[AK-VHF] Preparations for portable operation Sunday as portable from Diamond Ridge (above Homer).

[Ed Cole]

Getting together my antennas and tripod mount for use on Diamond Ridge 
(BO49) 1100-foot above and north of Homer.

I have an old TV tripod for portable antenna stand.  I uses two 2x6 
boards in a "T" as a base with concrete block ballast.
I will use about 5-foot high aluminum mast and another aluminum pipe as 
crossboom to hang antennas.

144: is a M2 7-element yagi. 12.3 dBi gain.
432: is 26 element M2 circular pol x-yagi with about 10-dBi vertical 
gain (13 dBic)
1296: is back half of at 45 loop-yagi (guess about 24 elements for 
17-dBi gain)

They will be mounted on the crossbom and directed toward Anchorage 
(Glenn Alps is visible from there over about 150-mile path).

I will install my IC9700 in the back seat to plug in existing coax 
lines.  IC9700 can operate SSB, FM, or D-star on all bands.

88w on 144, 65w on 432, and 9w on 1296 (measured on my IC9700 in FM with 
a Bird power meter).
I also have a dual-band Alinco 735 mobile into a dual-band whip with 50w 
on each band.

This coming weekend is the Sept. VHFContest starting at 10am (local) 
Saturday (9-11) and ends 7pm Sunday (9-12).
I plan to operate from home on Saturday but realize many will attend the 
MARA Hamfest on Saturday, so will concentrate operating the contest on 
Sunday (expect to be operating by 11am on Diamond Ridge).

73, Ed- KL7UW, BP40