[Elecraft] QRP rig for backkpacking

Thu Feb 6 02:28:00 2003

     I've taken my K1 on many a backpacking/camping trip.  With four
bands, the internal batteries, and internal tuner, nothing else even comes
close. My only criticism of the rig itself is the initial VFO drift when I
first start using it, and the lack of a display light or cw freq readout.
(BTW, if ROM space is the issue, perhaps one of the other processors could
be used?  I could see running a jumper from one of the unused pins on the
noise blanker's PIC to the audio chain :).
     I do have another problem, tho...  I've so fallen in love with the
little critter that I hate to stuff it in my backpack!  For any extended
trip, it's my first choice.  For one night in the woods, however, I've
been looking for something a little smaller and less pretty :).  I've been
most interested in the DSW, but, as mentioned, they're currently (Dave has
hinted at something similar in the future) out of production.  I tried the
Rock Mite, but it just wasn't quite enough radio for me.  I recently (last
weekend :), built an SST, and I think it might be just about right!  I
would also recommend looking at the SW+. Both are essentially variations
on the 40-40 design.  Indeed, it looks like Wayne started with the 40-40
schematic and hacked on it until he couldn't reasonably reduce the part
count any further :).  The SST uses a 10k rock-bender VFO.  The SW+
retains the original 35-40k VFO and so is probably slightly more useful in
practice.
     With the K1, I've been using a 60 some-odd foot doublet made of light
stranded speaker wire.  Come this summer, I'm going to try an end-fed
dipole made out of RG174.

     The SW+ is available from Small Wonder Labs:

	http://www.smallwonderlabs.com

     The SST is available from Wilderness Radio:

	http://www.fix.net/~jparker/wilderness/sst.htm


     There are certainly plenty of other small single band rigs out there,
but you don't have to add much before the K1 becomes your first choice.


--
Jessie Oberreuter
[email protected]
"He's a bit on edge, Mr. Johnston -- he hasn't slept since 1945."