Elecraft Introduces the K2/100 100W Transciever

sounds nice! but, I'll be the first to ask, get this thing kicked off.... at that price, what distinguishes this kit from say, something like a Kenwood TS50?
kc6ufe

 

That's $938 plus tax for the 100W version? Seems a bit steep to me for a kit. I've heard great things about the K1 and K2 kits but it just seems like at that price most people would choose the off-the-shelf appliance vs. spending the money and effort for the kit.

Now if it was only $100 more or so for the 100W, I think you'd have yourself a rush on those kits. Or if you could add another feature such as IF DSP, you might be able to justify the $938. Just my 2 cents....

 

POOH-POOH.

 

Hi Gang,
    I've got a K2 with all the options EXCEPT the KA100.  While it would be nice to have the 100 watts, the options I'd give up to use it aren't worth it to me... I really like having a built in ATU (I'm blind es don't like fiddling with manual tuners) es while I realize the internal batt wouldn't put out 100w for long, being able to just hook up an antler to the K2 es go is the main reason I bought one... That said, I'm vy sure Elecraft has a vy, vy hot item here.

 

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (kc6ufe @ June 01 2002,21:28)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">sounds nice! but, I'll be the first to ask, get this thing kicked off.... at that price, what distinguishes this kit from say, something like a Kenwood TS50?
kc6ufe[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Well, right off the bat, the fact that it is an AMERICAN radio.  Nothing against the Kenwood/Yaesu/Icom/etc. rigs out there (I own a TS-440S/AT), but if I was buying a new rig, that would certainly be a big factor in my decision.  Way to go Elecraft!!!

Mark
K5MAR

 

I have been reading about the k2 and options including the 100 watt versoin and can only say that i am very impressed with the stats. I built a Heath hw 101 and dx 100 years ago. You know, I never had to send it back to the manufacturer to be repaired. I did it myself. I suspect this is the case with this rig and I like the idea of keeping the american dollar in USA and not sending it to japan. Right now I have a rig in the shop and no replacement or back up.There will be a k2 in my future.
Bruce E Bennett k2pdj.

 

Regarding the cost, the big deal about the K2 is that it is a five star KIT.

Many kit builders want QUALITY and Elecraft has stepped up to the plate at a reasonable cost. They have earned a great reputation and have been favorably compared with the legendary Heathkit manufacturer.

The fact that the K2 pulls it's weight when matched with the likes of assembly line produced rigs is quite an achievment.

Kits do a lot for amateur radio. Where would we be today, if Heathkit never existed?

Ken aa7jc
K2 # 1833

 

Don't judge a book by its cover...yes, the K2 is a kit but after it's built, you'll have THE BEST performing radio you have ever had in your shack, regardless of price.

I have two K2's here...yes, they are addicting! The K2 has replaced my Omni VI, IC-775DSP, and it's giving my Pro II a run for its money. If it wasn't for the lightshow of the Icom, I'd probably dump it too...and just go with the K2; nothing compares to the receiver in the K2.

The new amp certainly adds a new dimension to a great radio! Of course, you can add just the options YOU want, making the radio totally flexible. Cool, huh?

73 John K7FD http://www.hamhobby.com

 

I don't own an Elecraft myself, but I have worked lots of them on both SSB and CW, mostly on CW. I have never heard one that sounded bad, and the owners of these rigs have nothing but good things to say about them. Yes, they are a kit, and, yes they are expensive. But you get what you pay for with ham radios, and I think that Elecraft owners have gotten their money's worth. On the air you would never know they are a QRP rig until the operator tells you. Keep up the good work, Elecraft!

 

The difference between the K2 and other kilobuck class rigs is that it
doesn't compromise performance to achieve low price. The receiver
beats my old TS-930 and my new FT-1000MP, both much pricier. It is THE
radio of choice for DXpeditions - 5 pounds for the K2/100 plus about the
same for a 20A DC PS and about the size of a cigar box. I just got back
from 6Y2A where we came in first North America, second place World in
the multi-multi high power category. 3 of our 6 radios were K2/100's
(field test units) and they made about 6,000 of our 10,272 contest
QSOs. Although we blew up two kilowatt amps and fried a relay in a
commercial transceiver, the K2's ran cool and comfortable all week. They
sound great in pileups. This is the most modular radio ever offered - pick
the features you want: SSB, NB, ATU, 160M, AF filter, RS232, 100w PA ...
all are options you can choose or ignore. The user interface is clean and
comfortable. You don't need a PhD in linguistics and computer science
to figure it out. Its fundamental rx performance is essentially best of
breed - see QSTs comparisons to rigs costing 3X as much. Yes, it omits
some bells and whistles that occasionally do come in handy. But it more
than makes up for that by being a rock solid performer. I love my K2!

73,

Rick N6XI

 

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Yes, it omits
some bells and whistles that occasionally do come in handy. But it more
than makes up for that by being a rock solid performer. I love my K2!

73,

Rick N6XI [/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>

Well Rick, you more than addressed some of my reservations about the pricing of the rig. I have only heard generally positive things about this rig. If I had some $$ right now, I'd buy one. For sure it is on my list for the next one down the line, as I'm kind of tired of buying foreign anyway, and I enjoy knowing what goes into my rig (literally&#33.

73s, WF7I

 

I am much more interested in the TenTec Argonaut V due out in August.

 

To All,

MattBeers wrote
* The K2 is the ugliest radio made, so it's unlikely to be stolen - face it, the damned thing LOOKS homebrew, by a builder who doesn't know how to make things look right

N5IUT
When asked about my K2 by other radio operators at Field Day two years ago, I told them that it was a kit that I built in 50 hours.  More then one said, "THAT is a KIT?" Some followed with, "You Built that?!  It looks commercially made".  During a break I completely disassembled the rig explaining the major parts.  Then I reassembled it and got back to work.  Many who operated it commented that interface was simple to learn and understand.  

The additional kits such as the SSB, Noise Blanker, 160 Meters, Clock/Audio Filter, and other kits are priced under the spouse RADAR of $100.  

The KPA100 is $350 so I had to consult the wife for it.  I hope to get it soon.

MattBeers wrote
The K2 is physically too large to consider for a main mobile rig, and it's not set up with SSB as the primary mode, but CW.

N5IUT
I do not know what kind of car you drive but I have plenty of room in my mini-van for ham gear.  The K2 is the smallest HF rig that has ever been in any car that I have owned.  

My K2 does not have a primary mode.  I bought the K2SSB kit with the rig.  Also with the new firmware, the team at Elecraft has added a complete set of digital filters for RTTY, PSK31, MFSK16 and other modes that are configured by the user.

After spending the money for all of the current kits for the K2 except the KPA100, and completing three mods, working about 70 total hours on the bench I would not trade my K2 for any other radio at any price.

N5IUT

 

Stupid question..

Why won't Elecraft come out with a "K3" that will offer all of the features commonly found on Yaesu/Kenwood/Icom radios? They know there's a market out there for it. I think they could compete with the big three.

I mean, if the K2 is supposed to be such a great preformer (With basic features) I can only imagine what it would be like if it had things like IF DSP, Notch, Shift, Dual VFO knobs & readout, bandscope, etc, etc, etc.

I'm sure that there would be someone out there quite glad to pay out $2000-$3000 USD in order to obtain a radio which would blow away anything the far east can come up with.

Either that or I'm sure someone within K/Y/I will buy one of these and wonder what makes them so great.

Just a stupid question as to why it hasn't been done yet, that's all.