Category: Digital Modes
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ARDOP vs VARA: Winlink’s Two TNC Modes Compared
If you’re setting up Winlink, you’ll need to pick a modem to actually move your messages over the air, and the two real options are ARDOP and VARA. They solve the same problem in different ways, and the right choice depends more on your priorities than on either being objectively better. ARDOP: open source, built…
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What Is APRS? History, Digipeaters, and How the Network Really Works
APRS stands for Automatic Packet Reporting System, and it is one of the oldest pieces of digital ham radio still in daily use. Most operators know it as “the thing that puts a dot on a map,” but that undersells it badly. APRS is a real-time, ham-built data network that has been running continuously since…
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What Is Winlink, and Why EmComm Operators Rely On It
When the internet and cell towers go down, Winlink lets you send and receive real email over radio. Here is how it works, and why served agencies lean on it so heavily.
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FT4: FT8’s Faster, Less Popular Cousin
FT8’s faster, less forgiving cousin, and where the extra speed actually pays off.
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DMR Talkgroups Are Great Fun, But Don’t Mistake Them for a SHTF Plan
Brandmeister and TGIF talkgroups are a fantastic way to stay in touch and play radio every day. Just understand what they depend on, because that same dependency is exactly why they fail when it matters most.
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VARA vs. PACTOR: Choosing a Winlink Modem
VARA and PACTOR compared for Winlink, and which one actually makes sense for a home EmComm setup.
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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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What Is JTAlert?
JTAlert is a popular companion for WSJT-X that adds alerts, award tracking, and automatic logging to your FT8 operating. Here is what it does.
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GridTracker and the IC-7300 Mark II: Logging FT8 Automatically
How to connect GridTracker to the IC-7300 Mark II through WSJT-X so FT8 contacts get logged, mapped, and routed to QSL services without manual entry.
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Packet Radio: The Digital Mode That Started It All
If you use APRS, Winlink, or AREDN, you’re already relying on packet radio, whether you realize it or not. It’s one of the oldest digital modes in the hobby, and it’s also one of the most quietly influential, since so much of what came after it borrowed from the protocol it introduced. AX.25, the protocol…
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Why a Single-Band Radio Isn’t Enough for SHTF, and Where Digital and Encryption Actually Fit
One band and one mode is a fragile foundation for emergency communication. Here’s the case for multi-band, digital-capable gear, an honest look at where encryption is and isn’t legal, and what a MARS mod really does.