One of the advantages of QRP hamming is the ability to put together a very light weight and compact station that can be taken anywhere. The photo above shows a complete 20 meter station, including power source, antenna and carrying case that weights in at less than 2 pounds. This setup could be used from the woods while camping or for hotel portable when traveling.

The rig used in this setup is the Wilderness SST, one of the smallest kits available. The WØCH SST in the photo has been modified by adding an internal TICK keyer. The SST is used with a simple homebrew tuner/SWR bridge and a AA battery pack. A 33 foot wire is typically used as a halfwave vertical antenna combined with a couple of 16 foot counterpoise wires. The entire station fits into a small camera case for easy carrying. Despite this station's diminutive size, it is capable of working DX QSO's.

The Adventure Radio Society is encouraging the development of trail friendly radio equipment and accessories. The ARS sponsors the Spartan Sprint, a monthly two hour operating event where the operator's score is based on the number of QSO's per pound of station weight! Be sure to visit the ARS web site for more information on other compact equipment and outdoor adventures.

For more information on equipment weight, click on the following link to go to the next page:

Links:

• Adventure Radio Society