Will Starlink Kill Winlink?

It's a valid question. Is Starlink poised to make radio-based Winlink irrelevant? If I had been asked this question a year ago, I'd have said, "not likely". Today, things have changed a bit. What's happened to change my mind? The new Starlink Mini, and where Starlink seems to be taking their service.

Starlink Mini antenna. Yes, it really is that small

Winlink is a wonderful system. It's one of the few 'killer apps' in ham radio - it's so good and offers so much real-world functionality that access to the Winlink system is, by itself, justification for going through the pain of getting a General-class license and investing in hundreds or thousands of dollars of radio equipment. In a fully infrastructure denied environment (like Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina), Winlink is often the only system available in the hours immediately after a disaster that lets survivors reach beyond the impacted region and let others know their status. But as I've mentioned, Winlink access comes with some serious overhead - a General ticket, specialty equipment and specialty software.

I've kept an eye on Starlink for a few years, and last year purchased one of their standard Gen 2 systems. The Starlink 'ecosystem' is impressive in its concept and realization. For the first time in history a private entity has delivered low-cost, bi-directional, space-based bandwidth, virtually anywhere on the globe. That is a stunning achievement, and a game changer for how we as preparedness and ham radio geeks should think of emergency communications.

As I said, I've been using Starlink for over a year. I'm a casual user, turning it on and off as needed (I use the Roam package that Starlink offers). It has come in handy on a few camping trips when there was no cell coverage we could link our phone hotspots up to. The biggest shortcoming the Gen 2 standard antenna and router package has is that it's an AC-only setup. You have to plug the router into an outlet, which powers the router and passes voltage to the antenna. Since all Starlink antennas are 'active' (remember, you are both receiving and pushing data through the antenna) they need a power source. And it's not just a trickle of power - the dish will draw up to 75(!) watts when pushing data up to the satellite constellation. From a preparedness perspective, this is a huge negative; in a disaster situation, commercial AC power is one of the first utilities to go. So, the Starlink system is robust, viable and easy to use, but the AC power requirement is its Achilles heel.

My Gen2 Starlink antenna set up for Field Day 2024. The router is at the other end of the cable, under the shelter

The recently released Starlink Mini effectively addresses that Achilles heel. The Mini is specifically designed for portable outdoor use. Starlink advertising even shows a guy hiking with the antenna strapped to his backpack, and you can find videos on YouTube of people hiking with the antenna facing outwards, actively connected to the Starlink constellation and enjoying mobile space-based internet access.

Strap it on and enjoy YouTube videos while hiking the Appalachian Trail.
But please... don't

How does the Mini achieve this new level of portability? Well, it's a smaller antenna (so yes, lower bandwidth speeds - we'll discuss this in a bit) and they have built the router into the antenna. It's all in a clever package that is IP67 rated (are you reading this, Icom, Yaesu & Kenwood?). But the icing on cake is that the Mini system can be powered over a USB-C cable plugged into a relatively inexpensive power brick, the kind of thing you'd buy to charge your tablet or phone. Don't take it from me - just watch the Starlink Hardware guy on YouTube testing various power bricks:

Looking at the capabilities of the new Starlink Mini system, I consider it a mandatory adjunct to any communication readiness equipment package. It's going to be a part of my standard comms package when I head out camping, or even just for a day of casual outdoor operating fun. In fact, to NOT incorporate a Starlink Mini into a standard ARES/EMCOMM comms package is akin to negligence. Not everyone in the party needs a bring a Starlink system, but the deployment of Starlink - who'll bring it, how the service will be paid for, who will manage it and control access, etc. - needs to be part of the planning process.

We're back to the opening question - does Starlink replace Winlink? No, it doesn't replace Winlink as an application or a service, but it can certainly change how ARES/EMCOMM organizations connect to Winlink. Winlink as an application and a service provides the standardized forms we rely on to pass information to served agencies. How those forms get to the served agency is irrelevant - over the air via HF, UHF or VHF, or by telnet. The ability to use a completely off-grid internet service to connect to Winlink via telnet is a huge force multiplier. As anyone who's used Winlink in a disaster scenario knows, the telnet version of Winlink is faster and there are no RMS connection issues. 

So then, does Starlink make Winlink via radio irrelevant? No, at least not yet. The Starlink Mini provides somewhat restricted bandwidth. Tests I've seen peg the service at about 200 mbps down, about 15 mbps up. This is certainly enough bandwidth for one or two users to enjoy reliable internet access for routine tasks like sending & receiving email, posting pictures, video chatting or watching videos. An ideal family or small team solution. But if the Starlink Mini is the only internet service available to a larger group, like a temporary EOC, then bandwidth will slow to a crawl. This means rationing access and looking for ways to off-load comms requirements to other systems. This is where radio-based Winlink comes back into play. In addition, if served agencies are running Winlink in a peer-to-peer mode, then radio-based Winlink is essential.

What impact does this have on service recommendations? As ham radio operators we're all about the radio, but if we're talking to someone with no ham radio background and who only wants the ability to reach out to loved ones to let them know they are safe and well, then my recommendation is Starlink. It's cheaper, easier and more effective. To not recommend Starlink as the first and best option is dishonest. So let's keep it honest. 

W8BYH out

The Clock Is Ticking On Windows 10

Microsoft has announced that they will end support for Windows 10 in October, 2025. This has me digging through my stack of Windows 10 laptops and tablets, trying to figure out if they are 'Windows 11-ready'. As I understand it, this is both a hardware and firmware issue. Windows 11 runs on a lot of platforms, but there are older, viable computers running Windows 10 that can't be updated to Windows 11. The problem is, you won't know unless you try to do a Windows 11 upgrade.

I like Windows 10. It was the best OS that Microsoft released since Windows 7 (the less said about Windows 8 the better). I'll also admit that Windows 11 is, given the hardware platforms I use, a bit better. I don't like how Microsoft has incrementally loaded bloat-crap into the OS with every update (just click in your Windows Search window and you'll see what I'm talking about), but they have managed to keep Windows 11 running well on lower-tier hardware. I wish Microsoft would sell a stripped-down, bloatware free version of Windows. I'd happily pay for that. Yes, I know we all 'pay' for the Windows OS on our computers, and that cost is both built into the cost of the new computer and in the targeted advertising that gets shoved into the OS components. I'd gladly pay for a lean version that strips out all the revenue generating crap. An OS should control the hardware and help me do what I need to do, not keep trying to squeeze more money out of me. 

I see the biggest risk in not upgrading to Windows 11 is the lack of security updates. You don't see it, but every minute your computer is on the internet some hostile actor is poking and prodding it. Microsoft has gotten pretty smart about security. The anti-virus, anti-malware tools, and the firewall built into Windows 11 are all very good (hint - no need for third party junk like Norton or McAfee). If Microsoft doesn't provide security updates for Windows 10, it will quickly become a very vulnerable OS. 

My advice? Upgrade to Windows 11 as soon as possible.

W8BYH out

Some Lessons From North Carolina

Hurricane Helene was a once in a millennium storm, not so much for it's size (geographically it was big, but we've seen bigger) or power (a Cat 4 when it came ashore in the Florida Big Bend region, but a tropical storm before it exited Georgia), but for the destruction it wrought in places that didn't expect it - western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee. Helene was a 'perfect storm' due to the combination of rainfall, winds and terrain. I can't think of a worst place to dump 24" of rain in 48 hours than over the heavily dissected terrain of western North Carolina. 

Places like Florida and coastal Georgia receive these kinds of storm hits fairly regularly, but the terrain in these areas is more forgiving and, most important, the state and federal emergency management agencies and the citizenry expect these storms and are prepared to deal with them. Not so in western North Carolina. 

So here we are, a month and a bit after Helene hit North Carolina, and we're starting to see a lot of individual after-action reports coming out of the region. The majority are YouTube videos. Some are of the breathless "Oh God, pray for us!" theme, some are of the "FEMA and the rest of the government suck" perspective, but many are very good analytical reports that focus on what worked and what didn't. I think it's interesting that most of the level headed analytical reports are put together by individuals who are self reliant (i.e., preppers) at heart, and they view Helene as a learning experience.

My formative disaster experience was Katrina. I was working as an operations officer at First Army HQ in Atlanta when Katrina hit, and worked the military response side from Atlanta (my big boss was LTG Russel 'Don't Get Stuck On Stupid' Honore). Katrina has colored my perspective on preparedness down through the years. I find it interesting that the fundamentals have not changed:

• Shelter
• Water
• Food
• Medical
• Communications
• Community
• Security
• Resilience
• Power & Fuel

What has changed around some of these fundamentals is the enabling technologies. For example, in 2005 there was no such thing as cheap commercial space-based internet (Starlink). We had ham radio, but low power digital modes like FT8 or JS8 were still more than a decade in the future. Winlink was an emerging system (Sail Mail), and still relied heavily on expensive PACTOR modems. Improved Lithium-based battery technologies were still in development. Inexpensive, reliable and power efficient LED lighting technologies wouldn't be available for a few years. High quality consumer-grade solar panels and charge controllers were also years in the future. Lightweight inverter generators were still expensive.  

So let's take a quick look at some of the lessons learned that are emerging out of the mountains of western North Carolina.

Shelter - no new lessons here, other than if your house or primary shelter is on low or unstable ground, GET OUT!

Water - the fundamentals have not changed. Assume that what comes out of your tap is contaminated. Be prepared to decontaminate the water you can collect. Boil or chemically purify anything you use for drinking, cooking or personal sanitation. Have a water storage system, and put together a system that captures 'gray water' for uses like flushing toilets. Point of discussion - boiling water to purify it is the most effective method, but it requires a LOT of energy (gas, electric) to boil enough water to keep a small household going. Chemical decontamination of water is almost as good, and requires a lot less enegry. Regular household bleach is one of the most effective purification chemicals - eight drops per gallon of clear water, shake it up and let it set for 30 minutes and you should be good to go.

Food - nothing new here, either. The contents of your fridge and freezer will spoil within a few short days. Cook up and store what you can, toss the rest (one YouTuber had a great idea for like-minded preppers - feed it all to your hogs. They'll appreciate the feast and you'll reap the benefit later 😁). Canned food that does not need water to prep is best, unless you need to hit the road in a hurry. Cans are heavy and bulky, so if  you think you might need to evacuate have some dried or freeze dried meals on hand (along with water). Have a few large coolers handy in case ice becomes available

Food prep considerations are also important. Virtually all Helene survivors report using propane for cooking. Gas grills are good for grilling duties, but for frying or heating things in a pot you'll need a camp stove and appropriately sized cookware. Bulk propane in 20 or 30 lb tanks is the best and cheapest option., and having refillable 1lb cannisters allows you to recharge from a 20 lb tank and use the smaller cannisters for things like table-top stoves. One Helene survivor mentioned a tip he picked up from a popular homesteading show on TV - use a crock pot to keep hot water available for things like heating food, making tea or instant coffee, sanitation , etc. This assumes, of course, that  you have enough power to keep a crock pot running, but a crock pot set on low only draws about 10 watts, so it may be worth the investment of power. Also, don't forget your pets and livestock! 

Medical - the usual medical advice stands. One personal difference from 2005 - like a lot of folks my age & stage, I use a CPAP. CPAPs require power. If my CPAP stops working, I don't sleep and my effectiveness and overall health goes downhill fast. While not strictly a medical issue, having a power source that can power a CPAP for at least 6 hours is absolutely critical

Communications - This is a topic I wrote about back in July, prior to Helene. This was in relation to the CrowdStrike system outage, and the experiences in western North Carolina were eerily similar. Off-grid communications is an area where we've seen a lot of interesting, and positive, change. First, space-based internet. Starlink has revolutionized this sector and has brought (relatively) cheap and portable internet to the masses. The current battery powered Starlink systems, like their new Mini unit, bring true off-grid internet access to everyone (if they are willing to pay). We've used Starlink while camping for almost 18 months now, and it's a game changer in those areas where there's no cellular-based data coverage. 

Next under Communications is the development of low power, weak signal HF digital modes like FT8 and JS8. These modes allow you to reach out to the world using very little power and compromised antennas. FT8 really isn't a conversation mode - it's more about exchanging pre-canned text messages, but JS8 is, at its heart, a conversation tool. The #1 drawback to both of these modes? The person at the other end needs to be a ham radio operator with the right equipment and running the same software.

This brings us to Winlink, the real jewel in the crown of HF digital modes. It's a robust, effective and well tested radio-based email system. Plus, it doesn't need anyone on the receiving end to be a ham radio operator. I assume most folks reading this post know what Winlink is and how it works, but for the uninitiated, Winlink sends and receives email over ham radio. You type up an email using the Winlink application on your computer, which is connected to your radio. When you hit 'send' the Winlink app connects through the radio to any one of dozens of radio email servers scattered around the US. You upload your outgoing emails to the email server, then download any emails waiting for you. Emails can be sent to or received from any email server, anywhere. Need to let your family know you are safe and well? Winlink. Need to contact your local emergency management center that you need assistance? Winlink. Need to notify your physician that you need an emergency medication refill? Winlink. Winlink is a 'killer app' that by itself justifies the effort to get a ham radio license (General class level) and invest in ham radio hardware. Are you a prepper? Do it!

Community - More than in any previous regional crisis, I've seen more discussion about community, and in a good way. It's clear that the isolation imposed by the western North Carolina terrain has fostered a strong sense of local community. These are people used to taking care of themselves, their neighbors and family. They realized early on that the government wasn't going to be by any time soon, and they needed to fend for themselves for a few days or weeks. OK, no problem; they just did for themselves what needed to be done - cleared roadways so line crews and emergency responders could get through, checked on neighbors and shared resources, made sure everyone was as safe and secures as possible given the circumstances. Let this be an example. Your neighbors are your immediate support system, and helping each other to the best of everyone's ability should be a hallmark of any post-disaster effort. Be a good neighbor that preps, not a prepper that doesn't care about his neighbors

Security - this is the most politically and morally sensitive topic on the list. I'll just say this - in the event of a regional disaster, your security is your responsibility. The police won't/can't be there for hours or days. It happened in Katrina, and it was an issue for some survivors of Helene. Be prepared

Resilience - this is one of the 'soft' issues, in that there are few metrics you can use to predict human resilience in situations like Helene. but I did note some commonalities that ran through a lot of the videos. First, self-reliant folks living in the smaller communities, where they had family and neighbors nearby, and had at least some preparations in-place, seemed to be in a much better mental place than those living in the urban areas with no support systems or preparations. The post-Helene reports coming out of the small communities, while sober, reflected a lot of positive determination. Gender was not an issue here - in fact, a lot of videos were put up by matriarchs who were proud that their families had prepared and endured. Most of the videos coming out of places like Asheville were of the "Where's the government? Why isn't someone here to save me?!" variety. Lots of bitching about no hotel spaces, having to sleep in cars, no gasoline, no food, no water. One gal even griped about how the hotel they were staying at (which had no power and was close to being flooded out) wasn't putting out the breakfast spread that was part of the room charge. Really? Bottom line - those who live a self reliant lifestyle are far better mentally prepared for disasters, large and small

Power & Fuel - I saved this category for last, because power and fuel are the absolute baseline requirement. Without a power system or systems, and the fuel needed to keep those systems going, your shelter in-place plans will fall apart. Fast. What's interesting comparing Katrina with Helene is that nothing in terms of baseline power have changed. Let's be honest - it's all about generators and gasoline. Nothing - NOTHING - provides the necessary baseline power better than a generator. Not wind. Not solar. Not magic pixie dust. It's good old fashioned generators and dead dinosaurs. If  you plan around other power sources you will fail, and you will put all of those depending on you at unnecessary risk. There are exceptions - things like a roof covered in solar panels and enough battery storage capacity to provide baseline power. But if the grid is down and the sun doesn't shine you are back to... a generator. However, the generator is the easy part. A steady supply of fuel is the hard part. Fuel availability quickly became an issue across western North Carolina. It was mostly a transportation issue - either the fuel trucks could not get to the gas stations, or the few gas stations that could get fuel were sucked dry in hours. There's really no good solution to this problem beyond understanding what your power needs will be, having enough gas storage to cover the need for up to 72 hours, and being proactive about filling your gas cans and vehicles before the storm arrives. Virtually every Helene survivor blogging about his or her experience put a generator and fuel at the top of the list of items that were absolutely critical.  

While gasoline powered generators are the best option for base load requirements, there is still key role for solar and low voltage battery systems. New battery chemistries, particularly lithium-ion and lithium-iron phosphate provide significantly improved power density than lead acid batteries. With things like lithium-based power bricks and and solar 'generators', it's easy to off-load recharge duties to these devices to keep laptops, tablets and smartphones running. These devices also pair well with portable solar panels for opportunistic charging when the sun is out. A number of Helene survivors mention the use of power brick/solar panel combinations for keeping phones and laptops topped off

Miscellaneous - there were a number of small 'pearls of wisdom' that survivors passed along that I think are worth noting:

• Hand saw - have a hand saw available to clear small limbs and/or cut things up for firewood
• Battery powered appliances - in the past 10 years a lot of tool manufacturers have put out a wide range of appliances that use common lithium-ion battery packs. Things like drills, saws, lights, fans, and more. The Ryobi range of items, sold at Home Depot, is probably the best example. Assuming, again, that  you have the power available to recharge these battery packs, things like portable fans, lights and even battery powered chainsaws can make life easier and a bit more comfortable
• Batteries - pick devices that use common battery types - AA, AAA, C & D cell, etc. Buy cheap batteries (think Amazon Basics alkaline batteries) and have enough on-hand. Don't buy the more expensive lithium batteries unless the current drain requires it. Also, don't buy devices that require hard-to-find battery types like 6 volt lantern batteries or the CR123 batteries popular for use in tactical flashlights
• Buy the same model of common use items. Again, flashlights are a good example. Don't buy a bunch of different flashlights that have on/off buttons at different locations. Don't force your family members to fumble in the dark. Standardize on a single model, and have one for every member of  your party. A simple flashlight can be an enormous comfort to a child who is having difficulty understanding what's happening around them - something that can light their way through the mental chaos
• Lighters - have plenty of stick lighters on hand. To heat water and cook you will be using propane. Can't light your propane stove? Cold canned beans for dinner again tonight. Buy lighters in bulk and have them available
• AM/FM radios - a lot of survivors lamented the relative uselessness of portable FM radios, mainly because most of their local stations were small FM operations with limited coverage, and they went dark when the power failed or their towers were taken down. AM radio was somewhat more useful, mainly because of the better 'legs' that AM radio has. This meant that AM stations were able to be heard deep into the impacted areas. Have an AM broadcast receiver as part of your kit (there's a lesson in here regarding the current fight to force car manufacturers to keep AM radios in cars, but we'll cover that in another post)
• Firewood - several preppers brought this up. Lots of self-reliant homes planned to use open wood fires and stoves for things like heat, cooking, etc. While many had a supply of split, seasoned firewood, many commented that their long term plan was to cut downed (and partially seasoned) timber as needed. That was a no-go for most, because after two days of hard rain all standing or downed timber was soaked, and any uncovered split & seasoned wood was soaked and almost unusable. Bottom line - cut, split season and cover more than you think you'll need. Also have a stock of things like Duraflame logs and fire starters available, to get a fire going and dry out seasoned firewood to get it burning 

The lessons learned from Helene will be studied for decades, but this close to the disaster it's looking like the fundamentals we discuss all the time still hold. Be prepared, be resilient.

W8BYH out

Making The Case

I'm one of those guys who's gotta' have a case/bag/pouch/container for everything. In fact, I've been known to buy a case or bag simply because it caught my eye, without having any idea what I'll put into it. I think I inherited this from my father, who was an organization freak. I still remember his sense of wonder when zip-lock bags were introduced. Within weeks everything in the house was organized into zip-lock bags; spare change (pennies in one bag, nickels in another, and so on), stamps, envelopes, pens, pencils, batteries, nuts, bolts. Even twist-ties for non zip-lock bags had their own zip-lock bag. Drove my mother nuts.

My obsession for organization reached it's rapturous peak while in the Army, where everything had its place, and there was a place for everything. Example: our trucks were really just gigantic boxes that held ever smaller boxes. They were like giant OD green Russian matryoshka nesting dolls. Once we put everything into their appropriate boxes, we'd draw pictures of what was in the box, so we knew precisely where everything needed to go (we called them 'load plans'), then taped the pictures inside the box lids for as yet unborn archaeologists to find and decipher. It was glorious.

It was also in the Army that I was introduced to specialized cases designed to transport sensitive computer and communications gear. Unlike our regular equipment containers, which were just unpadded wooden or metal boxes (how much protection does a hammer need, right?), these transit cases were purpose-built padded cases designed to provide safe, weatherproof carry for whatever fit inside. At the time the Army was buying a lot of off-the-shelf computer hardware for field use. This was well before things like Panasonic Toughbooks appeared on the market, so this very expensive and fragile gear needed to be protected. Think loading a Sun SPARC workstation and CRT monitor into the back of an open deuce-and-a-half truck with no suspension, and taking it to the woods for a few weeks.

Come forward 20+ years, and I've adopted the same approach for much of the Amateur radio gear in my inventory. As rugged as we may think our radios are, it's an unfounded perception. Even the highly touted 'weatherproof' Lab599 TX-500 fails to meet any industry standard for moisture intrusion, and several are reported to have failed after being used in damp conditions.

The good news is that there are lots of great rugged and waterproof options for safely transporting your gear. I'm thinking about what are typically referred to as 'pelican cases', the suitcase-like hard shell cases manufactured by Pelican, Nanuk, Apache (Harbor Freight), and others. Basically, a foam filled case with a water-tight lid that you can customize to hold your gear. I've exclusively adopted the Pelican and Nanuk brands. These cases are extremely well made and offer a variety of interior configuration options - either 'pick 'n pluck' foam, or easily re-configurable padded dividers. Pelican and Nanuk cases are not inexpensive, but they are almost infinitely reconfigurable and re-buildable. You can purchase replacement foam inserts, new case seals and other parts to keep them going far into the future. Cases, particularly Pelican cases, are widely available on the used market, and they can be re-built to almost new condition. You can't do that with the cheaper brands like Apache. I have a few Pelican and Nanuk cases that I've re-purposed several times over to hold different radio gear. In the beginning I would buy new foam insert sets and configure those to hold the new gear. However, I now buy the padded inserts. Since they are easily reconfigurable, these inserts are a one-time purchase for each case.

Pelican is a US-based company that has been around forever. My brother-in-law is a professional photographer and has Pelican equipment cases that are 30+  years old. Nanuk is a Canadian company that sells directly in the US. Of the two, I have to say that the Nanuk cases are slightly better - better hinges and latches and an overall better design. I didn't know much about Nanuk until I had a conversation a few years back with Jim at HamRadio.world. Jim and his family build a variety of go-boxes and battery power stations using Nanuk cases. He showed me the Nanuk's features, and I was impressed. Pelican's products are great (particularly the Pelican Storm line), but Nanuk's products are just a bit better. Either will serve you well.

One of the features I like about the Nanuk line is the availability of case lid organizers. The small space in the case lid is normally filled with foam padding, but Nanuk makes organizer inserts that are a combination of a sleeve (think of a space to store documentation, notebooks, a small tablet, etc.) and pouches that can hold a variety of items like a microphone, cables, connectors, etc. These lid organizers add a whole lot of capacity and functionality. While lid organizers are available for some Pelican cases, Nanuk designs all of their cases with the appropriate screw holes to accept a lid organizer. It's a pretty slick setup.

Nanuk case lid organizer

When I see portable operators carrying around an expensive radio in the back seat of their car, with no protection, I cringe. I once saw a guy show up to a field operating event carrying a Kenwood HF rig in one of those big blue Ikea shopping bags. Ouch. A $1,500 radio is worth at least some protection, if for no other reason than you are safeguarding your investment. Also, a well though-out case becomes your 'grab 'n go' kit. It's possible, even easy, to build out a kit that holds everything you need - radio, tuner, battery, coax, antenna, notebook, user guide, etc. all in a compact and waterproof case. For example, the Nanuk 918 case I carry my Icom IC-705 in can hold:

• Radio
• AH-705 tuner
• Microphone
• Set of small Heil headphones
• 4 Ah LiFePo battery
• power & tuner control cables
• 25' of coax
• Small end-fed HF antenna
• Roll-up UHF/VHF j-pole antenna
• Connectors & adapters
• Notebook & pen
• User guide
• Leatherman multi-tool

If I shuffled things around there's even be space in there for a small tablet like an iPad Mini or a Surface Go. All in a case that is 17" x 12" x 9.3".

So show your expensive radios some love, and get some decent protective cases to schlepp them around in. The cases I discuss are long-term investments, so they are 'buy once, cry once' purchases. Don't be that Ikea bag guy - get your rigs some protection. 

W8BYH out

More Power!

Power's getting cheap! It seems the lithium iron phosphate (LiFePo) battery market is being flooded with relatively inexpensive high capacity batteries. These cheap and lightweight power sources can negate the justification for low power QRP rigs in many applications. I've long griped on this blog and Facebook that manufacturers have gotten lazy when it comes to QRP rigs. Nobody (except Xiegu, with their G90) wants to push past the 10 watt barrier and deliver a portable HF package in the 20 - 50 watt range. The 10 watt mindset (and the silly obsession with stuffing in UHF/VHF just to get the manufacturers' favored digital mode into the mix) has paralyzed the thinking at Icom and Yaesu. The two manufacturers with the resources and skill to deliver a high quality HF field radio are too scared to take the leap.

But it's not all grim news. For a few years I've advocated building a portable rig package around the Icom IC-7300. It offers everything a portable operator needs - excellent performance, lots of output power, integrated digital mode sound card interface, effective cooling and a great tuner, all in a fairly compact package. Yaesu recently answered the IC-7300 challenge with their FT-710, by all accounts also a great radio that matches the IC-7300 feature-for-feature and does some one-ups. Both radios offer everything a field HF rig should have. Although both are a bit large for the role, considering they were initially designed as shack rigs, they are remarkably small and light weight for the features they offer. If these radios have a drawback, it's amperage draw on receive. The IC-7300 will pull about 1.25 amps while just 'idling', and the FT-710 will suck down up to 2.2 (!) amps on receive. These numbers always put a limit on field operations, particularly on extended digital mode sessions. Your choice was small, light weight batteries of limited capacity, or larger capacity batteries that either weighted a lot (think lead acid car batteries), or LiFePo batteries that offered great run times but at a much higher cost (over $300 for a 30 amp hour battery).

But cheaper batteries can change the paradigm. Most battery buyers I've talked to stop considering buying a LiFePo battery at about the 30 amp hour point, based mainly on cost. It's undeniable that these batteries offer amazing performance given their size and weight, but the prices go up almost exponentially as you go up in amp hour ratings. Thirty amp hours seemed to offer an ideal price-to-performance ratio for running a full sized rig in the field, but extended run times can mean having to turn the TX power below 50 watts. We need more (and cheaper) power!  

Now, what if I told you that you can get a really cheap 100 amp hour LiFePo battery? Something about the size of a 30 amp hour lead acid battery, but a fraction of the weight? Well as Tracy, VE3TWM reports below, it's here! The battery Tracy shows off, the LiTime LiFePo4 100 Ah battery is currently on sale from the manufacturer for $199 US. Compare that with Bioenno's current price for the same capacity battery - $862. Bioenno is a highly regarded LiFePo battery manufacturer, and the battery management system boards they build into each battery are considered some of the best in the industry. But that $660 price difference between batteries is extremely compelling. Even if the LiTime battery craps out after a few years and only provides half the recharge cycles the manufacturer lists, it's still a better buy than the Bioenno offering.

So here's Tracy from Outdoors On The Air laying out his argument. There's a lot of merit in what he says. For field operations, cheap high capacity LiFePo batteries make power sipping QRP rigs running on tiny batteries almost irrelevant.

W8BYH out

A Useless Appendage

That's what UHF/VHF is in a QRP rig. Useless. It's a marketing gimmick.

"Icom, why didn't you build a tuner into the IC-705?" Icom: "Hey look, it's got UHF & VHF!"

"Yaesu, why didn't you design your new FTX-1F field radio so it gets an IP rating?" Yaesu: "Hey look, it's got UHF & VHF!"

Building UHF & VHF bands into their QRP rig offerings reflects laziness on the part of the product design teams. Why? Because it gives the design teams the excuse to not get other, more important things right. Like an integrated tuner, like an IP rating for water resistance, like better RF shielding, like more power output, like a better form factor.

I don't care a damn about 70 centimeter or 2 meter capabilities in a QRP radio. If I want to talk on those bands at low power I've got HTs that do a much better job. If I want more UHF/VHF 'oomph' I've got a selection of 50 watt mobile rigs that do a better job. And it's not just me. Over the past few weeks I've talked to a number of IC-705 owners, and they all report that, other than using it to occasionally hit local repeaters, they never use the UHF/VHF side of their radios. 

Like I said, it's a gimmick. 

It looks like Yaesu is about to release a radio that, in form and function, is little more than an IC-705 clone. Icom got lazy with the design of the IC-705, and Yaesu is doubling down on laziness by copying the 705's capabilities, and little else. The FTX-1F's packaging may be a bit more clever, but at the end of the day it really won't do anything that the IC-705 already does.

"Let's just throw in the guts of an HT, toss it over to marketing
 and call it a day"

Think of what could have been. A highly refined HF-only portable field communications package that offers real performance under all conditions, and puts out enough wattage to make a difference. Yaesu is aiming at the wrong target with the FTX-1F. They're aiming at the IC-705. Instead they should have been aiming at the Elecraft KX2, and taken the opportunity to define a whole new class of radio.

Yeah I'm pissed. I'm almost 68, and it looks like I'll be dead before either of these two companies get it right.

 W8BYH out

I Don't Care How Good Your Receiver Is

With Yaesu's recent announcement of their new FTX-1F QRP radio, lots of wish-casters are commenting about how this new radio just has to come out with top-of-the-heap receiver ratings. Otherwise the radio is a complete failure. Hmmm... Now, odds are this radio will exhibit excellent receiver performance; Yaesu long ago figured out how to make great communications receivers. But if that's what you are focusing on, you are focusing on the wrong thing.

Most of the major radio manufacturers - Yaesu, Icom, Kenwood, Elecraft, Flex, and others - know how to make radios with great receivers. Right now Yaesu, Flex, Icom and Elecraft are duking it out for top position on the Sherwood Engineering receiver ratings, and Yaesu has a surprising number of rigs in the top six slots. I think it's safe to say that the FTX-1F will have a pretty good receiver.

What Yaesu (and Icom) don't seem to understand are the requirements for a low power field radio - a rugged, battery powered radio that is easy to pack and carry long distances and is highly integrated - built-in sound card interface, wireless connectivity, tuner, modern power management - and provides transmit output beyond the conventionally defined QRP levels. But as far as receiver performance, that's not the most important thing. For a radio that's marketed as a low power field radio, receiver performance is less important than form factor, user interface, non-RF features, ruggedness and TX  output. Here's a few examples:

• Yaesu's own FT-817 was never a top-notch receiver. In fact, among it's peers when it was first introduced in 2004, it was just middle-of-the-pack. But the radio became a phenomenon mainly because Yaesu nailed the non-RF features and form factor right out of the gate. Users were fine with merely OK receiver performance because the rest of the little rig was outstanding. It didn't just 'fit the QRP mission', it defined the mission, and it stayed in production for almost 20 years. It was that good
• Elecraft's KX2 took the FT-817 example up a bunch of notches - improved receiver performance, an easy to view front panel, excellent internal battery performance, and an internal tuner that is truly world-class. The KX2 is still the only all-mode HF radio you can slip into the cargo pocket of your trousers and take to the field and effectively communicate for hours at a time. You can even use it as an HF walke-talkie. The KX2's receiver performance isn't first class, according to Sherwood (though it' is still very good), but Elecraft understood the QRP field radio requirements and nailed the features and form factor right out of the gate. That's why, eight years after its introduction, there's still a waiting list for newly manufactured units
• Icom IC-705 is a high quality radio that packs a bewildering variety of features and capabilities into a small package, and it ranks higher on the Sherwood receiver test results than the KX2. Yet the IC-705's design reflects a lot of compromises that make it a less capable field radio than the KX2. Why? Because Elecraft paid more attention to the QRP field radio requirements than Icom did. All Icom wanted to do was get a QRP radio, any QRP radio, to market. They squished down the IC-7300 and tossed in a bit of ID-51. Although they did a great job of integrating all the technology, the resulting form factor is a chunky and awkward box that doesn't sit well at any useful angle, lacks an internal tuner, only offers one antenna connection (no separate HF / VHF & UHF connectors) and the stock battery performance is a bit anemic. This means the IC-705 field footprint will grow - an external battery, an external tuner, a transverter so you can run HF and VHF/UHF without antenna switching, and some sort of stand to hold the radio at a useful angle. When you lay it all out on the picnic table at your POTA location and ponder the footprint, you end up asking yourself why you didn't just bring your IC-7300. Again, Icom didn't understand or ignored the QRP field radio requirements when designing the 705

It's looking like Yaesu is following Icom's lead. The FTX-1F will be a mash-up of Yaesu's successful FT-710 HF rig, and their FT-5DR UHF/VHF handheld. Lots of technology in a small box. Yaesu seems to have addressed a few of the IC-705's shortcomings - dual HF & VHF/UHF antenna connectors, a snap-on tuner, a large capacity snap-on battery pack (the two of which, unfortunately, can't be used together). The fully functional footprint of the FTX-1F may well be smaller than the IC-705's. Good thing. But based on what we know right now, it's still just a run-of-the-mill QRP rig that's not optimized for field use. I may be wrong. I hope I'm wrong, but right now it looks like the FTX-1F will be little more than a warmed-over IC-705.

As a ham radio operator with money to spend, I've grown real tired of this QRP thing. QRP radios as Icom and Yaesu envision them are so dull, so unoriginal, and so unnecessary. Designing and building just another QRP rig reflects complacency and laziness on the manufacturer's part. Yaesu's had three years to study the IC-705 and its market performance. They could have focused tightly on the  QRP field radio requirements and included features that make the FTX-1 more compelling than the IC-705. Things like 20 watt TX capability with an integrated battery pack, an IPX and MILSTD rating, an integrated tuner, improved form factor and user ergonomics. That would have set them apart in the market space, taken  market share from Icom, and assured the long term success of the FTX-1. 

Instead, when the new Yaesu hits the market the only real discriminator will be the digital mode. If you are a C4FM guy or gal, you'll buy the Yaesu. If you are a DSTAR guy or gal, you'll buy the Icom. That's about it.

From a philosophical standpoint it's just a swing... and a miss

W8BYH out

What's A QRP Radio?

Note: I'm writing this as a lead-up to another blog post I'm working on, but it's important that I first lay out my argument that the 'accepted convention' regarding QRP power levels has allowed radio manufacturers to be lazy, and put out sub-par products. 

QRP = low power. I think every ham understands that. It's generally accepted that QRP means 5 watts max output on CW, or 10 watts PEP on SSB, but these are just generally accepted conventions, not hard and fast rules. However, for decades ham radio manufacturers have used this 5 - 10 watt convention to their market advantage. If they are designing a QRP radio they only have to worry about 10 watts, and that's on external batteries. Most only put out 5 watts on internal batteries. This 'accepted convention' has allowed radio manufacturers to get lazy. Why build a small field radio that puts out more than 10 watts? If you go over that number you are not really QRP, are you? 

Bullshit.

This QRP mindset has left us with is a huge ham radio capabilities gap. We have HF rigs that put out 10 watts, and then nothing until we get to the 100 watt output level. Nothing between 10 & 100. There are a few outliers, like the Xeigu G90 with its 20 watt output, but it sits almost alone in the market.

And yet, modern design technologies, manufacturing techniques, improved battery chemistries and battery and thermal management systems can easily deliver a small, high performance HF radio capable of sustained operation at 20 watts of output. It's not that hard. Radio manufacturers like Harris, Barrett and Codan have done it for decades. I guarantee you that when it comes to radio design, Icom, Yaesu and Kenwood are the equal of those three. The only difference is that Harris, Barrett and Codan's biggest customer bases - large government and military organizations - demand 20 watts of output on battery power. 

It's time ham radio puts the message across to manufacturers that we want more transmit power options. Stop half-stepping it with measly 5 & 10 watt rigs. Show some inventiveness and a bit of corporate courage, and deliver well designed and integrated field radios that put out 20 watts.

It's time for us to define what we think QRP means. To me it means 20 watts PEP on SSB.

W8BYH out

What To Do With An Old FT-818?

This past weekend's reveal at the annual Japanese Ham Fair may kill off the market for good used Yaesu FT-817s & 818s. Yaesu announced the pending release of their FT-818 replacement, the FTX-1F. 

 

From what we know so far, this new radio looks like it's got a pretty good feature set. There are some lingering questions about things like Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GPS capability, but overall it looks like a worthy successor to the FT-818, and should give the Icom IC-705 some stiff competition. But we won't really know how 'stiff' until we start seeing some pricing information.

But if you are like me, and have one (or more) of the venerable old FT-818s sitting around, and are thinking hard about the FTX-1F, the question now becomes, what do I do with my old 818? Here's some options I've been pondering:

• Put together a radio 'bug-out' kit with the FT-818 as a centerpiece and just leave it in my truck
• Set it up in my ham shack as a back-up (to a back-up). The little rig does just dandy on VHF/UHF and with my exterior antenna I can hit our local repeater with ease. I may just designate it as an over-sized HT and call it a day
• Hook it up to a SignaLink, park it on a single digital frequency, and turn it into something like a full-time JS8Call machine
• Try to rig up some sort of manpack HF system
• Sell it to help fund the possible purchase of an FTX-1F
• Use it as a door stop

Like so many hams, I've got a soft spot in my head heart for the FT-817/818. It was a paradigm changer when it came out in 2004, and it's the radio that helped start the SOTA craze. It proved to be a rugged and versatile little beast that saw it used in some pretty unusual non-ham applications. How unusual? It was bought in large numbers by Central and South American revolutionaries and drug cartels (often one in the same) for short and long range jungle communications. While today it's a very outdated design, that's no reason to toss it. After all, every week we've got thousands of hams firing up even older tube-based gear to get on the air. Nobody today thinks of tossing a Collins S-line into the dumpster. 

OK, so I've talked myself into hanging on to my FT-818. But what to do with it? Other than the ideas I've outlined here, anyone have any suggestions?

W8BYH out

Look To The Sky

So, does anyone have a clear picture on what the root cause was with yesterday's cyber outage? Was it a bad update released by Microsoft, or was it a bad update developed by CrowdStrike to be applied specifically to their own Windows applications? The on-line 'experts' are real foggy on this. One thing's for sure - the lawyers are racking and stacking. 

Oops...

Whatever the cause, this was certainly a lesson in vulnerability and fragility. Nothing nefarious or criminal, just a few lines of 'bad' code applied during an update that shuts down the airline and banking industries (to name just two) around the globe. No explosions, no gunfire, no evil hackers sitting in a star chamber somewhere in China. Just a few lines of code, code that had probably been tested and approved on development servers before being deployed to production servers world-wide. 

With increased complexity and scale comes geometrically increased risk and vulnerabilities. There's little you or I can do to anticipate these kinds of global-level impacts. They will happen, and happen right out of the blue with no warning. But have you thought about how you would mitigate these impacts at the personal, family and community level? What is your list of must-haves? Here's a short list to consider: 

• Reliable AC power to run things like refrigerators, home medical devices, security systems, to charge phones, computers, and power networking systems, etc.
• Reliable phone service (cell or landline) to keep in touch with vulnerable family & friends and to issue 'safe & well' updates
• Access to banking services, either on-line or at a local physical bank. Can you get to your money when you need it? (Although inflation chews away at it, experts recommend keeping a cash reserve on-hand to pay for things like food & fuel)
• Internet. The internet is what ties most of what we need together. It is the backbone that powers the global economy, and it's what links you to things like local emergency services, your loved ones (via email, text and voice comms), and necessary commercial services. Just because the internet is out at your location doesn't mean it's out everywhere. The key is being able to reach beyond your internet provider's local or regional infrastructure to get to where the internet is working

My solution for many of these must-haves can be summed up in one short phrase: look to the sky!

 

We live in an era where we can easily provide for ourselves. Small scale 'shelter at home' equipment, infrastructure and services are a burgeoning business. Generators, water purification and storage systems, off-grid communications systems and more are just an Amazon mouse click away. 

The thing that concerns me the most in a grid down situation is communications. I've got generators, I've got water storage and purification, I've got security systems, I've got solar power, I've got stored food and medicine. What concerns me most is keeping in touch with my loved ones. I'm not worried  about point-to-point radio communications with other hams, I know I can do that. I'm talking about checking in with my daughters, their families, close friends and others, and the ability to reach out to emergency services. It takes some planning, but it can be done, and the answer to most of this is right over our heads. Don't think in terms of bars of signal strength, think in terms of satellite constellation coverage and radio wave propagation. Consider these options: 

• Garmin in-Reach. Perhaps the most basic 'overhead' emergency communications system. It's a text messaging and alert system that is satellite based. Depending on the device you select (all made by Garmin) you can send and receive texts, send emergency signals (SOS), allow loved ones and emergency responders to track your location, and more. The in-Reach system has been in use for several decades now and has proven very reliable
• Satellite Phones. More expensive than in-Reach, but the overall costs have come down quite a bit over the past decade. There are a large number of sat phone manufacturers and a wide number of service providers, but they all seem to provide the same features and functions. 
• Satellite based internet. The big dog in this market space today is Elon Musk's Starlink. Starlink provides amazing performance, particularly when you consider service costs. It's not cheap like home internet (you have to factor in the hardware costs), but when you consider that it's an almost completely off-grid system (you still need AC to power the router and antenna) with high reliability and performance, for me it's a must-have.
• Winlink. Winlink is really the only viable ham radio-based system that can link you with non-ham radio individuals or agencies. It allows you to send emails to anyone, anywhere, via ham radio. No license needed on their end. And it's a two-way system; email your family members regarding your status, and they can respond back using their own email provider (GMail, Outlook, etc.). While not interactive like a phone call or text message, it is still a very viable, reliable and well tested system. But to use it you need your General-class license and the right equipment, and practice, practice, practice.

The next time something like this happens (and it will happen again - we can't beat the odds) don't just stand there shouting at your cell phone that's showing zero bars of coverage. Be ready for it and...

Look to the sky!

W8BYH out

NUCing Around

It's time for a computer switch-out. I needed to take one computer out of service, and that had a cascading effect. I found myself in need of a new computer that is well endowed with USB-B & C ports. Normally I'd tackle this job with a laptop and a USB port extender, but this time I decided to try something new. The concept of what Intel calls the Next Unit of Computing, or NUC, has interested me for quite a while. A NUC is essentially a mini-desktop computer. How mini? Many are small enough to be mounted directly to the rear of a stand-alone monitor. Intel didn't invent the form factor. I believe Apple was there first with their Mini Mac line, but Intel established the form factor in the Windows world. The best way to describe a NUC is that it's a laptop computer, but without the screen, keyboard, trackpad or battery - a single board computer in a small rectangular box that offers lots of ports. You bring your own monitor, keyboard and mouse to the game. A NUC is roughly 5" x 5" x 1.5", small enough to disappear on a ham shack desk, which is precisely what I was looking for. 

Interior of a NUC - a board, some memory, a cooling fan, lots of ports, and that's it!

Intel introduced the NUC back in 2012 and, as invariably happens, as soon as it gained market traction the clone manufacturers piled on. Everyone from Dell to 'China, Inc' got in the game. The competition got so fierce that Intel recently announced that they are selling off their NUC line to ASUS. Newly manufactured Intel NUCs are still widely available, but their pricing reveals a large part of why Intel got chased out of the market. The Intel units, while wonderfully made with top-tier (Intel) components, are roughly twice the price of a 'China, Inc' clone that offers better specs. Corporate America and the (dot)Gov world were OK with forking over $600 for a real Intel NUC with middling specs, but the mom & pop home owners, gamers and embedded system geeks were drawn to the far more reasonably priced clones. The price wars commenced, and the competition simply overwhelmed Intel.  

I can be heartless when it comes to computers. Like I've said before in this blog, I view computers the same way I view toasters; if it stops working it gets tossed and I get something else. However, it's rare I'll buy something new. I view buying computers the same as buying cars - I'm happy to let someone else eat the depreciation. That's why my ham shack is full of computers I've bought used. This allows me to explore the far edges of computing form factors without spending a fortune. And so it was with my new NUC. I found an eBay vendor selling used units with the specs I wanted, but for a fraction of the price of a new one.

There's really nothing much to talk about regarding the specs of this little computer. It's a run-of-the-mill Intel i5 processor unit with 8 GB or RAM and 512 GB of SSD storage. When it arrived I simply plugged in a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, hooked it up to a monitor, re-loaded Windows 11 and loaded up some ham radio applications. No gaming, no video editing. Nothing fancy. It works just as well as the laptop computer it replaced, but frees up a LOT of desk space, allowing me to stack more ham radio junk there.

I really like this small form factor, and I'm thinking about getting a second unit for the other computer in my shack. This time I may violate my long standing rule about buying new. I'm watching some NUC clones for sale on Amazon (the brand is BeeLink), and I'm waiting to see if the price comes down at all during the upcoming Prime Day sale. That would free up an old Panasonic Toughbook for field use. Computers come and computers go here in the W8BYH shack. I think there was a song about that in a Disney movie once. Something about the circle of life...

W8BYH out

Field Fixes

I love operating radios in the field. It's fun, and it gets my old arse out of the shack in into the sunlight (insert vampire jokes here). I love testing various radio/antenna/feedline/power source combinations out in the wild. It's challenging, builds confidence and expertise and, like I said, it's a ton of fun. 

If you spend any time in the field with radios and all the associated accessories at some point you'll need to fix or modify something. Cut and strip wire, tighten screws, crimp connectors, scrape corrosion, cut string & cord, and much more. You'll need a tool kit, but a kit that is appropriate to the situation.

Not this - 

More like this -

A bit of a confession. I love radios, but I really love knives and cutting tools. I've been fascinated by knives since I was a young Cub Scout (I'm 67, so do the math). I have a very extensive collection of both custom and production blades, and for years I wrote about knives and related issues on my A Fine Blade blog. So consider this post a mash-up of radios, blades and tools.

Most of the repairs and modifications we might need to do on a short POTA or SOTA deployment are pretty lightweight, and that's what I'll focus on here. You need a light and easy to carry tool kit that can handle the most likely issues that may pop up. Again, cutting and stripping wire, cutting string & cord, crimping connectors, etc. You may also need to make light repairs to your gear - tightening screws, fixing knobs, moving board jumpers, that sort of stuff. For a short field excursion all the tools you need should fit in your trouser pockets, or on your belt. 

We are blessed to live in the Golden Age of Pocket Tools, so putting together that small field tool kit is both easy and fun! The grandpappy of pocket tool kits - they've been doing it for over 100 years - is Victorinox, the Swiss Army Knife folks. They make pocket knives that sport an amazing array of useful tools, things like scissors, screwdrivers, saws, pliers, awls, cork screws, tweezers, and more. I've been buying, using, and losing Victorinox knives for over 45 years, and the level of quality they bring to a mass produced pocket toolkit is amazing. The fit and finish is beyond what few other manufacturers can bring to the market anywhere near the price point of a Victorinox knife. If a Victorinox pocket knife has a drawback it's that they are somewhat lightweight and not suited to heavier twisting or prying tasks. So don't buy one and expect to be able to disassemble your F-150 with it. But for the myriad of minor tasks you will be faced with on a short deployment, the Swiss Army Knife is ideal. But which one? Victorinox makes several dozen versions of their knives - there is no single 'Swiss army knife' - the name denotes a market niche, not a single design. Here's my list of minimum feature requirements:

• Scissors
• Phillips screwdriver
• Flat tip screwdriver
• Corkscrew*
• Magnifying glass
• Awl
• Package carrying hook (surprisingly useful for twisting lengths of wire together)

Of course, with just about every Swiss Army Knife you'll get at least one, and usually two, knife blades, and tweezers.

* What's going on with the corkscrew? I'm not opening bottles of wine on field deployments. Well OK, I'm not just opening wine bottles on field deployments 😁. Victorinox offers a set of small (eyeglass screw size) screwdrivers that fit into the corkscrew and are remarkably effective for small repairs. 

The one Victorinox model I recommend that has all of what I need out of a knife is the Explorer. It hits the sweet spot in terms of features. Everything I need, nothing I don't.

Victorinox Explorer

And yet, a Swiss Army Knife can't do it all. You will still need an effective set of pliers, wire cutters, a file and a more robust cutting blade. This is where the second part of your field tool kit comes in. You'll need a multi-tool, like one of those made by Leatherman, Gerber, SOG or even Victorinox. I've owned multi-tools made by each of these manufacturers, and all are very good, but the industry standard is the Leatherman, so that's what I'll focus on for this discussion.

Tim Leatherman started his multi-tool business after breaking a knife while trying to repair a car on a road trip back in 1975. He knew he needed something more heavy duty than a pocket knife, a tool that also in incorporated pliers. His first design, the PST, was an immediate hit. Today Leatherman makes over a dozen models and leads the industry. What does the multi-toolkit offer that a Swiss Army Knife doesn't? 

• Heavy duty needle nose pliers
• Wire cutter
• File
• Saw
• Ruler

Although I own a number of Leatherman multi-tools, my personal recommendation is the Rebar model. It seems to hit the capabilities and price point sweet spot.

Leatherman Rebar

While there is some overlap in capabilities between the Victorinox Explorer and the Leatherman Rebar, they compliment each other very well. With both of these tools in your POTA bag you'll be well set to handle any repair issues that pop up.

The fun in all of this, though, is that there are literally dozens and dozens of possible brands and models you can choose from. Putting together your own portable tool kit means picking from a broad array of options from a long list of models and manufacturers. What better way to waste a Saturday night, eh?

So what is your field tool package? I'd love to hear what other hams take with them when heading out for a day of field operations. What do you toss into your POTA or SOTA bag to handle the unexpected but all too common repair tasks that pop up? Let us know!

W8BYH out

Something Pithy This Way Comes*

The 2014 Dayton (Xenia) Hamvention is just a week away. I'm wondering what the over/under is on new HF releases from the big name radio manufacturers. Some, like Flex Radio, have been quite open about their coming new release. Icom has kinda' sorta' hinted something that may, or may not, be announced at Dayton. But Ray Novak has yet to release any of his 'look what I found in my trunk' pictures, so we may not see anything from the 'Big I'.

There are other possible releases or teases that may be coming next week. Let's take a look at what's been hinted/leaked/teased/announced since the last Hamvention:

• Icom. They've teased out that something is coming in their advertising pages in the last two QSTs editions. Please God, not another UHF/VHF rig. Let's get serious about replacing the IC-7100. The market is there and it's ready to spend the money
• Yaesu. Yaesu's been dead silent on anything new. But they can't clam up forever. When they killed of the FT-818 last year they abandoned a market segment they once owned. There's a big gap ready to be filled with an FT-857-like replacement (and that ain't the current FT-891)
• Kenwood. Kenwood recently released their TH-D75 handheld, but there have been rumors of them coming back with an updated HF rig. There's no firm details, just whispers that 'Kenwood is coming back'. I think the best we can hope for at Dayton is an information sheet at their booth
• Xeigu. Xeigu and Radioddity have been dribbling out information on their new X6200 for several months now. I think it's reasonable to expect a Xeigu vendor to have a working model on display
• FlexRadio. I don't follow Flex too closely, so I'm not sure just what is coming. My real interest is in the HF digital work Flex is doing for the US Air Force. With this new product, we may see some of that development work trickling down to the Amateur market 
• Alinco. Who's that? OK, they'll have a booth at Hamvention. I don't think they'll have anything new to announce. A quick scan of their website leads me to think they've pretty much given up on the HF market
• Elecraft. Elecraft released their handheld KH1 last year, and those sales are going gangbusters. I don't expect them to be announcing anything new
• Lab599. Russia-based Lab599 has been putting out info on their new TX-500MP manpack HF rig for several months now, but there's no confirmed release date. I would hope there's a pre-production sample on display at the HRO booth (Lab599's US distributor). This radio is much less vaporware than other teased radios listed above. Lab599 actually talks with several ham radio influencers (like Julian, OH8STN at Off-Grid Ham Radio) and responds to questions about the radio. That's a good omen

I won't be going to Hamvention this year, but if I did, there are a few vendors other than what's listed above that I'd be sure to stop and visit:

• HF Communications Corp. This India-based company makes what looks like some really neat HF radio kits that are very reasonably priced. Most of what they offer are Raspberry Pi-driven SDRs, so they are, in the words of the company, 'hackable, tinkerable, scriptable'. Their top-of-the-line rig, the sBitx v3 is only $429, fully assembled and delivered in the US
• Codan. Speaking of manpack radios - NVIS Communications, the US agent for Codan, will be at the show. Codan is an Australian-based manufacturer of commercial and military HF rigs, and their products are very highly regarded and in wide use in the Asian, Indian sub-continent and African markets. A lot of MARS and SHARES members have purchased Codan product through NVIS and they've developed a bit of a following. What's interesting regarding Codan's showing is partly about who's NOT at Hamvention - Codan's leading competitors in the market: Barrett Communications (recently purchased by Motorola) and Harris. I believe this reflects NVIS Communications' support of the MARS and SHARES markets and their interest in developing a foothold in the Amateur radio space. I'm particularly interested in their H 6110 manpack radio
• HobbyPCB. I've built two of HobbyPCBs HardRock50 amps for my QRP rigs, and Jim Veatch at HobbyPCB recently released a 100 watt upgrade kit for the amp. I'd want to talk with Jim about the level of difficulty for the upgrade. I'm fine right now with 50 watts for my IC-705 and KX2, but 100 watts is 'more better' 

We should mention who's not going to be there. Everyone knows by now that MFJ is closing down operations and that leaves a big vendor hole, not just at Dayton but at smaller shows across the country. MFJ was a reliable staple at the Atlanta shows, showing up even when major manufacturers like Icom and Yaesu declined to make an appearance. I think their departure from the market will be felt in ways that most hams can't yet fathom. Martin, I wish you well in your retirement.

That's it! If you go to Dayton I'd love it if you keep your eye out for some of the things I've discussed here. Inquiring minds want to know!

W8BYH out

* A hat tip to Ray Bradbury's classic sci-fi fantasy novel 'Something Wicked This Way Comes'

Old Radios and Misplaced Nostalgia?

There's a style of radio that has fascinated me for decades. I love the concept of the manpack VHF and HF rigs, a design we first saw in WWII as the SCR-300, reached a design peak in the 1960s with the PRC-77, and culminates today in radios like the Harris PRC-160 HF/VHF manpack

SCR-300 in use during WWII

AN/PRC-25/77 as used in Vietnam

Current production Harris PRC-160. 
Twenty thousand dollars of glorious battle-ready manpack radio technology. And you can't have one.

For years I've idealized this style of radio, and pursued US and foreign models on the used market. But why a manpack? They really don't perform any better than table-top models. In fact, in the Amateur Radio realm they are more likely to perform worse - low TX power, poorer receiver performance, cooling issues, no internal tuner, too many accessory cables, and more. I look beyond all that to the unique and fascinating mash-up of technologies that are used in successful military and commercial manpack designs, designs that can overcome many of the limitations I've listed and provide good mid-range TX performance, good receiver performance, robust tuners, robust weatherproofing and long battery life. All in a package small and light enough to toss in a backpack, go for a walk, and make contacts. 

I've got a small collection of both military models (PRC-77, Czech RF-10) and commercial models (Vertex Standard VX-1210, Yaesu FT-70G), But I'm bumping up against some inevitable issues - most of his hardware is 50+ years old, no longer performs as it originally did, and is not really worth the expense to keeping running. That means when one of these radios dies, its next trip will be to a landfill or electronics recycling center.

Twenty five years ago manpack radios were less difficult to find. There were more of them on the market because there were more manufacturers in the market. Additionally, embedded encryption and military only waveforms were not in wide use like we see today. As encrypted systems became the norm, spurred on by America's conflicts in the Middle East and the rise of cyber warfare, the supply of surplus systems started to dry up. The available older systems were snapped up by collectors and reenactors, or sent for recycling. The newer systems could not be released to the surplus market. These encrypted systems, by law, can not be sold to the public. Instead, the radios had to be ground up or melted down to destroy the embedded encryption systems. 

This means that there's really no military manpack radios of recent manufacture available on the surplus market. Some manufacturers like Harris, Barrett and Codan do make civilianized versions of their high end rigs - radios that lack the sensitive embedded encryption. These are designed for sale to organizations like NGOs (UN relief agencies, Red Cross, etc.) and are legal for civilians to own. However, these radios are extremely rare on the used market, and when they do show up are too expensive to consider. As I write this one online vendor, Green Tip Surplus, offers a used Harris RF-7800 radio (civilian version of the PRC-160) starting at $8,500, with no batteries or accessories. And I have no doubt it will sell at that price.

Ouch

Codan Sentry manpack. Somewhat less ouchy than a Harris 7800, but still painful
at over $6,000 for a new stripped out model

Ham radio manufacturers have gone part way down this path with a few of their radios. I've already mentioned the Vertex Standard VX-1210 (originally made by Yaesu) and the Yaesu FT-70G. These were radios designed for commercial and military markets but bled over into the ham radio market. Other kinda' sorta' manpack rigs designed specifically for the ham radio market include the Icom IC-703, the Yaesu FT-817/818, the Elecraft KX2 and, of course, the current Icom IC-705. Of all of these, the IC-703 came closest to my idealized version of the manpack rig. Icom provided a whole host of manpack accessories, including an internal tuner, direct connect HF antennas, battery packs, and a very well designed backpack. Many hoped (expected?) the IC-705 would just build on the concept of the IC-703, but port over the outstanding digital HF performance of the IC-7300. Alas, while the IC-705 is a great radio, it's also a radio that reflects some missed opportunities, particularly in the awkward physical design and the lack of an internal tuner. Icom does make a well designed backpack for the IC-705 (the LC-192), but it's sized to fit a Japanese school girl and not much use as a serious manpack container.

When the dust settles, we're left with what many would consider a dark horse candidate. The Elecraft KX2. The dark horse perception is odd, because Elecraft actually advertises this rig as suitable for HF handheld operation. This is made possible, in large part, by the excellent internal tuner Elecraft makes for this little rig. 

From Elecraft's own website. This KX2 was designed
with handheld HF operations in mind

The KX2 isn't particularly rugged, and it's very vulnerable to water intrusion (the case is just a stamped metal box with lots of openings), but the performance is world class.

There may be some interesting developments in the manpack HF field just on the horizon. One effort that is beyond the vaporware stage is the Lab599 TX-500MP. This was teased out earlier last year, and one or two pre-production models have seen daylight. Lab599 is a Russian company, but it moved quickly to distance itself from Putin and his antics in Ukraine. The company moved its production to the UAE and seems to have found some stability. The TX-500 has developed something of a cult following, and the company responds well to input and puts out regular firmware updates, always a positive sign. 

There's not a whole lot of info out on the TX-500MP yet other than some basic specs, but Lab599 does keep the user community updated on its development status. The radio looks like a channelized version of the TX-500 with an integrated battery pack and antenna tuner. There has even been talk of a digital soundcard interface. In terms of a real product that may see the light of day in the next year or so, this looks like the best bet.

The other developments are merely speculative. Icom recently teased out that there's something new coming. They won't say what, but it likely won't be a new HT. It may be a new UHF/VHF mobile rig, since the ID-5100 is getting a bit long in the tooth (but is still one of the best dual band mobiles on the market). Or, it could be a new HF/VHF/UHF portable rig. Icom did something odd last year. They pulled the IC-7100 from production, then within literally a few months they put it back into production and acted like nothing every happened. It was a very odd sequence of events, and Icom never commented on what was going on behind the scenes. The IC-7100 is a very nice radio, and it was a strong seller for Icom, but it too is getting long in the tooth, and its DSTAR capabilities are a bit dated. The switcheroo Icom went through may well signal that Icom had the IC-7100's replacement about to enter the pipeline, but hit a snag and decided to keep the 7100 going just a bit longer. So, Icom may be poised to release information on this new radio at Hamvention in Xenia, OH in a few weeks. Fingers crossed that whatever they do release is a good manpack platform.

This last speculation is way out there. Yaesu killed off its FT-818 last year and there's been no discussion of a replacement. Yaesu simply can't let this gap in their product line continue. QRP activities like SOTA and POTA are sweeping the ham radio community, and in the US most of the spend to fill that demand has been on the Icom IC-705. Yaesu can't let Icom go unchallenged in this market. Or maybe they can. In the past decade or so, Yaesu seems to have gotten pretty good at snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, as reflected in some pretty clumsy hardware releases.

Some may be saying, "But Brian, what about the Chinese?" OK, I'll admit that the soon-to-be-released Xeigu 6200 looks pretty neat, but if you've read any of my posts over the past few years you'll know that I don't spend money on Chinese products. 

We'll check back on this subject after Hamvention. I'm hoping we'll have one or more really good manpack releases to talk about. Until then, 73!

W8BYH out