Tag: nvis
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What Is an HF NVIS Regional Net?
What an HF NVIS regional net is, why it beats a repeater net as a regional comms test, plus modes, antennas, radios, and four station builds.
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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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When the Repeater Goes Silent: Your Backup Plan for Grid-Down Comms
Part of our Emergency Communications and Preparedness guide. Repeaters are one of the best parts of this hobby. Stick a repeater on a tower or a mountain and suddenly two handhelds that couldn’t hear each other across town can talk clearly across a whole metro area. Under normal conditions, this is exactly what GMRS and…
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NVIS vs. Vertical DX Antennas: Two Completely Different Jobs on the Same Bands
Same bands, opposite goals. Here’s how NVIS and vertical DX antennas actually differ, and how a low-mounted 40m EFHW can blanket a state like Arizona.
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What Handheld Radio Should I Get for Emergency Comms?
GMRS, ham VHF/UHF, repeaters, and HF, compared for emergency comms with real-world vs best-case range expectations, plus my actual pick by scenario.
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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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Antennas, Bands, and Radios the Military Actually Uses (and Why)
Military communications planning faces the same physics hams do, just with different priorities. Here is a look at the bands, antennas, and radios that show up again and again in tactical use.