by Michael Martens | Jun 15, 2015 | Ham Radio Q and A
Ham Radio Q & A is a new type of amateur radio themed online show were I’ll answer your ham radio questions. You too can get your ham radio question answered, just send me an email to kb9vbr@jpole-antenna.com or leave your question in the comments below. Do...
by Michael Martens | Jun 6, 2015 | emcomm
How’d you like to deploy 50 feet of coax with just a flick of the wrist. Watch the video below and I’ll show you how. Has this ever happened to you? You grab a cable, be it an extension cord or piece of coax and start to unwind it. Suddenly you have a snarled mess of...
by Michael Martens | May 23, 2015 | News
In a Report and Order released on May 21, 2015, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced the elimination of the regulatory fees for the amateur radio vanity call sign program and the GMRS licenses. Their reasoning: economics. From the FCC FY 2015 Report...
by Michael Martens | May 6, 2015 | emcomm
“Will work for T-shirts” That’s a popular saying by hams that like to get involved with volunteer activities. I can’t recall how many shirts I’ve collected over the years from the various walks, runs, bike ride, ski events, and marathons I’ve been a part of. Suffice...
by Michael Martens | Apr 29, 2015 | ARES/RACES
I’ve been a severe weather spotter for close to fifteen years. I’ve had my share of close calls, and even more so, I’ve experienced plenty of boredom. Being out in the field often is long stretches of nothing peppered with bits of extreme excitement. But for the last...
by Michael Martens | Mar 25, 2015 | Getting started
What’s the most popular band and operation mode in amateur radio? If you guessed 2 meter VHF FM, you would be correct. As new hams, our first radio is usually a small handheld model. This is a great way to get started in ham radio and connect with other local hams....
by Michael Martens | Mar 17, 2015 | Operating Events
Next to Field Day, my favorite operating activity is the Wisconsin QSO Party. Who wouldn’t love an event where your station becomes the sought after entity. So, for the 2nd Sunday in March, I fire up the rig and see how many other Wisconsin and out of state stations I...
by Michael Martens | Feb 25, 2015 | Amateur Radio
I love satellite communications. I get a certain thrill when I hear the satellite come up above the horizon and the static from the receiver all of a sudden swell with voices, beeps, and other noises. Likewise I feel a little sad when the pass is almost complete and...
by Michael Martens | Feb 6, 2015 | News
Radio Shack: that ubiquitous technology store that we all love to hate. How many disparaging names have you used to describe the place: Rat Shack, Radio Scrap, Radio Crap, etc. . . I’m sure there are many more. But the bigger question is, how will we fill that void....
by Michael Martens | Jan 28, 2015 | Amateur Radio
As ham radio operators, we’re always looking for a way to save a buck. I’ll frequently dig through a free bin of part, hoping to scavenge something for the next project. This scavenger mentality extends to coax feed-line. High quality coax cable can be expensive....
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