[Elecraft] XT2DX CQWW CW with K2

[g3pjt]

Hi
Some observations from the XT2DX contest operation ( HP M/M) by  the Voodoo
Contest Group. Lee KY7M and I ( G3PJT ) took our K2s to see how they would
perform.

We used 2 K2/100s one on 80 and one on 10m.  Each driving an Alpha to 1 Kw.
No K2 equipment failures at all . And with Air France being VERY picky on
excess baggage the K2 were light and small enough to pass through as carry
on  luggage.

80m.  Qs 602  Zs 21   Cs 75

- as is normal on 80 it was necessary to set up the gain distribution in the
rx  in order to get the best result under such heavy noise conditions.

- the RANT instruction is too clumsy for contest operation. Although we set
up Fast Play to jump directly to the menu RANT ON/OFF it requires 3 key
presses to change RANT and another three to get back to where you started
from. Ideally it should be possible to set the K2 so that one key press
toggled RANT on and off. This would be a useful firmware enhancement.


10m   Qs 3671  Zs 34  Cs  145

- one report of drift - this was however on the K2 which had not been
modified to use only one instead of two xtals in the 12.5 MHz oscillator.
The other K2 which had been so modified was entirely stable.

- very noticeable that we were able to copy very low signal levels -
especially on the Sunday when we were looking for every contact we could
get.


Overall a very satisfactory result and it is evident the K2 is robust enough
for this type of contest DXped.
Our total score Qs 15241  Zs 181 Cs 699 for a claimed score of 39.9M which
on claimed scores looks like 3rd in world.


73

Bob G3PJT and Lee KY7M