Why you should upgrade to General Class

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While getting a Tech license is no small feat, one of the first things you should do as a Technician is to start studying for the General Class license. Oh, I can hear the complaints and excuses already. “I’m never going to get on HF, so why should I get my General?” “I only care about emcomm and public-service communications, so why should I bother?” “I just don’t have the time right now to study for the General Class exam.”

Well, if you ask me, all of that is just hooey. If you don’t upgrade to General (and steadfastly refuse to learn code), then it’s a certainty that you’ll never operate on the HF bands. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. Why deny yourself that capability before you even try it?

Similarly, saying that all you intend to do with your ham radio license is to participate with your local CERT or SkyWarn group is fine and dandy, but public-service and emergency communications do take place on HF as well as on VHF/UHF. Why limit your usefulness as an emergency communicator by not having HF privileges?

And, if you don’t have time now, when will you have time? It’s a matter of priorities, and while the material on the General Class exam is more difficult than the material on the Tech exam, it shouldn’t take you all that much more time to study for the General Class test than it did for the Technician Class test. Not only that, waiting is only going to make it that much harder to start studying again when you do decide to do it.

Here are three great study guides to help you upgrade to General Class.

Resources
One excuse that you can’t make is that there aren’t any resource available. There are more than you could ever use. My favorite, of course, is The No-Nonsense General Class License Study Guide. It’s my favorite because I wrote it! A PDF version is available for free from my website. E-book versions are available for $7.99 from Amazon or Barnes&Noble.

Another resource is the ARRL General Class License Manual. When you buy this book, you also get practice exam software. This Windows software allows you to take randomly-generated practice exams using questions from the actual examination question pool.

Also popular is the General Class Manual by Gordon West, WB6NOA. “Gordo,” as he is known in the ham world, has been around a long time and does a great job explaining the answers and highlighting keywords. This study is also available as an audio book.

There are many more resources out there. To find them, simply Google “amateur radio general class license study guide.”

There really is no excuse not to upgrade. Once you do, you’ll be more knowledgeable about our great hobby, be a more effective communicator, and have a lot more fun with amateur radio.

Ham Radio Dipole Lengths

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Lengths of Half-Wave Dipoles – How Long Should Your Ham Dipole Be?

 

Frequency (kHz) Feet Meters
1850 252′ 11″ 77.29
1950 240′ 73.33
3550 131′ 10″ 40.28
3750 124′ 9″ 38.13
7050 66’4″ 20.28
10100 46’4″ 14.15
14100 33′ 2″ 10.14
14250 32′ 10″ 10.03
18100 25′ 10″ 7.9
21100 22′ 2″ 6.77
24940 18′ 9″ 5.73
28100 16′ 8″ 5.08
28500 16′ 5″ 5.01
29000 16′ 1″ 4.93
29500 15′ 10″ 4.84

 

The Half-Wave Dipole: Have You Built One?

With a history stretching all the way back to the work of Heinrich Hertz, the Dipole Antenna remains a staple for hams the globe over.  It’s easy to build, easy to hang, and provides predictable, reliable performance on its intended frequency. Whether you are looking for reliable net performance on 80/40m or DX work anywhere – a dipole can get the job done.
Dipole Resources
Dipole Half-Wave Length Cut Chart (you are here)
Dipole Supplies

D-STAR Brings Digital Communications to Amateur Radio

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While amateur radio operators like to think of themselves as being on the leading edge of technology, when it comes to VHF/UHF communications, we’re really more on the trailing edge. For example, VHF and UHF repeater use by amateur radio operators only became popular when a lot of surplus commercial equipment equipment became available in the 1970s.

Similarly, amateur radio operators have been slow to adopt digital communications techniques. On the VHF and UHF bands, most hams are still using analog FM radios and repeaters that require 15 kHz of bandwidth per channel and channel spacing of 20 kHz. This is not a very effective use of bandwidth. In addition, analog repeaters are limited to voice communications and to slow-speed digital communications.

Enter D-STAR
D-STAR, or Digital Smart Technologies for Amateur Radio brings true digital communications to amateur radio. Its proponents claim a number of advantages, and a number of hams are now using D-STAR radios and repeaters.

Perhaps the most compelling argument for using D-STAR is that it uses less bandwidth. A D-STAR channel requires only 6.25 kHz. That’s less than half the bandwidth needed for analog FM. Proponents like to say that two D-STAR channels can fit into the bandwidth of a single analog channel, or that D-STAR channels can be situate between two analog channels. Of course, in most areas, repeaters are not very active most of the time, so it’s not clear that these additional channels are really needed, but that’s another discussion.

Another advantage of D-STAR is digital signal quality. Because the radio digitizes the signal, voice quality is not degraded by the communications channel. The disadvantage is that it’s all or nothing. If the digital signal isn’t strong enough to be decoded, you don’t hear anything.

D-STAR also allows you to link your repeater to other D-STAR repeaters over the Internet just like you might do with EchoLink, but without the EchoLink server. Using this capability, users can send digital voice and data simultaneously and more directly to one another. Users can also access the Internet using D-STAR’s DD mode, which allows data rates up to 128 kbps.

Isn’t D-STAR proprietary?
One of the criticisms leveled at D-STAR is that it’s a proprietary standard. That’s technically not true–the D-STAR protocol and specification was developed by the Japan Amateur Radio League (JARL) and can be used by anyone. What is proprietary is the Advanced Multiband Excitation (AMBE) codec used by D-STAR radios. Use of the AMBE codec requires a license from Digital Voice Systems, Inc., the company that developed it.

What is certainly true is that the only amateur radio manufacturer currently making D-STAR equipment for the amateur radio market is Icom. As a result, if you want to operate D-STAR, you have to buy Icom radios and repeaters. Yaesu has a similar kind of digital communications system it calls WIRES, but it is not compatible with D-STAR.

This situation has not encouraged amateurs to do much experimentation with D-STAR. Despite a series of QEX articles in 2003 about D-STAR, I know of no hams that are doing any homebrewing. Nearly all those who are using D-STAR, buy radios from Icom.

Should you jump on the D-STAR bandwagon or not?
While the digital communications features afforded by D-STAR have piqued the interest of many hams, be careful before you jump on the bandwagon. First, check to see if there is a D-STAR repeater in your area. Having a D-STAR radio is not very useful if you don’t have easy access to a D-STAR repeater.

If you do have a repeater in your area, the next step is weigh the cost of the equipment vs. the added features. D-STAR radios can easily cost twice as much as analog radios. This extra expense has been one factor that has slowed the adoption of D-STAR.

If you have a D-STAR repeater in your area, and you like the people that run it, and you think that the digital communications features are worth a few extra bucks for a D-STAR radio, go for it. If not, you’re probably better off sticking with your analog radios.

Links

Echolink Connects Hams Via the Internet

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Amateur radio operators are always looking for innovative ways to communicate, and over the last 20 years, there’s been no more innovative way to communicate than the Internet. It’s only natural, then that hams would figure out a way to combine amateur radio and the Internet. One of those ways is EchoLink.

{Editor’s Note:  Check out Bernie N6FN’s great guide to EchoLink operation for more information]

EchoLink uses a technology called Voice over Internet Protocal (VoIP) to connect amateur radio operators to one another. VoIP is a method for digitizing analog audio signals and transmitting them over the Internet. While this technology is primarily used for making phone calls, EchoLink uses this technology to connect amateur radio stations over the Internet.

The result is a communication system that allows hams to communicate with other hams all over the world with just a simple handheld FM transceiver. In fact, you don’t even need a handheld. You can use your computer to connect to amateur radio repeater stations or simplex stations connected to the Internet all over the world.

Who can use EchoLink?
Most VoIP users don’t need a license to use the technology. They have a phone that connects to the Internet or a computer program like Skype. They pick up the receiver or fire up their computer program and make a phone call or a Skype call.

To use EchoLink, however, you need an amateur radio license. The reason for this is that via EchoLink, you can connect to hundreds of amateur radio stations, and those stations require that you have a license to use them.

So, before you use EchoLink, you have to register with the EchoLink service. The first thing you must do is to download, install, and run the EchoLink Software. This registers your callsign with the EchoLink system, but before you can connect to other stations, you’ll have to authenticate your callsign.

There are several ways to do this. To find out more about this step, go to http://www.echolink.org/authentication.htm. In general, validation is quick, and in hours, or at most a couple of days, your callsign will have been validated, and you will be issued a password that will then allow you to access EchoLink.

How do you use EchoLink?
Once you’ve been validated, the fun can begin. There are several different ways to access the EchoLink system. One way is to use a VHF or UHF transceiver to access a repeater that is connected to EchoLink. Using the DTMF keypad on your transceiver, you key in a code that connects the repeater to EchoLink and then the node number of the repeater or simplex station that you want to connect to. EchoLink will connect to that repeater or station and you can talk to people that can hear you there.

Another way to connect to EchoLink is with a computer program. While the original program was written for Windows, a program called EchoMac is available for Apple computers, and a program called EchoLinux is available for computers running Linux. You start the program, log into an EchoLink server, and then choose the node that you wish to connect to. This is a great way to check into your club’s 2m net if you’re on a business trip or maybe on vacation and out of range of the club repeater.

You can also connect to EchoLink if you have a smartphone. There is an app for Android phones called EchoLink for Android as well as an iPhone app. Both are available for free. The iPhone app will also run on the latest versions of the iPod.

How cool is this?
A month or so ago, I was walking home from downtown Ann Arbor, and I was monitoring the W8UM repeater with my Wouxoun KG-UVD1P. About halfway home, a British ham connected to the repeater via EchoLink. I called him back, and for the next 20 minutes, we had a great contact. How cool is that? I don’t think I’ve ever had a “real” DX contact last that long.

I’ve also used the W8UM EchoLink connection during the Boy Scout Jamboree on the Air (JOTA). Two years ago, we connected Scouts here in Ann Arbor, MI with Scouts in California, Mexico, and the Phillipines. Again, how cool is that?

Is it really ham radio?
Some hams still refuse to believe that EchoLink is worthy of being called part of amateur  radio. Their reason for this is that part of the communication is carried out over the Internet. Can you believe that? Of course, many of these guys still bemoan the elimination of the Morse Code test.

My suggestion is to just ignore these complainers and enjoy using EchoLink. Whether you use a handheld, a base station, or your computer or smartphone, EchoLink will connect you hams all over the world. That sounds like ham radio to me.

 

Choosing the Right Coax for Your Station

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Choosing the right coaxial cable for your station can certainly be confusing. There are many different types, and each has its own set of specifications. To make the right choice, you need to know what frequencies you’ll be operating, how much power you’ll be running and what kind of antennas you’ll be connecting to.

After noting the requirements, one of the first specifications to consider is the cable’s characteristic impedance. AmateurRadioSupplies.Com sells both 50-ohm and 70-ohm coaxial cable. Since most amateur radio transceivers have an output impedance of 50 ohms, we’ll concentrate on coax that has an impedance of 50 ohms.

AmateurRadioSupplies.Com sells eight different types of 50-ohm coaxial cable:

  • LMR-400
  • 9913
  • RG-213
  • BuryFlex
  • RG-8
  • LMR-240
  • RG-8X
  • RG-58

Belden 9913, LMR-400
Belden 9913 and LMR-400 are both top-of-the line. As shown in Table 1, these two cable types can handle the highest power and have the lowest loss (1.5 dB @ 150 MHz) of any cable that we sell. At 30 MHz, for example, both of these cables are rated at over 2,000 W. Of course, these two cable types costs the most.

BuryFlex
BuryFlex is a cable designed for situations where you must bury the cable underground or where flexibility is required, such as the rotator loop of a beam antenna. It has a bit more loss than Belden 9913 or LMR-400, and its power rating is a bit lower, but it is more cost-effective.

RG-213, RG-8
RG-213 and RG-8 are two high-quality cables that offer very good specifications at a slightly lower price.

LMR-240, RG-8X
These two cables are smaller than the RG-8 class of cables above. As a result, they cannot handle the power levels that the RG-8 cables can, although LMR-240 is rated at nearly 1,500 W at 30 MHz. They are also more lossy at VHF/UHF frequencies, but they weigh less and are more flexible than the RG-8 type cables, making them a good choice for feeding HF dipole antennas.

RG-58
RG-58 is the smallest and least expensive coaxial cable that we sell. This is a good general-purpose cable for HF use, especially below 15 MHz. It can handle up to 400 W and is extremely easy to use.

Marine-grade coaxial cable
AmateurRadioSupplies.Com also sells marine-grade coaxial cable. As the name implies, it was designed to be used on boats. Both RG-213 and RG-8X types are available. This cable has a white jacket and the tinned conductors to help prevent corrosion.

Knowing how you plan to use the coax cable is the key to making the right selection. Once you’ve determined that, it should be fairly easy to choose the right coax for your station.

April 7, 2013 – Amateur Radio Supplies to Giveaway Alinco DJ-G29T

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It’s springtime (or nearly so!) across most of the country.  What better way to celebrate than giving away an ultra cool new radio?!

The radio is the Alinco DJ-G29T dual band 222/902 MHz handheld radio.

Read about the radio’s specs here.

Entering to Win the Alinco is Easy!

Step 1:  Sign up for our mailing list between now and April 7, 2013 at 11:59 PM Pacific

Do it now. Takes 15 seconds!

Step 2: We instantly give you a $5.00 coupon for your 15 seconds immediately after you sign up.  We like things where everybody gets something.

Step 3 (Optional):  Tell us below in the comments field if you have operated on either 222/ or 902 MHz!

We will announce a winner on Facebook, Twitter & Our Blog on Monday April 8, 2013.

*** Please note if you already are a subscriber to our email list (Thanks!) – to enter, simply email contests@amateurradiosupplies.com with your name and callsign! ****

Not Feeling Lucky?

If you’d like to purchase one of these radios now, you can buy it here:

https://www.amateurradiosupplies.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=DJG29T

In the awesome event that you win the giveaway, we’ll refund you for your purchase and get you your free radio out ASAP!  We have limited stock on this item.

 

 

How to Build a 300 Ohm 2 Meter J-Pole Antenna

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Building a J-Pole is really quite a bit of fun.  The antenna is portable, has gain and will exceed your performance expectations.  Building the antenna itself will take about 1 hour. Below, I’ve shared some construction techniques, a simple cut diagram and, I hope, some helpful information to help you get this antenna built.

There are many different sets of instructions and visuals online detailing how to build a J-Pole.  This article marries instruction, pictures and components to the highest degree.  Meaning – -depending on the type and length of coax you use (RG-58, RG-174, RG8X and all of their variants) and the type/electrical characteristics of 300 ohm twin lead you use — you may have difficulty getting this antenna build on the first pass.  There is, however, a better way. 

Check out our J-Pole kit.  It includes coax, twin lead, heat shrink and exact step-by-step instructions.  Included in the kit, are pre-cut coax and twin lead measured and cut to the exact lengths you need to construct the antenna.  Our formula has been tested on hundreds of J-Poles using these exact components and raw materials.  Plus, if you can’t get the J-Pole working after you buy the kit – simply mail it back to us and we’ll get it into tip top shape for you and mail it back free of charge!

The J-Pole Diagram

j-pole-diagram

Please note these dimensions are only for the type of 300 ohm twin lead we include in our J-Pole kit. 

Step 1 –  Get Your Tools Ready for J-Pole Construction.

You really don’t need much in the way of the tools. A good sharp utility knife is a must. I didn’t take a picture of my soldering iron – but you will need that too.  If you want to finish it real nice (other than wrapping it in electrical tape) – you may also want to purchase a heat shrink gun.  

jpole-tools-needed
Step 2 –  Prepare the twin lead.

I like to strip about a 1/2″ off the end of one side of the twin lead. Wrap the ends and solder. Measuring about 1 and 1/4″-1 and 1/2″ up from that point – take your utility knife and remove a 1/4″ of insulation. Surgical scissors or hobby scissors come in handy once the utility knife has been used to remove the insulation.

 

Step 3 – Make Your Notch

You will need to cut a 1/4″ notch in just one side of the twinlead 16 and 1/4 inches from the bottom of the J-Pole.  Just measure the insulated wire length from the bottom (the end you prepared) and not the 1/2″ you wrapped and soldered together.


Step 3 – Prepare Coax

Preparing your coax is easy.  With your hobby knife, gently peel and remove the outer jacket of the coax.  About 1 to 1 and 1/2 inches of exposed braid will do.  Try to not nick the braid excessively.

 

Step 4 – Coax Prep Continues

Using a ball point pen to separate the center conductor from the braid is a snap. Once you’ve got it separated use a knife to expose about 3/4″ of the center conductor.  Our kit uses RG8X.  It’s much easier to work with than either RG174 or RG58.

jpole-coax-prep

Step 5 – Coax Attachment

Attaching your coax to the twin lead is really easy.  See the picture below. Solder the points of connection.  Not much solder is required to make a bullet proof joint. Once you have a satisfactory attachment, trim off the excess wire with your scissors.  I tape the coax to the twin lead for the purposes of strain relief and to make it all easier to work with.  It is very important than the coax braid attaches to the same side of the twin lead that has the notch you previously made.  Once all your connections are made, wrap it all tightly with good electrical tape.

connect-coax-jpole

Step 6 – Test it!

Chances are if you followed the instructions you have a very workable J-Pole. Use a thumb tack, tack this baby to the wall or hang it from a tree and what it can do!

Check the SWR if you can.  It should be less than 1.5 : 1 across the whole 2 meter band.  Anywthing less than 2:1 is really quite good.  If you don’t have a SWR meter – just gauge differences in repeater signals between your rubber duck antenna and the J-Pole.  If you’ve built the J-Pole correctly signals with it will be much much better.  If you need to tune the antenna (and have a SWR meter) – trying trimming off 1/4″ pieces from the top and recheck your readings.  Under no circumstances will cutting off more than an inch or so make the SWR improve.  If you can’t get the SWR better by trimming – let us know, send us what you made and we’ll fix it and tune it for you. 

Here in the picture below, I was running about 50w out at the top of 2m band. SWR was around 1.4:1.

swr-check
Step 7 – Shrink it!

Our kit includes a few inches of adhesive heat shrink wrap.  Cover the notch area with a piece about an inch long and use the rest to cover the connections at the bottom of the J-Pole. Using the heat shrink gun, gently rotate the J-Pole to give it a nice even finish with the shrink.  This is great strain relief and will keep this thing working for a long time.

jpole-shrink-wrap

Congrats you are done!

If you’d rather not build one, we have several options to buy a finished J-Pole. The link again for the 2 meter J pole kit is here.  We also sell 220, 440 and dual band 2m/440 J-poles in both finished form and kit form.

Buying Your First Radio

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Choosing your first radio is one of the most exciting and one of the most confusing things you’ll do in amateur radio. There’s the anticipation of getting on the air and talking with other hams, but there’s also the worry of wondering whether you’re making the right choice or not.

The biggest question you need to ask yourself is, “What do you want to do?” If you intend to become part of your local emergency communications team, for example, you will probably want to purchase a radio that operates on the 2m or 440 MHz bands. If you want to operate on the HF bands, however, you’ll end up making a much different choice.

VHF/UHF Radios
For VHF/UHF FM operation, you can purchase a hand-held radio, such as the Alinco DJ-V57T 2m/440 MHz, dual-band HT or a mobile/base radio, such as the Alinco DR-635T/E Transceiver. The HT, or “handy talky,” is less expensive than the mobile/base radio, but it outputs less power and generally has fewer features than the mobile/base radio.

A mobile/base radio can generally output 50 W or more (versus 5 W maximum for the HT) and is more suited for mounting in a vehicle or in your home station. The higher power gives it much more range than an HT.

HF Radios
If you intend to operate on the HF bands, you’ll want to purchase a radio such as the Alinco DX-SR8T/E SSB/CW/AM/FM Transceiver. With this “rig” you can operate on any of the HF bands–assuming that the license you have gives you the privileges to do so. Technician Class licenses can operate Morse Code (CW) on some frequencies in the 80m, 40m, 15m, and 10m bands. In addition, Technicians can operate SSB in the 10m band. General Class licensees can operate CW, SSB, and digital modes on all HF bands, but are prohibited from using some frequencies that are reserved for Advanced and Extra Class licensees.

Power Supplies
If you will be operating your radio at home station, you will also need a power supply that can supply the appropriate amount of current. To power a 100 W, HF transceiver, for example, you’ll need a power supply that can provide 20 A. To power a 50 W VHF/UHF transceiver, you’ll need a power supply that can provide 11 A or 12 A maximum. Purchasing a supply with a maximum output of 30A, such as the Alinco DM-330MVT 30 A Switching Power Supply, will allow you to operate either radio without having to worry about whether or not your power supply is capable of handling the load.

Antennas and Accessories
In addition to a radio, you’ll also have to buy or build an antenna. This, too, depends on how and where you intend to operate the radio. For example, if you plan to operate from your car or truck, you’ll want a mobile antenna that mounts on your vehicle’s roof or trunk. A popular choice for this application is the quarter-wave or 5/8-wave vertical antenna. If you plan to operate at home, a popular choice is a J-pole antenna.

Other accessories you might consider are headphones, a key or paddle to operate CW, and a logbook to record the details of contacts you make. These types of accessories make operating more enjoyable.

Ask for Advice
It’s often said, “The only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked.” If you’re unsure of which radio is right for you, ask some of your fellow amateur radio club members or the sales people at the store selling the amateur radio equipment. They should be able to give you some advice as to what approach will work for you.

For more information
For more information on this topic, download the article, “Choosing a Ham Radio: Your guide to selecting the right equipment” from the ARRL website. It provides much more detail than I can here.

Amateur Radio Supplies Announces Winner of Its “Promote Youth in Amateur Radio” Contest

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Haverhill, Mass., January 29, 2013 – Amateur Radio Supplies of Haverhill, Mass., today announced the winner of its biannual giveaway to promote youth in amateur radio DXing and contesting.

“After receiving and evaluating hundreds of entries, we’d like to congratulate our winner, Adam Donaldson of  Weston, Wisconsin,” said Jeff Demers, owner, Amateur Radio Supplies. “Adam was selected as the winner after being nominated by his scoutmaster, Roger Branton, who describes Adam as ‘an Eagle Scout, an A student, a cross-country distance runner and an all-around great teen.’ ”

Adam has been interested in electronics since he was 10. At age 15, he discovered amateur radio while visiting his grandparents, who are missionaries in southern Mexico and are both ham operators. While visiting them, he helped set up a tower and antenna system and began his first works as a ham. Adam then passed his technician’s license test and became involved in the local ham club, working his first Field Day this year as their youngest team member. He then passed his general test. He’s an excited and enthusiastic ham and volunteers his time working with the Wisconsin Valley Radio Association Club. He’s currently learning Morse Code so that he can participate in the Rookie Roundup in December. He has a two-meter rig that he uses at home, and he built his own antenna system from scratch.
“It’s Adam’s dream to someday be able to communicate with his grandparents over amateur radio airways,” said Branton. “Winning this will help him to realize this dream.”
“Because getting on HF (high frequency) in today’s economy is very challenging, especially for our youth operators, many are unable to purchase the needed equipment to get on the air,” continued Demers. “Here at Amateur Radio Supplies, we want them to experience the joy that has propelled us in this hobby for many decades. This is the first of many station sponsorships to support youth in DXing and contesting.”

Amateur Radio Supplies has awarded Adam a complete HF station, including:

  • Alinco DX-SR8T/E 160-10m All Mode Transceiver & 30 Amp PS
  • LDG AT-100 Pro II Desktop Antenna Tuner
  • Choice of Rugged All Band G5RV or HyGain DX-77A Vertical
  • 100’ of Premium RG-213 Coax
  • Vibroplex Brass Racer Iambic Paddles
  • SignaLink USB Sound Card for Digital Modes
  • Heil Pro Set Plus Headset

About Amateur Radio Supplies

Founded in 2012, Amateur Radio Supplies provides a full line of gear, including antennas, transceivers, coax, antenna wires and countless station accessories. Amateur Radio Supplies was founded in order to provide amateur radio operators with the supplies they need to pursue their passion – ham radio. Amateur Radio Supplies, www.amateurradiosupplies.com, offers low prices and a full selection of tools and station supplies, baluns, antenna wires and more.