Use a second mat as a soldering iron rest when traveling. The iron tip won’t burn it, and it won’t slide off the table. A Final Word The best kink is the one you discover yourself. Keep a small notebook in your shack (or a digital note) and write down every “that worked well” or “that was stupid, don’t do it again.”
Use a metal eyeglass repair screwdriver (the flat kind that comes in those little keychain kits). The tip is exactly the right width to fit into the two holes of a standard knurled SMA plug. Insert the tip into one hole and use it as a lever for that final gentle snug. New- Hints and Kinks for the Radio Amateur
Zero adhesive residue. Removes cleanly. UV and weatherproof for years. Temperature range: -60°F to +500°F. One roll seals dozens of connectors. Use it over electrical tape, not under. 5. The Ruler-on-the-Mast Trick (Antenna Matching) The problem: You’re tuning a 1/4-wave ground plane or a J-pole. You slide the radiator up and down, mark it with a Sharpie, lower the mast, adjust, raise again… repeat. Use a second mat as a soldering iron rest when traveling
This is for RF ground and equipment bonding , not for lightning or AC safety ground. Always keep your AC safety ground separate and intact. 8. Silicone Baking Mat = Portable Work Surface The problem: Tiny screws, washers, and springs roll off your bench and into the abyss (also known as the carpet). Keep a small notebook in your shack (or
73, and may your SWR be low and your soldering iron hot. Do you have a kink to share? Send it to your club newsletter or post it on QRZ—that’s how our tradition stays alive.
Not always, but in a pinch, stranded 18-gauge wire soaked in flux outperforms no wick at all. Keep a 6" piece pre-fluxed in a tiny ziplock bag in your go-kit. 3. The "Eyeglass" SMA Wrench (Free & Perfect) The problem: SMA connectors need to be finger tight plus 1/8 turn . Overtighten, and you’ll snap the center pin or ruin the female receptacle (especially on cheap HTs or SDR dongles).
Loosen the element set screw. Slide the element until it touches the clamp. Tighten. Check SWR. Move clamp up or down by measured inches. No more lowering the mast 15 times. 6. Cleaning Potentiometers Without Deoxit (Field Hack) The problem: Scratchy volume or tone control on your vintage receiver, and you’re out of contact cleaner.
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