If you can believe the Weather Prediction Types at the Weather Network it looks like this afternoon could be the only decent time to play in a park between now and the weekend… The people at TWN seen to do a good job of reading the data they get from Environment Canada and letting us know… And when I pack up a bunch of radio gear and head out to play radio I hate to do it in the rain or even worse a Thunderstorm so I do appreciate what they do and their percentage of accuracy is also appreciated…
So like I said… with today looking like the only good day I’m gonna get between now and Saturday… (and on Sunday I am helping out with communications on a public service event) … this afternoon is looking really good…
The current plan is to take out the FT817/LDG QRP Autotuner combo along with the Par End Fed QRP Multi Band antenna to one of the local parks and flood the atmosphere with RF… Not really looking for rare dx but more enjoy the fresh air… Check into a couple of HF nets, call CQ for a while and also answer a few cqs… This means that I will be active somewhere between 10m and 40m.
The Par is good without a tuner on 10m, 20m and 40m as the manufacturer claims (and they are right) but with my LDG QRP auto tuner I can also manage a flat SWR on 12m, 15m and 17m (and I have made contacts on those bands) so if you bother with a tuner you have an excellent 10 to 40m antenna that is easily deployed…
As I will be heading to a location (not sure which one yet) that I have operated before the Par will be the only HF antenna I will be taking today… If I was going out to a new location I would also take my Buddistick Deluxe antenna system with me so if the trees were not cooperating then I could get a signal out with the vertical. The two antennas really are a good combo for any radio pack and they are not that heavy but very versatile…
Remember that I always want to spend more time on the air than what I spend trying to get on the air…
And after all these years I think my gear choices show it… In most cases I can be set up and on the air within 5 minutes of arriving at whatever location I wish to operate from and that is the goal… Less time setting up equals more time on the air.
So where can you find me on the air today??? Normally I will follow the following pattern… After setting up I will try checking into a couple of 20m nets… Listening to who is checking and where they are along with where the NCS is lets me know how tha band is looking today… The Maritime Mobile Service Network on 14,300 has proven that they have great Net Controlers who have the gear and the capabilities to hear a QRP signal. Nothing more frustrating than not being able to be heard but coming from a noisy environment I totally understand why some people can’t hear a QRP’er…
After the MMSN I will normally jump over to 40m and try for the ECARS Net or the MIDCARS Net. ECARS is on 7.255 and MIDCARS is on 7.258 and in most cases are within my range of communications with the FT817 at 5W. Some days its harder than others depending on the pile ups to check in… Both nets have a great bunch of amateurs participating and also providing a service to the amateur community.
I try to check in to the Trans Provincal Net a couple of times during the afternoon as I sometimes take a hour slot in the NCS Chair. They can be found down on 7.055 which is in the Voice portion of the Canadian 40m Band Plan. The net runs daily from 7am to 5pm and with different a NCS every hours. Some times there are gaps in the service so from around 10am to 5pm would be a better set of times to try as the bands are not usually short enough before 10am but you never know…
So the rest of the time you will find me answering CQs or call CQ depending on how the band conditions are that day… Good or bad as long as the WX is cooperating its a great day in the park operating as a “Picnic Table Portable”…
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73bob
Tags: amateur radio, Amateur Radio Antennas, Amateur Radio Portable Operations, Buddistick Vertical Antenna, CN Cycle for CHEO, LDG QRP Autotuner, Parr ends fed antenna, The Weather Network, Yaesu FT 817
May 2, 2012 at 10:12 pm |
Good seeing you today Bob, and meeting your other “Ham in the woods” friend. Glad I got to see you make a QSO with that North Carolina station… you made a 5W battery powered portable station QSO look easy!