When the grid goes dark, Amateur Radio stays on the air.
Amateur radio carries email, messaging, and position data through weather events, outages, and disasters — no internet or cell towers required. W2JKT is one station doing exactly that, 24/7, on fully backed-up power.
Check out our live feed to the rightbelow! It shows you all the messages station W2JKT is sending and receiving.
More than a backup plan
Being ready for an emergency is one reason people get licensed. Most stay because it's fun, and because there's always something new to learn.
Talk to the world
Reach another continent from your living room on a few watts. No internet, no subscription.
Bounce off satellites
Make contacts through amateur satellites and the ISS with a handheld and a homemade antenna.
Build it yourself
Antennas, power systems, and radios you can build, repair, and improve. Electronics and RF, learned by doing.
Email without the internet
Winlink, APRS, and other digital modes move messages, position, and files over radio alone.
Take it on the trail
Programs like Parks on the Air and Summits on the Air turn a hike or a road trip into an on-air adventure.
Be useful when it counts
Volunteers support storm spotting, public-service events, and emergency traffic when normal networks are strained or down.
New to all this? What is Amateur Radio, and how do you get started? →
Six ways to reach the station
Digital nets and voice, spread across HF, VHF, and UHF so a message gets through on whatever band is open. Each card says what it does in plain English, with the on-air details underneath for operators.
VarAC Node
Chat and send files with hams across the country or the world using only a radio and a computer sound card. No internet needed.
- Mode
- VarAC over VARA HF + VARA FM
- Dial
- 14.105 or 7.105 MHz USB (calling freqs)51.550 MHz FM
- Call
- W2JKT
Winlink Client
Email over radio. It keeps working when the internet doesn't, which is why emergency teams use it to move messages and forms.
- Role
- Client only
APRS Digipeater
Radios and trackers send their position and short messages to a live map. This station relays them onward, and to the internet when it's up.
- Mode
- 1200 baud AFSK · AX.25
- Call
- W2JKT-3
Synchronet BBS
An old-school message board with file areas and door games. Reach it over packet radio, or from any web browser at bbs.w2jkt.com.
- Mode
- 1200 baud AFSK · AX.25 packet
- Connect
- W2JKT-1 on 445.200
- Web
- bbs.w2jkt.com
Hams Over IP
Voice conversations with hams around the world, linked together over the internet.
- Dial
- ext. 101242
Dual-Homed Uplink
Two independent internet connections with automatic failover, so the station stays reachable if one goes down.
Equipment & power
A full HF, VHF, and UHF radio suite and a battery bank sized for a week off-grid, all remotely operable.
Kenwood TS-590SG ×2
HF/50MHz all-mode — VarAC on 20m, Winlink on 6m.
Kenwood TM-D700 ×2
VHF/UHF dual-band with TNC — APRS on 2m, packet BBS on 70cm.
Acom A1200S
Solid-state linear amp — 1.8–54 MHz, 1200 W.
Palstar HF-AUTO
Automatic antenna tuner — 160–6m, 1.8 kW PEP.
GMKTec NucBox M5 Plus
Ryzen 7 mini-PC — 32GB, 1TB, dual 2.5GbE.
Digital Software Suite
VarAC, Winlink Express, APRX, VARA HF. →
LFP Battery Array
Home-brew 12V LiFePO4 banks — the station's primary power reserve.
Ryobi RYI818
1800W pure sine power station, hot-swap batteries.
Renogy 2000W Inverter
Pure sine 12V→120V, 4000W surge.
800W Solar Array
Keeps the bank topped between grid and generator.
AIMS 75A Charger
Smart AC-DC converter, 12V/24V.
WEN DF400i Generator
4000W dual-fuel inverter, electric start.
The power system, monitored to the cell
Every battery, bank, and inverter reports in real time through EasyBMS — the same software that runs this station is what you can run on yours.