Category: Opinion
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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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Should You Upgrade from the Original IC-7300 to the Mark II?
Honest thoughts on whether the Mark II’s improvements are worth the upgrade cost if you already own a working original IC-7300.
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Tactical Team Comms vs. SHTF Comms: Why You Can’t Copy-Paste the Playbook
Why the PACE-driven, locked-down comms plan of a tactical team doesn’t hold up in a grid-down scenario, and what your radio setup actually needs instead.
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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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Getting Kids and Teens Licensed: Programs, Camps, and What Actually Works
The average ham’s age keeps climbing, and the hobby’s long-term health depends on getting more kids and teens licensed. Here’s what actually gets young people through the exam and, more importantly, on the air afterward.
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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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Ten Years of Playing Radio Before It Actually Clicked
I ran GMRS and listened to VHF/UHF for a decade before I got licensed. I thought I understood radio. I was wrong, and getting my ticket changed everything.