On the Air

Becky Schoenfeld, W1BXY

The On the Air podcast is a monthly companion to On the Air magazine, ARRL’s magazine for beginner-to-intermediate ham radio operators.

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21 episodes
monthly
Avg 20 min
English

Episodes 21

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Thursday · 15 min
Get Ready for Contest Season
ARRL Director of Education and Learning and host of On the Air LIVE, Wayne Greene, KB4DSF, joins the podcast to talk about what goes into an on-air contest, and what you, as a new ham, can get out of participating in one.
September 10 · 19 min
About the New QST Product Review Comparison Tool for ARRL Lab-Tested Devices
Some of the products seen in QST Product Review, including transceivers, receivers, and amplifiers, are tested in the ARRL Lab to see how they stack up against the manufacturer’s claims. Those test results are included in the published review to help you make more informed buying choices. ARRL’s new online interactive Comparison Tool for ARRL Lab-Tested Devices makes it even easier to refer to, compare, and understand the test results. ARRL Digital RF Engineer John Jobin McAuliffe, W1DRF, visit the podcast to talk about what the tool does and how to use it to better inform your radio purchases.
August 13 · 24 min
Hams and Hurricane Season
ARRL Eastern Massachusetts Section Emergency Coordinator Rob Macedo, KD1CY, joins the podcast to talk about Atlantic hurricane season and ham radio’s role in it, as a follow-up to the July/August 2026 issue’s article “Ham Radio and the Hurricane Season” by Rick Palm, K1CE.
July 9 · 15 min
A Passion for POTA
Evan McPartland, KC2NRB, visits the podcast to talk about how he got hooked on Parks on the Air operating. Familiarly known as POTA, this popular program involves setting up temporary stations in parks that have a specific alphanumeric POTA designator. Evan expands on information shared in his July/August 2026 On the Air article “Rediscovering Ham Radio Through POTA,” and offers information on how to join the POTA fun.
June 11 · 10 min
Introduction to Digital Modes
ARRL Technical Editor Conrad Trautmann, N2YCH, joins the podcast to talk about what digital modes are, why it’s worth it for hams of all classes to use them, and how to get started.
May 14 · 26 min
Get On the Ham Satellites!
ARRL Education Specialist Wayne Greene, KB4DSF, visits the podcast to discuss his May/June 2026 On the Air article “Equipment for Making Contacts Through an Amateur Radio Satellite” as well as the upcoming May 26 “On the Air Live” session he’ll be hosting on the same topic.
April 9 · 21 min
Journey to a Hamfest
Brian D. Karcher, KG5GJT, joins the podcast in support of his March/April 2026 On the Air article, “Journey to a Hamfest.” If you haven’t been to a hamfest or ham radio convention yet, listen in to find out what to expect — from operating, to shopping, to meeting old friends and making new ones!
March 12 · 17 min
Build a 2-Meter Ground Plane with OTA and OTA Live
ARRL Education Specialist — and host of On the Air Live — Wayne Greene, KB4DSF, joins the podcast to explain the merits of the antenna presented in his March/April 2026 On the Air article “Building and Installing a 2-Meter Ground-Plane Antenna,” and details how to register for the March 24 On the Air Live session in which he’ll take real-time questions about the construction and use of the antenna.
February 12 · 18 min
Repeater Basics
The On the Air podcast goes back to basics in the February 2026 episode, when QST Technical Editor Conrad Trautmann, N2YCH, joins the podcast to discuss what repeaters are, how they work, and what you need in order to access your local repeater.
January 8 · 19 min
The America250 Worked All States Operating Event
This year ARRL is celebrating America’s 250th birthday by holding an all-year operating event called America 250 Worked All States. It has already started, so listen to the January 2026 On the Air podcast to learn how to jump right in. ARRL Radiosport and Regulatory Information Manager Bart Jahnke, W9JJ, explains the rules and awards, and offers some operating strategies.
Dec 11, 2025 · 22 min
Programming Your Handheld
In support of the November/December 2025 article “Ten Tips for Programming Your 2-Meter Handheld,” Karin Thompson, KD4DXX, of RT Systems, joins the podcast to talk about how to approach the crucial task of programming your handheld.
Nov 13, 2025 · 27 min
Preparedness Takes Practice
Jessica Crotty, CEO of C. Crane, a northern California company known for designing and supporting quality radios and communication products, visits the podcast in support of her November/December 2025 On the Air article “Confidence in Preparedness Starts with Knowing Your Equipment.” The conversation centers on the importance of not only having a license and a radio, but also knowing the ins and outs of using that radio, long before the day you need it.
Oct 9, 2025 · 23 min
All About the EOC
ARRL Director of Emergency Management Josh Johnston, KE5MHV, joins the podcast in support of the September/October 2025 article “The EOC: Serving at the Hub,” by Rick Palm, K1CE, which talks about what an Emergency Operations Center, or EOC, is, and offers tips for hams who are serving at an EOC for the first time. Josh takes us through more Emergency Operations Center functions, as well as what hams need to know before they walk into one.
Sep 11, 2025 · 17 min
Get Inspired for Contest Season
The podcast welcomes Violetta Latham, KN2P, a young contester who has had the opportunity to operate at some big, famous contest stations such as K3LR, PJ2T, and W3LPL. Violetta will talk about how she got started in contesting and how she got to where she is today.
Aug 14, 2025 · 35 min
Getting in on the POTA Fun
Portable operating in the Parks On the Air (POTA) program is one of the most popular ham radio activities these days. Colin Wheatley, W9UPK, author of the July/August 2025 of On the Air article, “POTA Activators and Hunters: The Great Symbiosis,” joins the podcast to explain more about how POTA works, and how to get in on the fun.
Jul 10, 2025 · 23 min
Your Ham Radio Everyday Carry
Everybody's talking about everyday carry, or EDC, the trendy name for the collection of necessities you tote around with you every day, whether it's in a pocket or a bag. ARRL Education Specialist Wayne Greene, KB4DSF, joins the podcast to talk about easy ways to make radio part of your everyday carry.
Jun 12, 2025 · 16 min
Field Day Options for the New Ham
With ARRL Field Day weekend just a little more than two weeks away, we talk to ARRL’s Contest Program Manager Paul Bourque, N1SFE; Digital RF Engineer John McAuliffe, W1DRF and Education and Learning Support Specialist Max Freedman, N4ML, about how newer hams can navigate the most popular on-air event of the year. Get recommendations for setups, modes, goals, and more.
May 8, 2025 · 15 min
Simple HF Antennas for Field Day
ARRL Education Specialist Wayne Greene, KB4DSF, returns to the podcast to walk readers through his May/June 2025 On the Air article, "Building Simple Antennas for 10 and 15 Meters."
Apr 10, 2025 · 17 min
Learn APRS at the April On the Air Live Session
This month, ARRL Education Specialist Wayne Greene, KB4DSF, returns to the podcast to update us on ARRL’s new monthly livestream, On the Air Live. The April session of On the Air Live will be a tutorial on the Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS). A handheld radio will allow you to use the APRS. Listen in to find out how easy it is, and how to join the April 22 session of On the Air Live.
Mar 13, 2025 · 18 min
A VHF/UHF Antenna Menagerie
There are a variety of antennas that a ham can use on the VHF and UHF bands, from simple whips, all the way up to directional beams. This month’s podcast walks you through the various types and their use cases.

Showing 1–20 of 21 episodes