More Lessons

After further reflection a few more lessons learned.

I spent too much. I went bonkers and bought things I really did not need but now have. Like a 2000/4000 watt inverter. I mean really what am I going to do with it? At least right now it is excess baggage but lays the ground work for future plans.

There was no plan. It was a loosely defined group of folks going to a remote location to operate. Of course I had no plan, that’s going to change. I resolve to plan my outings better including where to go, what times , how to operate, what antenna, food, drinks, etc..

I need Eye Ball QSO Items. T-shirts with my call sign, business cards with my QSO information, a hat with my call on it. The basic handshake kind of contacts, including a QR code for the website/blog. Have to be pocket shirts so I can carry business cards around.

I am not as familiar with my radios as I should be. I have Baufeng UV-5r and no idea how to use it or program it through chirp or manually. A little more familiar with the FT-817nd and how to use it. It worked well with the mag loop.

Antenna Familiarity The Alex Loop (mag loop) is a fickle beast. it has to be retuned every time you change frequency. Not a good thing for hunt and pounce, listening to different frequencies to find folks. I did not get a chance to set up the Half Wave End Fed (HWEF). There were two other antennas configured in the same way. They worked extremely well.

I need to learn CW. It is the original digital and is experiencing a resurgence. It takes minimal equipment and a good ear to work stations out of the muck. I think it would be a good skill to pickup, because only one person was using it at field day. there is enough separation to use 3 modes on each band. Digital (computer aided communication), SSB (Voice) and Morse Code (CW).

If I think of anything else I’ll post it here.

73, Dave KF7SFU.