QRP Ham Radio Parks on The Air with an MFJ QRP Tuner
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- Опубликовано: 28 авг 2024
- In this video I use my new MFJ QRP Pocket Tuner to activate Lost Dutchman State Park in Arizona for Parks on the Air. I use a homebrew random wire antenna built from the K6ARK kit. I operate QRP with 5 watts CW on 20 meters and include the whole activation - 15 contacts.
Park K-1061 on 10 Feb 2023 - 14 Mhz CW
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Nice job CB. I always tune for max noise and check. You’re doing great !
Indeed! That's the way to do it. Much to my chagrin I often can't discern an audible difference when I spin the dial, so I find my self just relying on the meter. Must be something with my ears LOL! Thanks Jay. I always appreciate your wisdom - truly!
Another fun tuner in the same category is the Emtech ZM-2. Its a z-match tuner with an indicator light. When the light goes out, you are tuned.
Hi Jeff - yes, I have used the Emtech ZM-2 for a number of SOTA activations. I liked it so much I was going to purchase it. The LED light is a nice feature. Thank you!
@@RedSummitRF I think the other advantage of the ZM-2 is that the TUNE switch bypasses your signal into pairs of resistors while tuning, meaning you don't have to put so much load on your finals. We're talking QRP power levels, but still. Amazon indicates the MFJ tuner weighs about 12 oz... almost double the weight of the ZM-2. For context, the ZM-2 weighs only about an ounce more than the the Elecraft T1 tuner, doesn't require any batteries, and doesn't put so much load on your finals while trying to find a match. I've been using my ZM-2 with a homebrew 84' random wire for day and night activations on 40m and 80m and it's been fantastic.
Hi Mike - thanks for the explanation, buddy. People also say the ZM-2 is a bit more efficient than the Pi and L tuners. I plan on buying one eventually (I think). I'm still playing with tuners. I have one more to try out. Catch you on the air . . . and maybe at another socal event.
@Red Summit RF Ooooo... another tuner? Looking forward to the next video then!
One of the contacts here is a fella largely responsible for a rig called Bayou Jumper
One of the funnest rigs I have ever owned
Thanks for this. Looks like it is available on Four State QRP Group. It appears to be a fun kit!
Hahaha... you started sending CQ SOTA but stopped and corrected. That is a sign that you should go do more SOTA =)
Can't take the love of SOTA out of me that easy HAHA! I think it happened 2-3 times - oops. Thanks Josh.
THANKS for the translation ticker tape Carlie. Being in the midst of "CW Rehab," I really appreciate the practice. Bob-N4REE
Hi Bob - a bit of extra work with the ticker tape but all worth it when I get a compliment like this. LOL "CW rehab" - glad you are not in a "CW cemetery". GL and TU
I had to laugh at this video Charlie. I never thought I'd see the day you'd start using tuners.😂 That 2 tuners you've reviewed in he last few months. You in part were the reason I started building linked dipoles and resonant atenna. I've had my FT 817 with the Z-817 Autotuner for almost 20 years. Like you I prefer not to carry a tuner.
With my bicycle setup the tuner is light but takes up some space. However, as Solar Cycle 25 ramps up and condition sometimes changed rather quickly. Jerry KG5HQD (SK) & Thomas K4SWL, i put together a speaker wire antenna with a 9:1 unun I've had for years, Threw the wire 35 feet in a tree almost vertical and worked 40,30,20,17,15,12 & 10 meters with ease.
Summer plans are for some regional bicycle touring. I was going to purchase a truSDX but decided against. I'll sacrifice the weigh/space of my TRUSTY PROVEN FT817/Z817 along with my HB1-1B 40,30,20,17 & 10 m C transceiver.
I appreciate your videos and thanks for being my Linked Dipole / Resonant Antenna ELMER.
Haha hi Jim. Rest assured I'll return back to the linked dipoles. Propagation has been great and I love trying new things so thought I'd give it a shot. Spoiler alert, there's one more tuner coming up in a video lol!! Thanks for watching and your kind words. I've enjoyed your social media posts for a while now. I actually sent you a DM asking for an interview on my show a while back. I assume you weren't interested since I never heard from you?
@@RedSummitRF Hello Charlie, please forgive me for not replying to your email request. There was a time a few months a go I accidently deleted several emails. I'm interested. However, I'm amazed the interest many have concerning my bicycle ham operating. For me its no BIG deal. After recovering from Pancreatic Cancer surgery in 2008, I decided to pick up cycling again. This lead to me training & competing in triathlons. After tiring of training & competing in a few I turned to multiday long bicycle touring whereby I took along my FT 817. Then when fuel my area approached $5.00 per gallon, I became car free in 2011 and bike commuted 24 miles to work round trip daily before retiring in 2016. All toll between 2011 - 2016, my yearly cycling average was about 6k miles. I have toned some some what due to battling a few bouts of cancer and liver disease since retiring to about 3k annual mile avg. Hopefully this summer, I be able to go out for some cycling tours since my last bladder cancer surgery in January . So cycling to me is second nature. No Big Deal. My kids say I should move to the Netherlands. hi hi
Hi there, Jim! It's great to hear from you, and thank you for sharing your inspiring story. It's amazing to hear how your love for cycling and ham radio has been a strength to you, given your incredible journey of overcoming cancer and your dedication to sustainable transportation. I'll send you an email with a gust invite. Keep pedaling!
thanks Charlie - another good one - sure appreciate ur ticker tape - it really helps - also thanks for increasing the spacing and slowin a bit for the new comers - i spent last weekend on the AARL cw contest - and only one slowed for me - rest ignored me - pretty sad -- i heard another slower op and answered him - had a qso and he stated he was having the same problem - sum time when ur not too busy (lol) mite wanna put a video together of all ur activations with the ticker tape - wud be awesum help to us slow pokes - anyway take care 73
Hi Brian - thanks buddy. I hope I slowed enough. Sometimes I wonder. Would have been better to go into the menu and dial back the speed, but sometimes there's not enough time. Also, I know plenty of people who prefer the speed remain where it is and that the station just increases spacing, as you mentioned I did. Interesting idea about putting together a video of all the activations. I'm not sure my current PC situation will allow it. I've had a few activations that have spanned 3-4 hours before. I couldn't include those in a single video because it kept failing in post. But I agree! It's a great idea.
@@RedSummitRF thanks Charlie - ill get there eventually lol 73
Fun, thanks for sharing. I am building a 3-band vertical kit for places I can't stow a wire & also considering a high-band version since the Sunspot cycle is opening up my favorite bands from my youth 44 years ago, LOL. Cheers es 72, Davey - KU9L
Hi Davey - that sounds like a really fun project to build AND operate with in the field. YES, this cycle is really heating up! It's great. Good luck with that build. Thanks for your comment.
9:07 - "I think I'll just step over this loggg ... oh crap nevermind, I'll just go around" 😁
haha yup
It is funny watching and thinking "I know that contact. That one too.". One hint:. If you turn your keyer off to tune you can see the SWR meter on the radio easier. Radio, tuner, and battery are the same as I use. I have two K6ARK antennas I need to build.
Thanks Dave - yeah I was too lazy to step through those Yaesu menus LOL. But yes, that's the way to do it! Great tip. I'll change my ways and do that from now on. Thanks.
Same battery and tuner - that's an endorsement there. GL on the antenna builds.
growing up always remember hearing the stories of the Lost Dutchman mine ..... i know for a fact theres is at least a 5k dollar gold watch lost out there ... was my grandfathers watch from his IBM retirement
haha it's a very nostalgic place for sure.... more so with the retirement watch. Thanks for watching.
These tuners will normally make a "peak" on background noise when you hit a point close to tuned.
Hmmm - ok, I haven't experienced that yet. Thanks for the note.
Red, I found a SWR indicator kit from Pacific Antenna and installed it in the MFJ tuner. Now I can see a visual on the low swr LED indicator and switch the indicator out if circuit and still run 100w if desired. Can send details if desired
Very cool! Yes, please send the details. Also, wasn't it you who has the American Morse single lever CW paddle? The mini-B?
I will send pics and a description.
The Mini B is one of my all time favorite field paddles. One is in the pickup for mobile operations and I just bought a second for portable ops. Very tough and dependable. Set up is important and takes a minute to get to your personal tastes.
@@owlcricker-k7ulm I just ordered the kit for the mini-b this morning
Love the ops vids morse and voice. I'm psyching up to do some POTA ca using the temporarily offline cheating method. Great POV for the keying. How did you mount the cam for that? It was rock solid!
Thanks. TO cheating method, not familiar with it but I'm sure it's interesting lol. The mounting was a homebrew special. I clamped a piece of wood to the table with a woodworking c-clamp, then mounted a webcam arm stand to that. This would only be feasible with POTA.
@@RedSummitRF I made the attempt, but don't think they heard me. Good listening practice for me tho. Here's the method ruclips.net/video/ljxgZcV3CAU/видео.html
Do you know if that tuner is a t-match, L- match or something else?
Thank you,
Based on a call to MFJ technical support, it is a Pi Network tuner.
What is the program you run on the gsm?
Hi. Thanks for watching. It's a logging app called HAMRS. There's a one- time cost but I think it's well worth it.
What is the mast you used?
Hi John - this is a mast that I obtained from Packtenna www.packtenna.com/ . Unfortunately it's often sold out.
Nice actvation Charlie. I thougt I worked you on this one? I know I worked you on the live feed. in any event nice little tuner. and activation tnx fer sharing. de Ellis WA1RKS
Hi Ellis - yes, you worked me on this one when I switched to QRO and went live. When I first arrived I operated with this setup on QRP. After I achieved enough contacts to activate it with QRP, I switched over to the live feed with 100W. Thanks!