Welcome to the technical section of my blog! As a newcomer to the world of ham radio, I’m far from an RF professional. My goal here is to document my journey of exploration and learning as I experiment with various aspects of radio technology, electronics, and antennas. Through trial and error, I’ve been piecing together my understanding of this fascinating hobby, often drawing inspiration from the work of experts like Owen Duffy (owenduffy.net) and K6JCA (k6jca.blogspot.com).
In these posts, you'll find a mix of personal experiences, observations, and the insights I’ve gained from my experiments. I share these not as definitive solutions or professional advice, but as a record of my ongoing process of discovery. My aim is to help fellow enthusiasts who are also navigating the steep learning curve of ham radio—especially those who may be just starting out, like me.
The technical information presented here should be taken with caution. While I strive to be as accurate as possible, I am not an expert, and my understanding of RF and related technologies is still developing. I encourage readers to cross-check the information and consult with trusted sources in the field.
Thank you for joining me on this journey, and I hope you find something useful or inspiring along the way.
Posted on 9th Jan 2025
Measuring EFHW Transformer Efficiency In this article, we will explore how to measure the efficiency of a transformer for End Fed Half Wave (EFHW) antenna, using a Vector Network Analyzer (VNA). The transformer is placed in series with a resistor \(R_1\), which acts as a virtual antenna. By anal...
Posted on 9th Jan 2025
Building a Common-Mode Choke for 7-30 MHz I’ve encountered persistent RF interference issues with my EFHW and ¼-wave antennas on several SOTA activations. The interference led to distorted audio, a particularly concerning issue given the sensitivity of the TX-500 radio lab 599 to RF. Reports of au...
Posted on 9th Jan 2025
Improving My EFHW Transformer with a Lightweight Ferrite Core Following recommendations on the SOTA Forum, I spent some time experimenting with toroids to improve the performance of my End-Fed Half-Wave (EFHW) transformer. My goal was to achieve better efficiency while keeping the device lightweig...
Posted on 5th Jan 2025
Recently, I purchased a 1/4 wave telescopic whip antenna from China. This 5.6 meter stainless steel telescopic whip comes with a sturdy base featuring M10 screws, an aluminum ground spike, and a 5-meter ribbon cable for the radial system. Here, I’ll share my setup process, modifications, and thought...
