oeradio.at – Amateur Radio in Austria
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Icom X-026: New Concept Radio to Be Unveiled at Hamvention 2026
On 20 April 2026, Icom announced a new project via its official channels: the X-026. A concept mock-up set to be shown as a world premiere at the Dayton Hamvention from 15 to 17 May…
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The Best Portable Antenna for SOTA and POTA
When you pack your rucksack to activate a SOTA summit or visit a POTA park, one question matters above all others: which antenna are you bringing? The requirements are clear — lightweight, compact, quick to…
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ITU-R M.1042-4: What the New Emergency Communications Recommendation Means for Amateur Radio
On 19 February 2026, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) adopted Recommendation ITU-R M.1042-4 — Disaster communications in the amateur and amateur-satellite services. It is the first revision since 2007. Nineteen years of silence, then an…
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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…
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Amateur Radio by the Numbers: Demographics, Trends, and the Future of the Hobby
Is amateur radio dying? The data paints a more nuanced picture. All figures backed by primary sources.
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Youth and Amateur Radio: Why the Hobby Is Exciting for Young People
Update 2026-04-16 – corrections after reader feedback: Two points have been clarified. 1. afukurs.oevsv.at is not a self-study online learning platform; it is a free, non-binding contact form that forwards your interest to the appropriate…
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World Amateur Radio Day 2026: Hand the Microphone to the Kids!
On 18 April 2026, the world celebrates World Amateur Radio Day (WARD). On this day in 1925, the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) was founded in Paris — this year marks the 101st anniversary. The…
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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…
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TOTA Spotting – How to Get Visible as an OE Activator
Towers On The Air (TOTA) is growing in Austria. But how do you spot yourself properly at a lookout tower? Here is the compact guide – including PoLo, WhatsApp and cross-spotting on SOTA/POTA.
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Winlink: Email via Radio — Emergency Communication Without Internet
Imagine the internet goes down — no Wi-Fi, no mobile data, no fibre. For most people, that would be a disaster. For radio amateurs with Winlink, it is not. Winlink is a worldwide email system…
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D-Star – much more than just voice
Guest post by Alex, OE8HAM: Why D-Star is much more than just voice — image transfer, Bluetooth chat, GPS tracking, voice recorder and the Doozy app for the ID-52 plus.
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QO-100: Getting Started with the Geostationary Amateur Radio Satellite
Imagine this: you press the PTT button, your signal races 36,000 kilometres into space, is picked up by a satellite and beamed back to Earth — from Brazil to India, from Scandinavia to South Africa.…
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oeradio.at is now on Mastodon, Bluesky, and YouTube
Amateur radio thrives on exchange. That’s why oeradio.at is no longer just a website — starting today, you’ll also find us on three additional platforms: Mastodon, Bluesky, and YouTube. Anyone who wants to stay up…
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APRS in Austria: Position Reports, Weather Data and More
APRS — the Automatic Packet Reporting System — is one of the most versatile digital systems in amateur radio. It combines position reports, short messages, weather data and telemetry on a single frequency. In Austria…
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NanoVNA: The Pocket-Sized Antenna Analyser
Just ten years ago, a usable vector network analyser cost several thousand euros. Today there is the NanoVNA — a device the size of a credit card that delivers astonishingly accurate measurements for under 50…
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SOTA in Austria: Operating from Summit to Summit
Summits on the Air — SOTA for short — combines two passions: hiking and amateur radio. In Austria, a country full of mountains, SOTA is especially popular. From the gentle Koralpe to the high-alpine Großglockner…
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Blackout Preparedness for Radio Amateurs: Self-Sufficient Radio Operation with Solar and Battery
Predstavljajte si, da internet odpove — brez Wi-Fi-ja, brez mobilnih podatkov, brez optike. Za večino ljudi bi bila to katastrofa. Za radioamaterje z Winlinkom pa ne. Winlink je svetovni sistem elektronske pošte, ki deluje prek…
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Quansheng UV-K5: The Handheld Radio the Community Is Hacking
Buy a handheld radio for around 25 euros and then transform it with open-source firmware into a device offering features normally found only in the 200-euro class? That is exactly what is happening with the…
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SATIRE The Honeypot — Or: How to Milk an Entire Amateur Radio Community with Honey
Willi: The Nicest OM Every amateur radio community has one. You know him. He’s the one who calls you “my friend” on first contact, who remembers your birthday, your XYL’s name, and that you once…
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FT8 for Beginners: The Digital Mode That Revolutionised Shortwave Radio
Anyone who has watched the 20-metre band in recent years knows the phenomenon: between 14.074 and 14.076 MHz, there is activity around the clock — not in Morse code, not in voice, but in short,…
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Social Media for Radio Amateurs: The Best YouTube Channels, Podcasts and Communities
Amateur radio doesn’t just live on the bands — it increasingly thrives in the digital space as well. YouTube channels, podcasts and online communities offer radio amateurs worldwide the opportunity to share knowledge, connect and…
