VHF/UHF

Height Above Average Terrain

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When I get asked why I only use VHF/UHF frequencies for my Summits On The Air (SOTA) activations, I usually reply with: Height Above Average Terrain More specifically, I mean that using VHF for SOTA is fun because Height Above Average Terrain (HAAT) has a dramatic effect on the propagation of my radio signal. HAAT … Read more

Three Useful HT Accessories

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Here are three affordable accessories that can help round out your VHF/UHF handheld transceiver (HT) kit. These items can significantly improve the performance of your radio and make it more useful. 1. A Halfwave Antenna for 2m I’ve already written about the RH660 antenna, which is a huge improvement over a typical rubber duck antenna. … Read more

A New 2m/70cm Telescoping Antenna

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I came across this new antenna, the TWAYRDIO RH 660S, mentioned in this Ham Radio Crash Course video. I have previously been recommending the TWAYRDIO TH770 antenna via this post. The RH 660S is a newer dual-band 2m/70cm telescoping antenna from the same company. For Summits On The Air (SOTA), I generally take along such … Read more

Laurel Makes SOTA Videos

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Joyce/K0JJW and I did a SOTA activation with Mike/KE0PWR on Aspen Ridge (W0C/SP-084). It turns out that Mike’s wife, Laurel, has a YouTube channel, so she shot some video of our adventure. Keep in mind that her channel is not focused on ham radio, but has a more general audience. Some time later, Mike did … Read more

The Truth About VHF SOTA

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I’ve been having fun with mountaintop VHF ham radio for decades, way before Summits On The Air (SOTA) was a thing. It is an activity that I enjoy very much during VHF contests, Parks On The Air (POTA) activations, SOTA activations, and just goofing around in the mountains. Most of this activity has been on … Read more