In this multi-part series, we’re going to discuss what tools and gadgets we think are essential for the ham’s toolbox.  For my part, I’ve been a licensed ham and an electrical engineer for enough decades to have seen my share of the excellent, the decent, and the truly ugly when it comes to tools and … Continue reading The Ham’s Toolbox- Part 1: Digital Multimeters- The Hidden Difference

Please read Part 1 if you haven’t read it yet.  This article picks up where Part 1 left off. A couple of principles: Light travels slower through solids than it does through vacuum or air. Sometimes much slower.  It’s how optical lenses work.  And remember, light and RF are the same thing: electromagnetic waves of … Continue reading So What’s Happening Inside My Coax? Part 2

This article is rather long but it may be worth your time.  If you’re in a hurry, jump to Conclusions. A coax cable is like a steel beam in a bridge: You don’t see anything moving but there is a lot going on inside.  (There is outside, too, but that’s another article.) Coaxial cable or … Continue reading So What’s Happening Inside My Coax?