Foundations of Amateur Radio

Foundations of Amateur Radio

Author: Onno (VK6FLAB) Language: English Episodes: 50
For anyone curious about the crackle of a distant voice emerging from the static or the thrill of making a contact across the globe using nothing but radio waves, Foundations of Amateur Radio offers a friendly, steady guide. Hosted by Onno (VK6FLAB) from Australia, this long-running podcast acts as a companion for newcomers navigating the initial, often overwhelming, steps into this vast hobby. Each episode deliberately unpacks a single facet of amateur radio, breaking down technical concepts, equipment, and operating practices into digestible pieces. You'll hear practical advice on how to get started, find your place within the global community, and discover which of the hobby's countless avenues-from building antennas to satellite communication or emergency service-might spark your passion. It’s not about dry theory; it’s about demystifying the process and sharing the genuine rewards that keep enthusiasts engaged for a lifetime. Having evolved from its earlier incarnation in 2011, this podcast builds from the ground up, week by week, creating a solid resource that grows with you. Tune in for a down-to-earth conversation that makes the airwaves feel a little more accessible and a lot more inviting.
Episodes
Monitoring radio spectrum around you [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:37
Foundations of Amateur Radio Previously I've talked about using radio spectrum monitoring to detect lightning to potentially protect your equipment. This triggered an email from Nick VA3NNW, who pointed out that AM demod…
Global Ionospheric Maps [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:26
Foundations of Amateur Radio In the middle of the night when insomnia rears its head, there are occasions when an idea sprouts that is still with me the next day. I imagined a spinning globe that shows ionospheric propag…
It's all in the community [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:07
Foundations of Amateur Radio Over the weekend I had the opportunity to participate in two completely different community events, one aimed at an amateur radio audience, the other at the general public. Every year, severa…
Lightning in a bottle [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:09
Foundations of Amateur Radio The other day I heard a thunderclap and as is my Pavlovian response, immediately ran to my shack to disconnect the antennas from their respective transmitter and transceiver. I added a diary…
Radio .. for the love of it [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:07
Foundations of Amateur Radio During the week I was shown a photograph of a chalkboard standing on the sidewalk with one of those "Thought of the Day" quotes on it. Credit aside, since I've been unable to confirm it, desp…
Give yourself a break! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:28
Foundations of Amateur Radio Over the past weeks, actually, probably months, the push to talk button on the radio I use for my weekly discussion net has been acting up. In the middle of an over it would sometimes cut-out…
Emergency response reality check [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:00
Foundations of Amateur Radio Recently I explored the nature of amateur radio emergency response. I received a few replies providing an insight into the on the ground reality and it encouraged me to dig into this a little…
An emergency response [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:04
Foundations of Amateur Radio Previously I've talked about one of the often lauded cornerstones of the amateur radio community, namely Emergency Response, and to be frank, I questioned then, as I do now, the reality of th…
CME, Wind, Flares, Flux and Geomagnetic Storms .. say what? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:00
Foundations of Amateur Radio When the Sun burps, something that it does regularly, the mainstream media starts talking about aurorae and optionally the end of the civilised world, not always as clinically as that. What's…
The power of patience and pacing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:29
Foundations of Amateur Radio One of the more, let's call it challenging, skills to learn in amateur radio is the pace of the process. For many new amateurs I meet, face-to-face, on-air or online, the excitement to get st…