Yaesu 817 QRP KIt

Take a look at what I decided to use in my latest QRP ham radio go bag kit.

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[dongilroy]

Jason, we use mason's line or sometimes called construction twine . It wiil stand 100lb. pull without failure and will work great for temporary setups. Its available at Lowes or Home Depot and its cheap as dirt . 73 ve3mne

[mntalyAceptable]

I use 30-50 braided fishing line for getting antennas up.

[NeilWaybright]

When I was in Alaska you could get 75 lb test fishing line that is nearly as strong as paracord and much smaller in diameter and still flexible.

[samuelbanks]

My throw line is 100' braided 36 lb bank line. I use a 12oz sinker and a LNR cord winder. My radios are the KX3 and Kenwood TH-D74. For antennas I use the EARCHI End Fed 6-40 meter, Ed Fong DBJ-2 UHF/VHF, and Tim Ortiz N9SAB, *K9ARV* 20 & 40 Linked Dipole. I recently added the KM4ACK EFHW Antenna Kit.

[nickmoniker]

Weaver sells throwline along with their throw bags. It is thin and light, but very strong. It’s coated in urethane to reduce friction as you pull it through the tree. It’s what arborists use because it was specifically designed for this purpose.

[kurtzFPV]

#36 Bank line is strong and light. Doesn't hang up when throwing through branches too badly either. I have a semi-permanent antenna out back now that it has held 6 months so far, even in today's heavy winds from the tropical storm down south of us.

[TheNoCodeTech]

Fishing line.
The high test braided stuff for saltwater Fishing. Strong, small and not a lot of weight.

[troyrussell]

Zing-it throwline works great, nice and slick and very strong.

[johnjosephreed]

Enjoyed this! Really appreciate you being so attentive to weight. A lot of my AT guys swap paracord for 2mm accessory cord - smaller foot print & less weight, however will not cut into branches like bank line or stretch like fishing line. I personally have always been able to make a throw with a standard wire gate carabiner (adds some multi-purpose) or a rock/branch, either would give you 12 oz. back. Maybe swap those stakes for some MSR mini groundhogs to pick up a few more grams if experience keeps telling you the stakes are needed vs. preferred. Fun kit to build!

[tjs]

For a throw line and weight, I use a bear bag kit from Z Packs. 1.2mm braided cord that’s slick so it slides on branches well. But it’s slick so knots might get loose. Mine haven’t yet with over a year of use. For weight, I use their rock sack. I just fill it up with rocks or dirt. There’s almost a pound in weight savings. Just don’t use your car keys!

[nbookie]

Maybe late to the line question but I use 200 feet of braided fishing line. 40 to 65lb - 5k meter spool is like $13. 200 feet wrapped around a pencil. If it get tangled as you pack up for home, just toss it and grab more for the next trip.

[Steve-GMHUU]

👍Good choices. Thought it might be the EFHW antenna that you would pull out the bag.
In terms of more compact para cord, I have used 1.5mm micro cord or even nylon builders (brick) line which will easily hold that antenna up.
In my bag, I keep my 817 sealed in a dry bag and accessories in zip bags. Although not completely waterproof, would hopefully save the equipment from short term submersion.

[timk]

Great setup! I have a small amp MX-P50m, that I can toss in the bag with me if needed. It uses nothing on receive and offers 45 to 50w output depending on the band. I think it draws 10amps on max tx. It's small and nice to have when 5w just isn't cutting it. And I agree on the endfed. It's hard to beat when portable. 73 de KF7VUT.

[johnr]

Those stakes and the throw bag look familiar. Oh yeah, that's what I use. With your antenna!

[milfamily]

Hey Jason. Instead of paracord, this stuff called Handy Hundred cord works great. You can get a 2 pack of 100’ on Amazon for around $15. It’s about half the diameter.

[HamRadio]

Nice setup! I am looking for a few more of these myself - can't have too many...

[donaldsmith]

I use construction nylon line. It is strong and is very strong enough to pull antenna up with. It comes in different colors! I like something that is bright orange because it is easy to see. You can order it online but I get my at Walmart, Lowe's, Home Depot or where ever I happen to be shopping. I think it is something like 500 lb.

[Siskiyous]

Net twine is strong and light. I know this is an older video, but that stuff is great.

[charlieb.]

For my throw line I use 3oz sinkers and $1 roll of nylon twine from Walmart. 60ft elevation is no problem. See my QRZ page for details.

The real trick with QRP is a good antenna and paying attention to losses. Going portable, it is best to pick one or two bands and stick with them. Losses due to a tuner and non resonant antennas are real bummers. I like 40m as a primary. 20m also works but not as reliable. I am thinking of how to go portable with 80m, but since I’m most likely to be portable during the daylight hours, my motivation is lower.

You can make a 40m ground plane vertical that needs no tuner and just works great. Drop the weight and get on the air.

Best of luck. Charlie KM4ZZ

[pat]

Jason, great video .... thanks for sharing and keep them coming. I like mason layout string. Its available at most of the big box DIY stores. Its rugged for its small size and inexpensive. Its also available in bright colors and that can be handy when deployed in a tree.
Thanks Pat