If you’ve been a reader of QRPer.com or a subscriber to my YouTube channel, you’ve no doubt figured out that I’m a huge fan of the Elecraft KX1 transceiver.
The KX1 was my first handheld CW field transceiver and, frankly, it still holds its own today as an effective and fun field radio. With up to four bands, an optional internal ATU, internal battery pack, attachable paddles, and even a built-in logging lamp, it was well over a decade ahead of anything else in its class for size, weight, and portable versatility. In fact, the only commercially available product that truly bests the KX1 in every category is the Elecraft KH1—produced two decades later in 2023.
Using the built-in LED logging lamp!
Even with the release of the KH1 and other ultra-compact radios on the market, the KX1 remains a rare find on the used market and has long since been discontinued.
Over the past few years, I’ve received numerous inquiries from readers asking which spare parts they should order to keep their KX1s on the air.
Back in 2021 or 2022, I placed an order with Elecraft for a few needed parts to repair my KX1. While I was at it, I decided to order additional spare parts I might need in the future.
Before placing the order, I consulted with Elecraft’s KX1 repair specialist to get suggestions—focusing especially on components that may not be easy to source outside of Elecraft. Fortunately, Elecraft still maintains a healthy stock of KX1 parts—no doubt because every KX1 started life as a kit!
Suggested Spares List
I recently went back into my order history and pulled together a full list of the parts I purchased for my KX1 spares bag. Some of these components (like the 3.5mm jacks) are relatively common, but I’ve included them here for completeness:
Front face buttons (from Mouser, Elecraft no longer has these)
I would have added a spare firmware chip to the list, but those are no longer available. If you’re digging into your KX1, handle that firmware chip with care and take precautions to protect it from electrostatic discharge.
The good news? All of these parts—and every other component in the KX1—are easily cross-referenced in the KX1 manual. You might even spot a few other components worth adding to your order while you’re browsing.
Some of you might recall that back in the summer of 2022, I performed a POTA activation with my buddies Eric (WD8RIF) and Miles (KD8KNC) at Hawks Nest State Park (K-1813). Here’s the field report, and video:
You might have also noticed that I recently performed an activation with my own Elecraft K1. Here’s a bit of the back story on this particular radio:
My K1 Journey
I originally owned an Elecraft K1 from around 2010 to 2013. It was a four-band version (40, 30, 20, and 15 meters) with the optional ATU. I loved that little radio, but at the time, I wasn’t as dedicated a CW operator and hadn’t yet discovered programs like WWFF and SOTA—POTA didn’t even exist back then! Those programs would’ve given me a perfect excuse to take a lightweight, portable radio to the field regularly.
Eventually, I sold my K1 to help fund the purchase of an Elecraft KX3.
I mentioned in my 2022 K1 field report that I’d been keeping an eye out for a deal on another K1. That Hawks Nest activation reminded me just how much I enjoy operating this simple QRP kit radio.
Not an Easy Search
Finding a good K1 isn’t easy, for a few reasons.
First, there are quite a few K1 variants out there, since Elecraft offered a number of optional packages. The K1 supported up to four bands, but the default kit only included two. Optional modules included an ATU, a battery pack, and a noise blanker.
Most of the K1s I’ve come across have only two bands and no ATU. I’ve been on the lookout specifically for a four-band version with the ATU.
K1s—regardless of configuration—rarely show up on the used market. When they do, the good ones are snatched up almost instantly.
And perhaps most importantly: all K1s started life as kits. There was never a factory-assembled option. So, your K1 is only as good as the person who built it. Building one yourself is no longer an option, either—at least, in the past ten years, I’ve never seen an unbuilt K1 kit at a swap meet, in person or online.
Then Came a Tip…
On July 19, 2024, my buddy Eric (WD8RIF) sent me a message about a K1 for sale.
I skimmed the message on my phone and immediately noticed that it belonged to Joe White (WA4GIR), one of the founding members of the Knightlites QRP Association. It was a four-band K1 with the ATU and the internal battery pack—asking price: $550 shipped.
I ran to my computer and fired off an email expressing my interest.
Soon after, I learned from Gary (N3GO) that this was actually an estate sale to benefit Joe’s widow. Somehow, I had completely missed the /SK in Eric’s original message. Joe had become a Silent Key in July 2023, and I had missed the news due to our summer travels that year.
Suddenly, $550 didn’t feel like too much at all. I had been hoping to find a K1 closer to $400–$450, but this one had two valuable options I wasn’t even counting on. On top of that, it was built by someone I knew of—and had even met before.
Totally worth it, in my book.
Not a Shelf Queen
This K1 isn’t going to sit on a shelf. I plan to take it to the field and put it through its paces with both POTA and SOTA.
Eric reached out last month and asked if I needed a noise blanker module for my K1. Honestly, I hadn’t even checked to see if mine had one installed.
Turns out, the internal battery pack and the noise blanker are mutually exclusive—you can’t install both. The smaller speaker used with the battery pack conversion kit occupies the same physical space as the NB module.
That’s fine by me. I very rarely need a noise blanker in the field anyway and I’ve no plans to mount this in a vehicle.
That said, I am considering replacing the AA battery holder with a small Li-Ion pack—maybe even one I can charge internally, like Elecraft’s KXBT2.
I’m curious: have any other K1 owners done this mod? Had Li-Ion packs been commonplace back when the K1 was released, I imagine this would’ve been a standard option.
Fine Tuning
This radio is in excellent shape—impressive considering it was built in 2001 (serial number 420!).
The only maintenance I’ve done so far is calibrating the frequency—it was about 500 Hz off. I do eventually need to look at the button contacts, which are a bit finicky.
K1 Bail or Stand?
If you own a K1, I’d love to hear what solutions you’ve found for propping it up in the field.
I’m thinking about adding a small fold-out laptop foot, like the one I installed on my TR-35, to give it a better viewing angle. I don’t want anything bulky—just a little elevation to make operation more comfortable. Please comment if you have a suggestion!
Why the K1 Still Shines in the Field
After spending time with this K1 again, I’m reminded why it’s such a superb field radio—especially when fully loaded. With the internal ATU, it easily matches my random wire antennas, making setup in the field quick and painless. I love that the K1 is a complete field radio system in one compact package.
The receiver and audio characteristics are truly impressive: it has a low noise floor, smooth QSK, and brilliant, mellow audio that’s easy on the ears during long CW sessions. Keying is clean and responsive—just what you want when you’re trying to work a pileup or snag that weak signal.
And while it’s not pocket-sized like some modern QRP rigs, for a tabletop-style radio, the K1 is remarkably small and lightweight. It slips into a field pack without taking up much space, yet delivers performance that holds its own against much newer gear.
Since the K1 was a kit radio, it’s also easy to repair and incredibly well-documented. I’ve always believed that kit radios are ideal for emergency preparedness. If something goes wrong, it’s much easier for a non-radio-tech to trace a fault and potentially fix it. That peace of mind—knowing you can service your own gear—is a huge bonus.
In short, the K1 may be over two decades old, but it still ticks all the right boxes for avid field operators!
Some of you might recall that I tested both an early prototype and a production model of the Xiegu X6200—both arranged to be sent to me on loan by Radioddity.
One of the biggest issues I had with the X6200 was that the keyer timing was off. These keying issues were most noticeable when operating in iambic mode, especially when forming letters like C, R, or K by squeezing the paddles—something I often do. For example, when I tried sending a “C,” as in “CQ,” the keyer would produce a “B” instead.
On October 14, 2024, Xiegu released firmware version 1.0.3, which some readers told me addressed the keyer timing. But, of course, my life changed on September 27 when Hurricane Helene swept through the mountains of North Carolina. Testing firmware was the last thing on my mind, and frankly, it just slipped through the cracks.
This past Wednesday morning, I realized that I had never updated the firmware on my X6200 loaner and tested the keyer timing in real-world conditions. So, I downloaded the update, installed it, and packed up the X6200 for a POTA outing at Lake James State Park (US-2739) that afternoon.
I actually recorded this activation and will publish a full field report and video in a couple of weeks.
In the meantime, I wanted to get the word out early: the keyer timing issues are pretty much resolved!
Why do I say “pretty much”?
Before Xiegu addressed the keyer timing, making contacts was tedious due to the number of times it would miskey a character.
On Wednesday, that was no longer the case. The keyer responded as it should and worked very well.
That said, I did note three minor anomalies:
1. Occasional Miskeying of “C”:
About three times over the course of my activation, when I sent a “C” by squeezing the paddles, it produced a “B.” So, roughly 3% of the time, this happened. I plan to reach out to Xiegu and see if they can tweak this further. In truth, though, I suspect this might be a nuance of my own sending style. I may even try shifting from Iambic B to Iambic A mode to see if it resolves the issue. Either way, I don’t consider this a major concern.
2. Inaccurate Keyer Speed Indicator:
The displayed keyer speed is off. When I set it to 18 WPM, it was actually sending at 22 WPM. Likewise, 20 WPM was closer to 25 WPM. This is easy to compensate for once you’re aware of it, but it’s worth noting.
3. One Keying Pause:
Once, when I sent my callsign rapidly three times in a row for a QRP DX contact, the keyer paused briefly, as if the buffer had filled, then resumed. It was a bit odd, but it only happened once. I’m not sure if this was related to the keyer itself or another element in the radio software that needed time to catch up. Regardless, it didn’t hinder my activation.
Of course, I’ll be sending these observations to Xiegu.
Summary
Before firmware update 1.0.3, I couldn’t recommend the X6200 to operators who primarily planned to use it for CW—it would have been a frustrating experience.
Now that Xiegu has addressed the keying issues (with the few exceptions noted above), I believe CW operators won’t encounter significant problems using this radio.
That said, I’m not done with the X6200 yet. I plan to take it to the field and use it in the shack for a few more weeks before shipping it back to Radioddity (who, at this point, have probably written off this poor radio!).
Look for my full X6200 field report and activation video in the coming weeks!
PS: If you’re a Patreon supporter, keep an eye on your inbox! I’ll be sending out an audio dispatch this morning–an addendum to this post–where I share more detailed thoughts about the X6200 and discuss the key characteristics I look for in a transceiver as a CW operator.
PSS: Many thanks to Radioddity for sending me this X6200, which has amounted to a very extended loan. Radioddity is a supporter and affiliate of QRPer.com. If you use this affiliate link you’ll save 5% off your purchase.
Last year, just a few weeks before Hurricane Helene hit our area, I received a large package containing several partial kits and even a couple of transceivers.
The package came from a reader and subscriber who wanted to downsize his radio collection but didn’t want to sell his gear. He refused to let me pay him—even for shipping—seeing it instead as a way to support QRPer.com and my YouTube channel. An incredibly kind gesture!
On Monday, February 10, 2025, I finally took one of those radios to the field: an Index Labs QRP Plus.
As many of you know, I’m quite a fan of this radio. Not only was it one of the first compact general coverage QRP transceivers on the market—back in the mid-1990s—but it’s also a brilliant piece of engineering and ergonomics.
Beyond that, there’s a strong nostalgia factor for me. The QRP Plus was the first QRP radio I ever saw in person… back in 1997.
With an opening in my schedule, I was eager to put this radio on the air. The only POTA site that was convenient based on my travels that day was the Blue Ridge Parkway. Since I was already in east Asheville, the Folk Art Center made for the perfect spot to give the QRP Plus its POTA trial.
I picked a picnic table and then set up the Chelegance MC-750 vertical. In no time, I was ready to hit the air!
Gear:
Note: All Amazon, CW Morse, ABR, Chelegance, eBay, and Radioddity links are affiliate links that support QRPer.com at no cost to you.
You might recall from my last field report that I was undecided about keeping or selling my Ten-Tec Argonaut V transceiver.
After some soul-searching, I’ve decided to keep it!
The response from the QRPer community was incredible. With few exceptions, nearly everyone who reached out encouraged me to hang onto the Argo V—largely because it falls into that category of radio nostalgia that I’d likely regret parting with and might even end up repurchasing down the road. I have to say, I agree.
Beyond its classic look and feel, my latest activation confirmed that the Argo V is a serious performer. The QSK is silky-smooth, with no audio muting whatsoever—something I now realize is a big part of why I enjoy operating it so much.
Although I also own the Argonaut VI—an upgrade in terms of receiver performance—it’s an entirely different radio with a different architecture. It’s not simply a “newer, better” Argonaut V, but rather a unique design in its own right.
I received dozens of emails from readers interested in buying the Argo V if I decided to sell. Thank you all for reaching out—and apologies for the change of heart! Of the few who actually suggested I sell it, nearly every one of them added something along the lines of, “You should sell it… to me!” Ha!
During last night’s recording of the Ham Radio Workbench podcast, I mentioned this decision, and my dear friend George (KJ6VU) pointed out something important: taking a radio into the field or putting it on the air before deciding to sell is a great practice. Initially, I thought doing so had biased my decision—but in hindsight, I’m glad I did. The experience reminded me why I enjoy this rig so much, and I’m looking forward to giving it much more air time this year.
Thanks for coming along for the ride, and my apologies to those hoping to snag my Argo V. It’s staying put!
On Wednesday, January 5, 2025, I planned a trip to Hickory to pick up my father and take him to lunch. With our family’s hectic schedule, I hadn’t been able to spend any meaningful time with him in weeks, so I was looking forward to catching up.
Of course, as is tradition, I also planned a POTA activation en route.
That morning, before leaving the house, I debated which park to activate: South Mountains State Park, Tuttle Educational State Forest, or Lake James State Park?
It had been a long time since I’d activated South Mountains, so I considered heading there. However, after checking their website, I was surprised to find the entire park still closed due to damage from Hurricane Helene. I hadn’t realized the storm had impacted the foothills that severely—though with miles of trails, it made sense that they were still working to clear blowdowns.
Next, I checked Tuttle, only to discover it was still closed as well. Wow…
I knew the Catawba River access at Lake James was open because I had activated it a few weeks prior. Sure enough, their site confirmed that the Paddy’s Creek area—the park’s largest section—remained closed. Wow.
Clearly, I had underestimated the damage these parks sustained after Helene.
So, I set my course for Lake James, hoping that, by spring, the other parks would reopen. No doubt, park staff were working hard to make that happen.
Another mission
I had a specific radio in mind for this activation: my TEN-TEC Argonaut V.
I bought this radio used almost four years ago and have been very pleased with it. I’ve always been a big fan of Ten-Tec, and to me, the Argo V embodies the super-simple design I loved from their late 1990s/early 2000s radios. It features a big LED display, a prominent encoder, and a proper fold-out bail underneath—a solid legacy field radio.
What I love most about the Argo V (and Ten-Tec radios in general) is its superb audio, low-noise receiver, and silky-smooth QSK.
The Argo V wasn’t built to be a power miser—the audio amplifier is beefy and a bit current-hungry (I believe it draws around 500mA in receive, and more with audio output). But the tradeoff? Outstanding audio quality. It’s the perfect radio for Field Day or long operating sessions when you want to avoid listener fatigue. It’s also a fantastic shack radio.
That said, because of its bulk—and my tendency to grab smaller radios for field use—the Argo V has primarily lived in my shack.
When I bought the Argo VI, I told myself I might let go of the Argo V at some point. I’ve been debating this ever since.
Lately, I’ve been actively downsizing my shack. I need to sell, trade, or give away radios I’m not using. I don’t like harboring “shelf queens”—I want my radios to get regular airtime. But since bringing the Argo VI into the shack, the Argo V hasn’t seen much action.
My friend Vlado (N3CZ) and I plan to sell gear at the Charlotte Hamfest in a couple of weeks. I figured this POTA activation might help me decide whether to sell or keep the Argo V.
So, with my Argonaut V and my Tufteln linked 40M EFHW packed, I made my way to Lake James!
Lake James State Park (US-2739)
That morning, Lake James was incredibly quiet. There were very few visitors—even though this was the only section of the park open.
Then again, it was early on a Wednesday morning, not exactly prime time!
I chose a picnic table near the parking lot since I was carrying the Argonaut V and gear in a storage box rather than a backpack.
My high-visibility ABR cable assembly.
I quickly deployed my End-Fed Half-Wave (EFHW) antenna and set up the Argonaut V.
Testing the TouchPaddles
Next, I hooked up my new-to-me TouchPaddles, a generous gift from a kind subscriber/supporter.
These keyers were originally sold as kits and have been discontinued for at least a decade. Though a bit bulky, it’s a fantastic CW accessory!
It uses capacitive touch paddles instead of mechanical parts. The added bulk and weight keep it stable while keying.
The unit also has built-in CW message memory. I haven’t programmed it yet (if you have experience with this model, let me know how!), but I plan to experiment with it soon.
The paddle has two output modes:
Standard paddle output (for radios with built-in keyers, like the Argo V).
External keying mode (for radios without built-in keyers or those with poor internal keying).
I used the standard paddle output since the Argo V’s internal keyer works brilliantly.
With everything hooked up, it was time to hit the air!
Gear
Note: All Amazon, CW Morse, ABR, Chelegance, eBay, and Radioddity links are affiliate links that support QRPer.com at no cost to you.
Last year, at the Tokyo Ham Fair, Yaesu unveiled the long-awaited FTX-1F portable HF transceiver. After years of speculation, we finally have a successor to Yaesu’s venerable FT-817/818 product line on the horizon—a radio series with an impressive run of over two decades.
The Yaesu FTX-1F (Source: Yeasu)
I’ve enjoyed reading the flurry of comments that continue today from readers following the FTX-1F announcement many months ago. The reactions are all over the map, but overall, it seems the FTX-1F checks a lot of boxes for amateur radio field operators.
This got me thinking…
From Sparse to Abundant
When I was first licensed in 1997, options for compact, portable QRP transceivers were few and far between. Sure, there were some kit radios and a handful of basic analog options, but almost no general-coverage QRP field radios. The only one that came close (besides the Argonaut II, which wasn’t exactly backpack-friendly) was the Index Labs QRP Plus.
Don’t get me wrong—there were some classic QRP radios out there, but they weren’t exactly compact. Tossing one into a daypack for an afternoon hike? Not likely.
Fast forward to today, and it’s a completely different story. The market is overflowing with QRP radios, offering something for every type of operator.
A radio for every preference and budget
Sub-$400 radios? You’ve got options like the QRP Labs QMX, CFT1, (tr)uSDX, Xiegu G-106, and Venus SW-3B/6B.
Affordable kits? Check out the QRP Labs QCX/QMX series, the CFT1, and (until recently) the Penntek transceivers.
Ultra-compact CW transceivers? Look no further than the Elecraft KH1, Mountain Topper MTR series, and QRP Labs radios.
Shack-in-a-box radios with built-in ATUs, mics, and batteries? Consider the Elecraft KX2, Xiegu X5105, X6100, and X6200.
High-performance QRP rigs? There’s the Elecraft KX3 and Icom IC-705.
Spectrum displays and built-in sound cards? The Icom IC-705, Xiegu X6100/X6200, and likely the upcoming Yaesu FTX-1F (fingers crossed) have you covered.
And that’s just scratching the surface. The past decade has brought an explosion of innovation in the field-portable space, making it hard to keep up.
I couldn’t have imagined a radio like the KX2 back in 1997! Nineteen years later, it was a reality.
Even better, prices have become more competitive. Adjusted for inflation, we’re getting more radio for our money than ever before. Sure, some options are pricey, but compared to 1997, we’re living in a golden age of QRP.
A personal perspective on radio prices
Case in point: my first HF transceiver was a used Icom IC-735, which I bought for around $700.
Original IC-735 sales flyer
At the time, that felt like a solid deal for a full-featured HF radio that originally retailed for $1,150. Adjusted for inflation, that $700 would be about $1,371.83 today.
For perspective, one of the priciest QRP radios on the market right now is the Icom IC-705, which retails for $1,349.95 at time of posting. That’s $21.88 less than I paid for my used IC-735 inflation-adjusted.
On the flip side, if you adjust the cost of a brand-new, assembled QRP Labs QMX (roughly $200) to 1997 dollars, it would have been about $102.
Better still, if you’re willing to build the QMX from a kit, you can snag it today for roughly $102 in 2025 money.
Had the QMX existed in 1997? The kit price would have been $52.19 inflation-adjusted!
Sure, inflation-adjusting isn’t a perfect science—it doesn’t account for many other economic factors like manufacturing advances, material costs, or exchange rates—but it’s still a fascinating metric to use for perspective.
Talk about a bargain!
It’s a brilliant time to be a QRPer!
Working DX with a handheld radio and a 4-foot whip antenna? We live in amazing times, indeed!
So, while it might sometimes feel like “the perfect radio” doesn’t exist or that prices are sky-high, I believe we’re actually living in the best time to be QRP operators. The options are plentiful, the innovations are remarkable, and the value for money has never been better.
In late December, I received a much-anticipated package from LnR Precision: my new MTR-3B V4 “Currahee.”
Life has been hectic, so I didn’t get the opportunity to take it to the field until Thursday, January 9, 2025, when I carved out some time in my schedule.
It was a chilly morning, with temperatures hovering around 20°F (-7°C). Still, I wanted the full field portable experience with the new Currahee, so I bundled up in my winter gear and headed out.
Pisgah National Forest
Rather than doing another activation on the Blue Ridge Parkway, I checked the Pisgah National Forest website and was pleasantly surprised to find that the Lake Powhatan recreational area was open.
When I arrived, the park employee at the entrance gate informed me that I was the only guest that morning. And what a morning it was! Despite the cold, the clear skies and full sunshine made it a glorious day.
The best part? No competition for picnic tables! Woo hoo! (We must embrace the positives, right?)
Quick field kit
About 10 minutes before leaving the house, I hastily put together a quick field kit for the Currahee in my Pelican Micro M50 waterproof case.
This was a trial run to see how I might organize a fully self-contained kit for the Currahee, similar to what I’ve done for my other MTR-3B radios. While I didn’t have time to finalize all the kit components, I wanted to gauge the space available and determine what antenna, throw line, and other accessories would fit best.
Tufteln Cover
Joshua (N5FY), a good friend, sent me a package over the holidays containing some of his latest Tufteln protective radio covers. To clarify, these were gifts; I didn’t pay for them. Among the covers was a brand-new design specifically for the Currahee.
Like all of his covers (you’ve probably seen the ones I use for my KX2, KX1, CFT1, QMX, and others), this one fits brilliantly. In fact, it might be my favorite! The Currahee cover provides a durable, low-profile solution that complements the radio perfectly. Makes it a very durable little package.
Break-In Activation
In the near future, I plan to create a more in-depth video about the Currahee, but my goal for this outing was to get it on the air and give it a solid break-in.
Although the Currahee features built-in capacitive touch paddles, they require contact with bare skin. I wasn’t keen on exposing my fingers to the cold, so I opted to use my trusty TP-III paddles instead. By the end of the activation, my fingers were still getting sluggish, but I managed to log plenty of QSOs.
For audio, I paired the Currahee with my Anker Soundcore Mini speaker and connected it to a 40-meter End-Fed Half-Wave antenna. This antenna is an ideal match for the Currahee since all three of its bands—40, 20, and 15 meters—are resonant. Kudos to LnR and Steve for these excellent band choices!
For power, I used my 9V Bioenno battery. While the Currahee can handle over 13VDC (making it compatible with a “12V” LiFePO4 battery), I prefer running my Mountain Toppers with 9V, which yields about three watts of output power.
Gear:
Note: All Amazon, CW Morse, ABR, Chelegance, eBay, and Radioddity links are affiliate links that support QRPer.com at no cost to you.
Many thanks to Pedro (PP2PB), who shares the following article about his portable field radio kit, which will be featured on our Field Kit Gallery page.
Pedro’s (tr)uSDX Compact and Affordable Field Kit
by Pedro (PP2PB)
Here’s my new kit.
This kit weighs just under 1,2kg and has phone and CW operations in mind. I might add some cables for digital modes, but I haven’t tested this rig with digital modes, just yet.
The (tr)uSDX was bought assembled with the LO bands RF board, and I assembled the HI RF board myself. I got Adam’s alternative case printed out for easy band switching and did a minor mod to the RF boards soldering a Zener diode reverse polarized as a high SWR protection.
I also added a USB port to the battery pack because the (tr)uSDX can operate with around 0,5W directly from USB and that’s a great way to test for SWR and fine tune the antenna without stressing the finals.
The manual antenna coupler is also my creation and even though it doesn’t appear on the exploded view it does fit in there no problem (it was added after I took the pictures).
Homemade 6W dummy load made inside a 90º BNC male connector (2x 100ohms 3W resistors in parallel) – great cheap insurance with these simple rigs.
Small USB Cable
Generic Earbuds
(tr)uSDX power cable with powerpoles
20m of 24AWG wire for the primary antenna with some generic red paracord for setting it up
Charger for the battery pack with powerpoles
Homemade battery pack using a 4S battery holder with 3x 18650 cells and a BMS board, and the extra space for a step down DC converter with USB out and the 12V powerpoles
Many thanks to Glen (KC8LA) who shares the following guest post:
New QRPer and Eight Months with the Elecraft KH1
by Glen (KC8LA)
Let me introduce myself—I’m Glen, KC8LA. I’ve been a ham for 30 years, but I only started hunting POTA activators in mid-to-late 2023. Before long, I thought, “Wouldn’t it be fun to activate parks myself?”
Of course, YouTube was the place to learn how to get started. I saw that I’d need a portable radio (like the FT-891), a tuner, a power source, a multiband antenna, and a way to hoist it into a tree. Whew! It all sounded like a lot of lugging gear for just a couple of hours of radio fun. Was it worth it? Back to YouTube I went, searching for an easier way.
Over the years, I’d never thought much about QRP. Then, I stumbled across videos of Thomas, K4SWL, beta-testing a new self-contained Elecraft radio: the KH1. I watched every KH1 video I could find—so many that I joked Thomas became my “best friend” through the screen.
“This is it,” I thought. “I’ll get the KH1!” But when I checked the price, I had to pause and think. After a couple of weeks, I finally decided to order it on November 22, 2023, figuring it would arrive in early December, just in time to prepare for my first activation in January.
Nope. The wait time was three months, pushing the delivery date to February. I could wait, though! In the meantime, I set up my FT-891 in the Jeep using alligator clips to the battery, hamsticks, and a laptop table between the seats for my key and notepad. It worked, but I was just sitting in the Jeep. Come on, KH1!
Due to parts delays, the wait stretched to five months. While I waited, I practiced activating parks with the FT-891 and figured out the basics to be ready for the KH1’s arrival.
Finally, on April 18, 2024, the KH1 arrived. I was sitting on the porch when the mail carrier handed me the box. I opened it right then and there, assembled it, and made my first contact on 20 meters. My hands tremble a bit, so it was challenging, but I did it. Over time, I practiced and now comfortably run 18–20 WPM.
My first activation with the KH1 was on April 26, but it didn’t go as planned—only four contacts. Undeterred, I tried again the following weekend. Eight contacts. Still not a success. Thomas made it look so easy in his videos!
I began researching what I was doing wrong. I learned that a 5-watt activation takes longer than one at 100 watts (obvious in hindsight). Time of day, solar conditions, and operating on QRP-friendly frequencies all make a big difference. Once I adjusted my approach, my third activation was a success, and they’ve been going well ever since.
In the meantime, Hamvention rolled around, and since I live nearby, I put activations on hold. At Hamvention, I made a beeline to Wayne from Elecraft, shook his hand, and thanked him for dreaming up the KH1. We swapped some war stories—I even shared how I’d worked 3G0YA split on 15 meters from a park!
Anytime, Anywhere Radio Is So Much Fun!
Fall at Kiser Lake State Park (US-1966)
Since the KH1 arrived, I’ve completed 70 activations across 23 parks in three states, including seven parks in Utah over five days (a story for another time). Of those, 60 were with the KH1, with only four failures—two due to learning the radio and two from running out of time. I’ve logged around 1,000 activation contacts with the KH1 so far.
The KH1 goes everywhere with me, and I use it 95% of the time in its portable, self-contained configuration. Occasionally, I deploy my homemade “chalk line” EFHW antenna, which consists of 33 feet of 2mm throw line and 41 feet of 26-gauge wire. It’s compact, tunes well, and clips nicely to the KH1’s ES-20 case.
Pool mobile at Grand Lake Saint Marys State Park (US-1953)
I’ve done activations at a variety of locations: tire shops, birthday parties, weddings, bike paths, and even my living room chair. The KH1 makes HF portable operation so easy that I’m contemplating buying a second one as a backup.
Picnic table my home park, Sycamore State Park (US-1995)
The built-in key has been a mixed bag—I’m already on my second one, and I’ve had to use my backup key a few times. But the radio’s battery life has been excellent, easily lasting four two-hour activations before needing a charge. The tuner works flawlessly, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how well the built-in speaker performs in quiet environments.
Exploring the Outdoors
Davey Woods State Nature Preserve (US-9403)
What I love most about the KH1 is how it’s transformed my radio journey. It’s encouraged me to get outdoors, discover new places, and revisit sites I haven’t seen in decades. My home park, US-1995 Sycamore State Park, is just 20 minutes away, and I’ve activated it 27 times, logging 594 contacts toward my Kilo award.
I’m still working, so I need to plan activations carefully for parks that are more than an hour away. But with the KH1, I’m always ready for an adventure.
Final Thoughts
North Country Trail National Scenic Trail (US-4239)
I would have never believed that a tiny radio with a 45-inch antenna could reliably make HF contacts, but the KH1 amazes me every time I pull it out. It’s my radio of choice for almost all CW contacts now—I’ve probably made fewer than 20 CW contacts on my FT DX10 and FT-891 since getting the KH1!
Yes, there are plenty of other portable radios out there, but for me, the KH1’s convenience, low “lug factor,” and quick setup time are unbeatable. I can be on the air in under a minute.
If you’re on the fence about trying QRP or the KH1, I say go for it. It’s a radio that has truly enhanced my life, and I can’t imagine my portable adventures without it.
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The KX1 was my first handheld CW field transceiver and, frankly, it still holds its own today as an effective and fun field radio. With up to four bands, an optional internal ATU, internal battery pack, attachable paddles, and even a built-in logging lamp, it was well over a decade ahead of anything else in its class for size, weight, and portable versatility. In fact, the only commercially available product that truly bests the KX1 in every category is the Elecraft KH1—produced two decades later in 2023.
Over the past few years, I’ve received numerous inquiries from readers asking which spare parts they should order to keep their KX1s on the air.
I also added a USB port to the battery pack because the (tr)uSDX can operate with around 0,5W directly from USB and that’s a great way to test for SWR and fine tune the antenna without stressing the finals.
