The Solar Cycle Is Changing. Don’t Panic.
by Thomas (K4SWL) Several people have asked me lately what it’s going to be like as we move out...
Category: News
KB2PIZ: Three Parks, One Activation, and a Lot of Lessons Learned
by Mark (KB2PIZ) 0 for 3 activations: super fun, and amazing lessons learned in trying to activate North Lake...
Elecraft KX2 Side Rails: What I Choose to Protect My KX2
by Thomas (K4SWL) I get a surprising number of messages from readers asking which side rails I recommend to...
My New-to-Me mcHF: Building a Full Field Kit & First POTA Activation!
by Thomas (K4SWL) On Monday, September 7, 2026—Labor Day—I got up early and headed out to William B. Umstead...
KM4CFT Update: Radios, Paddles and Mini Mics!
Many thanks to Jonathan (KM4CFT), who shares the following update: Hi all, KM4CFT Here! It’s been a minute, and...
Tims Ford State Park: Proving New Gear in the Field
by Steven Krumm (KV4AN) Tims Ford State Park (US-2980) is a Tennessee State Park between Lynchburg and Winchester in...
Bug Fist Practice: Pairing the Bug Emulator and Begali Traveler for a Morning POTA Session!
by Thomas (K4SWL) On the morning of Sunday, September 6, 2026, I was in Raleigh, and our family, of...
KB2PIZ: Persistence Pays Off at Saltwater State Park (US-3262)
by Mark (KB2PIZ) Each September, I head to Auburn, Washington. This year I brought my Lab 599 TX500, an...
Join Me: Second Annual Bug-Out Month Begins October 1, 2026
by Thomas (K4SWL) Last October, I made a pledge: to commit myself to learning the art of the CW...
Introducing QSL Hall – A New Global Home for Rustic QSL Cards
A brand-new project has just launched for the amateur radio community: QSL Hall (www.qslhall.com) – an open, worldwide hall...
Extraordinary SOTA on Vetter Mountain with N6ARA, KD7DTS, and K6ARK
by Thomas (K4SWL) On Saturday, August 22, 2026, I found myself waking up in California, preparing to do something...
A New Ham’s Guide to Overcomplicating Everything: 2M Satellite CW To Get in a Gang?
by Josh (VE3YTX) As a new Ham, I’ve been exploring the different pockets of our hobby. Recently, I caught...
The Chickadee Double Tap’s Maiden POTA Voyage & My New TR-25 Peanuts Pencil Case Field Kit!
by Thomas (K4SWL) On Thursday, September 3, 2026, I left my house pretty early for a one-and-a-half-hour drive to...
Does a cross-border contact count as DX?
As always, there are lots of links within the article. Click one! Click them all! Learn all the things!...
The Xiegu X6200 Returns to the Field: QRP CW from William B. Umstead State Park (US-2755)
by Thomas (K4SWL) On Saturday, August 15th, 2026, I had a full day ahead with family—most notably, moving a...
Four POTA Activations That Didn’t Go According to Plan
by Thomas (K4SWL) I often talk to people who are getting into POTA and SOTA, and they’ll sometimes tell...
Doug Hendricks (KI6DS) is Silent Key
Many thanks to many of you who reached out to tell me that Doug Hendricks (KI6DS) passed away early...
Morning POTA at Umstead: Low Battery Forces One-Watt CW with Poor Bands
by Thomas (K4SWL) On Friday, August 14th, 2026, I was in Raleigh, North Carolina with my family, preparing both...
WR7D: A Very Moving POTA Trip
by Ken (WR7D) I previously wrote an article about a trip to Hungary with my daughter, who was working...
The Uncompromising Compromise
by Thomas (K4SWL) Over the years of doing amateur radio in general—and field radio in particular—I’ve talked a lot...
One Planted Mast, Two Countries: A Unique POTA Rove Across the Scotland–England Border
by Thomas (K4SWL) On Sunday, July 12, 2026, I woke up knowing exactly the type of POTA activation I...
VE3YTX: A New Ham’s Guide to Overcomplicating Everything – Today’s topic, QSL Cards
by Josh Stringer (VE3YTX) So, a few weeks ago I sent in an article to QRPer.com about my harrowing...
QRPer Notes: Rhode Island’s First POTA Weekend, LY2H’s Radio Van Tour, and One CW Question Distilled Editions
Every now and then, a few items cross my desk that are simply worth passing along. QRPer Notes is...
SOTA, POTA, and Pepper-Assisted Rapid Antenna Removal at Leith Hill
by Thomas (K4SWL) On Saturday, July 18, 2026, my friend Nick (M5NCW), his sweet dog Pepper, and I jumped...
N8PEM: A Zippy Paddle Story on Picea Benchmark
by Chris (N8PEM) At Hamvention this year, I ran into Rich, KE4WLE, and got a close look at some...