Getting (Back) Into HF Radio

In 2009, I earned my amateur radio "technician" license. This allowed me to operate two-way radio on VHF and UHF bands (as well as one HF band). That was awesome, because I was leading a small group of scouts and leaders on a 50-mile hike through Utah's Uinta mountain range, and in most places the only way to communicate was by radio (no cell coverage, and at one point we'd be 25 miles away from anything, in all directions).

After the hike, I was enthralled. I volunteered to provide communications support for a late-fall endurance race, and met my radio mentor WB6YOK, Chuck. He opened the world of HF radio to me, showing me how it works and letting me operate from his 'shack' in his home. He taught me how to operate in voice as well as digital modes. In 2010 I upgraded to a "General" class license so I could operate on HF frequencies, and I soon bought myself a 100 watt mobile rig capable of HF, VHF and UHF operation.

Fast forward one divorce and four years later. I remarried and moved into my wife's house about 30 miles south of where I had been living. Our house was in a treeless neighborhood, and she balked a bit at my simple 8' VHF antenna. There was no way to convince her to let me install an HF antenna. My interest in radio remained, but the opportunity to operate dimmed.

It is now nearly 2018. We recently relocated (ironically about 10 miles north of where I was originally). We have a home in established trees, where the right HF antenna can be easily obscured and therefore not detract from the home's aesthetics. I've decided to become "radio active" again and start operating. This blog series will be dedicated to applying the lessons I've learned both times I've gotten into HF operations. It's meant as a "don't make the same mistakes I made" guide, to help newer operators save time, money, and frustration.

For me, amateur radio is about two things: 1) it's about the project, and 2) it's about the contacts. I enjoy researching and planning a project, because I learn a lot and I like to tinker. I've been able to tackle several projects, such as:

• installing a voice compression module into a microphone, to improve my radio's ability to transmit legibly.
• building a CW (Morse code) radio that fits into an Altoids tin
• Building an antenna tuner for my low-power radio
• Building a Hendricks PFR3 CW radio (my favorite project to-date, even though it took 3 years)
• Building several antennas, from simple wire antennas to a backcountry 2m dipole

As I said, projects increase my knowledge. I am a kinetic learner, too, so any project pretty much ensures a better understanding of the subject.

I also enjoy making contacts, very much. Whether it's voice on 40 meters or digital PSK on some other band, it is thrilling to me to talk with people around the world, without using any infrastructure. I'm independent of the Internet, phone or other communications networks (and the associated costs). My biggest issue with HF so far has been that, if you could do something a wrong way, I did it. My logbook is very thin, with only about 12 contacts logged. I didn't feel I was giving much up when I stopped pursuing HF radio, quite honestly. But now it's time to go back and redo things, and do it right, so when I power up my radio I can be relatively confident I'll have a successful conversation (or more).

Successful HF radio is a factor of several things:

• Antenna
• Radio
• Output power
• Band conditions
• Patience
• Luck

My biggest mistakes starting out were primarily due to using inefficient antennas, radios with insufficient receivers, and low-power radios. Band conditions are beyond our control as operators, but understanding the bands, their conditions, and related solar cycles is a big deal and helps the operator prepare, thereby increasing contacts as well.

So throughout this blog series, I'll address each of these (some multiple times).

OLD Trip Report: Hiking the Wave

In December 2015, my wife and I both put in for the lottery for passes to hike The Wave (www.thewave.info), a geological formation in Arizona (approached from Utah--so we kinda claim it as ours). We won the lottery for a date in April, and this is as detailed of a trip report as I can come up with. I found as I was preparing for the trip that there's not a lot of great info

Getting There

There are several steps to "getting there" to hike The Wave:

1. You need a pass to get in. The area is so incredibly photogenic and such an amazing geological formation that people would overrun it if it wasn't controlled. Therefore the Bureau of Land Management limits entry to 20 hikers per day - 10 by a quarterly lottery and 10 by a daily lottery at their office. We tried for nearly two years to get in - your mileage may vary.
2. Once you have passes, you need to actually get to the Wave. The trailhead is about 9 miles down an "unimproved" gravel road, which is about 40 miles east of Kanab Utah. If you're into camping, there are unimproved camp sites all along the road, and at the Utah/Arizona border there is a formal campground. If you're into hot water and a comfy bed, Kanab is your closest option (unless you're coming from the East, in which case Page may be an option). Kanab is Utah's most recently "discovered" city and, as such, has several new hotels as of 2016, to fit even the most demanding guest. We stayed at the Comfort Inn and Suites and loved it - great people, great rooms, good rates.
3. Get ready for danger. The Wave is a 100% exposed hike - there isn't significant elevation gain (maybe 400 feet total) but it is exposed and, for the most part, on red and orange slick rock. We hiked in 60 degree weather and I still drained a 70-ounce CamelBak. Bring:
1. Water (and lots of it)
2. A wide-brimmed hat (it's not about the looks, cowgirl)
3. Sunscreen (and lots of it)
4. Sunglasses (the darker, the better)
4. The trail isn't significantly rugged. I hiked it in low-top hiking shoes and never had an issue. Most of the trail is on slick rock or in sand.
5. Find a high-clearance vehicle. The road is unimproved - we were there in the "rainy" season, and approached the day after heavy rain had fallen. It was badly rutted. As it tuns out, a variety of two-wheel drive passenger cars ultimately made it to the trailhead (including a Honda Accord). I didn't want to chance it, so we ended up renting a four-wheel drive vehicle (Jeep Cherokee) from a Kanab-based rental company (Express Rent-A-Car http://www.xpressrentalcarofkanab.com/kanab-car-rental-rates.cfm). $150 a day was a bit high for what we got (a Cherokee with 98,000 miles - and you felt every one of those miles) but it was competitive with the alternative (renting from St. George and driving back and forth). Nonetheless it got us where we wanted to go, without incurring (or worrying about incurring) damage to our car. I suppose in the dry season, especially a few weeks after the last rain, any car can make it - the ruts will be knocked down and the road should be relatively flat (I wouldn't say "smooth"). But any other time, when rain is in the forecast, better safe than sorry. You'll cross several washes on the way in (a wash is where a stream crosses the road - or the road crosses a stream) which, during heavy rains, will become overrun with water flowing fast enough to sweep a car away.

Finding Your Way

Thanks to Google Maps - here's a map from Salt Lake City:

From Kanab, Utah head east on Route 89. The road will eventually bend left in a long sweeping curve, and shortly thereafter bend right in another long sweeping curve. After a short straightaway, the road takes a sharper left turn - this is where the trailhead cuts off, to the right. Go slow, it's a sharp turn!

House Rock Valley Road follows a canyon of sorts, south from 89 deep into the Vermillion Cliffs park. The drive in is gorgeous, especially after rains have fallen. The topography is green and, well, maybe not lush but pretty amazing for Utah's dry side! The drive itself is worth the trip from Kanab.

After what feels like 100 miles (at least in an old Cherokee), you'll get to a very obvious trailhead complete with BLM pit toilets. Park there on the west side of the road. The trail begins on the east side of the road.

The Approach

The BLM will provide you with an excellent photographic guide - color photos of what you should see as you approach and depart the Wave. DO NOT RELY on this alone - the way back can be confusing and it's easy to get lost! The BLM map includes GPS coordinates - invest in a GPS (don't use your phone, use a real GPS) and punch those coordinates in. This is a map from Topo Maps:

Note that the trail isn't as beeline-straight as the map shows. It wanders, but eventually you'll cross each point.

The trail starts out following a wash. After 1/2 a mile in the wash, it heads up a short, but steep, hill and the adventure truly begins. From here you will climb and descend over sand dunes as well as slick rock hills. 

Sand Ribs (C) 2016 John Overbaugh

The rock formations are absolutely amazing - some look like topographic maps, some look like Jabba the Hutt. No kidding:

You're in for a treat, as you draw nearer and nearer to the Wave, the formations become more and more interesting. Nothing to prepare you for the natural beauty of the Wave, mind you, but still interesting in and of themselves.

It's difficult to tell from the topographic map, but the trail really is up, or down. There's not much flat to it. Combine this with high exposure, then throw high temperatures in (in the summer, it can reach and exceed 120 degrees in the afternoon), and layer on bright, reflective rock and you have a formula for disaster. PAY ATTENTION: people die here. They get dehydrated, disoriented, and lost. The BLM does not patrol the trail--you're at the mercy of other hikers, but if you stray far from the trail, even they can't help. Bring lots of water. Bring too much water, so you can share it with others. Leave the extra tripod or second camera body at home and bring extra water.

Twin Buttes (C) 2016 John Overbaugh

Pay close attention to the photographic guide from the BLM. It's easier to follow on the way in than the way out, and when you're returning you'll be tired. It's important to slow down, pay attention to your surroundings, and find the (few) brown markers the BLM has placed to help you find your way. Taking a little time to route find will save you a ton of time backtracking (no really, believe me - I have hundreds of days in the backcountry and even I had to "re-route" a few times on the way home).

Eventually you'll come down off some slick rock, just below what we called "The Sphinx" (see photo), across a wide sandy wash. Ahead of you is a steep sandy slope that eventually turns into slick rock. Start climbing - the Wave awaits you!

The Sphinx (C) 2016 John Overbaugh

The Wave

OK--what is the wave? It's an amazing maze-like formation cut out of multi-layered, colorful sandstone. It's Y shaped, with the "V" part of the Y facing you as you approach (so the top of the Y is northward). The tail of the Y slopes up a steep wall, to a flat area about 100 feet above the Wave. Keep in mind this 3-d "Y" is cut into a solid mass of sandstone - thus exposing the various colors of each layer in the rock.

Looking south into the intersection of the "Y" shaped wave. (C) 2016 John Overbaugh

The other entrance to the wave is a quick backtrack out of this one. Head out, bear to the left around the hill outside the wave, climb up a few steps and you're entering the smaller top of the "Y". 

The Wave (C) 2016 John Overbaugh

As you can see, the Wave is just incredible. Geological forces stretched the rock, causing curves in the layers (almost like salt water taffy). It doesn't hurt to hike with someone as cute as my wife, either--it just enhances the sights!

After a short distance (25-30 feet) this section intersects with the rest of the "Y"

The Wave (C) 2016 John Overbaugh

Walking around the Wave gives an amazing variety of views and experiences.

Folds of Waves (C) 2016 John Overbaugh

Finally, as you ascend the 'headwall' on the southern end of the Wave, you'll be rewarded with an ever-changing view, with fold after fold of rock:

More Folds of Waves (C) 2016 John Overbaugh

Wavy Landscape (C) 2016 John Overbaugh

Winter Projects

The '16-'17 winter was very good to the Vstrom DL 650. We tackled a number of projects (my son Caleb helped me out on each of them). Kind of short on photos, just because it was a "doers, doing" kind of series of sessions...

Gaffler Stainless Brake Lines

I added some Rox 2" bar risers late last fall, which were stretching my factory brake lines too much for my comfort. So over the winter break, my son came down and we installed shiny new Gaffler stainless steel brake lines. I've never bled brakes before, but hey... I can't be that difficult right? Spoiler: it wasn't.

The process began by draining the brake fluid. If you've read my other posts, you know the store of this bike. It's an '08 DL650, bought in Oct 2015 with 1600 miles on it <fist pump>. I did the second oil change on it, and I've done all the factory maintenance since. Every hose, every seal I've inspected, and every fluid has come out looking brand new, and the front brake fluid was no exception. But they say to change brake fluid about every season, so it'd either been 8 seasons or 3 seasons, depending on how you measure a season.

Draining the fluid isn't difficult. Pull off the master cylinder cover and open the bleed valves on each caliper. I then pulled off the lines themselves and chucked them (and in hindsight realized I might have been able to help a buddy out and offered them up on the Stromtrooper forum--sorry, pal).

I'd ordered 2" extended brake lines from Gaffler, which arrive timely and in good shape. The install was a snap, other than a mistake in routing them (I ran them too low, which interfered with a later project of installing lever guards).

Bleeding brakes is pretty intuitive, once you get the hang of it. There are several good youtube videos to get you started, I particularly liked this one; Lemmy at Revzilla does a great job: 

My son did mess up once, and allowed the reservoir to drain too far, so we had to start all over again, but no big deal. It still took well less than a single bottle of NAPA DOT3 fluid.

Sorry, only got one shot. Gaffler offers several colors, in factory lengths but with the option to go longer, for situations like mine (bar risers) or situations where you're adding clip-ons. It's a good idea to have just about the exact length needed, rather than having a lot of slack. The kits come complete with clips to hold the lines, banjo bolts, and crush washers. You do need to check your service manual to determine the appropriate torque for the banjo bolts (top and bottom).

One note for Strom owners: the factory brake lines have a single line to a T right above the fender but the Gaffler kit is two separate lines, one for each side (and very clearly labeled).

The rest of the time that evening was spent checking the air filter (no small feat on a VStrom), re-routing some wires, etc.

If you're wondering about whether you can tackle this job, just go for it. I can't imagine how someone could get this wrong if they watch a few videos and then pay attention.