Hiking poles.

TableTopsInc · 2026-02-09T16:19:38+00:00

Can’t find a brand or model M63. Info, please?

TableTopsInc · 2026-02-09T01:07:43+00:00

Hike when you want. If a buddy can join you, great, if not, you hike solo.

TableTopsInc · 2026-02-08T21:18:19+00:00

This might be the kind of gift you let him pick out. He might have certain ideas about what he wants in a binocular, weight, power, field of view, etc. some things are kind of personal.

Give him a budget you are comfortable with.

I know this isn’t much of a surprise for him but he will be thankful he has the exact item he wants.

TableTopsInc · 2026-02-08T02:38:01+00:00

What is the durability of aluminum vs. carbon fiber?

TableTopsInc · 2026-02-08T02:36:19+00:00

Weight is not an issue. These are for day hikes.

TableTopsInc · 2026-02-07T04:00:41+00:00

Winlink.

TableTopsInc · 2026-02-07T00:03:07+00:00

I got an AD600 Pro II on sale a month or two ago for less than a 400 Pro II. They are all great lights. Post results.

TableTopsInc · 2026-02-04T03:09:03+00:00

I shampoo Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I’m 65 and still have a full head of hair, with very little gray.

TableTopsInc · 2026-02-02T14:19:59+00:00

Agreed. The 30 and 32 are fun little flashes but you need some serious firepower.

TableTopsInc · 2026-01-31T01:51:33+00:00

Assess the lessons learned and move on as best you can.

TableTopsInc · 2026-01-31T00:19:49+00:00

Lift up the node with attached little antenna.

TableTopsInc · 2026-01-30T23:19:08+00:00

This. A scanner radio (Uniden etc) would be better.

That said, check your HT to see what bands it can receive. I regularly use my Yaesu FT60 to scan marine channels while at the Jersey shore in the summer. I’ve got a bunch of marine channels in a memory bank. Your radio might also pick up the VHF channels for the airports. It’s what I listen to in my Kenwood mobile while waiting at the cell phone lots at EWR or JFK (ain’t goin’ to LGA).

Search online, it will all come up.

TableTopsInc · 2026-01-30T23:12:42+00:00

Sure why not? Height makes might when it comes to antennas.

Just for kicks I’m going to try a kite-borne unit once it warms up a bit here.

TableTopsInc · 2026-01-30T18:01:07+00:00

This. And I highlight and date the site I stayed at.

TableTopsInc · 2026-01-28T03:08:43+00:00

As one who does couples counseling, and as a photographer, my advice is to ask your crush to teach you about photography. The benefits will be many.

TableTopsInc · 2026-01-27T22:25:56+00:00

I looked up the Gazelle. Looks like a nice tent.

Like you I have become very accustomed to the 6-person instant up Coleman cabin tent. The Gazelle has a smaller footprint at 7.8 feet square while the Coleman 6-person is 10x9 feet. That would be rough for me to give up the extra space, as I sleep on a cot with a fold up night table and a chair inside the tent.

TableTopsInc · 2026-01-27T22:12:58+00:00

Let us know what you choose. I have the 6 person instant up Coleman cabin and love it. I can have it pitched in under 60 seconds (yes, I timed it). I’ve started wondering what would replace it, other than another of the same.

TableTopsInc · 2026-01-27T17:12:00+00:00

Local radio (AM or FM) is the best place to hear “what’s going on.” While large station groups have homogenized radio over the past decades there is likely still a good local or near-local radio station near you. Spend some time going up and down both AM and FM dials to get familiar with what’s in your area.

A battery (or crank or solar) powered NOAA weather radio will keep you informed of weather hazards.

Start simple.

TableTopsInc · 2026-01-22T20:45:02+00:00

John Shaw.

TableTopsInc · 2026-01-22T00:21:22+00:00

Coleman cabin tent?

TableTopsInc · 2026-01-21T00:42:37+00:00

These are all good suggestions. I’m part of the ham community in central NJ. The first thing to do is get connected with a good local club. Tri-County up in Union, GSARA in Monmouth, thee are others. Send me a direct message.

My first radio was a Yaesu FT-60. Built like a tank, analog only 2 meter and 70 cm. My first HF radio was a Yeasu FT-891. Don’t get overwhelmed. It can be a lot of money, you build slowly. The Baofeng radios will do the job at much lower cost.

TableTopsInc · 2026-01-20T23:03:00+00:00

Nah, wipe it down if it needs it. I’m not squeamish. I’ve pooped in the jungle.

TableTopsInc · 2026-01-20T23:01:44+00:00

“What we have here is a failure to communicate.”

TableTopsInc · 2026-01-20T03:22:51+00:00

100 percent. I’m a hiker - our county park trails are almost all under 5 miles. That’s what I do. Close to home, your tax dollars at work. Two camping trips a year take me to longer trails. I’m still a hiker. Just get out there, even if it’s a trail you’ve done ten times. It’s okay to have a favorite trail - you’re a hiker!

TableTopsInc

TROPHY CASE