Outdoor Adventure USA

In prior nets we have discussed, vehicle field repair and spare parts for the trail. This week, we want to focus our discussion on tools, supplies and skills you need to repair your camping gear and clothing. The ability to repair a tent, sleeping bag , boots, pants, or a camp chair while in camp can make a huge difference on your comfort for the remainder of the trip.

Questions for the net to address
1. What do you take? -- to handle breaks, tears or holes in your camping gear, clothing or bedding?
2. Are there any skills you need to practice at home before going?
3. Where & how do you store these items for transport?

Here's Dave, K6DTK, with a quick chair repair at Borregofest:

What Dave is using is the Speedy Stitcher Sewing Awl. This has been one of our prior Product Spot Light.
I away carry one in my camp box.
It is between $12 & $20 on Amazon

A spare item that may be somewhat unique to me, are clips for my knife. I have broken 5 clips since owning the knife. What happens, is I catch it on something and it bends out and I hammer it back. That works several times before it breaks from metal fatigue. So I carry a spare clip and the #6 Torque driver need to change it. The extra screws are backup if I drop one.
Having a knife easily available is indispensable when, camping, 4-wheeling and for life in general.

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

This week the spotlight is on a couple of products that many Hams will appreciate - an HT battery and charger that give you a lot more talk and listen time. We have been using Yaesu FT60s to do our nets now for many years and have nothing but praise for this little radio. With years of use and countless recharge cycles, it was time to bring in a fresh battery.

Yaesu still supplies the FT60 with a Ni-MH battery rated at 1,400 mAh, and doesn't offer anything else as a replacement. A quick look however, on Amazon, turned up a Li ion replacement battery that offered a little over a 36% increase in power, at 2,200 mAh. SOLD! We have been using it for the nets now for over a year and not only does it last for an entire net (and we might, on occasion, sometimes, maybe, talk a lot) but there is plenty of battery left at the end. Check it out here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00K3X ... pldnSite=1 .

The seller claims that it also fits the following radios:

YAESU VX180, VX210, FT-60R, FT60, VX800, VX-246, VXA210A, VX-246, VX-110, VX-170

.

From the Amazon Website:
A good battery without a good charger is worthless. Battery2go, the seller of the Li ion battery, above, recommended the Universal Rapid Intellicharger, also available at Amazon. The manufacturer claims that it is suitable for the following radios and batteries:

New quick rapid charger for YAESU VERTEX FNB-V57, FNB-V57H, FNB-64, FNB-64H, FNB-83, FNB-83H, STANDARD HORIZON FNB-83 BATTERY; YAESU VERTEX VX-110, VX-120, VX-150, VX-160, VX-170, VX-177, VX-180, VX-210, VX-400, VX-428, VXA-120, VXA-150, VXA-200, VXA-210, VXA-300, VXA-300 Lite, FT-60E, FT-60R This charger carry a 12 month warranty and it's compatible with Ni-MH, Ni-Cd and Li-ON Batteries.

It gives a full charge in about 90 minutes or less, depending on the state of discharge, fits the FT60 like a glove, and comes with a 12 month warranty. SOLD!!!

From FAA
Size limits: Lithium metal (non-rechargeable) batteries are limited to 2 grams of lithium per battery. Lithium ion (rechargeable) batteries are limited to a rating of 100 watt hours (Wh) per battery. These limits allow for nearly all types of lithium batteries used by the average person in their electronic devices. With airline approval, passengers may also carry up to two spare larger lithium ion batteries (101-160 watt hours). This size covers the larger after-market extended-life laptop computer batteries and some larger batteries used in professional audio/visual equipment.
Kevin
KK6DGL

Thanks Kevin - Dave's battery is well below those limits.

The recording for this net is available at Camping Repair Kit.