KX2's internal battery capacity when charged from different voltage sources - and a new product for the KX2

The manual for the KX2's internal battery charger (KXIBC2) allows for a variety of input voltages, up to a maximum of 15V, to be used to charge the radio's 2.6AH lithium battery. The manual also mentions that lower voltages (down to 11V) can also be used although the battery will not be fully charged at these voltages.

I was curious to see how a lower charging voltage - ie, a partial charge - would correspond to capacity.

My main interests were:

• If I charge the KX2's battery from my motorcycle's lead-acid battery, how much capacity will it have?
• If I charge a completely discharged KX2 battery from the motorcycle, will I still have enough juice in the motorcycle battery to be able to start the bike?

Exploring my QRP options for bumpy travel

I've made several short excursions with three of the following QRP rigs (except for the Currahee, which I just received today) and am considering which of the four to carry with me on longer trips like the TAT and various BDR's.

Conditions would be: Bumpy riding, likely to fall (I hate riding in deep sand!), exposure to heat and humidity.

I operate only CW and would like to activate parks (and possibly SOTA summits) on the way, usually only on 15, 20 and 40 meters.

The antenna in all cases would be a 5m (17-ft) telescoping whip attached to a mount on the bike, a loading coil for 40 meters, two radials and with an antenna tuner. The latter is a must to compensate for variations from one set-up to the next.

Power would come from the bike's 7.4AH lead-acid battery. 

These are the radios I'm considering: 

Strong magic on the "magic band"

Only one signal on the band but what a strong one.

This is HC2FG booming into central Florida from Guayaquil Ecuador. 

Gustavo is using a kilowatt into a 5-el monoband Yagi on 6 meters and I'm at 100 watts (Anan-10E, Neptune amp) into a 17-ft whip that was previously on 20m CW in the ARRL DX Contest - I switched to 6m just have a quick look and saw the +27dB signal.

I don't think I've ever seen a stronger signal on any band. A few minutes after I worked him, he's up to +33dB.

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FX-4CR evolves into a smaller, more QRO radio

From Yu BG2FX:

"A new design (of the FX-4CR) is underway. Thinner volume. Dual-fan cooling. The maximum SSB transmission power is designed to be 50W. The new MCU microcontroller provides more functionality."

 

Yu will also be providing a matching external ATU for the upcoming radio.

 

VFO tuning will be via Up/Down buttons rather than with a traditional rotary encoder in order to reduce the height. 

 

No info yet on a projected release date or price. 

 

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Height comparison: FX4CR vs New Radio

 

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If you're in a hurry...there's FT2

Volunteer testers sought - read the full poop here.

Personally, I can't get past all the pop-up ads and want nothing to do with providing my Whatsapp contact info in order to be in the loop.

UPDATE: New official FT2 page here 

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