Here’s my present SOTA equipment list:
Transceivers
- KX3
- KN-Q7A 40m SSB transceiver from CR Kits. I’ve modified this to add a DDS and a 20W PA (to improve the IMD performance and add 3dB signal).
- Wouxun KG-UVD1P VHF/UHF HT
- Mountain Topper Radio (MTR) – 20/30/40m CW
Mountain Topper Radio with 500mAh LiPo, power cable and earbuds
Antennas
- SOTABeams 20/30/40m linked dipole
- Homebrew EFHW monoband 40m (total weight: 1.82kg incl. pole)
- Homebrew EFHW 40/20/10m
- Homebrew EFHW 80/40/20/15m
- Homebrew trapped EFHW 40/30/20/17/15m (total weight: 1.91kg incl. pole)
- Homebrew magnetic loop covering 10m-40m (total weight: 2.44kg)
- Homebrew 2m/70cm Slim JIM antenna fed with RG316
- Homebrew 70cm yagi (if I’m feeling keen)
- 10m Squid pole from Germany https://www.dx-wire.de/brit/ (this packs down to just 67cm and fits inside my pack)
- 4.6m ultra-light squid pole (for 2m Slim Jim)
- Kite antenna for 160/80/40m
Miscellaneous
- Various 3S LiPo batteries with voltage monitor
- GoLite Jamm 50l pack (then sold as Backpack Lite 50l by My Trail Co, which has now closed down too)
- Aarn Liquid Agility 30l backpack (+15l pockets)
- Write-in-the-rain notebook
- Garmin Oregon 450 GPS
- KTi PLB emergency beacon
- Bothy bag if it might be wet or cold (in my case it’s a Terra Nova Bothy 2 from Backpacking Light)
- Gatewood cape if there will be showers
The Gatewood Cape – a tent, a poncho and a pack cover in one.
- Tarptent Notch 1-person tent if it’s definitely wet
- Closed cell foam pads for snow
- Topographic map printed from Forest Explorer to cover region needed and compass
- Samsung Galaxy S6+ with VK port-a-log for spotting and logging
- First aid kit
- Food and water bladder or Nalgene bottle
- Helinox Causeway DL145 walking poles
- Helinox ultralight camp chair and table (if I’m going to be in one place for a long time)
Great post and great blog. Planning to try out your cw practice mp3s as well. That Helinox table and chair look pretty neat.
73s from Germany
Thanks for the comments. Well worth a look through Helinox’s web site – they have some very nice gear.
How do you find the Garmin GPS for navigating to summits David? If you bought one now what would it be? Paul vk3hn.
Hi Paul,
The Oregon GPS has proven a good unit and is still going strong after several years use. It’s certainly proven useful in navigation, but I try not to rely on it and always have a paper map and compass too. It’s particularly useful in densely wooded areas where it’s hard to get bearings. I haven’t looked at GPS units recently, but I think something similar would be my choice. Needs to be strong, waterproof and easy to read in sunlight.
Regards,
David.