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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.
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Xiegu G90 for Portable Ops, and How It Stacks Up Against the FT-891
20 watts, a built-in tuner, and a waterfall display in a radio you can hold in one hand. Here’s how the G90 does in the field, and where it wins and loses against the FT-891.
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Station Grounding and Lightning Protection: Getting It Right
Grounding is one of those jobs hams put off until something bad happens. Here is what a proper station ground actually does, and how to build one that protects your gear and your house.
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VGC VR-N76 / BTech UV-Pro Review: A Great Budget EDC Radio, With One Real Catch
The VGC VR-N76 and BTech UV-Pro are the same radio wearing two badges, and a genuinely great budget EDC option, with one catch: no CHIRP support.
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The G5RV and Windom: Are Multi-Band Compromise Antennas Still Worth It
The G5RV and Windom show up constantly in older antenna books and forum threads, and newer hams often wonder if they’re still worth building now that EFHWs and modern multi-band verticals exist. Both designs work, but both come from an era with different assumptions about what gear you had on hand. How the G5RV actually…
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Meshtastic Channel Configuration: Encryption, Modem Presets, and Range Tradeoffs
The default Meshtastic channel gets you talking, but the real configuration decisions, encryption, modem presets, and hop limits, are where you actually control range, privacy, and reliability.
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What Is VARA, and Why Winlink Depends On It
If you’ve set up Winlink recently, you’ve almost certainly installed VARA, even if you weren’t entirely sure what it was doing behind the scenes. It’s the software modem responsible for actually getting your email-over-radio message from your station to a gateway, and it’s become the default choice for most Winlink users. A software modem, not…