Baluns and Common-Mode Impedance: How Much is Enough?
There is a lot of interest in baluns these days—that’s good. There is also a lot of confusion about baluns these days—that’s not so good. This article starts by defining […]
An Amateur Radio Blog by DX Engineering Articles written by: Ward Silver, N0AX
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Antenna Tech / Technical Articles
How to Build Aluminum Antennas
Next to wires, antennas made of aluminum tubing and rod are the most common type of amateur radio antenna construction. There is a wide range of high-quality aluminum alloy available, […]
Amateur Radio News
The Yasme Foundation–Part of DX History
Editor’s Note: Thanks especially to Hamgallery.com, managed by Tom Roscoe, K8CX, for several of the images used here. There are many, many more wonderful photos and graphics on his website […]
Antenna Tech / Technical Articles
An Overview of Beverage Receiving Antennas–What Makes Them So Special?
(Thanks to the ARRL for sharing Figures 1-3 from the article “The Beverage Antenna, 100 Years Later” in the November 2021 issue of QST—see the reference list below.) There is […]
Technical Articles
Powdered-Iron Cores: How Do They Compare to Ferrite?
In an earlier OnAllBands article (“What Is Ferrite, Anyway?”) I explored the use of ferrite cores for chokes, baluns, and other amateur radio applications. In recent years, ferrite-core components like […]
Technical Articles
How to Check Rotators from the Ground
If you have ever stood at the base of a tower, looking forlornly upward, wondering “What’s WRONG with that [adjective] rotator?!” you are not alone. That simple piece of gear […]
Technical Articles
Feeding End-Fed Antennas
“End-fed” antennas, in particular the “End-Fed Half-Wave” (EFHW), are all the rage these days, particularly for portable operation. Throw a string over a tree branch, haul up one end, connect […]
Amateur Radio News
Spurious Emissions
No, not THAT kind! Sendin’ code againJust can’t wait to be sendin’ code againThe life I love is runnin’ pileups with my friendsAnd I can’t wait to be sendin’ code […]
Technical Articles / Weatherproofing and Grounding
Grounding and Bonding for Portable Amateur Radio Stations
Operating from a temporary setup—in a park, on a summit, from a rare grid or county, or for a special event—has become very popular. This is a great thing for […]
Events
The Benefits of Single-Country DX Contests—Whether Inside or Outside!
The contest calendar is just packed with DX contests! And so are the bands—you can hear “CQ Contest” every weekend, on phone and CW and digital modes. You can enter […]
