To start, let me define what I mean by "manpack". My manpack is a manually transportable, rapidly deployable, field expedient complete radio station for operating while pedestrian mobile or pedestrian stationary . The HFpack group of /PM enthusiasts are the experts in operating Pedestrian Mobile. Personally I prefer the Pedestrian Stationary style of operating. The … Continue reading Building a Manpack – Part 1, the Antenna
Category: QRP
Year End Review
I am very pleased to learn that Ham Radio Outside the Box appeared in 2 of the top 10 posts in 2023 on Ham Radio Weekly. The post "A strange but proven antenna" occupied 8th place and "A 200ft wire antenna up zero feet" came in at 4th place. Many thanks to Cale K4HCK who … Continue reading Year End Review
Is Your Rig Rugged Enough for Field Deployment?
The term "field deployment" can be interpreted in many different ways. To some it could be as simple and easy as setting up inside a warm, dry, comfy vehicle - although I'll admit it can get darn cold inside a vehicle in winter at northern latitudes. Up, Up and Away Field deployment can also mean … Continue reading Is Your Rig Rugged Enough for Field Deployment?
Making Math Easy for Ham Radio Experimenters
If you buy all your equipment and spend most of your on-air time simply chatting to friends, then keep calm and carry on; you are doing us all a favor by keeping the bands alive. Some of us, on the other hand have to take a look "under the hood" to learn what is really … Continue reading Making Math Easy for Ham Radio Experimenters
New Life for a 15 year-old Hendricks PFR-3 QRP Radio
Desperation often leads to innovation, so they say. My order for a QRP-Labs QMX radio is so far down the waiting list that I won't take delivery for several months yet. Why is it that some QRP radio manufacturers have such long waiting lists for their products? It could be that their products are very … Continue reading New Life for a 15 year-old Hendricks PFR-3 QRP Radio
A Simple DIY “Unikeyer” Based on the K3NG Design
I have two main rigs for operating outdoors, mainly for Parks on the Air (POTA) activations. I dream that one day I will have three, but my order for a QRP Labs QMX is on a never-never delivery list - well maybe one day! Rig number 1 is a Yaesu FT-891 which, although capable of … Continue reading A Simple DIY “Unikeyer” Based on the K3NG Design
An Upside Down Antenna?
What do you call an end-fed three quarter wave antenna with a quarter wave counterpoise? Or is it an end-fed full wave antenna with a folded quarter wave section? Or maybe even an end-fed half wave fed with ladder line? Here are some hints. It doesn't need any ferrite toroidal cored transformers; so no hysteresis … Continue reading An Upside Down Antenna?
How to Prep for Radio Camp
What is a "Radio Camp"? Put simply, a Radio Camp is a rapidly deployable temporary setup established for the primary purpose of operating ham radio outdoors. It is not quite the same as a traditional vacation or RV camp. A Radio Camp might be setup for a very short period (e.g. for the duration of … Continue reading How to Prep for Radio Camp
9:1, 4:1, 1:1 or None:None?
When using a Random Wire antenna (also known as an End-Fed Random Wire - EFRW), the impedance at the feed end of the wire is usually higher than 50 ohms. In order to maintain a good match with a transceiver some form of impedance transformation is required to minimize SWR losses in the antenna system. … Continue reading 9:1, 4:1, 1:1 or None:None?
Ditch That Automatic Tuner!
I was on the brink of pulling the trigger on the purchase of a new automatic antenna tuner for my portable rig recently, when something unexpected happened that slammed the brakes on the acquisition. For a few weeks I have been operating my Yaesu FT-891 with an LDG Z-11 automatic antenna tuner, but there are … Continue reading Ditch That Automatic Tuner!
Ham Radio Outside the Box 