Some Of My Favorite POTA Activations From the Past Two Years

Here they are! From Iowa to South Dakota to Arizona. Here are a handful of places I've enjoyed activating these past two years. ==> 73 de K0BUB

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If I Owned Just One Rig...

This is my experience of having been a ham for nearly 30 years. And it comes with a cautionary note. If you’re a new ham, don’t do it! Don’t go out and buy this QRP rig without having first A) gotten your General. B) experienced the full breadth of HF (or pretty close). And C) Understand what’s going to change with HF, as the sunspot cycle shifts. The rig I’m speaking of is, of course, the Icom 705. I’ve owned numerous radios over the years, and not one of them has compared to my ‘705. Now, you read the cautionary points above, what do I, myself, like about this radio? As a POTA activator (who operates FT-8), I enjoy making contacts with a mac-based program called SDR Control. I like this program over WSJT-X, as it offers just the right amount of features to lure me in (and that includes operating my Icom 705 wirelessly)! As the Icom 705 only outputs 10 watts, it's perfect, as 10 watts is all you'll ever need for FT-8 (assuming you're okay with mainly making contacts within your home country). When required, I also sync time with the Icom 705’s internal GPS using the GPS Dashboard software. All in all, these two programs (if you have a mac) are must-haves, along with the Icom 705 (if you think it's something you’ll utilize). ==> 73 de K0BUB

I Have a New About Page

It felt like the right time to share a few words about why this site exists. You can read the new About page here. It’s nothing major — just a bit of context. Thanks for stopping by. ==> 73 de K0BUB

My Favorite Thing To Do With Parks on the Air

I’ve been doing Parks on the Air for nearly two years, and see it as a break from my day to day life. I don’t get to the parks all that often, but when I do, I enjoy doing FT-8. A quick trip to one of the parks means I’m generally getting away for an hour or so, and that’s enough of a “reset” for me. ==> 73 de K0BUB

More Parks on the Air Fun

I've been activating for "Parks on the Air" as often as I can — sometimes weekly or five or six times a month. Here are some photos of my experiences. ==> 73 de K0BUB

My Personal Frequencies for the Icom 705 (RT Systems programming file)

For anyone interested, this is a zipped file of 179 of My Personal Frequencies for the Icom 705. It is an RT Systems programming file for the HF, VHF, and UHF frequencies that I listen to within a 40-mile radius of West Des Moines, Iowa. The RT Systems software (and accompanying USB cable) is available for purchase at RT Systems, Inc. ==> 73 de K0BUB

My First Three POTA Activations (2023)

Using my laptop, an Icom 705, and a 17' whip, I started Parks on the Air activations in July 2023. NOTE: The main pack featured in this video is the Endurax Extra Large Camera DSLR/SLR Backpack. ==> 73 de K0BUB

Off Duty APRS Station

I have a renewed interest in APRS. I am currently maintaining two APRS stations at my home. One is for a base station operation and one is for a portable operation. ==> 73 de K0BUB

Playing Radio in a Central Iowa County Park

My friend and I set up in a Central Iowa County Park a few weeks back, and enjoyed one of the last nice days of 2022. My first contact was to Canada on 20 meters at 5 watts! ==> 73 de K0BUB

The “Ham Radio” Phonetic Alphabet

Since I am in and out of ham radio so often (and since my memory isn’t what it used to be), I can appreciate this visual reminder of the “Ham Radio” Phonetic Alphabet. ==> 73 de K0BUB

Icom 705 Data Modes

Earlier this year, I created some videos on how to setup the Icom 705 for various data modes. Check out my YouTube playlist here. NOTE: These videos are for reference purposes only. ==> 73 de K0BUB

I Support the ARRL

I am supporting the ARRL, year in and year out, regardless of whether I am active on the bands. They are the one consistent path to lawmakers that amateur radio has. ==> 73 de K0BUB

Some Station Photos

Here are some station photos from 2021-2025. ==> 73 de K0BUB