CW Anvil Transport Advice

[M0MZB]

Blockquote

@EI3LH

Thanks! I got luck of the draw that the one that was sent was a nice silver colour. I think the others available are red and black. I wish that the Bug Buddy was just a smidge wider where the contact post holes are as it would also fit my Lancaster bathtub key. It’s about 0.5cm to short on one side.

If you send me the dimensions I will make a wider version on the next batch – can even do it in green if that would look better!

[EI3LH]

Ah! I didn’t cop the callsign there. Nice one, good work!

I had a go earlier this year at making up a 3D template for a PCB for my bathtub. I got the measurements of the hole spacing right. I just never took it any further. I’ve attached it here if anyone wants to use it, I’m not super precious over it (it just took about 972,803kg of PLA wasted to get right!).

https://www.printables.com/model/1734134-mockup-bathtub-morse-key-jack-template

[M0MZB]

There are miniature bugs around…but they are quite rare. here is an example

[GM4LLD]

@G8CPZ

seem to have a distinctive fist.

AKA sound awful. Perhaps I have never heard an expert using one?

[G8TMV]

@GM4LLD

I have never heard an expert using one?

You should take a look at this …

A real expert at work! Denice Stoops, who died earlier this month, was a Merchant Marine Radio Operator.

[GM4LLD]

Seen it before, the bug is loud enough to heard by ships without any radio! Personal preference is for nice machine perfect electronic paddle keying.

[G4TGJ]

@G8CPZ

small items like paddles, earbuds, pencils, etc

I keep all these bits in a box*. This plus rig(s) is then in a dry bag in the rucksack. Antennas, cables, guys are in Sotabeams storage bags. This system is pretty good at ensuring I don’t leave things behind. Unfortunately it doesn’t stop me leaving my 2m handheld on the summit or forgetting to bring the pole in the first place.

* Walls ice cream container. We get through quite a lot of ice cream and I keep the boxes. As well as transporting bits for SOTA they are great for storage.

[G8CPZ]

@G4TGJ

This system is pretty good at ensuring I don’t leave things behind

I have essentially the same system: small zippable plastic bags for the aforementioned small items which then go into large dry bags. And by following the same setup and stowing steps every time [perfected by trial and error over many activations], I rarely lose anything, Finally, before walking off I scan the area carefully to ensure nothing was left behind.

[G4TGJ]

@G8CPZ

before walking off I scan the area carefully to ensure nothing was left behind

I do that. But it didn’t stop me leaving my FT-65 on the wall when I activated Great Knoutberry Hill G/NP-015. Fortunately I hadn’t got far when I realised.

I’ve found another use for walking poles. If I leave the handheld and the Lora tracker on a wall during an activation I lean a pole against the wall at the same point. I am not going to forget my poles so that will point me to them.