How to use the KX1/PM

[W0rw]

How to operate Pedestrian Mobile with the KX1...
The KX1 is a great portable rig but it is also a great pedestrian mobile rig.
You can go to new heights, evade local power line noises and find hot spots
near
flag poles and in baseball diamonds.
Here is how to do it...
Step by Step, (peripatetically speaking).
Step #
1. Get your KX1 on the air from your base and learn how to use all the
controls.
You are going to have to increase the LED display brightness as soon as you
get out in the sun. (Hit MENU, rotate Dial to 'Led', Push MENU for 1 second,
Push RIT to raise LED brightness to 6). It is a good idea to cary a small
instruction cheat sheet with you. If you see P=0 on your display you won't be having
many QSO's.

2. Get a Banana jack to BNC converter for the KX1 antenna connector.

3. Get a 2 foot paint stirring stick (free from Home D.)

4. Attach an 8 foot whip (or longer) to the stick with duct tape.

5. Attach a 3 foot piece of insulated wire from the base of the whip to the
KX1 hot banana jack (do not use ANY coax for this run).

6. Attach a 13 foot piece of insulated wire to the black terminal of the
banana jack,
(this is your counterpoise or drag wire).

7. Put the paint stir stick in your back pocket (low 'Z' part of your body).
Attach the whip to the upper part of your body by using a short strap around
your neck and arm to hold the upper part of the whip.
(You could use one of your old shoulder holsters).
i am in cold country so i almost always just use my North Face down vest.
The whip goes through the arm hole in the vest and rests in my rear pocket.

8. Turn the KX1 on, install ear buds, walk 15 feet into a clear space
(letting the drag wire layout behind you), Set the KX1 for 14060+/- (or your favorite
tune up frequency), Push the TUNE buttons.
You should get 3W and <1.5 SWR.
Start walking...Call CQ xxx/pm
i have "CQ CQ de w0rw/pm" in memory so i don't have to do anything but hit
'PLY 1'.

9. You can lessen your antenna directivity loss by walking away from the
station you are  communicating with. The single drag wire makes the whip
directional. You can get a 3 dB boost from your local flag pole or street light by
using it as a reflector.

10. Operation on 30 and 40 meters will be greatly aided by adding a top hat
to the whip. i use 4 of those little underground utilities flag markers (also
available at Home D.) You can see my top hat in the 'photos' section of the
HFPack2 Yahoogroup
in the folder 'w0rw'. Watch out for those top hat eating trees.

11. i hold the KX1 in my left hand with my left thumb near the paddle and
send with my right hand. i added an additional rubber foot under the "L" in
Elecraft for a finger grip.

12. i carry an external battery pack in my pocket for long hikes.

13. i have a small log that attaches to my cuff, like an NFL Quarterback.

14. Make sure the 2 bottom case screws are tight and keep the paddle thumb
screw tight. If they get loose add lock washers.

Hope to see you on the trail....
You can see a picture of my KX1/pm on the Adventure Radio Society web site at
http://www.arsqrp.com/ars/pages/back_issues/2005_text/1205_text/W0RW.html
or read about my KX1 pedestrian mobile contact with Latvia at
http://www.eham.net/articles/9262

Paul  [hidden email]
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[Jim Sheldon]

You forgot to mention to watch out for following pedestrians.  They tend to
step on the drag wire and this gets interesting when it comes up short.
Tends to yank the KX1 out of your hand, or in my case, bust the BNC to
binding post adapter off.  Also taught me to buy a Pomona BNC to BP adapter.
They are much more rugged than the cheap Chinese ones hi.

Jim - W0EB

> -----Original Message-----
> From: [hidden email]
> [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of [hidden email]
> Sent: Monday, February 20, 2006 12:53 PM
> To: [hidden email]
> Subject: [Elecraft] How to use the KX1/PM
>
>
> How to operate Pedestrian Mobile with the KX1...
> The KX1 is a great portable rig but it is also a great
> pedestrian mobile rig. You can go to new heights, evade local
> power line noises and find hot spots
> near
> flag poles and in baseball diamonds.
> Here is how to do it...
> Step by Step, (peripatetically speaking).
> Step #
> 1. Get your KX1 on the air from your base and learn how to
> use all the
> controls.
> You are going to have to increase the LED display brightness
> as soon as you
> get out in the sun. (Hit MENU, rotate Dial to 'Led', Push
> MENU for 1 second,
> Push RIT to raise LED brightness to 6). It is a good idea to
> cary a small
> instruction cheat sheet with you. If you see P=0 on your
> display you won't be having
> many QSO's.
>
> 2. Get a Banana jack to BNC converter for the KX1 antenna connector.
>
> 3. Get a 2 foot paint stirring stick (free from Home D.)
>
> 4. Attach an 8 foot whip (or longer) to the stick with duct tape.
>
> 5. Attach a 3 foot piece of insulated wire from the base of
> the whip to the
> KX1 hot banana jack (do not use ANY coax for this run).
>
> 6. Attach a 13 foot piece of insulated wire to the black
> terminal of the
> banana jack,
> (this is your counterpoise or drag wire).
>
> 7. Put the paint stir stick in your back pocket (low 'Z' part
> of your body). Attach the whip to the upper part of your body
> by using a short strap around
> your neck and arm to hold the upper part of the whip.
> (You could use one of your old shoulder holsters).
> i am in cold country so i almost always just use my North
> Face down vest. The whip goes through the arm hole in the
> vest and rests in my rear pocket.
>
> 8. Turn the KX1 on, install ear buds, walk 15 feet into a clear space
> (letting the drag wire layout behind you), Set the KX1 for
> 14060+/- (or your favorite
> tune up frequency), Push the TUNE buttons.
> You should get 3W and <1.5 SWR.
> Start walking...Call CQ xxx/pm
> i have "CQ CQ de w0rw/pm" in memory so i don't have to do
> anything but hit
> 'PLY 1'.
>
> 9. You can lessen your antenna directivity loss by walking
> away from the
> station you are  communicating with. The single drag wire
> makes the whip
> directional. You can get a 3 dB boost from your local flag
> pole or street light by
> using it as a reflector.
>
> 10. Operation on 30 and 40 meters will be greatly aided by
> adding a top hat
> to the whip. i use 4 of those little underground utilities
> flag markers (also
> available at Home D.) You can see my top hat in the 'photos'
> section of the
> HFPack2 Yahoogroup
> in the folder 'w0rw'. Watch out for those top hat eating trees.
>
> 11. i hold the KX1 in my left hand with my left thumb near
> the paddle and
> send with my right hand. i added an additional rubber foot
> under the "L" in
> Elecraft for a finger grip.
>
> 12. i carry an external battery pack in my pocket for long hikes.
>
> 13. i have a small log that attaches to my cuff, like an NFL
> Quarterback.
>
> 14. Make sure the 2 bottom case screws are tight and keep the
> paddle thumb
> screw tight. If they get loose add lock washers.
>
> Hope to see you on the trail....
> You can see a picture of my KX1/pm on the Adventure Radio
> Society web site at
> http://www.arsqrp.com/ars/pages/back_issues/2005_text/1205_tex

t/W0RW.html
or read about my KX1 pedestrian mobile contact with Latvia at
http://www.eham.net/articles/9262

Paul  [hidden email] _______________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: [hidden email]
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
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Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

_______________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: [hidden email]
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
 http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft   

Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com