Many thanks to Scott (K4VOR) who shares the following article about his portable field radio kit which will be featured on our Field Kit Gallery page. If you would like to share your field kit with the QRPer community, check out this post.
My KX1 Go Box
by Scott (K4VOR)
I’ve been a ham since college but was out of the hobby for over 20 years, that is until 2020 and COVID. Suddenly I had a lot of free time (like all of us) being stuck at home and somehow the YouTube/Google machine took me down the rabbit hole that is CW.
I got my amateur radio license just after the CW requirement was lifted, so I hardly knew dit from dah. Granted, as an aviator, I had some experience “copying” morse code when tuning navaids such as VORs & DMEs. A whopping 3 letters sent at a blistering 7 wpm! But other than that, I was as green as it gets. To make a long (3+ year) story short, I dove head-long into that rabbit hole and today I am sending around 25wpm and can head-copy around 20wpm, something I once thought impossible. Anyway, that’s my story, now on to the field kit!
Over the years I acquired several of the more popular QRP radios, such as an IC-705, QCX mini, (tr)uSDX, and the AMAZING Elecraft KX2.
I knew about the KX1 but I never gave it a second thought. I mean, it’s just a piddly little 3W CW only kit-built rig, right? Well, then one day I stumbled upon one of Thomas K4SWL’s activation videos in which he was using his KX1 – Ruby. There was something about the simplicity of it all. A unique specimen of simplicity and elegance – potentiometers for AF gain, RF gain, and filter width, three momentary push buttons and a VFO. Heck, the thing barely has a display – only a 3-digit 7 segment! That basic “stick and rudder” aspect had me intrigued, but the hook for me was the sound!
Thomas describes it as an analog sound, something you might get from an old tube radio. It’s a buttery-smooth, warm resonance – something that is rare these days with modern SDRs and DSPs.
After hearing that sound, the KX1 became my unicorn radio. After over a year of searching, I finally found mine – a meticulously built 3-bander (40/30/20) with the internal ATU. I am happy to share my go-kit built for this rig, some of which was inspired by “Ruby” herself.
The kit contains everything I need to get on the air, all in one Pelican 1060 case.
I will start with the antenna. Nothing fancy. Just a BNC binding post adapter coupled with a 27’ radiator and a 16’ counterpoise. It tunes up nicely using the KX1 internal tuner. 1.0 on 20 and 30 meters and 1.4 or better on 40 meters. The antenna winder is a 3D printer one I designed to easily fit in the Pelican 1060.
For power I am using a TalentCell 12v 3000mAh battery, which will run the KX1 for several hours.
The key is a Palm Radio Pico Paddle (no longer in production), although a K6ARK tiny paddle will rotate in and out from time to time. One day I would like to find a KXPD1 which sadly was not included with my KX1 when I bought it.
For antenna deployment, I have 65’ of “throw line”, a.k.a. masonry/construction twine, and a rip-stop nylon draw-string pouch that I to use as a throw weight by tossing a couple of rocks inside. The throwline stows away inside the nylon pouch along with a dollar store set of earbuds.
Photos: In the field
And that’s it! This has become my go-to kit that I grab whenever I think I might have the chance to play radio when I am out and about. Thanks for reading and I hope to see you on the air!
72 – Scott K4VOR
Very nice portable QRP kit Scott, thanks for sharing. Quite similar to my KX1 kit also. Glad you stuck with CW and have achieved success in copying and sending at those speeds. It’s a great mode isn’t it? I re-introduced myself to CW at 52y/o and now at 67y/o I’m 99% CW QRp.
72,
Brent
Thanks Brent! Yes, CW is by far my favorite mode and I almost operate exclusively using CW these days. I never imagined I would be where I am today with copying or sending but just goes to show what we can do when we stick with something! Of course it helps when it’s super fun and there’s a great community of like-minded enthusiasts out there!
73,
Scott K4VOR
Great kit, Scott!
There is something about that size case (whether Pelican or Harbor Freight) that is perfect for a KX1 and the necessary minimum of accessories. What caught my eye was the elastic strap that makes the case into a support for the radio; brilliant idea! I am going to try that. Thanks for the article, and all of the pictures!
Thanks Phil, my pleasure! Yes, the Pelican 1060 or Apache equivalent from HF is the absolute perfect size and also can double as a kneeboard!
72,
Scott K4VOR
Scott,
I’ve missed a few chances at getting a KX1, and I’ve always regretted it. Yours is a field kit to be proud of… it’s simple, and elegant.
I’m of course eyeing the new KH-1, it seems as though it may hold some advantages to your transceiver. But, I still love everything the KX1 offers. Both are Elecraft, and they make solid radios!
We’ll see what Wayne’s creative genius yields in the next few months in the reviews. I should probably order mine now, knowing it’ll likely be a land rush.
Great Report!
Thanks Rand! Yes I am too interested in what the KH1 will do in terms of shaking up what’s considered the most efficient kit for rapid deployments and activations. Full disclosure, I’ve already ordered my KH1 but I don’t imagine it replacing my KX1 or any other of my radios for that matter. That being said, I’m extremely excited to get my hands on it, mainly because I believe it’s going to open up a whole new category of operating, for me at least. I’ve already thought of several ways where the KH1 will make it possible to play radio when other rigs, while not impossible, would have been just enough inconvenience to make me leave them at home. At any rate the best radio you have is the one that’s on the air so I’m just super thankful to be alive and be a ham during this age of awesome affordable technology.
72!
Scott K4VOR
You’ve built a nice KX1 kit. I have something similar, also based on the Pelican 1060. But I wanted to mention that I received my KH1 in February and am finding it to be very handy. While traveling, I could deploy the KH1 in less than five minutes and chase some POTA activators while waiting to pick up my son from work. It was recovered in less than five minutes and tossed onto the dash in its bag while we drove home. You can’t beat that for rapid deployment.
Yes! I love my KH1 as well! It has spoiled me as well for rapid deployments and filling small windows of time with radio!