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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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What Is an SDR Transceiver, and Why Does It Matter?
Software defined radio has quietly taken over the amateur radio market. Here is what an SDR transceiver is, why it helps, and some popular current rigs.
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The Best Budget DMR Handheld? Why I Recommend the Anytone AT-D168UV
Looking for your first DMR radio? Learn why the Anytone AT-D168UV is my top recommendation for budget-conscious amateur radio operators and how it compares to Baofeng, TYT, and BTECH alternatives.
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RF Exposure Compliance: What the FCC Actually Requires of Your Station
This is not an optional guideline anymore. Every US amateur station is now expected to have completed an RF exposure evaluation. Here is what that actually means and how to do it.
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Six Handheld Radios Compared: Kenwood TH-D75A, AnyTone AT-D890UV, VGC VR-N76, Wouxun UV-9P, Baofeng UV-5R Mini, and TIDRADIO H3
From a $30 pocket radio to a $700 D-STAR flagship, here’s how six very different handhelds actually compare on features, price, and who each one is really for.
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Tropospheric Ducting and VHF/UHF Propagation Basics
VHF and UHF are supposed to be line-of-sight, limited to roughly the visual horizon and not much more. Then, occasionally, a 2 meter signal shows up from 400 miles away, and the explanation is almost always tropospheric ducting. How a temperature inversion creates a duct Normally, air temperature and humidity decrease gradually with altitude, and…
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Networking Your Shack: Ethernet, WiFi, and Remote Gear Reliability
This post is part of Building Your First Ham Radio Station. Modern shacks have quietly become networked environments. Logging software syncing to the cloud, remote SDR access, WSJT-X talking to a network-connected radio, an internet-linked AllStarLink node, all of it depends on your shack’s network holding up reliably, and WiFi isn’t always up to the…