2014 Wisconsin QSO Party Wrap-up

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...

Ham Radio License Test Prep Study Resources

How did you feel when you stepped into the room to take your ham radio license exam? Were you calm, confident, and ready for the test? Or were you a bundle of nerves waiting to explode when the exam is presented to you? Proper study and preparation is the key to doing...

Amateur Radio Licenses On The Rise

Since 2007, we’ve seen a general rise of people joining the amateur radio ranks. This is great news after steady declines in numbers during the first half of the 2000’s. What caused this decline, and could the bottom fall out of the amateur radio...

Cold Weather Radio Operating

This past week the Polar Vortex gripped the Upper Midwest with bone chilling temperatures and even worse wind chills. You’d think I would be used to cold like this, being an almost life resident of the State of Wisconsin (I’ll admit I lived in Minnesota a...

Top 10 KB9VBR Antenna Blog Posts for 2013

This is the time of year when everyone get retrospective. With the end of the year and the start of a new one, it’s easy to look back at where we’ve been and where we are heading. This blog is no different. This year  I had one big goal: increase the...

Amateur Radio Stocking Stuffers

Time is running out to get the ham radio obsessed person in your life the perfect gift. Fortunately, there are plenty options still available, especially if you are looking to pick up a couple of trinkets or odds and ends to fit in their stocking. So here is my list...

Ham Radio Holiday Gift Ideas

Shopping for a loved one addicted to amateur radio can be a difficult task. Ham radio is such a varied hobby, the choices and selection of gifts can be endless. But here are a few things that any ham radio operator would love to see under the tree or in their...

My Conversation with Santa Claus

Christmas is one of my favorite times of year. The season, stretching from Thanksgiving to New Years, makes the short days and long nights tolerable. Who doesn’t get into that Christmas Mood when their favorite holiday song is heard on the radio or in the store?...