[Elecraft] AX1 Disappointing Performance

[Jim Brown]

Matched loss of RG174 is 1 dB on 40M, 1.6 dB on 15M. That's 3X the loss 
of RG58 and RG142. While N6BT has famously observed that "everything 
works," including his example of a light bulb, that's a lot of power to 
waste when you're QRP.

I strongly agree that QRP is a fun challenge, and have done a LOT of it. 
Something like 170 countries confirmed in LOTW in 3-4 years from W6, 
DXCC on at least three bands. I've been part of 3-person teams that have 
won 1A-Battery in FD a half dozen times in ten years.

But QRP calls for ADDING dB, not subtracting them.

73, Jim K9YC

> Also don’t sweat using RG 316 or 174 for reasonably short runs. I use
> 316 from the KX2 to the tripod mounting the AX1 and 174 for my linked
> 40/20/15 dipole. The loss is negligible at short distances at HF.