High Adventure:
Field Testing the KX1 During FYBO

I’ve been off chasing other hobbies for a while. But recently got the QRP bug again and built a KX1 in preparation for FYBO.

I had a blast with newly assembled KX1 on Mt. Herman, CO in spite of freezing temperatures and a little snow. Friday my KX1's new final PA silicon arrived. I’d zapped the last one while probing it! I installed it on Saturday morning over a cup of mud. It seemed this PA was putting out a little more RF than the last Q6! Woo-Hoo!

Sunday I hoofed up the old Mt. Herman but wasn't alone as I saw some huge cougar paw prints in the snow. Gave me the feeling I’d better keep a sharp lookout and the critter repellent handy.

The KX1 performed flawlessly! The antenna went up zip, zip. I used a 26-foot wire and one 17-foot radial and made up a BNC connector with alligator clips to facilitate wire attachment. The ATU tuned up beautifully with a 1.2 VSWR on 20 meters. Actually I spent more time looking for a silly rock in the snow to use as a throw!

Next time I’ll bring a weight to throw. But there’s something strange about adding a weight to my pack.

Using the internal Lithium batteries the KX1’s output was a little over 1 watt on 20 meters. That makes it a little more challenging to snag a contacts but with a good antenna and location (9,000-feet ASL) it shouldn’t be a problem.

It seemed that I had a path into the northwest United States (in this case, broadside to my wire which was sloping northeast at 45 degrees to a Ponderosa tree top.

My first contact was K7FD / John in Seal Rock, OR. He was busting my eardrums with his longwire and K2 at 5 watts. It sounded like a KW!

Radio conditions were hot although weather conditions on Mt. Herman were looking like snow was approaching any minute. Next I heard Bill / N7OU in Lake Oswego, OR. He also was on his KX1 (serial number 385 to my serial number 383) at 3 watts. So we discussed KX1s and paddles until it started snowing and my fingers were too numb to send code.

We were chatting about the fact the KX1 is like a shrunken K2 or more likely the K1.

I liked having my paddlette on my knee where I could shelter my hand from the snow. I’m still considering the KX1’s paddle option.

No sooner had I signed off with Bill feigning numb fingers than the sun was warming my digits for one more run at he paddle. “Can't quit now, dude,” said I. One more CQ, and boom! Back comes Don / W7GB in Moses Lake, WA. So we went at it for a while. Don was on his K1 at 5 watts with a 3-element yagi. It was a great signal from a warm shack. Finally the snow storm arrived in all its fury.

I signed with Don, jerked down my antenna with numb fingers. This time it was no joking about cold hands. I love that KX1’s ATU really simplifies field antenna issues. I threw everything in my pack and scurried down the mountain.
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Believe me, I was keeping an eye to my backside occasionally for Mr Cougar.

It looks like the KX1 passed the test and is ready for more of what Mother Nature can throw at it.

The best part is at the end of the day the KX1 is a breeze to set up with the ATU and a couple wires. It makes “miles-from-nowhere communication without cell service” a reality. The service provider is good old Ma Nature – the ionosphere!
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Steve Galchutt, NØTU, is a longtime QRPer and outdoorsman living in Monument, CO.