Tag Archives: Skills

Articles, How To, News, POTA, Skills, SOTA

Bitten By the Bug? Staying Safe from Ticks, Mosquitoes, and Other Blood-Sucking Nasties in the Field

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If you’ve been following my field reports for any length of time, you’ll know I’m a huge fan of activating in wooded, remote, and sometimes… bug-infested places. But one thing I never take lightly is protecting myself—and my family (including Hazel!)—from ticks, mosquitoes, and other biting bugs that can really ruin an outing or worse.

Why It Matters

Ticks are more than just a nuisance. In many parts of the world—including right here in eastern North America—they carry diseases like Lyme and others that can have serious, long-term consequences. They’re not just a seasonal inconvenience; they can be a life-changing encounter if you’re not careful. And our four-legged trail companions? They’re just as vulnerable.

Mosquitoes are no joke either. While disease-carrying mosquitoes are more prevalent in other regions, we still have occasional cases of West Nile Virus, and for those who are allergic, mosquito bites can cause serious reactions. At the very least, they’re a major distraction during activations.

My Defense Strategy

Over the years, I’ve built up a toolkit of bug-defense tactics that vary depending on location, season, and bug density.

Please note: many of the links below link to Amazon and are affiliate links that support QRPer.com at no cost to you. 

“Natural” On-Skin Treatments

If I’m in a place like the mountains of North Carolina—especially outside of the heavy tick season (typically spring)—I’ll often reach for more natural repellents. Here are a couple I use:

  • Repel Plant-Based Lemon Eucalyptus Insect Repellent
    This one’s a favorite. It’s DEET-free and surprisingly effective. I’ve even used it successfully in the Maritimes of Canada, where mosquitoes can be relentless. Every time I catch its scent, it brings back memories of hiking through PEI, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick.
  • No Natz
    A kind reader sent me a bottle last year, and it’s worked well so far in low-density insect areas. It has a milder scent than Repel, but I haven’t tested it in high-tick or mozzie zones yet.

DEET

I have a real love/hate relationship with DEET. It works, no doubt.

When I’m in an area with heavy mosquito and tick populations, I’ll reluctantly use it—but only as a last resort. I dislike the feel of it on my skin when I’m sweating. It also has this odd side effect: if it gets near my lips, it makes them go numb.

That said, it’s very effective and widely available.

Be aware: DEET can damage certain plastics and synthetic fabrics—your radio gear, GPS screens, and eyeglass frames included—so use it cautiously. Still, it’s more effective (from my point of view) than many of the natural options.

If I’m plotting activations in the backwoods of Alaska where mosquitoes are the size of birds? Yeah, I’m going to use DEET.

The brands I tend to use (although, honestly, I’m not sure there’s much of a difference because the percentage of DEET is a more important indicator) are:

  • Deep Woods Off – You can find these bottles in any local retailer as well. I find that their 25% DEET concentration works in most situations.
  • Coleman 100% Max – These bottles are small and easily fit in my backpack. It’s a very high concentration of DEET (98.11%) so I use it when in areas with a high concentrations of mozzies or ticks.
  • Repel 100 – These are like the Coleman bottles above (98.11% DEET) and you’ve likely seen me use them in videos in the past. I do like these pump spray bottles for backpacking.

Clothing Choice

Bug season usually overlaps with hot, sunny weather, so I wear lightweight, breathable long-sleeve shirts and trousers—typically light in color so ticks are easier to spot. I also wear a wide-brimmed Tilley sunhat, which pulls double duty as sun and bug protection.

I also pack a mosquito head net that fits over my wide-brimmed hat. Frankly, I rarely operate where I need to use this, but I appreciate knowing it’s tucked away in my backpack just in case. This net also works well if I’m hiking through an area heavy with gnats–keeps them out of my eyes!

Treating Your Clothing with Permethrin

Of all the bug-fighting strategies, treating clothing with permethrin has been the most effective for me.

I started using permethrin when traveling to rural parts of Belize where malaria-carrying mosquitoes are a real threat. I treated my hat, shirt, trousers, and shoes, and while my colleagues were constantly swatting bugs, I barely noticed them. Not one single bite.

My go-to product: 

Sawyer Products SP649 Premium Permethrin Clothing Insect Repellent Trigger Spray (12 oz).

Important notes:

  • One treatment lasts for six weeks or six washings. When applying on your clothes, the product needs to penetrate the fibers, so apply it quite liberally almost making each article wet to the touch.
  • Do not apply directly to your skin. Ever.
  • Let treated clothing dry completely (12+ hours) before wearing

This approach is so effective, I now treat my summer hiking clothes at the start of each bug season and often re-apply half way through. I don’t live or activate in an area known for heavy tick and mosquito populations, so I can usually get away with only two treatments per year. The most important one is when ticks are most active in the spring.

There are other brands of Permethrin sprays out there as well. I typically buy my bottles via Amazon or at REI (where it’s often in stock). If you live outside the US, any camping gear or hunting store will have Permethrin.

If I’m Stationary

You might’ve noticed in some of my evening or camping activation videos that I’m running a little device nearby. It’s a Thermacell Mosquito Backpacker Repeller—and I love it.

It screws onto a standard fuel canister and creates a small mosquito-free zone. I’ve used it with great success in some of Canada’s buggiest backwoods and on the coast of North and South Carolina in the evenings when mosquitoes come out in full force. One fuel canister lasts a very long time, and I often use it with the family when camping or picnicking. Highly recommended.

Note that you’ll want to keep a stash of Thermacell refills.

Since Thermacell refills aren’t cheap, I tend to stick with other repellents if I’m only performing a short activation or, especially, in an area where the mosquito population isn’t heavy. I do use the Thermacell when I plan to do a POTA rove (thus I can use the same Thermacell pad at multiple sites) or if I plan to stay at a site for one hour or longer.

Note: If You Get a Tick

Ticks happen, even with precautions. I keep a tick puller (or Tick Key) in my wallet during tick season. They’re inexpensive, lightweight, and super effective.

If you’re bitten by a deer tick in an area where Lyme disease is prevalent, consult your doctor as soon as you can.

Often, a short course of cheap antibiotics—often just two doses—can prevent infection if started early.

Final Thoughts

I feel that staying safe from ticks and mosquitoes is part of being a responsible and prepared field operator. Protecting yourself helps ensure your activations are fun, not frustrating.

Do you operate in bug-prone regions? I’d love to hear what’s worked for you—whether it’s a product, method, or even an old-school trick passed down from a camping buddy. Let’s keep the bites to a minimum and the contacts coming in!

—Thomas (K4SWL)

Guest Posts, Morse Code, News, POTA, Skills

Beyond the Basics with CW Innovations

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Many thanks to Brain (K3ES) who shares the following guest post:

CW POTA activations can be enjoyable, and theraputic.  This photo shows the me activating from a picnic shelter on a beautiful spring day.

Learning CW:  Beyond the Basics

by Brian (K3ES)

I just finished my last class ever for learning Morse Code.  It was a lot of work, but it really improved my ability to communicate using the CW operating mode.  More importantly, this class taught me how to actually learn CW, by diagnosing the problems and barriers that inhibit improvement.  Then it gave me tools I can use to overcome those problems and barriers at any stage of my CW journey.  You see, I am not yet where I want to be, but I have made a giant leap forward, and I now know what I have to do to keep improving.

I guess it might help to tell you a bit about myself as a radio amateur, about the start of my CW journey, and about what motivates me to improve.

I got licensed in 2020, when I was working from home, and spending way too much time locked away from the rest of the world.  I saw a video about amateur radio, and thought it might provide an opportunity for increased personal contact despite social distancing.  I studied during my plentiful spare time, and passed the Technician, General and Amateur Extra license examinations in short order.  Once I was licensed, Elmers at Skyview Radio Society near Pittsburgh, PA helped me to learn and explore the hobby, encouraging me to be radio-active.

I found a compelling niche hunting for Parks on the Air (POTA) activators, and I started hearing about all the benefits that CW brought for activating parks:  tiny radios, efficient use of power, and automatic spotting via the reverse beacon network.  That motivated me to work on learning Morse Code.

A full CW station packed for a hike weighs just a few pounds.  This kit, based around an Elecraft KX2, fits in a small shoulder bag, includes all needed components and some spares, along with creature comforts for the activator.

I started my CW journey using a variety of apps and online tools.  I practiced with club members.  Thomas Witherspoon’s YouTube channel became a staple in my CW diet.  Every character copied was a victory.  All of this helped my ability and confidence.

I completed my first CW-only POTA activation in July of 2021, and have not looked back.  But, during one of my early park activations, I had a defining experience.  I could copy callsigns and standard exchanges with ease, but something off script would throw me off balance.

When a hunter finished his exchange and sent something followed by a question mark, I was lost.  We worked through it, and after several slow repeats, I understood that he had sent “COUNTY?”.  He wanted to know what county I was operating from.  I easily sent him the name of my county, but the experience left me certain that I needed to improve my copy skills.

It doesn’t get much better than this.  Operating CW under my favorite tree duing an activation of K-1345, Cook Forest State Park, in northwest Pennsylvania.

That certainty started me on a new phase of the journey, one involving formal training classes.  I took a few classes, and each class helped – I could look back and see the progress.  But none of them left me ready for CW communication beyond predictable exchanges.  I knew there had to be an approach to me get there, and there had to be something more efficient than working endlessly to copy code bulletins or on-air QSOs between other operators.

CW Innovations provided just that method with their Comprehensive Instant Character Recognition (CICR) Course.  CICR is not just a class, but a structured process for improvement, which includes self-diagnosis, targeted practice, a supportive learning environment, and partners working together to put new skills into practice on the air.

This figure provides an overview of the Comprehensive Instant Character Recognition Course.  Modules focused on each of the elements are introduced as the 10-week course progresses. (Click image to enlarge)

Instantly recognizing a received character is liberating.  Rather than performing mental translation, you learn to recognize each code sound pattern as a letter, number, or punctuation mark; in much the same manner that you immediately recognize the printed symbols making up the text on this page.  CICR provides the tools and methods for achieving instant character recognition, but also emphasizes that new weaknesses in character recognition will continue to appear as your copying of code becomes more challenging.  When that happens, it is time to circle back and further improve your recognition skills.  The same tools continue to work. Continue reading Beyond the Basics with CW Innovations →

Field Reports, Hacks and Hints, Kits, Portable, Skills

Are you prepared for Radio First Aid?

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by Vince (VE6LK)

(As is Vince’s usual, this article has a bunch of links – click on as many as you wish for the full experience)

Before I go too far into this topic, I wish to first offer hearty congratulations to Thomas Witherspoon for having one thousand posts on QRPer.com! Woo-Hoo!

Do you pack a Radio Field First Aid kit?

On my recent trip to VE3-land I had a few opportunities to practice set-up with my gear–away from the safe place that is my truck–to ensure I’d brought everything for my trip to Hamvention and activations along the way. I did forget an audio cable, however a visit to a local dollar store solved that problem inexpensively.

So, unless you pack two of everything -because two is one and one is none– you should expect that something’s going to fail or break along the way. What you never know is when or how that’s going to happen. I wouldn’t be writing this story if it had not happened to me before.

This time it was on a Sunday outing to VE-1512, the McLaughlin Bay Reserve Wildlife Area in Oshawa Ontario and far away from the comforts of my shop at home. Tucked away not far off of the 401 Highway, this nature reserve is a calm and peaceful oasis just minutes from urban life. I saw kayakers, hikers and trail runners during my visit.

Setting up my Comet HFJ-350M, I added the jumper cable to set the antenna for 20m and then I started to push the antenna down into the ground onto the stake. And that’s when my hand slipped and I broke the jumper cable connector, busted off in the hole.

Broken pin that triggered my outward potty mouth

For the inquisitive among you, my inner potty mouth made a brief outward appearance, ahem. Continue reading Are you prepared for Radio First Aid? →

Field Reports, How To, Morse Code, News, Portable, POTA, QRP, Skills, Videos

Field Report: How I evaluate a new POTA site plus serious QRP fun with my new-to-me Elecraft KX1

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On Friday, October 7, 2022, I had a couple of errands to run in/around Morganton, NC. Of course, I always have POTA in mind so squeezed in an activation at nearby Tuttle Educational State Forest that morning.  That activation took longer than expected due to swapping out antennas and radios, but it was a success and quite fun.

After Tuttle, I knew I could fit in one more activation if I made it quick, so I set my sights on Table Rock Fish Hatchery (K-8012), but first I had a couple of errands to run in Morganton!

I visited my friend Hamilton at his ceramics studio, popped by another store to pick up a couple of items, then (on Hamilton’s advice) grabbed lunch at the The Grind Café.

I must say that Hamilton was spot-on. My wrap was delicious!

Just what I needed to fuel another POTA activation, right? Right!

After lunch, I drove to Table Rock Fish Hatchery. The weather was ideal and the leaves were beginning to show color.

At our home in the mountains, we were almost at peak leaf color, but the fish hatchery site is much lower in elevation. The weather was simply ideal.

On days like this, driving to a site is half the fun. Continue reading Field Report: How I evaluate a new POTA site plus serious QRP fun with my new-to-me Elecraft KX1 →

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.