Amateur Radio

Amateur Radio — KN4OLA

Mineral, Virginia • VHF/UHF • ADS-B/MLAT • Scoutmaster & Radio Scouting hobbyist

Find me on QRZ

Quick bio, shack notes, and contact details:


www.qrz.com/db/KN4OLA

How I got here

I wanted my amateur radio license for years and finally pulled the trigger (nudge courtesy of a good friend). Two weeks of evening study and I passed my Technician exam. Huge thanks to the VEs at the Richmond Amateur Radio Club
and the practice tests at  aa9pw.com/radio.

You’ll catch me on the W4RAT and W4CUL repeaters, SOTA, POTA, and Radio Scouting events.

Getting Licensed Fast

Here’s the same streamlined plan I recommend to Scouts and new hams:

  1. Read the “No-Nonsense” Study Guide by Dan, KB6NU —
    the Technician guide is FREE.kb6nu.com/study-guides/
  2. Drill practice tests for 15–30 minutes a day.aa9pw.com/radio
  3. Schedule your exam (local VE session or remote).ARRL exam session finder
  4. After you pass, program your handheld and make your first contact. Then try a local net or Winlink Wednesday to build real-world skills.

Tip: we also keep youth-friendly drills and a GMRS starter FAQ on our Radio Scouting page.

Quick Frequencies (Favorites)

  • 146.520 MHz — National VHF simplex calling
  • 446.000 MHz — National UHF simplex calling
  • 146.880 / 146.280 MHz, PL 74.4 — RATS (W4RAT)
  • 147.120 / 147.720 MHz, PL 146.2 — Culpeper ARA (W4CUL)

Local Repeaters (Louisa & Nearby)

System Input/Output Offset Tone / Notes
Louisa EMCOMM (UHF) 442.225 / 447.225 MHz +5 MHz PL 131.8
Culpeper W4CUL (VHF) 147.120 / 147.720 MHz +600 kHz PL 146.2
GMRS (local) 462.675 MHz +5 MHz PL 123.0

Clubs & EMCOMM

  • Culpeper Amateur Radio Association (CARA) — w4cul.org
  • R3EMCOMM — regional emergency communications training & exercises
  • Radio Scouting hub — youth training, events, and FAQs on our Troop page

Projects & How-Tos

  • SharkRF / OpenSPOT server setup: my Ubuntu guide —
    read it here
  • Securing PiAware SkyView: lock it down without losing convenience —
    my hardening tips
  • VARA FM setup (IC-5100): step-by-step configuration notes —
    guide here
  • VARA HF setup (IC-706MKIIG): portable HF digital configuration —
    guide here

Questions about study routes, local repeaters, or integrating radio with Scouting?
Ping me via my QRZ email or catch me on the air.