80m Band Antenna Fits Into Just 1 Square Foot!

Incredible isn't it? But can it really work? "It must be a compromise antenna, or very low efficiency." "Why don't you just put up a good old-fashioned dipole? "One square foot? Are you crazy?" No, we'll yes, I may be a bit crazy but believe me, the performance of my "one square footer" is no … Continue reading 80m Band Antenna Fits Into Just 1 Square Foot! →

First POTA Activation of 2022

Friday 29th April was a mild, sunny day in southern Ontario and I was eager to get outside and play radio. My wife suggested one of our favourite places, Black Creek Provincial Park in Northern Bruce Peninsula and I readily agreed. Most Ontario Provincial Parks are well signposted to make them easy to find. But … Continue reading First POTA Activation of 2022 →

Random Wire Revelations

Back to QRP I was inspired to dig my old Hendricks PFR3 QRP rig out of the closet recently. I wanted a super lightweight rig with an easy to deploy, but efficient, antenna that I could grab and go without any advance planning. VA3KOT's Hendricks PFR3 QRP/CW radio The antenna I chose was a random … Continue reading Random Wire Revelations →

Wire Supports for Solid Ground

One of the challenges of living in the Great White North at this time of year is frozen ground. I was reminded of that just recently when, after a few days of milder temperatures, I optimistically stepped out of the house to probe the ground with one of the stakes I use for supporting the … Continue reading Wire Supports for Solid Ground →

The Weird Antenna Wire End Effect

I have been giving some thought to antenna wires recently. I was particularly interested in the reason for them being shorter than we would expect if we simply calculate their length by dividing signal propagation speed by the frequency of the signal. The length (L) of a half wave wire can be calculated using the … Continue reading The Weird Antenna Wire End Effect →

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 →

How to Get a Line 40ft Up a Tree

There are more ways to get a line up into a tree than you can shake a stick at. I have tried several. A popular method is to use a slingshot with a lead sinker (or equivalent) and fishing line. This method will get your line higher than you really need it, but you then … Continue reading How to Get a Line 40ft Up a Tree →