Heartland Ham Radio

08/15/2026

NAQP SSB is happening today, and I’m streaming the whole thing live! 🎙️📡
Whether you’re jumping into the contest yourself or you can’t get on the air this weekend, you’re invited to hang out with us on the live stream. Come listen in, learn how the contest works, ask questions, and enjoy the pileups as they happen in real time.
It’s a great chance to see contesting from the operator’s seat — no radio required. Come join the fun and say hi in the chat. Let’s make this a great NAQP!

🎙️ Live from the Shack: North American QSO Party! ☀️Join me for th...

08/15/2026

Tomorrow is NAQP SSB, and if you’ve ever thought about trying contesting, this is a great one to jump into. 📻

The North American QSO Party is one of my favorite contests to recommend to newer contesters. You don’t need a huge station, an amplifier, or an entire weekend carved out of your schedule. It’s a relatively short contest, everyone is limited to 100 watts, and the exchange is simple: name and state/province/DX location.

Even if you only have an hour or two, get on the air and make some contacts. Try calling CQ. Search and pounce. See how many states you can work. Maybe set a small goal of 25, 50, or 100 QSOs.

And for those of us who have been contesting for a while, NAQP is a great chance to knock the rust off before the fall contest season really gets rolling.

You don’t have to be trying to win anything. Just get on the air, make some QSOs, learn something, and have fun.

Hope to hear a bunch of you tomorrow. Listen for AF0F! 🎙️📡

08/11/2026

📡 Sometimes the adventures in amateur radio don’t make the logbook.

While visiting Skagway, Alaska last week, I made an attempt to activate Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park for Parks on the Air (POTA). The plan was simple: bring the QRP gear ashore, find a spot, put up a small antenna, and make some contacts from one of the most scenic places I’ve ever operated.

Reality had other plans. 😂

Between the steep mountain terrain surrounding Skagway, limited operating time, power limitations, some technical issues, and antenna limitations, the logbook stayed empty.

But that’s part of the adventure.

Portable operating is about more than just the contacts. It’s about figuring out what works, learning what doesn’t, adapting, and enjoying the experience. Standing there with the mountains around me, a tiny radio on the table, and an antenna, I was reminded why I enjoy this hobby so much.

The activation may have been a “zero pointer,” but the memories were definitely worth it.

A huge thanks to the folks who make POTA possible. Every attempt teaches something new, and I can’t wait until the next one.

73!
AF0F

07/28/2026

My First WRTC Station Contact, MB5O (DJ5MW & DM5EE), 15M CW

07/25/2026

Come hang out in the shack today. We'll be doing some POTA hunting, Alabama QSO Party, and IOTA! It's a busy weekend on the airwaves. Come see how band conditions are!

Join me for a live amateur radio adventure as we search the airwave...

07/19/2026

I ran into some audio issues during today’s live stream, so I’ve unlisted the video on YouTube.

I tracked the problem down to a rogue audio source hiding inside one of my OBS scenes. It has now been found, removed, and encouraged to reconsider its life choices.

Thanks to everyone who stuck with me through the echo. I learned something new today, and just like in radio, sometimes things do not go according to plan. The good news is the issue should be fixed going forward.

07/11/2026

One of the biggest international weekends in amateur radio is here!

I’ll be live this Saturday for the 2026 IARU HF World Championship, with WRTC 2026 happening at the same time in England.

WRTC is often called the Olympics or World Cup of amateur radio contesting. Fifty two-person teams made up of some of the best contest operators in the world will compete from standardized stations using special British callsigns beginning with **MB**.

We’ll be operating HF voice from the home station, chasing countries, ITU zones, headquarters stations, and as many WRTC teams as propagation will allow.

The WRTC operators’ identities remain hidden during the contest, so we won’t know who was behind each callsign until afterward.

Come hang out, follow the action, ask questions, and experience international HF contesting from the operator’s seat.

Work everyone. Spot everyone.

📺 Watch live: https://youtube.com/live/M7kORrN81TI?feature=share

07/07/2026

Safe travels to all of the WRTC teams heading to England this week!

The WRTC is the equivalent of the Olympics or World Cup of amateur radio contesting, bringing together the best operators from around the world to compete on a level playing field.

I can’t wait to see how many of you I can work this weekend. If you hear a WRTC station, give them a call—and if you make the contact, toss them a spot to help others find them too.

Good luck to every team, and here’s to great propagation, full logs, and plenty of fun.

Have fun with your radio. Be kind. Stay curious. 73!

07/04/2026

Ok the storms have moved out, but of course the sun "burped" so we'll see how this goes today. Come hang out in the ham shack!

Join me for a Saturday HF Live Stream! Several on air activities go...