by kb9vbr | Nov 11, 2025 | Activation Log
If you are like me, and are a frequent user of Greg’s, KJ6ER, PERformer and Challenger antenna designs, you will know the importance of a sturdy base. The foundation of these antennas are a tripod of other support to elevate them. Unfortunately the world of...
by kb9vbr | Oct 31, 2025 | Activation Log
About a month ago I was approached by CentyLab LLC, a boutique producer of USB power devices. They had a new product, called the PocketPD, that transforms a USB power charger into a bench power supply. They wanted to expand into the amateur radio community and I...
by kb9vbr | Oct 24, 2025 | Activation Log
I love when I can group a Parks on the Air rove into a theme. These themes often easily translate into a story which makes a video, though finding that hook can be difficult. Sometimes it’s easy and other times it takes a bit of work. This week’s video is...
by kb9vbr | Oct 22, 2025 | Activation Log
I’m a long time proponent of faraday cloth or window screen as a ground system for your vertical HF antenna. When Dave, KZ9V, and I made that first video over 2 and a half years ago, we didn’t know what the reception would be. So we were quite surprised...
by kb9vbr | Oct 10, 2025 | Activation Log
The Wisconsin Ham Radio Campout started out as a lark. Joe, Travis, and I have been getting together for a weekend in the fall for some ham radio. Three years ago I had the idea that maybe we should open this up to the ham radio community. Not knowing the what the...
by kb9vbr | Oct 1, 2025 | Activation Log
Long time viewers of the channel know that my morse code journey is long and convoluted. I needed to learn the code to get beyond the Technician license back in 1999, and since then, reacquainting myself with it has gone in fits and spurts. That’s why when...
by kb9vbr | Sep 24, 2025 | Activation Log
I’ve always been a big fan of 40 meters. I love the regional aspect of its coverage and it offers DX opportunities when the conditions are right. Putting a good 40 meter antenna on the air also isn’t overwhelmingly difficult. Back last year when I bought...
by kb9vbr | Sep 15, 2025 | Activation Log
I’ve always been a fan of vertical HF antennas. They set up quickly and offer surprisingly good performance. They also are more forgiving when it comes deploying them in a tight location. Over the Labor Day weekend we were camping at Wildcat Mountain State Park...
by kb9vbr | Sep 5, 2025 | Activation Log
We’ve probably all heard the term “Shack in a Box.” It’s used to refer to a portable amateur station where all the components are built into a large case. Typically these are 4U rack cases or roto-molded Pelican style boxes. Big items that hold...
by kb9vbr | Aug 29, 2025 | Activation Log
Signal reports are a little better than worthless. That’s how back in 1934 Arthur Braaten W2BSR described the method used by amateur radio operators for reporting and describing the quality of signal over the air. Terminology was inconsistent and the values had little...
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