If you’ve been a reader of QRPer.com or a subscriber to my YouTube channel, you’ve no doubt figured out that I’m a huge fan of the Elecraft KX1 transceiver.
The KX1 was my first handheld CW field transceiver and, frankly, it still holds its own today as an effective and fun field radio. With up to four bands, an optional internal ATU, internal battery pack, attachable paddles, and even a built-in logging lamp, it was well over a decade ahead of anything else in its class for size, weight, and portable versatility. In fact, the only commercially available product that truly bests the KX1 in every category is the Elecraft KH1—produced two decades later in 2023.
Using the built-in LED logging lamp!
Even with the release of the KH1 and other ultra-compact radios on the market, the KX1 remains a rare find on the used market and has long since been discontinued.
Over the past few years, I’ve received numerous inquiries from readers asking which spare parts they should order to keep their KX1s on the air.
Back in 2021 or 2022, I placed an order with Elecraft for a few needed parts to repair my KX1. While I was at it, I decided to order additional spare parts I might need in the future.
Before placing the order, I consulted with Elecraft’s KX1 repair specialist to get suggestions—focusing especially on components that may not be easy to source outside of Elecraft. Fortunately, Elecraft still maintains a healthy stock of KX1 parts—no doubt because every KX1 started life as a kit!
Suggested Spares List
I recently went back into my order history and pulled together a full list of the parts I purchased for my KX1 spares bag. Some of these components (like the 3.5mm jacks) are relatively common, but I’ve included them here for completeness:
Front face buttons (from Mouser, Elecraft no longer has these)
I would have added a spare firmware chip to the list, but those are no longer available. If you’re digging into your KX1, handle that firmware chip with care and take precautions to protect it from electrostatic discharge.
The good news? All of these parts—and every other component in the KX1—are easily cross-referenced in the KX1 manual. You might even spot a few other components worth adding to your order while you’re browsing.
Saturday, May 10th, 2025, 09:30 am until 02:30 pm, at the Heyward Park on Savvany Hunt Club Rd in Sandy Run Calhoun County. (Just off Exit 119 of Interstate I-26.) Come rain or shine… Event is in a covered pavilion! [Click here for Map.]
Sponsored by The South Carolina QRP Club. Co-sponsors: Calhoun County Amateur Radio Group, Dutch Fork Amateur Radio Club, Edisto Amateur Radio Society
Things to see and do!
Free admission and parking
All hams, new hams and want to be hams are welcome
Prize Drawings every 30 minutes
Free food
Our famous “QRP Dogs”, Chips and Soft Drinks will be served from 10:30am to 02:00pm
QRP On-The-Air!
There will be two QRP stations set up for on the air demonstration. New hams are especially invited to make contacts (Elmers will be present to assist!)
Show and Tell
Bring your QRP equipment, kits and home brew rigs to show and share with others.
Come and get it Parts Bonanza!
Thousands of electronic parts free for the taking… transistors, diodes, capacitors, inductors, resistors, knobs, hardware and more!
Kit Building Sessions
Three different kits will be available to build at the park. All tools, soldering equipment and supplies will be provided, As well as experienced builders to provide guidance.
Kits will take between 15 to 30 minutes to build. We will stay longer if needed! The price of each kit is $10.00 each (cash only)
Kit Choices:
1. Ham Radio 24 Hour Clock (easy build) (bring a kid)
2. Endfed Random Wire Antenna (9:1 unun)(only 5 solder connections)
Some of you might recall that back in the summer of 2022, I performed a POTA activation with my buddies Eric (WD8RIF) and Miles (KD8KNC) at Hawks Nest State Park (K-1813). Here’s the field report, and video:
You might have also noticed that I recently performed an activation with my own Elecraft K1. Here’s a bit of the back story on this particular radio:
My K1 Journey
I originally owned an Elecraft K1 from around 2010 to 2013. It was a four-band version (40, 30, 20, and 15 meters) with the optional ATU. I loved that little radio, but at the time, I wasn’t as dedicated a CW operator and hadn’t yet discovered programs like WWFF and SOTA—POTA didn’t even exist back then! Those programs would’ve given me a perfect excuse to take a lightweight, portable radio to the field regularly.
Eventually, I sold my K1 to help fund the purchase of an Elecraft KX3.
I mentioned in my 2022 K1 field report that I’d been keeping an eye out for a deal on another K1. That Hawks Nest activation reminded me just how much I enjoy operating this simple QRP kit radio.
Not an Easy Search
Finding a good K1 isn’t easy, for a few reasons.
First, there are quite a few K1 variants out there, since Elecraft offered a number of optional packages. The K1 supported up to four bands, but the default kit only included two. Optional modules included an ATU, a battery pack, and a noise blanker.
Most of the K1s I’ve come across have only two bands and no ATU. I’ve been on the lookout specifically for a four-band version with the ATU.
K1s—regardless of configuration—rarely show up on the used market. When they do, the good ones are snatched up almost instantly.
And perhaps most importantly: all K1s started life as kits. There was never a factory-assembled option. So, your K1 is only as good as the person who built it. Building one yourself is no longer an option, either—at least, in the past ten years, I’ve never seen an unbuilt K1 kit at a swap meet, in person or online.
Then Came a Tip…
On July 19, 2024, my buddy Eric (WD8RIF) sent me a message about a K1 for sale.
I skimmed the message on my phone and immediately noticed that it belonged to Joe White (WA4GIR), one of the founding members of the Knightlites QRP Association. It was a four-band K1 with the ATU and the internal battery pack—asking price: $550 shipped.
I ran to my computer and fired off an email expressing my interest.
Soon after, I learned from Gary (N3GO) that this was actually an estate sale to benefit Joe’s widow. Somehow, I had completely missed the /SK in Eric’s original message. Joe had become a Silent Key in July 2023, and I had missed the news due to our summer travels that year.
Suddenly, $550 didn’t feel like too much at all. I had been hoping to find a K1 closer to $400–$450, but this one had two valuable options I wasn’t even counting on. On top of that, it was built by someone I knew of—and had even met before.
Totally worth it, in my book.
Not a Shelf Queen
This K1 isn’t going to sit on a shelf. I plan to take it to the field and put it through its paces with both POTA and SOTA.
Eric reached out last month and asked if I needed a noise blanker module for my K1. Honestly, I hadn’t even checked to see if mine had one installed.
Turns out, the internal battery pack and the noise blanker are mutually exclusive—you can’t install both. The smaller speaker used with the battery pack conversion kit occupies the same physical space as the NB module.
That’s fine by me. I very rarely need a noise blanker in the field anyway and I’ve no plans to mount this in a vehicle.
That said, I am considering replacing the AA battery holder with a small Li-Ion pack—maybe even one I can charge internally, like Elecraft’s KXBT2.
I’m curious: have any other K1 owners done this mod? Had Li-Ion packs been commonplace back when the K1 was released, I imagine this would’ve been a standard option.
Fine Tuning
This radio is in excellent shape—impressive considering it was built in 2001 (serial number 420!).
The only maintenance I’ve done so far is calibrating the frequency—it was about 500 Hz off. I do eventually need to look at the button contacts, which are a bit finicky.
K1 Bail or Stand?
If you own a K1, I’d love to hear what solutions you’ve found for propping it up in the field.
I’m thinking about adding a small fold-out laptop foot, like the one I installed on my TR-35, to give it a better viewing angle. I don’t want anything bulky—just a little elevation to make operation more comfortable. Please comment if you have a suggestion!
Why the K1 Still Shines in the Field
After spending time with this K1 again, I’m reminded why it’s such a superb field radio—especially when fully loaded. With the internal ATU, it easily matches my random wire antennas, making setup in the field quick and painless. I love that the K1 is a complete field radio system in one compact package.
The receiver and audio characteristics are truly impressive: it has a low noise floor, smooth QSK, and brilliant, mellow audio that’s easy on the ears during long CW sessions. Keying is clean and responsive—just what you want when you’re trying to work a pileup or snag that weak signal.
And while it’s not pocket-sized like some modern QRP rigs, for a tabletop-style radio, the K1 is remarkably small and lightweight. It slips into a field pack without taking up much space, yet delivers performance that holds its own against much newer gear.
Since the K1 was a kit radio, it’s also easy to repair and incredibly well-documented. I’ve always believed that kit radios are ideal for emergency preparedness. If something goes wrong, it’s much easier for a non-radio-tech to trace a fault and potentially fix it. That peace of mind—knowing you can service your own gear—is a huge bonus.
In short, the K1 may be over two decades old, but it still ticks all the right boxes for avid field operators!
Unfortunately, I had one scheduling conflict I couldn’t change, which meant starting the event with my KH1 in a downtown Asheville parking lot before heading to Lake James State Park for a couple of hours of solid pileups with my Icom IC-705. I posted a field report and video of the event—it was a blast! Click here to check it out.
On March 16, 2025, we held our second HRWBOTA event, and this time, I was better prepared with a clear schedule and a plan to operate for the full four hours!
Zebulon Vance Birthplace (US-6856)
Of course, even the best-laid plans can run into hiccups, and mine did. I was delayed due to some chainsaw work I wanted to complete before leaving home. As a result, I arrived at US-6856 just as the event was starting (14:00 local).
No worries, though! I turned on the camera and wasted no time deploying my antenna and setting up my radio gear.
The Spooltenna!
For this activation, I used a prototype of the Spooltenna, designed by Rob (KO4HUI).
Rob, a fellow North Carolinian, had been in touch with me about his antenna idea for months. Back in February, when my daughter interviewed for a scholarship at NC State University (which she was later awarded!), I met up with Rob on campus, and he handed me an early prototype of the Spooltenna. He had just completed the build that very morning.
It’s a unique design based on his own needs for a field antenna. From his website:
SPOOLTENNA is a compact, lightweight antenna designed for portable amateur radio operations like Parks on the Air® (POTA) and Summits on the Air™ (SOTA). Its innovative spool form factor is intended to ensure efficient deployment, teardown, and storage, providing a frustration-free operating experience that doesn’t compromise performance.
The design is also Open Source under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
The Spooltenna he gave me is a 40-meter end-fed half-wave (EFHW). Before this activation, I had only set it up at home to check resonance on 40, 20, 15, and 10 meters. I deployed it as a sloper, with the transformer at the highest point.
The Spooltenna is quick to deploy–by placing a pencil, tent stake, or screwdriver in the center hole–and the spool design ensures a tangle-free wind-up. The components feel very high-quality. Rob is also producing high-quality cable assemblies, which were included in the package he gave me.
Rob has rapidly turned this idea into a side business involving his whole family. In just two months, his wife Christi has launched a website, ordered inventory, and—just a week ago—even set up an affiliate program and coupon code offering free shipping to QRPer.com readers.
UPDATE: Rob tells me that he will have some inventory at RARSfest this weekend and will even temporarily open up his website for Spooltenna orders tomorrow (Saturday, April 4, 2025) during the RARSfest.
Again, I’m most impressed with all that he and his wife have accomplished in a few months.
Deploying the Spooltenna was easy, though I had to adjust my setup. I originally planned to support the transformer with a tree next to the picnic shelter, but that tree had been blown down during Hurricane Helene.
No worries! I set it up as a sloper with the transformer close to the ground—similar to many of my EFHW deployments.
My HRWBOTA Activation Plan
I planned to use two radios during this activation—first my Elecraft KX3, then my Penntek TR-45L on the lower bands.
To maximize the chance for HRWB listeners to work me:
I did not spot myself on POTA.app, even though I was giving all contacts POTA credit. I knew that if I spotted myself, the normal weekend POTA pileups might make it harder for HRWBOTA participants to contact me.
I started on 10 meters and slowly worked my way down.
If time allowed, I planned to work SSB on at least one band (spoiler alert: CW kept me too busy!).
First up was the Elecraft KX3! I set up the radio and wasted no time getting on the air.
Gear:
Note: All Amazon, CW Morse, ABR, Chelegance, Spooltenna, eBay, and Radioddity links are affiliate links that support QRPer.com at no cost to you.
Since this was a long activation and I needed to submit electronic logs to HRWBOTA admin (Mark, N6MTS), I skipped paper logging. Instead, I logged directly to AC Log on my Microsoft Surface Go, just as I would during Field Day. Continue reading Ham Radio Workbenches On The Air Field Report: Part 1→
Many thanks to Scott (VA3EKR) who shares the following guest post which was originally posted on his blog:
Mar. 29, 2025, Troubleshooting Audio Capture with Voice Recorder
by Scott (VA3EKR)
When I activate a park for POTA, I always use HAMRS, running on a tablet as I get better battery life than a laptop, and I confess I still like the confirmation from QRZ that you have the correct contact, or that it at least matches the state you think it is. Still, sometimes I do not have internet connectivity, and additionally, I often neglect to put in the proper RST of the QSO in the fields (POTA doesn’t actually require it), as the tablet is not terrific about hopping between fields.
A nice solution to this is audio capture, where I can fix a broken call sign, fix the RST before submitting to QRZ/LOTW. I am too self-conscious to video myself, so I use an audio recorder. It is pictured below. It was only about CAD $100, and has a nice line-in and a line-out so that I can record while I listen.
Next to the recorder is a toroid I had as extra when I made a transformer last summer, and a relatively long audio cable that I coiled as many times as I could around the toroid.
This is an example of the audio quality before troubleshooting the problem. Just the first few seconds demonstrate the issue.
The received audio is reasonable, and it is when I am sending that the problem shows itself. It was unclear what the problem was, perhaps one of:
Bad audio levels, either the gain on the recorder, or the monitor level of the KX2.
Stray RF being coming back from the antenna on transmission
The audio input cable acting as an antenna picking up transmission
I did not think it was bad audio levels, as I had done some playing-about, though not in a terribly rigorous fashion. The stray RF was my largest suspicion, as I had only started noticing the problem when I started using a Ham Stick in my car during the winter months. Inside the car, there are a series of LEDs on the transmission shifter that indicate what gear the car presently is engaged. I noticed that when I transmit, the “drive” LED flickered a LOT, and this worried me. I had not bothered to ground the HamStick to the car chassis, but did run a 17-foot counterpoise that I clipped to the antenna shield, and I hoped this would be sufficient. As corroboration, I have been able to hit France, Spain, Norway, Oregon and Idaho with the setup.
After a very chilly and rainy day at the horse barn, I was tempted to do an activation, but I decided to stay in the warm house and do some experimentation. I set up in the living room with my AlexLoop that I got in Dayton last year. This gave me the opportunity to try another configuration, and see if the audio was the same as when using the Ham Stick in the car. Indeed it was.
I tuned the loop for maximum noise on 20m, and tuned with the internal ATU of the KX2. I found a POTA activation in North Carolina, and he gave me a 599 with 5 W! I love getting surprising performance with obviously bad operating conditions, like from the interior of a brick house! And the antenna was oriented for east-west, not south! But the audio was still terrible when transmitting.
I spent some more time adjusting the monitor level, and recorder gain. Still nothing sounded good.
I next wanted to see if perhaps the common-mode current was the issue, so I used a LDG 1:1 UnUn, shown below. I was really hoping it was not this, since when you add the BNC connectors and the additional cable, the added size is about the size of a KH1!
After putting the transformer in line with the antenna, the audio was not appreciably different.
The last experiment, corresponding with the last theory, was to put in an audio cable that had better shielding from HF.
This seemed to really do the trick! Here’s the resulting audio with a QSO to North Carolina from inside my living room. There is an initial try at the beginning, and then another successful QSO at the 1:17 mark.
Some of you might recall that I tested both an early prototype and a production model of the Xiegu X6200—both arranged to be sent to me on loan by Radioddity.
One of the biggest issues I had with the X6200 was that the keyer timing was off. These keying issues were most noticeable when operating in iambic mode, especially when forming letters like C, R, or K by squeezing the paddles—something I often do. For example, when I tried sending a “C,” as in “CQ,” the keyer would produce a “B” instead.
On October 14, 2024, Xiegu released firmware version 1.0.3, which some readers told me addressed the keyer timing. But, of course, my life changed on September 27 when Hurricane Helene swept through the mountains of North Carolina. Testing firmware was the last thing on my mind, and frankly, it just slipped through the cracks.
This past Wednesday morning, I realized that I had never updated the firmware on my X6200 loaner and tested the keyer timing in real-world conditions. So, I downloaded the update, installed it, and packed up the X6200 for a POTA outing at Lake James State Park (US-2739) that afternoon.
I actually recorded this activation and will publish a full field report and video in a couple of weeks.
In the meantime, I wanted to get the word out early: the keyer timing issues are pretty much resolved!
Why do I say “pretty much”?
Before Xiegu addressed the keyer timing, making contacts was tedious due to the number of times it would miskey a character.
On Wednesday, that was no longer the case. The keyer responded as it should and worked very well.
That said, I did note three minor anomalies:
1. Occasional Miskeying of “C”:
About three times over the course of my activation, when I sent a “C” by squeezing the paddles, it produced a “B.” So, roughly 3% of the time, this happened. I plan to reach out to Xiegu and see if they can tweak this further. In truth, though, I suspect this might be a nuance of my own sending style. I may even try shifting from Iambic B to Iambic A mode to see if it resolves the issue. Either way, I don’t consider this a major concern.
2. Inaccurate Keyer Speed Indicator:
The displayed keyer speed is off. When I set it to 18 WPM, it was actually sending at 22 WPM. Likewise, 20 WPM was closer to 25 WPM. This is easy to compensate for once you’re aware of it, but it’s worth noting.
3. One Keying Pause:
Once, when I sent my callsign rapidly three times in a row for a QRP DX contact, the keyer paused briefly, as if the buffer had filled, then resumed. It was a bit odd, but it only happened once. I’m not sure if this was related to the keyer itself or another element in the radio software that needed time to catch up. Regardless, it didn’t hinder my activation.
Of course, I’ll be sending these observations to Xiegu.
Summary
Before firmware update 1.0.3, I couldn’t recommend the X6200 to operators who primarily planned to use it for CW—it would have been a frustrating experience.
Now that Xiegu has addressed the keying issues (with the few exceptions noted above), I believe CW operators won’t encounter significant problems using this radio.
That said, I’m not done with the X6200 yet. I plan to take it to the field and use it in the shack for a few more weeks before shipping it back to Radioddity (who, at this point, have probably written off this poor radio!).
Look for my full X6200 field report and activation video in the coming weeks!
PS: If you’re a Patreon supporter, keep an eye on your inbox! I’ll be sending out an audio dispatch this morning–an addendum to this post–where I share more detailed thoughts about the X6200 and discuss the key characteristics I look for in a transceiver as a CW operator.
PSS: Many thanks to Radioddity for sending me this X6200, which has amounted to a very extended loan. Radioddity is a supporter and affiliate of QRPer.com. If you use this affiliate link you’ll save 5% off your purchase.
Spring has arrived in Savannah bringing great POTA weather. There are still parks within a two-hour drive of my home QTH that I have yet to activate. To check one more off the list, Daisy and I headed to Di-Lane Wildlife Management Area (WMA) this past Wednesday, March 26th.
Di-Lane WMA (US-3744) is located just south of Waynesboro, Georgia. You may recall this town because I mentioned it in a previous article. It is known as the Bird Dog Capital of the World. Why? The town hosts the Georgia Field Trials – a competition that evaluates a bird dog’s ability to find and point flocks of quail. Waynesboro is well suited to the sport given the layout of land and large numbers of quail in the area.
Waynesboro water tower source: thetruecitizen.com
By now you are probably wondering what the heck bird dogs have to do with POTA. The land Di-Lane WMA occupies was formerly owned by Henry Berol, heir to the Eagle Pencil Company in New York. (A side note: he named the plantation for his two daughters Diane and Elaine.) Mr. Berol was an avid bird dog supporter and developed the plantation to host the trials. After Mr. Berol’s death, the land was eventually purchased by the Army Corps of Engineers as wetland mitigation for Lake Richard B. Russell. It is currently managed by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources with a focus on bobwhite quail.
There are several entrances to the Di-Lane WMA. The one I chose off Herndon Road is flanked by a brick wall and iron bird dogs atop the two pillars which pay homage to the plantation’s past. Just inside the gate is a large barn and check station for hunters.
entrance to Di-Lane WMAbarn by check station inside entranceWMA map Source: GA DNR
I drove past this area and found a quiet spot at the edge of Dove Field 1. Despite sunny skies, the temperature was quite comfortable in the mid-seventies.
driving in the WMAour road along dove field #1
Everywhere I looked, spring was evident. Flowers were prevalent – bluish and yellow wildflowers, white flowers on wild blackberry vines, and big clusters of flowers on a large bush. Not to be outdone, the sides of the roads were edged with lush, bright-green grass.
There were several trees beside this road of a sufficient height for the end-fed random wire I prefer to use. What I didn’t realize is that instead of a POTA activation, I was actually here to practice throwing my arbor line as it took me ten or so tries to snag a branch at the height I preferred.
tree for EFRW antennafeed-end of the EFRW antenna
I posted on the CW channel of the Discord POTA server the day prior that I would activate this park. I received a request from Cainan N9FZ that I use a frequency to assist regional hams working to hunt all the Georgia parks. Hence it wasn’t a surprise that Cainan was the first to work me when I called CQ on 40 meters. He was followed by five ops before I moved to 20 meters. Continue reading More Dogs for the POTA Babe→
Friday, February 28, 2025, felt like another “rinse and repeat” day—a pattern I’ve grown used to over the past few weeks.
That morning, I woke up early, published a post on QRPer.com, and by 7:30 AM I was outside with my chainsaw, preparing piles of tree debris for the skid steer operator we hired to move it to the roadside.
As you might imagine, he can collect debris much faster than I can cut and prepare it, so my goal has been to stay ahead of him. I worked steadily all morning and, combined with what I had cut the previous day, managed to prepare enough to keep him busy for the rest of the day. That was fortunate because I needed to help my daughters with activities in town all afternoon.
Finding POTA time
I’ll be honest—after grabbing a quick lunch and a shower, I was pretty worn out. Part of me wanted to use any spare time to sneak in a nap. But I also knew I could use a little POTA therapy, and the weather was unseasonably gorgeous—almost spring-like.
Looking at my schedule, I realized I had about an hour to spare, enough time to detour and activate Pisgah National Forest (US-4510) at the Sycamore Flats Picnic Area. It was the most convenient spot along my route that afternoon.
As for radio gear, I already had my Elecraft K1 packed from an earlier activation that week (which I also recorded and will post soon—obviously, out of chronological order!).
For variety, I didn’t want to use the same antenna as the previous activation. Instead, I grabbed one of my favorite compact antennas to see how well it would pair with the K1: the Elecraft AX1.
If you’ve followed QRPer for long, you’ll know I often use the AX1 during both POTA and SOTA activations. Despite its extreme size compromise, it has always performed well for me.
Loaded verticals like the AX1 typically have a high Q (narrow bandwidth) and benefit from an ATU or capacity hat to help with impedance matching. Luckily, my new-to-me Elecraft K1 has the optional built-in ATU, meaning I could attach the AX1 directly to the back of the radio.
I’ll save the full story of how I acquired this particular K1 for my next field report, but let’s just say I’d been hunting one for a long time—and this one showed up locally. It’s a four-band version (40, 30, 20, and 15 meters) with both the ATU and internal AA battery pack options.
Sycamore Flats Picnic Area
I arrived on site around 13:35 local time and had about 45 minutes to play radio.
I started the activation video and walked through the picnic area until I found a good table. Truthfully, though, the beauty of using the AX1 is that almost any flat surface will do—it’s that low-profile and low-impact.
Once I found a table, setup was super quick: I placed the K1 on the table, connected a battery, attached my Palm Mini paddle (its maiden POTA voyage!), and plugged the AX1 directly into the back of the radio. I wasn’t in a hurry–and it truly shows in the video–but I’m confident I could have deployed the entire station in about 60-90 seconds if required. That’s the magic of the AX1—minimal setup time.
With everything connected, it was time to hit the airwaves!
Gear
Note: All Amazon, CW Morse, ABR, Chelegance, eBay, and Radioddity links are affiliate links that support QRPer.com at no cost to you.
Radio
Elecraft K1 (four band version with optional ATU and internal AA battery pack)
My friend Jonathan (KM4CFT) recently sent me a neat little prototype paddle he designed for the Elecraft KX2 and KX3 field transceivers.
He wanted my feedback, so he generously sent me a set to evaluate at no charge.
Lately, I’ve been tied up with the final stages of debris cleanup here at the QTH, leaving little time for field activations. While I haven’t had the chance to take these paddles out into the field yet (stay tuned!) I’ve thoroughly tested them on both my Elecraft KX3 and KX2. In the meantime, Jonathan has made the kits available for purchase on the HamGadgets website.
The price? $49.97 — a solid deal for a simple, functional paddle designed to plug directly into the front of the KX2 and KX3.
Assembly is quick and straightforward, taking around 15-20 minutes. There aren’t many parts, and the mechanics are refreshingly simple. If you’re curious, you can check out the kit assembly manual here (PDF).
My Impressions
I think it’s an excellent little key for the price. The paddle action is light — the 3D printed material keeps them featherweight, making keying effortless.
For field use, they should perform brilliantly. The light touch required keeps things stable on a table, with the KX2 or KX3 providing more than enough weight to prevent the paddles from shifting as you operate.
The operating angle works well for me too. I know Jonathan put a lot of time into getting this right during the design process — and it shows.
Any Downsides?
The biggest drawback, in my opinion, is that the two thumbscrews securing the paddles to the front of the radio aren’t captive.
This means they can be easily lost during transport. I recommend storing the paddles in a thick poly bag to keep everything together in your pack.
Additionally, because the screws aren’t captive, you need to be a little careful when installing the paddle. I’ve found it easiest to place the radio on its back, so you’re screwing the thumbscrews downward.
I lightly plug in the paddle, then start threading both screws before fully tightening either one. This gives me better control and helps avoid dropping the screws — something that could be a real headache in the field, especially if they hit the ground.
Lastly, these paddles don’t have the “precision key” feel of more expensive options. But to be fair, they’re designed as an affordable alternative to Elecraft’s KXPD2 paddles, which retail for $169.95. Even the KXPD2 — while smaller and sturdier — doesn’t feel particularly “precision” in use. The KX3 paddles come closer to that, but they also cost $239.95.
At $49.95, it’s hard to complain — these paddles do exactly what they’re supposed to do without breaking the bank!
If you’ve held off buying front-mounted paddles for your KX2 or KX3 because of the cost, I’d highly recommend giving these KM4CFT paddles a try.
Connecting an international community through low-power field radio adventures.
Please support QRPer by adding us to your whitelist in your ad blocker. Ads are what helps us stay online. All of our ads are ham radio related--no junk, we promise! Thank you!
The KX1 was my first handheld CW field transceiver and, frankly, it still holds its own today as an effective and fun field radio. With up to four bands, an optional internal ATU, internal battery pack, attachable paddles, and even a built-in logging lamp, it was well over a decade ahead of anything else in its class for size, weight, and portable versatility. In fact, the only commercially available product that truly bests the KX1 in every category is the Elecraft KH1—produced two decades later in 2023.
Over the past few years, I’ve received numerous inquiries from readers asking which spare parts they should order to keep their KX1s on the air.
