Who is using HF?

[bc_fjc]

I have been using UHF/VHF on the trail and it has been great. I have also been playing with Repeaters and IRLP…. To see how viable it would be to use when out in the bush to check in with someone at home. So far I have almost always been able to hit a repeater but they have not always been linked to a system that can connect me back home. Which is fine as far as emergency communication go’s but for being able to check in and update the YL and keep her happy there are a few short comings to relying on repeaters.

On our clubs last trip out they were in a location about a 60 miles away from the nearest repeater, with several mountain ranges between and were unable to hit it or others even from higher elevation with 100W to make contact with me back home (Had to work part of the weekend). One of the guys had his 5W HF rig with him and was able to check into a daily HF 80m net and had someone relay a message back to me on the VHF repeater I was monitoring. His HF contact was about 125 miles away from him and under 10 miles away from me. This got me thinking about getting an HF rig for use in camp and at home, since I already have my HF privileges.

In talking with different people it sounds like this might be an avenue that will fill in the blanks since with the proper portable setup I should be able to cover most of the west coast.

Do’s anyone have any experience with this?

Thanks for your input,
73

 

[gary in ohio]

I have run mobile HF for years, key is good bonding of body parts to keep the noise down and a good antenna. I have a 12ft whip and tuner while mobile and can screw on another 8ft when portable.

 

[xtatik]

No question, it's the way to go for truly remote travel. I'm upgrading in two weeks and have been eye-balling the FT-857D. I was disappointed last year while on a trip to Saline Valley.....no repeaters! I'd hardly call Death Valley remote.....it's a freakin' National Park!

 

[bc_fjc]

I've been looking at the IC-7000, FT-987, FT-857, and the FT-817. The big thing for me is I am not looking for a rig to use in the truck but once I get to camp.

I have had been able to play with the IC-7000, FT-857 and the FT-817 and am leaning towards the FT-817 for its portibility and figuer I can always connect it to a 100w amp if I needed more power.

As for Antennas I have been looking at Telescopic masts to make an inverted V or standard dipole.

 

[gary in ohio]

I've been looking at the IC-7000, FT-987, FT-857, and the FT-817. The big thing for me is I am not looking for a rig to use in the truck but once I get to camp.

I have had been able to play with the IC-7000, FT-857 and the FT-817 and am leaning towards the FT-817 for its portibility and figuer I can always connect it to a 100w amp if I needed more power.

As for Antennas I have been looking at Telescopic masts to make an inverted V or standard dipole.

If you want QRP then the 817 is a great little radio, However if you have not been active on HF much or at all then skip it. QRP isnt for the new ham, great mode but takes experience to be used effectively and While you can put an amp, buy the time you do you might have well purchased the 857. If your main goal is a camp radio with occasionally mobile use then check out the 897. If your looking primary mobile then the 857,706 or 7000 would be better.

 

[cruiser guy]

I hope to get the HF side of my Icom 706 working soon. I have all the parts, tuner, 10' whip etc. etc. I just have not had the opportunity to get it all installed. I too have my HF priveleges but I have not yet used them.

73's

VA7 CFW

 

[GrantC]

Personally, I don't travel in the backwoods without HF. In fact, I usually carry a spare 20w HF rig in addition to the Icom 706MkIIG that's in the truck.

A few years ago I spent a month on a gold mining expedition. There were no repeaters in the mountain area where we were camped; HF was used exclusively for daily contact with a friend who lives just a few miles away from my house. He relayed messages to my wife (who is license, but doesn't have HF privileges.)

Normally, in mobile configuration it's common to run a vertical of some sort. In camp, though, I had a long wire (full wave on 40m) that attached to the antenna mount (after removing the antenna, of course.) It was attached to a suitable tree at the other end, roughly 6' off the ground. Along with a matching counterpoise, this gave me an efficient NVIS (near vertical incidence) antenna configuration.

This antenna is quite efficient, allowing me to use just a couple of watts output on phone (voice.) The great thing about understanding and using NVIS in the backwoods, though, is the coverage: when conditions are right, you'll cover literally every square meter in a 500km radius. In our case, we were down in a narrow canyon and had no problem talking with folks 250 miles away.

73.

-=[ Grant ]=-

 

[bj70_guy]

Oh curse you bj_fjc! You got me thinking how cool that would be. Poking around found some pretty interesting antennas, like these High Sierra models, which get lots of good reviews.:
http://www.hamcq.com/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=91

Hmmm, a guy could get something like that, set it up and use it at home with an FT857 and a power supply, then take the whole works along on your longer remote trips.

It wouldn't be too cost effective, but it would certainly be fun!

 

[Hizuki]

Personnally, I use ham radio as my excuse to hit the woods. Dxpeditions we call it.....

 

[cruiser guy]

My HF is finally up and running. I have an Icom AH-4 tuner mounted under the front bumper feeding a 10' whip bolted to the bumper. The radio is an Icom 706MkIIG.

Now all I need to do is figure out how it all works before I NEED to have it work!

 

[bc_fjc]

My HF is finally up and running. I have an Icom AH-4 tuner mounted under the front bumper feeding a 10' whip bolted to the bumper. The radio is an Icom 706MkIIG.

Now all I need to do is figure out how it all works before I NEED to have it work!

Well I have had my stuff up and running for the last month. I have made a few contacts as far as the British Virgin Islands on 20m and am almost finished putting togeather a few 80m antennas. Learning how to use SSB and my radio has been a fun learning curve. Took me 2 weeks to figure out (Read the manual) how to use the clarifier insted of changing my frequency so the other person sounded good.

I have also been playing around with a few other toys APRS (Automatic Packet Reporting System)and Winlink (Enhanced Digital Messaging for Amateur Radio). APRS was easy to get setup, you can track me Here and I am still fighting with Winlink to get it to work over the radio, but I think I will start another thread for that.

What bands are you planning on using? I'm hoping to be able to work 80m throw 6m + VHF/UHF in all modes.

looking forward to hearing you on the air sometime in the near future.

Drew