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Just a quick note for anyone who needs to convert between QRA (Maidenhead) locators and geographic coordinates.

Info This article was also posted in French on my club's website F6KOP The objective of a choke balun is to reduce RF current flowing on the outside of the coaxial cable, thereby improving the symmetry of the radiation pattern and suppressing radio-freque…

This letter was written by Frank (F4AJQ), and sent to members of the French club F6KOP.

Stop Guessing and Start Whispering!

Introduction VHF and UHF1 bands form an essential part of the radio spectrum, supporting everything from amateur radio communications to public safety networks.

Unlocking the Power of Repeater Networks Amateur radio operators understand the excitement of connecting with others, and repeater networks incredibly enhance that connectivity.

Voice communication methods such as SSB, AM, and FM are fundamental to the hobby.

Most people managing a repeater or using a Pi-Star open-spot at home want to automate the connection to a specific reflector to ensure they don't miss a net.

If you've experimented with HF antennas, you've probably encountered the Half-Wave End-Fed (HWEF) antenna.

Half-wave end-fed (HWEF) antennas have gained popularity among amateur radio operators for their simplicity, versatility, and ease of installation.

RG-231 Coaxial Cable In my previous article, I've been exploring the details of total losses in transmission lines and the extra losses caused by SWR1.

Heliax Coaxial Cable The coaxial cable is critical when setting up a radio communication system.

In my last article, I explained how to measure the resonant frequency of an LC circuit by simulating a grid dip meter using an antenna analyzer or a NanoVNA.

Old HEATHKIT Dip Meter In previous years, amateur radio enthusiasts heavily relied on dip meters as an indispensable tool for circuit testing.

It's important to keep an eye on space weather for effective communication, especially for a ham radio operator.

I discussed an educational club activity in my previews blog post.

Now and then, some folks from the San Mateo Radio Club get together at the park to work on a ham radio educational experiment.

On repeaters, in Ham Meetings, or when people talk about electricity in general, I hear the sentence, "It's not the voltage that will kill you, but the current."

The Hustler 4BTV antenna is a vertical HF antenna known for its efficiency, durability, and versatility across multiple bands.

SMRC Radio Scavenger Hunt The San Mateo Radio Club is organizing a ham radio scavenger hunt.

A ground-plane antenna, also called a quarter-wave or a monopole antenna, is widely used in radio communication systems.

Ham radio repeaters play a crucial role in extending the range and enhancing the clarity of your amateur radio transmissions.

Often, ham radio operators who just got their general license are confused about which band to use.

FT8 Commander Because this might be a controversial subject for some, please read the note below before reading the rest of the article.

Radiosonde A radiosonde or weather balloon is an instrument with a series of sensors to measure the atmospheric parameters from ground level up to an altitude of 35,000 meters (100,000 feet).

A couple of weekends ago, I took my trapped vertical antenna apart to clean it up, ensure every component was in good working condition, and fine-tune it.

The Hustler 4BTV For most of my HF traffic, I use a Hustler 4BTV antenna.

I have developed a Telegram bot to help ham radio operators find solar and propagation data.

Leslie Moxon, G6XN, invented a two-element in the 1950es, named after him.

A Double Bazooka Antenna is a broad-banded half-wave Antenna.

It is often helpful to run tests and take measurements without connecting an antenna.

In my last article, I showed how to measure an inductor using a known capacitor.

Resistors, inductors, and capacitors are passive components used in every electronic circuit.

People think that all wires are the same and that any cable should be OK to power their rig.

I gave a presentation on antenna modeling software to a couple of clubs in California and Oregon.

A year ago, I installed a system based on a Raspberry Pi Zero to manage my backyard lights.

Every Thursday, the Portland Amateur Radio Club (PARC) organizes a series of conferences called Beginning Ham Radio.

When we re-did our house plumbing, we asked our contractor to install a water recirculation pump.

The Wordsworth method After watching George Allison's (K1IG) talk on QSO-Today describing his methodology to "head copy" Morse code, I have decided to give another shot to learning Morse code, often called CW in the ham radio word.

Field Day 80/40-meter antenna The 2021 Field Day was the first time member of the San Mateo Radio Club met in person since the pandemic.

The state of California and San Mateo County have eased COVID restrictions.

Our main goal as Amateur Radio Operators is to make sure that as much of the power coming out of the radio as possible is radiated by the antenna.

Is Resonance required?

DUDE-Star is a software developed by Douglas McLain (AD8DP) that connects to D-STAR, Fusion, NXDN, P25, Allstar, and even to the new digital mode designed by and for ham radio operators: M17.

Many ham radio operators are interested in EMERCOM1.

A few months ago, I wrote a blog post asking the question "Where are all the hams?".

PIRIM Raspberry-Hat My friend JC (W6IPA) and I have created PIRIM, a Raspberry-Pi Hat for Allstar1, Echolink2, or any digital mode.

Over the years, I have made several Allstar, Echolink, and APRS nodes1.

Over the last few months, I have participated in an increasing number of discussions, either on local repeaters or in zoom meetings, about newly licensed hams interested in operating in the HF bands.

A few months ago, I installed a new 40 and 80-meter dipole.