Portable battery box for QRP operations or drive up SOTA peaks. 🙂 Inspired by a recent article published by Chris VK1CT, I used a $16 plastic ammo box as the container for a 13 volt 8Ah LifePO4 or a 12 volt 9Ah SLA. Both battery types are ideal power supplies for popular QRP amateur radio…
A correspondent requested details of a lightweight high-capacity 13.2 volt battery, which I use to power my Yeasu FT-857D for SOTA activations. The battery is a 4 cell 8.4 Ah Lithium Iron Phosphate (4S 8.4 Ah LiFePO4) purchased from HobbyKing’s Australian (AU) warehouse in Moruya NSW. Battery Dimensions: 150mm x 52mm x 70mm. Weight: 960…
Sunday 13 December 2015. I’m at the summit of Booroomba Rocks, Namadgi National Park VKFF-0377 to operate my amateur radio gear for the Summits on the Air (SOTA) 6m (50 MHz) and 10m (28 MHz) Challenge. The ‘challenge’ is to work as many unique amateur radio callsigns on 50 MHz or 28 MHz from any…
Standard of behaviour towards EU SOTA activators trying to work VK SOTA activators and chasers At my QTH I have severe noise problems which often drown out the reception of distant EU SOTA activators. To overcome the noise problems I have decided to try out my local ‘hill’ known as Oakey Hill in the southern…
This post is an update on powering the Yaesu FT-857D for a SOTA activation. Before reading on. When deciding on the power requirements for your radio, you must undertake your own research to determine which battery type and capacity is suitable for your station and operating conditions. I have no affiliation with battery makers or…
Powering the FT-857D *** update to this post 21 Feb 2014*** I am no longer using the 4S LiPo arrangement to power the 857D on mountain peaks, instead I now use 4S LiFePO4 batteries. I have retained the LiPo battery packs for use in the radio shack until their end of life cycle. When…
Mt Coree VK1/AC-023 1421 metres ASL Namadgi National Park Mt Coree is located on the border between the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and the state of New South Wales (NSW). On the ACT side the summit it within the Namadgi National Park and the Brindabella National Park on the NSW side. The summit provides spectacular…
Get out of the Radio Shack and Live Life 