• Simplex FM 146.520 / W5SH FM 146.840- 110.9

ISS Contacts 05/21

Got two confirmed contacts tonight! Thanks a TON to W7QL and WX5T for the QSOs! 73s! It was a great time. Lots and lots of fly overs coming up too. Enjoy this first early video… I’m going to polish it up and get it on YouTube soon… but this is a sneak peek!(I’ve been asked a lot already, so to […]

Review: Surecom SW-102 VHF/UHF meter

Review: Surecom SW-102 VHF/UHF meter

Manufacturer: SurecomModel: SW-102Type: VHF/UHF antenna/SWR meterMSRP: $60ish TLDR: Great meter! Haven’t found anything to complain about. I bought this SWR meter in preparation for doing a lot of antenna building and learning the ropes of custom homebrew antennas. So far, I have absolutely nothing negative to say about this little machine. After building a new antenna, I regularly reach for […]

How to Make Weather reports

How to Make Weather reports

HAM radio is a fantastic hobby to break into. I’ve been active for a couple of years now and have thoroughly enjoyed my time in the hobby and look forward to continuing to grow as an amateur radio operator. One of the greatest fulfilling things for me is working with Skywarn and the National Weather Service (NWS) to help protect […]

Review: Comet GP-3

Review: Comet GP-3

UPDATE! Click to jump to update.Manufacturer: CometModel: GP-3Type: Dual band (2m/440) base station fiberglass antennaMSRP: $99.95-$125 TLDR – Good antenna. Even better with proper 1/4 wave radials (aftermarket modification)Epic Craftsmanship provided by David Thompson, Precision Machine Works, Inc… THANK YOU! First off, right out of the gate: I know this is a bad antenna situation. That shiny foil on the […]

Review: Nagoya NA-771 antenna

Review: Nagoya NA-771 antenna

Manufacturer: NagoyaModel: NA-771Type: 15.6-Inch Dual Band (VHF/UHF) Whip AntennaMSRP $16.99 TLDR — Great antenna for your HT. Not a miracle worker. This was among the first ever purchased I made as a newly minted HAM Technician. I’m very happy I bought it starting out as well. My first radio was a Baofeng BF-F8HP and I ordered this antenna at the […]

Review: LRS-350-12

Review: LRS-350-12

March 30 Manufacturer: VariousModel: LRS-350-12Type: 12v Power SupplyMSRP ($35.00 on Ebay) TLDR – LED power supply as bench DC power. Safety concerns, but I would recommend. I purchased this power supply on March 15, 2021 to function as my bench power supply for my mobile radio. There are several manufacturers like “Mean Well” and “Weho”. I reviewed other power supply […]

Review: VGC VR-N7500

Review: VGC VR-N7500

Manufacturer: VGC (Vero)Model: VR-N7500Type: 2m/440 Dual band headless transceiverMSRP $175.00 TLDR – Very Good Radio, Lots of features, has Learning Curve, Would recommend. I would like to start out with saying I am not an employee, paid representative, or otherwise commissioned by the manufacturer of this product to write this review. In fact, a fellow ham KI5NNL (not on Facebook) […]