We've hinted at it, but here it is: The RTO Course is coming to Ravalli County Fairgrounds in Hamilton, Montana. There's three back to back dates to take advantage of: 8-9 September 15-16 September Advanced Class: 13-14 September Class cost is $300 in advance, $350 at the door. The advance cost requires a $50 deposit …
Back to Basics: Everything That’s Old Is New Again
A couple of articles that were sent to me by different sources: Operation Lone Wolf: Sniper Leader Course Trains and Tests US and Allied Forces QRPX-2017 First Place Winner - How the Army Does HF Radio Although a little over a year old, they both indicate a (welcome) re-emphasis on basic small unit thinking and …
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An Improvised Directional Wire Antenna
A question from MT-01 over at Lower Valley Assembly: I have a neighbor who was a special forces engineer sergeant in Vietnam. I helped him get his amateur license. Sometimes we talk about radio comms in Vietnam. He tells one story where the comm sergeant put the end of his antenna into a stream in …
Another Student AAR For The RTO Course
Every class and every opportunity to work with great people is a gigantic blessing as well as a reminder of why I do this. For me, as noted at the end of this AAR, is the quality of student I get in class- to a person I've been humbled by the commitment and enthusiasm exhibited. …
The First Line Course: An Introduction
Survival means different things to different people. To some, it's a series of preparations for some future cataclysmic event; others, a realization of the unsustainability of many of today's practices or a return to the simpler, more natural ways of life. In that vein, survival includes primitive living skills and bushcrafting. All of these view …
In Honor Of D Day
Its incredibly easy to forget in just a couple generations how perilous some missions really were. D Day ranks quite high on that list, and every American should reflect on the sheer guts it took to pull it off. There was absolutely no certainty of success, no certainty of survival, and absolutely no fluff when …
Why the RTO Course Exists and A Course Review From The Volunteer State
"I'm not interested in a hobby- I just want my stuff to work." This is, far and away, the most common comment I get when people reach out to me for help or come to class. They've read all the stuff, bought books, read the forums, and maybe punched that ham ticket a time or …
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144:1 Sends- Brushbeater Resistor Patches are back
Or rather, the Resistor V3. But they're coming back. The good folks at 144:1 are taking a pre-order because these tend to sell quick. Also on tap is an IR resistor patch for pre-order. Get you some.
Additions to the Library
Putting up a couple of new references to the Library page- if you haven't checked it out, feel free to do so. It's full of .pdf manuals I've found useful both in the Army and beyond, along with a few kind submissions from like minded folks. Big hat tip to Sig. New additions: SF Radio …
Live The Life They Cannot-
On this Memorial Day, live the life the fallen cannot. Remind yourself amid the beer and BBQ that there is a price for the quality of life you lead, one only paid in blood, and one that cannot be understood by those who've never been there. Don't give anyone your thanks. Just reverence.