Someone asked about the different standards of 3.5mm audio connectors sometimes used as programming cables. This is what I replied: Just a quick comment on the ubiquitous 3.5mm TRS connector. It was originally created for telephonic or audio applications. However their robust design quickly saw them being used for other unintended applications such as chargers. […]

Q&A time: What size copper wire is best for a ferrite ring? Thank you for your inquiry. Choosing  an optimal design for a ferrite ring and associated elements, such as wire types and insulation, usually elicits a discussion with many viewpoints, mostly because the various design elements are working against each other: Increasing one element […]

Ek het ‘n G5RV gehad. Vir baie jare was dit my enigste antenna. En toe ek in 2005 by my huidige QTH ingetrek het, het ek ‘n G5RV Junior by OM Sam gekoop. Hulle het almal redelik goed gewerk. Maar ek het altyd gewonder of dit ‘n goeie antenna is, dalk selfs die beste opstelling […]

Counterpoises and End-Fed Half Wave antennas. Sigh. The magic forest of hidden fairies and other fancy tales. To start, I want to mention one allegory that might help explain what is happening in the antenna system. It is my “old” guitar string story. Imagine the radiating wire (sometimes the Chinese call it the “vibrator”) to […]

A reader recently asked: “What is the best software and the best OS to operate digi modes with g90” Well, to each guy his own, but I will say the following: I use almost any software, and often times run it on Windows and sometimes run it on Linux on the raspberry pi. They all […]

A reader was asking to buy different colours of teflon coated wire to make a balun. This is my practical answer. Thank you for asking about teflon wire to make a balun. I’m sharing my response on a Radio-Shop page for other users to read too. I don’t stock teflon wire for baluns, and more […]

The mysterious or magical band, 60 meters (5MHz), is still providing great entertainment and here is the latest newsletter from Joe Pater W8GEX. He mentions, for example, Jarvis N5J: Will be on in August; TY5C Benin is now active on 60m until the 14th; CB0ZW Juan Fernandez: Thanks to Hal W8HC and team for the […]