Today on the Bands — Monday, July 27, 2026
Monday brings a satisfying mix of bench and beam: cheap high-performance SDR, QSL cards from far-flung archipelagos, and a fresh squabble over what contesting should become. We've also got a pocket-sized Baofeng, off-grid preparedness, comms privacy, and the perennial question of where the next generation of hams comes from.
- 01 Hackaday Europe 2026: High Performance SDR On The Cheap
A Hackaday Europe talk on affordable high-performance SDR reminds us how far we've come from glowing valves and paper capacitors to software-defined receivers on a budget.
Read at source ↗ - 02 It’s All in the Cards! QSL Cards from Trinidad & Tobago and Tuvalu
OnAllBands showcases QSL cards from two DXCC entities 8,400 miles apart, a treat for anyone chasing that final confirmation from Trinidad & Tobago or Tuvalu.
Read at source ↗ - 03 Monday Night Net – AI Summary 27 Oct 2025
Essex Ham lets AI summarize its Monday Night Net, capturing a healthy turnout and the friendly community chatter that keeps club nets alive.
Read at source ↗ - 04 Baofeng UV-5R Mini Explored
Essex Ham examines the new Baofeng UV-5R Mini, a fresh take on the handheld that's arguably the most familiar radio in the hobby.
Read at source ↗ - 05 Your Off Grid Backup Radio Might Already Be In Your Basement.
Off Grid Ham argues your best disaster backup radio may already be gathering dust downstairs, blending emergency readiness with everyday off-grid operating.
Read at source ↗ - 06 Communications Security: It’s Not Just For Spies.
A timely reminder that communications privacy matters to ordinary operators too, in a world where nothing you transmit is truly private.
Read at source ↗ - 07 Radiosport 2.0 is not taking your baby (but it is giving it a new lease on contesting life)
N0SSC wades into the Radiosport 2.0 controversy grinding old-school contesters' gears, arguing the format is a new lease on life rather than a threat.
Read at source ↗ - 08 The Future of Amateur Radio IS with our youth!!!
N0SSC makes the case that our future lies with youth—while thoughtfully broadening just who counts as the next generation.
Read at source ↗
The HamDaily digest — five minutes, the whole band.