How Long Have You Owned the Minion?

[WA7SON]

I recently purchased this radio, at the end of March, 2018. It shipped from the Ukraine less than 30 days later. It took about 2 weeks to arrive to my mailbox in Lacey, WA. I have been studying it, as time permits, and being fairly new to QRP operation, have been working on building a portable station, as I currently reside in an apartment. Today was a successful day, as I was able to get the laptop to commmunicate with the radio. I am using a Debian derivative, and I did not want to give up and reinstall Win10 back on the laptop.

This is the preliminary, so I thought I would share this with anybody that cares to come along and join this group. It is my intent to share my experience, (and inexperience) and maybe help somebody not to make the same mistakes I have thus far. GOOGLE is your friend.

-Robert/WA7SON-

[Alex KA3BQE/9]

I haven't purchased one yet. I'm still working with ubitx R3 and R4 boards I have still to complete. Traveling on business doesn't help. Eventually I'd like a rig I can keep with me when I travel. 

[PeteWK8S]

For what it’s worth to readers here is my experience during Field Day.. I normally don’t do FD but I wanted to try the Minion Mini in a contest setting. Mind you this was a short and very limited test under poor conditions on first day. I must mention I am a poor copy at high CW speeds. So I set up a QRPGUYS vertical on my patio about 5 feet from my 2 story house blocking west & north. Still I worked 10 stations QRP power on 20M. Sunday, I wanted to try the Minion on SSB in the FD fray. I had just 1 hour to play. So I drove to a small, local park, set up same QRPGUYS 3 band vertical in an obviously better location. 20 meter conditions were tough but I still made 5 SSB in that short time. To me, considering low power and less than ideal FD antenna, location or operator, this speaks well of the Minion Mini transceiver. I was impressed. Not too shabby for a tiny, low cost radio.

[WA7SON]

Glad to hear of your use of the MINION in Field Day action. It is a nice radio, to say the least.

[Boubker - CN8BSB]

Hi all,

I am moving from QRO (ICOM-718+AH4 and ICOM-728+AT150) to ultra portable qrp.

So after a small benchmark, I decided to order the Minion-mini DC-3001.

Order went smooth, and I received TODAY the rig here in Morocco less than a month later!

My setup is planned to be :

- 20W solar panel

- MPPT solar charger

- 12V 7Ah acid lead battery

- qrp Minion-mini DC-3001

- Elecraft AT-1 automatic tuner

- HyEnd end fed qrp ultra light antenna

- ICOM HM36 mic modified to 3,5mm jack

I will try this setup this week-end, and make you my report.

My goal is also to go digital mode with this setup...

73 de Boubker CN8BSB.

[nu6i]

I received mine at the end of April and love it. I use it in SSB and mostly CW and tried it in digital. I had a Flex 1500 and sold it,

the Minion Mini is way easier to use and you don't to deal ritual all those virtual audio cable drivers that mess up your

computer.

Always receive excellent reports on the modulation in SSB and clean signal in CW. It is now my most used rig. And it is so small.

Excellent value for the money.

73 de Yvon NU6I

[Allan - KD4RUF]

I have had my Mini for a bit now, but have really been unable to spend any time with it due to work and family commitments.  I have had it out portable several times (in the backyard) and it is so very small and so very easy on power needs.  I tried SSB and CW several times, but since the bands are not that great for me (am currently a Tech and will upgrade to General end-of-Sept) I have not had any great luck in any QSO's.  I am now slowly working to get digital setup.