Building a Weber MTR.

Started by gil, March 23, 2013, 11:10:20 PM

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White Tiger

Was just reading your pack weight suggestion - and from experience I can say - forget the 20% of body weight guideline - 39 lbs is all anyone will want to target (especially if you're starting out in Georgia)!

...before my trek on the AT a couple of years ago (with my son), I read the book "A Walk In The Woods" by Bill Bryson...he is a journalist who lived near the Appalachian Trail and after reading about it himself, decided - on a whim - to thru-hike the entire 2100 miles of the trail...with the intended purpose of writing a book about the adventure, afterwards. It's a funny look at the adventure, human nature, the way people deal with adversity...and how much (and what) to put in your pack...

For those considering hiking the trail, or any long hike, it's a MUST read. it's not written as a technical manual. I won't give anything in the book away...but pack weight is one of the first issues dealt with on the trek...

Interesting build - and an interesting idea - I can see a couple of spots where it might have been cool to make a QSO with such a small little radio...literally in the middle of nowhere!

If you're looking for me, you're probably looking in the wrong place.

gil

Hi Tim,

Sounds like a good book.. I read "Three Hundred Zeroes" by a man from Sarasota actually who hiked through. He even had a Ham radio with him! I don't think I would attempt something that long, but I wouldn't mind being out in the woods for a month. In which case the MTR would prove invaluable!

Gil.

KC9TNH

Quote from: White Tiger on June 02, 2013, 12:03:53 PM
Was just reading your pack weight suggestion - and from experience I can say - forget the 20% of body weight guideline - 39 lbs is all anyone will want to target (especially if you're starting out in Georgia)!
First, thanks for the AT book tip.

That 20% guideline just happens to work out for alot of folks, but stature, age, previous experience are gonna factor in. For some it is a starting point to ruck training, for others it's the terminal point. I recall readings from a former Delta commander - guys who routinely plant 100 lbs. on their back - that he gave that alot of thought when some (REALLY in-shape) friends & he hiked the Bob Marshall.  Even for them he admitted 40 lbs. was about the comfortable maximum for sustained packing and those guys were really in shape. Hence, the mania with ounces.  I'm working back into it and immediately took my 20% first attempt back down to 30 lbs. or so and then will work up. Key is don't hurt yourself, particularly for us "seasoned" folks.
;D

KK0G

When I backpacked at Philmont, my pack was a little over 50 pounds when we left base camp which was 25% of my body weight. We did a 70 mile trek over 10 days, I'll admit that it was quite a load on me at first but it was bearable and I got used to it as time went on. One of the nice things was that everyday my pack got lighter and lighter as we consumed our food........... that is until we hit the commissary mid trip to resupply with more food.

Could I carry that much weight again if need be? Yes. Would I? Not unless I had to for some reason. I've lightened my load and on my last trip a few weeks ago my pack was just over 40 pounds including the QRP equipment I didn't have with me at Philmont. Granted I only had a two day supply of food and fuel which help quite a bit, but I also used my previous experience to eliminate some things I really didn't need.

I'm still trying to lighten my load more but I won't go 'stupid light' by eliminating stuff essential to convenience, comfort and especially safety. Some times the inconvenience of carrying the extra weight of a certain item is far outweighed by the comfort it provides.
"Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety" - Benjamin Franklin

KK0G

White Tiger

I had hiked for most of my life, but not at all in the past 10 years. Plus, I've lived those last 10 years in the flattest part of f-l-a-t Florida, and even if I had been in shape...and it would have been flat Florida type of shape...

...the trick about the AT is that both the northern (Maine) and southern (Georgia) terminus' points are the most difficult. My trip started in Georgia - the part of the trail that has the most changes in elevation. The mountains are smaller, but there isn't a ridge line to walk (like the Smokies). You walk up - and then down - every mountain (several climbs I faced 1000 feet of elevation in just one mile). When I started my pack was just a few ounces shy of 50 pounds...after about a day and 1/2 it was MUCH closer to 38 lbs...and by day 3, I was finally comfortable with how to hike that particular area.

Im sure - now - that I could find a way to get a small QRP rig into the pack with NO trouble - but to Gil's question earlier about carrying an FT-817 with a 6v battery...NO WAY!

A former Army Ranger works as a "barista" at one of my local coffee shops - he served Iraq and Afghanistan - he is on disability due to the amount of weight he was required to carry on his back/pack (100 +). Protruding disk, no cartilage in his knee, and an arthritic hip. He's 29 now, he was 24 when the damage occurred. It wasn't from a fire-fight - his Army doctor diagnosed that it was from the equipment he was forced to carry every day. He carried a radio, battery, antenna equipment, in addition to his personal gear.

I relate the story to say, now that I am in my 50's - there isn't anyway I could carry more than 39 pounds everyday. It's not the shape Im in, so much as the mileage on my joints. Be careful what you plan on carrying in any SHTF. I am now one of those "oz eradicators" - looking to rid every spare ounce from my pack (which stays packed and in my vehicle with me everywhere I go)!
If you're looking for me, you're probably looking in the wrong place.

gil

Water and some types of foods are pretty heavy. I learned the value of a water filter and dehydrated food... Better have a way and the knowledge to procure both in a SHTF situation. Add a rifle, ammo and sidearm, and that's 15 to 20Lbs more... But as Chris mentions, you need a minimum of gear for safety and comfort. Being miserable will play tricks with your mind and would probably get you in trouble. So, I would rather walk less and take more breaks than travel super-light and be subjected to the elements. My knees and back are not very good either and carrying too much for too long would soon force me to stop for days. Getting older really sucks.

I think a lot of preppers pile-up gear they could not dream to carry. They try the stuff on one piece at a time, but will never go on a ten-mile hike to test their setup. Hopefully walking might not be necessary, but I would not want to rely on that. Imagine a huge traffic jam (think evacuation), or an EMP disabling cars, and you'll need to walk to get back home or get out of Dodge.

For my next hike I will limit my pack weight to 40Lbs, including food and water... I might try a hammock instead of a tent, carry a water filter and a lighter sleeping bag. Otherwise, I'll get a cart! The problem with the summer here is lightning... So, I am not sure when the next trip will be...

Back to radios, even my KX3 is a bit big for camping. I would take it, especially for the SWL, but the MTR is so much smaller.. I even plan on building a second MTR as a backup, if they ever become available again, or a KX1. Also, losing the KX3 means losing $1K... Two years ago I went on a long road trip across the U.S. but unfortunately I wasn't a Ham yet. A KX3 would have been the best possible rig then. The camp site was never far from the car. For hiking, a tiny CW radio is the best.

Gil.

White Tiger

Gil, sorry for the derail, is the MTR smaller/lighter than the Rockmite?
If you're looking for me, you're probably looking in the wrong place.

gil

QuoteGil, sorry for the derail, is the MTR smaller/lighter than the Rockmite?

The MTR circuit board is about the same size as the Rock-Mite PCB. However, it has surface-mount components on both sides. Both fit in an Altoids box. The Rock-Mite is crystal-bound to one frequency. The MTR covers two full bands with it's DDS VFO and outputs 5W. The weight of either is negligible. They are two different animals. The Rock-Mite is very limited.. It works great, but it lacks frequency agility and filtering. The MTR is a fully functional multi-band radio with a micro controller and a built-in 400Hz filter. A Rock-Mite mounted in a Mity-Box will set you back $70. The MTR is $126 shipped, which is very affordable for what you get. The only problem is that is is sold out within a few hours of being offered.. And who know if or when it will ever be offered again.. The Rock-Mite would be a good backup to an MTR for those who travel light. Both can be powered by eight rechargeable AA cells, though the RM works better with a bit more voltage to get the maximum power out.

Gil.

ad5a

Gil,

I'm about to start my build on an MTR. Did you hand solder or use solder paste? What order did you do the build in, resistors and caps first, the IC's or did you follow the assembly instruction order?

Thanks,

Mike AD5A

gil

Hello Mike,

I used a small tip soldering iron.. The paste method sounded messy to me, and I usually do a good job with an iron, so it was the logical method for me. I started with the resistors, then capacitors, then the ICs, and the left over parts from there. I didn't really follow any order. When you get the hang of it, resistors and capacitors are actually easier to solder than their through-hole counterparts. The ICs, well, that's an other story.

The main difficulty was parts identification and making sure I didn't mess-up the band choice capacitors. I did. I swapped one for another, and got low power output as a result. I found the problem and swapped them, and all was in order. Make sure you identify all components precisely. Take your time.

You'll love the MTR, it is a great radio! If they come up for sale again, I will buy a second one for backup..

Gil.