HamRadioWiki: AlanB's Field Day Station

AlanB's Field Day Station

What I've been doing, and what I would like to change

Radio Gear

Icom 756 ProIII (it is a bit of trouble taking the home station apart, but having a good radio on FD is nice)
For compact operations the Icom IC7000 is excellent
microHAM microKEYER radio/computer interface (possibly the best radio-computer interface available, very clean cabling, USB virtual serial ports for all digital functions, works with all software)
Navigator Rig Interface?, as above plus built in soundcard
TenTec Hercules II 500 watt amplifier (I have reservations about running power on FD, but I have to say that K3MC's Hercules worked very nicely on a battery and did get some respect on the band).
Note - Considering Tokyo High Power HL450B for the amp role - more portable, 400W level, more compact
Antenna Tuner (Usually I use an Icom AH4 out away from the rig and near where the ladder line hits the ground, but at the higher power level something else is required)(If not running power the AH4 is excellent)
- Palstar AT1KM Tuner (excellent two-adjustment KW manual tuner)
- Icom AH-4 Tuner (best remote autotuner)
- LDG Z-11 Pro Tuner (best 100 watt autotuner)
LP-100 Power Meter
Begali Traveler Paddles
DM780 MultiPSK digital mode software for RTTY, PSK31, CW, etc
HRD (Ham Radio Direct) for Rig Control and Digital Modes
Heil Proset IC headset
Finger Ring PTT
Headset splitter for 2 headphones, homebrew

Antennas

My favorite simple antenna is a 100 foot dipole fed with 100 feet of windowed ladderline to a DX Engineering 1:1 special antenna tuner balun to a 6' RG213 coax to one of the above tuners. Elevate this antenna 100 feet with a Pneumatic Antenna Launcher∞.
The Buddipole is very compact and well made. It is good for situations where the tree supports are not available, or the time available to operate is short. It is not so good for band-hopping, but better if you are going to stay on a band for awhile.
Force12 Sigma 5 - 20 through 10 meters, instant bandswitching, 9 feet tall, high efficiency vertical.
Spiderbeam - considering for 2008, see below
New Beam Line Set with Fiddle type Marine Pulley

Spiderbeam Info

Purchased for 2008 FD
Bought the 5 band version but plan to build the 20/17/15 configuration as it has fewer wires to assemble and prefer 17 for non FD uses. 10M hs not been a big FD band for us
A lot of work to build this antenna the first time, doing much of this at home ahead of time
Built up a new rope set with new pulleys including a fiddle type
Put a pulley and endless loop below the Spiderbeam to hoist up 80/40 antenna

Power

AGM Batteries (Absorbed Glass Mat Lead-Acid are about the best Lead-Acid batteries available for this use.)
One set for the radio, a pair of 100AH 12V in parallel (or use these on the amp and a pair of 75's on the rig),
One set for the computer, a pair of 75AH in parallel, and
A third set for the linear (1-4 batteries). We used a single 100AH RV Marine type battery in 2006 but I would go to AGMs for the amp as well.
Note in 2008 may downsize the battery array a bit, this is a lot to carry.. Considering just the 100AH pair in parallel with the 60A RV Converter from the EU2000i generator..
Solar panels to replace some of the energy (I have several Siemens 75W panels) (may skip panels due to space)
Backup charger (Progressive Dynamics 9200 60A RV converter∞) and Honda EU2000i generator with Fuel Feed system from a gas can
The AGM batteries are available at low cost as UPS pullouts, about 5 years old and still in good shape. I have tested them on a West Mountain Radio Computer Battery Tester and they are 90%+ of original specs.
AC Power Strip
DC Power Distribution based on Anderson PowerPoles
DC Voltage Booster?

Logging System

Compaq Laptop, 400 mhz, w Orinoco Gold 802.11b card and 12vDC adapter, running my own software FDLog (I might need more CPU power in a second laptop for digital modes with newer software..)

Network

802.11B Wireless Network (we have several Access Points for reliability, though they are used one at a time. Mine is a LinkSys model WRT54GS that runs directly on 12 volts dc, so it is easy to power with a sealed 12V battery.

Shelter

SUV Tent (The SUV tent is about 9x9 feet on the ground, and about 7' high so you can actually stand up inside. It has an attachment system to connect to the back of an SUV, Minivan or Truck. I connect it to the back of my SUV and the radio gear etc are transferred from the SUV to the operating table, and back after we're done. The battery bank sits in the back corner of the SUV and never moves - we just cable from the operating table to the batteries a distance of about four feet with heavy cable. So no lifting of batteries, etc except at home. I use a plastic picnic table 6 feet long to hold the radios. The floor is partly covered inside with a couple of carpet scraps. I use a blue tarp under the tent. The feedlines come in alongside the truckbed and under the connector to the truck. This is the best tent I have used for Field Day.)

Misc