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Also, check out a video featuring the new COMPACtenna 40-60-80 antenna.

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Have you received the 2026 edition of the DX Engineering Amateur Radio Products Catalog? If so, we hope you’ve enjoyed browsing through its 140 pages packed with everything you could possibly want to upgrade your stations.

Inside you’ll find the hottest amateur radio gear on the planet, including the latest from REZ Antenna Systems, gear for portable ops from DX Engineering, and FlexRadio’s breakthrough, all-in-one 500W Aurora transceivers. You’ll also see well-established gear that continues to deliver results at stations around the globe, including proven equipment from DX Engineering:

• Genius Clamps
• Coaxial Cable Assemblies
• NCC-2 Receive Antenna Phasing System
• Receiver Guard Electronic RF Limiter
• RT4500HD Heavy-Duty Rotator

If you don’t have your catalog yet, click here to request a free copy from DXEngineering.com or view it digitally.

Please keep in mind that the release of the catalog doesn’t mean DX Engineering stops adding to the more than 30,000 products it carries. Far from it. Today we’re featuring five new products (there are many more we’ll focus on later) you’ll find by clicking on “What’s New” from the menu bar at DXEngineering.com.

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DX Engineering Go Portable Polo Shirts: If you dig operating in the outdoors (and who doesn’t, these days?), you’ll love these comfortable and stylish polo shirts from DX Engineering! Designed in a sleek light sterling gray with DX Engineering and Go Portable logos, these polos feature a subtle mini grid texture that elevates everyday wear with a polished, modern look. Crafted from lightweight 4.6-ounce 100% polyester jacquard, they offer moisture-wicking, odor-fighting, stain-release, and snag-resistant properties that keep you looking sharp and feeling great all day long. Available in men’s small to 5X large.

COMPACtenna FAST 40-60-80 Discrete HF Antenna: This antenna is designed to deliver strong, consistent performance across the 80/60/40M bands. Traditional HF antennas demand space. COMPACtenna says the FAST 40‑60‑80 redefines what’s possible by condensing serious HF capability into a footprint measuring just 56″ H x 15″ W x 24″ L. Further, it weighs only five lbs. and packs nicely into a 20″ x 30″ bag for easy transport.

Whether you’re working from a small backyard, operating under HOA restrictions, or installing in an attic, the FAST 40-60-80 (500W SSB, 250W FM-Digital voice, 150W AM voice, 100W Digital data) is designed to keep you on the air by performing even when conditions are unpredictable. It features a novel hybrid antenna architecture, combining the best attributes of magnetic loop antennas, loaded monopoles, off-center-fed designs, and capacitive earth coupling. This is further enhanced by a broadband staged LC network, enabling efficient operation across multiple bands while delivering more gain than typical small magnetic loop antennas.

Setup is fast and intuitive with no tools required. It comes with pre-assembled antenna system, 18-foot coaxial lead terminated with a PL-259, 50-foot RG-8X coaxial assembly with PL-259s on each end, double SO-239 barrel connector, and ferrite bead kit.

Learn more about the FAST 40-60-80 from this DX Engineering video from Dayton Hamvention®:

Heil Sound Ham Radio BM-17 Lightweight Headsets

An excellent choice for portable operations, these redesigned headsets feature several updates from the previous BM-17 models, including a new swivel-mounted boom that allows operators the flexibility of positioning the microphone on the left or right side.

The black headsets are available as either BM-17S single-side or BM-17D dual-side models. To accommodate different transceivers, both models of the BM-17 are available with either a dynamic element or an iC electret element. The speakers used in the BM-17 headset are extra sensitive, so they do not require much AF drive from the transceiver. Their frequency response is 200 Hz – 5 kHz with exceptionally low distortion. They come with replaceable ear pads made of acoustic foam. Heil headsets feature two different mic elements, so they must be paired with the appropriate Heil AD-1 series transceiver mic adapter cable (not included).

“Satellite Operating for Amateur Radio”: Author Tony Milluzzi, KD8RTT, helps you discover the thrill of amateur radio satellites, offering clearly written advice so you can start making contacts of your own. KD8RTT breaks down the world of amateur satellites into practical, easy-to-follow steps. If you’ve ever thought working “the birds” was too complicated or required expensive gear, this 176-page softcover reference will show you just how accessible and exciting it really is.

Comet HF Monoband Base-Loaded Mobile Antennas: These one-quarter wavelength base-loaded antennas are designed for the mobile or portable enthusiast who wants the performance of a single-band antenna with a shorter profile. Models range from 3.08 to 7 feet in length. They have a power rating of 250W SSB/125W CW/60W Digital and can achieve a user-adjustable SWR of 1.5:1 or less. They feature a standard UHF antenna base for quick changeouts and a high-quality black anodized finish. Choose from single-band models for 80, 40, 20, 17, 15, 10 and 6 meters.

We’ll be featuring many more new amateur radio products available at DX Engineering in the days ahead, so stay tuned to OnAllBands.

73!

The post New Products Available at DX Engineering for June 2026, including “Go Portable” Polo Shirts appeared first on OnAllBands.

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The relationship between wrenching on a vehicle and refining an amateur radio station has always been strong. Both disciplines demand problem-solving skills, a passion for better performance, precision workmanship, and the pure, unadulterated joy of seeing your efforts bear fruit—whether that means busting through a pileup to snag a rare location or rocketing down the quarter mile.

It’s no secret that many of the hams who rely on DX Engineering for the gear to upgrade their stations also turn to Summit Racing for the parts they need to restore a classic, outfit an off-roader, or soup up their dragster.

For those who don’t already know, Summit Racing has been the parent company of DX Engineering ever since the aftermarket automotive parts giant acquired the ham radio manufacturer in 2000. 

DX Engineering shares headquarters with Summit Racing in Tallmadge, Ohio, near Akron. The DX Engineering Amateur Radio Showroom is housed inside the Summit Racing Retail Superstore at the same location. Ham radio gear can also be purchased at the Summit Racing retail store in Sparks, Nevada.

Last year, DX Engineering’s Dayton Hamvention® booth featured Summit Racing’s Roamin’ Gladiator project vehicle, which was equipped with three mobile radios.

This year, DX Engineering was thrilled to have Scott Peterson, W8SRE, CEO of Summit Racing, visit Hamvention.

Take a moment to watch the short video below featuring Scott and DX Engineering CEO Tim Duffy, K3LR, talking about the ham/gearhead relationship and the support automotive and amateur radio enthusiasts can expect from the Summit Racing/DX Engineering team.

The post CEOs of Summit Racing & DX Engineering Meet Up at Dayton Hamvention® 2026 (Video) appeared first on OnAllBands.

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Artificial intelligence is on the brink of changing amateur radio. It will simultaneously make the hobby easier, smarter, more accessible—and perhaps more controversial. Hams have always embraced technology, from spark-gap transmitters to software-defined radios, but AI introduces a different kind of change. Instead of just improving equipment, AI can assist with thinking, analyzing, predicting, translating, decoding, and even operating. That creates both excitement and anxiety across the amateur community.

The Change Begins

The first major impact of AI on amateur radio will be automation. Hams already use computers heavily for logging, propagation prediction, contest scoring, digital modes, and station control. But AI will push this much further. Future logging programs won’t simply record contacts; they will analyze band conditions in real time, recommend frequencies, predict openings, and even suggest the best antenna for current propagation conditions.

Imagine a station where the software detects rising solar activity, predicts a six-meter opening to South America, rotates the beam antenna automatically, adjusts the tuner, and alerts the operator with a message that says, “If you hurry, you can work Brazil before dinner.” Many operators would welcome this. However, some may stare suspiciously at the computer and complain that the radio is becoming smarter than the owner.

AI will also dramatically improve signal decoding. Weak-signal communication has always been one of amateur radio’s greatest technical challenges. Digital modes such as FT8 already allow contacts with signals far below the noise floor. AI-based decoding systems could go even further by recognizing patterns buried deep in static and interference. Future systems may separate overlapping signals with astonishing precision, almost like giving radios selective hearing.

One current system, RM Noise, uses AI to remove noise from SSB voice or CW radio signals. The client program sends the radio’s noisy output to the AI servers, which remove the noise in real time and return the audio to the client for listening. The AI is constantly trained, using noise recordings, to improve performance.

These functions will especially help emergency communications. During disasters, signals are often weak, noisy, distorted, or interrupted. AI-assisted noise reduction and speech reconstruction could make difficult communications intelligible again. A barely readable transmission may become clear enough to coordinate a real emergency response. That capability could strengthen amateur radio’s continuing contribution to disaster communications.

Language translation is another area where AI may transform operating. Amateur radio has always been international, but language barriers still exist. AI-powered translation systems could eventually provide near real-time voice translation between operators speaking different languages. A ham in Ohio could casually converse with an operator in Japan without either person knowing the other’s language. The technology changes the QSO.

The Morse-impaired already know that decoding programs are built into some radios, such as the Yaesu FTDX10. But newer software like Morse Decoder AI uses machine learning to translate Morse code signals into readable text in real time, filter out background static, ignore slight timing inconsistencies, and correctly recognize complex radio call signs. Ditstorm Cypher is a new hardware solution with similar AI capabilities to decode and filter Morse code to achieve the best copy.

Contesting and DXing will also evolve. AI systems can already identify propagation trends, cluster spots, and optimize operating strategies. In the future, contest software may become a co-pilot. It could suggest band switching, identify multipliers, and optimize timing better than many humans can. Some operators will embrace this as the next evolution of competitive radio. Others will argue that contests should reward operator skill rather than computational horsepower.

This raises one of the biggest questions about AI and amateur radio: Where should automation stop?

The Human Factor

Amateur radio has always balanced technology with human skill. Operators generally accept tools that improve efficiency, but many still value the personal challenge of tuning signals manually, learning propagation, building antennas, and developing operating instincts.

If AI eventually handles everything from station setup to contact management, some fear the operator could become little more than a spectator pressing a transmit button occasionally to reassure themselves they still exist. Some already consider FT-8 an example of basically hands-off operation.

The debate resembles earlier arguments in the history of amateur radio. When packet radio appeared, some traditionalists objected. When digital modes became popular, others claimed keyboard contacts were “not real radio.” When spotting networks transformed DXing, critics argued that operators no longer had to search bands themselves. Yet amateur radio survived every technological change because experimentation is deeply embedded in the hobby’s identity.

AI may also encourage more experimentation and technical creativity. Hams are natural tinkerers. Many operators will undoubtedly begin building AI adaptive filters, intelligent rotator systems, and propagation-analysis tools.

Machine learning could help optimize antenna designs far faster than traditional trial-and-error methods. An AI system might analyze terrain, frequency, height, and nearby obstructions to recommend highly efficient antenna configurations tailored to a specific station location.

This could be particularly useful in difficult environments such as apartments or neighborhoods with restrictive homeowners’ associations. AI-based modeling tools may help operators squeeze every bit of performance from compromise antennas. Somewhere, a determined ham with a hidden attic antenna may finally gain an edge over physics—or at least negotiate a temporary truce with it.

Learning Curve

Another important impact will be education. Amateur radio has always been a gateway into electronics, communications, and engineering. AI tutors could help newcomers learn theory, troubleshoot equipment, and understand operating procedures more quickly. Instead of digging through dense manuals trying to understand why an antenna tuner behaves like an emotionally unstable air fryer, operators could ask an AI assistant for explanations tailored to their experience level.

This may help attract younger participants to the hobby, since amateur radio has long struggled with aging demographics. AI integration could make radio more appealing to people interested in software, networking, machine learning, and digital communications. The hobby could increasingly overlap with computer science and data engineering.

Autonomy vs. Operator Control

However, AI also has some downsides. Overreliance on automation may reduce hands-on technical knowledge. Operators who depend entirely on intelligent systems may lose some understanding of how radio actually works. If the software fails during an emergency, operators may discover that their smart station suddenly has the survival instincts of a city kid in the wilderness.

There are also ethical and regulatory concerns. Fully autonomous, AI-controlled stations could challenge existing amateur radio rules that require operator control and identification. Regulators may eventually need to define how much autonomy is acceptable. Can an AI answer CQ calls automatically? Can it conduct entire QSOs without human involvement? At what point does the station stop being amateur radio and start becoming a very polite telecommunications robot?

AI & the Hobby

Despite these concerns, AI is unlikely to replace amateur radio operators. Instead, it will probably become another tool—powerful, transformative, occasionally frustrating, and endlessly debated on repeaters and online forums. Amateur radio has always adapted to technological change while preserving its core spirit of experimentation, communication, and curiosity.

The essence of the hobby is not merely transmitting signals. It’s learning, exploring, building, communicating, and discovering what’s possible with radio. AI will change how operators accomplish those goals. Still, it won’t eliminate the possibility of making unexpected contact across the world or rag-chewing with an old friend.

Even in an era of intelligent radios and automated stations, there will still be something magical about a human voice traveling invisibly through space and arriving in another operator’s shack thousands of miles away. The equipment may become smarter, but the excitement of radio itself will remain a human thing.

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