QRV from your backpack: outdoor adventures and equipment for portable radio

From adventurous locations to outdoor experiences lasting several days

Would you like to combine a stay in the great outdoors with the hobby of amateur radio? Then take the opportunity. Travel to different starting points by car, motorcycle, public transport or by bike and then cover the final stretch to the selected destinations on foot. You'll have everything you need for sparking with you in your rucksack! Sometimes the choice of location will be quite spontaneous, if there is a beautiful landscape and suitable antenna possibilities. Very hard-boiled OMs can spend several days on foot, camping and spending the night in the great outdoors (provided this is permitted away from the tent and camping sites!). For those who prefer to stay halfway in civilization, portable radio operation from the campsite is also included. Ultimately, this particularly sporty form of amateur radio can also be combined with the intentions of SOTA, COTA and POTA.

Site selection and behavior in the field

Before you stop somewhere and start thinking about the possible antenna and start unpacking your rucksack - ask yourself a few other questions first: rule out the possibility that you are in a nature reserve or on private or otherwise used land. This will ultimately determine whether the area can be entered and used for such an activity at all. If possible, you should clarify these questions before you start your backpacking trip. When selecting the location and the route to these activities, all aspects of environmental protection must be taken into account so that flora, fauna and people are not affected. Furthermore, it should be a matter of course to leave the temporary site as you found it once you have completed the activity and left it for good.

With the backpack to new radio adventures

In addition to the classic operating modes of voice radio and telegraphy, you can also use almost all digital operating modes, depending on the transceiver equipment, if a laptop or notebook and the corresponding connection cables are part of the equipment. If you are not doing QRP, but are QRV with 50 or 100 W transmitting power, the results (repeats) will be in no way inferior to those of many domestic fixed stations: From local QSO to DX, “everything is possible”. The extremely low interference level is one of the main advantages of the location in terms of flora and fauna! If you are traveling with a radio backpack for the first time and have never taken part in a fieldday before, you will wonder what you have heard at home. The open environment, an elevated location, possibly a sloping hillside and the ground conditions all contribute to making the backpack radio tour a successful DXpedition experience.

Mobile transceivers and the power issue in portable operation

All-band mobile transceivers for HF and VHF are particularly small and light, making them ideal for portable radio. This means that you are no longer restricted to QRP operation. Almost all common mobile radio transceivers in this device class have an RF output power of 100 W. Ultimately, therefore, the limiting factors for “backpack radio” are not the output power and dimensions, but the power supply required. Batteries and lead-acid batteries are therefore out of the question, unless you limit yourself to QRP operation.

Efficient and modern battery technologies

In the 50 or 100 W power class, new battery technologies such as LiPO or LiFePO4 are most likely to be considered in terms of capacity in ampere hours (Ah), maximum current output in amperes (A), as well as dimensions and weight. LiFePo4 batteries are usually equipped with a BMS (battery management system), which makes them particularly easy to use. The BMS protects the batteries from deep discharge, regulates the charging process and switches off in the event of an overload. LiPo batteries, on the other hand, are more difficult to handle. They require special chargers and appropriate care during transportation and against deep discharge. A fireproof bag specially designed for LiPo batteries is recommended for storing and transporting these batteries. If stored for longer periods, the Lipo battery must be charged to approx. 70 % of its capacity to prevent damage. Regardless of which battery type you choose, you should take the appropriate charger with you so that you can recharge the batteries at the next opportunity during a longer tour. If the power balance allows, you should also consider using high-performance power banks and a solar panel for buffer operation.

Vertical vs. horizontal - flexibility and requirements

The antenna question is more difficult to answer. Which antennas are suitable and what requirements do they have to meet? To ensure the greatest possible flexibility, you should have both a vertical radiator and a horizontal wire antenna. With a short vertical antenna, you are independent of natural anchoring points and have omnidirectional radiation with somewhat flatter radiation, especially in an open environment. If there are natural anchoring points at the location, a horizontal wire antenna has the edge, especially at lower frequencies.

From basic equipment to perfect organization

“This starts with a smartphone, a head torch and a logbook (if you don't want to use your smartphone for logging) and continues with radio accessories such as a microphone (and possibly also a Morse key), important documents, plug adapters, coaxial cables, antenna strands and radial wires, guy lines and antenna construction materials, right through to a minimal tool kit. A small multimeter as well as a small gas or 12 V soldering iron and some solder can quickly become indispensable in the event of a repair. Furthermore, you should not forget a few spare fuses - and as banal as it sounds, a few different sized plastic cable ties are always useful! Drinks and provisions are also important to get you through the day and, depending on the quantity, may be better stored in a separate bag on your rucksack. Oh yes, a small “first aid kit” and personal medication are an absolute must! It is foreseeable that even a complete list at this point could not claim to be exhaustive. Many items of equipment are subject to personal preference. Well-stocked outdoor retailers (whether retail stores or online stores) offer a wide range of exciting equipment tailored to your adventures. All these items need to be stored safely and in a space-saving manner. We recommend sorting them into individual bags and pouches (some of which are padded!) so that your valuable equipment is not damaged. Particularly sensitive electronic equipment should also be packed in waterproof bags. A rain cover for your rucksack can quickly reach its limits if it suddenly starts to rain heavily. Make an Excel list to get an overview of your equipment and make sure you don't forget anything. A missing adapter can make the difference between the success and failure of your tour. Optimize your equipment after every tour until you have found your perfect equipment.

An example in front of the camera by DL1CBS

A camera backpack with its many separate compartments and pockets is ideal for the safe transportation of radio equipment. The following video shows what you can stow away in such a “radio backpack”: Christoph Breker, DL1CBS, has unpacked the radio backpack on his YouTube channel and presented the contents. You can get some inspiration here.

The power and flexibility of mobile devices

Mobile devices are primarily designed for use in vehicles. However, their small dimensions and low weight make them equally suitable for portable use. Compact mobile devices, which in addition to shortwave and all common operating modes also have the FM range “on board”, are fully-fledged transceivers with a maximum output power of 100 W. You will find devices suitable for portable use and for carrying in a backpack here.

From modular antenna systems to lightweight magnetic antennas

In this extensive product category you will find portable, modular antenna systems such as the Chameleon MPAS 2.0, a variety of lightweight end-fed antennas, numerous portable vertical antennas through to short, vertical multiband radiators for mounting on tripods. Don't forget to take a look at the magnetic antennas category. In addition to the models for stationary operation, there are also lightweight and dismountable versions for on the move.

Flexible antenna tuners for on the move

Manually operated antenna tuners and automatic couplers with a wide adjustment range, small dimensions and low weight are of particular interest for portable use when the antenna conditions on site are unknown and the antenna brought along but “off” in the SWV has to be adjusted subsequently or improvised with a random wire antenna of any length.

Lightweight do-it-yourself antennas

If you want to “knit” your own individual antenna: From baluns and center insulators, end insulators and antenna strands to antenna clamps and more, this product category has just about everything for your own ideas. The categories “Masts” and “Mounting material” contain the hardware for setting up vertical radiators or putting wire antennas “in the air”.

WiMo customer reports and radio on vacation

The WiMo blog contains numerous customer reports and vacation reports on the use of portable antennas and mobile and portable transceivers.

Off to a portabel radio adventure

Gotten curious? So, when are you planning your first foray into the world of portabel radio? Take the time to experience the hobby of amateur radio in a stress-free and relaxing way.

September 2024, Alfred Klüß, DF2BC