NISWARC

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License classes, Elmer sessions, and hands-on demos, from Morse to digital modes. Whether you're a new Tech or chasing DX, we help you level up.

Amateur Radio Direction Finding

Fox Hunting Basics

A hidden transmitter (the "fox") broadcasts on a known frequency, and hunters use directional antennas and signal meters to find it. You don't need a license to hunt. Receive-only equipment is legal for everyone.

How it works

  1. Get a bearing. Sweep your antenna in a circle. Where the signal peaks is your bearing toward the fox, so mark it on a map.
  2. Move and repeat. Take another bearing from a new spot. Two bearings triangulate the fox's likely location, and three is better.
  3. Add attenuation. Up close the signal swamps your receiver, so add attenuation to bring it back into range.
  4. Find the fox. At very close range, use the antenna null for pinpoint accuracy.

What you need

Receiver
Any 2m or 70cm radio with a readable signal meter. No transmit needed.
Antenna
A yagi for finding the peak, or a loop for the null. Tape measure yagis are cheap to build.
Attenuator
For close-in work, once you're within about 100m of the fox.
Map + compass
Mark your bearings on a paper map of the hunt area.

Go to Fox Hunting

LoRa Mesh Networking

Meshtastic

Open-source, decentralized mesh communications over LoRa. No cell towers and no internet, just long-range, low-power text and GPS.

Decentralized mesh

Each node relays messages for other nodes, up to 7 hops. There's no central server, because the network routes itself.

License-free and ham modes

Runs in the 902-928MHz ISM band at up to 1W. Ham operators can run up to 10W, but encryption must be disabled under Part 97.

Built for the field

An ATAK plugin sends GPS position and text over the mesh, for situational awareness without cell service.

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