Mid Range Comms, New Manpack & Field Breakfast

Still waiting on that 818 replacement Yaesu....

What I always appreciate about your videos is you are constantly testing in the field. Thanks for sharing your work.

I like the new focus of using the tools you have. I am a gear junkie and sometimes get wrapped up in gear acquisition. This is a good reminder to optimize what I have and become proficient with it.

Nice idea on the single serving usages of the alcohol gels. Since I always have hand sanitizer on me, I just use it and refill the bottle I have. I get it for free since I work in a healthcare field and they're "expired." I like the other parts you put into this video simply because it's realistic. If a person going out into the field all day say for example scouting for activity in the area, it's likely they should be taking a meal or two with them. How to warm it up, etc is going to be a part of it.

I did a 4' horizontal EFHW for 40M in a park with JS8CALL and reached out about 650 miles to FL from MI. Not going to happen every day, but fun when it does.

I like the inclusion of the food kit, great ideas! With the battery wiring, you may want to include an easy cut-off, like a switch if the plug is buried in the pack. I find that my 817 slowly drains my batteries, even if it's powered down.

2:40 - I think it's a happy little accident that desert terrain that is too dry to support proper trees has soil that is so dry that a very low NVIS manages to work OK. I think you may have too much signal loss trying a scrub brush height NVIS antenna in the wet soil we have around here, although JS8 can pardon a lot of propagation sins. 8:00 - I've experimented with a lot of stoves (like, an obsession). I like alcohol stoves for most of what I do. I made pop can stoves that weigh 0.3 ounces that work very well and are surprisingly durable. I'm currently using a more substantial Trangia knock off that's more powerful, has an adjustable burn rate down to a very low simmer, and I can store alcohol in the stove for short trips like your day trip without needing to carry a fuel bottle. Unlike the old Esbit stove, I can use as much fuel as I need and save the rest for later. One of the big advantages for me is the fuel. It's readily available in the form of HEET fuel additive in the yellow bottle which is methanol. It's cheap and I can buy it at most convenience stores, grocery stores, hardware stores, truck stops, big retail stores, auto parts stores, etc. The small yellow plastic bottle is easy to carry and weighs very little. Alcohol stoves don't work well at low temperatures but I seldom do any winter camping these days. The isobutane stoves are convenient but I hate buying and carrying a disposable steel fuel canister. Looking forward to seeing what you develop in 2024.

I never got an email for the first 75 manpack bags. I'm still wanting one and hope you do a second run of them. My FT-818ND is coming along nicely. Just got my 2 Comet BNC-24 antennas along with 2 90° BNC connectors today.

Very cool to see you making regional comms with that NVIS antenna draped over the bushes. I use 20m and 40m SSB for SOTA activations and always lug a telescoping pole and guying gear. Definitely adds bulk to the setup that perhaps I don't need. Lately I've been trying out a whip antenna with ground radials, but I think it might have too low of a takeoff angle for regional comms. BTW, those solid fuel blocks can often be lit with a ferrocerium rod if you shave off a little with a knife to form tinder. Good backup to the lighter.

I'm learning all the time from you. I'm also learning how meshnet can fill a different need.

Great video and setup! My next project is to become proficient with JS8Call and my FX-4CR. I love your linked dipole and may build one for myself!

I really love this setup, man; especially the cook kit!

Nice vid as always👍. Ever thought about using VarAC instead of JS8🤔. It has a lot more functions especially for directed comms.

I came to the same conclusion a few years back - QRP digital (Winlink, JS8 Call, VARAC) rocks and cuts way down on station power. I went to the ICOM-705 (< 300 ma on Rx) and with a little USB-C 12V cable I can run it full power (10W transmit) off a cheap cell phone power bank. Add the AH-705 tuner and a Surface Go and the entire station (computer and radio) draws 11W on Rx. Two usb-c cell battery packs (20,000 mAh) will run almost 12 hours before you have to go to internal batteries (5W Tx) for another 4 hours. Add a small solar panel (USB-C, and some power banks do pass-through) will run for days. Plus it has all band coverage, waterfall, GPS time sync, wireless to the laptop.

Awesome stuff sir. Total non sequitur. I know of those fuel tabs. Can they be snuffed and reused? The alcohol pad trick is pretty cool. Doesn't change any meter anywhere. Heres to 2024.

Honey butter is amazing stuff. Up there with bacon, if you ask me. Cheers.

You gotta try a DIY Fancy Feast Alcohol stove. Weighs much least than the Ebit stove. You can also make a simmer ring for it.

Great setup! I love the linked dipole, just bought one. Thanks

Really like the EMMCOM project. There is a great battery replacement for the 818. Windcamp 3000mAH liPo. When I can find a 818, first upgrade. You might not need to bring a battery in manpack.

Thanks for all your work. You do a good job and I appreciate it very much. Much of what I’d like to learn and develop is quite similar to you I’m in Minnesota with kids scattered that should SHTF I’d like to be able to contact My Bug Out plan includes horses a lining quarters trailer I recently passed my general test and I bought a 897 - nothing else yet. We have better trees We have no cholla I’m not sure how many people up here do POTA SOTA activation in the winter but our club does do the radio support for the Beargrease sled dog race (which is canceled this year-no snow) You don’t cary a tuner right., you go with an assortment of resonant antennas?