The device mounts to my leg with a simple cloth belt. Lastly, everything connects using a common stereo cable fed into three banana plugs. The buttons are actually adjustable with some washers and screws on the base. Its keying is done by simple push switches with a reliable tolerance.

The majority of the work was done by my friend Bob WB3EFT and features some milling for the center lever and aluminum stand. The key is made out of machined aluminum. More so, if I had one failure, I could turn the other half into a straight key ala HST (for 1/20th the cost). I also figured I could ball my cold hands into a fist if I ever got cold and still be able to operate. Some of the fastest CW coders use sideswipers instead of iambic paddles. I chose a sideswiper for ease-of-use, but also for precision. Many pros use some 3D printed lightweight design, but I figured I could homebrew a simple design. I’ve seen some odd examples, and even made a capacitive touch circuit, but was getting many failures at the top due to stray capacitance. These messages are generated by just three metal contacts - where you place these contacts is entirely up to you. You need just two signals to send messages across the world. I haven’t had a failure with the 4 or so excursions I’ve been on, but I get a little queasy if I look too long at the tip bobbing in the wind. Overall the setup is light, quick to deploy, and minimizes strain on the mast. I talked to Mike K1ETA in Rhode Island from my backyard in OH using 10W: fashion a loop out of the very top “fishing nylon” so I could secure my antenna.Ī field test in my backyard confirmed my success. superglue the first section inside the second section, and 2. The chief problem here is that any weight will significantly affect the mast. I haven’t used the guy lines yet, as I’ve only ever tied it to fenceposts or jammed it in rock piles at the tops of summits.

I used kite string to epoxy some guy lines and heat shrink for friction against rough surfaces. Enter KE6MT, who recommended Fishing poles on Ebay with just a little modification for antennas. I needed something that poked inches, not feet out of my pack.

I used it for my activation of W0C/FR-039, Estes Cone:īut it was way too heavy and bulky. I previously had a mast for Windsocks that went about 30ft and stuck out 4 ft from my backpack. Loose End 1: SOTA Antenna Mast Inspiration Continue reading for the shoestring SOTA build guide. Maybe someday I’ll build a case for the MT. I did pay a premium for the KX2, but with the Mountain Topper Radios scarce and how I lacked any rig, this was the way to go. KX2 with custom case, external battery, and ZM-2 Tuner.I’ve more or less got the same setup for a fraction of the cost: Sure this setup is ultralight and compact, but it’s also ultra expensive. An Elecraft KX2 with internal battery and tuner (which I disagree).So what’s in this pack anyway? Usually I’d argue: If you look at November’s 2021 QST, you’ll even see David K3MA with a similar pack. If I homebrew my own equipment, I can identify, fix, or improve upon failures.

Rather than just buy my material off the well-known SOTABeams, a little engineering knowledge and cheap electronics parts make for a solid replacement.įurther, I like to have no-one to blame but myself. Hams like Steve WG0AT, Adam K6ARK (who just started an awesome UL SOTA business), Rex KE6MT, George WS0TA, and Fred KT5X all have pretty much a standard “pack” for the lightest and most efficient operating. If you see any serious SOTA Adventurer, they start to have pretty standardized equipment. Little improvements in my SOTA setup yield larger gains out on the hills. Following in the footsteps of my favorite neighborhood ham blog and good friend Steve K3GOG, I’ve decided to make a room-cleaning post detailing some odd work I got done to finish up the year.

Homebrew ham radio battery box