Typical Campsites
Remote campsites can be a great experience, but also a bit of a challenge. You don't have a trailer to haul, so you can get to some really unique and remote locations. That said, when the weather turns south, you also have little protection, so you have to come prepared for both the protection of yourself, and your equipment. In this camp, the wind as really blowing, so I attached some sides to my awning to protect both the radio and my stove. Have to be able to make the pot of coffee in the morning for sitting by the fire.
I usually try and find a spot on a ridge line that faces to the east or west. This provides me either morning or evening sun, and a good aspect for reaching most of the US and well into Europe from my location. The antenna line then parallels the ridge line to take advantage of the height. The setup here has 32 feet of military mast deployed to really open the loop up.
Seen from above you can see how I lay out my camp. I place the tent a bit away from the truck and in the shade/wind protection of the tree. Being a bit away from the truck allows others to sleep if I am playing on the radio a bit later. The antenna runs east/west along the ridge line to send the lobes out across the majority of the US and into Europe from my location. The solar panels, right now, are facing east to catch the morning sun, but will be rotated to the south before I go out hiking for the day. All and all everything has its place, and is fairly compact to keep everything in control. You will also notice there are absolutely no services. These are truly back country campsites. No room for even trailers here.
Recently I added this roll up awning to my truck by ARB. It allows me to quickly have shade and protection from the rain without requiring much extra equipment or space. Simply unzip the cover, roll out the awning, and deploy the legs. I add cam straps for protection from the winds.
Below is my simple camp for the 7QP event. Nothing like operating in these kinds of scenery by a small fire to keep you warm. So get out there and enjoy!
