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I too have boundless toroids and magnetic wire for making transformers, et al. but For your fellow Freeper, using the ham study test apps for iOS or android is the simpliest way these days. Later he can get geeky like the rest of us and have a collection of “stuff”

I might also recommend in the very short term to pay the $35 for an FCC GMRS License. (NO TEST!) Your area may have a vibrant GMRS community for emergency communications. I have friends that are both licensed Amateur and GMRS. SOme are sgtarting to play around with ALLSTAR Link nodes for GMRS. How cool is that?

I am a recently licensed amateur (2018) and currently a General. At my age, that’s pretty much good enough to DX around the world and enjoy everything I want to enjoy.

These days I am taking to making mini baluns/ununs for portable work with my Xiegu G90. 20w chinese rig that has a killer antenna tuner built in. suddenly realized I have five acres to play around on portable, so I don’t have to go anywhere—so I have my shack inside and now my outside shack!

73 N6(XXX)

I should add a GMRS license. No reason to leave that on the table. I have an Extra class license and a GROL grandfathered from a First Class Radiotelephone License with Ship's RADAR endorsement. I have a couple Xiegu rigs including the G90. A couple Yaesu rigs (FT-991A/FT 710 Field). I also have some "CB" size 10 meter rigs e.g. 2510. The emergency comms bag has a recent CB that support both AM and FM and dual power for 12/24 VDC. That one has a mobile mag mount antenna. Having both ham and CB covers a lot of ground for comms in the community. Added GMRS would cover some additional ground.

For HF antennas, the inventory includes verticals using Wolf River coils, an MCC from Chameleon and DX Commander. Still in the box is a 27 ft vertical with a 4:1 unun. I need to dig and pour a footing for that one. Wire antennas include EFHW with lengths supporting 40m and 80m. A few non-resonant 9:1 EFLW good to 40m. On deck is a broadband terminated dipole using principles supported by the HF ALE community. The designs done by Bonnie Crystal are pretty good approaches for a broadband antenna.

HF ALE Antenna designs