Posts Tagged ‘portable ops’
Interesting discussion
October 20th, 2014 | 
Author: going on over at QRP-L about portable antennas. The catalyst for the "debate" is this article.
http://www.sotabeams.co.uk/blog/5-most-popular-hf-portable-antennas/
Lot's of good input by lots of people who know what they are talking about. And as always, for portable operations (my emphasis), it seems to boil down to efficiency vs. ease of use.
Both Steve Weber KD1JV and Ron Polytika WB3AAL, who have done a lot of operating from the Appalachian trail, point out that while classic dipoles may be the most efficient antenna to use, there are practical logistical problems associated with them. There may not always be trees available, and even when there are trees available, there may be so many and so close together, that hoisting up a dipole may not be practical. I have to agree with Steve that hoisting a dipole or doublet in the classic sense, in a portable situation (especially when you are by yourself) can be an experiment in frustration.
Steve is a proponent of the End Fed Half Wave, while Ron likes a version of the portable vertical that he has designed and yields quite acceptable results for him. I have used both and personally prefer the end fed wire for the ease of deployment. Don't get me wrong. I have verticals antennas and love them. My Butternut at home and my Buddistick on top of the Jeep have both done very well for me. But as always, the ground plane is crucial. Close to 60 radials at home and the Jeep's metal body acting as a ground plane for the Buddistick make all the difference in the world.
The thing that surprises me though, is that when speaking of dipoles or doublets, everyone always seems to think of them in the classic flat top or Inverted Vee configuration, which of course, requires three supports. I have used doublets, such as the NorCal doublet as a sloper and as a vertical dipole with a modicum of success. My first Flight of the Bumblebees effort used the NorCal Doublet as a sloper and I was quite pleased with the results.
What it boils down to, of course, is that you have to try different things and see what works best for you. There is no single correct answer to the question of "What is the best portable antenna?" What will work in one situation may be totally unsuitable for another. No archer carries only one arrow in his quiver. Hams who are adroit in portable operations always seem to be carry more than one antenna configuration into the field with them, as long as they meet the requirements for portability and ease of use. And I think all Hams who love portable operations are on a constant quest for the "Holy Grail", an antenna that is lightweight, quick and easy to deploy, and will work as many bands as possible.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
http://www.sotabeams.co.uk/blog/5-most-popular-hf-portable-antennas/
Lot's of good input by lots of people who know what they are talking about. And as always, for portable operations (my emphasis), it seems to boil down to efficiency vs. ease of use.
Both Steve Weber KD1JV and Ron Polytika WB3AAL, who have done a lot of operating from the Appalachian trail, point out that while classic dipoles may be the most efficient antenna to use, there are practical logistical problems associated with them. There may not always be trees available, and even when there are trees available, there may be so many and so close together, that hoisting up a dipole may not be practical. I have to agree with Steve that hoisting a dipole or doublet in the classic sense, in a portable situation (especially when you are by yourself) can be an experiment in frustration.
Steve is a proponent of the End Fed Half Wave, while Ron likes a version of the portable vertical that he has designed and yields quite acceptable results for him. I have used both and personally prefer the end fed wire for the ease of deployment. Don't get me wrong. I have verticals antennas and love them. My Butternut at home and my Buddistick on top of the Jeep have both done very well for me. But as always, the ground plane is crucial. Close to 60 radials at home and the Jeep's metal body acting as a ground plane for the Buddistick make all the difference in the world.
The thing that surprises me though, is that when speaking of dipoles or doublets, everyone always seems to think of them in the classic flat top or Inverted Vee configuration, which of course, requires three supports. I have used doublets, such as the NorCal doublet as a sloper and as a vertical dipole with a modicum of success. My first Flight of the Bumblebees effort used the NorCal Doublet as a sloper and I was quite pleased with the results.
What it boils down to, of course, is that you have to try different things and see what works best for you. There is no single correct answer to the question of "What is the best portable antenna?" What will work in one situation may be totally unsuitable for another. No archer carries only one arrow in his quiver. Hams who are adroit in portable operations always seem to be carry more than one antenna configuration into the field with them, as long as they meet the requirements for portability and ease of use. And I think all Hams who love portable operations are on a constant quest for the "Holy Grail", an antenna that is lightweight, quick and easy to deploy, and will work as many bands as possible.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Making like Jim W1PID
I don't live in the rural areas of New Hampshire like my good friend Jim W1PID. No, look up "suburbia" in the dictionary, and there's probably a picture of South Plainfield there. Standard 100' X 50' suburban lots dominate the landscape in this area. Not only is New Jersey the most densely populated state in the Union, but Middlesex County is the most densely populated county in New Jersey. So to find some rural beauty, one has to drive a little bit from here. Unfortunately, it's not a bike ride or hike away. It used to be, but that's another story.
So I did something this morning that I wanted to do for a very long time. I took a ride up to Washington Rock State Park in Greenbrook, NJ, which is about two towns over from South Plainfield.
It was from this vantage point that George Washington kept tabs on British troop movements during the Revolutionary War in 1777. Today, it's a state park with a monument.
To give you an idea of the view:
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This gives a view towards south and east. Again with a "spy glass' it was possible to keep tabs on Sandy Hook.
There's lot of picnic tables that are just perfect for setting up a portable station, And that's exactly what I did. I launched the PAR END FEDZ into a handy tree and proceeded to go to town.
On 20 Meters, I worked W5AHP, Joe in Texas, and then WN2DX, Marty in Somerset, NJ. We were probably line of sight communications! After Marty, I worked Kurt W8IQ in Toldeo, Ohio. Before QSYing to another band, I snagged W1AW/4 in Alabama.
The lower end of 20 Meters and most of 15 Meters seemed to be wall-to-wall Work All Germany contest stations, so I sidled on up to 12 Meters, which was open! I worked 2SZ, the special event station in London, PA1CC in the Netherlands and finally GB0GDS, a JOTA (Boy Scout Jamboree on the Air) station from Scotland.
So it was a good day and I enjoyed myself immensely, even though it was only about a 90 minute adventure. The best part was when a gusty breeze would blow, sending a cascade of leaves down. It was like being inside a snow globe of falling Autumn leaves. I am taking another vacation day from work next Friday, so if the weather is good .......
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
So I did something this morning that I wanted to do for a very long time. I took a ride up to Washington Rock State Park in Greenbrook, NJ, which is about two towns over from South Plainfield.
It was from this vantage point that George Washington kept tabs on British troop movements during the Revolutionary War in 1777. Today, it's a state park with a monument.
To give you an idea of the view:
Looking slightly north and east, with a "spy glass" you can see the Manhattan skyline easily.
This gives a view towards south and east. Again with a "spy glass' it was possible to keep tabs on Sandy Hook.
There's lot of picnic tables that are just perfect for setting up a portable station, And that's exactly what I did. I launched the PAR END FEDZ into a handy tree and proceeded to go to town.
On 20 Meters, I worked W5AHP, Joe in Texas, and then WN2DX, Marty in Somerset, NJ. We were probably line of sight communications! After Marty, I worked Kurt W8IQ in Toldeo, Ohio. Before QSYing to another band, I snagged W1AW/4 in Alabama.
The lower end of 20 Meters and most of 15 Meters seemed to be wall-to-wall Work All Germany contest stations, so I sidled on up to 12 Meters, which was open! I worked 2SZ, the special event station in London, PA1CC in the Netherlands and finally GB0GDS, a JOTA (Boy Scout Jamboree on the Air) station from Scotland.
So it was a good day and I enjoyed myself immensely, even though it was only about a 90 minute adventure. The best part was when a gusty breeze would blow, sending a cascade of leaves down. It was like being inside a snow globe of falling Autumn leaves. I am taking another vacation day from work next Friday, so if the weather is good .......
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
If this is what Autumn brings
then I will take it!
I had two very nice DX QSOs during lunch today. These were not "UR 599 TU 73" QSOs, nor were they exactly ragchews. But they were a nice change of pace from the typical "wham, bam, thank you Ma'am" kind of micro-QSOs that seem to be so prevalent these days.
The first was with Vic SM7ZDI who answered my CQ on 18.086 MHz. Vic was using a Yaesu FT-1000D at 100 Watts to a Windom. He had a good 569 signal and gave me the same. Vic told me that it was about 8C (46F) in Sweden. I was very grateful for the 65F (18C) that we had today, when I had heard that.
I had two very nice DX QSOs during lunch today. These were not "UR 599 TU 73" QSOs, nor were they exactly ragchews. But they were a nice change of pace from the typical "wham, bam, thank you Ma'am" kind of micro-QSOs that seem to be so prevalent these days.
The first was with Vic SM7ZDI who answered my CQ on 18.086 MHz. Vic was using a Yaesu FT-1000D at 100 Watts to a Windom. He had a good 569 signal and gave me the same. Vic told me that it was about 8C (46F) in Sweden. I was very grateful for the 65F (18C) that we had today, when I had heard that.
SM7DZI
My next QSO was on 20 Meters and this time I was the one answering the CQ - that of Bob, G3PJT. Bob hails from Cambridge and was using his brand new KX3! I was his second QSO and he sounded great. His antenna was a 3 element Yagi up about 17 Meters. Bob was telling me that he also has a K3, so he's quite familiar with the Elecraft line. It was cool being his second QSO and providing him with a 2X KX3 QRP QSO, to boot.
G3PJT
It was fun having a "normal", unhurried QSOs with two new Ham friends from outside the US. If only they were ALL like this!
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
It’s the little things that make life worthwhile
In the day to day, sometimes it's easy to forget the little things that make life worthwhile.
1) Like that yesterday was my daughter Cara's 13th birthday - she's officially a teenager now!
3) That while I was eating my chicken corn chowder in my Jeep, I managed to work DL4ISX in Germany (with some difficulty due to QSB) and HF37SONDA in Poland (who was super loud).
4) That I came home to a packet of QSL cards from the Bureau, including:
Yeah, it's the little things in life that are the absolute best!
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
1) Like that yesterday was my daughter Cara's 13th birthday - she's officially a teenager now!
Did I mention she DETESTS having her picture taken and that she was ready to kill me when I snapped this one at Lake George this Summer?
2) Like that today they served chicken corn chowder in the cafeteria at work today - one of my all time favorite soups.
3) That while I was eating my chicken corn chowder in my Jeep, I managed to work DL4ISX in Germany (with some difficulty due to QSB) and HF37SONDA in Poland (who was super loud).
4) That I came home to a packet of QSL cards from the Bureau, including:
Yeah, it's the little things in life that are the absolute best!
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Here’s a little something I came up with
This was designed to be printed on 4X6 Glossy stock and then laminated. You can jam in your portable ops bag, in case you're always forgetting the US QRP frequencies like I do.
Feel free to save the JPG as an image on your own computer and print it out, if you like. I also have it as a doc file if you'd like to edit to suit your needs. An e-mail request will get it sent to you.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Feel free to save the JPG as an image on your own computer and print it out, if you like. I also have it as a doc file if you'd like to edit to suit your needs. An e-mail request will get it sent to you.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Good lunchtime DX session
When I left the house this morning for work, it was all of 52F (11C), which is very cool for New Jersey this time of year. Also, I noticed on the drive in that many of the trees already have leaves that are turning yellow and orange, and many trees have started dropping their leaves. Again, that is something we are accustomed to seeing at the end of September, not August.
But the day heated up, and by lunchtime it was 84F (29C). Quite a warm up! And fortunately, it wasn't only the air temperature that had gotten hot. 17 and 15 Meters were hopping and hot - well, maybe not as hot as a few months ago, but hotter than just a few weeks ago. The sunspot number had risen to 128 making conditions better than they have been in days. I'll take it!
I worked 9Y4/AI5P on Trinidad/Tobago, RI4CWC/3 in Russia and PI4DX in the Netherlands, all on 17 Meters. The thought then occurred to me that if 17 Meters was working so well, then 15 Meters might be worth looking at. It was, and after switching over, I worked OQ4U in Belgium and SP2GUB in Poland. All the stations on both bands had excellent signal strengths and I got decent reports back, the lowest being 559.
I don't know how long these good band conditions will be able to maintain themselves. The way the Sun is throwing fits and starts, it may not be for that long. But if you get a chance, get on the air and make hay while the opportunity presents itself!
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
But the day heated up, and by lunchtime it was 84F (29C). Quite a warm up! And fortunately, it wasn't only the air temperature that had gotten hot. 17 and 15 Meters were hopping and hot - well, maybe not as hot as a few months ago, but hotter than just a few weeks ago. The sunspot number had risen to 128 making conditions better than they have been in days. I'll take it!
I worked 9Y4/AI5P on Trinidad/Tobago, RI4CWC/3 in Russia and PI4DX in the Netherlands, all on 17 Meters. The thought then occurred to me that if 17 Meters was working so well, then 15 Meters might be worth looking at. It was, and after switching over, I worked OQ4U in Belgium and SP2GUB in Poland. All the stations on both bands had excellent signal strengths and I got decent reports back, the lowest being 559.
I don't know how long these good band conditions will be able to maintain themselves. The way the Sun is throwing fits and starts, it may not be for that long. But if you get a chance, get on the air and make hay while the opportunity presents itself!
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Some Skeeter Hunt video
from Tim, W3ATB. Not only a beautiful location, but an answer to those new to portable QRP ops who are wondering, “How do they do it?”
Thanks, Tim and I’m glad you enjoyed yourself! THAT is the whole point of this event – for folks to get out and enjoy themselves (Skeeter bites, and all!).
Oh ….. I also added Tim’s blog to the blogroll. Make sure to check it out!
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP – When you care to send the very least!
