Articles
Battery Power for the Small-Space Shack: What LiFePO4 Actually Fixes
How a 12V LiFePO4 battery replaces a switching supply in a restricted-space shack: the noise floor it buys, the runtime math, and the charging habit that undoes both.
Temporary Beats Permanent: The Mast-and-Tripod Station Most CC&Rs Don't Reach
A freestanding mast and tripod that sets up in minutes and stores in a closet: why non-anchored antenna gear sidesteps a lot of CC&R architectural review, and what to buy.
Measuring a Compromise Antenna: What the NanoVNA Shows That an SWR Meter Hides
A low SWR at the shack can mean a lossy feedline rather than a working antenna. What R plus jX tells you, and how to measure it for under $90.
Antenna Tuners for Compromise Antennas: What a 1:1 Match Does Not Tell You
What a tuner actually fixes on a restricted-space antenna: where to mount it, how much power the match really costs, and which units suit an indoor or stealth wire.
Hunting RFI in an Apartment: Finding the Noise You Cannot Unplug
A method for locating and killing receive noise in a condo or apartment: how to find the source, what you can fix, and what you have to null out instead.
Buying a Used HF Rig on eBay Without Getting Burned
What to check before bidding on a used HF transceiver: finals damage, missing accessories, seller reputation, and which rigs are worth the risk.
FT8 and the Compromised Antenna: How Digital Modes Buy Back Lost dB
How FT8, FT4, and JS8Call recover the signal a compromised antenna loses: the modes, interface hardware, and software for a restricted-space station.
Indoor HF: Why QRP Is Probably Your Ceiling
The honest case for running QRP indoors: RF safety math, neighbor-RFI reality, and the rigs that make 5 watts work.