Before Grabbing the Mic: Checking Band Conditions Before Heading Out Portable

Before Grabbing the Mic: Checking Band Conditions Before Heading Out Portable

Are you planning a portable radio adventure (POTA, SOTA, BOTA, etc.)? More than once I’ve ventured out, spent a few minutes setting up (or much longer when it’s been a new antenna configuration), then spun the dial in eagerness only to hear: hsssssssss! No contacts. Nothing 🥲 Spending just a few minutes of propagation preparation…

Beyond the Horizon: Understanding How Your Radio Waves Travel

Beyond the Horizon: Understanding How Your Radio Waves Travel

Introduction to the Skywave, Ground Wave, Skip Distance and Skip Zone. During our recent Field Weekend, we discussed with a new visitor how radio signals travel from one station to another. Amateur radio operators can transmit at high frequencies (HF) ranging from 3 MHz to 30 MHz; the radio waves from these transmissions do not…