VA7ST.ca

Today’s portable gear — including cameras — demands a lot from batteries. Here’s a quick tip on where to get affordable extra batteries (that work really well) for the Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 camera.

One of the best additions to a photographer’s toolkit is also one of the least expensive: this kit of three Fotodiox filters (circular polarizar, UV, and soft diffusion) for under $15 is a great deal.

I think I’ve found the perfect camera for me. Big zoom range, stunning images, and 4K video all in a bridge camera sporting a one-inch, 20MP sensor. Check out some samples from the Lumix FZ1000.

Here’s my perspective from the West Coast, looking at what we do that may be different from the tactics of contest stations located further East.

Morse code is a joy, and with the right “paddles” it is pure bliss. Here’s an essay on the pursuit of ham radio happiness.

If you’re new to radio teletype (RTTY) contesting, you’re about to fall in love with it. Here are some quick tips to help you get started.

Welcome to the VA7ST.ca website. You’ll find friendly notes about all kinds of things — a radio operator’s notebook that also touches on photography and recommendations about gear that helps get more out of the things many of us love to do.

Want to see how VA7ST has done in contests since 2002? It’s all online in a sortable database — check out my contest scores, and read my 3830 stories about each contest.

The cost and environmental impact of paper QSL cards makes this aspect of ham radio part of our history, not our future.

Depending on your location, changing your rotator control meter’s scale to a north-centered scale could greatly reduce the turning required to work the most popular areas. Here’s a step-by-step guide to making the change on a CDE rotator control — including a printable high-resolution image of the North-centered meter scale.