KX3 Battery Ops

Saturday, I installed the Elecraft internal battery charger option in the KX3. I put in eight AA Eneloop XX NIMH cells. I waited for the charger for battery operation because with the internal charger I do not need to open the case to replace the batteries until they wear out. The charger is working well. It also provides a real time clock that I have set for GMT.

Of course battery operation and QRP go together. The KX3 has a high efficiency mode at 3 watts. So I wanted to try some 3 watt operation. I was in Dothan Sunday and I did some reverse beacon tests. My antenna there is a off center fed dipole. It did pretty good at 3 watts. See the spots below.

Then I wanted to try some QSOs. First was a QSO to Alaska with KL7IDA on 28.050. This is what I call Made My Day QSO! Then I worked KW7D in New Mexico on 17 meters. And last K3WWP John in PA on 14.061. John is a well known QRPer and he was using a KX3 to an attic dipole.

BTW, I don't see any problem charging the batteries via my solar panel. It looks like I can operate off the solar panel as well. If the panel dips the batteries take over. I have a DC to DC converter that will regulate the voltage. I also can use it to boost a source that is less than to 13.8 volts up to the 13.8 volts needed to charge the KX3 internal batteries.

de	dx	freq	cq/dx	snr	speed	time
NC7J	N4KGL	28061.9	CW CQ	15 dB	13 wpm	2045z 18 Nov
WA7LNW	N4KGL	28062.0	CW CQ	27 dB	13 wpm	2045z 18 Nov
N0TA	N4KGL	24906.1	CW CQ	18 dB	13 wpm	2044z 18 Nov
PJ2T	N4KGL	24906.0	CW CQ	14 dB	13 wpm	2043z 18 Nov
WA7LNW	N4KGL	24906.0	CW CQ	17 dB	13 wpm	2043z 18 Nov
PJ2T	N4KGL	21062.0	CW CQ	3 dB	13 wpm	2042z 18 Nov
KQ8M	N4KGL	18096.1	CW CQ	19 dB	13 wpm	2040z 18 Nov
W3LPL	N4KGL	18096.1	CW CQ	23 dB	13 wpm	2039z 18 Nov
KQ8M	N4KGL	18096.1	CW CQ	19 dB	13 wpm	2039z 18 Nov
AA4VV	N4KGL	14062.0	CW CQ	27 dB	14 wpm	2038z 18 Nov
N4ZR	N4KGL	14062.0	CW CQ	10 dB	13 wpm	2038z 18 Nov
VE2WU	N4KGL	14062.0	CW CQ	12 dB	13 wpm	2037z 18 Nov
KM3T	N4KGL	14062.0	CW CQ	17 dB	13 wpm	2037z 18 Nov
NY3A	N4KGL	14062.0	CW CQ	14 dB	13 wpm	2037z 18 Nov
W3LPL	N4KGL	10107.0	CW CQ	15 dB	13 wpm	2036z 18 Nov
AA4VV	N4KGL	10107.0	CW CQ	22 dB	13 wpm	2035z 18 Nov
AA4VV	N4KGL	7055.0	CW CQ	15 dB	13 wpm	2032z 18 Nov
W4KKN	N4KGL	7032.7	CW CQ	4 dB	15 wpm	1850z 17 Nov
NY3A	N4KGL	7032.7	CW CQ	5 dB	15 wpm	1850z 17 Nov

The tall pines come in handy for the OCF in Dothan. I use a Balun Desighns 4 to 1 balun.at the feed point.