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Old 02-06-2008, 11:25 PM   #1
Manual Garcia O'Kely
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OK, new member. Ham since 2004, no code extra. Retired.

Wife and I are taking delivery of a trailer in April, planning an extended trip to Alaska over the summer. This will be our second to Alaska but our first driving up and back.

Hoping to do some operating on the trip with my FT-897 and Buddipole antenna when parked. I have an FT-8900 in the tow vehicle but likely won't have other HF available mobile.

So I'm interested in exploring the site.

Cheers.
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Old 02-06-2008, 11:41 PM   #2
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Welcome to the group, sounds like a fun trip. What trailer are you getting? How do you like your Buddipole. Keep us posted when you will be making the trip maybe we can make a sked or 2 on HF would be fun.
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Old 02-07-2008, 05:51 PM   #3
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Default Big styling!



made by www.tinycamper.com

Probably not the rig you expected. We plan to pull this behind my Subaru Outback. We have graduated from backpacking, this is a BIG step for us.

In truth? We looked at renting a small RV for the trip, and it came out basically a wash to buy this teardrop instead; and we get to keep it for future use.

Our plans are fluid, we think it might be as long as 3 months, but we have never spent that much time in such close quarters before, so it could be less...probably depart in late may/early june - would like to miss the majority of the mosquito season if possible.
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Old 02-07-2008, 07:28 PM   #4
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Hello and welcome to ORR.net.

Well, the little trailer has plenty of ground plane on top, which is something the big deisel pushers don't!!
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Old 02-07-2008, 08:03 PM   #5
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Wow that trailer is cool, only thing it is missing is a antenna. Before the big trip let us know your radio operating agenda and we might be able to make a sked or two. It would be fun to hear about your trip real time. Now we just need a few sun spots.
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Old 02-08-2008, 12:39 AM   #6
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Welcome to the group.
There is a lot good info here.
73
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Old 02-08-2008, 12:29 PM   #7
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Thanks.

Well, I'm going to put an NMO mount in the center of the roof for 2m/70cm, then there are two feedthru fittings, one on each side for HF, but there's no room inside to mount an HF rig so I'll be setting up on the folding tables that attach to the trailer, and using my Buddipole antenna.

Our plans won't firm up until sometime around June 1

I'm considering mobile options HF and am thinking about a Hamstick on the car, going to take a run over to HRO to check 'em out. I have an FT-8900 in the car already.

The trailer is minimal, but last time we did two weeks with a tent and were perfectly happy - I wanted to reduce camp set-up and tear down time, plus sleeping on a 3" foam pad no longer suffices for me to get a complete nights sleep. In addition to the trailer, there is a side shelter than can be added on, and we will have an easy-up type shelter to cover the kitchen. The trailer has a piped in propane two burner stove. And A/C.

Hoping to put a solar panel on the roof to keep the internal 72 amp/hour battery topped off when we are not moving - anyone know anything about how to do that job?
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Old 02-09-2008, 11:57 AM   #8
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Welcome to the ORR forum. Have fun in Alaska. That is one of the trips the xyl and I look forward to after retirement.

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Old 02-09-2008, 02:28 PM   #9
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Welcome to the board, and that is really a cool trailer!!
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Old 02-10-2008, 12:00 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by N7OQ View Post
Welcome to the group, sounds like a fun trip. What trailer are you getting? How do you like your Buddipole. Keep us posted when you will be making the trip maybe we can make a sked or 2 on HF would be fun.
Did not notice about the question.

I like the Buddipole. It's not a full-sized dipole, but it can be deployed anywhere in about 10 minutes with or w/out trees or anything else around.

I have made a number of contacts, but had mostly been using 20 watts - I've just upgraded to an FT-897D, so more to follow.

Only knock on the BP? It's pricy. I'm not saying it's not a good product - it's really well engineered and thought out, and everything fits really nicely together. But the complete package is expensive and to add 80 meters is another couple hundred bucks. I sunk the money because I like the jump bag design and quick setup no matter where.
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Old 02-10-2008, 09:41 AM   #11
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Welcome. My wife is jealous of your Alaska trips.
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Old 02-10-2008, 09:52 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Manual Garcia O'Kely View Post
Did not notice about the question.

I like the Buddipole. It's not a full-sized dipole, but it can be deployed anywhere in about 10 minutes with or w/out trees or anything else around.

I have made a number of contacts, but had mostly been using 20 watts - I've just upgraded to an FT-897D, so more to follow.

Only knock on the BP? It's pricy. I'm not saying it's not a good product - it's really well engineered and thought out, and everything fits really nicely together. But the complete package is expensive and to add 80 meters is another couple hundred bucks. I sunk the money because I like the jump bag design and quick setup no matter where.
I also have the Buddipole so was curious how you liked yours, I agree it is pricy but very well made. I had a lot of problems at first with it, I used it first time on field day last summer. I setup according to the chart and my SWR was bad I trimmed it until I got what the meter said was a good SWR but no one could hear me. The whole day was a disaster had so many problems. This is way you should test everything before field day.

The next camping trip I brought my new MFJ269 antenna analyzer and found out that I was getting too much RF coming back down the coax. I tried some clip on RF chokes but still had the problem I then coiled half the coax and vola the RF was gone and now the antenna tuned per the chart and now people were hearing me.

While at the Pacificon Hamfest I bought the long whips and find it works much better with these whips. I also get more band width. When I get time I want to set it up and get a reading with a field strength meter then set it up with the whips no coils and us my antenna tuner (AH4) and see what the differance in readings would be. I would like to be able to change bands without changing coil taps.
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Old 03-29-2008, 12:59 AM   #13
Manual Garcia O'Kely
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Quote:
Originally Posted by N7OQ View Post
I also have the Buddipole so was curious how you liked yours, I agree it is pricy but very well made. I had a lot of problems at first with it, I used it first time on field day last summer. I setup according to the chart and my SWR was bad I trimmed it until I got what the meter said was a good SWR but no one could hear me. The whole day was a disaster had so many problems. This is way you should test everything before field day.

The next camping trip I brought my new MFJ269 antenna analyzer and found out that I was getting too much RF coming back down the coax. I tried some clip on RF chokes but still had the problem I then coiled half the coax and vola the RF was gone and now the antenna tuned per the chart and now people were hearing me.

While at the Pacificon Hamfest I bought the long whips and find it works much better with these whips. I also get more band width. When I get time I want to set it up and get a reading with a field strength meter then set it up with the whips no coils and us my antenna tuner (AH4) and see what the differance in readings would be. I would like to be able to change bands without changing coil taps.
Well, I've not used mine all that many times yet, but I just got the low band coils, long whips and the TRSB. I use a Z-11Pro autotuner with it.

Well, my good new is that we leave to pick up the new rig April 14th.

The bad news is that the tow vehicle just had to have a new clutch. $1,000. Damn. That on top of a tuneup and a trailer hitch.
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Old 03-29-2008, 08:12 PM   #14
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Sounds like a great trip, just be glad that clutch went south before you went north.

If it was me I'd throw a wire in too, just for those times when you're camped on a hill for a few days with big trees all around, a multiband wire. I carry a 135ft OCF dipole just for those occasions with a fishing pole and some nylon line.
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