Foundations of Amateur Radio

Thirteen years ago I opened my mouth to express my thoughts on what to do with an amateur license after hearing an operator complain they needed more power to talk to a …

Have you ever attempted to download an email attachment, or watch a streaming service whilst your microwave was cooking lunch or dinner and noticed that something odd wa…

The hobby of amateur radio is one of experimentation and change. For decades this came in the form of circuit diagrams, components and scrounged hardware from anything t…

Over the past weeks, actually, probably more accurately years, I've been carrying around an idea. It's been bubbling away and I've been trying very hard to make it solid…

One of the oldest global aspects of our hobby, other than actually using the radio, is the QSL bureau. It uses a postcard-like system to confirm that two stations made c…

One of the unexpected benefits of this hobby is how it provides you with the ability to connect to others in ways that are not directly related to radio.

Take for examp…

Every now and then you come across an idea that throws you for a loop. It comes seemingly out of nowhere and once you've seen it, you cannot unsee it. It's a lot like a …

The other day I was packing the car to go on a little trip an hour out of the city to see the Milky Way. I briefly entertained the idea of bringing my radio gear with me…

Over the past few months I've been investigating the history of the IARU, the International Amateur Radio Union, to help it celebrate a century of amateur radio achievem…

As I sit here, away from my shack, I'm overlooking a picturesque valley that I'm visiting for a couple of days to see the stars. I learnt recently that my SO, Significan…

The other day I was handed a sheaf of paper. The person handing it to me, an amateur, was insistent that I take custody of this little collection. I asked what it was th…

To get into the hobby of amateur radio is easy, but that doesn't mean it's simple. I was introduced to the hobby three times.

The first time I was a Sea Scout in the Ne…

The other day I lamented to a fellow amateur that my shack was not functioning well. Specifically, my main workstation died three months ago and ever since I've been str…

The International Amateur Radio Union or IARU, is the governing body of our community. It represents us on the world stage through the International Telecommunications U…

Getting started in our hobby can be a challenge. Even if you've got a shiny new license and you've been taught what the legal requirements are, you might even have your …

Internet access across HF radio

In the mid 1980's there was this thing called a Bulletin Board System or BBS. You would connect your computer to a gadget called an acou…

Having been a licensed member of this community since 2010 I feel qualified to answer a recurring question: "What kind of hobby is amateur radio?"

The single best answe…

The International Amateur Radio Union or IARU was formed on the 18th of April 1925 in Paris. Today, split into four organisations, consisting of one for each of the thre…

The story goes that the name of our hobby, at least in some parts of the world, ham radio, stems from the notion that we as a community were perceived as being ham-fiste…

One of my recurring, you might call it, regrets, but probably not quite that strong, is that I often find myself discovering that an amateur radio contest came and went,…