Hello Operators,
This is Julian, author, videographer, US expat, and ham radio operator living in Finland.
This channel focuses on portable, pragmatic off-grid and grid-down power and radio communications for preparedness. The goal is to help operators use portable power, HF radios, and data-mode communications as real-world utilities at home or in the field.
I usually publish two videos and two blog posts monthly. You can also find my work on YouTube, X, Instagram, my blog, and in my Grid-Down Emergency Communications book series on Amazon Kindle and in print.
The channel covers ham radio off-grid, solar-powered radio, data modes, portable radio, DIY LiFePO4 batteries, tutorials, field tests, reviews, and DIY projects.
Channel motto: Maximize Capability, Minimize Gear!
This is a family-friendly channel.
Sponsorship, collaboration, or support:
www.oh8stn.org/sponsorship
73,
Julian OH8STN
SurvivalTech Nord
#oh8stn #hamradio
Off-Grid Ham Radio OH8STN
Why I Moved Away from the Yaesu FT-891 in Favor of the Icom IC-7300 Mk2
Hello Operators.
I received an excellent question on my video, How to Power a 100W Ham Radio with Portable Solar Panels: Why did I move away from the FT-891 in favor of the IC-7300 Mk2?
The primary reason is RX current consumption. I generally operate off grid on battery power, both at home and in the field. In my own testing, the IC-7300 Mk2 draws approximately 700mA on RX. That lower continuous load gives me longer operating time from the same battery and reduces the energy my charging system must replace. For the way I operate, the lower RX current alone is enough to justify the move.
The size difference is real. The following dimensions are width, height, and depth.
Yaesu specifies the FT-891 at 155 × 52 × 218 mm (6.1 × 2.0 × 8.6 in) and 1.9 kg (4.18 lb).
Icom specifies the IC-7300 Mk2 at 240 × 94 × 237.6 mm (9.4 × 3.7 × 9.4 in) and 4.1 kg (9.0 lb).
The Icom is 85 mm (3.3 in) wider, 42 mm (1.7 in) taller, about 20 mm (0.8 in) deeper, and 2.2 kg (4.8 lb) heavier. The FT-891 is clearly the smaller radio.
For my mission, the increased size is justified by what the IC-7300 Mk2 has inside it. The USB audio interface and antenna tuner are built in. The FT-891 has USB CAT control, but my data setup needs an external audio interface, plus an external tuner when the antenna requires one. With the IC-7300 Mk2, those functions are already in the same box.
I connect the battery and antenna and get to work. For data, one USB cable connects the computer. That simplifies the station at home and makes it easier to carry and deploy in the field. I have fewer separate boxes to manage, fewer cables to misplace, and less finger fiddling to get the station on the air.
Now, if you’re thinking the IC-7300 Mk2 is too big and heavy for man portable operation, I agree. My fat bike can carry the complete station, including the radio, battery, solar panels, and charge controllers. I even purchased a Pelican case to protect the radio during bike portable transport. That is an option, but it is not how I generally want to deploy this station.
I prefer deploying the IC-7300 Mk2 from the ATV. In that context, the additional size and weight matter far less than having a station that is easier to deploy. The ATV carries the load, and I have fewer boxes and connections to deal with when I arrive.
That is Minimize Gear, Maximize Capability in practice.
I explain the mission behind this move in the full blog post:
oh8stn.org/blog/2026/09/21/why-the-icom-ic-7300-mk…
Original video: https://youtu.be/gplvBD23cxI
73
Julian OH8STN
#icom7300mk2 #hamradio #oh8stn
3 weeks ago | [YT] | 45
View 3 replies
Off-Grid Ham Radio OH8STN
Hello Operators
Although the click bait title is garbage (and he mutilates my callsign 🤣) it's an excellent example of putting feelings aside, and focusing on the message I was trying to send in my video HamRadio: The Mission Defines the Methods and Tools: https://youtu.be/B-geLMmEHtE
So, watch the entire video, but do so with this context.
I said POTA isn't best for improving EMCOMM preparedness as its focus is on random QSOs. EMCOMM focuses on deliberate, directed communications.
POTA/SOTA can be great improving our setup fluency & on air skills, understanding antennas & propagation, but lack the "targeted" aspect of EMCOMM.
If you take nothing else from either of these videos, understand the difference between random QSO's in a grid down crisis versus reaching the exact station needed to improve your odds of survival.
#hamradio #oh8stn
1 month ago | [YT] | 10
View 0 replies
Off-Grid Ham Radio OH8STN
Hello Operators.
NVIS is not about chasing distance. It is about reliable regional HF communications when terrain, distance, or a lack of infrastructure makes other options impractical.
In this field test, I connected to a Winlink gateway approximately 18 km away using 40 meter NVIS. The station included the Lab599 TX-500MP, LiNK500MP MK2, Microsoft Surface Go, VARA HF, and the N9SAB 80 m linked EFHW deployed low and nearly horizontal from a GigaParts carbon fiber mast.
Watch the Winlink NVIS session beginning at 09:13:
https://youtu.be/ddchbI5ds3k?t=553
What is the shortest practical NVIS path you have tested?
73
Julian oh8stn
#HamRadio #Winlink #NVIS
2 months ago | [YT] | 91
View 7 replies
Off-Grid Ham Radio OH8STN
Considering how bad fuel prices are (and only getting worse), I remind you that e-bikes can be solar-powered, off-grid, for free, using the Sun. It can't replace a vehicle, but it can reduce your dependency on the electric grid or fuel pump.
https://youtu.be/sVArV6lEpKw?si=Ei8Gj...
#offgrid
3 months ago | [YT] | 10
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