Thomas Does Radio or Something

In eventual hope for getting on 2.3 GHz, I picked up a pair of very low cost surplus panel antennas originally intended for SISO 2.4 GHz ISM operation. These were likely for WISP or other internet range extension use. I'm going to presume that they're broadband enough to extend down into the narrowband amateur segment, but maybe I'll get the chance to test that before applying much power. Blank, smudged radome of a TP-24-20-18 antenna

What with the ARRL June VHF contest coming up this weekend and the weather being warmer than 12"+ of fresh powder experienced in January, I finished buying and putting together the right PVC parts to hold my Elk 2M/440L5 LPDA antenna stably above head height. It's composed of a cheap speaker stand with the speaker post inverted, 6' of 3/4" schedule 40 PVC pipe, a 3/4" to threaded to threaded to 1" fitting pair, and 2' of 1" PVC to fit the stock bracket of the Elk. Rotation is, of course, of the armstrong type. No additional handle required. Assembled stand setup in the apartment stairwell. 6' of RG-58 for scale hanging from the Elk antenna core (no elements mounted). Gets some decent reach!

Being contemporaneous for a new achievement and experience: 6m auroral propagation with a QSO at 5W! With the G5 storm observed before 0Z, I built myself a more durable 6m full-wave loop and set out to experience some new amateur radio. Heading out to a local hilltop with a plan! Initial deployment of the 6m loop on my fiberglass pole for a tuning check and preparation for operating

For the QRPer's Field Radio Kit Gallery , this is my KX3 and speaker wire in a camera bag activation kit. This kit is the continuation of the equipment I used for my Maine ATNO expedition and other activities on that return to my parents almost a year ago. Primarily, it's a change in bags and an improvement of the audio connection options for more sustained activations. Writing up this kit for the gallery also will probably be an incentive for further change. With how loosely packed it is, there's space for options! You can see this kit in action on my recent trail activation . The bag packed and ready for an expedition, even if just a little ways away.

With an Elk Antennas 2M/440L5 providing me directional operation on 2m and 70cm and a couple handheld rigs that include 1.25m, I wanted more than just a stock whip to operate with those rigs. Since I have access to scraps of copper refrigerant tubing at the day job from test/prototype systems, I thought it'd be a great material to build with. To put it briefly, the results have been fantastic to start. As initially assembled on the terribly scientific test stand of an empty recycle bin.

With a vacation day on Friday, 4 March 2022, (ahead of the Destiny 2 raid launch) I decided to try some late shift antenna experimentation and try to get an activation in at K-1452 , Governor Nelson State Park ( wiki ). Playing with wire and transformers on inappropriate mix toroids in the dark didn't pan out (as expected of the effort) so the late shift didn't pan out with only 4 contacts on 20m. So I resolved to go back in daylight with more antenna capabilities.

It was a nice day in Wisconsin and, having taken Friday the 25th off for video gaming, it was a nice change of pace to throw in some POTA in a new location on Sunday the 28th. The actual intention was getting to K-1459 Lake Kegonsa State Park ( wiki ), which I definitely managed to do. I'll get to the RaDAR in a bit. On the way out of town, I stopped by Bagels Forever, a local bagel factory with walk-in service counter serving a full selection of options. I chose my standard sausage-egg-and-cheese, gouda, on sesame with two additional cold plain bagels since they were out of chocolate chip and bagel sticks. These are key to getting set up! Getting setup on a picnic table at the snowy Williams Knoll as the bench dries out

It was a great day out, we had gone scouting the park the day before, and I was on vacation to use up my remaining balance before my time resets next month. Wasn't quite above freezing, but my experience with Winter Field Day said that I had enough of a setup to definitely get on the air. It was off to Governor Nelson State Park ( wiki ), K-1452 in Waunakee, WI (Dane county) at EN53gd. I was hoping that there would be park staff to exchange our kiosk receipt for a real window sticker, but it was too late in the day when I got there, it seems. Easy enough to put the ticket on the dash and head to the parking nearest the lake. Wire for 20m on fiberglass pole set up in the dying light at Governor Nelson picnic bench just before getting started. The orange wire spilling from my backpack was a thought at trying 10m, but with less than two hours before Late Shift started, it was my priority to get the 14th activated rather than playing around with new wire configurations.

This year, I finally had the station and wherewithal to operate Winter Field Day 2022 representing Four Lakes ARC . I had other priorities on Saturday, but Sunday was just a matter of getting started early enough. Waking up, showering, gathering the station components, and transport to the local park I had in mind left me with barely two hours of the event remaining. Arriving at the scenic overlook of Madison's Hoyt Park before the rotating groups of, ah, recreational smokers, started happening gave me easy access to the benches in the park to be my operating position. Blanket on a bench with my backpack, radio carrying case, and red clipboard for paper logging. First operational use of my tripod and jackite pole wire antenna in the background. No question about it, this is a 1 Oscar station; no walls to separate me and my one radio from the outdoors!

After a very long break from successful HF operation (and the front end of a pandemic), I made it back on the radio with successful contacts. Outside is a G5RV Jr (borrowed from a fellow FLARC member) hung barely high enough in a tree. Inside is my kit with tuner: FT-818nd, Z-817, and a Bioenno 12V/4.5AH LiFePO. Logging is pen and a little notebook. FT-818 with Z-817 to its right, the microphone dangling down the front of the wooden drawers, and the logbook in the foreground on top of an unweathered bird box.

The cat was sleeping again on my dresser and I had just finished checking the tuning on my vernier mod. Here she is: The cat sleeps under the HF-319 with a vernier dial attached next to a Mean Well PSU and assorted cables.

Finally got around to ordering materials and using some wire! With the weather turning into full fall soon and wanting to finally use the gear I just got, it was off to a local park. It's an antenna! As assembled at dusk with the parking lot LED street lights just turned on.

With today having such wonderful weather before the heat of the holiday weekend, I decided to operate portable with my FT-818 and MFJ-1899T. Remembered almost everything. NanoVNA pouch, FT-818, battery, and tripod with the MFJ-1899T in the park under clear skies

I picked up the Antennas4Less HF-319 (archived) on a savings deal a couple weeks ago to give me a better option over the MJF-1899T for compact HF operating. With weather outside being excellent this weekend in Wisconsin and wanting to get a little practice in for the Wisconsin QSO party coming up next weekend, I went out with the antenna and my FT-818nd. Operating position in Hoyt Park, Madison, WI