Antenna for SOTA or travelling

[G8CPZ]

These SOTA topics should be of help …

Packable 20m or 40m antenna

I have spent all my free time researching which radio to buy and have not looked into antennas at all. I am trying to finalize my equipment budget for getting started. What would be a decent antenna for first time HF? I am looking for something for SOTA obviously, but also for use in a really small backyard. My backyard is an L shape, I estimate about 18’ for one length and 25’ the other length and about 8-10 feet wide.

HF antennas on short masts

Anyone have experience with HF antennas on short masts? I’m hoping to do a few 1 to 2-day GM activations in the New Year and want to fly rather than drive (from the London area). My SOTAbeams 10-m Travel Mast is too long (67-cm travel length) for carry-on luggage. I realize I’m going to have to compromise a bit. SOTAbeams do a mini telescopic fiberglass pole (51-cm travel length). I’m confident it will support a 2-m slim jim but what about HF antennas? It’s 4-m high but you can’t use the top 1…

Hotel antennas - ideas shared by SOTA travellers community

Hi, I know it is not purely on work in the field itself, rather on the time in-between activations or on business trips, still I hope it will be forgiven to ask now from a chaser’s perspective. What kind of antennas do you guys use when you travel and stay in hotels? I know the ideal situation is a suburban hotel, with the window opening to a garden with high trees quite a few metres/yards away from the building… But I assume the conditions vary, we also have limits when in a hotel - so…

A travel pole that can be taken into an aircraft cabin?

Firstly if its been answered in the past, apologies! Esther (GI0AZA) and my good self (AZB) have always in the past travelled to GM, G and GW by ferry, leaving or retrieving MI6JHE from Uni and we have been able to try some activations on the way. All the usual kit goes in the jeep! Now comes the ‘bird leaves the nest time’ and we fly in November over to Birmingham from GI land. Hire car will be used and we are for the first time taking the rucksack aboard the cabin. Ok I understand the rules …