Foundations of Amateur Radio

Foundations of Amateur Radio

Author: Onno (VK6FLAB) Language: English Episodes: 579
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
How much does your coax and antenna matter? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:15
Foundations of Amateur Radio Recently I explained some of the reasons why I've shifted to using dBm to discuss power. You might recall that 1 Watt is defined as 1,000 mW and that's represented by 30 dBm. 10 Watts is 40 d…
Gadgets on Demand [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:01
Foundations of Amateur Radio The other day I went looking for a software defined radio or SDR for HF. This happened because all such devices on my desk are rated at higher frequencies and I've still not managed to fix th…
All the power in the observable universe expressed in milliwatts ... [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:50
Foundations of Amateur Radio If you've been following my amateur radio journey, you'll have likely noticed that I've been straying from the fold. The words I use for power have been changing. I've reduced references to W…
Between decibels and milliwatts ... [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:27
Foundations of Amateur Radio Between decibels and milliwatts ... As you might recall, I've been working towards using a cheap $20 RTL-SDR dongle to measure the second and third harmonic of a handheld radio in an attempt…
Wet and Blue adventures with coax ... [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:04
Foundations of Amateur Radio Over the weekend a friend of mine convinced me to help plant some trees. Mind you, I was told that this was going to be a blue tree painting day. The Blue Tree Project is now a global awarene…
Checking attenuation numbers ... [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:35
Foundations of Amateur Radio Before we start I should give you fair warning. There are many moving parts in what I'm about to discuss and there's lots of numbers coming. Don't stress too much about the exact numbers. In…
How much attenuation is enough? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:58
Foundations of Amateur Radio Recently I had the opportunity to use a piece of professional equipment to measure the so-called unwanted or spurious emissions that a transceiver might produce. In describing this I finished…
Starting to measure spurious emissions ... [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:30
Foundations of Amateur Radio At a recent local HAMfest we set-up a table to measure second and third harmonic emissions from any handheld radio that came our way. The process was fun and we learnt lots and in due course…
Gathering Data rather than Opinions ... [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:22
Foundations of Amateur Radio There's nothing quite as satisfying as the click of a well designed piece of equipment. It's something that tickles the brain and done well it makes the hairs stand up on the back of your nec…
Jumping into the unknown ... [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:29
Foundations of Amateur Radio If you walk into your radio shack and switch on a light, the result is instantaneous, one moment it's dark, the next it's not. What if I told you that as immediate as it appears, there is act…