list – KK4Z

In one of the forums I visit there were a lot of questions about what radios and antennas to get for a new Amateur Radio Operator. I have bought/sold/traded many radios over my 29 years as a amateur radio operator and feel I have a pretty firm grip on what a basic setup would look like. I am not going to do a good/better/best list as I feel a good list will leave an operator wanting something better and a best list is usually cost prohibitive and can be technically advanced for most beginners. Better is “the just right”. This range is usually only a little more expensive then the good range and the equipment is still easy to use and has more than enough performance.

Primarily for this post, I will be concerned with Emergency Communications (EmComm). More specifically net operations using digital modes. The equipment list will be geared for either home or portable operation.

Radio. Whatever radio you choose make sure it is capable or 100 watts output and does not require a separate sound card. A sound card whether built into the radio or external is required for most digital modes used today. You want a 100 watt radio for 2 reasons: 1) The purpose is this setup is for EmComm. It may be critical for you to make the communications link with the net control station. Being able to run 100 watts even if for a short period of time is better than maxing out at 5 watts and not making the connection. 2) Digital modes have a high duty cycle. Running a 5 watt radio at 5 watts because they often have a very small heat sink, heat very quickly. A 100 watt radio can run at 40 watts all day long and not even get warm.

My choices.
The radio I recommend for new hams is the Icom IC-7300 at HRO. It is easy to use and setup, has a built in sound card, and the best metering for digital modes.

With the IC-7300 you can view all of the meters at once. Runners up are the IC-7100 at HRO and the Yaesu FT-710 at HRO . I find that the FT-710 and IC-7300 (I have owned/own both) hear about the same. I prefer the ergonomics of the Icoms better. With the radio I recommend Portable Zero RailsPortable Zero Rails to protect the radio and make it easier to handle.

Antenna Tuner/Match. I recommend an external antenna tuner/match. Most built-in tuners will match the impedance of an antenna up to 3:1, and external antenna tuner such as an LDG Z-11 Pro II or LDG Z-100A which will match up to 10:1. This is important if you are using a non-resonant antenna or one that is electrically short or long.

Antenna – Home. I have used many antennas over the years and I have developed my go to antenna list. For the home station, I have settled on either an 80 meter half wave dipole (~132 ft) or 160 meter Off Center Fed (OCF) Dipole (270 Ft). I have a slight preference for the OCF and they can be had in 80 meter versions. The 80 meter dipole can be homebrewed and the OCF dipoles can be found hereBuckmaster Antennas. It is important to note that most EmComm operations happen on the 40 meter and 80 meter bands. An 80 meter antenna will work reasonably well on 40, 20, and 10 meter bands but a 40 meter antenna will not work well on 80 meter. Bigger is better.

Antenna – Portable. I have used a lot of portable antennas over the years. I have narrowed it down to 3 favorites. The antenna I probably use the most is a 28.5 Ft random wire antenna with a 17 Ft counterpoise. It is easy to set up and works well 80-6 meters. If you look at my activations on this blog I have QSO Maps to show real performance. I will include a link on how to build the 28.5′ Random wire antenna. My second favorite is a Chameleon EmComm II Ver. 1 Chameleon EmComm !! ver.2. I usually set it up as a ~60 Ft antenna in an inverted L configuration with a 55 Ft counterpoise. This antenna performs very well on the lower bands to include 160 meters. The last antenna is somewhat of a specialty. I use it for SOTA or lightweight QRP operations. It is a 40 Meter OCF dipole that weighs a few ounces Chameleon OCF 40. I hang it about 10-12 Ft in the tree and sit below it using CW. Another antenna worth mentioning is my Frankentenna which is a multi configurable antenna and I will post a link to it. along with the antenna is Coax cable. Dual purpose field/home coax, RG-8X will work just fine. For home only then you can move up to RG-213 or LMR400.

Grounding. For the home, it is a very good idea to ground your equipment. There are lots of good sources on how to do that. I run a ground rod in the ground and ground my equipment to it. When I am not using my station, I disconnect my radios from mains power, my computer, and the antenna. I also have lighting arrestors on my coax.

Power Home. I use an Astron 30 amp switching power supply for my radios. I have also used a Samlex Power Supply with good results. In the field, if I have mains power or an inverter generator avaliable I use a Powerwerx 30 amp Power Supply. What I like about the Powerverx is it uses Anderson Power Poles for the connections. I put Anderson Power Poles on everything. The main advantage is they prevent cross wiring and the destruction of your radio. If mains power is not available, I have batteries and solar panels to power my radios and laptop. A note about generators. Be very careful about what generators you hook your radios up to. Home Depot or Lowes generators (the cheap ones) are not well regulated and can damage your equipment. If your have to use one of those, run your radio through a deep cycle marine battery and use the generator to charge the battery.

Computers and software. Running amateur radio apps does not require a lot of horsepower or memory. Most Intel I-3 or I-5 processors will do fine. Celerons will work though I am not fond of them. For operating systems your choices are usually Windows or Linux. I run Windows 11 on my machines. For apps, you should have FLDigi, FLamp and FLmsg. For versatility, I use laptops. Keep your operating systems and apps up to date, don’t muck with the machine too much, and you should be fine.

Go boxes. There’s a lot of info out there about building Go Boxes or setting up your radios in a rack mount case. It’s fine until you have to work with it in a limited space – been there, done that. What I use is a Dewalt Tough System tool box that holds just about everything I need except for a laptop. Here is what it looks like.

This should be enought to get you started or at least thinking about your next steps.

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