Posted: 8/4/2014 1:22:18 PM EDT
Look at all the cool toys! 
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What mic is that and how well do you like it? Looks like the MH3 Hand Microphone for the KX3 with Up/Dn Buttons... LINK |
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Yup it is the Elecraft mic.
I need to make up my little jumpers for the charge controller tonight. I want to use blue and black (blue for red) for the panel input to the charge controller. Since the GV-5 can handle a 5A load I will run it out to power the laptop and radio. |
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I bought my KX3 for a certain purpose. It has kicked butt at everything I have thrown at it. The one thing that my camping trip taught me is that simple connections suck when you have a dozen to make. I wanted something that was easy to deploy. There are times when I may only need 5w and the KX3's internal batteries will work. Likewise there might be a time when I need power for something other than my radio and don't need to chance digging all my gear out while in the field. So here it <a href="http://s1166.photobucket.com/user/jnu5/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20140804_163256_zpsetr1chm7.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i1166.photobucket.com/albums/q610/jnu5/Mobile%20Uploads/20140804_163256_zpsetr1chm7.jpg</a> <a href="http://s1166.photobucket.com/user/jnu5/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20140804_171143_zps7xqmjwcw.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i1166.photobucket.com/albums/q610/jnu5/Mobile%20Uploads/20140804_171143_zps7xqmjwcw.jpg</a> <a href="http://s1166.photobucket.com/user/jnu5/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20140804_170850_zps8lslz4fh.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i1166.photobucket.com/albums/q610/jnu5/Mobile%20Uploads/20140804_170850_zps8lslz4fh.jpg</a> <a href="http://s1166.photobucket.com/user/jnu5/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20140804_170824_zps1fp0ib5v.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i1166.photobucket.com/albums/q610/jnu5/Mobile%20Uploads/20140804_170824_zps1fp0ib5v.jpg</a> <a href="http://s1166.photobucket.com/user/jnu5/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20140804_170626_zpsmuw0a3wl.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i1166.photobucket.com/albums/q610/jnu5/Mobile%20Uploads/20140804_170626_zpsmuw0a3wl.jpg</a> I have yet to pack it up but I think it will be much easier to pack then my previous setups. PRC-XXX, no messing with cables, and from 3-5W to 20-50 with the flick of a switch (depending on the weight), waterproof, shock proof, outdoor proof... 
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PRC-XXX, no messing with cables, and from 3-5W to 20-50 with the flick of a switch (depending on the weight), waterproof, shock proof, outdoor proof...
As long as you can find one for a decent price, then get or build your own batteries for it, then deal with the fact you have now comforts like filtering, noise blanker, noise reduction, etc. The only cables that are required for operation is a mic and antenna. That gives me 5w 160-6m AM/FM/USB/LSB. The radio is still under warranty and parts to include whole assemblies are still available. I have spent plenty of time behind green radios. Sure I like them and they hold a place in my heart but they are not applicable for my situation. I want something I can toss in a pack on jump on the Appalachian Trail for a couple days with. I have carried a 119 many miles and know that is not what I want to be hiking around. |
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As long as you can find one for a decent price, then get or build your own batteries for it, then deal with the fact you have now comforts like filtering, noise blanker, noise reduction, etc. The only cables that are required for operation is a mic and antenna. That gives me 5w 160-6m AM/FM/USB/LSB. The radio is still under warranty and parts to include whole assemblies are still available. I have spent plenty of time behind green radios. Sure I like them and they hold a place in my heart but they are not applicable for my situation. I want something I can toss in a pack on jump on the Appalachian Trail for a couple days with. I have carried a 119 many miles and know that is not what I want to be hiking around. Quoted:
Quoted:
PRC-XXX, no messing with cables, and from 3-5W to 20-50 with the flick of a switch (depending on the weight), waterproof, shock proof, outdoor proof...
As long as you can find one for a decent price, then get or build your own batteries for it, then deal with the fact you have now comforts like filtering, noise blanker, noise reduction, etc. The only cables that are required for operation is a mic and antenna. That gives me 5w 160-6m AM/FM/USB/LSB. The radio is still under warranty and parts to include whole assemblies are still available. I have spent plenty of time behind green radios. Sure I like them and they hold a place in my heart but they are not applicable for my situation. I want something I can toss in a pack on jump on the Appalachian Trail for a couple days with. I have carried a 119 many miles and know that is not what I want to be hiking around. I agree, I am hoping to take less weight myself on future SOTAs by using the HB-1A (and maybe a small 20W amp, if the 5W proves less than ideal) and 2 lipos on future expeditions. That significantly drops my weight vs the 857D. No voice of course, but the SOTA crew seem to prefer CW anyway. |
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Well I do SOTA SSB, hence needing the extra power....
I can get a 104b to about 10lbs and reasonably compact using the small battery pack and LiPos... If I need to do CW the CW filter/adapter works pretty well too. Most of my other packs work out to a few pounds more depending on which rig it is. My 817 setup which was my super lightweight option was pushing about 5lbs before I put in an enclosure for protection which bumped it 7ish. 3 extra lbs to go from 5w to 25w was a no brainer for me. Though I fully understand if you are going to haul it on the trail for several days, thats when I was taking my 817 stripped down. Does the KX3 only do 5W on the internal batts or can it do the full 10w? |
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I am still trying to find out about the 5w on internal battery thing. Problem is you only get 1.2v per cell so you are right at the bottom of the voltage range of the KX3. I think there is some way to override it but I haven't found it yet.
What I am thinking of doing is digital SOTA. Seems like most ops are CW with a few phone. I think a PSK SOTA would be popular and give more operators that might not get a chance because of not knowing morse code. My panel came back today from Powerfilm. It is working good 
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12.5 pounds Load out: KX3 -All cables, microphone, paddles, larger heat sink, 8 AA batteries, and side kx panels with covers. TH-d72 -12v charge cable, rubber duck, SMA to BNC adapter. Power pouch - 12v 4.5Ah battery, Genasun charge controller, Turnigy power analyzer, 12v socket to power pole adapter, 12v laptop charger, and 3ft power pole extension Powerfilm - 20w model, 6ft cable with power poles Laptop - Acer C7 Chromebook running Linux |
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More scale truth 12v "8Ah" battery 6lbs <a href="http://s1166.photobucket.com/user/jnu5/media/20140805_191331_zpsbf60bxmh.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i1166.photobucket.com/albums/q610/jnu5/20140805_191331_zpsbf60bxmh.jpg</a> 12v power pouch with 20w solar panel 5lbs <a href="http://s1166.photobucket.com/user/jnu5/media/20140805_191635_zpswpn9hvsy.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i1166.photobucket.com/albums/q610/jnu5/20140805_191635_zpswpn9hvsy.jpg</a> Look into LiPo's... or LiFe's worst case... Most of my milpack setups weigh in at around that. Albeit without stuff like solar panels and a laptop since I mainly run SSB with them, unless I'm desperate, then I switch to Data or CW (usually with my cell phone for data). Figure most milpacks (just the TR) weigh in the 7-13lb range, then add 1-2lbs for a Lipo battery. |
| I am using a lithium battery that is how I can keep an entire sustainable power system under the weight of an SLA. |