Thursday brings a nicely mixed bag: a bit of sentimental shack talk, some open-source SDR and antenna homebrew, and a hard question about whether the ARRL is listening to its members. Meanwhile the shortwave broadcasters are tuning up their November and Halloween schedules, and the SOTA crowd keeps finding clever ways to self-spot from the summit.

In today’s roundup

• Ham Radio Question of the Day: What’s the one piece of gear in your shack you will never part with? — OnAllBands (DX Engineering)
  Nearly 400 hams weighed in on the one piece of gear they'd never let go of, a reminder that our shacks are as much about sentiment as specs.
• November 2026 Schedule Updates: From the Isle of Music & Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot — The SWLing Post
  November's broadcast schedule promises vintage Cuban artists like Los Guaracheros del Oriente, so shortwave listeners should mark their dials for a musical month ahead.
• SDRMM — The DXZone
  SDR-- is a free, open-source SDR app for macOS, Windows, and Linux that lets you patch radio components together like building blocks for experimentation.
• Is the ARRL finally feeling the heat? — KB6NU
  With membership declining, the ARRL has contracted a firm to survey members, which may finally signal they're taking the problem seriously.
• LHS Episode #635: Rust Everywhere — AmateurRadio.com
  Episode 635 of Linux in the Ham Shack digs into the latest amateur radio news for the open-source-minded operator.
• Wire Wizard: Choosing the Best Wire for Ham Radio Antennas — OnAllBands (DX Engineering)
  No budget for a 100-foot tower and a big beam? This guide to choosing antenna wire reminds us wire remains the simplest, cheapest, most forgiving path to the air.
• K7TQ: SOTA Self-spotting Using a SOTACat — QRPer
  K7TQ shares how a SOTACat handled self-spotting on Kamiak Butte, handy intel for activators tired of chasing cell signal on remote summits.
• Texas Radio Shortwave: Schedule for Halloween 2026 — The SWLing Post
  Texas Radio Shortwave has posted its Halloween 2026 broadcast schedule, courtesy of Terry (N5RTC), for anyone wanting some spooky-season listening.

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