I built a complete portable HF ham radio station using only Black Friday deals, then did something I always recommend others do: I ate my own dog food.
That’s when I ran into a problem I didn’t fully think through – See Below.
👉 Black Friday Deals Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nx3caRwSKzU
👉 Video #1 (The Bag and the Tablet): https://youtu.be/RCm0qUJvANo
👉 Video #2 (The Radio and the Battery): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEihmlBh988
👉 Ultimate Ham Problem Solver, The NanoVNA F V2: https://geni.us/JGSqUGz
👉 Case for any NanoVNA: https://geni.us/uXTsu
👉 Open Ham Clock: https://openhamclock.com
Tools:
👉 Wire Stripper: https://geni.us/XvKRv
👉 Simple Pocket Meter: https://geni.us/RursYP
👉 ATU-10 QRP Tuner: https://geni.us/yArwg
Radios:
👉 Baofeng UV-5R Mini: https://geni.us/helPKO
👉 Xiegu G106: https://geni.us/MxY608J
Software:
👉 DigiPi from KM6LYW: https://digipi.org
Power:
👉 Talentcell battery (pretty): https://geni.us/vWRCM
👉TOADs DI Boards @15% Off: https://temporarilyoffline.com/discount/BLACKFRIDAY15
Computers:
👉 Pi 5 kit: https://geni.us/mIp8P
👉 Leonvo Tablet: https://geni.us/AYhPqr
👉 mini pc: womp womp
Antennas:
👉 Radioddity HF-009: https://geni.us/YVaCx
Hardware:
👉 6 pin mini din cable: https://geni.us/vkr3
👉 8 pin mini din cable: https://geni.us/x0gd
👉 Lever Nuts: https://geni.us/nE412y3
👉 power cord: https://geni.us/Pm7xg
👉 Wire Stripper/Crimper: https://geni.us/LejLm
👉 K1 Wire: https://geni.us/VMupc
Storage:
👉 Go-Bag: https://geni.us/q578a1
Bonus Gear:
👉 Baofeng General: https://geni.us/vGh90u
👉 Baofeng Mini Prison Edition: https://geni.us/2LB8c8B
👉 talentcell battery (raw): https://geni.us/5IQjZ
The Xiegu G106 HF transceiver does not have a built-in SWR meter, and without one, there’s no obvious way to tune an antenna safely or correctly. Pair that with a portable vertical antenna like the Radioddity HF-009, and suddenly a “simple” setup isn’t so simple anymore.
So… now what?
In this video, I walk through:
• Why SWR matters when tuning HF antennas
• What happens when your radio has no SWR meter
• How to tune an HF antenna without a built-in meter
• Using a NanoVNA as a practical, low-cost solution
• Real-world portable HF tuning in the field
• Making contacts after tuning to prove it works
This is not a lab demo or a perfect setup. This is a real portable HF station, built on a budget, tuned in the field, with the same constraints new hams and portable operators actually face.
🔧 Gear & Concepts Covered
• Portable HF antennas
• Vertical antennas with ground radials
• Antenna resonance vs SWR
• NanoVNA antenna analysis
• HF antenna tuning without a tuner
• Field-deployable ham radio setups
• Beginner mistakes (yes, even experienced hams make them)
💬 Let’s Make the Comments Useful
At the end of the video, I ask a simple question:
If this were your station, how would YOU solve this problem?
Not “you should have…”
Not hindsight quarterbacking
Just constructive solutions, alternatives, and ideas that help everyone running portable HF, QRP rigs, or budget stations.
📚 Part of the Black Friday Ham Station Series
This is BF Station #3, part of an ongoing series where I build, test, and operate a complete ham radio station using Black Friday and budget gear only—then actually put it on the air.
If you’re new to HF, portable ops, POTA, SOTA, or just trying to build a station that actually works, this series is for you.
👍 If This Helped
• Like the video so others can find it
• Subscribe for more real-world ham radio content
• Drop your solution or tuning method in the comments
Mistakes are only failures if you don’t learn from them—and ham radio is way more fun when we solve problems together.
73 👋
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📻 Use Code TO15 for $15 off at Radioddity: https://www.radioddity.com/?ref=bpajyqft
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