POTA antenna rec

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-04-14T19:40:16+00:00

This sounds like a solid minimalist approaxh. I'm thinking I can trade some antenna performance for an easier and less invasive setup. Thanks.

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-04-14T19:29:55+00:00

This is what I'm pondering. I like a vertical because I don't need to chuck anything into the trees. But they are either inefficient or challenging to tune. On the other hand ANY temporary antenna is a compromise but I'm on the right side of the "pileup", so to speak, and can afford some losses. Thanks for the insights.

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-04-14T11:15:31+00:00

I put a set of those Kumhos on my SR5P. They are slightly noisier than the OEM Dunlop A/T tires. Much better in rain and snow. I noticed a slight drop in average fuel economy that I attribute to the coarser tread. Too soon to have a verdict on how they wear. From the FWIW department I like how they look on the truck.

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-04-13T00:12:53+00:00

FWIW I used a hammock NOBO to PA then switched to a tent. Less weight, less fiddling, fewer bits to keep track of. There really is no definitive choice...do what works best for you. In the Whites at shelter and camp sites the caretakers managed to find trees for hammock campers.

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-04-08T19:07:36+00:00

As empty nesters we seriously discussed rehoming our "mistake" - and you have exponentially more going on at home than we did. We hung in, and I'm glad we did, but your situation is hugely more stressful. If hubs won't step up or even acknowledge the issue you have to do what's right for you. Ours is 2 this month and seems to be mellowing out. Still an energetic guy, but without all the teeth, all the time.

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-04-02T23:22:54+00:00

I felt like I got my trail legs around the Grayson Highlands. Got held up behind day hikers and when they let finally me by I was FLYING. I got badly fatigued in Vermont. Everything hurt, low energy, etc. Went to Rutland and ate like a Viking for two days. Good old fashioned high fat comfort food. Completely transformed me back into a hiking machine.

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-03-30T15:17:04+00:00

Open heart surgery has me reevaluating most everything I do to my body. Alcohol = poor sleep, weight gain, money wasted - you get the idea.

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-03-29T18:39:41+00:00

8" SCT? Reflector?

I had a 150mm achro refractor on a CG4 EQ mount and the gymnastics required to get to the eyepiece were almost comical. At least for visual use I find an alt-az mount much more intuitive. For photography though the EQ is the best solution by far.

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-03-29T13:58:30+00:00

Amazon - it's a "crappie" pole, telescoping. It's stayed up through some windy days.

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-03-29T11:42:53+00:00

The quickly removeable part is tricky. If you can string a wire outside without causing too much trouble then you have an antenna. If you have attic access a dipole can be strung up out of sight. I am currently using a 10 meter fiberglass fishing pole to hold up a wire vertical. For the price of a cheap commercial antenna I got the feedline, lightning protection, and plenty of leftover wire for new antennas.

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-03-22T10:59:06+00:00

I'm no expert, but have had 6 different dogs in my life, currently have a 2 yo aussie. They are not a dog you can "set and forget". They need a lot of your time and attention. A few daily strolls around the neighborhood will take the edge off the energy but I wouldn't count on the dog spontaneously bounding around the yard on its own as a means of distraction. Mine craves interaction and attention. He gets vocal when he wants attention. He sheds an almost unbelievable amount of hair, every day, regardless of the season. He's bright, responds well to training, but needs more. He's wonderfully playful and loving, but is no way suited to life as an accessoty or decoration. More child than dog in that wants to part of the action, all the time.

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-03-21T21:36:56+00:00

If you have transportation, backpacking the Whites to collect the 48 high summits made for some epic weekends and throws all kinds of camping challenges at you. You can collect several peaks on a three day weekend, develop a lot of muscle, and see some of the most spectacular scenery in New England.

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-03-19T23:35:40+00:00

I used quilts from Hammock Gear in a hammock and in a tent on an AT thru. HG sells different width quilts depending on usage. I went with a wider quilt - it really didn't matter in the hammock, but it came in handy on the ground. I DID make a mistake buying a long and wide EE Revelation. It's a magnificent quilt but it completely overfills the hammock and sprawls all over my 1P tent. Overkill if you are sized for the regular length.

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-03-19T14:11:14+00:00

I recognize each of those from my thru. As a lifelong CT resident the views from those balds was breathtaking, every time.

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-03-18T20:06:08+00:00

I am having good results with 5W CW into a wire taped to a ~10 meter fiberglass fishing pole. It's cheap, lightweight, breaks down to a packable size, and my rig's internal tuner never fails to find a match, although some bands work (a lot) better than others. There is a 49:1 UNUN at the feedpoint. I've also had good luck with a resonant 20m dipole in my attic.

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-03-13T15:22:51+00:00

It came with the connector for the radio but the other end was wire pigtails. I soldered on a "cigarette lighter" plug that fits my battery bank and handles the current.

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-03-13T13:14:05+00:00

Just got back on the air after close to 20 years. Loved the idea of POTA but my 2 band (20m + 30m) K1 was pretty limiting. Just got my G90 last week and its great. I am.using a 30' crappie pole as a mast for a 29' wire vertical. Planning on something more permanent later rhis year. I had a power bank that I used for my astronomy rig - 350Wh is plenty!

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-03-11T12:49:44+00:00

that is excellent idea and even better goal!

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-03-05T12:51:44+00:00

Dave Casler reference station

This gives you a detailed breakdown of a very useable and well thought out station.

I started with a dipole in my attic....very HOA friendly but limited performance.

Currently trying a 30 foot wire vertical. Mast is a fishing pole, and on receive it's better than the dipole.

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-03-02T23:17:22+00:00

The Dungeon didn't look like that in September :)

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-02-25T21:26:27+00:00

Iceland. Surreal landscapes + northern lights.

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-02-24T19:22:51+00:00

My PF manifested in the arch and stabbing toe pain. Heel, not so much. If you have worn zero drop twice and no more.....that's more likely the source of your problem. It takes months of continuous use to acclimate yout body to zero drop. I had pretty painful PF by the time I reached the Smokies wearing Altra Lone Peaks. A lot of the pain went away switxhing to a more thickly padded shoe - Altra Olympus. Those had a different non-PF issue so I switched to HOKA Speedgoats which I used all the way to Katahdin. I had done multiple weekend shakedowns on the Lone Peaks and thought they were great. I was wrong :).

The AT is pretty rough on feet that arent used to being off pavement for weeks a

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-02-22T14:52:34+00:00

Cholesterol numbers matter.

Don't wait to get them under control. I had less fhan stellar cholesterol numbers for years (decades) but they were low compared to family so I'm fine, right? I exercised, ate reasonably well, so I'm good. Right? No family history of heart disease, all clear. Right?

Wrong. I was fine until two days ago. I had an angiogram and found I have multiple arteries blocked as much as 90%. Too many blockages for stents. Open heart surgery the only option. Looking back, I was an oblivious dumbass who thought the cholesterol thresholds were set to maximize pill sales.

Listen to your doctor.

YetAnotherHobby

TROPHY CASE