How-To: Set up an HF portable radio while hiking
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- Опубліковано 26 сер 2024
- Find more at the Maker Shed: makershed.com
Fall is the perfect time for hiking, it's not too hot and not too cold. Last weekend I took a day trip to hike up High Mountain in New Jersey and activate SOTA summit W2/NJ008. It's really easy to set up an HF portable radio and not a whole lot to carry up the mountain. This video shows how to get set up including how to hang the antenna in a cluster of trees and making contact with Italy. blog.makezine.c...
If only more kids were science-minded these days. Can kids today even grasp how miraculous/amazing/cool it is to go out into the woods and set up a simple station and talk _directly_ to someone in Italy???
No cell phone, no towers, no computers, no iPad; just a radio, power supply, some rope and some wire.
I'm glad this young lady "gets it". Wish more of our youth would.
Kid here :) lol
And when the SHTF amateur radio operators will be the only ones with communication capability.
True.
November Three Papa Echo Echo....... Very awesome for young people to still be enjoying Amateur Radio. My personal radio for backpacking is a home brew set with only 1 watt of power. Crystal controlled, one frequency and Morse Code only. Awesome story, thanks!
I also wish more youth would get involved. But Diana is not a kid. She's actually 33. She was on the Project Runway TV show, and often speaks on ham radio. Her call is KC2UHB. As part of her fashion designing, she created a fabric of conductive fibers that can light up without any additional power source. She also is/was on the ARRL public relations committee. She just looks really young. But, I do wish a lot more youth would get involved in ham radio.
Huge smile on my face right now, Why? It's so great to see more and more of the younger generations laying down the cell phones and getting involved in amateur radio!
73' and blue skies, de KC5JSR
LOVE it. A woman who hikes AND knows her radios as well as uses proper radio protocol. I am in love! )) Great video!
Nice job Diana and that contact to Italy is a credit to your choice of antenna/location. Well done. 100 Watt TRx on the right frequency will get around the world.
I watch this video every so often and I still enjoy it. Diana Eng is awesome and EndFedz antennas rock! I love using my 20m as a sloper.
I am a teacher in High School and I plan to use your video to show how one can go out and set up a ham station in the field. Your video is about as good as it gets.
This video compelled me to buy this radio, and a lot of other stuff. Installed a 17M north /south and will install 17M east/west. Adding a 40M dipole with an AB switch. Also attached a 2M antenna as well. Excellent video! I will also get the batt pack.
Reminds me of our many biannual W2MX club outings in the Pine Barrens of NJ. We hung many wire antennas in trees using fishing weights. And we set up our boat-anchors in a small block building with our only accommodations a garden hose, AC mains, and a one seat outhouse. Still, we had a lot of fun, food and 807s culminating with a steak dinner Sunday before we broke camp. Those was some good memories enjoying no pressure contacts, mentoring newbies, and the fellowship of other hams. 73.
That's some crazy code talk LOL. I enjoyed watching this video and she seems very happy. why can't we have more people like her.
So cool! I love the ability to hike in and contact Italy! Amazing.
Thumbs Up!!!!! Great Video showing the fun of setting up portable in the woods or even a Park or Beach. I love setting up portable.Great Exciting Fun!!!! A cute sweet Amateur Radio Operator showing the Great Hobby of Amateur Radio.Thank you!!!!
Excellent video. The Yaesu FT-857D is a good rig, but the price is astronomical. After taxes, you will spend about $800.00 for it.
Thanks Diana for the informative and well presented video.
Please folks, don't think it is all that simple. It has to be a calibrated antenna designed for the frequency range from the ham radio, otherwise you might damage the ham radio. What I want to say is that you cannot cut just any piece of wire from 10 meter to make an antenna. If you want to start this hobby make sure you get good information first.
Great video, I used to have a ham radio when I was a kid. Had a lot of fun with it.
Greets from the Netherlands, iT
Diana, you have a great radio voice...........keep up the great videos.
Lucky Pierre !!!
Nice job, Diana.
Sweet form putting up your antenna !!!
Diana,great job on this video and your portable operation setup.Also,congrats on your DX contact to Italy.Hope to hear you on the bands!..73! Dennis/W7KB.
Great job. I hope you are still doing your ham/HF activities. I am trying to do some SOTA stuff myself as soon as I finish putting together an HF rig and setup that is portable enough to do back-packing or camping. Thanks for your video, it is very inspiring to see what can be done with a little bit of equipment and at qrp power levels. Cheers and 73!
Hope to see you post more video's like this and hopefully one day I'll hear you on the air waves. Great memories doing a fall hike and ham radio!
It is an end fed dipole with a 9:1 matching balun.No ground wire needed,she is just tying one end(feed point end) off to an anchor near gound level.Her antenna in this video is run in a sloper configuration.They can also be hung vertically,in a vee,or as an inverted L configuration.Great antennas.I have several of them for different bands.73...Dennis W7KB.
nice video Diana.
I've an 817 and used to do much the same (except for the SOTA part).
It is fun to hike out somewhere, string up an antenna and see who you catch. More so QRP :)
This video is refreshing. All of the ham radio stuff can be complicated sometimes. Thank you
I'm just starting to get into ham radio now after listening to scanners for years. Hopefully will have my license soon and will definitely give this a try! :)
Very nice portable setup. Quick contact indeed.
This has to be one of the best videos about ham radio on the web. Great job.
Very nice. Reminds of the days before satellite communications were used extensively.
This is cool! I will be on the air for the Iowa QSO party on the 17th from 9am to 6 pm Central Time. So hope to here from some of you. 73
Awesome! Thanks for posting this vid. I'm a brand new Tech. class HAM and one of the primary reasons I'm getting into it is specifically for what you are presenting here, setting up for RX coms in the mountains. Nice intro!
Nice video. I helped my dad(W9DDK) out on field day back in June. I got a real kick out of making 40 contacts around the world. Really been thinking about getting into doing this.
Well done! That is what this hobby is all about! Excellent choice is radios as well. 73s!
Great job, Diana. You make it look so easy!
That was pretty cool. I didn't think you'd pick up signals from all over the world. Good job.
this location is in my town! that's so cool! Great work Diana!
Cool! The last time I had used a ham radio was 27 years ago! You just showed where is the best place this device can be used :-)
It looks like a PAR EF-20. I use PAR End Feds when out portable with an FT-857 and they really work well.
I run the wire up a guyed 10m fishing pole and they work very well. I have the 40m (Inverted L configuration to the top of a 7m pole) 20m and 17m versions. From the UK with about 80W we managed to work into South Africa SSB!
They are very good antennas.
Diana rules. While most girls her age have their noses buried in their Iphones, she went out on a hike, set up a portable HF station, and logged some stations. The whole amateur radio scene is fading out because no one wants to put up with the hassle( too lazy) of setting anything up,or they live in a CCR antenna restricted community....or they used to operate,and got tired of "checking in" to some net mafias. Her having a General ticket...and owning a portable HF transceiver is really amazing.
glad to now I'm not the only one with such a mindset.
Diana- I have 3 sons---- I need a daughter in law!!!
Great job on the video!
73 KG9KF
Aloha
I use the Par End Fed antenna for 20 and 40 at my QTH. They work quite well. No RF in the shack if you have a good ground on your rig. No tuner needed if you tune the antenna out of the box. I think Diana was showing the ease of portable use while out hiking. 73 Cheers
KH6DAN
OMG she was able to contact South America?? From New Jersey????? Gotta buy a radio transmitter to talk to some mates in England!! Nice to see how big (although still "invisible") the international amateur radio community is!
..perfect demonstration of a portable station!
This is still the best amateur radio clip on the web.
D
Sweden
That was amazing! There is more *make* here than people are giving credit. They need to learn a little more about HAM radio... :)
Bravo! Bravo! It makes me want to start my HAM classes again.
Great video. You can tell she loves the hobby.
I would carry all of that and more. Radio communications are important when you go on a hike. What happens if you get hurt and you don't have cell phone reception? Beyond that, it's all about fun. If you are careful you don't have to worry about damaging your radio. You could put the radio in a pelican case if you are that worried. I passed my license test on Saturday. I can't wait to get my call sign so I can start having fun on the airwaves.
Welldone!!!!
I have to say that this is a fibne video!! you have just sparked my interest in upgrading....
Omg i would have so much fun learning stuff with you! So smart and beautiful!
Very cool! This is why I'm studying for my general...
cool, nice to see that ham radio is still going.
....and LXF is right. She's a real cutie. I would have preferred to see her drop a truck driver's hitch into her anchor point (for setting the tension),and someone else here wanted to see some Morse code skills...but watching her whip out a pocket knife was good enough. Class...and style. This girl's got it goin' on.
Great video. You're a great spokesperson for amateur radio and how much fun it can be. Great job! 73, AI4QT, Huntsville, ALABAMA.
an ft-857 is about $700, I believe.That is a very impressive piece of equipment - all mode, all band, 100 watts. I have one in my car and love it. Learn CW (morse code) and build yourself a QRP (low power) kit for around $150 and you'll work the world!
This was awesome to watch, thanks for putting it up!
Not too bad hitting DX on a first call with QRP and a quick setup like that.
Nice to see a young lady interested in radio !!
Congratulations, Diana!
Very nice video!
All the best... and good DX's!!!
Very instructional video, hopefully it will spark some interest for people watching it to get involved in Ham radio.
73
-Andrew K2FR
Nice video! A slingshot and fishing line would help getting the antenna up into the tree.
You are the best! Very good presentation. Inspiring and informative an no nonsense.
D
Sweden
she has a likeable personality; very humble.
You got it!
And a nice ass!!
@@Bootyhunter1971 wtf man, now i order to summon you from the 5 years old grave!!
Thanks for making a great video of how easy Ham radio can be.... Excellent!
It is good!
These days with much big antenna and big Power
Existence of such ham radio is also great.
If DX is rich equipment, it can communicate, and it is natural.
Probably, it is how to enjoy original, just by being able to do with simple equipment.
Well done!! I'm just a new ham but eventually this is the kind of thing I would like to do. ICOM 718 I have not the nest for mountaintopping!
73
Scott M6OZI
I'm going to share this with my HAM club W5AW 146.820 - very cool...
I don't know what "activate SOTA" means but that is really neat Diana. I didn't know it was so easy to talk so far away, and during the day. Thanks for the video. I don't have a call sign or I would tell you.
+Basic Poke SOTA stands for Summits On The Air and is a popular subset of operating. There are mountaintops and other elevation landmarks which are listed as being Summits which Hams try to contact to collect points in contests or just plain ole bragging rights. These Summits are given numbers or call sign type designators. So, When she says she is going to Activate SOTA number such and such it means that she is going to get to that particular Summit and set up a radio station. She is going to Activate by being active there and many hams will be listening so that they can make a contact with an area which is rarely "activated" and which they don't often have a chance to put in their logs. It's just a fun way to get out and operate. I hope this helps and answered any questions you may have had. Take care and have a great day. Steve, KC5SAS near Baton Rouge.
+cellblock776 Thanks I completely get it now. Thanks for the good explanation. This sounds like a fun thing to do. I hunt for old survey markers (benchmarks), which are sometimes at summits, but the summits around here in OK are often private property.
+cellblock776 Didn't know this! Thanks! Now I just need an HF rig -_-. Really want an 817D so I can fully enjoy the outdoors! Nothing like going for a hike on a nice day being able to do a few of your hobbies while you are at it (Guns and Amateur radio sounds fun LOL)
tout
There is actually a geodetic survey marker inside Mammoth Cave. As a former caver, I've seen it. Regarding daytime DX, the higher bands do well usually earlier in the day and begin to fade away. 20m is known as the Queen of DX. Diana had 40m and 20m Par EndFedz antennas. Those are probably the most common bands (short of 80m with a larger antenna.). I've talked into South America in the middle of the day on 40m with an antenna 27 feet high. I've talked to Russia and Europe on 20m with an antenna 13 feet high. There are a whole lot of variables. Diana is using a good antenna about 40 or so feet in a tree, on top of a mountain, and on a good day, using a good daytime band.
Hi Diana. Nice work. I'm from Australia. My call is VK2HFN. Easy to remember HFN, the HF Nut.
I've done plenty of portable but haven't done any summits as yet. Hoping to get to some soon though. Maybe catch you on air.
73's Mike.
Good to see you enjoying the hobby so much. 73 DE Perry G0IFI
Very interesting, makes you want to have a go and see who you can contact!
Nicely done! A tip :- Tie of the end of the line and attach a small carabiner to it...dead easy to attach it to anything else you want ;-)
Fantastic video on portable operations! Thanks for sharing!
Great video Diana! Thanks for all you do for this great hobby!
Diana has got some cool videos.
Many thanks and informative for me who is just starting out. License course for foundation coming up soon
Very useful! Thanks, added to my playlist.
You make it look so simple. I can't wait to truth is out for myself
Excellent Video ! thanks for making it.
I appreciate the reply! I've been waiting with baited breath for a year for it!
Lol, just kidding, thanks! Keep it up!
This is my kind of ham radio. Cool video.
Hey Diana,
Great job on the vid.
Please continue to keep our beloved hobby alive !
W4DNQ
Great video Diane, I know the video is very old now by internet standards but to those out there commenting that she was doing QRP operations you are probably wrong. She is not doing QRP operations, yes she appears to be doing portable but with that big battery pack and that big Yaesu 100watt rig she is doing full power portable operations. I do agree that the 817 is far far far far more power effecient however, that would be low power operations at 5 watts max. I do take a 50 watt amp with me though to use only when 5 watts isn't getting it done. But nice video Diane. Now if I missed something and am wrong I apologize but if you get this message what power level were you running back when you made this. I think it would be interesting to know.
I use an 857 in the field with a SLAB battery. I try to start out at low power and go up as necessary. But, when people say it uses 22 amps, they don't take into account that the figure is using 100 watts at full PEP. I talk softly and rarely go above 40 watts. At home, with my base at 100 watts, I notice that even by talking loudly, the meter usually doesn't go above 75. Even then, 100 watts to clariy call signs doesn't drain the battery that much. We're not having 20 minute QSOs here.
Good demonstration video. Thanks.
Great vid thanks for making and sharing 😃👍
Love this video! Please make another one. Very inspiring!! Cheers, - N6REB
@djdaverichards The antenna Diana is using is made by Par Electronics in the USA. I am in Australia and am not associated with Par in any way however their end-fed antennas amazing. I live in an apartment & strung the 40m model of their end fed antenna into a tree on my balcony, wound it around like it was xmas tinsel. No need to tune as SWR was close to 1:1 Running a tad over 10 watts I worked Canada & the US 5/9. As I'm 15 floors up I have no ground etc. Fantastic little antenna - Craig VK3VCM
I really admires you Diane ☺😃 73's Leighton MW6 IFE
damn. That is some crazy range. New Jersey to Italy
a glad they broke from the knitting pattern in this vid and ive done this before and i appreciate it but this is why we have cell phones now.
Lots of new views and comments as a result of your mention in CQ Mag this month!
Nice presentation, thanks
There's a rule of antenna launching while making a video. It will only be successful when the camera is turned off. 8^)
GREAT VIDEO! Could you list where to Buy? For us idiots, new ham radio people.
Nicely done!
Great video. Very interesting.
Super video, your work is great
Nice setup.
Nice video. Very interesting.
thanks for sharing your SOTA activation
Dianna
You are awesome! Great work and fun. I hope to meet you on the air -
Joe W3TTT
Diana: You should have told Peter you were KC2UHB/QRP and your elevation! I guess you will if you qsl him. Let people know in your videos next time where hams such as IZ5MMB are located, in this case: Carrara Italy. (brag and inform your viewers a bit) Nice contact and signal report. Have fun QRPing.
73 TO U DIANA DE WW2W - TONY [LIQRP CLUB]
Very cute. Nice radio. 😎
Awesome job.
very well done my friend, I can not wait to get my license and try this. thank you!
+Tyne Castles already licenced and own both of those items, along woth a radioshack htx10!!
+Tyne Castles Repeaters are wonderful things, I love my BaoFeng UV5R's (with an s because I have three of them LOL). Make sure to at least get a nice magmount antenna and throw it on a cookie sheet up high and you'll be able to compete with the bigger radios. My UV5R at 4watts on a Yagi or even my magmount antenna sounds awesome even next to my 50watt base/mobile rig.