Should I get a zBitx as my first HF radio, or should I buy an older used workbench radio from a trusted ham? I have ~$500 USD to play with and I’m wanting to get on the HF bands finally (yes, I am General class already)

First #FT8 QSO! With K7CAR at Dixie National Park in Utah. https://pota.app/#/park/US-4395 

With Realistic HTX-100 25W and a DigiRig mobile audio interface. Vertical whip on the attic fan.

Happy World #AmateurRadio Day

https://www.itu.int/hub/2025/04/iaru-centenary-amateur-radio-services-at-the-forefront/

(newbie alert - don't confuse IARU with ITU - separate orgs!)

The International #AmateurRadio Union or #IARU was formed in Paris OTD in 1925 https://cromwell-intl.com/radio/rhombic-antennas.html?s=mb #history

Happy World Amateur Radio Day!

https://www.arrl.org/world-amateur-radio-day

a #thread about 222-225 MHz license grants:
> The #FCC continues to authorize non #amateurRadio operations in amateur #radio spectrum. <SNIP //@emory> The problem it brings is precedence, which is how many mechanisms of law work. The precedent set giving way to a case being made that they have greater need for the spectrum than we, and an opportunity for the FCC to auction or otherwise reallocate the band.

Company name is "CHAOS". spectrum we lose, we don't get back.
https://groups.io/g/repeater-builder/message/214612

Hello German #amateurradio - I’m giving a talk on #othernetworks this morning and handing out the pamphlet @rose_alibi and I wrote on how to build your own mini FM transmitter. Is it true you need an N license to build even a very low power transmitter?

Finally managed to put my "new to me" amateur radio into my Ford Escape! @Balloonicorn picked me up an Icom IC-207H, no bracket or power supply. Took some head scratching before I figured out how to mount it (tks to Ed at our Ham Breakfast for inspiration). I took a couple 3D models and mashed 'em together till I got what I wanted: a radio bracket that clips into a small recess on the passenger side of my center console! Will share once it's done! #hamradio #amateurradio #3dprinting

Hackaday Links: April 13, 2025 - It’s been a while since we’ve dunked on an autonomous taxi foul-up, mainly because... - https://hackaday.com/2025/04/13/hackaday-links-april-13-2025/ #polyethyleneterephthalate #logicalfallacies #hackadaycolumns #theengineerguy #hackadaylinks #amateurradio #autonomous #sodabottle #robotaxi #startrek #driving #slider #dragon #spacex #fram2 #logic #spock #waymo #x-ray #pet

In a milestone achievement (and I just *know* some of you who follow me will be cheering), I have successfully managed to migrate my radio operations from Windows to Linux. It hasn't been without it's issues, but it was certainly less painful than last time I tried.

As always, I have some thoughts that I shared:

https://www.vk7ben.au/2025/04/13/the-switch-to-linux/

New ham adventures...

Today, I was at a park (but not a #POTA) site, so I hunted POTA with my new-to-me KX3 as a way of learning in the field a bit of how to use it. I had 4 40m CW QSOs using the diminutive AX1 + AXE1 combo antenna with both the supplied radials attached directly to the radio, and 2 20m QSOs (one CW, one SSB) with a 5.6m whip vertical on a JPC-12 base. I used 15W because I am new to #AmateurRadio and have enough trouble, without making more trouble for myself by going truly QRP.

The QSB was heavy. I had one failed QSO in particular that started with me getting a great 599 signal, but then repeated "KZ4?" responses from the activator even when I dialed down my keyer to send my repeats more slowly, and just as their response may have included my full call sign, they faded away completely and I never pulled them back in. (But I didn't write down the call sign, so I don't remember who it was...)

My Morse code recognition sure needs more work. I suspect that when I'm better at it, it will be easier to pull signals out of the noise. I did receive a very faint signal from Europe (Germany IIRC) but I couldn't quite copy the whole call sign so I didn't attempt to reach across the pond with my meager 15 watts this time.

One last reminder — today is the last day for us #AmateurRadio operators to file comments with the FCC about potential deregulation.

Write your own text. Reference the regulations. See the instructions here for things to include in your comments. Be reasonable. Inflammatory comments won't help.

https://hamadvocate.org

Just got myself an inexpensive HAM for the car when mobile, an Anytone AT-778UVII, and I just figured out how to program it over CHIRP! Now to program all the stations in that I use on my HT #AmateurRadio #HAM

#AmateurRadio post
Last week, we visited Genova, here in Italy. While tuning into the local frequency with my portable Quansheng UV-K5, I managed to make contact with Fabio #F5VKV from France! It still amazes me every time I make a cross-border contact with just a handheld.

It is funny that most "SDR" amateur radio projects forget that the "S" in SDR stands for "software". Almost everyone concentrates on building some hardware and claim they built a "homebrew" SDR. Homebrew SDR means you homebrewed the "radio" which is in software.

Good #70cm #amateurradio propagation tonight between #losangeles Dodger Stadium and #sandiego tonight.

Baofengs, TID Radio, and other budget HAM radios may not be perfect, but they get people started. Yes, some have issues like spurious emissions, but not everyone can drop big money day one. Educate, don’t gatekeep—be kind, we all started somewhere in radio and other tech. #AmateurRadio #HAM #radio

If you're in IT, Networking, or Cybersecurity and not learning HAM radio, you're skipping a core piece of BCP/BDR. If the internet or cell service goes down, how do you restore ops? HAM fills that gap.
#Cybersecurity #HAMRadio #BCP #BDR #InfoSec #IT #AmateurRadio