Build the ZED dipole antenna for 2 m and 70 cm bands — a compact bent-element half-wave dipole with near-50 Ω feed, broadband VHF/UHF coverage, and simple DIY construction
Month: November 2025
Faulkner FM Loop Antenna for Superior FM Reception
The Faulkner FM Loop Antenna is a popular and highly effective design among FM radio enthusiasts and DXers worldwide. It provides excellent reception over the 87.5–108 MHz FM broadcast band and can be built easily using common materials. Despite its simple structure, it performs as well as many commercial indoor FM antennas
Complete Guide to Flight Tracking with RTL-SDR: Multi-Feeding Setup
Have you ever wondered how tracking websites like FlightAware and Flightradar24 get their real-time data? The secret lies in a global network of volunteers who feed aircraft position data using surprisingly affordable hardware. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll show you how to set up your own aircraft tracking station using an RTL-SDR dongle and contribute data to multiple flight tracking services simultaneously.
Curumim Transceiver – World’s Smallest QRP CW Transceiver
Discover the Curumim Transceiver, an ultra-minimalist QRP CW rig for 7.030 MHz that combines a single-transistor crystal oscillator and LM386 audio amplifier into one of the world’s smallest working HF transceivers, ideal for homebrewers, educators, and portable CW enthusiasts
Building a Quarter-Wavelength Coaxial Collinear Antenna for 2 Meters
Quarter-wave COCO antenna design for 2 m band: stacked λ/4 coax elements with phase-reversing joins for compact high-gain VHF performance and easy DIY construction
Building the FBK Sleeve Antenna for VHF/UHF Amateur radio
Build a compact dual-band FBK sleeve antenna for VHF/UHF bands from coax cable. Simple, efficient, and ideal for portable ham radio use.
ATS Mini V4: The Pocket-Sized SSB Receiver Just Got a Major Upgrade
The ATS Mini receiver has long been a favorite among hobbyists and Shortwave Listeners (SWLs) for packing incredible functionality into a tiny, portable package. Now, the latest iteration, the ATS Mini V4, arrives on the scene, building on the success of its predecessors (V1, V3, and V3S) with significant enhancements that cement its status as a top-tier micro-controlled radio.
Turning the NXP TEF6686 Car-Radio Chip into a Versatile Multiband Receiver]]
From Car Dash to SDR Lab: Turning the NXP TEF6686 Car-Radio Chip into a Versatile Multiband Receiver There’s a certain magic in hearing distant AM or FM stations fade in from the noise — a reminder of how much can be done with clever design and a bit of curiosity. Recently, hobbyists have discovered that […]
Separating Signal from Static: Common Myths and Facts About Radio Antennas
From the smallest Wi-Fi chip antenna to the largest High-Frequency (HF) wire arrays, radio antennas are the crucial link between your radio and the airwaves. They are marvels of physics, yet decades of folklore have created persistent myths that trip up even seasoned operators.
Shortened G5RV Antenna – DX Power in a Smaller Package
Shortened G5RV antenna design: a compact multiband HF dipole covering 20m–6m bands with ladder-line matching and 4:1 balun for portable or small-yard installs.