LB5JJ

15/06/2024

Ever wanted to build a magnetic loop antenna? Let me show you how I built my 6m magnetic loop in just 60 minutes with parts available from your local hardware store or found around the average ham shack.

Ever wanted to build a magnetic loop antenna? Let me show you how I built my 6m magnetic loop in just 60 minutes with parts available from your local hardwar...

03/06/2024

I've been told that opinions are like arseholes; everyone has them! And that's definitely the case when it comes to antennas for ham radio. So, to try and separate facts from opinions, I ordered two WSPR transmitters from ZachTec. The plan is to use these for side-by-side comparisons of a range of HF antennas, and to be able to make decisions based on empirical evidence instead of unsubstantiated opinions. Wish me luck!

I've been told that opinions are like arseholes; everyone has them! And that's definitely the case when it comes to antennas for ham radio. So, to try and se...

30/05/2024

I recently took delivery of the 6m carbon fibre mast from Sotabeams. Planning on getting together a extremely lightweight and compact kit for portable radio. Starting with a simple choke balun for QRP dipoles and verticals. Parts used in this build are:

- T68-43 toroid
- About 50cm of RG-174
- 2 x 2.5mm banana sockets
- One BNC female chassis plug
- Small enclosure

The RG-174 fit through the toroid 9 times which should provide adequate isolation and common mode current attenuation.

(Excuse the mumbling in the last half of the video, I think I forgot I was talking to someone other then myself)I recently took delivery of the 6m carbon fib...

05/05/2024

- Two years of SOTA
- 3184 Contacts
- 153 Activations
- 112 Summits
- 7 Countries
- 574 SOTA Points

01/04/2024

Quick summary of todays (2024-04-01) activation of NO-0372 Færder National Park

02/03/2024

Parks on the Air from the beach in EA-0979

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/d0VltnR9XeU

21/01/2024

2023-08-07: Parks on the Air - 5B-0010 Ayios Nikandros National Forest. Half an hours walk from the hotel, and finally a view to rival the looks of the radio! 18 contacts in 40 minutes, running 5W from the FT-817 with after market Windcamp internal battery and inverted-V dipole from a 5m mast.

12/01/2024

2023-10-26: IS0/IS-303 Punta Berritta - Summits on the Air (Sardinia). Last summit of the expedition, and a proper drive-up this time. Drove to within a few meters of the activation zone and walked the last few meters. 29 in the log in 18 minutes running 20W from the FX-4CR into the 10m tall vertical LC-matched to 20m. First activation with this little radio, and I was most impressed. Didn't notice much difference between it and the 100W Yaesu! The drive up (and down) takes a bit of time, but I got to the airport with plenty of time to spare. Not much in the way of view, but another easy 10 points.

11/01/2024

2023-10-25: IS0/IS-011 Monte Pipinari - Summits on the Air (Sardinia). Elevation 1398m. Another easy summit as long as you don't mind walking among grazing livestock. 45 minutes up and about the same back down. This was one of the few summits on Sardinia I didn't find a fence post to attach the antenna to, so had to get creative! Fantastic 360° view from the summit. 34 in the log in about 20 minutes with the FT891 into the 10m tall vertical LC-matched to 20m. Mast was resting against the mountain for about half it's length though.

10/01/2024

2023-10-25: IS0/IS-009 Monte Armario - Summits on the Air (Sardinia). Elevation 1433m. Nice short walk from Arcu Correboi. About 40 minutes up and no more then 25 back down. But quite a bit of livestock grazing! The summits was difficult to reach, so I settled for operating from within the activation zone. Windy and rain approaching, so I settled for 7 in the log in 3 minutes before heading on to the next summit. Probably a nice summit on a warm, calm day. Other days it's just an easy 10 points.

09/01/2024

2023-10-24: Summits on the Air - IS0/IS-014 Punta Soleadduci (Sardinia). Elevation 1358m. Second summit of the day. This is also a potential drive-up, but there was a closed gate at about 1100m, so I left the car there. A little more then an hour waling up and a little less coming back down. Conditions on the summit were... interesting... With wind speeds above 20m/s sustained, I actually had to hold the phone with both hands when taking pictures. 16 contacts in 12 minutes running 100W from the FT891 into the 10m tall vertical LC-matched for 20m.

08/01/2024

2023-10-24: IS0/IS-012 Bruncu Olinie (Sardinia). Elevation 1370m. Easy drive-up. There's a gate some 100m below the summit. It wasn't locked, but it was closed, so I decided not to push my luck and walked the rest of the way up. Much livestock in the road on the way up and down, so you'd better not be in a hurry or afraid of cows, goats and sheep. Sunny and perfect temperature for a hike, and very nice view from the summit. Logged 62 contacts in 31 minutes including VK1MA. Running 100W from the FT891 into the 10m tall vertical matched for 20m.

07/01/2024

2023-10-23: IS0/IS-003 Monte Arbu (Sardinia). Elevation 1567m. Very nice walk and spectacular view. Spent about 1 hour 40 minutes walking up, but did not choose the best of tracks. If you go there from Arcu Correboi, choose either the track going over Monte Moddu e Littipori or the one closest to it. Taking that route down took only 50 minutes. 76 in the log in about 45 minutes including 2 summit-to-summits running 100W from the FT891 into the 10m tall vertical LC-matched for 20m. If you do go, consider continuing on to IS0/IS-004 Punta 'e s'Abile while you're up there. Definitely the easiest way to reach that summit.

05/01/2024

2023-10-21: Summits on the Air - IS0/IS-001 Punta La Màrmora (Sardinia). Tallest point on Sardinia with en elevation of 1834m. I was saving this one for a day with nice weather which was an excellent idea. Fantastic scenery all the way up. The walk from the the car park at Bruncu Spina was about 1 hour 40 minutes. 38 contact in a little over 20 minutes on the FT891 at 100W into the 10m tall vertical LC-matched to 20m. If you only do one summit on Sardinia, make it this one. You won't regret it!

04/01/2024

2023-10-21: Summits on the Air - IS0/IS-006 Conca Giuanni Fais (Sardinia). Elevation 1499m. First ever activation of this summit. Nice ascent on forest roads; 50 minutes up, and 30 minutes down. 36 in the log in about 20 minutes running 100W from the FT891 into the 10m tall vertical LC-matched for 20m. Easy summit!

03/01/2024

2023-10-20: Summits on the Air - IS0/IS-004 Punta 'e s'Abile. Elevation 1554m. Second summit of the day, and a great deal more effort. I parked the car and about 1500, elevation, and the summit is at 1554m, so it sounded easy enough. Only problem was the 200m counter ascent from where I parked the car. And the 250 meters back up the other side was rather steep. If I was to do it again, I'd walk up via IS0/IS-003 Monte Arbu from the other side. Decent was pretty miserable, with pouring rain and of course the additional 200m uphill to where I parked the car. Sound pretty negative, but it was actually a very nice summit. But if you're going, take my advice and approach it from the other side via Monte Arbu. 29 in the log in about 15 minutes (I can be quick when there's rain on the way) with 100W from the FT891 into the 10m vertical LC-matched for 20m.

02/01/2024

2023-10-20: Summits on the Air - IS0/IS-002 Monte Spada (Sardinia). Elevation 1595m. First summit of my Sardinia expedition, and a quick walk. 30 minutes on the way up and 20 on the way back down. 56 in the log in about 35 minutes with the FT891 and the 10m tall vertical LC-matched to 20m. Easy summit with a nice path all the way to the summit.

01/01/2024

2023-10-10: Parks on the Air - K-2059 Gantry Plaza State Park. Took my son to New York for a week, and had to shoehorn in at least one activation. We walked from Times Square down to the East 34th Street terminal and took the 8 minute ride across to Hunters Point on Long Island. From there, Gantry Plaza State Park is just a few minutes walk. Nice park, with a great view of the United Nations across the East River. 9.6m "random wire" antenna with DIY 9:1 and the G90 netted 13 contacts in 18 minutes. Nice location for POTA; recommended!

31/12/2023

2023-11-24: Summits on the Air - LA/OF-002 Tremannsrøset. Elevation 182m, crisp Norwegian autumn day. Extremely easy summit, especially before snowfall. You can drive to within 500m of the summit by taking the logging road from Kolstad. 30 in the log in 20 minutes with 20W from the FX-4CR and the 10m tall LC-matched vertical on 20m.

30/12/2023

2023-12-14: Summits on the Air - LA/OL-047 Venehaugane. Elevation 692m, temperature - 15°C. Easy summit, a clear drive-up in summer and even in winter if the road's been cleared and you have 4 wheel drive. I don't, so I didn't. Nice walk, but sadly all fogged in, so not much in the way of a view! 21 contacts in 13 minutes with the FT-891 and 10m tall LC-matched vertical on 20m.

29/12/2023

2023-12-14: Summits on the Air - LA/OL-043 Buhammaren. Elevation 549m, temperature -12°C. Easy summit, even for winter activation. 1.5km from the car part to the summit and only about 125m of elevation. 17 contacts in about 10 minutes with the FT-891 and 10m tall LC-matched vertical on 20m. If you take the track approaching from the east there's a nice picnic table just inside the activation zone.

28/12/2023

2023-12-25 Parks on the Air - LA-1567 Presterødkilen Nature Reserve. Temperature -10°C, 12 in the log with the IC-705 running at 5W into the 10m tall vertical LC-matched for 20m. Also tested out the AH-705 tuner, but suspect I had some issues with RF finding its way back into the radio. Have added ferrites!

27/12/2023

2023-12-26: Summits on the Air - LA/OL-044 Brandbukampen. Elevation 522m, temperature -12°C. About 60 minutes walking up on snow shoes, and about 30 minutes coming back down in boots. Magnificent view from the look-out point about ⅔ of the way up. 23 in the log in 12 minutes on 20m SSB with the IC-705 and the 10m tall LC-matches vertical. Nice trip, even in winter; recommended!

25/12/2023

2023-12-23: Summits on the Air - LA/AH-013 Varingskollen. Elevation 546m, temperature -10°C. 30 contacts in 20 minutes. About one hour walking up and about 20 minutes coming back down. First activation with the IC-705; looks promising!

22/12/2023

2023-11-24: Summits on the Air LA/AH-020 Mjærskaukollen. Elevation 300m, radio FX-4CR. 11 contacts in 6 minutes. Had to leave the pile-up as I was running out of daylight for the descent.