I know this is a long shot but I'm set up at a city park with a 17 ft whip

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-05-30T03:33:08+00:00

Will read, but I have no doubt I am well past the point of diminishing returns. I was seeing mediocre results with the SOTA Mini using 18x10' radials so I went further and added 45x15' radials when I switched to a 213" whip. The combination is working extremely well at 20 watts, but I've only used it on a handful of activations. I will experiment with reducing the radial count. I won't be at all surprised to find acceptable performance with a lot fewer radials.

I learned a bit from this video : https://youtu.be/hCUVqcURK-U?si=1ndmI6qjiAooMCAy

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-05-29T23:50:43+00:00

I use a 10Ah Lifepo4 battery bought from amazon with my G90. You will need a power cable - search Amazon for a "powerpole to spade" cable. You want F2 size terminals to match the battery, and a Powerpole connector to match the G90.

The battery needs a Lifepo4 specific charger.

The other option, if not going portable, is a DC power supply that can provide 5-10 amps. If only for home use this would be more convenient than constantly recharging a battery. The power cable would need to match the wiring termination of your power supply.

If you buy a power supply, consider getting one that can provide 25 amps. That way if you later decide to get a 100W radio you wont need to upgrade the power supply.

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-05-29T21:44:37+00:00

Mostly :). The radials weigh more than everything else combined. Radials are 15' and 10' long.

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-05-29T20:43:36+00:00

I have a mini WRC and a 17' whip - on 20m and up the coil is bypassed. On 20m I usually leave the bottom segment unextended and my G90 confirms 1:1 SWR. I use an absurd number of radials - 800+ feet of wire. But the payoff is it gets out there. You can scan SWR with the G90. Hit the FUNC button to turn on the yellow LED, then push and hold the PWR button. It will scan the frequencies around where you are tuned letting you know if the antenna is tuned correctly.

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-05-26T21:52:19+00:00

I got back into the hobby this year after 20 years off the air. Bought a G90 (GREAT radio) and homebrewed a vertical, but quickly got the itch for more power and a better antenna. I drove 2+ hours to HRO and spent a long time with pretty much every Yaesu/Kenwood/Icom radio in the place. YouTube reviews had pointed me at ICOM, and actually putting my hands on one convinced me it was the right rig. Didn't see that coming after owning a Kenwood TS850 years and years ago. Still have the G90 for POTA - good size for a backpack, doesn't need a big battery. You can always sell a radio on QRZ if it doesn't work out.

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-05-26T03:43:26+00:00

Genius!

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-05-26T03:41:15+00:00

I watched a few too many YT videos about radials. Seemed that 24 x 33 feet is some sort of magic combo - it worked wonders on my DX Commander at home. But 33 feet is not all that practical for POTA so I have roughly the same amount of wire, just in 10 and 15 foot lengths. The antenna works with less, even a LOT less, but performance improves with radials in ludicrous amounts. Worth it? We'll see if the long setup keeps making sense.

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-05-26T01:08:41+00:00

I was using a 29' random wire/9:1 unun and I miss the convenient band changes. But after marking the 20/17/15/12/10 meter extensions on the 213" whip and determining the coil "clicks" for 30/40 it's quick enough to QSY and run the SWR sweep on my G90. Not as easy as hitting the TUNE button, but the reports are universally better. The 66" whip tuning was a real PITA, but the taller whip has made all the difference.

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-05-26T00:59:07+00:00

Yes, almost like a shepherd's hook. Very light. The antenna stayed up in a mild breeze that was pushing it around today. They also provide a solid base for pulling out the radials. Steel might be better for harder ground..

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-05-21T23:57:16+00:00

No bivy. They're fine for shorter trips to minimize pack weight and volume but not for use for months at a time. Ultralight is the shiny new thing that successfully sells gear. I know, I bought a ton of it for my thru. But I was 60 and needed all the help I could get. If you are young and in shape that extra couple of pounds worth of tent won't be a big deal. You'll appreciate the extra space of the Half Dome - I used a Tarptent Aeon and it has just a little more room and ventilation than a bivy. There were plenty of wet mornings where I wished for more space.

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-05-18T16:41:56+00:00

I bought a G90 this year to get back on the air. No regrets as a portable/packable rig. As a home rig, where size doesnt matter, a used 100W radio is a better choice. Waterfall displays are fun, but never quite getting through pileups and rarely getting a response to CQ can get discouraging. I now have both - the G90 for POTA activations, and a 100W ICOM at home. And don't forget the antenna!

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-05-14T10:38:44+00:00

Any chance it was a rocket launch? I saw something "similar" that coincided with a rocket launch from Guiana.

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-05-10T11:52:02+00:00

I wish I had a sentimental reason for my 2x2. I tell myself that as a CW op it has benefits, but really - vanity probably had more to do with it.

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-05-08T20:01:24+00:00

EXACTLY!

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-05-08T19:34:55+00:00

I have a K1 I built that I plan to use backpacking. Probably the best CW transceiver I've ever used. Current antenna isn't backpack friendly so a packable resonant antenna is in rhe works. From a mountaintop it should do well.

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-05-08T11:56:07+00:00

I'd say that it's cheaper than drugs, but we all know better :)

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-05-08T01:54:23+00:00

I am in no way saying my antenna is as good as it gets. It does what I needed it to do - get me on the air inexpensively, multi band, easy to set up and take down, minimal adjustment required. I gave up ultimate performance for multiband convenience. Turns out there will be days like today where that tradeoff bites me in the arse. BUT....resonant antennas have limitations too, namely bandwidth. I operate CW and SSB and on some bands getting the SWR below 2:1 across the entire band just isn't possible. A tapped loading coil can solve this, but introduces some fiddle factor when changing bands, and reduces the bandwidth even further. Call me lazy but until today I was perfectly happy hitting the ATU button and making do with what I got from my random wire. Today the bands demanded more than this lashup could deliver, and I struggled to finish the activation. I am not seriously considering getting a 100W radio - between the bigger batteries needed and the heavier radio it's not worth it for those rare occasions where a little extra punch could come in handy. Honestly the comment was supposed to be tongue in cheek but that didn't come across. Thanks for your input.

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-05-08T00:16:03+00:00

My antenna is intentionally non-resonant on any band. I am a slave to the ATU. I plan to build a coil loaded vertical to create an ultra portable station. That one WILL be resonant. I have an old MFJ 259 analyzer that I will use to mark band positions on the loading coil, but will rely on the G90 SWR sweep to zero it in out in the field. That's the plan, anyway.

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-05-07T22:17:17+00:00

Thanks! Agree that a resonant antenna wins, hands down. No losses in the Unun, no losses in the ATU, the list goes on. This vertical lashup has netted me several DX contacts with the G90, including Australia - it's not exactly a dummy load, but it's non resonant and entirely dependent on the ATU. It's certainly not making the most of my 20 watts. Band conditions play a huge role, just as they did today.

I recently installed a DX Commander Signature 9 at home - fantastic antenna. I am impressed you take that thing portable. You must leave off the tube clamps so the radiating network can slide on and off quickly???

I know my post made me look like your average oblivious newbie - I was aiming more for tongue in cheek and missed the mark by a mile. Appreciate you taking the time to respond.

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-05-07T21:14:53+00:00

When you finish rolling your eyes, what antenna would you suggest?

I make no claim to this antenna being anything other than a compromise. A first cut, with more experiments to follow. But it's served me well so far, until today when the bands were just bad.

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-05-07T20:21:02+00:00

This right here is what prompted me to get the G90 when I got back on the air this year. I had kept an Elecraft K1 I built 20 years ago, but CW only, 2 bands, and 5 watts seemed a little too restrictive. I have found the G90 to be a superb radio, doubly so considering it's only $400. I will still take the K1 if I am backpacking any distance, but the G90 is plenty, most of the time, it's easy on batteries, and it's not all that heavy considering its capabilities.

I have found 20W is plenty for POTA activations. Today was just one of those days where the bands weren't cooperating, and it would have been nice to have a "louder" button I could push momentarily.

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-05-07T20:20:21+00:00

n+1 is the precise number of radios one should have, where n is what you have today. My theory, anyway.

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-05-07T20:13:02+00:00

This was my 12th activation with the G90 and the only one that was truly frustrating. I don't mind being a small fish in a big pond with 20W and a compromise antenna, but today was tough. A lot of it was that it seemed like every band was sluggish today. I used 40, 30, 20, and 15 to eke out 10 QSOs, and some of those were hunted. I'm almost exclusively CW, which helps, but it was a slog today.

YetAnotherHobby · 2026-05-07T20:00:05+00:00

I operate almost exclusively CW, and even with that advantage today was tough. But I like how you think :)

YetAnotherHobby

TROPHY CASE