Mike, thanks for the video, very useful

So what was the final length of your wire?

What radio setup are you usin? Some kinda yaesu by the looks of it? I’d like to get goin on the iss. Even just listening would be unreal. 73

I like how lightweight this mast is, though it takes getting used to when I try to extend it without lifting the whole mast off of the ground. One issue I found is that it is too easy to over extend the sections, so I've had to be careful that I don't stress the joints too much. 73 KD5YOU

Hello from Santiago of Chile. 73's CE3PSD

Thanks for this video...looking a portable yagi solution for POTA, this may work

nice one

That 17' whip really only works on 20m, correct? It certainly doesn't work on 2m (I tired it).

30 miles east of Chicago IL would put you out in Lake Michigan.

I went out today in the Boston area and tried POTA for the first time on 2m and got complete silence. I just took it as practice. Ill keep at it as I study for my general license.

2 wolf river coil "sporty 40 coils" could get you on 40. Cost 60 bucks for 2 coils.

Mike let me know when your out in Bartlett again I want to test my solar generator

I've always loved the Forerunner. I still my eye on it for a potential upgrade.

K9 with his canine!

Might you have done better with an end fed wire?

I love my sparkplug antenna, it has become my go to for Pota,

Very nice setup. I’m looking at getting a 705 for doing SOTA. What antenna are you using on your HT? 73, KC2KNA

Completely depends on where you are. I've done numerous SOTA/POTA activations and have easily garnered 10 VHF contacts on 2m. Even a few 440.

I have a similar “super antenna” that I think I will try this casting solution with.

This helps a lot for an eventual activation!

How do you know when they well be transmitting??

I'm doing something similar. I use a 24ft extendable painters pole and hang my AH-705 tuner at the top and extend a pair of 6m wires off the tuner in an inverted V configuration. The AH-705 will match the wires on all bands 80m thru 6m. ICOM claims the tuner with two 5m wires will do the same and those MFJ whips are about 5m long so I might get teo of them and try it.

Are you using the MFJ-9201 with your TX500?

As much as I have heard about di-pole this and di-pole that, I am actually having this kind of experience with an old end-fed that I had strung from the back gable of my house 5 years before I knew anything about HAM. Once I got my general license I decided instead of putting up a G5RV Jr. that I had just ordered, I would just hook up my old end-fed to a tuner and see how far I could listen and talk. It is actually working well for me so I may stick with it. I made some tweaks already which I imagine have to be helping - like extracating about the last 18 feet of wire from 2 metal pulleys I had on the tree to support the weights. The wire was so long I ran out of yard so I fed the antenna itself through the pulleys (metal - oops). So now I have looped all that extra wire back toward the garage with about an 8 inch radius turn - with paracord running through the pulleys now instead of the antenna. The extra wire that does the U-turn there by the tree goes back to the garage and hooks up to a rigid conduit mast there with insulator / paracord that is about 17 feet off the ground.

Any idea how this would work vertical on 20?

Thanks for a very informative video, the little "spark plug" seems to work very well. Do you have the antenna wire lengths for both 20 & 40 meters. Best Regards ..... Garry VK2ZP

Great video and nicely done! Thanks for sharing your content. I’m excited to be getting into QRP and portable HF operations. Cheers! 👍📻⚡️ Tom - WA7FLY

Can you link to the mount?

If you are going to promote icom you might need to get a icon hat to go along with it. If you're promoting icon and advertising for the other competitor (YAESU) doesn't seem like you're all in for icom. 73 AE4OY William Peacock EM-81UF SOUTH EAST GEORGIA 🤓

Fantastic keep going Iv just got to 19 activations. What time do you try to activate in UTC ? I Like the videos keep them coming!M7HFD

You were in the same park and he gave you a 53? I'm sure there are ways to increase efficiency. Might want to google and see how others are doing it.

Need to add a callsign hat with your name to your activation kit. Yes you are correct on the camera, maybe another you tuber will have a solution. 14,313 was a common channel years ago. 14,317 is a good choice for the future. Sorry your contact rate was so low this time. Interesting hearing the train and seeing the power lines off in the distance. Seeing the park be so empty was also curious. Guess most folks were still home. 73 again

frequency campers are the worst especially when you are running low power. Had ops come in and tell me they where using the frequency an hour ago and are waiting to see if any friends are going to come up...... :(

50 W rated Mike? seems it might melt at that much power, although I've never tried one

Thanks Mike, n2qfk

i dig your portable setup. gunna have to learn more about that myself someday. Very cool experience! thanks for sharing!

Love your vids Mike.

Nice looking TX 500.

Great vid, Mike. And...congrats on the new rig (TX-500). Curious as to the application you'd see for this rig, vs the IC-705? Using mag mount for quick deploy is something I do with my WRCs, but I use the tripple mag-mount base mounted in the center of my Subaru Outback roof. 73's! Tim, KD9LAI

Good Video Mike! Loved the little activator making noise in the back.

Nice work. Those TX500 radios are pretty nice looking… 73 de Jeff K3JRZ

Mike it was a pleasure to chat with you at the Park today doing another POTA in the farther western suburbs. Your setup is sweet and simple and works well from what I saw - Now if you can only get the Ant up a bit higher... hihi Brian ~~ N9NAZ

Nice Setup Mike. You might try mounting in the middle of your roof next time. One of the things I do with that antenna to help speed up tuning is to set it up before going get it tuned for multiple bands and mark with a permanent marker for each band. I have had really good luck doing POTA's with this antenna on a ground stake, but use a heavy duty stake. 73

Nice video, I'm surprised that little mag mount held up.

I was going to try a loop antenna for convenience but I'm having doubts now. Tu ee

Great effort considering the weather that day. What antenna were you using?

NICE WORK 73'S MY FRIEND

Nicely done video. Nice go pack as well. I was thinking of getting the little MFJ QRP tuner. I only need it to tweak the top of the 40 meter band since my portable antenna goes over 2 to 1 SWR past 7250 khz. I'm sure that little guy will do the trick. Thanks for posting. Barry, KU3X/QRP

Good Afternoon K9KMV, I'm a brand new ham, trying to get my feet wet. Can you help point me in the right direction? I'm in the Chicago area.

Sounds like you could've had better luck, on 11 m ha ha