Elecraft

[KB3LAZ]

The KX3 is at the top of the Sherwood rankings.

http://www.sherweng.com/table.html

The K3 is third. No further need to debate which company is best.

Something must be broken if you see the KX3 because I still see the FTDX-5000. So one of us is not seeing the same thing as the other.

Edit..

I see there are SS on the net. Such as this one.
http://qrper.com/2012/08/elecraft-kx...ver-test-data/

So it was there. I wonder why I cant see it. Lemme delete delete personal data and try again.

Yep, was getting a cached page. My apologies.

[N0NB]

Other than a bigger screen for these old eyes I tend to agree but the firmware God's at Elecraft just released the first beta for running the K3 digi-modes (PSK-31 and RTTY) from the P3 via the USB keyboard port on the SVGA board.

I saw that and I'm still unconvinced. Perhaps if I did not have my main computer and radio desk as one and the same, it might make sense to me (no room for two keyboards). At this point, firing up Fldigi gives me more capability and saves me north of $250 for something else. Again, one has to look at the offerings and determine their value for oneself.

[N0NB]

The KX3 is at the top of the Sherwood rankings.

http://www.sherweng.com/table.html

The K3 is third. No further need to debate which company is best.

While that is quite the achievement, it does come with a caveat as Wayne, N6KR, outlines in this post to the Elecraft mailing list yesterday. Also, it should be reiterated that Rob sorts the table by Dynamic Range Narrow Spaced, the second to last column. I look at 'Filter Ultimate (dB)' as I detest filter blowby. Filter blowby renders all the other numbers moot, IMO. I tend to think that for SSB operations 'Dynamic Range Wide Spaced (dB)' is important, if I understand it correctly, and '100kHz Blocking (dB)' seems to be a measure of how well the receiver handles the band with a lot of strong signals.

Taken as a whole of all the numbers in the table, it seems Elecraft has the top two spots well in hand. The difference being what you intend to use your radio for. Wayne argues the K3 will still be the better performer in certain situations due to its available filtering and superhet design while the KX3 is the ultimate for hand held operation. If anything, the choice of which Elecraft rig became just a bit more challenging!

[N0AZZ]

I tend to agree with Wayne when you get down to the real deal nothing has really changed at all the K3 is still there top preformer and will remain there for some time. The KX3 does not have the abilites nor the room for all that goes into the K3 to make it work as it does nor should it. It is marketed as a Trail QRP radio and Field Day is where it was planed for. Later they will release a 100w amp for it so it may be used at home some but it was never ment to be a replacement for the K3.

To sum it up nothing has really changed in the Sherwood list if you compaire apples to apples and check the footnotes. I have both a 5000 and a K3 and it's a neck and neck between them neither comes out on top all the time.

[VK4TUX]

My impressions, having used them lots of times for lots of hours. I also have three very close by neighbors with K3s (WA6DKN, K6SMF are line of sight to me and friends, and very active) and I hear what they sound like every day.

My impressions are based on modulation characteristics of the TX. The receivers are fine.

But also: IMO, if it takes months of operating to take advantage of what a piece of equipment really has to offer...that's really a long time.

Let's get on the air together and make some tandem contacts, see what others think.

Steven, What type of microphone did you use and TX EQ settings please?

The Yamaha CM500 is very popular and sounds superb used on the K3 even using a tight TX bandwith.

Try Yamaha CM500

TX EQ 50= -16 100= -16 200= 2 400= +4 800= +6 1600= +6 2400= +4 3200= -16

mic menu = rpL bias on

mic = 8 compression = 20

You will never sound better and retain a tight clean 2.6khz tx, fitting into tight spots contesting etc, without issue.

Run the rig at 15v and use custom short heavy cables into a new heavy APP connection.Throw the original power cable in the bin. I use a sw/mde PS close on the P3

This improves IMD3 TX 8-10 dBm. This was tested by the acma here with a SA, they have visited three times this year due to a dirty signal from a neighbours solar invertor.

Try that, I get International & local emails all the time asking how I sound so good with such a narrow signal.

Adrian ... vk4tux

[VK4TUX]

I agree.

In the computer world, where I live, "tweak and play" wouldn't sell a second product, once the first is reviewed.

I don't want to play with EQ, because that would mean I want to sound differently than I actually sound. What's the point of that? I want to sound like me.

Every mic picks up frequency segments of your voice to a different value than naturally transmitted sound.

The Equaliser compensates. Most best audio's on air are very natural sounding like the guy is in the room, and it's often achieved with equalisation.

Shure mics sound very good with little equalisation, however the setting I gave for the CM500 also sounds great with Shure deskmics, but not as good as the CM500.

Adrian ... vk4tux

[KA5S]

If you haven't visited the Elecraft website in a while, the K3 had a baby, the KX3.

http://www.elecraft.com/KX3/kx3.htm

My semi-kit (ordered at Dayton) shipped yesterday. I am eating sardines so I can say I'm waiting with baited breath. (I know that's not the word; I like sardines.)

Thing is; I JUST bought a DDS-modified Corsair II right here on the Zed. This is turning out to be an expensive month; TWO radios, paving the private road, Temple dues...

Ut veniant omnes.

Cortland
KA5S

[WA6MHZ]

KD0SGS: K3 Alert! http://forums.qrz.com/showthread.php?t=356796

AS USUAL, anything selling on QRZed will be SOLD by the time you read it! Things only last SECONDS on QRZed. This has to be the FASTEST SELLING VENUE anywhere in the world! Everything I want is ALREADY GONE by the time I see it, and I refresh the site many many times a day. NOTHING lasts more than a few seconds on QRZed!

[WA3UCR]

AS USUAL, anything selling on QRZed will be SOLD by the time you read it! Things only last SECONDS on QRZed. This h as to be the FASTEST SELLING VENUE anywhere in the world! Everything I want is ALREADY GONE by the time I see it, and I refresh the site many many times a day. NOTHING lasts more than a few seconds on QRZed!

I hope you're right. I'm going to test that theory in the next couple of weeks when I list my K2/100 and matching ATU. Stay tuned! Gotta get the K3 first - then the K2 station is outta here.

[N0NB]

It's not true. I listed my FT-920 for several weeks on here a couple of years ago at a reasonable price with a number of INRAD options and received zero interest. It finally sold on eBay with one bid.

Once I own it, the item in question has ZERO value.