Skip Zone

Amateur radio for everyone.

Your first contact on 2m: a practical guide for new licensees

You've passed the exam, bought a handheld, and now you're wondering why nobody seems to be out there. Here's how to actually make your first contact on 2 metres.

20 Feb 2026 Propagation

What is propagation and why does it matter?

The ionosphere is a dynamic, solar-powered mirror. Here's what's actually happening when HF signals travel thousands of kilometres — and why conditions change by the hour.

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tools

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CW trainer

Browser-based Morse code trainer. Set speed, length, and character set — listen and decode. No account required.

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Morse generator

Type text and convert it to Morse code. Set tone and speed, then play it back with live highlighting.

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Morse reference

Complete Morse code chart — letters, numbers, punctuation, prosigns, Q-codes, and common CW abbreviations.

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about

Skip Zone is written and built by MM7IUY ( Cam ) — a newly licensed Foundation holder in Scotland and software engineer by day. The name is inspired by RF propagation: the dead zone between a transmitter and where its signal returns to Earth. Most amateur radio content skips straight over the people who'd find it most interesting. This is for them.