[Elecraft] AX1 Disappointing Performance

Thu Sep 26 21:41:15 EDT 2024

I have the KH -1.  
I have always had an interest in: how small one can make a radio relative to good performance?
Before the KH-1 I considered the KX-1 that I own as an ideal, small, competent, self-contained 2-band radio, with tuner. I have built others, as kits, or one band units on my own---just for fun.
I have so far worked the following stations while seated on my couch using KH-1. All of them relatively strong of course.
Wb0rlj,  NEAi0y,  MNK7RI, UTWC7C, WA
Like the KX-1, this little radio hears well.  I was surprised to hear EU stations coming through, very weak but q5 on 20m, one evening while walking up and down my drive way.  
Is it possible to build a smaller radio, plus fit a battery and tuner inside of it?  
I don't see how!
73, Will, wj9bMiddleton, ID

CWops #1085
CWA Advisor levels II and III
http://cwops.org/ 

    On Thursday, September 26, 2024 at 06:32:53 PM MDT, MIKE ZANE via Elecraft <elecraft at mailman.qth.net> wrote:  

 QRP is a fun way to do ham radio. 1992 WPX contest from Aruba as P40Z was amazing, I couldn't work all those that called me as wife shut me down to go on some or another excursion.  Mike n6zw
> On 09/26/2024 2:10 PM PDT Bill Johnson <k9yeq at live.com> wrote:
> 
>  
> Dan, nice to know someone else is active like me at 79.  I have also used 174 and 316 with no ill effect for shorter lengths and low power.  Working QRP is a learning experience and is enjoyable.  The rewards are great!
> 
> 
> Bill
> K9YEQ
> ________________________________
> From: Dan Presley <n7cqr at arrl.net>
> Sent: Wednesday, September 25, 2024 10:54:09 PM
> To: Bill Johnson <k9yeq at live.com>
> Cc: Mike Fatchett W0MU <w0mu at w0mu.com>; elecraft at mailman.qth.net <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] AX1 Disappointing Performance
> 
> 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. And at 5W in the field there’s no need for any baluns or chokes unless you’re using a high impedance end fed. If all goes well next week I’ll be taking the KH1 and the MC-750 for a SOTA activation on Mary’s Peak in the Oregon coast range. 4100 feet and a nice little hike. I’m just glad I can still pull this off at age 73…
> Dan Presley 503-701-3871
> @me. com
> N7CQR at ARRL.NET
> 
> 
> > laOn Sep 25, 2024, at 21:53, Bill Johnson <k9yeq at live.com> wrote:
> >
> > Use your analyzer to lengthen/shorten the radial and calculate the appropriate counterpoise.  Know that the AX1 antenna design was for direct connection.  The operator adds capacitance that would lower effective frequency.  The tuner will let you load anything.  Shut off tuner and work for lowest reflective power.
> >
> > Bill
> > K9YEQ
> > ________________________________
> > From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net <elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net> on behalf of Mike Fatchett W0MU <w0mu at w0mu.com>
> > Sent: Wednesday, September 25, 2024 7:19:18 PM
> > To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
> > Subject: Re: [Elecraft] AX1 Disappointing Performance
> >
> > You have a small compromised sized antenna and QRP.  Maybe your
> > expectations are a bit off.  Many people seem to do quite well with
> > mobile setups using hustler/hamsticks.  If you are going camping how
> > about a dipole or similar?  Toss a dipole in a tree for 20m is easy.
> > You are wasting your time on 40m in Idaho and probably 30m.
> >
> > W0MU
> >
> >> On 9/25/2024 4:57 PM, Dave (NK7Z) wrote:
> >> Hi,
> >>
> >> If possible raise the antenna higher.  Add more radials...
> >>
> >> A friend of mine has one of these and we took it out at a portable
> >> station using a KX radio.  It was 6 feet above the ground, and had 6
> >> radials on it, each around 20 or 30 feet long, sloped heading to the
> >> ground.  We used WSPR on it during the big eclipse a few years back,
> >> and it worked really well, hits all over the world on 20... Radials
> >> are the key to making it work better. Being a shortened antenna it
> >> will never work as well as say a 6BTV, but it will work well with a
> >> decent set of radials.
> >>
> >> 73, and thanks,
> >> Dave (NK7Z)
> >> https://www.nk7z.net
> >> ARRL Volunteer Examiner
> >> ARRL Technical Specialist, RFI
> >> ARRL Asst. Director, NW Division, Technical Resources
> >>
> >> My favorite definition of an intellectual: 'Someone who has been
> >> educated beyond his/her intelligence'.  Arthur C Clarke
> >>
> >>> On 9/25/24 15:17, James Bennett via Elecraft wrote:
> >>> Several months ago I started building up a POTA station, including a
> >>> KX3 (with internal tuner), the AX1 Dual Band Antenna, the AXE1 40
> >>> Meter Extender, and the AXT1 Tripod Adapter. This afternoon I finally
> >>> got the time to see how this antenna plays. I was a bit disappointed.
> >>> Here is the setup:
> >>>
> >>> KX3 (with internal tuner), 25 feet of RG-316 with ferrites on the
> >>> radio end, five foot tall carbon fiber tripod sitting in the middle
> >>> of my back yard; no other resonant antennas on the property.
> >>>
> >>> The KX3 / ATU WAS able to find a match to the antenna on all the
> >>> bands. At first I thought that was great. But being a bit curious, I
> >>> disconnected the coax and hooked up my Rig Expert AA-55 Zoom. Ughhh.
> >>> On 40 meters, with the long radial attached and suspended 4-5 feet
> >>> above the yard, the antennas was resonant at 7.574 MHz - that’s a tad
> >>> more then the +- 200 KHz stated in the specs. And quite ugly for
> >>> where I wanted to operate: 7.052 KHz. So, I added the shorter radial,
> >>> also up above the ground, going a different direction. NO CHANGE to
> >>> the resonant frequency. Yes, I did have the AXE1 installed, and yes I
> >>> had the switch set to the “20m” position.
> >>>
> >>> OK, let’s give 30 meters a try. I set the switch to “17m”, and the
> >>> Rig Expert to 10.116 +- 5 MHz. Yikes - the thing was resonant at
> >>> 8.070 MHz - very long way from 10.116. Adding the short radial
> >>> changed the SWR at that frequency from 1.46:1 down to 1.33:1 but no
> >>> change to resonant frequency.
> >>>
> >>> 20 meters didn’t fare much better. I set the switch to “20m”, removed
> >>> the AXE1, and connected only the short radial. Minimum SWR of 1.34:1
> >>> was seen at 15.330 MHz. At my desired operating frequency of 14.052,
> >>> the SWR was 6.9:1. Not a very good SWR but one that the ATU can
> >>> easily handle.
> >>>
> >>> 17 meters was just as bad. With the short radial it was resonant at
> >>> 19.780 with an SWR of 1.15:1; at 18.116 it showed 6.83:1 SWR. Again,
> >>> something the ATU can deal with, but…..
> >>>
> >>> While I understand that this is a compromise antenna and it isn’t
> >>> going to be spot on on every band, I’m a bit frustrated in what I’m
> >>> seeing here. With five watts output into those kind of SWRs, I’m sure
> >>> I’m loosing quite a bit of my power in heating the coax and the
> >>> modules in the ATU. I hesitate to go out on a maiden POTA activation
> >>> with an antenna showing close to 7:1 SWR at my operating frequencies,
> >>> even though the ATU “corrects” that.
> >>>
> >>> Any suggestions here? Is this “normal” for the AX1 and AXE1?
> >>>
> >>> Jim Bennett / K7TXA
> >>> Eagle, ID
> >>>
> >>> SKCC #10447T
> >>> B.U.G. #301
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> ______________________________________________________________
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