The 2m Flowerpot Antenna & FT-3d hints

An overview of the 2m and 70cm flowerpot (half-wave vertical) antenna, ideal for rucksack and portable mobile amateur raido, especially POTA or SOTA.
Also, how to record audio on the Yaesu FT-3d and enable playback. Useful for logging in poor WX.
I climbed Ben Cleuch GM/SS-059, above the River Forth valley on a beautiful late November morning in order to show off the disign.
The original design and assembly constructions for the antenna can be found here:
vk2zoi.com/
Sadly VK2ZOI is SK (no longer with us), however his legacy lives on through his simple design. It is so easy to make and very reliable in the field!
Any questions, please fire away in the comments.

[@hamradioonthego]

Excellent, informative and entertaining keep up the good work.

[@theradiorover]

Thank you 😊

[@NICKGAR7]

Thanks for the vid. Very informative. Looks like you just ‘escaped’ before the storm!
Cheers, Nick M1DDD

[@theradiorover]

Nearly didn't make it home, as there was a car stuck in front of me on the climb up the Cairn o' Mount. Need to get the winter tyres fitted....
I actually slept through the storm. Couldn't believe the carnage the next day and our electricity was off for three days....

[@Dougsterxplor]

That wee handy looks cool Fraser. Nice to see and hear the usual suspects calling you. No chance for me from my QTH though.

[@theradiorover]

Douglas, I was surprised I didn't get contacts further afield than Greenock, as Ben Cleuch has a great take-off south. The ft-3d is so handy. I actually prefer the audio from my old vx-7r but the features on the newwe HT are so useful.

[@Bodhi504]

I've just made a flower pot antenna today and was looking forward to taking it out and giving it a go, but we've just had to self isolate, after one of the boys testing positive :-( Maybe in a week we'll see how performs, but it's looking like it has very low swr at the moment. You can active most of the summits in GW land on 2m, so this looks like it would work well in those bad conditions were you don't want stop for long and get all the kit out. 73

[@theradiorover]

Yes, it's so handy for operating on the move on a multi-summit day. Just watch out for low branches! Funnily enough, not usually an issue where I live, however to get up to Ben Cleuch for this vidoeo, I had to climb through a narrow wooded glen with lots of overhanging trees. Nightmare if you forget to bend over!
Let me know how you get on with it when you get out to test it.
73, Fraser MM0EFI

[@excossack]

Cat! Looks a good antenna. Certainly easier than using a 6m fishing pole and a ladder line(in the wind).

[@theradiorover]

That's Humphrey. I wondered who would notice him first!

[@excossack]

@@theradiorover haha. He was sitting waiting to go out. Video jumped so i assume you let him out.
Our cat likes to appear on team's meeting either with a meow or in person and sits on my knee looking at the camera all proud with himself.

[@mabbee66]

If the ft3d works the same as the vx8, you don't need to turn off aprs in the menu to stop aprs.
The aprs modem only works on vfo B, so switching to single vfo mode, with vfo A chosen, will stop both tx and rx on aprs.
I see you use this method to stop rx, but it will also stop tx.
Thanks for the video

[@theradiorover]

That's great advice and should save me some time. Thank you very much!
Glad you enjoyed the video.
73, Fraser MM0EFI