Forecast Heard on the Air
Received off the air from NOAA Weather Radio by KO6HWR's station and transcribed automatically, so details can be wrong. Official NWS forecast
Brandon Beeson (KO6HWR)
Licensed in February 2025 while looking for a hobby that was both intellectually engaging and portable — especially while hanging out in the backyard with my family. As a lifelong map enthusiast, I quickly realized how much topography and grid squares dictate our success on the air, and my main passions became HF SSB and POTA hunting, with the occasional FT8 QSO when the bands get tricky.
That 'homebrew' spirit carries over to building digital solutions too — I leverage modern tools to create these mapping utilities and a 3D-printable antenna accessory, all aimed at helping fellow hams visualize their signals, plan better links, and get the most out of their stations.
Main HF Station (Backyard)
Xiegu G90 · 66' EFHW @ 24ft · 17' vertical (secondary)
Office Shack (3rd Floor)
Baofeng AR-5RM · mag-mount on a window sill · morning nets & VHF/UHF monitoring
Grid Square
DM14
QSL
LoTW & QRZ Logbook — happy to return paper/email cards
Note: You might occasionally hear my two kids on the air with me while they sit at the rig "playing radio." They are learning the ropes under my supervision, so thanks for your patience as they discover the magic of RF!
Outside of radio, I work in IT and spend the rest of my time with my wife and our two kids — ham radio fits perfectly into that mix, a technical hobby that still keeps me present at home. Lately I've picked up sourdough baking too; turns out feeding a starter takes the same patience as waiting out a band opening.
From the Shack
Repeater Activity
How much talk KO6HWR's receiver hears on each 2 m repeater, and when: each bar runs midnight to midnight, Pacific time, brighter is busier, and the outlined block is the current hour. Repeater IDs aren't counted.
Nets Heard from DM14
Today
Full schedule
Verified means a club's own web page lists the net; confirmed means it's been heard by name. Times are when it's usually heard here, Pacific time with UTC.
Web Tools
RF Mapper v1.4
Line of sight, signal strength and 360° coverage maps from real terrain, for 2 m simplex, repeaters and Field Day.
Launch RF Mapper
Grid Explorer v1.0
Your exact Maidenhead grid square from your phone's location, with grid borders and POTA and SOTA spots on a topo map.
Launch Grid Explorer
HF Skywave v1.4
Which HF bands are open from your grid right now and tonight, and which POTA activators you're likely to hear.
Launch HF SkywaveBuilt by KO6HWR, for amateur and educational use.
3D Prints
Drag to Rotate
POTA Broom Thread Loop 3D Print
A rugged, 3D-printable ACME broom thread adapter that screws on standard fiberglass painter's poles. Features an integrated loop for securing wire antennas without needing a dedicated mast.
Download STL
Recommended print settings: PETG or ASA, 4 walls, 40% infill. PLA softens in a hot car or direct sun, and carbon-fiber filaments can conduct, so avoid both.
Licensed under CC BY 4.0: free to print, remix, share and sell, with credit to KO6HWR (ko6hwr.com).
Built by KO6HWR. Don't have a 3D printer? I use my friend Mark at Happy 3D Print Co. to print my projects.