Tag: FT-891

Field Day 2024

Wow a lot has changed!

This year we elected to participate in Field Day from the training facility where we hold our club meetings. The start of summer has come hard and hot with high temps and dry landscapes. Operating in the field is preferable though many of us would not last much more than an hour of operating. That is if we survive setting up antennas first!

KD9BGS decided to try his balloon antenna again!

The training facility offers some creature comforts. Namely, air conditioning. Being hams, we also like to put on a feast. Having access to mains and refrigerators also made this a bit easier. No complaints there!

K9TC setup his impressive hex beam!

There were some downsides as well. Our facility has a VHF/UHF antenna as well as an EFHW wire antenna. Both work well for the club station that is setup there. Aside from launching a balloon or using a hitch mount, there want much room for any additional antennas. Even setting up a vertical would be very close proximity and could cause more interference than wanted.

Look at the map filling up!

We still had a great time operating. K9TC really showed us why the hex beam is commander among our wire antennas. Worked Hawaii twice on 15m! The rest of us hunted what we could in the lower bands and still made some decent contacts. I did hear the European contest happening and tried responding but alas they could not hear me.

As with any operation, we see what works well, what could be better, and what we should maybe not do. We learned, we laughed, we ate, and we had a good time in each others company. Already talking about Winter Field Day!

JOTA 2021

JOTA (Jamboree on the Air) is an opportunity to bring amateur radio to scouting. Each year, typically in October, scouts and scouters get on the air waves to talk about how scouting impacts their lives across the country and the world.

Eli Knasinski (KD9SQQ), Chad White (KD9SYJ), and Isaiah White from Troop 17

Troop 17 participated in JOTA this weekend at our charter organization’s location, Harrisville Congregational Christian Church. Our troop trailer (not pictured) has a PVC pipe mounted to the side with a 30 foot extended flagpole mast reaching to the sky. It’s almost tall enough that it should be supported with guy wires however our dipole antennas seemed to keep it steady in the low wind environment.

For antennas we chose to run with 2 dipoles. Reaching the top of the mast was a dipole cut for the center of the 80 meter band. It is constructed of speaker wire (which works wonderful for measuring twice and cutting once!) and a simple center conductor that also has a 1:1 balun connected to RG58/U coax. Our second dipole is cut for the 40 meter band and was approximately 4-5 feet lower from the top of the pole. It is constructed of green electrical wire (thanks Mike!) with a center conductor connected to RG58/U coax. Both antennas were oriented North-South so we were broadside to the East-West.

Jason Knasinski (KD9BGS and Troop 17 Scoutmaster) with Chad White (KD9SYJ)

Our 80 meter dipole was connected to my MFJ-949D antenna tuner and in turn was connected to my Yaesu FT-891 radio in my go-box. This setup worked great for all of 80 meters and even though orientation was wrong the band was so open that I was hearing stations from Antigua and Santiago with no problem!

Jason was working the 40 meter band with his ICOM IC-7300. That is one awesome radio with a built-in tuner, waterfall display, and voice spectrum analyzer all in one box. Again, we were not oriented for North-South contacts but he was able to work a group of scouts in Toronto that said the temperature was 38