Coax Switches: What to Consider When Buying a Coax Switch
“Wow! I just got another transceiver. I’m gonna need a coax switch. I’ll get a used switch off the web.” Bad idea… Used coax (coaxial) switches come in all conditions. […]
An Amateur Radio Blog by DX Engineering Technical Articles
Technical Articles
Technical Articles
Polarity on BALUNS Explained!
Q: If RF is a high frequency AC signal, why are there plus and minus signs on a balun? A: Keep in mind that we are usually connecting a ‘BALanced’ […]
Technical Articles
Tips for Mounting a Vertical Antenna Above Ground
We received a question from a Ham in Oklahoma about mounting a Cushcraft R8. Although our answer was aimed at the Cushcraft R8, the information can be used for other vertical […]
Technical Articles
Why is CW (Continuous Wave) Still Around?
CW stands for Continuous Wave. In CW communications, a continuous carrier is transmitted as long as the key contacts are closed. By making and breaking the contacts into specific patterns, characters […]
Products & Product Reviews / Technical Articles
How to Choose an Antenna Analyzer
This is a question many new (and experienced) amateurs face today. There are many styles and types of antenna analyzers available, and it’s not easy to sort them all out, even for […]
Technical Articles
Tips for Tidying Up Cables
A well-equipped ham shack is chock full of transmitters, receivers, (or at least transceivers), antenna tuners, coaxial switches, radio accessories and all manner of electronic equipment. All of these things […]
Technical Articles
How to Establish the Turning Radius of an Antenna
There is a small bit of homework required to establish the turning radius of an antenna. You have to figure out the hypotenuse of a right triangle. For this exercise we […]
Technical Articles
Antenna Tech: Resonant vs. Non-Resonant Antennas
There Ain’t No Free Lunch OK. The English is bad but the title says it all. So many hams are looking for that “all band, does everything” HF antenna. On […]
Technical Articles
What is Iambic Keying?
Occasionally, our customers ask: “What is Iambic Keying?” Iambic keying is an advanced CW skill that takes practice and time to master, but once learned reduces operator fatigue and may […]
Technical Articles
Tech Tip: What dimensions do I use for crimp style PL-259 connectors?
Q. What dimensions do I use for crimp style PL-259 connectors? A. We have a couple of charts that you will find to be very helpful on the types of […]
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