RF.Guru Incredible Lab Newsletter – Issue #6
Where RF theory meets reality — and occasionally laughs at it.
Why Your Ferrite Might Be Cooking Alive
Spotlighting the thermal pitfalls of mismatched ferrite types—and how they can silently sabotage your gear.
https://shop.rf.guru/pages/why-your-ferrite-might-be-cooking-alive
The Illusion of Resonance: When Coax Becomes the Antenna
Sometimes your coax is radiating more than your antenna — and not in a good way. This piece explains how and why it happens, and how to detect and prevent it.
https://shop.rf.guru/pages/the-illusion-of-resonance-when-coax-becomes-the-antenna
Why the Wilkinson Divider Is a Superior Choice for Splitting RX Antennas
When splitting signals to multiple receivers, not all dividers are equal. Learn why the Wilkinson offers better isolation and balance in receive-only applications.
https://shop.rf.guru/pages/the-wilkinson-divider-is-a-superior-choice-for-splitting-rx-antennas
Why Mixing Grounds Can Ruin Your Station
Floating shack? Multiple grounds? Here’s why improper bonding can cause noise, instability, or even safety hazards — and how to design a grounding scheme that works with your RF system instead of against it.
https://shop.rf.guru/pages/why-mixing-grounds-in-a-floating-shack-can-be-dangerous-and-how-to-do-it-right
Remote Tuners: Stop Installing Them at the Antenna Feedpoint
Remote tuners are often placed in the wrong spot. We explain why feedpoint placement is rarely optimal, how to position them for reduced loss, and when you actually should mount them at the antenna.
https://shop.rf.guru/pages/remote-tuners-stop-putting-them-where-you-don-t-need-them
The Coax Length Trick – When and Why It Works
Changing coax length can move the SWR dip, but it doesn’t “tune” the antenna. Here’s the science behind this trick, and when it’s actually useful for measurement or matching.
https://shop.rf.guru/pages/tuning-your-antenna-system-using-coax-cable-length
The SWR Myth: The Story of the "Lost" Power That Isn't Really Lost
Why mismatches don’t magically burn power, where losses really happen, and why antenna efficiency matters more than a perfect 1:1 match.
https://shop.rf.guru/pages/the-swr-myth-the-story-of-the-lost-power-that-isnt-really-lost
Why an LNA Won’t Fix Your Receiver’s Dynamic Range
Most LNAs won’t improve your receiver’s dynamic range — and can even make it worse — plus when and where they actually are essential.
https://shop.rf.guru/pages/why-an-lna-won-t-fix-your-receiver-s-dynamic-range
Reciprocity Is a Mathematical Theorem
Why real-world noise, feedline effects, and common-mode currents make RX antennas outperform TX/RX antennas — even though reciprocity still holds in theory.
https://shop.rf.guru/pages/reciprocity-is-a-mathematical-theorem
The Sacred Faraday Blanket of Saint QRMbert
Because nothing says "noise suppression" like draping your shack in mythical cloth and hoping for the best. A lighthearted roast of the most bizarre EMC “solutions” we’ve encountered.
https://shop.rf.guru/pages/the-sacred-faraday-blanket-of-saint-qrmbert
Resonance Is Bliss – The Cult of the Perfect Match
SWR 1.000 forever! Even if your signal never leaves the backyard. We poke fun at the obsession with chasing a match at the expense of everything else that matters.
https://shop.rf.guru/pages/resonance-is-bliss-the-cult-of-the-perfect-match
Noise is the New DX – The Urban Operator’s Guide to Misguided RX
Still using your TX antenna to receive in the middle of an EMI jungle? Welcome to full-spectrum pain. Here’s why noise is not DX — and never was.
https://shop.rf.guru/pages/noise-is-the-new-dx-the-urban-operator-s-guide-to-misguided-rx
This month we highlight Mark — K3ZD (“Ham Florida Man” on YouTube).
His videos cut through the myths with humor and solid RF knowledge — very much in line with what we do at RF.Guru.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_01nmo6yP70
Thanks for reading this edition of the RF.Guru Lab Newsletter. As always, we mix serious engineering with the occasional eyebrow raise — because in RF, the truth is often stranger than fiction.
73,
Joeri – ON6URE
Founder – RF.Guru
https://rf.guru/