Latest Posts
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4010 Sloper Cheat Sheet
A 4010 End Fed Half Wave, EFHW, antenna in a slope is hands-down my go to field antenna. It works, pretty much anyway you can get it up. I didn’t figure this out with a modeling software, I figured it… Continue reading
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Height is Might! Right? Portable Mast Height Shootout
Comparison of 10-meter and 7-meter masts for 20m activations Before we look at antenna performance and radiation patterns, let’s look at the masts themselves. I don’t feel like I’m loyal to any particular brand, but I am loyal to things… Continue reading
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NEW POTA Map!!
If you’re adventurous, if you POTA on the go, there’s a new park-planning map for you. https://potamap.us The brain child of N9FZ, Cainan Whelchel, it’s an online map tool that gives us another look at the yellow dots on the pota.app… Continue reading
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9:1 Second to None
I’ve tumbled into the Crafty Nerd side of amateur radio and I blame it mostly on my good friend W5DRT, David. He innocently started winding impedance transformers for end fed wire antennas and that’s all it took to send me careening… Continue reading
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DIY Feedlines: Comparing Amazon vs. Quality Coax
We’ve all had or sat in on conversations about procuring material for our stations. It’s like a weeping sore, always needing care in the form of feed lines and adapters. If we’re the slightest bit “crafty” we need wires and… Continue reading
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Feeling A Little Dipolar
So, in every antenna conversation I have in my mind, there’s an old guy in the back who keeps interrupting with, “Use a dipole!” To me, that juice just ain’t worth the squeeze for a portable guy. Getting it up to… Continue reading
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Just Choke it! – Using the NanoVNA
W5DRT and I bought NanoVNAs and I don’t know about Dave, but I’ve been testing everything that doesn’t bite or slap. So playing with this little gadget, I’ve profiled SRW through several transformer into a known resistive load. More fun, I’ve… Continue reading
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2026 Winter Field Day – The High Lonesome
In North Texas, winter always brings an ice storm. More often, a cold snap that lingers a day or two then fades into spring. But sometimes, we get a real chiller – roads ice over, businesses close, pipes freeze, and power fails. This… Continue reading
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Navigating The Parks
My YouTube buddy Ed W4EMB just released a video on Tools To Find And Get To Your Park. He did a great job, you should check it out. He’s inspired me to share what I’ve learned about this topic. I don’t want to drop… Continue reading
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Challenge Accepted!
As a portable operator, my antenna system and the accoutrements necessary to get it deployed are at the core of my decision making processes. If you watch my videos or read these posts, you know I love putting a wire in… Continue reading
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