Tag Archives: Steve (KV4AN)

Field Radio Kits, News, QRP Radios

Steve’s MTR3B-V4 Field Kit in a Rothco Shoulder Bag

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Many thanks to Steve (KV4AN), 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.

KV4AN’s MTR3B-V4 Field Kit

by Steve (KV4AN)

The convergence of Solar Cycle 25, lots of great new equipment offerings, many active participants in Parks on the Air (POTA), Summits on the Air (SOTA), and compatible family outdoor activities make this a great time to be a portable High Frequency (HF) QRP ham radio operator.  To take advantage of this happy situation, I was recently able to purchase a MTR3B-V4 “Currahee” Mountain Topper transceiver, shown in figure (1).  The MTR3B-V4 is a miniature three band (40, 20, and 15 meters) CW only QRP transceiver made by LNR Precision.

Figure 1.  MTR3B-V4 “Currahee” QRP Transceiver.

Naturally, I had to form a kit around the new radio.  My three goals for the kit were: small size, lightweight, and self-contained.  Let’s see how I did.  You can comment below if I left something out or if there’s a better choice.

The kit consists of the following items, as shown in figure (2)–links to these items are at the bottom of the page:

Figure 2.  MTR3B-V4 Kit.
  1. MTR3B-V4 “Currahee” Transceiver – 40, 20, and 15 meter QRP CW Transceiver.
  2. Custom Faceplate Cover – A practical and reasonably priced custom faceplate protective cover.   I accidentally ordered the cover for the previous version of the radio, but Joshua had no problem with me changing the order to the new one.
  3. Morse Code paddle – This is a reasonably priced paddle with a fairly good feel that I had lying around when the capacitive knobs didn’t work out.  I plan to replace it in the future with the CW Morse SP4 POTA/SOTA N0SA design paddle, which is smaller and field proven.
  4. 3.5mm Stereo Cable – A 1.5 foot, 3.5mm to 3.5mm stereo (TRS) cable.
  5. Koss Earbuds – Nice quality stereo earbuds.
  6. Earbud Cord Organizer – I hated to add the extra item, but I got tired of untangling the  wires of my earbuds.  This clever item has solved that problem and is color coordinated with the slick line.
  7. All-Weather Notebook – All-weather notepad for copying QSO information in the field.
  8. Miniature Pen – This is a miniature pen that says it writes on waterproof paper.  It will also write upside down, although that may not be a feature you need during normal activations.
  9. Koss In-line Volume Control – An in-line volume control for use with the earbuds.  The MTR3B-V4 has a rudimentary volume control, primarily used to set the maximum volume level.
  10. Battery Pack Pouch – A small pouch that perfectly holds the battery pack and keeps all the components together and protected.  If you use Icom BP-307 or BP-272 battery packs, they fit perfectly too.
  11. Battery Cell Holder – An eight “AA” cell holder with a 9V-style clip.  Eight “AA” NiMH batteries will provide a nominal 9.6V to the transceiver.
  12. AA NiMH batteries – Eight 1.2V “AA” NiMH 2800 mAh Low Self Discharge (LSD) battery cells.
  13. 9V Snap Clip – These are good quality 9V snap connectors that also have the coaxial power connector required by the MTR3B-V4 already attached.  They are more durable than the ones with exposed thin red and black wires.
  14. Coaxial Adapter – SO-239 to BNC adapter for use when using other antennas with coaxial cables which have a PL-259 connector.
  15. Reliance EFHW “Bugout” Antenna – A very small and sturdy 40, 20, 15, and 10 meter End-Fed Half Wave (EFHW) resonant antenna.
  16. Slick Line – High visibility slick line, which ties to the arborist throw bag to get the antenna into a tree and then suspends it.
  17. Arborist Throw Bag – A well-made arborist throw bag with a good all-around weight.
  18. Gerber Mullet Keychain – An all-in-one minimalist tool kit.  Better than a sharp rock, as they say.
  19. Rothco Shoulder Bag – A military-style shoulder bag, just large enough to hold all the kit components.
  20. Battery Charger – The battery charger (not shown) is an eight cell NiMH charger.  It does not fit in the shoulder bag and is left at home.

Of course, it all had to fit in a tacticool bag.  I selected the small Rothco Excursion Organizer, The shoulder bag, shown in figure (3), has all the items from figure (2) in it (trust me).  Use the orange pen as a reference for the size of the bag.  Clipped to the “D” ring on the left side is the Gerber “tool kit”.  The pocket on the front left has the CW Morse paddle, the pen is in its place, and the zippered pocket on the right has the earbuds.  The back zippered pocket has the antenna and battery pack, and safely nestled in the main area is the MTR3B-V4 and an arborist throw bag.  There is a zippered sleeve in the main pocket that contains the cable for the keyer paddle, an adjustment Allen wrench, and the SO-239 to BNC adapter.

Figure 3.  MTR3B-V4 Shoulder Bag.

Conclusion

One thing you may have asked yourself is why I included a Morse Code paddle when the MTR3B-V4 has a set of capacitive touch knobs.  The answer is simple – they didn’t work for me.  I really wanted them to, but the pad of my thumb will not activate the “dit paddle” without moistening it first.  Even then, I have to press the knob hard at a point almost to the joint, which is not a natural code sending motion or feel and results in very sloppy code.

Another item I purchased, but decided not to use was a pair 9V 500 mAh Lithium Ion rechargeable batteries.  The voltage of this battery right off the charger is below the specified input voltage for the MTR3B-V4.

The battery is the area in which I am most concerned.  I’m concerned that the 9.6V NiMH pack may not provide enough voltage over an activation to keep the voltage above the specified minimum voltage of 9V.  I may have to go to a 12V LiFePO4 battery, but that will not fit in the current shoulder bag.  I may have to go with a larger bag or use a MOLLE system where I can strap together several pouches.

I think I’ve came close to achieving my three goals of: small size, lightweight, and self-contained.  I’ve not completed an activation with this kit yet, so I’ll see how it all works together in a few weeks.  I’m also looking forward to reading your comments and suggestions.

72,

Steve

KV4AN

Gear List Links

[Note: Most Amazon and CW Morse links are affiliate links that support QRPer.com at no cost to you.]

  1. MTR3B-V4 “Currahee” Transceiver (MTR3B V4 Currahee Mountain Topper)
  2. Custom Faceplate Cover (LNR MTR-3B-v4 Currahee Magnetic Protective Cover – Tufteln)
  3. Morse Code paddle (Black Pocket Double Paddle Morse Code Key – cwmorse.us)
  4. 3.5mm Stereo Cable (Amazon.com: Aux Cord 1.5ft, 3.5mm Aux Cable – Nylon Braided Audio Cable 3.5mm Male to Male AUX Cord Compatible with Car,Headphones, iPods, iPhones, iPads,Tablets,Laptops,Android Smart Phones& More (1.5FT) : Electronics)
  5. Koss Stereo Earbuds (Amazon.com: Koss 191651 KE5 Earbuds (Black) : Electronics)
  6. Earbud Cord Organizer (Amazon.com: ELFRhino Cord Organizer Earbuds Holder Earphone Wrap Earphones Organizer Headset Headphone Earphone Wrap Winder Cord Manager Cable Winder Green : Electronics)
  7. All-Weather Notebook (Amazon.com : GLORYFIRE Waterproof Notebook Tactical All-Weather Spiral Memo Paper Notepad with Waterproof Grid Paper for Outdoor Activities Recording 3″x5″ (5pcs) : Office Products)
  8. Miniature Pen (Amazon.com : Tombow BC-AP54 Pressurized Permanent Ballpoint Pen (Can Write on Wet Paper/Back), Air Press to Squeeze Ink Ink, 0.7, Orange : Rollerball Pens : Office Products)
  9. Koss In-line Volume Control (Amazon.com: Koss 155954 VC20 Volume Control, Standard Packaging, 39-Inch Cord, Compatible with Cell Phones and Headphones : Volume Control: Electronics)
  10. Battery Pack Pouch (Amazon.com : TRIWONDER Tactical Cigarette Pouch Molle Small Military Bag Battery Cigarette Case EDC Utility Card Holder Lighter Slot Mini Cigar Waist Pack (01 Green – 2 Pack) : Sports & Outdoors)
  11. Battery Cell Holder (Amazon.com: QTEATAK 2Set 8 x AA Thicken Battery Holder with I Type Wired Battery Clip Standard Snap Connector : Electronics)
  12. AA NiMH Batteries (Amazon.com: WENJOOP Rechargeable AA Batteries, 2800mAh High-Capacity NiMH AA Rechargeable Battery Long-Lasting Power, 8 Pack Double A Batteries Size for Household and Office Devices – 1.2 Volt Low Self Discharge : Health & Household)
  13. 9V Snap Clip (Amazon.com: CHANZON UL Wire 9V Battery I-Type Power Supply with Center Positive 2.1mm x 5.5mm Male DC Connector Holder Clip Converter, 5 Pack for Arduino, LED Strip : Electronics)
  14. Coaxial Adapter (Amazon.com: Ahoaepy 2PCS UHF to BNC Adapter, Low Loss SO239 Female to BNC Male Coaxial Cable Connector Adapter for CB Radio,Radio,Antennas.Extension Coax Cable : Electronics)
  15. Reliance EFHW Antenna (EFHW Bugout 56:1 40-10M Antenna – Reliance Antennas)
  16. Slick Line (Amazon.com : LiteOutdoors Guyline & Tensioner Kit – 1.8mm Diameter – 60 or 100 feet – Ultralight Reflective Tent Cord, Lightweight Non-Slip Cord Adjusters. Camping, Hiking, Paracord : Sports & Outdoors)
  17. Arborist Throw Bag (Amazon.com : SOB Outdoor Throw Weight Bag 250g Arborist Durable Climbing Rope Bag Multi Throw Bag Tree Rock Spelunking : Sports & Outdoors)
  18. Gerber Mullet Keychain (Gerber Gear Mullet Keychain – Multi-Tool Keychain with Pry Bar, Bottle Opener, and Wire Stripper – EDC Gear and Equipment – Stonewash – Amazon.com)
  19. Rothco Shoulder Bag (Amazon.com: Rothco Excursion Organizer Shoulder Bag, Olive Drab : Clothing, Shoes & Jewelry)
  20. Battery Charger (Amazon.com: EBL AA AAA Battery Charger, 8-Bay Individual Charger for NiMH NiCD Rechargeable Batteries with AC Plug Fast Charging : Electronics)

 

Field Radio Kits, Guest Posts, Morse Code, News, Portable, QRP

Field Radio Kit Gallery: KV4AN’s Elecraft KH1 Field Kit

7 Comments

Many thanks to Steve (KV4AN) 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. 

KV4AN’s Elecraft KH1 Field Kit

by Steve (KV4AN)

The Elecraft KH1 is a new radio with less than two hundred delivered, so I thought the readers of QRPer.com may be interested in my take on a KH1 Field Kit.

The KH1 “Edgewood” package has everything necessary for 20-15 meter ultra-portable operation, such as pedestrian mobile, Summits on the Air (SOTA), or Parks on the Air (POTA).  Elecraft put a lot of thought into it and like others have said, “I feel like it is the radio I always wanted.”  However, I also wanted to be able to operate 40 and 30 meters and to be able to take it on a trip for a week; perhaps by air.  There were three challenges that needed to be overcome to meet to do this:  I needed an antenna for 40 and 30 meters, a way to recharge the battery, and everything needed to fit in one small protective case.

Figure 1. KH1 Field Kit Packed Up.

My solution was a field kit that had everything needed to operate 40-15 meters in the smallest possible hard case – the kit and components are shown in figures (1) and (2).

Figure 2.  KH1 Field Kit Components.

Components and Gear Links

The components of the KH1 Field Kit are listed below.  Every piece had to “earn” a spot in the Nanuk 904 hard case.  I tried the Pelican Micro M50 case, which is a little smaller than the Nanuk 904, but not everything would fit.

[Note: Most Amazon links are affiliate links that support QRPer.com at no cost to you.]

  1. KH1 Transceiver – A new ultra-small, self-contained, five-band, QRP, CW transceiver manufactured by Elecraft.  The optional Edgewood Package includes a detachable keyer paddle, logging tray, ballpoint pen, ES20 carrying case, a telescoping whip antenna for 20-15 meters, and a 13 ft. counterpoise wire.
  2. ES20 Carrying Case – A custom soft case made by Elecraft for the KH1.  Protects the KH1 and enables ultra-portable operation.
  3. Panasonic RP-HJE120-K Stereo Earphones – Used as miniature headphones.  Fits in ES20 case.
  4. OLIGHT I3E-VROG-300000 Keychain Flashlight – Chosen for its extremely small size and orange color.  Uses one “AAA” battery.  Fits in ES20 case.
  5. Nanuk 904 Hard Case – This case was selected because it was large enough for the KH1 in its ES-20 soft case and all the gear in this list.  The quality of the Nanuk case is very good.
  6. Tufteln EFRW Antenna – This antenna has a 31 ft. radiator and a 17 ft counterpoise.  It was chosen because of its very small size when packed, good performance on 40 and 30 meters, and ability to be used with the KH1 internal tuner.
  7. Tufeteln Line Winder.  This is Line Winder for the EFHW antenna kit, purchased separately to store the arborist throw line.
  8. Gerber Mullet Micro-Multitool – Chosen for small size.  Has a Phillips and straight screw driver and a wire cutter/stripper.
  9. SOB 8 oz. Arborist Throw Bag –A durable arborist throw bag.  This is a replacement for the Camnal Throw Bag pictured.  Used to loft the antenna support line over a tree limb.
  10. X Monster Throw Line 1.8mm Easter Rope for Aborists, 50 ft. – Used to enable suspension of the end of a wire antenna from a tree.
  11. OXZEEWEE 12V 1A Power Supply Charger Adapter – a small wall-wart AC adapter used to charge the battery.
  12. Wisedry Desiccant Pack – 20 oz rechargeable silica gel pack – used to keep the inside of the sealed case dry.
  13. BNC to SO-239 Adapter – Enables use of coaxial cable with PL-259 connectors.

CONCLUSION

The Nanuk 904 Hard Case was the perfect size for all the things I needed for 40-15 meter operation on a muti-day trip and it is small and light enough to put in your carry-on bag for a flight.

Field Radio Kits, Guest Posts, News, Portable, QRP Radios

Field Radio Kit Gallery: KV4AN’s Icom IC-705 Field Kit

6 Comments

Many thanks to Steve (KV4AN) 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. 

KV4AN’s Icom IC-705 Field Kit

by Steve (KV4AN)

A requirements-driven portable communication capability, using a modular implementation concept, was the basis for my IC-705 Field Kit.  I’ve loved portable radio operating since shortly after getting my license back in 1975.  My first portable radio was the over-the-shoulder Kenwood TR-2200A 2m FM transceiver.  There is now a happy confluence of advanced electronics technology, customer-focused radio manufacturers, radio sport groups like POTA and SOTA, and hams who want to combine outdoor adventures with their ham radio hobby.   The result is the ability to create and operate highly capable portable ham radio field kits, such as the IC-705 Field Kit that I’m going to describe in this article.

The kit consists of up to three man-packable bags: a Radio Bag, an Antenna Bag, and a Computer Bag, as shown in figure (1).  The Radio and Antenna bags must be brought to every activation, but the computer bag can be left at home if I don’t plan to use digital modes.  I can also swap out Antenna Bags, depending on what kind of antenna you need for the specific activation location and park rules, like: ability to use a ground spike, size of activation area, presence of suitable trees, primary operating bands and expected propagation conditions, and so forth.

Figure 1.  IC-705 Field Kit loaded up and ready for a park activation (click image to enlarge).

Radio Bag

The Radio Bag contains everything necessary to operate the IC-705 in the field.  It can be carried in one hand, worn over-the-should, or worn as a fanny pack.  With the load-out listed below and shown in figure (2), it weighs around 15 lbs.

[Gear links list at end of article.]

A. Icom IC-705 Transceiver.  Chosen for its “all-band”, “all-mode” capability with base station features and performance.  It’s a superb, state-of-the art radio, and a joy to operate – but, it “feels” a little delicate with the large unprotected touch screen and protruding light plastic knobs.

B. IC-705 Front Panel Cover. This was chosen to protect the delicate front panel of the IC-705.  I didn’t want one of the cages, because they add bulk and weight to a reasonably small and light weight radio.  This cover fits perfectly, doesn’t mar the radio body, and provides great impact protection when the radio is not in use.

C. Icom AH-705 Antenna Tuner. This is a good antenna tuner and matches the IC-705 (in appearance and electronic functionality) very well.  It is large compared to the Elecraft T1, but it runs off two “AA” batteries, which I really like.  The tuner uses a BNC coaxial patch cable and a 1/8” stereo patch cable for connection to the IC-705.   I don’t need to use this tuner very often as my antenna typically has a low SWR on 40 – 10 meters.

D. Icom HM-243 Speaker-Microphone. The HM-243 comes with the IC-705.  I’ve never used the speaker part of it, but the microphone has good voice reproduction.  If needed, I planned to use the speaker in place of headphones.

E. N3ZN ZN-QRP Special Iambic Keyer Paddle.  I got this marvelous quality and wonderful feeling paddle in beautiful Blaze Orange – so I feel like I’m the radio operator from a downed aircraft trying to get rescued.  The paddle is a little heavy for portable use, but at least it doesn’t move around while sending.  It uses a 1/8” stereo plug patch cable for connection to the IC-705.

F. Tactical Range Bag. This bag was chosen because the IC-705 fit perfectly in the main compartment and there were additional compartments for all the small accessories.  It also came in Army Green color.

G. Icom MBF-705 Desk Stand. Stabilizes the radio when it is on a table or in the Radio Bag and positions it for easy viewing and operating.

Figure 2. Radio Bag and Contents (click image to enlarge).

H. Icom BP-272 Standard Battery Pack. 7.4v, 1880 mAh pack that came with the radio and attaches to the back of it.  I use this as the spare battery pack.

I. Icom BP-307 High-Capacity Battery Pack. 7.2V, 3150 mAh pack that attaches to the back of the IC-705.  So far, this battery pack has been sufficient for my POTA activations.

J. Tactical Drop Pouch.  This pouch fits in the bottom of the main compartment of the Radio Bag and can hold either a Bioenno 12V, 12Ah, LiFePO4 battery or the front panel cover (used as a spacer).  The IC-705 sits on top of the Tactical Drop Pouch when in the Radio Bag, which elevates it enough that the IC-705 can be easily operated.

K. Smiley Antenna Company TRI-Band.  This is a telescoping 1/4 wave 2m and 5/8 wave 440 antenna that attaches directly to the IC-705.  It performs well with the IC-705 and fits inside the tactical bag when collapsed.  Another advantage of the telescoping whip is it can be adjusted for best SWR.

L. USB Cable.  The USB C to Micro USB cable is used to connect the IC-705 to the portable station computer to control the radio and pass audio and data.  This cable is needed, even if you connect using WiFi for rig control and audio, to send GPS NMEA format position and time data from the IC-705 to the computer.  I was told by Icom Technical Support that the cable should not be longer than 3 feet and should have an RFI Choke at each end.  The combination of the short cable, USB C connector instead of USB A, and the RFI chokes seems to help the noise problem that that the IC-705 has when a USB cable is plugged into it.  The other solution is using the RS-BA1 software.

M. Emergency HF Antenna. This is a home-brew antenna with a 24 1/2 foot radiator and 12 1/2 foot counterpoise that attaches to the AH-705 Antenna Tuner with a BNC to binding post adapter.  It is rolled up on a line winder and there is some paracord to hold up the end of the radiator.  This is a back up antenna in case something happens to the regular antenna.

N. Assorted Coaxial Adapters: BNC to SO-239, SO-239 Barrel, BNC Elbow, and BNC to binding post.

O. Tactical Pen.  A nice heavy pen for outdoors use.   Used for logging.

P. All-Weather Notebook. Weather-proof notepad for outdoor use.  Used for logging.

Q. Leatherman squirt E4: A Swiss Army-like miniature tool set with a wire stripper and screw drivers.  It is used to perform minor repairs in the field.  This tool has been discontinued by the manufacturer.

R. Gerber Recon Task Flashlight.   A rugged miniature flashlight that runs on 1 “AA battery and has different color lens.

Antenna Bag

An Antenna Bag goes on every activation.  The primary bag contains the components of the Chameleon Antenna Tactical Delta Loop (TDL) antenna.  The TDL is a versatile antenna that can be configured as a small Inverted Delta Loop or a 17 foot ground mounted vertical.  I usually use the 17 foot ground mounted vertical configuration because it takes less than five minutes to deploy, performs well, doesn’t attract much attention, and does not require a tuner for 40 through 10 meters.

The Antenna Bag itself is the Sunrise Tactical Gear, Tactical Tripod Bag Gen 2 (32 inch length).  It is exceptionally durable and holds all the components of the TDL antenna.  It can be worn across the back for easy carrying.  The Antenna Bag and all components weigh around 11 lbs. Continue reading Field Radio Kit Gallery: KV4AN’s Icom IC-705 Field Kit →