Summer Camp Portable: 160-6M HF Vertical Antenna, Go Kit

by Greyline Performance 5月 31, 2021

Campground portable ham radio operation with a Greyline Performance HF Vertical Antenna and 40 Watts in the Sawtooth Wilderness near Sun Valley, Idaho

The 28' Greyline Vertical Antenna for HF was so quiet on any band up on that high ridge with what seemed a reflection of signals from the giant granite mountain to the east. Ham Radio is so fun again.

If we could hear them, we can work them!

By Jon, KL2A/W7 Memorial Day, May 31, 2021

At Greyline, we get long lists of emails, many of which are requests for more examples of summer portable operation. I happen to have a blog post from last summer I can share here that showcases camping and RV summer travel operations. This can apply to DXpeditions too as the antenna breaks down into 4' sections and easily slips into a Ski Bag. I've taken mine from high mountains to ocean villas. Here's my short notes style submission from the mountains of Idaho one smoky fire-season weekend.

September 13, 2020: Sawtooth Wilderness near Stanley, Idaho.

Packed up my ski bag ham radio, portable go kit including the Greyline Performance HF vertical antenna, and headed for the mountains of Southcentral Idaho, north of Sun Valley in the Sawtooth Wilderness Preserve.

KL2A/P Ski Bag Portable Ham Radio station:

Greyline Performance 28’ OCF Vertical Dipole
Icom 7610 Transceiver at 40W
LDG RT-100 Remote Tuner at the Vertical
Vibroplex Code Warrior Junior CW "morse code" Paddle

As luck would have it, there was a four-hour CW sprint contest called NAQP (North America QSO Party) Saturday night, just about the time I would land at a campground for the evening. These contests are very popular and the bands are full of activity for the full 4-hours. I was excited to give the antenna a high mountain air test run and there should be lots of guys to try and work.

Arrived at the campsite amidst a smoke bank coming in from WA/OR. It's fire season but the signals won't mind. Such a super quiet location and it took a while to find. Most spots were below a hill along a river. This location was along a ridge-line way up there.

Built the station in about 20 minutes and started the radio about halfway into the contest. Once on the air, I felt pretty loud considering half power or less at 40W. Almost everyone I called heard the signal. Wow.

"Almost everyone I called heard the signal and they were indeed loud."

The Suburban 12V did not allow full power so 40 Watts was set.

The antenna used is a 28' Greyline HF Vertical Antenna. At 35 pounds total weight I easily maneuvered it and tied it to a stump 75' or so from the truck for the night.

Using the included 3' of PVC pipe and stout ground support section (which is not part of the active antenna element and used only for ground support) pushed the antenna to 27' total height at the top.

This Antenna System's Order of Parts: From the Antenna, the ladder line feedline transitions to a PL259 adapter that plugs directly into the LDG RT-100 remote tuner just a few feet left of the antenna.

Then, the RF Choke which is 7 ferrite slip-over-coax beads for adequate RF choking, then the 75' LMR-400 coax to the Suburban. That's it.

Cockpit: ICOM 7610 (40 Watts)

The cockpit inside the suburban was roomy and comfortable enough. I have noted for next time, a tent, table and chair.

Power:

Using standard power from the 12V AC/DC outlet in the truck I was able to get 40W out without tripping the Chevy circuit breaker. The heater was on low to keep the fan noise down and the fingers warm.

Operation:

40M and 80M were hopping full of CW signals from coast to coast. It felt like I was looking down on all of them from up here. So quiet compared to home. Also, it seemed the tall granite peaks around me were reflecting signal in my favor... it certainly felt I was indeed that loud compared to my home QTH below the hill. So, transmit and receive are both enhanced from this rural high outpost.

"I could hear everything and everyone on the bands!"

I could hear everything and everyone on the bands. W1-4 signals filled 40 and 80M CW (east coast) and I worked them easily on both bands with the 40W from the radio (not something that's possible thus far from the lake house with double the power, at 100W). You have to hear them, right?

Having guys hear me easily was a treat. Amazing what a quiet location and a high up in the hills take-off will do.

In the end I amassed 140 QSOs in about 90-100 mins on the air. My fingers were a little chilled, mosquitos were really trying to get in and some apparently got through causing itchy fingers on the way home, but it was all so very worthwhile. What a blast having a real antenna on the air once again.

The NAQP CW SPRINT is the "Best 4-hours in radio!"

Bonus: Tuned the bands at sunrise before packing out of camp and warming up the truck. It was cold in the tent, 28F at sunrise, and still smokey.

+ found PJ4A (NN3W) at the Bonaire Island Radio Station PJ4A on 20M WAE SSB

+ a 40M tune also found W6YA working YF8HVY. Very quiet QTH in the mountain country.

W6YA + YF8HVY 40M CW DX (sunrise)

PJ4A (NN3W) WAE SSB 2020

In Summary, just about any decent antenna at a great location will work well for you. In my case, a wire in a 50-60' tree would work in a similar fashion at the Greyline vertical. (we've tested it). I hope you find great adventure on the ham radio bands this summer season and your antenna serves you well.

Have a great summer. We will look for you on the bands.

73 KL2A/7

What are Customers are saying?

- "Real DX 160-6M at my HOA"
- "4 Band DXCC in 3-months at my HOA."
- "So pretty my XYL approves!"
- "If I can hear it, I can work it."

Customer says:

"I dug a hole in the back yard to please the wife, poured concrete and then she says, 'it's beautiful, let's put it in the front yard.' I dug another hole."

Greyline says: Sorry about the extra work but how cool is that the XYL wants it in the front yard, just where you originally wanted it. Good on you, sir.

CQ CQ CALLING ALL DX FLAGPOLE OWNERS:

Will you share your DX adventures with us? Please send in a picture or YouTube video of your shack, antenna, or some action shots of the bands coming alive using your Greyline Antenna. We'd love to share your story of good news with our peers around the world at large.

Simply reply to this email, we'd love to hear from you. emailto: flagpoleantennas@gmail.com - Thank you!

Would you like to work the world from home or in your RV within just a couple of hours of receiving your Greyline Antenna? You can...

HAM RADIO IS FUN AGAIN. PASS IT ON.

Greyling Performance Antennas logo

I am providing my first impression report regarding my 24FT HOA antenna. Installation was easy once I was able to figure out the instructions. The twin lead spacers were missing so I inserted a section of PVC into the lower section to insulate the twin lead. I’m using an IC7300, MFJ 993brt remote tuner, Balun Design, Inc model 117t balun which takes coax as input and twin lead as output. I then feed it through an Array Solutions model AS309H arrestor which takes twin lead as both input and output. With the remote tuner: SWR readings are 1.2 in the cw portion of 40 meters and 1.5 in the ssb portion SWR readings are 1.1 all the way across 20 meters (my favorite band) SWR readings are 1.2 in the cw portion of 15 meters and 1.4 in the ssb portion I am a cw guy and have worked all over Europe and South America as well as New Zealand and am getting very good signal reports. Needless to say, I am very pleased with this antenna so far. It works way better than I expected I haven’t yet had to operate in windy or rainy conditions so there is more to learn. Howard Glassman K4OBC

Great pole, excellent service and communications.

I purchased the pole without the antenna and am very happy with the quality and ease of installation.

Great addition easy install

Added this to my 20ft flagpole for 160 m work. Able to make contacts, looking forward to up the power. Great flagpole!

DX and the Greyline antenna

What a wonderful Antenna I have made contacts in over 50 country's so far in less than three weeks easy to assemble and works.

24' Flagpole does the job.

I purchase a 20’ Flagpole antenna that also included the 4’ extension. I installed the flagpole the end of January here at my home in central Florida. The install was easy with only a couple of small issues that were easily resolved by just thinking things through. I installed the antenna in the back yard in the HOA and have not had any complaints.

The performance of the antenna has been very good. The SWR on most band has been =< 1.5 except the 12 meter band. The SWR is just under 2.0. The DX into Europe and Africa has been good. Have done a lot of FT4 and FT8 with good reports. SSB has been good with good signal reports depending on propagation. All of my contacts have been made on 70 – 100 watts. I am using a SGC 230 tuner mounted at the base of the antenna

Most of my contacts have been 10 MHz – 28 MHZ. I have done some work on 40 meters but not much. Not much of an night owl so I don’t get very much of a change to use the antenna on 40 – 160 meters. The SWR is on these bands is 1.0 – 1.3, so I would expect good performance if I had more power.

At this point in time the only negative I have to report is the flag. It has been flying on most days in 5 to 15 MPH winds. I have taken it down when we had higher winds had exceed the 15 MHP. I noticed this morning the flag was torn and shredded. I took the flag down and noticed the flag was made by Anley and it was manufactured in China. I wouldn’t expect a flag to be in this condition after 3 months. I had USA made flags last over a year flying in much stronger winds that this one.

I'm only giving a 4 because of the flag issue. I will reach out to Greyline to see what they have to say.

We are so glad to hear that your Antenna has FB SWRs from 160-10M and congrats on the great DX! Fun... We buy our flags from several USA companies one of which is Anley, Inc., which is also a US company based in California. We are happy to replace the flag.

US GOV reports 90-days is the expected Flag lifespan. 'The U.S. Government generally expects a nylon or cotton flag to last 90 days based on being flown daily from sunrise to sunset - but not during periods of inclement weather. Tests have shown that, in some cases, a flag flown 24 hours a day will last only one-fourth as long as one flown only during the daylight hours.' - again, happy to help and we will contact you directly for a replacement.

Remember, Ham Radio is fun again, Please pass it on to your friends and family. - 73m Greyline Performance