Hi folks,
Just wondered who else enjoys combining their bushcraft stuff/wilderness travel etc. with amateur radio (HF QRP (low power)). I've been into radio stuff for a while and usually combine the two, I find they compliment one and other well.
I use a tiny radio transceiver called a Rockmite from Small Wonder Labs, which works CW (morse code) on the 20m band (14MHz). The rig itself fits inside an altoids mints tin, and was built from a kit in a few hours over Christmas one year.
The advantage of HF operation as opposed to say UHF (commonly used in walkie talkies) and VHF, is obviously the range. HF frequencies are reflected by the ionosphere and are not restricted to 'line of sight' communication. Such a small HF kit may be useful in terms of safety when visiting outlying regions.
The whole setup consists of the mints tin containing the transceiver, battery pack of 8 AAs, mini morse paddle key, mini atu (antenna tuner), and longwire antenna. It packs away very small.
There are other QRP rigs available (some which use voice), but for simplicity, low cost and effectiveness, there are several excellent morse (CW) transceivers which have a greater range per watt of power output.
Contacts can be made over hundreds (sometimes even thousands) of miles using the power of a Christmas tree lightbulb!
I find it a good companion to my bushcraft outings, and feel it embraces the same spirit of adventure and self sufficiency which is part of bushcraft.
Just wondered who else enjoys combining their bushcraft stuff/wilderness travel etc. with amateur radio (HF QRP (low power)). I've been into radio stuff for a while and usually combine the two, I find they compliment one and other well.
I use a tiny radio transceiver called a Rockmite from Small Wonder Labs, which works CW (morse code) on the 20m band (14MHz). The rig itself fits inside an altoids mints tin, and was built from a kit in a few hours over Christmas one year.
The advantage of HF operation as opposed to say UHF (commonly used in walkie talkies) and VHF, is obviously the range. HF frequencies are reflected by the ionosphere and are not restricted to 'line of sight' communication. Such a small HF kit may be useful in terms of safety when visiting outlying regions.
The whole setup consists of the mints tin containing the transceiver, battery pack of 8 AAs, mini morse paddle key, mini atu (antenna tuner), and longwire antenna. It packs away very small.
There are other QRP rigs available (some which use voice), but for simplicity, low cost and effectiveness, there are several excellent morse (CW) transceivers which have a greater range per watt of power output.
Contacts can be made over hundreds (sometimes even thousands) of miles using the power of a Christmas tree lightbulb!
I find it a good companion to my bushcraft outings, and feel it embraces the same spirit of adventure and self sufficiency which is part of bushcraft.