[TenTec] Choosing A Backpacking Radio

[Jim Brown]

On Fri,3/18/2016 6:58 PM, Katz Ajamas wrote:
> To my mind one needs TWO SOTA radios. One 5W-2-W, 40-6, up to 6lb or so,for the easy, < 6 mile RT day hike with a YL carrying the lunch and water and me carrying 20lb of radio, battery, and antenna stuff. Then there is another radio, 2-3 band, maybe 3lb max  for radio, battery, antenna, the whole station, for the > 6mile RT hike, sans YL sherpa, so packing own lunch and water.

Why two radios? Why not buy one GOOD one that satisfies all of your 
requirements rather than two mediocre ones? If you're on top of a 
mountain, a VHF/UHF talkie will work hundreds of miles. The only reason 
for another VHF/UHF radio is to work CW, SSB, and digital modes on those 
bands.

The Argonaut VI draws 550 mA on RX and weighs 3.5#. The FT817 weighs 
2.5# and draws 450 mA on RX. I can't find a weight or current spec for 
the 509. The KX3 without batteries weighs 1.5# and the RX requires only 
150mA, so you can carry a lot less battery for the same operating time 
as most other QRP rigs. So not only does the KX3 weigh a lot less, the 
batteries needed also weigh less. The KX3 works 160-6M, including the 
WARC bands, and the preamp for the higher bands, including 6M, is as 
good as most outboard preamps.

If you want 100W, the KXPA100 is 7#. You don't have to carry it up the 
mountain if you don't want to. :)

And as W4JZ notes, his little KX1 puts out 4W on 80, 40, 30, and 20 from 
6 internal AA batteries, CW only. It weighs 11 oz with the optional 
tuner and miniature paddle and draws only 34 mA on RX! Not cheap though 
-- we pay for miniaturization. By the time you buy the 30/80M module, 
the tuner, and the paddle you've spent $600. The KX3 with a tuner and 
paddle is about $1300 bought as a kit.

On Fri,3/18/2016 4:23 PM, Jim Allen wrote:
> Better antennas weigh less than amps and batteries,  just sayin'.

I generally agree with this. Figure an amp and battery to run it is 
going to add at least 12# to your pack weight, anda decent wire antenna 
with a counterpoise, both reasonably well rigged, will beat most 
commercial loaded short antennas by a lot. BUT you've also got to carry 
the "stuff" to rig that antenna on a peak that probably has no skyhooks. 
Small diameter wire doesn't weigh much, but the weight of that support 
and rigging "stuff" can add up.

I've not done any SOTA activations, but I've operated 3 Field Days QRP 
from two different mountain peaks, and two of those years we won FD for 
1A Battery, running only CW. If you're working CW or the efficient data 
modes like PSK and JT65 you don't need more than 5W! That mountain peak 
is good for at least 10 dB, 10X the power. BUT -- we weren't 
backpacking, we drove to the peak with a small tri-bander (Force 12 
C3SS), a 40M dipole rigged on portable military surplus mast, and an 80M 
dipole rigged from an existing tall tower to the ground. Those antennas 
were probably at least 5-8 dB better than anything you could pack up a 
mountain!

73, Jim K9YC