Tag Archives: prepper

Discussing Vertical And Wire Antennas.

      4 Comments on Discussing Vertical And Wire Antennas.
vertical and wire antennas

A topic so deep and wide. I messing around with you. There is no such thing as an antenna specifically for off grid radio. But since off grid amateurs tend to be practical, do-it-yourself types, some vertical and wire antennas are more more appealing than others. What are the options,… Read more »

Any Day Can Be Field Day.

      16 Comments on Any Day Can Be Field Day.
off grid radio training

My one-man Field Day. off grid radio training For amateurs who are into off grid radio for preparedness/emergency purposes, I have a blunt reality check for you: You’re probably not as prepared as you think you are. And you’re most likely not off grid radio training enough. Participating in Field… Read more »

Avoid These Five Common Off Grid Mistakes!

OFF GRID MISTAKES

It seemed like a good idea at the time. I don’t know how I compare to others, but my three-plus decade amateur radio career is littered with failed projects and off grid mistakes. Much of it can be explained away as valuable learning experiences, but as I look back, there… Read more »

Everything But The Ham.

      6 Comments on Everything But The Ham.
unlicensed radio communications

It’s about ham-less options. I’m going to assume that everyone who reads this blog is either a currently licensed ham, or at least vaguely interested in becoming one. With that kind of a demographic, why should I even entertain the idea of covering non-ham radio communications? Well, it’s all about… Read more »

If You Missed The Train, Don’t Worry. There Will Be Another.

covid-19

There’s a buzz about radio, and it’s not on the radio. The amateur radio social media pages and web forums are suddenly buzzing with activity. Mostly it’s from people who are not hams but want to become one. This anecdotal evidence is supported by a notable increase in web traffic… Read more »

The Off Grid Ham 100 Watts for $300 Solar Energy Plant, 2020 Update.

off grid ham radio on a budget

A good value for the money never goes out of style. Back in February of 2016 the Off Grid Ham 100 Watts for $300 solar project made its debut. Over four years later it is still one of the most-viewed articles on this website with several hundred hits every month…. Read more »

Exploring Edison Batteries.

      20 Comments on Exploring Edison Batteries.
Edison batteries

Revisiting the old school. Most radio amateurs have never even heard of Edison batteries. Edisons been around for over 100 years, and while they enjoyed some early popularity, they more or less left the scene by 1910. Lately though they’ve been getting more attention from the off grid community. So… Read more »

The Off Grid Ham 2019 Year In Review.

      12 Comments on The Off Grid Ham 2019 Year In Review.
2019

Thanks for making OGH a great website. 2019 has been a great year for Off Grid Ham! We racked up twenty-two articles (including this one), tens of thousands of page views, and a growing reader base from all over the world. It’s not lost on me that you readers are… Read more »

Survival Skills: When It’s No Longer A Hobby.

      7 Comments on Survival Skills: When It’s No Longer A Hobby.

Like it or not, you may become “that guy” (or girl). Amateur radio means different things to different people. Some like to tinker and experiment. Others are into DX or contests, or maybe community service projects. No matter what your motivations are, amateur radio serves a secondary usefulness that goes… Read more »

Go Box Zen 2.0

      6 Comments on Go Box Zen 2.0

Has it really been that long? I didn’t realize it’s been over three years since the last time Off Grid Ham specifically addressed go boxes. If the internet discussions and on air chatter are any indicator, it’s a very popular way to operate. It’s way past time to revisit the… Read more »

Communications Security (as good as it gets).

Beyond OPSEC. Last month we discussed operational security (OPSEC) and why it’s important to off grid hams. As a follow up to that, it’s worthwhile to talk about how to keep your communications private. After all, operational security is very difficult without also having some form of communications security. The… Read more »

Operational Security (OPSEC) For The Radio Amateur.

opsec

It seems so innocuous. Have you ever spotted an impressive antenna on someone’s house and thought, “wow, now there’s a kickass setup!” Or maybe you have a neighbor who goes for a one hour jog at the same time every day. What about that house up your street that is very… Read more »