Category: Radio Operations
FunkParcours: Radio Games for Everyone – Even with PMR, Tested at HTL Villach
Hello everyone, Ferdl here again. Today with something that genuinely delights me, because it brings together two things that rarely sit at the same table: real radio operation and a bit of fun and games .…
VHF/UHF Repeaters in Austria: Network, Technology, and Operation
Repeaters are the backbone of VHF/UHF communication in amateur radio. Thanks to their elevated locations on mountains and buildings, they enable radio contacts far beyond the direct line of sight. Austria has a dense network of…
Cross-Border Radio Operation: OE-DL-I-S5 in the Alps
Austria is a landlocked country with eight neighbours – and for radio amateurs that is a gift. If you live in the west, south or north, the border is often within sight. With a valid OE…
CB Radio in 2026: Written Off but Still Alive
CB radio — Citizens Band Radio — was a mass phenomenon in the 1970s and 80s. Millions of people worldwide were on the 27 MHz band long before mobile phones and the internet became ubiquitous. Today,…
SSTV and ATV: Sending Images and Video over Radio
Amateur radio is not just voice and Morse code — for decades, radio amateurs have also been sending images and even live video over the airwaves. From the International Space Station to local ATV repeaters: image…
Sporadic E on 2 m and 6 m: VHF DX Through Ionospheric Surprises
It happens suddenly and without warning: on the 6 m band, stations from 1,500 km away appear at S9+ — and a few minutes later, everything's gone. Welcome to the fascinating world of Sporadic E propagation…
Packet Radio & AX.25: The Digital Legacy of Amateur Radio
Long before the internet became mainstream, radio amateurs were already sending digital data packets over the airwaves. Packet Radio — the packet-switched data network based on the AX.25 protocol — was the backbone of digital amateur…
DX for Beginners: First Steps into Long-Distance Contacts
Japan, Australia, South America — all reachable with your own antenna from the roof? DX operation, meaning radio contacts over great distances, is the pinnacle of the hobby for many radio amateurs. The good news: in…
QRP Operation: Around the World with 5 Watts
Five watts of transmit power — less than an LED light bulb consumes — and making contacts across thousands of kilometres? That's the fascination of QRP, operating with reduced power. What sounds like a limitation turns…
When the Capercaillie Displays, Radio Gets Tough
Today could have been so easy. On the way from Vienna to Carinthia, I wanted to quickly activate Kreuzeck OE/ST-243 near Scheifling — that was the plan. Weather check, perfect spot to park the car check,…
Solar Cycle 25: The Best Bands for DX in 2026
We are living in a special time for amateur radio. Solar Cycle 25 has exceeded all predictions and is delivering propagation conditions that many radio amateurs have not experienced in decades. If you are not active…
Field Day: Amateur Radio Under the Open Sky — How to Plan a Successful Participation
When the days grow longer and the weather beckons us outdoors, many radio amateurs feel the excitement building: Field Day is approaching! Whether on an alpine meadow in the Austrian Alps, atop a hill overlooking vineyards,…
