qrper.com/2023/09/getting-to-know-you-series-the-mountain-topper-mtr-3b-my-thoughts-notes-and-a-pota-activation/ Click the link above to read full details about this activation, including all equipment links, at QRPer.com.
I have a very old 3-band grandfather of the MTR-4B, the PFR-3B with 5 bands of plug in band modules. However the 32 ga wire on the toroids break with the wind of a butterfly's wings I swear. I love that radio with the single digit display, but it was too fragile for real life on the SOTA trail. In contrast I love my TR-35 & TR-45L Skinny so much that it will be real hard to want more (except for 15-6M bands, lol). I recently had to send my TR-35 in for repairs as I dropped it accurately on a POTA activation that broke the BNC connector. When I got it back, the TR-35 became my SOTA machine (in an Evergreen hard case) and my TR-45L Skinny is now my full-time POTA machine. I have to work really hard to drag out my IC-718 to POTA unless I want SSB to get a new park. I have my 2-Watt Super Tuna 40, 30, 20, & 10M transmitter completed now, so this winter in FL look for it & my IC-75 HF receiver to be used in a POTA activation. Cheers, Davey - KU9L
Thomas you could add some silicon diodes in series with the positive power lead which would drop your voltage by about 0.6 volts for each diode. You could drop 13.6 volts down to about 11.8 volts with 3 diodes.
Good idea to put some diodes in your Go bag. I worked at a place that had a couple thousand diodes that the leads were cut two short. They were throwing them away so I got them. The leads are plenty long. So I plan on putting some in my mtr3b kit. On all my radios I put a label on them describing the max voltage so as to not forget
You inspired me to pull out my MTR3B and chase POTA/SOTA from the Gazebo. Fantastic fun and logged 16 POTA and 8 SOTA just in a few hours. Including KL7AC in AK, several across Canada and the east coast. Fantastic radio!
Great little radio Thomas, I had the first version of the mtr 5b but gave it away due to the very small font display (but I rtegretted it) Now we await a "getting to know" for the Elecraft kx1.
Congrats on your second mtr3b. Not jealous in the slightest 😂. They look so compact. I will just enjoy my SW-3b and wait for my QMX to arrive. That antenna rocks lol. 73 de MW0SAW
till I bought my XHdata I used to take my MTR4B on holiday with me and a couple of 9v batteries to list to the amateur bands . the 3B and the 4B are great little radios. so quiet on receive
Got both the 3b and 4b Along with the you kits. I never used any of them because I got the Qcx around same time. I wanted to get better at code before using them and forgot I had them. They are beautiful radios. I think I will keep them untouched for now.
We had a little show'n'tell on Michael's London Calling class on LICW for favourite RU-vidrs. As the first to step up I recommended your channel as a great way to improve CW, and also the fact you cover POTA, a multitude of rigs, antennae's etc. I also mentioned you were a total Womble for collecting litter, which confused a few on your side of the pond 😁😁 Great job and long may it continue.
Thomas, I think that pointing out the 'gotchas' is more important than working through the menus. Things like - - It has no tuner (useful for field operations and a temporarily installed antenna) - It has no SWR indication (see above) - It has no way to easily adjust output power - The internal keyer only works in Iambic B mode (unbelievably the IC-7300 has this deficiency) The extensive listings of features published by the manufacturers just gloss right over what can be serious limitations for QRP field operations Yes they promote radios that work, but I think I would be more interested in discovering the shortcomings - before I purchase the unit.
Yeah, this is what I wrote in the field report for this video. (See the link in the video description.) Also, you might check out the MTR-4B review I wrote as it covers this as well: qrper.com/2022/12/a-review-of-the-lnr-precision-mountain-topper-mtr-4b-ultra-portable-qrp-transceiver/
What I want to see is the mtr-3b next to a qcx mini or qmx. I find the qcx/qmx incredibly small and it seems like the UI is more intuitive on them. If Hans can get ssb working on the qmx and hopefully release a 40-10 meter version then it’s gonna be a winner for SOTA. But I digress. You could also use those K6ARK paddles I sent you for the mountain topper. The T shaped slot on that base plate is for mounting it to them.
This is a simple 40 meter end-fed half-wave antenna built by a friend (MW0SAW). You might check out the details in this field report (Google translate can translate it for you if you need): qrper.com/2023/09/getting-to-know-you-series-the-mountain-topper-mtr-3b-my-thoughts-notes-and-a-pota-activation/
