DIY Antennas, QRP, SDR & Ham Radio Projects from VU3DXR
The amateur radio landscape is shifting rapidly with the rise of the “FT” digital modes. While FT8 remains the king of weak signals, the faster FT4 and the experimental FT2 are challenging its dominance. This guide breaks down the technical differences, performance trade-offs, and best use cases for each mode to help you master the HF bands.
Welcome to Issue #012 of Radio Waves Weekly! This week the JIDX CW contest is running right now — one of the best chances all year to fill your log with Japanese prefectures. Sporadic E season is knocking at the door, the 10-metre band is wide open, and MeshCore is quietly becoming the off-grid mesh network that actually works at scale.
Meshtastic is an open-source LoRa mesh networking platform that lets ham radio operators build off-grid text messaging and GPS tracking networks with no infrastructure. Whether you are an experimenter, an emergency communications volunteer, or simply curious about where digital modes are heading, this guide covers everything you need to know to get started with Meshtastic ham radio.
FT2 promises to clear a pile-up in the time FT8 takes to finish a single exchange. But speed always costs something — here is what the global ham community has actually discovered after months of real-world use.
The UA4HAZ 20-meter antenna is a clever modification of the classic half-wave dipole, designed specifically for radio amateurs struggling with limited horizontal space. By utilizing a “folded” or inverted-U geometry, this antenna maintains a resonant length for the 14 MHz band while significantly reducing its physical footprint. This guide covers the theory, construction, and proper coaxial feed techniques required to get this efficient radiator on the air.
Height is often the biggest hurdle for Hams, but what if you could trade verticality for horizontal real estate? This detailed guide explores the 21.3m-per-side hexagonal loop—a low-profile powerhouse that offers multi-band performance with minimal visual impact.
Software Defined Radios have made high-performance spectrum analysis accessible to anyone with a laptop and $30 to spare. This guide covers every worthwhile SDR from cheap RTL dongles to dedicated HF receivers — with software picks, antenna advice, and practical projects to get you on the air fast.
Radio Waves Weekly — Issue #011 focuses on hands‑on amateur radio. Inside you will find a BBC call‑out for historic shortwave recordings, simple HF preselectors, DSP and CW audio filter projects, and several practical multiband antenna ideas from active operators and bloggers.
Tired of antenna tuners? The T2FD antenna offers incredible wideband performance from 3-30 MHz. This guide breaks down the essential components—from non-inductive resistors to spreader geometry—to help you build a reliable, low-noise “all-bander.”
Tropospheric ducting is the ultimate “power-up” for VHF/UHF operators, turning line-of-sight signals into long-haul DX. By understanding how temperature inversions and high-pressure systems create atmospheric waveguides, hams can communicate over hundreds of miles with clarity and ease