Don't mess with old, untested coaxial cables! Really, it just isn't worth the risk. It might seem like a good idea when you need another cable, but there are hidden gremlins in old coax as I recently discovered. Corroded, blackened braid on old coax I have a box full of old coax cables. Some of … Continue reading Beware of Old Coax!
Category: Miscellaneous topics
DX with 1 Nanowatt?
A nanowatt is one billionth of a watt; yes, one billionth! On that scale a QRP transmitter puts out five billion nanowatts and a standard ham rig puts out 100 billion nanowatts. But is a nanowatt enough to work DX? Yes. But, of course, manufacturers don't make radios that only put out a nanowatt and … Continue reading DX with 1 Nanowatt?
VE3KOT meets VA3KOT
The Ontario QSO party was in full swing and I was having a ball logging lots of CW QSOs, mostly US stations hunting for VE3s and VA3s. Then I heard another Ontario station calling and I thought to myself "I just gotta bag this one!" So I called him back and then the frequency fell … Continue reading VE3KOT meets VA3KOT
Enough About Winlink Already!
The most important task that amateur Radio operators could be asked to perform in an emergency is … to send emails? The amateur radio emergency preppers have circled their wagons around a technology called Winlink. This proprietary collection of software facilitates sending emails over radio. Those who live in the Winlink bubble have made sending … Continue reading Enough About Winlink Already!
Ham Radio Outside the Box 