by kb9vbr | Apr 3, 2025 | Activation Log
Magnetic Loop antennas get a bit of a bad rap. Nay-sayers will frequently latch on their shortcomings: low power capability, tight bandwidth, dropping efficiency. Personally, I think they are just misunderstood. Magnetic Loops have a small footprint, excellent size to...
by kb9vbr | Mar 27, 2025 | Activation Log
A couple of months ago I purchased the Surecom SW-28HF power and SWR meter. I needed a small and inexpensive meter to test the power output of my tiny (tr)USDX transceiver. I wasn’t expecting much, but this little thing totally exceeded my expectations. You can...
by kb9vbr | Mar 20, 2025 | Activation Log
A couple of months ago Joe, KD9CJX, asked me what’s the best way to learn CW. Like me, he’s been off and on the CW horse a few years now, but lacking the commitment to get code comprehension to a point where he feels confident to make a contact. I told him...
by kb9vbr | Feb 27, 2025 | Activation Log
I keep a notebook full of video ideas. In it you will find little notes jotted down from interactions with viewers, things I’ve read or seen online, or from a brainstorming session. This is the first step in my production process. The idea from this video came...
by kb9vbr | Feb 21, 2025 | Parks on the Air
Five years and over 400 POTA activations later, I’ve learned a few things about Parks on the Air. Here’s my advice for getting started with ham radio’s most exciting outdoor activity. Watch it, my first POTA activation: https://youtu.be/OkKBPc-AhEk...
by kb9vbr | Feb 20, 2025 | Activation Log
The city of Milwaukee, WI has always had a warm spot in my heart. My first visit was in the mid ’80s as high school aged 4-H’er going down to the State Fair. Our group took an afternoon trip downtown and the excitement of the city was opened up to me....
by kb9vbr | Feb 13, 2025 | Activation Log
I think one of the secrets to my success is that I’ve always taken a down to earth approach to my video. Many content creators will ignore, dismiss, or be downright hostile in their comments, but I’ve gone the opposite result. In turn, it has become a...
by kb9vbr | Feb 11, 2025 | Product Focus
The Chameleon CHA-SS25 stainless steel whip is a twenty five foot version of their popular SS17 17 foot whip. I’ve been using this whip for the last two months, and I’m going to tell you what I’ve learned about this whip and show you five different ways in which you...
by kb9vbr | Feb 6, 2025 | Activation Log
The Minnesota QSO Party was this last weekend, and Dave KZ9V and I participated in the event from a park (POTA US-4236) located on the banks of the Mississippi River. This was our 4th foray into the contest and this year’s operation was markedly different than...
by kb9vbr | Jan 30, 2025 | Activation Log
Winter Field Day, the bookend to the ARRL’s long time summer event takes place during the last weekend of January. For some parts of the country, that may be ok, but here in Wisconsin, that time of year often means cold and snow. In past Winter Field Day events,...
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