by Michael Martens | Jul 2, 2014 | Operating Events
In the 15 year’s I’ve held my amateur radio license, I’ve hardly ever missed a Field Day. I also thought I had seen just about everything that could happen or go wrong at a field day site. I’ve experienced brutal hot weather, endless bugs, rain...
by Michael Martens | Jun 18, 2014 | emcomm
I must make a confession. I was never proficient at knots. I used to tie things up with a big ‘goober’ knot of twine. If the knot slipped, I’d just add more twists and loops. The knots weren’t pretty, they seldom held, and heaven forbid you try...
by Michael Martens | Jun 11, 2014 | Antennas
As the late spring and summer months heat up, six meters comes alive. Known as the Magic Band, the six meter band can be mysterious, unpredictable, and downright fun. You never quite know when the band will open and where it will take you. Every year our club’s...
by Michael Martens | May 20, 2014 | ARES/RACES
Recently our ARES/RACES group provided communications for two day motorcycle rally. Titled the MDA ride, it is a fundraiser for muscular dystrophy. The communications needs for the ride may sound simple, but due to the scope of the event, it involved a comprehensive...
by Michael Martens | May 12, 2014 | Amateur Radio
This article is a little bit of a departure for me. Typically I write about VHF/UHF communications, but I’m dipping my feet into the microwaves and have thrust headfirst into the world of Broadband-Hamnet. Broadband-Hamnet, formally known at HSMM ham radio, is a...
by Michael Martens | May 1, 2014 | emcomm
The cross-band repeat function; you’ve probably seen that feature listed in the operation manual as a function of your dual band mobile radio, or saw it as a feature in a VHF/UHF amateur radio advertisement. But what does cross-band repeat do, and how can you...
by Michael Martens | Apr 4, 2014 | Getting started
I’ve always said that ham radio would be so much more fun if it weren’t for all the wires and connectors. It always seems that there is always a cable coming loose, causing the whole mess not to work. But connectors are an important component of ham radio,...
by Michael Martens | Mar 28, 2014 | Antennas
I’m gonna take a confusing subject and hopefully demystify it. Antenna Gain is a popular subject amongst hams. We talk about gain all the time, we’ll compare antenna systems and apply values to as how impressive they are by their gain figures. But what...
by Michael Martens | Mar 18, 2014 | ARES/RACES
What does it take to be a severe weather storm spotter? Other than a high tolerance for boredom peppered with intense bits of sheer excitement. Storm spotting is more a waiting game than anything else. I’ve been a severe weather storm spotter for almost 15 years...
by Michael Martens | Mar 11, 2014 | Operating Events
There are two operating events that I seldom miss. One is Field Day, and the other the Wisconsin QSO Party. Always the second Sunday in March, the airwaves above the State of Wisconsin become alive with activity. I love the Wisconsin QSO Party because it’s like...
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