How much can you fit in an Altoids tin? Not much, as far as radios are concerned. There is of course the proverbial Rock-Mite, a single-frequency crystal driven transceiver we all have learned to love. But times are changing, and surface-mount components are replacing through-hole ones, giving us really tiny devices. It probably won't be long before I can't even see the darn things. Soldering them isn't that hard mind you, just very precise work with a good magnifying lens and a fine-tip iron.
Enter Steve Weber KD1JV with his A.T. Sprint series. The latest of his realeases is the MTR, or "Mountain Top Radio," a two-bander with full coverage, digital VFO, message memories, built-in keyer, one-digit display and Morse frequency feedback. Amazingly it does fit in an Altoids box! Not only that, but power output is a hefty 5W! Talk about QRO! It will even work down to 5.5V (12V max). It also does PSK31, with a computer. Unbelievable!
These kits are only available to members of the AT Sprint Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AT_Sprint/ (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AT_Sprint/). They are rarely available. 150 kits were made and 149 offered on Thursday, early morning. I believe they were sold out by noon! Quite a few people who did not check their email early enough missed it. They were gone within hours. At only $120, that isn't surprising. The kit would sell for twice that price. So, my hat is off to Mr. Weber.
Guess who got one?
Hehehe, I'm still giggling... Order #124, yep, barely made it. I should get it some time this week.
I will post my building process with photos.
I am planning a one-week QRP camping trip soon, and the MTR will ride along, with my trusty PAR End-Fed. I bought an ICS (Improved Combat Shelter) one-man tent made by ORC Industries for the military. I will also be testing a newly acquired Thermarest pad and a couple other pieces of camping gear. The MTR will be powered by eight AA cells, which I hope to recharge with a flexible solar panel. I will probably have one radio session on 20m in the morning, and one at night on 40m, CW of course!
Stay tuned for more :D
Gil.
I'm not only interested in the radio, but also the solar charging and the tent. Links or pictures would also be appreciated.
Sooooo jealous!
All right then... On top of this MTR build thread, I will post a "Radio Camping" thread on the tactical board. It will include all the gear I will be using, including tent, backpack, stove, solar panel, batteries, QRP rig (MTR), Antenna (End Fed), and whatever else I find relevant to operating in the boonies. I just ordered a BetterQRP (http://betterqrp.com (http://betterqrp.com)) End-Fed-Half-Wave tuner and will try to duplicate my PAR End-Fed, which is semi-permanently installed at my house. I am also building an 80m end-fed matching box, but I will probably not take my KX3 with me, so that will be another thread. I will most likely mount my American Morse DCP paddle on the MTR enclosure.
The MTR should arrive tomorrow or Friday. I will probably post videos as well.
Gil.
That sounds terrific!
The MTR arrived today! Man, that thing is small... The case, made by TenTec looks great, though a bit thicker than an Altoids box. I was going to sell it and use an Altoids, but changed my mind and will use it. I could step on it with no ill effect.
I started the build using my soldering station and a fine tip. The resistors went on first, then the capacitors. It took me exactly four hours to install them all. It is actually faster and somewhat easier than through-hole components, except for the size. A good magnifying lens is a must. When I say "a must," I mean that you can't build without one. Also a plus is the fact that you don't end-up with a bunch of component leads on the floor.. One thing you absolutely need is a steady hand, otherwise, forget it..
I plan on one or two more sessions to finish it, by Monday, I am sure. Have a look at the attached photo.. The PCB (sorry, it's upside-down) shows the bottom side, with all resistors and capacitors installed (yes, there are many components on that board, look closely!) The coin is a penny. The tiny black dot below the coin is a resistor!
Those chips are going to be a real challenge to solder..
TGIF!
Gil.
Quote from: gil on March 29, 2013, 02:01:27 AM
The MTR arrived today! Man, that thing is small... The case, made by TenTec looks great, though a bit thicker than an Altoids box. I was going to sell it and use an Altoids, but changed my mind and will use it. I could step on it with no ill effect.
I started the build using my soldering station and a fine tip. The resistors went on first, then the capacitors. It took me exactly four hours to install them all. It is actually faster and somewhat easier than through-hole components, except for the size. A good magnifying lens is a must. When I say "a must," I mean that you can't build without one. Also a plus is the fact that you don't end-up with a bunch of component leads on the floor.. One thing you absolutely need is a steady hand, otherwise, forget it..
I plan on one or two more sessions to finish it, by Monday, I am sure. Have a look at the attached photo.. The PCB (sorry, it's upside-down) shows the bottom side, with all resistors and capacitors installed (yes, there are many components on that board, look closely!) The coin is a penny. The tiny black dot below the coin is a resistor!
Those chips are going to be a real challenge to solder..
TGIF!
Gil.
Are you trying to talk us out of this end of the hobby? :-)
Of course I want everyone to get into QRP CW! Hehe... Every ounce counts when you are on foot. Look at extreme hikers.. Some even cut their toothbrush in half to save weight. In a "teotwawki" situation, we would soon all be on foot..
Gil.
I highly recommend a magnifying visor. Here's the one I use (http://www.amazon.com/Donegan-OptiSIGHT-Binocular-Magnifying-Magnification/dp/B005KLTN7A/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1364574645&sr=8-12&keywords=magnifying+visor)with the 4X lens that comes with it. this is much better than a magnifyer or even a microscope. You get sterio vision and you can move your head instead of having to more the work. I work with surface mount parts all the time and if I don't drink too much coffee I'm comfortable with the 0603 resistors (0.06" x 0.03") using the visor.
And, after your 45th birthday you'll find lots of other uses for the magnifyer >:( .
I thought about getting one...
Your MTR signal sounded good! Amazing to span over 800 miles in an easy conversation about camping and etc. using a transceiver that can easily get lost in your pocket. ha ha
de RadioRay ..._ ._
Thanks again Ray for your help. If only my paddle didn't decide to misbehave.. Must be dirty contacts as you suggested..
The MTR is alive! I will post photos and a video soon. Soldering some chips was a real challenge. I didn't think it would actually work the first time out. One segment of the LED display was out, I had forgotten to solder that pad. I do have only half power on 40m, and need to troubleshoot it. The receiver is pretty sensitive, the sidetone sounds good and the 500Hz filter works great.
Did you say S7 Ray? That's pretty good 800+ miles away.. Well, 3W is 3W.. I would probably get about 4.5W at 12V. I used seven AA batteries. I have a 13.8V power supply at home, and might put three diodes in series to get 12V (3x0.6V drop). For the field, I have eight-AA battery holders and 1.2V cells. My solar panel should arrive this coming week.
I can't help but compare the MTR to the PAR Mantiz. Both great radios. Of course the Mantiz is available, while the MTR rarely is. Band choices can be debated all day. The MTR covers two bands out of 40, 30, 20, and possibly 80m. The Mantiz is 30/40m. Tunnig is of course easier with the Mantiz which uses an encoder and has an LCD display. The MTR uses switches and has a one-digit display. Either way, it works. Better than I thought on the MTR. Power is similar. The Mantiz has variable filters while the MTR has a fixed 500Hz filter. The Mantiz filters however can't be centered precisely. The MTR also does not have a SWR meter like the Mantiz. Both rigs have a memory keyer. The MTR is definitely smaller; it also draws slightly less current. The main difference between my Mantiz (sold it) and the MTR is that I actually built the MTR! There is a certain emotional attachment here.
I recently read "Three Hundred Zeroes" by Dennis R. Blanchard, who actually carried an A.T. Sprint (Steve Weber design) CW QRP rig with him on the Appalachian trail. He did meet Steve Weber on the trail.. Turns out, the author lives in my town! We exchanged a couple emails and might meet some time after a big European bicycle trip he is preparing for.. What are the odds!? Anyway, my point is that for trail hikers, weight is an obsession. Every ounce saved it seems does count. That is when having a small CW QRP radio does pay off handsomely. A lot of remote areas of the United States, not to mention the rest of the world, do not have cell phone coverage. The maximum pack weight suggested is 20% of body weight. For me, that means about 38Lbs max. That isn't much. Imagine carrying a 10AH SLA battery, maybe a KX3 or FT-817ND, plus antenna.. That's a big chunk of your allocated weight there.. Of course people will say "I'll never have to carry a heavy backpack because blah, blah blah.." How do you know? Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.
Gil.
Well, even though I am still only putting out 1.2W on 40m, I hust has a 5200 miles QSO to Estonia with the MTR! Antenna is the PAR (LNR) End Fed.
Gil.
Estonia! Cool! Now you know where you can check in to find out if the Zombie apocalypse is worldwide!. LOL
QuoteEstonia! Cool! Now you know where you can check in to find out if the Zombie apocalypse is worldwide!. LOL
You're never too careful :o
I fixed it! I wrongly swapped two capacitors because of some confusion in the old (a new one was was published) building manual. Now, with a 10V supply, I get 4W on 40m and 3W on 20m. Still a bit low on 20m, but if I use a 12V supply, I should get decent power. I am glad it was something simple, because those capacitors have no markings on them. If you don't know where to look, it can be a nightmare; as in unsoldering them all! Which for SMT components is not easy. I decided to try it on the air right away and called the first guy I heard, in Germany! I got a 449 report. Not bad for a 5000 miles QSO on 4W!
I love the MTR! For a trail radio, there is nothing better. It weighs almost nothing, even with the steel case. It's a keeper for sure.
There is something special about using a radio you built yourself, especially if it was difficult. The MTR is definitely not a beginner's kit. It took less time but was harder to build than my K2. It is also amazing to talk to someone 5000 miles away with a radio that fits in a shirt pocket or an Altoids box! How crazy is that? And not just by chance, regularly!
Ya'll have a great day ;D
Gil.
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!
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.
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
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.
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)!
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.
Gil, sorry for the derail, is the MTR smaller/lighter than the Rockmite?
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.
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
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.