Technical Articles

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 […]

backyard ham radio antennas
Antenna Tech / Technical Articles

How to Get on the Air When You Aren’t Supposed to Have Visible Antennas 

It all started when I wanted to put up an antenna, but it couldn’t be visible from the street. The peak of my roof is 24 feet so that created […]

stealth antenna base mount
Antenna Tech / Technical Articles

Antennas for HOA Restricted Residences

We hear the question a lot: What are good antenna recommendations for use at my HOA restricted residence? Even if you live in a neighborhood that has an HOA, you […]

close up of a circuit board in a small project box
Technical Articles

Easy Building Projects for New Hams

One of the most fun activities in Ham radio is learning to build your own equipment. In the early years of amateur radio, long before factory-built equipment was easily available, […]

Rigextpert antenna analyzer
Antenna Tech / Technical Articles

Troubleshooting Antenna Systems

After the previous couple of articles about troubleshooting (“Maintaining and Troubleshooting an HF Station” and “Troubleshooting Your Transceiver”), it’s time to move outside the station. An antenna system may not […]

Multimeter screen displaying 12.56 volts
Technical Articles

Troubleshooting Your Transceiver

Uh-oh, the radio’s broken! It’s either doing something it’s not supposed to or not doing something it’s supposed to. The natural response will always be to change a few things, […]

close up of a knob on a ham radio
Technical Articles

Maintaining and Troubleshooting Your HF Station

There is a fine line between maintenance and troubleshooting, whether it’s a Ham station, a car, an audio system, or any bit of technology with several “moving parts.” One often […]

ham radio presentation screenshot
Technical Articles

Just Got Your License? Avoid These Mistakes and Get Off on the Right Foot

You just got your Tech license and your call sign. Now what? The first mistake some new Hams make is not getting on the air as soon as possible. They […]

closeup of an Icom IC-7200 radio screen in use
Technical Articles

So You Still Have Your License but Haven’t Operated in Years: A Guide to Getting Back into the Hobby

One of the problems of writing an article like this is that Hams who have not been active for years probably don’t know about “OnAllBands” and won’t find this article. […]