I recently received an email from Frank Barnes W4NPN who maintains an excellent website with an index of downloadable issues of the Hot Iron Newsletter. The latest issue contains a link to a PDF document from the late G3XBM that discusses a commercial Rybakov antenna manufactured in the UK (no longer available) called the X80. … Continue reading A Simpler Field Expedient Rybakov Antenna for Winter
Tag: POTA
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
Is a Compromise Antenna Efficient Enough?
If you read online antenna forums, and maybe watch a few YouTube videos, you may begin to doubt whether you will ever find the perfect antenna. Here is a word to the wise - there is no such thing! But there is an old adage that says something like: "the antenna you put up always … Continue reading Is a Compromise Antenna Efficient Enough?
An Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Upside Down HF Whip
If the title of this post has you thinking about yellow polka dot bikinis we are probably in the same age range. But today's discussion isn't about ladies' swimwear, its actually about HF antennas. Something has always troubled my mind when I think about very short whip antennas. Take the Elecraft AX1 for example - … Continue reading An Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Upside Down HF Whip
Using a Municipal Flagpole for an Antenna – Fine Business!
Quite recently our local municipality replaced the weather beaten cedar flagpole at one of our local waterfront parks with a brand new one made of steel. During numerous visits to the park to enjoy the beautiful views of the big islands in Georgian Bay (Griffith Is, White Cloud Is and Hay Is), I have often … Continue reading Using a Municipal Flagpole for an Antenna – Fine Business!
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
Ham Radio – it’s a dirty business
I could have given this post a title such as "How I Became Dependent on Alcohol" but enough of the linguistic deception. Some of my recent experiences with operating in the field have convinced me to spend more time maintaining my equipment. Oh, and yes, alcohol does enter into it. It started back in the … Continue reading Ham Radio – it’s a dirty business
Is a 20m Antenna also Resonant at 2.4GHz?
In a previous post I wrote that I would be adding SSB and Data capabilities to my recently constructed plastic "ammo case" go-box for operations out in the Big Blue Sky Shack. Those modifications were completed much more quickly than I had anticipated. I am primarily a CW operator and have no immediate intention to … Continue reading Is a 20m Antenna also Resonant at 2.4GHz?
A New FT-891 Ammo Case Go-Box for POTA
My inner voice recently told me to stop building, re-building, re-engineering and modifying my outdoor operations kit and just go get on the air with it. I told my inner voice to hush-up; I need to do this. Each iteration of my design feels like the ultimate build - until it has been out to … Continue reading A New FT-891 Ammo Case Go-Box for POTA
