As autumn kicks into full gear, things are picking up both in and outside of the ham shack. If you’ve been following The Ham Radio Lab, you know I love diving into everything from HF rig setups and POTA activations to digital modes and HT programming. But like many of you, balancing a full-time career in cloud architecture with family life and amateur radio means that schedule shifts are bound to happen.
I’m writing this quick update to let everyone know that I’ve got a busy stretch of both work and personal travel coming up over the next several weeks. As a result, new blog posts on The Ham Radio Lab will be taking a brief hiatus while I’m out on the road.
Why the Temporary Pause?
Over the next month or so, my calendar is packed with a mix of business trips and personal getaways:
- Work Travel: Corporate travel, enterprise tech commitments, and client visits that will keep me away from my main shack and desk setup.
- Personal & Family Travel: A much-needed vacation and family trips to unplug, reset, and enjoy some time away from the routine.
Because travel schedules will be tight and time at the keyboard limited, I won’t be publishing weekly articles for a short while. However, this is strictly a temporary pause—once the travel season wraps up, I’ll be back in full force with fresh content, gear testing, and operation reports!
Staying Active: Ham Radio on the Road
Just because the blog is temporarily going QRT (ham shorthand for “ceasing transmission” or taking a break) doesn’t mean the radios are staying behind!
One of the best things about amateur radio is its portability. Whenever I travel for work or vacation, I always make room in my carry-on or luggage for a compact radio setup:
- Travel HT Setup: I’ll be packing a dual-band handheld transceiver (HT) along with a whip antenna and a roll-up J-pole. It’s perfect for hitting local repeaters, checking into regional nets, and connecting via AllStar or EchoLink when staying in hotels.
- Grid Square Hunting: Traveling across state lines and different call districts gives me a chance to operate from new grid squares and catch up with local operators across the country.
- Ultra-Light Portable HF: If time permits during personal travel, I might even toss a compact QRP radio and wire antenna into the bag for an impromptu Park-to-Park or hotel balcony contact.
What’s Coming Next When I Return
While I’m away, the ideas for future posts will keep piling up. Here is a sneak peek at what’s in store when normal publishing resumes:
- Travel Operating Lessons Learned: A roundup of how portable gear performed on the road and tips for passing through airport TSA security with radio gear.
- Winter Shack Upgrades: Antenna maintenance and shack prep ahead of the cooler operating months.
- Digital Modes & Software Reviews: Further deep dives into digital voice, logging software, and Mac integration in the shack.
In the meantime, feel free to check out the archives here on the site or browse upcoming amateur radio events on our Events Calendar.
What’s in Your Travel Radio Bag?
Before I head out the door, I’d love to hear from fellow operators: What’s your go-to radio setup when traveling for work or vacation? Do you stick strictly to a handheld, or do you haul a full portable HF kit everywhere you go? Let me know in the comments below!
Thanks as always for reading and supporting The Ham Radio Lab. Catch you on the air waves!
73,
Chris - K5CTW
The Ham Radio Lab