DitWit Portable Radio

How I

I occasionally make things work. Here’s how.

  • 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

    4010 Sloper Cheat Sheet

  • 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

    NEW POTA Map!!

  • 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

    9:1 Second to None

  • 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

    DIY Feedlines: Comparing Amazon vs. Quality Coax

  • 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

    Feeling A Little Dipolar

  • 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

    Just Choke it! – Using the NanoVNA

  • 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

    Navigating The Parks

  • 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

    Challenge Accepted!

  • Wires and Antenna Models

    I’ve been playing at modeling antennas.  It’s an on-and-off again thing where every time I play with the software I get a little closer to understanding it.  I use MMANA-GAL to model.  It’s free.  It’s also fairly simple if you… Continue reading

    Wires and Antenna Models

  • CW – The Long Game

    Don’t give up – it’s a long game. I took two CW courses offered by my club, a beginner’s and an intermediate level course.  The first course, the beginner course, was well attended.  Started with about a dozen folks and… Continue reading

    CW – The Long Game