by Michael Martens | Sep 11, 2013 | News
The steamship SS Badger, a car ferry that runs from Manitowoc, WI to Ludington, MI, is set to sail this weekend carrying several amateur radio operators and equipment for the W8S special event station. Built in 1952 and first set sail in 1953, the Badger has provided...
by Michael Martens | Sep 4, 2013 | ARES/RACES, emcomm
Are you ready for the SET? Is your ARES/RACES team prepared for this annual event? Coming up the first weekend in October, the Simulated Emergency Test (SET) is a drill for ARES/RACES teams to practice deployment and communications effectiveness. Most SET drills can...
by Michael Martens | Aug 21, 2013 | GMRS
I receive quite a few email messages a day not only inquiring about my antennas, but also general radio operation as well. One question I get over and over again is: “I purchased a set of radios that advertised 30 miles of range, but in our situation we are only...
by Michael Martens | Aug 13, 2013 | Amateur Radio
The SS Badger steamship is an auto carrier ferry that runs between Manitowoc, WI and Ludington, MI. Built in 1952 and launched in 1953, the S.S. Badger has provided ferry service across Lake Michigan for 60 years. The Kankakee Amateur Radio Club will activate special...
by Michael Martens | Aug 5, 2013 | Scanner
A recent weekend excursion took us to the far northwestern corner of the state of Wisconsin to visit the city of Superior. Superior, WI is nestled on the western edge of Lake Superior and shares one of the busiest shipping ports on the Great Lakes with its neighbor...
by Michael Martens | Jul 28, 2013 | Antennas
Antenna mounting can be a tough subject. We want multiple radios on the air monitoring different frequencies and bands, yet we are limited by the amount of space available to place antennas. A common question I receive is how close can I mount this antenna to my other...
by Michael Martens | Jul 10, 2013 | Amateur Radio, emcomm
As an avid cyclist, I like to help out when the annual Great Annual Bike Ride Along the Wisconsin River or GRABAAWR ride comes through town. As a past participant in this and other week long bicycle adventures, this is my way of giving back to the cycling community....
by Michael Martens | Jun 26, 2013 | Amateur Radio
How’d your Field Day operation go? I’m glad to say that for the local club I’m involved with, the Wisconsin Valley Radio Association in Wausau, WI, we have another successful Field Day in the books. While we may not have had the most contacts, or hit...
by Michael Martens | Jun 13, 2013 | Antennas
Are you looking for an inexpensive way to mount your J-Pole antenna or other lightweight amateur radio antenna? The Digital Broadcast Satellite (DBS) dish antenna mounts are a great way to mount your antenna to a house, mast, tower. And the best part is with a little...
by Michael Martens | Jun 1, 2013 | ARES/RACES
I’m frequently the person behind the microphone when the skies turn dark and a severe weather net is in order. While I enjoy being out in the field spotting, sometimes running the show and keeping everything in order can be even more challenging and exciting. I...
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