Amateur Radio

[eclecticmoose]

I also use an EFHW for SOTA but mine does have a 30m link added (Anderson power poles w/ strain relief). It's nice to have 30m with no tuner for my MTR4B. The K6ARK EFHW kit is appealing, might have to try one someday though my solder skills are not not very advanced and it looks tiny, haha. I purchased my antenna from NY4G.

If you do 2m FM it is nice to use the 818 from a seated position with earbuds by using a ladder line J-pole antenna and enough coax for whatever mast or tree branch you are using.

For phone use with the 818, I never seemed to have much trouble making SSB QSOs with the stock mic and no added speech compressor. Then again, some reviews on the internet say those help a bunch.

Congrats on the DX with low power from Idaho, you guys out West have to work a lot harder than us on the East coast to get EU.

Yesterday bands were challenging. I'm around the house today and hoping to chase a few activators on summits so hopefully the wild QRN and absorption subside.

73

[eclecticmoose]

My timing has probably been bad - I don’t have much chance to play radio.

I had the same experience as mtnbkr, high bands were HOT this past winter. High band conditions should improve as we get into fall.

[mtnbkr]

Just picked up a FT-818 w/ CW filter from another SOTA op in MA. SO-239 hookups on the back plus he did a Anderson PP conversion for the power. Planning to get the armor rails and a Windcamp battery.

Finishing a K6ARK EFHW build which should give me 10-15-20-40, resonant without a tuner.

Any other must-have mods for the 818?

<BREAK>

I got the Netherlands and Germany from a SOTA summit on panhandle of Idaho last week on 20m, 8.5 watts. The TX500 continues to impress in all areas.

Great radio. I had the older 817 until I bought my KX2 (sold the 817 to fund the KX2) and my buddy has an 818. They're truly a swiss army knife for portable ops. The all-mode VHF capability is great if you like to work VHF contests while portable.

I've heard, but never witnessed myself, the Anderson PP conversion for the power plug can cause battery drain while the radio is off. Apparently, there's a circuit connected to the DC port that senses a physical connection and drains the battery? Very odd issue, but I've seen it mentioned multiple times and even read a write-up about it a year ago (if I find it, I'll post the link). Might not be a bad idea to disconnect the internal battery if you're not going to use it for a few days. I had one of those conversions too, but I never left batteries inside the radio when not in use.

Mod-wise, I think you covered the main bases.

The K6ARK transformer is brilliant. I've built two. The first, a 5w model, went to my buddy to use with his 5w QRP rigs. I built a 20w model to go with my KX2. I originally built the 5w one to be a tri-band 10/20/40 antenna with a miniaturized loading coil to shorten the length (I think I posted a pic of that antenna up-thread). It worked great and I was able to work DX from a summit with it and the TruSDX I was testing out.

Chris

[2xAGM114]

The APDZ podcast (NJ7V) had a blurb about a S2S 6m event in June. I'm hoping to use the 818 for 6m, plus a LNR 6m dipole I just got. I've not made a 6m QSO on the magic band yet. Sounds temperamental from reading about it.

Heading up to B.C. next week for a SOTA camping trip. I've got a full three days of drive-ups thanks to an itinerary from VE6ID Malen and VE6AGR Ken who are both Canadian Goats. Just hit 700 pts toward Mt Goat here. Trying to keep the momentum up heading into fall.

[mtnbkr]

The APDZ podcast (NJ7V) had a blurb about a S2S 6m event in June. I'm hoping to use the 818 for 6m, plus a LNR 6m dipole I just got. I've not made a 6m QSO on the magic band yet. Sounds temperamental from reading about it.

Heading up to B.C. next week for a SOTA camping trip. I've got a full three days of drive-ups thanks to an itinerary from VE6ID Malen and VE6AGR Ken who are both Canadian Goats. Just hit 700 pts toward Mt Goat here. Trying to keep the momentum up heading into fall.

Sounds like a fun trip! I've done a few like that. The trifecta of Reddish Knob, Flagpole Knob, and High Knob in the Shenandoah Valley is an annual camping trip and SOTA activation. All three are 10 pointers and the first two are drive-ups. The latter requires a short hike, but the drive from Flagpole to High involves 8 miles of 4x4 trail.

As for 6m, yes, it's temperamental as hell. When it's open, you can just about talk to the world, but when it isn't, you aren't doing much better than with 2m. I have an HT that does 6mFM and managed a 300 mile QSO with it one time. SSB and CW will work better, but it still requires the band cooperating. I've heard of folks working the UK from the US East Coast by standing in the surf with a 6mFM HT "back in the day" during a solar maximum.

My buddy uses his 818 to work the VHF contests on 6m/2m/70cm on all modes. I built him a 6m EFHW that works great with his radio.

Chris

[HeavyDuty]

I was hot into 6M back in the late 90s, I had an Azden FM rig in the car and was making regular contacts during my commute. I also have a MFJ QRP rig that I used to set up in the park with a dipole, many more contacts with that. I’d actually like to put up a robust 6M antenna here.

[mtnbkr]

VHF contest is this weekend, any of you losers going to participate?

Chris

[HeavyDuty]

Oh, my… https://elecraft.com/products/kh1-transceiver

[mtnbkr]

Oh, my… https://elecraft.com/products/kh1-transceiver

IKR. Thank God I'm not a CW op and already have a KX2 or I might be selling one of the kids.

Chris

[Stephanie B]

Oh, my… https://elecraft.com/products/kh1-transceiver

The Maquis could have really used that in the early 1940s.....