Amateur Radio
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Handy Talkies
I recently purchased a “cheap Chinese radio” Baofeng UV5R just to use while hiking and portable operations. I already own the Yaesu FT-60 handy talkie and love the heavy duty construction.
Warrensburg Hamfest
I got up semi early and made the 85 mile trek up to Warrensburg Hamfest. It was held at the Johnson County Fairgrounds just outside of Warrensburg. Also you never know what you might find or who you might see at these smaller hamfest. In conclusion, do yourself a favor and go to the smaller hamfest and support the little guys. Check out some of my other Hamfests I have attended.
Happy Fourth of July
Wishing everybody a happy and safe Fourth of July!
Battery & Solar Setup
Recently I’ve had some people interested in my solar & battery power setup I use to power my radios and sometimes our portable refrigerator in our vehicle. Power Guard 27 battery box. Morningstar Remote Meter is capable of monitoring a dual battery setup. It keeps track of battery charge maximum and minimum on both batteries as well as amp hours charged to each battery. Holding the two outer buttons will reset all values. . I do Read More …
Field Day!
Field Day is something that I have been looking foward to for quite sometime. Being a relitively new ham, I was excited to go to my first Field Day. It was nothing like I had envisioned, but at the same time it was way more than I thought it would be. We set up our portable tower in a local park in El Dorado Springs, Missouri. The park had a pavillion and power to run our Read More …
Are You Ready For Field Day?
I don’t know about you but I am ready for Field Day this year. I’ve been working on my set up for portable HF operations for the last couple of months. It is nothing elaborate or even remotely fancy. It does work and that is good enough for me. List of items I will be using at Field Day 2016 • Icom IC-730 HF Transceiver • MFJ Versa Tuner II • Homebrew – 80m dipole, Read More …
On 80m HF in Enders, Nebraska
That’s right . . . I put up the homebrew 80m HF dipole. Roughly 132 feet of wire strung out from the top of a 12 foot fiberglass painters pole while we stopped in Enders, Nebraska. Threw out the solar panels. I use a metal S carabiner to attach my 1:1 balun to the painters pole. These little reusable zip-ties are handy. Beautiful sunset!
On the Bands in Canon City, Colorado
There was plenty of sunshine! Trekking poles are also good for propping up solar panels. Hung out on 40m for most of the evening. Got most of my stuff to fit in a soft sided cooler!
Portable in Holbrook, Arizona
The bands were in terrible shape this day! Just barely made contact on 20m that day. Also had the newly purchased Baofeng – UV5R HT. The fellow ham I purchased it from at the Expo already had it programmed with all repeaters in northern Arizona.
Staying Connected at Overland Expo West – Morman Lake, Arizona
Setting up our homestead! . Talkin’ to the fellas and staying connected from 1,100 miles away! Our set up at the Expo. No hookups at this Expo solar panels are in order to keep the batteries charged. . Lots of sweet overland vehicles at the Expo. These are Global Expedition Vehicles made in the USA. . Can’t forget about the two wheeled vehicles. The adventures of Robinson FUSO! An old ambulance makes a great platform Read More …