CQ Amateur Radio

CQ is the magazine for active hams, with a focus on the practical. Every article is clearly written and aimed at involving you, the reader...whether it's a story of operating from some exotic location, an article to deepen your understanding of ham radio science and technology, or a fun-to-build project that will have practical use in your ham shack. Join us on our monthly journey through the broad and varied landscape of the world's most fascinating hobby!

CQ Amateur Radio

announcements

ham radio news

zero bias: a cq editorial • Voices From the Air

news bytes: • Young Ham of the Year Award Presented to W0AAE

Youth on the Air Camp in the Americas - The Best Week Ever • How do you help young hams learn new skills, have fun on the radio and perhaps become leaders of amateur radio’s next generation? Bring them together for a week-long ham radio summer camp! Two of this year’s participants share their stories.

On the Cover …

Snake Island: Z35M’s 1000th Portable Operation • Lightweight gear and a rising sunspot cycle are making portable operations more and more popular. But it takes something extra-special to take your ham gear to the field 1000 times! Z35M has reached that milestone and explains that, for him, amateur radio is not just a hobby but a lifestyle.

our readers say…

The Radio Room of the Kon Tiki Expedition • Old-timers may recall Thor Heyerdahl’s Kon Tiki expedition in 1947, when he sailed a raft from South America to the South Pacific (others may have read his book or seen one of three movies based on his adventure). His crew used ham radio to communicate with shore stations. WD5GYG shares his research on the radio gear and more.

DITS and DAHS • The A B C’s of Morse Code Operating

qrp • QRP in the South Pacific

CQ Book Review: Radio History - Ship Shore • Maritime radio evolved alongside amateur radio, sometimes involving the same cast of characters. Marine radio historian (and former ship’s radio officer) N1EA takes a look at a history of ship-to shore radio penned by another radio officer/ham.

DXpedition to the Heart of Rome • After an absence of four years, the 1A prefix returned to the air in July 2023, thanks to a DXpedition to the heart of Rome, or better yet, to the heart of the Order of Malta, one of the most requested, mysterious and fascinating DX entities in the world.

SMOM Ham Radio Postage Stamps

An Asymmetric Multi-Band Vertical Dipole Antenna • Repurposing coffee cans or beer cans as an antenna is a concept that’s been around for a while, but AH6CY has brewed up a variation that puts his stacked coffee cans between a copper tape base below and a capacitive top-hat above.

Radio Renaissance: A Retirement Story • WB2UDC has always been a great storyteller, sharing many of those stories in these pages. This one is personal, about his transition to (unplanned) retirement and the increased role that ham radio is playing in keeping him active and engaged. Bob invites you to share the journey with him.

Using Verification Reply Cards to Increase QSL Return Rates • Getting the confirmations needed for many awards is always a challenge, especially for awards – such as CQ’s USA Counties Award (USA-CA) – that involve contacts with stations that aren’t used to having QSLs requested. WB4UHI has developed a method that helps improve his response rate.

The Portable Telephone Company • When you’re providing communications in a makeshift response center, it’s often helpful for different participants there to be able to be able to talk directly with each other. W8ERD expanded his ham radio “go-kit” to include internal communications capability accessible to all.

“Museum Quality” - a Visit to the Orkney Wireless Museum, GB2OWM • Even on a non-radio vacation, a...