On the Air

Building an antenna doesn’t have to involve yards of aluminum tubing and long runs of coax. It can be as simple as soldering and snipping (carefully!) a length of lamp cord. Frequent On the Air and QST contributor Dino Papas, KL0S, provides insight into the construction and tuning of this J-pole antenna, which he built for On the Air from a design by John H. Unrath, K6JHU. Along the way he and host Becky Schoenfeld, W1BXY, uncover a bit of J-pole history and dig into why an antenna analyzer is a must-have if you decide to build this project.

Getting the most out of your transceiver's scanning functions.

Is 222 MHz really a "forgotten" frequency band?

Discussing ARRL Field Day in particular and off-the-grid operating in general with ARRL Contest Program Manager Paul Bourque, N1SFE.

Discover what "FM" really means, and how it is different from "AM."

Should you invest in a Digital Multimeter (DMM)? As it turns out, a DMM doesn't have to be expensive and it is more useful than you might imagine.

Relax and take an audio tour of the 10 meter band!

YouTube is increasingly becoming the "go to" resource for information on a variety of amateur radio topics. In this episode we speak with two YouTube veterans: Dave Casler, KE0OG, and Steve Goodgame, K5ATA.

If you're thinking about giving CW operating a try, check out this conversation with Michael Fluegemann, KE8AQW.

Learn how you can extend the "reach" of your handheld transceiver.

Q-Signals are as old as amateur radio itself and they are still in use today. Although originally intended for CW use, you'll hear them in voice communication as well.

Contest season is underway! Time for some tips from veteran competitor Chris Plumblee, W4WF.

The ARRL Handbook has been published for nearly 100 years and it remains one of the top sources for information about ham radio technology and much more. Steve Goodgame, K5ATA, explains why even beginners will find the Handbook to be indispensable.

Here's an introduction to Winlink, courtesy of Oliver Dully, K6OLI.

Learn all about the new ARRL online Learning Center scheduled to debut this month!

ARRL Field Day is just weeks away. Fred Kemmerer, AB1OC, the president of the Nashua New Hampshire Area Radio Society, offers advice about how to enjoy one of the largest ham radio operating events of the year!

A discussion of the importance of grounding with Ward Silver, N0AX