Author: Kris – KZ7K

  • Digital Modes Are Transforming Ham Radio, So Why Is Everyone Stuck on FT8?

    Digital modes have expanded what’s possible on the bands in ways we could barely imagine a decade ago. But the ecosystem has collapsed into one mode, and we’re leaving most of the magic on the table.

  • Understanding ITU Regions and Why Your Band Plan Isn’t Universal

    The band edges and privileges you’ve memorized for US amateur radio aren’t universal. The International Telecommunication Union divides the world into three regions, and band plans, and sometimes even which frequencies are allocated to amateurs at all, genuinely differ between them. The three ITU regions ITU Region 1 covers Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and…

  • The Key Parts of a SHTF Communications Plan: PACE, Rally Points, and Roles

    A SHTF comms plan needs more than a radio and a frequency. Here are the actual components: PACE planning, rally points, defined roles, and a common list everyone can reference.

  • What’s Wrong With Amateur Radio Clubs in 2026

    Amateur radio sits at the intersection of electronics, software, emergency communications, and pure experimentation. So why do so many local clubs feel like they’re actively working to drive newcomers away?

  • Configuring APRS on the AnyTone AT-D878UV II Plus

    The 878 will do APRS, both analog and DMR-APRS through the GPS revert channel, but it is not a one-button affair like the Kenwood. Almost everything worth setting has to happen in the CPS software first, then you fine tune on the radio itself. Here is the setup I actually use. Enable APRS and GPS…

  • FT-891 Menu Deep Dive: Settings Worth Changing from Factory Default

    The FT-891 menu settings I changed out of the box, from roofing filter behavior to display and power save defaults that don’t fit real use.

  • 17 and 12 Meters: The WARC Bands Nobody Talks About

    17 and 12 meters were added specifically to stay contest-free, and that quiet has made them two of the most pleasant, underrated bands in the entire HF spectrum.

  • Dummy Loads, Wattmeters, and the Other Tools I Actually Use

    Beyond a radio and an antenna, a handful of basic test tools make troubleshooting and tuning something you can actually do yourself rather than guess at. Here is what earns a permanent spot on my bench.

  • Building Your First DMR Codeplug

    A codeplug is the configuration file that tells your DMR radio which talkgroups, zones, and contacts exist. Building your first one from scratch looks intimidating and is actually a very learnable process.

  • Trap Dipoles and Verticals: How They Work and Where They Fall Short

    Trap antennas promise something genuinely appealing: one antenna, multiple bands, no tuner required. That promise is real, but it comes with tradeoffs that don’t always get mentioned in the sales copy. How a trap actually works A trap is a parallel LC circuit, an inductor and capacitor wired together, inserted into the antenna element at…

  • Using the Separate RX Antenna Ports for an External Preamp or Filter

    How the Mark II’s separate RX antenna in and out connectors let you add an external preamp or filter without touching the main antenna line.

  • Building a Solar-Powered Meshtastic Repeater Node

    A permanently sited, solar-powered Meshtastic node on a hilltop can do more for your mesh network’s coverage than every other node combined. Here’s how to build one that survives outdoors year-round.

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