Author: Kris – KZ7K

  • EchoLink vs AllStarLink: Which VoIP Linking System Is Right for You?

    Part of our Getting On The Air guide. Both EchoLink and AllStarLink let you talk to hams and repeaters anywhere in the world using nothing more than a phone or an internet connection. That’s about where the similarities end. I’ve ran both and after using them for a while I’ve got real opinions about where…

  • PotaCat and EchoCat: Remote Control Your Radio From Your Phone

    Part of our Getting On The Air guide. I’ve tried a handful of remote rig control setups, and most of them made me want to throw my laptop across the shack. Port forwarding, VPN tunnels, software that only half works with your radio’s CAT protocol. So when I heard about PotaCat and its phone companion…

  • What Is ARRL? History, Hiram Percy Maxim, and the 2024 Controversy

    ARRL is amateur radio’s largest membership organization. Here’s who founded it, what it actually does, and why the 2024 ransomware attack still stings.

  • Nexus: One Free Program Trying to Replace Your Whole Digital Shack

    Nexus is a free, open-source program from KD9TAW that tries to fold your decoder, logger, mapper, alerter, and panadapter into one app. Here is what I found after digging into it.

  • FCC Cracks Down on Linked GMRS Repeaters: What the Notice of Violation Means for You

    The FCC just did something it has never done before: it issued a formal Notice of Violation against a GMRS repeater operator for internet linking. If you have been following the linking debate in the GMRS community, this is the moment the argument stopped being theoretical. What Happened On August 5, 2026, the FCC’s Enforcement…

  • What Is ATAK (CivTAK)? Tactical Mapping and Team Awareness Explained for Hams

    Part of our Emergency Communications and Preparedness guide. If you’ve spent any time in EmComm, SAR, or preparedness circles lately, you’ve probably seen the acronym ATAK thrown around next to phrases like “situational awareness” and “common operating picture.” It sounds military because it is military, but the civilian version has quietly become one of the…

  • What Is QSO One (qso1.net)?

    Part of our Getting On The Air: Modes, Operations, and Making Contacts guide. If you’ve been in any DMR or AllStarLink group lately, you’ve probably seen someone mention QSO One. It’s a free app for Windows and Android that gets you on several digital voice networks without a radio, a hotspot, or any hardware at…

  • MAGNET: A Nationwide HF Network for Mutual Assistance Groups

    MAGNET connects Mutual Assistance Groups across the US over HF, using digital modes for grid-down comms. Here’s what they do, who runs it, and how to reach them.

  • The Ultimate Guide to Arizona Amateur Radio & GMRS Clubs (Plus Regional Frequency Cheat Sheet)

    Part of our Clubs and Nets guide. Whether you are hitting the backroads in a 4×4, preparing for emergency communications, or scanning the airwaves from your shack, Arizona has one of the most active radio communities in the country. From massive statewide VHF/UHF repeater networks to dedicated regional GMRS systems, keeping track of frequencies, tones,…

  • DIY Battery Box vs. EcoFlow, Jackery, and Predator

    Part of our Building Your First Ham Radio Station guide. When setting up a portable off-grid power solution for camping, overlanding, mobile field operations, or emergency prep, you quickly run into a big decision: should you buy an all-in-one commercial solar generator or build a custom LiFePO4 battery box? Commercial all-in-one stations from brands like…

  • The Frequencies Every Ham Radio Should Have Programmed for SHTF

    The exact frequencies I keep programmed into every radio I own, from NOAA weather to GMRS, MURS, CB, and ham simplex calling channels, so I’m never scrambling to find them when it matters.

  • What Is a MARS/CAP Mod? How It Works and the Legal Reality

    What a MARS/CAP mod actually does, who’s legally allowed to use it, and how to unlock extended transmit range on the Icom IC-2730A, AnyTone AT-D878UV II Plus, and AT-D578UV III Plus.

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