#Videos-Podcasts

Are you curious about ham radio contesting but not sure where to start? In this beginner-friendly presentation, Dennis Vernacchia (N6KI) shares decades of experience to explain how amateur radio contesting works and why so many operators enjoy it.

Dennis has been a licensed amateur radio operator since 1963 and an active contester since 1988. In this presentation, he walks through the fundamentals of contesting, including the equipment you need, popular logging software, operating strategies, and how beginners can get on the air and start making contacts.

This video is ideal for new ham radio operators, technicians looking to upgrade

Experience Hamtastic 2025, San Diego’s biggest amateur-radio and tech gathering — filmed on Fiesta Island on October 18, 2025!
Hosted by KE6VDW and the All Your Base Network, this event brought together ham operators, mesh enthusiasts, and emergency-comms pros for a full day of radios, music, and innovation.

🎈 Main Highlight:
We launched a Radiosonde & Meshtastic Balloon into the stratosphere, transmitting live data to the network under node name AYBB (All Your Base Balloon). Viewers tracked it live on Meshtastic Maps and Radiosonde trackers in real time!

🎧 Other Highlights:
• Live bluegrass by Grandaddy-O’s featuring Debbie & Larry