Jerry's Journal

Mobile Command Post

2022-12-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

I receive many enquires from hams asking how they may put together a similar radio stack assembly like the one in my mobile.
This radio stack design came about after various other designs created by me over the years.
The complete stack is adjustable in all directions, including allowing access from the passenger seat when I have a navigator/operator along while doing public service work.

The complete radio stack assembly may be removed in minutes, if required, as the only cables required to be disconnected from the radio stack, are the three data cables, and the quick-disconnect at the bottom of the radio-stack, where the 3" stub-adapter is bolted to the center seat mount assembly.

If desired, the upper part of the assembly which means all the devices, may seperated from the lower post-mount, allowing for service work in a jiffy when required, or for security reasons when away from my mobile.
Unfortunately the mount assembly cannot be purchased as shown, although some of the individual components that make up the mechanical assembly are available.

The assembly starting from the bottom, consists of a heavy-duty photography monopod, that I discarded the two bottom sections, and modified the top section to become the main base section of the radio stack.
I then utilized 4 flanged double-ended ball mounts that required some modification, and the addition of custom made brackets from my shop to allow all the ham radio devices to be fastened in place.

Here is a more detailed description as to how I utilize the individual components that reside in my radio stack

In order from the top down, is the Garmin Montana GPS bi-directional device in the center, and mounted to the driver's side is the Garmin Nuvi, with my Geosat 6 on the passenger side of the radio stack, and below them is the Kenwood TM-D710A control panel with a GPS 710 receiver attached to the back, and then the Kenwood TS-480HX control panel mounted at the bottom.

The Garmin Nuvi is a terrific device for city use, especially since it has capabilities in regards to controlled roadways, and with its built in FM receiver for traffic, it gives me a birds eye view as to the traffic around me, and this is done with voice. With a touch of the screen, I can see the various interchanges ahead of me, and what the traffic flow looks like, including how many lights I will sit through, before getting through the intersection ahead of me. It also shows the posted speed of the roadway that I am travelling on, and if I am exceeding the speed limit. It also gives warning chims as to any intersections with safety cameras, red-light cameras, and other devices that are in play.

The Garmin Montana is my favorite aprs device, what with the superior mapping available as a free download from the Internet. I am running a full compliment of Canadian Topo maps, as well as the southern Alberta Backroad Topo Maps on the Montana, and the mapping is wonderful, no matter you're location, as the detail includes everything that you see out the window, and then some. The Montana may also be used away from the vehicle, and this includes as a aprs device when paired with my Kenwood D72.

The Kenwood Geosat 6 has a place in my radio stack, as it provides me with not only more useful information, but it also may be used in portrait mode, and this in itself makes the Geosat 6 worth the price of admission. The Geosat 6 may also be used with the Kenwood D710A as a aprs device, with beaconing stations placed on the map of the Geosat 6.
Now I have just scratched the surface, as to the capabilities of these 3 devices, and how I am utilizing them, but...well you get the jest of what I am saying...I don't leave home without them!

Kenwood TM-710A

Being that I spend a lot of time in my mobile, I wanted a radio with digital capabilities that included APRS. My Kenwood TM-710A which has its own dedicated gps receiver, is a two-way tactical real-time digital communications system that is linked in to a network, sharing information about everything going on in my local area. On my radio, this means if something is happening now, or there is information that could be valuable to me, then it will be shown on the display of my radio. APRS also supports global callsign-to-callsign messaging, bulletins, objects email and Voice, because every local area is seen by the internet system.

Here are some of the cool features of MY TM-710A while running APRS:
VOICE ALERT: While running APRS, I leave band A volume up but set CTCSS 100 to mute the speaker. This way, I don't hear any packets, but anyone can call me with voice on 144.39 to alert me by using PL 100. This allows anyone, anywhere, anytime (they are in simplex range)
to call me by voice with PL100, because they know that I am listening on the APRS channel with CTCSS 100!
PROXIMITY RADAR: The advantage of the Voice Alert Setting is that the speaker is 100% muted for all packets... EXCEPT simplex range packets from another Voice Alert TM-D710A or a Yaesu FTM-350 that is very close to me. His or her once a minute packets will act like a radar-ping, alerting me to their presence and the fact that someone is also monitroing voice alert for a simplex QSO.
I may go a week without hearing anyone (simplex packet range is only 5 miles or so), but it is fun when someone comes in range. APRS is about *facilitating-communications*. With Voice Alert, I will never "pass- in-the-night" without knowing that someone is nearby, in simplex range of my mobile that can ALWAYS be contacted with a voice call... Its like a free radar for other mobile APRS operators that are in simplex range and listening.
With the radio in my truck beaconing my location, you are able to see me on google-maps. If I am moving, you will see me laying down waypoints in real-time.

Kenwood TS-480HX

After owning the TS-480 for a number of years now, I am very pleased with the performance of this fine radio.
The TS-480 is a basic solid-state, microprocessor-controlled transceiver, intended to provide only HF/60 meters/6 meters coverage. It is very well designed, although neither its price nor its performance qualify it to be included in the ranks of "ultimate" high-end contesting transceivers. Its major distinguishing characteristic is its highly flexible electrical/mechanical/packaging design, including the well-known separate control head. With this capability, there are a number of different physical/operational configurations that the TS-480 can support.

Single-unit operation, with the RF deck and control head mounted together on a common bracket. Kenwood-manufactured dual-mounting brackets are reportedly sold in Europe but probably not in the US. A short interface cable will still be required between the two units.
Separated control and RF units (the conventional configuration). The two separate units, either on the operating bench or in the mobile as I am using mine, are connected by the supplied RJ-25 serial cable. The RF deck and its large power and transmission line cables can be tucked away, out of sight.
Remote operation of the RF deck from anywhere in the world via the Internet. Two downloadable Kenwood freeware applications, ARHP-10 and ARCP-480, provide host and client capabilities for doing exactly this.

Contrary to a number of specific complaints, Kenwood's design decision to attach the local microphone directly to the RF deck rather than to the control head is operationally sound. At least for mobile usage, a visible control head will not show a microphone dangling from it. The supplied hand microphone can be tucked under a seat, out of sight, when not in use, although in my case I replaced the stock Kenwood mic with a Heil handi-mic. An external speaker plugs into the RF deck also.

So this post gives you a heads up as to what resides in the radio stack of my mobile

All photos expand.
For more info on my mobile ham radio ops.....
www.jerryclement.ca

SCS Tracker/DSP TNC for RPR HF APRS

2022-07-20T11:57:00.000-06:00

The Badlands of Eastern Alberta

Like many other Amateur Radio operators, I use an APRS (Amateur Packet Reporting System) device in my mobile to access the VHF APRS network. There have been times when I wished for an APRS system that would keep me connected when I was out of range of the VHF APRS network, and with an HF transceiver already mounted in my mobile, I thought that possibly HF APRS could be the answer.

Until recently, APRS operation on HF has been done by ordinary HF packet (FSK 300 baud). With its small bandwidth, multipath propagation, phase shift, band noise, and other disturbances such as fading and constant fluctuating conditions, transmitting digital signals via HF can be problematic at best. As you already know, on HF it’s a rare day that you have the equivalent of a noise-free, fully quieted frequency of the type you get on VHF.

While researching the various HF APRS options available to me, I discovered a system called Robust Packet Radio (RPR). RPR is a much more robust form of HF APRS, making it more likely for my packets to be delivered and heard by the various HF Gateways located worldwide and operating at the top end of the 30 meter band.

This system is available only through a hardware TNC built by Special Communications Systems (SCS) from Germany. SCS developed PACTOR, which is used by amateur and marine radio operators for FSK transfer of digital information over the HF bands. The SCS Tracker DSP/TNC reviewed can operate on all of the common conventional packet modes, plus Robust Packet Radio.

RPR has been designed to take advantage of the capabilities of digital signal processing (DSP) in order to obtain reliable communication over a less-than-perfect HF path. If you have only experienced traditional 300 baud FSK packet, RPR adds a whole new dimension.

A Nice Package

Once I had sourced and ordered an SCS Tracker DSP/TNC, and while I waited for the Tracker to arrive, I downloaded the manual from the SCS website, allowing me to familiarize myself with the workings of this device. I also downloaded the configuration software and drivers required so that I would be ready to go upon receiving the hardware.

Upon receiving the SCS Tracker/DSP TNC and getting my first look, I found it to be a nicely finished device with its all-metal housing and well laid out front and back panels. I was pleased with the screw terminals on the back panel, making it a simple procedure to connect the wiring without the use of any proprietary cable connectors. Another nice feature is the wiring diagram silkscreened on the bottom panel, allowing for the wiring hookups to be done without having to refer to the manual. The Tracker is a USB device, and included is the required USB cable that connects the Tracker to your computer for initial configuration before placing the Tracker into service.

The SCS Tracker/DSP TNC package includes a six-pin mini-DIN data cable that requires the installation of a matching connector on the pigtail end for connection to the data port of your HF transceiver. Included in the instructions with the Tracker are wiring diagrams for the majority of HF transceivers available in the marketplace. If you don’t feel comfortable completing the wiring of the data cable, SCS offers optional completely finished cables.

With the Tracker connected to the data port of the Kenwood TS-480HX mounted in my mobile, I found that the default settings for the input and output levels of the radio’s data port needed no further adjustments. Packets sent by the Tracker were decoded correctly by other robust packet stations listening on the HF APRS network.

The Tracker also needs to be connected to a bidirectional GPS receiver. I’m using a Garmin Montana in my mobile station.

With the SCS Tracker/DSP TNC installed and connected to the GPS receiver and TS-480HX, the Tracker is listening for packets being sent from other RPR stations on the network.

Once the Tracker has received and decoded any robust packet stations being received via the HF transceiver on 30 meters, the Tracker sends this data to the Garmin Montana. The Montana then saves this information in its waypoint list and places an APRS symbol (of your choosing) with included call sign on a map on its screen (Figure 19). When the next scheduled transmission by the Tracker is due to go out, it checks the 30 meter channel for any activity, and when the channel is clear, sends an APRS datagram.

With the Tracker mounted in the radio stack of my mobile (see the cover of the September 2015 issue of QST), I made some comparisons to conventional packet using the Tracker operated in toggle mode, where I could use conventional 300 baud FSK packet running on one channel and robust packet running on the adjacent channel. More times than not, I found that all the packets being received on the robust packet channel were being decoded, while the conventional packet transmissions on the adjacent channel just flickered the DCD LED on the Tracker’s front panel and were discarded due to errors present in the packet string.

The TS-480HX is capable of transmitting with 200 W output, so I experimented with different power levels. I found that although the packet string stood up well at all power levels, a setting of half the rated output proved to be more than adequate while operating RPR. Most transceivers run hotter when transmitting data modes than when operating in SSB, and so the cooling fans cycle on more often at the higher power level settings. With the power level set for 100 W, I rarely hear the transceiver fans come on. The SCS Tracker/DSP TNC and the Garmin Montana are proving to be a great combination as utilized with my Kenwood TS-480HX and dedicated 30 meter antenna that I designed and built for operating HF APRS, although any 30 meter antenna will work fine.

With HF APRS and the fact that you are potentially being heard across the world on the RPR 30 meter frequency of 10.147.30 MHz, it’s critical that you set your path correctly, as you do not want to cause major congestion on the HF APRS network. Because I operate mobile and find myself traveling in areas of the Alberta Rockies with no services of any kind available, I set the path for APRS,WIDE1-1 increasing the potential for my mobile to be heard on the HF APRS network. With an RPR digipeater now located in Alberta, and several RPR mobiles normally located within 300 kilometers of my mobile, the chances are good that I can get help if required.

Although the Tracker can be used as strictly a tracking device, it can also be used in KISS mode with a computer running UI-View or APRSIS/32 software, allowing the Tracker to be used as a bi-directional messaging device that decodes and places the beaconing RPR stations on the map. With APRSIS/32 running on my netbook and connected to the Tracker, I found that I could keyboard message direct with other robust packet stations that were being received and decoded. This included a mobile-to-marine-mobile contact of 4500 kilometers that I made with Jeremy Allen, N1ZZZ, who was also using an SCS Tracker/DSP TNC along with a computer running APRSIS/32 as he made his way through the Gulf of Mexico bound for Africa.

I am extremely pleased with how my mobile HF APRS RPR station keeps me connected as I go down roads less traveled in areas with no VHF APRS coverage. It is a pleasure to see the DCD LED on the front of my SCS Tracker light up upon hearing and successfully decoding beaconing stations on 30 meters, signals that are then sent to the Garmin Montana and placed on the map, keeping me informed and connected with other RPR stations on the robust packet network located across North America and other parts of the world.

Reprinted with permission from November 2015 QST ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio® www.arrl.org

As Published in QST....
http://www.jerryclement.ca/HamRadio/HamRadio/i-DR7cc4H

Robust Packet Overview.....
http://www.wavecom.ch/content/pdf/advanced_protocol_robust-packet.pdf

Note...all the photos expand.

Visit my VE6AB Mobile Ops gallery...
http://www.jerryclement.ca/HamRadio/HamRadio/

Working The World Through 360 Degrees

2021-12-29T08:21:00.008-07:00

Some years back, I acquired a Max-Gain Systems push-up mast that was to be used with my truck while operating stationary mobile. To mount the mast on my truck, I built a hitch-insert of aluminum tubing as seen in the insert photo. It was as simple as inserting the hitch-insert into the receiver on my truck, locking it in place, and dropping the mast in place. At that point I built a 1/2 wave inverted U dipole that covered the bands of 10-20 meters, and this antenna with its mount was custom fabricated to fit at the top of the 28' mast assembly.

Well it worked out perfectly, and over the next year I was more than happy with this arrangement. Now this antenna needs to be steered in the direction that the station that I am working is located. To do this, all I had to do was manually turn the mast to orient the antenna in the desired direction as required, no big deal. Some time later, I built a 6 meter DXing Halo, and followed that antenna up with my latest creation, a log-periodic covering the bands of 2 meters, 1 1/4 meters, and 3/4 meters. I constructed mounts allowing these antennas to also be mounted on my push-up mast as well.

Now although the mast assembly was not that difficult to turn with the added weight, I found that I was getting out of my truck where my radio stack is located, or from a operating position outside of my truck, and re-positioning the antennas more frequently due to the fact I was now working more bands. So recently, I found myself thinking about how I could add a motorized rotator to the Max Gain Systems mast assembly. Once I had it worked out in my head, and after checking out what was available for the parts required to make it happen, I got to work in my shop. Initially I was going to build a completely new hitch-insert assembly, but after looking at the existing assembly, I decided to modify it, as that would cut down on the time required to build a complete new assembly,

With several visits to my local sprocket supply outlet to check out what was available for sprockets, and for what size chain, and with time spent on the computer sourcing out 12 volt reversing motor driven worm-drive assemblies, I had a design worked out that I could build. So with a day spent in my shop, this is where I'm at with the antenna hitch insert taking on a new look as seen here, as well as on my mobile in the insert photo. Located just above the 2" square insert tube is the aluminum thrust-bearing support that is built from 6061 T6 high-tensile aluminum. Just above this aluminum support is a 4" OD needle thrust bearing with hardened races. The 12 volt motor with the included gearhead is mounted on the side of the main hitch-insert tube with a custom aluminum bracket tig-welded in place to the tube. The placement of the bracket was dictated by the alignment of the two sprockets sized for 35W roller chain.

The ratio and speed of the 12 volt motor/gearhead assembly selected, along with the chosen gearing for the sprockets allow the rotor/mast assembly to do a full 360 degree rotation in less than a 1 minute, allowing for good control of where the antennas are required to be positioned when operating stationary mobile. The mechanism at the base of the mast is a lock allowing the mast and the drive-sprocket to lock together. The mast has a stainless steel ring installed surrounding the bottom end of the fiberglass mast protecting the fiberglass tube, and secondly allowing the lock/mech seen here to clamp to this SS ring when the knob as shown is tightened, therefore providing a positive drive to the mast assembly by the rotator. This also allows for manually turning the mast if required, by dis-engaging the lock/mech. You may be wondering as too how the hitch insert as shown here is held together, in regards to the joining of the 2" square horizontal tube with the 2" round vertical tube. The two aluminum tubes were joined together through tig-welding, and the aluminum plate machined to hold the 4" OD thrust bearing will also be tig-welded in place as well, adding to the rigidity of the complete assembly.

Although the welded joints are able to withstand the load they will be subjected to with the mast in place, I also took into consideration the lateral loading that the assembly could be subjected to if the wind is blowing against the mast when extended with all the antennas in place, and no guy-lines for support. For added rigidity, I machined two 6061-T6 aluminum discs, one positioned (partial insert) at the very top of the vertical tube, and at the other positioned below the 2" square tube. They are tensioned with a 18" length of 3/8" OD hi-tensile drill-rod joining the two circular discs, that adds extra support to the vertical 2" tube for potential extra side loading conditions, taking some of the load off of the welds at the bottom of the vertical tube, and distributing the lateral load more evenly along the length of the vertical tube with the fiberglass mast in place.

Not displayed in this photo is the 18" length of fiberglass tube that is positioned between the aluminum vertical tube as shown, and the inner wall of the mast assembly when in place. This insert tube besides giving support to the mast, is free-floating and designed to turn, acting as a thrust bearing for the lateral loads present when the mast is being turned with the rotator. Controlling the rotator is with a two-button key-fob transmitter, controlling a reversing polarity 12 volt motor control unit mounted in the cargo-bay, and when operating stationary mobile, a two conductor cable is temporarily connected to the rotator allowing for the rotator to become operational.

This video of the rotator in action may be a bit slow opening depending on your device, however it's worth the wait. Also expand the video full screen for a close up and personal view. NOTE....All photos expand

Manpack Communications System

2021-12-09T00:57:00.000-07:00

Over the past couple of years I have operated my Yaesu FT-897D in a number of different ways, including operating from my mobile with a push up mast assembly populated with antennas, set up for field day with portable antennas, and on occasion while ice-fishing on frozen water. I recently began thinking about giving it a makeover turning it into a manpack communications system, that would also include the very efficient 10-60 meter vertical antenna that I built some time ago to be used with the FT-897D, the idea being that I could carry the complete assembly while hiking in to locations that required my equipment be not only portable but very transportable.

Recently I gave some though as too how I could make this happen, and because I am familiar with the various type of packs used for back-packing, I realized that an external frame-pack could be the perfect way of combining the two together. Today, external frame-packs are not as prevalent as they once were years ago, as today's packs have internally included frames, and the external frame packs that I looked at all had something that I didn't like in regards to making the modifications required to turn one into a manpack communications system.

After looking on and off for months and even purchasing a external frame pack and bringing it home, I decided it would require too many modifications, and returned it to the store where I purchased it. Well recently that all changed when I happened to be walking through one of the local outdoor stores, and in particular where they have their packs on display. I noticed an external frame pack that caught my eye and I took the time to check it out. After scrutinizing it for a time, it looked promising enough for me to purchase it.

Upon arriving home, and with time spent in my shop, the first modification I needed to make was an aluminum arm that replaced one of the Cordoba straps that allowed the bottom shelf to fold upward against the vertical section of the frame. This modification was required so that the frame-work with included radios and antennas would stand up on its own when resting on the ground in the operating position. This was a simple conversion, as I utilized the same clevis pins with included split-rings that held the original Cordoba strap in place, to now hold the aluminum arm in place adding rigidity to the bottom base section. I also drilled a series of adjusting holes at one end of this arm, allowing for making adjustments for the antenna to stand straight when assembled and mounted in place.

The next modification that I made, was to remove and discard the upper tubular section that was formed U shaped and with adjusting holes drilled in either upright tube section, allowing for adjustments that might be required, depending on what type of load you might have fastened in place. With this U assembly removed, I then removed the plastic insert in the top right side vertical tube, and after taking measurements, I made up a new insert from aluminum that fit the internal diameter of the tube, and included the required sized hole in this aluminum adapter for the mounting stub located on the bottom of my 10-60 meter vertical antenna to fit.
With that done, I then took the measurements required to make up a mounting bracket for the Yaesu FT-897D. This low-profile bracket is also fabricated from hi-tensile aircraft aluminum allowing for the FT-897D to be solidly mounted to the pack frame. With everything temporarily assembled and no major issues to deal with, it was just a matter of assembling everything permanently.

Now knowing that I couldn't head out over the hills without having other support equipment along, I turned my attention to how I could mount a small daypack behind the transceiver, and I found the perfect bag amongst my numerous photography gear bags, one that fit nicely behind the FT-897D and included the necessary rain-cover that could be put in place if required. I also found another rain-cover that nicely fit over the front panel of the FT-897D as well, keeping it out of the elements while hiking. Another small gear bag not real visible in the photos is located beneath the transceiver, and this is where the various antenna parts are stored until it is time to assemble the antenna. If required, I also have a rain-slicker that covers myself and the complete manpack if the weather turns for the worst.

The fact that the FT-897D is an all-mode radio, I have an optional VHF/UHF antenna that may be mounted on the opposite tube to where my 10-60 meter antenna mounts. Also as you may have noted in the photo, I have a 5.11 tactical pouch fastened to one of the over the shoulder straps, allowing for my Kenwood TM-D72 to be carried, as it was during the time that I was out proofing the complete system on this day.
When its all said and done, I am very pleased with how everything has worked out, and I am enjoying operating my new manpack communications system.

On a final note, I have a few words to say about the Yaesu FT-897D with its rugged milspec build that places it in a league of its own, as there is no other all mode rig in todays amateur radio market-place that can offer you all the features that the FT-897D does. The fact that the FT-897D has the option of internal twin-pack 4500mAH batteries allowing for 20 watts out on HF, made this very efficient manpack communications system possible.

I have found that the most effective lower power setting that enables reliable portable HF communications is 20 to 30 watts, Try adjusting your 100 watt HF rig during down to 25 watts during a QSO and see who comments. Try the same with the power turned down to 10 watts or less, and watch the complaints about band conditions disappearing. Then adjust the power back up to 25 watts. I have done it enough times to know that 20 to 30 watts is the threshold where no difference would be reported from 100 watts of output power.
I know it will be a long time before I consider parting with this very fine transceiver that goes with me everywhere, especially in its present form as a manpack communications system.

NOTE.....all the photos expand.
My Website..... www.jerryclement.ca

HF Portable Ops Solar Powered

2021-05-13T07:36:00.000-06:00

This day finds me out operating HF portable from the top of a high butte overlooking the Red Deer river valley badlands of southeastern Alberta.
I am not the first person to set up camp on this butte, as I was set up beside a tipi ring that may be centuries old, signifying the fact that first nations people had been using this spot for setting up their tipi's for many decades in the past.
If you expand the photo and look at my vertical antenna with its guy-lines, you can visualize a tipi sitting in this spot, chosen for its commanding views in all directions over the grasslands.

The owner of the ranch who's land this butte is located on, was telling me that back in the 1800's, the Hudson's Bay company had established a fur trading fort on the banks of the Red Deer river, the location of this fort only several kilometers from my location on this butte.
There are tipi rings to be found all along the ridges of this range of buttes and hills located east of the ghost town of Dorothy AB throughout the grasslands bordering the Red Deer river.

Earlier in the pre-dawn darkness, I had left Calgary with plenty of time to reach the grasslands located in the Wintering Hills of southeastern Alberta, where I hoped to catch the sun rising over the beautiful rolling grass bordering the badlands of the Red Deer river. Once I reached the end of the blacktop of highway 564, I planned on working my way north through these hills that roll down against the badlands bordering the Red Deer river. I already knew my destination on the day where I would be setting up to operate HF portable from a butte overlooking these grasslands. Off the end of highway 564, you drive a twisting backroad that descends through the badlands to a very cool one lane girder bridge on the Red Deer river, and after you cross this bridge, it is just a short distance to the ghost town of Dorothy.

Dorothy is situated in Aberta's famed Badland Country just to the southeast of Drumheller, and has history from 1895 up to 1970, enjoying its greatest prosperity in the 1920's shortly after the railway line was built through the area, because of the dozens of coal mines up and down the valley.With the closing of the coal mines it was only a matter of time before people begun leaving the valley.
By 1960 Dorothy was in decline and today less that a dozen residents live in the area around Dorothy. I have been to Dorothy numerous times over the years, but always enjoy the visit while out this way. Coming in from the end of the 564 is fun if you love steep winding gravel roads. None the less the view is amazing, as you are high up on a bench that gives you a commanding view to the north of not only the badlands along the Red Deer river,but also further north across the river valley, where the Hand Hills are visible on the northern horizon.

By the time I was within the last few kilometers of reaching the Red Deer river valley, I had captured a number of photos that I was pleased with, including a stop at the wind farm that highway 564 dissects with 55 turbines located there.
Of course you know that I don't go anywhere without my cameras, and its a given that whatever my plans for the day are, photography plays a part of it.
For me photography is not only about documenting my goings on, but also is about communicating an emotion. Taking it one step further, one of the most important aspects of being able to communicate an emotion through a photograph is the proper use of light. While there are certainly many other aspects of photography, the one common requirement needed for all photographs is light, and if the light is wrong, the photograph fails!

What is the best light?, that depends entirely on what emotion you are trying to convey at the time you compose and shoot the scene presented before you. A photographer that wishes to communicate the delicacy of a flower will choose a different light than one who is photographing a city-scape, or in my case the light at sunrise. That being said, a large number of images are taken in the outdoors where the photographer, and this would be myself on most mornings, wants to communicate the beauty of the natural surroundings of the environment and what resides within it. In this case, the best light is often a soft, warm, directional light that creates saturated colors and soft highlights and shadows.

Those were some of the thoughts coursing through my mind upon arriving at my destination located on the ranch owned by my friend Doug, where I got set up to operate some HF from the top of a butte overlooking a stunning landscape that included vistas I planned on capturing images of when there were lulls in the action on the bands. However conditions were good on both 17 meters and 40 meters over the course of the time that I spent operating the HF bands on this day.

Besides operating my Yaesu FT-897D on HF with my 10-60 meter vertical antenna, the antenna that I designed and built and I will be writing a construction article on, I was also running tests on my portable solar panel setup, having acquired an additional solar panel recently, that I re-wired allowing the panels to be daisy-chained together as seen in the various photos included here.

My power source for the Yaesu FT-897D is my 12 volt power can with the batteries being maintained by the two solar panels.
The charge is being controlled by the charge controller inserted between the solar panels and the power can batteries.
The solar panel on the left is a 40 watt 2.4Ah unit, and the solar panel on the right is a 20 watt 1.2Ah unit.
Together, their combined 60 watt output to the 7Ah charge controller is 3.6 amps of charge output that keeps the batteries in the power can charged and my FT-897D transmitting with a full 100 watts when required.

Also due to the fact that my FT-897D has the optional Yaesu internal battery packs installed in the battery tray located in the bottom of the transceiver, and with the output of the 12 volt battery charger connected to the back of the transceiver, the batteries in the battery tray can be charged by having the input of the 12 volt charger connected to the power can, while at the same time the batteries in the power can are being maintained by the solar panels/charge controller.
The solar panels were carefully chosen to have the necessary capacity to maintain the batteries of the power can, as well as the internal batteries of the transceiver while operating on HF.
When its time to pack up, the two panels are physically sized to be stored in the emergency preparedness storage box being used as the operating table for my HF rig.

All in all, the day was a success, with many contacts placed in the log, tests run on my solar panels proving successful, and of course it goes without saying, many photographs shot through the course of the day while visiting the grasslands of southeastern Alberta.

Note....all photographs expand.

My Website.... www.jerryclement.ca

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Survival - Will To Live - Knowledge

2021-01-25T14:47:00.002-07:00

Over the past 30+ years, I have spent a lot of time in the outdoors, and I have loved every minute of it. In the beginning, and by the time I was 10 years old, I was spending time exploring the badlands in what is now part of Grasslands National Park in southern Saskatchewan. My boyhood friends and I learnt about the wildlife that lived in and around these grasslands, and that included knowing the differences between the different species of snakes and what to do if you got bit by a rattlesnake (its better not to). We found out at a early age what the plants were that grew on the prairies, and learnt that some of these plants like cactus had edible berries. We filled up on these berries when we forgot to bring a lunch with us while exploring these grasslands. Once I had finished school and reached the lofty age of eighteen and had left home, I continued my outdoor activities and education, but just in a different province.

In Alberta I discovered the Rockies and what a wonderful place to continue my outdoor education in survival and how to find my way in the wilderness. I also became a avid fly-fisherman, and continue to explore and fish the streams that are found along the Eastern Slope of the Rockies to this day. Long before Kananaskis Country existed in name, I was visiting the Kananaskis Lakes area, where I explored the surrounding back-country. This required carrying a pack with the necessary equipment to camp out in the backcountry. Once we had camp set up, and a proper cache for our food hung out of reach of the bears, we would rig our fly-rods and go about catching a couple of trout for supper. I cannot remember a time that I have been happier than when I am spending time in the outdoors.

So I could continue with the history lesson on how I spent the past 30+ years, and what I have learnt while out and about, but what I really wanted to mention is there are a certain number of things that you should know and carry with you when you leave the beaten path. Heck, you should have basic survival skills, and carry some of the gear that will keep you safe whenever you leave home, no matter what your destination on the day. There are many ways for you to acquire some of these skills, but the first thing you could do, is acquire a copy of the book "SAS" by John Wiseman, who served in the British Special Air Service for twenty-six years. The SAS Survival Handbook is based on the training techniques of this world-famous fighting force. I have 3 different editions of his book, several that are older editions, one dating back to 1986. My one copy is a backpack size, and that copy resides in my survival kit, where it is an easy reach if needed. It also makes great reading while I'm lying in my sleeping bag. The latest revised edition is the one you want. Of course I could go on talking about some of the gear that I have with me always, like topo maps for the different areas of southern Alberta. Don't forget your compass, and do know how to use it in conjunction with a map, as these skills will get you home when you become disoriented (like lost) when out hiking for the day. You can bring you favorite gps device, but don't stake your life on it, or you will lose. You can carry one, but back it up with a map and compass. A good flashlight is indispensable when you find yourself caught out after dark while you have been out hiking into that back-country lake, where the fishing was to die for and you stayed way to late. <

Of course it goes without saying that you need a good knife, and that can be a fixed blade knife or a good folder. Multi-use tools are ok, but I still carry a single purpose knife as well. Learn how to forecast the weather, and it will serve you well, as you will be aware of what's coming based on the observations you make by studying the sky, You want to learn to read what the clouds are telling you, where the wind is blowing from, including changes in the wind direction, as well other signs that indicate changes in the weather. There are good books available on forecasting weather. Because I have always loved observing weather, and have owned weather instruments for years, that includes an instrument shelter in my yard, as well as wind direction indicator and an anemometer on my roof, along with a self emptying electronic rain bucket. So how could I leave home without some means of electronic device to help me forecast the weather. I don't, and my favorite instrument is pictured above, that being my Kestrel 3500 handheld weather station, which is a very capable weather instrument that provides very precise current readings for Barometric Pressure, Altitude, Temperature, Relative Humidity, Dew Point, and Wind Chil.:

So now that we have the weather covered, you need a wristwatch to keep track of the time, and for this you don't want just any watch, but a mechanical powered watch which are becoming scarce today unless you spend the money for a quality one, or you still have your grandfathers favorite wristwatch (I do) although its best kept it as a keepsake. Why a manual watch you ask, its exactly that, no batteries to depend on, and if you go with a automatic wind model like the one pictured here, you do not need to remember to wind it. If you purchase a manual wind watch, make sure you buy one with luminous hands and numbers, as it much more convenient than always needing to use your flashlight to read the time at night. Also make sure its waterproof. Did you know that you can use a analog (with hands) watch to find direction? Of course it goes without saying, that if your a ham, and you probably are if your reading this, you own an HT. A radio is a valuable asset to carry with you when your in the backcountry, and do learn how to use it properly. If there are several people in your group, make sure everyone has their HT's set to the same frequency, and also have a backup frequency that everyone is aware of. Nice to have is an HT that has APRS capabilities as its a possibility that it could save your life, as long as you made someone aware of your plans before leaving home. Don't forget extra batteries for your HT as well.

Speaking of batteries, everyone should be aware of what is proper radio protocol when using a radio, as most people talk on way to long on the radio. So write down what you have to say before using the radio, and you will find the batteries will last longer. So on a final note, as the world has evolved we seem to have forgotten how important survival skills are, and our need to be prepared for anything. Having survival skills is something you can take with you anywhere, and knowing what to do in an emergency can keep you safe.

Emergency Communications

2018-09-08T01:30:00.000-06:00

One of the best forms of communications that hams have at their disposal when forced to operate from challenging locations in regards to accessing distant repeaters is "Cross Band Repeat."

Cross band repeat is implemented using a dual band cross band repeat capable mobile transceiver, and a dual band HT. The repeater receives signals on one amateur radio band (for example 70 cm) and retransmits those signals on a second amateur band (2 meters). Thus the name "Cross Band Repeat."
The purpose of a cross band repeat system in your mobile is the same as any radio repeater. It allows stations to communicate that ordinarily would not be able to do so because of the distance to a repeater, or possibly because you are located in a reinforced concrete and steel building, where your VHF HT is not capable of reaching a distant repeater.
In a situation such as these, cross band repeat comes into its own.

It should be noted that UHF is a better choice when used indoors, as though UHF signals don't travel quite as far outdoors as VHF signals, they do a better job of penetrating wood, steel, and concrete, giving you better range and performance in urban environments and around buildings. This is why the majority of police services, emergency services, and others, all use UHF HT's.

There are various different types or modes of cross band repeat. The one that I use the most, is "Full Duplex Cross Band Repeat" where you set the repeater frequency on the main band of your radio, using the required repeater offset and CTCSS tones required. You set the UHF simplex frequency on the sub band with the CTCSS tone that you choose, keeping unwanted transmissions from other radio's that may be using the same UHF simplex frequency, and activate cross band repeat on the transceiver, in my case that being my Kenwood D710. On the HT that I will use for cross banding with my Kenwood D710, I set the UHF simplex frequency in place with the matching CTCSS tone.

Be aware that duplex cross band repeat puts a heavy load on your mobile transceiver, and you should use the least amount of power required to reach the distant repeater you are working through.

Also be aware that if you are in a situation, such as a emergency operation where you will be cross banding for some time, and the situation may be that a number of HT's are utilizing the same mobile for cross banding, you will need to have extra battery reserves for your mobile, If you only have the single main battery in your mobile, I recommend that you have a extra power source such as the powerpack that I built some time ago for purposes such as this.
This powerpack may be temporarily attached to the main battery in your mobile, adding the required reserves needed for a extended cross band operation. There is more information on this powerpack, both in describing and building a similar one for yourself, located in my VE6AB ham radio gallery.

http://www.jerryclement.ca/HamRadio/HamRadio/10282516_SCgV88#!i=2444909214&k=bchwQt6

Another backup that I have installed in my mobile, that lends itself well to extended radio operations, is a remote starting device, that allows me to start my mobile from some distance, for example if you were situated some distance from your mobile, and were not in a position to get back to it to start the mobile, allowing the batteries to be recharged. With remote starting capability, you may start the vehicle after hours of cross banding, allowing for the batteries, both the main battery, and the powerpack to be recharged.
I also recommend a bidirectional remote start device, as this allows you to monitor the status of your mobile, including the battery levels, and how long you have been charging the batteries.

Another form of cross band repeat that I also use is "Half Duplex Cross Band Repeat", or what Kenwood calls "Locked Band" mode, and be aware that not all cross band capable transceivers may have this capability. This is where you set the repeater input frequency as simplex on the main band of your transceiver. Then you set the UHF simplex frequency with CTCSS on the sub band, and activate cross band repeat. The dual band HT is set up as used for full duplex cross band repeat, but the difference is that the dual band HT will receive directly from the repeater on VHF, but transmit on UHF to the cross band repeat mobile. The advantage to operating half duplex while cross banding, is the lower duty cycle required for the mobile transceiver being used for cross banding. The transceiver set in half duplex, is not retransmitting the received transmissions from the repeater via UHF, allowing for the transceiver to not work as hard, and also allowing for less draw on the vehicle battery.

Also I should mention that there is some differences in the regulations in regards to using cross band repeat, and although any ham with a basic ham licence may operate in cross band repeat, as In accordance with section 44 of the Radio Communication Regulations, it should be noted that you are required to ID when operating a "Full Duplex Cross Band Repeat" transceiver remotely, and not all transceivers are capable of this. The Kenwood D710 has the capability to ID remotely, either via CW or a recorded Voice ID when operating in "Full Duplex Cross Band Repeat" meeting this requirement.

When operating in "Half Duplex Cross Band Repeat" this requirement is met, without the transceiver having to ID automatically every 10 minutes as required while set up in "Full Duplex Cross Band Repeat Mode".

I believe that I have provided a understanding as to how to best utilize "Cross Band Repeat" to your advantage.

Field Day Everyday

2018-05-08T00:04:00.000-06:00

Badlands Traveller

With the breaking dawn shaping up nicely on the horizon as I drove east on highway 1, and having left from my home in Calgary at 5 am, my plan was to spend several days shooting photographs throughout the plains and badlands of southeastern Alberta. I've mentioned before that I have spent a lot of time meandering the backroads out that way, and I enjoy revisiting the area whenever I get the chance. The area of interest to me on this trip was to be in the vicinity of Jenner Alberta, about a 3 hour drive from Calgary.

Of course with the ARRL field day coming off on June 23th-24th, I planned on taking the opportunity while away from home to proof my equipment both from my mobile, and with my portable manpack station, both to be used on field day. My manpack seems to have become a permanent fixture in the back of my mobile when not being used, but at the ready when required, and it was along on this outing. Since acquiring my Yaesu FT-897ND that included the optional internal battery packs about a year ago, and then building the 10-60 meter vertical antenna as a companion to the FT-897ND, I have operated with this combination of transceiver and antenna in a lot of different ways over the past year. Initially, I operated with the antenna mounted directly on the ground or from frozen water while ice fishing in the winter, with both the transceiver and antenna stored in their individual fitted cases in between setups. As I discovered the fun I was having while operating in this manner, I decided to make the system more portable by carrying both the transceiver and the antenna in one of my packs carried on my back to the locations that I wished to operate from.

This has proved to be a fun way of operating, but there was still something missing, and mostly it was the fact that there was that setting up upon arrival at a likely looking spot that took time.

So with time spent on the web looking at my options, and aware of the various types of manpacks used by the militaries of the world, as well as for civilian use, I began to work out a design in my head that combined the transceiver and antenna into a common package that would be quick to deploy when I wished to set up and operate.

It didn't take long to zero in on the external frame packs that for the most part have been replaced with the internal frame packs of today. Now that's not to say you cannot find the external frame packs, as they do still exist, and they have their purpose, especially when used around hunting camps, and by trappers amongst others, so that being said, I found the various outdoor stores that cater to hunters to be a source for external frame packs.
After several weeks, I found the model of external frame pack that would work perfectly with what I had in mind for the modifications required to mount my transceiver and antenna on to. Of course I've mentioned some of the modifications that were required for me to make in one of my previous posts "Manpack Communications System" so I won't bother to repeat the words here.

As the morning progressed, and the day proving to be to my liking, with many pleasing photos shot, I also was keeping my eye out for a likely looking place to set up my camp in the area. Being I was by myself on this outing, I had only brought my 1 man tent with me, leaving my larger tents at home.

I find smaller tents are pleasing to sleep in when the space is not required, and in actuality they are warmer in cold weather, not requirng all that space around and above you to be warmed. I also had my scout tarp along, (as described in my article that was published in the 2017 May issue of QST) and I could have used it, but this time I decided to go with a tent, as in the badlands where I would camp, there is the potential for a prairie rattlesnake to want to share your sleeping bag with you, attracted by the warmth of your body. A closed in tent prevents this from happening.

There are several small caves located in the area of the badlands that I could have chosen to have slept in with my sleeping bag and ground sheet, but the same problem could potentially come up, with snakes and black widow spiders already in residence , although in a pinch and if no other shelter was available to retreat to from the weather, one of these small caves would do nicely, with a small fire being maintained over night to keep everyone on their side of the cave.

The bands proved to be in reasonable shape, and I had an inkling of this on the way out, as my HF RPR (robust packet radio) APRS packets being generated by my SCS 3070 Tracker/Kenwood TS-480HX, were being heard and decoded on 30 meters across the US and Canada for the whole

trip out to Jenner, located on the north side of the Red Deer river badlands.

Once I found a spot I liked, I shut the engine off in my mobile, and went about moving the equipment that I needed to set up my camp nearby, although located about a 1/2 kilometer away from my mobile in a setting not accessible to my mobile directly. Two trips from my mobile to my camp were required to move the necessary gear. Being I planned on possibly operating into the night, I had brought my 30 caliber power-pack into camp, along with several solar panels to keep the batteries charged. With more power available in my badlands camp, I would be able to power a small DC powered lantern that would help me find my way around my camp, as well as allowing me to read a book I brought along if the bands went south and I retreated to my tent for the night.

I had also brought my longbow and quiver with related equipment along into camp, allowing me to explore the area surrounding my camp. I do get much pleasure in exploring a new area with my bow in hand, and nearby to where I had chosen to set up my camp, I had noticed an interesting looking dry wash, with a fresh set of coyote tracks in the sandy bottom where there were small pockets of water the coyote had checked out, making it worth my while to checking it out further.

When I wasn't out looking exploring the area, over the course of the two days that I was away from home, and with the HF bands in reasonable shape, I spent an enjoyable time operating my mobile/portable field day station from the badlands located in the wilds of southeastern Alberta.

NOTE....all photos expand.

Ham Radio Ops In the Cold

2018-01-13T22:42:00.000-07:00

So a week later than I planned on, I finally made it out on to the ice of the Eastern Irrigation prairie reservoir that I had been wanting to visit for some time, the reservoir located northeast of Bassano Alberta. Once on the ice I planned on operating portable HF with my manpack that is equipped with a Yaesu FT-897D and a 10-40 meter MagLoop antenna. While operating on 20 meters and running some tests in regards to how the transceiver batteries survive in the cold, I also planned on doing some fishing through hard water, so I had my ice-fishing equipment along as well.

Earlier in the morning before leaving Calgary, I had checked on the forecast for the Bassano area, and found the temperature was sitting at -20 Celsius. As I cleared the outskirts of Calgary, the temperature on my truck thermometer was indicating -7 Celsius, but started falling as I headed east on the TransCanada highway.

Not taking any chances as to where the temperature might go, or if I ran in to problems, I had my truck loaded with the survival gear that I felt I should have with me, including my heavy winter sleeping bag, as you never know what could happen, and it is better to be prepared for the unexpected than not.

I enjoyed the drive east on highway 1 in the pre-dawn darkness, as I had good company along in the form of the radios mounted in the radio stack of my mobile, the transceivers tuned to the various frequencies of interest to me.

The temperatures over the last week had been recorded as low as -30 Celsius, making it too cold for either ice fishing or working HF with my manpack that I don't leave home without.
You could say...."what a pansy, what's a little cold if your dressed for it!"
Your right, what's a little cold if your dressed for it, and I have spent a lot of time tramping around in the winter when the temperature has been in the -30 Celsius range and colder.

Problem is that when it comes to operating an HF transceiver like the Yaesu FT-897D as seen in the photo, you need to have use of your fingers at times, and that means removing your mitts or gloves, and at that point one's fingers don't necessarily want to work properly for some reason!
Of course there are other challenges while operating HF with a portable setup such as I was using on this day, the batteries being the big one. During the time that I've been spending out in the extreme cold lately operating HF, I am finding that when it comes to the type of batteries that perform best at below freezing temperatures, the Metal Nickel Hydride (NiMH) batteries that are located in the battery tray of my 897D, are not the best choice for cold weather performance.

The batteries that were being subjected to the -17 Celsius temperatures on this day, and after several hours out on the ice, were complaining bitterly!
Of course its easy to figure out why when you do the research on the various types of batteries that you may find yourself using.
If you were to operate the FT-897D with the NiMH batteries at approximately -27 Celsius temperatures, the batteries lose 50% of their AH capacity decreasing the performance of the transceiver tremendously!

Interestingly enough, I also have an external battery pack for the FT-897D that contains gel batteries, and I find that the gel batteries perform better under similar extreme cold temperature operating conditions, when compared to the internal batteries located in the battery tray of the FT-897D, both types of battery packs identical in their AH ratings.

While experimenting with different ways of retaining the performance of the batteries under extreme cold conditions, I found an interesting way of keeping the external battery pack with its gel batteries performing the way I wished for. It was as simple as placing the battery pack inside one of my extra day-packs with a 1/2 doz chemical hand warmers that are activated. With the power cord routed through the partially open zipper of the day-pack, and connected up to the FT-897D, the performance increase on this -17 Celsius day was a joy to behold!

On the other hand, the lithium-ion battery packs being used with my DSLR camera bodies are proving to perform better than comparably sized NiMH batteries while being subjected to extreme cold temperatures for hours on end. Of course I don't think I'm prepared to pony up the price of lithium-ion battery packs that are capable of powering my FT-897D at this time.

Ice fishing has its challenges as well, as even with the temperatures that I was experiencing on this day, I was kept busy removing ice forming in the holes that I had cut through the ice, as the ice forming around the line, kept freezing the line in place, creating problems with strikes from fish.

When I needed a break from making contacts on 20 meters with my manpack, or possibly because I needed some hot liquids inside of me, I kept my pack stove handy for brewing a cup of tea that I laced with lots of milk and honey making for a delicious brew. Of course a cup of homemade soup hit the spot also!

All in all it was an interesting and fun day out playing radio on frozen water, and I again came away with good information in regards to operating portable radio under extreme conditions.

Far Shores

NOTE..... All photos expand.

Website..... www.jerryclement.ca

Sun Gets In Your Eyes

2017-12-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

So as you know, I spend a lot of time going down the road in my mobile, and having said that, I wear sunglasses a big part of the time.
In fact, at the moment I own and use two pair of sunglasses, and depending on my needs on the day I alternate between them, as they are not created equal for the reasons I'll get to later in this post.

Now for 40 years, or up until about 5 years ago, I wore prescription eye glasses for pretty much all of that time, I would also own a pair of prescription sunglasses at the same time, that I wore when required. So back about 5 years ago, I experienced a tear in the retina of my left eye. When that happened, I was fortunate on several fronts, the first being that the tear was not in the main sight line to the back of the eye, and 2nd the fact that one of the best Ophthalmologists in southern Alberta was able to repair the tear in the retina, restoring my eyesight to where it was before.
Now several years go by, and I noticed my eyesight in that same eye being degraded, and after a visit to my Ophthalmologist, he discovered that I had a cataract in that eye.
The cataract was more than likely caused when a laser was used to weld the tear in the retina in my left eye putting it back together. So I needed to have cataract surgery to remove the cataract, and because I had a -5 prescription, it was required that they do both eyes to balance them out.
By this I mean that the Ophthalmologist would replace the lens with the cataract with a lens that would give me 20/20 vision or very near. It wouldn't make no sense to not do both eyes because of this reason, as the right eye left alone with a -5 prescription, would create problems with depth perception.

So after making the choice as to what IOL (Intraocular lens) they would implant in each of my eyes, and having all the measurement's done in regards to the IOL's required, the Ophthalmologist would do the implant replacing the existing lens, one with a cataract and one without, it was done.
Well unbelievable to me, I ended up with 20/20 vision in both eyes, allowing me to get rid of prescription eyeglasses needed to correct my vision. For the first time since I was 12 years old I had perfect vision day or night. Better yet for the first time in 40 years I could buy sunglasses off of the rack!

Now back to where we get to discuss sunglasses, and I will not be giving you advise in the do's and don'ts when it comes to your eyes, however I speak from experience whit my own eyes and how important my vision is to me, as yours is to you I'm sure.
It wasn't all that many years ago that no one really though about the fact that cataracts could be caused by more than just getting old. In fact today they realize that a large part of the population could develop cataracts because of damage from Ultraviolet light, and today it is recommended that young children should be wearing sunglasses as soon as they'll keep them on their face. Good quality sunglasses will include UV protection, something to remember if you spend a lot of time outdoors, especially at higher elevations in the mountains where you especially need to protect your eyes from the more intense sun rays.

Now there is no such thing a pair of sunglasses that will cover it all, especially if you like myself enjoy photography. Most people that wear sunglasses will go for polarized sunglasses when making the choice, and added to that, they may pick different lens tints that run the gauntlet in regards to color.
In my case I run with a minimum of two pair of sunglasses, and depending on my needs at the moment, I reach for the pair required at that time. If I'm going down the road and playing radio with no thought of shooting photos, I prefer to wear a pair of polarized sunglasses with light brown tinted lens, that cuts down on the glare, and the brown color enhances the light when the seeing is not that great,
Now when I am involved in photography, and that may still be while going down the road, I wear my non-polarized sunglasses with photo-grey lens. The reason being is that the lens color is neutral, allowing you to see things as they appear when not wearing sunglasses, therefore I'm not fooled by the enhanced look of my brown tinted lens of my other pair, seeing potential photographs that really aren't as the scene appears in actuality.

The same reasons apply with the polarized lens, as depending on the amount of polarization that has been applied to the lens, colors around you can appear more saturated than they actually are, and the clouds appear more defined than they actually are, causing one to see the potential for creating a photograph that doesn't exist unless you edit the photograph in Photoshop.

If you look at the lead photograph at the top of this post, I shot it with a polarizer filter placed over the front element of the lens that not only enhanced the colors, but makes the clouds and the mountains appear more defined than they actually were by darkening the sky. If you have never used a polarizer filter with your favorite camera/lens combination before, be aware that adding a polarizer filter will only have an effect when the sun is very near 90 degrees (perpendicular) to the image being shot. Good polarizer accessory filters are adjustable in their mounts, allowing you to make adjustments for the amount of polarization you require in darkening skies, or removing glare from foliage amongst other things.

Unlike polarizer filters used in photography, polarized sunglasses are not adjustable, and if you are buying your first pair of polarized sunglasses, make comparisons between the different pairs, as sunglasses are not all created equal with the polarization effect more or less pronounced, depending on the quality of the sunglasses.
One last comment on the next pair of sunglasses you plan on purchasing, regardless of how they look, or what type of lens they come with, make sure the lens include UV protection which most quality sunglasses include.

Now you know the rest of the story.....Ummm where did I put my sunglasses, its time to hit the road.

Note.....all photos expand, and notice the fact that the sunglasses have various types of lens.
My website..... www.jerryclement.ca

Takedown Magnetic Loop Antenna

2017-10-05T05:14:00.000-06:00

Over the past couple of years, it seemed like every time I opened a ham radio publication, or found myself working the bands, someone was either talking about a magnetic loop antenna that he or she had just acquired, or was building, or.....well you get it, there seems to be a lot of interest in MLA antennas. So with that, I thought that maybe it was time that I built an MLA to see what all the hype was about.

It was a given that the MLA that I would build would have to be capable of being quickly assembled or dismantled, as I knew that a TD-MLA would be the perfect antenna for my Manpack that includes the Yaesu FT-897D running on internal batteries.
Because the FT-897D running on internal batteries is limited to 20 watts out, and after doing research as to what was available for a variable capacitor in the marketplace that would suite my needs, I found a split stator style air variable capacitor rated 12.5 pF - 432 pF per section, and rated for 25 watts out and ordered it up. This variable capacitor has a geared 6-1 front end making for very fine adjustments when tuning my take-down MLA built for the bands of 10 through 40 meters.

Because the primary loop had to break down for storage, I put some thought into how I could build it from aluminum, and be able to dismantle the loop for storage in the storage bag included with the manpack. I constructed the primary loop using thin-wall hi-tensile 3/4" OD aluminum tubing, and once I had the 36" loop formed, I then divided the loop off into 12" segments. With a tubing cutter, I separated all the segments from the loop, ending up with nine 12" segments, 4 matching segments on each side, and one unique segment for the top of the loop. I then inserted a 2" thin-walled aluminum insert into one end of each loop segment as joiners for assembling the loop. These inserts are held in each loop segment by tig-welding them in place. Each segment then was modified for keying to one another, allowing for quick assembly and disassembly with just one's hands, no tools necessary.

The feed loop where the SO-239 connector resides for the transceiver to connect up to, is constructed from 1/8" x 3/4" flat bar-stock 6061 aluminum, and this also was by design so that when assembled the mast and the feed loop along with the control housing become a ridged assembly to which the main loop mounts to and holds its form.
It should be mentioned that loop balance is important, as any electrical imbalance will result in common mode currents flowing on the braid of the coax that will mess up the radiation pattern of the MLA. I wound a common mode choke and placed it at the feed point of the small loop to prevent this from potentially happening.

Of course it goes without saying that there were a lot of one off parts built in my workshop, like the component you see that resides at the very top of the feed loop that was formed from Delrin, and has a precision sized slot cut into it at the top, that the primary loop drops in to upon assembly of the TD-MLA.
It also was by design that all the antenna components measure 12" or less when disassembled, so that they would readily fit in the storage bag that resides on the frame of my manpack.

The mast components were formed from non-conductive composite materials, with the mast joiners made from white Delrin round stock. The enclosure that the air variable capacitor mounts in is made from a heavy duty non conductive composite material. Also mounted in this enclosure are the two SO-239 panel mount connectors that the primary loop fastens to upon assembly of the TD-MLA.

I have to say that upon finishing the building of this TD-MLA and once I had it connected up to the transceiver and on the air, I was very impressed with how quickly I was able to tune in a station, and how well the MLA was hearing and receiving stations on the band (20 meters).
Initially it was as simple as choosing a frequency, then turning the tuning knob of the variable capacitor until the receive signal was at its strongest on the S meter of the transceiver. With a few watts output, it was simple to quickly tweak the variable capacitor knob while watching the SWR meter on the display of the FT897D, adjusting it to its lowest reading. I should add that I used my antenna analyzer to make the initial adjustments required to the MLA, but for the most part, the antenna was perfect from the start.

My first contact was with a station in Oklahoma who was talking to another station in upstate New York, and after asking for a break I was immediately acknowledged. After establishing where I was located and considering I was being heard off of the side of his beam, I received a good report.

I found it interesting that stations I was hearing from across the US, I could maximize the receive signal by rotating the mast of the MLA and watching the S meter on the transceiver, as the antenna is vertically polarized and has fairly sharp nulls along the axis of the loop, with the radiation pattern peaks lying in the plane of the loop. Yet it made no difference on DX stations that I was receiving from countries in Europe when I rotated the MLA, as they were equally strong regardless as to what direction I pointed the loop. I understand based on the research I've done on magnetic loop antennas, that this is a characteristic of MLA's.

Although I haven't spent a lot of time running tests with the MLA, at this point I must say that I'm impressed with the performance of my newly constructed Takedown Magnetic Loop Antenna, and it will be my favorite manpack antenna for the foreseeable future.

Note....all photos expand
website.... www.jerryclement.ca

Band Spanning The Globe

2017-07-13T05:21:00.000-06:00

Although sunrise saw the sun climbing through what should have been a clear sky an hour earlier, I wasn't able to see the sun in the sky for another hour because of the smoke hanging in the air.
The smell of smoke had me glancing around on occasion, thinking that there must be a forest fire burning nearby.

In actuality the smoke had moved in over night from the dozens of wildfires burning in British Columbia, including a 4,200-hectare blaze near Cache Creek. The fires have displaced thousands of

people across the B.C interior since their beginning's this past week.
Here in southern Alberta after a week of above normal temperatures, a cold front had pushed through the province, leaving us with cooler than normal temperatures, that included several days of rainy weather.
Late yesterday afternoon the weather had cleared, and I knew that morning would bring clearing skies, giving me the perfect opportunity to head on out for a day in the Rockies. With my manpack loaded in my mobile, I headed west, with my destination being the end of the road 50 kilometers west of Turner Valley AB, where Junction creek joins up with the Sheep River. Once there, I would ford the Sheep river and hike up to a high meadow that I'd explored previously, this meadow overlooking the front ranges of the Rockies.

Of course I had another reason to make the hike, as besides the 10-60 meter vertical
antenna that I normally use with my FT-897D, I also had brought along my recently acquired Webster Band Spanner 10-75 meter antenna that dates back to the 1950's and 60's.
Now I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that I'll bet that no one has used a Webster Band Spanner on anything other than a mobile, the original purpose this antenna designed and built by the Webster manufacturing company of San Francisco was meant for. In fact the manual that came with the antenna, has a photo on the cover of the manual, showing a WBS mounted on the rear bumper of a 1961 Chevrolet Corvair, how cool is that!

Since acquiring the antenna, and having mounted it on my mobile where I'd operated it over the course of a week or so while running tests with it, the idea was to see how it compared with todays mobile antennas, and in particular the gearmotor antenna that I designed and built and normally is used on my mobile. As expected I discovered that although the WBS proved to be close in performance on the higher bands that included 10-20 meters, the WBS was not as capable when it came to the lower bands of 40-80 meters. Of course this was to be expected with its smaller diameter less efficient coil.

Still it was refreshing to work the bands from my mobile with this very cool new/old stock mobile antenna built by the Webster Company in the 1950's, that some describe as being the first screwdriver antenna. While I had been switching antennas back and forth on the back of my mobile, it dawned on me that it might be fun to run some tests with the WBS mounted on my manpack, and I had done exactly that, finding that the WBS proved to be a great addition to my normally used 10-60 meter vertical antenna.
This was some of the thoughts coursing through my mind as I made the hike up to the mountain meadow located about 2 kilometers from where I had left my mobile. Since I go no where without my camera, I stopped several times for photos, this proving to be the break I needed to catch my breath from the mostly uphill although gradual hike to the meadow.

If you are not familiar with the Webster Band-spanner, it is a center loaded antenna with the loading coil wound directly on the fiberglass support column. A circular contactor attached to the lower end of whip establishes internal electrical contact with desired loading coil turn.

This continuous adjustment permits exact antenna resonance to be achieved anywhere within a given band, minimizing loading problems and band switching. The antenna is designed for 5 band operation, covering 75-40-20-15-10 meter bands (also MARS frequencies), with no external taps or projections. Band changes are simple, the whip is raised or lowered to a pre-calibrated setting corresponding to the selected band. This type of continuous adjustment permits exact antenna resonance to be achieved anywhere within a given band. The antenna is very well built, with the coil section epoxy sealed. The whip can be pushed down into the bottom column for clearance or storage if the antenna is not being used.

Once I arrived at the meadow overlooking a very smoky landscape, I quickly off loaded my pack, and with the WBS all ready mounted in place on the coaxial junction box that is normally used with my 10-60 meter vertical antenna, as both antennas are terminated with 3/8'x24 tpi threaded studs, all that was required was to find a level spot to set up on, and then plug the mic in, turn on the rig, and check the bands for any activity. With nothing much happening on 20 meters, I re-positioned the whip by moving it to the 40 meter position of the WBS, and was relieved to find some activity allowing me to make several contacts with hams located in the US.

When I first set up and checked 40 meters, I thought that possibly I would find activity related to what was happening in the BC interior with the wildfires, but never did hear anyone to the west over in BC, although I should have been able to work them if I had heard anything. Before leaving home I had checked on information, but I hadn't been able to find any information as to whether or not there was a command center located in the area of the wildfires. So possibly if there was emergency communications being provided by local hams on the ground, it may have been happening on the VHF repeater system, of which several there are several located in the area of the wildfires.

Still, my time spent hanging out in this beautiful high mountain meadow was not wasted, as I am pleased with how well the Webster Band Spanner connected up to the FT-897D mounted on my manpack performs. The Webster Company would have been pleased to know that their state of the art 1950's (at the time) HF antenna is more than up to the task of working the world in 2017, as part of a portable station located on the side of a mountain in the southern Alberta Rockies.

NOTE..... all photos expand

Ham Radio Operations

2017-06-13T22:57:00.002-06:00

With the majority of the winter gates located on the various backroads and highways throughout Kananaskis Country now open for the summer driving season, I had the itch to saddle up my truck and head out that way.

Of course the forecast wasn't looking all that great for later in the day, but I figured if I got moving early enough, I could make the drive south down to Williams Coulee located west of Nanton just off highway 2 south of Calgary, and from there drive the Williams Coulee road west over to highway 22, then drive south on highway 22 till I picked up highway 532 located on the north end of Chain Lakes, and from there I would drive west through the Willow Creek valley before arriving at the Hump located in Kananskis Country.
I planned on leaving my truck parked there while I made the hike up to the ridge that overlooks the Hump as well as a 100 kilometers or more out over the eastern plains of southern Alberta.
This ridge with its rocky outcropping located at an elevation of 7000 feet above sea level would be the perfect place to set up with my manpack and make some contacts on the HF bands. If you are not familiar with the manpack that I put together some months ago, you can read my review on it by opening one of my previous blog posts titled "Manpack Communication Systems".

With all the gear that I was going to take with me piled by the door to the garage, I was loaded and out the door before 5:30am, on what was shaping up to be a beautiful morning for the drive down to "the Hump" the nick-name given to the summit of the Willow Creek road (highway 532) that connects highway 22 south of Longview Alberta to highway 940 (forestry trunk road) south of Highwood House to the north.

I have mentioned Kananaskis Country before, but just to refresh your memory, Kananaskis Country is situated to the west of Calgary and lies up against the front ranges of the southern Alberta Rockies. Kananaskis Country was established in 1978, and covers an area 4000 square kilometers in size that lies against Banff park on its northwestern border. Once you visit this area with its magnificent ranges and valleys, the endless forests and rushing waters, the abundant wildlife, you will want to return again and again as I have done hundreds of times since first visiting the area in 1971.

The drive proved to be everything that I expected it to be on a morning with never ending blue skies not yet marred by the rain clouds scheduled to move in later on in the day. Once I reached Williams Coulee, and knowing that there would be photos to be shot both of the landscape and the wildlife within it, I kept my camera close at hand as I drove west on the coulee road making stops as required to capture images that were pleasing to me, some of which consisted of wildlife, the landscape, and on occasion the picturesque ranches dotting the landscape with commanding views of the Rockies to the west. Many of these ranches are steeped in history going back 120 years or more, before Alberta was yet a province but part of the Northwest territories.

Arriving at the start of the Willow Creek road (highway 532) I noted a sign that said there were logging activities happening further west on the forestry trunk road, and anyone travelling on the Willow Creek road should be aware that meeting logging trucks could be a possibility. I also took the time to program in the VHF frequency 162.610 Mhz into my radio, the frequency to monitor for information and warnings as to where the logging trucks were located between mile marker 1 and mile marker 25, the location of the forestry trunk road. The drive through the Willow Creek valley proved to be uneventful as far as meeting logging trucks went, and upon reaching the top of the switchback that tops out at the summit of the Hump just through the gap in the rocks on either side of the road, I pulled my truck over and parked.

With my manpack loaded, I headed up the slope bordering a small lake just off of the road that still had lingering snow in the shadows (left over from a recent system that had passed through the area), and immediately felt the winds spilling over the ridge that I was following from the southeast. I wasn't surprised, as in all the times I've been up here, the wind is a constant that you have to deal with. As I hiked up to the outcropping marking the ridge located a 1/2 kilometer away, and 400 feet in elevation above the road where my truck was parked, I was keeping an eye on the skies, as the clouds had been forming up for the past hour coming in up wind from the northwest, and in my mind a sure indication of rain arriving soon.

Once I reached the outcropping marking the ridge, I off-loaded my manpack and began assembling my 10-60 meter vertical antenna. With the antenna assembled, and in place on my manpack with 20 meters chosen to operate on, I turned on the FT-897 and began spinning the VFO looking for activity. Very shortly I made my first contact followed by a second, followed by a 1/2 hour of good operating conditions on 20 meters.

I had also brought along my 2 meter take-down yagi, as I had been notified through an email that stated Lewis VE6LEW, and Ken VE6AGR were planning on a SOTA activation in the area west of Longview located to the northeast of my location, and that they would be calling on 146.520 Mhz, and 14.300 Mhz, both frequencies I would monitor and give a call on from time to time, although I never did work them, possibly because they didn't make the hike in happen due to the incoming weather.

After an hour on the ridge, and the wind increasing in force as the clouds became more ominous, I decide it was time to pack up and head back down to my truck. Once I arrived back at my truck, I headed west picking up secondary highway 940 north (forestry trunk road). I drove the 35 kilometers to the Highwood House junction before turning east on to secondary highway 546 located in the Highwood Valley west of Longview, a 45 kilometer drive through some of most beautiful and scenic country in southern Alberta. The skies obscured with rain laden clouds that had become more threatening throughout the morning, finally opened up with rain spattering on my windshield and increasing in intensity as I drove east towards home.

In actuality I enjoyed the drive through the rain as I played back my morning spent in Kananaskis Country, exploring, photographing, and playing radio.
Does it get any better....I was already planning my return to the headwaters of the Oldman and Livingston rivers located in the Livingston range of the southern Alberta Rockies, where fly-fishing these pristine waters would be the order of the day.

NOTE.....all photos expand

Portable HF Operations

2017-05-04T20:42:00.000-06:00

Place a mark on the calendar, as yesterday (May 3rd) was the first day of 2017 that the temperature reached 20 degrees Celsius in southern Alberta. With that in mind, and with today's forecast calling for 26 Celsius, I thought maybe it was time for me to check out what was happening in the Rockies to the west, and possibly do some portable HF operating with the use of my manpack.

I hadn't been out that way in a while, as the last time I was out, everything was still in the clutches of old man winter, although spring time conditions were in play to the east out on the plains.

By now I figured the snow would have receded, although it will be June until the high-country sheds its snow, with the runoff causing all the creeks and streams to rise and turn muddy, causing fly-fisherman to wring their hands while gnashing their teeth, and all the while awaiting the water to go down and clear, allowing the new fishing season to begin on the streams and rivers located along the eastern slope of the Rockies.
Of course that wouldn't happen for a while yet, so today I thought maybe it would be a good day to check out one of the trails that I thought maybe would be in good enough shape, to allow me to hike up to a ridge where I would set up my portable manpack and maybe work a few contacts on the bands.

The drive out to the area of Kananaskis country that I had in mind, proved to be pleasing enough as I did make several stops for photo-ops that presented themselves while I drove a meandering route towards my destination on the day. I also managed to make a few contacts on 40 meters from my mobile with the band not in to bad of shape, and I hoped it would continue over the course of the morning when I would have reached the ridge where I would try to work both 17 and 20 meters.

Once I arrived to where I planned on leaving my mobile, I pulled it off of the road and parked it in what passed for a ditch bordering the backroad. I then moved my manpack from the backseat area of my mobile to the open cargo bay, where I loaded the rest of the gear required for my morning outing away from my mobile. Once I was satisfied that I had everything loaded in my pack, and I'd made sure my Kenwood TM-D710A mounted in the radio-stack of my mobile was set as a fill-in-digi, as well as checking on the settings of my Kenwood D72, making sure it was beaconing my position, I headed up the trail leading to the ridge located approximately 2 kilometers away from my mobile.

I was pleased to find the trail leading up to the ridge to be in good condition other than a few wet spots where the snow had lingered longer before melting due to shading from the sun because of pine trees lining those areas of the trail. As I continued along, I made a few stops for photos that made it necessary to set my pack down, allowing me to retrieve my camera that I had in a small camera pack, and lashed to the top of my manpack transceiver.

About an hour in to the hike I arrived at the ridge where I off-loaded my pack, and after selecting a likely looking spot that was reasonably level, I began setting up, first by assembling my 10-60 meter antenna that only takes about 2 minutes to accomplish. I laid it down on the ground while I then set up my manpack on a level piece of ground, that allowed the antenna mount to be perpendicular to the ground. I accomplish this with the use of a small bubble level that I always carry in the pack for this purpose. With the antenna mount on the pack leveled, I then mounted the antenna in place on the manpack frame, a simple procedure requiring no tools. The next step was to connect up the coax to the SO-239 connector that is located on the coaxial junction box situated at the bottom end of the mast and mounted in place on the frame of the pack. The length of coax always left connected to the Yaesu FT-897ND is approximately 3' in length, and stores nicely on the packframe when not in use.
With everything ready to go, I turned on the transceiver to find the bands alive with good strong signals being received on 20 meters from across the US as well as further south into Mexico and South America. I no sooner began operating and making a few contacts , when the wind came up and was threatening to tip my pack over, not unexpected considering that the tip of the antenna stands 21'-24 feet above the ground, depending how I set the antenna up, and when the wind blows, it catches the wind quite nicely.

However the wind was not going to be a factor for long, as I had though this through when I first designed and built the manpack, and knowing that the wind could possibly create problems when operating, I had devised a method of getting around the problem. Now I could have simply made up guy-lines allowing me to guy the antenna when the wind came up, however not wanting to be dodging guy lines surrounding the manpack, I had decided that I would make up short guys using high-tensile tent pegs attached to short lengths of 550 paracord, that allowed for attaching to the pack frame near the bottom.
If you expand the photos, in particular the ones showing the pack close up, you can see the guys attached to the frame and pegged to the ground. This works very well, and even with strong winds moving the antenna around up top, the pack does not move, but holds the antenna securely while operating with the wind blowing as it was on this morning.

Over the course of the next hour I made many contacts, the majority giving me good reports as to my received signal on their end. The batteries located in the battery tray of the FT-897ND had been fully charged when I first turned the rig on, the initial voltage reading 13.1 volts. After an hour of operating with 20 watts out, the voltage was still indicating 12.4 volts.

After a couple of hours I decided to shut down, as conditions on the band had deteriorated to the point that I was no longer being heard. Still, it had been fun, with many contacts in the log. After packing up, I headed back down the trail to my waiting mobile and home, after a most enjoyable day operating portable HF along the eastern slope of the southern Alberta Rockies.

NOTE....all photos expand

Portable HF Operations Under Adverse Conditions

2017-04-21T21:15:00.000-06:00

The Drive

With spring like weather happening for the past several weeks, and having been waiting to take a drive west along highway 66 that's leads to the end of the road west of Bragg Creek Alberta, today was that day to make it happen.

I had actually been waiting for the snow to have resided somewhat in the high-country, and although I had enjoyed the outings that I took over the winter, I was looking forward to getting out and operating with the portable manpack that I had designed and built back several months ago. Of course I managed to pick a day that had light rain coming down in the city when I backed off of my driveway earlier in the morning. I knew that snow in the high country was a possibility, and it made no never-mind, as I was headed out regardless of the weather.

With my manpack loaded in my mobile, a stop made for a cup of tea, part of my morning ritual, I pointed my mobile south, driving a meandering route consisting of a 60 kilometer looping continuous curve to the right, picking up highway 66 just south of the hamlet of Bragg Creek. Unlike the more famous Route 66 that traverses the US, this highway 66 located in Kananaskis Country part of the southern Alberta Rockies, is only 28 km (17 mi) in length from beginning to end.

My destination on this morning, at least as far as I planned on driving my mobile, was Elbow Falls located on the Elbow River that flows out of the Rockies, where the Elbow river has its beginnings at Elbow Lake located 12 kilometers further west just off of highway 40 in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, also located in Kananaskis Country near the border with British Columbia. I have visited Elbow Lake many times in the past, including camping in the back-country campground located on the west side of the lake. Being a hike in destination, you will be packing your gear with you, having left your vehicle parked at the staging area located just off of highway 40 south of Kananaskis Lakes. Of course you can also hike in to Elbow Lake from the Little Elbow Recreation Area at the end of highway 66 if that is more to your liking.

Before leaving home, and knowing that I would be making the hike in to my operating location several kilometers from the trailhead at Elbow Falls, I had made the decision to only take one camera body and lens along with a light-weight tripod, as I would have a load as it was, what with the manpack that my radio gear consisted of also needing to be packed in. As far as the weather and photography, I wasn't concerned, as I discovered many years ago that some of the best photos that a person can shoot is when the weather gets bad, like when there are clouds, rain, or storms, it’s not time to put your camera bag back in the closet.

Some of your most dramatic shots can come from bad weather. Don’t let the rain or wind ruin your day; get out and shoot photos. We tend to think of stormy days as no good for photography. Sometimes that's the case. But a foggy, light-rain day can be fabulous, with delicate pastel tones and bejeweled plants. There are some technical challenges: wet equipment that must be somehow kept dry, plus low light levels to deal with.

Also remember that if you try to meter a landscape with lots of rainy-day sky, the white of the clouds will throw off your exposure and you'll have a foreground that's way too dark and lacking in detail because there's no sun to add a three-dimensional effect.
One of the neat things about rain filled skies, all that water cascading down off of hillsides creates miniature waterfalls, that take on a gossamer texture when photographed at 1/2 or 1 second exposure. Of course you can accomplish the same thing with any flowing water by setting the shutter speed for a 1/4 second or slower exposure.

If your wondering how to keep your camera dry while out in the elements, and your camera is not of the waterproof variety, there are a number of things that can work. Keep your camera inside your jacket to protect it during a downpour, and for added protection, use a plastic bag to waterproof your camera. Just cut a hole for your lens to poke through. A UV filter screwed in place on the lens, as well as a lens-hood will help keep water away from the front element of the lens as well. Keep a soft, clean cloth handy to wipe water droplets off the camera when required

Although the camera that I had with me is supposedly waterproof, I still manage to expose my camera to a lot of rain on occasion, and I keep a towel handy for mopping the water off from time to time. However I may not be the best role model, as over the years I have had cameras that did not like getting wet and I have had to get them serviced. Of course dropping one in a river once did it absolutely no good. So protect your camera, seldom is one shot worth the price of your favorite camera and lens!
Once I had arrived at the trailhead located at Elbow Falls, and with my gear loaded in my pack along with the other necessities, I headed down the trail that followed the river in a southwesterly direction, with stops made along the way to capture photos that I couldn't pass up on. Of course that entailed removing my pack each time, but the effort being worth it, I didn't mind. Beside what was to mind with stunning scenery to be photographed in all directions.
Once I arrived at the location that I'd last hiked through back a year or so ago, and promised myself to return, I found a likely looking boulder bordering the stream, that proved perfect to set my manpack on, and in short order I was up and operational with the tip of my vertical 10-60 meter vertical scraping the low cloud cover!
With the bands not in all that great of shape, I still managed to make a number of contacts on 17 and 20 meters, making the hike in worth the effort on what turned out to be a fun day playing radio and photographing in the high country, and even taking the time to brew a cup of tea on occasion.

NOTE....all photos expand.

HF Mobile Antenna Installs

2017-04-08T18:00:00.000-06:00

If you have recently installed an HF rig in your mobile along with an antenna or are planning to, it is important that you realize that the antenna is only one half of a dipole, and in the case of a mobile antenna the missing half is the vehicle and its capacitance to the ground under the vehicle.

The single biggest factor with respect to efficiency for any mobile and especially on 40 and 80 meters is ground loss, so maximizing this half of the antenna system is essential, and this is accomplished through bonding.
After finishing the install, you possibly have found out that you are experiencing engine noise on the receive side of your transceiver.
You will find that you can eliminate a lot of the noise with the use of ground straps to bond the various panels that make up the body of your mobile.
Besides the various body panels that you will want to bond, the biggest culprit of noise generation in a vehicle may be the exhaust system.

The majority of vehicles have injectors and spark plug coils in place for each cylinder. These devices can create substantial pulses on the vehicle wiring acting against the ground system. Engine blocks often have a poor ground, so anything attached to them can radiate noise. The exhaust system is directly bolted to the engine and can behave just like an antenna, radiating noise.
After initially installing the HF gear in my mobile, I found that I was experiencing some engine noise.
I was sure that grounding the exhaust system would rid me of the some of my problem with noise, and this proved to be the source of the noise that I was experiencing in the receive side of my HF rig.
I installed a U-clamp around the exhaust-pipe at the rear of my mobile, and then fastened a flat-braid ground strap between the U-Clamp and the frame. I installed another U-Clamp and ground strap at the engine end of the exhaust system as well. This proved to be where the noise was being generated, and I now have a noise free receiver.

For any bonding you do to your mobile, it is important that you use flat braided straps and not round wire for bonding, as RF travels on the surface rather than through the wire, therefore flat braid has

more current carrying capacity due to its larger flat surface.
Another way although not as simple to install, is the use of wide flat copper flashing like a friend of mine used for bonding his mobile.
It is important that you keep all of the ground straps as short as possible, and if you cannot use existing body fasteners, do take care when drilling holes in the body, so that you do not drill in-to any existing electrical harnesses that may not be visible.
I used quality stainless steel fasteners along with stainless steel serrated washers for attaching the ground straps throughout my mobile.

Something else I will discuss in regards to the install of an HF antenna on your mobile, is the fact that no matter how carefully you have planned the install of the antenna, and the route you took to run the coax from the antenna to the transceiver, you will more than likely suffer from common mode currents travelling on the outer shield of the coax. This is especially a problem with poorly mounted antennas, whether it be through the mounting of your favorite antenna like the very popular Little Tarheel screwdriver or the Yaesu Atas 120 antenna on a lip-mount fastened to the trunk lid with set-screws, or up front of the vehicle with a L-bracket fastened to the inner fender with sheet-metal screws. As the set screws or the sheet metal screws loosen off due to movement of the antenna, its a given that you will suffer excessive ground losses leading to RFI problems.

So even if you take the time to design and build a very good mount that is capable of with-standing the stress placed upon it by your HF antenna and is very securely mounted, it is in your best interest to add a choke at the feed-point of the antenna.
You can easily accomplish this through the use of a mix-31 ferrite split-bead placed over the coax preventing RF from flowing on the outside of the shield.
Mix-31 ferrite beads have a high permeability and work best for frequencies below 30 MHz as opposed to mix-43 ferrite beads that have a lower permeability and work best at frequencies above 30 MHz. I don't have the space here to discuss how ferrite works, so I'll save that topic for another day, but what ferrite will do for our application is to stop common mode currents from flowing on the shield causing RFI issues, but allowing current to flow through the center conductor as required.

To assemble the choke you need to coil 6 turns approximately five to six inch's in the coax at the feedpoint of the antenna, and then snap a Mix-31 split-bead over the 6 turns of coax.
Now you may be asking where you can purchase ferrite split-beads and what size you require to build this choke. I have found DX Engineering to be a good source of ferrite split-beads. You will want to purchase Mix-31 split-beads with a 3/4" ID. This size will nicely snap over 6 turns of RG-8X coax.
Remember a split bead snapped over a single run of coax is useless, you need to snap one split bead over 6 turns of coax for the choke to be effective in stopping common mode currents from flowing on the shield.
You will want to use the same type mix 31 split beads for the screwdriver motor control leads as well, as this is another area where common mode currents can flow on the power leads causing all kinds of RFI issues at your radio stack that includes causing damage to the digital screwdriver controller you may be using. Wind 6 tightly wound turns of the power cable through and around a single mix-31 split bead. This bead can be of a smaller diameter that the 3/4" bead you used for the coax. I used a bead with a 5/8" ID on my mobile for this purpose. Do not just wind the power cable through the split bead haphazardly, but keep the turns wound side by side evenly through and around the split bead for maximum effectiveness in stopping RFI issues.
So that's all for now, and if you want to learn more about going HF mobile, visit my website here....
www.jerryclement.ca

Note...all the photos expand by clicking on them.

Emergency Preparedness On The Road

2016-11-29T19:30:00.000-07:00

With the month of November winding down, I knew it was time to take a drive through Kananaskis Country located in the southern Alberta Rockies, and in particular over the Highwood Pass before the winter gates located at either end were locked down for the winter on December 1st.

It seems to have become a tradition for me to do this, and I have lost count how many times I have made the drive from Calgary through the Highwood Pass at this time of the year. Of course I had another reason to visit the Highwood Pass, as I had it on good authority that there had been Ptarmigan spotted in the area surrounding the pass recently, a popular staging area with hikers in the summer, and back-country skiers and snowshoers at this time of the year.

One of the most popular trails in Kananaskis Country is the Ptarmigan Cirque trail located higher up above the Highwood Pass. I have hiked the cirque many times with my family in the past, and although the landscape in the cirque is quite stark, the views are superb and the hike may be one of the most popular in Kananaskis Country.

Of course it goes without saying that when I head down the road, I have my mobile loaded with all the essentials to keep me safe while visiting less populated areas such as the mountain parks at this time of the year. If it is required that I spend the night away from home for whatever the situation, I am prepared, as I carry all the required gear that will keep me safe if I become stranded.
If you have visited my website, and in particular my VE6AB ham radio galleries, you know that I have written about what you should have available to keep you and your family safe when a natural disaster or some other emergency should occur.

Besides a very well equipped survival kit, I also have my go-kit (72 hr. kit) with me whenever I am away from home. If your not familiar with a 72 hour kit, it allows you to evacuate quickly if a emergency or disaster should strike. It is therefore prudent to gather all of the materials and supplies that might be required to do this into a single place, such as my go-kit described here.

The recommendation that a emergency go-kit contain enough supplies for seventy-two hours arises from advice from organizations responsible for disaster relief and management that it may take them up to seventy-two hours to reach people affected by a disaster and offer help. The kit contents may vary according to the region of the user, as someone evacuating from the path of a hurricane may have different supplies from someone who lives in an area prone to tornadoes, wildfires, or blizzards that may occur throughout our winter months.
The suggested contents of a emergency go-kit vary, but the following essentials are included in my go-kit, although there is more that I carry in my mobile, not listed here, although what I have listed would serve you well in any emergency situation.

So here are what I feel are the essentials....enough food and water to last for 72 hours. This includes water for washing, drinking and cooking. The recommendation is for 2 to 3 litres per person per day for drinking plus an additional 2 litres per person per day for cleaning and hygiene (I use a 10 liter Scepter military water can for my needs).
Non-perishable food
Water purification supplies, such as a water filter pump included in my go-kit ( I also carry Iodine tablets as a back-up to my water filtration pump.)
Cooking supplies ( I have several choices for stoves, gas powered and otherwise)
A first aid kit ( choose the size required for your group )
Enough medicine to last an extended evacuation period.
Fire starting tool ( matches, ferrocerium rod, lighter, etc.)
Map and compass, with travel information ( a gps receiver is nice, but back it up with a compass and map.)
Weather appropriate clothing ( parka, headwear, gloves, winter boots, etc.)
Bedding items such as sleeping bags ( bags rated for at least -25C if you are travelling in the winter months in Alberta.)
Battery or crank-operated radio ( also, if a ham, a full compliment of ham gear )
Lighting (battery or crank operated flashlight, glow sticks)
Cash and change, as electronic banking transactions may not be available during the initial period following an emergency or evacuation
Positive identification, such as drivers license, a birth certificate and/or passport.
Fixed-blade and folding knife, as well as a camp hatchet or small axe.
Duct tape and rope/paracord
Wire for binding and repairing things
Plastic tarps for shelter and water collection
I could make due for several weeks or longer with my go-kit, and indefinitely with a extra 20 minutes of preparation before heading out. I always keep my go-kit in my vehicle, so that I have it along with me for the times that it may be required.
I also carry food-stuff in my go-kit, and stored in a military waterproof container as shown in the photos, and in the winter months such as now, a full complement of clothing required for survival when the unexpected happens and your stranded. I also carry a combination folding shovel/pick axe, as well as a snow shovel that packs away until needed, and a snow saw for building snow shelters.

If your someone new to assembling your first emergency go-kit, it can seem like a arduous task. Everybody you read about has been tweaking theirs for months or even years and has built up a pile of gear. It may be hard for you to know where to start, but if you cover all of the basics with a go-box such as the one I have described here, you will still be much better off while out and about, than 99% of the people out there.

I have other options available to me while going down the road that can help me or others out in an emergency, or while connecting from a remote location. Some of these options stored in my mobile include multiple AGM batteries, several solar panels, remote 12 VDC power-pack, 25' push-up mast with antennas, various transceivers including VHF APRS and HF APRS capability that on this day were keeping me connected to the APRS Network and on the map, while all the while, my cell-phone had no service.

So bottom line is, when you plan on travelling down roads less travelled, don't leave home un-prepared, but be prepared should the un-expected arise.

NOTE....all the photos expand
My website..... www.jerryclement.ca

HFpack - On The Air

2016-08-26T21:36:00.000-06:00

With the days getting shorter as we move forward towards fall, I have been finding it easy to beat the sun out of bed in the morning, although getting up has never been a problem for me, what with my days starting at 5am on most mornings.

I have loved early mornings going back to my childhood, and long before I had even begun my schooling at the age of six.
Even through my teenage years and in to my twenties while living in Calgary, myself and friends could be out most of the night, and while everyone slept in, I would be gone fly-fishing on one of my favorite trout streams located along the eastern slope of the southern Alberta Rockies.

Well that's enough rambling on that subject, I know....you get it....I get out of bed in the morning, the earlier the better!

On this morning, and long before sunrise, I was backing off my driveway with my destination on the day being the Hump (local name given this very distinctive looking geographical pass - my truck lies within it) that lies on the southern slopes of Hailstone Butte located just north of secondary highway 532 in Kananaskis Country, part of the southern Alberta Rockies.
The Hump has an elevation of 6600' with the summit of Hailstone Butte another 700' higher.
My plan was to park my mobile at the small lake that lies beside the summit pass of the Hump, and once I arrived, I would hike up to a ridge located just south and approximately another 200 meters above where I would leave my mobile parked a 1/2 kilometer away.
Of course my quest on the day was to set up and operate my portable HF station that I had loaded in the cargo bay of my mobile before leaving home.

Now I was planning on operating a minimalist station, so needless to say I planned on taking only what it took to get on the air without weighting myself down with unnecessary gear.
That meant that I was taking my 10-60 meter vertical antenna, my Yaesu FT-897D with its internal battery packs, the MFJ tripod I recently made a number of modifications to, and a big part of the reason why this trip was taking place, as I wanted to see how the tripod would handle the winds that tend to funnel through the area where I would be operating from.

Upon arriving and once I was ready to hike up to the ridge, I couldn't help but notice the lack of wind, and this was a surprise as normally the wind seems to never stop when I'm out this way. Still, I wasn't totally heart-broken, as I liked the idea of no wind on such a beautiful morning as I hiked along the lower slope I was on leading to the ridge visible in the distance.
30 minutes later with a couple of stops for photographs, I arrived at the ridge that I had scouted out earlier in the spring while snow still lie in patches on the ground. I had promised myself then to return and operate my HF portable station from this ridge that looks out onto the southern Alberta plains, with stunning views to the horizon a 100 kilometers in the distance.

As soon as I arrived, I dropped my gear and began setting up. In no time I had the tripod levelled off, and soon thereafter I had my antenna assembled and mounted in place on the MFJ tripod that I had made modifications too several days back.
The modifications included cutting down the center section and discarding the telescopic pole and plastic mounting hardware.
I then make up a new adapter for the top of the tripod especially made to fit the 10-60 meter vertical antenna. This improved the rigidity of the tripod tremendously.
I also made up inserts for the legs of the tripod that allows for leveling off the tripod on uneven ground, therefore allowing the antenna to stand straight.
Metal eyelets were installed on all 3 legs (at the foot of each), allowing the tripod to be anchored to the ground if necessary due to the wind blowing (well not today!).
I also installed a grounding lug at the bottom of the center column for attaching the antenna ground radials to the tripod.
With my portable station operational, and looking to the east, although somewhat hazy on this morning, the southern Alberta plains visible out to the horizon were memorizing as I spun the dial, and on occasion making calls.
Conditions on 40 meters weren't great by any means, but they were sufficient that I was being heard and logged a number of contacts that included Dar W6IO in Shingleton California, and you can listen to the audio of that contact in the audio file below this post.

On this morning, I had my FT-897D running on its internal battery pack, limiting the power out to 20 watts. If I use a external power supply like my 30 caliber power pack, the 897 can then be operated at 100 watts.
Of course someone will have to carry all that extra battery weight, and that wasn't about to happen on this day!
So all in all I had a very successful morning while playing radio in the southern Alberta Rockies, and I was able to proof the recent changes that I made to my equipment as described above. My 10-60 meter antenna continues to impress me with how it performs, and I cannot stress enough how much I enjoy operating what may be the ultimate radio of its type, the Yaesu FT-897D with its military build, while set up as a portable backcountry HF station.

With that said, and after dismantling and packing up, I hiked back down to my mobile and made the drive west over to secondary highway 940, and backroaded north to Highwood House before driving east through the Highwood Valley, the location of many of Alberta's historical ranches dating back to Alberta's beginnings, before reaching Longview where I picked up highway 22 best known as the Cowboy Trail and north to home.
All in all, an end to a very good day out playing radio in what is some of the finest country to be found in Alberta. It don't get any better than that!

NOTE.....all the photos expand.

My Website..... www.jerryclement.ca

Ham Radio Adventures In The BackCountry

2016-07-16T09:03:00.000-06:00

Although this day would be about spending time indulging in one of my favorite summer activities, fly-fishing on one of my favorite trout streams located here in southern Alberta, I would be keeping myself on the map and connected by utilizing one of my APRS equipped dual-band HT's to make that happen. To make sure that I can connect to the APRS network while in the backcountry, I always set my mobile up as a fill-in digi through the use of the Kenwood D710A part of the radio stack in my mobile.

I have been a fly-fishing enthusiast for going on 40 years, and in that time I have fished many of the streams located along the eastern slope of the Alberta Rockies. Its a given that stream fishing involves spending time off of the beaten path, so its crucial that you are prepared for the unexpected while spending time in the backcountry, including the chance that you may have to spend a night out if something were to happen that you hadn't planned on.
For this reason, and before leaving home, I always make sure someone knows where I'm headed, and when I plan on returning. I also carry a selection of emergency preparedness gear that allows me to deal with the un-expected should it arise.

This day finds me fishing the upper reaches of the Sheep River located in Kananaskis Country. Before leaving my mobile parked on a high vantage point overlooking the Sheep River Canyon, I set my Kenwood D710A up for APRS operation, including turning on the digipeater mode.

I headed out carrying my Kenwood D72 attached to my fly-fishing chest-pack, and the beacons being transmitted by the D72 were being digipeated by my mobile.
I also had my take-down yagi along just in case I needed the extra reach, and this very portable lightweight yagi is stored in a rear pocket of my fly-fishing chest pack.

So although my D72 was not being heard by a distant digipeater due to my location in the bottom of the canyon, my mobile was hearing my D72, keeping me connected to the outside world.
If your wondering about cell phone service, that stopped some 50 kilometers back on the drive in!
Normally while wadding the river fishing, I would carry my Yaesu VX-8R instead of the Kenwood D72, as the VX-8R is waterproof, where the D72 is not.
The D72 is a better APRS radio than the VX-8R, but if I were to submerge the D72, then it would be game over.
I realized after I arrived and was preparing to hit the river that I had forgot to swap out the D72 for the VX-8R before leaving home, but I wasn't about to head out without having a radio along, allowing me to stay connected to my mobile parked several kilometers away from my location in this photo, so the D72 was my go to transceiver on this day.

Of course what's a day on the water if you don't have a camera or two along with you, and mounted on the left shoulder harness of my chest pack is my GoPro, that allows me to shoot video if I feel like recording the goings on around me or under the water.
It goes without saying that I never head out without my trusty head-lamp mounted on my cap, as you never know when the fishing will keep you out after dark.
Being I planned on being out for most of the day, I brought a lunch along, as well as energy bars just in case I stayed out longer than I planned for.

Although the upper reaches of the Sheep this far west of civilization are more than likely pure enough to drink from, I have a water bladder located in the rear of my chest-pack that holds several liters of drinking water.
The water is available through the mouth-valve equipped hose seen attached to the front of my chest pack. If I wanted to lighten the load, I could leave the bladder empty and use the life-straw I have with me, that being a personal light-weight filtration device that you suck water through from a water source.
If you were to look in one of the rear pockets of my chest-pack, you would also find a small emergency-kit, as well as a few other items that could prove invaluable if the unexpected should occur while in the backcountry.

I also am carrying a pressurized canister of bear spray in its carrying-pouch located on my right side attached to my wader belt. Another device I always carry while off of the beaten path is my flare pen that includes a selection of red, white, and green flares, as well as smoke and bear bangers.
One more thing you may find of interest that keeps me safe while wading deep fast water, is the wading staff located on my left hip.
It is easily deployed when required, as once I pull it from its pouch, the shock-corded aluminum shaft with its tungsten carbide tipped end is immediately ready for action.
The handle is also lashed to my wading belt with a length of 550 paracord, in case I let go of it on purpose or accidently, I can easily retrieve it.

There is a whole lot more going on as far as what I had with me on this day, but most of the remaining details pertain to my fly-fishing the Sheep that has its own challenges, including in many cases no room for a back-cast due to the many rock cliffs lining the river. In one situation my only option was to make my cast facing down stream, and then mend the line while on my backcast, and roll the line out and on to the water just above where I had been watching a Cutthroat feeding.
It did not help that on this day there was a blustery wind with gusts threatening to ruin my presentation and drop my fly-line directly over the fish, putting him down with the result.......

Well that's a story for another day, but the bottom line is that those of us who are amateur radio operators, have the means to keep ourselves connected while off the beaten path, and this can play a crucial part in keeping us safe while going down roads less travelled, or in my case on this day, keeping me connected while fishing the upper reaches of the Sheep river located on the eastern slope of the Rockies.

NOTE....all photos expand

My website www.jerryclement.ca

Amateur Radio Tactical Vest

2016-04-11T16:22:00.003-06:00

For years I have used different methods of carrying the necessities that I feel I cannot leave home without while being involved in amateur radio on the day.
Now this almost always includes one or two HT's as well, and for some time I've used a radio chest harness in several different versions that allowed me to carry several HT's, but did not readily allow for carrying much of anything else.

Always looking for another method of carrying the various items of importance to me throughout the course of the day, I continued off and on to look at the various types of vests available, and for the most part these vests were of the military type of vest that allows for customization related to the users needs.
Although at first glance they appeared to be the answer to my needs, upon closer examination I realized they were great if you were in the military or part of a police force, but were not really suited to amateur radio use.

Then I remembered the fact that photographers have been wearing fly-fishing vests for years, allowing them to stash filters, lens caps, lens cleaning cloths, spare batteries, pens, note books, sun glasses, etc., and everything else that they might need while out on a shoot.
I still go there myself, as I have a vest that I use on occasion depending on the circumstances while out working as a photographer.

Now many of you know, or may not know that I have been a avid fly-fisherman for the past 40 years and continue to be so.
Living in Alberta where some of the best fly-fishing on the planet exists, plays a big part as to the reason why.
Back about 20 years ago, I decided to move away from wearing a fly-fishing vest, and transitioned to a fly-fishing chest-pack as a lot of other fly-fisherman have done.
The reason that fly-fisherman wore fly-fishing vests for years I suspect was or still is steeped in tradition in the art of casting a fly over the chalk streams of the UK and many European countries where fly-fishing originated from.
But when it comes to wading and fishing the streams that lie along the eastern slope of the Rockies in southern Alberta, where men are men, and while fishing the wilderness areas we find ourselves in, fly-fishing takes on a different meaning.
So we reinvented ourselves in regards to what we wanted to carry on our persons, or allowing one to be more agile while wearing gear more oriented to fighting the current of a raging mountain stream, or the necessities required to be carried possibly related to fending off a bear, or the.....well you get the picture.

So we come full circle back to where I started looking for a more effective way of carrying the personal items on my person while out and about playing radio, or photographer, or just plain knocking about on any given day.
I had a eureka moment while looking through my vast collection of fly-fishing stuff, and coming across my old fly-fishing vest long retired, I realized upon closer examination it had potential to be repurposed as a amateur radio tactical vest that would suit my needs.
For those of you not familiar with a fly-fishing vest, they have various bits and pieces sewed in place not related to being what is required for our purpose, or at least my purpose as to what I wanted it to be.

So I set about to reinvent or actually to re-purpose this vest, by first, removing the sheep-skin-patch sewn on the front pocket for storing and drying fly-patterns that are being used while on the stream.

The next step was to remove all the loops related to attaching a landing net, and the loop that is positioned to hold your fly-rod while you used your fingers to tie on a new fly pattern or a new leader, or possibly a tippet, or any of the other reasons you need your hands free while standing in the middle of a trout stream, and you wouldn't dream of allowing your favorite fly rod to come in contact with the water, or possibly with the rocks on the bottom of the stream your standing in.

Once these modifications were made, and a trial run was made with various items and an HT placed in the pockets, I still wasn't happy, as there was something about my new tactical vest that just wasn't right.
Then it hit me, the color was wrong, as typical of a lot of fly-fishing apparel, this vest was sewed together from your basic tan color material, and it just didn't cut it now that it was repurposed as my new ham radio tactical vest.

I then did the next sensible thing that came to me, and that was to visit my local sewing outlet where I picked up a package of dye in the green color seen in the photos of the vest.
Several hours later after working though the steps required to dye my vest green, and then allowing it to dry, I was happy with the new appearance of my new ham radio tactical vest repurposed from my retired fly-fishing vest.

Just so you know, not all fly-fishing vests are created equal, and although they may look similar in appearance, they can have differences. I made sure before I altered this vest, that I liked the way the radios carried, how my sun glasses stored, my favorite flashlight stored, where my Bluetooth earbud went, how my smartphone carried, and how all my other daily carries fit in their respective pockets. Not seen in the photo are the additional internal pockets that exist, including the slant pocket on the inside that allows my second HT to be carried when required with the antenna poking out of the center at a nice angle not allowing the antenna to interfere with the carry.

The main HT pocket can be seen in the two lead photos of the vest, where the antenna attached to my Kenwood D72 is sticking out of the pocket, and is pulled over on itself and fastened down with the hook and loop patch that initially was used to hold a fly rod stationary while tying on a new fly pattern.
This has worked out perfectly for me, and my D72 is easily removed when I wish to use it. The pocket next to my HT pocket houses my high-output flashlight, used for those times the light positioned on the front of my cap doesn't cut it.
The back of the vest also has a large zippered pocket, that will allow me to carry my take-down-yagi as pictured in the photo of my fly-fishing chest-pack, or possibly a jacket depending on the day.

Since the re-purposing and the completion of my new tactical ham radio vest as pictured here, and after wearing and using it for a month, I am very pleased with how it performs under actual usage in the field.

NOTE.....all photos expand.

Visit my website.....

www.jerryclement.ca

Amateur Radio and Photography

2016-03-25T09:29:00.000-06:00

With spring officially arrived not only on the calendar, but clearly present when you step out the door here in southern Alberta, it was time that I took a drive and with that in mind, I decided that being I hadn't visited the Drumheller valley in some time, this would be my destination on this day.

Getting prepared was as simple as loading my camera gear, as I keep my truck loaded and ready with all the gear that I think I may want to have with me depending on the season. With overnight trips on the agenda, I keep a full compliment of camping equipment with me, as well as a change of clothes as you never know when you might require them.
Of course it goes without saying that my mobile is well equipped with the communication equipment I use on a daily bases for staying connected locally, regionally, and across the continent and beyond. Having said that, more and more I find that I enjoy working HF portable possibly just while out hiking away from my mobile for the day, as I recently acquired a Yaesu FT-897D with the optional internal batteries that reside in the battery compartment at the bottom of this very fine transceiver.

While I was looking for the ultimate portable all mode ruggedized rig required for what I had in mind, I also had decided on what I felt I would need for an antenna or antennas depending on the day or amount of time I would be spending away from my ham shack at home, or possibly because I would set up a camp for several days, and wanting to operate from my campsite. In the past I have used my mobile for this purpose, but felt it would be nice to back it up with a more portable choice, allowing me to set up and operate without being dependent on my mobile.
After spending time at my computer modeling various vertical antennas that I felt would serve my purpose, I came up with a design for the 10-60 meter antenna that I felt best served my purpose. With time spent in my shop, this antenna took shape, and it has proven to be a run away winner after being used in the field under different conditions over the past 4 months since I first started this project.

Mind you its not like I don't have other antenna choices stored in my mobile, as I have several of my mobile HF antennas available for the Kenwood TS-480HX mounted in the radio stack, plus the very good design by L.B. Cebik W4RNL, the Inverted U for the 10-20 meter bands that I built back a year or so ago, and it is kept stored in the cargo bay along with my Max Gains systems push up mast and my aluminum mast adapter that mounts in the receiver at the rear of my mobile.
With camp set up I am able to have all these antennas available for use when operating my FT-897D through runs of coax, and an antenna switch at my operating position in the form of my favorite camp chair situated under a lightweight tarp or even beneath the vestibule of one of my two favorite tents that I have stored in my mobile.
With field day coming up in June, I have decided to operate on my own this year, and I have narrowed my choices of an operating location down to two, both locations located in southeastern Alberta on high bluffs with both locations having commanding views to the horizons in all directions.

It goes without saying that I always have my emergency preparedness kit with me that is stored in the cargo bay of my mobile, as you never know when you might need to draw from it. There are times when I just need a snack, as I find myself lingering longer that I planned on while backroading far from any towns that would allow me to visit a restaurant or even a food store. At those times, I break out the rations that I keep in my food box, part of my emergency preparedness kit, and this serves a second purpose, making sure that the food that I have chosen to last over a period of a year or so, is kept reasonably fresh by drawing from it when the circumstance's require that I do so. I normally keep a check list with the food stored in my kit that is time stamped so that I can keep an eye on what needs to be replaced.

These thoughts coursed through my mind as I drove the road in the direction of southeastern Alberta, and in particular the valley east of Drumheller that the Red Deer river flows through and is surrounded by the badlands that I find myself attracted to, possibly because I was born and raised in similar surroundings.

As per usual while I'm going down the road, APRS is running on several of the devices mounted in my mobile. One of the conventional VHF APRS devices that most of you are familiar with for working APRS, is the Kenwood TM-D710A VE6AB-9 mounted in the radio-stack of my mobile keeping me connected to the APRS network via VHF digipeaters located throughout southern Alberta.

The second APRS device mounted in my mobile, my VE6AB-15 consisting of my SCS Tracker paired with my Kenwood TS-480HX and its dedicated 30 meter antenna mounted on the rear deck of my mobile. The SCS Tracker for HF APRS VE6AB-15 takes over when the going gets too tough for my VE6AB-9 to be heard due to the terrain and distance from a distant digipeater.
VE6AB-15 kicks it up a notch, allowing my mobile to be heard by the various RPR (Robust Packet Radio) HF APRS Gateways spread across the North American continent listening on 30 meters.
With a path of WIDE1-1 set in the SCS Tracker, on most days my mobile will be heard and digipeated before being gated by a HF Gateway allowing my mobile to make it in to the APRS network.
With the two APRS systems as described here mounted in the radio stack of my mobile operating simultaneously, its a given that I am being heard and kept safe while going down the road no matter where that may be.

Those of you that follow my daily activities through my blog or on my website, know that photography plays a big part in my daily life, and over the years I have had much success with it, having my photographs published in various publications, as well as working as a photographer shooting for clients that have need of the type of service I can provide through the viewfinders of my cameras.
You may also know that I recently retired from what was my full time day job, and I find that this is allowing me to use my skills as a photographer as a means of supporting my various needs that require infusions of cash on occasion.
Now that I am keeping my stock file account loaded and up to date with recently shot images, I find my photos are selling well through the company that I signed with years ago. Interestingly enough I am finding the type of photos I enjoy shooting are being sought after by various sources that have need of my photographs for specialized publications, the most recent sale to a group of authors who penned a text book on Geology used in Universities. They also were kind enough to send me a copy that now resides in my library.

I always strive to capture the best image that I possibly can when out in the field, and then once the raw file is uploaded to my computer, I will tweak the image if required with Lightroom or Photoshop. Remember though, If you do not put an effort in the capture of the image, then trying to fix it in Photoshop will not work if the photo is lacking in composition, sharpness, or in other areas. Another reason to shoot photos that require little editing, is the fact that stock photo companies will reject images that show artifacts from over zealous editing.

Also remember when shooting any type of photo to keep your photos simple, allowing the viewer's eyes to be immediately drawn to the center of interest in the photograph, as the more complexity you add to your photos, the less chance there is of the viewer knowing what you are trying to convey.

Don't be afraid to bracket your compositions ever so slightly. That way when you pre-view your photos, you will have more choices from which to choose. However if you are like myself, you need to cull the duplicate images or you will find your hard-drives quickly filling up.
I find that it is best to separate myself emotionally from my photos when editing them, so that I can make the hard choices needed to separate the good images from the bad. I bring up each photo on my computer screen and consider sharpness, exposure, contrast, color and whether the file format and size are appropriate. Also evaluate the composition, the impact and uniqueness of the image. This is where you get rid of duplicates and similar images.

On a last note I recently rediscovered metal detecting, and when I need a break from playing ham radio, or shooting photos, I reach for my metal detector and do some prospecting for relics from an earlier time, as this photo of me checking out a dry wash in the badlands of eastern Alberta shows.

Now that I rattled on way to long, lets get out and play radio and shoot some photos.

Note....all photos expand.

My website....
www.jerryclement.ca

Amateur Radio Goes Fly Fishing

2016-03-11T01:28:00.002-07:00

With every day looking more and more like spring I have had fly-fishing on my mind lately, and with that in mind I decided it was time that I check out the conditions on the Bow river down at McKinnon Flats located approximately 35 kilometers southeast of Calgary.

Because the winter gate is closed at the top of the switchback leading down in to the river valley until April, I planned on leaving my truck at the at the top of the switchback and hiking in from there.
Not only would I be checking on the conditions of the river, but I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to take my portable HF rig and its companion vertical antenna along. I figured that once I had a look at the river I could hike up to a high vantage point that I have worked HF from in the past that overlooks the river valley with distant views to the east and to the south as well as commanding views of the Rockies on the western horizon 120 kilometers away.

Once I backed off my driveway and pulled on to highway 1, I knew I was in for a beautiful sunrise as the skies were clear to the east and the light breaking on the horizon looked wonderful. Of course I always think that as morning is my favorite time of day and the earlier the better.
I had left home earlier than I needed to as I planned on stopping in Chestermere to have something to eat at Tim Horton's on the lake. I also knew that I would find several regulars already at a table with whom I would join to discuss what was making news in the morning paper. After an hour of discussion on how to save the planet and maybe get rid of all the politicians to achieve that, we had a good laugh and at that point I excused myself as I had to get rolling but promised to fall in the door again soon.

I had just got underway once more as the sun broke over the horizon, and now I wished that I hadn't spent the extra time bantering back and forth with the guys at Tim's, as I knew that I would be missing out on that most magical time of the day, with the sun slowly climbing above the horizon illuminating the river valley driving the shadows of night away and burning off the mist blanketing the valley in the early morning light.

Twenty minutes later I arrived at the wintergate at the top of the switchback that takes you down to McKinnon Flats. After parking my truck I grabbed my pack that was already loaded with the gear I would take with me and headed out.
The morning was stunning with mist still hanging like a blanket over the valley in the early morning light. The river shimmering in the distance from the sun's rays kissing the surface of the water, created thousands of pinpoints of light caught by my camera when I looked at my first capture of the day on the LCD.
As I made my way along the ridges overlooking the river valley, I watched a family of muledeer on the nearby slopes who were unconcerned by my presence as they continued to graze although on occasion they would stop long enough to watch me, making sure that I was not a threat as I made my way along just above them.

With the milder than normal temperatures we had experienced in February, the ice on the river was gone other that along the edges, and conditions were favorable for wading the river making me wish that I had brought my fishing gear to see if I could entice a rainbow to the fly. It is still early to be on the river, but I plan on returning with my fishing gear soon to clear some of the cobwebs from my mind collected over the winter, as nothing does this better that standing in a trout stream with a fly-rod in hand trying to fool a trout in to taking your presentation.

After making numerous stops to shoot photos, I finally arrived at the location where I planned on setting up my 10-60 meter antenna that was loaded in my pack. Along with the antenna I also had my Yaesu FT-897D transceiver with me, and the other necessary gear required to set up for operating my portable HF station once it was operational.

Once I had emptied my pack and began to set up my HF antenna, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the frost was sufficiently out of the ground making it a simple task to insert the spike at the bottom of the mast into the ground. The same went for the guy-line anchors that support the mast assembly with the tap-coil and telescopic whip assembly.

I had picked a place for the antenna to stand that was close to a flat-topped sandstone boulder that I planned on using for my operating position, and I soon had the radio set up and ready to go with the coax connected between the radio and the antenna.

Before too long I was on 40 meters and with favourable conditions I soon made my first contact. After an hour spent on 40 meters and the stations that I contacted in the log, I made the necessary adjustments to the tap-coil allowing for the switch to 17 meters. Once in a while I would see something of interest for my camera and I would move from playing radio to playing photographer.

Regardless it was a fun day with the bands in good condition allowing me to make numerous contacts on 17 and 40 meters with my Yaesu FT-897D equipped with 2 NiMH battery packs located in the battery compartment at the bottom of the transceiver.

I love this very compact all-mode rig that has the look and build of a military transceiver that you would expect to see being used on the battlefield for tactical communications.
I like the fact that it has its own self-contained batteries making this rig very portable, yet it is capable of decent power out at 20 watts on internal batteries.
If more power is required, a external power source like my compact 30 caliber power-can will kick it up to 100 watts out if required.

Its a rare day that the bands are that poor that I cannot make contacts with the radio running on its internal batteries with 20 watts out, and besides the rig will run for hours on its two internal batteries.

I should mention if your not familiar with the FT-897D, that only one battery of the two that resides in the battery compartment is used at one time.
When the first battery is depleted, a flip of the battery selector switch located in the top lid of the rig allows you to switch to the second battery.
The front of the rig indicates which battery you are operating on, the A or the B battery.
Another plus is the fact that when the 897 is being run on the internal batteries, the current required to operate this rig at 20 watts through the internal battery circuitry is less than if the rig is connected to an external battery, and this is so even when the 897 is set for 20 watts out on external power.
For some reason not many hams who own the FT-D897D are aware of this fact, as most hams with this rig did not purchase the optional battery packs with charger.
The charger is very cool as it allows for charging from either a 12 volt or 110 volt source.
So all in all this is a very desirable self-contained rig if you want to operate from the back-country or on field day.
I will not be parting with this rig anytime soon as Yaesu recently discontinued the FT-897D, and no other Amateur Radio Manufacturer builds a transceiver that is capable of running on internal batteries with a military type build such as that of the FT-897D.
I can see this very desirable transceiver with its ruggedized build and internal battery capability holding its value for years to come.

After several hours of playing radio with contacts made across Canada and the US, and with the sun now high in the sky I decided it was time I packed up my gear and made my way back to the trailhead to reclaim my truck and maybe go for a cup of tea and a bite to eat. All in all I had spent a pleasant morning playing ham radio and casting a fly line in my mind. The next time I returned I promised myself that I would be packing my fly rod.

Note....all photos expand

Website:
www.jerryclement.ca

APRS In Your Pocket

2016-02-20T17:00:00.000-07:00

For a lightweight portable station, all you need is a handheld transceiver, a tiny packet TNC, and an Android smartphone.

For those unaware, APRS is the Automatic Packet Reporting System, a VHF packet radio network, primarily on 144.39 MHz in the US and Canada, that is used for tracking moving objects (and people), texting, and a great deal more.

I enjoy operating APRS, and I thought that I had it covered when it came to the different types of APRS devices that are available. However, I recently assembled a pocket sized full-featured APRS setup for portable operating that uses a smartphone as part of the station.

My configuration is based around a Baofeng UV-3R dual-band hand-held transceiver along with a Mobilinkd packet radio TNC known as the TNC2 and my Android smartphone. Although I’m using a UV-3R transceiver, you can assemble this station with many other FM hand-helds. The only trick is finding the cable to connect the TNC to the radio. There are cables for sale on the Mobilinkd website, but nothing stops you from making your own.

For the Android smartphone, you will need to download the APRSdroid software app available on the APRSdroid website. I am using my Blackberry Z30 smartphone loaded with APRSdroid software. APRSdroid software will not run on Apple iPhones, though.

Also, be aware that the Mobilinkd is not a full-featured packet radio TNC of the type you may be accustomed to seeing. The TNC2 is really a KISS modem; it simply decodes and encodes packet signals. It requires your smartphone and the APRSdroid software to supply the APRS packet formatting and other information, as well as GPS data. Since the GPS data is provided by your smartphone, of course, you don’t need a separate GPS receiver. That’s one less device to carry!

The very cool thing about the TNC2 is the fact that it talks to your smartphone via a wireless Bluetooth connection. This means that once you power up the handheld and the TNC2, your portable APRS system will communicate with your smartphone wherever your smartphone happens to be — in your hand, in your pocket, or anywhere else within about 30 feet.

The Mobilinkd TNC2 comes with complete instructions on how to pair your smartphone with the

device, and how to connect the TNC2 to your radio. I won’t bother repeating the excellent instructions in the TNC2 manual. Suffice to say that it is a simple procedure.

When I initially connected the UV-3R to

the Mobilinkd TNC, I quickly realized that I had a problem. I could hear the buzzes of APRS packet transmissions, but few signals were being decoded. After some time spent trying to come up with a solution, I discovered that the problem was with the squelch of the UV-3R. It was very slow to open, which caused the packet signals to be effectively "chopped."

The problem was easily rectified by going to the UV-3R menu and setting the squelch open, or setting it for "0." With the squelch open, and the UV-3R connected to an external antenna on the roof of my home, I was decoding nearly 100% of the beaconing stations heard. Also, setting the volume on the UV-3R for 1⁄2 scale on the display works well when connected to the Mobilinkd TNC2.

When it came to portable operating, I know the handheld’s "rubber duck" antenna would be less than ideal. After trying the many different hand-held whips that I have in my antenna arsenal, I settled on the Comet SMA-24. It seemed to provide the best performance overall. The antenna measures about 17 inches in length and it is very durable.

I was a little concerned about running the UV-3R with its squelch wide open because I thought this might quickly deplete the battery, but I was pleased to discover that this did not prove to be true. I have operated this APRS station for eight hours at a time, with beacons sent every 10 minutes, without depleting the battery.

When I’m portable I often have the advantaging of having my APRS weather station in the truck. The station can operate as a digipeater, so it can relay beacon packets while I am hiking. That extends my effective range considerably.
If I wish to operate voice, it’s as simple as temporarily disconnecting the TNC2 cable from the hand-held, resetting the squelch and going on the air.

Reprinted with permission from May 2014 QST.

Off-line-mapping with APRS-In-Your-Pocket.....
http://www.jerryclement.ca/HamRadio/VE6AB-Technical/i-VvVdpZs

Note...all photos expand.

My website
www.jerryclement.ca

Robust Packet Network

2016-02-19T13:05:00.000-07:00

In my on going quest to equip my mobile with the best technological advantages available keeping me connected to the world through the use of the radio stack mounted in my mobile, I continue to move in that direction with the latest device added in the form of an SCS Tracker DSP/TNC.

In my blog post "Cross Country HF APRS" I described an HF APRS system that I implemented that gave me the capability to connect to the world wide APRS Network from anywhere my travels take me or under emergency situations.

Now having said that, I was aware that there is another HF APRS system available called "Robust Packet Radio" a much more robust form of HF APRS making it more likely for my packets to be delivered and heard by the various HF Gateways located world-wide on the 30 meter band.

Unlike "APRS Messenger" using PSK-63 that is configured through a software TNC, the RPR (Robust Packet Radio) system is only available through a hardware TNC built by SCS (Special Communications Systems) located in Germany, the developers of PACTOR used by Amateur and Marine radio operators for FSK transfer of digital information over the HF bands.

Untill now APRS operations on HF has been done by ordinary HF-packets (FSK 300 baud), and with its small bandwidth, multipath propagation, phase shift, band noise and other disturbances such as fading and constant fluctuating conditions, transmitting digital signals via HF can be problematic at best.

Robust Packet has been designed to take advantage of the capabilities of digital signal processing (DSP) in order to obtain reliable communication over a less than perfect HF path. If you have only experienced traditional 300 baud FSK packet, RPR adds a whole new dimension to your experiences with packet. With the SCS tracker running conventional 300 baud FSK packet on one channel, and Robust Packet running on the adjacent channel, packet after packet was decoded while the conventional packet transmissions on the adjacent channel just flickered the DCD LED on the front of the tracker and were discarded due to errors present in the packet string.

The SCS Tracker RPR unit connected through the data port of a HF transceiver like my TS-480HX, is listening for packets being sent from other RPR stations. Once the SCS TNC has received and decoded this information, the tracker takes this information along with GPS data it is receiving from any external NMEA device like the Garmin Montana, and then sends this information as a APRS Datagram through the interface with the transceiver to HF Robust Packet Gateway stations listening on the network.

The SCS tracker also sends this APRS datagram back to the GPS receiver (Garmin Montana) that then decodes this information and places this information on the map visible on the screen in the form of a APRS symbol that describes the station with included callsign.
This system is also capable of bi-directional messaging when interfaced with a netbook running APRSIS32.

The 30 meter RRC (Really Rugged Coils) antenna mounted on the back deck of my Avalanche, is being used with my SCS Tracker DSP/TNC APRS Robust Packet station part of my radio stack.
The antenna has a dedicated 30 meter coil that I built expressly for the digital modes located on the high end of 30 meters.

The SCS Tracker and the Garmin Montana pared together are proving to be a great combination as utilized with my TS-480HX and its dedicated 30 meter RRC antenna.

If you click on the photo for a closer look at the screen of the Montana, you can see the various RPR APRS stations that I am hearing across the US and further.
My RPR station VE6AB-9 is also being heard and gated through HF RPR Gates located across the world on the RPR 30 meter frequency of 10.147.30 MHz.
If you expand the map shown here you will see my mobile VE6AB-9 being heard and gated by W3LUZ-7 an HF Gateway located on the east coast of the US at a distance of 3088 kilometers from my mobile. Also listed there are a few of the other RPR stations that have heard my mobile directly and gated me.

NOTE... Since I wrote this post, I have since changed my SSID of "9" to "15" as there was confusion created using the same SSID with my Kenwood D710A on conventional packet, and also using the same SSID with my Kenwood TS-480HX on HF APRS.
The SSID "15" is used throughout the world signifying that the APRS station with this SSID is an HF APRS station.

I am extremely pleased with how my new HF APRS Robust Packet station is performing with my mobile being heard and gated from coast to coast across the US. I continue to run tests as I go down roads less travelled, and it is a pleasure to see the DCD LED on the front of my SCS Tracker light up upon hearing and successfully decoding packets being heard and then sent to the Garmin Montana and placed on the map keeping me connected with other RPR stations on the Robust Packet Network.

Note...all photos expand

Do visit my website
www.jerryclement.ca

APRS and Satellite Imagery

2016-02-18T08:25:00.000-07:00

After parking my mobile at the junction of highway 68 and the Powderface Trail located in Sibbald flats part of Kananaskis Country located along the eastern slope of the Alberta Rockies, I set out to explore the network of beaver dams and lodges located on Sibbald creek and shoot a few photos.

There are at least 4 Beaver lodges that I was able to count from where I had parked my mobile, and in the past I always wanted to get closer to them, but during the summer months, the series of beaver dams located on Sibbald creek backs water up flooding most of the area making it difficult to get around without getting wet.

I thought this would be a good time to check them out, as everything is frozen hard allowing me to meander around with my camera and shoot a few pics while getting up close to the various beaver lodges located behind the various dams located there.
While I meandered around this wetland that is still in the icy grip of winter, I was carrying my D72 and laid waypoints throughout the 2 hours I spent exploring and shooting photos..

I had my mobile - VE6AB-9 set up to digipeat the beacons sent by my Kenwood D72 - VE6AB-7 that I was carrying with me.
With the D710A mounted in my mobile doing the heavy lifting, and because I could hear the Pigeon Mountain digi directly on my D72, I was getting confirmation back that my beacons were being received and uploaded to aprs.fi on the Internet.

I have the path settings on both my D710A and my D72 set for VE6AB,WIDE1-1,WIDE2-1, and with these path settings, as well as my D710A set to insert the call for my mobile VE6AB-9 in the packet-string, my VE6AB-9 was being confirmed as the first digi,
In case you are wondering as to why I have VE6AB inserted in the path settings, this is to keep my mobile digi from digipeating other aprs stations heard nearby with WIDE1-1,WIDE2-1, path settings, as I only want my devices to be digipeated by my mobile parked nearby.

Although Beavers actually are classified as a rodent and people may think of them as pests depending where they locate, they are very cool when it comes to building their dams and lodges.

A minimum water level of 0.6 to 0.9 metres (2.0 to 3.0 ft) is required to keep the underwater entrance to beaver lodges from being blocked by ice during the winter. In lakes, rivers and large streams with deep enough water, beavers may not build dams and instead live in bank burrows and lodges. If the water is not deep enough to keep beavers safe from predators and their lodge entrances ice-free, beavers build dams as seen in my insert photos.

Beavers start construction by diverting the stream to lessen the water's flow pressure. Branches and logs are then driven into the mud of the stream bed to form a base. Then sticks, bark, rocks, mud, grass, leaves, masses of plants, and anything else available, are used to build the superstructure. The average height of a dam is about 1.8 metres (5.9 ft) with an average depth of water behind the dam of 1.2 to 1.8 meters.

If there is not enough depth for getting around beneath the ice, the beavers will form channels in the bottom of the creek allowing for that. The thickness of the dam is often around 1 m or more. The length depends on the stream width, but averages about 4.5 m long.
Beavers vary the type of dam built and how they build it, according to the speed of water on the stream. In slow-moving water, they build a straight dam, whereas in fast-moving water they tend to be curved.

Spillways and passageways are built into the dam to allow excess water to drain off without damaging it. Dams are generally built wider at the base and the top is usually tilted upstream to resist the force of the current. Beavers can transport their own weight in material as they drag logs along mudslides and float them through canals to get them in place. Once the dam has flooded enough area to the proper depth to form a protective moat for the lodge, beavers begin construction on the lodge.

Still, as I worked my way around and from one side of the creek to the other, I had to be careful around the dams proper, as there was open water, and the ice was not to be trusted when crossing from one side to the other.

In the end I came away better informed as to the construction and layout of the various beaver dams and lodges located here in Sibbald Flats part of Kananaskis Country.
In fact I will now return in the spring or summer to shoot photos of beavers swimming about in their ponds, and I will bring my waders.

Spillway located at one end of the beaver dam

NOTE....All images expand

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www.jerryclement.ca