Portable QRP Ops

I like to keep a QRP rig in the car.  I like to operate QRP portable.  I'm not about to try and send Morse Code while operating a moving car.  I admit, I'm not coordinated enough for that!  But I do like to leave the building where I work at lunchtime, go out to the parking lot, and set up the QRP station.  I have it down to the point where I can unpack, set up and start listening on the bands in under five minutes.  And I have found a little QRP everyday breaks up the work day nicely, releases a little stress and invigorates me for the rest of the day's work to be done.  And even more enjoyable than this, is to bring the QRP gear out into the sunshine and warm weather on a day off or a weekend.  Whether it be a park, a grassy field, or even the backyard patio table .... sitting down and operating in the fresh air is, well ..... refreshing!

A brief word about logging QSOs on the field. I picked up o Palm Pilot m130 on eBay.  This is one of the smartest things I have ever done; and I did it expressly with the purpose of logging portable QSO's in mind. At the suggestion of Ed Breneiser WA3WSJ, I installed a few different logging programs.  I seem to have settled on QSO Diary by G4FON.  It's a basic Palm logging program; but the thing I like about it is that you have lots of room for QSO comments (a lot like Win-EQF).  Also, I can hot sync the QSO Diary QSOs to my main computer and then ADIF them into my main log program.   No logbooks or pads to get wet or blow around in the breeze; plus there are other Ham radio applications that can be put on a Palm Pilot - check out the software titles at the DX Zone.

The tool box holds a complete HF QRP station. The contents include the following:
K1 Transceiver 40 through 15 meters
with noise blanker and autotuner.
Panasonic 12V Sealed Lead Acid Battery
Emtech ZM-2 tuner (as back-up)
KD1JV's 'Tenna Dipper
Vizkey by K4VIZ
and Milestone Tech "Christmas" Straight Key.
A pair of "Walkman" headphones & a set of earbuds.

The nice thing about using the toolbox is that there is plenty of space for the extras: small tools, VOM, pads, pencils, clock, cables, wire ties, etc, etc, etc,
Case w/ labels

CQ Coax

Portable Antennas

What do you use when you're out in the field and away from the shack at home and your everyday antennas? Obviously you can't bring that multi-band Butternut vertical, or that tower and beam, or that 360 foot horizontal loop out with you for that jaunt into nature with your portable QRP rig.

Personally
, I have three solutions - Hamsticks on a magmount on top of the car, the PAC-12 portable vertical and wire antennas like the NorCal Doublet.  The PAC-12 is commercially available; but the NJQRP Website as a page with step by step instructions on "how to roll your own" (link below).

The Hamsticks and the magmount work well.  But they are a compromise - no doubt.  What they have going for them is ease of operation.  They are easy to keep stowed in your hatch or trunk.  They set up so fast that unless you keep this arrangement mounted on you car permanently; you can set up and start operating within just one or two minutes - easily!  However, if these are your only solution, then you have to stay put by your vehicle to operate.  And sometimes that just isn't practical; or it might be something that you just don't want to do.  Also, I have found out that these antennas work quite well for frequencies at 20 Meters or higher, Below 20 Meters you have to make sure you have good connections between your car chassis and the body for a good groundplane; or unusable SWRs might result. 

For plans on the PAC-12, click here.  The PAC-12 was a good homebrew HF antenna project. The way this antenna breaks down for portability and it's ultra light weight are what drove me to try it.  In its unassembled form the antenna is about 4 or 5 twelve inch pieces!  Assembled, it's a vertical over eight feet in height!  Jim's instructions are also super easy to understand; but the manufacture is a bit more involved.  You have to thread some aluminum rod so that the ends are 1/4 20.  For me this was no big deal, as I use taps and dies in my line of work, which requires some simple machining skills.  For the uninitiated it might seem a little intimidating and daunting; but fear not!  This is a really simple antenna to build.  The ease of use and portability outweigh any misgivings you might have about building this one. And Jim, KA5DVS gives an excellent primer on thread cutting with his assembly instructions.  Another way to go about it is to just by 1/4" threaded rods.  This will work nicely if you're still squeamish about the tap and die thing; however, it's not as elegant as using plain aluminum rods.

Pro's - An easy to use vertical.  It is a very efficient antenna; and it's design took top merits in the HF Pack antenna shoot out a few years back.  It can be used anywhere via sticking this antenna directly into the ground or by mounting it on a small photographic tripod.  I homebrewed a small tripod by taking a piece of flat steel bar stock (1/8" thick) and cut three pieces about a foot long.  I drilled a hole at each end and put a 1/4 by 1 &1/2 inch bolt through to act as a pivot and a mounting stud for the center insulator. So, it requires no mast - which can be a MAJOR consideration if extreme portability is of paramount importance to you.  It was very inexpensive to build; maybe an outlay of about $25 in materials.  All materials can be found at your local hardware store and Radio Shack. Lastly, this antenna was designed to be used on all bands 80 through 10 meters - weight is not an issue at all.  Cons- The construction is a bit involved; but if you are handy and are used to homebrewing, then it's no big deal. However, specialized tools, a 1/4 20 die and a 6-32 tap are required.  Also this antenna (like all verticals) requires the use of radials.  I use six 15 foot long pieces of speaker wire which I have all soldered to an terminal ring.  I just attach the ring to the bolt that goes through the center insulator and spread them out like the spokes of a wheel.  Not a biggie; but mention radials to some Hams and they go screaming into the night!  Lastly, at least with the homebrewed version of the PAC-12, when you want to change bands, you have to change coils.  No big deal; but again, not as easy as using a multiband wire antenna where band switching just means retuning the antenna tuner!

PAC-12

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
To the left is a picture of the PAC-12 which appears courtesy of the NJQRP group (of which I am a member).  All my efforts to photograph it well have been for naught - so far!

                                
                                  >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
To the right is a photo of the hombrewed tripod for the center insulator.  This is great for use where there is no soil - parking lots, sidewalk, roof tops, etc.  It's just three pieces of steel stock.  Each leg is 12" long and you can see how I put a bend in each piece.  The pivot point is a 1 & 1/2" inch long 1/4 inch bolt.  The center insulator mounts directly onto the bolt.
homebrew tripod

The NorCal Doublet is an EASY to make 44 foot doublet using ribbon cable.  The link for instructions can be found here.  I made mine in under a half an hour !  This antenna is extremely lightweight and portable - it weighs a few ounces ..... maybe !  It is extremely easy to use; but you need supports for this one.  Either two trees (where you then have to deal with tossing antenna support line over branches) or you can take along a support when trees are not available.  I plan to use a 20 foot Crappie pole that I bought from Cabelas - the Black Widow (does that sound sexy, or what?).  When I use the Black Widow, the Doublet is configured as in Inverted Vee.  In either case, it involves more set up time than just plunking a Hamstick on the top of the car.  I would rate the PAC-12 and NorCal Doublet about roughly equal as far as deployment go.  Neither is a back breaker; but each take a bit more time than the Hamsticks.  The results for both, however, are far superior to the Hamsticks.  You'll hear more and work more stations using either one of these; and as a bonus, you're not tethered to the car.


Portable Antenna Summary

Antenna
Portability/Weight
Ease of Set-up
Effectiveness
Hamsticks on car
A
A+
C
NorCal Doublet
A+
B
A+++
PAC-12
A+
A-
A+++

Summary : When I'm really pressed for time (like lunchtime at work) the Hamsticks are the best for one reason only. I can set up my station and can be calling CQ in under 5 minutes!  The PAC-12 take a bit more time - not a lot; but a bit.  When your lunchbreak is only a half hour, like mine, every minute is precious!  If you're in a situation where time is not a tight commodity, then the PAC-12 will outplay the Hamsticks.

There are a bunch of other antennas out there for portable QRP use.  These three are what I use.  Besides regular ol' wire antennas, you might want to check out the St. Louis Vertical, verticals made using lightweight fishing poles as supports (like the Black widow or the Crappie pole special).  Your options are many !!!








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