Author: Kris – KZ7K

Award Categories Should Be Single-Mode: Why FT8, SSB, and CW Don’t Belong in the Same Bucket

July 14, 2026

Mixed-mode awards flatten the very different levels of difficulty behind FT8, SSB, and CW. Here’s why DXCC on phone is a mountain compared to the digital express lane.
HF Go-Kit Power Budgeting: Matching Battery Capacity to Realistic Operating Time

July 14, 2026

Nothing ends a POTA activation or a field deployment faster than running out of power halfway through. Guessing at battery capacity is how that happens, actually running the numbers is how you avoid it. Start with your radio’s actual current draw Every radio’s manual lists current draw figures for receive, standby, and transmit at various…
My First POTA Activation: What I Wish I Knew Beforehand

July 14, 2026

I had the gear, I had the callsign, and I still made almost every rookie mistake possible on my first Parks on the Air activation. Here is what I would tell myself beforehand.
Training Your Family or Group on the Communications Plan

July 14, 2026

A plan nobody’s practiced is a theory. Here’s how to actually get a family or group comfortable using the communications plan, without turning it into a chore nobody wants to do.
What Is CAT Control?

July 13, 2026

CAT control lets your computer and your radio talk to each other, reading and changing frequency, mode, and more. Here is what it is and why it matters.
Every HF Mast I’ve Owned, and What I Actually Learned From Each One

July 13, 2026

Seven masts, seven very different jobs. Here’s what held up, what bent like a candy cane, and which one I’d actually recommend for your setup.
IC-7300 Mark II vs Icom’s Higher-End Radios: When You Actually Need More

July 13, 2026

Where the IC-7300 Mark II tops out, and what actually justifies stepping up to something like the IC-7610 or IC-7851.
What Is GridTracker?

July 12, 2026

GridTracker is a free companion app for WSJT-X that puts your FT8 activity on a beautiful live map and helps you chase grids, states, and countries.
Getting Started with DMR: Brandmeister, TGIF, and Building Your Own Hotspot

July 12, 2026

Two networks, a Raspberry Pi, and a DMR ID are all it takes to get on digital voice from your desk. Here’s how the pieces fit together.
Building a DMR Hotspot with a Raspberry Pi: Pi-Star vs WPSD, DMR IDs, and Getting Your Radio Talking

July 12, 2026

A complete, practical guide to standing up your own DMR hotspot on a Raspberry Pi. Pi-Star versus WPSD, how to get a DMR ID without pulling your hair out, simplex versus duplex hats, and how to connect your radio.
The Buddipole BuddiHex: A Field Day 2026 Field Report

July 11, 2026

A 6-band hex beam that set up fast, blew past my expectations, and reminded me exactly why it’s a special-event antenna and not a weekly one.
Contesting with the IC-7300 Mark II: Menu and Setup Tips for Faster Runs

July 11, 2026

How I set up the IC-7300 Mark II for a contest weekend, from the HDMI-fed external monitor to logging integration that keeps the run moving.