I purchased this 12V LiFePO4 10 Ah Battery for use on Pine Island FL on weekends. I will be connecting it to my Kenwood TS590SG, which should give me a few hours of operation.
6 Comments
I went out solo to Galt Preservation Park on Pine Island FL (NA-069, USI FL033S) yesterday with my 5W QRP rig and MFJ Magnetic Loop but made no contacts. Propagation has been terrible. Had fun though! For next time I think we'll buy a battery and bring the Kenwood TS590SG.
The Island Hunters ARC has just been issued vanity callsign NA4PI. We will start activating Pine Island hopefully later today propagation willing.
Here is one of my brand new W1AL QSL cards, done by Randy, KB3IFH. The background was taken from the beach at my former workplace in Cape Coral.
Here is my new portable QRP station. The Hilltopper 20M (5 watts) powered by a 3000 mAh Li-ion Battery, along with my Vibroplex Deluxe Keyer and Kenwood headphones. The antenna off to the side in the photo is the MFJ Box Fan Magnetic Loop antenna. You can see the control box also. I'll be heading out to Pine Island, NA-069, next weekend hopefully! The club callsign will be NA4PI. Our QSL, available for an SASE via W1Al, is also below.
I now have 403 islands confirmed for the Islands On the Air award, besting my previous 300. My cards have been mailed to the card checker, W4DKS, so I should be getting the 400 Island certificate via email in the near future. Below is my IOTA 300 Island certificate earned back in 1992!
I joined the ARRL as well as the local ham radio club, the Fort Myers ARC. I have also submitted an update to my DXCC total. I now have confirmed a little over 300 countries. I'll post the new certificate (which will replace my old one from 1981, pictured below) as soon as I receive it.
I ordered a used States QRP group Hilltopper 20M CW 5W rig so that I can activate Pine Island, FL (NA-069 / USI FL033S) by our Island Hunters ARC. Here is a photo of the finished kit. I plaa. n on using it portable with my MFJ Magnetic Loop Box Fan antenna. More pix coming as I get closer to activating Pine Island with our new club callsign we applied for recently.....NA1PI. QSLs are already being prepared.
Here are some shots of my new RF and lightning ground system, both indoor and outdoor. You can see the MyAntennas Common Mode Choke / Line Isolator connected right where the antenna meets the coax. A lightning arrestor is below. I used 1 in. x .032 in. copper strap from the antenna to the ground rod, and from the antenna to the homemade bulkhead I made out of floor tiles. Being that I reside in Florida, I disconnect and unplug everything when the station is not in use. The only flaw in this is that this ground rod is not bonded to the AC mains ground rod (it's on the opposite side of the house).
Here are my first pix of my Ten-Tec Orion II station, with the Begali Pearl paddle and the LDG auto antenna tuner and watt meter.
I found a used LDG 600ATproII automatic antenna tuner, along with its matching LDG M-600 watt meter, and it is on its way. This will help the amp see a 1:1 SWR. Here it is below:
The circa-1984 Amp Supply LT-1000-NT 600W "no-tune" linear amplifier arrived yesterday. Here is a pic:
The Ten-Tec Orion II arrived today via UPS! Pix to follow soon!
Here is the Drake TR7A back from restoration by WB4HFN along with its "twin", the Drake R7A, also restored last year: Also shown is the restored Drake SW4A AM shortwave receiver with the matching MS4 speaker, four D104 microphones, and three Vibroplex chrome keyers and paddles.
In order to help fund my recent ham radio purchases, I have sold my Drake TR-5 and TR-7. I still have the TR7A (currently being restored by WB4HFN) and its "twin", the R7A. I also sold my new Kenwood TS590SG since I now have the TS590SG Anniversary Edition.
The matching Ten-Tec Model 307 External Speaker and the Ten-Tec Regal Microphone is also on their way! I found them used on Ebay and ham classifieds. Photos forthcoming!
I found a used Ten-Tec Orion II and pulled the trigger, since they are pretty hard to find as hams don't want to part with them. This awesome transceiver, although a bit dated, has rave reviews. Here is the photo provided by the seller, W4DD:
I found someone on EBay auctioning off a beautiful Begali Pearl morse paddle...and I won! Here it is below. It should look and work great with the Ten-Tec Orion II!
|