My buddy Jonathan (KM4CFT) made a big announcement this morning.
He’s been working tirelessly since the start of the year, designing and testing a brand-new field-portable CW transceiver he’s dubbed the CFT1.
As of this morning, you can purchase the transceiver kit on HamGadgets.com.
A little backstory
Jonathan first mentioned his plans to design a CW transceiver back when we were doing a joint POTA activation at the end of December 2023. At the time, it was just an idea. When he said he planned to have it ready for sale in 2024, I was skeptical. I mean, he had a day job and had never designed a radio before. How could he pull that off in such a short timeframe?
Fast forward to Four Days in May/Hamvention in May 2024, and wouldn’t you know it, Jonathan had a working prototype on display! I was blown away. Within a couple of weeks, he was contacting us beta testers, eager to get revision one units into our hands.
I got my CFT1 in June and immediately put it through its paces in the shack. Even in beta, this little radio was rock solid – I was seriously impressed!
I thoroughly tested the CFT1 in the shack, both on a dummy load and with my QTH antenna. If you’re into SOTA or POTA and I worked you in June, chances are it was with the CFT1.
![](https://i0.wp.com/qrper.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/11aug2024-CFT1-BRP-EFHW-N0SA-KM4CFT-Vlado-Field-Day-1.jpeg?resize=474%2C356&ssl=1)
I even took the CFT1 out for a spin on Field Day. Vlado (N3CZ) and I were both impressed with how well it performed in that crazy RF environment. Remember, this isn’t a contest radio, but it didn’t seem to overload at all. Impressive!
When I heard Jonathan was launching the CFT1 today, I figured I’d do a quick POTA activation to showcase this awesome little radio.
The Blue Ridge Parkway (US-3378)
Yesterday morning, I was heading to Mission Hospital in Asheville to visit a family member who had just been admitted. I realized I had enough time for a quick activation at the Folk Art Center on the way.
I arrived at the parking lot around 8:30 AM. It was pretty empty except for the grounds crew. I set up at my usual picnic table.
I paired the CFT1 with my KM4CFT End-Fed Half-Wave, trimmed for 30M with a 40M linked extension. I was hoping for some 40-meter action early in the morning. Setup was a breeze. My throw line cooperated beautifully – the 40M EFHW was practically vertical!
Naturally, I filmed the whole process: setup, activation, and pack-up. Before I started the activation, I spent a few minutes talking about the CFT1 – its design philosophy and what I like about it. Hopefully, this will help you decide if it’s the right radio for you.
Gear:
Note: All Amazon, CW Morse, ABR, Chelegance, eBay, and Radioddity links are affiliate links that support QRPer.com at no cost to you.
- CFT1 QRP Transceiver
- KM4CFT End-Fed Antenna Kit (eBay partner link)
- Homemade 10′ RG-316 Cable Assembly
- N0SA portable paddles
- Blue Ridge Overland Gear Headrest Pouch Kit
- GoRuck GR1 USA
- TalentCell Rechargeable 12V 3000mAh Battery Pack
- Weaver arborist throw line/weight and storage bag
- GraphGear 0.9mm 1000 Automatic Drafting Pencil
- Rite In The Rain Top Spiral Notebook
- Camera: DJI OSMO 4 action camera with Joby Telepod Sport Tripod
- Sony SRS-XB12 portable wireless speaker (no longer produced–eBay search) and audio patch cable
- Nemo Chipper Foam Seat
On The Air
I spotted myself on 40 meters and started calling CQ using the CW message memory I’d already programmed with “CQ POTA DE K4SWL.”
Fortunately, the band was healthy–at least, healthy enough to reply to a number of hunters.
I logged my first ten contacts in eight minutes.
I continued logging stations until I filled my sheet–a total of 18 in 16 minutes.
I wish I would have had more time to work stations, but it was time to move on!
QSO Map
Here’s what this five-watt activation looked like when plotted out on a QSO Map:
![](https://i0.wp.com/qrper.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/QSO-Map-11aug2024-CFT1-BRP-EFHW-N0SA-KM4CFT-Vlado-Field-Day-1.jpeg?resize=474%2C482&ssl=1)
Activation Video
Here’s my real-time, real-life video of the entire activation. As with all of my videos, I don’t edit out any parts of the on-air activation time. In addition, I have monetization turned off on YouTube, although that doesn’t stop them from inserting ads before and after my videos.
Note that Patreon supporters can watch and even download this video 100% ad-free through Vimeo on my Patreon page:
Click here to view on YouTube.
The CFT1: A fun, simple little radio
If you’re a SOTA or POTA activator who enjoys simple, compact CW radios, you’ll love the CFT1. The controls and menus are self-explanatory and truly require no reference sheet—it’s that intuitive.
The radio is sold as a kit, but there are options for pre-wound toroids which may make the process go a little more quickly. All of the beta testers who built their own units commented that it was well-documented and a fun build.
I’m proud of Jonathan for making a radio this effective on his very first attempt at designing a radio.
Thank you–!
Thank you for joining me during this activation!
I hope you enjoyed the field report, my comments about the CFT1, and my activation video as much as I enjoyed sharing them!
Of course, I’d also like to send a special thanks to those of you who have been supporting the site and channel through Patreon, and the Coffee Fund. While not a requirement, as my content will always be free, I really appreciate the support.
As I mentioned before, the Patreon platform connected to Vimeo makes it possible for me to share videos that are not only 100% ad-free but also downloadable for offline viewing. The Vimeo account also serves as a third backup for my video files.
Thanks for spending part of your day with me! Have a brilliant week ahead!
Cheers & 72,
Thomas (K4SWL)
Ordered mine this AM.
KG4MTN
Awesome! With the CFT1 and QMX on the market, it is a great time for QRP!
I wish my TR-35 had 15M, that would be the only reason to upgrade. I am still looking for a 2-3 watt 17M-10M CW SOTA/POTA special that is of similar quality to these two rigs. I haven’t heard precisely what bands the new Venus will feature?
Cheers,
Davey – KU9L
A QRP Labs 12V QMX Highbands running with a 9V battery ought to fit your needa.
“I haven’t heard precisely what bands the new Venus will feature”
15, 17, 20, 40, 60, 80m
Still vaporware at this point.
I had the privilege of beta testing this radio, so I have spent a bit of time with it, although admittedly not as much as I would like. There is no doubt that this is a simple, easy-to-use, function-forward radio with great performance. I am very pleased to have this in my arsenal, and there is no doubt that it will be in the rotation! I had the opportunity to play radio while in France in June. The CFT1 made the cut for the trip, and it performed well when I had it out one afternoon for some 20m work. I highly recommend this little performer. Congratulations, Jonathan, on producing a great QRP CW rig.
Thanks Joshua, and thanks as well for designing that cover for it! The fact that it serves as a stand is pure genius as well!
Thomas, if you get time, it would be nice to see some interior photos of the rig…
Thanks for the review,
John AE5X
Hi John, check out the assembly manual on the product page. There are plenty of photos of the internals there!
Tnx Jonathan.
The link to the CFT 1 is 404…. Please correct.
Would be nice to get some specs, measurements! That would make the review more useful.
Would also be useful to learn what justifies the high price compared to a QMX which will have SSB capabilities soon….
There was an issue with the site’s DNS yesterday. It’s been resolved now.
Tim, you mentioned this rig and also the QMX. Why is there such a huge difference in cost?
This looks like an excellent radio, I have ordered mine!
I just purchased and built the CFT1. Relatively easy build and I customized the 3D print with a little orange PETG. Rig works as expected except it seems to overload and pop on loud S9 signals. I was wondering if others noticed the same problem.