference in pulling a weak signal […]

ham radio antenna grounding guy stake
HAM Radio 101

The Five Types of Operators You Don’t Want to Be

Sometimes amateur radio demonstrates that our technical skills are a little sharper than our people skills, according to Riley Hollingsworth, former Special Counsel in the FCC Spectrum Enforcement Division. He […]

HAM Radio 101

Ham Radio 101: Five Types of Operators You Should Want to Be

Getting on the bands for the first time is one of the most exciting and memorable experiences for any amateur radio operator. But don’t stop there! Whether it’s golf, rock […]

HAM Radio 101

Ham Radio 101: Help for the Morse Impaired

On February 23, 2007, the FCC eliminated the Morse code requirement for all U.S.-issued amateur licenses. Within 72 hours of the announcement, the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) staff reported […]

Screwdriver antenna base
Antenna Tech / Technical Articles

What is a Screwdriver Antenna?

When I first heard the term screwdriver antenna, I thought it was a joke. I immediately thought of stories about loading wet noodles, bedsprings, and random trees in the forest […]

SFR RF-100 bandwidth filer control box
Field Day / Technical Articles

Minimizing Interference on Field Day

Whenever two or more transceivers are used in close proximity, there is some level of interference involved. This level can vary from practically no problem at all to actually overloading […]