Category: Amateur Radio
ESP32 and Amateur Radio: 10 Projects for Makers and Ham Radio Operators
The ESP32 has become the favorite microcontroller of many radio amateurs in recent years – and for good reason. With integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, two processor cores, numerous GPIO pins, and a street price of under…
Gray Line DX: The Magical Twilight Zone for Shortwave
For those active in amateur radio on shortwave, the phenomenon is well known: sometimes connections succeed over thousands of kilometers with surprisingly good signals, while at other times even nearby stations can barely be heard. A…
HackRF PortaPack: The Portable All-Rounder for SDR Enthusiasts
If you're into Software Defined Radio, you know the problem: most SDR devices are powerful but need a computer to work. Not so with the HackRF One and its PortaPack extension — a combination that has…
ISS Contact via Amateur Radio: How to Hear the Space Station
Who wouldn't want to make contact with an astronaut orbiting Earth at 28,000 km/h? The International Space Station ISS makes exactly that possible – and you probably already have the equipment for it in your shack.…
EFHW: The End-Fed Half-Wave Antenna — simple, effective, versatile
Few antennas have received as much attention in recent years as the EFHW — the End-Fed Half-Wave antenna. Whether for SOTA activations on Austria's mountain peaks , POTA in national parks , or as a discreet…
Understanding Propagation Conditions: SFI, K-Index, A-Index Explained
"What are the conditions like today?" – every amateur radio operator asks themselves this question before going on the bands. The answer lies in a handful of key indicators: SFI , K-Index , A-Index , and…
CubeSats for Radio Amateurs: Small Satellites, Great Opportunities
A 10 cm cube racing across the sky at 27,000 km/h – and you can transmit through it. CubeSats have democratized amateur radio satellite communication: Where once huge budgets and years of development were necessary, today…
WSPR: The World of Propagation Research with 5 Watts
Imagine sending a signal with less power than a flashlight – and stations around the world receive it. That's exactly what WSPR (pronounced "Whisper") makes possible. The Weak Signal Propagation Reporter network is one of the…
TOTA – Towers On The Air: Climb the Tower and Call CQ!
Guest article by Josef | OE3FJS Be honest: Have you ever climbed an observation tower, reached the top, enjoyed the stunning panoramic view – and thought: "Man, I really should call CQ from up here!"? No?…
Amateur Radio as a Hobby: What to Expect and What Does It Cost to Get Started?
Die kürzlich durchgeführten POTA-Aktivierungen von Michael OE8YML auf den Standorten AT-0112 Schütt - Graschelitzen und AT-0016 Dobratsch waren ein voller Erfolg. Michael konnte beide Parks mittels SSB auf Kurzwelle aktivieren und hat damit wieder einmal seine…
ChatGPT, Claude & Co. for Radio Amateurs: AI as Learning Aid and Shack Assistant
Let's be honest: who among us hasn't asked ChatGPT how long a half-wave dipole for 20 meters needs to be? Or asked Claude to write an Arduino sketch for a CW keyer? Artificial intelligence has long…
D-STAR vs. DMR vs. C4FM vs. M17 vs. TETRA: The Ultimate Comparison of Digital Voice Systems in Amateur Radio
The world of amateur radio has changed. If you switch on a handheld transceiver today, the choice is no longer just between FM and SSB — you're facing a jungle of digital voice systems. D-STAR, DMR,…
