Deploy-Anywhere Vertical Antenna

This is my go-to vertical antenna that I can deploy anywhere with no support structure needed. (No trees or mast required)

Use it to work 20m, 17m, 15m, 12m, and 10m… and probably 6m (although I’m not a 6m guy).

Where to get the items I show in the video…

The radiating element is an MFJ-1979 stainless steel whip.
MFJ-1979 Whip

The small tripod is a Super Antenna TM1 Low Profile Tripod Portable Antenna Mount that you can find here:
TM1 Low Profile Tripod (click and scroll down)

The High Sierra “Jaws Clamp” can be found here:
High Sierra Jaws Clamp

OHR 100A QRP Radio Build- Part 2

I’ve got most of the (many!) capacitors installed, along with the crystals, etc. The kit is coming along nicely and I’m enjoying it.

My friend Doug Miller (W4DML) says. “Soldering is Therapy.”  I think there’s some truth to that.  When you’re soldering, you’re concentrating so much on what you’re doing that any other thoughts are pushed out of your head.  So, anything that’s bothering you goes away when building something.

Handling any object (like a soldering iron) that is 700 degrees Fahrenheit will cause one to concentrate – or suffer the consequences.

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OHR 100A QRP Radio Build – Part 1

I bought the 40m version of the OHR 100A QRP radio last year and it’s been sitting in the box waiting for me to build it.  It’s time.

There’s something about the season changing to Fall that makes me want to build a kit.  I guess I think of Fall and Winter as being the time of year to do my hamming indoors.

I’ll build this slowly over the next week or so as time allows.  I’m not in a rush – but it’s good to have finally inventoried and sorted the parts. Now, if I can just keep the cats out of the room…

OHR 100A parts shown before the build begins.
OHR 100A parts shown before the build begins.

QRP bike ride…

One of my favorite things to do in ham radio is to take a QRP rig with me on a bike ride. I’ve got several places where I go on my bicycle and set up a station.

This evening, I rode to one of my favorite spots and worked K2H (VA) and N4LB (TX) before packing it back up and heading home.

I used my Elecraft KX3 with a Sotabeams 20m/40m linked dipole antenna.

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My bike with a portable camp chair and my radio gear stuffed into a pannier.

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Here’s what it looked like after setup.  The antenna was hoisted up into a tree and tied off to the handlebars of my bike.  The KX3 has a Begali Adventure attached… what a fun combo!