Vertical antennas, often simply known to amateurs as “verticals,” are antennas in which the driven element is vertical. Most common verticals are simply a piece of wire or aluminum tubing mounted vertically, but others, such as those designed for mobile … Read More
Mobile antennas are designed to be used for operation while in motion. Their uses include pedestrian mobile operation while walking, bicycle-mounted antennas for use while riding, and the most common form, automobile-mounted antennas for use … Read More
Resistance and Resistivity Resistance (R) is the measure of how much an object – a resistor – opposes the flow of electric current. The resistance of an object is measured in Ohms (<math>\Omega</math>) Resistivity (<math>\Rho</math>) is a measure of … Read More
What is a decibel dB? Some facts a decibel is the ratio of two power measurements decibels have no units decibels is a logarithmic relationship a decibel is 1/10 of a Bel decibels were created … Read More
What is SWR? When there is a mismatch between the output impedance of a transmitter and input impedance of an antenna, some of the signal – in the form of a wave – is reflected … Read More
What Is Capacitors? A capacitor, also known as a condenser, is a device that stores energy in an electrical field. Capacitors are open circuits to DC current, but their impedance drops as AC current passing through … Read More
Otherwise known as transmission lines, feedlines are used to transfer RF energy between a Transmitter, Receiver or transceiver and the antenna. Types Three types of feed lines are used by amateurs: Coax, Balanced Line, and Waveguide. … Read More
What is it? The sunspot cycle is generally known to be a cycle of approximately 11 years between successive peaks in sunspot activity. What is less known and understood is that with each successive 11-year … Read More
Why use a dummy load? A Dummy Load is used instead of an antenna when a transceiver is tested or adjusted. Reasons for using a dummy load include: using a transceiver without a load – … Read More
Extracted from Wikipedia: Skip zone. A skip zone also called a silent zone or zone of silence is a region where a radio transmission can not be received located between regions both nearer and further from … Read More