[ restricted space operator ]

Ham radio without the yard.

You have a license. You have an HOA. The antenna goes in the attic, on the balcony rail, or not at all. Unless you know the workarounds. This site covers them.

Licensed operator No review units PRB-1 aware Affiliate links disclosed

Recent Articles

View all →
Your Neighbor Says You Broke Their TV: Handling an Interference Complaint
hoa legal

Your Neighbor Says You Broke Their TV: Handling an Interference Complaint

A neighbor's interference complaint is almost never a fault in your transmitter. Here is the overload mechanism, who the FCC holds responsible, and the fixes that end the argument.

RF Exposure in an Attic Install: Running the Evaluation You Are Required to Do
attic installs

RF Exposure in an Attic Install: Running the Evaluation You Are Required to Do

The FCC removed the amateur power exemption in 2019. Here is the MPE math for an antenna above a bedroom, worked band by band, and where a 100 watt attic wire actually fails.

Separate Receive Antennas: When a Worse Antenna Hears Better
stealth antennas

Separate Receive Antennas: When a Worse Antenna Hears Better

Why a receive-only loop out-hears your transmit antenna on a noisy lot: the near-field mechanism, loop-on-ground builds, T/R switching, and what to buy.

Antenna Tuners for Compromise Antennas: What a 1:1 Match Does Not Tell You
gear

Antenna Tuners for Compromise Antennas: What a 1:1 Match Does Not Tell You

What a tuner actually fixes on a restricted-space antenna: where to mount it, how much power the match really costs, and which units suit an indoor or stealth wire.

Hunting RFI in an Apartment: Finding the Noise You Cannot Unplug
gear

Hunting RFI in an Apartment: Finding the Noise You Cannot Unplug

A method for locating and killing receive noise in a condo or apartment: how to find the source, what you can fix, and what you have to null out instead.

Field Day From an Apartment: The Scoring Favors the Small Station
qrp operating

Field Day From an Apartment: The Scoring Favors the Small Station

How a restricted-space operator plays ARRL Field Day: the power multiplier that rewards low power, running Class E from home versus going portable, and the battery and antenna that fit.