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Land Ops - The Off Road, Navigation and Amateur Radio Search Club
Thanks everyone for your good wishes on my appendicitis surgery. Glad it didn't get bad until we got back to camp! Recovering well at hospital and should be home Tuesday.
NVIS worked great with very clear reception and transmission. We determined we were 185 miles apart with Fernando operating the radio using the protocol instructions that Emmanuel wrote up. Great exercise!
How did the NVIS work?
The center portion of the antenna should be raised to about 15 feet on a non-conductive pole like PVC or hung from a tree. Both sides should slope downwards and be staked to the ground at 45 feet from the center. Rope should be added to each end of the 33 foot elements to get down to the stake 45 feet away. This configuration will cause the radiation pattern to be a vertical lobe that provides the Near Vertical Incident Skywave (NVIS) propagation necessary to achieve the contact. Mounting the antenna like a conventional dipole horizontal to the ground and raised 1/4 to 1/2 wave will not work. While the antenna is in use, do not allow people to stand near the ends due to possible RF exposure.
Antenna is about 66 feet in length, ideally strung between two trees, or between two vehicles to get 1/2 wave. 1/4 wave is about 33 feet.
I'll be planning the advanced op tonight and the use of roads. I like the idea of 40 meter contact. Perhaps this can be conducted at the rendezvous point with both teams, or at camp if special antenna need to be setup. Can the antenna be used Mobile for the 40 m contact?
For those who haven't been to Monache Meadows, this is a rather complete guide to the area. Kennedy Meadows Guide 2014.pdf
NVIS Antenna complete. We will be trying to make contact with Emmanual in No Calif as part of this OP.
Stay Tuned!
Hello Everyone...those of you attending this event should know that campfire restrictions are in effect, which means fires only in the fire rings in an established campground, or gas stoves and lanterns. Even with no fire, you must have a campfire permit. You can take a short 4 question quiz and print out a permit here: http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/sequoia/passes-permits/recreation/?cid=fsbdev3_059516
2014 Campfire Permit
Weather should be high 70's during the day and 50's at night.
Hope everyone is getting excited for upcoming trip. Taking truck to shop this week to get ready...
