For ARRL Field Day 2020, I plan to operate a 100 Watt HF transceiver and 50 Watt VHF/UHF transceiver from home using emergency power.
Emergency Power
For emergency power, I plan to use the Bioenno BLF-1230A and Bioenno BLF-1215A Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries. These batteries provide 30 Ampere-hours and 15 Ampere-hours, respectively. Initially, I will use the 30 Ampere-hour battery to power my ICOM IC-7300, and the 15 Ampere-hour battery to power my ICOM ID-5100A. I will measure the current and other battery parameters using a PowerWerx in-line Watt Meter and Power Analyzer. Receive current for my ICOM IC-7300 transceiver and AH-4 tuner measures 1.2 Amperes. I am a casual operator (i.e., non-competitive) so this configuration will provide plenty of power and flexibility for the 3 to 6 hours that I plan to operate. If one of the batteries becomes discharged to the point where it is no longer wise to use it, I can use the other battery.
I plan to use a PowerWerx 110 Watt solar panel to charge the batteries during Field Day.
Antenna System
For my antenna system, I will be using an ICOM AH-4 with a fan dipole consisting of 16 foot and 31-foot length wires.
The antenna system is located in the attic and is not visible from the outside.
This antenna system provides me with the ability to communicate via amateur radio on 40, 30, 20, 17, and 15 meters. For Field Day, I will not be using 30 and 17 meters; these are WARC bands and are not allowed for use on Field Day.
My Elmer, Scott Andersen, NE1RD, designed this antenna system for me. He used a combination of EZNEC and CocoaNEC to analyze the radiation patterns. We also needed to avoid multiples of 1/2 wavelengths for the wires. On the AH-4, one set of wires (16 feet and 31 feet) is connected to the “Ground” terminal, and the other set (16 feet and 31 feet) is connected to the “Antenna Element” terminal.
When tuned, the SWR at the ICOM-7300 measures less than 1.1 in most situations and less than 1.4 in all situations.
To connect the Icom AH-4 in the attic to my Icom IC-7300 in an upstairs office, I used an Icom OPC-420 cable. This cable is 10 meters long. It is no longer sold by Icom, but it is still available from Japan via eBay. Initially, I tried making my own cable, but I found that it is difficult to make a cable with the right flexibility and that the wire gauge and tinning on the ends of the cable make a difference in the ability to connect to the Icom AH-4. So, if you plan to use the Icom AH-4, I recommend that you use an Icom cable.
The antenna system has been very successful. I now have over 1500 confirmed contacts in my log, and I estimate that over half of these have been made with this antenna system. By carefully observing propagation conditions and choosing the right times to operate, I have been able to make contacts with Hawaii, Australia, and Japan. I have also been able to make contacts with nearby states Connecticut and Rhode Island, which is something that I was not able to do with my previous antenna, a 20-meter dipole. I was able to achieve the Worked All States, CQ WPX Mixed, and CQ WPX Digital awards with this antenna system.
Transceivers and other equipment
For HF work on Field Day, I will be using the ICOM-7300, plus a Winkeyer and Kent paddles for CW, plus a Heil Pro 7 headset for SSB. A laptop computer will log contacts via N1MM+ and will operate the transceiver in FT8, FT4, and PSK31 digital modes.
For VHF/UHF work on Field Day, I will use my ICOM ID-5100A transceiver at home, along with my Kenwood TH-D72A and Icom ID-51A handheld transceivers.
More information about my station
If you are interested in more information about my home station, please visit my QRZ webpage at http://www.qrz.com/db/n1ceo.
Peter, N1CEO