Tag Archives: Philip (KA4KOE)

Field Radio Kits, News, Portable, Solar

Field Radio Kit Gallery: KA4KOE’s FX-4CR Field Kit

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Many thanks to Philip (KA4KOE) 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, read this post. Philip writes:

FX-4CR Field Kit Load-Out

by Philip (KA4KOE)

I transitioned from a full power station, consisting of a 100W radio and 40 AH of batteries. These items fit into two (2) Apache 4800 boxes. Solar panels 400W and sundries (including a field computer – Pansonic CF-53 Toughbook) went into 4 duffle bags. The antenna pole is not included, either a 10 or 12M fiberglass telescoping type. After 29 activations, I decided to trim down the setup. Fully laden, the pack weights in at 26 lbs.

Inside the pack

  1. FX-4CR SDR transceiver in a protective Velcro wrap.
  2. 6 AH Bioenno and a Genasun GV-5 controller.
  3. 40-10M EFHW with the unun provided by N9SAB with approximately 65’ silicon jacket 22 AWG wire.
  4. 100W coaxial line choke by N9SAB.
  5. Plastic Jubliee Clips (hose clamps) to secure sections of the pole.
  6. Headset, Morse Key, and PTT switch. The key is a field CWMorse unit.
  7. RigExpert Stick 230 in an electric toothbrush case.
  8. AT-100M automatic QRP antenna tuner.
  9. Tent spikes to support antenna mast.
  10. Percussive tool.
  11. Global Solar 62W surplus military solar panel and cables. Cables not shown.
  12. 25’ Coaxial Cable
  13. Kelty Raven 2500 tactical radio pack.
  14. Short 7’ coax section installs between unun and EFHW (Item 3).
  15. Winder with mini-paracord.

Outside the pack:

16. 12M Spiderbeam pole.
17. Windows Tablet, Getac F110-G3, carried in a separate PC shoulder bag.

I can set up my station in about ½ hour. Putting stuff back in the pack takes about 5 minutes longer; mainly getting the pack re-stuffed correctly. With the solar panel I can essentially run all day if I have good sun.

Philip Neidlinger, KA4KOE

Guest Posts, News, Portable, Reviews

KA4KOE takes a look at the FX-4CR by BG2FX

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Many thanks to Philip (KA4KOE) for the following guest post:

The FX-4CR (Manufacturer’s image)

Review of the FX-4CR Mini-Transceiver: What’s Old is New Again.

by Philip (KA4KOE)

Introduction

My start in Amateur Radio began in 1979 as a newly-minted, 16 year-old Novice. At the time, my resources were slim. I worked in a country store; pushing a broom, putting up stock, bagging groceries, etc. I was paid $23.46 every two weeks. At this time, Heathkit was selling kits to the ham radio community that ran the gamut from simple to elaborate. Looking over the catalog, my young eyes were drawn to the HW-8. What drew my attention was not the radio’s features, but the price.

The Heathkit HW-8 was listed for $129.95, plus shipping. I did not even notice that the power output was specified at 3.5 watts on 80 meters. The green gem was a bonafide ham radio transceiver!

In due course, the kit was acquired, assembled, tested, and put on the air with an Elmer’s aid. I made a bunch of contacts with that CW-only transceiver. The term “QRP” never entered my mind. I don’t have any photographs from my early days on the air: the only photograph of the HW-8 dates from 1981 during my freshman year of college. By that time, I had acquired an HW-100 from a fellow ham. See Photograph No. 1: note the chrome Vibroplex Lightning Bug, homebrew “T” network transmatch, and of the course the ‘8 on far right (see red arrow).

Photograph No. 1: KA4KOE in 1981.
Photograph No. 2: Heathkit HW-8. (Image Source: WD8RIF)

Rationale and the radio

Without getting into my entire life’s story, I will start this paragraph by stating that my ham “career” has now come full circle as I’m back to using compact, lightweight, low power gear; this time by choice.

I had the bad habit of deploying too much gear during POTA activations. I came across internet chatter with regards to a relatively new product; the FX-4CR SDR mini-transceiver. The base specifications are as follows:

  • Dimensions: 107mm (4.2”) L x 65mm (2.6”) W x 43mm (1.7”) H.
    Weight: 0.46 KG (1 LB).
  • Bands/Power:  80 meters thru 10 meters, inclusive: 20 watts. 6 Meters: 5 watts.
  • Display and Panadapter Span: 50mm (2.0”) TFT, Approximately 24 KHz +/- (48 KHz total) and waterfall. See Photograph No. 3.
  • Modes: LSB, USB, CW, FM, AM, Digital.
  • Receive Current Draw: 210 mA.
  • Transmit Current Draw: 3.0A to 4.0A at full rated 20W output.
  • Input Voltage Range: 9 VDC thru 16 VDC (do not exceed). The optimal supply voltage is 14 VDC.
  • Connectivity: Bluetooth for CAT/Audio. USB Port for CAT/Audio and Firmware Updates. Integral audio soundcard input/output.
  • Output Power: Continuously variable from 0.1 thru 20W. Recommended maximum wattages are SSB – 20W, CW and Digital – 10W.
  • No internal battery or antenna matching unit.
Photograph No. 2: My FX-4CR, 6 AH Bioenno LFP, Genasun GV-5.

Expectations

The prospective buyer should realize what this radio “brings to the table”. As others have previously stated on the various internet chat groups and social media, do not expect Elecraft performance at the $550 (including shipping) price point for this radio. All radios have flaws and this one is no exception. Issues of which I am aware are as follows: Continue reading KA4KOE takes a look at the FX-4CR by BG2FX →

News

Philip’s POTA power output survey

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Many thanks to Philip (KA4KOE) who writes:

I posted another survey on the POTA Facebook group. I was curious as to how much power people use in their field radio work. The question I posed was “As an activator, I like to run a lot of CW. Balancing time at the site, effectiveness, battery life, similar propagation, etc., what power level do you like to employ? For the sake of simplicity, we are limiting the upper end to 100W.”

The survey size was 291 votes and does not necessarily reflect reality, but the numbers are interesting. Of course, we had some tongue-in-cheek levels entered like 11 watts from one ham; a reference to the movie “This Is Spinal Tap”. I rolled those oddball numbers into the closest one already listed. Here are my results:

100 watts: 32%
75 watts: 4%
50 watts: 15%
40 watts: 1%
20 watts: 13%
10 watts: 11%
5 watts: 23%
Less than 5 watts: 1%

If we take the accepted value for QRP as 5 watts or less, that group is 24% of the total. So, in total, the majority of hams either run full-bore or QRP.

Thank you for sharing this, Philip! 

Hacks and Hints, News, QRP, QRP Radios, QRPer Notes

QRPer Notes: Phil’s Field Antenna Survey Results, Gripping the Palm Pico, and 70’s/80’s Vintage QRP Radios

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Because I receive so many tips from readers here on QRPer, I wanted way to share them in a concise newsletter format.  To that end, welcome to QRPer Notes, a collection of links to interesting stories and tips making waves in the world of radio!

Field Antenna Survey

Many thanks to Phil (KA4KOE) who shares the results from an informal survey he conducted on the POTA Facebook group. Phil writes:

Tom

I’ve let the survey run for about 3 days on the POTA Facebook group. Sample size was 658 votes. I opted to do a “type” survey and not by manufacturer.

Results:

    1. End Fed Half-wave: 25%.
    2. Shortened vertical with loading coil: 20%.
    3. Full-size vertical antenna / Hamstick style vertical with helical coil:12% each.
    4. Full-size dipole/doublet, etc.: 10%.
    5. End Fed Random Wire: 9%.
    6. Screwdriver motorized coil antenna: 3%
    7. Something tossed in tree and just hoped it would work: 2%

Total: 93%.

Remaining obscure types cut-off below 2% accounted for 7%.

Again, like the poll I conducted previously on radio types, not surprised by the No. 1 spot.

What DID surprise me was #7: I put that selection in the poll types as a joke but 2% of hams throw a wire up in a tree or other support with no forethought and hope it works.

The Palm Pico: Getting a grip!

Many thanks to Terry (N7TB) who shares the following tip:

Hi Thomas,

I was looking at your post re: the Pico Paddle.

I have both the single and double Pico paddle and the KX3 mount. After watching you hand hold your paddles, I came up with a way to make small paddles easier to hold. I have attached a photo. It is a small piece of 3/8 ID pipe insulation to make holding the Pico paddle easier.

Have a great trip to Hamvention.

73,

Terry
N7TB

QRP Radios from the 70s and 80s

Many thanks to Ron (W6AZ) who shares the following video from Mikrowave1 on YouTube:

You asked for it! Here is the birth of QRP and a whack at revealing the top 10 QRP Homebrew Projects and Commercial Radios that started it all. What is all the fuss about low power?

Accessories, News, Portable, POTA

Philip shares battery sizing calculator spreadsheet and POTA radio survey results

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Many thanks to Philip (KA4KOE) who shares the following two notes:

Battery sizing calculator

I developed the following spreadsheet as a response to all the folks asking “what size battery should I get“?

That’s one of those questions one can’t answer accurately without more information, so I created a spreadsheet.

Click here to download the spreadsheet (Rev 1 updated Feb 1, 23).

Popular POTA radios

I also recently ran a poll on the Facebook POTA group asking what radio they primarily used for POTA. The sample size was 1,148 votes.

Here are the rankings by percentages:

1. Yaesu FT-891: 25%
2. Xiegu G90: 9%
3. Icom IC-7300 and IC-705: 7%
4. Yaesu FT-857D, FT-991A, FT-817/818: 4%
5. Xiegu 6100, Yaesu FT-897D, Elecraft K/KX series: 3%

I cut off the poll at below 3% as there were 60 entries for various radios.

I’m not really surprised by the top 3 rankings.