2020-01-26, 13:21:10
Name here is John, callsign VA3KOT. I'm a new member of the club but I've been an active ham for 20 years and an active SWL for many years before that. I was previously a member of the Peel Amateur Radio Club and the York Region Amateur Radio Club. My passion is operating ham radio in the great outdoors and I have spoken on that topic at meetings of both my previous clubs.
One of the great advantages of outdoor ops is that you can find a really good location for radio signal propagation and, best of all, you escape all the noise generated by all the electrical devices in your home and elsewhere. For several years I have been operating QRP (5 watts) on the HF bands. Recent poor propagation conditions caused by the current deep solar minimum have made QRP even more of a challenge so I invested in a new portable radio (a Yaesu FT-891) that will allow me to boost power when needed.
There is a tradeoff between QRP vs QRO when it comes to portability. Higher power rigs consume more battery power. If you want to operate from a location such as Skinners Bluff (one of my favourites) you don't want to carry very heavy batteries in your backpack! My lightweight portable QRP rig is a Hendricks PFR-3 CW only kit radio that will run for hours on a small Li-Ion battery. Li-Ion cells require some care but they have high energy density and can be obtained very cheaply (hams are cheap by nature).
Those of us who live on small lots have restrictions on the size of antennas we can use. But, out in the great outdoors you can find locations where you can put up whatever kind of antenna you wish - as long as it is simple and portable. I operated from Kelso Beach Park in Owen Sound a few years ago using a 250ft long wire stretched along the low trees at the edge of the parking lot.
There are organizations supporting outdoor operating activities. For example Parks-On-The-Air (POTA) is very popular. Several local parks are available for "activation". Posting your plans to activate a park will usually result in a lot of contacts.
Of course, outdoor ham activity is most enjoyable in the summer. I like to go camping in my travel trailer between May and October and always set up my portable radio equipment at campsites. But operations in winter are also possible. Just set up your rig in your car, throw a wire up into a tree and key up!
Give it a try, or join me on my of my day trips. Ham radio in the great outdoors is a whole lot of fun and we have so many great locations right on our doorstep in this beautiful part of the province.
John, VA3KOT
One of the great advantages of outdoor ops is that you can find a really good location for radio signal propagation and, best of all, you escape all the noise generated by all the electrical devices in your home and elsewhere. For several years I have been operating QRP (5 watts) on the HF bands. Recent poor propagation conditions caused by the current deep solar minimum have made QRP even more of a challenge so I invested in a new portable radio (a Yaesu FT-891) that will allow me to boost power when needed.
There is a tradeoff between QRP vs QRO when it comes to portability. Higher power rigs consume more battery power. If you want to operate from a location such as Skinners Bluff (one of my favourites) you don't want to carry very heavy batteries in your backpack! My lightweight portable QRP rig is a Hendricks PFR-3 CW only kit radio that will run for hours on a small Li-Ion battery. Li-Ion cells require some care but they have high energy density and can be obtained very cheaply (hams are cheap by nature).
Those of us who live on small lots have restrictions on the size of antennas we can use. But, out in the great outdoors you can find locations where you can put up whatever kind of antenna you wish - as long as it is simple and portable. I operated from Kelso Beach Park in Owen Sound a few years ago using a 250ft long wire stretched along the low trees at the edge of the parking lot.
There are organizations supporting outdoor operating activities. For example Parks-On-The-Air (POTA) is very popular. Several local parks are available for "activation". Posting your plans to activate a park will usually result in a lot of contacts.
Of course, outdoor ham activity is most enjoyable in the summer. I like to go camping in my travel trailer between May and October and always set up my portable radio equipment at campsites. But operations in winter are also possible. Just set up your rig in your car, throw a wire up into a tree and key up!
Give it a try, or join me on my of my day trips. Ham radio in the great outdoors is a whole lot of fun and we have so many great locations right on our doorstep in this beautiful part of the province.
John, VA3KOT