Where do I begin? With the exception of a new matching unit, I have used this setup for all of my pedestrian mobile work for over two years. The antenna has been used in Hawaii when I went there in 2004 for a business trip. In October of 2005 I hiked up to Mt Zion at 7,000 feet a.s.l. and made some great DX contacts during and just before the CQWW SSB contest. First there was EA1MR in Spain followed by CT3/N6MJ in the Madeira Islands just before the contest. Later I worked JAØJHA in Japan and KH7X in Hawaii. In three hours I had crossed two oceans from Colorado with five watts of power! Then, in February of 2006 I returned to Mt Zion. The solar flux was 76, and the A and K were 2 and 1 respectively. I made twenty-five contacts in four hours including  two JAs. One QSO was with Bill, N3HQB in Maryland. He recorded one of my transmissions and sent it to me. It was interesting to hear what a QRP signal sounds like from 1,400 miles away. Listen here   In March, 2006 I took the backpack out twice.The first hike gave me contacts to PY2WC in Brazil and JR8VSE in Japan. Later in the month I hiked up to a local hill and worked JA1CG, LU2NI in Argentina and JH1OCC. Not bad for near the bottom of a solar cycle and QRP.

< Closeup of matching unit and PVC bracket painted black.

Here is the backpack setup I have used now for over two years. I upgraded from a 16-foot to a 20-foot dual band antenna. It looks top heavy, but the pole only weighs a few ounces. My first time out with the new antenna was December 12, 2003. I was just a couple miles north of home and walking along a wide, open trail. I had just finished with a contact in Washington state when I was called by Yuu, JH1OCC, in Japan! He had been 'reading the mail' and was anxious to say hello.