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Just sharing some pre-Field Day ideas.
I’ve always wanted an RV to use for ham radio events but the purchase and operational costs were always prohibitive. Even more so with today’s gas prices. So I had to get a bit creative.
My historical snowmobile trailer was a winter use only trailer. In the summer, it just sat there doing nothing. The low interior height was not easily usable for humans, way too many head crashes!
My first goal for the new trailer with the higher ceiling was to enable multiple uses year ’round. Hauling kayaks or two snowmobiles, an ATV, Near-Fest, Field Day with the new N1PTT NH quasi-club, and maybe a VHF contest.
The second goal at least for the ham aspect was that with the exception of special bracketry, etc, everything needed to use existing equipment on-hand including radios, antennas, etc. Low cost to deploy was a key driver as was being easy to knock down. Tents are not fun!
So once the trailer was purchased for snowmobiling, the add-ons budget was minimal at best but I am going to purchase two tilt-over antenna mast brackets from DX Engineering. I’m also going to add a weatherproof generator inlet box and a couple of portholes for light. Via Amazon, I’m also going to buy pre-cut screens to keep the mosquitos inside. 😉
On site, last minute, Field Day jury-rigging needs to be avoided if is is easier to do it in the back yard with no time constraints. If I get tired and run out of time, or parts, just lock it up and continue tomorrow.
Today’s attempt was for space planning only.
I may take the trailer to nearby Belknap Mountain via the carriage road for the June VHF contest. Then after further real world debugging, we are going to a very off-grid location in Central NH to be with the N1PTT quasi-club (more of a social gr0oupo than a real club). N1PTT is good on QRZ.
N1FD has always been a bog dog on FD so perhaps some these ideas can be shared!
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