LA1KHA's PP3/MN1604 Challenge

Dr om G3CWI:
This is really impressive. I know that one can make a lot of qso s on a PP battery, but 100 ore more is amazing.
Would be mice to see the schematic of the British marvel.
Still using only unconverted Rockemite here, but I believe I should improve it.
Must try to get a xtal switch so I can try s2s with you dr Rick.
Also keaping the PA to run 100mw and some arangemet to reduse power to 50mW

I tryed to get a permit to operate a qrpp bacon on 10MHz some years ago, but was turned down by PT and NRRL. Plan was that it shoud xmit 100mw , 10mw and 1mw.

My log on todays activation later.
My compliments on your achievement Rick.

LA1KHA Kjell

In reply to LA1KHA:

Kjell

The best thing to do is to improve the PA (that takes the most current). I would not be surprised if the efficiency of your PA at 50mW is very low indeed whereas mine was carefully optimised at a specific power level and voltage. The only other major change was to use a CMOS op-amp in the audio stage. That saves around 5mA - which is useful as it is on all the time.

I also did not use the zener diode voltage regulation scheme in the Rockmite. Each diode is taking 3-4mA. I have a 5 Volt low current regulator - although the one that I used has a 2V drop out and thus I have ordered something better.

73

Richard
G3CWI

Thanks for input dr om Richard.
Vy Sri for using wrong name.
I believe that keeping output under 100mW is useful for battery.
Hope to have some time to try to improve/ play with the Rockmite radio, but days go so quickly.

LA1ENA Aage will be active with a Rockmite on 10.116MHz.
He took it up to LA/TM-013 1.January but the 100KW TV transmitter and all the other commercial and governmental installations up there makes it impossible to use Rockemite and SW+ there. Even my Yaesu VX3 was so muted that VHF band was nearly impossible to use.

73 de LA1KHA Kjell

My logg for 2.nd battery
Foto LA1KHA/p QRPp set up on LA/TM-049 | Kjell Eriksen | Flickr

Stats:20/04/2010
Battery: #2
Activation: #4
Summit: LA/TM-049
Band: 30m
Finish Voltage: not measured
QSOs: 15
DXCCs: 8 F,DL,OE,OK,G,HA, HB9,9A
Cumulative QSOs: 35
Cumulative DXCC: 9 (DL,F,G,GJ,HA, HB9,OE,OK,9A )

Stats:21/04/2010
Battery: #2
Activation: #5
Summit: LA/TM-049
Band: 30m
Finish Voltage: not measured
QSOs: 12
DXCCs: 8 F,DL,OE,OK,G,HA,I,LA
Cumulative QSOs: 47
Cumulative DXCC: 11 (DL,F,G,GJ,HA, HB9,I,LA,OE,OK,9A )

Stats:22/04/2010
Battery: #2
Activation: #6
Summit: LA/TM-049
Band: 30m
Finish Voltage: 8.3
QSOs: 6
DXCCs: 4 DL,G,HA,LA
Cumulative QSOs: 53
Cumulative DXCC: 11 (DL,F,G,GJ,HA, HB9,I,LA,OE,OK,9A )

Stats:22/04/2010
Battery: #2
Activation: #7
Summit: LA/TM-049
Band: 30m
Finish Voltage: 8.3
QSOs: 10
DXCCs: 9 EI,F,DL,G,HA,HB9,LA,OK, ON
Cumulative QSOs: 63
Cumulative DXCC: 13 (DL,EI,F,G,GJ,HA, HB9,I,LA,OE,OK,ON,9A )

Stats:29/04/2010
Battery: #2
Activation: #8
Summit: LA/TM-049
Band: 30m
Finish Voltage: 8.3
QSOs: 4
DXCCs: 3 F,LA,OE
Cumulative QSOs: 67
Cumulative DXCC: 13 (DL,EI,F,G,GJ,HA, HB9,I,LA,OE,OK,ON,9A )

Stats:12/07/2010
Battery: #2
Activation: #9
Summit: LA/TM-049
Band: 30m
Finish Voltage: not measured
QSOs: 4
DXCCs: 3 DL,G,HA
Cumulative QSOs: 71
Cumulative DXCC: 13 (DL,EI,F,G,GJ,HA, HB9,I,LA,OE,OK,ON,9A )

Stats:20/08/2010
Battery: #2
Activation: #10
Summit: OZ/OZ-001
Band: 30m
Finish Voltage: not measured
QSOs: 3
DXCCs:3 F,G,OE
Cumulative QSOs: 74
Cumulative DXCC: 13 (DL,EI,F,G,GJ,HA, HB9,I,LA,OE,OK,ON,9A )

Stats:01/09/2010
Battery: #2
Activation: #11
Summit: LA/TM-049
Band: 30m
Finish Voltage: not measured
QSOs: 7
DXCCs:5 DL,G,OE,ON,S5
Cumulative QSOs: 81
Cumulative DXCC: 14 (DL,EI,F,G,GJ,HA, HB9,I,LA,OE,OK,ON,S5,9A )

Stats:02/09/2010
Battery: #2
Activation: #12
Summit: LA/TM-049
Band: 30m
Finish Voltage: not measured
QSOs: 9
DXCCs:4 DL,G,HB9,LA
Cumulative QSOs: 90
Cumulative DXCC: 14 (DL,EI,F,G,GJ,HA, HB9,I,LA,OE,OK,ON,S5,9A )

Stats:03/09/2010
Battery: #2
Activation: #13
Summit: LA/TM-049
Band: 30m
Finish Voltage: not measured
QSOs: 5
DXCCs:2 G,LA
Cumulative QSOs: 95
Cumulative DXCC: 14 (DL,EI,F,G,GJ,HA, HB9,I,LA,OE,OK,ON,S5,9A )

Stats:18/09/2010
Battery: #2
Activation: #14
Summit: LA/TM-049
Band: 30m
Finish Voltage: not measured
QSOs: 5
DXCCs: 4 DL,F,G,HA
Cumulative QSOs: 94
Cumulative DXCC: 14 (DL,EI,F,G,GJ,HA, HB9,I,LA,OE,OK,ON,S5,9A )

Stats:29/09/2010
Battery: #2
Activation: #15
Summit: LA/TM-049
Band: 30m
Finish Voltage: not measured
QSOs: 20
DXCCs: 8 DL,G,GW,HB9,YL,S5,OK,UT
Cumulative QSOs: 114
Cumulative DXCC: 17 (DL,EI,F,G,GJ,GW,HA, HB9,I,LA,OE,OK,ON,S5,YL,UT,9A )

Stats:25/10/2010
Battery: #2
Activation: #16
Summit: LA/TM-049
Band: 30m
Finish Voltage: not measured
QSOs: 4
DXCCs:3 G,PA,LA
Cumulative QSOs: 118
Cumulative DXCC: 18 (DL,EI,F,G,GJ,GW,HA, HB9,I,LA,OE,OK,ON,PA,S5,YL,UT,9A )

Stats:31/10/2010
Battery: #2
Activation: #17
Summit: LA/TM-049
Band: 30m
Finish Voltage: not measured
QSOs: 6
DXCCs:5 DL,G,HA,PA,LA
Cumulative QSOs: 124
Cumulative DXCC: 17 (DL,EI,F,G,GJ,GW,HA, HB9,I,LA,OE,OK,ON,S5,YL,UT,9A )

Stats:09/01/2011
Battery: #2
Activation: #18
Summit: LA/TM-049
Band: 30m
Finish Voltage: not measured
QSOs: 15
DXCCs:5 DL,F,G,HA,OE
Cumulative QSOs: 139
Cumulative DXCC: 17 (DL,EI,F,G,GJ,GW,HA, HB9,I,LA,OE,OK,ON,S5,YL,UT,9A )

Few stations , Radio Moscow 59+,
Stats:10/01/2011
Battery: #2
Activation: #19
Summit: LA/TM-049
Band: 30m
Finish Voltage: not measured
QSOs: 5
DXCCs:5 DL,G,PA
Cumulative QSOs: 144
Cumulative DXCC: 17 (DL,EI,F,G,GJ,GW,HA, HB9,I,LA,OE,OK,ON,S5,YL,UT,9A )

cu all tnx
73 de LA1KHA Kjell

In reply to LA1KHA:

Amazing results Kjell and Richard. Now we have a real contest on our hands!

GL,

Tom M1EYP

Tanks Tom.
Please do not forget all those skilled and willing activators. They must do all the hard work shorting out the weak signals. Possible also many making call also, without getting through.When this battery is dry I will make activations so more can get chasers point.
Today battery was 7.61 volt one hour after activation. Hmmm power must be quite low now.

Stats:11/01/2011
Battery: #2
Activation: #20
Summit: LA/TM-049
Band: 30m
Finish Voltage: 7,61v
QSOs: 6
DXCCs:5 EU,DL,G,LA
Cumulative QSOs: 150
Cumulative DXCC: 18 (DL,EI,EU,F,G,GJ,GW,HA, HB9,I,LA,OE,OK,ON,S5,YL,UT,9A )

See also: LA/TM-049 Holtankollen in Telemark

73 de LA1KHA Kjell

In reply to LA1KHA:

Hi Kjell

I’m a bit confused. On the 21st November you said your record was 51 (battery #1) whereas your new data shows that you were already at 124 contacts with battery #2. Have you been teasing me?

I missed your foxing around last night.

73

Richard
G3CWI

I will invest in new battery and take up challenge.

73 de LA1KHA Kjell

In reply to G3CWI:

It had me puzzled for a while but it’s all down to the year. Kjell’s Battery #1 was used in 2009, Battery #2 has been in use during 2010 / 2011.

There are some pretty remarkable statistics here, it certainly makes charging up a 7Ah Slab or two for a single activation look a bit OTT.

73,

Mark G0VOF

New battery here and challenge is on.Still unmodified Rockemite on 10.120 xtal.
Dipole antenna some 3-4 meter (10-12 feet) up.
BATTERY 3 Philips Extreme life PP3
Cumulative QSOs:10
Cumulative DXCC:8
Stats:14/01/201
Battery: #3
Activation: #1
Summit: LA/TM-049
Band: 30m
Finish Voltage: not measured
QSOs: 10
DXCCs: 8 DL,EA,G,GI,HA,HB9,OM,S5
Cumulative QSOs: 10
Cumulative DXCC: 8 (DL,EA,G,GI,HA,HB9,OM,S5 )

Soon back on summit for more fun.
73 de LA1KHA Kjell

In reply to LA1KHA:
My first activation for the PP3 challenge.

Rig unmodified Rockemite with 10.116 xtal.
Dipole antenna.

Battery: #1
BATTERY: Panasonic Xtreme power
Activation: #1
QSOs:9
DXCC:5
Summit: LA/TM-049
Band: 30m
Finish Voltage: 8,69
QSOs: 9
DXCCs: 5 (G,PA,UA2,GW,DL)

Cumulative QSOs: 9
Cumulative DXCC: 5 (G,PA,UA2,GW,DL)

Qrv only short time. Started to snow, temperature abt. minus 4C

73 de Aage
LA1ENA

To LA1ENA Aage , my compliments on nice activation with 9v battery.
My logg
Stats:15/01/201
Battery: #3
Activation: #2
Summit: LA/TM-049
Band: 30m
Finish 8.71
QSOs: 11 (+ONE DUBLETT)
DXCCs: 5 F,HA,HB9,OK,LA
Cumulative QSOs: 21
Cumulative DXCC: 11 (DL,EA,F,G,GI,HA,HB9,OK,OM,LA,S5 )

73 de LA1KHA Kjell
Photo of yesterdays activation.
Imgur

Activation to day:

Stats:16/01/201
Battery: #3
Activation: #3
Summit: LA/TM-049
Band: 30m
Finish:
QSOs: 15
DXCCs: 7 DL,F,G,HA,OK,LA,PA
Cumulative QSOs: 36
Cumulative DXCC: 12 (DL,EA,F,G,GI,HA,HB9,OK,OM,LA,PA,S5 )

In reply to LA1KHA:
Hi Kjell,

It was great to work your QRPP on Sunday. I was running 50W from my FTDX5000 and had lots of the bells and whistles turned on to drag you out of the noise which prevails at my urban location. The antenna here was a 30 metre long longwire at about 8m high at its highest point.

Your success has given me more encoragement to go out with my KX1 which usually stays in the rucksack, with the FT817 being the rig of choice. I can see that getting the weight down would get me up more summits!!

73 and thanks for the points

Mike G4DDL

Tanks for info G4DDL Mike. Newer seen one of the FTDX 5000 other than on photos. But I owned a FTDX500 once, (Now antique)
My log
Stats:17/01/2011
Battery: #3
Activation: #4
Summit: LA/TM-049
Band: 30m
Finish:8.58V
QSOs: 7
DXCCs: 6 EA,G,GM,HA,I,LA,
Cumulative QSOs: 43
Cumulative DXCC: 14 (DL,EA,F,G,GI,GM,HA,I,HB9,OK,OM,LA,PA,S5 )

73 de LA1KHA Kjell

For all the chasers, the important thing is to lower the power. After that… you can feel a disturbance when you hear other chasers, with nearly KW (1 or 2 maybe) do their daily trophy (several times a year, a month, a week as if the activator could not do this 4 QSOs ), you’ll be very frustrated I am sure, but who cares when you reach that coveted unique summit … who is the silly after all … The important thing in my opinion, is to be happy to have succeeded with so little means - it’s for me the QRP spirit. “Put yourself in the range of the station which is up there on the summit with the means that are known”.
LA1KHA - Kjell and G3CWI - Richard, soon as they can show us, the chink in the armor, and I’m very happy because if you do not understand this… you can go back and hunt DX0DX and latest DX… !
I’m Eric F5JKK/QRP I think my post is appropriate, constructive, friendly and suitable for all ages because it’s true.

My logg for to day , but first :F5JKK Eric. It has always been good HAM spirit ( and also may have been in PT rules) that you must not/ should not use more power than necessary neither more than legal limit.Hope all think about this. I leave it up to each and one to think abt this. But I admire many of the chaser witch are skilled in art of communication. It bee either phone or cw.

Stats:18/01/2011
Battery: #3
Activation: #5
Summit: LA/TM-049
Band: 30m
Finish:
QSOs: 9
DXCCs:7 EA,F,G,HA,LA,OE,9A
Cumulative QSOs: 52
Cumulative DXCC: 16 (DL,EA,F,G,GI,GM,HA,I,HB9,OE,OK,OM,LA,PA,S5,9A )

73 de LA1KHA Kjell

Stats:19/01/2011
Battery: #3
Activation: #6
Summit: LA/TM-049
Band: 30m
Finish:8.21 TEMP -8C
QSOs: 12
DXCCs:8 DL,EA,F,G,HA,HB9,OE,S5
Cumulative QSOs: 64
Cumulative DXCC: 16 (DL,EA,F,G,GI,GM,HA,I,HB9,OE,OK,OM,LA,PA,S5,9A )

Se also http://www.sotawatch.org/reflector.php?topic=3597#foot
73 de LA1KHA

Stats:20/01/2011
Battery: #3
Activation: #7
Summit: LA/TM-049
Band: 30m
Finish:8.15 TEMP -8C
QSOs: 3
DXCCs:3 DL,HA,LA
Cumulative QSOs: 67
Cumulative DXCC: 16 (DL,EA,F,G,GI,GM,HA,I,HB9,OE,OK,OM,LA,PA,S5,9A )

Se also http://www.sotawatch.org/reflector.php?topic=3597#foot
73 de LA1KHA