Backpacking Trip Update
Well, as it turns out the weather is going to be the opposite as we expected - Saturday and Sunday will be in the mid 60's! I wish it would be cold though.. I need to put my new gear to the test.
Also, FR-75 is closed (gated, as per the forest service today) until April. Sooo.. getting there is going to be a bit interesting. I think getting there involves a ski resort?
I ended up getting a new tent - Mountain Hardwear Hammerhead 2. This should do the trick - much much better than the one I used last time.
The antenna I am taking is just the 10m hamstick and Buddipole coil for /PM. I tossed in my jumper dipole for camp also. The mount for the /PM setup is 1/2" PVC with a Versatee on top.
The faceplate for the FT-857D will mount to my hip belt. It is not a good operational place to mount it, but it is the only place I could get it to work with the rest of the gear (backpacking first, ham radio second).
I will make a write-up when I get back on the radio goodies.
On the bad news side my pack weighs in at 51 lbs - before the radio, /PM antenna (except the mount), and battery. So add ~15 lbs to that. Yikes! The new tent, pot/pan, and 3 full Nalgenes don't help... I'll get a final number when we hit the trails.
Also, FR-75 is closed (gated, as per the forest service today) until April. Sooo.. getting there is going to be a bit interesting. I think getting there involves a ski resort?
I ended up getting a new tent - Mountain Hardwear Hammerhead 2. This should do the trick - much much better than the one I used last time.
The antenna I am taking is just the 10m hamstick and Buddipole coil for /PM. I tossed in my jumper dipole for camp also. The mount for the /PM setup is 1/2" PVC with a Versatee on top.
The faceplate for the FT-857D will mount to my hip belt. It is not a good operational place to mount it, but it is the only place I could get it to work with the rest of the gear (backpacking first, ham radio second).
I will make a write-up when I get back on the radio goodies.
On the bad news side my pack weighs in at 51 lbs - before the radio, /PM antenna (except the mount), and battery. So add ~15 lbs to that. Yikes! The new tent, pot/pan, and 3 full Nalgenes don't help... I'll get a final number when we hit the trails.
posted by Steve at
1:18 AM
1 Comments:
Hi, Steve
Fifty one pounds of gear is a lot of weight for the back country. Like yourself, I share a concern that is mounting the rig's faceplate to the hip belt might be problematic in the end. Is your risk for a fall low, medium, or high? Back country travel even on well worn paths still create unforeseen tripping hazards ie. jutting rock, tree root, loose rock etc.
We solved our H2O weight with bladders, iodine tablets, and powdered lemonade while tapping local water supply ie. running creeks. Additionally, we shared cooking utensils versus doubling up on common gear while sharing tent space. We divided tent equipment ie. poles, stakes, rainfly etc. with team members.
A few thoughts prior to hitting the trail in the near future. A 51-pound pack w/out equipment will dig deep into your shoulders even with the best shoulder straps and hip belt. My hiking boots played a significant role in mitigating knee and back pain as well as hot spots on the feet.
We reduced the aggregate weight of the team load by looking at duplicated items. I used my coffee cup as my breakfast and dinner plate as well.
I'm looking forward to reading about your ham radio adventure in the backcountry. Best.
73
Scot, KA3DRR
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