Labor Day weekend turned out to be full of labor here at QTH K4SWL. My wife and I had numerous projects to tackle, and my daughters had various activities scheduled as well. By Sunday, my wife looked at me and said, “You need a break. Why not spend tomorrow catching up on POTA?”

That was music to my ears.

I messaged my buddy, Vlado, to see if he might be interested in joining me, and he quickly replied, “Of course!”

So on Monday, September 2, 2024, Vlado packed his radio gear in my car, and we discussed where we should go. We had most of the day for radio, but we needed to decide if we’d head north, south, east, or west. In the end, we chose to travel east, as it offered the most options, including one site Vlado had never activated.

We decided to start at Lake James State Park. Since Vlado had only activated Lake James for the first time the previous day at the Paddy’s Creek Access, we opted for the Catawba River Access.

Lake James State Park (US-2739)

It was Labor Day, so we knew Lake James would get busy around lunchtime, which is why we hit it early. I also knew Paddy’s Creek Access would be much busier today because it has the beach, and I remembered how full the parking lot was during my Labor Day activation in 2023!

At 9:00 AM, when Vlado and I arrived at the Catawba River access, we were among the few people there, so we had our pick of spots to set up the POTA station.

For convenience—especially since there had been a deluge of rain the night before—we chose a spot close to the car, where I’ve activated a number of times in the past.

I also took this opportunity to show Vlado how to use an arborist throw line.

While I didn’t record the antenna deployment—frankly, I didn’t think about it at the time—I wish I had. Vlado was a natural!

On his second-ever throw, he snagged the perfect branch to deploy a 40-meter end-fed half-wave antenna.

CFT1 Time!

I knew exactly which radio I wanted to operate during this activation: the CFT1 by Jonathan (KM4CFT).

I had only recently swapped out my Beta unit for a production CFT1. As a thank-you to Beta testers, Jonathan let us keep the units we tested. I worked with Jonathan and Dan to return the Beta unit and compensate them for the difference.

In truth, there were only a few changes, mostly cosmetic, between the Beta and production units. The biggest improvement for me was that the Beta unit lacked a way to adjust the sidetone level independently from the AF gain. The production unit has this feature, which was my primary motivation for upgrading.

In addition, I prefer using radios that match what my readers and subscribers have. When I use a Beta unit, even if the changes are purely cosmetic, it generates more questions.

Interestingly, this wouldn’t be Vlado’s first time using the CFT1. He must have been one of the first people outside the Beta testing team to try it because we used it on Field Day alongside the TR-45L and X6200 (although you won’t see it in my report since it was still somewhat of a secret project at the time).

We paired my MW0SAW 40-meter EFHW and Bamakey TP-III with the CFT1. I also used my Anker Soundcore Mini speaker for audio.

Time to POTA!

Gear:

Note: All Amazon, CW Morse, ABR, Chelegance, eBay, and Radioddity links are affiliate links that support QRPer.com at no cost to you.

• Transceiver:
  • CFT1 QRP Transceiver and Tufteln CFT1 cover/stand
• Key:
  • BaMaKeY TP-III Ultra-Compact Twin Paddle and Senrog Bench Block TP-III base
  • Key cable: Cable Matters 2-Pack Gold-Plated Retractable Aux Cable – 2.5 Feet
  • Tufteln TP-III Magnetic Cover
• Antenna system:
  • MW0SAW end-fed half-wave
  • ABR Industries 25’ RG-316 cable assembly with three in-line ferrites (Use Coupon Code ABR10QRPER for 10% Discount!)
  • Weaver arborist throw line/weight and Folding Arborist Throw Line Cube
• Power source:
  • Bioenno 3 Ah LiFePo Battery (Model BLF-1203AB)
• Other accessories:
  • Anker Soundcore Mini Speaker
  • Tom Bihn Large Travel Tray
  • GraphGear 0.9mm 1000 Automatic Drafting Pencil
  • Rite In The Rain Top Spiral Notebook
  • Nemo Chipper Foam Seat
  • Thermacell Mosquito Backpacker Repeller
    and fuel canister
• Camera:
  • DJI OSMO 4 action camera with Joby Telepod Sport Tripod

On The Air

Beforehand, Vlado and I decided to set up just one station and take turns activating.

Vlado went first! He called CQ POTA, and hunters started replying.

Within eleven minutes, he had already logged his first ten contacts for a valid activation. He added three more, bringing his total to 13 contacts, before handing the key to me.

Here are Vlado’s logs:

Vlado certainly warmed up the band because activity only increased as the morning went on.

I worked my first ten contacts in just eight minutes!

The pileup kept growing.

At this point, I felt a bit guilty continuing to answer calls since Vlado and I were splitting our time, and we had at least one more activation planned for the day. However, he encouraged me to keep working the pileup.

In the end, I logged 24 contacts in 20 minutes! For me, that was operating at full throttle!

What a blast! Here are my logs:

QSO Map

Here’s what this five-watt activation looked like when plotted out on a QSO Map. Note that this is just a map of my contacts:

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.

Loving the CFT1!

After my first report and video of the CFT1 (back when I had the Beta unit), I received a lot of comments about how the CFT1 looks like the QRP Labs QMX. It’s true! Jonathan, being a big fan of QRP Labs, was likely inspired by the QMX. But, to be clear, that’s where the similarities end.

Internally, the CFT1 is a completely different radio—it’s more akin to the Elecraft KX1, if anything.

An assembled QMX costs only $170–180 plus shipping, making it one of the best radio deals in the world. The kit (without the enclosure or any add-ons) is about $103—a bargain!

The CFT1 kit is priced at $349.95 plus shipping, which is similar to what the Penntek TR-35 sold for.

I’ve been asked why the CFT1 costs more and why someone might choose it over the QMX. Here are a few points from my replies:

• The CFT1 is easier for beginners to build, and there’s even a $30 option for pre-wound toroids.
• The CFT1 is a simpler radio overall. Jonathan designed it to be user-friendly in the field without the need for a manual or reference sheet.
• The CFT1 has four programmable CW memory buttons on the front panel—brilliant for field operators who frequently use message memories.
• Like the QMX, the CFT1 is a cottage industry product made in the USA, and purchasing it supports future developments.

I’m a fan of both the QMX and the CFT1.

If you’re after a feature-packed, affordable QRP radio kit, go for the QMX.

If you want a simpler, CW-only radio with excellent audio and receiver characteristics, the CFT1 is a great choice!

Both radios are excellent options, and I love that we live in a time with so many fantastic field radio choices.

I’m incredibly proud of Jonathan—it’s hard to believe the CFT1 is his first radio design. It’s more refined, right out of the gate, than many radios I’ve tested over the years.

Thank you

Thank you for joining Vlado me during this activation!

I hope you enjoyed the field report and my activation video as much as I enjoyed creating 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!

Cheers & 72,
Thomas (K4SWL)

PS: Consider joining our discussion board at QRPer.net! It’s a vibrant community of radio operators who enjoy helping and supporting each other.  Click here to join for free.