Steve wrote: > I am loading up for a 10 mile backpacking trip this weekend...
It's a modest distance if elevation changes aren't too abrupt and the temperature is tolerable. > When I have gone on trips in the past I have taken my FT-857D. A mobile-rig monster that weighs more than 4.5 lb and draws more than 1 amp just on receive! I have never before heard of anyone using anything remotely similar for backpacking. I've used for a decade a K1 and resonant dipole assembly and 4.5 Ah SLA, plus a small HT and a small AM/FM radio. > My set up before was right about 15lbs. This included the FT-857D, battery... I asked some time ago what sort of battery was used to support a rig that draws over 1 amp just on receive. My K1 draws about 70 mA with signals and backlight. > Total oz is 59.8, or 3.7375lbs. Are you sure about the accuracy of those last 75/10,000ths of a lb.? :-) > What I am probably going to do for this weekend is still use my 7Ah SLA... A common 4 to 4.5 Ah SLA would seem better suited. That 7 Ah SLA could not supply a FT-857D for anything but a negligible amount of time. But the KX3, with receive current draw one-fifth that of the FT-857D, will be entirely serviceable for a few hours of causal ops for several evenings with a 4.5 Ah SLA before any recharge will be needed. > ...when I am in camp at night and the sun isn't out I can run all I want > and not drain it. That sounds a little hyperbolic. I've always found that a battery always goes away faster than one hopes. > Some die-hard backpackers would still say this is too much weight... I wouldn't. I carry a small 5W 144/440 FM HT (with DC power cord and clips to the SLA battery, plus long-range non-rubber-duck antenna) programmed with ham and public service frequencies for the area. I carry a small AM/FM good-performance AM/FM broadcast radio. (The small new SDR-technology Tecsun PL-380 and PL-390 are great, especially the PL-390 with its larger ferrite bar AM antenna.) Someday when I have a KX3, I'll probably prefer the K1 for backpacking. The summer months are bad camping and hiking months...especially in 2012. After the faux winter the US just had, insects, ticks, chiggers, etc. are out in greater numbers than they've been in decades. Plus its hot and area stream levels are way down. Fall and winter are my months. Mike / KK5F ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
