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.
On those occasions when I do an activation with my (far) better half’s car, I have been using my Gabil GRA-7350TC antenna on an old magnetic mount. Because of a recent issue with the mag mount I’ve had for 20+ years, I finally had to replace it. Today was the first opportunity I’ve had to use the new one.
While visiting my daughter and her family over the Christmas holiday, I headed out to activate the Captain John Smith Historic Trail (US-4567). Normally, when using the GRA-7350TC and mag mount on my (far) better half’s car, I can easily get the SWR down less than 1.5:1 on 40M. This time was different; the tuning seemed very finicky. I eventually got it close enough to use with the KH1 and completed my activation. As I was packing up, I noticed some damage to the coax where it enters the mount.
This old mag mount has seen many years of service with a VHF/UHF antenna on my truck before being pressed into service with the Gabil antenna. It’s amazing it lasted as long as it did. I decided that trying to disassemble and repair it was more trouble than it was worth.
I ended up buying a Tram magnetic mount on Amazon. This one is a real beast. It’s five inches in diameter and weighs a whopping 2.6 pounds. It’s probably overkill for my intended use, but I figured the larger diameter would provide better coupling to the vehicle. (Spoiler Alert: It does.)
Tram magnetic mount
To try it out, I headed out to Marsh Creek State Park (US-1380, KFF-1380) and set it up on my truck. The attached coax is 17 feet long. That’s way more than I need, so after feeding it through the passenger-side window to my Penntek TR-35 (5 watts, CW), I coiled up the excess.
The Gabil GRA-7350TC antenna and magnetic mount on my truck
I started out on 40M and was surprised to see I could tune the Gabil antenna down to 1.3:1 SWR. That’s better than I could ever get using the old mag mount on my truck. It was slow going on 40M this morning with a lot of fading. I could only manage about nine contacts before moving up to 30M.
Marsh Creek Lake partially frozen over
Up on 30M, things picked up dramatically, but the most productive band was 20M. My contacts on 20M included Germany, France, and two from Finland. After logging 42 contacts, I pulled the plug and headed home for lunch.
So, the new mag mount should work great on my (far) better half’s car. Sadly, my old mount is now destined for the trash. I certainly got my money’s worth out of it, though.
Lately, I’ve had to squeeze in my ham radio opportunities whenever I can. (That seems to be a common theme for this blog these days.) This past weekend was a perfect example. While spending the weekend with family in central Pennsylvania, I got in a very short activation and still made it back in time for breakfast with the family.
Always the early riser, I was up on Sunday morning before the rest of the family. After grabbing a quick cup of coffee, I threw my backpack in the car and headed out just after sunrise.
I activated the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail (US-4567) from a boat launch in Lancaster County. Equipment-wise, this activation was a carbon copy of my last visit—minus the paddle issues. I used my Elecraft KH1 in my (far) better half’s compact SUV. Once again, I used my Gabil GRA-7350TC vertical and magnetic mount on the roof of the car. The paddles I used this time out were the Ashi Paddle 45 from N6ARA Electronics. (More on those in a future post.)
Ashi Paddle 45 and Elecraft KH1
After parking in my usual spot, I placed the antenna on the roof of the car and roughly adjusted the coil slider for 40M. I got out my antenna analyzer and conected the coax to fine-tune the antenna. However, when I turned on the antenna analyzer, it showed a 1.26:1 SWR—no adjustment needed! I couldn’t do that again if I tried.
Gabil GRA-7350TC on a mag mount
After hunting for a few park-to-park contacts, I found a vacant frequency and started calling CQ. Like on my last visit, the 40M band was so productive I spent my whole activation there. I operated for about 30 minutes, logging 19 contacts—not too bad for about 4.5 watts into an eight-foot vertical on a mag mount, I guess. Once again, I connected with N4JAW (aka Ham on a Bike). Jim was out doing his usual bike-portable activation at US-7956 in Kentucky.
Some morning fog on the Susquehanna River
I packed up in a couple of minutes and was back at the house about 15 minutes later. My time on the air was a little shorter than I would have liked, but at least I had no paddle issues this time.
My (far) better half and I spent the past weekend with family out in central Pennsylvania. During the weekend, I squeezed in a quick, early morning POTA activation. The great band conditions made for a fun activation, but paddle problems made it challenging at one point.
On Saturday morning, I was up before everyone else. After downing a cup of coffee, I took a short drive to a boat launch on the Susquehanna River to activate the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail (US-4567).
We drove out in my (far) better half’s car, so I used a simple antenna setup that produced decent results in the past. I used my Gabil GRA-7350TC on a small magnetic mount. Like the last time I used it on my (far) better half’s car, I easily adjusted it for a 1.3:1 SWR on 40M. I fed the coax through the passenger side window.
Gabil GRA-7350TC antenna on a magnetic mount
Inside the car, I set my Elecraft KH1 on the center console. I used my cheap QU-21C paddles attached to a clipboard with a homebrew magnetic mount I made for them.
The 40M band was hot with no trace of the QRM I experienced the last time I was there. It only took 14 minutes to log my first 10 contacts, the contacts came in steadily for the next 45 minutes.
I was cruising right along for about 30 minutes until my cheap paddles decided to start dropping “dits” here and there. Based on my crazy sending, I’m sure some folks thought I was experiencing some sort of medical emergency.
I frantically searched for my N6ARA Tiny Paddle that I always carry as a backup. Of course, they were nowhere to be found. I ended up using the stock KH1 paddles attached to the radio, with the KH1 on the center armrest. This setup was an ergonomic nightmare, with my elbow in the backseat area. Despite the awkward position I was in, I was able to finish up my activation.
My setup after my paddle problems started. On hindsight, I could have arranged things better to make my operating position a little less awkward.
After an hour, I had 39 contacts in my log. I was so occupied on 40M, I never got around to trying the higher bands. My log included 7 park-to-park contacts. One of those was with N4JAW (aka Ham on a Bike). It’s always fun working Jim down in Kentucky.
I also heard from my friend, Greg WA3GM. It had been a while since our last QSO, so it was great to hear him again.
Susquehanna River
The Gabil antenna and mag mount setup once again proved to be a great antenna when using my (far) better half’s car. With about 4.5 watts out on 40M, I worked stations up and down eastern U.S. and Canada and out to several mid-west states.
The QU-21C paddles, however, are a different story. This is the second time I have had issues with them. A squirt or two of contact cleaner will usually fix the problem—for a while, anyway. As they say: You buy cheap, you get cheap.
And, of course, I found my N6ARA paddles as I was packing up. Doh!
Wanting to take advantage of the excellent weather today, I drove up to Evansburg State Park (US-1351, KFF-1351) for a quick morning activation. I wanted to give my Gabil GRA-7350TC vertical some air time, so I tossed it into the truck and headed out to the park.
The picnic table I planned to use had been moved from its usual spot. Not wanting to drag the heavy table back to where it belongs, I set up at a table I have used previously. It’s close to a hiking trail, so I needed to make sure my radials wouldn’t be a trip hazard for passersby.
I set up the Gabil antenna on its tripod at one end of the table. To facilitate tuning, I set up my Penntek TR-35 (5 watts, CW) and Elecraft T1 ATU within arm’s reach of the antenna. I meant to bring a 3-foot coax along, but it didn’t make it into my backpack. A 10-foot cable was the best I could do, so I just coiled up the excess. (Note to self: Keep a 3-foot cable in the backpack.)
I started out on 40M, so I laid out a 33-foot counterpoise wire on the ground. I reached for my little SWR meter, but it wouldn’t power on. It had been a while since I had last charged it, so the battery appeared to be dead. I ended up adjusting the antenna for maximum noise in the receiver and used the T1 to do the final matching.
After I had a few contacts in the log, I changed over to 20M. I built my 33-foot counterpoise wire so I could split it into two 16.5-foot wires. After laying out the two counterpoise wires, I tried to peak the noise. No joy. I just couldn’t find a discernible peak.
Just then, I remembered I had a 12-volt power cable for the SWR meter. Duh! Why didn’t I think of that sooner? After temporarily disconnecting the TR-35, I used the battery to power the SWR meter. I quickly got the antenna adjusted to a 1.3:1 SWR. I reconnected the TR-35 and got started. (Note to self: Throw a Powerpole splitter in the backpack.)
The action was relatively slow-going this morning, but there were a fair number of activators on the air. After a little over an hour, I had 14 contacts, nine of which were park-to-park.
Despite some minor glitches, it was an enjoyable morning operating in the park.
It has been quite a while since I’ve done any bike-portable operating. Over the past couple of years, I’ve dealt with medical issues of one sort or another. This year, I’ve avoided any serious issues, so I dusted off the bike and went out for a ride. While I was out, I tested some new gear for the bike. (I purchased all of the products mentioned with my own money.)
Antenna Mount
I make no claims of originality for this setup. I first saw this antenna mount in a YouTube video by VA7BIX. So, I found one on eBay and fired off an order to give it a try.
The antenna mount in question is a Nagoya RB-46. I had been looking for a way to mount my Gabil GRA-7350TC antenna (or any antenna with a ⅜-24 mount) on my bike. Originally intended for mounting on a car’s roof rack, the RB-46 can be clamped to the handlebars on bikes. With the kickstand down, my bike leans a bit. Fortunately, I can the adjust the RB-46 in two directions, so the antenna stays vertical. It accommodates a standard SO-239 to ⅜-24 antenna stud mount, which I had on hand.
Installing the RB-46 is quick and easy—for normal people. My installation, however, required extra time for searching the garage floor for dropped nuts and washers. Hardware mishandling aside, I installed the mount on my handlebars and adjusted it so the antenna would be vertical with the bike’s kickstand down.
Nagoya RB-46 antenna mount attached to my handlebars with my Gabil GRA-7350TC installed.
I also had a protective cap for the SO-239 in my junk box, so I put it to use here. Just in case it rains while I’m riding, I carry a ⅜-24 bolt in my handlebar bag. I figure I could put that in the antenna mount to keep the rain out. That’s probably overkill, but that’s how I roll. (No pun intended.)
New Panniers
I really like the cheap set of pannier bags I have been using for more than a decade. Sadly, they were really showing their age and were being held together with liberal applications of duct tape. Figuring I had gotten my money’s worth out of the old bags, I ordered a set of Bushwhacker Moab pannier bags.
The new bags are slightly larger than my old ones, so there’s more than enough room to carry my radio gear. My Bushwhacker handlebar bag has been going strong for about 12 years, so I’m hoping my new panniers also have a long life.
Schuylkill River Trail
I’m fortunate to live near the Schuylkill River Trail, a beautiful multi-use trail that runs along—you guessed it—the Schuylkill River. Since I haven’t been on the bike in a while, I chose a section of the trail for a three-mile ride that leads to a quiet local park.
Before loading up my bike, I always check the tire pressure. This morning, the front tire had gone flat, despite having fully inflating it a couple days earlier. After installing a new tube, I was finally on my way. Then, as I was driving to the trailhead, it started raining. Geez, what else!? Thankfully, the rain stopped by the time I reached the trailhead.
Bike loaded up and ready to roll
I rode about three miles to Towpath park, a ride I’ve done many times in recent years. The ride was uneventful, and I was soon setting up the GRA-7350TC on my new antenna mount. I used two 17-foot radials laid out on the ground and 25 feet of RG-316 coax. It was easy to get a 1.3:1 SWR on 20M.
Set up and on the air in the park
To see how it works, I set up my Penntek TR-35 on a nearby park bench. Tuning around I found some POTA activators to call. I ended up working three of them. It was fitting that one of my contacts was with Jim N4JAW. Jim is a bicycle/ham radio enthusiast I wrote about in a recent post. (Jim told me later that he was also bike-portable. You can read about his POTA activation operation and our QSO on his Ham on a Bike blog.)
My Penntek TR-35 set up on a park bench
Before tearing down, I checked the other bands with an antenna analyzer. I was able to get good matches on 30M through 12M. The 10M band was a little finicky. I didn’t use my longer radials, so I knew 40M would be tough.
Happy with the results, I loaded up the bike for the ride back to my truck.
Wrapping Up
I have a few takeaways from today’s ride:
The antenna mount worked great. However, using a PL-259 to BNC-F adapter on the antenna mount caused some clearance issues. It was a little tricky connecting the coax. I need to try using a right angle adapter next time.
The new panniers were easy to put on and take off the bike. Having a little extra room is a plus.
My short ride today was no Tour de France, but it reminded me how much I enjoy riding my bike. Yep. I definitely need to do more bike-portable outings this year.
I have been off the air for the past couple of weeks, so I set out to do something about that this morning. Taking advantage of some milder weather, I did some picnic-table-portable operating from Evansburg State Park (US-1351, KFF-1351).
I set up at a picnic table along one of the park’s trails. Using a jaw clamp antenna mount, I mounted my Gabil GRA-7350TC antenna to a picnic grill. I started with two radials, but I had some trouble getting an acceptable match on 20M. After I added two more, I got the SWR down to 1.3:1. Since I was next to a trail, I had to keep the radials on one side of the antenna to avoid being a trip hazard. I set up my Penntek TR-35 (5 watts, CW) and started calling CQ.
My Gabil GRA-7350TC antenna clamped to a grill
The band conditions were a little wonky, with an A Index of about 25 and an unsettled geomagnetic field. As a result, the contacts were coming in at a slower pace than usual. It took about 30 minutes to make my first 10 contacts.
Operating in Evansburg State Park (US-1351, KFF-1351)
I called it quits after about 40 minutes. Band conditions notwithstanding, I logged 12 contacts, including two DX contacts (F1BLL, IW2BNA) and three park-to-park contacts.
As I was packing up, I ran into a bit of an issue with the Gabil antenna. Despite my best efforts, I couldn’t unscrew the whip from the loading coil. As if that wasn’t enough, the sliding coil seemed to be stuck, too. I just put the whole antenna in the truck, so I could deal with it later.
When I got home, I took a closer look at the antenna. Using a pair of pliers I managed to remove the whip. I probably got carried away and over-tightened it when I put it together. I also got the sliding coil unstuck. My antenna is one of the early models where the adjustment scale is just a label that was stuck on. (On newer models, the scale is engraved.) The bottom of the label started peeling up and jammed the slider. A little surgery with a razor blade fixed that.
Even with my antenna issues, it was nice to get out for a little radio in the park.
