"dxAce" wrote in message
...


Guy Atkins wrote:

Last week I returned for a couple of nights at Grayland Beach State Park
(Washington) for DXing. This was my first DXpedition trip with the new
Perseus receiver, and it was a blast to use for active DXing as well as
recording of 400 kHz portions of the band. It was also my first time
staying
in the new(er) yurts at the campground; that was a *great* choice for
comfort, particularly in mid-winter at the coast in Washington!

Yurts? Like the ones they use in Kazakstan?

RHF gave some great links to modern yurts. The structural idea is the same
as the yurts used by nomadic tribes for generations, but the materials are a
mix of natural and high-tech. The yurts at the state park I DXed at came
from www.rainieryurts.com, and their Web site has some great photos of these
versatile structures.

At the top of the lattice work wooden frame, I spotted a 1/4" steel cable
running through holes at the top of each lattice wood piece. This cable
provided the tension for the ceiling spokes or beams to push against, rather
like staves against the hoops of a wooden barrel.

BTW, the canvas walls of the yurt was unusual and very heavy duty. It
appeared to be made of outer layers of heavy canvas, with an inner
insulating layer. The total construction was 3/8" thick or so. It has good
sound absorbing qualities and retained the heat from the elec. heater
extremely well. The first nap I took at night, I set the thermostat at 65
degrees. When I woke up a couple hours later, I was really hot...I looked at
my little thermometer I had on the table and it was showing 84 degrees
actual! Outside, it was 36 degrees Fahrenheit. So, these yurts are far
better for winter camping than a simple tent.

I suppose the nomads in Kazakstan and Mongolia used goat hides or similar on
their yurts, which probably offered a bit of insulating effect as well.

73,

Guy