Digital Back Pack Build

[JohnyMac]

Good video for this thread by OH8STN. Title, Best HF Ham Radio for Off Grid Survival

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSv0G2Ydm_4

Like he said, "I am sure there are others".

[JohnyMac]

Along with building my new back pack comms, I want to replace the current Par End Fed Quad antenna. The antenna works great however, it is only 40, 20, 15, 10-meters and it weighs in at 2.5-lbs.

Has anybody had any experience with N9SAB antenna?

[JohnyMac]

This YouTuber likes the N9SAB antennas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEpFwZhSdMo

[Jackalope]

No, which one are you considering?  They seem pricey for wire antennas.

[JohnyMac]

Jackalope, the 80-6 Meter one QRP Random Wire End Fed Variable Length 80-6M Portable Ham Radio Antenna PETG/CF

Here is my progress on my new comms man pack so far.

> Replaced the 817 and LDG Tuner with a G90 radio which has the internal ATU,
> Bought a Hyundai 7" tablet. This tablet was $50- and it could run air gapped using a android version of FLdigi, msg, etc. The
   FLdigi program is on a Micro SD card which lives in the tablet. The tablet weighs in just under 13-oz.
> Digirig sound card. This is MUCH better than the Xeigu CE-19 interface. A lot easier to use too.
> Bioenno LIFePO battery 12V 9AH. ~42-ounces, and
> As mentioned above, looking for a 80-6 meter antenna that weighs less than the 40-10 meter PAR END Fed Quad antenna
   that weighs in at a hefty 37-ounces.

That's where I am today.

 

[JohnyMac]

Quick update...

I got the tablet to work with my G90 with the help of the Digirig Forum. A gentleman on the forum, an electrical engineer with Digirig, shared with me a beta version of AndFLmsg (V1.6). With some tweaking of speakers/microphone settings and a few clicks here and there, my tablet now acts as a computer during digital comms.

When I have a free minute, later this week, I will put together a Xiegu G90 Android 10 Tablet Cheat Sheet and make it a sticky. Again, later this week 

It is great when hams reach out to help other hams. 

[Sir John Honeybucket]

Jm,

Please do post that info.  Many of us do use the G90 and the Android tablet for FLdigi would save a lot of weight. But ou knew that.  ;-)

[JohnyMac]

LOL W1DWD, nothing is simple using digital, as I am sure you know.

When I first started digital I had a full head of hair and non of my clothes were rended. Then getting my tablet to play nice, well I am bald now and buy new clothes at the Salvation Army. To make a long story short, with the help of Digirig, I was able to make it happen.

Once I have a free minute, I will consolidate my notes and post here on a sticky. It will be for the Xiegu G90 and Android 10 tablet, but what I learned will probably by 95% useful to others.

One thing before you do anything, using a USB C to USB C cable, (tablet USBC port your USB C power port is also used as a data port) from your tablet to the Digirig interface, works like a charm. I used the headphone jack to USB C Digirig but it didn't work unless it was a 3.5 jack that handled four (not three) functions. They are called Four pole audio jack to USB C cable.

But, in all fairness, the USB C to USB C cable worked best.

Also, the sequence of how you hook all up can mean success or no digital joy.

You have to hook up the Digirig to tablet first because the tablet has to recognize the interface. Then turn on your radio and hook up the cables from the radio to Digirig.

I hope that gets you started till I can post the "cheat sheet".

73

[n9sab]

I have a good deal of experience with N9SAB antennas and would be happy to answer any questions.

[n9sab]

My experience with running digital on a tablet has been less than spectacular. I eventually picked up a cheapo Dell laptop on eBay and have never looked back. Makes power a little bit more of a challenge but worth it in my opinion.

[JohnyMac]

As a side note, I have been trading emails with N9SAB who owns N9SAB HF Ham Radio Antennas.. He is a new member here so be nice   

My antenna arrived yesterday (80-6M) and I was going to run it today but it is sleeting sideways. It is 33 degrees, sleeting, with a lively breeze of 10-14 mph and some nice gusts topping 20 mph. If I was out on the water with Mad Max, I would have put a reef in the main for sure. 
 @ N9SAB, concerning a laptop vs. tablet, I went out and bought a $99- laptop from Ebay too. It is a Evolve III and only weights 32 oz. Plus it runs off the 12 volt battery too when the laptops battery runs down. 

Sunday looks good though with temps in the mid-50's and some solar activity to top off the house batteries. I will run the antenna through its paces, probably with the G90. This project is coming to its end. Then it will be time to go out and do some SOTA back packing adventures.

Finished my AR-10 "pimp out" yesterday so Monday I need to test fire it to make sure it works. Lining up that adjustable gas block was a pain in the butt. I borrowed a AR-10 .308 Barrel Vise Block from CJS06. THANK YOU SIR. I will do a write up on that in a week or two after I get my Accu-Tac Bipod. It is backordered.

Time to throw a few more logs into the wood stove. 

[n9sab]

A reef in the main for sure!  Let me know how your testing goes. We can make any adjustments or tweaks as needed. Thanks for the welcome!

[Todd]

Items are starting to arrive for my radio backpack build.

The Lenovo M8 arrived and guess what? It will not operate unless connected to the internet. I want to download the app onto a memory drive, do a scan on the drive to make sure their are no nasties attached to the FLdigi app, then down load to the tablet.

The directions were awful so I contacted Lenovo to find out how to do it. After 20-minutes of trying to get some support someone told me that I can not do what I want to do on their M8. The agent I spoke with could not understand why I would not to be online. 

So I am back to looking for a tablet or small computer (Weight is an issue) that I can run not using the interwiz and download from a memory card or memory stick drive FLdigi to it.

This is exactly why I started this thread so we can all learn from each other. Why reinvent the wheel. 

I had similar issues with Android tablets.

My solution was to pick up a brace of these Android ipod-touch style things - G-Mee. https://www.amazon.com/G-Mee-2-Smartplayer-Cellphone-Kids-Android-More-Bluetooth/dp/B0B1CZL7VQ

It's wifi-only with no camera or GPS.

Mine have never been connected to the internet. They can be via wi-fi if you want, but I don't. There's bluetooth, etc. In the field I carry them in VN-era "Chieu-Hoi" waterproof 20-rd M16 magazine bags since I got a bunch of them cheap a while back. Prior to that I was using an MRE beverage bag. Both types of bags allow you to manipulate the controls and use the touch screen. 

Mine are loaded with the following apps:
- AndFlmsg
- APRSdroid
- Briar
- Crypt4All Lite
- Morse Code Agent (allows "burst" transmission)
- OnePad
- Avenza maps (and accompanying topographic mapping of a 200m radius of my location)
- A PDF viewer
- Secret Space Encryptor
- Silent Boot
- Sound Recorder
- VLC media player
- Wire
- Notepad

Despite what the amazon product info says, this device will accept up to at least a 512Gb MicroSD card. Contact the seller for spare batteries. Each of mine has two spare batteries.

Several months field use and maybe 12 months total of messing around with the device in the shack Mine have been totally reliable.

[Sir John Honeybucket]

Todd , very cool on your Android based solution.  I just got things loaded and stable on my Amdroid last week and hope to test it during tonight's ERIN net.  In all, I'd rather use Morse, due to its extreme efficiency and simplicity, and field portability but that's not likely to happen except with a few individuals.  So using an Android for prepper comms is a secondary option / solution.  This works well with my little TrUSDX qrp rig. 

[JohnyMac]

I continue to trade emails with Tim over at N9SAB Antennas. I had a few glitches with the antenna I had ordered and like the true customer service oriented business owner he has dropped into the mail a new antenna that should hope fully to meet my needs. A review to come. 

Currently, I am looking for a day pack size that can house my G90 and accoutrements for POTA, SOTA, and basic backpacking trips. Currently, I have the kit stored in the top of a 52 Liter backpack from Fjallraven. The electronics, (radio, mic, Digirig, etc) are stored in a EMP bag the rest are in freezer sip lock bags. This works great for a 3-4 day trek but is a bit overkill for a day trek.

I ran across this pack from gigaparts. What are your thoughts? What are you using to carry your field equipment? How much does it weigh?

[pkveazey]

Bwahaha,,,,,, Don't get me started on what's in my Radio Backpack. I've got an ICOM 718 with LDG autotuner, 200 feet of Wire on spools, Freq Counter, Antenna Analyser, Antenna Switch, VHF/UHF Handi-talkie, and a crap load of related odds and ends. All I need is 12 volts and someone to carry all that crap.