We Found the Weirdest Ham Radio Gear at NEAR-Fest

What’s the WEIRDEST piece of ham radio gear hiding at NEAR-Fest?

This week Brew & Activate is doing something a little different. Eric – N1JUR is back at Mission Control with the Brew Crew while Shannon – KC1OHT is LIVE on the ground at NEAR-Fest with one mission:

FIND THE WEIRDEST HAM RADIO GEAR SHE CAN.

We’re not looking for the newest radio.

We’re not looking for the most expensive radio.

And we’re definitely not looking for another perfectly normal black box.

We want the homemade contraptions, mystery boxes, strange antennas, vintage equipment, questionable modifications, and those pieces of gear that make you stop and ask:

“WHAT IS THAT?!”

As Shannon explores NEAR-Fest, Eric and the Brew Crew will be calling the shots from Mission Control.

Every contender goes on the WEIRD-O-METER:

NORMAL

QUESTIONABLE

MAD SCIENTIST

MAKE RF WEIRD

Along the way, we’ll meet the hams behind this stuff and ask the important questions:

What is it?

What does it do?

Does it still work?

Why did somebody build it?

And most importantly… WHY DO YOU STILL HAVE IT?

Then the Brew Crew gets the final vote.

🏆 What deserves the title of NEAR-Fest’s WEIRDEST HAM RADIO GEAR?

And remember — weird doesn’t mean useless.

Some of amateur radio’s best ideas started because somebody looked at a problem and said:

“I bet I can build something for that.”

Join Eric, Shannon and the Brew Crew LIVE for OPERATION: MAKE RF WEIRD.

☕ Join the conversation in the Brew Crew Discord

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