📌 Pinned
-
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.
-
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.
-
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?
-
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
-
GMRS Antennas: What Actually Improves Your Range
More watts get all the attention, but antenna height and gain do more for your GMRS range than a bigger radio ever will. Here’s what’s actually worth upgrading.
-
Setting Up the Yaesu FT-891 for Digital Modes: Digirig DR-891, WSJT-X, and Your First FT8 Contact
The FT-891 has no built-in sound card and a quirky single-USB CAT connection. Here’s how the Digirig DR-891 solves that, and how to get from unboxed to your first FT8 QSO.
-
10 Meters: Amazing When It’s Open, and Why It So Rarely Is
10 meters can deliver worldwide DX on a handheld sized antenna and a handful of watts. The catch is that it only works when the ionosphere cooperates, and that is not often.
-
Setting Up RS-BA1 for Remote Operation over the Built-In LAN Port
How the Mark II’s built-in Ethernet port simplifies RS-BA1 remote setup, skipping the separate server PC the original IC-7300 needed.
-
A Check-In System for Elderly Parents Living Alone
A phone tree breaks down at exactly the wrong moment. Here’s a simple radio check-in system for an aging parent living alone.