Tag: CW

An Outside the Box version of the Delta Loop antenna

I have written about delta loop antennas before - notably in April 2023 in a post entitled "Delta Loopy Ideas". A few weeks ago I received an email from Alan WA3EKL who suggested I should take another look at delta loops and offered a lot of helpful advice, tips and suggestions for making this type … Continue reading An Outside the Box version of the Delta Loop antenna →

My radio is tiny. So why is my POTA backpack so heavy?

We have mountains in Ontario. We call them mountains, but they are really just small hills. So I have never had to actually hike for miles up steep slopes carrying a backpack with all my radio gear, plus anything else I might need for a mountaintop activation. To all those who operate in this fashion, … Continue reading My radio is tiny. So why is my POTA backpack so heavy? →

SSEFHW – Another Shortened End-Fed Half-Wave Antenna for 20m

Peter Waters G3OJV Screen grab from YouTube I was browsing through ham radio videos on YouTube recently as I often do (daily!) when I came across one from Peter Waters G3OJV on the Waters & Stanton video channel. The title of the video immediately caught my attention: "Shortened Vertical Half Wave Antenna". End-fed antennas are … Continue reading SSEFHW – Another Shortened End-Fed Half-Wave Antenna for 20m →

I KISSed my Antenna – Here’s Why …

Many years ago I learned about a design technique called KISS. It was an acronym for "Keep It Sweet and Simple". Somewhere along life's journey I started seeing the acronym change to the rather offensive "Keep It Simple Stupid" which I entirely dislike. There are many sound reasons for simplifying a design but none of … Continue reading I KISSed my Antenna – Here’s Why … →

Are You a Rag Chewer or a “59 73” Operator?

I have had this topic in mind for quite a long time but have hesitated to write about it. Why? Because it is probably one of the most controversial topics in amateur radio. However, at the risk of causing a heated debate, and because I am still snowed in and unable to get out to … Continue reading Are You a Rag Chewer or a “59 73” Operator? →

How to Really Make the QMX Ready for the Big Blue Sky Shack

The QRP Labs QMX is a wonder of modern technology. By employing an SDR hardware platform a whole plethora of features can be made available by simply installing new firmware. I absolutely love my QMX. It has become my most used radio for field operations. I grumbled into my beer glass about the long wait … Continue reading How to Really Make the QMX Ready for the Big Blue Sky Shack →

A Top Loaded End-Fed Half-Wave Antenna for 20m

Imagine this: a short, vertical antenna for 20m that requires no ground, no counterpoise or radials ... And ... no tuner. Now, let's add that it is only 14 feet tall and can be erected in just a couple of minutes. But wait, there's more: it is very lightweight, slips into a shirt pocket and … Continue reading A Top Loaded End-Fed Half-Wave Antenna for 20m →

The QMX is Full of Holes, Here’s the Essential Fix!

When the design team at QRP Labs (alright, we know that means just Hans) set out to produce a multiband portable transceiver that would be packed with advanced features and could be sold for as little as a meager purse of groats, what was their primary design objective? You can bet your life it was … Continue reading The QMX is Full of Holes, Here’s the Essential Fix! →

A Deep Dive into the Antenna Called “Long Tall Sally”

Back in the spring of 2024 Ham Radio Outside the Box introduced a very unusual field expedient portable antenna for 20m. It was dubbed "Long Tall Sally" because we took a standard quarter wave ground plane, stretched the vertical radiating element way out of resonance, then restored resonance by shortening the radials. This is what … Continue reading A Deep Dive into the Antenna Called “Long Tall Sally” →