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 • Beyond the Radio

news bytes • Host Sought for 2026 WRTC

dx • K7K: DXpedition from the Edge of Alaska

Results of the 2022 CQWW RTTY DX Contest

Going Portable with Scanners and Ham Radio Handhelds • WB9YBM concludes his three-part series on getting the most out of your scanner and/or scanning VHF/UHF ham rig. This segment focuses on taking your radio along on your travels.

Persistent Practice Produces Positive POTA Progress • Quick setup and teardown, along with reliable power, are essential elements of a portable HF station, whether for emergency / disaster use or for just plain fun, such as Parks On The Air activations. K3SKS updates us on improvements that he and his wife have made in their mobile setup since he first wrote about it last January.

SY1MA: Mt. Athos DXpedition

A Collapsible Tri-Band Antenna for 6 Meters, 2 Meters, and 70 Centimeters with a 10-Meter Option • Here’s a VHF/UHF (and maybe a piece of HF) antenna you can build with most parts readily available at your typical hardware / big-box store. Depending on how you build it, it can be mounted permanently or easily broken down for use in portable / remote locations.

The Continuing Anticlimactic Adventures of the Perverted V (Part 3) • N2EWS wraps up his tale of getting back on the air after a many-year absence, and operating from an antenna-restricted housing development.

Learning Morse Code Instant Character Recognition (ICR) • Learning Morse code is one thing, but learning to copy comfortably — hearing whole words instead of individual characters — is something else entirely. WØFN has tips on upping your skill level by learning “sound shapes” to make CW QSOs a pleasure.

the listening post • RFE/RL in the News

math’s notes • Simple Testers (Continued)

emergency communications • My (New) Station

SPURIOUS SIGNALS

kit building • Ham Radio Solutions CW Hotline: A March Forward

the ham notebook • Let’s Get Back to Normal

The Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC)

gordo’s short circuits • Two HF Tuner Considerations

mf / lf operating: Life Below the AM Broadcast Band • Let’s Review Some of the Basics of MF and LF Amateur Radio!

ham radio explorer • Multiple Radio Activities with One Starting Point

digital connection • Boxing Days

learning curve • Activating Grids

On the Cover …

vhf plus • Six-Meter Es Season Approaches

QSL of the Month: AC3PT – King of Sikkim

Looking Ahead

awards • CQ’s Own USA Counties Award – USA-CA

contesting • We’ve Got Your Number (But is it Right?)

propagation • Exceeding Expectations

behind the bylines… • … a little bit about some of the authors whose articles appear in this issue.

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