{"id":44828,"date":"2020-08-15T09:47:59","date_gmt":"2020-08-15T13:47:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=44828"},"modified":"2020-08-15T09:48:58","modified_gmt":"2020-08-15T13:48:58","slug":"any-advice-on-compact-lipo-batteries-in-ear-earphones-with-volume-control-and-portable-amplified-speakers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/any-advice-on-compact-lipo-batteries-in-ear-earphones-with-volume-control-and-portable-amplified-speakers\/","title":{"rendered":"Any advice on compact Lipo batteries, in-ear earphones with volume control, and portable amplified speakers?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>

The MTR-3B 3 band transceiver is about the size of a pack of playing cards.<\/p><\/div>\n

SWLing Post<\/em> readers:<\/strong> I originally published the following post on QRPer.com<\/a>. I thought I might share it here on the SWLing Post<\/em> as well since we’ve so many readers who regularly use compact battery packs, earphones, and portable speakers. I’m looking for some advice as I build a super-compact SOTA\/POTA field kit around the Mountain Topper MTR-3B. If interested in helping me sort this out, read on:<\/p>\n

\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I received my Mountain Topper MTR-3B<\/strong><\/a> last week, and I’ve already taken it on a POTA activation.<\/p>\n

\"POTA<\/a><\/p>\n

Last weekend, I decided to break it in on a POTA “two-fer” site: Hampton Creek Cove State Natural Area (K-6246) and The Overmountain Victory Trail (K-4577) in Tennessee. Hampton Creek Cove was actually an ATNO (all time new one) so it was a trial by fire!<\/p>\n

\"POTA<\/a><\/p>\n

In short, the MTR-3B was marvelous. <\/i>I’m so impressed.<\/p>\n

As I mentioned in a previous post<\/a>, I’m building a full SOTA\/POTA activation kit for the MTR-3B. I already have a kit built around my KX2 and I don’t want to “borrow” any items from it (so I’m not surprised later in the field when an item is missing).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

The TalentCell Rechargeable 12V 3000mAh Lithium Ion Battery Pack is the little black box.<\/p><\/div>\n

For this activation, I powered the MTR-3B with this inexpensive 12V battery pack a friend recommended on Amazon.com (affiliate link<\/em>)<\/a>. The battery pack is almost identical in size to the MTR-3B and works perfectly. The battery, charger and cable all set me back a whopping $25.<\/p>\n

I also used my Whiterook paddle (which needs new paddle arms at this point) but that will soon be replaced with a set of N0SA portable paddles I recently ordered.<\/p>\n

Since the MTR-3B has no volume control, I used a pair of 20 year old Sennheiser earphones I bought when I lived in Munich. These have been in a drawer for ages because I now prefer using in-ear earphones with silicon earpieces for better comfort and sound isolation. But the Sennheisers have one thing none of my other earphones sport: in-line volume control.<\/p>\n

While the earphones worked well for this activation, I’d still prefer a set of in-ear earphones with in-line volume control. Any suggestions from MTR-3B owners? Also, I’d like a compact amplified speaker with volume control to carry as an option when needed. If you can recommend one, please comment<\/a>!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I’m writing an article for The Spectrum Monitor<\/a> magazine about portable power later this year. I noticed that a number of MTR-3B owners swear by 11V rechargeable Lipo cells that are used in the RC and drone markets. Many have a similar compact form-factor as the common 9V battery. I understand, however, some of these cells need special chargers and equipment to balance them.<\/p>\n

I would appreciate any and all information about these batteries.<\/p>\n

In the meantime, Rich (N8TGQ), recently shared a pic of his Mountain Topper portable pack. Check it out:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"MTR<\/a><\/p>\n

I think it’s brilliant how he’s mounted everything on a compact plastic cutting board inside the case. Rich says that what he loves about this set-up is that everything is there, ready to go–simply plug in the antenna!<\/p>\n

Please comment<\/a> or contact me<\/a> if you have any suggestions as I build out a compact MTR-3B kit!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

SWLing Post readers: I originally published the following post on QRPer.com. I thought I might share it here on the SWLing Post as well since we’ve so many readers who regularly use compact battery packs, earphones, and portable speakers. I’m looking for some advice as I build a super-compact SOTA\/POTA field kit around the Mountain […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[545,3,3196],"tags":[486,2842,8746,8747,7786,1303,1845],"class_list":["post-44828","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ham-radio","category-news","category-portable-radio","tag-batteries","tag-earphones","tag-mountain-topper-mtr-3b","tag-portable-speakers","tag-pota","tag-qrp","tag-qrper-com"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-bF2","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":45188,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2020\/09\/assembling-a-new-compact-field-radio-kit-in-the-red-oxx-booty-boss\/","url_meta":{"origin":44828,"position":0},"title":"Assembling a new compact field radio kit in the Red Oxx Booty Boss","author":"Thomas","date":"September 4, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"If you've been reading the SWLing Post for long, you'll have already sorted out that I'm both a radio geek and a pack geek. I recently purchased an LnR Precision MTR-3B QRP transceiver. I added it to my collection because the rig is so incredibly compact, it gives me the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ham Radio"","block_context":{"text":"Ham Radio","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/ham-radio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Booty-Boss-MTR-3B-case.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Booty-Boss-MTR-3B-case.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Booty-Boss-MTR-3B-case.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Booty-Boss-MTR-3B-case.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Booty-Boss-MTR-3B-case.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":45361,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2020\/09\/taking-the-par-endfedz-eft-mtr-triband-antenna-to-the-field\/","url_meta":{"origin":44828,"position":1},"title":"Taking the Par EndFedz EFT-MTR triband antenna to the field!","author":"Thomas","date":"September 17, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"In July, I purchased a tiny QRP transceiver I've always wanted: the LnR Precision MTR-3B. It's a genius, purpose-built little radio and a lot of fun to operate in the field. It's also rather bare-bones, only including a specific feature set built around ultra-portable CW operation. While the MTR-3B has\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Antennas"","block_context":{"text":"Antennas","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/antennas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Par-EndFedz-MTR-1-2.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Par-EndFedz-MTR-1-2.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Par-EndFedz-MTR-1-2.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Par-EndFedz-MTR-1-2.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Par-EndFedz-MTR-1-2.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":45212,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2020\/09\/a-3d-printed-cover-for-the-mountain-topper-mtr-3b-qrp-transceiver\/","url_meta":{"origin":44828,"position":2},"title":"A 3D-printed cover for the Mountain Topper MTR-3B QRP transceiver","author":"Thomas","date":"September 6, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Eric McFadden (WD8RIF), who asks: Thomas, what's the orange thing on the MTR-3B in the last photo in your post about the Red Oxx Booty Boss? [see photo above] Glad you asked, Eric! It's a 3D-printed protective cover. My daughters have been asking for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Accessories"","block_context":{"text":"Accessories","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/accessories\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/MTR-3B-3D-Printed-Cover-1-4.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/MTR-3B-3D-Printed-Cover-1-4.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/MTR-3B-3D-Printed-Cover-1-4.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/MTR-3B-3D-Printed-Cover-1-4.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/MTR-3B-3D-Printed-Cover-1-4.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":49637,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2021\/07\/a-simple-guide-to-portable-radio-power\/","url_meta":{"origin":44828,"position":3},"title":"A simple guide to portable radio power","author":"Thomas","date":"July 18, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Over on QRPer.com, I just published a post on portable power that was The Spectrum Monitor magazine's April 2021 cover article. This article is essentially an overview of a few different types of rechargeable batteries including pros and cons of each chemistry. While this article focuses on use in ham\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Accessories"","block_context":{"text":"Accessories","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/accessories\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/TSM-Cover-Batteries-rotated.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/TSM-Cover-Batteries-rotated.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/TSM-Cover-Batteries-rotated.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/TSM-Cover-Batteries-rotated.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":44630,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/whats-in-the-shack-here-at-swling-post-hq\/","url_meta":{"origin":44828,"position":4},"title":"What’s in the shack here at SWLing Post HQ","author":"Thomas","date":"August 7, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Pete, who writes: Thomas, I'm curious what radios you have in the shack now. I see lots of posts about various radios, but I wonder what's in your personal collection and what's being evaluated. You know what they say...\"inquiring minds\" and all that! If\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ham Radio"","block_context":{"text":"Ham Radio","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/ham-radio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Mission-RGO-One-Paddle-Mic-Transceiver-5.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Mission-RGO-One-Paddle-Mic-Transceiver-5.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Mission-RGO-One-Paddle-Mic-Transceiver-5.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Mission-RGO-One-Paddle-Mic-Transceiver-5.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":47976,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2021\/03\/a-review-of-the-icom-ic-705-qrp-portable-sdr-transceiver\/","url_meta":{"origin":44828,"position":5},"title":"A review of the Icom IC-705 QRP Portable SDR Transceiver","author":"Thomas","date":"March 1, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"The following review was first published in\u00a0the February 2021 issue of The Spectrum Monitor\u00a0magazine: It sometimes seems that one of the biggest enemies of a radio enthusiast these days is RFI (radio frequency interference), which is to say, human-originated noise that infiltrates\u2013\u2013and plagues\u2013\u2013vast chunks of our radio spectrum. Yet I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "AM"","block_context":{"text":"AM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/am\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Icom-IC-705-Elecraft-AX1-T1-K3378-3-768x1024-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Icom-IC-705-Elecraft-AX1-T1-K3378-3-768x1024-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Icom-IC-705-Elecraft-AX1-T1-K3378-3-768x1024-1.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Icom-IC-705-Elecraft-AX1-T1-K3378-3-768x1024-1.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44828","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=44828"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44828\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44828"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=44828"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=44828"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}