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Re: Taking HAM Gear to VK ?

wazzzzup <wazzz...@wazzzzup.com>

Easiest is obviously your QRP rig - but the 897 obviously offers more power
and given the state of propagation in addition to compromise antennas, I
would be leaning towards the 897. You would also have the option of running
2m and 70cm as well as having SSB capability as well - CW is definitely in
use in VK, but like most places, most activity is on SSB. Guess it depends
on how much you want to play radios and how much extra baggage you are
willing to take with you.

"Georg Muench" <georg.mue...@gmx.de> wrote in message

news:4a32268b$0$30227$9b4e6d93@newsspool1.arcor-online.net...
> Hello fellow HAMs down under,

> I will be in VK4 last week of August and first 2 weeks in September. We
> will go from Brisbane to Cairns  in a Camper and stay for 5 day in Port
> Douglas in a hotel at the end of our trip. I´m am wondering whether it
> makes sense to take along amateur radio equipment.
> I have an Elecraft QRP TRX (3..5 W) for 80/40/30/20m CW. Antenna is a wire
> of about 16m length. Travelling around in Europe, I usually take along
> this rig. It´s tiny and fits between two towles in the suitcase.
> Range is about 1000...2000km, so I can work almost all over Europe. Last
> year I was in SV9 for a week and even managed to work 3 stations in the
> US.

> Alternatively I could take along my FT-897 with ATAS-120 mobile antenna.
> This rig works fine from a car and often DX is possible. Drawback would be
> that effort is much higher to take it along, as I need PS, Tuner, Mike,
> etc. I would need an extra suitcase and weight would be some 8 Kg.

> Taking propagation into account (sunspots and season), what would you
> recommend ? I plan holiday style operation, so not more than an hour per
> day (although a whistle-stop to Mellish reef would be attractive).