The (far) better half and I made a trip out to central Pennsylvania to attend some activities our grand-kids are taking part in. I had some time on Saturday morning for a quick activation, so I drove a few miles down the road to nearby PA State Game Lands (US-8941, KFF-5862).
We made the trip in the (far) better half’s little Chevy Traiblazer, so like a previous trip, I went with a simple setup. Along with my Penntek TR-35 (5W, CW), I used my Elecraft AX1 on a clip-on window mount. The diminutive AX1 has always gotten the job done in the past, so I hoped for similar results today.
My AX1 on the window mount
Today, I had a couple of things working against me: doing an early morning activation (0900 local time) on 20M coupled with some unsettled geomagnetic conditions. Not to mention running 5 watts into a 45-inch loaded whip. Still, I enjoy a challenge. Or maybe I’m just a glutton for punishment.
With the AX1, it only took a few minutes to get set up and get on the air. After spotting myself, it took nine minutes of CQing to make my first contact. Then, 19 minutes after that, I made contact number two. Yikes! It was looking like I was headed for my first busted activation with the AX1. I also began wishing I had brought my Gabil GRA-7350TC and mag mount, so I could have made some contacts down on 40M. Undeterred, I pressed on.
The crowded operating position in my (far) better half’s car
Not too long after that, things picked up a bit, and I started getting some more callers. Either the band conditions were improving or the hunters were waking up and getting out of bed. One of those callers was OH1MM. I had a weak copy on him, so I can only imagine what my QRP signal sounded like in Finland.
An hour after arriving onsite, I had 14 contacts, including one park-to-park and one DX contact. I was happy with that, so I packed up and headed back to my daughter’s house for a late breakfast.
So, despite getting off to a slow start, my little AX1’s undefeated streak remains intact.
I’ve had a lot of fun with my Elecraft AX1 antenna since I bought it six or seven years ago. I’ve activated several parks with it, and it has yet to let me down. Running five watts into a 45-inch whip shouldn’t really work, but somehow it does. While I don’t always use it as my primary antenna, I always take it along on outings as a backup.
I have used my AX1 in a variety of settings, e.g., picnic table portable, with a car window mount, clamped to the handlebars of my bike, etc. While perusing the Temu website, I stumbled upon a tactical-style MOLLE pouch capable of holding the AX1 and all the accessories I typically use for those configurations. The cost was a mere $8.00 (USD) for a pair of them. (The original offering is no longer available, but a search for “molle pouch” on Temu or AliExpress should find this pouch or something similar.)
AX1 Kit (front). I have two of these pouches, so I used a nylon zip tie label to tell them apart. AX1 Kit (Rear). The pouch is MOLLE-compatible.
It measures 6.3 in. (16cm) x 4.33 in. (11cm) x 2.1 in. (5.5cm). For as inexpensive as they are, the quality is pretty good. The material is durable, and the zipper works smoothly. Each pouch came with an American flag velcro patch. At these low prices, you often get what you pay for. This time, though, I think it was a pretty good deal.
Everything fits comfortably in the little pouch, but there isn’t much room to spare.
This is what I carry in my AX1 kit. Not shown is a 3-foot RG-316 coax cable. (See text for list)
I normally carry my AX1 pouch in my backpack. When I have too much other stuff in my pack, I can use the MOLLE straps to attach the pouch to the outside of the pack.
It’s nice having all of this stuff in one place. Now my little AX1 is always ready to go, however I plan to use it.
My (far) better half and I spent the weekend puppy sitting at my daughter’s house in central Pennsylvania. There are some POTA entities in the area, so I planned to get in an activation while we were there. We drove out in my (far) better half’s car, so I couldn’t use my usual setup.
Thanks to the work I did before I retired, I have a tendency to plan for every contingency. I started thinking about antennas for every scenario I might encounter. Since I have a lot of antenna options, my packing list quickly grew to ridiculous proportions. In the end, I resisted the urge to over-plan and kept things simple.
For this trip, I took my Elecraft AX1 antenna. With this antenna, I could go “picnic table portable” or use a window mount on the (far) better half’s car. For the rig, I went with my KX3, so I could use 20M, 17M, and 15M.
Early Saturday morning, I threw my backpack into my (far) better half’s car and drove up to Boyd Big Tree State Preserve (K-4356, KFF-4356). My last activation at this park was back in 2022. Coincidently, I was puppy sitting on that trip, too.
The parking lot was pretty crowded when I rolled in, but I found a spot with a little room around it. It only took a minute or two to set up the AX1 on the window mount. The car is pretty small, so I had to experiment a little to find a spot on the center console to accommodate the KX3.
It was a little cramped inside my (far) better half’s car, but certainly workable.
My goal for the day was to make at least 14 contacts to reach the required 44 contacts at this park for World Wide Flora and Fauna (WWFF). (I had 30 contacts on my previous activation.) Of course, I would have been happy just to make the 10 contacts required for POTA. But, once again, I underestimated the effectiveness of the AX1.
My AX1 and window mount on my (far) better half’s car
Running five watts of CW on 20M and 17M, a steady stream of hunters kept me busy. It only took about 20 minutes to make the 14 contacts I was looking for. The last time someone activated this park was back in November, and there have been very few CW activations. So, this was probably a new one for a lot of hunters.
DX-wise, I had one of my better outings. I had 14 DX contacts with the following countries:
Sweden (2)
Finland (4)
Italy (3)
France
Poland
Germany
Slovak Republic (2)
I worked OH2LIO on both 20M and 17M. Although not DX, I was pleased to log a contact with a California hunter. My little QRP signal really seemed to be getting around.
After slightly over an hour, I had 37 contacts, including four park-to-park contacts. Not too bad for five watts and a 45-inch whip.
I’m glad I went with this simple setup. That little AX1 never ceases to amaze me.
I mentioned in an earlier post that I bought my Elecraft AX1 antenna not long after they came out. Although I carried in my pack as a backup antenna for a few years, I never used it much. That changed last year, when I started giving it some serious use. It’s now one of my go-to options for casual, impromptu portable operation.
Of course I bought a few accessories for the AX1. I typically use the AXB1 Bipod with the AX1 attached directly to my KX3. While that works fine, I saw mention of an interesting alternative to the bipod, the Byonics KX3 AX1 Stand. My curiosity got the better of me, so I ordered one.
It’s a clever little 3D printed stand that weighs next to nothing. To use it, attach the BNC elbow adapter to the AX1 and set it in the stand. Scoot the stand up to the radio and connect the AX1 to the radio. That’s it!
The Byonics KX3 AX1 Stand
I set it up at home, and it seems pretty stable. The thing I like about it is that there are no adjustments. Since Byonics makes these stands for specific radios, the KX3 version won’t fit a KX2 and vice versa. That’s not a problem for me, since I don’t currently own a KX2. The Elecraft bi-pod, of course, can be adjusted to fit either radio.
I’m looking forward to trying it out in the field sometime soon.
Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer here in the States. Although I had some family activities planned over the three-day weekend, I squeezed in some QRP-portable operations.
POTA at Marsh Creek State Park
On Friday, I drove over to Marsh Creek State Park (K-1380, KFF-1380) for an activation. I figured it wouldn’t be too crowded on a Friday, but I was wrong.
I wanted to operate from one of the picnic tables overlooking the lake. When I got there, folks getting a jump on their holiday picnics had already claimed them, so I ended up operating from the truck. I gave my newly acquired Gabil GRA-7350TC antenna another try, using the old magnetic mount I used last week. Like last week, I used my TR-35 transceiver at 5 watts.
My location at Marsh Creek State Park (K-1380, KFF-1380). The GRA-7350TC is mounted on the roof of my truck with a magnetic mount.
Band conditions were less than stellar on the lower bands, but a mini pile-up promptly greeted me on 40M. After logging a few quick contacts, things slowed down considerably. I spent most of my time on 30M, where band conditions seemed a little better. I also did some hunting on 20M before packing up. I finished up with 20 QSOs in the log, including five park-to-park contacts.
I don’t think the GRA-7350TC performs as well as my homebrew vertical, but it sure is easy to set up. Although I can set up my homebrew vertical in under three minutes, the Gabil antenna goes up even faster.
By the time I left, the parking lot was nearly full. I guess people were eager to get their long weekend started.
Bike-Portable in the Park
On Saturday, I went for a short bike ride on the Schuylkill River Trail. This was my first time on the bike since my latest round of knee issues sidelined me back in March. Before heading out, I threw in my TR-35, Elecraft AX1, and bike mount.
I started off from a trailhead parking lot close to Towpath Park—I didn’t want to overdo it with my knee. A mile and a half later, I was in the park setting up the radio. I set up the radio on a park bench near the remnants of the Schuylkill Canal and mounted my AX1 on the bike’s handlebars.
My park bench setup in Towpath Park
I planned to do some POTA hunting on 20M, but I found the band was wall-to-wall with contesters. I worked one contester in Wisconsin on 20M, but I had no success beyond that. My 5 watts and 40-inch whip was no match for the high-power contest stations in pile-ups. I checked 17M, but I didn’t hear much of anything there.
My view of the old Schuylkill Canal in Towpath Park
With one meager QSO in my log, I packed up and continued on my ride. It sure felt great to be back on the bike again. While I didn’t do so hot on the radio, my knee held up great on my short three-mile ride. I’m looking forward to longer rides.
Valley Forge POTA Activation
On Monday, I headed out early to get in a quick POTA activation at Valley Forge National Historical Park (K-0761, KFF-0761). I rolled into one of the picnic areas and found a nice shady parking spot.
My shady parking spot at Valley Forge National Historical Park (K-0761, KFF-0761)
As I was setting up, a gentleman walked up to ask about my antenna on the back of my truck. I gave him a quick explanation of ham radio and Parks on the Air. Normally, passersby would just thank me and move on. This fellow, however, tried to engage me in one of the most bizarre conversations I’ve ever heard. After a few minutes, I politely disengaged myself from his rambling and got on with my activation.
Today, I used my TR-35 and my 19-foot homebrew vertical. It took about 10 minutes to log my first 10 contacts on 40M. In a little more than an hour, I logged 23 contacts on 40M, 30M, and 20M. There were lots of activators out and about this morning; I made seven park-to-park contacts I know of.
All in all, I had a good weekend, and the weather was spectacular. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend as well and took some time to remember those who gave their lives to protect the freedoms we enjoy.
I have been mostly off the air for the past few weeks, dealing with more knee issues. The bum knee felt a little better this morning, so I headed out for some long-overdue QRP-portable operation.
I drove over to nearby Valley Forge National Historical Park (POTA K-0761) for a short activation this morning. There was a picnic table close to where I parked, so I didn’t have to haul my gear very far. (My knee thanked me.)
It was a great day for portable operations in Valley Forge National Historical Park (K-0761).
This morning, I used my KX3 (5 watts) and my AX1 antenna. I started out with the AX1 on a little tripod on the picnic table, but the KX3’s tuner seemed to struggle to find a match on 20M. I swapped out the 3-foot coax I was using for a 6-foot length I had on hand. That didn’t help. Next, I connected the AX1 directly to the KX3 and used the AXB1 bipod to stabilize it. After rearranging the radials a few times (I used three today), the KX3 eventually found a 1:1 match on 20M.
My picnic table operating position.
Once on the air, a station in Nevada kicked things off. After a few more, things slowed down. It seemed like I was stuck at eight QSOs for the longest time. Fortunately, things eventually picked up again, and I made enough contacts to qualify the activation.
My backpack. My activation today was a good decision.
The picnic table I was using was out in the open with no shade. The sun felt great; but when the wind kicked up, that was a different story. I decided to pack up and head home for lunch. My log for today had 14 contacts, with two park-to-park. My best “DX” today was a park-to-park contact with California on 15M.
It was nothing earth-shattering today, but it sure felt good to be back out there again.
Pressed for time this weekend, I drove down the road to Valley Forge National Historical Park (K-0761) to get in a quick activation. I was only on the air for about 40 minutes, but it was a very productive outing.
The weather this morning was chilly but sunny and clear. The crowded trailhead parking lot I pulled into reflected that. I had the good fortune to find a spot where I could set up and not be in the way.
To keep things simple, I used my Elecraft AX1 and window mount, along with my KX3. It took me all of a minute to set up the antenna. I really like that about the AX1.
My location in the crowded trailhead parking lot. It’s hard to see, but the AX1 is mounted on the passenger-side window with two counterpoise wires.
Starting out on 20M, the calls came fast and furious for the first 10 minutes or so. The second station to call was F4ILH. Given my 5 watts and little antenna, I was thrilled with that. Later on I worked IK4IDF up on 17M. The little AX1 never ceases to amaze me.
At the end of my brief activation, I had 18 contacts in the log. Along with the two DX contacts today, I had one park-to-park QSO.
Not too bad for an early morning, spur-of-the-moment activation, I suppose.
Inspired by some blogs I follow, I’ve recently dusted off my Elecraft AX1 antenna and started putting it to use. Until now, I’ve kept it stashed away in my backpack as a backup antenna that I’ve never needed.
So far, I’ve used this versatile little antenna a couple of ways. Most recently, I’ve used it with an old window mount, while operating “stationary-mobile” in my truck. I’ve also used it while “picnic table portable,” using an Elecraft AXT1 tripod mount and my little Ultrapod tripod. If I’m using my KX3, I can use the AXB1 BiPod Mount to support the antenna.
One other use case I wanted to address is operating “bicycle portable.” If I’m out on a bike ride and stop for some radio, it would be handy to use the bike to support the AX1. Browsing around on eBay, I came across an interesting camera mount clamp that looked like it might work well with the AXT1.
I found this gizmo listed as a “clamp mount ball head” from a company called, SmallRig. It’s a clamp with a standard ¼-20 camera mount, and it works perfectly with the AXT1 tripod adapter. I can fasten the clamp to the handlebars, to give the AX1 some elevation. I would post a link for the clamp, but eBay listings come and go too fast. However, if you search for “clamp mount ball head,” you should find lots of them from a variety of sellers.
This is the camera clamp I used. When coupled with the Elecraft AXT1 tripod mount, it made for a very versatile mount for my AX1 antenna.
To test it out, I packed my radio gear and headed out for my first bike ride of the year. I rode a few miles on the Schuylkill River and Perkiomen trails to a local park.
The AX1 mounted on the handlebars of my bike.
I set up my TR-35 on a bench in the picnic area and mounted the AX1 on the handlebars of my bike. Even with the bike leaning, the clamp’s adjustable swivel allowed me to keep the antenna vertical. I used two radials clipped to the AXT1 tripod adapter with an alligator clip. A six-foot length of RG-8x coax was more than enough to reach the rig. I was on the air in about 3 minutes.
My setup in the park with my AX1 bike mount. I used two 12.5-foot radials attached to the AXT1 tripod mount with an alligator clip.
The T1 tuner easily tuned up on the 20M band. During my brief stop in the park, I worked POTA stations in Virginia, Illinois, and Georgia. Pleased with my new bike mount, I packed up and continued on my ride.
I have a feeling I’ll be taking this handy antenna setup along on more bike rides in the future.
Sometimes, you just have to be flexible. Originally, I had planned to do some bike riding today and experiment with a bike mount I cobbled together for my Elecraft AX1 antenna. However, Mother Nature decided to throw some freezing temperatures at me today. Instead of a cold bike ride, I opted for a more comfortable “stationary-mobile” POTA activation.
I loaded up my gear and made the quick trip to nearby Evansburg State Park (K-1351). My setup today was similar to the one I used a couple weeks ago. I used my AX1 antenna on a window mount. The rig today was my PennTek TR-35 (5 watts), coupled with an Elecraft T1 tuner. The TR-35 limited my operation to the 20M and 17M bands. With this simple setup, I was on the air within a couple of minutes of arriving.
My window-mounted AX1 antenna
Contacts on 20M came as easily today as my last activation with the window mounted AX1. I had my first 10 contacts in about 15 minutes. I was pleased to get a call from K4SWL down in North Carolina. Thomas has a bunch of recent posts on the AX1 over at qrper.com. Of course, I had to let him know I was using an AX1 today.
The organized chaos in the cab of my truck, which includes my PennTek TR-35 and Elecraft T1 ATU.
After logging 20 contacts on 20M, I changed over to 17M. I didn’t have as much luck, but I made four contacts there. After that, I went back to 20M to make a couple of park-to-park contacts. My last contact was with WA3GM. Greg is a local ham who is spending some time in Florida and was activating a park down there.
I shut down after an hour of operating with 26 contacts in the log including 3 park-to-park contacts.That exactly matched the results from my last activation with the AX1. This little antenna never ceases to amaze me.
Hopefully, we’ll get some more moderate temperatures this week, so I can finally get that bike ride in.
Recently, Thomas K4SWL over at QRPer.com featured an excellent guest post from W2AEW describing a car window mount Alan built for his Elecraft AX1 antenna. Inspired by Alan’s post, William KR8L, did some experimenting and came up with his own window mount. These folks got me thinking—a dangerous thing, sometimes.
I remembered a commercially made window mount I bought 25+ years ago. (I think it came from RadioShack, but I’m uncertain of that.) Back then, I was traveling for work a lot, and I usually took my old RadioShack HTX-202 HT along with me. When I was using a rental car, I used the window mount with a rubber duck antenna. When parked, I used a 2M half wave telescopic antenna on it. I hadn’t used it—or seen it—in years. It was somewhere amongst the miscellaneous stuff acquired over my 48 years in ham radio.
It took a little searching, but after rummaging through some old parts, I found the old window mount. The mount is made of steel with a female BNC connector on it. It also has six feet of RG-58 coax attached. The coax is more than enough to reach the center console of my truck from the passenger side window.
The old window mount I resurrected from the junk box. The bolt next to the BNC connector is something I added.
The next task at hand was to figure out a way to connect a counterpoise wire to the mount. The steel mount has a black coating on it, which electrically isolated the BNC connector from the mount. To resolve that, I removed the BNC connector and used a rotary tool to remove some of the coating around the mounting hole. Then, I drilled a hole for a small bolt that I could use as a place to attach an alligator clip for the radials.
I already had an Elecraft AX1 antenna that I bought years ago when they first came out. I usually carry it in my backpack as a backup antenna, but I really haven’t used it very much. So, I guess it’s time to put it to use.
To see how this setup worked, I drove over to nearby Valley Forge National Historical Park (POTA K-0761) for a brief activation. Along with the AX1 on the window mount, I used two 12.5-foot radials. I have to admit it was nice being able to deploy an antenna in less than a minute.
My AX1 deployed on the window mount with two radial wires clipped on.
Back in the truck, I fired up my KX3 running five watts. I was prepared to crank the power up to 10 watts, if need be, but that proved unnecessary. Within a minute of spotting myself, the calls started coming in. The signal reports were decent, and I was seeing some strong hits on the Reverse Beacon Network. It took all of 12 minutes to make my prerequisite ten contacts.
In less than an hour, I had 14 contacts on 20M, nine on 17M, and three on 15M. Among those 26 QSOs, I had one park-to-park contact with a station in Quebec. At one point on 17M, I had a DX station calling. I believe it might have been Italy, but I just couldn’t pull out the entire callsign. My apologies to that station, wherever they were.
The AX1’s performance was a pleasant surprise. Although it has been in my antenna arsenal for a few years now, I really haven’t given it a serious test. Well, that changed today. It has proven itself to be a worthy antenna choice, when a larger antenna is impractical.
Thanks to W2AEW and KR8L for inspiring me to dust off my old window mount and put it to good use.
WB3GCK QRP Amateur Radio 