PRC-320 HF manpack: P.L.O.T.A.

In the past couple of years, and especially since the Pandemic, there’s been a remarkable explosion of interest among Hams for operating outdoors. With the advent of smaller, lighter and less power-hungry radios and antennas built for portable deployment, Hams everywhere are getting out of their shacks and into the parks to make contacts. On any given day, there are likely more radio enthusiasts doing sanctioned P.O.T.A activations — Parks on the Air — than sitting around the house dusting their stations. It’s great to see the hobby blossom like this.

I love operating outdoors, and this radio was born to it. Though old and heavy, it’s very much at home adventuring in the field—even when the field is so close to home.

PRC-320 HF MANPACK: picnic-bench beachhead

Sometimes you just want to operate comfortably, with a park bench to yourself, a little DX-ing fluid at the ready, and a sunset for company. Helps if the bands are open and stations are listening.

MILSPEC radios are built to be heard, and the PRC-320 can work pileups even with its middling 30 watt High Power setting. In reality, it’s ~ 15-20 watts on transmit. I get compliments on the audio. Some stations love the “punch” and the “DX-y” voice quality.

PRO TIP: Say “portable” enough—when you’re portable, of course—and operators will let you in, especially when points count.

PRC-320 HF manpack: FAIL

This is how it happens: you spend earnest hours charging batteries, testing peripherals. You might solder a bit here and there. You pack for bugout.  You tell family and friends and bosses “Gee I’d like to [insert family, friends or bosses commitment here] but I’m deployed elsewhere…” You grab a GPS, some jerky, your tuff boots (you know the ones), say goodbye to the pup, grab the car keys and you’re off!

You make the infil point and it’s empty—you planned it that way! The WX is amazing, rich with golden-hour vibes. It’s coming on grey-line, and the bands will be hopping. That tingly DX sensation enters the fingers, readies the mind. “Today,” you say to yourself, once more, “I’ll work that Capetown station…”

And you sit on frequency, waiting out the pileup. Putting up with the long-winded. You keep calling. Tide’s coming in. The sea is swallowing your counterpoise, but the saltwater amp is dead. And no matter how many times you press the button, or how many tweaks you make to the tuning, no matter which mic you use, it’s just not happening. And crows gather to laugh and caw: “NEGATIVE CONTACT! NEGATIVE CONTACT!”

Some days its just not on, is it?

PRC-320 HF manpack: Logbooking

Amateur Radio operators keep logbooks of the stations they’ve contacted for a few reasons. A) They’re handy if you have to prove you aren’t creating interference with neighbors, a business or government (it happens); B) they’re important for filling out a reply QSO card, and critical for contesting, or uploading your POTA/SOTA OPs; and C) They’re a personal memorialization of your day at the beach, that great time at Field Day, the Net you joined, and the thing you wave at your family to prove “See! I told you I worked Capetown!”

My logbook is definitely the latter.

Jarret Green KB0ICT wrote HAMRS for all of us. It’s one of several computer logbooks I like. It’s cross-platform, works on Mobile, beautifully designed and free. Donations are encouraged.

https://hamrs.app

the most important prc-320 manpack accessory

During its service life, the RT/UK PRC-320 Manpack HF Transceiver deployed wherever the British Army was sent. That likely ran from frozen wilderness to scorching desert. So the radio was built to handle extremes (as well as live underwater for a time; but that’s another video) with stable operating ranges from -37ºC to +52ºC. This video short pays homage to the upper range.

Another in my occasional series of adventures with my old, heavy and extremely capable military radio.