Author: John VA3KOT

I'm a Canadian amateur radio operator based in Owen Sound, Ontario. I hold an Advanced license and I am passionate about two things: operating outdoors and CW. My blog is focused on the experimental aspects of the hobby. I love to try out new ideas and, being retired, I have the luxury of time to spend doing so. Please like, comment and follow if you enjoy what you read here.

What Did Orville and Wilbur Wright do for Ham Radio?

In December 1903, the Wright Brothers, Orville and Wilbur made the first powered manned flight in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. It was a tremendous achievement and has been recorded in history as the official birth of the world's aviation industry. Their aircraft made a flight of a few hundred feet at an altitude just high … Continue reading What Did Orville and Wilbur Wright do for Ham Radio? →

A DIY Clone of the Yaesu FH-2 Remote Control Keypad

The biggest disadvantage to using a Yaesu FT-891 transceiver for field operations may be that its small form factor means most features have to be accessed from the menu system. Fortunately, some of the most used features can be easily assigned to the front panel "A", "B" and "C" keys. That's great, but in the … Continue reading A DIY Clone of the Yaesu FH-2 Remote Control Keypad →

A New Loading Coil for the Field Vertical Antenna

There are several reasons for building our own ham radio projects instead of buying commercial products. First, the satisfaction of making contacts using hardware you have built yourself. Second, it usually costs far less to build it yourself. The restrictions, lockdowns and supply chain shortages we have experienced recently sometimes also make it a necessity … Continue reading A New Loading Coil for the Field Vertical Antenna →

Radio Sled First Outing – On the Beach on February 1st!

The first day of February has been very mild with temperatures creeping just above freezing. There is a decent covering of snow, with lots more due over the next couple of days - ideal conditions to give the new radio sled its first tryout. I chose a nearby beach looking out over Georgian Bay which … Continue reading Radio Sled First Outing – On the Beach on February 1st! →

POTA Activation at Killbear Provincial Park VE-0254

Killbear Provincial Park is on the eastern shore of Georgian Bay just north of Parry Sound Ontario. XYL Krystyna, myself and shack assistant Trunkles, our faithful 15-year-old English Setter (now sadly SK), were camped in the park for 3 nights in the fall of 2021. Killbear is a beautiful park with great beaches and probably … Continue reading POTA Activation at Killbear Provincial Park VE-0254 →

A Radio Sled for Winter Outdoor Ops

VA3KOT's Radio Sled Winters in Southern Ontario last too long! Especially when your principal interest in amateur radio is operating in the Great Outdoors. So, I built a sled. It is based on what ice-fishing enthusiasts call a "Smitty Sled"; I call it simply my radio sled. A pair of child-size downhill skis were purchased … Continue reading A Radio Sled for Winter Outdoor Ops →