Tag Archives: Rand (W7UDT)

Guest Posts, News, Skills

Magnetic Declination Matters: Tips from W7UDT

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Azimuth Maps & Magnetic Declination Corrections in the Field.

by Randall Tom (W7UDT)

According to the USGS website (which is wrong!), in the United States, the current magnetic declination can be found below.

Here’s the USGS link:  https://www.outdoors.org/resources/amc-outdoors/outdoor-resources/what-is-declination/

Did you know that magnetic north changes over time?  And with that, magnetic declination changes over time!  The link below is from the organization Alpine Savvy.  Apparently, both have change dramatically.

https://www.alpinesavvy.com/blog/find-the-correct-declination-for-anywhere. 

Their website has a chart showing the change at Portland Oregon.  It illustrates a dramatic change since 1900 to today, from 14° East to 22° East (currently), a full 8° difference over time.

Bear in mind, magnetic declination has a greater, more exaggerated variance and effect closer to the equator.

So what does it mean for the Ham rotating a large beam?  Everything.  Everything should be based on current data, specific for their location.  It matters.

For the correct current magnetic declination information on your location, go to:   https://www.magnetic-declination.com

Many of the online references, even those at the USGS website are incorrect.  Printed maps, topographic maps, are often incorrect.

Accordingly, you’ll need to orient your Azimuth map, and your antenna orientation!  In my case, 12° 52′ East in Boise… Not 15° East as shown on USGS references.

It may not seem as important in HF field operations, given many field operators utilize wire antennas and therefore antennas orientation is less impacted by precise magnetic declination.  But you need to understand these changes, in declination and magnetic north are, in some way, connected to the Sun and its influence on radio propagation, and the earth’s geomagnetic fields.

As an example… In WW2, the US Navy torpedoes often failed to detonate properly due to their magnetic proximity fuse detonators.  The problem:  They were not properly calibrated to their respective lat/long declinations.  A simple oversight, or a misunderstanding with profound implications. Its costs were incalculable and directly affected the war effort.

Per my previous post, “The World is flat!  Just ask any Ham!” I’d encourage you to visit NS6T.net, print out a correct azimuth map for your location, and get your current magnetic declination, and adjust accordingly.

Well then, there ya go… Shoot straight, Good DX, and 72!

de W7UDT ID sk  ee

News, Portable, Stealth, Travel

QRP Dreams in the City of Lights: Rand’s Eiffel Tower Beacon Attempt

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Many thanks to Rand (W7UDT) for sharing this short field report:

Eiffel Tower QRP (Failed) “Activation”

by Rand (W7UDT/FR)

Earlier this Spring, my wife & I went on a ten day vacation to Paris. What a beautiful city, and a memorable time we had! Amongst our many excursions, was a visit to the Eiffel Tower.

As an iconic Paris structure, it has few rivals, save perhaps the Great Wall, or Pyramids of Giza. Gustave Eiffel and just 200 or so men, assembled this pre-fabricated masterpiece, with 2.5 million hot rivets, in around two and one half years. And no one died! Imagine that, all 1,000 feet or so, built in the 1890’s. Wow!

The Eiffel Tower is truly an amazing structure, and soooo… (In the spirit of Eiffel), I had an idea. Why not stealthily activate its summit, and send out a beacon signal, just to see what propagation may be achieved.

Here’s a link: The Eiffel Tower and science – OFFICIAL Eiffel Tower Website

My QRP Kit…

  • QRP Labs QCX Mini Twenty w/K6ARK CapKey Mod
  • TalentCell 3aH 12v w/DC Lead (Velcro’d, banded & handheld)
  • 20m T-Whip Antenna (measured & tested SWR) & φ 20″ (counterpoise)

My unsent beacon message… (In two Parts)
“Test Test de W7UDT W7UDT/FR Liberte’ Egalite’ Fraternite!”
“Vive la France! de W7UDT/FR Eiffel Tower Paris Test Test”

But alas, the crowds, the anti-suicide/base jumping (faraday) cage at its summit, and my wife, all served to dissuade me from extending the whip, and sending out the beacon. So sadly, no attempt was made.

I personally would love to have some relative of Ol’ Gustave do it, and activate the summit. Why not? He’d intended its heights to be used as scientific platform, and to be admired by all who visited.

Vive la France!

72 de W7UDT ID (dit dit)

Guest Posts, Hacks and Hints, How To, News, Portable, QRP

W7UDT: “Velcro, ergo; ergonomics…”

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Many thanks to Rand (W7UDT) who shares the following guest post:

Velcro, ergo; ergonomics…

by Rand (W7UDT)

Velcro is amazing. It’s so handy. There are so many uses, and creative solutions it provides us. It’ll stick this to that, and that to this. As field operators, it should be part of our kits.

Below are some examples of how I’ve used Velcro.

Question: How do you keep a Android tablet, a 3aH 12v DC pack, a QRP Labs QDX LoBander, all its cords & patches, plus an EmTech ZM2 tuner all nice and tidy? Velcro!

Here’s the old QDX kit…

Here’s the new (velcro’d) QDX kit, complete with EmTech ZM2 tuner, neatly attached on the back of the Tablet, with the QDX and DC Pack. It all fits in a zippered pouch, along with the EFλ/2 antenna, perfect for the QDX.

The new QDX kit even sits at a nice viewing angle, with all of the cords hidden from view. Ergo, ergonomics.

Question: Where & how do you safely place your transceiver on a rugged SOTA/POTA activation, so it won’t get damaged?

How? Velcro! What makes more sense? A precarious rock, or the Molle patch on your pack?

This is my QCX Mini ~ Forty, Velcro’d with two horizontally applied 1” strips, with short cords channeled between them. It secures the perfectly mated 3aH 12v TalentCell battery, to which I applied another velcro strip to hold fast the Palm Pico paddle. Also note the ‘D-shaped’ earpiece/speaker, on the BNC jack. It’s hung and velcro’d just above the paddle.

Since this photo, I’ve added three 2×4” (cut to fit) patches to the front, back and bottom of the QCX Mini & TalentCell, which neatly bundles this little QRP contraption and transforms it into a QRP wonder! Now it all fits in my hand, or attaches firmly to my pack. Dit dit dit daw! Velcro!

A view from Zion NP, in the backcountry… late last Spring. Where my little transceiver tried to commit suicide.

Just sayin’… Velcro may be just the answer you’re looking for.

72 de W7UDT ID (dit dit)

Antennas, Guest Posts, How To, News

Randall says, “The World is Flat!”

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Many thanks to Rand (W7UDT) who writes:

The world is flat! Just ask any Ham!

by Randall Tom, W7UDT

It’s funny, but true. The World of Amatuer Radio is flat!

We often think we know the direction to a DX contact, but we seldom do. Especially at distances beyond 1,000 miles. Therein lies the misconception in our DX radio reality.

We assume this spherical, oblate ellipsoid, we call Earth, as round. In fact, it bulges at the equator, flattening the poles. Ergo, our sense of direction is wonky… Lets fix that. Here’s a link. https://ns6t.net/azimuth/azimuth.html

Here is a copy of my Azimuthal Map from DN13tq:

The center of my universe is Boise, Idaho, specifically DN13tq. Using the NS6T.net website, you too can enter your Maidenhead coordinates and see your radio world in a whole new light. Download your own Azimuthal Map and see the World as flat.

Europe, for me, is not East. If I had a log periodic beam, I’d be talking to Cape Town South Africa at 90 degrees east. Europe (for me) is 30 degrees NNE from my QTH. As a QRP field operator, I should orient whatever gain, in whatever field antenna I may have, accordingly. Just saying… The World of Amatuer Radio is flat!

So get properly oriented, and go out and discovery New Worlds.

72 de W7UDT

Digital Modes, Field Radio Kits, FT8, News, QRP

Field Radio Kit Gallery: W7UDT’s QRP Labs QDX Digital Mode Field Kit

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Many thanks to Rand (W7UDT) who shares the following article about his portable field radio kit which will be featured on our Field Kit Gallery page. If you would like to share your field kit with the QRPer community, check out this post.

Rand writes:

My Digital HF Field Kit…

by Rand (W7UDT)

Thomas & the gang… this is (de) Rand W7UDT

The QRP Labs QDX is yet another, brilliant creation from genius Hans Summers. Hans has created a cult following, with an assortment of kits, and assembled bargains of fun!

Many of you know this, and have his gear. And as sexy and alluring my Elecraft KX2 may be, it’s often, as a minimalist, that I reach for my QCX Mini(s), or my QDX (Hi & LoBanders).

I guess it’s a touch of OCD that compels me to minimize and simplify my field kits. (Yes, I need help!) And yet, if you too, upon reading this confession, find it all too interesting and read on.

Here’s the QDX field deployment in a nutshell…

Deploy the antenna, a LNR Precision Trail Friendly End Fed Wire. With a toss and some luck, the weight clears the chosen branch and the antenna is hoisted aloft.

Often I operate along the Boise River Greenbelt, just off the path near the river. I find that perfect spot to operate.

The flow of water, doesn’t make too much noise, and doesn’t matter with this mode, FT8. Only that it has a sunny view, and it’s comfortable and dry.

The QDX transciever & DC Pack is velcro’d to a clipboard, and once secured, I attach a 6′ section of RG316 and an inline 1:1 balun. The BNC coax is then connected. A trusted prussick knot, attachs the coax and clipboard, and provides the strain relief and work surface needed to operate.

8″ USB c/b cable connects the QDX with my Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra, to the QDX. The transiever is powered by a 3aH 12v DC Pack of (3) 18650 LiFePo4 batteries. With the swich thrown, it archs to life. I then open the FT8CN app on my Samsung, select the Comm Port, and Wow! What fun!

The software does all the work, and even logs the contacts automatically. An occasional touch to the screen, can have you operating at will. It’s a free app on GitHub, that will pleasantly surprise and surpass any low estimations of ‘Free Chinese Stuff.’

All this can be viewed on YouTube, watch Linas LY2H.

Here’s my assembled field kit for my QDX (LoBander). I absolutely love this thing!

It’s a very tight kit. As simple as Hans ‘the Man!’ can make it. What a capable marvel of creative genius. Here’s a pic…

These modes offer error correction, and incredible Dx. The software function flawlessly, and automatically logs the contacts. Hang it high, and the antenna is happy! Easy, cheap and fun! 72 de W7UDT Rand

Notes ~ FT8, JS8 Call & RTTY Only, using the amazing & free FT8CN software.

Guest Posts, Hams, How To, Mobile, News, QRP

Rand’s “Shotgun!” Mobile QRP Station

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Many thanks to Rand (W7UDT) who shares the following guest post:

 ‘Shotgun!’ My Mobile QRP Station…

by Rand (W7UDT)

I’ll confess, at our overly stylish home, sadly, I don’t have a shack… my XYL has “concerns.”  So, in an attempt to keep my operating license and man card active, I happily practice portable QRP field operations at my QTH and afield.

This time of year however, with winter bearing down on us, I choose to deploy via my ‘Shotgun!’ mobile QRP station.  Simply, a quarter inch sheet of birch plywood, cut and finished nicely to fit suspended from the grab bar and headrest of my Jeep Wrangler’s passenger seat.  Ergo, ‘Shotgun!’

Grab, hang, stow and go!

It’s not a new idea, but I must say, it has become a very good solution to the chilly problem of posterior frostbite and hypothermia.

I’ll elaborate…

Continue reading Rand’s “Shotgun!” Mobile QRP Station →

Guest Posts, How To, Radio Field Craft

Radio Field Craft: Rand explores the handy Prusik Knot

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Many thanks to Rand (W7UDT) who shares the following guest post:

The Prusik Knot… strain relief for Wire Antennas and Coax.

By W7UDT, Randall ‘Rand’ Tom

The Prusik knot is a simple, yet effective means to provide needed strain relief to wire antennas and coax, while deployed. It’s comprised of a simple loop or length of suitable cordage (of smaller diameter than the shank, Coax or Wire, it secures).

The link below, is from our friends at Animated Knots…. It’s a brief video tutorial on how best to tie the Prusik knot. Having the Prusik in your ‘bag of tricks,’ will help make your next field deployment be a successful one.

https://www.animatedknots.com/Prusik-knot

As seen in the instructional video, the knot is comprised of a simple loop of cordage, sufficient in length for the task, which is fine, but, I would recommend NOT making a loop. Rather, keeping tag ends for easier anchoring. These tag ends should be at least 12” in length. This is called an open-ended Prusik. Either way, both have utility.

To do this, fold a 24” of cordage in half, to make a ‘bite.’ Lay the bite over the shank of the coax or wire, and feed the tag ends inside the bite loop. This forms a larks-head knot. Wrap two additional turns around and through, then dress and test the knot to form the Prusik. Simple. Anchor (tie) the tag ends at a point where strain relief is best positioned. Then adjust (slide) it to load.

After deployment, I would also recommend leaving the Prusik attached. It comes in handy, when coiling your feed lines or elements later for proper storage.

The Prusik allows it to slide along the wire or coax while free of tension, yet it holds fast under load. Much like a monkey’s fist hanging onto a vine. The tag ends, can then be affixed to suitable anchor where needed. The key here, is using a smaller diameter cordage, than the wire or coax itself.

The Prusik, along with similar ‘Friction Hitches’, can be used in any number of applications in Ham Radio. e.g. Anchoring coax, joining linked antenna elements, power cords, and adjustable guying. The list is long, wherever strain relief is needed.

I would encourage you to tie it, try it, test it, and judge for yourselves. As well, I would encourage you to check out other useful climbing friction hitches… YouTube is a great place to start. I hope you find this useful afield, and to hear you ‘On the Air!’

73! de W7UDT (dit dit)

W7UDT, ‘Rand’, lives and operates near Boise Idaho, with his lovely wife Stacy. Portable QRP operations, along with his Jeep and Harley are his ‘vices.’ Your comments and questions are welcomed. My email is kd7uxq@yahoo.com.