Many thanks to Jonathan (KM4CFT) 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. Jonathan writes:
Hi Tom,
I thought I would share the two go kits I have. I tend to customize my equipment and supplies before I go on a POTA or SOTA outing but I keep these for the rare occasion when I want to grab a radio real quick. [The first on is my] QRPlabs go kit:
The case is a regular Lowepro case that I got with my KX2 when I purchased it from another ham. I did not realize it came with it so I accidentally ordered an extra from Elecraft which I now use with the KX2 kit [featured in a future Field Kit Gallery post].
The kit uses many components from K6ARK, including the 20 meter EFHW antenna and the retractable paddle.
The battery is a TalentCell from Amazon. I use it because it supplies 12v instead of 13.8v. One of the downsides of the QMX is that it cannot handle 13.8v, so I have to stick with 12.
I keep a cheap pair of earbuds with me just in case but I try to bring a nicer pair of headphones whenever possible.
Hopefully this information is useful to you and your readers!
-Jonathan KM4CFT
Many thanks to Skip (K4EAK) 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.
[I]n my truck I carry a little field kit for impromptu POTA activations.
I also have an FT-891 to an ATAS-120 permanently installed in the truck, which is another possibility for impromptu activations, but that requires me sitting in the truck for the activation. Not my favorite way to activate …
Many thanks to Dale (N3HXZ) who shares the following guest post:
Portable Operation Using a Vertical Antenna Without a Counterpoise Wire!
by Dale (N3HXZ)
In a previous article that Thomas was kind enough to post, I ran experiments to determine if the counterpoise wire orientation of the Chameleon MPAS LITE antenna system in the vertical configuration in any way shaped the antenna pattern. The configuration of the antenna is shown below.
The system consists of a 17’ telescoping whip antenna, a matching transformer, a 50’ coax cable with an in-line RF choke, and a counterpoise wire (60’ long, but unwound to only 25’ for use in the vertical configuration).
Subsequent studies I performed have reinforced my earlier conclusions that the positioning of the counterpoise wire in this setup does not appreciably shape the antenna pattern. One of the comments from my post came from Stephan (HB9EA). He commented on the fact that the coax cable is indeed a counterpoise via the coax shield and that in fact my system set-up had two counterpoises.
It was Stephan’s comment which led me to contact Chameleon Antenna to discuss counterpoises with the MPAS LITE antenna in the vertical configuration. I communicated with the Director of Research and Development group at Chameleon and found out some interesting information that I wanted to pass on.
He mentioned that the system can be used with the coax cable acting as the lone counterpoise as long as the coax cable is at least 25’ long, and preferably 50’ long. The coax should be spread out and not coiled along any portion of its length. It was stated that the counterpoise wire provided with the product should be used with short-length coax cables.
With regards to a counterpoise orientation shaping the propagation direction, he stated that it is generally accepted that using only the coax as a counterpoise tends to have the antenna pattern slightly favor the direction in which the coax is laid out. Adding the counterpoise wire in a direction opposite to the coax would tend to balance out that pattern. Having the coax and counterpoise wire at some angle to each other introduces variables that make it difficult to determine the antenna pattern.
My initial study had the counterpoise wire oriented at an angle to the coax cable. I mentioned that my initial study showed that orientation of the counterpoise wire did not seem to appreciably shape the antenna pattern, and he agreed. What is unknown is the overall degree to which the coax cable shapes the antenna pattern with or without use of the counterpoise wire. This is an area I am currently investigating.
Operating the MPAS-LITE vertical configuration with only the coax cable as a counterpoise was an intriguing thought.
To test it out I teamed up with Jim (KJ3D) for a SOTA activation on W3/PT-003 (Seven Springs). We both deployed the MPAS-Lite with only the supplied 50’ coax cable attached. Coax cables were laid out in a straight line. One cable was oriented southeast, the other one oriented east. We operated on 10 Watts in CW mode. The activation successfully worked all bands from 40M to 10M. I operated an Elecraft KX2 and Jim operated a KX3. The internal tuner of both rigs easily obtained a 1:1 match across all bands.
A map of the QSO’s is shown below. Note that despite the coax cables facing to the southeast and east, we easily worked stations in the opposite directions. Hence any minor shaping of the antenna pattern by the coax orientation does not appear to impede successful communication in all directions.
In summary, the MPAS-LITE antenna system in the vertical configuration utilizing the 50’ coax cable with an in-line RF choke as the single counterpoise has been demonstrated to perform well in the field.
For portable operation where fast deployment and simplicity is paramount, using the furnished coax as a counterpoise is a quick and dirty way to get the antenna erected and on the air with reliable communication capability. Eliminating the counterpoise wire allows for quicker set-up and tear-down, and one less thing to put in the backpack!
Many thanks to Chris (N8PEM) 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.
MTR-3 Field Kit Build by N8PEM
Ham radio is a hobby best enjoyed in community with others.
Ever since I began operating QRP portable a few years back I had admired the Mountain Toppers. Granted my Elecraft KX2 is a perfect daily driver. I’ve been lucky to have that as my sole portable QRP rig for some time. That didn’t stop me from dreaming of an ultralight QRP portable kit centered on an MTR3. High resale prices and scarcity made it a purchase I had long put on the back burner. But then one day I saw my good friend Julia, KF8JBB, while walking my dog in the park. So I stopped to chat.
Figure 1: Antenna Design
Like many of us, Julia is an avid QRP and CW enthusiast. She has numerous QRP and SWL radios. Life is also pretty busy for her. She doesn’t get out to operate as much as she would like. As we chatted on that warm August evening, she offered to gift me her MTR3. For her, it was time to move that rig on to a good home so it would get it’s proper use. But the shrewd negotiator in me knew to never accept a first offer. I countered. I’d take the MTR3 off her hands if she let me build her a QRP portable antenna in return (later I also threw in a built N6ARA TinySWR kit for good measure). She accepted. The next day she dropped off the rig. The fun of outfitting an ultralight (UL) QRP kit began.
I quickly determined that I wanted to build a trapped 20/30/40 meter EFHW antenna to match the three bands on the Mountain Topper. I prefer end feds, and I wanted the challenge of building traps for the first time. Keeping in mind I wanted an UL kit, I could also leave the coax at home with an end fed. I had read that a trapped EFHW can be shorter than a standard EFHW due to the inductance of the traps. This appealed to me as I knew from experience that getting a 40-ish foot antenna up in the air is much easier than a 60-ish foot antenna. It took nearly six weeks to research, procure parts and build out this antenna, partly due to the fact I had to build this antenna twice.
My first attempt at this antenna build wasn’t good. I couldn’t get SWR better than about 1.8:1 on any band. I hadn’t tested every component at every step of the build. Thus, I had a hard time determining what went wrong. I used 100 and 150 pF capacitors for the traps which proved to have marginal shortening effects. I needed more turns on the toroids! I decided to do more research and start over.
Thanks to advice and blogs from folks like Dan AI6XG and Fred KT5X, I settled on a different, better design of the trapped EFHW. I ordered more parts. Switched out to 15 and 33 pF capacitors. I took my time to build and test this antenna in a step by step manner. The results were much better the second time around. Overall 45 feet 8 inches long and weighing two ounces. SWR better than 1.5 to 1 on all three bands.
I had the idea to place a TinySWR kit in line between the RCA plug and the end fed matching unit. I know there are SWR kits which can be installed within the radio, but I didn’t want to modify the MTR3 in any way. The stock design is sublime. I also built a back-up emergency antenna into the design. If for some reason I have a trap fail, I installed a bullet connector right before the first trap. Thus, I can disconnect the 30 and 40 meter portions of the antenna and have a basic resonant 20M EFHW. These thoughtful touches seemed to perfect the antenna.
Photo 1: Completed miniSWR, matching unit, 30m trap, and 20m quick disconnect
I tried to be thoughtful with the other choices in my kit as well. At 3.5 ounces and the size of a bag of coffee, the LowePro CS40 padded case proved to be ideal. I found it cheapest from a UK-based eBay seller. I made my flight deck out of the steel housing from an old external CD Drive. I measured, cut and filed the edges. It’s perfectly sized for loose Rite in the Rain paper, lightweight and thin. A metal flight deck also can hold the magnetic base of my CW paddles. When it came to the battery, I decided to go with a RC airplane LiPo battery. Fuzzy math told me that the 650 mAh would give me more than enough operating time. Once complete, I was happy to find the entire kit weighed in at just 18 ounces, not counting a throw weight or collapsable mast.
Photo 2: The completed MTR3 kit
My first activation with this kit was September 21st. I wasn’t sure how well I would do. Band conditions weren’t the best the previous two days. I went to my favorite spot, Bunker Hill (W8O/SE-009) located within Great Seal State Park (K-1954) in south central Ohio. It’s a short 20 minute hike to the high point on what was a partly cloudy 70 degree Thursday morning. I set the antenna up in a sloper configuration, gave my dog Togo some treats, ate half my sandwich, took a sip of coffee, and pulled up the POTA and SOTA spotting pages.
In just over an hour I had made 54 QSOs covering all 3 bands. The MTR3 combined with the trapped 20/30/40 EFHW worked flawlessly. It was an absolute joy to operate.
Photo 3: First activation complete
That joy came from the sublime kit for sure. But enjoyment also came from the community carried within the kit itself. The MTR3 from Julia KF8JBB. The paddle and wire winder designs from Adam K6ARK. The MiniSWR Kit from Ara N6ARA. The Trap PCB boards from Tim N7KOM. The toroids, capacitors, and antenna advice from Dan AI6XG. The blog post from Fred KT5X. The 3D printing from my nephew Colin. Even the RigExpert I bought from Glen W1ND this Spring was integral. This kit is an homage to that community.
Figure 2: First Activation QSO Map
If you made it to the end, thanks for reading! I hope it was interesting and helpful.
Tuesday, September 5, 2023, was a gorgeous day. A hot day, but a beautiful one!
I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to fit in a quick SOTA activation and the most accessible summit that day was Bearwallow Mountain.
Bearwallow Mountain (W4C/CM-068)
I was in South Asheville all day, so Bearwallow was only about a 25 minute detour.
Since it was a Tuesday in the latter part of the morning, there were few others parked at the trailhead. Had it been a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday? It can be difficult to find a parking spot. Indeed, the previous day (Labor Day) I’m sure it was packed!
I practically had the place to myself, though.
The hike up was most enjoyable although it was hot and humid, so sweaty I became.
That said–and I think I even say this in the activation video below–I really wished the hike was a bit longer. The Bearwallow trail is maybe a mile long.
I wanted a longer hike, but in truth, didn’t have the time for one anyway.
Bearwallow’s summit is a large pasture. It does offer up some spectacular long-range views.
Bearwallow is also home to a lot of comms towers including a number of local repeaters.
In the early fall and spring, I go over my QRP radios and give serious thought to how I’ll build compact field kits around them.
Why? I’m pretty sure it’s the pending change in weather that’s the catalyst. The temptation to get back out there and make some contacts.
Then again, any excuse: I absolutely love building field kits, and fortunately it never gets old.
The radios I’m considering at present are my MTR-3B (named Threepence) and KX1, now named Audrey. (Yep, I chose “Audrey”…thank you for all of the amazing suggestions!)
Both of these are ideal little radios for kitting out because they’re so compact and truly made to be taken to the field.
One of these two radios––and I haven’t decided which one yet––is going to live in my EDC bag.
The Tom Bihn Stowaway in black has been my EDC bag for many years. I’ll need to pay attention to the weight and bulk of this field kit, because I’ll be lugging it pretty much everywhere.
I’ve got some ideas and a couple of pouches in mind, so this will all start coming together soon.
But first…
Care to share your portable radio kit?
One of the things I enjoy doing when I’m putting together a new field kit is to check out what others have done. It’s a great way to get some fresh ideas…and besides, it’s just plain fun to compare notes.
If you would like to showcase your field radio kit on QRPer.com, please send a short write-up with photos detailing how/why you built your kit as you did, and list all of the components with links to the manufacturers.
We only ask that you send your own original ideas––and not just a link to another website article or video––as we’d like this content to become part of the QRPer archive. That way, if an external link is removed, it’ll still be safe and sound here. (We take our archiving seriously on this site.) Of course, we welcome links to blog articles and videos in your post.
Simply send your information via email to my callsign K4SWL at QRPer.com.
I realize that I’m fortunate, in many ways, that I perform POTA activations at times when parks are relatively quiet: weekdays, mostly, and during that 9-5 window when many are at work. On the flip side, I’m also activating when there are fewer hunters out there.
The upshot, for me, is that I rarely have any competition for picnic tables or activation spots at state and national parks. In general, as you’ll see in my activation videos, the park is quiet and sometimes I literally have the place to myself.
I actually take this for granted until I activate on a busy weekend or a holiday. Something like…
Labor Day!
While traveling back to the QTH on Monday, September 4, 2023, I decided to pop by Lake James State Park (K-2739) for a quick POTA activation.
Lake James State Park spans about 3,743 acres and is divided into two areas: the Catawba River Access and Paddy’s Creek Area.
Typically, I play radio at the smaller Catawba River area because there are so many excellent picnic sites with loads of trees.
The Paddy’s Creek area is much larger and (big bonus) has many more trails.
Paddy’s Creek also has a large beach and swimming/boating area with a huge parking lot and large covered picnic shelter (that is often occupied or reserved).
On Labor Day, the weather was gorgeous and, as you might imagine, the park was packed!
So why did I choose Paddy’s Creek on such a busy day?
I might have mentioned in a previous video that we recently purchased a used Volvo C40 Recharge EV (Electric Vehicle). While I normally charge it up at home, I’m trying to familiarize myself with charging on the go as well.
I’d read that Lake James has two (free!) convenience chargers at the Paddy’s Creek area. I drove to the site mainly to see where the were located. On such a busy day, I didn’t assume either of the chargers would be available–my plan was to find them, then head to the Catawba River access.
But turns out, the only available parking spot I could find at the Paddy’s Creek lot was one EV charging spot right there at the beach access and shelter! What!?! That’s an omen, I told myself, so I pulled into the spot, plugged in, and by golly, the car started charging.
I’m still new at this stuff, so it’s all a bit of magic to me. Forgive my excitement.
Xiegu fans will be happy to see that this new transceiver has a removable battery pack. If this pack is easy to source/obtain, that will indeed be a strong point.
It looks like Xiegu has also added fixed rails to protect the front panel along with reinforcement around the chassis.
It looks quite durable, although it also appears there are two knobs protruding on the top of the radio–?
On our previous post, there were a number of skeptical comments about the new Xiegu transceiver. Indeed, some of the comments were from X6100 owners who feel that Xiegu hasn’t fully completed all of the published features promised in the ‘6100 (which was released two years ago). A number of owners also commented that getting support or repair work done after the one year warranty has challenging. These are, for sure, some of the risks associated with price-competitive radios. Xiegu radios offer a lot of features for the price.
After this radio new is released, I will reach out to Xiegu or Radioddity and ask for a loaner to test in the field. I’ll be very interested to know if it has a few of these improvements over previous models:
Better front end with some built-in BCI filtering
Cleaner audio with balanced AGC
Lower noise floor
Longer battery life than the X6100
Published features which actually work in the first production run
I haven’t gotten a confirmation of the price or availability yet.
If you’ve been reading QRPer.com for long, you’ll no doubt have gathered that I’m [understatement alert] a big fan of the Elecraft KX1.
A couple months ago, a good friend and supporter of this site/channel, reached out to me because he planned to sell his pristine Elecraft KX1. He’s in the process of downsizing his radio inventory in preparation of a move.
He wanted me to have first dibs at his KX1 and I couldn’t refuse. I knew it would be a great unit and I wanted two fully-functioning KX1s.
You might ask, “But wait Thomas, don’t you have three KX1s???”
Yes, this is true.
With this latest addition, I have now have two fully-functioning KX1s (a 3 and a 4 band version) and one other in need of repair. After I make the repair, I plan to give this radio to a friend (one who doesn’t read QRPer regularly) so will be back to two KX1s.
Since Elecraft has discontinued the KX1, they’ve become difficult to find on the market and when they do appear, they often demand a very high price.
That said, if you’ve been looking for a KX1, you will eventually find one. All of my friends who’ve wanted one have put out word and found willing sellers in due time. Elecraft sold quite a few of these back in the day, so there are units floating around out there.
Tuttle Educational State Forest (K-4861)
On Sunday, August 27, 2023, I had an opening to play a little radio and fit in a hike at Tuttle Educational State Forest.
At the time, I needed a little radio therapy and outdoor break: my mom had been admitted to the hospital the previous day (they released her a few days later and at time of posting she’s doing much better).
Tuttle was only a 30 minute drive from the hospital and, as I suspected, I was the only visitor there that Sunday–educational forests aren’t nearly as busy as other NC state parks.
After a nice 3-ish mile hike, I grabbed my radio backpack from the car and started recording an activation video.
My goal was to test this new KX1 and to set up CW message memories.
Many thanks to Kevin (N2TO) who shares the following announcement:
Announcing the Brooklyn QRP Doghouse Operation Sprint 2023
I would like to thank Thomas K4SWL and offer my congratulations for induction into the ARCI QRP Hall of Fame! Well done!
Here is a sprint you can work and stay out of the doghouse on the Saturday afternoon prior to Thanksgiving. Play radio, and have plenty of time to mow the lawn, shovel snow, clean the guest room; do whatever it takes to get ready for Thanksgiving.
This is a single-op QRP CW sprint. Stations may be worked more than once on different bands but area codes count once.
Date: Saturday, November 18, 2023 Time: 1700-2100 UTC
Information can be found here: https://brooklynqrp.blogspot.com/ If you would like to operate the sprint please email brooklynqrp@gmail.com as we are trying to drum up interest. Results will be posted after Christmas. We hope to hear QRP CW activity on November 18th and have a great sprint.
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