Interesting article on KX1 development

[underhill]

I recently came across this article, buried on the Elecraft site.

ANYWHERE, ANYTIME HF: The Evolution of the Elecraft KX1 Transceiver
by Wayne Burdick, N6KR

http://www.elecraft.com/KX1/N6KR_KX1_History.html

formerly written Special to the ARS Sojourner

I enjoyed the article immensely.

Allan

[gil]

Excellent read, thanks!

Gil.

[n6kr]

Hi Allan,

Been a long time since I wrote that. Brings back a lot of memories of backpacking trips, etc.

The first Field Day I used it on, I was sitting at a picnic table on top of Mt. Hamilton (south of San Jose) with a few guys who were new to both HF and QRP. After awhile, one guy puts down his beer and says, "Where's the rig?" (He thought the KX3 was just a keyer :)

I'm always thinking about miniaturized radios for emergency communications. What features would you like to see?

73,
Wayne
N6KR

[Archangel320420]

N6KR  Welcome aboard. Great article.

Terry

[RadioRay]

Well -


You just NEVER know who is going to show-up on the forum.  I have my 'Up-Armored' KX1 and the now rather modified Wilderness Sierra (DDS VFO).  They are both a work of design art.  That KX1 was the FIRST, out of the box 'trail friendly radio' that I had even seen.  Being a person with a lot of trail miles under my (ever increasing ) belt... controls on top and etc. was something I had been trying to get across since the 1990s' of the QRP-L list.  Radios not meant to be on a shelf, are MUCH easier to operate with the top mounted controls, but you know that.  I'll see if I can post some pics of my up-armored/watertight KX-1.  You'd probably get a smile out of it.


73 de Ray
W7ASA ..._ ._

[KK0G]

Wayne, welcome to the forum, very glad to have you here.

I'm always thinking about miniaturized radios for emergency communications. What features would you like to see?

I love my KX1 but since you asked ;D

   
• Larger LCD display to show more info - but not if it will cost too much in the overall current drain.
• More rugged potentiometer controls and VFO encoder to better survive rough field conditions.
• Integral antenna binding posts.
• Weather resistant – this one is tough to do without increasing the overall size of the radio but in reality by the time I pack my KX1 in a Pelican type waterproof case, the entire package becomes quite large anyway. Ray's homebrewed version is by far the best example I've seen of a truly waterproof, damn near perfect TFR.
• 200 Watts PEP, 100 AH internal rechargeable battery no bigger than the current 6 AA's with a small thermo nuclear reactor to recharge ............. OK, now I'm just being ridiculous. 8)

[gil]

Welcome to Radiopreppers Wayne  :)

My hat if off to you for producing such wonderful TFRs.

Although it wasn't my intention, the site has drifted somewhat towards discussing small portable CW rigs. We all understand why... They work great for emergency situations, pack small and use little current. Radios like the KX1 are IMHO the best individual emergency preparedness rigs and will still be on the air long after regular stations stop operating.

The KX1 will probably be my next project after having built a K1 and K2, depending on when and if Steve Weber releases a new MTR.. Then it might be second next ;) The MTR must be grabbed within hours of it's release before it sells out.. I love my MTR, but SWL is a big plus with the KX1. The idea of a surface-mount KX1 is very appealing. Building the MTR was no harder than the K1, though parts identification is a bit challenging and soldering the ICs requires a good steady hand. That said, I think the KX1 is small enough for me, given that the batteries are inside the case. I am very hesitant to take my KX3 out to the woods.. It is small, but not that small, and of course, I would hate to break or lose it.

As to features:

Larger LCD display to show more info

Nah.. Not for me. I don't need more info. Simpler is better. LCDs seem more fragile to me and can be hard to see sometimes. They don't work well when cold.

Weather proofing, Yes! That would be my #1 request.

The KX1 is great as is, and I don't think much can be done to make it better other than the weather proofing.

Surface-mount kit? I'd like that.

More (new features) is not always better... The question should be: How could it be made better without adding anything superfluous?

Gil.

[underhill]

Hi Wayne

Wow.  Welcome to the forum, never know who might show up.  Don't get here enough myself, lately, but this is one of my favorite places

As a design engineer, I really enjoyed your presentation of the design process you went thru from the concept to finished product, and thought it would probably be enjoyed here, as there are several kx1 enthusiasts present on the forum.

I have a NorCal40A, no mods, but a very nice piece of kit, I've been lately putting my pennies and nickels away toward a KX1, I really like the simplicity. 

I really like the addition of shortwave reception as well.  I was  jeep camping with my then young family, little kids at the time, when the soviet union started to come apart, now called the autum putsch, with Yeltsin dancing on tanks, Gorbachev sneaking video tape out of his compound, and all the drama.  I had my FT757 along in the jeep, so I was able to listen to the situation on shortwave, trying to decide if we were going home at the end of the week, or further up into the sierra... Drained the battery on my brand new jeep, but I've always had a shortwave with me since.  So I really like the addition of the shortwave bands you put in the kx1. 

Probably the only thing that would improve it, others have already mentioned, would be waterproofing.  But don't yet have mine, so I really hope it stays in the catalog just as it is!  Left hand keying option, simple and robust, fantastic form factor, and has the major bands, 80, 40, 30 and 20.  10 might be nice, as there is a cw practice group on 10M here in so cal, out of pasadena, but not really needed, as would add complexity of course.   KX1 is reported to have a great receiver, and current drain is incredibly low (I have an ft817 with a t1 tuner, a little thirstier, but I won't trade it away, at least not just yet!  Maybe after I get a kx3 might reconsider, maybe, tho probably not. )

Just weatherproofing seems to be the major item, and there is a workaround, with a 1060 or so pelican case, so it's not a huge issue to me.  (day dreaming of it, and already lining up necessary additional kit pieces lol).

The thought of the Kx3 option, keying psk31 is interesting, truely a low power budget for a digital mode!  don't see it as an addon module for the kx1 tho, doesn't have ssb xmit.  More complexity!  KISS is good.

Welcome!  I never dreamed I'd actually chat with the designer of so much excellent equipment!

Allan

[RadioRay]

Thanks Gil -

For those who have not seen my particular brand of insanity/obsessive-compulsive disorder at work. Here is my UP-Armored KX1, which I made to be an even more 'trail friendly radio'.



Yes - I will trade straight across for a  ;D ;D ;D  KX-3  ;D ;D ;D  , and likely do something similar with it!   


>72 de RadioRay ..._ ._

[Archangel320420]

RadioRay   You have improved on the proved!  :)