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The Yaesu FTX-1: The Complete Guide
Every FTX-1 post on QSO Journey in one place: the overview, setup guides, field ops, digital modes, operating skills, and maintenance.
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Packing an FTX-1 Go-Bag: What I Actually Carry
My grab-and-go FTX-1 bag, built for showing up ready whether that’s an EmComm callout or a last-minute activation.
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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?
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Weekly Nets Are Stuck in the Past, and They’re Not Preparing Anyone for SHTF
Most weekly nets have become a comfortable check-in ritual that teaches nothing and tests nothing. Here’s why that’s a problem for preparedness-minded hams.
All Posts
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NBEMS and Practice Nets: Building Digital Mode Muscle Memory
Knowing how to run a digital mode and knowing how to pass real emergency traffic on one are two different skills. NBEMS exists to bridge that gap, and the practice nets built around it are how you actually build the muscle memory before you need it for something that matters. What NBEMS actually is NBEMS,…
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Ailunce HD2 Review: A Great EmComm Handout Radio, With a Warning
I use the Ailunce HD2 as a preprogrammed EmComm handout radio, but there’s a documented spurious emissions problem you need to know about before you buy.
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Setting Up Your First Meshtastic Node: Hardware and Firmware Basics
Meshtastic is one of the cheapest ways to get into off-grid messaging. Here’s what hardware to buy and how to get your first node flashed and talking.
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Sample Winter Field Day Planning
Part of our Emergency Communications and Preparedness pillar Winter Field Day is approaching quickly, and planning is officially underway. Winter Field Day (WFD) is a prime opportunity to test our emergency communications capabilities, operating skills, and portable gear under challenging conditions. Whether you are planning to operate for a full 24-hour shift, drop by for…
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NVIS vs. Vertical DX Antennas: Two Completely Different Jobs on the Same Bands
Same bands, opposite goals. Here’s how NVIS and vertical DX antennas actually differ, and how a low-mounted 40m EFHW can blanket a state like Arizona.
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2 Meters: The Workhorse VHF Band
2 meters does not get the DX glamour of the HF bands, but it is the band doing the most day-to-day work in this hobby: repeaters, nets, APRS, satellites, and simplex, all at once.
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HF Go-Kit Power Budgeting: Matching Battery Capacity to Realistic Operating Time
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…