My wife and I visit Japan every year for 3 to 4 months, usually in the spring. This year, we arrived in early March, and the weather was a bit cold. However, recently, we’ve seen the temperature turn quite warm and mild, with the cherry blossoms just beginning to bloom! It’s a perfect day to play radio!
Since we live in Takamatsu on Shikoku Island, we have easy access to Ritsurin Park (JP-2051).
Wednesday, March 26, was a perfect day for my wife to stroll through the park while I played radio.
Here is the gazebo where I set up shop.
The History of Ritsurin Garden
It is believed that Ritsurin Garden was originally created in the late 16th century, from a garden belonging to the Sato Clan located in the southwest corner of the present garden.
What is now the Nanko Pond was created around 1625, when Takatoshi Ikoma ruled the Sanuki Province (present-day Kagawa).
In 1642, Yorishige Matsudaira began ruling the Takamatsu Domain and inherited the garden. He and the successive generations of his family kept developing the garden over the years, and the 60 scenic spots were named when the domain’s fifth lord, Yoritaka Matsudaira, was in power in 1745. Continue reading Cherry Blossoms, History, and POTA in Ritsurin Garden→
As soon as reservations opened for the Yaesu FTX-1 via DX Engineering last year, I placed my order.
Details were sparse at the time, but we understood this would be Yaesu’s modernized successor to the beloved FT-817 and FT-818—the iconic bullet-proof radios that served the community for over two decades. Indeed they still serve me well!
This past week, new information surfaced via official Yaesu channels and FCC filings. A number of YouTube videos are already circulating, but I won’t be publishing anything myself until I have the radio in hand and can take it to the field.
That said, it feels like Yaesu was preparing for a full announcement anyway, especially with Hamvention less than two weeks away. Hamvention and the Tokyo Ham Fair have historically been the venues where major product launches from Yaesu, Icom, and Kenwood happen.
Summary & Observations
Before we begin: Here’s a summary of what we currently know about the FTX-1. I’m doing my best to keep things objective—there are no performance claims here, since no one outside of Yaesu has tested the radio yet. Some features suggest real potential (like the receiver architecture), but any speculation is clearly noted as such. Until we can get hands-on, this is simply an overview of confirmed details provided directly by Yaesu and its authorized retailers.
Note: All images are sourced from the Yaesu brochure. Pricing below is based on early estimates from authorized retailers and may be subject to change.
The FTX-1Field
(≈$1,499.95 US)
The field comes with Field Head with SBR-52LI (Li-Ion Battery), SSM-75E (Microphone), and DC Power Cables.
Via the attachable battery pack, the Field Head alone will output up to 6 watts. If a 12-13.8 V external power source is connected, it can output up to 10 watts.
FTX-1optima
(≈$1,899.95 US)
The FTX-1optima system includes: Field Head with SPA-1 (100 watt amplifier), SBR-52LI (Li-Ion Battery), SSM-75E (Microphone) & DC Power Cables.
That’s the only difference between the two versions: the inclusion of the SPA-1 amplifier. At least, based on the FTX-1 brochure (PDF).
As a QRPer, I initially discounted the amplifier. I typically run 5 watts or less and rarely exceed that, maybe once or twice per year. But after a closer look, I suspect many hams will opt for the amplifier version.
Here’s why:
100 watts output on HF
50 watts on VHF/UHF
Dual antenna ports
Built-in 2.5-watt speaker
Integrated ATU for 160–6 meters
I’m guessing–pure speculation here–the internal ATU is similar to those found in base rigs—likely offering a modest matching range, perhaps up to 3:1. That’s just my assumption as I place the order, and I’ll wait for confirmation once the unit is in hand. I would love to be proven wrong as we all appreciate wide-matching-range ATUs.
Another point in favor of the Optima: the $400 price difference between the Field ($1,499.95) and Optima ($1,899.95) packages is actually less than the standalone cost of the SPA-1 amplifier ($649.95), should you choose to purchase it later.
So, although I doubt I’ll use the 100W amp often, I’ve gone ahead and ordered the Optima package.
Accessories
Here’s a list of currently known accessories with estimated U.S. pricing:
FC-90 – HF/50MHz 10W Automatic Antenna Tuner (for Long-wire/50Ω antenna) – $319.95 [Note: this appears to be a stand-alone ATU, not one that attaches to the FTX-1 directly. I’ll confirm.]
SPA-1: 100W Power Amplifier (supplied with FTX-1 Optima) – $649.95 MHG-1: Side Carry Handle (for carrying FTX-1 attached with SPA-1) – $14.99
FGPS-5: GPS Antenna Unit – $69.95 BU-6: Bluetooth Unit – $54.95 SSM-BT20: Bluetooth® Headset (BU-6 must be installed in Field Head) – $36.95 SBR-52LI: (no photo) 6400 mAh Li-ion Battery Pack – $199.95
One item I’m particularly interested in is the SPG-1 Protection Guard, which is Yaesu’s own front faceplate protector. No pricing info available yet at time of writing.
You know what?
Yaesu has genuinely surprised me here.
This is a more ambitious and modernized package than I anticipated—one that smacks of 2025 design expectations. The modularity is compelling: field operators can assemble the package they need without carrying unused features into the field. It’s an approach that sets it apart from many competitors.
The concept is simple but effective—when it’s time to hit the field, you just detach the FTX-1 faceplate from your base station setup, pack it in your kit, and you’re ready to go QRP. No additional cables to disconnect, no reconfiguration required. Clean, simple, and efficient.
If you’re someone who wants a 100W radio for field work but finds $1,899 steep, don’t overlook the FT-891—in my opinion, it remains one of the best values in the market at $630 US.
Still, the modular approach of the FTX-1 is refreshing. Snap the Field Head onto the amplifier and it becomes a base station. Detach it and you’ve got a capable QRP portable. Even a dedicated OEM front protection guard is offered.
Yes, it’s in the same pricing tier as the IC-705 and Elecraft KX2/KX3, but unlike those, the FTX-1 can be bundled with an OEM 100-watt amplifier—complete with dual antenna ports, a built-in speaker, and an internal ATU—for just $400 more. I love my Elecraft KXPA100, which pairs beautifully with both the KX2 and KX3 (and virtually any other HF radio), but it’s currently priced at $1,649.95 on its own.
Given that these units are manufactured in Japan, and I’m based in the U.S., I’m hopeful that these prices already reflect the 10% baseline tariff now applied to most goods from Japan. At the moment, I’ve seen no mention of surprise import costs—but that’s always something to watch.
What’s Next?
My order is in, and you can be sure that once the FTX-1 arrives, I’ll take it straight to the field and post a full field report and activation video. We’ll take a look at it together. Four to six weeks later, I’ll post a proper review.
Addendum: Yaesu USA Overview Video
Yaesu USA recently released an official video overview of the FTX-1, where they elaborated on several technical features.
One detail that stood out in both this video and the product brochure: the FTX-1 shares receiver architecture with the FT-DX10—a very capable transceiver with excellent RX performance. While I don’t expect the FTX-1 to match the FT-DX10’s filtering or front-end capabilities, this could bode well for its overall receiver performance.
If you’ve been a QRPer.com reader or subscriber to my YouTube channel for long, you’ll know I’m quite the fan of super-compact, low-profile antennas like the Elecraft AX1 and AX2.
Although AX antennas are certainly a compromise in terms of performance, I find them surprisingly effective for on-the-air programs like SOTA, POTA, and WWFF. While they’re not high-gain, they’re also far from the “dummy load” some make them out to be. In fact, the best DX I’ve ever worked in the field was with my Elecraft AX2 and just 5 watts of power—check out the field report.
It covers 30 through 10 meters and uses a 4-position band selector plug, which I personally find more rugged than the AX1’s band switch. Like its siblings, the AX3 is designed to pair with an ATU, but unlike the AX1/AX2, it doesn’t need to physically mount to the transceiver—so it’s compatible with virtually any rig and tuner combo. The AX3 also supports up to 30 watts.
Despite the added versatility, the AX3 still packs incredibly small: the whip, base, and tripod legs collapse to just 6 inches, yet the whip extends to 45 inches in the field. The side-mounted BNC connector avoids awkward cable bends or adapters.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I’m in the testing group for the Elecraft KH1 and, as such, I was aware the new AX3 was on the horizon, but I had not yet tested it in the field until I ordered one and it was delivered on Tuesday, April 29, 2025.
From Unboxing to Activation
Since Hurricane Helene wiped out our local post office, my buddy Vlado (N3CZ) has kindly allowed me to have parcels delivered to his house. When he told me that “a small box” had arrived from Elecraft, I knew exactly what it was.
I had an errand in town that afternoon, so I swung by Vlado’s, picked up the package, and then stopped at the Blue Ridge Parkway Folk Art Center to perform the AX3’s debut activation.
Of course, I packed my Elecraft KX2, thinking it would only be right to pair the AX3 with an Elecraft radio for its first outing!
In my activation video (below), you’ll see that assembling the AX3 was incredibly simple right out of the box. I ordered the full AX3 package, which includes the antenna, mini banana plug, counterpoise wire, tripod legs, BNC-to-BNC cable assembly, and a small nylon storage bag.
I attached the tripod legs, screwed on the whip antenna, clipped the counterpoise to the ground lug, and connected the BNC cable. In less than a minute, the antenna was fully deployed and ready to go!
Gear
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My new Elecraft AX3 antenna arrived in the mail. The weather when it arrived was 73° F and sunny with a slight breeze. Space weather was calm. It seemed like the perfect recipe for a POTA expedition to the unofficial antenna testing range at Silver Sands State Park (US-1716) here in Connecticut on the Northern shoreline of Long Island Sound to try out the AX3. Given that this antenna is specifically designed to be light and portable, I chose my Elecraft KX2 to pair it with, which is also light and portable.
Conrad, N2YCH testing the new Elecraft AX3 at Silver Sands State Park, Connecticut
The AX3 operates on six bands. Out of the box, it can do 30,20,17,15,12 and 10 meters. With the optional AXE1 adapter, you can add 40 meters as well. Elecraft says an ATU is required, which I have built into my KX2. I tested using FT8 on 30/20/17 & 15 meters, the four positions labeled on the front “jumper block.” Using FT8, I was able to use the PSKreporter.info website to get a sense of where my signals were being received. This antenna is capable of handling 30 watts, which is amazing for its size. I ran 10 watts from the KX2.
Unlike the AX1, which needs something to hold it in place such as a tripod or the optional bipod, the AX3 comes with three legs to turn the base into a tripod.
AX3 integrated Tripod
At the park, I tried using the legs which lasted all of 30 seconds before the Long Island Sound breeze blew it right over on its side. Anticipating that it might be too breezy down at the shoreline, I brought a slightly heavier tripod along. The good news is that the bottom of the antenna is tapped with a ¼-20 hole to connect to any standard camera tripod. The heavier tripod did the trick.
Elecraft KX2 with new AX3 antenna
I used a three foot piece of coax as recommended and I had no problem with RFI into the radio or the computer. The KX2 was able to tune to 1.0:1 SWR on all bands except for 17 meters, which was right around 2.0:1. I should note that I had the 13’ counterpoise laying on the ground for this test.
KX2 1.0:1 SWR on 20 meters
I began on 20 meters and in 20 minutes, I had the 10 QSO’s needed to activate the park.
Map showing spots on 20 meters.
Next I QSY’d up to 17 meters.
PSKreporter.info spots on 17 meters
Here, I had plenty of spots, yet I struggled to get two in the log before I gave up and QSY’d to 15 meters. Changing frequency is as simple as pulling the jumper block out and moving the arrow to the correct frequency.
Jumper Block used to change bands
Thankfully, 15 was open and my first QSO was with a station in Ukraine and my second was in California.
QSO Map – Dark Blue are 20 meter contacts, Light Blue are 15 meters and Purple are 17 metersCompleting a QSO with the Ukraine on 15 meters
I made contacts on 20, 17 and 15 meters. Could I manage something on 30? I tried but to no avail. I was spotted by stations on PSKreporter, but after calling for some time, I figured that midday in Connecticut was just not the best time for that band. Before I packed up for the day, I went back to 17 meters which was definitely better than earlier and I logged three more for a total of five on the band.
PSKReporter spots on 15 meters using the AX3 antenna
I took the opportunity to go back to Silver Sands a few days later to try the antenna on 12 and 10 meters, which I did not do on the first trip out. I also wanted to see how elevating the counterpoise might affect the performance. It was downright windy, so I brought along a camera tripod this time to provide more stability. Obviously, the extra weight carrying a full size tripod wouldn’t be ideal for a SOTA activation, but for my test, I brought it along.
AX3 on camera tripod
The high band propagation was miserable when I went out, I was wondering if I’d be able to make any contacts at all. I was pleased to see that elevating the counterpoise allowed 17 meters to easily match to the antenna with a 1.0:1 SWR. I then tried 15, 12 and 10 meters which also tuned right up and I made contacts on all bands. 10 and 12 meters were open to my south. I made QSO’s with Belize, Mexico, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.
QSO Map Day 2 – Purple is 17m, Light Blue is 15m, Pink is 12m and Yellow is 10m (click image to enlarge)AX3 on camera tripod with elevated counterpoise
The AX3 did not disappoint.
Making QSO’s from California to the Ukraine and down into South America while sitting at a picnic table in a park in Connecticut with just 10 watts using such a small antenna is simply amazing to me. I like the AX1, which I used primarily on 20 meters. Having the multi-band flexibility of the AX3 is very nice, especially now that the upper bands are active, and it provides more flexibility for operating portable and being able to change bands on the spot to adapt to the ever changing band conditions.
It’s not every day that I get the chance to do a POTA activation from the radio room of a battleship. But thanks to the Azalea Coast Amateur Radio Club, I was able to do a POTA activation of US-6831 from the radio room of (BB-55) USS North Carolina in Wilmington, NC.
If you would like the chance to be a guest radio operator for the BB-55, check out http://ac4rc.org to set up your activation.
The below-deck self-guided tour takes you through Radio Central. The radio room that the radio club utilizes can be seen from Radio Central; however, it is separated from public access by a clear plexiglass bulkhead door. Because the public can watch from the other side of the glass, be aware that it can be very noisy.
To make things more distracting, there is a loudspeaker in the radio room central playing pre-recorded Morse code for ambiance.
Radio Central is located a couple of floors down in the belly of the iron-armored beast, so be sure to schedule your activation on the POTA page. There is no cell phone reception below decks.
The radio club has an IC-756 Pro III available for use. I am not sure about the status of the other WWII vintage radios. I definitely recommend you bring your own key! They had a Bencher paddle thrown in the filing cabinet; it was not usable due to the contacts being bent way out of position. Fortunately, I brought my BaMakey TP-III key with me. If you are using a 3.5mm stereo plug, make sure to bring a 1/4” plug adapter for use with the IC-756 key/headset jacks.
The radio club has the IC-756 and external tuner hooked up to one of the battleship’s original long wire antennas. During the activation, I only operated on 20M. I did attempt to tune 17m and 15m, but I was unsuccessful in getting a match. However, that may have been operator error on my end since I was unfamiliar with the radio and that particular external tuner.
After a minute or so of calling CQ, the Reverse Beacon Network did its magic, and I was blown away by an insane pileup. I realized that I am used to operating QRP with somewhat compromised antennas. In sheer panic, I started looking to see how to turn the power down from 100 watts to, say, 2 watts!!!!
In that moment, I saw a vision of a seasoned Navy Radio OP sitting beside me. He reached over and smacked me on the back of my head and said, “Listen, kid, you’re not some hippie tree hugger operating QRP on some windswept mountaintop. You are operating from the battleship USS North Carolina. She has participated in every major naval offensive in the Pacific area of operation during WWII. Now stand tall, run full power, and work ’em all!”
With that old-school counseling session complete, I began to work the pileup. After being on the air for one hour and fifty-three minutes, I worked 67 stations, with two duplicates and one busted call sign (that I know about). Eventually, no one responded back to my CQ, and I sent “Last call fer POTA de N4MJL” twice. After no one responded to my second message, I quickly sent QRT and started breathing again!!!!!!
In addition to working SA4BLM from Sweden, one of the coolest contacts I got that day was from my dad, AC0UT, located in Missouri.
It’s not every ham that can say that their dad called them using CW while on a battleship.
I want to start by saying: if you’ve tried contacting me by email lately, you’ve probably noticed I’m far behind. This winter and spring were always going to be busy, but Hurricane Helene increased everything by orders of magnitude. I’m struggling to keep up with correspondence, fitting in POTA activations, and finding free time. That said, I’m looking forward to taking a much-needed break for Four Days in May and Hamvention in a couple of weeks.
But that’s not the reason for this post. I wanted to share a little drama from our community this past week.
Forest Fire
April brought extremely dry weather to western North Carolina. In fact, much of this year we’ve been battling wildfires. Many of you have reached out after seeing the news — thank you. Until last week, the fires had stayed in other parts of our county or neighboring ones. Still, conditions have been perfect for fire: dry air, gusty winds, and an incredible amount of tree debris left behind after Helene.
On Monday, we drove to town to drop our daughters off at a class and run errands. Around 2:45 PM, just as I was about to pick them up, a neighbor called to tell me a wildfire had broken out on our road — just over a mile from our house. He didn’t have many details, only that firefighters were already on the scene thanks to an early alert from another neighbor.
Most of the family was with me, but Hazel, our sweet dog, was still at home. We raced back, hoping our road wouldn’t be closed.
From about 12 miles away on Interstate 40, we could already see plumes of smoke rising from our valley. It was a concerning sight. We also reached out to neighbors — many of whom were at home — to check in and share updates.
Fortunately, when we reached our road, one lane was still open for local traffic. Firefighters told us there were no immediate evacuation orders, but we needed to be ready.
Back at the house, we found Hazel peacefully sleeping through all the excitement — just as she did during Hurricane Helene. From the windows, we could clearly see smoke billowing from the nearby mountain.
Stage 1 Packing
Since January, my wife and I had discussed what we’d pack if a wildfire threatened. We spent about 15 minutes gathering:
Essential items: IDs, passports (most critical documents are already in a safety deposit box)
Hazel’s essentials
Laptops, tablets, phones, and backup drives
Important keepsakes like photos and our wedding certificate
My wife’s paintings
Clothes, toiletries, and medications for a few days
We were already in touch with Vlado (N3CZ). If we had to evacuate, we planned to go to his house instead of a hotel, so we packed accordingly.
There was no panic. Thanks to GMRS radios, we could share real-time updates with neighbors. (Side note: soon, our fire department will also be tied into our community GMRS system!)
Stage 2 Packing
After the essentials, we prepared “nice-to-have” items: radios, antennas, batteries, sentimental gear, and other things that would be difficult to replace. I also installed our Thule cargo box on the Subaru for extra space.
We packed essentials into the car and staged the rest inside for quick loading if needed.
Containment
By 6:00 PM, we heard the fire was about 50% contained — thanks to the quick, coordinated work of six or seven fire departments and the Forest Service, who were using Chinooks to drop water and bulldozing a fire break.
By 11:00 PM, the fire was fully contained, burning less than 20 acres in total. Rain moved into the area by 6:00 the next morning — our first real rain in ages — and thankfully continued for much of the week.
Lessons Learned
Western North Carolina usually has boring, predictable weather. Wildfires have always been extremely rare here — we’re in a humid subtropical and temperate zone, after all.
We are profoundly grateful to the firefighters and Forest Service who jumped on this fire early. Their swift action made all the difference. No homes were lost, and no personal property was damaged.
We were also pleased with how calmly and efficiently we packed. Our investment in GMRS radios really paid off, too — it kept communication open when it mattered most.
As for the cause of the fire? Frustratingly, it was completely preventable. A homeowner had burned brush and left it unattended for an extended time. When they returned, it had already spread into the forest. Hopefully, they learned a hard lesson (and will likely face a significant fine).
All’s well that ends well.
Radio Side Note
I’ve often wondered which radios I’d grab if I ever had to evacuate. Turns out, when it came time to act, there was no philosophical debate — I simply packed favorites, sentimental rigs, and anything difficult to replace.
After essentials were secured, I quickly packed radios into my favorite field backpacks. Fortunately, little QRP radios are easy to grab, and my shack was already organized.
Here’s what I packed:
All Elecraft radios (I also staged the KXPA100, but didn’t end up needing to unhook it)
All Mountain Toppers (MTR-3Bs and MTR-5B)
All Pennteks (TR-45L, TR-45L Skinny, and TR-35)
CFT1
Mission RGO One
Ten-Tec Argonaut VI
I also grabbed a few batteries and accessories like my RigExpert analyzer. Everything fit easily into my field packs — the vintage Swiss rucksack had impressive capacity!
You might wonder why I didn’t pack radios like my Yaesu FT-818ND, which I also love. I focused mainly on rarer, harder-to-replace gear. There are many more FT-817s and FT-818s floating around than there are Elecraft KX1s, Pennteks, Mountain Toppers, and Mission RGO Ones combined.
Moving Forward
We learned a lot. Here’s what we’ll do differently next time:
Prepare an empty storage box large enough to quickly hold essentials like laptops, backup drives, documents, and photos with a checklist and pencil inside.
Take Hazel with us, even on short trips, when wildfire conditions are high.
Set up a scanner to monitor fire communications in real-time (assuming they’re not encrypted).
Move even more documents and valuables into our safety deposit box.
Digitize more of our photo collection.
At the end of the day, we’re just so grateful: to the neighbors who spotted the fire early, to the fire departments who attacked it hard, and to the rain that gave our dry region a much-needed break.
If you’ve ever had to go through a process like this, I’m curious to hear what lessons you might have to share with us. Feel free to comment.
On the activator side of things, Parks On The Air is often a solitary pursuit for me. I typically squeeze in activations as my schedule allows—usually at random times during the day in parks that happen to be along my daily route.
But every once in a while, the stars align and I get the chance to activate with a friend. When that happens, it only amplifies the radio fun. Saturday, March 22, 2025, was one of those special days. My dear friend—and frequent field report contributor—Brian (K3ES), along with his amazing wife and photographer, Becky, stopped by Asheville en route to the Outer Banks.
I was so happy everything came together and we were able to meet up for a short, relaxed, and thoroughly enjoyable activation.
Two-Fer Time!
When out-of-state activators come through the area, I always try to offer them the option of a two-fer—activating two parks at once—to maximize their POTA opportunities. I’m not sure Brian had strong feelings about this either way, but it was simply too easy to pair the Blue Ridge Parkway (US-3378) with the Mountains-to-Sea Trail (US-8313). Since we were meeting at the Folk Art Center, all it took was picking the right picnic table near the MST.
In my rush to leave the QTH that morning, I realized halfway down the driveway that I’d forgotten to pack my antenna. I could’ve turned around, but I knew Brian would have a few antenna options stowed in his field kit—and of course, he did!
He chose to deploy a homebrew end-fed random wire with a 29.5’ radiator and 17’ counterpoise. We paired it with my Elecraft K1 transceiver–a radio I knew Brian had never operated.
The only drawback of this particular picnic table is its proximity to the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. When deploying a wire antenna, you have to be careful not to obstruct the path for hikers. We positioned the wire in a near-vertical configuration above the table and kept the throw line tucked away on the opposite side from the trail.
We were also quite conspicuous—another reason I usually avoid this picnic table when activating solo. On a busy day, it’s not unusual to have a dozen people stop by to ask what you’re up to. It’s a great outreach opportunity, but a string of interruptions can make it difficult to complete exchanges—especially while sending CW. Sadly, my internal CPU isn’t optimized for multitasking!
Right to Left: Brian (K3ES) and Thomas (K4SWL)
But when there are two of you taking turns at the key, it works beautifully—one person can handle the questions while the other shows just how cool Morse code still is in the 21st century.
It was a fairly quiet day at the Folk Art Center, but one curious family did stop by to chat with us during Brian’s turn at the key—and I really enjoyed the interaction.
Gear
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Radio
Elecraft K1 (four band version with optional ATU and internal AA battery pack)
Many thanks to Philip (KA4KOE) who shares the following report:
Xiegu G106 Report
by Philip (KA4KOE)
Recent developments and other drivers pushed me to purchase a Xiegu G106.
This radio has dropped significantly in price recently. I figured, “Why not?!” given the paltry sum Radioddity was asking.
I will not delve deeply into the technical aspects of this radio, as others have covered this subject in great detail. In my opinion, the G106 is a viable QRP radio and excels at CW and FT8. I also made contacts using SSB, but given the lack of speech processing, I found the effort, shall we say, challenging. The firmware on my particular radio is Version 1.3.
I checked the spectral purity using the panadapter on my Flex 6300. I realize the Flex is not a lab-quality instrument, but the serious spurs and other trash around the carrier, noted by others, on a 5-watt CW signal appear to be minimal now and compliant with current FCC regulations.
Some get all caught up in demanding the absolute best specifications, performance, looks, etc., or whatever you find important in your personal metrics for a radio. As an engineer, I approach this philosophy from a different mindset. Often, striving for those final few percentage points of improvement is only noticeable under the most stringent of band conditions. The situation is essentially a cost/benefits analysis. So, my personal rationale is “good enough.”
Indeed, the Xiegu G106 is “good enough” for QRP field activations, provided one also deploys a good antenna. Here’s an analogy: will a steel sledgehammer or solid gold one (ignore gold’s softness in this example), of the same mass, both do the same job? The answer is “yes.”
The only issue I have noted, as have others, is that the radio’s AGC recovery isn’t quite correct. Occasionally, the audio will “pop” when switching from transmit to receive. Hopefully, the G106 will improve if Xiegu issues firmware updates beyond Version 1.3. The radio doesn’t exhibit this annoying behavior every time one switches from TX to RX.
I recently activated US-2190, Magnolia Springs State Park, near Augusta, Georgia.
Band conditions degraded over the course of the day due to coronal holes present on the earthward-facing side of the sun. I did manage to make 25 CW and 8 SSB contacts on 40 and 20 meters using a sloping 40–10 meter N9SAB End Fed Half Wave, supported on one end from a 32’ carbon fiber pole. See the QSO map below:
Here’s my activation video:
Bottom line: I like the G106.
Thank you for your kind consideration and attention.
73
Philip Neidlinger, PE
KA4KOE
Gailey (WV2P) and Frank (NM9X), pictured above, also accompanied me on this activation.
Many thanks to Cameron (KO6BYB), for sharing 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, read this post.
Elecraft KX2 Field Kit
by Cameron (KO6BYB)
I wanted to share a tiny KX2 kit I made to fit the Seahorse SE56 (QRPer affiliate link) case. Just upgraded to my General and finally got the HF transceiver of my dreams. Haven’t made it out to the field since I got it last weekend, but I had some spare time (that I should have been sleeping) and whipped this up. Fits basically a whole station in the case:
This article continues my series from our 2024 road trip across the United States (Six Weeks and 7300 Miles: Activating on the Road). I hope to wrap up the series with one last article soon. In this report, I will cover the six National Parks (NPs) that we visited during our trip. I activated five of them for the Parks on the Air (POTA) program using CW mode at 5 watts. A previous report on Stealth Activating with the KX1 Antenna System provided activation details for three of the parks (Badlands NP, Yellowstone NP, and Grand Canyon NP), so I will not reproduce activation details here, but I will include more of Becky’s pictures.
Each of these NPs is spectacular in its own right, and also distinctly different from each of the others. We were able to see some of the sights, but by no means had enough time to do them justice. In fact, as we completed our drive through Yellowstone NP, Becky and I committed ourselves to going back again and spending much more time to see its wonders.
As I reflect on our visits to NPs on our trip, it occurs to me how beneficial it was to buy an Annual America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass before we left on our trip.
The pass costs $80 for a year, and generally covers the admission of one vehicle and its occupants. We were able to save on admission costs several times over, making this one of the best NP values going. Having now completed 62 trips around the sun, when we next visit NPs, I am eligible for an even better value, the $80 Senior Lifetime America the Beautiful Pass.
Badlands NP
The first NP we visited on our trip was Badlands NP in South Dakota. We spent a couple of nights and days based nearby in the town of Wall, so we were able to take two drives through the park. There is a stark transition from rolling plateau north of the park to the spectacular peaks and canyons of the badlands. Rapid erosion has been shaping the terrain for about 500,000 years with the Cheyenne and White Rivers cutting their way through the terrain. The resulting landscape is both beautiful and severe.
While visiting the park, we were privileged to see a variety of wildlife. We saw a number of bison, ranging from small herds grazing in fields along the road, to an individualist who took a liking to the taste of grass beside one of the overlook parking areas. There were also bighorn sheep and pronghorn antelope wandering other parts of the park. There was abundant bird life, from a disoriented prairie chicken that accepted water from concerned visitors, to birds of prey soaring high above. Becky particularly enjoyed the frenetic activity of the residents of Roberts Prairie Dog Town.
This bison had no problem napping in the middle of the Prairie Dog TownThis prairie chicken appreciated shade and water in the parking lot
During our visit, we stopped at an overlook parking area for Becky to take pictures of the spectacular scenery, including the aforementioned bison. While she was doing this, I took the opportunity to do a stealth activation of the park, which is documented in an earlier Field Report here on QRPer.com, linked as K3ES: Stealth activating with the AX1 Antenna System.
I managed to catch the photographer in action during a lull in my activationOf course, Becky caught me in action, too
Yellowstone NP
We knew when planning our trip, that we would not have time for a proper visit to Yellowstone NP. In fact, we intended to hold off on visiting until we had time for a dedicated trip. But throughout our drive, Becky kept searching the available maps for opportunities and possibilities. As we traveled through Montana, she noticed that we could fit in an abbreviated trip through Yellowstone and Grand Teton NPs if we adjusted our route. Consequently, we found ourselves spending the next night in Gardiner, MT, just outside the north entrance to the park. Continue reading From the Badlands to Mesa Verde: QRP Across America’s National Parks→
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Wednesday, March 26, was a perfect day for my wife to stroll through the park while I played radio.
What is now the Nanko Pond was created around 1625, when Takatoshi Ikoma ruled the Sanuki Province (present-day Kagawa).
In 1642, Yorishige Matsudaira began ruling the Takamatsu Domain and inherited the garden. He and the successive generations of his family kept developing the garden over the years, and the 60 scenic spots were named when the domain’s fifth lord, Yoritaka Matsudaira, was in power in 1745. Continue reading Cherry Blossoms, History, and POTA in Ritsurin Garden 
