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TIS Pages - Technical pages on a variety of subjects you can read/download
TISfind - Search engine for over 2000 companies providing products/services
Need help or information on a consumer electronic product? The Techlore Web site could be your salvation. The site's editor, Matt Whitlock, has put together a lengthy rundown of Support Information and Contacts for consumer electronics companies from Advent to Zenith. It includes phone numbers and URLs for things like manuals and FAQs and service-center directories.
ARRL Periodicals Index Search - This database contains the QST index from 1915 to the present and the QEX index from 1981 to the present. NEW – QST Archive for Members Only. Now ARRL Members can access fully downloadable digital copies of all QST articles, from December 1915 through December 2004. 
(Index Search Introduction)
Not every article we remember appeared in QST so here are the Master CQ Magazine Index 1980 Through 2000 and the Ham Radio Magazine Index 1968 Through 1990.
Companion software, Templates and Product Notes for recent ARRL books, CDs and QEX projects.
Source code and Programs mentioned in QST projects
QST Files and Templates by File Name
QST Product Review List - view a list of product reviews going back to 1970
QST Product Review Downloads - read or download product review columns going back to
QST Product Review Transceiver Summary - a list of transceivers compared head to
The ARRL Lab Test Procedures Manual describes the test methods used by the ARRL Lab for Product Review testing. (1.4 MB, PDF file).
Hands-On Radio - Supplemental information and past issues of the monthly QST column by N0AX
Affiliated Club Search - New to the hobby? Need help? New in town? Find your local club.
ARRL Technical Awards - Could you use $500, CASH? Here's how!
Follow this link for an expanding list of technical pages compiled by the ARRL Technical Information Service. It consists of QST, QEX, Handbook, and original articles on a variety of subjects including theory, tutorials, and projects. Many pages also contain additional sources for materials and information and Web Links of particular interest.
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As most long-time hams know, the answer to common technical questions can usually be found by looking in the ARRL Handbook for Radio Amateurs, the ARRL Antenna Book, or one of the many other good Amateur Radio reference books such as the Ham Radio FAQ for the beginning to intermediate amateur. In fact, when you call or write ARRL TIS staff, you will sometimes be referred to one of these books or to a past magazine article. A few good books go a long way toward answering the vast majority of your questions as well as enhance your knowledge and enjoyment of this fascinating hobby.
Many questions received by TIS ask how to reach companies that sell Amateur Radio products or how to find a company that sells a specific product or service. TIS has created a searchable online database of over 2,000 companies.
ARRL Periodicals Index Search - This database contains the QST index from 1915 to the present and the QEX index from 1981 to the present. For QST issues from 1970 to the present, and some selected articles back to 1922 (when construction articles featuring tubes began in earnest), identifying keywords have been added to the technical articles. By entering keywords (ANTENNA) or combinations of keywords (CONSTRUCTION ANTENNA VERTICAL HF) into the Title words: field, you may create dynamic bibliographies.
Technical article KEYWORD list. Hints for more successful searching
For DOS systems, a shareware program of searchable QST indexes by Don Shipley, WB2PKG, is available for download. (qstsearc.zip, 380,141 bytes).
If you don't have room in your shack for a large collection of periodicals, ARRL periodicals are now available on CD. You can also try asking folks at a local ham club, flea market or on the local repeater to see if you can borrow the magazine you need. You may even find that several of these folks have experience with the same kind of problem or question that you have!
The ARRL Field Organization is also a good resource for technical assistance! Each League section has a Technical Coordinator (TC) and/or one or more Technical Specialists (TS). These volunteers can offer "hands-on" help with local technical problems (such as RFI), and can provide personal advice about antennas, station grounding or other questions that are best answered in person.
To find out who the Technical Coordinator of your section is, visit this page. http://www.arrl.org/sections/ .Your ARRL Section Manager (SM), listed on the first few pages of any recent QST, can also refer you to your TC or local TS. SMs can accept email, too.
Before you contact HQ with a question about a magazine article, keep in mind that the author is the most familiar with the text and is usually the best person to contact, especially for project articles. Write the author a friendly letter, asking your questions. (Always include an SASE!) Most authors will send you a prompt reply. If you offer feedback, try to be positive, even if you disagree with the author.
If you are a current ARRL member, ARRL Headquarters can answer your technical questions, too. (If you are not a member, we would like you to join so we can offer this service to you!) Our TIS staff is a valuable source of information and research for questions that cannot be answered by the Technical Coordinator or an article author.
TIS has prepared information packages which are available as Web pages and bibliographies which are available at no charge via the World Wide Web - just click on the link beside its listing above.
If you want to know if something has been previously published on a particular subject, the TIS staff can do research to help you locate this information. TIS can also help you locate a company that sells a particular product (such as air variable capacitors) or personally explain a technical point to you via e-mail, letter or telephone. E-mail is usually the best method of contact with TIS, since it provides the TIS staff time to research your inquiry completely without lengthy phone charges being incurred.
The Technical Information Service can also supply photocopies of out-of-print QST or QEX articles or article construction "templates" (as mentioned in the text of an article). Reprints are available from the Technical Department Secretary, ARRL, 225 Main Street, Newington, CT 06111. Copies must be prepaid: articles are $3 for ARRL Members, $5 for nonmembers; templates are $2-$5 for ARRL members, $4-$7 for nonmembers (depending on quantity of material included). You may order by telephone (860-594-0200) and pay by credit card. Contact the Technical Department (reprints@arrl.org) for information or help with reprints and templates. However, if you would rather have a complete issue of QST, contact our Circulation Department (circulation@arrl.org) to see if it is still available.
ARRL members can contact the ARRL TIS Coordinator directly at tis@arrl.org or by phone at 860-594-0214.
Non-members should contact circulation@arrl.org. TIS is pleased to help a new ham get started or help an old timer get back into ham radio but non-members will be asked to join the ARRL so we can continue to provide this valuable membership service. After solicitation, non-member inquiry will be promptly forwarded to the ARRL HQ TIS staff.
To contact TIS by mail, please send an SASE to:
The ARRL tries to handle TIS inquiries as quickly as possible, most are answered within one business day after receipt, but sometimes things get backlogged and on that rare occasion when your question requires a bit of research or our best expert is not immediately available, it may take as much as a week or two for you to receive an answer.
