Mistakes Were Made: Ham Radio Reality with Steve KO4AFL

IWhat really makes you better at ham radio — more gear, or more time on the air?

In this episode of the Live Free and Ham Podcast, hosts Paul (N1OG) and Eric (N1JUR) are joined by Steve (KO4AFL) for a candid conversation about learning ham radio through real-world experience.

Steve shares his journey in the hobby, lessons learned along the way, and why mistakes, patience, and simply getting on the air matter more than having the perfect setup. The discussion covers common challenges operators face, realistic expectations, and how confidence is built one contact at a time.

This episode is a reminder that improvement in amateur radio doesn’t come from perfection — it comes from participation.

🎙️ Guest: Steve – KO4AFL

🎙️ Hosts: Paul – N1OG | Eric – N1JUR

Guest Links:

Steve KO4AFL - https://www.youtube.com/@KO4AFL

Ham Radio Clubhouse - https://www.youtube.com/@HamRadioClubhouse

Support the show

//**************************************************************//

Support the show:
Buy Us a Beer: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lfhpodcast
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LiveFreeandHamPodcast
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093543540309
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livefreeandham/

//******* Feedback and Questions! //

Leave the hosts a voicemail:
Call and leave us a voicemail with comments or questions, or let us know how we can improve our jobs. 978.233.1142

Affiliate:
Reliance Antennas - 10% off and free shipping at https://www.relianceantennas.com/ CODE: LIVEFREEANDHAM
Halibut Electronics - 10% discount on all purchases https://electronics.halibut.com/ of $25 or more, limited to three uses per listener. CODE: LIVEFREEANDHAM

SeeedStudios - Here are a bunch of discounts you can get on Seed Meshtastic products directly from Seeed Studios - https://seeedstudios.com

  • SenseCAP T1000-E for Meshtastic T911V2C9

  • Wio Tracker L1&L1 Lite for Meshtastic 6JOK7P67

  • Wio Tracker L1 Pro & L1 E-ink for Meshtastic 0RAXP5FG

  • Solar Node P1 Series for meshtastic YHOO5J2D



YouTube Channel:
Live Free and Ham - @livefreeandham
Eric (N1JUR) - @N1JUR
Paul (N1OG) - @NovemberOneOscarGrouch
Todd (W1STJ) - @W1STJ

Swag/Shows/Updates:
https://livefreeandham.com

Join our discord:
https://discord.com/invite/zas2cAVNPs

If you would also like to learn more about the hosts:
Todd (W1STJ) - https://w1stj.com
Eric (N1JUR) - https://n1jur.com
Paul (N1OG) - https://www.qrz.com/db/N1OG

Next
Next

From Ham Radio to Hot Air Balloons | Shane from Ham Radio Clubhouse