Living out in the badlands of New Mexico, sometimes trees are in short supply. With the inverted Vee antenna, all I need is one tree and I am set to go. I use a 20 meter wire inverted vee antenna. Just tie a cord onto a rock and throw the rock into a tree across a main branch. Then hoist the antenna up and tie off the legs of the antenna. Bingo, I am ready to operate. My ICOM 703, log, antenna and coax fit in a backpack and I carry the gelcell batteries in a lunchbox.

Gil has a point about the end-fed antenna. Are you camping where there are trees? Just take a rock, tie a good cord on it and throw the rock across a tree limb. Hoist-up the end fed antenna, add a short ground connection and you are set. On 20 meters I have done low power SSB with a dipole about 5 feet off the ground. Get that same antenna 20 feet off the ground and a lot more people hear me. Antennas work much better when they are higher and longer!

When joining wire for a HF antenna, use strong, soldered connections. For portable antennas I use 18ga. wire, for long term antennas I use 14ga wire. de KA5SIW

In the Summertime 80 meters has lots of QRN due to lightning from thunderstorms. I think 40 meters would be best, above 7200 because some of us only have General lic.  CW on 40 would be great but my CW skill is almost 0. I will watch and see what you decide, if I hear a good open spot I will let you know. 73'S  KA5SIW

Mary, several good points there. I suggest you mention scanners and shortwave receivers. Scanners to know what is happening in your local area and short wave receivers to hear what is going on in the outside world. Knowing what is going one near you is more important than talking to someone. Consider this, every time you transmit a signal someone could be homing in on your signal. This could be a large factor if a prepper instance extended over 1 month.        Several time I year I warn hams not to discuss personal issues on the local repeater as anyone with a scanner can hear what they say. Something to consider if Joe is leaving town for 2 weeks. Yes, power is a factor, also consider covert antennas. Wire strung through the trees 10 feet off the ground is hard to see. In a prepper instance a big tower just screams RADIOS TO STEAL HERE! Good Luck, 73'S  KA5SIW

Gil, I just wanted to say Thank You. You have a good forum here. Over the years I have learned some and hopefully helped others. 73'S KA5SIW

Hello, well I did it. I made 15 contacts working 7 states. For the most part nobody cared. A few old vets thanked me for passing traffic back during the Vietnam war.

Hello, wish me luck, this weekend I am going to try a amateur radio demo at the gun show in Socorro NM. I will use my Icom IC-7200 and work 20 meters SSB. I will also have a 2mt. station. I plan to have a sign-in sheet to see if there is interest in a amateur biltz class after the holidays. I will try to get some photos, and post them if I can figure how. 73'S  KA5SIW

The WARC bands are not to be used for contesting. This past weekend was dense. I want new hams to get on the bands, maybe someone should regulate contests? Here I am cleaning out my shack and trying to get on the air since March and just solid talk,talk,talk. I gave up the did yard work. Guess I need to get a WARC band antenna up. 73'S  KA5SIW

Most of the time I cycle the battery pack and try to find the cell that is performing the worst, replace that cell and the battery pack is usable once again. I have used a relay to pulse a cell, a short blast of higher rater current and voltage. The application will burn the whiskers that form across the nicad layers. Good to get it going. 73'S  KA5SIW

Most basic SWR meters measure VSWR. The voltage can change with the length of the coax or where you measure the swr, at the radio or at the antenna. I like the reflected power type of measurement like the older TenTec radios used. The byrd meters use this system also.

This is a prepper thing, what if the government finds out? I need something to feed my paranoia.

Gee, all this time I thought a chirpy CW signal was caused by tube radios, not the jugs of wine, See I learn something new every time I check this forum. Kind'a confusing, how does Gator aid get radioactive?

Gil,
     Excellent video, great explanation of the bandwidth difference between CW and SSB. Your video makes me think of breaking out the old CW cd's and headphones working again to get proficient. Considering peoples dependance on fancy phones and computers, preppers do need a back-up system. I enjoy my TenTec Argosy and Icom 703 but the Youkits 4 bander will get the message out if I could get my CW skills up.
      In all honestly I would rather improve my Cw skills than upgrade my license. Why, because I think this nation is under threat. Thank You

      Any news about your boat? Take Care, 73'S  KA5SIW

Hello, I have been looking at this radio and wondered if anyone had experience with them? I have an Icom 703 but sometimes I am scared to take it into the field, those 703 are worth a tidy sum of money. What do you think?  73'S  KA5SIW