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| HFPACK HAMFEST FREQS |
| HFpack daytime 18157.5kHz USB or 14342.5kHz USB |
| HFpack Mobile In Route, Motel, and evenings 5371.5kHz USB or 5403.5kHz USB |
| HFpack VHF FM Simplex Intercom Freqs: 144.300MHz or 51.000MHz PL tone=151.4 |
Official HFpack Member Store As an HFpack Member, you can support HFpack by wearing an HFpack T-shirt or hat at hamfests or when operating portable. Show your HF spirit! For members, there are HFpack bumper stickers, HFpack radio gear bags, and all the HFpack stuff you've seen HFpackers with in the field, at hamfests, and club meetings. These are now available online to HFpack members. Just a click of your mouse at the Official HFpack Member Store. Over 100 cool items, including clocks, mugs, field notebooks, camo/green stuff, accessory bags, buttons, stickers, mousepads, frequency list stickers, license plate frames, and many other things for your shack or portable operation. Great for gifts... Immediate delivery... fast shipping. |
| 2012 HFpack Annual Eyeball QSO Rally May 19 at Dayton Hamvention® "Largest gathering of HF backpack operators in the world" 12:30pm to 1:45pm Saturday Location: Hara Arena outside the main entrance (awning) Dayton HFpack VHF intercom: 144.300 FM Simplex PL151.4 Dayton HFpack calling: 18157.5kHz USB |
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| HFpack Portable Pedestrian Mobile Net Annual Event at Dayton "Huge Net of HF Portable Ops" 1:00pm Saturday (1700 UTC) 18157.5 kHz USB --- Net Control: Mark KI0PF /PM Note: Pedestrian Mobiles ops, as you check into the net, please walk around the flea market area and try to keep some distance from the net control station and the antennas of other operators. |
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HFpack Base Station at Hamvention: Booth EH 518 18157.5 kHz USB - 144.300 FM Simplex PL151.4 Many thanks to SuperAntenna for donating the booth space and the new SuperPole DP2 Portable Rotatable Dipole |
The Pacificon Report
What happened at HFpack PACIFICON in 2011
at the Marriott Santa Clara • Santa Clara, California... As usual, the freqs: HFpack intercom, 144.300 FM Simplex PL151.4 and the HFpack pedestrian mobile HF calling on 18157.5kHz USB were very active. On Friday 14 October the HFpack Annual "No Host Dinner" was held at Bennigans on Great America Parkway with NorCal QRP. The event was arranged by James Bennett KA5DVS. At 1PM on Saturday 15 October, a presentation at the HFpack Forum, "Portable Magnetic Loop HF Antennas" with a Demo was given by Eric Noris WD6DBM. At 2PM Saturday 15 October, the presentation, "Elecraft KX3 and HFpack Lite" was given by by Wayne Burdick N6KR of Elecraft.
At 8PM to Midnight Saturday 15 October, the NorCal QRP & HFpack Zombie Apocalypse Night and Hanging Eye Ball QSOs happened, with Vendors, Auction, Show & Tell, and a presentation "Zombie 101 hints " and "How to be a Zombie /PM" was given by Ken Chong WB6MLC. Saturday Night Zombie Apocalypse walking in the dark net was on 40 meters SSB this year, with many pedestrian mobiles roaming the grounds of the event venue with large and dangerous-looking antennas!
Annual Event: The HFpack Zombie Walk at Pacificon
Saturday Night Late... in the dead of the night!
"Who knows what lurks in the backpacks of Pedestrian Mobiles ?"
- Ken Chong WB6MLC HFpack Events Coordinator
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Ancient Psychic Propagation Predictions came true in 2010, 2011, and 2012!
What was predicted for our future? Read on... by Bonnie Crystal VR2/KQ6XA
My
prediction visionary credentials are humble; as an oracle, I carry the
burden of The Transmission Of The Esoteric High Frequency Dharma,
having been passed down to me in secret ceremonies through the unbroken
lineage of Great HF Oracles, witnessed by The Ancient Order Of The High
Frequency Nuns, in the innermost faraday anechoic chambers of the
exalted stone observatory overlooking the ionosphere. For Year 2010 I henceforth predict...Good News for Solar Cycle 24
In our great and long HF journey of lifetimes...
having passed our darkest hour in March 2009; having dwelt in the
deepest chasm of the second valley of the bottom of Olde Sol 23; from
this point into future years of four; we shall venture upward on the
Slope of Flux!Joy and Relief in March-May 2010
We shall climb the steep steps of the Mountain Of
New Sol 24 together, with ever greater momentum and strength. By the
moon of April 2010 we shall reach the average Solar Flux heights of 80
or more! The Fast Tiger of the east shall rise and pounce gracefully
upon the waves of 18MHz, yielding a time of spring health among the
Strong Portables and Quick Mobiles; The Pedestrians shall play in the
meadow again. With each sunset and sunrise, The Pack shall rejoice in
the DX of Higher Frequencies, taking leaps and bounds on the trail of
double hop. The Guardians of The Towers shall open The High Gates of
Ten Metres; The Pedestrians shall tread softly on the sand of the beach
in the realm of The Giants of Twenty.Uncertainty in June-August 2010
By July 2010, the Feeble Bear of the summer west
shall obscure the gains of the previous moons; The Portables shall
quest for more DX; yet few sweet drops of the Elixir of Great
Propagation shall satiate their thirst. Driven from the Highest Bands,
The Portables shall again wander the land, seeking nourishment from
14MHz short hops, and taking flight with The Fleeting Bird of
trans-equatorial 21MHz multi-hops. In the midst of despair, The Great
Clouds Of The Sporadic-E shall unexpectedly appear over the fields,
irrigating the planet with ions; strong and powerful voices shall grow,
with even the Weakest Of Watts being rewarded on 21MHz and higher!Greatness in September-December 2010
The eager Fast Tiger shall devour the tired Weak
Bear. By November 2010, the Warriors and Sages who fought so
triumphantly in the Battle of the Plateau shall find victorious comfort
in the multi-hop DX gardens of 14 to 24MHz. Having climbed past the
Solar Flux of 90, The Pack shall bask in the light of propagation
contentment, feasting daily on the green flora of 18MHz. Mobiles and
Portables shall roam the hills, exploring even the peaks of 28MHz.
Guardians Of The Towers shall breathe easier, having found solace
running barefoot through the wide open 5MHz and 7MHz bands; they shall
turn their beams on 21MHz; they shall chase the beast of Spectrum
Maximus and slaughter whole bands with Split Rare DX Pileups. The
Morsepounders and the Digirati shall seek freedom and fortitude in
10MHz throughout the night, and dream yea verily into the dawn of early
morning! The Emcomms shall drink ALE from The Chalice Of The High
Frequency. Fullness Then Bleakness in Years 2011-2020
Year 2011 shall bring more health to The HF
Dwellers. The Pack shall climb to reach the Sol 24 Mountain Peak and
summit it in 2014; then light shall shine on all who venture forth into
HF Wilderness. The mountain peak shall not overlook the summits of past
quests. By 2019 the Sojourners of HF shall descend down the path, and
shall wallow in the depths of a deep canyon once again. Only the strong
and brave shall remain.Incantation Quatrain of the HF Oracle
Solaris Minimus, Mega Hertzus;
Solaris Maximus, Radiati Potentius! Longitudis Latitudus, Saltus Aqua Ampliphius; Altus Frequencius, Ionospheri Reflectus! ...and so it was written, by her hand, on 17 December 2009. Bonnie Crystal VR2/KQ6XA, Psychic Propagation Prognosticator
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| HFpack Antenna Shootouts The HFpack HF Portable Antenna Shootouts compare a variety of HF antennas for maximum gain and performance in the typical HF Portable Antenna environment, applicable to QRP and QRO power levels. The HFpack Antenna Shootouts have become a standard benchmark for HF portable and QRP operators. HFpack is dedicated to furthering the state of the art for portable HF antennas and communications. For the QRP antenna ham operator, it is important to get the maximum signal radiated. Also, for QRO emergency portable operations, the antenna efficiency for a small antenna that can be set up on site is crucial to dependable HF and NVIS (Near Vertical Incidence Skywave) regional communications. A pedestrian antenna is an antenna that may be carried easily and set up quickly by the operator. The HFpack Pedestrian Shootouts measured pedestrian HF antenna systems to a fraction of a decibel, and the reports are presented as a service to radio operators around the world. Read more... |
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 HFpack 9900+ Members... Will they gawk at your backpack? Did you know there are several great nets every portable operator can check into on Saturday afternoon at the Dayton Hamvention? Ever worked a bunch of ancient 80meter AM phone HTs? How about classic mil FM 6meter packsets? Enjoy the fun, with the rest of the HFpack group while walking around the flea market on Saturday... Mark KI0PF gives you the inside scoop, in this next article. |
| Operating the Dayton Saturday Afternoon FM, AM, SSB Pedestrian & Portable Nets |
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| an article by Mark Francis KI0PF HFpack Net Control and author of the book: "MIL SPEC RADIO GEAR" |
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| 12:00 Noon is the AM Net on 3885kc AM... Any radio is okay, as long as the mode is good olde Amplitude Modulation. Vintage military gear (any country of
origin) is especially appreciated. Joe WA4VAG will be Net Control, operating
from his space (usually 3415). After the QSO, gather at his space for pix and
ratchet-jawing. Those of you who are /PM (pedestrian mobile) during any of
these nets, please try not to converge on the net control gathering spot until after the
net check-ins are done [spread out... try walking around the flea
market during the net] Mass de-sensing is not the object here :) At 1:00PM of course, the HFpack Net is on 18157.5kc USB with Net Out-Of-Control yours truly for this one! If we happen to get hammered by QRM (you never know -- the bands are getting better), we'll use the alternate of 18117.5 USB. At 2:00PM the Cold War Net is on 51.0Mc/s FM. Wideband or narrowband, we'll figure it out. Net control will be John K9WT. This net is primarily for military FM sets (any country of origin) from the Cold War period. Any radio that can hit 51.000MHz on 6 meters with an understandable sig is welcome [such as FT-817, IC-703, or HTs], and the older FM mil stuff is always appreciated. Meet back at Joe's spot (around 3415) afterwards for yet more pix and swapping of lies if yer batteries (camera, radio, and tall-tale) haven't gone kaput by this time. 73 - Mark KI0PF |
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| HFpack Welcomes All New HF Operators We are now witnessing one of the largest increases in HF operators in ham radio history in the past 50 years. The number of hams trying out portable HF is growing rapidly. This is the start of a huge boost to a new generation of HF amateur radio operators... breathing new life into amateur radio for 2012! Many operators and new hams have expressed their joy in finally being able to join the ranks of HFpack on HF, and are planning to take the tests for higher licenses. In the longstanding Amateur Radio and HFpack tradition, experienced HF ops will help and encourage our new wave of HF operators. Let's all show a wholehearted HFpack welcome... on the HF bands, on QRS CW, and with Elmer help on the group forums. Let's make 2009 a great year of growth for HFpack and ham radio! |
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| Meet the
Moderators of HFpack Group |
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| HFpack
has become one of the largest fully-moderated groups of
this kind in the world. It remains a high quality group because a team
of skilled moderators makes it run smoothly and efficiently. Every day,
the volunteer moderators read every message posted by members. They
approve it, reject it, or clean it up before it goes out to the 8000+
members via email or the web. Moderators process new membership
applications, and help members who are having problems with their
messages or membership. Such a spammer-free and flame-free group would
not be possible on the internet without the watchful eyes of these
talented people. All of the moderators on the HFpack team possess a
unique combination of technical expertise, HF portable radio knowledge,
talent for writing/editing, and even-handed patience for interacting
with people. Every
moderator is also an active HF portable operator and radio enthusiast. We
hope the new Meet
the Moderators
section of the HFpack website gives you a little insight behind the
scenes, into the human beings that make HFpack Group an enjoyable
experience. |
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| Bonnie KQ6XA Founder/Webmaster/Moderator "I founded HFpack wondering if 25 operators in the world might be interested in lightweight HF Portable. 65 joined the first day and..." read more |
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Virgil
K5OOR -Moderator “I am happy to donate my time to help lift the quality of the HFpack forum high. My passion is the creation of home construction projects for the radio...” read more |
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| Ken
N0VZ -Moderator "I first became interested in amateur radio as a means of emergency communications while hiking and four wheeling in the back country of..." read more |
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Bob
AB7ST
-Moderator "I became a DXer as KA7RF while stationed in Fukuoka, Japan. Now in Utah, USA, my portable activity even includes HF Snowshoe Mobile and..." read more |
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| Sasi
VK5SN -Moderator “Starting out as VU3SNM in India, my work as a marine biologist has since taken me all over the world for remote HF portable on islands and..."read more |
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John
K6ERO-Moderator “My first DX was Venezuela on 6 meters Pedestrian Mobile with an old FT-690RII at 2 Watts! From that point, I was hooked. I got into HF military packsets as...” read more |
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| Budd
W3FF -Backup Moderator "My main interest is modular portable antennas. I've been operating HF walking portable for many years, and joined HFpack when..." read more |
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Oliver KB6BA -Hall of Fame Curator “As an avid trail hiker, I began taking radio gear to hilltops, my Portable HF activity increased when I had HFpack friends to talk with while...” read more |
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