That’s the subject of this week’s video: Field Radio Setup Just Got Better with the BEEFY Organizer. Watch it here: https://youtu.be/XnbCFSnppwM

Links and resources

Maxpedition Beefy Pocket Organizer: https://amzn.to/4mcrZv2

Maxpedition Mini Pocket Organizer: https://amzn.to/4c9I549

RJ-45 Splitter: https://amzn.to/4vfUmwp

Pentel Mechanical Pencil: https://amzn.to/4mbdBmI

Sharpie Pen: https://amzn.to/3QonRw4

Field Notes Notebook: https://amzn.to/4ccMV0A

Digirig Digital Interface (FT-891): https://amzn.to/4skqDQi

Bongo Ties: https://amzn.to/4tw3trd

Pocket Flashlight: https://amzn.to/4vfpRXD

Gerber Dime Multitool: https://amzn.to/4edS1vQ

Organization

I’ve had a few successes in organizing my stuff. The most notable is using the Husky Professional 5 Gallon Storage Totes

. I’ve used these for about five years to hold my antennas and other gear and have found them great at keeping everything in its place.

Inside the totes I am using these Amazon Packing Cubes. The small ones work great for holding my assorted antenna ropes and the the medium sized one is perfect for coax.

A big problem I have had is how to keep my antenna parts together, and to prevent the wire antennas from tangling in the storage bin. One thing I am transitioning to are these colorful canvas bankers bags. I can group antenna parts by function and pull out an entire kit without turning it into a mess of wires. I’ve been using them for a few months, but so far, so good.

My final big organizational hack has been the backpack that I store my Yaesu FT-891 in. I prefer a back over hard shell cases because cases are heavy and take up a lot of space. The Osprey 11 Litre Pack I am using holds the transceiver, tuner, analyzer, and Maxpedition Organizer. Plus I can throw the pack over my shoulders and grab an armload of stuff as I go from the vehicle to where I will setup and operate.

Finishing Up

I want to thank everyone that has put up with my low effort content this last month. My side hustle as City of Wausau, WI Alderperson took up a lot of time as I had to fight a contentious reelection bid. But I was successful and will be sitting on the council for one more 2 year term. This is my fifth term and most likely will be my last. While I enjoy local politics, I also feel that you need to give others a chance, so I would rather serve while my heart is in it and help along the next generation of leaders for the city.

I’ve got some great news about Hamvention. The 2026 speaker schedule has been released and I will be doing another presentation this year. You’ll find me in Room 1 on Sunday May 17 at 9:15am doing a talk on POTA Hacks. This will be an interactive forum where I will share my favorite portable operating tips and look for the audience to bring theirs. It should be a lot of fun.

I hope to get you in the log soon.

Michael
KB9VBR

The post The Maxpedition Beefy Organizer makes POTA Setup Easy appeared first on KB9VBR Antennas.

That’s the topic of this week’s video: Ham Radio in an HOA? Here’s What Works!

Watch it here: https://youtu.be/fn51X7EEXjk

CHA HOA GUIDE First Edition: https://chameleonantenna.com/products/cha-hoa-guide-first-edition?_pos=1&_psq=hoa&_ss=e&_v=1.0&bg_ref=ok7Ky4088r

This book isn’t just for HOA dwellers. I live in a house that’s over 100 years old. It’s in a neighborhood that’s even older. My lot is an average 60×120 feet and it’s taken up with the detached garage and three large trees. Theoretically, I could put up whatever antenna I wished to (within reason of the zoning code). But it is a struggle to install highly efficient antenna systems, especially if I want to operate on more than one band. So don’t let the title fool you, the tips and ideas in this book go beyond HOA restrictions and work well in overcoming physical space limitations of your antenna system.

The Magic Carpet

I think it might be time to do another video on Faraday cloth.

Faraday Cloth is a fabric that is impregnated with metal strands or fibers. The purpose of the cloth is to make electromagnetic pulse (EMP) proof bags and containers. I’m skeptical about the efficacy of using the cloth for that purpose, but it does make a great RF ground network for vertical antennas. I have a video that demonstrates how I use faraday cloth as a ground network.

In the last week I’ve noticed a couple of social media posts online of people using faraday cloth in good and poor ways. First the good:

The operator was using a large 4×8 foot sheet of faraday cloth as their ground network. They found this size to be cumbersome as the corners were blowing around. Folding the cloth in half, so it had a smaller footprint was easier to work with as it took up less space.

Why this works: When we use faraday cloth sheets, we need to consider the surface area the cloth covers, and not the physical dimension of the cloth itself. When we talk about ground mounted radials, we often discuss them in length like 16 feet or 33 feet and the number of radials laid down: 4, 8, 16, etc. The more radials we lay down, the more area we cover, and the greater capacitive coupling we receive from the ground.

With faraday cloth, it’s all about surface area. The more surface area we cover, the greater capacitive coupling. For the upper bands, 16-20 square feet is more than adequate. As you go forty meters and lower, you will find that adding more surface area, like an extra sheet or fully deploying the sheet you have, will result in a better impedance match. Knowing how surface area affects coupling will go a long way towards better utilizing your cloth.

Now the bad:

The operator is using the faraday cloth with their surveyors tripod. The cloth is on the ground and the tripod is set on top with the feed point a good four feet above the cloth. There is no indication that there is any continuity or electrical connection between the cloth and the antenna’s ground side. This setup will not work.

The key concept we need to remember is that the faraday cloth part part of your antenna system and it needs to be connected to the ground side, or return path, of your coax. That means you need to provide continuity or an electrical connection from the cloth to the antenna ground. I like to use an antenna base that it electrically connected, but a couple of short jumpers will also do the trick. If you are unsure of your setup, do a quick continuity check with a multi meter between the cloth and the shield of your SO-239 to assure you have that connection.

The second reason this fails is that this form of vertical antenna is a ground level antenna. The feedpoint needs to be close, if not at, ground level. Raising the feed point up 2, 3, 4 feet or more will negate the affects of your ground network. (Elevating the feed point works great but requires a different style of counterpoise). Get the feedpoint low, less than 12 inches, and it will work great.

I hope these tips help, especially if you are having troubles either getting a good match or not making any contacts with your ground mounted vertical antenna and faraday cloth.

Finishing up

Producing video content, and getting on the air for that matter, has been a struggle the last couple of weeks. Between the 30 inch snowfall we received 10 days ago, and running for reelection on the Wausau City Council, my on air time has been greatly curtailed. Election day is Tuesday April 7, so I do see the light at the end of the tunnel. But it is going to be crunch time for the next two weeks. Thanks for bearing with me.

I hope to get you in the log soon

Michael
KB9VBR

The post Stealth Ham Radio Antennas that Actually Work appeared first on KB9VBR Antennas.

In that vein I rove a couple of parks and put two antennas on the air: the Radioddity HF-010 and KJ6ER (POTA) PERformer. That’s the topic of this week’s video: Two Antennas Tested in Real Conditions – HF-010 vs PERformer! Watch now: https://youtu.be/Ygu0jv6Pb5E

Use this link and get a $15 discount when you shop at Radioddity

https://radioddity.refr.cc/default/u/KB9VBR

BOSCH BT160 63 in. Aluminum Contractors’ Tripod: https://amzn.to/3Pd6U7b

Purchase Rez Antenna System Products at DX Engineering: https://dxengineering.pxf.io/xJ9AVR

Rigexpert Stick 230 Analyzer: https://www.dxengineering.pxf.io/rEQxKD

Wisconsin QSO Party

Last weekend (March 15, 20216) was the Wisconsin QSO. For the past few years, Dave, KZ9V, and I have gone mobile for the contest and activated a few POTA entities while putting underserved counties on the air. We were making plans for this year when Dave realized that the WARAC, the club that organizes the event, changed the date from the first weekend in March to the second weekend in March. This unexpected change put a wrench in our works as Dave had travel plans for that weekend and was unavailable.

That’s OK, I’ll switch to plan B.

I looked at the map and found a route that hit three underserved counties: Oneida, Lincoln, and Langlade and had POTA entities in spots where travel between the spots averaged 20 minutes or so. I could set up in a park, operate for an hour or so, hit the road while on the air with a hamstick antenna, making contacts along the way, until I got to the next stop to set up and operate for a time. Christine would be the driver and it was going to be a fun day for the 7 hour event.

Until Mother Nature entered the chat.

As we approached the date, a large late season winter storm developed. Forecasts started out at 12-14 inches for our area and quickly rose to 28-32 inches by the time the event reached our area. North Central Wisconsin, including my home of Wausau and the area to the north I was planning to rove for the contest received 25+ inches of snow. Over the 3 day period over the weekend, we got a solid 32 inches of snow! (Friday we received 7 inches of snow prior to the storm)

Last week we had bare ground and a 60 degree day and now I can’t see over the snow bank and into the road.

Stuck at home and shoveling out two feet of snow, I was relegated to working the QSO party from my shack. That’s not a totally bad thing, my trusty FTdx3000 hasn’t been on the air much lately, so it was good to get the cobwebs blown out of it and my antenna system.

The good news is that the rig preformed flawlessly. Super sensitive receive, tight filtering and a brick wall roof that keeps adjacent signals at bay really helped in the crowded bands. The bad news is that I have broadband noise at home. Some from inside the house and others outside. I was able to quell most of the inside noise to make the 40 meter band useable, but 20 meters through me an S9 floor that was terrible to work through. Consequently I spend most of my time on the 40 meter band, and as the day wore on, the noise actually subsided.

Despite band conditions, local noise, and a half buried antenna, I managed to operate for about 3 hours of the seven hour contest. The other time, I was outside shoveling snow. With all those limitations, I still managed 208 contacts, 69 multipliers, and 14,352 points. Not my best, but respectable for the amount of time I committed to the event.

I think a big part of amateur radio, and ham radio contesting for that matter, is overcoming obstacles. Many tout ham radio for its emergency communications ability, I think one of the best ways to practice is to work a contest. Bonus points for when you do the contest in an actual snow emergency.

Here’s looking towards a warmer, and less snowy QSO party next year.

Finishing up

Ham radio might be a little limited in the next few weeks. With all the snow on the ground I won’t be able to get into my favorite POTA spots for a while, and I have an election to run. Instead of making contacts, I will be knocking on doors to retain my seat on the Wausau City Council. Election day is April 7. If you live in Wisconsin, make a plan and get out and vote.

I hope to get you in the log soon

Michael
KB9VBR

The post Does the HF-010 live up to the hype? Testing against the PERformer appeared first on KB9VBR Antennas.

But the antenna did have a couple of issues that were a bit aggravating, namely a permanently mounted spike on it’s base and a telescoping whip length that made tuning the 15 meter band hit or miss.

The great news is that their new HF-010 portable antenna fixed those issues and more. The Radioddity HF-010 is a portable HF vertical antenna with coverage between 6 and 80 meters and it is the subject of this week’s video: https://youtu.be/UU45u9FDYqg

Use this link and get a $15 discount when you shop at Radioddity

https://radioddity.refr.cc/default/u/KB9VBR

Rigexpert Stick 230 Analyzer: https://www.dxengineering.pxf.io/rEQxKD

What’s the deal with 80 meters?

If you watch the video, I talk about how I am unable to get a good match on the 80 meter band with the HF-010. The process to use the antenna on 80 meters, according to the instructions, is to set the whip to about 250 centimeters, disconnect the three ground radials, and entirely replace the tuning section with the fixed 3.5 MHz or 80 meter coil. Doing this should result in a match of about 1.5:1 at about 3.56 Mhz.

The problem is that I can’t get it to work.

I tried this antenna in three different locations. I used both the recommended setup and also experimented with variations. Each time I consistently got an SWR of 6:1 to 11:1 on the 80 meter band. The only time I was able to get an impedance match near 80 meters was to remove the common mode choke that I always keep on my feedline.

I’ll elaborate on the choke. When I left the choke on my 50 foot piece of RG8X coax, there was no dip at all on my meter at or near the 80 meter band. So I removed the choke, thinking that they were using the coax shield as a counterpoise. That created a dip of about 2.5:1, outside the band. Certainly not an ideal situation.

I then wondered if I could move the dip into the band. I added the tuning coil to the antenna and as I moved the slider on the coil, the dip shifted around in the band, but it still consistently stayed at about 2.5:1.

As you are reading this, you are wondering, how can this antenna operate without a ground network. That’s like half of your antenna system. The short answer is that it can’t. While there are some HF antennas that claim they don’t require a ground, they are deeply compromised in their function, especially on the low bands. Using your coax shield as a counterpoise is not a good solution as it introduces other problems into your system, namely RF interference into your transmitting equipment.

So I’m wondering, will using a mag mount (Radioddity says the antenna works with their big triple mag mount) or the ground spike have any effect on its 80m ability. I also wonder if adding more longer radials, so it has an effective ground network on that band, will help things out. Those ideas will have to wait for a warmer day.

Going into testing the antenna, I knew that 80 meters on a whip so short with a large loading coil would be a compromise. I figured if I would be able to get it work, the Q would be quite high and the bandwidth narrow. My hopes were for a good match on the bottom of the band for CW and digital operation where such narrow bandwidth is a feature and not a limitation, But alas, it wasn’t to be.

I’ll keep fiddling with the antenna, I want to make it work. It anyone has any ideas or positive results on the 80 meter band with their HF-010, please let me know.

Finishing Up

The Wisconsin QSO Party is this weekend on Sunday March 15. My original plans were to do a multi county roam with Dave, KZ9V, but he inadvertanly planned a trip on that weekend. My fallback was to plan out a three county roam with Christine driving. But the weather forecast doesn’t look promising, with predictions of 8 or more inches of snow Saturday night and into the Sunday of the contest. If the snow comes like they are saying, I will most likely be constrained to operating at home. Either way, look for me on the air.

I hope to get you in the log soon

Michael
KB9VBR

The post I Put the Radioddity HF-010 on the Air – What’s good and bad? appeared first on KB9VBR Antennas.

REZ Antennas raises the bar on small delta loops with the introduction of their XForm 4:1 transformer. Part of the Scout XF modular antenna system, this transformer adds a variety of nonresonant antenna options to the already versatile system.

That’s the topic of this week’s video: GENIUS! Rez Antenna System Scout XForm Transformer on the air https://youtu.be/NF_sfXS761M

BOSCH BT160 63 in. Aluminum Contractors’ Tripod: https://amzn.to/3Pd6U7b

Rez Antennas XFORM Transformer: https://www.rezantenna.com/xform

Purchase Rez Antenna System Products at DX Engineering: https://dxengineering.pxf.io/xJ9AVR

Delta Loop Antennas

Delta Loops are a variation of the loop antenna, where they predominately have three sides of approximately 1/3 wavelength each. Delta loops antennas can be deployed horizontally, which is common if they are constructed for the lower bands; or vertically if they are cut for the upper bands. Delta loops are multiband antennas, they will work best on the band for which their fundamental frequency is calculated, but with a tuner will operate on higher bands quite well.

For this article I am going to concentrate on the smaller, vertical delta loop antenna.

There are two things to consider with the vertical delta loop as they will affect feed point impedance and RF energy polarization: if the point of the loop is at the top or bottom and if the antenna is fed in the corner or the center of the element.

Generally delta loops are horizontally polarized if they are fed at the apex and the apex is pointed downward or upwards. They are vertically polarized if they are corner fed or fed along a vertical member of the loop. I like the flexible polarization options of the delta loop antenna offers.

With horizontal polarization, we can lower the RF takeoff angle by lengthening the horizontal member of the loop. So a corner loop or an apex fed loop where the horizontal member of the antenna is significantly longer than the other two elements will have a lower angle of radiation and favor DX communication. If we want to favor regional or stateside communications, keeping all three elements of the loop the same length will exhibit a higher angle of radiation.

Last summer I built a 20 meter delta loop antenna for Field Day. My design considerations where two-fold: I needed to be horizontally polarized and low RF radiation angle was not desired. I believe, generally, what I put on the air was a success. The results of my efforts can be found in this video: https://youtu.be/-WqOFKUKQaM

Which leads me to the REZ Antenna’s XForm and their vertical delta loop antenna. Delta loops tend to have an impedence between 125 and 200 ohms, often landing at about 150 ohms, give or take. So the XForm 4:1 transformer is an excellent complement to the antenna. The 17 foot whips extended out make the horizontal portion of the loop about 25 feet in length, which offers a relatively low RF angle of radiation. And finally, the circumference of the loop calculates to a near resonant point close to the 17 meter band, so it will perform best on the bands 20 meters and up. Every time I use these small portable delta loops on the upper bands, I come away with great results.

So if you are looking for a good multi-band antenna and don’t want to mess around with readjusting the whips every time you want to make a band change, give the delta loop a shot. I think you may be pleasantly surprised.

Finishing Up

Thursday is livestream night. Joe and I will be on this Thursday March 5 at 7:00pm central time with another edition Ham Radio Live. Watch it here: https://youtube.com/live/T968ntlYNEQ?feature=share

The good news is that March is warming up. The better news is that I have a stack of product reviews that I am working on. The XForm is just the tip of the iceberg, so if you like to see what’s new in the world of ham radio, you will be in for a treat over the next few weeks.

If product reviews aren’t your cup of tea, let me know and I’ll try to weave some other subjects into the mix.

I hope to get you on the air soon.

Michael
KB9VBR

The post The REZ Antennas XForm Transformer proves its worth appeared first on KB9VBR Antennas.

That’s the subject of this week’s video: How I ACTIVATE Three POTA Parks all at Once! which is the alignment of the Tuscobia State Trail, Wild River State Trail, and Ice Age National Scenic Trail in Northwestern Wisconsin. You can watch it here: https://youtu.be/imCpw3ahwFY

Thousand-Miler: Adventures Hiking the Ice Age Trail: https://amzn.to/4l1KH8g

KJ6ER Challenger 20M-6M OCF Halfwave Vertical: https://bit.ly/KJ6ERChallenger

Chameleon SS 25 Stainless Steel Whip: https://chameleonantenna.com/2yyzp0

Chameleon SS Insulator: https://chameleonantenna.com/y0zoam

LDG 4:1 RU-4:1 Transformer: https://www.dxengineering.com/parts/ldg-ru-4-1

My quest of the Two-fer (and more)

Two-Fers, when two Parks on the Air entities overlap, is a pretty common occurrence. The easiest way to find a Two-Fer is a follow a State or National Scenic Trail and look for spots where it crosses other POTA entities like state or national parks, forests, trails, or wildlife areas. Setting up at those intersections lets you activate both entities at the same time, netting double the contacts.

I recently read an online post from a newish POTA activator wondering if there was some type of list or database of the Two-fer locations. Unfortunately there is not. That would be a demanding process to accomplish automatically, or would require a large community effort to post their their favorite two-fer spots.

As a starting point, I am thinking of making an interactive map of Two-Fer locations where the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, US-4238, intersects with other park entities. I figure this would be a good starting point and at the very least create a foundation for others to map out state and national trails and highlight great multi-park spots.

Why the Ice Age Trail? It’s an entity that I am familiar with, and living in Wisconsin, it’s a park that I frequently activate. In my years of activating this park, I’ve collected many good little spots to set up, and would love to share my knowledge with others. Doing this exercise may also unearth some Three-fers or more park intersections along the trail.

The two-fer is common, but the three-fer is more rare. It’s rarity increases as we add more entities. So far in the state of Wisconsin, I have found three Three-Fer combinations and one Four-fer. With 342 entities statewide, I’m curious of how many more are out there.

For those wondering what they are, here’s my list so far:

Tuscobia State Trail, US-9816
Wild River State Trail, US-9819
Ice Age National Scenic Trail, US-4238
45°34’19.1″N 91°45’35.1″W

Located in Northwestern Wisconsin near Rice Lake, this is the subject of this week’s video. There is ample parking and a vault toilet on site.

Lodi Marsh State Wildlife Area, US-4304
Lodi Marsh State Natural Area, US-4255
Ice Age National Scenic Trail, US-4238
43.282279, -89.547161

Lodi Marsh is south of Lodi and North of Madison, WI. The natural area is a subset of the wildlife area and the Ice Age Trail runs through the two. The IAT Robertson Trailhead is where you want to park, but this parking lot is not in the natural area. You will have to hike about 500 feet or so up the trail in order to be in the natural area and the three-fer.

Sugar River State Trail. US-9814
Badger State Trail, US-9766
Ice Age National Scenic Trail, US-4238
42.742135, -89.579247

These three park entities intersect at the trailhead in Monticello, a small community south of New Glarus, Wisconsin. Ample parking and a historic depot that is open in the summer months.

Albany State Wildlife Area, US-9830
Sugar River State Trail. US-9814
Badger State Trail, US-9766
Ice Age National Scenic Trail, US-4238
42.739068, -89.577422

The state’s only Four-fer (that I’ve found) is located a bit south of the Monticello trailhead of the aforementioned three-fer. I list these separately because in order to activate all four parks, you will need to hike or bike 1/4 mile south of the trailhead until you get to the intersection, or Wye, in the trail. This Wye is located in the Albany State Wildlife area where all three trails intersect before they diverge in different directions.

Finishing Up

When I get my Ice Age Trail two-fer map complete, I will share it with the community. If you have any favorite two-fer locations along the IAT, please leave a comment or drop an email. I’d love to hear them.

February has been a rough month for me, the weather hasn’t been the best and for some reason I ended up with two colds back to back. I am fortunately on the upswing and am looking forward to the meteorological start of spring on March 1st.

We’ve got a really cool product review coming up next week, I’m sure you will enjoy it. I’ve been having a fun time with the item and can’t wait to share it.

I hope to catch you in the log soon.

Michael
KB9VBR

The post Stacking up POTA parks for maximum effect appeared first on KB9VBR Antennas.

That’s the subject to this week’s video: This DIY Yaesu headset adapter hack saves you money You can watch it here: https://youtu.be/_j4E6mbrK8o

Koss SB40 Communications Headset: https://amzn.to/4aITokJ

1FT 1/4 inch, 6.35mm, Female Jack to Bare Wire Open End: https://amzn.to/4aARfpj

1 FT 3.5mm 1/8″ Female Jack to Bare Wire Pigtail: https://amzn.to/4cu0aLW

1ft CAT6 Ethernet Cable RJ45, 24 AWG: https://amzn.to/4tLp7sA

Yaesu Microphone Wiring Diagram

Pin RJ45 Color Plug Color

1 Down

2 Up

3 +5v

4 Mic ground Blue 1/8″ plug Black

5 Mic Blue/White 1/8″ plug red

6 PTT Green 1/4″ plug Red

7 GND Brown/White 1/4″ plug Black

8 FAST

Can I use this technique to build adapters for other transceivers? You certainly can. It will be easier for models that use a dynamic microphone element, like Yaesu, Kenwood, Flex, Elecraft, etc. Look up the microphone pinout in the user manual and follow these instructions for the 4 or 8 pin microphone connector that transceivers use.

If the transceiver uses a powered electret element, like Icom, you will need to add a blocking capacitor to the adapter if the headset has a dynamic element. If the headset is electret, then no capacitor is necessary. Since I currently don’t have any Icom equipment, I stuck with what I had.

Building things

I am always amazed at people who can think up electronic circuits in their head and then go about building whatever. My skill is no where’s near that level, and I’m gonna go off on a limb and say many other hams are in the same boat. This is from my experience in teaching amateur license classes and proctoring exams. It’s usually the electronic theory and basic circuits that trip people up.

This is something I want to add to my wheelhouse. I’ve got the tools: soldering iron, wire cuttters, multimeter, etc. I picked up books on the subject. I love watching videos were other hobbyists build things.

What’s holding me up? Maybe part of it is time. There are only so many hours in the day. It could be the abstract nature of electronics circuitry. Way back in school I took a few computer programming classes. I excelled at the high level languages, but the abstraction of assembler, and even C for that matter, held me back. Side note: I want to learn Python, but time again is not on my side. If anyone has a good resource for that, let me know.

Maybe I’ll start with some kit building and grow from there.

Finishing Up

Looking at my stats over the last few weeks, I’ve been kind of light on the POTA. The combination of a bitter cold January and a couple of ham radio contests have held me back from going out into a park and enjoying myself. Hopefully this can change soon. Snow is on its way for Thursday night and into Friday, but Saturday looks to be clear sailing. Let’s hope so, I’ve got some cool antennas that I need to check out and share with you.

I hope to get you in the log soon,

Michael
KB9VBR

The post This is the missing link to my Yaesu headset setup appeared first on KB9VBR Antennas.

That’s the subject of this week’s video: We Crushed it! Minnesota QSO Party 2026: https://youtu.be/liJA7tfd0xE

Minnesota QSO Party preliminary scores:https://www.3830scores.com/currecscores.php?arg=Rv7uuizV77JYJU

Minnesota QSO Party: https://www.w0aa.org/mn-qso-party/

Koss SB40 Headset: https://amzn.to/45XASBS

RJ-45 Ethernet Extension Cable, g feet: https://amzn.to/3OioupX

RJ-12 Extension Cable 6 feet: https://amzn.to/462KaN4

Rez Antenna Scout Antenna System: https://dxengineering.pxf.io/LKQy0j

KF8ASE Ham Radio Chokes: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1903048443/messi-paoloni-ham-radio-rfi-chokes-for

Morgan Systens Band Pass Filters: https://www.surgestop.com/filter-products/

SADDLEBAG Design Weight Bags for Photo Video: https://amzn.to/46E3SPE

N1MM Logger+ Ham Radio Contest Logging: https://n1mmwp.hamdocs.com/

Three things we learned from the Minnesota QSO Party

This is our third iteration at the Minnesota QSO Party. The first three times we entered the Mobile/Rover category and the last two years as a fixed multi-operator. Our transition from mobile to fixed was simple: the mobile categories don’t allow for multi transmitter operation, so if both of us wanted to be on the air at the same time, we would have to stay in one location. Staying fixed increased our efficiency as we didn’t have to break down and move to another county, but it also makes us compete against other, better appointed stations, with permanent antenna systems. Still, what we can do as ‘two guys working out of a truck’ hasn’t happened by chance and our years of hard work and improvement can be distilled into these things.

Go in with a plan, and know when to deviate

The hardest lesson we’ve had to learn over the years is the power of the plan. Key stumbles that have cost of points and times can be directly attributed to not following our plans, or having a plan that was unrealistic.

When we operated mobile, we’d time things down to the minute: when to set up, when to tear down and how long to operate. We learned quickly that set up, tear down, and travel from location to location takes longer than expected and doing something like a quick restroom break can throw the schedule in a tailspin. We also learned that once you are on the air and established, if you’ve got a good run going, you can’t just stop it because the clock says you need to move.

Conversely, spending too long on a band or mode that isn’t delivering results is counterproductive. If the contacts aren’t there, you need to make adjustment.

For this year’s event, our plan was simple: Dave would work 40 meters to rack up as many multipliers he can. He would search the spotting page and be flexible to grab a new county when one popped up on the list. On the other hand, I would stay on 20 meters phone and just hammer contacts, racking up points for the event. In theory this worked great, and allowed us to get 100 multipliers by 1:00pm, halfway through the event. But by the time the 40 meter had dried up and Dave saw quite a bit of 15 meter activity on the spotting page. Since we felt that our multiplier number was in good shape, it was reasonable to switch bands. And that was a good call, adding another 175 contacts and three new mults to the log.

Things like band conditions, equipment failures, or poor timing can throw off your plans really quick. Having flexibility can save you from disaster. But that flexibility has to rooted in a plan to begin with.

Logging can’t be an afterthought

When we first started doing QSO parties competitively, we didn’t think much about logging. Maybe as a single operator, we’d pass the computer back and forth, or one person would log and another would operate. Heaven forbid, the first year we went mobile, we did it all on paper. Cleaning up that log was a big fat mess.

For the past three years we’ve settled on N1MM Logger+. This is a contest logging system built like no other. I will admit that it has a bit of a learning curve and Dave and I are still learning a new feature found in it every time we use it.

What Dave likes about N1MM is the built in macros and automation for CW operation. This streamlines the CW QSO process and allows him to run at a higher rate than he normally would. You know those other contesters running 30-35 words a minute? Yep, they’re using automation to keep their rate up without tiring out.

What I like about N1MM is its simple network support. Running multiuser is as simple as turning that feature on. No shares or Windows networking expertise is necessary. The computers find each other and just work. If a connection fails, everything still works, and seamlessly syncs back up when the connection reestablishes itself. This is mission critical stuff that N1MM is doing in the background, and I find it totally amazing.

To make the networking easier, I bought a little travel router that can run off a USB battery pack. Everyone connects to the router and we can add a Jet Pack or hotspot to the mix for everyone to have Internet. It’s all easy peasy.

Leverage the power of POTA

This is our secret ingredient to success. We’ve found early on that Parks on the Air delivers a ready made field of hunters and can help us sustain long runs of contacts during the event. Most QSO parties allow for self spotting and setting up in a park and putting our callsign into the spotting page delivers a pileup. Sometimes you need to educate a bit on what the exchange needs to be, but the beautiful part of POTA is that it is flexible and its minimal requirements for what makes a valid contact blends into every contest.

When we operate mobile for the QSO party, we pick park entities that are close together and build a route that goes from county to county and park to park. At each park we stop for an hour and operate and then move to a new park in a new county. The cool thing is that switching parks and counties recycles our list of hunters longer and more sustained runs.

When we operate stationary, like we did in Minnesota this year, we don’t have the benefit of recycling hunters, but there is such a large number of POTA enthusiasts out there, that even if you get a few duplicate contacts, there are enough people to looking for you, to make using POTA worth your while.

Finishing Up

Our next big QSO Party is the Wisconsin QSO Party on March 15. Dave and I will be on the road again. We are in the process of mapping a route and putting together the plan. While we are stationary the entire time in Minnesota, Wisconsin allows a multi transmitter mobile category, and we will move around a bit. More information will be coming as we get closer to the date.

I’m road tripping this weekend, visiting my daughter and going to the Wisconsin Garden Expo in Madison. Saturday’s drive home will include a few parks, all of which should be new to me. Depending on time, I hope to hit at least three. Watch the POTA spotting page for time and frequency.

I hope to get you in the log soon.

Michael
KB9VBR

The post Minnesota QSO Party 2026: Here’s how we did it appeared first on KB9VBR Antennas.

But there is one one end fed half wave antenna that I’ve found to not only be one of the easiest to set up and tear down, but also consistently the best in operation and on air performance. That’s the Spooltenna end fed halfwave.

That’s the subject of this week’s video: AMAZING Spooltenna heats up FOUR ham radio bands! Watch now: https://youtu.be/QzIiwt_cigY

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Chasing DX is not the goal!

This sounds like a bit of a hot take, but stay with me here.

Since the earliest days of ham radio, experimenters in the hobby would strive to see how far there signal to go. At that time radio operators were relegated to 200 Meters and Down, and would operate with primitive spark gap equipment. To get your signal to go 20 or even 30 miles was an achievement. The ARRL, originally called the Amateur Radio Relay League was founded on the premise to link stations together so messages could be passed, or relayed from one station to another.

Technology advanced, our understanding grew, and great distances in radio communication were achieved. Pushing the distance limit on all bands and modes is noble, and predictably that mindset stays with us today. For example, if I demonstrate an antenna system, it typically will get dismissed as not being ‘good for DX.’

I’m here to say that chasing DX, or international long distance contacts, may not be the goal.

Case in point: this weekend, February 7 2026, is the Minnesota QSO Party. Dave, KZ9V, and I operate in this event (callsign KØM) by setting up as a portable station in a park in Minnesota. Beside making contacts, we want to collect as many Minnesota counties, US States, and Canadian provinces as possible. All other DX contacts, while counting as contacts, do not provide an extra multiplier for us. There is no incentive for us to focus on them. So naturally I will want an antenna that favors stateside operation. I don’t want my signal to ‘skip’ over the continental US. In this case, a high angle of RF radiation is a good thing.

Over the years doing these events, Dave and I have auditioned many different antennas and have come up with two models for our QSO party contest station: the End Fed Halfwave and the 1/4 wave elevated vertical.

Let’s start with the EFHW, this antenna gives us resonant performance on 40, 20, 15, and 10 meters, with 40 meters being the fundamental frequency. Dave’s job in our multi operator effort is to collect in-state counties on primarily the 40 meter band. Our EFHW is relatively low, with a peak at about 25 feet, giving us a somewhat NVIS or Near Vertical Incidence Skywave propagation. Perfect for grabbing those Minnesota counties. The antenna will also provide regional communications into nearby states, filling in the holes that I am going to miss with my antenna. He will switch between CW and Phone and watch the spotting pages to grab counties as they come up.

Since Dave is the multiplier man, I am the points person. Focusing exclusively on the 20 meter phone band my job is to make contacts, lots and lots of contacts. For that I am going to use an antenna with a good signal and solid stateside performance: the 1/4 wave vertical, notably the configuration championed by KJ6ER. It’s the PERformer antenna! I want to hit every state and province, but also count up all the points or contacts that I can muster. The PERformer, with it’s elevated counterpoise wires exhibits an 18 degree RF takeoff angle and a secondary lobe at about 3- degrees. That’s considered high for Dx, but perfect for the states.

The combination of those antennas is a powerhouse! For both the Minnesota and Wisconsin QSO parties it has brought us to the brink of 1000 combined contacts. Could we shatter that record this year? Time will tell. Understanding your needs, knowing your tools, and picking the right one for the job is the hallmark of a professional.

Finishing up

You can help us break through the 1000 contact barrier. Listen for the station KØM on the Minnesota QSO party on Saturday February 7 from 8:00am – 6:00pm CST (1400Z – 2400Z). We are in Wabasha County, MN at POTA US-4236, Upper Mississippi Wildlife Refuge. Spotting is allowed and both Dave and I will be spotted in the park and on other spotting pages. The exchange is simple, all I need from you is two things: State/Province and your first name. I’ll give my name to you, so be ready with yours.

I hope to get you in the log

Michael
KB9VBR

The post This portable antenna crushed four ham radio bands in the park appeared first on KB9VBR Antennas.

You can see the result of our effort in this week’s video. Winter Field Day 2026 Extreme Cold Challenge https://youtu.be/c64HwIEWrkM

Links and resources from the video:

Charming Cottage on Roche-a-Cri Lake: https://www.vrbo.com/en-nz/holiday-accommodation/p4077373vb

Chameleon CHA M25 Coil: https://chameleonantenna.com/ox9sp5

Chameleon CHA SS25 Telescoping Whip: https://chameleonantenna.com/2yyzp0

Chameleon CHA Tripod Adapter: https://chameleonantenna.com/qhdfd3

SADDLEBAG Design Weight Bags for Photo Video: https://amzn.to/46E3SPE

Rez Antenna Scout Antenna System: https://dxengineering.pxf.io/LKQy0j

Three things we learned this year at Winter Field Day

How cold is too cold?

Here in Wisconsin, especially the inner part of the state, cold weather is expected. While in recent years we’ve been lucky with highs in the mid to upper 20’s, this year mother nature let out the stops with some of the coldest weather ever. Air temps -25 and lower and wind chills approaching -40 degree Fahrenheit. Friday driving to the cabin, it didn’t get above -10 and Saturday morning we braved -20 while setting up antennas.

Things break when it gets cold: wire and coax becomes brittle and the exposure to the extremities is a real concern. We choose to operate from a heated cottage to minimize our risk and increase our comfort. Past years we’ve operated from an unheated cabin that took hours to warm up to a tolerable level, so comfort was key.

As for the antennas, prep your equipment indoors first, to limit time outside. Keep things warm and work in short durations. We choose simple to erect antennas, like verticals and end fed half waves to keep outside time to a minimum.

Plan for interference, and be ready to adjust

Our biggest challenge, wasn’t necessarily the cold, but it was keeping three stations on the air without stepping on each other. Dave and I have gotten pretty good at minimizing interference. Operating two stations is pretty easy, adding a third or more seems to quadruple the noise potential. But we used a combination of RF chokes on both ends of the coax and band pass filters to minimize common mode noise. For the more part is worked and kept all three of us on the air.

160 Meters Rocks!

For two years now, 160 meters has been the sleeper that came in strong. Last year Dave discovered an RTTY contest on that band and was able to rack in the points. This year a CW contest was happening on the top band. Both of these events gave a ready field of operators on a band that otherwise would be a challenge.

How’d he do it? 160 meter antennas tend to take up a bit of space, but Dave found that if he disconnected the wire from his end fed half wave and connected it to Wolf River Silver Bullet 1000 coil, he could get a good match as long as he used the body of his truck as a counterpoise. It’s a bit of a kludge, but smart thinking like this is what field events can inspire.

Bonus: Don’t forget the food!

Field Day runs on food. Well, that and coffee. We plenty of both this year. Friday was fish fry at a local establishment. Breakfasts included favorites like biscuits and gravy and breakfast burritos. And Saturday dinner was a delicious creamy chicken and rice soup. Our appetites were no match for this event. Bring lots of snacks and things that are relatively quick to prepare. You’ll want to spend more time on the air and less cooking and cleaning.

Field Day Biscuits and Gravy

Making biscuits and gravy has been a field day tradition for more than a decade. In the summer months I make the biscuits in the dutch oven, so this is something that can be easily prepared home or away.

1 lb bulk pork breakfast sausage
2-3 tbsp butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
salt and pepper to taste

1. Break apart and fry the pork sausage in a large skillet until meat is cooked and fat rendered out.

2. Add butter. The amount will be dependent on how much fat the sausage has. Ideally you will want about 4 tbsp combined of sausage grease and butter.

3. Once butter is melted, stir in flour and cook for about 1-2 minutes. The fat should be well absorbed and the flour looking like thick paste.

4. Add milk, while stirring, and cook over medium heat until thickened. If the gravy looks too thick, you can add a bit of water to thin it.

5. Season with cracked pepper and salt to taste. Serve over fresh baked biscuits

Finishing Up

The cold weather continues here in Wisconsin. With at least 10 days of lows below zero, it appears we should warm up a bit on the weekend. Hopefully this warming trend continues through the first week of February as the Minnesota QSO Party is February 7.

I’ll fill you in on my plans for the QSO party next week. But as a teaser, make sure you add the callsign KØM into your Hamalert for next weekend.

I hope to catch you on the air

Michael
KB9VBR

The post Winter Field Day 2026: Extreme Cold Edition appeared first on KB9VBR Antennas.