Category: HF
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Understanding the Mark II’s Dual USB-C Virtual COM Ports
What the IC-7300 Mark II’s dual USB-C virtual COM ports actually do, and why running digital modes and logging software together finally just works.
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Used IC-7300 Pricing After the Mark II Launch: Is the Original Still Worth Buying?
What’s happened to used original IC-7300 pricing since the Mark II launched, and whether the original is still a smart buy.
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Solid-State vs Tube Amplifiers: What’s Actually Different
If you’re shopping for a linear amplifier, you’ll run into a real choice between tube and solid-state designs, and despite tube technology being older by decades, it hasn’t been fully replaced. Both approaches have genuine advantages worth understanding before you spend amplifier money. Solid-state: instant-on and hands-off Solid-state amplifiers use transistors rather than vacuum tubes,…
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Updating IC-7300 Mark II Firmware: Why and How
How I approach IC-7300 Mark II firmware updates, from checking release notes to the backup step I never skip.
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Setting Up HDMI Output: Running the Spectrum Scope on an External Monitor
How to get the IC-7300 Mark II’s HDMI output running on an external monitor, and why a bigger scope actually changes how you operate.
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Setting Up HF for Mobile Operating: Screwdriver Antennas and Grounding in a Vehicle
Working HF from a moving vehicle is a different game than a fixed station. Here’s what it actually takes to run HF mobile, from screwdriver antennas to grounding it all properly.
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40 Meters: The Band Many Hams Live On
Part of our Getting On The Air: Modes, Operations, and Making Contacts guide. If I had to give up every HF band but one, 40 meters is the one I would keep. It is not the flashiest band, it does not have the wide open DX magic of 20 or 10 meters on a good…
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Pairing the IC-7300 Mark II with an External Tuner for Non-Resonant Antennas
When the built-in tuner isn’t enough, and how I pair the IC-7300 Mark II with an external tuner for antennas well outside its matching range.
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Why 15 Meters Deserves More Attention
Stuck between the reliability of 20 meters and the volatility of 10, 15 meters gets overlooked. It shouldn’t be.
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Diagnosing and Killing HF Noise: Solar Panels, Switching Supplies, and Powerline Interference
Modern HF noise has a different profile than it did twenty years ago. Solar inverters, switching power supplies, and LED drivers have replaced a lot of what used to be quieter analog electronics, and tracking down the source takes a methodical approach. The modern usual suspects Solar panel systems, particularly the DC-to-AC inverters, are one…