Category: Equipment & Gear
- How to Choose Coaxial Feed Line for Ham Radio: Loss, Connectors, and Weatherproofing 2026-10-18 · Equipment & Gear
Feed line is the part of the station that quietly eats your power. The only spec that matters is attenuation — and the nastiest trap in the hobby is a low SWR reading that hides a lossy line.
- Your First Handheld Ham Radio: Baofeng UV-5R vs Quansheng UV-K6 vs UV-5RM 2026-10-18 · Equipment & Gear
A budget handheld is the right first radio for most new hams. Here is how the UV-5R, UV-K6, and UV-5RM differ, when to step up to DMR or a mobile, and what to check before ordering.
- Choosing Your First HF Radio: IC-7300, FT-891, G90, and IC-705 Compared 2026-10-18 · Equipment & Gear
100 watts, 20 watts, or 10 watts; touchscreen or menus; with or without a built-in antenna tuner. The right first HF radio depends on where and how you plan to operate, not on the spec sheet alone.
- Choosing a Power Supply for Ham Radio: Switching, Linear, or Battery 2026-10-18 · Equipment & Gear
Most transceivers run on 13.8 V DC. Get the current rating right, understand the switching-versus-linear tradeoff, and know when a battery beats both — three habits that prevent most power problems.
- RTL-SDR for Beginners: Turning a Cheap USB Dongle into a Wideband Receiver 2026-10-18 · Equipment & Gear
For about forty dollars and free software, a USB dongle receives everything from FM broadcast to aircraft, ships, and weather satellites — no license required. Here is how it works and how to start.