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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 sunspot number.…
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New: RSS Feed for oeradio.at – Never Miss an Update\!
We’re excited to introduce a new feature: You can now subscribe to all oeradio.at articles via RSS feed – without cookies, tracking, or social media algorithms! What is RSS and Why Should I Use It?…
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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,…
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DX Weather CW 11/2026
Period: 14.03.2026 – 20.03.2026 · Calendar Week: 11/2026 · SFI: 108 · SSN: 45 · A: 15 · K: 3 · X-Ray: B5.2 Dear fellow operators, CW 11 was a week of contrasts – a…
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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…
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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!”?…
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Amateur Radio as a Hobby: What to Expect and What Does It Cost to Get Started?
You’re interested in amateur radio but not sure what to expect? Don’t worry — you’re not alone. Every year, hundreds of people in Austria discover this fascinating hobby. Whether you want to talk to stations…
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DXCC, WAZ, WPX: The Major Amateur Radio Awards Explained
Introduction: The Fever for the Certificate You just made your first DX QSO on 20 meters — Japan, with only 100 watts and a wire in the garden. Your heart is still pounding. You checked…
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Contests for Beginners: Why You Should Enter at Least One Contest
Introduction You’re sitting in the shack, turning the VFO, and suddenly on 14 MHz you hear a tangle of callsigns, lightning-fast exchanges, and cryptic numbers. “CQ Contest, CQ Contest, OE2S, Oscar Echo Two Sierra.” Then…
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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…
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New: The OERadio Weekly Roundup with Ferdl
Starting now, there’s something new to listen to at OERadio: The OERadio Weekly Roundup — your amateur radio roundup as an audio podcast, hosted by Ferdl, our AI voice. What is the Weekly Roundup? Every…
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New: DX Weather — Fresh Every Friday!
Dear radio amateurs, dear DXers, contesters, Sunday net operators, and everyone who simply enjoys turning the dial: We have news. Big news. About as big as an X9 flare, just without the unpleasant side effects.…
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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,…
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arcOS – The Linux Distribution for Ham Radio
Plug in USB stick, boot, operate. arcOS is a live Linux system with Fldigi, JS8Call, WSJT-X, Winlink, APRS and SDR – built for radio amateurs. Plug & play with Digirig Mobile. Comparison with other ham…
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Emergency Radio Exercise Klagenfurt: Four Lighthouses, Four Dates in March
The Magistrate of Klagenfurt is running an emergency exercise: on four dates in March, emergency operations will be practised at four different “lighthouses”. Radio amateurs are explicitly invited to participate. The dates Date Time Monday,…
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Memory Channels Processor – Never Type Repeater Data Manually Again
Let’s be honest: who hasn’t spent an entire evening typing repeater data into a new radio? Frequency, offset, CTCSS tone, name… channel by channel. Fifty repeaters later, your eyes are tired, your fingers are stiff,…
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OERadio Meshmap – All Meshtastic Nodes at a Glance
A real-time map for the Meshtastic network in Austria and Europe – open, live, and without tracking. We’ve all been there: your Meshtastic node is running, happily transmitting away – and then you wonder: can…
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OERadio Goes Mesh – The Path to a Dedicated MQTT Server
How we connect Meshtastic nodes via the internet – and how you can join in. Meshtastic is brilliant. Small LoRa nodes that communicate without internet, without a provider, and without monthly costs. Locally via radio,…
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Together Instead of Against Each Other
Thoughts on the culture of amateur radio — from someone who hasn’t always got it right himself. Amateur radio thrives on diversity: tinkerers, contesters, DXers, outdoor operators, SOTA activators — and yes, eccentrics too. Some…
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Meshtastic in Carinthia: Three Nodes, a Solar Panel, and Surprising Range
Hello everyone! Hermann here, OE8HSF, from Knappenberg near Hüttenberg – at a good 1,000 metres above sea level. You probably know the feeling: you stumble across a topic on the internet, think “I’ll just have…
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MFJ-1982MP: 42 Metres of Wire, 9 Bands, One Happy Ham
You know the feeling? Standing in the garden, 42 metres of wire in one hand, coffee in the other, wondering: where is all this supposed to go? That is exactly how my adventure with the…
