KH6JRM's Amateur Radio Blog

Able to cover all frequencies between 3.5 and about 10 MHz, the loop described here is directional, does not require a radial system, and stands just 1.8 metres tall. Most parts needed can be purchased at a hardware shop. The antenna can be put together in an afternoon and requires only hand tools to assemble. It should cost less than sixty dollars to build. […]

An Easy Dual-Band VHF/UHF Antenna from QST September 1994

W5GI Mystery Antenna is a multi-band wire antenna that performs exceptionally well even though it confounds antenna modeling software. This antenna covers 80 to 6 meters with low feed point impedance and will work with most radios, with or without an antenna tuner. It is approximately 100 feet long, can handle the legal limit, and is easy and inexpensive to […]

Online calculator for Logarithmic Periodic Dipole Antenna LPDA

A 2 meter (146 Mhz) J-Pole antenna that is inexpensive, and easy to build.

Solar activity remains quiet, but on May 16 the daily sunspot number reached 212. I had to keep searching further and further back in the records to find a higher sunspot number. One year, six months and one week earlier -- November 9, 2011 -- the sunspot number was almost that high, at 208. Going back seven years, 10 months and 12 days to July 4, 2005, it w […]

There will be no ARRL Audio News on Thursday, May 30. The ARRL Letter will be distributed on its usual schedule. The Audio News will return on Thursday, June 6.

By Stan Horzepa, WA1LOUContributing EditorThis week, Surfin’ checks out a ham who is developing a handheld radio that’s a cross between a smart phone and an SDR.The Dayton Hamvention® was last weekend and I drove 735 miles to attend the event for the 25th time. Kudos go out to my smart phone and its map apps for getting me to Hamvention and back without erro […]

Now that the Morse code requirement no longer exists, those who held a Technician class license before March 21, 1987, having already passed the General theory exam, can upgrade to General class without further testing Read More

Notice: Extended Newscast Runs 34 min 17 sec with 3 Breaks Ham radio responds to tornadoes in the Great Plains Israeli hams get limited access to 5 MHz Hawaii distracted driving exempts ham radio  A major DXpedition to Heard Island is delayed  An in-depth look back at Hamvention 2013 THIS WEEKS NEWSCAST      Script      Audio   

The 2013 Dayton Hamvention is here   D-Star and kids become an important part of Hamvention  Russian Radar invades the 75 and 80 meter bands Ham seeks signatures for petition on public warning legislation Hurricane Watch Net says it could use more Net Control Stations Registrations for International Lighthouse  Weekend ramp up  Newly developed self healing i […]

New 24 GHz EME record between Australia and the Czech Republic  New life for ham radio in Tunisia NASA and ham radio assemble a PhoneSat image of Earth An in-depth preview of the 2013 Dayton Hamvention THIS WEEKS NEWSCAST      Script      Audio   

I was in Hobby Lobby this weekend and noticed Duck Tape in sheets of about 10 x 10 inches or so.  The colors were bright (and I like bright colors) so I begin to think that I surely must have a use for this particular tape. Then it hit me, how about covering my Small [...]

  Some of you may have seen my video review of the TenTec R4020.   While the R4020 is a very fine rig and a fantastic value it needs an external tuner and external key or paddle. Enter the Elecraft KX-1.  After waiting for a couple of months, a really nice KX-1 was posted on QRZ.com [...]

So I decided a while back to try for my WAS (Worked all States) from the RV in Texas using CW as my only mode. Within a couple of weeks, I was halfway toward my goal.  Within a couple of months I just about had all but a handful of states. Then success stopped, and [...]

A simple 10 meter dipole antenna. One of my favorite amateur radio bands is 10 meters.  It's unpredictable, capricious, and fun!  When propagation is favorable, you can works the world at QRP levels.  Basic antennas for this band are simple, cheap, and forgiving.  Most of the parts needed for this antenna can be bought at your neighborhood hardware stor […]

A simple 15 meter vertical dipole. One of my favorite amateur radio bands is 15 meters.  The band is usually open during daylight hours and provides plenty of DX for those of us operating from the central Pacific.  Although most of my antennas are designed to be used on several bands (using ladder line, a 4:1 balun, and an antenna matchbox or "tuner […]

RG-6 coaxial cable--an alternative to RG-8X, RG-58, and RG-8. Most amateur radio operators are familiar with the RG-8, RG-8X, and RG-58 family of coaxial cables.  These moderately priced cables are used for antenna feed lines and patch cords around the ham shack.  With a nominal impedance of 50 to 52 ohms, they work well with both contemporary transceivers a […]

A simple 40 through 10 meter delta loop. One of the quietest and most versatile antennas I've used over the past few years has been a 40 through 10 meter delta loop fed with 450-ohm ladder line.  Used with a 4:1 balun, an antenna matchbox (i.e. "tuner), and a few feet (meters) of 50-ohm coaxial cable, this easy to build antenna will give you hours […]

A multi-band half-wavelength sloper antenna. This has been another beautiful, slightly windy day on Hawaii Island--a perfect time to build another antenna for DX adventure.  Although I've been happy with my 40 meter vertical with tuned counterpoise, I wanted to experiment a bit with another antenna I used frequently in my novice license days almost four […]