POTA Activation at Killbear Provincial Park VE-0254

Killbear Provincial Park is on the eastern shore of Georgian Bay just north of Parry Sound Ontario. XYL Krystyna, myself and shack assistant Trunkles, our faithful 15-year-old English Setter (now sadly SK), were camped in the park for 3 nights in the fall of 2021. Killbear is a beautiful park with great beaches and probably … Continue reading POTA Activation at Killbear Provincial Park VE-0254 →

A Radio Sled for Winter Outdoor Ops

VA3KOT's Radio Sled Winters in Southern Ontario last too long! Especially when your principal interest in amateur radio is operating in the Great Outdoors. So, I built a sled. It is based on what ice-fishing enthusiasts call a "Smitty Sled"; I call it simply my radio sled. A pair of child-size downhill skis were purchased … Continue reading A Radio Sled for Winter Outdoor Ops →

How to Get a Line 40ft Up a Tree

There are more ways to get a line up into a tree than you can shake a stick at. I have tried several. A popular method is to use a slingshot with a lead sinker (or equivalent) and fishing line. This method will get your line higher than you really need it, but you then … Continue reading How to Get a Line 40ft Up a Tree →

What did the Duke of Wellington do for Ham Radio?

The great Irish soldier Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington, who defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 was famous for his boots. He wore magnificent long shiny leather boots. His legacy lives on in the form of "Wellington Boots" which are rather inelegant rubber boots worn by gardeners. I am sure he … Continue reading What did the Duke of Wellington do for Ham Radio? →

Why a Battery Weighs More When It’s Charged

It's the middle of December as I write this. My backpack radio kit hasn't had a good workout since I last took it out in the field for a Parks On The Air (POTA) session a couple of months ago. But, we got lucky with the weather one day this past week. The temperature got … Continue reading Why a Battery Weighs More When It’s Charged →

Keep Your Rig in the Freezer

Sounds like a ridiculous idea doesn't it? But why do so many hams do it anyway? Of course, I don't mean the freezer in your kitchen, or the one in the garage, basement or wherever else you store the meat from your hunting trip last fall. You really wouldn't want to get bits of food … Continue reading Keep Your Rig in the Freezer →

An Easy T2LT Portable Antenna

Let's start by explaining what T2LT means. I visited several sites online that use the term without explaining it. T2LT or TTLT is an abbreviation of Tuned Transmission Line Trap. It sounds complicated but it really couldn't be simpler to build, erect and use. It can be compared to a regular dipole in that it … Continue reading An Easy T2LT Portable Antenna →

Six Weeks to Live

"Hush … did you hear that?"Josh froze in silence as he summoned the others in the room to do the same."I heard a truck stop right outside our door" he said in a low conspiratorial tone. They all knew the enemy Radio Direction Finding trucks were patrolling the area looking for allied spies and their … Continue reading Six Weeks to Live →

A Portable Vertical Antenna

I needed an antenna that would fit entirely within my backpack, along with radio, tuner, coax, battery, headphones and key. In other words, one pack with a complete portable station on my back. In the past I had always carried a second pack with poles, guy lines and tent pegs to support a vertical antenna … Continue reading A Portable Vertical Antenna →

What did 18th Century Ontario Lt.Gov. John Graves Simcoe Do for Ham Radio?

John Graves Simcoe was the first Lieutenant Governor General of what was then called Upper Canada (now Ontario) from 1791 to 1796. Among his many achievements was the founding of the City of Toronto. Back in those days the city was called York and was named after the cathedral city with the same name in … Continue reading What did 18th Century Ontario Lt.Gov. John Graves Simcoe Do for Ham Radio? →