cw – Page 6

A Key Resolution for the New Year

It’s that time of year again. Shopping, baking, cooking, parties, more shopping, and more parties. It’s a time for hustle and bustle, shaking and moving, busting a gut, or getting a gut. “It’s the most wonderful time of the year” so sings Andy Williams. Bah! Humbug! with all this Christmas retail extravaganza. The holiday season used to begin after Thanksgiving (now called Black Friday), but has since moved up in front of Halloween.

But I digress. Towards the end of the year is a time for me to reflect on the thrills of victory and the agonies of defeat. I’ve had some of both. One big thrill was I got to retire for the second and last time. It seems I am busier now then when I was working a job. It’s a good kind of busy though. One agony, was I let CW slip a bit. When band conditions were poor, I switched to FT8 for my POTA activations. I made a boatload of contacts all over the world and finished 5 Kilo’s. However, that did not help my desire to become more proficient with CW. Back in the 90s as a Tech+, CW was the gateway into the world of HF. My first DX contacts were HF CW. Studying CW back in the day was tedious. I had a couple of ARRL cassette tapes that I played over and over. It was enough to get me up to 13 wpm and my Advanced ticket (KM5AV).

CW worked well for me at the time. I worked second shift and with my “shack” in our bedroom, using headphones, I was able to log a few contacts each night while I wound down from the evening’s work while the wife slept. I got pretty good eventually getting up to about 18 wpm. Then work, kids, school, new jobs, etc., put CW on the back burner. It wasn’t until a couple of years ago that I started my journey back.

As I said earlier, I allowed myself to drift from CW. That is solely my fault. I only gave myself a general direction to proceed and no real standards to gauge my progress. When I started back, I was around 16 wpm and very shaky. I did manage to get myself up to around 20-22 wpm doing POTA hunting/activating. Hence my downfall. I can do an exchange at 20+ wpm but that’s about all. I trained myself to do an exchange. Where I want to be is to be able to engage in a CW QSO. To converse using CW. And I want to get my speed up around 28 wpm.

Bringing this back around, here I sit at the end of one year and the beginning of the next. This is usually a time for reflection on where I have been and where I am going. The tradition, is to make New Year’s Resolutions with the hope of succeeding in making them come true. I try to keep mine realistic and few. Next year, I will have two. The first will be to become more proficient with CW. With some personal hesitation I signed up for a class with CW Innovations https://cwinnovations.net/. My first experience with them was a 30-45 min. One-on-one interview with the instructors. It was a good experience, we talked about what I was trying to accomplish and we touched on how that was going to happen. One thing they stressed was everyone, regardless of position or skill stayed on the same level (peer-to-peer). The other thing I like was that we would get code-buddies. Someone to practice with, on the air. I always say that if you want to get better get on the air. With a code buddy, you’re working with someone in the same boat as you, someone you know on the other end — I like it. My class starts the middle of January. The other thing I am going to do is use CW as much as possible. That means using CW for hunting and activations. I may still do some digital, but nowhere near what I did the past year.

The second resolution is I am going to try to up my game when it comes to my blog. I am going to push myself to do better with the written content, try to be a bit more polished, and provide more breath when it comes to subject matter. I also plan on doing better with the videos. I am going to spend more time editing them. I recently purchased a MacBook Pro to help me. One thing that was very annoying was getting content from my iPhone and iPad in the field into my Windows machine. The aggravation would drive creativity right out of me. Now, as soon as I take a picture on my iPhone, Boom! It’s right here on there Mac ready to use.

There you have it. Let’s see how I do. I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas or a Happy Holiday Season and a Happy New Year. I hope you all will take some time and give yourself a meaningful resolution to work on next year. 73 de Scott

AAR Bald Mountain

My training from the military compels me to perform an after-action report of sorts. I have found it beneficial to review an adventure as quickly as possible while the triumphs and foibles are still fresh in memory. This becomes more important as we age. Today (Thursday) is a few days after my SOTA activation on Bald Mountain. In general, things went well even though the weather was not as nice as was expected. The climb was as expected, I had to huff and puff a bit which at my age was expected. Two things that came to mind were: 1) the pack could be a little lighter (it was 15 pounds with water and my Goretex jacket) and my hands were cold enough to hinder my CW sending. For my hands, I bought a pair of warm gloves that can expose the fingertips of my thumb and index finger. Because I was warmed up from the hike, the Goretex jacket was enough to keep me warm.

I decided to lighten my load a little bit. When climbing, a lighter is better. Here is a list of my new slimmed-down version of my SOTA pack. I got the pack down to 10 lbs without water or a jacket. I probably saved about 2 pounds, but hey! two pounds is two pounds.

Starting with my person, this is what I carry:
Wallet – minimalist
Bic Mini-lighter
Fischer Space Bullet Pen
Swiss Army Knife Hiker
iPhone
Benchmade Bugout Knife
Notebook 3×5
Dogtag with emergency contact info on a neck chain
Olight i1r2eos flashlight on the chain with the dog tag

The Bugout rides in the same pouch as my iPhone in its own pocket. The pack I use is a Camelbak Military HAWG. It’s the old style. I’ve had it for quite a while and when I need a smallish pack, it’s the one I grab. The orange strip is highly reflective.

Attached to the left shoulder strap of the pack is a Garmin InReach Messenger. Some of the places I activate have little or no cell service so I use the Garmin to spot myself and keep the wife updated.

E&E Pouch
In the Army, we often made Escape and Evasion pouches. A small pouch with just enough stuff to get by. This one fits in a 6 x 9″ Alocsak Pouch and weighs 10oz.
Ferro Rod with carbide striker
Magnesium Rod
2 – 3/8 by 8″ Sisal Rope
Tropical matches (from MRE)
Tinder
Lighter Pine
iFAK
Whistle
Compass
Space Blanket
Signal Mirror
2 – Bic Lighters

The sisal rope is great for fire starting. You take it apart and it makes a nice nest for your fire.

Considering my whereabouts will be generally known, I do have a preference for fire and signaling. Most likely, any survival situation will be short-term, and I want to be found.

The Elecraft Bag
This is the bulk of my radio gear. The Elecraft bag that came with my radio does a great job of keeping things organized.
KX2 with a 3D printed cover
Begali KX2 Adventure Paddle adapter
28.5′ Random Wire Antenna
17′ Counterpoise
30′ Bank Line
12 VDC power cable with Anderson Power Pole connector
N0SA SOTA Paddles (swap with Begali Adventure Duo)
15′ RG-316 with choke (Chameleon)
Skull Candy earbuds
8 oz Arbor weight with line

The rest of the items are dispersed within the pack
1 Liter Canteen with Cup and Spoon
HeadlampSeat Cushion
Contractor Trash Bag
Knee Board
Rite-In-The-Rain 4×6 Notepad
2 Mechanical Pencils
Spool of Bank Line
2 Tent Stake
Chameleon 40-meter OCF Dipole

Finally, there are some seasonal/ad hoc items such as gloves, jackets, food, and localized maps. I have plenty of room in the pack to make adjustments for conditions.

My pack contents will probably evolve over time as I use it. Right now I think there is a good balance in the pack between fun and safety. Some of the places I go are pretty remote. I always tell my wife where I am going and a general itinerary. You should do the same.

How did the KX2 do? This was the maiden voyage of the KX2. Right off the bat, I got to use it in some trying conditions. The weather was deteriorating as I walked into a cloud at the summit. It was windy and I wasn’t really sure what the weather was going to do. I figured I had enough time to make a quick activation and get down off of the mountain before the rains came. I climbed until I got well within the activation zone and set up. I strung the OCF dipole about 10 feet up and set my station right below it using the same tree as a backrest. I was going to use a Flight Deck but I didn’t want to fiddle with so I set the radio on top of the pack. Because the radio is self-contained all I had to do was plug in the antenna, paddles, and earbuds, and I was in business. I made 19 contacts logging on my notepad resting on my thigh. What helped to make the activation a success was the ease with which I got the radio working. Bing-Bam-Boom and I was on the air. As quick as I set it up, I took it down. The KX2 made it easy. I made it back to the truck to beat the drizzle. Since the activation, I added the kneeboard shown. I set it up at home and it should be easier to use than the one I had. I am still learning my way around the radio, but it is indeed going to be my main SOTA radio. Until next time 73 –de Scott

Methods Modes and Madness

Before I take my leave from EmComm and revert to FunComm, I thought I would share some of my meditations on digital modes.

My use of digital modes goes back to the mid-2,000’s. I was an early adopter of Winlink and ran a regional digital PSK31 net. I have had the pleasure of working with many fine amateur radio operators with many different skill sets. Recently, I have had the opportunity to run a national digital PSK31 net for a few months. Again, the experience of working with amateur radio operators was a fun and fulfilling endeavor. I have used most of the modes for Winlink with VARA being the current favorite. Other modes I have used include PSK31, PSK125, QPSK125, Contestia, MT63, and Olivia. They all work as intended, however, when it comes to the less experienced digital operators, PSK31 is the easiest to master. I have run nets where we started on PSK31 and then moved to another mode and then back to PSK31. Many ops do fine on PSK31; however, once we move to a different mode, they get lost. When considering EmComm we should always play to the least common denominator.

My favorite modes for EmComm are:

1) Winkink/Vara. If I had to choose one, this would be it. With nodes all over the world, the probability of getting into a node is greater than if you had to depend on a single point. Because messages are stored until they are retrieved, Radios do not have to be left on to forward and retrieve messages. This can be done at any time and there is no need for a schedule. An operator can wait until favorable propagation exists. I have not tried VARAC yet, but it is on my to-do list.

2) PSK 31 and 125. I like PSK31. I have run a national net using it. Typically, I take check-ins on 31, send a message using FLMsg on 125, and then go back to 31. I have a much higher percentage of people getting the message using PSK31 than with other modes. On most modern radios, PSK31 can be decoded and sent without the use of a computer. While those at home with mains power see that as frivolous, a computer or laptop can be a serious drain on a battery when mains power is not available when operating under potable/emergency conditions. Because PSK31 has a narrow bandwidth (60 Hz) compared to MT63-1000s (1000 HZ), it enjoys a 2 S-unit advantage. Roughly that means a PSK31 message transmitting at 5 watts is equivalent to an MT63-1000s message transmitting at 100 watts (5 watts to 100 is about 2.2 S-unit gain and PKS 31 to MT63-100 is about 2.03). My point of view here is someone operating in the field, using portable equipment. In addition, we do not always get to choose who is in the field and who is at home. Throughput on PSK31 is about 50 wpm and MT63-1000 is about 100 wpm. If we bump up to PSK125 (which is about 1 S-unit better than MT63-1000) we get about 200 wpm.

3) My third mode would be CW and this would be used when nothing else is working. It requires the least amount of equipment and what can be used is not complicated. This would be an emergency mode. Any communications plan should include CW and any EmComm group should try to maintain a few CW ops on their rosters.

What would I do if I was in charge? I would try to keep the communications plan as simple as possible and play to the least common denominator. I would use the U.S. Army acronym PACE which stands for Primary, Alternate, Contingency, and Emergency. My plan would look something like:

a) Primary – normal infrastructure/internet-based communication. When it’s working, it’s the best. I have seen operators try to use their radios when there is a working FAX machine next to them.

b) Alternate – This could be a combination of Voice/SSB and Winlink. Establish a voice net because that is where most of the operators operate and provide an email address where to send Winlink Messages.

c) Contingency – This could be a Peer-to-Peer digital mode such as MT63-1000, or VARAC. I like the idea of VARAC because VARA is used by Winlink but I have to try it out before I can recommend it. Down at this level, the more experienced ops may not be prevalent, and it might be the less informed ops on the scene.

d) Emergency – This is no man’s land in the EmComm community. The probability of us getting to Emergency is quite low, maybe 1%. Here you might find an operator with a radio and antenna while a geomagnetic storm is raging overhead. I have been deployed to a disaster area while a storm was raging, and we have had a couple of SETs with poor band conditions. Here might be the realm of PSK31 and/or CW.

What I am saying is to keep your comm plan simple. You don’t have a legion of professional-level operators on hand that can tackle all the modes available. What you do have are operators with widely varied skill levels, with amateur radio either a secondary or tertiary interest. Pick the fewest modes that use the fewest different types of software and stick with them. Don’t forget to train, train, train. Additionally, have exercises that get operators out in the field. Field ops are hugely different than operating from home. Try to get them at least 20 miles from their home, this reduces the run home for something I forgot. Many times, during a deployment/exercise there were ops who could not complete the tasking. I like to go camping at least once a month and bring my radios with me. I usually do a POTA activation; it gives my radio system a good shakedown and helps me understand its performance. Get out, get on, and go do! 73 de Scott

The HF Radios of KK4Z

First off, I managed to work W8S this morning (Wed.) on FT8. I tried CW but they were running about 32 wpm and my best is about 25 wpm. I thought I would give an update on my radios and how I feel about them. Before I go on, my comments and reviews are not deep-dive, technical reviews. They are more of what an average operator might do. Take the radio out of the box, skim through the manual, and use the radio, occasionally referring to the manual when he or she finally gets stumped.

My top radio is still the IC-7610 (Zeus). This is my do-all base radio. I have had this radio since 2018 and it does everything I need it to do. The radio is easy to use with top marks given to ergonomics. It is the radio I use the most in the shack.

My other QTH radio is my FTDX10 (Sheldon). I have had this radio for about a year now. I have a love/hate relationship with this radio. Where the 7610 has the best ergonomics, the FTDX10 has the worst. I have large hands and it is difficult to navigate the controls without careful consideration. The radio does not have auto-notch and the notch /Contour/APF controls are in the lower right-hand corner. It’s hard to get to. The only thing I found that helps is to use the radio with my left hand. Yes, I believe the radio is left-handed. Luckily, it sits to my left in the shack. There are things I like about the radio and I find I use it for casual CW like POTA. One feature I do like is the ability to send CW while in SSB mode. Some of the nets I check into have both CW and SSB check-ins.

The rest of the radios are field radios that I use for EmComm and FunComm. First on the list is actually a pair of IC-7300s (Peter I and Peter II). I’ve had an IC-7300 since 2016. These radios are my rocks. They do everything very well. If I could only have one radio, this would be it. It is the radio I recommend for first-time HF Hams. I have two for EmComm purposes. I have a backup that uses all of the same stuff as the main radio.

I have a new to me Elecraft K3/10 #8640. This was a case of happenstance. I originally had my sights on a KX2, but this opportunity came up in a trade negotiation. Most of my field activations happen while camping or near my vehicle so this works out well. I am calling this one Carlos because it is as smooth as Carlos Santana. It is a great radio; however, it does have an addictive nature similar to buying a vintage car. Money goes in but it doesn’t come out, but you are left with a big smile on your face. I have added the internal ATU and changed the filters to my liking with emphasis on CW. I am in the process of converting the K3/10 into a K3S/10. I haven’t decided if I am going to put the 100-watt amp in it yet.

I have an IC-705 with the AH-705 (Jack). I really enjoy using this radio. I like that its ergonomics are similar to my other Icoms and the radio plays well. I have apps on my iPhone and iPad that connect to the 705 via Bluetooth for logging, CW, and FT8. This means I can bring less stuff with me. I also have the Begali Adventure paddle and the 705 mount for it. It’s a very pleasant radio to use in the field. The AH-705 is a brilliant design. It operates like Icom’s AH-4 tuner, which is a real sleeper. If I don’t bring the AH-705 with me, I can always use my Elecraft T-1.

For my occasional SOTA activations, I can bring the 705 with me but I refer my WA3RNC TR-35 (Penny for Penntek). This is a QRP CW transceiver that operates on 40, 30, 20, and 17 meters. Looking at my POTA stats, these are my most used bands. The radio is lightweight, well-built, and is a joy to use. It makes for a very lightweight SOTA kit.

I have a QRP Labs QMX on order, and last time I checked, my order sequence was in the mid-80s. Maybe I’ll get it for Christmas. This will be a fun radio for SOTA/Hiking POTA activations. I am looking forward to using it.

That’s my radio collection as it stands. Any others I had have either been sold or traded. I am pretty content with what I have. I feel all the boxes have been checked. Hopefully, in the upcoming weeks, I can get back to spending time in the field. in the meantime 73 de Scott

QRP at Home and SOTA Setup

I posted earlier that I was in a radio doldrum. Today I am slowly drifting back to fair skies and wind at my stern. My friend Thomas K4SWL recently posted on his blog a Field Kit Gallery showcasing operators’ various field kits: https://qrper.com/resources/field-radio-kits/ I thought I would post mine.

This is what I typically bring for a SOTA activation. I also have some general outdoor essentials like an iFAK, bug repellent, a compass, water, and of course snacks. For POTA, I am usually in my camper and bring a full-sized radio like my Elecraft K3/10. I also have an IC-705 which I like for those one-day POTA activations. The kit is pretty simple and gets the job done. Here is a list of components.

Garmin In-reach Messenger https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/793265

Elecraft T1 Antenna Tuner in a homemade 3D printed case https://elecraft.com/products/t1-miniature-stand-alone-atu-and-accessories

WA3RNC TR-35 4 band QRP radio https://www.wa3rnc.com/store/tr-35-cw-transceiver-kit.html

N0SA SOTA Paddle

Staples Clip Board

Rite in the Rain 4×6 Notebookhttps://www.amazon.com/Rite-Rain-Weatherproof-Top-Spiral-946-3/dp/B01MQFDNSH

Pentel Forte 0.5mm Pencil – no longer made

Grifiti Band Joes Silicone Rubber bands https://www.amazon.com/Assorted-Standard-Wrapping-Exercise-Silicone/dp/B018WPZCSO/ref=sr_1_8?crid=2EOBSH8X6QR0V&keywords=joe+band+silicone&qid=1696349174&sprefix=joe+band+silicone%2Caps%2C282&sr=8-8

Stretch Velcro Strap (leg strap)https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09VY5H5JT/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

Homemade Random Wire antenna (41′)

Throw weight and line

3 AH Bioenno Battery https://www.bioennopower.com/collections/12v-series-lifepo4-batteries/products/copy-of-12v-3ah-lfp-battery-pvc-blf-1203a

6 Foot RG-316

Chameleon 15′ RG-316 with Choke https://chameleonantenna.com/shop-here/ols/products/cha-50-coax-with-integrated-rfi-choke-cha-50-cx-wth/v/CHA-RG-316-15-RFI

MM0OPX Balun w/61′ of wire and a 17′ counterpoise

A couple of generic tent stakes

Not shown – a spool of 35# bank line.

Also, I decided to take a break from everything else I have been doing and get on the air. I recently got my K3/10 back from the shop and thought I would give it a good workout at home so I wouldn’t have another calamity like I did a few months ago https://kk4z.com/2023/08/06/calamity-on-black-rock-mountain/. I set the radio up in the shack and started to make contacts. I had forgotten how far 10-watts CW can get you with a good antenna. At the home QTH, I run a 270′ OCF dipole with the apex up about 35′. I was hunting POTA activators and found I could work almost everyone I heard. I got as far north as Ontario, Canada, and as far west as TX, MO, and IA. This was still the morning and there weren’t many activators out yet. The K3/10 worked like a champ and purred like a kitten. Not hearing relays click during QSK CW is sublime. With the K3/10 cleared for field use, I have a couple of outings planned for it.

It feels good to be back in the saddle again. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and after being away from amateur radio, even for a short while, I appreciate it all the more. 72 de Scott

Radio Doldrums

For the past month or so I have been in the radio doldrums, A doldrum is a period of stagnation or slump, often doldrum is associated with an area of the ocean near the equator that has little or no wind. Ships were be-calmed.

Radio-wise, I was radio be-calmed starting at the end of August. My wife and I were asked to assist in setting up a command center in Valdosta, GA to organize clean-up efforts after Hurricane Idalia. Valdosta and the surrounding area received significant damage. The command center was a relief effort by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where a large body of manpower along with material to help mitigate the damage was going to arrive in Valdosta, the same weekend I was supposed to to go camping. Instead, I canceled my reservation and assisted at the command center, organizing the relief effort. We set up at one of the church buildings and over the weekend over 300 work orders were completed in and around Valdosta. This could not have been accomplished without a high level of organization.

While be-calmed, an opportunity came up to attend the Georgia Beekeepers Association Fall Conference. As I get closer to retirement, thoughts of having more time to do the things I want abound. Beekeeping has been on the radar and with 6 acres of rural land, this should be very doable. I prefaced the conference by reading Beekeeping for Dummies. I was glad I did. while it didn’t make me an all-knowing, all-seeing bee pro, it did give me enough knowledge to understand many of the topics at the conference as well as giving me the capability to ask questions and understand the answers. I walked away with a lot of information — my brain was tired. I am hoping to have bees by next spring.

Some good news was I got my K3/10 back. I had damaged a filter slightly and the radio came with a few other minor issues. Elecraft fixed and updated the radio as well as tuned it up to meet or exceed factory specs. The repairs cost $310 dollars. Elecraft has a $250 minimum so my blunder cost me $60. Since I bought it used and it was homebuilt, I was going to send it in for a check-up anyhow. I got it home and set it up the way I like it.

I had a campsite reserved for the weekend of the 10/06. However, I was once again double booked, this time to help a couple of families with preparedness. The times they are a changing. Sometimes EmComm, sometimes FunComm. Taking care of friends and family always supersedes FunComm. Instead of canceling the reservation, I moved it to February. I have campsites reserved each month until then. While I missed two camping trips in a row, it is looking like I may be able to get out one or two days this week for a local activation. I’ll keep you posted. Life’s an adventure 72 de Scott

Calamity on Black Rock Mountain

It all started innocently enough. This was my monthly camping trip where I take a weekend and go play radio somewhere. It gives me a chance for some FunComm and in a roundabout way EmComm. This month it was Black Rock Mountain State Park. The highest state park in Georgia. I really like this park and try to come here a couple of times a year. It works really well in the summer months as it is usually cooler here than in other parks. There is also a SOTA summit within the park (W4G/NG-027). I thought I would try both a POTA and a SOTA activation with the bonus that any SOTA contacts can be counted for POTA.

Radios for this weekend were going to be my new to me Elecraft K3/10 and my Penntek TR-35 with an Elecraft T1 tuner for SOTA. It was going to be a nice QRP weekend. Everything was going well until I arrived at my campsite. I got the trailer set up and when I reached for the cooler to start lunch, the cooler wasn’t working. Sigh, I had to troubleshoot the cooler before I could do anything else. I found out it blew a fuse and I didn’t have any spares. Luckily, the stereo circuit uses the same size fuse so I swapped the bad fuse for a good one and all is well. Note to self: Buy spare fuses.

After lunch, I set the K3 up and got ready to activate the park. I had no transmit power on the K3. Not on SSB and not on CW zip, nada, none. I spent the next couple of hours trying to troubleshoot the radio. No luck. Prior to the trip, I did replace some of the filters and added the KAT3 autotuner. I am pretty sure I tested the radio after the work I did. The funny thing is when I hit the auto-tune button, I get 5 watts out to tune the antenna. For CW, when I try to send, the TX led lights, but no output. I monkeyed with it on Friday and Saturday but to no avail. May have to send it in for repair. But wait! there’s more.

Prior to turning in for the night, I managed to sit on my eyeglasses breaking both arms. while my distant vision is pretty good, I need glasses for close-up work. Luckily, I made a few contacts on the TR-35 before the incident. I only made a couple of contacts on Friday due to trying to fix the K3, and made about half a dozen more before turning in and breaking my eyeglasses.

Saturday morning, I planned to hike from my campsite to the summit; however, I needed glasses so I drove to the trailhead which is on the way to town where I can get some readers. I have a pair of sunglasses that have cheaters in them, but they aren’t for extended use. I did use them to make the SOTA activation before heading into town.

The hike from the trailhead to the Tennessee Rock Lookout was about half a mile or so. It was mostly uphill and what I would term a moderate climb.

I set up a vertical antenna from my Frankentenna collection and the fence rail at the site provided a place for my radio, tuner, and battery. I used my flight deck for my N0SA paddles and iPhone. I am trying to get better at logging directly into Hamrs on my phone. Each time I do it I get better. Band conditions were not that good and it was a bit of a struggle to get contacts. Before I left the overlook I had 7 in the log enough for a SOTA activation and seal the deal for the POTA activation. It was a wonderful view of the valley from the overlook. It makes the huffing and puffing uphill worth it.

After coming down off the mountain, I drove into town and picked up a set of readers for my eyes and spare fuses for the camper. When I got back to base camp, I had lunch and tried to work on the K3 some more and yes, it looks like it is still going in for repair. The TR-35 did well for a little no-frills QRP radio. It only has 4 bands 40, 30, 20, and 17, so it’s not the best when the band conditions are up, down, and sideways. It is a great radio for SOTA though. Lightweight, 5 watts, and a decent narrow CW filter. I was glad to have it with me.

I made a total of 16 contacts. I would have liked to have made more, but given my “special” set of circumstances, I was able to complete an activation for SOTA and POTA. Below is a QSO Map courtesy of qsomaps.org and a YouTube Video of the activation. Note: The video did not escape the run of bad luck I had, audio is low.

Stuff happens and even though things didn’t work out the way I had planned, I was still able to make a SOTA and POTA activation. Plus I was able to check into my EmComm net on 40 meters. Every time I go to the field, I learn something new or I discover a weakness in my planning. For FunComm it’s not so bad, but for EmComm, where others may be depending on you, failure should not be an option. Practice makes perfect, or at least better. Till next time. 73 — Scott

Assault on Dugger Mtn

On Saturday, June 10th, I decided to try a SOTA activation. I wanted a Saturday workout and test my gear, to see how I fair on a 6-point summit. I have eyes on doing a 10-pointer in the future. The summit reference is W4A/PT-002.

As I soon discovered, Dugger Mountain is no easy summit. From my starting point at a Forest Service Road where the trail crosses, it is a steady climb for almost 2 miles with an elevation increase of over 1,200 feet. After that, it is another quarter-mile climb bushwacking to the summit.

There was supposed to be a trail leading to the summit but I didn’t find one. It was probably overgrown with the summer foliage, I don’t think it would have helped much. Once I got to the top, I found a nice clearing with plenty of rocks to sit on. This time of year in the South is not a good time to sit on the ground, it is the middle of Chigger and Tick season.

The radio du jeur was my Penntek TR-35. It is a nice handy radio covering 4 bands: 40, 30, 20,17, my workhorse bands. The TR-35 is a 5-watt radio which can put out slightly more with a good battery. The radio has an excellent receiver and there are no hidden menus. You could say it is WYSIWYG, What You See Is What You Get. The radio was powered by a Bioenno 3 amp/hour battery that was rubber-banded under my homemade Flight Deck. The Flight Deck is an inverted plastic clipboard with some holes drilled for my N0SA paddles. There is enough room left for a Rite-in-the-Rain 4 x 6 notebook and/or my iPhone. I also have a large Velcro strap to secure it to my leg if need be.

The earbuds are made by Skullcandy and I like them a lot. If you look to the left of the clipboard, you will see a red dot. That is a momentary on push button connected to the key input on the radio. The radio comes with 2-inputs, one for paddles and one for a straight key. I use the button to tune the tuner.

The radio is connected to an Elecraft T-1 tuner and the coax is RG-316, The antenna is a home brew 41′ Random wire antenna without a counterpoise. I use a 15′ coax between the tuner and antenna for the counterpoise. It is made by Chameleon and has a choke balun at one end. When running a random wire antenna it is good practice to use a choke to prevent unwanted RF from getting into the radio. The antenna uses a homebrew 9:1 UnUn.

Many parts of the Talladega Nation Forest are isolated and cell service is spotty at best. For this reason, I carry a Garmin Messenger with me. It allows me to send SMS/Text messages as well as location information. Since I am sometimes doing a solo activation as an old guy, it gives me a safety net and gives comfort to my wife.

QRV. After a short break and set-up, I went on the air. I expected bands to be poor; however not as poor as the actual conditions. It was probably not the best day to be operating QRP. I had to work pretty hard to get the 4 that I did (enough for a SOTA activation). If I had a wish at that time, it would have been to have higher bands like 10 thru 15 which were supposedly open then.

The trip was fun, Dugger Mtn is off of the Pinholti Trail. It is a fairly well-maintained trail and was easy to navigate. The elevation changes there and back will put your boots and socks to the test. I am happy to report no blisters were indicated. This hike gave me an opportunity to test out my kit. It has been a while since I did any hiking with a pack. One thing I am going to do is lighten the load. I didn’t feel too overpacked, but I need to lose some weight in the pack. I will work on that Sunday. Here is a short YouTube of the trip. 73 — Scott

POTA Activation K-2187 with the Yaesu FT-710

This weekend, I tried a new park, The James H. (Sloppy)Floyd State Park. With a name like that, what’s not to like. It’s a beautiful quiet park that is not too far from the home QTH. How convenient I thought.

The Trouble I discovered was the park is located in a river valley. My campsite was well below the ridge and hilltops. It wasn’t until later that I checked my topo map. In addition, the bands were not in good shape but hey, I’m up for a challenge.

It is a beautiful park with lots of peace and quiet. The setup was my usual, my 28.5′ Random Wire antenna with the Yaesu FT-710. In hindsight, I should have rigged the antenna in a horizontal orientation rather than a vertical one to take advantage of NVIS or Near Vertical Incidence Skywave propagation. I have been reviewing the FT-710 and I thought I would finish up with the POTA Plaque weekend using CW. I even left the laptop at home to avoid temptation. I used HAMRS for logging and kept a notepad handy for scratch paper. Another thing I wanted to try was going paperless.

I started by calling CQ POTA but that wasn’t really getting me anywhere, I made a few contacts, but the deck was stacked against me. I switched over to Search and Pounce (S&P). I was going to do S&P but not right away. I wanted to S&P so I would be working with other activators. Making contact with someone who has a tribander and 1,500 watts is no challenge. Working other activators really gave the 710 a workout. I had to twist knobs and turn dials for a lot of the contacts. Many were S0 signal strength and often down in the static. It was a good test of the receiver. When I finally went QRT sometime around 1845 UTC and had 52 contacts. Not a lot, but each one a challenge. You will notice in the photo above, I have a weight on the paddles. To operate one-handed I need the extra weight to hold the paddles still. The weight is 500 grams or about 1.1 lbs.

How did the FT-710 do? Quite well. I was pleased with its performance. I was able to work stations I could hardly hear. The filtering worked very well. The DNR does get a little watery sounding as you increase its presence. I usually kept it between 2 and 6. With this radio and any SDR radio, RF gain is your friend and Preamp is not. Sometimes dialing in (actually taking out) a little RF gain is just enough to make that signal pop.

Issues? A few but none earth-shattering. When using headphones sending CW, there is clicking as the code is being sent. It happens at all volumes. It’s a little annoying, but not irritating. Another niggle is using the clarifier. When the clarifier is engaged, it uses the main tuning dial to adjust it. You have to turn off the clarifier to change the frequency. Yes, you can use the Step/Mch knob, but the lowest step is 1 KHz. The 7300 does not use the main tuning dial to set the clarifier.

One thing the 710 has that the 7300 doesn’t is the ability to send CW while in SSB mode. I really like that feature and I use it. The 710 is a likable radio and compares favorably with the 7300. Each has its pluses and minuses and I feel in the end, they equal out. I own both and unless you have a specific need for a specific feature that one or the other has, I think either one will serve you well.

This go around I used the HAMRS app on my phone to log contacts. I have the iPhone Max so I have a bigger screen and it wasn’t that difficult to keep up. Things did get a little dicey when signals were down in the noise but with a little more practice, it (and I) will be fine.

Even though my activation didn’t turn out as well as I expected (through no fault of the radio), it was a beautiful weekend to be out and about. I may not try another activation here, but it is a nice place for some peace and quiet. Until next time, 73 — Scott

Penntek TR-35 First Impressions

This weekend is the CQ WPX contest which means there is a lot of activity on the non-WARC bands. It was a great opportunity to take the TR-35 out for a test drive. As some of you know, I tend to do a running review that covers months instead of weeks or days. The same will go for the TR-35.

The first thing I learned is that the CW sidetone level is linked to the TX power. The higher the power, the louder the sidetone. When I adjusted it yesterday, I had the TX power turned way down. When I transmitted today at full power, the sidetone level was almost painful Plenty of volume available. It was a simple fix and I got it where I wanted it.

I fired up the rig using an Elecraft T-1 tuner into my 270′ OCF dipole. With the filter set to CW Wide, there was a cacophony of noise; a mix of static and CW while QSB brought the levels from a whisper to a mighty crescendo. The receiver took it all in stride, Having separate volume and RF gain controls made it easy to tame the beast. Listening to the noise was easy on the ears. Harsh but pleasant. Then I switched the filter to narrow and it was easy to isolate the desired signal. The filter is narrow, but not what some would call contest narrow. In a contest with signals often very close together, it is not unusual to set the CW filter to 150-300 Hz with sharp skirts. The TR-35 feels somewhere around 500 Hz. Could I contest with this radio? Yes, I think I could. The receiver never overloaded, and there was enough isolation that I could clearly hear most stations.

The ergonomics of the radio are excellent. There are 4 single-purpose knobs across the bottom: Keyer, TX Power, RF Gain, and Volume, all within easy reach. These are the controls you will be using the most and they are close at hand. The screen is small but easy to read. I haven’t tested it in direct sunlight yet, but you can reverse the colors to make it easier to read.

How did it play? Very well. I got on the air for a little while and contacted 5 POTA activators. Two of them were in with the contesters and I was able to easily pull them out and work them. I am impressed with this radio. I bought it to do SOTA and wanted a radio with a good receiver. I had read several reviews about the radio and it easily lives up to its reputation. The radio is fun! Small, light, and it is a good performer. Can’t wait to get it into the wild. 73 — Scott