HAM Radio 101

HAM Radio 101

Five Mistakes I Made as a New Ham (Part 4): Having Unrealistic Expectations of My Abilities and Gear

I have always been the guy with big dreams and high hopes. Because of this, I also have high expectations. This is true of anything I have been involved in, […]

Joke Ohio Weather Forecast
HAM Radio 101

Emergencies with Spring Storms

With the arrival of spring, we know that severe weather is near. In my area, we had a few rounds before spring even began! Spring is the time of year […]

HAM Radio 101

Five Mistakes I Made as a New Ham (Part 3): Skimping on Quality Equipment

There is an old tale that states the origin of stranded copper wire resulted from two hams fighting over a penny found on the ground at a hamfest. I totally […]

HAM Radio 101

Five Mistakes I Made as a New Ham, Part 2: Having a Lack of Focus

Editor’s Note: Troy Blair, KE8DRR, DX Engineering customer/technical support specialist, enjoys sharing personal stories about his involvement in amateur radio so others can learn from his experiences in the true spirit […]

HAM Radio 101

Five Mistakes I Made as a New Ham, Part 1: Going it Alone

Editor’s Note: Troy Blair, KE8DRR, DX Engineering customer/technical support specialist, enjoys sharing personal stories about his involvement in amateur radio so others can learn from his experiences in the true spirit […]

screen grab of a software defined ham radio
HAM Radio 101

Ham Radio 101: Modes

What’s a “mode”? The term really has two meanings in ham radio, and the definitions overlap somewhat. An operating mode is a description of what you are doing to send […]

subaru rally car WRX
HAM Radio 101

Public Service Events: Ham Radio at the Southern Ohio Forest Rally

The Southern Ohio Forest Rally (SOFR) races on roads that cut through the forests of Vinton, Ross, and Hocking counties. The 2022 race featured 95 rally car entries enjoying lots […]

large military cargo plane at event
HAM Radio 101

Public Service and Ham Radio: Volunteering for the Air Force Marathon

The first official Air Force Marathon was run September 20, 1997, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the United States Air Force. Held annually the third Saturday in September, the […]

man next to ham radio magnetic loop antenna
HAM Radio 101

AM DXing 101: An Introduction to AM DXing

Since the beginning of radio, people have been interested in hearing faraway signals. When commercial broadcasting began in the early 1920s, radio was the cutting-edge technology of the day, and […]

triathalon start of bicycle stage
HAM Radio 101

Public Service: Why Ham Radio Operators Help Out in Their Communities

Bikes waiting for the second leg of a local triathlon Amateur radio operators volunteer to help their communities in good times and bad through community events, disaster response, and various […]