QRP Club

Ham Radio Activity => Telegraphy => Topic started by: m0ser on December 16, 2013, 22:23:52 UTC

Title: Portable QRP setups - what do you use?
Post by: m0ser on December 16, 2013, 22:23:52 UTC
We all enjoy /p QRP work and there is nothing better than seeing other peoples setups/kit/go-cases.

I use a KX3 portable with various antennas (incl. the g-whips).

Here are a snap from recent /p trip.

73 de Carl M0SER
Title: Re: Portable QRP setups - what do you use?
Post by: KI6J on December 17, 2013, 00:31:19 UTC
Hi OM,

Here is a package that I use often, and I have had a lot of fun with this station.

It is an ATS3b with band modules du jour, EFHW tuner, alkaline battery pack, homebrew paddles, waterproof logbook and watch, string and lanyards for rigging, and earbuds.  The station fits in the canvas bag, and weighs about 1 kg.
Title: Re: Portable QRP setups - what do you use?
Post by: m0jha on December 17, 2013, 09:23:54 UTC
I use a kx1 or the HB1B with an EMTECH ZM2 tuner . I tend to go with a simple "random" end fed wire chucked up a tree or anywhere convenient . Key is a palm mini paddle or an MFJ mini paddle as backup.

I have tried all manner of combinations but found one of the above rigs ,a small AA cell battery pack and a small diameter wire that fits on a small fishing line spool a very light and hassle free set up. The KX1 has an atu built in so if I use that rig the setup is very small..

When I first started /p I ended up taking everything but the kitchen sink so now I make it as minimalist as possible .. I have found the end fed wire a good simple antenna that can be deployed almost anywhere .. Many times I have had to have it slung across fences or held up no higher that I can reach and it always does ok ..

billy
Title: Re: Portable QRP setups - what do you use?
Post by: DF5WW on December 17, 2013, 10:42:12 UTC
Not /P yet but on a good way to start /P next year when the temperatures are a bit higher.

Have a 12m GFK pole (Spiderbeam Heavy Duty) and a ZM-4 Z-Match from QRP-Shop. Looking for a small TRX to start /P. A QRP SDR isn´t my dream of QRP/P, always a Computer needed and that needs 2 much battery power  :D
Title: Re: Portable QRP setups - what do you use?
Post by: GM0LVI on December 22, 2013, 14:18:53 UTC
We all enjoy /p QRP work and there is nothing better than seeing other peoples setups/kit/go-cases.

I use a KX3 portable with various antennas (incl. the g-whips).

Here are a snap from recent /p trip.

73 de Carl M0SER

Hi Carl,
The mag loop in the photo intrigues me. Is it homebrew or a commercial one?

Dave
Title: Re: Portable QRP setups - what do you use?
Post by: m0jha on December 22, 2013, 20:19:36 UTC
Looks like the wonderwand  or miracle whip loop tuner to me ..

http://www.hamradio.co.uk/aerials-amateur-antennas-portable-antennas-wonder-portable-antennas/wonder-wand/wonderwand-wonderloop-14mhz-50mhz-pd-5208.php (http://www.hamradio.co.uk/aerials-amateur-antennas-portable-antennas-wonder-portable-antennas/wonder-wand/wonderwand-wonderloop-14mhz-50mhz-pd-5208.php)
Title: Re: Portable QRP setups - what do you use?
Post by: IZ5ZCO on December 22, 2013, 20:23:01 UTC
WonderWand WonderLoop:
http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/11131  (http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/11131)
Title: Re: Portable QRP setups - what do you use?
Post by: KG4KGL on December 23, 2013, 18:51:28 UTC
K1 2 band model with filter boards for  80, 40, 30, and 20m

Navy flameproof straight key
J-38 straight key


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk (http://tapatalk.com/m?id=1)
Title: Re: Portable QRP setups - what do you use?
Post by: m0ser on December 24, 2013, 01:46:35 UTC
Looks like the wonderwand  or miracle whip loop tuner to me ..

[url]http://www.hamradio.co.uk/aerials-amateur-antennas-portable-antennas-wonder-portable-antennas/wonder-wand/wonderwand-wonderloop-14mhz-50mhz-pd-5208.php[/url] ([url]http://www.hamradio.co.uk/aerials-amateur-antennas-portable-antennas-wonder-portable-antennas/wonder-wand/wonderwand-wonderloop-14mhz-50mhz-pd-5208.php[/url])


Hi Dave,

It seems others have jumped in. Yes, it is indeed a commercial one. I've used it a little and its impressive - the first day I broke a pile up in Italy (no idea how!!) using 5w CW. I think it was pure luck. Its very delicate to tune but I'm amazed a HF antenna that works on 20m can fit comfortably in my pocket!

I think they are much better than the vertical equivalent.

Cheers,
Carl
Title: Re: Portable QRP setups - what do you use?
Post by: m0jha on December 24, 2013, 10:26:56 UTC
sorry for "jumping" in
Title: Re: Portable QRP setups - what do you use?
Post by: m0ser on December 24, 2013, 12:02:26 UTC
sorry for "jumping" in

:-) that wasn't a critisism. It's all good

Title: Re: Portable QRP setups - what do you use?
Post by: m0jha on December 24, 2013, 21:02:24 UTC
I'm tempted to try one albeit a homebrew one .I tried a small mag loop a while back that worked quite well but that was about 1m diameter made from thin wire but needed a frame .. I used a miracle whip for a few summers and found that worked well with counterpoise wires ..
Title: Re: Portable QRP setups - what do you use?
Post by: GM0LVI on December 24, 2013, 22:03:36 UTC
I'm tempted to try one albeit a homebrew one .I tried a small mag loop a while back that worked quite well but that was about 1m diameter made from thin wire but needed a frame .. I used a miracle whip for a few summers and found that worked well with counterpoise wires ..


I quite fancy a try at homebrewing one. The Wonder Loop looks OK but I'm not convinced about its efficiency and at £91 it ain't cheap. The AlexLoop Walkham looks well engineered and packs away to a fairly portable package but it's $USD 299 and that's without postage costs.

KF5CZO has written quite a number of articles about constructing small mag loops (just do a web search). There's a very informative article in pdf format by him here>
http://www.cvarc.org/new-wp/download/technical/magnetic_loop_antenna.pdf (http://www.cvarc.org/new-wp/download/technical/magnetic_loop_antenna.pdf)

Dave
Title: Re: Portable QRP setups - what do you use?
Post by: m0ser on December 25, 2013, 01:03:17 UTC
It's interesting as it was the Alex loop which I originally considered but the cost was the issue - its really expensive! I agree with the point on efficiency re the little wonder loop - its extremely high Q and does work but what the losses are I don't know?! pretty high ESP on the lower bands I would guess?

For those in the know (not myself) a home brew could be very much the way forward.

For interest I think I paid around £60 direct from the maker at a Rally earlier this year.
Title: Re: Portable QRP setups - what do you use?
Post by: m0jha on December 25, 2013, 18:26:46 UTC
I made this one a while back but with a small tuning polyvaricon

http://www.g4fon.net/MagLoop.htm (http://www.g4fon.net/MagLoop.htm)

worked well but supporting it was a bit of a hassle ..
Title: Re: Portable QRP setups - what do you use?
Post by: GM0LVI on December 25, 2013, 20:01:10 UTC
Thanks Bill, that's more grist to my antenna construction mill.

Dave
Title: Re: Portable QRP setups - what do you use?
Post by: m0jha on December 25, 2013, 21:04:24 UTC
I used a single polyvaricon ,the standard ones 4-140pf I think they are which worked fine ,I have the tuning box still here but I have small 22 pf cap I can switch in /out of line as 140 was just short to resonate 40m .. worked surprisingly well at ground level and the nulls were great ..
Title: Re: Portable QRP setups - what do you use?
Post by: GM0LVI on December 25, 2013, 21:42:45 UTC
I used a single polyvaricon ,the standard ones 4-140pf I think they are which worked fine ,I have the tuning box still here but I have small 22 pf cap I can switch in /out of line as 140 was just short to resonate 40m .. worked surprisingly well at ground level and the nulls were great ..
Would a polyvaricon handle 10 W? I like the idea of individual variable capacitors pre-set for the QRP segments of individual bands as it would save a bit of fiddling about every time one changes band.
What I'm really aiming for is a loop for 10 or 12m, 15, 17, and possibly 20m that I can use from a studio in Greece when I haven't sufficient overhead space to put up either a loaded or full size GP.
Title: Re: Portable QRP setups - what do you use?
Post by: m0jha on December 26, 2013, 10:12:27 UTC
Not sure to be honest , I think the V may be too high but certainly fine with the 5 off my 817 . The original switching method is good only I didn't have separate caps so that's why the poly was used . You could get a better air spaced cap off e blag and "beef" the design up I suppose .
Title: Re: Portable QRP setups - what do you use?
Post by: IZ5ZCO on December 26, 2013, 17:36:00 UTC
I think they are much better than the vertical equivalent.


I have the Wonder-Wand Wide-Bander... M0SAZ says:
Quote
if you have a wonderwand widebander with a good length of wire and a decent counterpoise (or the TCS from wonderwand), it will far outperform the wonderloop.


Has anybody compared the Wonder-Loop with the Wide-Bander?

Just a little modification:

(https://www.qrpclub.org/images/wonder2.jpg)

(https://www.qrpclub.org/images/wonder1.jpg)

Title: Re: Portable QRP setups - what do you use?
Post by: ce3op on December 31, 2013, 15:35:55 UTC
i work qrp portable mode with FT-817ND, 7 ah batery, ENDFED Antenna HyENDFED to 40, 20, 15, 10.

SSB or CW.
Title: Re: Portable QRP setups - what do you use?
Post by: ON6ZK on January 01, 2014, 12:50:17 UTC
Hi !

I'm using a Kenwood TS120V 10 watts out MAX and verticals , dipoles , and a big optibeam OB16-5.

Also have a Elecraft K1 and an FT857 @ 5 watts.

90 % of my CW  QRP QSO's are made on 14.060 Mhz CW !

Hope to see you on that frequency sometime !

Skeds are always welcome : ON6ZK@telenet.be

73's

ON6ZK/QRP
Title: Re: Portable QRP setups - what do you use?
Post by: KK4WJJ on January 15, 2014, 00:40:29 UTC
Definitely interested in this kind of setup.  Please continue with pictures.  I am having a hard time with all the acronyms and commercial rig names/numbers but I'm learning.  I am looking to put something together that fits in a 5.11 shoulder bag.  Thanks.

KKForWhiskyJJ
Title: Re: Portable QRP setups - what do you use?
Post by: YV5EN on January 18, 2014, 04:50:13 UTC
Elecraft KX1 transceiver, 12Vdc 5Ah gel batt, dummy load mini, Vibroplex Original Bug, Mini-Padle Iambic key, external speaker, SWR/wattmeter, some connectors and wires.

(http://www.qsl.net/yv5en/images/Maletin_QRP_2.jpg) (http://www.qsl.net/yv5en/images/Maletin_QRP_3.jpg)

Antenna: Vertical AV-Hy-Gain 14AVQ

(http://www.qsl.net/yv5en/images/YV5HUJ_FieldDay_estacion_y_antena.jpg)
Title: Re: Portable QRP setups - what do you use?
Post by: IZ5ZCO on January 24, 2014, 11:35:51 UTC
For example:
- Yaesu FT-817ND (with a 300 Hz Collins CW filter)
- LDG Z-817 automatic tuner
- MFJ-1979 telescopic whip (17 ft) / homemade Rybakov (32 ft)
- Palm Radio Mini Paddle
- DC 12V 9800mAh Rechargeable Li-ion Battery
- Sony MiniDisc recorder ( for the best QSOs  :)) )
- homemade 817 "SupPorTablet" (https://www.qrpclub.org/qrp/index.php?topic=97.0)
- radials / one radial in the sea  ;)

(https://www.qrpclub.org/foto/d.jpg)
Title: Re: Portable QRP setups - what do you use?
Post by: f5gsk on February 05, 2014, 22:10:52 UTC
hi all,
 i work qrp portable with an ATS3B , 7 ah battery -many vertical antenna (fishing pole...) cw touch keyer - ldg z11proII to 14.060 essentially.
72
Pierre
Title: Re: Portable QRP setups - what do you use?
Post by: VA2SG on February 05, 2014, 22:50:27 UTC
My main portable station is a HB1B or a EK1B that I use for 17m and a Inv Vee. I got a ZM2 tuner and I am using a Palm paddle which is fine for CW ops.

I also use a HB end fed for 20m as well as vertical wires for experimentations.

CW QRP is a lot of fun. Now, I am not very active portable during our winters..
Title: Re: Portable QRP setups - what do you use?
Post by: IZ5ZCO on July 14, 2014, 18:14:46 UTC
Has anybody compared the Wonder-Loop with the Wide-Bander?

Ok, I have the wonder-loop too now: I'll compare them and let you know .  8)

However, the wonder-loop is not a magnetic loop: it's a simple tunable compact loop, an electrical antenna system just like the wide-bander.  ::)
Title: Re: Portable QRP setups - what do you use?
Post by: PD5L on July 15, 2014, 20:02:23 UTC
I use K2/10 internal batt and hyendfed for 20meters. 73' PD5L
Title: Re: Portable QRP setups - what do you use?
Post by: KO7I on July 28, 2014, 12:15:47 UTC
In a campground, I set-up the KX-3 on a picnic table, 7AH gell cell, and use a 20M inverted vee suspended by a 28ft flag pole lashed to the ladder that goes to the roof of my 5th wheel trailer. I have tuned the antenna to resonance so a tuner is not required.

I am looking for a smaller sized qrp rig like a KX-1 with an internal tuner.

Vy 73, Don KO7i