I grew up on a 5,000-acre working cattle ranch just north of Missoula, Montana. I still I live on and transmit from what was once part of the family's ranch. Missoula is about 3,500 feet elevation. I am located near the ridgetop between two feeder valleys on the north side of the Missoula Valley, almost 1,000 feet higher than the Valley below.  This should be a good radio location

I'm a relatively new operator - took the Technician and General test in November of 2013.

I have an Icom 707 for 100 Watts of HF through a multi-band loop or a G5RV.  I run off an automotive 12V battery hooked to a constant trickle charger.

I have some limited VHF and UHF ability and still have a lot to learn about using that.

My assistants are Lea, a seven-year-old Golden Retriever, and Katie, an Irish Wolfhound now (1/15) 14 months old. See:

http://www.marbut.com/Lea

and

http://www.marbut.com/Katie

I spent 1966-69 in the Army, and ten years in Fairbanks, Alaska, working for the Fairbanks Fire Department. I have two sons, Scott, retired from US Army Special Forces and living in Okinawa, and Tyrel (W7TYY) living in Portland, OR.

Competing for my attention to radio, I an an author, an active firearms instructor, and am accepted in state and federal courts as an expert concerning self defense and use of force. What absorbes much of my time is an unpaid career as a successful volunteer political activist in support of the right to keep and bear arms.

Here are a couple of articles that may be of interest:

One method to secure coax to the outside of a vehicle:  http://www.marbut.com/coax

Build of a multiband loop antenna:  http://www.marbut.com/loop

73s - K7GMM