PREPARING FOR YOUR NEXT DXPEDITION

The old Sangean ATS909 receiver in action at the Cape Schanck Coastal National Park.

PREPARING FOR YOUR NEXT DXPEDITION

Part 2

(The first part of this article can be found HERE! I wrote this article for "The World of Shortwave Listening" column of The Spectrum Monitor magazine - December 2015 issue. Further details on this excellent publication is available at www.thespectrummonitor.com)

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NOTE: Click on photos for an enlarged image.

Power

If you are operating from a holiday shack, then there’s a fair chance that you’ll have plenty of AC power at hand. Extension power leads and multiple outlet power boards are very handy here. But if you are “off-the-grid”, then consideration must be given to batteries. Even if you are running a portable handheld receiver, backup batteries should be added to the list. For the larger communications receivers and transceivers, I use extra heavy-duty sealed lead acid (SLA) batteries and gel cells, as the current draw from the larger radios is greater. Don’t forget to include a charger if you are planning to be away on extended holiday.

Antennas

The choice of DXpedition antennas is a topic all in itself and beyond the scope of this month’s column! They range from the internal whip antenna of a small portable receiver to long wires, dipoles, beverage antennas and a host of others.

However, one consideration is determining how you are going to suspend a wire antenna. Trees, fences and other existing structures are obvious choices. Attaching the antenna onto the structure or into the trees is another matter! Antenna “launchers” such as potato guns, sling shots, gas-filled explosive devices and the old fashioned bow-and-arrow have all been used with varying degrees of success. Indeed, I believe much of the fun of DXpeditions involves getting the antenna into the air!

My Squid Pole sitting on an old salvaged PA speaker tripod.
When fully extended, it’s height reaches 29 feet (9 meters).

One handy tool for suspending an antenna is a type of telescoping fishing pole called a “squid pole”. These are very popular with many amateur radio operators here in Australia for use in Field Day and portable emergency communications operations. They are lightweight and highly flexible poles, they can be used to support horizontal, inverted-vee and vertical antennas, and are quite effective in giving at least part of your antenna some significant height. You can buy these in various sizes between 20 and 30 feet (6 to 10 meters) when fully extended and they telescope back into an easily transportable length of just 4-feet (1.2 meters). Simply strapping the pole to a fence post, a metal stake or a homemade tripod base can easily get your antenna into the air.

If using a simple long wire antenna, one very handy device that makes life much easier is a good spooling tool to roll out and reel in the antenna. It stops the wire becoming a tangled mess and significantly speeds up the process of setting up and packing up….especially in the dark! Your local hardware store will probably have the right type of spool for your purposes.

Handy and light-weight electrical spools for managing long runs of antenna wire.

Auxiliary Equipment

Unless you are using a portable whip antenna or a pre-cut, pre-tuned antenna, an antenna tuning unit (ATU) can really assist in making a simple long wire resonant on most bands. A small ATU is all that is required and a company like MFJ has an excellent range of these that are ideal for the purpose.

This old MFJ–941B antenna tuner was picked up at a local hamfest many years ago and has served me well for both receiving and transmitting activities.

Another handy tool is a laptop or tablet computer that can be pressed into action for recording audio of stations monitored from your radio. Of course, if you are using an SDR for listening, then inbuilt recording facilities are usually available.
I always throw in a small tool kit, which includes wire cutters/strippers, pliers, screwdrivers, electrical insulating tape, and other small handy tools.

Listening out of the back of the car with the Yaesu FRG100 receiver.
This is in the bushland behind the coastal town of Anglesea, Victoria.

References

Your laptop or tablet computer can also be useful for storing references such as broadcasting schedules, frequency lists and other information that helps to identify the station to which you are tuned. A data connection to the Internet can be made through your cell phone if necessary (if cell phone reception exists at the remote listening post). The World Radio TV Handbook is another invaluable source that should always be included on any DXpedition.

Operator Comfort

One thing that is often overlooked is making sure that you have all the personal essentials to make your DXpedition as comfortable as possible. During the daytime, folding chairs and tables are great for a taste of outdoor DXing. Nighttime or wintertime DXing from the car requires plenty of warmer clothing. Sustenance in the form of snacks, cookies, fruit, hot coffee and other food items are necessary for an enjoyable outdoor experience. Don’t forget sunscreen creams and insect repellant. Oh…and a torch if you are planning a night out in the open!

Lunchtime DX in country Victoria just outside a little town called Wandiligong. Behind where I was sitting was a lovely little creek. The laptop computer is tethered to my iPhone and receiving the Twente remote SDR radio. It was fascinating to compare signals between The Netherlands and Wandiligong!!

The Checklist

Many DXers love to operate in ultra-light mode - a small portable radio with a whip antenna and maybe a short length of wire or a small loop antenna for mediumwave DXing. For me, I tend to be at the other end of the spectrum, taking everything except the kitchen sink. You know the t-shirt that says “Life’s too short for QRP”? That’s me! I often take much more than I really need.

Over the years and with bitter experiences of forgotten equipment and tools behind me, I have come up with a checklist of all the possible items I may need, depending on my goals and duration of my next DXpedition. Before I leave home, as I put together my plastic hobby boxes full of gear and assorted paraphernalia, I simply check off what I require for the trip. All of the items discussed previously are on that checklist. My personal checklist is in four categories and includes:

- Various radios including their respective power leads, batteries, and chargers.

- Antennas and accessories including wire, spools, headphones, lead-ins, coax, toolbox, squid pole, and antenna launchers.

- References such as the WRTH, laptop or tablet computer, and other handy printed references.

- Creature comforts including a portable folding table, folding chair, refreshments, cell phone, torch, and warm clothing.

Your checklist will probably vary considerable from mine because your needs and equipment will be different. But believe me, if you are intending to go beyond the ultra-light style of operation, then a checklist built up and adapted over time with prove invaluable, avoiding that despair upon arrival at your destination when you discover you’ve left behind a vital power lead!

A Lunchtime DXpedition

Last year, I travelled through northeastern Victoria and had the radios onboard. I have an example of a lunchtime DXpedition in the wilds of the Buckland Valley. Absolutely no noise or static meant that very weak signals could be easily heard! Check it out below....

Finally…

Don’t forget that DXpeditioning can be a year-round activity, not just something to be undertaken in the warm summer season. Much of the best DX takes place in the wintertime. So, get out there and make it happen. Good luck!

73 and good DX to you all.

Rob Wagner VK3BVW