PURPOSE: POTA Activation (K-1139)
GRID: DM13DW
LOCATION: Chino Hills State Park | SoCal
COND: Day - Windy - 91F - Clear
OPERATOR: KK4EMP
OP DATE: 20220824
Up until this point, I had focused mainly on SSB voice for HF field ops as (and maybe the same for you) digital comms seemed complex and not as "true" as old school phone mode. I finally took the plunge into digital though and really have never looked back since. It was on this trip I made the maiden voyage with a raspberry pi running "headless" into an iPad and my trusty Yaesu FT-891.
For power I ran a splitter cable from the Bioenno 6ah LFP battery into the radio and the buck converter hat on the pi. Anytime additional electronics are added to the equation, there will be more need for cable management and you always run a higher risk of component failure. I see a lot when operating digital in the field some lug large batteries, multiple cables all tangled together, external sound cards, laptops and it just looks like a mess increasing the chance of forgetting something and extending setup time. Yes operating digital is a little more complicated than just a radio and a battery but take your time when you're building out your kit. Think of ways you can consolidate making the setup much easier and the whole system more reliable. Even though this setup is pretty tight especially with operating the station wirelessly from the iPad, I still wouldn't call it robust which has led me down the road of building integrated portable comms kits made for true field ops. 🗲
If you have any questions about minimizing your portable digital station or dipping the toe into digital all together, send me an email or add your comment below. Thanks for reading!
