This week’s video has two stories, and a surprise ending. When the weather gets cold enough to end our camping season, Christine’s and my attention turns to making fun day trips. We’ll often pick an interesting location and string together a couple of Parks on the Air activations to round things out.
That’s how this week’s video: Why Simple HF Antenna Setups Beat Everything came together. Video link: https://youtu.be/m70JOFDzNT4
Links and resources for the video:
Learn more about Roche a Cri State Park: https://youtu.be/bEbKlj-qWLU
Wisconsin Ice Age Geology: https://home.wgnhs.wisc.edu/wisconsin-geology/ice-age/
The Catastrophic flood of Glacial Lake Wisconsin: https://minds.wisconsin.edu/bitstream/handle/1793/37954/Jahnz%20Konz%20Coyne.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
Shark Antennas HF Sticks: https://amzn.to/48HNxL8
Tram 5 inch magnet mount base: https://amzn.to/4qbWa6i
Feather Flag Base: https://amzn.to/3MdepHE
42×108 inch Faraday Fabric: https://amzn.to/3Vt1m9R
Jaw Mount Antenna Clamp: https://amzn.to/3VL5Ir6
SO-239 stud mount for jaw clamp: https://amzn.to/3VT1KwG
ECO-WORTHY 12V 20Ah Lithium Battery: https://amzn.to/3WuU6dA
Contact logging: https://www.smartlogger.app
Why Simple is Best
Over my years of portable ham radio operation, I’ve done some pretty elaborate antenna deployments. I’ve learned a lot from all of them which often times is the purpose. But time and again I will come back to easy and simple way of doing things.
I enjoy efficiency.
Now I don’t mean the performance efficiency of a well designed antenna system, although that is nice, too. But the efficiency of work. If I can cut down the number of steps and the amount of effort that it takes to put up an antenna, the end result should be a greater enjoyment of getting on the air.
And that’s what I feel is important.
I think many hams get mired up in the process and work that it takes to get on the air. First you have to haul out your equipment. Then you have to deploy the antenna, and set up the station outside. Then you have to find a spot to start calling CQ. All those steps get overwhelming and it is easy to say: That’s too much work!
So there is a better way of doing things.
But here’s the rub, the better way isn’t my way, or anyone else’s way. The better way is your way. once you figure out the obstacles of you getting out and on the air, the quicker you can deploy and have an enjoyable time outside hunting POTA or activating parks. My purpose in all of this is to show you how I go about my activations and let you decide if what I do is a good idea or if you would do things differently.
As I’ve said, you probably have everything you need to go our portable and get on the air. What’s holding you back? Chances are, that one thing is the obstacle that you need to simplify in order to overcome it.
Finishing Up
The Christmas holidays are upon us. This year Christmas and New Year’s throughs a wrinkle in my production schedule. As I like to release my mainline content on Wednesday, both Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve falls on that day. Which means I will juggle things a bit and my mainline videos will show up on Sunday for the next two week’s and the next two Wednesdays will feature some fun year-end content.
I’ll also be taking a bit of a break over the holidays, so if I don’t see you in the next two weeks, have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
I hope to get you in the log soon,
Michael
KB9VBR
Recent Comments