beastlykings

I'd have to check my logs, but it was something like spring or early summer. Honestly though the solar cycle has a much larger effect on propagation, and right now we're near solar maximum so things are really hopping. At the beginning of COVID we were just starting to come out of solar minimum.

I haven't been super active lately, so I can't comment on how often you'd be able to make contact. But with some coordination it's definitely doable. Especially if you get some decent metal in the air.

You still have US citizenship? You might be able to do your testing in the USA over zoom and use a reciprocal license, though I haven't looked deeply into it.

I had a similar but very different experience. At the beginning of COVID my buddy and I got our ham radio licenses.

One of my earliest contacts was a guy in Japan, over 6000 miles away! Nothing between us but some wire strung up in a tree, and a couple of radios. Using the ionosphere to bounce our signals around the world.

So. Stinking. Awesome.

I've been hooked ever since.

It's funny because it's almost the opposite of your story, you were using the amazing new technology and infrastructure to make the trip. These days we take that very infrastructure for granted.

It's fun to try doing it with as little infrastructure as possible!

Most of the 24 hour Walmarts and similar stores in my area stopped doing that during COVID, and then never did again. Most close at 10 or 11. I miss going into Meijer at 3am and getting... Whatever I wanted 🤷‍♂️

Kids these days

I feel this deeply. I've not been diagnosed, but it's a problem.

I didn't think about splitting the weight, that's a good point.

Yeah during my short hike I could tell when I was loaded with water or when I was empty haha.

I appreciate the write up! I definitely plan on doing a super short hike which will basically just be a test of the gear, get her a feel for it. Then I have a short hike in mind after that, about an 8 hour drive to get to, not bad.

Thanks! Yeah that's the impression I've been getting, that it's gonna be really tight. But that's kind of ok by me

Thanks for the tips! I think I'm gonna go with the zephyr!

Thanks for the recommendation!

I like the fold concept in theory, though it's a bit exhausting protecting the screen all the time.

Being able to set the phone anywhere at an angle to take a picture has come in handy super frequently.

If this phone was full price though I think I'd be mad. I baby this screen line no tomorrow, and I'm diligent about keeping my pocket free of any dust and lint, let alone dirt or bits.

I've got a tiny scratch in the middle of the fold, and the entire fold area has long tiny cracks forming from folding. I've only had this phone for like 7 or 8 months.

My buddies broke in 30 days of buying it, and he had to fight to get it replaced.

Again, I like the idea, and I enjoy using it. But there's still too many pain spots for me to make the jump. It'll have to get a lot cheaper or a lot more sturdy before I'll get another.

I had the original Galaxy Note and loved it. Then I went to oneplus one and loved it. Then I went Nexus 6 and liked it enough. Then I got the first Pixel.

I've been pixels ever since. But there was a deal on the Galaxy flip5, $0 up front, $300 over 2 years. I couldn't pass it up, for the novelty if nothing else.

There's a lot I like about this phone, but a lot more that I don't. I'm looking forward to going back to Pixel when I can.

This phone is missing so many standard features, and so many others are locked behind Samsungs walled garden that I refuse to sign up for. It's just a mess. I'm frequently frustrated.

Thanks for the feedback!

My plan was to do some local (Michigan USA) hiking trips to get a feel for backpacking with my wife, with the ultimate goal of Iceland. So I wanted to buy gear based on that extreme.

However, Iceland in September was only recently presented to me as an idea by a friend of a friend. He assured me that the weather would be more like 50 to 60f, and we'd end up at a waterfall. It seems he was mistaken, or misguided, and I should do some appropriate research.

I'm going to take your suggestions under advisement! What would you suggest in Europe?

My wife likes camping in general, but has reservations about some of the more rustic aspects of backpacking. The thing that caught her attention was the ability to go and see things that aren't easily done or perhaps impossible to do without backpacking. Sights that can only be seen after a couple days of hiking. Do you have any suggestions for something like that?

I'm definitely a noob here, and while I loved my first trip out, and would likely enjoy almost anything, I find i don't have enough information to plan a trip for my wife.

That's fair, good suggestions. Thinking about it, my hammock and rain fly were also cheap, I didn't weigh them separately but I bet they could've come to 5lbs or more. My loaded pack without water was 35lb. I'm 175 and fairly strong so I didn't mind it for the 25 miles we did. But it wasn't nothing.

I think I'm gonna go for it 😬