QRP rigs, pricing, and what's missing from most of them

A search of the mythical Ideal QRP Travel Rig For Vibration-Rich Environments has me, once again, pondering what's out there and coming to the same old conclusion:

That the Elecraft KX2 - manyyears (yes, one word) after its introduction - still has no peer. Eight years old now - a virtual eternity.

Like others, I watch the YouTube infomercials of the latest offerings, hoping to find my unicorn. But lately, rather than compelling me to open my wallet, they reaffirm the value of the radio released back in 2016.

Here's where I'm coming from vs. what's out there - a bit of a backstory (please bear with me):

Nine years ago, I rode most of the off-road motorcycle trail known as the TAT that stretched (at the time - it's longer now) from Tennessee to Oregon, on a single-cylinder Suzuki DR650. Single-cylinder bikes are often called "thumpers" for good reason. I made it to Utah before the obligations of still being employed called me home. That fact bugs me like you have no idea. I almost finished - but didn't.

I had two radios with me: an MTR-3 and an Elecraft KX2. Both performed admirably and survived single-cylinder vibration and the bike being dropped three times on Colorado's Ophir Pass.

The KX2's advantages over the MTR-3 were significant. More bands, built-in ATU and built-in battery. Eight years later, there is nothing that touches the KX2 for versatility and capability under a variety of conditions, because sometimes I want to use my 20m vertical on 17 meters. Yeah, I'm a fan of the built-in ATU. It lets me be lazy and inefficient when the mood strikes, which, lately, is often.

I have an ATU-10, but consolidation matters. Built-in is Best.

So I'm currently searching for a rig that - in 2024 - meets my criteria for motorcycle travel. I've got some (mostly) on-road trips planned with no pesky employer calling me home just as things start to get epic. Somebody else fixes those frickin' radars these days.

The latest offerings are these:

• The CFT-1 from KM4CFT. Five bands and a kit, optimized for POTA-type ops thanks to the simplicity of controls and CW memory capability/ease of initiation. There's a lot to like about this radio and I may get one yet. And there's a lot to be said for simplicity ("just turn on and start making contacts") and - don't take this the wrong way - I value it highly. The less there is, the less there is to go wrong, whether radio or motorcycle. I initially thought it was expensive, but then:
• The MTR-3B Currahee/Curahee. It's spelled it both ways on their website. Three bands. A re-packaged WhatWas,YearsAgo with a band substitution at 3x the price of the old MTR3. No thanks, even with that cool touch paddle. Only 3 bands in 2024? And for $350? Fool's gold is no longer made solely of iron pyrite.
• SW-6B from Venus. Dale looks to have designed a great radio and the price is certainly nice. Built-in battery, front panel controls protected by a plastic or metal lid (the plastic version has been shown as 'Not In Stock' since the radio's initial announcement). There is no ATU but there is an SWR bridge/indicator. The price, 6-band capability and excellent inherant protection would make this radio the leading contender if I didn't already have a KX2. I had an opportunity to test this rig but was leaving for month in Mexico when the offer came. An American operating with an XE prefix - ain't happening...una cuenta para otro dia.
• QMX/QMX+ from QRP Labs. I've had just about every rig QRP Labs has produced. The prices and what the rigs offer are unmatched anywhere else in this hobby. 6-160m for $125 and high performance to boot - amazing! Unfortunately, the QMX will not fit anyone's definition of a "rugged" radio. It has a very narrow range of acceptable input voltages; probably the narrowest of any radio on the market, QRP or not. This is decidedly disadvantageous for a radio likely to be powered by a variety of battery chemistries.

So there ya have it - what I'm looking for, why, and the options out there. Fortunately, I do have a KX2 and it seems to refuse to be obsoleted. Others come close, but the KX2 continues to stand alone.

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