[Elecraft] K2/100 at N0SS for FD...

[Tom Hammond NØSS]

Mark Dulcey wrote:

>K2 #1984 (Big Brother is Listening) plus a shiny new KPA100 (this one 
>separated according to the KI6WX instructions) handled 510 CW QSOs at 
>W1BOS. (These CW contacts, made on 80, 40, and 15 meters, were the only CW 
>operation at W1BOS. There were also two HF phone stations, an HF digital 
>station, two VHF/UHF SSB stations, and one VHF FM station.) The K2, sans 
>KPA100, also handled 10 QRP contacts for our solar-power bonus. We worked 
>N0SS, so we may have had a K2/100 - K2/100 contact!

It WAS, unless we both happened to be making our Natural Power QSO's at tht 
same time early Sunday morning on 15M.

>The newly-completed amplifier worked flawlessly during Field Day. The only 
>operational problem is that we didn't get full power out of it all the 
>time, because we couldn't get the SWR down low enough even with an antenna 
>tuner. (The antenna we used with the K2/100 was a recently homemade 80/40 
>meter dipole. It was cut just a BIT too long; the resonances were slightly 
>below the ham bands.

My understanding is that if you HAVE to cut it, CUT IT LONG! If that option 
is available.

>My big old AEA AT-300 doesn't seem to be able to match such an antenna - 
>the inductances probably don't go low enough.) The K2/100 gave a HI REFL 
>warning, but happily soldiered on at somewhat reduced power.

Does the AT-300 have 'fixed-by-band' inductances? (e.g. switch positions 
for "80", "40", "20", etc.) Or does it have a switch to allow you to select 
numerous tap points?

>Dave Hunt, WX1G, was impressed by the K2. I loved it all along - but if 
>Dave, one of the best CW operators around, liked it, that really means 
>something! He particularly noted the smooth QSK and the effective filters. 
>I just did the crystal filter grounding mod last week; that couldn't have hurt.

With only 3-4 instances, I think we used a filter bandwidth of 1.0kHz the 
entire time.