Select Blog Posts which have resulted in or followed a project build.

DIY Headset for Icom Radios Pt 2

I poked around on the Internet looking for a schematic for the HM-219 hand mic. Believe me, Icom didn’t make it easy to find, but eventually I came up with a few helpful results I was able to pi…

DIY Headset for Icom Radios Pt 1

This amateur radio hobby can be quite expensive. I’ve tried to be patient and frugal, and it has paid off. I’m fortunate to have acquired some quality used gear at affordable prices. Two o…

Building My Hamshack Part 5

Now that I have a plan for my shack layout and the stations I will have, it’s time to begin construction. As I explained last month, I’m not much of a woodworker, so I need to be realistic…

Building My Hamshack Part 4

One of the great things about having a clean slate is the freedom to build exactly what you want. After spending some time sitting in the empty upstairs bedroom that would become my hamshack, I decide…

Building My Hamshack Part 3

In parts 1 of this series, I looked at two possible locations in my home to set up my amateur radio operating room. I considered requirements in six categories, and identified my top two priorities. N…

Building My Hamshack Part 2

A closer look at grounding According to ARRL, grounds fulfill three distinct functions: Safety ground. This protects you from a shock hazard if one of the mains or high voltage power supply wires cont…

Building My Hamshack Part 1

In part 1 of this series I share my thoughts on selecting the best spot in my home in which to build my humble shack.  I live in a historic home in a small town in North Carolina. I’m a sto…

Building a 2 meter Yagi

Why a Yagi? There are four 2 meter FM frequencies I want to talk on regularly. Three of these are club repeaters to my Northwest. The fourth is the simplex calling frequency. K4ITL 145.21 -offset 144.…

Off the shelf Battery Box

WHY I love the power / weight ratios of the newer battery chemistries for portable operations, but let’s face it, these new batteries aren’t cheap. For that reason, I am still including a …

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