Support QRP CoA Everywhere

Monday 10 August 2015

How much do you really carry on a qrp trip to an island

SD7B was a LOT of kit but if you take the solar panel and support stuff out it is a lot less. I had heavy duty poles (14kg for the three) as the wind was expected to get up. Light weight poles would not have cut it in the winds expected... I'm sure SOTA guys have experienced the same on some tops.

This is about the most basic for an overnight stay... on a UK island.




Waterproofs (it was wet)
10m pole, ex-mountaineering assault tent in bag along with antenna wires, guys  and a ground screw hand for the pole. On my back rucksack containing rig, battery, food (petrol stove), water, wind up LED torch and log book. Believe it or not water and fuel to cook with are probably the heaviest items you need to carry before the radio kit. The tent is about 1kg and has been tested in 60mphwinds. The real test is if I cannot carry it all myself, from car to ferry/boat (this was a fishing boat), boat to island it doesn't go with me. I have been known to take a second rucksack with clothes, water, and food in, I will often refer to it as 'The PIG'. It is a faded red rucksack I was wearing when I fell in the alps a while back so it's a good luck charm and empty it doubles up as a sleeping bivvy bag as I fitted an extra liner to it.

I'd love to downsize the kit to an ATS-3B for many reasons but as I make plenty of SSB contacts a CW only rig isn't right just yet and a KX3 suits, if quite a bit heavier. Maybe there might be a homebrew version in between out there somewhere?


3 comments:

Roger G3XBM said...

Good luck with future trips Dom. Rather you than me!

M1KTA said...

TNX. Must be a tad mad but been doing the carry kit and overnight way before radio was a hobby. Being QRV from some though is incredible fun.

I did a SOTA at w/e... not one qso from Kinder Scout, loads of midges though... think I'll stick to IOTA.

72
Dom
M1KTA

Roger G3XBM said...

:-)