Technical Articles

kenwood ham radio transceiver and power supply, with tuner
Technical Articles

7 Tips on Buying/Selling Used Ham Radio Gear

Amateur Radios are a lot like automobiles. You can buy stripped-down basic models at lower cost or splurge on full-featured models with all the bells and whistles. And, just like […]

wire wrapped ferrite choke
Technical Articles

Ferrite Chokes, What are They, Anyway?

In other OnAllBand entries, we’ve covered what ferrites are, how their behavior varies with frequency, and some of their applications in the ham station.  This time, we’ll focus on their […]

a ferrite choke on a usb cord
Technical Articles

What is Ferrite Used For, Anyway (Part 2)

In the OnAllBands entry, “What is Ferrite, Anyway?” we discussed what ferrite is and what makes up a “mix.”  We also explored how ferrite behaves at different frequencies. Ferrite has […]

assortment of ferrite chokes
Technical Articles

What is Ferrite, Anyway?

Ferrites are made from oxides of iron, cobalt (Co), barium (Ba), and strontium (Sr).  The type of ferrite most useful to hams are soft ferrites. (The hard ferrites are good […]

an assortment of handheld icom ham radio HTs
Technical Articles

Video Tech: Establishing Hot Spots for Your D-Star Radio

Ken, KA8ODA, is DX Engineering‘s digital mode specialist. In this video, he takes you through the hows and whys of establishing a hot spot in your home. “What a hot […]

dx engineering Fiberglass antenna tubing
Technical Articles

Tips for Handling Fiberglass Tubing for HAM Radio Applications

Many amateur radio projects use fiberglass tubing and there are some precautions you should take when handling it. When the tubing arrives – before you open the box – be prepared. There […]

Amateur Radio Frequencies and Bands illustration
Technical Articles

Guide to Amateur Radio Frequencies and Bands

Many hams equate frequencies and bands with colloquial usage. Therefore VHF is 2 meters, specifically 144 to 148 MHz, and HF is 160 through 6 meters, just like on our […]

copper strap for grounding electrical equipment
Technical Articles / Weatherproofing and Grounding

Copper Strap vs. Copper Braid in Amateur Radio Grounding

Tinned-copper braid has been around for a long, long time. It’s been used in many grounding applications because of its flexibility and ease of soldering. It’s great for grounding radio […]

Lightning Protector for coaxial cable
Technical Articles / Weatherproofing and Grounding

The Importance of Weatherproofing Lightning Protectors

Most amateur radio operators (hams) know they should weatherproof any coaxial cable connections that are outdoors to prevent moisture entering your coax connectors. However, many hams don’t realize you must […]

Ham Radio manual antenna switch
Technical Articles

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. […]