Luke KR4CYF

@[email protected]
19 Followers
17 Following
19 Posts
New to Ham Radio, in Georgia USA, figuring things out. Interested in HF, POTA, SDR, getting back into electronics generally.
pronounshe/him
bloghttps://li.mnino.us/kr4cyf/
Show threadLuke KR4CYFJan 2

On getting an sBitx for my first radio - in 2025 I made 57 QSOs mostly via FT8 (40 confirmed QSLs by LOTW), a couple every week or two this fall, including to Italy, Greece, Belgium, France, Dominican Republic, and Cuba on 80m, 40m, 20m, and 15m. A good start! #HamRadio

https://li.mnino.us/kr4cyf/on-the-air-with-an-sbitx-mostly-ft8

On the air with an sBitx, mostly FT8

By the end of summer I was ready to decide on a first HF transceiver. Looking for SSB and digital modes and the possibility of portable/b...

KR4CYF
Show threadLuke KR4CYFJan 1
Adding a grain of salt, really a question of how far from working condition it is. Will pick it up next week and start to see.
Luke KR4CYFJan 1
Well, this might be an unexpected direction for my #HamRadio 2026 adventures - just spoke with a local who is gifting me the Heath HW-101 he built 50 years ago when he was getting into ham. Might even be in working condition? Like my grandpa's old woodworking planes, aim to get it cleaned up and keep it in use. Looks like https://www.frostburg.edu/personal/latta/ee/hw101/hw101.html is a good resource for restoring and figuring it out, in that wonderful old human web way.
The Heathkit HW-101 - Main Page and Photos of the Restored Transceiver

The Heathkit HW-101 - Main Page and Photos of the Restored Transceiver

Show threadLuke KR4CYFDec 31
And then I spent to summer thinking about and trying out some rudimentary #HamRadio antennas, while still just listening in https://li.mnino.us/kr4cyf/a-first-antenna-or-antennas
A first antenna - or antennas

With a fresh Ham Radio license on my wall alongside a printout of the US Amateur Radio Bands, and the woodshop shed likely to become my h...

KR4CYF
Luke KR4CYFDec 31
To wrap up a first year of #HamRadio, I got started on blogging my experience First, I had to study for the exam https://li.mnino.us/kr4cyf/a-year-ago-i-began-my-ham-radio-adventure
A year ago I began my ham radio adventure

Pushed by a few friends joy with electronics and tales of portable radio fun in parks for POTA, and with Hurricane Helene's aftermath a r...

KR4CYF
Luke KR4CYFSep 25
#HamRadio Waterfall design question: on the #sbitx the past waterfall lines don't move with the vfo (centerline) so scanning/tuning around smears the waterfall to what seems to me much less utility. (history gaps with tuning outside the span, sure). I got used to the #airspy sdr computer display where the span can be all of the band you're interested and tuning moves the line (not fixes center). What do other radios do, I don't see folks complaining about this UI choice so maybe it's expected?
Luke KR4CYFSep 18, 2025
I'd ordered a #sBitx right when DHL stopped delivering to the US, and now just heard it'll be here Saturday. Nearly ready to get on the air!
Luke KR4CYFSep 15, 2025
Learning that tossing a weighted line in a tree to string up an EFHW is harder than it looks. I grinned a bit at the ham club member with slingshot-mounted fishing reel, but now it sounds like a pretty good plan! I'll keep working on my throw-weight arm for now...
Luke KR4CYFMay 14, 2025
While I continue to play with listening in on the RTL-SDR, I'm weighing either the sBitz or QMX+ for a potentially portable but initially in a corner of my shack start to things. Even tempted by the QDX as an even smaller jump into FT8 and cheap enough to not worry about doing as a kit and failing or flailing.