W3GMS Monday Night Workbench Net

About W3GMS Monday Night Workbench Net

Every Monday Evening at 8pm Eastern Time, the W3GMS/R Crew get together on the repeater at 146.985Mhz and discuss technical questions and sometimes do lessons related to Ham Radio for newer Operators to learn from experienced Elmers. The Workbench was set up to be a safe place for any technical questions to get asked and good answers to be given.

Publisher

W3GMS

Category

leisure · technology

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

3 Jun 2025

Latest episode

10 Feb 2026

Latest episodes

28 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   10 Feb 2026

   Febuary 9 2026 - Intermod Nights + Shack Projects | W3GMS Workbench

   Chuck (NA3CW) hosts the W3GMS Monday Night Workbench as stations check in from icy Pennsylvania, share week-in-radio updates, and work through a set of practical bench questions. Topics include choosing alignment/trimmer tools (plastic vs ceramic and why non-conductive matters), whether extending a G5RV makes sense (and how ladder line length impacts multi-band behavior), and a late-breaking troubleshooting deep dive on diode/rectifier testing in a potted assembly—covering common diode failure modes (shorts, opens, leakage) and what you can realistically verify when you can’t lift a lead.

2. 

   27 Jan 2026

   January 26 2026 #288 - Winter Field Day Debrief + Vertical Antennas and Ground Planes | W3GMS Workbench

   Harvey (KC3NZT) hosts the W3GMS Monday Night Workbench with a Winter Field Day wrap-up and a solid technical discussion focused on vertical HF antennas and “ground plane kits” for antennas like the Antron 99 and IMAX 2000. The group digs into what a ground plane is really doing (and what happens when the antenna “finds” one through your coax or tower), shares real-world results with and without radials, and connects it to practical RF-in-the-shack symptoms like USB glitches and RFI. There’s also troubleshooting from Winter Field Day—including a radio that kept rebooting (cold + battery/power sag), dipole layout considerations (flat vs inverted-V for multi-station setups), and how to track down suspected power-line noise.

3. 

   13 Jan 2026

   January 12 2026 #286 - Cold Weather and your Radio Gear | W3GMS Workbench

   This episode of the 985 Workbench comes from the W3GMS 146.985 MHz repeater and delivers a deep, practical discussion centered on Winter Field Day preparation, cold-weather operating challenges, and real-world station experience. After net announcements and repeater operating notes, stations check in from across Pennsylvania, New England, and the West Coast, sharing recent ham radio activity including antenna installs, transmitter builds, straight-key CW operation, digital mode awards, AllStar and EchoLink use, and ongoing Field Day site work. The primary technical discussion explores how cold weather affects amateur radio equipment, with contributors covering: Battery chemistry behavior in low temperatures, including Li-ion and LiFePO₄ limitations Charging risks below freezing and the role of battery management systems LCD display failures and sluggish operation in cold environments Generator reliability, laptop boot issues, and operator ergonomics Mechanical stress on coax, connectors, solder joints, and antennas A secondary Q&A segment focuses on indoor 10-meter antenna solutions for operators living under HOA restrictions or without attic access. Suggested approaches include shortened dipoles, window-mounted antennas, balcony deployments, magnetic loops, modified mobile whips, and low-power digital operation strategies. The episode reflects the Workbench’s hands-on, experience-driven format, blending mentoring, technical insight, and community collaboration. Format: Directed technical roundtable and Q&A Net: Monday Night Workbench on W3GMS 146.985 MHz Recorded: January 12, 2026 Host: Ron, WA3VEE

Podcast Authority Score: 36 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

73

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

0

Contact W3GMS Monday Night Workbench Net

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.