I made an early-morning run up to Evansburg State Park (US-1351, KFF-1351) for a quick activation. My plan for this activation was to try out my Gabil GRA-CFP2600 carbon fiber whip in the “Gabil-on-a-Table” configuration I have been using lately.
The weather forecast was showing a chance of late morning rain, so I headed out a little earlier than I normally do. On arrival, I grabbed my gear and headed for a picnic table in a wooded area that I’ve used many times over the years. It only took a few minutes to get the antenna set up with two 16.5-foot radials laid out on the ground. I easily found a good match on 40M and got started.
Operating at Evansburg State Park with the KH1 and Gabil antenna
My first 15 contacts came fairly easily, so I checked 30M and 20M. I picked up one contact on each of those bands. I could tell from the POTA spots that most of the activity was on 40M. That’s usually a good indicator of which bands are working. So, back to 40M I went. I picked up eight more contacts, bringing my total to 25. Subtracting out my time playing around with the antenna, I was on the air for about 40 minutes.
Gabil antenna, KH1, and CWMouse paddles. Once again, I neglected to take a picture of the carbon fiber whip in use.
One thing I noticed was that 20M was a little touchy to tune up. That’s something I’ve experienced a time or two in the past. This morning, the best I could do was an SWR of 2.0:1. The KH1’s ATU handled that easily. I’m sure I could have gotten the SWR lower by adding more radials—which I didn’t have with me. I’ll have to remember to pack a couple more radials next time.
In any event, it was a beautiful morning to be out in the park. Plus, I got home before the rain started. Timing is everything.
In my last post, I mentioned how I damaged the telescopic whip, which is part of my Gabil GRA-7350TC antenna. The replacement telescopic whip has a long lead time, so I ordered a carbon fiber whip from Gabil in the meantime. Less than 24 hours after Amazon delivered it, I put the new whip to the test.
The new whip is the Gabil GRA-CFP2600 carbon fiber whip. Weighing in at just 78 grams (2.75 ounces), it’s a lightweight whip that breaks down into five separate sections. Fully assembled, it measures 248.4 cm (8 feet, 1.8 inches). That’s a tad longer than the stock whip. The sections are thin, but rigid. They slide together with a friction fit and make a distinctive “pop” when separated.
The five sections of the GRA-CFP2600 whip. The GRA-7350TC loading coil is on the left. Unfortunately, I neglected to take a picture of the antenna assembled for use.
To try it out, I headed over to Marsh Creek State Park (US-1380, KFF-1380) near one of the boat launches. Being a sunny and brisk October day, the parking lot was jam-packed with folks taking advantage of the weather. My original plan was to operate from a picnic table next to the lake. Since someone was already using the table, I operated from the truck.
To try out the new whip, I used a mag mount on the roof of the truck and ran the coax to my KH1 inside the truck. Using an antenna analyzer, I easily tuned up the antenna on 40M and got started. The band was as busy as the park. There were a couple of contests going on besides the large number of POTA stations I heard.
After finding an open frequency, I started calling CQ. The carbon fiber whip seemed to work well. I logged my first 10 contacts in just 10 minutes. After about 15 minutes, I was getting a headache from hearing stations on adjacent frequencies. I opted to seek refuge in the calmer waters of 30M. I picked up several more contacts before shutting down. After 40 minutes I had 22 contacts with four park-to-park contacts. I had P2P contacts on two bands from both WC1D and NI8W. Thanks, guys!
My usual KH1 setup in the truck
Before packing up the antenna, I did a quick check of the SWR on 20M and 17M. No issues tuning up on those bands. In my haste to pack up, however, I neglected to take a picture of the antenna installation. So, you’ll just have to use your imagination to picture a thin, black, eight-foot whip on a magnetic mount.
This carbon fiber whip has been on the market for a while, so I won’t bore you with a detailed review. YouTube has several reviews, and the Gabil website features two of them. However, there are a couple of pros and cons from my first outing with it.
Pros:
It’s super lightweight
Goes together quickly
Seems more rugged than the original telescopic whip
On the air, it seems to work as well as other short whips I have used. Certainly, as well as the original telescopic whip.
Cons:
Broken down, the pieces are significantly longer than the rest of the GRA-7350TC components. I have to pack them separately from the rest of the Gabil GRA-7350TC components.
Speaking of packing… Other than the cardboard tube it ships in, there is nothing provided to store the pieces in. I’m still thinking about how I will pack and transport this whip in the field. I’m thinking about buying a tent pole bag to carry it in. If any GRA-CFP2600 owners have suggestions, I’m all ears.
The GRA-CFP2600 whip is a novel design from the good folks at Gabil. It certainly has the high quality that is typical of their other products.
As always, this blog has no advertisers or sponsors. I bought the GRA-CFP2600 with my own funds.
I made a run up to French Creek State Park (US-1355, KFF-1355) for a quick, early-morning activation. While my activation was successful, it was not without a self-inflicted issue or two.
It was a beautiful, brisk fall morning here in southeastern Pennsylvania, so I set up at a picnic table. I used my Gabil GRA-7350TC antenna on top of the table, like I did a few weeks ago. As in the earlier activation, I used two 17-foot radials and no additional coax besides the Gabil RF choke. Using an antenna analyzer, I quickly found a good match on 40M.
My picnic table setup
I connected the KH1 and started calling CQ. When I picked up my phone to spot myself, I had no cell service. My cellphone carrier’s coverage is hit or miss in this park. The hotspot in my truck uses a different carrier, so I usually spot myself from the truck—something I neglected to do. Doh! Despite my oversight, I worked two stations that just happened to hear my CQs. After that…nothing. So, I headed back to the truck to post spots for POTA and WWFF.
My KH1 and Gabil antenna
Having overcome the spotting issue, things quickly picked up. I worked 16 stations before the activity on 40M slowed down. While tuning the antenna for 20M, I had some trouble getting a good match for some reason. Eventually, I got it down to about 2.3:1 and let the KH1’s ATU do its magic. I logged four more contacts on 20M before the QSOs dried up. I called it quits after an hour with 20 QSOs in my log.
The Hopewill Lake boat launch at French Creek State Park
But the fun didn’t end there. As I was taking the antenna down, I inadvertently manhandled the skinny top section of the Gabil whip and bent it over. Doh! I carefully straightened it out as best I could and managed to collapse it. At home, I checked it out, and the whip seems usable—albeit an inch or two shorter. I decided to order a Gabil GRA-CFP2600 carbon fiber whip and save the slightly damaged telescopic whip as a backup. Hopefully, that will be a bit more rugged.
While I was at it, I also ordered an exact replacement for the damaged telescopic whip. It wasn’t very expensive, and the smaller form factor when it’s collapsed is handy sometimes. I’ll just need to be more careful with it in the future.
Sometimes things just don’t go according to plan. I have proven that many times over the years. My activation this morning was another example.
I drove up to Evansburg State Park (US-1351, KFF-1351) this morning for an early morning activation. My original plan was to operate from a picnic table in a wooded area, but heavily overcast skies prompted my decision to operate under a picnic pavilion.
My antenna of choice was going to be the “Gabil on a Table” configuration I used recently. I looked up at the ceiling of the pavilion and assumed there was enough headroom for the Gabil vertical on a table. Well, it did—until I slid the coil up to tune up on 40M. Doh! I probably could have used the vertical on 20M if I collapsed the radiator a little. Given the early hour, however, I really wanted to get on 40M. So, I took down the Gabil and packed it away.
Fortunately, with the KH1, there are always other options. I opted to operate the KH1 in tabletop mode with the whip, a right-angle adapter, and AXE extender coil. I had everything I needed in my KH1 box. No need to walk back to the truck to get stuff. Within minutes, I was up and running on 40M.
My KH1 set up for 40M at US-1351
This configuration on 40M never ceases to amaze me. Within 10 minutes, I had my first 10 contacts. Not too shabby for a 45-inch whip and a huge loading coil. After making 20 contacts, the action slowed considerably. I logged a few more contacts on 40M before changing bands.
I could have moved up to 20M, but I didn’t feel like changing the antenna and counterpoise wire. Instead, I went to 30M. That band always works fine with the same configuration I use for 40M. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much activity on 30M (except for a station that started calling CQ on top of me). After spending some time fruitlessly calling CQ with no takers, I called it quits.
After about 45 minutes on the air, I had logged 25 contacts—all of them on 40M. I also picked up three park-to-park QSOs. My best “DX” this morning was out to Missouri.
My (far) better half and I spent the weekend out in Central Pennsylvania to watch our grandson compete in a baseball tournament. With games scheduled for both Saturday and Sunday, I wasn’t expecting to get any radio time on this trip. I threw my radio backpack in the car anyway, and I’m glad I did.
My grandson’s team had back-to-back games on Saturday morning. It was cloudy and chilly, but it was worth it to watch them handily win both games. Towards the end of the second game, it started raining and continued on and off the rest of the weekend.
We got word Saturday night that the rest of the tournament was being cancelled. The weather forecast indicated a 100% chance of rain on Sunday. While I felt bad that we wouldn’t get to see our grandson play in a championship game, there was a plus side: I could get out for an activation Sunday morning.
I left the house early Sunday morning and drove down to a park along the Susquehanna River. The Susquehanna is part of the Captain John Smith Historic Trail (US-4567), and I have operated from this park many times in recent years. In fact, I was just here a few weeks earlier.
The Susquehanna River on a rainy morning
We drove out in my (far) better half’s compact SUV, so I also brought my Gabil GRA-7350TC vertical and a mag mount. By the time I got to the park, the rain had slowed down a bit. I quickly slapped the antenna on the roof and tuned it for 40M. Because of the rain, I planned to limit my operation to one band. I didn’t relish the thought of going out there in the band to change bands. I set up my KH1 on the front console and got started.
My KH1 setup
After spotting myself, it took a minute or two for the hunters to show up. As usual, the Gabil and mag mount did a respectable job on 40M. My first contact was park-to-park with KG1A down in Florida. I also contacts with stations up and down the east coast and out to Missouri and Michigan.
Gabil GRA-7350TC on a mag mount
It wasn’t always easy, though. There was a RTTY contest going on, so now and then a RTTY station would pop up on my frequency. The QRM was annoying, but somehow I worked through it. At one point, I had some audio QRM from a freight train passing by the park. Fortunately, that train wasn’t too long.
The mag mount has much more coax than needed, so I coil up the excess to create a choke.
I got a text from my (far) better half letting me know they were going to be making breakfast soon. You don’t have to call me twice for breakfast. Besides, the coffee I brought along was almost gone. So, I packed up the KH1 and ventured out in the rain to take down the antenna. Fifteen minutes later, I was back at the house. I was only on the air for just 30 minutes, but I had logged 20 contacts, with one known park-to-park QSO.
The moral of the story: Always pack the radio gear, even if you don’t expect to use it. You just never know.
One of my favorite ways to use my Gabil GRA-7350TC antenna is on a picnic table within arm’s reach for easy adjustment. It’s a configuration I wrote about in a previous post. I wanted to try something similar using my Elecraft KH1, but with a minor twist.
What I had in mind was using the Gabil antenna on its tripod with most of the coax eliminated. To do this, I used a Gabil common-mode choke between the antenna and the KH1. Besides helping to keep RF off the shield, it also provided a little extra coax length. This makes it a little easier to connect to the radio.
I had most of what I needed, except for an adapter to go from the choke to the radio’s antenna input. After scouring through my collection of connectors and adapters, I found what I needed: a PL-259 to BNC-M adapter. These aren’t very common, but I had acquired one somewhere along the way.
Now, I just needed a picnic table. For that, I headed to Evansburg State Park (US-1351, KFF-1351). I set up my Gabil antenna at a picnic table I’ve used several times before. I attached two 17-foot radials, which I laid on the ground. Using an SWR meter, I quickly tuned the antenna for an SWR of 1.3:1 on 40M. I swapped out the SWR meter for my KH1 and got on the air.
The Gabil vertical connected to the KH1 via a common-mode choke
After spotting myself, I logged my first 10 contacts in about nine minutes. Not bad for 3.5 watts to an eight-foot vertical. I hunted a couple of park-to-park contacts before moving up to 20M. I tuned around the band, and it seemed somewhat quiet. I called CQ a few times before getting a call from a very loud F4WBN. Right after that, I worked a station in Texas. Then the activity came to a screeching halt. My guess is that it was a little too early in the morning for 20M.
After spending more time on 20M than I should have, I went back down to 40M and picked up a couple more park-to-park contacts. I logged several more contacts after that before packing up. My one-hour effort netted 24 contacts, including five that were park-to-park.
My Gabil is an early version with scale markings applied with a sticker, rather than the engraved markings on the newer ones. I’ve already experienced a little peeling, so I wanted to add some band markings of my own. My plan was to use a Sharpie to mark the coil settings. I figured if I forgot to pack an SWR meter, I could at least get the antenna close enough for the KH1’s internal ATU to handle. It was a brilliant plan, except that I forgot to bring the pen. Doh! (Note to self: Add a Sharpie to the backpack.)
All-in-all, the Gabil proved its worth once again. It’s quick to setup, gets the job done, and it packs down small.
A while back, I came across a video by Aaron W4ARB in which he showed how to adapt the whip from a Gabil GRA-7350TC antenna for use with the Elecraft KH1. The Gabil whip is just over seven feet long, providing some height advantage over the KH1’s 45-inch whip. Since I had both the KH1 and a Gabil antenna, I gave it a try.
Aaron’s video gives you all the details you need, so be sure to go check it out. Since the Gabil and the KH1 whip use different thread sizes, Aaron found an inexpensive adapter to make it work. It reduces the M10 thread the Gabil whip requires to the M4 thread mount on the KH1. The longer whip weighs a bit more than the KH1’s whip, so Aaron used the KH1 on a picnic table with a Tufteln Right Angle Adapter. I just happened to have one of those in my KH1 kit.
To test this out, I drove out to French Creek State Park (US-1355, KFF-1355) and set up at a secluded picnic table. Using the adapter, the Gabil whip attached perfectly to the KH1 angle mount. I set up for 40M, using the Elecraft AXE1 coil and a 33-foot counterpoise wire. Aaron elevated his counterpoise wire for improved efficiency. Being lazy by nature, I just laid mine on the ground.
I set the KH1’s antenna switch to the 17M/15M position to use less loading inductance. In order for the KH1’s ATU to achieve a decent match, I needed to partially collapse the Gabil whip by two sections. In this configuration, the antenna is only slightly longer than the KH1’s whip, but it seemed to get out OK. I easily made the requisite 10 contacts, including a two-way QRP park-to-park contact with a station in Michigan.
Given that I had to partially collapse the Gabil whip on 40M, I’m not sure it provides a significant improvement over the KH1 whip. It certainly works, though. A smaller loading coil would be great.
The Gabil whip antenna mounted on the Elecraft AXE1 coil
At this point, I did a little antenna experimentation. Using the fully extended Gabil whip, a 13-ft counterpoise wire, no AXE1 extender, and the switch in the 17M/15M position, the KH1 easily found a match on 20M. I also got it to load on 30M, but I neglected to make a note of the exact configuration I used. I’ll have to try that again another time.
My setup. The Gabil whip is mounted directly on the right angle adapter for 20M
The longer whip really seemed to work well on 20M. In short order, I worked nine stations, including five in Florida. I packed up after an hour on the air, with 20 contacts in the log.
This was hardly a scientific evaluation, but the KH1 and Gabil whip is a combination I will definitely use again. Thanks to W4ARB for the idea and the great video.
My (far) better half and I traveled to the Outer Banks of North Carolina last week for our annual family vacation. As we have done for the better part of 30 years, we rented a house on Currituck Sound and spent the week with our two daughters and their families. Although ham radio didn’t figure prominently on this vacation, I got on the air and made a few QSOs each day.
After the long drive from Pennsylvania to North Carolina, we unloaded three vehicles and got everything situated for the week ahead. I was assigned the task of grilling hotdogs and burgers for dinner, and getting everyone fed was the top priority. After that, I finally had some time to unpack some of my radio gear. We rented the same house we were in last year, so I knew exactly how I was going to set up.
I went with the same antenna I used last year: a 35-ft end-fed wire sloping down from a third-floor deck to a fence in the pool area. To feed the wire, I used my weather-resistant 9:1 unun and ran 25 feet of RG-316 coax into a screened-in section of the deck. While it’s not the greatest antenna in the world, it works reasonably well, sets up in minutes; and is nearly invisible. Given the development the rental house is in, the stealthiness is a big plus.
The feedpoint for my 35-foot end-fed wire. The far end of the antenna is attached to the fence below.
I didn’t get on the air until the next day. Again, my rig was identical to last year. I used my KX3 with a common-mode choke on the antenna input. I kept everything on a plastic tray, so I could move the station in and out of the screened-in porch.
My KX3 setup for some early morning operating
The monthly SKCC Weekend Sprintathon was on, so I caught a bit of that. This month’s theme was homebrew keys, so I had packed an old straight key I built from an assortment of junk box parts.
My old homebrew straight key built from an assortment of junk box parts
When I fired up the KX3, I encountered some local noise, but it didn’t seem as bad as I remembered from last year. I did a quick check and noted that the KX3 loaded up the antenna on every band from 80M through 10M. With an A Index of 27, the band conditions weren’t all that great. Regardless, I worked some SKCC stations and the occasional POTA activator.
It was very hot and humid, so I operated in three short shifts. Towards midday, I started to lose my shade. When that happened, I called it quits. I had 11 WES contacts, including one bonus contact with the club station KS1KCC. I also hunted four POTA activators. After that, I brought the rig inside and went out to spend the afternoon in the pool.
For the rest of the week, I operated on and off from the screened-in porch with the KX3. I limited my operating time to the morning hours while I had shade. I didn’t do any POTA activations this year. Mostly, I tuned around the bands, working whatever stations I could hear. The rest of the day was devoted to typical beach vacation activities.
One morning, I took the KH1 out to the dock for some POTA hunting. The dock is at the end of a 100-yard wooden walkway out on Currituck Sound. I parked myself on a bench and ran the counterpoise wire back down the walkway. I don’t know if being surrounded by water was the reason, but some of the activators were really booming in. I was able to get them on the first call.
Operating the KH1 from the private dock on Currituck Sound
Mid-week, a UFI (unidentified flying insect) stung me on the finger while I was in the pool. In the aftermath of the vicious and unprovoked—and perhaps exaggerated—attack, my finger was a little swollen. Thankfully, it didn’t impede my ability to send CW.
Grand-dog, Belle, enjoying her first trip to the Outer Banks
In what seemed like the blink of an eye, our week was over. On our last day, I made a few more contacts from the house before taking down the antenna and packing up the radio gear. I ended the week with about 47 contacts, mostly with POTA activators. Among those contacts were eight with KG1A at US-6305 in Florida. I worked him at least once each day I was on the air. Hunting with QRP, a funky antenna, and lots of residential noise is more challenging than activating, but it was still fun.
I had a great time spending the week with my daughters, sons-in-law, grandkids, and the grand-dog. Of course, getting in a little ham radio time with some beautiful scenery wasn’t bad, either.
Once again, I was out in central Pennsylvania for a week. My daughter’s family traveled out of state for my grandson’s hockey tournament. While they were gone, I looked after my grand-dog, Belle, and took care of the house. I spent much of my time walking Belle and taking her on trips to a local park, but I still carved out a little time for ham radio.
Since my grand-dog, Belle, has some separation anxiety when her entire “pack” has to leave her behind, I try not to leave her alone for long. So, instead of activating some of the local parks, I set up an antenna in the backyard for some casual operating.
Using the 35-foot wire I tried out recently, I threw together a wacky but serviceable antenna. From the chair I was operating from, I tossed the wire up over my grandson’s basketball net and ran it over to a 20-foot pole.
My thrown-together antenna. A 35-foot wire runs from the chair, over the basketball net, and up to the 20-foot pole in the background.
I handheld my KH1 and used my K6ARK pressure paddles for keying. Admittedly, I was a little out of practice using those touch paddles, so it took a couple of contacts to get used to them. My apologies to the stations that had to endure my early attempts using them.
Operating my handheld KH1
As I had hoped, the KH1 found a decent match on each of its five bands. That was the good news. The bad news is that my daughter’s yard is in a low spot and tends to be a little noisy at times. Despite those challenges, I easily worked three POTA activators on 20M during the first of several backyard sessions during the week.
Most days, I took the KH1 out in the backyard for a little airtime in the morning and again in the afternoon. My grand-dog accompanied me, but she preferred to spend her time sunning herself and rolling in the grass. I mostly hunted POTA stations and worked some Alabama QSO Party stations. I also heard the occasional SKCC member, but I wasn’t set up for using a straight key. Most of these sessions were short and ended when Belle decided I needed to pay more attention to her.
Flight of the Bumblebees (FOBB)
As the saying goes, it was déjà vu all over again. I was also out at my daughter’s house for last year’s ill-fated Flight of the Bumblebees contest. After blowing the finals in my (then) brand new KH1, I was hoping for redemption.
For the FOBB, I used my trusty clipboard and CWMouse paddles. This made for easier logging during the contest. I also eliminated the basketball net and sloped the antenna wire up directly to the 20-foot pole.
My setup during the Flight of the Bumblebee (FOBB) contest
Belle and I headed out to the backyard a few minutes after the contest started, and Bumblebee #37 took flight. I started out on 40M and quickly logged my first contact. The local noise was present, but stations were still getting through. Based on the signal reports I received, I was getting out better than I could hear. After an hour, Belle decided it was time to go in. So, with 11 contacts in the log, I went back inside and took a break.
I eventually headed back out for about 30 minutes towards the end of the contest. The conditions seemed better this time around, and I picked up seven more contacts. When I ran out of FOBB stations to work, I called it quits with 18 contacts in the log. Seventeen of those were bumblebees. That was a far better finish than the solitary contact I made last year—and I didn’t blow any finals this time.
Given my surroundings and local noise, I think the 35-foot wire antenna did reasonably well for me this week. My particular configuration was no DX killer; my contacts were mostly in nearby states. My most distant contacts were on 20M during FOBB: Mississippi to the south and Missouri to the west.
Although there was nothing particularly exciting about my backyard-portable operation, I still had a fun week spending some quality time with my grand-dog and getting on the radio now and then.
When I tested a 35-foot non-resonant wire with my KH1 last week, I was pleased with the results. Continuing with that theme, I thought I’d try a 29-foot wire, another popular non-resonant length.
I drove back to Valley Forge National Historical Park (US-0761, KFF-0761) and re-created the setup I used last time. To support the wire, I again used my homebrew drive-on mount to support a partially extended 31-foot Jackite pole. I’m guessing the pole was up about 27 feet, give or take. I set up my camp chair nearby and ran the wire over to the KH1. Starting off, I used a 17-foot counterpoise wire.
First, I checked to see what kind of match the KH1 would find on its five bands. The SWR was very low on all bands except for 20M, where the best the KH1 would do was around 2.4:1.
I started my activation on 40M, and the wire seemed to get out pretty well. Although the band was noisy with static crashes, I made my first ten contacts in about 11 minutes. I eventually moved up to 30M, but I only had one hunter there.
At that point, I took a break to experiment with counterpoise wires. I tried both 29-foot and 13-foot counterpoise wires, but neither of them improved the match on 20M. I also tried repositioning the counterpoise with no luck.
I left the 13-foot counterpoise wire attached and went back to 40M. I made an additional handful of contacts on 40M before trying 17M. On 17M, I picked up three more before calling it quits.
Admittedly, I had high hopes for the 29-foot wire. I’ve used that length a bunch of times, although usually with a 9:1 unun and rigs with more robust tuners. In any event, it worked well on bands other than 20M. I managed 26 contacts in a little more than an hour.
On the drive home, I thought about some ways to improve the match on 20M. I’m not sure any of them are really worth the effort, though. For now, I’ll just stick with 35-ft when I use a random wire with the KH1.
