PURPOSE: Setup /P Station for Digital and SSB Operation
GRID: EM87TH
LOCATION: Pine Mountain KY/VA Border
COND: Morning - Calm - 15F - Light to Moderate Snow
OPERATOR: KE4ZDJ [@wildernesscomms]
OP DATE: 20240119
Since becoming acquainted with HF digital modes, I had not had the opportunity to attempt a winter weather setup with my gear. Heavy snow had fallen through the night and had become more scattered in nature but was still coming in moderate bursts. I packed my station into my usual /P comms backpack that includes the Xiegu G90, 10Ah LiFePo4, Bushcomm 10-80 end fed, Digirig interface and associated cables, the Chuwi Hi10Air mini laptop, Thermarest Z seat, and my cheapo Nylon tarp shelter. I left home and hiked to just below the ridgeline to keep sheltered from the wind where I setup my tarp first to provide protection from the snow and wind. Next I got the end fed up in an Inverted V configuration then got the radio going along with the computer.
First task was to connect to Winlink on 40m and that was no problem, immediately connecting to W2GSA in NJ where I sent 1 email and received 2. Then started JS8Call and had a brief conversation on both 20m and 40m. This is when I discovered that I had not fully charged the computer and the low temp was draining the remaining charge quickly. I went to retrieve the portable battery bank that I normally carry, only to find I had failed to pack it. SSB was next and I scanned through 40 LSB and quickly made several POTA contacts and checked into the SOUTHCARS net. Feeling I had accomplished my goals, I packed the gear up and headed back toward home in another moderate snow squall. 🗲
