Category: Technology
futureGEO: The Future of Geostationary Amateur Radio Satellites After QO-100
Since February 2019, QO-100 on Es'hail-2 has proven that geostationary amateur radio satellites work — and work brilliantly. Thousands of radio amateurs across Europe, Africa, and Asia use the narrowband and wideband transponders daily for SSB…
Learning CW in 2026: Modern Training Methods with Apps, Web Tools, and AI
Morse code is the oldest digital mode in amateur radio – and one of the most fascinating. CW (Continuous Wave) works with minimal power, gets through where other modes fail, and has a worldwide community that's…
Aviation Radio and ADS-B: Tracking Aircraft with RTL-SDR
Alternative: HackRF PortaPack with Mayhem Firmware If you already own a HackRF PortaPack , you do not need a separate RTL-SDR dongle: The Mayhem firmware includes a fully functional ADS-B receiver built right into the device.…
HAM RADIO Friedrichshafen 2026: Europe's Largest Amateur Radio Exhibition
From June 26 to 28, 2026, Europe's largest and most significant amateur radio exhibition will take place in Friedrichshafen on Lake Constance – HAM RADIO. For Austrian radio amateurs, it's the must-attend event of the year:…
When Your First QSO Goes Up in Smoke — and It's Not Even Your Radio
The year is 2025. OE8LUA is a freshly licensed ham and a total rookie when it comes to choosing the right equipment..... In May, OE8KSM was kind enough to lend me an RT-95, and through other…
EMC Guide: Finding and Fixing Interference
EMC — Electromagnetic Compatibility — is one of the biggest practical topics in radio operation, whether amateur radio, CB, PMR, or other radio services. Whether the S-meter on 40 m constantly reads S7 with nobody transmitting,…
Yagi Antennas for VHF/UHF: Building Your Own Directional Antenna
The Yagi-Uda antenna — usually just called "Yagi" — is the most widely used directional antenna in amateur radio. It focuses energy in one direction, increases gain and range, and suppresses interference from the sides and…
AI-Powered Noise Reduction: Cleaner Signals with Machine Learning
Noise is the eternal enemy of the radio operator. Whether QRM (man-made interference) or QRN (natural noise) — the fight for clean signals is as old as amateur radio itself. But in recent years, artificial intelligence…
Power Source for Portable Operation: Eremit LiFePO4 in a 3D-Printed Enclosure
I spent a long time thinking about how to get power for portable operations. If you're out with a (tr)uSDX or USDX , it's easy: three unprotected 18650 cells in a holder — done. Manuel DL2MAN,…
MeshCom 4.0 Off-Grid – Is That Even Possible?
Since my QTH is in a hollow surrounded by hills, connecting to other nodes just isn't possible from here. And let's be honest: hanging a node directly on the internet is basically WhatsApp with an extra…
Cloud Logging 2026: Online Logbooks for Ham Radio Compared
The paper logbook has had its day — but where should your QSOs go? The answer increasingly is: the cloud. Online logbooks offer automatic QSL confirmations, real-time statistics, award tracking, and access from anywhere. But the…
Vertical Antennas for HF: Fundamentals, Types and Practice
If you want to work DX and have limited space, a vertical antenna is hard to beat. Thanks to their low radiation angle, verticals send their signal flat over the horizon — exactly where the ionosphere…
