Category: Opinion
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What I Look For In A Ham Radio HT
The exact checklist I run every handheld radio through before it earns a spot in my lineup, plus a full comparison table covering ham, GMRS, and commercial HTs.
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The One HF Setup I’d Recommend If You Want Capability Without Breaking the Bank
If someone asked me to recommend one HF setup that covers almost everything a ham could need without draining the bank account, here’s exactly what I’d point them to.
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FT8 vs SSB vs CW: Which Mode Should You Actually Use?
I get asked this constantly, usually by someone new to HF who just worked their first FT8 contact and wants to know if they even need to learn the other modes. The honest answer is that FT8, SSB, and CW aren’t competing for the same job. Each one solves a different problem, and once you…
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Ham Radio and Drones: Legal Considerations and Practical Uses
Drones and ham radio overlap more than people expect, both in the legal weeds around control frequencies and in some genuinely practical uses hams have found for combining the two. Amateur Bands and Drone Control: Proceed Carefully Most consumer drones use unlicensed ISM band frequencies for control and video, not amateur bands, and that is…
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FTX-1 Optima vs IC-7300 Mark II: Which One Should Live In Your Shack
I run both the Yaesu FTX-1 Optima and the Icom IC-7300 Mark II. Here’s how they actually compare on connectivity, heat during FT8, portability, and VHF/UHF coverage.
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RT Systems Programming Software: What It’s Good For (and Where I Skip It)
RT Systems is the programming software I reach for on most of my radios, but not all of them. Here is where it earns its keep and where I switch to manufacturer software instead.
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The Petition That Could Finally Give Technicians a Reason to Explore HF
ARRL’s RM-11828 petition would give Technician licensees limited HF phone and digital privileges. Here’s what it proposes and where it stands with the FCC in 2026.
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IC-7300 Mark II vs Icom’s Higher-End Radios: When You Actually Need More
Where the IC-7300 Mark II tops out, and what actually justifies stepping up to something like the IC-7610 or IC-7851.
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The “Pay to Confirm” Problem: DX Stations Charging for QSL Confirmations
There is a growing frustration in the DX community over stations, mostly in rare or hard to reach entities, who ask for money before they will confirm a contact. Here is what is going on, and why it matters.