A station is a system. The radio gets the attention, but the antenna, the feedline and the noise floor decide what you actually hear. Spend money in that order — antenna, feedline, radio — and you will out-perform people who did the opposite.
The station
Radios, antennas, feedline, power and the shack around them.
In this section
- Radios and transceivers Choosing and understanding the box in the middle.
- Software-defined radio $30 receivers, panadapters and full SDR transceivers.
- Amplifiers What more power buys you, and why it is rarely the first thing to buy.
- Antennas The part of the station that determines what you hear.
- Feedline, SWR and tuners What happens between the radio and the antenna.
- Coax, connectors and chokes Choosing cable, installing connectors, and stopping common-mode current.
- Power, supplies and batteries Feeding the station at home and in the field.
- Grounding, bonding and lightning Protecting people and equipment.
- RFI and noise Finding what is wrecking your receiver, and what you might be wrecking.
- Portable and mobile stations Operating from a vehicle, a park bench or a backpack.
- Kits and homebrewing Building your own gear — where to start, what to buy, and how not to burn yourself.
Last updated Aug 27, 2026. Page history · Sign in to edit