Technical Articles

ham radios next to dx engineering coffee mug
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 […]

video still of a ham radio tutorial
Technical Articles

Satellite Basics (Part 4): Operating a Linear Satellite Demonstration

In our fourth installment of Sean’s video series, he follows up on his previous video, “Getting on the Linear Satellites,” by operating a recent pass of the XW2A linear satellite […]

linear satellite tutorial video still
Technical Articles

Operating Amateur Radio Satellites (Part 3): Getting on the Linear Satellites

In our third installment of Sean’s video series, he covers the basics of operating linear satellites, including their advantages over FM “birds,” equipment needed for a portable satellite station, a […]

ARRL Antenna Basics Book
Satellite Operation / Technical Articles

Three Big Tips for Operating Ham Radio on a Budget

You’ve finally earned that license and now it’s time to get on the air. Hooray! But you need gear, and your piggy bank hasn’t blossomed enough to afford those shiny […]

Technical Articles

What is Front to Back Ratio and Why Does it Matter?

Tim Duffy, K3LR, DX Engineering CEO, used the installation of a six meter, ten-element, 48-foot beam Yagi at the K3LR superstation as an opportunity to explain and demonstrate how to […]

man holding a large ham radio antenna
Satellite Operation / Technical Articles

Operating Amateur Radio Satellites (Part 2): Getting on the FM Satellites

In our second installment of Sean Kutzko’s, KX9X, video series on the basics of operating amateur radio satellites, he covers the basics of operating FM satellites, including what gear you’ll […]

man holding a ham radio antenna outdoors
Satellite Operation / Technical Articles

Operating Amateur Radio Satellites (Part 1): Learn the Basics of Operating Amateur Radio Satellites

Editor’s Note: Welcome to OnAllBands’ new video series on the fun and challenges of contacting Amateur Radio satellites! Your host is Sean Kutzko, KX9X, OnAllBands blogger, former AMSAT Volunteer Coordinator, […]

antenna radiation pattern diagram
Antenna Tech / Technical Articles

How High Should My Dipole Be?

The half-wave dipole is one of the most basic antennas in all of Ham radio. It also tends to get a bad rap; how many times have you heard somebody—possibly […]

antenna base with tilt winch mechanism
Technical Articles

Zero to 160m DXCC in One Year: Installing the DX Engineering 160 Meter Thunderbolt Vertical Antenna

I’ve been a Ham for over 50 years, but up until about four years ago I had never had a QSO on 160m! In 2016, I decided that had to […]

wire antenna kit
Antenna Tech / Technical Articles

Dipole vs Vertical: Which Antenna is Better?

The dipole versus vertical question doesn’t really have a single “right” answer, and amateurs will offer different responses based on their individual preferences. It’s almost like the Ford versus Chevy […]