MKARS80 and SOTA

hi all,

does anyone use an MKARS80 transceiver for SOTA? if so, what antennas do you sue with it and how do you find its performance?

on a similar note - i have a 10m fishing pole available, what guying methods are most suitable for use with these poles (ive only used it in anger to hold a 4m dipole so far, and didnt use the whole length!), im curios as to the point on the pole used to attach guys and what ground fixings people find effective on summits?

Hoping to at least use it to put a 2m beam up when i do ingleborough

cheers

Martin G7MRV

In reply to MX0TSE:

Hi, Martin, I also have looked at this kit, and I understand that it can be modified for 40 metres which makes it even more attractive, but I need to get a “round tuit”! I seem to remember that there is a Yahoo Group for the rig.

I find it useful to carry a roll of duct tape on activations, as one can often tape a pole to a fence post, trig point or even a handy rock. Other people carry bungees for the same purpose, and some trig points have a cap missing which provides a hole that a SOTA pole will slide into. I carry (but rarely use!) a set of guy lines (the sort of cord sold for tents in a bright and very visible yellow) and tent pegs, and there is a loop at the end of each guy which I can slip around the pole and tighten by pushing the knot - I don’t remember the name of the knot but it is a simple one and used to be used for guying tents…perhaps somebody else can remember? I got it out of Blackshaw many yonks ago!

73

Brian G8ADD

In reply to G8ADD:

I built the MKARS80 a while back, but because im still in the process of rebuilding the main station antennas its not been tested on air yet.

As much as i love duct tape, i think i’ll go the bungy route for on the hills, avoids any risk of tape getting blown away and littering the hills, and bungies are reusable.

Good point on the colour of guy cord. I typically use olive green paracord for everything, but bright yellow or orange makes good sense on the summits where the public can get close

Ive a clansman 5.4m mast and full set of clansman antenna wires etc for field use, but there a bit much for casual summit use. I’ll try the fish pole with a small 2m beam on Ingleborough in a few weeks