I’ve been thinking about the 12M challenge. Are there any small/lightweight 12M cw rigs out there? The lightest rig I know of that incorporates 12M is the KX3. Anything out there that is a bit lighter?
73, Barry N1EU
In reply to N1EU:
Hi Barry,
Have you seen the Magnum 1012? It is a 10 and 12m handheld! It can be found with other manufactures names on it. Albrecht 2290, Dragon SS301 as well as others.
It’s a lightweight handheld transceiver that runs on AA batteries. AM/FM/SSB modes but unfortunately not CW 
I am not sure if they are any good but they might be worth looking into for 12 or 10m SSB SOTA activations.
73 de Mick M0MDA
In reply to N1EU:
Hello Barry,
Bite the bullet and take the weight and get a KX3 then you will have all the options. 8)
With fall approaching 12M should get more lively in theory. It certainly was today.
Mike G6TUH
In reply to KD9KC:
In reply to N1EU:
Barry… if you want all band and all mode, it is the KX3 or the
FT-817… or something bigger and more battery hungry. Everything
else falls short in some respect.
Yes, I agree, Mike. I use the FT817ND on 12m and have had very good results with it. I’m sure the KX3 performs equally well, but it costs almost twice as much as the FT817ND and it is not so robust/durable for portable work in often adverse conditions on the hill. On the other hand, the KX3 does have 3 dB more power output available. That’s half an S-point, in theory!
The 817’s big brother, the FT857, is also a possibility - but it is much more power-hungry and a little heavier to carry.
73,
Walt (G3NYY)
In reply to KD9KC:
I have a pretty good read on how the KX3 is fairing in sales against
the FT-817 in the mainland of Europe where a lot of people play V/UHF
from mountaintops. But I haven’t heard anything about it in your
location. Has it replaced the 817 there?
Not at all. I don’t think I have worked a single UK activator who has been using a KX3. However, it is proving quite popular as a QRP fixed-station rig … although the price, certainly over here, is prohibitively high for a 10 watt rig.
My friend G4FRE / WW2R has one and on a short “test drive” I was impressed by the receiver performance. However, I remain unconvinced that I would want to take such an expensive and vulnerable transceiver on hill-walking trips with the constant danger of damaging it.
Just for the purposes of comparison, the basic UK prices (excluding optional extras) are currently as follows:
FT817ND GBP 540
FT857D GBP 680
KX3 (assembled) GBP 960
73,
Walt (G3NYY)
In reply to M0MDA:
Have you seen the Magnum 1012? It is a 10 and 12m handheld! It can be
found with other manufactures names on it. Albrecht 2290, Dragon SS301
as well as others.It’s a lightweight handheld transceiver that runs on AA batteries.
AM/FM/SSB modes but unfortunately not CW
You could easily make it work on CW by injecting a keyed audio tone into the mic input! I did that 40 years ago with a Liner Two on 2m. You need to filter out the second harmonic of the audio tone, otherwise you will generate a double signal!
73,
Walt (G3NYY)
In reply to G3NYY:
You could easily make it work on CW by injecting a keyed audio tone
into the mic input! I did that 40 years ago with a Liner Two on 2m.
You need to filter out the second harmonic of the audio tone,
otherwise you will generate a double signal!
You could do that, crude though it is. Then you have a wide open 2.8khz receive bandwith to contend with too.
I’ve been searching round for some proven designs but not really come up with anything useful as yet.
Looks like I’ll have to homebrew something or (god forbid) take my KX3 out of the shack.
I’ve a good collection of Altoids tins waiting to be put to some use …
Pete
In reply to G4ISJ:
or
Sorry guys, but I was off-line while up in W2/GA doing a bunch of activations in the AWESOME weather we’re having and also meeting up with WA2USA, N7UN, KK1W and N1FJ.
Back on topic - I think the answer is that there just ISN’T a lightweight 12M cw rig out there. Yes, I can haul my KX3 up the generally tough summit hikes I do, but it’s a serious weight penalty - including an extra 1 lb (.5kg) to carry a hiker’s stool. If I could operate standing with the KX3, I wouldn’t need the stool so I’m exploring possiblities for a KX3 neck strap. Better yet, I wish Elecraft would make a new KX1 with 30-12M capability.
12M has been in GREAT shape recently every time I’ve activated in the afternoons - unfortunately not many chasers are on 12M.
73, Barry N1EU
In reply to N1EU:
You would have me all day long working you on 12, but I am in the skip zone… I dontget to hear much other than EU signals, which are most impressive.
Kent, K9EZ
Raleigh, NC
In reply to K9EZ:
Hi Kent,
Thanks for the call on Wednesday. Good to hear you on the 12m band.
73 Mike
2E0YYY
In reply to N1EU:
.
How’d ya like that K6LJU contact today, Barry? I’m going to start pushing more guys to do that, now that I saw how well he did on my favorite freq, 955, with the MUF just a bit higher.
Elliott, K6EL
Pushy Dude
In reply to K6ILM:
Great to work K6JLU. Do you know what he was using for an antenna? He was just above my noise level and there was an amazing difference in readability between his 2.5 watts and 5 watts ssb.
Couldn’t somebody come out with a simple xtal controlled 12M cw rig?
73, Barry N1EU
In reply to N1EU:
Hi Barry,
Small Wonder Labs used to supply a HI-Mite transceiver similar to the Rockmite.
http://www.w5usj.com/himite.html
73 Robert G0PEB
In reply to G0PEB:
They didn’t make it for long. I suspect there was some problem with it.
73 Richard G3CWI
In reply to thread:
Tim Walford has a kit rig in preparation, the Minster, that will cover 12 m when it comes out, and Whoopee! it will do SSB!
73
Brian G8ADD
In reply to N1EU:
Hi Barry,
The X1M Pro looks interesting, and it covers 80-10m CW and SSB. It’s smaller and lighter than the 817.
73 de M0MDA
In reply to M0MDA:
It won’t do 12M without adding an external BPF. I doubt it’s lighter than the KX3.
73, Barry N1EU