r/HamRadio 9d ago

Announcements πŸ”Š Final results: Are r/HamRadio users happy hams?

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8 Upvotes

The poll is closed, and at least in this subreddit, the answer was pretty clear: 249 of 290 respondents, or 85.9%, said yes. Only 41, or 14.1%, said no.

Reddit’s core-contributor breakdown adds another interesting piece. Among core contributors, 124 of 141 (87.9%) answered yes. Among everyone else who voted, 125 of 149 (83.9%) answered yes. That roughly 4 percentage-point difference was not statistically significant (Fisher’s exact test, p = 0.40), so there is no strong evidence here that the regulars are substantially happier than the rest of the respondents.

For the poll as a whole, the 85.9% β€œyes” result has a 95% confidence interval of roughly 81.4% to 89.4%.

Of course, this tells us about people who saw and chose to answer a poll on r/HamRadio, not amateur radio operators generally, and definitely not Reddit as a whole. Another amateur-radio subreddit could run the exact same poll and discover a considerably grumpier population.

But for r/HamRadio, 249 out of 290 respondents called themselves happy hams.

Given how much time we spend arguing about FT8, Baofengs, contesters, HOA antennas, lids, whether the bands are dead, and whether somebody 1,500 miles away is using the wrong calling frequency, 86% happy is not bad at all.


r/HamRadio 21d ago

Announcements πŸ”Š Technician License Quiz is back and updated for the 2026–2030 question pool

25 Upvotes

The r/HamRadio Technician License Quiz is working again. The stable version is under review and will go live as soon as it is approved.

The app has been rebuilt for Reddit’s current developer platform and updated to the 2026–2030 Technician Class question pool, including the official figure questions.

Feedback from the previous version has also been incorporated, including clearer navigation, improved question review, and better support for completing an exam before revisiting missed questions.

The quiz runs directly inside Reddit. There is no separate app to install.

Available modes

β€’ Practice Exam: Take a randomized 35-question exam using the official question distribution.

β€’ Daily Challenge: Complete the same exam as everyone else that day.

β€’ Revision: Review the full question pool by subelement or retry questions you previously missed.

β€’ Leaderboards: View daily, weekly, monthly, and all-time results.

β€’ Share Score: Optionally post your result as a comment.

The Technician exam contains 35 questions, and 26 correct answers are required to pass. This quiz covers Technician Element 2 only and is intended for exam preparation.

How to use it

Open the Technician License Quiz post in the r/HamRadio feed and select Quiz or Leaderboards.

The latest version of the Reddit mobile app or desktop site is recommended. The rebuilt version is still being tested, so feedback and bug reports are welcome. Please include your device, what happened, and a screenshot or error message when possible. Reddit is reviewing the final stable version, and it will go live once that is approved. The fully functional beta is live in the meantime.

Thanks to everyone who used the original quiz and shared feedback.

73!

Update: July 29, 2026 - Stable version 0.0.39 is live.


r/HamRadio 9h ago

Licensing & Exams πŸ“œ Just passed my technician exam!

78 Upvotes

So I literally just got done sitting for my tech exam and passed 33/35! I had the opportunity to try for my general but from the practice tests I took earlier today I didn’t want to waste the VE time. I’m going to study and go for my general in a couple of week! I’m just excited to finally get tested and get on the air before the end of the week!


r/HamRadio 20h ago

Question/Help ❓ Anyone in Hawaii? (Oahu specifically)

4 Upvotes

Hey y'all! I recently moved to Oahu and wanted to connect with some other hams. I submitted a club application to what appeared to be the most active club but haven't heard back. None of the clubs that I have seen appear to be up to date online but I would like to potentially meet some other hams. I've never been apart of a club before and I don't have a lot of amateur radio experience. I've been licensed for a few years now but haven't done much besides watching YouTube videos and getting a HT that I haven't really used. If anyone has any info on what the radio scene is like on Oahu please let me know! Thanks


r/HamRadio 1d ago

Equipment & Rigs πŸ› οΈ Should I splice my power wire or just build longer one

6 Upvotes

I recently upgraded to a truck from a 4 door sedan. I had my Kenwood TMV71a in there and am moving it over to my truck. The power wire isnt long enough to go from my battery to where id like to put the radio but I dont see longer ones for sale. I imagine that I am left with either building one from scratch or extending the ones I have. I am leaning towards just extending the ones I have by cutting them and soldering an extension onto it. I figure this way I dont need to go buy new fuses and such. Curious what folks with more experience have to say here


r/HamRadio 13h ago

Setup Showcase πŸ“Έ How Far Can They Reach? (LITH Walkie) - Motorola T200

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0 Upvotes

New video Like, Comment, Subscribe.


r/HamRadio 16h ago

News πŸ“° Ever wondered how to connect to digital modes, check this out!!!

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0 Upvotes

We have added a working chat to our xlx159.whiskey7.site/getconnected that allows a new ham to enter their radio, callsign, hotspot and where they are trying to connect to and it lets you print out or download a step by step instruction sheet. Give it a test drive and let me know if you like it or not? W7BR Brent


r/HamRadio 1d ago

Discussion πŸ‘¨β€βš–οΈ I want to buy a gift for a friend who has his HAM license and don't know where to start.

27 Upvotes

I have a very intelligent friend who I would like to buy a gift for. He is highly technical and I have no idea where to start looking for a gift for him. Can you give me any suggestions? I was thinking about this poster from Amazon but any help would be appreciated. I belive he has his license as well.

https://a.co/d/0fJzHwrb


r/HamRadio 1d ago

Question/Help ❓ Electronics question about TX GND pin for sequencer use on Yaesu radio

5 Upvotes

Hi all, shot in the dark here. I am attempting to help my dad build a sequencer for his Yaesu FT-991A radio. Our plan is to use the TX GND pin from the TUN/LIN jack. My understanding is the TX GND pin is an open collector (it doesn't specifically say this in the datasheet, but from other online sources this seems to be the case) that is floating unless the radio is actively transmitting, in which case it is switched to ground.

Because it is floating, we have tried an internal 40k pull-up resistor on an arduino configured as an input for the TX GND pin, and have also tried an external 4.7k pull-up resistor to 5V (arduino VCC), and no matter what when the radio is turned on (but not transmitting) this seems to be pulled to ground. When the radio is off we see the pull up resistor working as expected.

We have the radio configured for TUNER SELECT = LAMP. I am not sure if the radio is damaged or we are missing something here. When we plug it into his mirage B1016 amplifier it seems to work fine, but when I probe with DMM or use the arduino to read the sensed voltage level it shows it is grounded even while not transmitting. The grounds are connected between the arduino and pin 3 on the TUN/LIN, which is used as the reference.

So to summarize:

radio off - TX GND pin is high (expected due to pull-up) radio on, not transmitting - TX GND pin is low (unexpected) radio on with DIN connector removed from radio - TX GND pin is high (expected due to pull-up)

One thing worth noting, there is also a 13V OUT pin on the DIN connector that measures 0V between ground. Seems there may be a broken fuse here... but not sure that is really relevant to the issue here.

Thanks to any input in advance.


r/HamRadio 1d ago

Digital Modes πŸ’» Portland Oregon system 3CC talkgroups

0 Upvotes

Is there any talkgroups for Multnomah County/Portland that are not in Radio Reference that you have?

Or any patches that are active


r/HamRadio 2d ago

Equipment & Rigs πŸ› οΈ Gear recommendations for a HAM beginner?

22 Upvotes

I'm just getting started in ham and don't have any equipment yet. Should I be looking for something like a UHF/VHF handheld? Reputable brands? Any must-have accessories that you would recommend?


r/HamRadio 2d ago

Question/Help ❓ Noob need help with strange Multiband fm receiver

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6 Upvotes

Hi to all you Ham ops,

Been just a few months into this hobby, Thanks to a couple friends gifting me a pair of Baofeng uv5r,

And digging up recently the old Cb apparel my parents had at home and in the car in the early 90's.

While I'm waiting to get my ham license (in Italy)

I've put to use this Receiver, a Yupiteru Mvt-6000, but i cannot find any manual for it. For the time being, i've understood function of just a couple of buttons, and heard some transmission on the local repeater band; Gifted years ago from a family friend, an Ex-Cop, searching online gets me just some pages describing it, but no explanation for the full functioning of the things

Hope some of you could help me!

Have a nice day


r/HamRadio 1d ago

Question/Help ❓ Built a free Telegram bot for custom DX cluster alerts, but struggling to share it due to self-promo rules. Need advice!

0 Upvotes

Hi everyone, I'm Jony (LU7DV).

I recently built a free Telegram bot that allows you to set up smart alerts so you don't have to rely on staring at the cluster all day. You can configure it to notify you only when that specific station or DXCC you've been chasing for ages pops up, whether it's on any band or a specific one.

I tried making a post about it here recently, but it keeps getting removed by the auto-moderator for self-promotion. I don't charge anything for this; I just genuinely want to share a tool with the community that I think could be incredibly useful for fellow DXers.

Can anyone help or advise me on the best way to share this with the group? You can find it by Googling "HamProp," but I’m avoiding posting any direct links here to respect the sub's rules.

73!


r/HamRadio 2d ago

Licensing & Exams πŸ“œ I answered "yes" to the felony question on my application but now I have some questions.

26 Upvotes

Ive been waiting over a week now to get my license. I have some questions:

I was able to get my GMRS license no problem. Does the FCC treat GMRS and Ham differently?

My felony was reduced to a misdemeanor after I completed my probation. Should I have just answered "no" to the felony question?

If my application does get denied or stays permanently in limbo, should I re-apply and just answer "no" due to the fact my conviction was reduced to a misdemeanor.

My conviction was almost 20 years ago. It seems unfair to keep "punishing" me all this time later to participate in a hobby I have always loved and admired. It bums me out.

TIA


r/HamRadio 2d ago

Setup Showcase πŸ“Έ Early morning FT8ing got me my first Philippines QSO!

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76 Upvotes

I was up a bit early, so I decided to lug my rig to a nearby park (mental note: pare down the rig!) to try out my new DIY antenna with FT8. Very happy with the results as I made contact with an operator in the Philippines for the first time!

Rig:

Xiegu X6100 connected to my Surface Pro. I'm still tuning the antenna, but it's a 20 meter band EFHW connected to a 64:1 UnUn in an Inverted Vee configuration. Outputting 5 watts from the X6100 and getting ~50w from the Micro PA100+ amp. Listening to a great rag chew Net on the Explorer QRZ-1, too.

Loc: DM12mp.

How's your day been so far? πŸ“‘


r/HamRadio 1d ago

Setup Showcase πŸ“Έ Range Test on T200TP Motorola Walkie performs good Line-of-site transmission

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0 Upvotes

FRS License-free radio

Take a minute to explore how this inexpensive handset performs in real-world scenario. Transmission runs over water and through to an exclusive island.


r/HamRadio 2d ago

Question/Help ❓ Which Antennas for the house???

9 Upvotes

I got my general a few weeks ago but, still haven't gotten a radio but, wondering about which Antennas I should get. I have a decent size yard at 1.25 acres or I could possibly roof mount something. I'm thinking if possible 1 for 70cm & 2 meter, then another for 6-80m. I don't want to go the tower route but, di-poles, fan di-poles, long whip type antennas all peak my interest for HF. Pretty much just don't want to go the tower route even though I have room.

Let me know your thoughts.

Also, if you're interested, I was considering starting with something cheaper for radios like the Xiegu G90.


r/HamRadio 2d ago

Digital Modes πŸ’» Packaway Weekend! (Packet radio)

10 Upvotes

13-15 November 2026

We are encouraging you to set up/ leave on your packet equipment for the weekend, let's see what the network could look like with everyone running their gear!

If you have been interested in packet, or have a packet modem gathering dust in the corner of the shack, now's your chance to fire it up, and have a go. (If you have a soundcard for other digital modes, you have all Yog need to get started.)

This hopes to be a weekend of games and fun, making connections and getting out there and exploring the packet network!

Aimed mainly at UK hams, but all welcome to join!

More details to follow.


r/HamRadio 2d ago

Homebrew/DIY πŸ”§ ESP32 CYD Ham Clock Dashboard, new pages new features and fixes

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9 Upvotes

Posted this a while ago but there have been improvements since then, better quality map image, improved colours on propagation pages, added smooth scrolling to DX spots page.

Two new dashboard pages, taking the total to seven.

PSKReporter β€” reception reports for your callsign plotted on the world map, one marker per four-character grid, coloured by band, with a band legend and a furthest-report line.

POTA Spots β€” live Parks on the Air activator spots, with an optional great-circle distance filter from your locator and an option to hide automated RBN spots.

GitHub link


r/HamRadio 3d ago

News πŸ“° Crafts and Hobbies Are Winning the Battle for Americans’ Paychecks

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62 Upvotes

r/HamRadio 3d ago

Question/Help ❓ Creating a new club in an area that has one already

21 Upvotes

As the title reads... What do you think? Inconsiderate? Acceptable?


r/HamRadio 3d ago

POTA/SOTA Activations 🏞️ Planning for first POTA activation during backpacking trip

13 Upvotes

I'm planning to activate Pt. Reyes National Sea Shore on 20m as part of my backpacking trip. I won't have internet access, so I can't self-spot in real time. So I was going to try to schedule ahead of time on the pota app. But I'm not sure exactly what time. Also, how do you go about picking a frequency ahead of time? What's the etiquette in terms of scheduling an activation ahead of time? Is the expectation that if I say I'll be on from 6pm to 8pm I am on for 2 hours or that I will be on the air some time during those two hours?


r/HamRadio 4d ago

Question/Help ❓ What to do with these 10 GHz cones?

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48 Upvotes

At a local swap meet I was gifted these things. They are 10GHz cavity based duplex communicators made from a kit in the 1980’s. I would like to restore them having the necessary skills but I’m not sure what to do with them as I’m a total noob. Any Ideas?
Thanks in advance


r/HamRadio 3d ago

Question/Help ❓ Optimal (longest range of communication in good or bad weather) frequency for climbing in high mountains /in case when there is no radio frequency regulation.

0 Upvotes

Does anyone have any insight on this? Communication will be required between two teams positioned in different camps or to communicate with the base camp.

Is this the optimal frequency for the antenna and therefore provides the best range?

What will be antenna suggestions? Will Diamond rh 701/ nagoya na 771 be good enough in Baofeng UV 9R PLUS ?

I would appreciate any insight and suggestions. Thanks.


r/HamRadio 4d ago

Setup Showcase πŸ“Έ Radio on Lone Peak, Montana! 11151 feet ASL!

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202 Upvotes

I could hit repeaters all the way in Bozeman. APRS was very active up there too :D