Advice on Beginner HF Equipment

Equipment
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So there was a lot to take in here. I’ve spent too many hours researching all of this stuff, especially the variations in antennas. It’s kind of overwhelming as someone who is new, which makes me tend towards buying the cheapest options and learning with that.

As far as what bands to use, I think I’ve decided I want to focus on 20m, maybe 15m as well based on Google / what Ron VK3AFW said.

For the antenna, I’m thinking to start with a PAR EFHW 20m antenna. It’s resonant so I shouldn’t need a tuner or counterpoise. Should only need a mast, mast support, and some coax. Thinking to buy the SOTABeams Carbon-6m mast and set it up as a sloper or inverted V. Eventually I could upgrade to a Packtenna or build my own random wire set-up (likely 9:1 UNUN + 41’ radiating element wire + 17’ wire counterpoise). The antennas are pretty cheap (especially DIY) so I’m not too concerned about buying another one in the near future.

As far as radios, I’ve ruled out the Xiegu G90. Mainly because it’s decently heavy + expensive, Radioddity won’t ship to Alaska, and Ham Radio Outlet will only privately quote me shipping so I can only guess that’s expensive too. Getting batteries here is a pain, unfortunately.
Like I said, since it’s my first radio other than a handheld, I’m debating starting cheap and going with the used FT-818nd, no tuner, no external amp, no external battery, and just seeing if I have any success with the 6W provided. Would still plan to try to acquire some N0SA or other CW paddles and learn. Altogether it’s ~$700 and weighs ~1.5kg
Alternatively, the KX2 @10W costs ~$2k and weighs ~900g (incl. paddles, mic, case, battery, charger, ATU).

If I buy the FT-818nd and 6W + no-tuner doesn’t cut it then I’ve basically wasted $700. If it doesn’t work in that configuration I don’t think I’m willing to add on a tuner, tuner power source, amplifier, amp power source, etc. and lug that along with all of the non-radio gear. Starts to take the fun out of things to add that much weight and complexity.
If the 818 does work then I perhaps save the $1300 difference of the KX2.

Still ruminating the decision I suppose. Will post again when I actually make a purchase lol. Still open to any new advice in the meantime

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22

Along the same lines as ‘the cheapest way to cut your pack weight is to go on a diet’… just learn Morse code and you can have lots of bands with light weight and low cost :laughing:

If I lived that far north and was planning to do SSB, I would want as much power as possible. I would also want all the bands available, but especially the higher bands since all your chasers are going to be very far away.

I would probably go with a linked dipole since it is easy and cheap to build, and doesn’t require a tuner. It will let you run as much power as you want. Most of the tiny QRP end fed transformers won’t take more than 10W for very long without overheating.

If you do end up going QRP, then you might consider FT8. As much as I hate digital modes, I think it might be your best option to ensure you get enough QSOs. Carrying around some heavy gear will encourage you to learn code :wink:

Good luck! I’m usually pretty successful chasing AK from here (Seattle), so hope to catch you on a summit in the near future.

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23

You can get an 817 used for around $430-$500 in the UK. I’d expect prices to be similar or cheaper in the US. Yes you have to get it shipped to AK. And guess what? There’s plenty of demand for used 817 radios. You’ll be able to sell it for what you paid if you look after it.

Make, don’t buy, antennas. Join a local club (may not be the same definition of local in AK as where I live!), meet some Elmers and learn from them how to make some dipoles. Simple and cheap to make.

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24

Maybe you could reach out to other activators to see what they are using, especially with regards to power. The summit you recently activated has seen a number of other hams working SSB / CW / DATA. Also there is the https://www.voacap.com/ for predictions; maybe someone with more experience can comment whether it will deliver helpful results for Alaska.

Because if it turns out that you do need QRO for meaningful QSOs, then you should be looking at different radios (or an amplifier).

Also if you do choose to go the QRP / CW route, there is the QCX to consider, both cheaper and lighter. I have it and an FT 817 (without a CW filter) and I find operating the QCX easier. Also there is an amplifier for the QCX, though I have no experience with it.

There will be other radios as well, but what you are looking for will depend on the power you want to / have to operate at. Even if QRP works, it likely takes longer… and for me sometimes it doesn’t.

If you go for a 1/4 vertical, you can get away with a thinner / lighter mast than the one you are considering. And if you stick to resonant antennas, you won’t need a tuner. https://practicalantennas.com/ by a fellow SOTArian Dale WB6BYU is very comprehensive and… practical…

FT 817 / QCX work well when powered by external 3S 18650 batteries. I order mine online, but if that were a problem, they can be found in battery packs for drills and the like. You can also get fancy - at the moment I am using a step-up regulator with paralleled 3.7V batteries, but for a couple of 30min activations 3S will do plenty well. For the FT817 / FT818 a “better” internal battery is available; iirc it will not deliver the full 5W with the stock internal battery. Also the FT 817 has 2m / 70cm and 6m.

73 and good luck :slightly_smiling_face:
Kiril

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Advice on Beginner HF Equipment - #20 by DH5ST Absolutely!!

10W is not materially different to 6W.
You will resell an '818 for what you paid for it.
An automatic tuner is a convenience in some circumstances, not something that improves your signal ever.
If an '818 doesn’t work, the problem is not the radio.

There is a negligible functional difference between radios. All radios made after the mid 1980’s give you 90% of the electrical performance and 90% of the SSB functionality of anything made since.
All the big brands make fantastic radios, and the sino-upstart radios (Xiegu G90, 6100, FX-4) might have some irritating bugs, but still work well as radios.

Likewise there is negligible performance difference between antennas. If you put λ/2 of wire in the air and feed it, it will radiate the same as any other same amount of wire at the same height. The only thing that can really improve radiation is getting it higher. (Squid/Perch poles are cheap and light)
The only way to make it radiate much worse is make the wire much shorter than λ/4. “Miracle whips”, AX1 etc are short and therefore very compromised. Don’t start with one.

Your big choice is between a light/small QRP rig: '818, KX2, X6100, IC705, FX4 and a QRO (50W) radio. The QRP rig is much, much less use at home where you want to join nets and rag chew. While 5-10W lets you exchange numbers on a summit, or talk between remote huts, it is much harder to have a comfortable conversation with a station in an urban area (where they have local noise)

A rig like FT-891, '857, IC706, IC7000 etc weighs 0.5-1kg more, and you need a heavier battery. The total is only 1.5-2kg more in your pack. For a day trip or overnight it is irrelevant. Running a QRO rig (at say 50W), an antenna laid on rocks or snow, or a 2.5m whip can radiate more power than a 10W KX2 and an elevated dipole.

If I was buying only one rig to use for home, camping and SOTA day trips, it would be something like an '891. (which are dirt cheap brand new). You could also buy an '818 and another base radio, for less than a KX2.

I would avoid external amplifiers and tuners. The more things you take, the more goes wrong, and these are expensive add-ons. Don’t start here. By the time you have added an amplifier and the bigger battery, you are straight back to the weight and size of an FT891 - but a lot more money.

  • Can you borrow some sort of rig?: Use that
  • Is very light weight and small actually important. Are you climbing or doing multi day trips? Get the '818. You will be able to sell it for what you paid for it when/if you want to move up, and that is not true of any new radio.
  • Are you going to use it at home, camping, or from a vehicle: Get an '891 or similar
  • Are you itching to sell me a KX2 cheap in a year or two?: God bless, there aren’t nearly enough people like you in the world. Buy a new KX2 and get it fully loaded. (Hey back off the rest of you. I got here first)
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26

No one mentioned the MFJ 9040/20/15 CW only series of transceivers. I paid 90 USD used for the 9020, and you can add about 40 dollars for optional filter and 40 dollars for keyer, all built-in. They drift if you don’t warm-up. Ignore EBAY prices

Elliott, K6EL

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Hi Robert,
As you say, there is so much choice, its difficult.
I know someone has already said, use whatever you already have and then learn from that but I believe you don’t have any HF gear yet, so that’s not an option.
A sensible idea would be to find another SOTA activator in your area and go out with him/her first and see the problems and restrictions, they face and then make your decision based on that experience plus all of your research.

Are there any Alaska-based HF SOTA activators who live near Robert, reading this, who could team up with him for an activation??

73 Ed.

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28

In case you or other voice-mode-only readers skimmed over this bit, I too highly recommend learning Morse code as a way to reduce the packed volume and weight of your radio gear, not to mention the satisfaction from the CW contacts you’ll make.

I’ve previously written a foolproof approach to learning the code, …

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Just a quick thought - If you go down the 817 route a speech processor (Sotabeams sell one) does make a significant difference and it doesn’t eat power or weigh very much…

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  • Are you itching to sell me a KX2 cheap in a year or two?: God bless, there aren’t nearly enough people like you in the world. Buy a new KX2 and get it fully loaded. (Hey back off the rest of you. I got here first)

Haha thank you for the laugh!

Are there any Alaska-based HF SOTA activators who live near Robert, reading this, who could team up with him for an activation??

If you look at the SOTA Honour Roll for KLA there are only about 15 people who have ever activated and only two other than me have activated in winter (those being on our easier summits). There’s a local .io group and they seem to be just getting into SOTA/QRP themselves. I think I could get some in-person mentorship but it would have to wait until summer, when conditions are much more favorable. Fortunately or unfortunately, summer will arrive sooner than I’ve ever seen before based on the trajectory of our current winter :cry: .

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Robert, your QRZ said your are in Anchorage and there is an Anchorage Amateur Radio Club with apparently 300+ members. There might not be anyone active in SOTA in that club but there will be plenty who can advise you first hand on HF radio in Alaska and probably portable gear too.

Whilst waiting for better weather, you can start learning CW because it’s going to be significant towards helping you manage with a QRP HF radio as far North as you are. You don’t need a key or paddles for months and months yet. Just your PC and access to the web site lcwo.net and the determination to succeed. Also, like many, you may find CW huge fun :wink:

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Fantastic advice from Andy. That is 300+ potential chasers too, who live close to you. If you could get them interested in chasing SOTA you could increase your odds of success exponentially. SOTA is a lot of fun on both ends of the QSO.

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