[Elecraft] HFpack and the KX-Line

[Wayne Burdick]

Hi all,

HFpack is a form of pedestrian mobile (/PM) operation where the radio is secured to your body or installed in a pack in such a way that it can be used when needed without any setup. There's a dedicated Yahoo group for those interested in this ("hfpack"). This is a great source of information. HFpack operators have their own operating events, special frequencies, etc.

The small size of the KX2 should make it ideal for HFpack operation. An op who currently use FT-817 mentioned this when we were at Dayton. The KX2 is half the weight and has twice the power output, meaning more of his weight budget could be dedicated to batteries, antennas, etc. 

The KX3 is another frequent choice for HFpackers, thanks to its expanded band coverage. 6 meters works great with small antennas, and the 2-meter option also comes in handy.

As a frequent hiker, I often use the KX2 hand-held. But I'm interested in exploring the possibilities of pack- or belt-mounting the rig. I can also imagine a rapid-deployment whip antenna attached to the pack frame. It could be a telescoping whip such as an MFJ1820, or maybe a wire spool with a weight for tossing it into a tree.

In the half-crazy-but-who-cares department: how about putting a small tuned loop *inside* a backpack? On a band like 17 meters, which is great for HFpack during the day, a small loop would be reasonably efficient, and could cover most of the SSB portion of the band without retuning.

In an month or so, Scott (AK6Q) will have a light-weight, snap-in mobile mount bracket for the KX2. This should be useful for some potential HFpack installations. Beats velcro :)

Anyone working on an HFpack installation? 

73,
Wayne
N6KR