This week on Live Free and Ham, we cover a little bit of everything that makes amateur radio… well… amateur radio.

It starts with a spicy debate about 146.52 simplex activity and whether encouraging people to actually use the calling frequency is somehow “ruining the hobby.”

Then we shift into the real heartbeat of ham radio — the community.

What happens when you stop waiting for activity… and just create it?

In this episode, we dig into the surprising momentum behind the 2 Meter FM Activity a 52 Day Challenge

What started as a fun idea quickly turned into a grassroots movement. Emails are still coming in. Operators are asking when the next one is. And suddenly? two meters simplex — don’t feel so quiet anymore.

Are we ignoring half the ham bands?

In this episode, Eric N1JUR, Todd W1STJ, Paul N1OG, and Mike N2MAK dig into the “lost bands” of amateur radio — 220 MHz (1.25m), 900 MHz (33cm), 60 meters, and other underused parts of the spectrum.

Why are these bands so quiet?

Is it cost? Equipment availability? Programming headaches?

Or are we just stuck on 2 meters and 440?

Hamcation wasn’t just a hamfest… it was a full-blown radio road trip.

In this episode of Live Free and Ham, Grouch shares the behind-the-scenes stories from Hamcation — from hallway conversations and gear temptation to APRS pranks that may or may not have broken the internet (or at least someone’s ego).

We dig into:

What Hamcation is really like once the cameras stop rolling

The APRS chaos that had people talking

Honest talk about new radios, mobile rigs, and whether manufacturers are actually listening

Service dog moments that turned heads (and changed the tone)

POTA activations before and after the event

In this episode of Live Free and Ham, hosts Eric and Paul sit down with Joe Brett to talk about an origin story that doesn’t start with a ham club meeting or an exam manual.

Joe’s path into ham radio started with storm chasing and tornadoes — where radios weren’t a hobby, they were a tool. What began as a way to track weather and stay informed slowly turned into curiosity, learning, and eventually… a callsign.

What 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.