Welcome to

My QSO Journey

Call Sign: KZ7K | Location: Maricopa, Arizona

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ExtraLicense Class
133Countries Worked
11,429QSO’s Logged

After 10 years of playing radio in a grey area and procrastinating on getting licensed, December 15, 2025 I finally attempted and passed my Technician exam and initially that was the only thing I wanted But 3 days later I passed my General and on January 27, 2026 I passed my Amateur Extra.

Today I spend my time chasing DX contacts, operating portable from remote locations, working DX stations on FT8, and training for emergency communications situations.

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QSO Journey - Monument Valley desert shack illustration

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Explore By Topic

Every guide on this site ties back to one of these roadmaps. Jump to the one that matches where you’re at.

Start HereNew to the hobby? Begin with this roadmap Building Your First StationAntennas, cables, and shack builds Clubs and NetsFinding, joining, and running a club or net Emergency Comms & PrepARES, RACES, Winlink, and what actually holds up Getting LicensedStudy path, exam day, and what comes after Getting On The AirHF, digital modes, and making contacts GMRS Complete GuideThe $35 license, radios, and real-world range Handheld Radios (HTs)Choosing, comparing, and programming your first HT Mesh NetworkingMeshtastic, MeshCore, and AREDN explained PACE Communications PlanA plan for when the grid goes down Where To Spend Your MoneyA buying guide that won’t burn you

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Start Here If You’re New

Fresh off the bench

Latest From The Blog

  • Getting Started with Cheap SDR Receivers: RTL-SDR and HackRF

    What a $30 RTL-SDR dongle can actually do, how HackRF extends that, and how to get either one running.

  • Building a DIY Magnetic Loop Antenna From Scratch

    Commercial mag loops are expensive. Here’s what it actually takes to build one yourself.

  • Why Ham Radio Matters: A Hobby, a Lifeline, and a Century of Proof

    Why ham radio still matters: the hobby, what it does for you, your family, and your town, and a century of times it kept people alive when everything else failed.

  • Why HF Radio Matters Most When the Grid Goes Down

    Why HF radio is critical when the grid goes down: NVIS keeps you connected to your region, and HF DX lets you poll other states and continents for news.

  • Your First DMR Codeplug on the AnyTone 878, 890, or BridgeCom Maverick: Where to Start

    Opened the AnyTone CPS and have no idea which menu comes first? Here is the exact order to build a DMR codeplug on the 878, 890, or BridgeCom Maverick, and why building out of order leaves you staring at empty dropdowns.

  • Your Repeater Is Not a Plan: Why HF NVIS Matters Just as Much

    Without the repeater, VHF/UHF is line of sight. Here’s why HF NVIS matters as much, and how I’d layer both into a real SHTF comms plan.

  • My Yaesu FTX-1 Go-Box: 100 Watts, HF Through UHF, in One Watertight Case

    My FTX-1 Optima go-box: a watertight hard case holding the radio, the SPA-1 amp, and antennas for HF and VHF/UHF. 16.5 lbs, 12 x 12 x 7 inches.

  • Where Are the Young Hams? Not at Your Club Meeting

    Younger operators are all over radio. They’re just not at club meetings. My take on GMRS, mesh, unlicensed Baofengs, and what clubs need to change.

  • How to Use AI to Program Your Ham Radio (With a Free CHIRP File)

    I gave an AI assistant one plain-English prompt and got back a CHIRP-ready CSV with my local repeaters, calling frequencies, weather channels, and more. Here is the prompt, the file, and what you have to verify.

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Clearing the shack

Gear I’m Selling

I periodically clear out gear I’m not using anymore. Take a look at what’s currently up for grabs.

See What’s For Sale

Ready to test?

Get Licensed, Online

I’m a licensed Volunteer Examiner and run online exam sessions using ExamTools and HamStudy, no folding table or community center required. Whether you’re going for your Technician or upgrading to Extra, I’ll help you find a session and walk you through what to bring.

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