The 3 Keys to Portable Ops Success - RF Power, Batteries and Antennas

I don't see this aspect of portable operation discussed very often, so here is my breakdown of the 3 basic elements to a successful ham radio field deployment.
FT-891 Bag shown: RAPDOM Tactical 6.10 Utility Pouch (Vertical), Olive Drab , 10" H x 6" W x 3" D , available on Amazon US

[@abdulal-hodl8861]

Him Tracy best KZbinr on radio

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you for your kind comment. 73 from VE3TWM.

[@theoldhobbit3640]

Tracy, a great informative vlog, thank you. I am a Foundation licence holder (M6KVK) and almost all my HF (SSB) operating is done in the field /P and your station triangle: Power, Antenna, Radio is something I have always referred to when setting up. I am restricted to a max 10w output so my power calculation is not critical, I use a Tracer Lifepo4 16amp which lasts me a whole weekend. My antenna of choice has always been a resonant 1/2 wave fan dipole or a single depending on what bands I want to use, no tuner in my bag. My radio of choice is either my FT817 or 857. I usually take the 857 for its 10w capability, but I'm very happy with either. On my limited RX pwr I am still able to get contacts all over the world and really enjoy the experience. Many Thanks.... 73

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you for sharing your findings! 73 from VE3TWM.

[@davidvaughn7752]

Thank you Tracy, sage advice indeed! I love it when you make videos like this since I've taken your philosophy to heart and has help me become a successful QRP SOTA operator and your wisdom reaffirms the realities of propagation and optimizing those elements which we can control, that create success. Yes, yes, yes on everything you present in this video. The one thing I've learned after 11 years of operating QRP (and it's not surprising you don't mention it) is location. For Field Day this year, I will again be hiking up to a summit; this time @ 3000 ft in a pristine radio environment in the North Cascades (Mt. Washington), and the antenna (72ft. Random Wire) is a lot more effective at that elevation hooked up to my 817-ND. Guile and cunning can help me in a "hunt-and-pounce" scenario during a pileup (timing) and having the healthy expectation that I just won't be able to get through to some when the receiving station has a high local RFI environment. When you're at lower elevations the five watts just doesn't do as well. But local geography/elevation is worth mentioning. I've always made at least/around 100 contacts for the past eight years - I know that may not seem like a lot, but for me every one of them is hard-earned and a joy to log especially when I slam a station on the East Coast or in Europe while operating remote from a primitive campsite. Take care and thanks again for your guidance. 73, K7GYB

[@enigmarbs2886]

Thank you Trancy for your video and the advices to success. Hope, this will help many Hams to go outside and enjoying our hobby in an surrounding with less QRM. Take care my friend! 73's de Stefan DG4RBS

[@americancitizen2536]

Basic, but it is nice to be reminded. I appreciate it. Thanks!

[@DK5ONV]

We all starting off on anything we do in Life with just knowing the Basics. And if these Basics are well understood we are able to work our way up to higher Levels. We growing with & thru Experiences we explore by ourself or thru useful Infos shared by others. To me Tracy is a true Genius 💯🎸🎸🎸🤘👍

[@lawrencethompson465]

Thanks, Tracy, for this excellent reminder and refresher lesson and for some, a much needed primer. Glad to see you back on YT.

[@davidh5645]

Thank you for another great video! To echo a lot of the other comments here, your wisdom shows as you're able to explain these concepts in very simple terms. As others have said, you have helped to inspire me to put together an HF qrp portable backpack and to get outdoors and get on the air.

[@joseneves2822]

Very good video Very important to know the battery life according to the emission power of the radio Thanks for sharing / 73

[@alzeNL]

Great video - really helping me get more from operating outside !

[@packrat2569]

Thanks for the well presented information! I am in the process of building my POTA kit now and this is very helpful. I’m looking forward to more of your videos.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you! Good luck with your POTA activations.

[@barrykery1175]

Another excellent video. WELL DONE ! So many new hams don't equate S meter readings to power out in watts compared to db. In other words, they think that 90 watts out compared to 100 watts out makes a noticeable difference when in reality that difference is only .46 db and no S meter in the world is going to show that difference. I suggested to Yaesu to take an FT897D, design it for only 25 watts out, remove one of the internal batteries and put a ATU in that slot. This would first cut back on current drain at those power levels compared to any rig that puts out 100 watts turned down to those power levels and it would also make for a more usable dual purpose QRP and medium power radio. My suggestion went t deaf ears ! Last month I got rid of all of my lead acid batteries and changed to LifePO4 batteries. I have two each 20 ah batteries and one 10 ah battery. Take care and keep up with your great videos. Barry, KU3X/QRP

[@KU9L]

Thank you, sir!!! Now I just need to find an FT-818 that I have been searching for! I did WAS QRP 1W in 1987, but I haven't been on the air since. Now in semi-retirement, I am itching to come back alive like Rip Van Winkle and see the new world one contact at a time from my favorite Wildlife Management Area. 73, -Dave, KU9L

[@felixkonig5194]

Great video! I would like to add two points: 1. when running SSB make sure to have good audio. If available use an equalizer to attenuate low frequenies of your voice which eat power and do not contribute much to intelligibility. There is no need to sound like an AM broadcast station. Use a compressor. 2. Taking part in a program like SOTA or POTA can make you a sought after station. Spometimes this feels like a 10db gain over regular portable operations😉

[@andrew20d]

Very informative video! Thanks for making this so easy to understand. What I really like is how you've shown your own antennas being used, and that all these crazy looking commercial antenna systems other hams are using are not at all necessary.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you! Glad you found this helpful.

[@kamaaina2012]

100% correct PAR power antenna radio in that order for EMCOMM as I have been teaching. good job on video.

[@VE2FGJ]

That chart at 5:10 tells a lot, I was suspicious until I tried it, Thanks Tracy for sharing the info clearly.

[@glenhoff1443]

Thanks Tracy for this useful info. Many newcomers to Ham will appreciate your time & effort producing this. Have a great time when out with your radios! 73 Glen 2E0 DYW

[@alvarogaitan2529]

Another fantastic video thanks Tracy you number one 73

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you Alvaro! 73 from VE3TWM.

[@TheTechPrepper]

As always, Tracy, you did a beautiful job. I've had similar experiences with my FT-818ND running 6 watts with a full half-wave dipole on 75m. The locals can't believe that I am running QRP when they're pushing a 1kW. It's amazing how long you can ran on a small LiFePO4 battery with the reduced power and a good antenna system. 73 de KT1RUN

[@ricsanders69]

Great video as usual, sir. I've watched your videos for years now and I finally got out and activated a park for POTA...was an amazing feeling to bring all of those components that you are talking about here, together and operating harmoniously! 73 de KN4FTT

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Well done! 73 from VE3TWM.

[@Sean-AI7EQ]

This video is awesome! Great explanation of S-units and power. Great job Tracy! I'm going to share this with a group of new hams.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you, Sean!

[@dennisjoiner3717]

Great video Tracy! I need to watch this again and have a note pad at hand. Great information!!!

[@beemcbike]

You’re speaking my language. Xiegu 20 W, vertical 15 m dipole endfed up 18 m, 6 Amp Lifepo4, having a nice pileup for 2 hours - that’s sota👍🇨🇭

[@ai5dd]

Great info, thanks to you I use my FT891 with SSB at 20 watts :) 73 de AI5DD

[@mikedavis1911]

I recently ordered a Yaesu FT-891 and was doing some video watching about power consumption. I've seen several videos I must say I really enjoyed this one and your methods of showing. Nice job and thanks for sharing. KI5MD

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you very much! Enjoy your new 891.

[@neubert500]

Another outstanding video! Also most people who are looking for a hardware solution will not even hear the most important (in my opinion), part, what is it? Get out and PRACTICE and learn your gear! Thank again for posting.

[@toddshook1765]

Thanks for the tips. I just acquired a FT-897 and looking to get into POTA. I fellow in our radio net did a presentation last weekend about pota and sota. So getting charged up about getting outdoors.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Great! Let me know how it goes.

[@ShaneKI5GBU]

Got the same set up and love it.

[@FloridaRadioMan]

Thanks for that video! That was very informative I’m regards to batteries

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

You're welcome!

[@gavindeneen7354]

Tracy...just another so well put together insight.I like your 'rules of thumb',not only very topical but they seem to stick in this ol head.Your video some time ago where you asked us if you were not hitting the spot and having self doubt really disturbed me.Please my friend...do not try to second guess yourself.What you do for us with your hard earned hands on wisdom is absolutely top notch,I for one look forward to each and every one of your tasty morsells! Gavin VK2YAK

[@vitaflo]

You touched on it, but the battery being so important also really does affect radio choice. For example, a typical refrain from some I hear about QRP is "Just use your 100w rig and dial it down to 5w, you don't need a dedicated QRP rig". Except many 100w rigs use up to 2A on receive alone! My KX2 uses less than that on transmit! And the main reason I bought the KX2 was the fact that it only uses 150mA on receive. The battery drain of radios is way too overlooked in field ops. It's definitely an important consideration when you're choosing what to take with you out in the field.

[@toddbu-WK7L]

Once I stopped caring about the quantity of contacts and focused on how little power that I used when making them then that’s when operating became fun for me. My TX-500 draws a measly 100ma on RX and 2.4 amps on TX at 10 watts. And I do quite well with an EFHW antenna. As for overall power, my friend likes to say that military radios run 20 watts because they want to, not because they don’t have enough money.

[@thuff3207]

You have trees to help and I agree a full size antenna makes the difference. Whenever I have trees I will use my favorite random wire 51 foot antenna unless I can fit my my multi tap dipole. I use a KX2 and 10 on SSB you can be hear if you hear them. CW you can go lower. You have great advice we all can use for portable operations.

[@outinlawrence3456]

Cool, Tracy, you did a beautiful job.Thank you for your review.

[@vk4foo]

Well said Tracy.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you!

[@alvarogaitan2529]

thanks, Tracy fantastic job appreciated your time 73 from kb2uew

[@alvarogaitan2529]

Tracy you Numero uno

[@vironpayne3405]

Another great video with saged advice. I believe your current chart reflects SSB phone. Digital would be higher due to higher duty cycle. Its another small niggle to consider. Antennas are king in efficiency and deployment as you well point out.

[@DeepBlueWaves]

Man, thank you!

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

You're welcome!

[@mtngr1]

What brand is that green pack you are using? Great video. Thank you!

[@CE4UGI]

I’m thinking in the same pack on the minute 2:00 , please Tracy can you share the dealer? Greetings from Chile 🇨🇱 CE4UGI Juan. Ps. I have the ft-891 too

[@jessp9693]

It looks like a Rapid Dominance tag.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

RAPDOM Tactical 6.10 Utility Pouch (Vertical), Olive Drab , 10" H x 6" W x 3" D , available on Amazon US

[@mountainsunsets]

Thanks Tracy, good knowledgeable video.

[@trig6712]

Hi Tracy I hope to get back on the air better aerials and also out Portable soon . 73 for now Trig GM4NNC

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Go for it, Trig! Always nice to hear from you.

[@olabrie]

Hey Tracy! Thank you for this video

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you very much, Olivier! Hope you are well, mon ami.

[@jozefbezan2501]

Danke für das tolle Video.Ich lernen von Ihre Test.73, von S56CJG.😊😊😊

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Gern geschehen!

[@MeOnTech]

Nice

[@u2fanforever1]

Antenna, antenna, antenna.

[@o2bnov0307]

Off to the park for POTA. I’m going to lower my power. TNX.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Go get 'em!

[@temporarilyoffline]

Great tips! What is the bag you're using for the 891?

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you, Steve! FT-891 Bag shown: RAPDOM Tactical 6.10 Utility Pouch (Vertical), Olive Drab , 10" H x 6" W x 3" D , available on Amazon US. Great fit, but no padding.

[@kirklawrence4326]

As a newbie to portable low power, and antenna suggestion reference? You mention end fed as an option, which would work for me. Any references for schematics or examples? Thanks for suggestions

[@geoffvk3sq113]

Thanks Tracy for another great informative video. 👍 Geoff vk3sq

[@mikestone9129]

So if I understand you right, I can run a Xiegu g90 at 20w and make same amount of contacts as I would with my FT891 @ 20w? And the g90 is about $440 vs the 891 @ $640. Interesting. Use the $200 saved and buy a Spiderbeam 12m pole. I still love my ft891.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Yes sir! And I'm not getting rid of my 891 anytime soon.

[@Siskiyous6]

I would think you would get your activation over far sooner at 100W, thus you would need to use the rig for far less time. Given the way draw decreases per watt as you go up it seems silly to use less. More is more, and less time due to better receive by the stations you are calling. It is not about how many contacts you make, but how many Parks or Summits you activate, you could get to a second activation location if you got your activation done quicker.

[@forgetyourlife]

An interesting counterpoint.

[@davidvaughn7752]

Breaking News: ninety-eight percent of the contacts I make don't even realize I'm operating QRP.

[@forgetyourlife]

@@davidvaughn7752 your quite the statistician!

[@davidvaughn7752]

@@forgetyourlife It's not that hard to approximate - with a high degree of accuracy - the clarity and success rate of my transmissions when you keep a detailed log book. Even so, thanks for the compliment.

[@thomasmaughan4798]

Unless you have a true 13.6 volts at the radio you'll never get 100 watts. Depending on the radio, each volt less than 13.6 can have a substantial impact on maximum power. The Icom IC-7300, for instance, applies battery voltage to the driver stage AND the final amplifier stage; so a reduction in battery voltage also reduces drive as well as reducing power available in the final amplifier; basically reduction squared. Lithium batteries have high surge current capability; AGM batteries have relatively higher internal impedance and will sometimes drop low enough the radio turns off during transmit. This can be somewhat alleviated with a large capacitor (I use a "1 farad" automotive capacitor) to provide surge current. A battery booster is a simple solution to this problem.

[@JoshuaJayG]

Where did you get that bag your FT-891 was in? Looks like a great size for the rig.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

RAPDOM Tactical 6.10 Utility Pouch (Vertical), Olive Drab , 10" H x 6" W x 3" D , available on Amazon US

[@JoshuaJayG]

@@OutdoorsOnTheAir Thank you.

[@slik560]

If I missed this, forgive me, but I never seem to see any grounding on POTA rigs in the field. Are ground wires for the radio, amp, tuner, necessary or do most people decide to do without them? I realize that pounding an 8', 1/2" copper rod into the ground for a 3 hour POTA session is not at all practical, but I use a small slender copper rod that's threaded at the top end for ground wire terminals. Small, but still somewhat effective. Need I even bother? I've got a new FT-891 and I tend to over-think things, but I want to be ready when I finally get my outdoor rig....outdoors. I'm pretty new to radio, hence the questions. Thanks.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

I rarely use a ground when operating HF portable. I've never felt the need to do so.

[@ervano798]

Hello Tracy, thanks for the interesting video. Very interesting was your statement about increasing the power output to gain 1 S point. This was unknown to me. I have seen you are using a LifePo4 Lithium Battery, is there a difference in use between such a Lithium battery and the older Drycell battery (as you used earlier) I just have made a measurement on my FT 817nd in FM mode on a dummy load. The current drain on RX is 0,375 Amp, in TX High power 5W the rigg takes 2,235 Amps. I guess the TX 1,5 amps you told was slip of the tongue. No problem. 73 de ON4GED

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you for your comment! The primary difference between the LiFePo4 and the SLA batteries I have used is that the Lithium Irons will hold their voltage at a higher level longer. This means that similarly rated (in terms of Ah) SLA's will not give you usable power for as long a period under the same load as a LiFePo4. As far as current drain on the 817: I've done some testing with my own 817ND. During a test, I measured 1.35 amps current draw on 5 watts when transmitting FM on 80m. You've got me thinking about that, so I am going to recheck as that number does seem quite low.

[@ervano798]

@@OutdoorsOnTheAir Maybe your FT817 was not in High Power. It is difficult to see it on the display. I need every time to reed my manual to know in wat power position the rigg is. p.s. I was forgotten to thank you for your answer. Thanks.

[@axm2689]

What bag do you use for your 897? The zip top molle bag seems like a great fit.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

That bag is a well-built house brand bag from the SAIL chain here in Canada. The brand name on it is Black Ghost. It has a capacity of 17 litres and is about the right size for the 897 with FC-30 tuner, a 10 Ah LiFePO4 battery, power cable, microphone, a 20 foot length of coax and a wire antenna. Wish it was just a bit bigger though (as with most things in life 😀).

[@btcullen5876]

What bag / pouch are you using for your FT 891 radio?

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

RAPDOM Tactical 6.10 Utility Pouch (Vertical), Olive Drab, 10" H x 6" W x 3" D purchased from Amazon last year

[@chrstphjgr]

What bag is that?

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

RAPDOM Tactical 6.10 Utility Pouch (Vertical), Olive Drab , 10" H x 6" W x 3" D , available on Amazon US

[@EricFullwood]

4. Altitude Use Google Earth to avoid the lower elevations in the park

[@oldfartonabmx2122]

Gee, the 891 uses a lot less power on TX than the 991 ! 10 amps less at full noise.

[@BitsndBobs]

Um, antenna and then coax….. then the others.

[@JosephVE3GKT]

Tracy, why operate 20w RF Output when 100w is less than double the draw? You may have to call three or four times, or more with 20w in order to be heard, but often you only need to call once with 100w. If you have to call with half the current over a period four times as long as you would with 20 watts, you've successfully used twice as much power as you would've if you just used 100w and made it easy on everyone. Instantaneous current draw does not equal average current draw. This weekend, while working an EA hunter, he could not hear me at 80w, but copied me at 100w. We have the battery technology. LiFePO4 batteries can be drained to 0%. Just run the maximum output you can, save the other ops' ears, and transmit less often if you want 73 de VE3GKT

[@brianfields4479]

Great video Tracy. When I go bicycle mobile at the beach, I try to keep everything simple. I use a 40ah batt, 100w and a resonant 20m vertical With 4 radials on the sand, very little gear but pretty much guaranteed dx contacts. 73 zl3xdj

[@thomasmaughan4798]

Beaches provide superior ground plane results ideal for vertical antennas.

[@michaelpoczynek]

Thanks, Tracy. Always great insight and advice. Have a nice day! VY2MJ. 73. 😀

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you very much! 73 from VE3TWM.