Due to the ongoing COVID-19 response and mitigation actions, the 2020 Armed Forces Day (AFD) Crossband Test scheduled for Saturday, May 9, has been postponed. Because it’s uncertain just when stay-at-home orders will be lifted across the US, AFD planners chose to postpone this year’s event, because the government stations that typically support this event may not be available. Armed Forces Day Crossband Test planners are considering scheduling a November event in honor of Veteran’s Day, depending on COVID-19 mitigation actions. During the AFD Crossband Test, military stations in various locations transmit on selected military frequencies and announce the specific ham frequencies they are monitoring to work radio amateurs. — Thanks to US Army MARS Program Chief Paul English, WD8DBY
Source:ARRL
Review
How do I Ground My Transceiver in a Recreational Vehicle
Devin, KM4ENW, asks how to ground his 2m/70cm radio in his RV. I show how to use the frame of the RV as a good counterpoise. Read more
FTdx10 & FT-991A SSB Receiver Comparison
“My good friend Joel, KC4WZB, loaned me his brand new Yaesu FTdx10. When I say loaned, I mean he picked it up at Ham Radio Outlet and brought it... Read more
RTL-SDR BLOG L-BAND Patch Antenna Version 2 – Inmarsat – Iridium – GPS
Here we take a look at the brand new L-Band Patch antenna from RTL-SDR Blog. This antenna is designed to work with Inmarsat, Iridium and GPS signals. Read more
The Malahit DSP portable SDR receive
A nifty little portable SDR receiver. I still have lots to explore with it, but here’s an overview. 【Frequency Range】50 kHz~2.0GHz (Registered v... Read more
Comparing the Elecraft KX2 and the Icom IC-705. Which should I buy?
Comparing the Elecraft KX2 and the Icom IC-705. Which should I buy? Read more
Antenna
80M Antenna with HOA Constraints
Welcome to the 400th Ask Dave video! Ken, VE7ZY, is having trouble with an 80m dipole mounted very closely to the roof flashing. He is seeking other a... Read more
Can I Put One End of a Dipole Next to my VHF Antenna?
Nick, KC3PWJ, has a flagpole and also a pole that holds up his VHF/UHF discone. He’d like to string a 20m dipole between the two poles, but is w... Read more
Wideband Antennas for SDR Radios
Flip, W4FLP, asked about options for wideband antennas for the popular RSP-DX software defined radio from SDRPlay. We cover three that should work fin... Read more
Bushcomm Horizon Multi-Band Loop Antennas LOOP-20
Antenna, Loop, Magnetic, 20-10M, 125 W PEP, Each Magnetic- loop antennas have existed almost since radio began. The recent resurgence of interest in t... Read more
Chameleon EmComm II Amateur Ham Radio Antenna Review
A slightly different form of hybrid is the Chameleon Emcomm II.The Emcomm II is a portable antenna, which can also be very good to use as a base stati... Read more
News
Home but never alone: Celebrating World Amateur Radio Day
Image credit: Otava Tuomi. Early last year, when the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) first pushed much of the world into lockdown, one traditional... Read more
National Science Foundation Funds Creation of Research Lab at Alaska’s HAARP
A 5-year, $9.3 million National Science Foundation (NSF) grant will allow the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) Geophysical Institute to establish... Read more
St. Vincent Radio Amateurs on Alert During Volcano Emergency
Donald de Riggs, J88CD, on the Caribbean island of St. Vincent, says that on April 13, the 42nd anniversary of the 1979 eruption of the La Soufriere v... Read more
Can You Cook A Hotdog With Ham Radio?
“I’ve always been facinated by the physical affects of RF. Today, a light experiment testing if can cook hotdogs with RF. The test incorpo... Read more
Updated Radio Frequency Exposure Rules Become Effective on May 3
The FCC has announced that rule changes detailed in a lengthy 2019 Report and Order governing RF exposure standards go into effect on May 3, 2021. The... Read more
Propagation
The K7RA Solar Update
Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: On April 12, new sunspot group AR2814 appeared following 5 days of no sunspots. Daily sunspot numbers on the next 4... Read more
An Earth-Directed Stealthy Storm Launches as Activity Bumps Up | Solar Storm Forecast 04.14.2021
https://youtu.be/Tti4AZUa458 Read more
The K7RA Solar Update
Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: Sunspots were only visible on 4 days of the current reporting week — on April 3-6 — and now on Friday morning,... Read more
A New Sunspot & More Aurora while A Mars Helicopter Preps for Flight | Space Weather News 04.05.2021
A New Sunspot & More Aurora while A Mars Helicopter Preps for Flight | Space Weather News 04.05.2021 Read more
The K7RA Solar Update
Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: Average daily sunspot numbers declined this week from 17.9 to 11.9. Why? Because on the final 2 days of the March 25... Read more