POTA Test: Exploring the QMX High-Band & Lightweight Explorer Carbon Fiber Mast!

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QRPlabs QMX (High-Band): qrp-labs.com/qmx
Antenna: www.ebay.com/i...
Explorer POTA20Carbon Fiber Mast: www.gigaparts....
Adventure Gear Ground Spike: 980a11.myshopi...
ABR Industries 25’ RG-316 cable assembly with three in-line ferrites (Use Coupon Code ABR10QRPER for 10% Discount!): abrind.com/sho...
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Key by K3ES and VK3IL: vk3il.net/pres...
Battery: www.bioennopow...
GraphGear Drafting Pencil: amzn.to/3Ntf1pV
‎Rite In The Rain Notebook: amzn.to/42O5fa4
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72,
Thomas
K4SWL

[@ThomasK4SWL]

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[@ChaoticEko]

I am learning CW now and I think I am going to treat myself to this radio once I am a bit closer to doing some CW over the air in the coming months. I always love watching these videos, thank you!

[@Windmill97]

I have the QCX Mini (20m) and it is my favorite field radio. Solidly built.

[@ChaoticEko]

@ hey that is great to hear. I’m excited to get into CW more and don’t want to have to lug my G90 around to do it.

[@Windmill97]

JMHO, but most CW operators for POTA are on 20m. The advantage to have a single band transceiver is you can make a single antenna resonant for that band and keep that single-purpose antenna with your single-purpose transceiver. No tuner needed. Less equipment to tote. These QRP Labs radios also have a built in Morse decoder. I try not to rely on it, but it’s helpful if you want to engage fast operators.

[@ChaoticEko]

oh good point. Maybe I’ll just get the 20M mini then and build an efhw for that band specially for that radio and keep them together. Thanks for saving me a little money!

[@qrplife]

The single-band, resonant antenna approach is nice. BUT the QMX has built-in SWR detection and protection which works very well. In fact just the other day I was using it with a tuned antenna and the SWR protection tripped because a connector in the feedline had come loose just a little. Transmitting with essentially no antenna attached could have easily smoked the finals on a QCX or QDX. Besides the QMX is a great value, being multi-band and multi-mode.

[@InvestigationsDepartment]

Thanks Thomas for giving us another fun video and I look forward to hearing from you during your future activations.

[@ptsmonvideo]

Guying a mast is really easy: - Install 2 stakes (with the rope attached) into on the ground - Attach the 3 ropes to the mast (2 from the installed stakes and the 3rd for the last stake) - Attach the antenna to the mast and extend the mast fully in a vertical orientation - Walk away from the middle of the 2 stakes until the mast is under tension (keeping it vertical) - Attach the 3rd stake to its rope and stick it on the ground Success!

[@Jeff_AA8HF]

Thomas, I totally agree with you about enjoying the process of setting up an antenna every time. I also like to bring multiple antennas to a new POTA site so I can chose the best one for the conditions I discover when I arrive. I just love being outside in a park. I’ve done activations from my car but they are never as enjoyable as when I’ve hiked to a great location or found a picnic table with the perfect view.

[@ke4est]

Enjoyed the awesome video Thomas. Ole PPman KE8PTX. Great guy! Talk to him all the time. On the Popping on the radio, update the firmware.

[@LarryTaylor-l5m]

The popping was a firmware issue that Hans fixed with a firmware upgrade. #18, I think. Just install the latest. It’s super easy to do.

[@JasonMartinRF]

I just ordered my first radio to use for CW, but I have yet to learn it. While I look forward to learning CW and finally getting on the air, the antenna for operating is what is terrifying my wallet. What makes it worse is the cost for the "easier to deploy" options that don't require a tree! Thanks for the reviews, I just lament finding a fellow North Cackalackian so late!

[@ThomasK4SWL]

You know, this is a great question because, compared with the QMX price, many self-supporting antenna options are pricey in comparison. I might turn this into a post on QRPer.com this week to drum up some ideas. The trick is, without an ATU, your antenna also needs to be resonant. If you're ever in WNC, give me a shout. Perhaps we could meet up for some POTA or SOTA!

[@JasonMartinRF]

Will do! Thanks again for making these videos Thomas! 73

[@qrplife]

We come the channel to spend time with our friend, K4SWL.

[@walterbeaton5056]

Great video, Thomas. I really enjoyed it for some strange reason! ;-) 73, Walt NE4TN

[@TridentMissileTech]

QMX is my favorite radio. Though lately been using my G90 and venus 6B.

[@PaulK7VIQ]

Hoping for my QMX+ the end of November. Thinking about a pole for places that do not allow tree use. And you are correct, we do not come for short clips, personally I do not watch them as not worth the time. Also glad you do not play music during your videos. Thankyou. PS: I bought that speaker after seeing you use it and want to use it with my QMX+. The speaker has a lot of extra features I was not expecting or will ever use, battery is great but wish was USB-C so it did not need the older Micro-USB plug. I am wondering about that AGC issue since I have a QMX coming. Thank you, for all your posts.

[@Swamp-Fox]

Hey Thomas! I don't know what firmware version you have on your QMX, but mine (1_00_018) has a setting to "Suppress Thump" under Audio Settings that when toggled to "Yes" should make the sidetone sound better. I hope this helps! 73, Patrick KF4LMZ

[@edwardpacman7082]

23:27 He was on firmware 1_00_018, so the "Suppress Thump" feature was not implemented yet.

[@Swamp-Fox]

@@edwardpacman7082 That is strange. I am running 1_00_018 and it is there. I just checked qrp-labs QMX firmware version history: 1_00_018 - "New menu item in Audio "Suppress thump" to enable click suppression logic" Maybe his firmware was beta.

[@JeffErdman]

Why is is that every time Thomas tries out a new radio, I have to talk myself out of buying one as well? This one is super cool as well as the PennTek TR-45. For now my Venus SW-3B performs well for me on 40-30-20 but with the solar cycle up and 10m wide open, I think this QMX high band radio would be just the ticket! - K9FRO

[@DaveW6OOD]

BTW…I’m not sure what firmware version that high-band QMX has on it, but the latest has variable passband selection in the menu. You can select which bandwidths you want on the menu and then select the current one being used. It goes from 50hz-400 or 500hz if I remember right. It’s great to pull out a buried signal.

[@thuff3207]

I have always wondered how good the CW filters between your field radios. Not just how narrow and blocking but how easy to get them on when needed or off.

[@dienadel30]

Hah nice Mr. Rogers quote !

[@mornycmorny]

I'm just about to build a QMX; thanks for the video. I'm curious how long it took you to learn morse, from beginning to first QSO? I'm on that journey....

[@betterbprepared]

I am going to say that I am new to CW as well. It took me about 3 months to make the first QSO. Hunting POTA is a great way to build your confidence when starting out because it is very easy to make POTA contacts as a hunter using CW. You will need the POTA "script" for what you need to send and when. Other than that it is really a piece of cake. I currently have over 1200 POTA contacts with CW and I am still working on improving my decoding skills. GL es 72

[@larrychristensen5917]

The new firmware .27 has variable filters.

[@angelscomputers]

So no issues using that battery? 13.?V. I was under the impression that can't be more than 12v and no matter I have one of those batteries I ended up buying the Talancel 12v. I think I read somewhere that was not good to pass more than 12v to the radio.

[@Syomiti]

He was using even less than 12 volts. And you are right because in the QMX forum, there are so many reports of hams who destroyed the TX final stage MOSFETs using more than 12.x volts. As Talentcell is quite expensive, I think of using a standard 12.8V 6Ah LiFePO4 battery block (they sell at ~25$) with one or more 1N4001 diodes in series to reduce the supply voltage to a safe value.

[@dannybryant4440]

How did you enter the Memory Message into the QMX? do you have to key it in or can you enter it manually like on the CFT1. I have a QMX on order to go with my other QRP rigs. W5CI

[@ThomasK4SWL]

It's like the CFT1: you simply enter each character via one of the front panel knobs directly in the message memory and save it.

[@dannybryant4440]

@@ThomasK4SWL thanks Thomas, I Love your videos. W5CI

[@AndrewBurnard]

Hello Thomas, what is the yellow antenna wire you are you using for the TennTennas ?

[@ThomasK4SWL]

It's just a bit of wire I picked up at a hamfest. I think it's 24 gauge?

[@Deano_K5MPG]

Thomas, I don’t know CW but interesting video, thanks & Hold Fast! K5MPG